January 2026 was a month in which significant changes and developments took place in the maritime sector, both in regulatory and operational terms.
International Regulations and Applications
• The IMO regulatory package entered into force on 1 January 2026. The International Maritime Organization’s new convention and code amendments cover a wide range of areas, including ship safety, reporting of container losses, fire safety, and training and certification on fishing vessels.
• As of January, the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) began to be managed globally by OceanScore. This framework provides a system that allows ports to offer incentives to vessels with high environmental performance.
• In Europe, the scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) was expanded to cover a larger portion of emissions from maritime transport. This change increased compliance requirements for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions on voyages calling at European ports.
• Discussions on the IMO Net-Zero Framework remained on the agenda throughout the year, with global carbon pricing processes taking shape for 2026 and beyond.
Global Maritime Operations
• A major change in the Panama Canal: Following a court ruling, Danish shipping company Maersk assumed interim management of Panama Canal port operations, taking over from a Hong Kong-based operator.
• Traffic recovery in the Suez Canal: In the first half of the 2025/26 fiscal year, canal traffic increased by 5.8%, tonnage by 16%, and revenues by 18.5%, with some major carriers starting to prefer the canal again.
• A USD 10 billion port terminal investment was planned through the CMA CGM – Stonepeak partnership. This move aims to strengthen port infrastructure capacity in global maritime transport.
• Due to weather conditions, operational disruptions and vessel delays were experienced at European ports, particularly affecting terminal activities in Spain, Portugal, and southern Italy.
Sectoral Data and Agenda in Türkiye
• An increase was observed in the number of cruise vessels and passenger traffic calling at Turkish ports: in 2025, 1,347 cruise ships and 2,097,363 passengers were recorded (previous period: 1,167 ships, 1,854,364 passengers).
• 56.3% of Türkiye’s exports in 2025 were carried by sea, once again placing maritime transport at the top among export transport modes.
• Within the framework of IMO convention amendments in Türkiye, new safety and training standards entered into force, including updates on preventing harassment and violence in maritime workplaces, dangerous goods reporting, and fire safety.
• The EU maritime bulletin published in January presented developments in energy efficiency, marine environmental protection, and digitalization.
• Representatives of the Turkish shipbuilding industry held their first meeting of 2026, during which new-year targets were defined.
In January 2026, the maritime sector presented an overall picture of preparing for the first quarter of the year, shaped by new regulations, environmental focus, and operational transformations.
Sources
Republic of Türkiye – Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure
Directorate General of Maritime Affairs
IMO regulations entering into force as of 1 January 2026
https://www.vda.org.tr/duyuru/1-ocak-2026-tarihi-itibariyla-yururluge-giren-denizcilik-duzenle/31269
Safety4Sea
New EU ETS rules take effect from January 2026
https://safety4sea.com/cm-new-eu-ets-rules-take-effect-from-january-2026-what-you-should-know/
OceanScore / Environmental Ship Index (ESI)
OceanScore appointed global administrator of ESI
https://www.indexbox.io/blog/oceanscore-appointed-global-administrator-of-environmental-ship-index-esi/
Reuters
CMA CGM forms port joint venture with Stonepeak
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/shipping-group-cma-cgm-form-port-joint-venture-with-stonepeak-2026-01-28/
Reuters
Severe weather disrupts cargo flows in Europe
https://www.reuters.com/business/maersk-says-severe-weather-disrupts-cargo-flows-europe-2026-01-28/
Suez Canal Authority
Suez Canal traffic and revenue update – January 2026
https://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/English/MediaCenter/News/Pages/Sca_21-1-2026.aspx
Al Jazeera
Maersk to take over Panama Canal ports after court ruling
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/31/shipping-giant-maersk-to-take-over-panama-canal-ports-after-court-ruling
Istanbul Chamber of Shipping (IMEAK DTO)
Maritime Sector Indicators – January 2026
https://www.denizticaretodasi.org.tr/media/SharedDocuments/densek/2026/Denizcilik%20Sekt%C3%B6r%C3%BC%20G%C3%B6stergeleri_Ocak%202026.pdf
DenizHaber
The share of maritime transport in Türkiye’s exports
https://www.denizhaber.net/turkiye-ihracatinda-deniz-yolu-liderligi-birakmiyor-haber-123283.htm
Istanbul Chamber of Shipping (IMEAK DTO)
EU Maritime Bulletin – January 2026
https://www.denizticaretodasi.org.tr/tr/bulten/ab/imeak-dto-ocak-2026-ab-bulteni-431
