News

Largest US importers finalizing contracts in ‘unsettled’ trans-Pacific

The largest US retailers are signing their 2025–26 service contracts in the eastbound trans-Pacific at rates that are about 15% to 20% higher than they signed for last year, with midsize importers likely to finalize deals in the coming few weeks at slightly higher rates. Three carriers, seven non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) and two industry consultants told the Journal of Commerce those major retailers have signed service contracts over the past week. The rates in those contracts, which essentially set the floor for negotiations with midsize and smaller shippers, range from $1,600 to $1,800 per FEU from Asia to the...

Shrinking US drayage capacity to continue outstripping demand

Nationwide US drayage capacity appears to be slowly shrinking from a 2022 high, but with some of those losses attributed to the migration of drivers to larger carriers, excess drayage capacity will persist, putting more pressure on already rock-bottom rates. Overall, drayage capacity “has been pretty stable over the last year,” said Jason Hilsenbeck, president of LoadMatch.com and Drayage.com, a drayage load-matching service and an online directory of drayage carriers, respectively.

SC Ports expanding intermodal capabilities to handle growing demand

The completion of a $55 million expansion at South Carolina Ports’ (SC Ports’) Inland Port Greer will increase the capacity and efficiency of an intermodal rail facility that has seen “tremendous growth” in volumes, as SC Ports CEO Barbara Melvin put it, since opening in 2014. Finalized Wednesday, the project — which included adding 9,000 feet of rail to serve longer trains and increasing chassis and container storage yard capacity by 50% — boosted the terminal’s annual handling capacity to 300,000 rail lifts. Of the $55 million total investment, $13.75 million was funded by a US Department of Transportation grant....

Freight futures get second look amid increased risk, trading volumes

After two decades of minimal progress, the environment for the adoption of container freight futures is increasingly ripe as ongoing supply chain disruption has heightened demand for risk management tools among beneficial cargo owners (BCOs). It is too soon to say, but the landscape has shifted such that BCOs and other industry players may give futures, financial instruments aimed at mitigating the risk of rate volatility, a second look. The successful introduction in 2023 of a futures market in Shanghai — the value of which is already multiple times the value of the underlying Asia-Europe freight rate — has added...

Uber Freight offering drop-and-hook option as dedicated-like product for shippers

Uber Freight has extended the reach of its drop-and-hook program to target truckload moves in the 500- to 1,000-mile range, so-called “tweener” shipments that have previously been elusive for the freight broker to serve with the program. The trailer pool that supports Uber Freight’s drop-and-hook program, called Powerloop, was launched in 2018 with the goal of reducing the turnaround time for a driver at a facility compared with a live load or unload.

Trump taps retired navy captain to head US Maritime Administration

Retired US Navy Capt. Brent Sadler has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the next administrator of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD). Sadler’s nomination was sent this week to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. A timeline for his confirmation wasn’t immediately available. If confirmed, he will fill the role left vacant when former administrator Ann Phillips resigned in January. MARAD is part of the Department of Transportation.

Container ship overcapacity may be more ‘benign’ than order book suggests

The conventional thinking is that container lines are heading for another down cycle due to mounting overcapacity and weakening global demand. After record profits during the COVID-19 pandemic era and $60 billion more in 2024, JP Morgan in a March 17 research note said it thinks the industry is “entering a multi-year period of losses.” That may very well be how this year and 2026 shake out. But a scenario in which external factors keep restraining effective container shipping capacity and carriers muster enough pricing discipline isn’t outlandish, either.

Carriers jettison India-US April rate hike plans after shaky March recovery erodes

Ocean carriers on the India-US trade lane are realizing they are in no position to push through rate increases in a market saddled with excess capacity and faltering demand. Reflecting that skepticism, most carriers have recalled their April rate increase notices — mostly in the range of $500 per container — for bookings from West India to the US East Coast, local freight forwarder sources told the Journal of Commerce this week.

Descartes snaps up rival to double down on domestic TMS market

Logistics software company Descartes has acquired 3GTMS, a widely used domestic transportation management system (TMS) provider, the companies said Tuesday. The $115 million all-cash deal strengthens Descartes’ TMS reach within the US shipper community, especially in managing truckload, less-than-truckload and parcel shipments. 3GTMS adds to an existing catalog of TMS products that Descartes offers, including ones specifically for shippers and brokers. Descartes Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Roszko, in a statement, called the two TMSs “highly complementary” for domestic modes.

Kuehne + Nagel says gaining market share key to driving earnings growth

Gains in market share, especially in both sea and air logistics, will help Kuehne + Nagel outperform growth in the wider freight forwarding sector, senior company executives said Tuesday. CEO Stefan Paul said the company is aiming for growth of one and a half times the market rate, equal to average GDP growth, between now and 2030. “For sea and air logistics, our reference metric is volume growth; for road and contract logistics, it is net turnover growth,” Paul said during the company’s capital markets day in London.

US support for carbon capture in question as projects boom along Gulf Coast

The development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities is gaining momentum along the US Gulf Coast, and the buildout could generate a windfall of project cargo and breakbulk shipments. But the future of these projects could be at a crossroads in the US as federal energy priorities under the Trump administration are at odds when it comes to CCS. A climate mitigation strategy favored by the oil and gas industry, CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide emitted from power plants and factories and storing it underground.

Cargo owners push IMO on measures to accelerate energy transition

An alliance of global cargo owners is urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to use its upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting to approve “a clear, comprehensive, globally consistent set of measures” that will accelerate the transition to clean energy. The 176 member states of the IMO will gather for the 83rd MEPC meeting April 7–11 in London, where topping the agenda will be the design of a greenhouse gas (GHG) fuel intensity regulation and an economic measure for taxing carbon emissions.

APM to spend $500 million to enhance cargo handling at Elizabeth terminal

APM Terminals will invest more than $500 million to improve cargo handling capacity at its 350-acre Elizabeth terminal after it agreed to a 33-year lease extension with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the two parties announced Monday. The current lease, which was due to expire in December 2029, will be extended to December 2062, according to the new agreement. The deal will be voted on by the port authority’s board of commissioners on March 27.

Maersk holds top spot for US Gulf import carriers in 2024; MSC leads for exports

Laura Robb, Associate Editor | Mar 24, 2025, 2:48 PM EDT

Maersk held its top position in the Journal of Commerce’s rankings of the top 10 carriers importing into US Gulf ports in 2024 — but the carrier was bumped by Mediterranean Shipping Co. from the top slot for exports. The current lease, which was due to expire in December 2029, will be extended to December 2062, according to the new agreement. The deal will be voted onby the port authority’s board of commissioners on March 27.

US LTL getting in position for higher freight demand — when it comes

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Mar 24, 2025, 12:36 PM EDT

US freight demand is declining, but less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers keep building, adding terminals and lanes at a time when they might be expected to rein in expansion plans. Maersk imported 513,016 TEUs to Gulf Coast ports last year, down 0.5% from 2023. Similarly, its import market share fell slightly to 19.1% from 20.6%.

Likelihood of IMO fuel standard set to reshape container shipping market

Peter Tirschwell | Mar 24, 2025, 11:28 AM EDT

What happens at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Marine and Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in early April will have profound implications for shippers, dwarfing the impact, for example, of proposed fines on Chinese ships calling at US ports. The reason is the possibility, if not the likelihood, that IMO negotiators will fail to agree to a meaningful carbon tax on shipping, instead choosing to achieve the organization’s goal of net-zero emissions by or around 2050 via a fuel standard. IMO watchers say the standard is all but certain to gain the necessary support of member states in April.

Escalating tariffs will cause ‘profound’ trade pattern changes: Cosco

Cosco Shipping Holdings said Friday that the industry will experience “profound changes in global cargo flow patterns” due to tariff- and trade-related policies after reporting strong profits in 2024. Container shipping demand growth is set to moderate this year, the carrier said, thanks to the combined effects of an easing of “global inflationary pressures and accommodative monetary policies in Europe and the United States.”

USTR’s China tonnage tax would squeeze smaller trades: stakeholders

While major container lines and their major customers are not speaking out much about the Trump administration’s proposed fees of about $1 million per US port call on Chinese vessels, shippers involved in smaller maritime and container trades are lashing out directly against the proposal through a comment period ending Monday. In comments filed with US Trade Representative (USTR) prior to a Monday hearing on the proposed fees, maritime interests said it will hit swathes of the economy outside the container trade and will even hurt the US-based maritime industry, which relies on Chinese ships.

Breakbulk stakeholders blast USTR’s China tonnage tax proposal

Breakbulk operators and interests are pulling no punches in their responses to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposal to hit Chinese-made and -operated vessels with fees of $1 million to $1.5 million per US port call. “Very bad for US trade,” “disadvantaging American businesses,” “disproportionately [affecting] US non-asset-based vessel operators, particularly those engaged in … breakbulk shipping,” various stakeholders said, weighing in on the proposal.

India-US contract cycle shadowed by overcapacity

India-US trade ocean carriers have kicked off their first round of contract negotiations for the next season (2025–26) and appear to be signaling a “tight hold” on rates even as excess capacity continues to undermine their spot price-hiking efforts. “Major carriers are looking firm on how they want to sell the space,” a Mumbai-based freight forwarder who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “But it remains to be seen if they will be able to hold that resolve for long.”

Heathrow shutdown plunges air cargo supply chain into chaos

Air freight forwarders are scrambling to recover cargo stranded at airports across Europe and the UK with inbound planes forced to divert following the complete shutdown of London’s Heathrow Airport. Europe’s busiest airport will remain shut all Friday after a fire at an electrical substation cut power to most of west London, including the airport, and led to the cancellation or diversion of more than 1,300 flights.

US in ‘holding pattern’ over IMO membership: DNV

A crucial April meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be the first during President Trump’s second term, with the US currently “in a holding pattern” regarding continued membership of the IMO, according to classification society DNV. The 176 member states of the IMO will gather at the 83rd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in London from April 7–11 to design a greenhouse gas (GHG) fuel intensity regulation and settle on an economic measure for taxing carbon emissions, with both measures aiming for implementation in 2027.

Tacoma to boost ro/ro capacity in $200 million expansion plan

The Port of Tacoma is more than doubling the size of its roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) terminal facilities after an agreement to build a new $200 million complex for ro/ro and breakbulk cargo. The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) and the Native American Puyallup Tribe signed a memorandum of understanding on March 17 to jointly develop a 22-acre two-berth terminal that will be built adjacent to the existing 19-acre East Blair 1 (EB1) terminal.

New capacity coming to Asia-Mexico trade despite recent rate pressure

A consortium of seven regional Asia-based carriers will expand into the long-haul trans-Pacific trade in April with a joint North Asia-Mexico weekly express service, bringing at least 15,000 TEUs of new capacity to the growing trade. But forwarders say spot rates may already be under pressure due to overcapacity. Each of the seven carriers will provide one vessel with a nominal capacity of between 2,200 to 2,800 TEUs, Dubai’s Emirates Shipping said this week. Other carriers in the service group include Hong Kong-listed TS Lines, Singapore-headquartered SeaLead, Thailand’s Regional Container Lines, Sinotrans Container Line from China, and South Korean carriers...

Empty containers piling up in Los Angeles-Long Beach after January import surge

The surge in imports landing in Southern California during January amid a rush to beat new US tariffs and Lunar New Year factory closures has resulted in a significant buildup of empty containers awaiting a return trip to Asia in drayage yards and marine terminals.

Montreal longshore labor talks head to arbitration after impasse

Canada’s government is now going to arbitrate longshore labor negotiations at the Port of Montreal after an impasse was declared between maritime employers and the local dockworkers union after 18 months of talks for a new master contract. Montreal’s Maritime Employers Association (MEA) said in a statement to the Journal of Commerce late Wednesday that the special mediator overseeing negotiations with Local 375 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees “no longer saw any potential agreement between the two parties and has ended the mediation process.”

Jittery US wine coalition urges hold on EU imports over Trump tariff threat

A coalition of US wine importers, retailers and restaurants has told members to suspend all shipments from the European Union until greater clarity emerges on the level of tariffs to be imposed on European wine and spirits by the Trump administration. That comes as the EU said Thursday that a 50% tax on imports of US-produced whiskey will take effect from mid-April, a reciprocal measure that was in response to tariffs placed on all steel and aluminium imports to the US. After the EU announced its tariff on US whiskey, Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs to 200% on wine...

Montreal seeking longshore deal ahead of capacity expansions

The Port of Montreal’s chief says a new contract with the port’s longshore union will help restore shipper trust in sending cargoes through Canada’s main eastern gateway. That labor peace will be critical as Montreal expects to play a larger role in the country’s international trade due to the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Ottawa.

February intermodal volumes cooled in Southern California amid Southeast gains

Intermodal freight volumes dropped sharply in Southern California in February, marking the end of a nine-month surge as imports declined significantly after the Lunar New Year.

Support growing for multi-agency US cargo crime task force

Transportation and shipper groups are calling on the US House of Representatives to pass legislation that would create a multi-agency federal task force to fight cargo crime and stiffen penalties as theft and fraud continue to grow and evolve.

DP World to boost Santos capacity 50% via eight-year services deal with Maersk

DP World will spend about $370 million to expand the capacity of its terminal at Brazil’s Port of Santos by 50% within three years under a long-term agreement with Maersk that will see the carrier expand its services at the country’s largest port, the terminal operator said Wednesday.

Trans-Atlantic air cargo demand surges ahead of US tariffs

Forwarders are scrambling to support an unseasonal surge in air freight frontloading on westbound trans-Atlantic routes ahead of new US tariffs on the European Union set to be implemented on April 2.

Is there an option for carriers to take 'hub-and-spoke' to next level?

The change in 2025 to four major east-west networks versus three before has created new pressures for carriers and consortiums to positively differentiate their ship systems.

Revised US payroll numbers underscore truckload market shift

US employment data for February revealed a larger-than-expected shortfall in trucking employment, throwing light on a structural change in the US trucking market.

Savannah's 'parking spot' targets idle time for ships, main terminal

The Port of Savannah is using underutilized berth space at its smaller terminal to park ships ahead of their unloading at the port's main container terminal.

New alliance vessel plans add to ongoing port congestion in Europe

Severe congestion continues to plague ports across Europe with new alliance vessel plans combining with strikes, bad weather and fully occupied container yards to delay ships and disrupt terminal operations.

CMA CGM, ONE in India VSA talks as standalone capacity pressures rise

The growing pressure of overcapacity on trades out of India is pushing major container lines to re-strategize their network operations. Those regrouping signals conspicuously surround services led by CMA CGM and Ocean Network Express (ONE), market updates reveal.

Geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs start to weigh on MPV market

Increasing geopolitical unpredictability and the apparent onset of economic warfare via import tariffs are being blamed by brokers for a significant weakening of the current multipurpose ship market and forward-looking market sentiment.

Oversupplied ocean carriers sailing into new downcycle: analysts

Container shipping is plunging into another downcycle with an oversupply of capacity and weakening demand hanging over the industry, leaving little to slow the slide in rates on major trades that analysts say has declined beyond seasonal norms.

Australian shippers back competition probe into DP World’s deal for Silk Logistics

Shippers in Australia are backing a probe by the country’s competition authority into DP World’s planned US$110 million acquisition of leading forwarder Silk Logistics, saying the deal could lead to higher charges and anti-competitive behavior.

FMC probes ocean chokepoints as Trump looks to rule the waves

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is asking shipping interests to weigh in on the biggest global maritime chokepoints they face as part of US waterborne commerce. The probe, part of the FMC’s regular work under US shipping law, comes amid the Trump administration’s moves to assert US power across the global maritime sector and to develop a US-based shipping industry.

Beijing issues warning over Hutchison’s proposed sale of Panama Ports Company

Beijing is voicing its opposition to the sale by Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison of its Panama ports terminals to a consortium of BlackRock Group and Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), warning the Panama Canal would be “Americanized” by the US government restricting Chinese access to the waterway.

EPCs paint bleak picture for MPV sector under US port fee plan

Engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs) are lambasting the Trump administration’s proposed port call tax on Chinese-built and -operated ships, fearing a “devastating” 50%-plus contracting fee increase for chartering multipurpose vessels (MPVs).

Tariffs, falling spot market weaken contract resolve of trans-Pac carriers

Ocean carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific are acknowledging they will be unable to achieve their hoped-for rates in 2025–26 annual service contracts with importers amid fresh concerns about the health of the US economy and a spot market that continues to slide.

Escalating tariff costs are ‘massive’ financial shift for US importers: experts

The Trump administration’s flurry of threats against trading partners puts shippers at risk of tariff “stacking” as import duties compound on top of other charges, customs experts say.

Taiwan’s Big Three carriers report robust profit, revenue gains for 2024

Evergreen Marine, the largest of Taiwan’s Big Three carriers, said in a filing Thursday to the country’s stock exchange that its net profit last year jumped to $4.2 billion, an almost four-fold increase over 2023. Revenue rose about 60% to $14 billion amid higher freight rates and strong demand.

Railroads acknowledge little movement on intermodal contract rates

Two Class I railroads acknowledged this week they have been unable to raise rates on shippers as much as they had hoped, citing a persistently weak market in the competing truckload sector.

Tariff uncertainty casts shadow on US trucking demand, pricing

After a nearly three-year downcycle, the US trucking industry is on a slow road to recovery in terms of rates. But that road is getting harder to see through economic headwinds.

OOCL banks $2.5 billion 2024 net profit on solid demand, high rates

OOCL reported a 2024 net profit of $2.5 billion Thursday, an 88% increase over the previous year that the ocean carrier attributed to strong import demand in developed economies and rapid trade growth in emerging markets.

Expansion into logistics underpins DP World’s strong 2024 result

DP World on Thursday reported solid gains in 2024 revenue and operating profit that the terminal operator attributed to a focus on handling high-margin cargo and the continued expansion of its end-to-end reach deeper into shipper supply chains.

Lack of carrier API progress belies market adaptation to other visibility options

Visibility providers are having to meet the ever-expanding real-time ocean freight data needs of their forwarder and shipper customers without measurable progress from shipping lines in establishing application programming interfaces (APIs) to convey key milestones.

Tariff uncertainty prompts US retailers to downgrade spring import forecast

US retailers have downgraded their import projections for the second quarter amid the tariff chaos playing out between the Trump administration and key trading partners.

Tariffs, USTR uncertainty cloud Zim’s outlook after banner 2024

Zim Integrated Shipping Services had its most profitable year ever in 2024, excluding the pandemic period, due to its ability to expand its market share on the trans-Pacific. But the carrier warned that the highest level of uncertainty in recent memory now hangs over the trade.

‘Resilient’ Cathay Pacific ready to offset any e-commerce decline: chairman

Heavy investment in diversifying its air cargo mix combined with growing volume from Southeast Asia as companies boost China-plus-one manufacturing strategies will cushion Cathay Pacific from an impending US clampdown on low-value e-commerce imports, according to chairman Patrick Healy.

Container shipping facing a mix of challenges both old and new

There appears to be no end to the alarmist headlines regarding the impact on container shipping from the rapidly changing political decisions taken by the new US administration as well as wider geopolitical challenges.

India-Europe liners abruptly drop rates amid weakening cargo prospects

Container lines with larger trade stakes on the India-Europe route are reporting lower vessel space demand, prompting them to implement spot rate adjustments on a sailing-by-sailing or weekly basis. After raising rates in anticipation of higher volumes, several top carriers have now dropped spot booking rates from West India to North Europe by between $300 and $500 per container, according to freight forwarder sources in Mumbai.

Proposed US tax on Chinese ship calls could pressure intermodal networks

If a Trump administration proposal to tax Chinese-built and -operated ships calling at US ports is enacted, the nation’s Class I railroads could face the challenge of attempting to move cargo through fewer entry points without disrupting service, railroad executives said Tuesday.

Shippers investing in data warehousing capability to increase software options

Shippers wrestling with decisions on which software and data partners to use are starting to build internal data warehousing capabilities to make it easier to test which of those providers are solving actual problems.

Hutchison deal shows thirst of big carriers to control global terminal assets

Container lines going back to Sea-Land Service Inc. have seen value in controlling marine terminals, but the advantages — and the competition to acquire key facilities — are intensifying in line with growing port congestion, finite port capacity and the growing dominance of a top tier of mega carriers.

Cross-border spot truck rates rise as shippers ride tariff rollercoaster

The flow of goods moving across the US-Canada border shrank last week, but not the cost of moving them, as a trade war between the two neighbors deepened. Rates in the Toronto-to-Chicago lane, one of the heaviest for cross-border truck traffic between the US and Canada, rose 18% week over week while spot volumes dropped 20% in the week ended March 7, according to DAT Freight & Analytics.

Houthi militants threaten to restart attacks on Red Sea shipping

Houthi militants have threatened to resume attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea by midweek unless Israel resumes humanitarian aid and electricity supplies to Gaza that were cut earlier this month.

Hapag-Lloyd’s ports arm buys majority stake in Le Havre terminal

Hapag-Lloyd subsidiary Hanseatic Global Terminals has acquired a majority stake in terminal operator CNMP at the French port of Le Havre from Seafrigo Group as the carrier expands its reach into the reefer business. Hanseatic on Monday said it acquired 60% of the shares in CNMP, while 40% will remain with Seafrigo, a temperature-controlled food logistics company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Air cargo rates tumble as market adjusts to looming ‘de minimis’ changes

Air freight rates from China to the US have fallen sharply since Lunar New Year as the traditional post-holiday slump combined with mounting uncertainty over the impact of a US clampdown on low-value products under the “de minimis” threshold.

In the midst of chaos, some good news emerges for domestic intermodal

Roughly 60% of all North American intermodal activity is directly linked to the continent’s trade with other nations. This international business includes both intact movement of ISO containers and cargo transloaded from ISO boxes to domestic equipment.

FourKites’ exit from Gartner visibility assessment highlights evolving market

Gnosis Freight has announced a product integration with logistics payment vendor PayCargo and ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd that connects shipper and forwarder payments to the liner with reduced dwell times and faster cargo release.

Shipper ‘bill of rights’ takes aim at ocean carrier accountability, transparency

Long Beach, California — The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) has unveiled a proposed “bill of rights” for US shippers that aims to increase industry transparency and ocean carrier accountability. The so-called Ocean Shipper Bill of Rights (OSBOR) was distributed by the NITL at a meeting Wednesday of the National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC) held at the conclusion of the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference in Long Beach. NSAC is the importer-exporter group established by Congress to advise the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

Big Hutchison deal could reshuffle global ports network: Drewry

Hutchison’s $22.8 billion disposal of most of its global terminal interests to a consortium of BlackRock Group and Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) is likely to trigger a wave of terminal deals as MSC divests facilities to meet regulators’ anti-trust demands, Drewry’s leading port analyst says. These are expected to include terminals at Rotterdam, Le Havre, Antwerp, Hamburg and in Egypt, Eleanor Hadland, lead analyst for ports and terminals at Drewry Maritime Research, told the Journal of Commerce.

TPM25: West Coast rail dwells need to improve to avoid cargo loss: terminals

Long Beach, California — Rail dwell times at marine terminals along the US West Coast must come down from last year’s elevated peak season levels to prevent shippers from diverting cargo to the East Coast, panelists at the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference warned. At five of the six terminals at the Port of Los Angeles, rail dwell times averaged more than 10 days between last August and October, according to data from OpenTrack. At Yusen Terminals, dwell times to transfer containers from vessels to trains peaked at 18.3 days in October.

Ro/ro operators eye Sri Lanka trade boost as vehicle import ban lifted

Roll-on/roll-off vessel operators and multipurpose terminals in Sri Lanka are anticipating growth after the termination of a five-year government ban on vehicle imports. The Feb. 27 arrival of the NYK-operated Jupiter Leader at Hambantota International Port (HIP) marked the end of an embargo that began in March 2020. The shipment included 196 Japanese vehicles for the local market out of a total 378 discharges, the port said in a statement.

CMA CGM to invest $20 billion in US shipping, ports and logistics

CMA CGM announced Thursday it would spend $20 billion over the next four years to significantly bolster its logistics presence in the US, including expanding its US-flag fleet and increasing capacity at key US ports. The stunning announcement from the French shipping giant came as Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, met at the White House with US President Donald Trump. The meeting between Trump and Saadé and the huge investment from the ocean carrier also comes amid heightened political sensitivities in the US as far as the container shipping industry is concerned. Trump’s US Trade Representative

TPM25: Carriers, shippers face year of turmoil and uncertainty

Long Beach, California — Container shipping in the major east-west trade lanes could face as much as six months of disruption this year in vessel capacity, consumer demand and the direction of freight rates as the industry grapples with the impact of Trump administration tariffs and geopolitical developments such as the Red Sea crisis.

DHL Global Forwarding buoyed by good Q4, but acknowledges weak spots

Strong volumes and gross profit growth buoyed revenue and profitability for DHL Global Forwarding in the fourth quarter, but the division continued to underperform for the full year, company executives said Thursday. Melanie Kreis, DHL’s CFO, said Global Forwarding saw “above-market volume growth in the fourth quarter.” Air freight experienced a 12% increase in gross profit per unit in the quarter, while there was a 10% increase for ocean freight year over year due to the strong peak season, Kreis told analysts during an earnings briefing Thursday.

Maersk, APL swap slots on India/Asia-US trades under US-flag networks

Maersk — via Maersk Line, Ltd. (MLL) — and CMA CGM’s sister liner unit APL have reached an agreement to swap slots on two of their Asia-US services using US-flag ships. Under the pact, APL will offer Maersk slots of 210 TEUs, including 80 TEUs eastbound and 130 TEUs westbound, on the former’s fully US-flag Transpacific Eagle Express 1 (EX1) service that covers Asia-US West Coast trades. In return, APL will gain charter rights for 100 TEUs, including 80 TEUs eastbound and 20 TEUs westbound, on Maersk’s MECL loop between India and the US East Coast.

TPM25: ‘Chaos’ erupts as US tariffs disrupt cross-border trucking with Mexico, Canada

Long Beach, California — Truck traffic in Laredo, Texas, surged for weeks until Tuesday, when the Trump administration’s 25% tariff on Mexican imports took effect. “Monday was just absolutely chaotic, and then yesterday was eerily slow,” Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico, told the Journal of Commerce Wednesday. “We had dozens and dozens of customers literally hit the pause button on all their northbound shipments from Mexico, wherever they were in transit,” Dewart said, speaking from Laredo. “They’ve all said, ‘Hey, let’s wait this out a few days to see what happens.’”

TPM25: US exporters starting to feel pinch of Trump trade war with China

Long Beach, California — Ocean carriers and US shippers are preparing themselves for the Trump administration’s reciprocal measures against China’s shipping industry, even as the details of those measures remain to be worked out. A leading lobbyist for US shippers says the escalating trade war is already hurting US exporters, who may be the one voice in Washington that can temper Trump’s moves. Several shippers told the Journal of Commerce that during meetings they held at TPM25 to discuss new ocean freight contracts, they discussed the US Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) proposed $1 million fee on US port calls by Chinese.

CMA CGM, Maersk become latest to launch joint express Asia-ECSA service

CMA CGM and Maersk will become the latest carriers to launch a joint Asia-East Coast South America (ECSA) service with a semi-express loop that is specifically targeting the significant trade growth between Brazil and Vietnam. The move follows a tie-up between HMM and Ocean Network Express (ONE) that will see the two carriers begin an express service linking Busan and South China with Brazil. Both the CMA CGM/Maersk and HMM/ONE connections will begin in April, just as container freight rates are anticipated to rise, according to one Brazilian-based freight forwarder. “Demand is stable and freight rates on Asia-ECSA are around

TPM25: Months of port congestion face carriers’ Red Sea return: Rotterdam

Long Beach, California — The backlog of containers that would result from ocean carriers resuming Red Sea transits would take months to clear from Europe’s port hubs, Hanna Stelzel, the director of containers for the Port of Rotterdam, told the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference this week. Once the Red Sea is deemed safe enough for commercial shipping, vessels taking the shorter route would overtake those diverting around southern Africa, with severe congestion expected as a result. Stelzel said the timeline for clearing the backlog of boxes at Rotterdam was based on the disruption caused when the Ever Given

TPM25: Lineage using big 2024 IPO to launch company’s next moves

Long Beach, California — Cold storage leader Lineage Logistics is looking to build on the biggest initial public offering (IPO) of 2024 through new acquisitions and potential joint ventures in growth markets such as South America, its co-founder said Tuesday. Adam Forste told the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference that the company has long leaned on acquisitions as a key approach to growth, citing more than 120 companies acquired since Lineage was conceived as a single warehouse in 2008. Forste said Lineage, which aims to offer end-to-end cold chain solutions, has even developed an acquisition playbook to streamline integration, including

TPM25: Container shipping still evolving as new challenges arise: Nixon

Long Beach, California — Container shipping had to overcome many growing pains as it has risen to serve global trade, Ocean Network Express (ONE) Chief Executive Jeremy Nixon said, demonstrating the industry’s resiliency. While it has met those challenges, Nixon urged against complacency as new challenges continue to arise. Speaking Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference, Nixon reflected on the event’s silver anniversary and about container shipping’s inflection points over the previous two decades as trade volumes, as well as ships and ports, grew larger. He said the industry has reached a new level of maturity

TPM25: BNSF CEO says fighting cargo theft requires collective effort

Long Beach, California — Combating cargo theft is a critically important issue for BNSF Railway, but it will require local, state and federal law enforcement to fully eradicate the increasingly organized and brazen criminal acts, the company’s CEO said. There has been a recent spike in US cargo thefts, including a Jan. 13 incident in Arizona during which thieves stole 1,985 pairs of unreleased Nike shoes worth more than $440,000 from a BNSF train, according to the Los Angeles Times. Last November, criminals sabotaged another BNSF train in Arizona, forcing it to an emergency stop and stealing 180 unreleased Nike.

Hutchison inks $22.8 billion deal to sell majority of port holdings to BlackRock, TiL

Amid growing ire within the new Trump administration over alleged Chinese influence in the operation of the Panama Canal, Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison stunned the maritime world Tuesday by announcing it had agreed to sell the majority of its Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) global terminals network to a consortium comprised of BlackRock Group and Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) in a $22.8 billion deal.

TPM25: DSV’s Lund says more global forwarding consolidation is needed

Long Beach, California — Consolidation in global freight forwarding “has to continue,” DSV Group CEO Jens Lund said Tuesday. “As you look at the 3PL [third-party logistics] market, it’s very fragmented,” especially compared with the ocean carrier market, he said.

TPM25: Gemini hitting 90% reliability target as new network rolls out: Habben Jansen

Long Beach, California — The Gemini Cooperation alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, which launched on Feb. 1, is already recording schedule reliability above its promised 90%, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen told the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference Tuesday.

K+N sees volatility ahead from uncertain demand, geopolitical risks

Swiss logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel is facing a volatile business environment due to uncertain consumer demand and geopolitical risks but remains confident about growth prospects this year, company executives said Tuesday.

TPM25: BNSF believes Barstow hub can improve service to smaller markets

Long Beach, California — BNSF Railway is moving forward with its $1.5 billion Barstow International Gateway (BIG) project in California, a 4,800-acre logistics hub that would be North America’s largest intermodal facility, CEO Kate Farmer said Monday.

EPCs bullish on US energy segment for projects, growth

With a dramatic shift in US federal policy to push oil and gas development, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies are predicting an uptick in work that could dial up project cargo activity in 2025.

TPM25: Container market downturn creating ‘new era of volatility’

Long Beach, California — The container shipping market is poised to recede this year, and the downcycle could be more severe than prior bear markets, industry experts at the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference said Monday.

Potential US tariffs ignite US-Canada cross-border spot truck rates, volumes

Truckload volumes and spot rates for freight moving between Canada and the US are surging in advance of US tariffs scheduled to be implemented Tuesday.

TPM25: Port tax on Chinese ships will make some routes unviable: MSC’s Toft

Long Beach, California — Mediterranean Shipping Co. will need to withdraw tonnage and drastically revise its US coverage if the Trump administration’s proposal to tax Chinese-built and -operated ships calling US ports is implemented, CEO Soren Toft told the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference Monday.

TPM25: Growing US isolationism threatens global supply chains: Bolton

Long Beach, California — The Trump administration’s moves to withdraw the US from long-standing alliances and security guarantees puts global supply chains more at risk, former national security advisor and UN ambassador John Bolton said Monday.

Maersk tees up $5 billion investment plan for Indian market expansion

Maersk is amplifying its Indian playbook amid strong trade growth expectations propelled by diversifying Asian supply chains and new industry competition as ocean network dynamics resettle. The Danish carrier has committed a further $5 billion investment in the development of ports and other inland infrastructure projects in India, company officials told the Journal of Commerce Friday at the naming ceremony for the dual-fuel Albert Maersk in Nhava Sheva Port (Mumbai).

Wind turbine orders propel OEMs amid stalled US development, blade defects

After reporting gains in equipment orders from their latest earnings period, four of the world’s largest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind turbines are bracing for blowback from changes to US wind policies in an already challenged industry.

Red Sea, tariffs among ‘decisive factors’ for liner market in 2025: CMA CGM

New ship deliveries, the possible resumption of Suez Canal transits and the impact of US tariffs on trade are the three key issues that will define the container shipping sector this year, CMA CGM said Friday. “Deliveries of new vessels, combined with any developments in the Red Sea situation, will be decisive factors in shaping the market,” the French carrier said while reporting its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 results.

HMM among carriers to offer rate, space deals to smaller South Korean exporters

South Korea’s largest trade group has teamed up with nine of the country’s carriers, including HMM, to offer space and preferential freight rate concessions to small South Korean exporters on 22 routes covering the trans-Pacific, European and intra-Asia trades. The program, announced Friday, is meant to help the exporters navigate market uncertainties affecting container shipping.

US chassis manufacturers targeting makers in Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam

Two US-based chassis manufacturers have petitioned the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission to impose steep antidumping and countervailing duties on chassis imports from Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam — extending penalties beyond those levied on China in 2021.

Trans-Pacific carriers reaching higher in early 2025–26 contract talks

Trans-Pacific container lines, during their first round of talks with shippers for 2025–26 annual service contracts, have been seeking rates 20% to 30% higher than the current year’s levels, market sources say.In actual dollar terms, that means carriers are asking for $2,000 per FEU to the West Coast and $3,000 per FEU to the East Coast for next year’s contracts

Numerous risk factors threatening to slow robust air cargo demand

Global air freight is headed for another year of tight capacity and elevated rate levels, but a series of economic, geopolitical and regulatory risks are stacking up to cloud the outlook, the head of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) says.

Next phase of digital forwarding on collision course with AI revolution

A confluence of events in the world of forwarding technology over the past few weeks suggests that the industry is poised to transition into a new phase of so-called digital forwarding, largely driven by the rapid advances of artificial intelligence (AI). Flexport, the flagship brand among the cohort of digital forwarders to have emerged over the past decade

US port tax would scramble ocean services, raise shipper costs: Drewry

The container shipping industry is weighing the potential cost of the Trump administration’s proposal to tax Chinese-built and -operated ships calling US ports, with many seeing US shippers ultimately bearing those costs. Similar to other tariffs, the port tax sets up winners and losers in the industry, depending on fleet composition and how they operate.

China tariff uncertainty gives trans-Pacific business cloudy outlook: Matson

The continued strength of US-based carrier Matson’s eastbound China business will depend on the scale and effect of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, the company’s CEO says.

MSC pulls megaships from Asia-North Europe network: Alphaliner

Mediterranean Shipping Co. is planning to switch all of its 19,200-TEU to 24,300-TEU “megamax” ships from the Asia-North Europe trade lane to the Asia-Mediterranean and Asia-West Africa corridors, according to Alphaliner.

India-US carriers attempt strategic capacity cuts to prop up March GRI plans

Major container lines on the India-US East Coast trade seem to have found the bullish fundamentals to push through rate increases lined up for March amid lower capacity due to multiple blank sailings and demand tailwinds linked to fiscal year-end export flows.

Triumph acquires broker-focused pricing technology provider Greenscreens.ai

Financial and technology solutions company Triumph on Wednesday said it has acquired truckload spot pricing technology provider Greenscreens.ai for $160 million in cash and equity.

Soft US freight demand, economic uncertainty restrains truckload pricing

Hopes for an inflection in US freight demand this year are moderating, if not fading, only two months into 2025. Potential disruption from US tariffs, especially on Canada and Mexico, is calling the extent of a potential freight recovery into question.

International intermodal surge continued in January on US West Coast

International intermodal volumes surged in January along the US West Coast amid import frontloading and cargo diversions driven by concerns over new US tariffs and potential labor unrest along the East and Gulf coasts.

ILA ratifies new six-year deal with higher entry pay, automation protection

Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) have approved a new six-year master contract covering US East and Gulf coast ports that not only includes a hefty raise for all dockworkers but an even higher salary bump for new hires. The new contract is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2024, and will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2030. It will be signed in the next two weeks.

Wallenius’ ‘ambitious’ financing framework underpins ro/ro fleet renewal

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, one of the world’s largest roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) operators, has launched a sustainable financing framework to help fund future dual-fuel vessel and equipment orders as part of its plan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Trade groups renew push for ocean carrier movement on digitization

Nearly three dozen trade groups are urging major shipping lines to advance digital standards and system interoperability for the benefit of shippers, forwarders and customs brokers.

Carriers boost tonnage on Asia-WCSA to meet growing manufacturing demand

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Evergreen Line are increasing their tonnage deployed on the Asia-to-Latin-America lane to handle growing demand on a trade in which capacity has already doubled in three years.

MPVs pass on steel frontloading surge as fleet concerns loom

Breakbulk carriers, having missed out on the rush to frontload steel cargoes ahead of US import tariffs, have turned their attention to the impact of possible US restrictions on Chinese-built and -operated ships on the multipurpose sector.

Global shipper group ‘bullish’ on e-fuel tender bids from ocean carriers

Ocean carriers have expressed strong interest in competing for an e-fuel-focused tender launched Tuesday by the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), according to the group’s president and CEO.

FMC modifies TCW detention order in light of federal court ruling

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has ruled that while a container late fee Evergreen Marine charged a trucker was unreasonable, the ocean carrier did not violate the agency’s broader directive on whether the fees improve cargo fluidity.

US cargo crime forecast to rise 22% as thefts spread inland

Cargo crime in the US is not only rising, but it is shifting to new markets as criminals follow the freight, according to a report from supply chain security firm Overhaul.

US port fees could hit Chinese ships under Trump trade proposal

The Trump administration is looking to raise billions in tariffs on the back of the container shipping industry through a proposed port usage fee on Chinese-built and -operated ships calling on the US. Exporters, too, face the risk of higher costs if new mandates requiring the use of US fleets go into effect.

Geopolitics, weak German economy slowed Hamburg’s 2024 volume growth

Geopolitical issues and a slowdown in the German economy held back container throughput at the Port of Hamburg in 2024, with overall volumes at the gateway growing just 0.9% to 7.8 million TEUs.

‘Hungry’ carriers slicing surcharges in eastbound trans-Pacific as bookings slow

At least four ocean carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific are cutting their peak season surcharges amid expectations for softening demand on the trade lane into the second quarter and as spot rates have fallen more than 30% over the past two weeks, forwarders say. The carriers include Hapag Lloyd, which halved its peak season surcharge (PSS) from $1,000 to $500 per FEU effective Feb. 20 through mid-March, sources said.

Panama Canal transit data belies Trump’s claims of China’s control: project44

Despite Trump administration claims of China’s dominance over the Panama Canal, it remains unclear if that country’s ocean carriers reap any advantage in terms of access to faster transits, according to visibility data provider project44. Moreover, the split of canal terminal operators between US, Singapore and Taiwan-domiciled companies throws into question claims of Chinese control of Panama’s ports. Since his election, President Donald Trump has ratcheted up tensions with Panama, which took control of the canal in 1999, some 20 years after President Jimmy Carter signed a deal ceding a century of control by the US.

‘Solidarity strike’ call by Dutch port union gets industry attention

Correction: The dispute is affecting Hutchison Ports’ Delta II terminal and not Hutchison Ports’ ECT Delta as first stated. A call by Dutch union FNV Havens for ports in Europe to refuse to handle ships diverted from Rotterdam’s Hutchison Ports-owned Delta II terminal has raised the specter of cross-border “solidarity strikes” that the shipping industry is watching closely. Intermittent strike action has taken place this month at the Rotterdam terminal.

Quebec provides new funding for proposed Montreal terminal, citing US trade tensions

Quebec’s government is putting C$130 million (US$92 million) into a proposed container gateway north of the Port of Montreal, saying the port has reached capacity and that tensions with the US necessitate the need for additional trade lanes outside of North America.

US policy changes could threaten breakbulk volume growth for ports

Southeastern US ports anticipate growth in 2025 despite looming steel tariffs and energy policy changes that could shake up the US breakbulk and project cargo sector.

Oakland pins growth on attracting imports, first-call inbound service

The Port of Oakland’s new five-year strategic growth plan lays out an ambitious program to modernize cargo-handling infrastructure and transloading capacity, a strategy that is intended to grow containerized imports at a gateway that is geared toward exports.

Regional LTL partnership to speed service linking Midwest, Northeast

Regional less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers in the US are redrawing their service maps by buying new terminals, merging with competitors and forming partnerships to build density in their freight networks and offer their shipper customers more services to more locations.

Trump’s expansionist worldview puts US maritime interests in spotlight

US President Donald Trump has maritime on the mind, flexing an expansionist worldview to expand regional control and limit Chinese and Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere.

String of market uncertainties helped drive strong Q4 for Expeditors

Frontloading of air and ocean cargo pushed earnings higher for Expeditors International during the fourth quarter as a litany of uncertainties from port labor to tariffs to geopolitics prodded shippers to move their freight as quickly as possible.

No clear timeline for Red Sea return as carriers face rising insurance costs

Ocean carriers will require “a full and permanent” ceasefire between Israel and Hamas before they are confident enough to shift services back to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, according to marine management company Inchcape Shipping Services.

Technology providers take aim at automating core US customs tasks

Freight forwarding software vendor Magaya has released a new tool that enables its customs broker customers to automate US customs entry and product classification processes.

Maersk joins Indian shipbuilding race amid government incentives, China pivot

India seems to have become an appealing location for global container carriers seeking new shipbuilding capacity and yard development opportunities as their traditional marketplaces in China and South Korea remain full and prefer building ultra-large container ships.

Ocean carriers’ ever-tightening grip on capacity control shows no signs of loosening

The past 25 years of container shipping since the launch of TPM have seen service quality and cost becoming progressively more negative for customers. The reason is this: a slowly building but accelerating assault on capacity, originating both from outside the industry and from within.

US regulator reopens truck broker-transparency proposal for new comments

US regulators are requesting additional comments on a proposed rule that would let trucking companies access and review rates shippers pay to brokers.

Mediterranean-US East Coast container services get revamp for 2025

Ocean carriers are adding services and emphasizing speed between the Mediterranean and the US East Coast amid a reshuffling of southern European port coverage on trans-Atlantic services.

Asia-Europe carriers dangle contract discounts before shippers: Xeneta

Uncertainty over the timing of shipping’s resumption of Red Sea transits is being reflected in Asia-North Europe long-term rate deals, with carriers offering substantial “discounts” to shippers agreeing to contracts longer than six months, according to rate benchmarking platform Xeneta.

Large US truckload carriers, expecting more demand, rein in capacity cuts

Large US truckload carriers made shallow cuts to their truck counts in the fourth quarter, curbing capacity while anticipating an end to a more than two-year freight downturn.

Biofuel not the answer to shipping decarbonization: carriers

Hapag-Lloyd, Hoegh Autoliners and Louis Dreyfus are among several shipping companies calling for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to exclude crop-based biofuels from its list of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels citing fears of deforestation and water and food scarcity.

US LTL rates rising as industrial outlook, shipper confidence improve

US less-than-truckload (LTL) freight volumes have been flat in early 2025, depressed by soft demand and harsh winter weather. But LTL trucking companies are increasingly optimistic about a potential increase in freight demand this spring.

BCOs have plenty of ‘noise’ to contend with in container shipping market: analyst

It would be easy to be distracted by the noise in the supply chains of any organization today that has non-discretionary reliance on container shipping. By that I mean the organizations that have no transport or supply alternatives and are consigned to finding the right answers for their freight procurement.

Long-term contracts expected to lift ro/ro operators to healthy 2025

Vehicle carrier operators anticipate a bumper 2025, building on last year’s strong performance and supported by continued buoyant vehicle shipments from long-term contracts, shipping executives say. But volumes of high and heavy equipment, including construction and agricultural machinery, are likely to remain subdued in the first half of this year with a possible pickup in the second half going into 2026, they added.

Ocean carriers seek competitive edge in choice of green fuels

Choosing the right alternative fuel pathway is shaping up as a source of competition for ocean carriers during shipping’s transition period from fossil fuels to greener options, shipping industry experts say.

Small trans-Pac forwarders, feeling ignored by carriers, stay agile to secure capacity

Smaller non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) in the eastbound trans-Pacific are being advised to pool their volumes to secure vessel capacity and more favorable rates given that carrier-direct bookings on the trade are at their highest level since last April. The suggestion also comes as sources say some carriers are signing fixed-rate contracts only with the largest forwarders.

Evergreen makes $3.2 billion order for LNG-capable megaships

Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine has confirmed inking two deals worth up to $3.2 billion for the order of 11 24,000-TEU vessels capable of sailing on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Six of the megaships will be built at South Korean yard Hanhwa Ocean and five at Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. in China at a unit cost between $265 million and $295 million, Evergreen said in a statement Thursday.

India-USEC spot bookings slow amid capacity crunch from fewer sailings: forwarders

The India-US East Coast trade is facing a capacity crunch due to sailing cancellations and shippers moving more cargo out to complete their export orders ahead of the Indian fiscal year closing at the end of March. Local freight forwarders who spoke with the Journal of Commerce complained that some carriers have stopped accepting spot bookings for upcoming February calls out of Nhava Sheva and Mundra.

Scotland’s Prestwick airport tested by China’s e-commerce giants

China’s top online marketplaces — Temu, Shein and Tik Tok — put Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s e-commerce hub aspirations to the test this week by sending a freighter loaded with packages ordered online to the airport on Scotland’s west coast. The 60 metric tons of e-commerce that arrived on a Hong Kong Air Cargo freighter mark the first in a series of “development flights” put together by the online platforms with a view to launch scheduled flights between Hong Kong and Prestwick in March.

Cosco/OOCL maintain top spot for carriers hauling US imports from Asia

Cosco Shipping and its OOCL subsidiary held their position as the leading carrier for containerized US imports from Asia in 2024, increasing tonnage by more than 20% on the year while expanding market share slightly, according to the Journal of Commerce’s rankings of the top 15 ocean carriers as measured by US imports from Asia.

Europe joins US in call for end to e-commerce ‘de minimis’ exemption

The European Commission (EC) has joined the US in calling for the removal of the so-called de minimis exemption for low-value parcels that is a key driver of the massive increase in air cargo imports from China over the past two years.

Incumbents, upstarts strive for lead in agentic AI arms race

The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI)-focused tools flooding the global and domestic logistics markets is forcing shippers and intermediaries to better understand the benefits of so-called agentic AI.

Rail customers show frustration with H2’24 performance in new Journal survey

Satisfaction with North American freight railroads took a hit in the second half of last year among domestic intermodal carriers and brokers as the rails struggled with heavy peak season import volumes, results of the latest Journal of Commerce Intermodal Service Scorecard (ISS) showed.

Stakeholders say choked NY-NJ marine terminals creating delays at port

Marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey are seeing bouts of severe congestion due to a variety of factors that include heavy import volumes, holiday scheduling and bad weather. The congestion is currently making it difficult for truckers to return empty containers and puts shippers at risk for late fees on empty returns and import retrievals.

Strikes, storms and record volumes adding to North Europe port delays

The significant volumes of exports that left China in December are continuing to arrive at European ports, compounding existing congestion caused by a series of severe winter storms and labor action at key hubs.

Red Sea diversions, trans-Pacific volume drive HMM to solid annual result

Longer voyages around southern Africa amid continued Red Sea diversions and an increase in China-US trade elevated rates delivered a solid 2024 annual result for HMM, the South Korean carrier reported Tuesday.

Tariffs introduce uncertainty amid growth in US steel imports

On the heels of a growth year for US steel imports, ports and steel traders are bracing for President Donald Trump to sign an executive order imposing tariffs on any steel coming into the United States.

Stakeholders still in wait-and-see mode on US freight market turn

US intermodal and truckload carriers believe shippers are making a final push for lower contract rates before the market shifts this summer, pointing to signals that the prolonged freight recession may soon end.

January cargo spike kept Los Angeles-Long Beach rail dwells largely elevated

Rail container dwell times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach remained elevated in January amid an especially strong month in the eastbound trans-Pacific due to a spike in pre-Lunar New Year import volumes and frontloading ahead of new US tariffs.

Import upgrade from US retailers comes despite Trump tariff uncertainty

US retailers Friday indicated they remain bullish about cargo volumes arriving at US ports for the next several months despite new tariffs on China and the threat of tariffs on Canada and Mexico, upgrading their forecast for imports through April.

Softening multipurpose freight rates and near-term market uncertainty have unsettled the project cargo sector, stakeholders say.

The launch of the new container shipping alliance comprised of Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM and Yang Ming has cleared its last regulatory hurdle after the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) completed its review of the partnership and allowed the agreement to go into effect.

Softer MPV market conditions reflect shaky near-term expectations

Softening multipurpose freight rates and near-term market uncertainty have unsettled the project cargo sector, stakeholders say.

North American intermodal would escape tariffs largely unscathed: analyst

A US trade war with Canada and Mexico has been averted, at least for now. It seems likely, however, that there will be more twists and turns as our trading partners try to figure out what exactly Donald Trump really wants to change in the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) free trade deal — a deal that he, himself, negotiated and signed just six years ago.

Maersk CEO defends carrier’s slow progress hitting end-to-end strategy targets

Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc is acknowledging that progress in reaching the targeted margins of the carrier’s integrated logistics strategy was “slower than expected,” which he attributed in part to the sheer ambition of the strategy.

Delaware port still backing Edgemoor plans even after lawsuit cancels permit

Delaware’s port authority is reaffirming support for developing a container terminal near the Port of Wilmington despite a delayed groundbreaking caused by a lawsuit brought by the nearby Port of Philadelphia. The delay for the proposed Edgemoor project also comes amid political turmoil over the port’s leadership.

MPVs turn to unconventional propulsion to beat European fuel regulations

Tighter European emissions regulations have pushed multipurpose ship operators toward alternative propulsion technologies to achieve compliance.

Maersk’s profitability in 2025 hinges on return to Red Sea: Clerc

Maersk’s profitability in 2025 depends on when shipping can resume regular transits through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, with the timing of such a return the difference between breaking even this year or making pre-tax profits as high as $3 billion, CEO Vincent Clerc said Thursday.

Opportunistic Brazilian exporters move product to US amid spot rate retreat

Exporters shipping low-value products from Brazil to the US are taking advantage of depressed container spot rates driven by retreating volumes, a move forwarders say will hasten a rate recovery given the minimal capacity additions expected on the trade.

Bangladesh shippers find no place in Gemini’s integrated shuttle plan

Shippers in Bangladesh who historically rely on feeder networks for trade flows are seemingly missing out on potential supply chain gains from Gemini Cooperation’s hub-and-spoke model designed around dedicated shuttle operations.

Shippers want more visibility data than terminals are providing: survey

A lack of alignment around visibility data between container terminal operators around the globe and the shippers and forwarders they serve results in underuse of operating systems and general supply chain inefficiencies, according to a report on the subject.

‘Strategic’ sailing cuts offset switch to new Asia-Europe networks: eeSea

Ocean carriers are employing “strategic blanked sailings” on the Asia-Europe trade lane as they manage the transition from old services to the new alliance networks, according to maritime intelligence firm eeSea.

Project cargo sector disadvantaged by lag in AI adoption

The project cargo industry has only just started to voyage down the path of uncovering how artificial intelligence (AI) may help it become more efficient, stakeholders in the sector tell the Journal of Commerce.

Marine insurer group greenlights streamlined eBL vendor approval process

Vendors eager to push adoption of electronic bills of lading (eBLs) in the container shipping industry received a boost Tuesday with the International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I) relaxing the approval process for such systems from Feb. 20.

ONE launches domestic repositioning program on inland loads to West Coast

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and logistics provider LX Pantos have formed a joint venture that will offer shippers the opportunity to move freight from inland US markets to the US West Coast in ocean containers rather than 53-foot domestic boxes.

Carrier alliance shifting causes February dip in trans-Pacific vessel capacity

The restructuring of carrier alliances is causing a short-term capacity shift in the trans-Pacific, giving cargo owners about 20% more functional capacity this month compared with a year ago but still 8% less than in January, according to analysis by maritime intelligence firm eeSea.

Prince Rupert promoting transload operations to improve logistics efficiency

The intermodal logistics provider IntermodeX will develop a transload and logistics facility near the Port of Prince Rupert in western Canada that will be the latest component of the port authority’s master plan to expand import and export transload operations.

US spot intermodal savings dipped in Q4, but remained above historical norms

Despite rising rail rates in Southern California, intermodal shippers saved more than 20% versus truckload on one-off business across the US in the fourth quarter, the third consecutive quarter in which spot market savings far exceeded historical norms, according to the latest Journal of Commerce Intermodal Savings Index (ISI).

Approvals from Europe, US among last hurdles in DSV’s takeover of DB Schenker

Regulatory approval from the US and European Commission (EC) stands in the way of DSV’s $16 billion acquisition of DB Schenker, but DSV CFO Michael Ebbe is confident the takeover will be finalized by the end of the second quarter.

Chilean cherry shippers brace for insurance battle in Maersk Saltoro case

Given the scale of the potential claim on the MV Maersk Saltoro, protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs may in the future be reluctant to insure ocean carriers with such a volume of high-value, highly perishable — and therefore high-risk — items on board.

Truckload visibility vendor gets funding to expand sensor network

A startup technology provider that uses a network of roadside sensors to capture US truckload visibility data landed a new funding round on Monday, which it will use to quadruple that network and eventually push into Mexico and Canada.

Journal of Commerce ‘Newsmakers’: Kuehne + Nagel’s Michael Aldwell

“Newsmakers” is a periodic Q&A with a key industry player conducted by Journal of Commerce contributor Lori Ann LaRocco. Michael Aldwell entered the shipping industry 16 years ago in his native New Zealand as a project manager for Kuehne + Nagel’s (K+N’s) local contract logistics business. He now heads ocean logistics for K+N, the world’s largest forwarder.

MSC launches new visibility technology for refrigerated cargo

Mediterranean Shipping Co. said Monday it is advancing its perishable cargo offerings by launching iReefer, a monitoring system that offers shippers real-time updates on their refrigerated cargo, including location and temperature.

Spot rates falling as new ocean networks roll out: Sea-Intelligence

Growing competition as ocean carriers adjust to the restructured alliances will likely place downward pressure on rates on the main east-west trades, according to Sea-Intelligence Maritime Analysis.

MPV operators largely dismissive of US shipbuilding act

The lofty ambitions of the proposed SHIPS for America Act could have ramifications for the global multipurpose vessel (MPV) fleet, but only if it manages to achieve the tall order of injecting new life into the US’ stagnating shipbuilding industry.

Large US truckload carriers shifting assets to expand dedicated services

Large US truckload carriers are increasingly focused on dedicated trucking because of the capacity needs of customers and a desire for more stable revenue and margins, with many companies moving greater numbers of trucks and drivers to dedicated divisions.

ILA officials to meet next week as ratification of USMX deal looms

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) next week is expected to start a month-long process of selling its members on the new collective bargaining agreement with maritime employers. The process ends two years of fraught labor negotiations and now ensures six years of labor peace at US East and Gulf coast ports.

ONE upgrades full-year profit forecast by $1 billion after robust Q3

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is now expecting $4 billion in net profit for its operating year ending March 31, upping the forecast by almost $1 billion after posting a strong fiscal third quarter with significant gains in revenue and earnings.

Hub-and-spoke model in spotlight on eve of Gemini Cooperation launch

The first ships in Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd's new Gemini Cooperation set sail on Feb. 1, but it will be June before the hub-and-spoke network is fully phased in and all vessels are moving on Gemini schedules, the carriers said in separate statements Friday.

Norfolk Southern launches appointment system at Landers terminal

Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) has introduced a mandatory appointment system for truckers to retrieve import containers at its Landers terminal in Chicago, marking the third location where the railroad has implemented such a program. The initiative, which began Wednesday, is part of a broader technological strategy aimed at improving terminal efficiency to benefit cargo owners, NS says.

MPV operators lean into orders for dual-fuel newbuilds

In working to meet International Maritime Organization requirements to curb greenhouse gas emissions, multipurpose and heavy-lift vessel operators are gravitating toward dual-fuel vessels as the new standard for newbuilds — including those that will call at US ports.

C.H. Robinson’s forwarding business offsets weak US truck market

C.H. Robinson sees the US freight recession lingering into 2025 as it expects truckload volumes to drop at the start of the year. But the largest US freight broker is looking to offset that weakness by cross-selling customers on its global forwarding business.

US shippers urged to prepare now for upcoming LTL class changes, rate ‘resetting’

The biggest revision of the less-than-truckload (LTL) freight classification system in the US in decades is under way, and shippers are increasingly concerned about the potential impact on their LTL pricing.

Green corridor ports in the US set the stage for MPV fuel transition

With newbuilds in the works for dual-fuel multipurpose and heavy-lift vessels, a handful of US ports are taking steps to advance the green shipping corridors and bunkering infrastructure necessary to support the sector’s transition to alternative fuels. Read more

Strong volume, high rates to lift Hapag-Lloyd’s 2024 earnings

Hapag-Lloyd expects to book 2024 revenue of $20.7 billion and a pre-tax profit of $2.8 billion, with earnings lifted by rising volumes and stable rate levels through much of the year, according to preliminary results released by the carrier Thursday. Read more

Americold adding Port Saint John warehouse as part of CPKC alliance

Americold Realty Trust plans to build a cold-storage warehouse near Port Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada, its first import-export hub under its ongoing partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) to expand intermodal reefer throughout North America. Read more

Ocean carriers warn of disruption as storms bear down on Europe

Ocean carriers are warning of schedule disruptions in North Europe as extreme weather hits the English Channel and Bay of Biscay, with UK ports already heavily disrupted by a string of storms. Read more

Union Pacific makes push to grab more Los Angeles-to-Kansas City freight

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) is making an aggressive push during the annual bid season to attract customers shipping freight between Los Angeles and the Kansas City market, a route traditionally dominated by competitor BNSF Railway and the trucking sector.

Specter of US trade tariffs puts EPC companies on war footing

The uncertainty around the Trump administration’s tariff policy is playing havoc with the project cargo sector, with shippers warning of disruption down the line for projects already committed.

‘Green shoots’ in US economy fuel optimism, but not exuberance, among LTL carriers

ATLANTA — Expectations of stronger-than-expected growth in less-than-truckload (LTL) demand are rising at the SMC3 Jump Start 25 conference here this week.

FMC chair questions ‘level playing field’ in Panama Canal operations

The new head of the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on Tuesday told a Senate hearing he questions whether a Hong Kong-based terminal operator that runs ports on both ends of the Panama Canal was contributing revenue to the Panamanian government as other terminal operators do. The comments by FMC Chairman Louis Sola come amid rising US scrutiny of Chinese influence over the canal.

Senate confirms Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation

Former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy received US Senate confirmation Tuesday to serve as Secretary of Transportation in the new Trump administration. Duffy, also a former Fox Business host, was confirmed by a 77-22 vote.

Trans-Pacific carriers determined to win higher contract rates this year: sources

Ocean carriers plying the trans-Pacific are quoting initial rates for the 2025–26 contract year about 25% higher than the current year on the belief they underpriced their services from Asia to the US a year ago, sources with knowledge of the early-stage talks say.

China extends Maersk’s domestic cabotage pilot to December 2027

China’s Transport Ministry has extended Maersk’s domestic cabotage trial for an additional two years while also further liberalizing the cabotage rules, the carrier said Tuesday. “The pilot with China’s Transport Ministry has been extended until Dec. 31, 2027, and Maersk is continuing its cabotage business in China,” a Maersk spokesperson told the Journal of Commerce.

Asia-Europe ocean rates fall as weak demand sparks battle for market share

Forwarders and carriers are competing aggressively for market share in the Asia-Europe trade lane as rates fall sharply through January and demand slows into the Lunar New Year holidays in China. The Year of the Snake begins Tuesday, and factories can be closed for more than two weeks as China celebrates its most important holiday.

Hefty rate decline looms over India-Europe trade amid capacity buildup

A huge injection of capacity on India-Europe trades powered by new container shipping alliances and service updates is pushing the westbound market toward a potential downward spiral in prices among cargo-hungry carriers, local industry sources say.

Gemini to save shippers money by besting schedule reliability challenges: Maersk

Gemini Cooperation’s goal of 90% schedule reliability is being pitched as a money-saving proposition for shippers, with alliance partner Maersk saying ocean carrier customers are taking on added costs when only one out of every two ships arrives on time.

Antwerp-Bruges claws back volumes lost over past two years

Throughput at Antwerp-Bruges jumped just over 8% in 2024 to 13.5 million TEUs as Europe’s second-largest port returned its container volumes to a level last seen in 2022. It has taken the Belgian port two years to claw back the 1 million TEUs in volume that was lost following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,

Suez routing allows rapid transit of new expedited China-Europe service

Kawa Shipping’s new China-Europe Express service is being routed via the Suez Canal, enabling the carrier to offer a 26-day transit direct from Ningbo to Germany’s JadeWasserPort in Wilhelmshaven, billed as the fastest service on the Asia-Europe trade lane.

Sailing cuts slow pace of decline for India-USEC spot ocean rates

Container lines active on the India-US East Coast trade have been able to arrest the sharp decline in spot rates, with local freight forwarder sources citing lower capacity due to a string of blank calls for West India across all the lead services this month.

US LTL providers seeking bigger share of Mexico cross-border trucking

Undeterred by tariff threats and inspired by projected growth in Mexican manufacturing, US LTL providers are building a bigger presence on the US-Mexico border. In doing so, LTL companies are pursuing a larger share of cross-border business historically handled more by truckload carriers and intermodal rail providers, while answering demand from US importers for more frequent, smaller shipments.

CU Lines claims Amazon backed out of service contract as ocean rates fell

China United Lines is alleging that Amazon unexpectedly walked away from an ocean services contract as freight rates nosedived in 2023, according to a complaint the independent carrier filed with the US Federal Maritime Commission. The carrier further claims Amazon avoided paying $31.5 million in damages for exiting the service contract.

Air cargo rates fall out of Asia despite rising volume on US, Europe trades

Air cargo rates on the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades have softened through January after the highs of early December, even though volumes on the corridors continue to grow. Data from air freight analyst Rotate shows volume from China to the US rose 3% this week and is 17% higher than the same period last year. Tonnage from Asia to Europe is up 9% week over week and is also 17% higher than a year ago.

Closure of heavy-lift airline heightens concerns over aging global fleet

Airbus’ closure of its Airbus Beluga Transport operation just 18 months after launch has intensified pressure on the availability of aircraft capable of carrying outsized and project loads. Airbus Beluga Transport CEO Benoît Lemonnier said in a Jan. 21 letter to customers seen by the Journal of Commerce that the activities of the company had been terminated “due to economic difficulties,” with the last flight recorded on Jan. 17.

Progress on carbon pricing on track despite US stance on green initiatives: IMO

Progress toward rolling out a fuel standard and carbon pricing mechanism for global shipping by this October will not be derailed by Donald Trump’s skeptical view on environmental initiatives, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Knight-Swift puts LTL buyouts on hold as US freight market flattens

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings plans to shift away from less-than-truckload (LTL) acquisitions in 2025 to focus on gaining more volume in a soft market.

Murky outlook for container shipping is no barrier to ship ordering bonanza

The transition to new fuels and an aging fleet continue to drive container ship orders, with no sign of a newbuilding slowdown despite full yards, an uncertain demand outlook and a lack of clarity over green fuel availability.

Bolder Trump injects new volatility into container shipping

Even before starting his second term, Donald Trump gave the shipping industry a taste of the unpredictability he will inject over the next four years, first by upending longshore labor contract negotiations and then threatening to take over the Panama Canal.

Southern California ports ready to defend green initiatives from Trump White House

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will continue to implement their green port initiatives — some in place for two decades — should the Trump administration attempt to dilute or eliminate environmental programs at the federal or state levels, officials at both ports say.

Maersk rejigs standalone services ahead of Gemini Cooperation launch

Maersk has removed its standalone express Pacific Northwest service and added a new North Europe service to the Port of Philadelphia. The ocean carrier made the changes ahead of the launch of its Gemini Cooperation partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, referring shippers to the new alliance’s services as an alternative.

ECSA-US spot rates weaken rapidly after hitting record high in Q4

Spot rates on the East Coast South America-to-US lane are in fast retreat this month after they hit record highs in the 2024 fourth quarter, driven by heavy volumes that drew fresh capacity to the trade.

Transshipment networks to give Gemini-linked boost to India-US trade

Gemini alliance partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have set the stage to serve shippers on the India-US trade, a market that was not part of the contours of the original collaborative agreement specifically tied to direct calls.

Gemini Cooperation on cusp of launching bold experiment in service networks

With the Gemini Cooperation set to officially launch on Feb. 1, repositioning of ships is under way, thus kicking off one of the boldest and riskiest gambits the container shipping industry has seen in a long time.

Prologis sees post-election rush for logistics real estate in US

An increase in rents for industrial distribution space in the US is coming, even if it’s not just around the corner, executives at logistics real estate developer Prologis said Tuesday. A post-election increase in demand for leased space, including third-party logistics sites, has the developer optimistic.

Trump appoints Louis Sola to chairman’s slot at FMC

Louis Sola has been elevated from commissioner to chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission after being appointed Monday by President Donald Trump to lead the US maritime regulator. Sola was nominated to the FMC in November 2018 during Trump’s first term. While he has focused more on cruise ships than container ships, he has also shown an interest in maritime fuels, US freedom-of-navigation and export markets.

Flexport alums arm 3PLs with tools to refine shipper outreach

An early-stage provider of sales tools used by third-party logistics providers (3PLs) has landed a funding round to help forwarders make the process of finding suitable shipper customers more efficient. The company, Revenue Vessel, provides an importer database that allows 3PLs to gain insights into importers to refine searches for customers.

Carriers eye Red Sea transits after Houthi rebels pledge restraint

Ocean carriers say they will only return to Red Sea transits “when it is safe to do so,” despite an announcement Sunday by Yemen’s Houthi militants that they will limit their attacks on shipping to Israel-affiliated vessels.

US offshore wind industry braces for federal halt

Momentum is downshifting in the US offshore wind industry in anticipation of an executive order to halt development in the sector immediately after today’s inauguration of Donald Trump as US president. On Jan. 15, power-purchase contract signings set to take place that day for a pair of offshore wind projects in Massachusetts and Rhode Island were pushed back until March 31.

FedEx Freight says CEO Moll to retire Jan. 31

Lance Moll, who has led FedEx Freight — the largest US trucking company — as president and CEO for nearly four years will retire at the end of January, FedEx announced late Friday. Moll will take an advisory role with the company until July 31 to ensure a smooth transition, FedEx said in a statement that did not mention a successor.

FedEx Freight says CEO Moll to retire Jan. 31

J.B. Hunt Transport Services is warning shippers to prepare for higher rates for intermodal rail service in 2025 but acknowledges that market conditions may not favor carriers until the third quarter. The company on Thursday reported a 5% increase in fourth-quarter volume compared with the year-ago period as it moved 560,132 loads between October and December — the highest fourth-quarter volume in the company’s history

Shippers balance near-term market, long-term forecasts in trucking bids

US shippers, concerned by the prospect of higher trucking costs later this year, are looking to keep rate hikes low in the current round of annual contract talks while trying to maintain their roster of incumbent trucking providers. That means striking a delicate balance. Shippers say they aren’t interested in taking rate increases at a time when their own demand is soft.

Rebounding Indian car exports nourish country’s ro/ro trade

Demand for roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) vessels out of India is set to climb in 2025, building on the strong rebound in finished vehicle exports that started in 2024. A 14% rise in made-in-India vehicles shipped out in the first half of fiscal year 2024–25 marked a welcome rally from a 5.5% decline in full year 2023–24 exports, according to industry statistics released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

China’s ‘predatory’ maritime policies threaten global trade: White House

China’s manipulation of market policies and practices gives the country an unfair advantage in global trade, including control of 95% of the world’s shipping containers, according to a new White House report. “China’s so-called ‘socialist market economy’ has evolved and turned decidedly predatory in nature,” said the report, released by the Biden administration late Wednesday.

Global reefer market set to soar amid disruption, strong demand

While a projection for the short-term developmental trends of the global reefer charter market is relatively straightforward, it is becoming increasingly difficult to forecast a medium-term trend. That is because that even though there is broad consensus and plenty of supporting evidence that the global volume of perishable and other temperature-sensitive goods will continue to rise, a forecast for the reefer market is no longer contingent on the traditional supply and demand levers for reefer cargo. Instead, there are other variables, often entirely unrelated to the trade in

Carriers bolster intra-Asia networks amid uncertain rate, demand outlook

Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are bolstering their intra-Asia networks this month with a raft of new services and extra port calls ahead of the reshuffle of carrier alliances, including the launch of the Hapag-Lloyd/Maersk Gemini Cooperation partnership on Feb 1. Hapag-Lloyd said its new feeeders include a Vietnam-Cambodia-China (VCS) service that will better connect the two Southeast Asian countries with Gemini’s trans-Pacific and Asia networks. The

Return to Suez not a certainty even after Israel-Hamas ceasefire: analysts

Commercial shipping will resume normal transits through the Suez Canal in late February at the earliest under the most optimistic analyst prediction made following the ceasefire agreement signed Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, assuming all conditions are met.

US ports urge Trump, Congress to keep funds in place but tariffs at bay

US ports on Wednesday laid out legislative priorities for the incoming Trump administration and new Congress that include continued federal spending for maritime transportation and navigation. While many of the priorities of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) align with the president-elect’s campaign pledges, issues such as tariffs and clean energy funding at ports may face more challenges.

BNSF Barstow project to proceed after CARB emissions rule withdrawn

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has rescinded a proposed rule that would have required train locomotives operating in the state to produce zero emissions by 2030, a regulation that would have put a $1.5 billion project by BNSF Railway to expand its terminal in Barstow in serious jeopardy.

Intermodal comes off strong 2024 to face market unknowns of new year: analyst

As a forecaster of the intermodal sector, I believe that it is a good practice to look back each year to see what I was saying as the year began … and just how badly I may have missed the mark.In January 2024, readers of my Intermodal in Depth report were told to expect North American intermodal growth of 5.5%.

Visibility vendors move to extend reach and relevancy in rebalancing market

Transportation visibility vendors are repositioning their value propositions to shippers as providers of something more than just the data governing the whereabouts of freight, with three different vendors launching adjacent products in the last week alone.

US LTL truck pricing flat, but still elevated despite low demand

The long-term rise in US less-than-truckload (LTL) pricing following the collapse of Yellow in 2023 is colliding with soft demand. That’s likely to give US shippers some leverage to resist LTL carrier requests for steep rate hikes in annual contract negotiations.

Intermodal providers navigate tough pricing environment at start of year

Domestic intermodal providers are expressing frustration with what they say is a challenging freight market as early bids on annual contracts with shippers have yielded only small rate increases in California and flat or declining rates in other regions.

Carriers extend spot rates in bid to avoid further rate erosion in eastbound trans-Pac

Most ocean carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific are extending their current spot rates through the end of January, a sign that liners are losing pricing power even before the trade enters its weakest month of the year.

Norden MPV leasing deal capitalizes on global fleet undercapacity

A four-ship leasing deal by Norden reflects strong project cargo demand growth and sound market fundamentals, the Denmark-headquartered shipowner said Tuesday. Two 17,500-deadweight metric ton (dwt) multipurpose vessels (MPVs) are due to be delivered by the end of 2026 in a deal that includes options to purchase the vessels at the end of the lease agreements, the company said in a statement.

Unifeeder boosts market share as Red Sea diversions grow Med business

Intra-Europe specialist carrier Unifeeder tripled its market share in the Mediterranean in 2024 as deep-sea liners diverting around Africa to avoid the Red Sea outsourced coverage of the region to smaller operators. The DP World subsidiary said in a statement Tuesday its market share of the intra-Mediterranean trade had risen from 1.5% in 2023 to 4.3% last year, with data from Alphaliner showing that Unifeeder recorded the highest capacity growth of all carriers in the region.

Qatar Cargo launches ‘transformative’ digitalization drive for air containers

Qatar Airways Cargo has begun to attach digital tags to its fleet of 42,000 air freight containers in a bid to provide real-time visibility and improve equipment utilization in the largest such digitalization project undertaken by an airline.

Two US shippers latest to allege carriers bumped contract cargo to spot market

Two US shippers, including the parent company of retailer Crate & Barrel, want the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to investigate ocean carriers for not providing enough vessel space during the pandemic surge, alleging they also extracted surcharges and higher rates for previously agreed-upon container volumes in violation of US shipping law and forced the shippers into the then-costly spot market.

Trucking rates out of US ports rise on frontloading, cargo shift

The cost of hauling goods from major US seaport markets jumped significantly toward the end of 2024, with outbound truckload spot rates that rose in a normal seasonal pattern getting an additional boost from a potential strike at ports along the East and Gulf coasts.

CBP seeks industry input on rules curbing low-value shipment abuse

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Monday said it was seeking industry comment on new regulations it wants to implement that would address the growing risk of illicit or counterfeit goods entering the country as low-value imports, also known as de minimis shipments.

Indian forwarders seek clarity on spot booking program for Gemini Europe sailings

Indian freight forwarders are still waiting to learn when Gemini alliance partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will open spot bookings to Europe even as the so-called hub-and-spoke network moves closer to its official Feb. 1 launch.

Ocean Alliance network to grow trans-Pacific, Asia-Europe coverage

The Ocean Alliance of COSCO Shipping, OOCL, Evergreen Line and CMA CGM has unveiled its new shipping network, expanding direct coverage of both the Asia-Europe and trans-Pacific trades from April.

Taiwan’s Big Three carriers see 30% slide in H2 monthly revenues after rate slump

Taiwan's Big Three container lines saw an accelerating decline in revenues over the last six months, although they remain significantly higher than monthly revenues in 2023, filings this week with the Taiwan stock exchange show.

Cosco forecasts 95% jump in 2024 net profit on robust volumes, freight rates

Cosco Shipping Holdings, the parent of Cosco Shipping and OOCL, on Friday said it expects $7.5 billion in net profit for 2024, a 95% year-over-year jump that the carrier attributed to an increase in volumes and higher freight rates.

FedEx, UPS to continue discounting parcel rates amid increased competition

The Big Picture: Large parcel carriers FedEx and UPS are discounting rates to attract volumes, while retailers are courting business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments by offering free delivery through subscription services. Shippers have spread volumes out among a number of carriers, which has also taken volumes from the large carriers. The more profitable business-to-business (B2B) parcel market is not expected to increase until manufacturing demand picks up.

Vancouver braces for congestion, high rail dwells through January

Port of Vancouver stakeholders expect they will have to navigate at least three more weeks of congestion as Canada’s largest port works to clear a backlog of rail containers that built up in December.

Cargo volumes for mega cracker project at Antwerp to peak in 2025

Transportation of outsized and heavy-lift cargo components for INEOS’ $4 billion Project One ethane cracker at Belgium’s Port of Antwerp is set to peak this year in the ramp up to the cracker becoming operational in mid-2026, the chemical company says.

US truckload spot rates rising, but shippers keeping lid on contract rates

US truckload spot rates exceeded seasonal expectations toward the end of 2024 as capacity contracted amid holiday demand. But the increase in transactional rates hasn’t translated so far into larger gains in contract pricing early in the new year.

Limited disruption likely as new carrier alliances roll out: Alphaliner

Ocean carriers will roll out their new global networks next month, and while disruption to supply chains is inevitable during the transition period, the extent of that disruption will be limited by a series of factors, not least of which is the longshore contract agreement on the US East and Gulf coasts, according to Alphaliner

ILA, USMX reach tentative deal that avoids another port strike

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) late Wednesday said they have reached a tentative agreement on a new master contract that covers ports from Maine to Texas. While the deal needs approval from ILA locals and USMX members, it avoids another port strike and ensures shippers of labor peace along the US East and Gulf coasts for the next six years.

Norfolk Southern begins limiting export container moves ahead of possible strike

Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) has begun to wind down accepting export containers for movement from inland terminals to key ports along the US East Coast ahead of a possible longshore strike next week.

Ex-Asia air freight capacity constraints to persist in 2025

The big picture:Capacity constraints on outbound air cargo routes from Asia, particularly China, will persist in 2025, with volumes continuing to outstrip available space. Airlines have been postponing the retirement of freighters to cope with booming e-commerce demand in the US and Europe, but many of those aircraft are at the end of their working life, and production delays at both Boeing and Airbus are slowing the arrival of any new capacity.

Drayage outsourcing a path to solving diversification challenge

The outsourcing dilemma that hangs over the transportation departments of most shippers is particularly thorny when it comes to managing US drayage allocation. Because drayage is typically the lowest-cost leg of any import container move, it has chronically been subject to the least amount of attention from shippers.

Ocean carriers in control on Asia-Europe trade as cargo contracts closed

Asia-Europe shippers have begun locking in annual contracts as the capacity-constrained trade lane is likely to remain firmly in favor of ocean carriers through the traditional post-Lunar New Year slowdown.

Turkish liners shift to India for Suez routings with relays to US, Europe

Indian ports are seeing a capacity rush from Turkish container carriers willing to offer sailings via the traditional shorter Suez Canal route as mainline heavyweights continue to reroute vessels via the Cape of Good Hope amid the persistent threat of militant attacks in the Red Sea.

BlueGrace joins logistics M&A wave, adding FreightCenter to its portfolio

Third-party logistics provider (3PL) BlueGrace Logistics on Tuesday said it will acquire FreightCenter, an online truck freight management and pricing platform. The transaction, terms of which were not disclosed, will connect FreightCenter’s shipper customers directly to BlueGrace’s transportation management system (TMS). “This acquisition is the perfect opportunity to enhance the logistics experience for thousands of customers,” BlueGrace CEO Bobby Harris said in a statement.

Nonresidential construction a headwind for trucking demand: analyst

While I forecast that demand conditions in the US for-hire trucking sector will improve in 2025 after approximately 10 quarters of freight volume declines, mixed conditions in nonresidential construction pose headwinds for freight demand, according to an analysis of US Census Bureau data adjusted for inflation, when appropriate. The challenges for truck demand growth vary depending on the four major sectors: warehousing, office, data centers and manufacturing.

High price to pay for non-compliance with FuelEU rules: Lloyd’s Register

The FuelEU regulation that came into effect on Jan. 1 is “a major market intervention” by the European Union that will determine the long-term profitability and sustainable operation of vessels in European waters, according to Lloyd’s Register.

Tariffs, Suez resumption could crimp US West Coast share gains

The big picture:US West Coast ports lost some of their share of imports from Asia in 2022–23 during the protracted contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and West Coast employers. The tables turned in 2024, when East and Gulf coast dockworkers engaged in contentious contract negotiations of their own and discretionary cargo returned to the West Coast. The main challenge facing West Coast ports entering 2025 will be to mitigate the rail container backlogs that inevitably occur during peak periods when import volumes exceed

M&A activity redrawing regional LTL map in US Midwest and beyond

The US less-than-truckload (LTL) market is entering a new phase of consolidation in early 2025, led by regional LTL trucking companies building greater density and reach. The action is hottest perhaps in the Midwest, where the shutdown of Holland, a regional subsidiary of Yellow, in 2023 left a hole in the LTL market that has not been filled.

US LTL carriers widen market reach through spot pricing technology

Dynamic pricing tools are allowing less-than-truckload (LTL) shippers and brokers, especially smaller ones, to connect with LTL carriers looking for new sources of freight. That is widening the market reach for LTL carriers that have typically relied almost exclusively on contracts or general tariff rates for pricing.

Project cargo optimism buffeted by policy ‘unpredictability’

The big picture: A massive slate of energy, infrastructure, and industrial projects in the US, including chip manufacturing, LNG, power generation, carbon capture, wind energy and more, is fueling optimism among project cargo logistics providers. However, uncertainty around potential changes in government funding, focus and regulations, including the threat of new tariffs, are tempering that optimism, particularly for projects related to clean energy.

Capacity-bound MPV operators poised for strong year amid firming rates

An already firm multipurpose ship market will strengthen further in 2025, keeping freight rates elevated and capacity tight, market sources say.Shipbroker Toepfer Transport expects demand for multipurpose vessel (MPV) tonnage to “significantly increase” beginning in the third quarter of 2025. Consequently, its Multipurpose Index (TMI) is forecast to rise from its December 2024 level of $13,110 per day by the second half of 2025, Toepfer said in its year-end Multipurpose Shipping Report.

Suez diversions, lack of IMO agreement put 2030 emissions targets at risk

The big picture:The need to narrow the price gap between fossil fuels and cleaner alternatives is the single most important challenge facing the maritime industry as it strives to meet interim emissions targets on the way to reaching net-zero by 2050. Making renewable energy more competitive will drive up investment in clean technologies and scale up sustainable fuel production, but it will rely on increased government support to bridge the operational cost gap of transitioning to alternative energy sources.

US policy uncertainty clouds MPV/HL outlook going into 2025

The big picture: The security crisis in the Red Sea and drought conditions in the Panama Canal get all the headlines, but it’s the new trade lanes needed to adjust for these disruptions that are boosting ton-mile demand and squeezing capacity in the multipurpose and heavy-lift (MPV/HL) sector. Those dynamics are expected to keep MPV/HL rates at current levels through the first quarter of 2025, but as new tonnage from the competing container and roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) sectors hits the water, non-heavy-lift MPV rates are likely to weaken.

Drayage diversification emerging as shipper priority amid supply chain volatility

Industry dynamics are driving shippers to diversify their allocation of volume to drayage carriers in a bid to manage increased volatility through the US ports they use for their import supply chains. Whereas shippers have historically tended to rely on a single drayage carrier in a specific gateway, the underlying technology and changing attitudes toward resilience on a chronically overlooked transportation leg are enabling that diversification.

More ocean carriers unveil disruption surcharges linked to possible ILA strike

The number of container lines preparing surcharges ahead of potential disruption to US East and Gulf coast service networks has reached at least five as a Jan. 15 longshore strike deadline nears and new carrier alliances launch.

LTL carriers expanding networks to prepare for long-term growth

The big picture: US less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are preparing for the next surge in demand, adding terminals and terminal doors even though freight demand is still tepid. They see demand for industrial freight and retail goods increasing in 2025 and believe there’s not enough LTL capacity in the market to meet that demand. LTL rates began rising in 2023 and remain elevated, and that’s unlikely to change in 2025, with carriers seeking additional price hikes in the mid- to high-single-digit percentage range.

Cass acquires international freight invoice auditing tool to widen modal reach

Freight payment and audit provider Cass Information Systems on Thursday said it has acquired AcuAudit, a product it says will enable it to deepen its reach in ocean and air freight auditing. Terms were not disclosed.

Rising north-south trade hinges on fluid ports, vessel capacity

The big picture: A combination of growing demand, port bottlenecks and vessel and equipment shortages pushed rates from the East Coast of South America to the US to their highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic last year. This year, the inter-Americas trade is poised for more growth, but that growth will likely come with congestion at South American ports and tight capacity on northbound services from the East Coast of South America that keeps rates elevated.

ILA, USMX contract talks set for Jan. 7 restart ahead of strike deadline: sources

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are set to resume talks for a new master contract on Jan. 7, sources said Tuesday. The scheduled resumption of negotiations leaves a small window before the current contract extension runs out on Jan. 15 and a likely second strike by the ILA hits ports along the US East and Gulf coasts.

IMCs say railroads handled peak season surge better than pandemic

Following a prolonged peak shipping season, intermodal providers are crediting North American Class I railroads for handling the surge in volume better they did during the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shippers, carriers face wave of port congestion, vessel delays in Asia, Europe

Shippers and ocean carriers on the Asia-Europe trade will be facing vessel delays into February as a raft of issues ranging from holiday port closures, vessel bunching in Asia and labor shortages in Hamburg cause serious port congestion with lengthy ship queues and berth waiting times.

Capital upgrades ready USEC ports for another year of growth

The big picture: US East Coast ports remained largely fluid throughout 2024, even as container volumes exceeded expectations and crises including a multi-week closure in Baltimore and a three-day coastwide strike impacted operations. The ability to withstand the various shocks, along with ongoing capital upgrades, suggests ports are prepared to handle tariff-related cargo surges that may occur in 2025

New year means fresh disruption for container shipping market: analyst

A turbulent 2024 has come to a close. Container shipping markets have been roiled by vessel diversions due to the Red Sea crisis port congestion in major transshipment hubs in Asia, the ship collision with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore that caused the bridge’s collapse, the Iranian seizure of the MSC Aries and a major strike on the US East and Gulf coasts , just to mention a few of the elements.

US warehouse vacancies expected to fall from 2024 ‘peak’

The big picture: With a large number of industrial logistics and warehousing projects launched early in the COVID-19 pandemic now complete and shippers destocking or rebalancing inventories throughout the year, warehousing space is widely available across the US. Still, solid increases in US imports kept demand positive last year and developers expect supply to tighten as volumes accelerate in 2025.

Strong 2024 sets international intermodal up for tough comparisons

The big picture: International intermodal volumes grew by double-digit percentages in 2024 thanks to a surge in freight to the West Coast ports, but those higher volumes caused issues getting ocean containers out of terminals. Domestic intermodal grew at a slower rate, and while there were service disruptions to and from Southern California, the delays were not as severe as for international cargo.

Trans-Pacific spot rates on the rise amid pre-Lunar New Year cargo bump

US retailers will begin the new year paying spot rates not seen since peak shipping season in August as the eastbound trans-Pacific market strengthens amid the pre-Lunar New Year rush.

Tariffs, ILA tension, early Lunar New Year boost Q1 trans-Pacific forecast

The big picture: The eastbound trans-Pacific rebounded in a big way last year, and although growth is expected to moderate in 2025, frontloading of spring merchandise ahead of tariffs threatened by US President-elect Donald Trump and an early Lunar New Year should keep cargo volumes and spot rates elevated into the first quarter. Carrier on-time performance in the busiest US trade lane continued to languish throughout 2024.

International intermodal market enters “constrained” 2025: analyst

Last year proved to be a strong but turbulent year for North American intermodal. The sector was the recipient of a potent stew of exterior events, some entirely foreseeable and others truly of the “black swan” variety. Overall activity was up significantly, with North American intermodal originations growing 7.5% year over year through the first week of December.

Reefer market growth in 2025 filled with risk

The big picture: Amid increased demand for equipment and projected market growth, the refrigerated (reefer) container market is positioned to see increased competitiveness in 2025. With the looming threat of operational interruptions from ongoing port labor negotiations, time-sensitive reefers could bear the brunt of work stoppage impacts. Meanwhile, extended transit times around Africa are putting further pressure on equipment availability.

Continued volatility to keep container line profits on course in 2025

The big picture:Container carriers remain in robust financial health after a highly profitable year, and that profitability looks set to continue through 2025, with a series of geopolitical factors soaking up supply and driving demand. Despite a glut of capacity on the water, Suez Canal diversions and healthy volumes — especially on the trans-Pacific — will keep vessel supply tight, and analysts predict this will lift annual fixed-rate agreements above 2024 levels on the major east-west trades out of Asia.

US Gulf Coast ports expanding to handle continued volume growth

The big picture: US Gulf Coast ports have seen higher-than-expected container volumes as consumer spending remained resilient during 2024 and shippers brought in cargo ahead of the deadline for a longshore labor strike. With volumes likely to increase again in 2025, new port infrastructure across the region should help maintain fluidity throughout the coming year.

Mexico curtails duty-free fulfillment option for apparel, textile importers

Mexico has ended a program that enabled US apparel and textile importers to avoid paying duties while using Mexican warehouses as fulfillment hubs for low-cost finished products sourced outside Mexico that are sent directly to US consumers. The action, announced last week, is likely to result in US e-commerce brands shifting their fulfillment back to the US or switching to fulfillment providers in Asia, sources have told the Journal of Commerce. Neither option comes without cost, or risk.

Restabilized trans-Atlantic facing dual strike, tariff threats

The big picture: After a steep decline in 2023, westbound trans-Atlantic trade volumes came roaring back in 2024. Still, the accompanying rise in rates was marginal compared with the huge increases seen in the main trades out of Asia, as excess capacity depressed prices until carriers began shifting vessels to the more lucrative ex-Asia lanes. Going into 2025, the supply-demand balance appears to have been reasserted, and cargo owners can expect greater rate stability, with more predictable disruption-driven price hikes.

Gemini to bulk up capacity on India-Europe trade amid rate push pressure

Indian shippers moving goods to Europe could soon find more ocean connections and vessel space with the Gemini alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd going live from early February. According to new service updates obtained by the Journal of Commerce, India’s largest export trade lane by volume will have three direct premium services — two out of the West Coast (Nhava Sheva and Mundra), named the ME1 and ME11 by Maersk, and one out of the East (Ennore/Chennai), named the ME2, under the collaborative network framework. Hapag-Lloyd has branded the joint loops as the IOS, IMX and IEX, respectively.

Red Sea to dominate Asia-Europe ocean trade again in 2025

The big picture: The Red Sea crisis will continue to impact service levels, rates and shipper-carrier relationships on the Asia-Europe trade for the foreseeable future. While the diversion of vessels away from the Suez Canal starting in late 2023 came as an unpleasant surprise for shippers — and a welcome relief for heavily oversupplied carriers — the industry enters 2025 with the longer voyages firmly established in ocean schedules.

Risks ‘coming fast’ as global supply chain shifts nervously into new year

A strong but slower expanding US economy is signaling strong growth of import volumes at least until spring and no letup of the air cargo boom, while raising hopes of some semblance of a surface freight recovery.

Shippers, forwarders face a new, harsher world in ocean shipping

Earlier this year, the commercial director at a congested Asia port apologized to an ocean carrier for the trouble caused. The response from the ocean carrier? “Don’t worry, it’s OK.” It’s OK? What about delays caused to the carrier’s customers and its reputation with those customers as a reliable service provider? Not important.

Yang Ming to order slate of new container ships in move to upgrade fleet

Taiwan’s Yang Ming Marine Transport will order up to 13 container ships as part of fleet optimization plans approved by the carrier’s directors Friday to replace aging vessels and expand the fleet of owned ships. The new ships will vary in size between 8,000 TEUs and 15,000 TEUs and are likely meant for deployment on longer-haul intra-Asia and mainline east-west services.

Legislation aims to mandate rising share of China imports on expanded US-flag fleet

Bipartisan legislation in Congress seeking to supercharge the expansion of the US-flag commercial shipping fleet in the name of national security would require US-owned, built and crewed vessels to carry up to 10% of Chinese imports landing in the country.

FedEx Freight spinoff is latest move to reshape US LTL market

The US less-than-truckload (LTL) market is about to undergo another convulsion, this time caused not by a bankruptcy or merger but the emergence of a “new” LTL provider. The creation of a standalone FedEx Freight will upend a strategic LTL puzzle that competing carriers have been vying to complete since the demise of Yellow in 2023.

LA-LB rail dwells show improvement, but import bump could reverse gains

Average dwell times for import containers leaving marine terminals in Southern California by rail have fallen markedly in recent weeks, although that improvement could be challenged by an expected surge in imports in the coming weeks. Terminal managers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach say dwell times averaged about 4.5 days this week.

Capacity glut drives further rate declines on India-US trade

While volume declines typically leave ocean carriers adjusting rates to retain customer support, the huge capacity injection into the India-US trades since the pandemic era is seriously undermining their ability to hold prices up, let alone attempt moderate hikes.

Tight capacity, high demand expected to push air cargo costs higher in 2025

The role of freight forwarders in air cargo is becoming more complex as ongoing capacity constraints and high demand challenges their ability to access space out of Asia, especially on spot market-heavy trade lanes such as Asia-Europe.

FedEx to spin off industry-leading FedEx Freight LTL division

FedEx on Thursday said it will spin off its less-than-truckload (LTL) division as an independent company, setting the stage for increased competition in the US LTL sector. The separation of FedEx’s parcel and LTL freight divisions, to be completed over the next 18 months, will create a new publicly traded company that will already be the largest LTL provider in North America ranked by revenue.

IMCs dealing with rail service disruptions amid unusually high volumes

Class I railroads are dealing with disruptions on the US West Coast and in the critically important Chicago market amid an extended peak shipping season that continues to set monthly records for domestic and international intermodal cargo volumes.

Reefer cargo bottlenecks could improve after US scraps warehousing policy

US food importers say the end of a federal policy linked to warehousing will allow them to nab refrigerated storage space more than 50 miles from a port, helping to reduce the risk of spoiled products and allowing containers to be moved out of marine terminals faster.

M&A pace signals truckload tech industry unsure about ‘unbundling’

A surge of merger & acquisition (M&A) activity in the truckload technology space at the end of 2024 has been coupled with a handful of venture capital investments into predominantly AI-focused tools for truckload brokers. Those two trends should not be viewed in isolation. In conversations with industry sources, it’s clear that certain companies — and their investors — are on the hunt for acquisitions that are affordable and allow the acquirer to build out a so-called end-to-end platform.

Trans-Atlantic carriers cue fresh surcharges for early 2025 risks

Ocean carriers are announcing hefty surcharges on the North Europe to US trade lane starting in mid-January, just when fresh disruption may erupt from a second longshore strike along the US East and Gulf coasts and the significant restructuring in liner alliances.

Late vessels drive delays across North European ports

Ocean carriers and forwarders are reporting late arrivals by ships in North Europe, causing delays in container handling operations and extending bottlenecks inland. The disruptions, mainly weather-driven, have led to a “first come, first served” approach by marine terminals.

DCLI adding GPS to domestic chassis

DCLI will equip more than 152,000 of its domestic chassis with GPS devices over the next two years, a project aimed at filling an information gap about where and when shippers fail to unload their freight to free-up the equipment.

Asia-US container spot rates spiking to year-end highs

Container spot rates from Asia to the United States in the remaining weeks of 2024 are spiking to highs not registered since the December of the first year of the pandemic-driven rush. Imports are surging ahead of a January strike threat on the US East and Gulf coasts and thanks to a compressed post-holiday shipping schedule.

CPKC’s bridge expansion boosts US-Mexico capacity, reliability

Canadian Pacific Kansas City‘s (CPKC’s) completion of a second span of a bridge connecting Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas boosts the regular intermodal capacity and reliability of its cross-border services.

New Year heralds triple threat to US container shipping

The New Year is set to kick off with multiple bangs. Fifteen days in, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) will strike, unless there’s a late Christmas miracle or container lines capitulate, knowing that Donald Trump will back labor when he’s sworn into office five days later.

DAT acquires Trucker Tools in move to reduce load board driver churn

The largest US load board provider DAT Freight & Analytics on Tuesday said it has acquired Trucker Tools LLC, one of the most prominent US suppliers of visibility, booking and freight matching software vendor to truckload freight brokers.

Domino effects await if ILA strikes again: analyst

With the negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the US Maritime Alliance being stalled for the past month, and with President-elect Donald Trump having voiced clear support for the ILA’s position, it is time to revisit the domino effects pertaining to a potential strike from January 15th.

Carriers seek Panama Canal surcharges due to reservation system changes

CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Co. are seeking an extra $40 per TEU for shipments traversing the Panama Canal from Asia to North America to recoup higher operating costs tied to the waterway’s new reservation system.

Front-loading of ocean cargo diminishing, C.H. Robinson CEO says

A yearlong wave of front-loading of ocean cargo is already tapering toward its end, according to C.H. Robinson Worldwide CEO Dave Bozeman. “I don’t see a major material movement of goods pulled forward,” Bozeman told the Journal of Commerce Monday.

Ocean carriers outline new trans-Atlantic services from Feb. 1

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is launching three cross-alliance trans-Atlantic services with an outside carrier grouping while partnering on a weekly North Europe-US West Coast service with Premier Alliance partner HMM that is returning to the trade after six years.

Car carriers set for 2025 comedown from record year

After record volumes in 2024, car carrier operators face a slacker year in 2025 amid sluggish vehicle sales, falling vessel charter rates and fleet growth outpacing cargo demand.

Lunar cargo rush, poor weather clog major Asia ports

A pre-Lunar New Year cargo rush and bad weather causing vessel bunching are congesting major Asian ports, leading to berthing delays of up to five days, carriers and forwarders said.

Carriers roll out new fuel surcharges as EU emissions rules tighten

Ocean carriers are factoring the evolving European Union fuel regulations into their surcharges for next year as carbon tax on emissions and compliance with fuel intensity levels begin to escalate.

Mercosur trade deal offers Europe-Latin America backhaul boost

South American forwarders and shippers expect a boost in the backhauls of the slow-growing Europe-to-Latin America trade lanes, pending the finalization of a trade agreement that would begin slashing tariffs on EU imports by more than 90% as early as late 2025.

Air cargo payment provider acquires Advent eModal

CargoSprint, a software company specializing in payments and workflow for the air cargo industry, on Monday announced it has acquired a majority stake in Advent eModal. The stake in the 30-year-old provider of widely used port appointment scheduling and fee collection tools marries a payment and collection software vendor and expands its portfolio to ocean shipping.

Worldwide Express rejects lawsuit claims of customer theft, hacking

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify the nature of Worldwide Express’ alleged attempts to create false internet domains. Worldwide Express on Friday rejected accusations made in a lawsuit that the fourth-largest US freight broker failed to share profits and poached customers from a former business development partner through hacking.

Transportation M&A activity seen ready to rebound as value of deals rises

Lower capital costs and shifting supply chain demands are setting the stage for a rebound in US logistics and transportation mergers and acquisitions (M&A), auditing and advisory firm PwC said Friday.

ILA plays new Trump card in automation standoff with USMX

President-elect Donald Trump has waded into contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and maritime employers, saying he supports the union’s stance against further port automation. However, ocean carriers and ports urged the incoming administration to also consider the broader implications of his stance for US businesses and consumers dependent on ports.

US offshore wind navigates uncertain future as new Trump term looms

With the US offshore wind industry at a crossroads ahead of a second Trump term, manufacturers and developers in the sector are having to choose whether to forge ahead or pull back on projects and technologies.

Trump’s backing of ILA puts pressure on carriers to cave to union’s demands

Did President-elect Donald Trump, in issuing a strong statement of support for East and Gulf coast dockworkers on Thursday, end any hope ocean carriers had of emerging from contract negotiations with anything other than a complete capitulation to the union’s demands?

Capacity shortage, aging fleet to clip air cargo wings in 2025: IATA

The sustained demand that has kept air cargo in peak season mode all year is heading into a difficult 2025 with the capacity outlook clouded by aging aircraft, delivery delays of new planes and a backlog of orders, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Broker, tech firm partner to root out fake motor carriers, fight fraud

US shippers losing freight to rising cargo theft and fraud are pushing freight brokers to ensure they work only with legitimate motor carriers, and brokers are responding.

Significant advantages offered by RMGs come with costly challenges

Rail-mounted gantry cranes — the sticking point in stalled contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and maritime employers at US East and Gulf coast ports — can cut a terminal’s labor requirements by half, according to a port planner.

CPKC, Americold say to expand cold chain partnership into Mexico

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and warehousing provider Americold said Thursday they are looking for ways to expand their existing partnership into Mexico, a move that would provide an alternative to trucks for shippers moving temperature-controlled freight between Mexico and the US.

Trans-Atlantic air cargo rates take off as capacity shifts to Asia

Westbound trans-Atlantic air cargo rates are rocketing higher as airlines move large amounts of capacity from the North Europe-US corridor to capitalize on the more lucrative export lanes out of Asia.

Busan to target shipping alliances with new $10 billion port to boost competitiveness

Busan is planning to spend $9.8 billion to develop a new container port by 2045 that could handle ships up to 30,000 TEUs as part of a wider plan to transform the South Korean gateway into a North Asia powerhouse.

New terminal sales by Yellow raising stakes for US LTL carriers

The land rush reshaping the US less-than-truckload (LTL) sector is heating up, with bankrupt Yellow selling 12 terminals to two LTL trucking companies for $192.5 million.

India averts port worker strike with wage deal ratification

The Indian government has cleared for implementation a tentative wage contract that port authorities hatched with trade unions two months ago, averting potential supply chain disruptions across major public gateways in the country.

New Maersk warehouse in France expands European e-commerce coverage

Maersk began operations at its giant new warehouse in the northern French town of Denain on Wednesday from which it will provide European fulfilment services for “one of the world’s leading e-commerce companies” — widely known to be Amazon.

Port of Portland strikes deal with stevedore to operate container terminal

The Port of Portland has struck a tentative deal with its long-serving stevedore to oversee the Oregon port’s container terminal, which had faced closure this year due to its mounting financial losses.

Ocean carriers take harder line with ILA as January strike date nears

Container lines, after months of trying to maintain a low profile, are pushing harder on the need for automation at US East and Gulf coast ports as longshore labor refuses to negotiate on the technology issue and the union’s Jan. 15 strike threat nears.

Potential shortage of green fuels ‘keeps us awake’: Hapag-Lloyd CEO

The availability of green fuels to power vessels on the fast-growing dual-fuel order book as they come online over the next few years is “the single biggest worry we have,” according to Hapag-Lloyd’s Rolf Habben Jansen.

Lack of heavy-lift air freight capacity forces shift to ocean transport

A combination of strong heavy-lift and outsized cargo demand, tight air cargo capacity and surging air freight rates has led to a modal shift in shipments from air to multipurpose vessels (MPVs), carriers and brokers say.

Slow-moving renewable projects curtail MPV enthusiasm

Momentum for the multipurpose vessel (MPV) fleet has eased as renewables projects move slower than anticipated, leaving forward-booked tonnage free to re-enter the charter market and keeping freight rates in check.

US import ‘surge’ to persist into spring amid continued frontloading: retailers

US retailers said Monday they expect a “continued surge” in imports through the spring due to cargo frontloading amid the specter of labor strife and new tariffs, although they held out hope both threats can be avoided.

US trucking employment rising, but lags 2023 amid soft demand

US trucking companies increased hiring in November, adding 2,100 jobs to non-seasonally adjusted payrolls after two months of declining employment.

Wan Hai to expand US trans-Pacific services with ONE slot charter deal

Wan Hai Lines is planning to expand its trans-Pacific network after agreeing to a slot exchange deal with Ocean Network Express (ONE) on the latter’s Pacific South 6 service linking China with Long Beach and Oakland, the Taiwanese carrier said. The slot exchange will begin in February.

Ongoing Red Sea effect reaches deep into Asia-Europe trade lane

Container shipping is sailing into its second year of diverting around southern Africa, and with no sign of stability returning to the Red Sea — or the Middle East in general — carriers and their customers are facing up to another year of disruption and tight capacity.

US hydropower restoration projects offer stimulus for project cargo demand

Efforts to restore aging hydropower facilities across the US have been part of an uptick in project activity, helping feed the growing renewable energy segment driving breakbulk and project cargo demand.

Breakbulk trade stymied by India’s steel import curbs

Breakbulk imports into India have been disrupted by the double whammy of a clampdown on inbound steel trade and more stringent quality requirements, with concerns of a knock-on effect on industrial projects.

FMC halts Premier Alliance start for more information

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on Friday has halted Premier Alliance from becoming effective next week as scheduled, citing insufficient information on the alliance set to sail in February.

North America trade to dominate Premier Alliance’s network launch in February

The Asia-North America trade will be the cornerstone of the Premier Alliance's network when it launches its initial 24 services in February, according to schedules released Friday by alliance members Ocean Network Express (ONE) and HMM.

Trans-Pac settles into sedate December before New Year’s uncertainties

The overheated trans–Pacific Ocean market is in the midst of a December respite after months of extensive frontloading, but can quickly become roiled again given the razor's-edge nature of longshore labor talks and the threats of new tariffs by the incoming Trump administration.

Air freight users forced to better manage heavily imbalanced market

More than 12 months of double-digit air cargo demand growth that has outstripped available capacity is combining with constant waves of disruption to force shippers and their service providers to better plan their use of air freight.

High demand leads to end-of-year surge in Asia-Europe ocean rates

Average spot market rates from Asia to North Europe and the Mediterranean have continued their upward trajectory into December, driven by ocean carrier rate increases on Dec. 1 and sustained demand ahead of an early Lunar New Year that starts on Jan. 29.

Mexico sourcing competitive even with US tariff threat: CPKC, UP

Executives from two Class I railroads told investors this week that tariffs against Mexico and Canada threatened by President-elect Donald Trump would not significantly diminish the sourcing of products ranging from automobiles to white goods from the US’s neighbors to the north and south.

Canada moves to sunset shipping anti-trust exemption

Canada’s competition watchdog said the exemption afforded to shipping conferences could be allowed to end, following similar moves in the EU and the UK.

FMC probing reports Spain blocked US-flag Maersk ships

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is investigating reports that the Port of Algeciras barred US-flag Maersk Line ships serving a Middle East trade for the Department of Defense from calling its terminals.

Truckload brokers eye human-technology balance as AI takes hold

Freight brokers deploying generative AI (GenAI) are creating a path to eventually remove people from tasks where they don’t necessarily belong.

India dockworkers threaten strike if wage deal reneged

A looming port strike in India has container lines and shippers on alert as they continue to navigate operational pressures linked to the Red Sea crisis.

Reefer supply tightening amid surging US imports

US shippers are finding it more difficult to secure refrigerated (reefer) containers for Asian exports as volumes surge by double-digit percentages ahead of a potential US port strike next month.

US LTL volumes mostly falling in fourth quarter as market realigns

US less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments, tonnage and revenue are dropping in the fourth quarter, pulled down by still-weak US industrial output. But that’s not stopping carriers from seeking high single-digit rate increases in their 2025 freight bids.

Europe rolls out its advance cargo filing ICS2 program

The European Union’s advance filing Import Control System 2 (ICS2) regulation was officially rolled out Wednesday, although most carriers have already implemented the rule for all containers transshipped or destined for EU countries.

ILA targets rail-mounted gantry cranes amid impasse in port labor talks

Rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs) at container terminals have emerged as the deciding factor for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in whether they will agree to a new master contract that avoids another port strike in January. The union was unable to block the introduction of RMGs at two East Coast ports under three previous contracts but sees their further usage as a line in the sand in current contract talks.

Broker automation vendor lands funding round in increasingly competitive market

A software provider developing automation tools for North American truckload brokers has landed $16 million over two funding rounds from venture capital groups and existing strategic investors. San Francisco-based Vooma builds so-called “agents” that automate repetitive processes by extracting and structuring data from emails, texts and voice channels.

As alliance changes loom, a look back provides guidance for the future

We are now only two months away from the end of the 2M and THE shipping alliances and the start of the Premier Alliance and Gemini Cooperation, as well as a standalone network from Mediterranean Shipping Co. The only constellation that will not change is the Ocean Alliance.

Canadian investigation again raises questions of Chinese chassis origin

Canada’s Border Services Agency will launch an “anti-circumvention” investigation into whether British Columbia-based chassis manufacturer Ocean Trailer violated trade regulations meant to protect Canadian manufacturers against chassis subsidized by the Chinese government.

‘Peak’ of peak season lifts rates, demand in global air freight market

Air cargo on the major east-west trade lanes flew into its peak shipping period this week with demand outstripping available capacity and driving rates to fresh 2024 highs on Asian export routes and the trans-Atlantic.

ONE adds to terminal holdings with stake in Indonesian operator

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has taken a minority stake in an Indonesian container terminal, adding to the carrier’s global terminal portfolio. The acquisition comes as carriers tout their control of terminals as a service differentiator ahead of new alliances coming in 2025.

FourKites, project44 resolve legal disputes over defamation, poaching

A long-simmering legal saga between project44 and FourKites — the two biggest names in the real-time transportation visibility space — has been resolved, the companies said Monday.

Co-loader slot deals squeezing pricing power for India-US carriers: forwarders

Desperate market share efforts by smaller carriers working on slot rights are seriously hurting rate dynamics on the India-US East Coast trade lane, according to local market sources in India.

Schedule reliability remains key challenge for China-Europe rail

VIENNA — The ability to deliver on promised schedules remains one of the main challenges facing rail transport providers on the so-called middle corridor connecting China and Europe, according to executives at an intercontinental rail conference here last week.

Schedule reliability remains key challenge for China-Europe rail

VIENNA — Geopolitics shaped the middle corridor rail network between China and Europe, but the route has evolved in the past two years from an alternative to the heavily sanctioned northern route through Russia into a critical lifeline for the booming economies of Central Asia.

Hapag-Lloyd joins Maersk in Chinese methanol supply deal

Chinese energy producer Goldwind will be supplying both members of the Gemini Cooperation with green methanol from 2026. Hapag-Lloyd will receive 250,000 tons per year in a deal signed this week while its partner Maersk will get 500,000 tons a year according to an agreement made last year.

Trump’s labor pick draws longshore and Teamster praise but trucker ire

The incoming Trump administration’s pick for US labor secretary has drawn mixed reactions from the logistics industry, with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and Teamsters viewing Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as solidly behind unions while trucking groups see a foe of the owner-operator driver model used widely by motor carriers.

Hapag-Lloyd says Gemini alliance cargo bookings to open Dec. 3

Gemini Cooperation, the new Maersk/Hapag-Lloyd alliance, will open cargo bookings beginning Dec. 3, two months before the official Feb. 1 launch of the network, Hapag-Lloyd confirmed Wednesday.

Evergreen sets up transshipment hub in Singapore with PSA terminal deal

Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Asia and PSA Singapore on Tuesday signed a deal to form a joint venture terminal operation that will become Evergreen’s Southeast Asia transshipment center. Evergreen said the Singapore hub will strengthen its operational efficiency and bolster the competitiveness of its fleet.

NYSHEX keeps core vision while evolving in volatile container shipping market

From its origins over a decade ago, NYSHEX, founded and led by Gordon Downes, has always aimed to advance a simple yet stubbornly elusive concept in container shipping: integrity of contracts.

Tightening Europe decarbonization measures will raise shipper costs: carriers

Carriers are warning shippers to expect significant increases in their Emissions Trading System (ETS) surcharges in 2025 as the European Union carbon tax is expanded to cover 70% of all carrier emissions.

Asia-Europe ocean rates up sharply ahead of carriers’ Dec. 1 price hikes

Rate levels on the Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean ocean trades spiked this week ahead of significant rate increases to be rolled out on Dec. 1, but remain far below the pricing levels sought after by carriers.

Montreal port employers, union agree to mediation in talks for new contract

Maritime employers at the Port of Montreal will try yet again to reach a deal with dockworkers on a new contract with a mediator’s help, heading off a government-brokered deal that aims to end the coast-to-coast strife hitting Canada’s major ports.

Smart container vendors create alliance to tackle drug smuggling threat

Providers of hardware and software that allow shipping lines to equip dry containers with sensor technology have partnered in a new alliance to combat drug smugglers using container shipping to transport cocaine from South America to Europe and North America.

Schneider bolsters US East Coast business by acquiring Cowan Systems

Schneider National said Monday it will acquire Cowan Systems for $390 million in cash, cementing its foothold among shippers with distribution centers along the Interstate 95 corridor on the US East Coast. It’s Schneider’s third deal since 2022 to bolster its dedicated truckload business.

Heavy equipment production slowdown to hit ro/ro trade as demand softens

Rough market conditions are grinding down the performance of heavy equipment manufacturers Deere and Caterpillar, with Deere announcing plans to pull back its production in North America for the first quarter of 2025.

Investors plan to expand US LTL carrier Roadrunner after takeover

An investor group led by CEO Chris Jamroz is acquiring a majority stake in less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier Roadrunner. The deal, announced Friday, sets the stage for further organic growth and acquisitions by the direct point-to-point LTL trucking company at a time when the US LTL sector is preparing for expansion, building out networks and raising rates.

US retailers prepare for new ILA strike threat, tariffs on China imports

US retailers are telling investors that after successfully managing the three-day port strike along the East and Gulf coasts in early October, they’re prepared to navigate whatever operational challenges arise from the higher tariffs on Chinese goods that President-elect Donald Trump has promised for his second term.

Freightos, e2open link up on airfreight e-bookings for forwarders

MSoftware vendors Freightos and e2open have integrated their systems to help forwarders access dynamic air freight rates within Freightos’ rate database and make associated electronic bookings on those rates.

Maersk’s methanol ship conversion tests retrofitting business case

Maersk has made its first dual-fuel, methanol-capable vessel conversion as the carrier tests the feasibility of retrofitting existing container ships as another way to accelerate the energy transformation of its fleet.

US LTL carriers laying groundwork for higher pricing in 2025

US less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are laying the groundwork for higher pricing in 2025, well before higher freight volumes hit their docks.

Intermodal shippers still feeling ripple effects from Florida hurricanes

Intermodal shippers are still facing disruption in service to central Florida on CSX Transportation in the aftermath of back-to-back hurricanes that wreaked havoc on the state in September and October.

Global ocean volume in Q3 beat pandemic record: Blue Alpha Capital

The 47 million TEUs transported by ocean carriers in the third quarter comprised the highest quarterly volume on record, besting the previous high set in 2021 at the height of the pandemic by just over 2%, according to the founder of global equity firm Blue Alpha Capital.

Lack of consolidation driving freight visibility differentiation, competition

It’s been more than three years since the last major consolidation within the real-time transportation visibility market, a period in which urgency from shippers around granular insights into global shipments has dampened but not disappeared.

US importers dabbling in frontloading ahead of new tariff threat

US importers are better prepared for the imminent tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has promised to slap on goods from China, yet the majority don’t seem to be significantly rushing orders to get those goods across the docks ahead of his inauguration.

Cargo push to continue amid mounting market pressures: Zim

US import volumes are expected to remain elevated into 2025 amid cargo frontloading driven by labor and tariff concerns, officials at Zim Integrated Shipping Services said Wednesday.

Supply chain needs compete with political concerns for US offshore wind

An inadequate domestic supply chain poses greater challenges to developing the US offshore wind sector than politics, a panel of offshore wind and marine transport leaders told attendees at the 2024 Marine Money finance forum in New Orleans.

Regulator proposes tougher transparency requirements for US freight brokers

A regulation that would let US trucking companies access and review rates shippers pay to brokers is moving closer to the books, despite protests by logistics providers.

NVOs eager to get past carriers’ tight grip on unexpectedly favorable market

Non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) will look back on 2024 as a challenging year in two key respects: it was when carriers, seizing on an unexpectedly favorable market, got tough in demanding more spot cargo as a condition for granting contracts to NVOs’ customers, while putting further pressure on NVOs by closely monitoring their adherence to those contracts.

Uncertain nuclear outlook in US clouds demand picture for MPV sector

A commitment to meeting climate goals even as energy demand escalates is supercharging the outlook for nuclear power as a clean and reliable energy source.

Startup technology vendor takes aim at cargo theft with free tracking service

A software vendor in the US truckload industry that provides sales and compliance products to freight brokers and carriers on Wednesday said it is offering a free tracking service to combat cargo theft.

China logistics giant SF Holding launches $793 million Hong Kong IPO

SF Holdings, China's largest express and integrated logistics company, launched an initial public offering in Hong Kong Tuesday that seeks to raise up to $793 million to finance organic growth and third-party investment.

Former congressman, TV host gets Trump’s nod to lead DOT

The incoming Trump administration has announced former congressman and television host Sean Duffy as its pick for Secretary of Transportation.

UP hikes LA-LB surcharges again as volumes remain elevated

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has again increased surcharges on shippers exceeding their weekly allotments in Southern California as domestic intermodal volumes show no signs of the seasonal slowdown typically seen by mid-November.

NYSHEX says will launch ocean freight rate indexes next year

The New York Shipping Exchange (NYSHEX) on Tuesday said it will launch a series of free ocean freight rate indexes in 2025 designed to underpin index-linked contracts.

Global shippers’ alliance to launch pioneering e-fuel ocean tender

A group of 40 global shippers has pushed the decarbonization boat further out with its second tender to ocean carriers focusing exclusively on cargo transported on e-fuel-powered container ships from 2027.

Green ocean corridors hitting ‘feasibility wall’: Global Maritime Forum

Green ocean corridors crucial to decarbonizing container shipping have grown rapidly over the past year, but the continued development of these trade routes is facing a “feasibility wall” in the absence of national policy incentives to narrow the cost gap between fossil fuels and cleaner alternatives, according to a new report.

Green ocean corridors hitting ‘feasibility wall’: Global Maritime Forum

Support from the US government and an increased focus on national security are positioning the US-flag fleet for significant expansion and investment in the coming years, a panel of US-flag shipowners, operators, brokers and investors told attendees at the Marine Money conference in New Orleans last week.

Importers navigate two-year high rail container dwells in Los Angeles-Long Beach

Rail container dwell times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach rose to their highest level in two years last month and will likely remain elevated through January amid higher-than-normal import volumes driven in part by cargo diversions from the US East and Gulf coasts.

Gemini says will use London Gateway for shared network vessel calls

DP World’s London Gateway opened a £350 million ($442 million) all-electric fourth berth last week, the latest step in a six-berth plan to overtake Felixstowe as the UK’s largest container port in the next five years.

Prolonged US freight ‘recession’ to drag into 2025: transportation executives

CHICAGO — The so-called freight recession may be close to its end, but it is still very much alive, shippers, brokers and trucking executives told the Traffic Club of Chicago this week.

Brazil exports feel impact of congestion woes as empty equipment remains limited

Key ports in Brazil are facing tightened capacity at the tail end of peak season, resulting in skipped calls, rerouted cargo and mounting vessel congestion. And as those ports work to clear the congestion, exporters are struggling to secure empty containers.

Cosco shareholders back $2.2 billion order for 12 methanol-fueled ships

Cosco Shipping Holdings is backing continued investment in methanol-fueled container ships after shareholders this week approved a $2.2 billion deal for 12 14,000-TEU dual-fuel vessels for delivery beginning in 2027.

US spot intermodal savings dipped in Q3 but remained above historical norms

Despite rising rail rates in Southern California, intermodal shippers saved more than 20% versus truckload on one-off business across the US in the third quarter, the second consecutive quarter in which spot market savings far exceeded historical norms, according to the latest Journal of Commerce Intermodal Savings Index (ISI).

Hapag-Lloyd sees possible pre-LNY cargo rush amid ‘very healthy’ demand

Hapag-Lloyd could see a cargo rush ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays in January partly due to shippers seeking to beat the possible imposition of new and increased US tariffs on Chinese products by the incoming Trump administration, its CEO said Thursday.

Uber Freight opens up truckload capacity network to rival brokers

Uber Freight on Thursday opened its network of truckload carriers to fellow freight brokers under a new product called Broker Access.

K+N acquires majority stake in big US drayage provider

Kuehne+Nagel said Thursday it has acquired a majority stake in IMC Cos., one of the largest ocean drayage providers in the US with terminals in almost every major port city and rail hub. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

New precedent established for politics to drive longshore union negotiations

Following President Joe Biden’s intervention in October to end the brief strike at East and Gulf coast ports, US longshore labor negotiations can no longer be seen through a traditional lens. The precedent now firmly established is that politics will prevail over the traditional give-and-take at the negotiating table.

BC ports to reopen, but longshore union plans challenge to back-to-work order

Longshore foremen at British Columbia ports plan a legal challenge against a government order for them to return to work and submit to binding arbitration in contract talks with maritime employers, even as Canada’s busiest port plans to reopen Thursday. Meanwhile, Montreal’s dockworkers are also balking at a similar request, arguing such a demand from the government is unconstitutional

Panama Canal chief offers land bridge option to transship containers across isthmus

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is looking for more than $1 billion in funding to develop an over-the-road network connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans that would move containers carried on vessels too large to transit the waterway.

Evergreen, HMM follow peers in reporting bumper Q3 profits

Rocketing freight rates and a raft of new services helped propel Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine and South Korean carrier HMM to a bumper third quarter, with net earnings for both carriers outstripping those in the first half of the year.

ILA breaks off contract talks, accuses USMX of semi-automation push

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) said Wednesday it has halted negotiations with maritime employers over a new master contract due to what it said was a management proposal for introducing semi-automated equipment that would eliminate longshore jobs. The technology at the heart of the dispute is said to be what’s already in use at New Jersey and Virginia marine terminals

DAT, Keelvar integrate on truckload rate benchmarking for shippers

Freight procurement software provider Keelvar has integrated spot and contract truckload pricing data from DAT Freight & Analytics into its platform to enable shipper-users to compare benchmark rates with their own rates from carriers.

US truckload spot rates to benefit from ‘tailwinds’ as 2025 progresses

The so-called freight recession may have a quarter or two to go, but the US trucking industry’s rate recession is over. Spot truckload rates are moving higher and exceeding last year’s prices and are expected to be up by low double-digit percentages by late 2025.

Bentzel leaving FMC for executive role with maritime trade groups

Carl Bentzel will be stepping down as a commissioner on the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to move into the private sector, leaving the incoming Trump administration to nominate a new member to the agency.

BC, Montreal ports set to reopen under orders from Canada’s labor chief

Canada’s Labor Minister on Tuesday took direct action to end coast-to-coast port closures by ordering binding arbitration in contract disputes between maritime employers and longshore workers, forcing ports to reopen.

Yang Ming, Wan Hai see Q3 net profit outpace first half on demand, higher rates

Two of Taiwan’s largest carriers — Yang Ming Marine Transport and Wan Hai Lines — saw net profit surge in the third quarter, outpacing their first-half results, on the back of stronger demand and higher freight rates.

CMA CGM does U-turn on Suez Canal resumption for Indamex service

Just days after announcing it would send its key India-US Indamex service back through the Suez Canal, CMA CGM has reversed course and instead will maintain the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa.

CPKC, CSX to launch joint Mexico-Southeast US service Dec. 1

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX Transportation will launch a new cross-border rail service on Dec. 1, connecting Mexico to the US Southeast and carrying Schneider National intermodal freight alongside automotive and other mixed cargo, the companies said in a joint statement Monday.

MPV stability underscored by steady cargo demand

Steady breakbulk and project cargo demand and a lack of specialized multipurpose vessel (MPV) capacity are keeping MPV charter rates steady at levels well above those seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic market, and vessel operators are optimistic this will continue through the next quarter, according to two closely watched industry indexes.

CMA CGM profits soar on higher pricing, early peak seasons

CMA CGM on Friday reported a six-fold surge in group net profit to $2.7 billion in the third quarter, as revenue increased by more the one-third on stronger container pricing power and the front-loading of US imports.

Second Trump term fears blow through breakbulk sector

If President-elect Donald Trump delivers his agenda as promised, the breakbulk and project cargo sector could experience dramatic shifts related to offshore energy — from a push to ramp up oil and gas production to an all-out halt to offshore wind development — along with uncertainties surrounding import tariffs and shipbuilding efforts.

US retailers ramping up year-end imports ahead of strike, tariff threats

US retailers in November and December plan to import 350,000 TEUs more than they had expected a month ago as they rush to bring merchandise into the country ahead of a possible strike in January by East and Gulf coast dockworkers and billions of dollars in new tariffs proposed by President-elect Donald Trump.

Port lockouts extend from BC ports to Montreal

The outlook for an end to the shutdown of Canada’s first, second and fourth-largest ports darkened over the weekend, after British Columbia foremen and Montreal port workers separately rejected what waterfront employers called their final wage offer.

CMA CGM reinstates Suez transits on India-US route

CMA CGM has taken the lead among major carriers in reinstating the traditional — and significantly shorter — Suez Canal route that the vast majority of vessels abandoned in late 2023 due to the Red Sea crisis.

Large carrier truckload capacity stabilizing alongside rates

The long, steep slide in the Journal of Commerce Truckload Capacity Index (TCI), a measure of trucks fielded by large companies, almost came to a halt in the third quarter, with the index dropping only 0.3 percentage point from the previous quarter.

Early Lunar New Year, tariffs, strike risk underpin Q4 strength in ocean freight

Waltham, MASSACHUSETTS — The confluence of strong pre-Lunar New Year cargo bookings, worries over new US tariffs and the potential for another work stoppage along the US East and Gulf coasts is expected to keep ocean freight demand elevated through the end of 2024, carrier and shipper sources say. Those bullish fundamentals will put a floor under spot rates during the fourth quarter and position the 2025 market for more potential rate increases, they say.

Intermodal bent, but didn’t break, during recent disruptive events: analyst

In one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes short stories, “Silver Blaze” — a mystery involving the disappearance of a famous racehorse and the death of its trainer — the culprit is ultimately identified in part by the fact that the stable’s watchdog was not heard barking that night. Holmes infers from this that the dog knew the murderer, and that the canine thought that this familiar individual offered no threat.

India-USEC rates hit four-month low amid sagging cargo volumes: forwarders

Container lines on the India-US trades are navigating intense rate pressure amid the downturn in headhaul volumes, according to local market updates.

‘Calm’ trans-Atlantic ocean trade shrugs off market disruption

The trans-Atlantic ocean corridor has returned to the “calm waters” mode that typically characterizes the westbound trade lane, with rates trending down into November and US import volume flattening out into the fourth quarter.

Employer-labor tensions in North America disrupting more cargo

That six port worker unions stretching across North America were all negotiating their contracts over approximately the last 18 months was a fluke of timing. That negotiations with waterfront employees deteriorated in four of those contract cycles to the point that cargo flow was slowed or halted entirely at nearly all US ports on the East, Gulf and West coasts at some point can’t be easily written off.

More efficient cross-border networks needed as US-Mexico trade rises

Rapid growth in US-Mexico trade is forcing a maturation of cross-border supply chain networks that logistics executives say will be critical as freight volumes rise.

Hapag-Lloyd makes $4 billion move down LNG path with 24-ship dual-fuel order

Hapag-Lloyd has placed a $4 billion order for 24 new dual-fuel ships capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) that will be used to both expand existing services and replace older tonnage.

Air cargo peak season elevates as Chinese export rates hit 2024 high

Average air cargo rates from China to North America and Europe have hit their highest levels this year as peak season demand and cargo flows in preparation for November’s e-commerce online promotions begin to gear up.

BCOs should forsake ‘revenge’ to build ‘collaborative’ relationships with carriers

More than a year after global health agencies declared an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly three years after the peak of the supply chain impact, the scars in the ocean container world have barely begun to heal. And given that market turbulence looks set to continue with a second Trump presidency, that healing may not have an opportunity for months or years to come.

Ships waiting out BC port closures in hopes of quick deal with longshore union

A growing number of container ships on Tuesday were waiting out the labor lockout at British Columbia ports in hopes of a speedy resolution. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the strike at marine terminals in Montreal is halting all rail service at that port.

East China Sea container traffic facing delays, port congestion after typhoon

Container shipping services in the East China Sea are facing ongoing disruption amid port congestion and vessel delays from the impact of Typhoon Kong-rey, which hit Taiwan late last week before moving northward to affect eastern China and Japan.

Carriers revamp services amid port congestion in Mexico, Central America

Ocean carriers are experiencing extensive delays at ports in Mexico and Central America, which is leading several liners to revamp services or implement contingency plans to maintain reliability.

North American railroads have ambitious plans to win share from trucks in Mexico

The Mexican sourcing market has become increasingly important to North American importers amid the rising threat of tariffs on goods from China.

Stream of oil and gas business keeps project sector humming

Reports of the demise of fossil fuels — and, by extension, the oil and gas project cargo market — may have been exaggerated, or at the very least, a bit premature.

BC container ports set for shutdown after foremen begin strike

British Columbia’s container ports are set for an indefinite shut down this week as maritime employers planned to lock out longshore foremen after they began a strike Monday. While the lockout would not technically affect other longshore workers, uncertainty about the job actions taken by the foremen’s union will force marine terminals to shutter.

North American projects provide lifeline for industrial gas suppliers

Economic uncertainties including geopolitical tensions and lower commodity prices are creating headwinds for global industrial gas suppliers while they look to North American project investment for a boost as they approach the end of the fiscal year.

Scrapping, slow steaming, demand will limit capacity overhang: Clerc

Ocean carriers are on track to nearly double profit levels this year, and despite a wide supply-demand imbalance through 2025, there are increasing signs that excess capacity fears have been overblown, according to Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc.

Payment technology adapting to account for smaller invoice inaccuracies

Freight audit and payment has traditionally been about searching for the “big bang” invoice inaccuracies over correcting the litany of “small potatoes” errors.

BC container ports ready to lock out longshore foremen after strike vote

British Columbia’s maritime employers said Friday they are prepared to lock out longshore foremen by Monday after their union provided a notice to strike, a move that would shut down container operations at Canada’s busiest port .

Ro/ro operators bank on recovery in ‘high-and-heavy’ market

Roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) vessel operators are expecting a rebound in “high-and-heavy” cargo volumes next year on stronger exports from China and rising global demand in the construction and mining industries, shipping executives say.

Network realignment shines light on hub-focused product vs. direct calls

As we enter the final months of 2024, there is increased focus on the question of whether the Gemini Cooperation alliance of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd — launching in February — can deliver on its promise of 90% reliability.

Smaller US LTL carriers increasingly merging in ‘sink or swim’ market

Merger and acquisition activity in the already highly-consolidated US less-than-truckload (LTL) market is picking up speed — not from the top down, but from the bottom up. That could mean new options for shippers trying to find the right home for their LTL freight in a market that has been in flux since Yellow collapsed in July 2023.

Gemini faces 13-week phase-in before 90% reliability promise is tested: Clerc

Gemini Cooperation will have a 13-week window from Feb. 1 to get the new network up and running before partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd come under pressure to prove they can deliver on the promised 90% schedule reliability, according to Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc.

Hub Group’s Q3 intermodal volumes jump amid cargo frontloading

Hub Group experienced double-digit growth in its intermodal volumes for the third quarter, but cautioned that a frontloaded peak season may lead to a softer finish to the year. It comes as the bid season begins in earnest, with shippers aiming to hold rates steady while intermodal carriers seek modest rate increases for 2025.

Montreal warns of vessel diversions as strike against MSC terminals begins

The Port of Montreal is warning that shippers may face diverted cargoes as an indefinite strike began Thursday at two marine terminals handling Mediterranean Shipping Co. container services, with over two dozen vessels facing an impact depending on the length of the current work stoppage.

Freight rates supported by bullish fundamentals to persist through Q4: Matson

Ocean carrier Matson is expecting elevated rates for its Asian services for the rest of the year amid steady e-commerce growth, US tariff threats, potential labor disruption and constrained capacity due to ongoing Red Sea diversions. That comes after Matson said its net income surged 66% year over year in the third quarter to $199 million due to strong freight rates supported by market uncertainty.

ONE upgrades full-year profit forecast to $3 billion after strong early peak season

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has upgraded its full-year profit forecast to $3.1 billion, the carrier said Thursday, after its first-half result was buoyed by higher freight rates and cargo volumes due to the early peak season.

Maersk’s existing fleet size sufficient to handle short-term demand growth: CEO

Maersk’s existing fleet capacity of nearly 4.3 million TEUs will be enough to handle demand growth for two to three years as the Gemini network enables faster turnaround times and greater volumes transported on the same number of vessels, CEO Vincent Clerc said Thursday.

Asia-Europe shippers sail into contract talks with Red Sea top of agenda

The Red Sea will be top of the talking points list for Asia-Europe shippers as they prepare to enter 2025 contract talks with ocean carriers anxious to avoid a repeat of the chronic space constraints and soaring rates experienced through this year’s peak season.

US LTL carriers raising rates as shippers keep wary eye on 2025

US freight demand may be soft, but less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are defying a two-year freight slump and increasing contractual pricing heading into 2025.

US ports plan upgrades to electric yard equipment after securing EPA grants

US ports are poised for one of the largest ever upgrade cycles for container handling equipment after the federal government announced $2.8 billion in grants to replace diesel-powered yard equipment with electric equipment. With the grants, ports that abut residential areas can keep growing cargo volumes while diminishing the adverse effects of pollution and carbon emissions.

Strong imports, low blanks extend peak season on eastbound trans-Pacific

An extended peak season on the eastbound trans-Pacific is manifesting in unusual strength for imports from Asia, coming as carriers signal atypically low blank sailings for November and seek higher rates.

Maersk secures long-term methanol supply in China production deal

Maersk has signed a long-term bio-methanol supply agreement with China’s LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. as the carrier works toward securing enough green fuel to power its fast-growing dual-fuel fleet.

Montreal dockworkers target MSC’s terminals for strike this week

Two marine terminals handling Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Montreal container services face a work stoppage starting this week after longshore workers there voted to authorize an indefinite strike targeting nearly half of the port’s container capacity.

CMA CGM shores up West Med transshipment capacity with Moroccan JV

CMA CGM said Tuesday it has signed a joint venture deal with Moroccan port operator Marsa Maroc to equip and operate half the Nador West Med container terminal near the Gibraltar mouth of the Mediterranean.

First track improvements allow CSX to double-stack containers from Baltimore

CSX Transportation has begun double-stacked intermodal service out of the Port of Baltimore after completing the first round of tunnel and track improvements from the port that will ultimately boost Baltimore’s current container handling capacity by one-third.

US trucking demand at 2019 levels, constraining rate hikes: analysts

US trucking demand in the fourth quarter — whether truckload or less-than-truckload (LTL) — is essentially weak, and that isn’t likely to change until US manufacturing output strengthens substantially, speakers said during a Journal of Commerce webcast Thursday.

Offshore project delivers Virginia cargo windfall

Progress on a gigantic wind farm off the US mid-Atlantic coast is picking up speed, and it’s driving a surge of project cargo to the Port of Virginia.

Automation key to improving broker efficiency metrics: experts

Freight brokers are harnessing automation to increase the number of loads each employee books with truckload carriers daily, efficiency gains that translate into easier access to capacity for shippers.

Zim’s restructured Med-US services add transshipment options

Zim Integrated Shipping Services is reworking two trans-Atlantic services to offer new port options from the Mediterranean to the US East Coast, while also adding transshipment options to the East Coast of South America and the Caribbean.

Intra-Asia container rates rebound on typhoon-tightened capacity

Container lines are looking to capitalize on a tightening intra-Asia market — fueled by strong Chinese demand and congestion-induced blank sailings — with peak season rate hikes ranging from $100 to $1,000 per TEU, depending on the lane.

Oilfield services titans shift focus to gas, deepwater developments

With lower oil prices chipping away at their latest quarterly performance, two oilfield services giants are looking to natural gas and deepwater projects to boost long-term growth.

ILA, USMX to resume talks on new master contract in November

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and maritime employers along the US East and Gulf coasts said Friday they will resume negotiations in November on the remaining terms of a new master contract following a tentative wage deal that ended a three-day dockworkers strike earlier this month.

NY-NJ port veterans recall Maher executive Don McBeth

Donald McBeth, an executive with Maher Terminals and SeaLand, died unexpectedly Oct. 18, with his colleagues at the Port of New York and New Jersey recalling him as a hands-on executive who spearheaded Maher’s biggest move — the development of Canada’s Prince Rupert as a container port.

US export market navigating ‘disruptive’ peak season amid ag shipment growth

The US export market is facing some operational hurdles amid peak season for some agricultural commodities, with shippers saying delays at ports and inland hubs are making it hard to secure equipment and hit berthing windows.

Asia-Europe air cargo demand jumps while ‘de minimis’ scrutiny hampers trans-Pac

Air cargo rates and tonnage from Asia to Europe picked up sharply in October as rising demand for e-commerce shook off the slow buildup to peak season that typically follows China’s Golden Week holidays.

Value of Schenker takeover will manifest in expanding services: DSV CEO

The scale generated by a combined DB Schenker-DSV entity will be accompanied by an expanding portfolio of services from which to generate greater earnings, according to DSV CEO Jens Lund.

FMC continues clawing back per diem charges for shippers

Ocean carriers have waived or refunded about $3.2 million in disputed per diem charges levied against shippers since the start of the pandemic amid heightened regulatory monitoring, the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said this week.

Ex-Mobile executive Branch named CEO of Port of New Orleans

Beth Ann Branch, former chief commercial officer of the Port of Mobile, has been named president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, effective Dec. 1. The announcement was made Thursday by the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans.

Montreal dockworkers plan one-day port strike on Sunday

Longshore workers at the Port of Montreal will stage a one-day strike on Sunday as part of their union’s pressure tactics amid ongoing contract talks with maritime employers. While the practical effects of a Sunday strike might be limited, maritime employers warn the work stoppage will further a slow bleed of cargo away from Montreal.

UP pins performance slip on communication gap over USWC cargo surge

Union Pacific Railroad says it was caught off guard by the cargo surge that hit Southern California in recent months, blaming the slower speeds and higher idling times for its railcars over the past six weeks on a lack of advanced notice of the freight diversions to the US West Coast ahead of the strike earlier this month by longshore workers along the East and Gulf coasts.

BC longshore foremen bargained in bad faith: Canada labor board

Longshore foremen knew that new automation was being installed at DP World’s Port of Vancouver marine terminal but failed to negotiate early with maritime employers about the project’s impact on staffing, Canada’s labor tribunal has ruled, determining the foremen’s union bargained in bad faith with maritime employers.

Hapag-Lloyd raises full-year forecast on ‘stronger than expected’ Q3

Hapag-Lloyd has joined soon-to-be alliance partner Maersk in raising its full-year profit forecast following the release of preliminary nine-month figures that beat the carrier’s expectations.

US port automation holds promise, but hardly a sure shot

A report released this year by the US Congressional watchdog about port automation provides a sobering read, showing the possible, but narrow, path for adoption amid overexuberance over technology’s potential and doomsaying on its impact on labor.

Interest in US LTL M&A activity seen rising as 2025 approaches

As the US less-than-truckload (LTL) sector continues its post-Yellow restructuring, interest in mergers and acquisitions is expected to rise, putting additional pressure on LTL pricing, particularly if the freight market strengthens in 2025.

Cosco Ports pays $110 million for Thailand terminal stakes as Hutchison sells down

Cosco Shipping Ports, part of China’s largest state-controlled shipping group, is making its debut in Thailand’s port market after agreeing to pay $110 million for ownership stakes in two container terminals controlled by Hong Kong’s Hutchison Port group. The terminals are at Laem Chabang, Thailand’s largest port, which handled almost 9 million TEUs last year.

DSV, K+N post solid Q3 revenue gains, but profit margins under pressure

DSV and Kuehne + Nagel on Wednesday reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter, but the solid results could not mask a difficult operating environment with the margins at both forwarders under pressure.

Rotterdam’s nine-month container volumes edge higher on ‘tentative’ recovery in trade

Container volume at the Port of Rotterdam rose 2.2% in the first nine months of the year, with port officials calling the positive performance in the container handling sector a “tentative” recovery in global trade.

Ocean pricing ‘unsustainability’ returns to haunt shippers

Over any number of pre-pandemic years, a word commonly heard at industry conferences, in reference to ocean freight rates, was “unsustainable.” It was almost always uttered by ocean carrier executives lamenting chronic pressure on rates and inadequate profits earned by their companies as a consequence.

US spot truckload rates turn upward again post-Milton

US truckload spot rates and volumes are rising again after settling briefly between hurricanes Helene and Milton, propelled by a storm surge and some seasonal demand. The increases in freight and pricing point to tightening capacity in the spot market, although shippers have told the Journal of Commerce plenty of capacity is still available.

North-South trade facing schedule woes, congestion in wake of ILA strike

Shippers on the North-South trade lane are facing disrupted shipping schedules and congestion at key ports along the east coast of South America amid cascading effects from the early October strike at US East and Gulf coast ports that are just now being felt.

Maersk hikes full-year profit forecast amid expected strong Q3 financials

Maersk on Tuesday raised its full-year profit forecast for the second time in three months, driven by expected third-quarter operating profit of $3.3 billion as the delayed effect of rising contract rates secured in the second quarter pushed earnings higher.

CMA CGM inks biomethane supply deal, will share $108 million fuel investment

French waste management company Suez has signed a deal with CMA CGM to produce 100,000 metric tons of biomethane per year between now and 2030 to power the carrier’s fast-growing renewable fuel fleet.

Antwerp-Bruges grows container market share with solid Q3 volume

Container volumes at Antwerp-Bruges rose 6.8% in the first nine months of the year to 10.15 million TEUs as Europe’s second-largest port built on early peak season demand to capture market share from its regional rivals.

Potential Trump tariffs would reset business strategy for US importers: Analyst

While freight contracting for 2025 may seem a long way off for many, the factors affecting the strategy for beneficial cargo owner (BCO) freight for next year are more immediate — and potentially more exponentially disruptive.

Delay in Europe’s deforestation rule does not address key issues: Palm oil industry

The decision to delay the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for at least 12 months will not help small farmers avoid having their products barred from Europe unless existing traceability elements within the current law are amended to exclude those farmers, according to the Southeast Asian palm oil industry. The EUDR was due to be rolled out on Dec. 31.

Proposed Oregon container terminal among projects winning DOT grants

Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) will take over a majority stake in Brazilian port and logistics operator Wilson Sons valued at $768 million as the carrier extends its reach deeper into key markets in preparation for the rollout of its standalone network early next year.

MSC’s SAS Shipping Agencies Services reached an agreement with London-listed Ocean Wilsons Holdings Monday to acquire a 56.47% stake in Wilson Sons, its Brazilian port and logistics subsidiary.

MSC grows South American logistics portfolio with Wilson Sons acquisition

Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) will take over a majority stake in Brazilian port and logistics operator Wilson Sons valued at $768 million as the carrier extends its reach deeper into key markets in preparation for the rollout of its standalone network early next year.

MSC’s SAS Shipping Agencies Services reached an agreement with London-listed Ocean Wilsons Holdings Monday to acquire a 56.47% stake in Wilson Sons, its Brazilian port and logistics subsidiary.

US truckload market edging closer to equilibrium following hurricanes

The US truckload spot market is settling after two weeks of hurricane- and strike-inspired surges in pricing and volume, indicating the market isn’t at a long-awaited turning point in either freight demand or spot pricing — at least not yet. But spot and contract truckload rates do appear to show the US truck market is closer to equilibrium, with slight year-over-year spot increases for dry-van freight in September and slight declines in contract rates, according to DAT Freight & Analytics.

WaveBL says eBL test shows faster payments, cargo release

WaveBL, an electronic bill of lading (eBL) software vendor, this week said a test of its product demonstrated the use of digital shipping documents enabled more efficient payments and cargo release for shippers. The test involved ocean carrier Mediterranean Shipping Co. and five banks using the international payment network known as SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).

India’s renewed protectionist policies threaten foreign liner network expansions

In what could be an ominous development for foreign container carriers in a growth-oriented market, India is seeking to repeal the 2018 legislation that abolished cabotage restrictions on the coastal shipping leg. Following that liberalization, merchant ships of all flags have been in a position to move laden export-import containers for transshipment and empty containers for repositioning between Indian ports without any specific permission or license.

US West Coast cargo surge boosts Q3 intermodal numbers

North American railroads hauled nearly 2.17 million domestic containers in the third quarter as a surge in demand in Southern California drove a 6% year-over-year increase in volumes, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). The figure exceeds the Journal of Commerce’s quarterly forecast of 2.09 to 2.15 million boxes.

Savvy air cargo shippers use strategic rate, space deals to offset capacity constraints

AMSTERDAM — Air cargo shippers on the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades are far better prepared for the end-of-year peak after almost 12 months of high demand and tight capacity out of China, according to forwarders and air freight executives.

Ripple effects playing out globally from ILA strike: analyst

The three-day strike by dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports earlier this month will bring a delayed reduction in capacity on some trade lanes and could affect cargo frontloading ahead of another potential work stoppage in January, container shipping analyst Lars Jensen said Thursday.

STB approves CPKC, CSX acquisitions of regional rail line in southern US

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX Transportation will roll out a new joint intermodal service connecting Mexico with the Southeastern US by the end of this year after US regulators approved their separate acquisitions of two sections of a regional rail line running through Alabama and Mississippi.

Premier Alliance enhances network ahead of February launch

The Premier Alliance is upgrading a raft of its proposed services just weeks after announcing its trade network ahead of its February 2025 launch. The group, comprising Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM and Yang Ming Marine Transport, said the changes apply to two trans-Pacific services and an Asia-Mediterranean service.

Montreal says congestion risk grows as dockworkers refuse overtime

The Port of Montreal is warning shippers about the risk of delays and a growing container backlog due to dockworkers refusing overtime work. The port’s warning comes as Canada’s labor minister suggested a further cooling off period in hopes that a new mediator will help resolve the long standoff between Montreal’s longshore union and maritime employers.

LA-LB rail dwells spike to two-year high amid record imports in September

Rail container dwell times in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach surged to a two-year high in September as the largest US port complex handled record one-month volumes of imports from Asia, driven in part by retailers diverting cargo from East and Gulf coast ports ahead of the longshore strike there.

SC Ports’ chief outlines plans for Charleston to hit 10 million TEU mark

Three years after it was effectively shuttered upon launch, the now-reopened Hugh K. Leatherman marine terminal is set to kick off a wave of future capacity expansion at the Port of Charleston, with plans for a second berth and further bolstering of Charleston’s strong franchise in short-haul intermodal, according to the port’s chief.

Softening export demand sends ocean rates crashing on India-Europe trade

India’s export demand downturn seems to have left container lines powerless to stem an ongoing downward shift in cargo booking rates on loads to Europe. Spot rates on the westbound route, India’s largest trade lane by volume, have nearly halved in the last two weeks from end-September levels, according to new data obtained by the Journal of Commerce from freight forwarder sources.

Asia-Europe carriers target pre-Lunar New Year demand with rate hikes, blank sailings

Forwarders expect freefalling Asia-North Europe ocean spot rates to bottom out in October and then climb through the remainder of the year as carriers increase blank sailings and roll out rate hikes to target early Chinese New Year demand.

India’s project cargo expansion tempered by clearance snags, equipment shortages

India is on the cusp of a project cargo growth explosion as a sheaf of large-scale infrastructure projects kick off. But heavier cargoes and clearance complications could hold back growth, according to shippers in the region.

Longshore wage deal at East, Gulf ports to add at least $5 billion in labor costs

The tentative wage deal agreed to between longshore workers and maritime employers along the US East and Gulf coasts could create as much as $5 billion in new waterfront labor costs over the six-year life of the next contract, according to estimates compiled by the Journal of Commerce. While a high number itself — other estimates put it much higher — marine terminal operators hope the wage deal will spur greater productivity and efficiency that will help pay for the increase costs.

Chicago cargo theft highlights larger challenges for intermodal container moves

The theft of cargo from a Union Pacific (UP) train on the west side of Chicago on Friday highlights several challenges combating such crime, including how to handle interchanges between two Class I railroads in a major city.

Port Tampa Bay reopens after power restored following hurricane closure

Port Tampa Bay has resumed vessel operations and reopened shipping channels after the gateway was forced to close for several days last week due to a loss of power caused by Hurricane Milton. Vessel movement is restricted for now to one-way travel during daylight hours, the port said in an advisory on its website.

DP World reverses course, unveils expansion of London Gateway terminal

DP World on Monday confirmed it would move forward with a $1.3 billion expansion of the London Gateway terminal, ending a weekend political dust-up and giving UK ports a much-needed post-Brexit investment.

Stabilizing MPV rates belie geographical imbalances

Multipurpose vessel (MPV) trades in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are stabilizing multipurpose freight rates, mitigating weaker performance in the European and American markets, analysts say. While operators of highly sophisticated heavy-lift and project vessels are enjoying healthy demand and a “decent” level of forward bookings, many carriers are facing “a more sluggish market and an imbalance in utilization across the various trade regions,” Toepfer Transport said in an Oct. 10 briefing note.

Hurricanes not seen as truckload pricing catalyst despite relief demand

The damage caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton will take months to fully repair, but the impact on freight markets and truckload pricing will not be as great as initially believed, logistics experts told the Journal of Commerce.

DP World postpones planned announcement of London Gateway expansion

Dubai-headquartered port operator DP World has postponed plans to announce a major expansion of its London Gateway container terminal following criticism earlier this week by senior British government officials of a DP World subsidiary, P&O Ferries.

Strike surcharges disappear as spot rates for US West, East coasts near parity

Ocean carriers have dropped ad hoc surcharges that were linked to last week’s short-lived longshore strike along the US East and Gulf coasts, adding downward pressure to freight rates that have fallen sharply in recent weeks.

Behind-the-scenes White House arm twisting got ILA wage deal done

If the Biden administration did indeed force the tentative contract deal ending last week’s longshore strike, how exactly did it happen? In other words, what did the White House chief of staff tell ocean carrier group CEOs on a conference call at 5:30 a.m. Washington time on Oct. 3 that within hours resulted in a substantial increase in the wage offer made to the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), ending the strike after three days?

Port Tampa Bay effectively shut due to power outage in aftermath of Milton

Most ports in Florida have returned to normal operations in the wake of Hurricane Milton, although Port Tampa Bay remained effectively shut Friday due to a lack of power. Tampa Bay port officials say the port did not experience widespread flooding but is still being affected by power issues, adding that port tenants will make independent decisions about when to resume their operations. Milton made landfall along the central Gulf Coast of Florida late Wednesday.

Lack of clarity over clean energy supply driving dual-fuel ship orders

The interim target laid out last year by global maritime regulators calling for a 20% reduction in ship emissions by 2030 has spurred ocean carriers to order 1.2 million TEUs of dual-fuel ship capacity this year capable of burning low- to zero-emission fuels such as methanol or liquified natural gas (LNG), the low-emission fuels with the greatest availability.

Heavy frontloading sets up US-Asia trade for falling rates, imports

Asia-to-US freight rates at the tail end of the peak shipping season are falling faster than is typical for this time of year given the heavy frontloading that occurred months earlier that is also expected to result in weaker-than-normal imports from Asia in November, forwarders tell the Journal of Commerce.

Savannah working through anchored vessels in wake of strike, weather disruption

It will take the Port of Savannah about three weeks to restore vessel anchorage times to normal as it works through a 10-ship backlog created by last week’s longshore strike and late September’s Hurricane Helene, the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) said Thursday.

India-US carriers keep lowering rates to match capacity as bookings plummet

Container lines on the India-US East Coast trade are attempting new rate strategies to keep vessel loads as close as possible to their declared capacity levels. Local freight forwarders who spoke with the Journal of Commerce noted that carrier sales executives are willing to strike special rate deals with large-volume customers on a per-sailing or short-term contract basis.

Maersk rules out Suez Canal routings for Gemini launch

FELIXSTOWE, UK — Cargo owners’ need to plan Asia-Europe shipments for next year was behind Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd discarding the Suez Canal as an option when their new Gemini Cooperation network launches on Feb. 1 next year.

Strong freight rates drive higher Q3 revenue for Taiwan’s ‘Big Three’ carriers

Taiwan’s Big Three carriers — Evergreen Marine, Yang Ming Marine Transport and Wan Hai Lines — each saw third-quarter revenues more than double from a year ago on stronger freight rates. Rates were driven by an early peak season as shippers consigned cargo ahead of the longshore strike along the US East and Gulf coasts last week and a capacity crunch as vessels continued to divert around southern Africa to avoid militant attacks in the Red Sea.

Brief ILA strike alters once-placid labor landscape on East, Gulf coasts

Over several months beginning last November when the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) first mentioned the possibility of a strike — an innocuous reference in an unrelated press release — a realization slowly dawned on shippers that a sea change was occurring on the US East and Gulf coasts.

‘Fuel agnostic’ Spliethoff invests in MPV fleet expansion

Dutch multipurpose vessel operator (MPV) Spliethoff has strengthened its presence in the MPV sector by investing in up to 10 future-fuel-ready vessels and purchasing MPV carrier ForestWave, even as the group remains “fuel agnostic,” Max van den Berg, Spliethoff Group’s fleet performance manager, told the Journal of Commerce.

Decentralized sourcing plays into MSC’s point-to-point plans: CEO

HAMBURG — Mediterranean Shipping Co. CEO Soren Toft on Tuesday touted the future effectiveness of the standalone point-to-point network the carrier is building in the wake of its pending departure from the 2M Alliance with Maersk.

IAPH-led report tackles thorny data quality issue on port call optimization

HAMBURG — Groups targeting the improvement of port call data released a report Wednesday with recommendations for ports on how to ramp up data quality to optimize the times ships spend at berth. The report, Port Call Optimization Through Data Quality, was unveiled at the International Association of Ports and Harbors’ (IAPH) World Ports Conference in Hamburg.

US retailers expect modest import bump in October to close out peak season

US retailers are forecasting a modest year-over-year increase in imports this month to close out the 2024 peak shipping season, with most of the holiday merchandise already having entered the country due to the frontloading of imports from Asia this summer.

Montreal dockworkers to refuse overtime in latest salvo against port employers

Dockworkers at the Port of Montreal will reject requests to work overtime beginning Thursday, part of the longshore union’s latest pressure campaign against management during the protracted negotiations for a new contract. The overtime strike will likely add to the ongoing productivity slump at Montreal following last week’s partial strike.

Hub Group boosts cross-border business in JV with Mexican dray carrier

Two North American intermodal providers — Hub Group and Transportes Easo (Easo) — announced a joint venture Tuesday to share resources on cross-border intermodal moves, providing major competition to rivals J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Schneider National in Mexico.

Despite tentative wage deal, USMX and ILA have bumpy road ahead on other key issues

Spot truckload rates are surging in the US Southeast and rising nationwide in the wake of Hurricane Helene and ahead of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit the Gulf Coast of Florida Wednesday before moving across the state into the Atlantic Ocean.

Despite tentative wage deal, USMX and ILA have bumpy road ahead on other key issues

It could be said that global shipping dodged a bullet with the brief, three-day strike on the US East and Gulf coasts. However, it should be noted that the operational ripple effects will be felt until mid-November, and the possibility of a new strike on Jan. 15 could create a market impact from mid-November until the end of the year. And it also raises questions as to whether we should be concerned about the resilience of the supply chain linking the US to the rest of the world.

Despite tentative wage deal, USMX and ILA have bumpy road ahead on other key issues

The 90-day clock has started for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and US East and Gulf coast longshore employers, who haven’t been at the contract negotiating table since June, to restart the talks and hash out details on a range of complex issues including automation, royalties, work rules and job jurisdiction. Salary increases — as were agreed to in a tentative deal to end the three-day strike last week — seem pedestrian compared with the scale of challenge facing both sides.

Peak season surge drives up Cosco’s estimated nine-month earnings

Cosco Shipping expects to report a net profit of $6.17 billion for the first nine months of 2024, a 67% increase year over year, with its performance lifted by strong third-quarter peak season demand on the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trade lanes, the China state-owned carrier said Monday.

US port strike, Europe congestion heralds trans-Atlantic capacity crunch

Ship delays resulting from the three-day strike at ports along the US East and Gulf coasts last week will come on top of port congestion across several European hubs, significantly reducing the available trans-Atlantic capacity this month.

Intermodal underperforming in booming Mexico-US market

Tracking intermodal rail volumes in the major North American geographies, one thing that catches the eye is the relatively poor performance of intermodal in the US-Mexico cross border market.

US East, Gulf coast ports confident of smooth post-strike reopening

Ports up and down the US East and Gulf coasts expect a generally smooth resumption of cargo flow after reopening early Friday morning thanks to a tentative agreement Thursday that ended a three-day dockworker strike.

LA-LB port significantly cuts emissions, but tougher challenges await

Reduced vessel arrivals and container volumes, coupled with cleaner cargo-handling equipment from rail to drayage, helped the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach significantly reduce emissions last year, but the environmental challenges are only mounting.

Rail industry split on how to best combat cargo theft

Cargo theft is surging along US railways, leaving shippers worried about the safety of high-value goods in transit, and while heavy-duty lock makers claim their products deter theft, industry experts are divided on whether these new security devices make containers safer.

India regulators seek VSA ‘trade-off’ for local carriers and alliances

Amid an ongoing wave of ocean carrier alliance realignments, Indian shipping regulators are seeking a “tradeoff” approach to continue treating vessel-sharing agreements (VSAs), led by carriers operating foreign-flagged fleets, outside of national competition law provisions.

ILA, USMX agree on new wage offer and contract extension that reopens ports

Maritime employers and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) have reached a tentative deal to reopen container terminals at East and Gulf coast ports after trading new wage offers that would bring dockworker pay up over 60%. Longshore workers will work under a three-month contract extension until a formal deal is reached.

Intermodal rail must improve reliability to capture just-in-time freight: execs

CHICAGO — Domestic intermodal service has improved over the past two years, but many shippers remain cautious and unwilling to entrust time-sensitive freight to the rails, according to intermodal executives at the Journal of Commerce Inland Distribution Conference 2024 (Inland24).

ILA strike leaves US reefer importers few options, more risks

Refrigerated (reefer) container shippers using US East and Gulf coast ports are worried that if the International Longshoremen’s Association’s (ILA’s) strike continues for another week, they’ll be faced with equipment shortages and spoiling perishables, some of which are in their peak season.

Ro/ro newbuilds push car carrier order book to record high

Investment in new vehicle carriers and roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) tonnage has propelled the order book to record highs, even as global light vehicle production shows signs of slowing, according to analysts.

US truckload carriers expect first rate hike in two years in 2025

CHICAGO — There’s no quick recovery ahead for the US truckload sector, either in terms of pricing or demand, executives from several logistics companies said Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce Inland Distribution Conference 2024 (Inland24).

Ships backing up outside of strike-shut US East, Gulf ports

Container ship anchorages are growing outside of US East and Gulf coast ports on the second day of a dockworker strike, with carriers offering limited options to avoid delays and currently planning to divert only a handful of vessels to alternative ports.

Political winds turn against ocean carriers amid ILA strike

The Biden administration’s vocal support of longshore labor in contract negotiations on the first day the US East and Gulf coast strike was reminiscent of its rhetoric against ocean carriers during the height of US port congestion.

Domestic intermodal rate pressure building on stronger truck pricing

CHICAGO — Intermodal executives warned domestic rail shippers to anticipate paying more in 2025 contracts. However, rates should only rise by low-single-digit percentages across the US, executives said during the Journal of Commerce Inland Distribution Conference 2024 (Inland24).

Window to divert strike-affected imports to West Coast closing soon

Retailers and other importers who normally ship through the US East and Gulf coasts to destinations in the eastern half of the country say they have a short window to decide whether to begin rerouting goods through West Coast ports.

Government, board approvals clear way for DSV-DB Schenker merger

Forwarder DSV’s acquisition of rival DB Schenker to create the world’s largest logistics company took a further step forward Wednesday after receiving the green light from both the German federal government and Deutsche Bahn’s (DB’s) supervisory board.

Carrier order books, alliance changes signal continued reliance on scale

Mediterranean Shipping Co. recently reached the milestone of controlling 20% of worldwide operated container vessel capacity through an unprecedented fleet expansion. Meanwhile, several other top 10 carriers have sizeable order books in addition to the ships they are purchasing and leasing in the second-hand and charter markets.

House Republicans, shippers up pressure on Biden to stop US port strike

On the first day of the first strike at US East and Gulf coast ports in nearly 50 years, Republican lawmakers and shipper groups urged the Biden administration to get cargo flowing again by overcoming the president’s opposition to invoking the Taft-Hartley Act.

Montreal port users not expecting quick intervention if strikes continue

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) is increasing its fees for low-volume customers that exceed their contractual peak season allotment on outbound lanes from California, as import volumes throughout the US West Coast drive a rare spot of growth nationally.

Slow growth predicted for US economy, freight demand in 2025: Inland24

CHICAGO — US economic growth will slow in 2025, and the surface freight market will remain soft after a “soft landing” for the economy, speakers said Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce Inland Distribution Conference 2024 (Inland24).

Hurricane Helene to tighten truckload capacity beyond US Southeast

CHICAGO — The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene will send ripples throughout US supply chains, tightening truck capacity, as efforts to restore and rebuild severely damaged infrastructure in the affected states will be superseded by rescue operations still under way.

ILA’s Daggett promises dockworkers ‘great contract’ as strike begins

ELIZABETH, NJ — The head of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in the early hours of Tuesday pledged he would secure a “great contract” that he would like to complete by the end of the month, just hours after hundreds of union dockworkers at US East and Gulf coast ports went on strike at midnight.

Truckers pre-pull imports as strike set to close East, Gulf coast ports

Port truckers have pulled the last containers they could out of marine terminals ahead of their closure Tuesday due to a strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), filling up storage yards and constraining chassis supply until the ports reopen.

Breakbulk reefer segment hanging on in shrinking market

After serving as a breakbulk cargo pinch-hitter during the COVID-19 pandemic, the specialized refrigerated (reefer) breakbulk segment is surviving and even finding a few new footholds. “Commentators have been forecasting the end of specialized reefer vessels and operators for the last 10 to 20 years, but they are still here,” Toby Moors, a director with New Zealand-based broker and ship agency Oceanic Navigation, told the Journal of Commerce.

Conflicting post-pandemic worldviews bring ILA, employers to historic strike

How did nearly 50 years of labor peace on the US East and Gulf coasts, so consistent that it was a key factor in a multiyear erosion of West Coast market share, bring the industry to the eve of a strike?

UP raises surcharges on low-volume shippers in California

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) is increasing its fees for low-volume customers that exceed their contractual peak season allotment on outbound lanes from California, as import volumes throughout the US West Coast drive a rare spot of growth nationally.

Port of Montreal to face three-day strike against two terminals next week

Almost half of the Port of Montreal’s container capacity will be shuttered through the first half of next week as dockworkers there plan to strike two of its five container terminals, the latest move in a long-simmering standoff between the local longshore union and the port’s maritime employers.

Yellow puts remaining 112 LTL terminals on the block

The other shoe is dropping in the US less-than-truckload (LTL) real estate market as bankrupt LTL provider Yellow prepares to sell its remaining 112 terminals, including some of its largest sites, in a move that will release pent-up LTL capacity.

Breakbulk sector not expecting much disruption from possible longshore strike

As ports along the US East and Gulf coasts brace for an expected strike by dockworkers on Oct. 1, breakbulk ports and terminals and other sector stakeholders are assessing the potential for spillover effects.

USMX chief meets with Biden administration officials as port strike deadline looms

The head of the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) met with Biden administration officials at the White House Friday, sources said, as the administration reached out to maritime employers along the East and Gulf coasts just days before what would be the first coastwide longshore work stoppage since 1977.

Freight ecosystem suffers pain while intermodal wastes opportunities: analyst

With freight recession pain extending into its third year, I think it’s worth looking at two recent events: The International Intermodal Expo held in Long Beach Sept. 9-11, and two days of hearings held by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in Washington Sept. 16-17. The former is an annual industry event; the latter was convened to address a lack of rail freight volume growth.

Zim to gain slot rights on MSC’s India network for US loads

Ocean network alliance changes taking shape across markets seem to have more service realignments in store for Indian shippers, according to local industry sources.

Weeklong ILA strike would tie up about 2% of global shipping capacity: HSBC

The increasing likelihood of a dockworker strike next week at container terminals along the US East and Gulf coasts will tie up approximately 1.7% of global shipping capacity if it lasts a week, tightening the supply of equipment and vessels as the Red Sea diversions have, but on smaller scale, HSBC said in a report Thursday.

PNW ports say ready for strike-linked cargo diversions from East, Gulf coasts

US and Canadian ports in the Pacific Northwest say they are prepared to handle a sustained diversion of discretionary cargo from ports along the East and Gulf coasts should a strike by dockworkers in those regions begin on Tuesday, as expected.

USMX tries to force ILA back to contract talks with NLRB complaint

Maritime employers along the US East and Gulf coasts have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in a late bid to force the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) back to the bargaining table.

Trucking races to prepare as deadline for ILA port strike draws near

The looming strike by East and Gulf coast port workers is already affecting US trucking networks, pushing more goods into truck lanes earlier than usual as shippers try to move freight ahead of possible work stoppage.

FMC denies petition to delay D&D rules as creating ‘greater confusion’

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has thwarted a move by ocean carriers to delay new rules on who they can bill for holding onto containers, saying a delay would cause “greater confusion” among shippers and truckers about who pays per diem fees.

Zim becomes first carrier to commit to reopened Leatherman terminal

The Port of Charleston’s Hugh K. Leatherman marine terminal is officially reopening to container ships this week with an ad hoc vessel call, while Zim Integrated Shipping has become the first carrier to commit to a weekly trans-Pacific service there.

Ocean carrier alliance shakeup offers varied service choices for shippers

Two new alliances — Gemini Cooperation and Premier Alliance — will see the light of day in 2025, and both have now published their new networks. Additionally, Mediterranean Shipping Co. has clearly stated it will operate as a standalone carrier, although it does have some slot swaps on Asia-Europe with Premier Alliance and with Zim on the Pacific trade to the US East Coast.

Port Tanjung Pelepas operating model key to ensuring Gemini reliability goals

Anyone curious as to how Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will fulfill an ambitious promise of 90%+ schedule reliability once their Gemini Cooperation network is fully rolled out next year should look closely at Port Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Malaysia.

More US ports reveal contingency plans as ILA strike deadline inches closer

Several US ports along the US East and Gulf coasts are working under contingency plans ahead of a possible strike by dockworkers on Oct. 1, including extending terminal hours and implementing deadlines for operations.

Railroads set deadlines for accepting exports ahead of potential ILA strike

CSX Transportation, Canadian National Railway and Norfolk Southern Railway have set deadlines for exporters to drop off containers ahead of a potential strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) on Oct. 1, which would effectively shut ports along the US East and Gulf coasts.

‘Wake-up call’ to shipping as 2030 emissions targets slip away: report

The decarbonization of global shipping is moving too slowly to meet even the 5% zero-emission fuel target by 2030, a critical benchmark on the road toward 2050 net zero goals, according to a report by maritime industry groups.

DB Schenker customers spooked by DSV takeover welcome at DHL: CEO

DHL Group CEO Tobias Meyer issued an invitation Tuesday for DB Schenker customers nervous about the imminent takeover by DSV to switch their forwarding business over to the integrator.

Lack of terminal handling charges emerges as a factor in ILA talks

If there is one issue that reminds carriers of the cost of capitulating to the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in the showdown over a new contract covering dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts, it’s the lack of a terminal handling charges (THCs) in the US market.

White House’s executive lever to prevent port strike is politically toxic

It’s hard to exaggerate how politically toxic the invocation of the Taft-Hartley Act by the Biden administration to stop a potential strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) would be to the Harris presidential campaign. That will no doubt temper the White House’s response if the ILA follows through with its Oct. 1 strike threat.

Montreal dockworkers to take strike vote as contract talks continue

The union representing Port of Montreal dockworkers is scheduled to hold a strike vote this week just ahead of another round of mediation talks aimed at securing a deal in a nearly year-long standoff between maritime employers and Montreal’s longshoremen.

Asia-US East Coast spot rates plummet amid strike threat cargo diversions

Spot container rates from Asia to the US East Coast have plummeted more than 40% over the past three weeks, with sources pointing to cargo diversions ahead of a possible longshore strike along the East and Gulf coasts as peak season momentum begins to fade.

CMA CGM moves to take over top Brazilian terminal operator

CMA CGM has signed a deal to buy 47.6% of Brazil’s largest terminal operator Santos Brasil for $1.2 billion and plans to acquire the remaining shares “in the coming months,” the carrier said Monday.

Truckload visibility startup lands investment, top broker clients

Freight visibility provider GenLogs said Monday it has amassed $6 million in funding from a variety of venture investors to accelerate its efforts to arm freight brokers with better truckload visibility to tackle load matching and fraud prevention.

New cross-border trucking platform aims to enable brokers

A software vendor catering to US freight brokers is publicly launching a cross-border load board aimed at helping brokers access growing truckload trade between the US and Mexico.

Gnosis ‘doubling down’ on importer tech with first outside funds

International logistics software provider Gnosis Freight said Monday that it has taken investment from private equity group Vista Equity Partners to expand the reach of its product targeted at import logistics teams.

NY-NJ port stakeholders scrambling ahead of strike threat

Ocean carriers and marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey are working overtime to move as many containers as possible ahead of a potential dockworker strike that would close all US East and Gulf coast ports on Oct. 1, with inland exporters facing the tightest deadline to move their cargo.

FedEx Freight realigns in rapidly changing US LTL market

Less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier FedEx Freight is accelerating its plan to shrink its network. The FedEx subsidiary and largest US trucking company by annual revenue closed seven terminals during its fiscal quarter that ended Aug. 31 after shutting down 29 terminals in the previous 12 months.

Midterm emissions plan to take center stage at upcoming IMO meeting

Binding emissions reduction measures from shipping aimed at putting a price on the continued usage of conventional fuel will top the agenda at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) meeting in London later this month.

Southern California supply chain fluid despite surging import volumes

Industry stakeholders are pointing to minimal supply chain disruption at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach this peak season despite record import volumes, thanks to warehouses throughout Southern California being able to keep churning freight through their facilities.

DSV takeover signals end to 150 years of DB Schenker brand

The DB Schenker brand that two years ago celebrated its 150th anniversary will be absorbed by DSV, which last week acquired the Essen, Germany-based company for €14.3 billion ($15.9 billion).

SEKO secures fresh financial backing amid prolonged forwarding industry slump

SEKO Logistics on Thursday confirmed it has reached a definitive agreement with its existing financial partners in a move to reinforce its financial position.

Limited air freight capacity available for US port strike-driven cargo shift

A strike-driven surge in demand for air cargo capacity if ports along the US East and Gulf coasts are shut down from Oct. 1 would come at the worst possible time for an air freight sector that is preparing for a strong peak season with capacity already severely limited.

LA-LB port stakeholders urge mayors to act against proposed emissions rules

Shippers, transportation interests and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) are urging the mayors of Los Angeles and Long Beach to lead the effort against the implementation of new regional air emissions rules they say will cap cargo growth at the largest US port complex.

Some US ports extending gate hours ahead of strike deadline

This article has been corrected to reflect that Ocean Network Express is still accepting US export bookings and has not embargoed exports due to the potential strike Some ports along the US East and Gulf coasts are going public with their contingency plans ahead of a planned strike by dockworkers on Oct. 1, including staying open for business on weekends.

Stronger US retail sales lifting truckload volumes, but not rates

US truck and rail freight volumes appear to be increasing slowly, but those gains haven’t fueled an increase in truckload rates, according to new data. The Cass Freight Shipments Index rose 1% sequentially in August after increasing 3% in July, Cass said in its monthly report, released Monday.

Europe’s largest inland container terminal opens in Germany

Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT) in Germany, Europe’s largest inland container facility, opened for business this week with train traffic to and from China already flowing across its busy railheads.

US shippers again ask White House to intervene in longshore contract talks

US shippers on Tuesday renewed their call for the Biden administration to directly intervene in stalled contract negotiations between maritime employers and the longshore union representing dockworkers along the East and Gulf coasts.

Railroads say able to handle disruption from possible ILA port strike

US railroads are well-prepared if the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strikes on Oct. 1 at ports along the East and Gulf coasts, according to the CEOs of CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway.

Divergent data suggests US trucking jobs lower than reported

The Biden administration on Friday said it would be taking steps to target apparel and textile imports using the so-called “de minimis” exemption and called on Congress to pass legislation that would rein in the volume of duty-free packages entering the US.

Cargo and vessel disruption expected after typhoon closes Shanghai, Ningbo ports

Shippers and ocean carriers using the major Chinese load ports of Shanghai and Ningbo will face extensive disruption due to terminal closures and vessel bunching caused by Typhoon Bebinca, which made a direct hit on Shanghai Monday.

Maritime employers prep for wind-down of operations as longshore strike looms

With talks stalled and more labor demands being put on the table, a dockworkers strike at ports along the US East and Gulf coasts looks increasingly inevitable with just two weeks remaining on the current contract between maritime employers and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).

Global MPV indices diverge despite relative market stability

Multipurpose (MPV) sector indices from Toepfer and Drewry reflect stable market expectations through September despite a slight divergence, analysts told the Journal of Commerce.

Ocean carriers appear willing to roll the dice on possible US port strike

For decades, a simple philosophy dictated how ocean carriers approached contract negotiations with US dockworkers: Keep the ports open. Even if it meant making major concessions on wages or benefits, carriers were primarily motivated to avoid disruption on the docks and were willing to pay handsomely to achieve that result.

Lure of robust Asian peak season a magnet for air cargo capacity

Air cargo operators are shifting freighter aircraft from South America, India and Africa to the more lucrative Asian export trades where sustained demand from the US and Europe for both e-commerce and traditional cargo is keeping planes full and rates elevated.

White House takes aim at growing threat of ‘de minimis’ imports

The Biden administration on Friday said it would be taking steps to target apparel and textile imports using the so-called “de minimis” exemption and called on Congress to pass legislation that would rein in the volume of duty-free packages entering the US.

Some carriers seek to reopen 2024–25 fixed-rate contracts in trans-Pac: NVOs

Ocean carriers in the eastbound trans-Pacific are increasingly confident that a rate war can be avoided through the Lunar New Year period when many factories in Asia will close for about two weeks beginning in late January.

Union, government hurdles ahead in DSV’s $16 billion takeover of DB Schenker

German transport unions and the country’s parliament are the remaining obstacles to Danish forwarder DSV finalizing its €14.3 billion ($15.9 billion) acquisition of DB Schenker that was announced Friday.

Truck driver detention by US shippers decreasing, but costs rising: study

Truck driver detention at shipper and consignee docks is decreasing, thanks in part to the soft freight market, but detention is still causing significant supply chain inefficiencies and costing drivers and trucking companies money, according to a new report.

ZPMC ‘pressures’ US ports for remote crane access: House report

China’s leading ship-to-shore crane maker — which has strong ties to the country’s military — pressured US port customers to allow remote monitoring of cranes that contained pre-installed cellular modems, according to a new Congressional report.

MSC’s global scale enables standalone network coverage

Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s ability to roll out a standalone east-west ocean network able to compete with the reshaped alliances, and to offer both Red Sea and Suez Canal service options, indicates the immense scale the carrier has built over the last few years.

Robust e-commerce demand a gift for air cargo carriers: airline executives

Liege, Belgium — Soaring demand for e-commerce out of Asia this year was a gift to an airline industry under severe financial pressure as it recovered from the pandemic, air cargo executives said at an industry forum here this week.

Norfolk Southern fires CEO Shaw after probe; CFO George elevated to top job

Norfolk Southern (NS) has fired CEO Alan Shaw after an internal investigation by the railroad found he violated company policy by engaging in a “consensual relationship” with the company’s chief legal officer.

Tale of woe for ocean container shippers going from bad to worse

Container lines active on the larger export trade lanes out of India seem to have no choice but to forgo recent robust rate gains in order to keep their vessel space utilization as close as possible to the declared loading allocations.

Rates from India to US, Europe in rapid retreat amid cooling demand

Container lines active on the larger export trade lanes out of India seem to have no choice but to forgo recent robust rate gains in order to keep their vessel space utilization as close as possible to the declared loading allocations.

‘Perfect storm’ pushes market toward Q4 reefer equipment shortages

Combined market pressures on refrigerated container equipment could put a strain on perishable Latin American exports in the fourth quarter and into 2025, market sources say.

Anxious White House weighing options as ILA contract deadline nears

US labor secretaries have been key to breaking deadlocks in longshore labor negotiations, including on the West Coast in 2015 and 2023. But this latest impasse, threatening a strike at East and Gulf coast ports, forces the White House to walk particularly precarious line: Don’t upset union voters ahead of a presidential election while protecting the economy and an image of responsible economic stewardship.

‘Brace for impact’ warning as air cargo heads into historic peak season

Liege, Belgium — The air cargo industry is flying headlong into its strongest ever peak season as booming e-commerce demand will combine with online shopping promotions this fall and rising volume of more traditional air freight, executives told a conference here.

US retailers give big upgrade to September import forecast amid strike threat

US retailers have significantly upgraded their forecast for US imports in September as shippers look to frontload cargo ahead of a threatened strike on Oct. 1 by dockworkers along the East and Gulf coasts.

Asian ports at the fore in updated Gemini alliance network schedule

Ports in Asia are among the winners, regaining direct calls on several services, in the Gemini Cooperation’s updated service network released Tuesday that offers shippers alternative routings via the Cape of Good Hope and the Suez Canal.

FMC won’t block Gemini alliance, but vows tight monitoring

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has signed off on the Maersk/Hapag-Lloyd vessel-sharing alliance that will start early next year, but the agency’s chief warned the ocean carriers they will be watched for how they treat US shippers.

HMM to spend $17.5 billion on fleet, equipment by 2030

HMM will spend $17.5 billion over the next five years — more than half of that investment on new container ships and equipment — as the carrier on Tuesday put a price to the massive mid- to long-term strategic plan announced back in April.

Import surge pushing Los Angeles outbound spot truck rates higher

As cargo from Southern California ports moves further inland, demand for trucks and intermodal rail capacity is surging in the region, driving up prices across all modes of surface transportation.

East Coast spot rates plunge as peak-season imports shift to West Coast

A front-loading of shipments ahead of a threatened port strike threat, coupled with intensified rate pressures, is sending Asia container spot rates to the East Coast plunging faster than usual on the trade lane.

Port employers urge ILA to return to contract talks

Ocean carriers and marine terminal operators are calling on the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) to reopen contract talks, saying their latest offer aims to avert a strike across East and Gulf Coast ports.

Typhoon Yagi slams Vietnam, southwest China, delaying sailings

Ocean carriers and shippers are facing several days’ delays to vessel sailing schedules after typhoon Yagi struck southwest China and northern Vietnam over the weekend, closing ports and hitting cargo shipments.

MSC strikes Asia-Europe slot share with former THEA members

Mediterranean Shipping Co. is teaming up with Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM and Yang Ming Marine Transportation on the Asia-Europe trades with a slot exchange covering nine services from February 2025 when current alliance arrangements end, the carriers said Monday.

ONE opens new India, Asia services in response to ‘Gemini reality’

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is rushing to fill the routing and capacity gaps it anticipates from ongoing industry network shakeups linked to the Gemini Cooperation partnership taking shape between A.P. Møller-Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.

Rails have limited recourse to PNW import surge: analyst

Spot container rates from Asia to the west coast of Mexico have climbed sharply over the past week amid fresh blank sailings and a cargo rush ahead of China’s Golden Week holiday in early October. The gains come after two months of declining rates brought on by new capacity injected into the trade lane.

Blank sailings, cargo push help reverse rate slide on Asia-Mexico trade

Spot container rates from Asia to the west coast of Mexico have climbed sharply over the past week amid fresh blank sailings and a cargo rush ahead of China’s Golden Week holiday in early October. The gains come after two months of declining rates brought on by new capacity injected into the trade lane.

First signs of a deal emerge in long-running German port dispute

Germany’s United Services Union (ver.di) has recommended its members accept the latest offer from port employers in a long-running wage dispute that has regularly disrupted logistics operations across the country’s transport sectors.

Little cause for optimism as clock ticks toward ILA contract expiration

Less than a month before dockworkers on the US East and Gulf coasts could walk off the job if a new contract is not agreed to by Sept. 30 at midnight, a sense of dread has descended on the industry — and for good reason.

Trans-Atlantic shippers test contingency plans as ILA strike threat grows

Shippers and forwarders on the trans-Atlantic are testing alternatives to ports along the US East and Gulf coasts ahead of a potential dockworker strike beginning Oct. 1. But there is a resignation that there are few viable options if both seaboards are down.

ILA locals prepping for coordinated strike at US East, Gulf coast ports

Teaneck, NJ — The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) on Thursday appointed local vice presidents to head committees that will coordinate labor actions at East and Gulf coast ports if a new contract isn’t reached by the end of the month. Union leadership the day prior warned the ILA and its employers are “very, very far apart” on “economic” terms, namely wages, as well as automation.

Maersk dives deeper into US-Mexico trucking with El Paso facility

A.P. Møller-Maersk is opening a large logistics facility in El Paso, Texas, drawing the ocean carrier deeper into US-Mexico cross-border trade and trucking.

US spot truckload market starts to tighten but is still soft

The US truckload spot market is heating up as summer ends, with load volumes increasing as the peak pre-holiday shipping season for trucking gets underway. That’s tightening capacity and load-to-truck ratios in certain inland distribution markets, although not universally.

Flexport vet lands funding to build truckload procurement tool for shippers

A new truckload freight procurement and management platform started by a veteran of Flexport and Uber has landed a $6.3 million early-stage funding round to target small and midsized shippers lacking such technology.

Green corridors signal maritime fuel options for multipurpose vessels

Eventually, the multipurpose/heavy-lift (MPV/HL) sector will have to build new ships. In addition to growing demand, the global shipping industry must meet sweeping International Maritime Organization (IMO) and European Union goals for reducing and eliminating net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Houston’s new port chief plots terminal fluidity as key to container growth

The Port of Houston is testing a new truck appointment system and using AI to manage container cranes as it optimizes capacity at its two existing marine terminals even as it looks down the road at building a third terminal, the port’s new chief says.

Standard Forwarding deal would speed consolidation among small LTL carriers

After trying twice to buy properties from bankrupt Yellow, Jack Cooper Investments may have finally found a route into the less-than-truckload (LTL) sector.

New ship deployments don’t always improve service: analyst

New deployments of ships may be needed, particularly with Red Sea diversions extending sailings, but throwing more ships into service isn’t always a surefire solution for more reliable service.

Severe rainstorms swamp India’s container supply chains

Extreme monsoon floods have wreaked havoc on container flows and related transport networks across ports in the Indian subcontinent region, including Bangladesh that had already been in a state of flux due to recent political tensions.

Tech vendor aims to help forwarders preserve margins in growing LCL market

A technology vendor founded by two veterans of the less-than-containerload (LCL) industry is arming forwarders with the ability to preserve profit margin on LCL shipments moved by the large neutral non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) that collectively control a large share of the LCL market.

Demand bump could drive moderate rate boost on intra-Asia trades

A pre-holiday cargo rush that could start in early September is expected to drive a rebound in intra-Asia ocean rates that had softened a bit in August due to the influx of new capacity and reduced port congestion even as overall demand remained strong.

Falling demand, rates signal early end to Asia-Europe ocean peak season

The early peak season on the Asia-Europe ocean trade that began in April appears to be drawing to a close as European import demand slows and spot rates fall sharply off peak levels reached in July.

Maersk’s LNG order hedges bet on green fuel technology: CEO

DP World’s move into controlling end-to-end logistics will be further strengthened with the integration of Hong Kong-based supply chain solutions provider Cargo Services Far East into its fast-growing forwarder division.

Cathay’s A350 groundings to upset Hong Kong’s overheated air cargo market

The temporary grounding of Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350 fleet of 48 aircraft after an engine fault was found on Monday will disrupt the already overheated Hong Kong air freight export market, industry executives say.

Maersk’s LNG order hedges bet on green fuel technology: CEO

Maersk’s order for vessels capable of being powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a risk-management strategy by the carrier to avoid being locked into one fuel technology, according to CEO Vincent Clerc.

Short-term US industrial real estate market clouded by uncertainty: JLL

Retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers are seeking more clarity on the direction of the US economy and consumer spending before deciding on their short-term needs for warehouse space, according to industrial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

Lag in higher contract rates to drive second-half profitability: Maersk CFO

The delayed financial benefits of ocean contracts agreed at high rates during the second quarter were apparent in Maersk’s Q2 interim results Wednesday when year-over-year profitability declined sharply despite rising volumes and rates.

Maersk CEO says port strike along US East, Gulf coasts is ‘highly unlikely’

A strike by dockworkers at marine terminals along the US East and Gulf coasts is “highly unlikely,” Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said Wednesday.

Bangladesh’s supply chains grind to a halt amid political upheaval

Carriers and cargo owners in Bangladesh are facing a period of supply chain flux as the Indian subcontinent nation remains gripped by mass civil protests and heightened political unrest, mirroring the turmoil that engulfed trade verticals in Sri Lanka two years ago.

ILA seeking huge wage hike from maritime employers: sources

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is seeking an almost 80% wage increase over the life of its next six-year contract with maritime employers on the East and Gulf coasts, two ocean carrier sources familiar with the negotiations told the Journal of Commerce.

Shifting trans-Pac dynamics push rate spread to almost two-year high

The differential between spot rates from Asia to the US West and East coasts is at its widest in almost two years amid signs of a significant loosening of capacity to the West Coast and importer worries over the coming expiration of the labor contract covering 45,000 dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts.

Trans-Atlantic ocean carriers make rare surcharge moves to bolster rates

Ocean carriers on the trans-Atlantic have announced peak season surcharges (PSSs) for Sept. 1 in a bid to turn around declining westbound rate levels that have fallen steadily for months despite volume on the Europe-US trade lane ticking upward.

Matson’s expedited China business fuels Q2 earnings gains

US-flag carrier Matson’s earnings for the second quarter blew past analysts’ consensus estimates, the latest example of the variable fortunes of ocean carriers benefiting as trans-Pacific freight rates surged in recent months.

Overbookings, service changes roil India-US East Coast loads: forwarders

Indian freight forwarders active on trades to North America are crying foul over carriers denying gate openings to containers planned for loading despite confirmed bookings.

Maersk hikes full-year profit forecast by $2 billion, ups volume outlook

Maersk added $2 billion to its full-year profitability forecast Thursday as the carrier continues to benefit from robust demand on the main export trade lanes from Asia and an ongoing Red Sea disruption that has held rates at elevated levels since March.

Panama Canal transits rise to almost normal levels as expansion work begins

The Panama Canal is looking to increase the number of daily vessel transits to 36 as of September as it seeks to resume normal transit levels in the coming months following robust rainfall levels in June and July.

No sign of slowdown in ongoing air cargo ‘peak season’

Air cargo on the main trade lanes out of Asia continues to be in peak season mode as disrupted ocean shipping and an ongoing e-commerce surge hold spot rates at elevated levels.

Raise fossil fuel price to spur demand, investment in green alternatives: WSC

Regulations must be implemented to make fossil fuels used by the maritime industry more expensive in order to close the price gap with green alternatives if low-carbon fuels are to become economically viable for ocean carriers, according to the World Shipping Council (WSC).

Nervous US shippers have few options in the face of port strike threat

Have some sympathy for the shipper dependent on ports along the US East and Gulf coasts. They have few options — none of them great — if longshore labor, as threatened, strikes at the end of September if an agreement isn’t reached by then.