Demand has been especially strong in the U.S., where retailers and other importers are stocking up at warehouses amid worries about new tariffs a possible dockworkers strike.

The M/V Dali crashed in the Key Bridge on March 26, killing six maintenance workers and sending the bridge into Baltimore's main shipping channel in pieces.

The port had announced plans in April to shut down container intake at T6 by October, after the terminal experienced $30 million in losses over three years.

The union representing 20,000 workers at India's 12 major shipping hubs had initially planned to go on strike indefinitely on August 28.

NOAA predicts that by the end of November, this year's hurricane season could rank among the busiest on record.

The Panama Canal Authority has increased the draft in the waterway to a maximum 50 feet and will allow 36 vessels a day to transit.

The Sounion was attacked while sailing through the waterway and suffered minor damage, its owner and operator Delta Tankers said.

Ahead of looming deadlines, it's unclear whether either situation will resolve in time to avert these twin crises, or how long any potential work stoppages might last.

The investment will contribute to the development of infrastructure, and play a vital role in boosting Pakistan's economy, said Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh.

It's hard to know whether peak shipping season started early, and trade volumes will level off soon, or if importers will continue bringing in more than usual.