Ship operations and management

Latest update: 27 Mar 2026

Conflict in the Middle East: Will rising oil prices translate into higher ship operating costs?

The Middle East shipping trade has once again come under heightened scrutiny due to the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. Although this conflict has already led to higher shipping rates and war-risk insurance premiums, it could substantially impact ship operating costs as well in the long term.

04 Dec 2025: Decarbonisation drive unabated despite delays in NZF implementation

The IMO’s efforts to develop mid-term measures through the ‘Net-zero Framework’ did not proceed as anticipated. A majority vote in favour of a “one-year delay” for deciding whether or not to adopt the framework is being viewed by many as something that can undermine the framework altogether.

27 Jan 2025: The Red Sea crisis – not the sole reason for higher ship operating costs

The re-routing of merchant ships around Cape of Good Hope instead of crossing the Bab-al-Mandab has not only led to significant changes in trade patterns and tonne-mile demand, but has also resulted in certain operational challenges.

01 Nov 2023: Vessel stores and spares costs to rise as a price inflation aftermath

While stores and spares spending has shown only a limited increase in recent years, we expect the effects of price rises seen in 2021 and 22 to appear in the short-to-midterm in the form of higher spending levels. Based on these driving factors, Drewry forecasts a steady average YoY rise of 3.2% in in stores and spares costs in the 2024-2028 period.

We offer a unique combination of specialist expertise and experience to support the operational, technical and strategic needs of ship owners and operators.

Everyday operational and management concerns are clearly a vital dynamic of the maritime industry and every year Drewry's research team publish two comprehensive reports analysing and predicting operational overheads and specific management and resourcing considerations for owners, operators and other stakeholders.

Drewry's two annual management/operational reports:

• Ship Operating Costs (published in Oct/Nov)
• Manning Report (published in June/July)

Ship Operating Costs provides information and analysis of ship operating costs for 46 different ship types and sizes, while the annual Manning report reviews the trends in seafarer (officer and ratings) in the past decade and forecasts seafarer requirements five years ahead.

Meanwhile, our consultants typically provide shipowners, investors and leaders with technical due diligence support, in addition to other ship operations related advice.

An elite and diverse group of industry stakeholders from shipowners, to charterers, investors and financial intermediaries rely on our range of market research, sector expertise and commercial experience to help inform decisions, reduce costs and drive performance improvement.