News

'A hard landing' as Asia-North Europe freight rates collapse to $1,000 a box

"There seems to be nothing ocean carriers can do – or are prepared to do – to stop the rapid slide o...

'Another nail in the coffin' – congestion on Canada's west coast

The deteriorative effects of the latest ILWU strikes on the transpacific tradelane are clearly visib...

'Damaging' port strikes at DP World Australia terminals extended

"Dockers affiliated with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) have extended their strike action at...

'Daylight robbery' – Fury at huge hike in terminal fees by DP World Australia

"Port users have responded angrily to DP World Australia’s planned increase in terminal fees of up t...

'Feeding frenzy' over low rates must end, say forwarders

"Forwarders need to pull out of the ‘race-to-the-bottom’ on ocean rates or risk losing customers, ma...

'Freefalling' Asia-North Europe rates shed half their value in three weeks

"Container spot rates from China to North Europe are in freefall with average rates dipping below $1...

'Jittery time' for BCOs as prospects of labour contract settlements fades

"Hopes for a settlement in the contract negotiations in the US rail industry are on the wane. And an...

'Learn from Hanjin collapse' – government urged to nationalise HMM

"HMM should be nationalised, according to Busan civic groups and members of South Korea’s marine ind...

'Lines banging on our door' as spot rates tumble and peak season disappoints

"Container spot rates from Asia to Europe and the US are coming under increased pressure, as the pea...

'Massive' typhoon disrupts ports and airports in Shanghai, Ningbo and Busan

"Typhoon Hinnamor has forced the ports of Shanghai, Ningbo and Busan to close, further disrupting sh...

'Milestone' for Pan Ocean as first autonomous box ship enters service

"Pan Ocean is to put South Korea’s first autonomous containership into a service connecting the coun...

'Nervous' box lines back-pedal on D&D charges as new rules loom

"While US ports and container terminals still resist a regulatory drive to curtail detention and dem...

'Nervousness' as container shortage starts to impact Indian exporters

"Apart from rocketing freight rates, Indian exporters face another supply chain challenge linked to...

'Nobody works for free': Why Port of Oakland workers walked out

"Hundreds of clerks represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) walked off...

'Overcapacity will persist, prompting more scrapping and slow-steaming'

"Overcapacity will persist next year and, along with stricter environmental regulations, will prompt...

'Pooling' ships could save millions in EU ETS payments, says report

"As the EU ETS standards set in, classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has released a report...

'Slow season' and ocean network stabilisation easing pressure on rates

"While container spot rates on the Asia-Europe and Asia-North America trades continued to remain ele...

'Space, the ultimate frontier of logistics', says CMA, while Maersk rejects discounts

"Maersk has ruled out ocean freight rate discounts along the ‘patriotic’ lines established in recent...

'Speedy' sale of HMM finally gets the green light

"Privatisation of South Korean ocean carrier HMM is finally set to progress, now Seoul-based investm...

'Two-tier' market surfacing as gap between mega and smaller box lines widens

"With the Q2 earnings season reaching its finale, an Alphaliner survey this week shows the profitabi...

'Vessel orderbook won't overbalance the market', claims Cosco GM

"Cosco Shipping Holdings deputy GM Chen Shuai has sought to calm concerns that the overcapacity seen...

'Winner's curse'? Harim aims to turn HMM into a top-five box line

"Harim Group chairman Kim Hong-kuk has ambitions to grow HMM into one of the world’s five largest sh...

‘Air still LA’s biggest export’ as more boxes leave port empty than loaded

“Exports from the top ten US container ports slumped by 8.3% in July, compared with the same month o...

‘ASEAN tiger’ shippers say they don’t need ULCVs on the intra-Asia trade

“As the ASEAN “tiger economies” continue to reshape the world’s largest container trade, some domest...

‘Be alert’ warning to shippers as they face new low-sulphur fuel surcharges

“The Global Shippers Forum (GSF) has issued a warning to ocean freight customers as they find themse...

‘Bitter taste’ in 2M as MSC poaches star exec and noses toward top liner ranking

“Maersk’s cuts in capital expenditure, including its decision not to order new vessels in the next t...

‘Bullwhip’ ready to crack, as spot rates get a boost and Shanghai reopens

“With Shanghai on the cusp of unlocking its manufacturing and unshackling frustrated container exports, spot rates from Asia are set to increase in the coming weeks.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Canada’s supply chain is at risk’ warning, as congestion hits port of Vancouver

“The brakes have been applied hard on traffic flows at the Port of Vancouver.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Corporate arrogance’ claim as Patrick seeks to end agreement with dock union

“Patrick Terminals is seeking to terminate its enterprise agreement with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), upping the ante in its long-running dispute with the union.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Cracks’ appear in Asia – Europe rates over uncertain outlook

“Ocean carriers fear that fiscal policies designed to stem inflationary pressures in Europe will wea...

‘Crazy rates’ to ship a container out of India – after a 100% premium to get the box

“With the severe shortage of containers and capacity, Indian forwarders are being quoted “crazy” freight rates by carriers that “won’t honour” contracts.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Deja vu’ in Australia’s ports as terminals are hit by new round of strikes

“The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has begun a series of work stoppages at Patrick Terminals’ Sy...

‘Disastrous’ cuts to UK track maintenance may signal ‘biggest rail strike in history’

“Some 40,000 UK workers at National Rail could stage “the biggest rail strike in modern history” – a...

‘Expect additional mergers and pray for no Hanjins’

“Financial burdens from the IMO’s 2020 sulfur cap, a projected slowdown in trade growth and the looming threat of overcapacity could bump out some carriers.” To learn more, see the original story at American Shipper. Source: American Shipper (JK)

‘Grey sheen’ appears from the wreck of X-Press Pearl with salvage unlikely until September

“X-Press Feeders has said a grey sheen has appeared from the wreck of the X-Press Pearl, raising the...

‘Historic’ MoU between DP World’s Jafza and Israeli Chambers of Commerce

“Following the normalising of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) DP World’s...

‘HMM + K2’ consortium to start in March

**“Hyundai Merchant Marine said Tuesday its consortium with Heung-A Shipping and Sinokor Merchant Ma...

‘I paid ridiculous charges, my cargo still got rolled and the carrier wanted more’

“Short-term freight rates from China to North Europe have breached the $20,000 per 40ft mark, while transpacific carriers are quoting rates of up to $25,000 to the US west coast.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Just-in-time shipping is the smart thing to do’

“At the first meeting three years ago of the Global Industry Alliance (GIA), a partnership of the In...

‘K’ Line focusing on COVID-19 damage control

“Although Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (“K” Line) recorded a fiscal year 2019 net profit of 5.3 billio...

‘Lagos ports are operating at less than 70 % capacity’

“The Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has said that the Lagos Port Complex,...

‘March madness’ sees Port of Los Angeles break more volume records

“Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka has described the gateway’s latest volume figure...

‘Mayhem’ as alliances offer different schedules for the same containership

“Shippers from Asia to North Europe are being given conflicting information on vessel ETAs by carriers in the same alliance, and for the same ship.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘More details on charter negotiations will be disclosed soon’: HMM

A chink of light has emerged in Hyundai Merchant Marine’s tricky negotiations with tonnage providers...

‘More European routes needed’ for Irish ports

“The Government has been urged to commission a report on the ability of Irish ports to handle new ro...

‘Near-record’ import volumes slow BC port flow

“The ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert are expected to contend with vessel delays and longer rail...

‘No end in sight’: Congestion levels continue to climb as boxships queue outside German ports

“Congestion in container shipping is continuing to rise with more than 12 per cent of all shipped goods currently stuck.” See the original story at Port Technology. Source: Port Technology (JK)

‘No hope’ of bounce-back in demand for container shipping this year

“Cold water is being poured on any optimistic outlook by some ocean carriers for a speedy recovery of the container industry from the impact of Covid-19.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Not much has changed’ at China’s ports, despite traditional post-CNY lull

“The traditional post-new year (CNY) lull has helped ease China’s port congestion, but cargo backlogs and container shortages are still propping up rates.” See the original story at The Loadstar. Source: The Loadstar (JK)

‘Peak season’ to yield spectacular returns for reefer owners

“Owners of specialised reefer vessels have not had much to cheer about recently as refrigerated slot...

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