Tag: Containership

MSI appoints North American director

MSI has appointed John Moulopoulos as director, North America, with responsibility for business development in the Americas.

The company said Mr Moulopoulos joins from Boston-based maritime intelligence and data delivery service Marsoft Inc, and his role will include working with North American shipowners and maritime investors, while also drawing on his heritage and network to support MSI customers in Greece.

He will bring previous experience in data delivery to MSI’s HORIZON and SEASCAPE platforms.

Mr Moulopoulos studied naval architecture and marine engineering at the University of Michigan and completed a Master’s in financial engineering in 2011.

He has also worked in investment banking, research and consulting roles in New York City, including with teams at Axia Ventures and Seabury Capital on research and analysis, supporting investor access to shipping markets and linking established owners with private equity and credit funds.

MSI managing director Adam Kent said, “John brings MSI considerable experience and a network that can help support our presence in US shipping and investor markets, combining a strong shipping background with skills that can help to shape our delivery of data, research and analysis.”

Mr Kent added, “At a time of considerable volatility and dislocation in markets, John’s background in research and analysis is an important addition to the MSI team and our service provision to clients.”

Mr Moulopoulos said, “Investors in shipping have been facing one black swan event after another. I see my role as helping US investors and owners navigate the conditions that come with the disruption and further expanding the MSI brand within the Greek market.”

He added, “The opportunity to join a leading provider of data and analysis comes at a time when impartial, data-driven insights are more vital than ever.”

Mr Moulopoulos’ family traces its involvement in shipping to 1865 under the Laurel Sea Transport name, with ownership and management of bulkers, crude tankers, cruise ships and ferries in the Mediterranean.

Laurel Sea Transport, originally from the island of Andros, operated an office in London for many years and sold its last ship in 2019.

Saudi’s Folk Maritime shifts India-Gulf service to Red Sea as Hormuz disruption bites

A report issued by MSI, argues that an optimistic base case scenario would see “naval support for partial passage through the SoH at 70% of the pre-war volume in Q2 before transits normalise in H2.

“In this scenario, we see the near-term disruption and network inefficiencies mirroring, but falling short of, the dynamics seen in the Red Sea.” Read more at The Loadstar.

US tariff tussle: supply chain disruption, trade deal uncertainty and shipping impacts

Analysts see a US Supreme Court ruling against US President Donald Trump’s tariffs as positive for container trades in the short term.

MSI director Daniel Richards told Riviera that any tariffs introduced under the IEEPA are now invalid. “All other tariffs implemented since January 2025, including those targeting the steel, aluminium, copper, automotive and lumber sectors, remain in place,” he explained.

According to Mr Richards, the situation for many individual countries is now murky – particularly for those that have negotiated trade agreements with the US over the past year. Read more at Riviera.

China’s demographic cliff: can shipping live without its golden growth engine?

The demographic sweetspot for China, the 21st century’s driving force of shipping profits, has long passed. This month, Beijing reported its steepest birth rate decline since the Communist Party took power in 1949. Splash Extra investigates what a dwindling population means for global shipping.

Adam Kent, managing director at MSI, explains to Splash Extra that with the population in decline, demand for new property and infrastructure will slow as economic growth slows, with a greater focus on services rather than goods as the population ages.

“This raises the question of whether we expect another ‘China’ to emerge to replace lost shipping demand. India is often cited as the most obvious candidate, given that its population has now surpassed China’s,” Kent says. Read more at Splash247.com.

Shipping markets outlook for H1 2026 – Podcast

2025 was a year like no other for shipping buffeted by US tariffs, trade wars, and geopolitical conflicts but through it all markets across most major sectors performed remarkably well.

Going into 2026 there seems to be no let up with the US military action in Venezuela with days of the New Year, so what does the rest of the coming 12 months have to offer the world of shipping?

Find out the views of the experts from MSI Ltd by listening to the podcast at Seatrade Maritime.

How to spend it in 2026

According to a new report from Fitch Ratings, next year will still be challenging due to a myriad of geopolitical and policy risks. Shipping will also be hit by the lower GDP growth expected across most major economies in 2026 compared to 2025.

Adam Kent, managing director at MSI, agrees with several aspects of this report and believes that the circling geopolitical winds will continue to impact markets into 2026.

“These forces, coupled with asset prices that remain relatively high and stubbornly sticky against a volatile earnings backdrop, make choosing a sector to invest in over the next 12 months more challenging than usual,” he explains to Splash Extra. Read more at Splash247.com