Esgian Shipping RoRo and MPP Market Reports for April 2026

RoRo April 2026 highlights:

Arabian Gulf: Market Impact:Esgian Shipping Suite data indicates early rerouting trends, with increased port calls along the western Arabian Sea. Omani ports including Al Duqm, Salalah, and Sultan Qaboos saw activity, with Al Duqm leading at eight calls across March–April, driven by operators such as UGR Lines, Kingfour, Glovis, and COSCO.

Trade Route Analysis: China to Europe: Overall, monthly sailings from China to Europe have shown moderate growth since 2021, with increasingly irregular patterns potentially influenced by tariffs and regulatory measures. Activity in 2025 reached some of the highest monthly levels on record, suggesting shifting trade dynamics across the market. At the same time, traditional seasonal peaks appeared less consistent.

Regional Port Call Focus –East Coast of Africa: Deep-sea port calls on the East Coast of Africa peaked in late 2021 (~44 calls) before declining to a low of 19 in January 2024, reflecting weaker
and irregular activity. From mid-2025, activity rebounded sharply, with peaks in late 2025 and March 2026, remaining elevated at 40 calls in April 2026.

MPP April 2026 highlights:

Arabian Gulf: Market Impact: April showed no meaningful improvement, with only one vessel, Atlantic Harmony operated by Istanbul Denizcilik, entering the Strait on 19 April and calling at Jebel Ali on 24 April. Ports in Oman recorded 19 port calls in April, versus a 12-month average of around 6, led by Al Duqm with 13 calls.

Trade route analysis – Far East to Oceania: The Far East–Oceania trade route showed stable long-term sailing patterns with moderate monthly fluctuations. Swire Projects remained the leading operator throughout the period, while AAL Shipping expanded strongly, increasing from 25 monthly sailings in 2022 to 45 in 2023 and maintaining elevated activity thereafter.

Regional Port Call Focus – Gulf of Mexico: Deep-sea extended port calls in the Gulf of Mexico remained broadly stable between 2022 and April 2026. Activity peaked in 2024 before moderating through 2025 and early 2026. The softer trend in 2025 may partly reflect broader trade uncertainty, including the impact of US tariffs, affecting regional trade policy and market conditions.

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