Monthly Archives for April 2017

Brazil's MRS Logistica overcomes fire for double-digit growth A slowing economy and fire in the port of Santos couldn’t halt growth at MRS Logistica. Brazilian rail operator MRS Logistica overcame a start to 2016 marred by a fire that halted operations for two weeks in the port of Santos with traffic increasing 16.6 percent year-over-year […]

Strong US import forecast could reverse trans-Pac spot rate slip An import surge would further lift spot rates that remain elevated year-over-year.  US retailers project that increased consumer spending will drive stronger US import growth for at least the next six months, potentially providing carriers the ability to reverse the slow decline of trans-Pacific spot […]

Carriers find opening to serve smaller shippers Have container lines found a way to effectively serve small and midsize shippers, a market they’ve let drain away for decades? The story of containerization has been one of carriers gradually backing away from directly serving this market, leaving it to forwarders while focusing on building direct relationships […]

Wan Hai bucks industry trend with 2016 profit Riding the strength of the intra-Asian trades, Wan Hai Lines bucked the industry trend of deep 16 losses, posting a TWD1.14 billion ($37.2  million) profit for the year, albeit a far smaller gain than in 2015. The Taiwanese carrier profit’s was down 71 percent from 2016. Lower […]

E-commerce offers carriers opening to serve smaller BCOs Maersk Group has embraced its forwarding unit Damco as a fully strategic component of its tightly integrated transportation business. Editorial credit: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com Could it be that container lines have found a way to effectively serve small and midsize shippers, a market they’ve let drain […]

MSC vessel blaze highlights mega-ship risks Authorities are planning to investigate the cause of a fire that broke out in the bow of a 13,800 twenty-foot equivalent units ship operated by Mediterranean Shipping Co. Tuesday, underlining the safety hazards of mega-ships. The MSC Daniela was heading from Singapore to Port Said, at the northern end […]

European exporters’ Asia capacity concerns hit new high Getting goods out of European ports has proved daunting in recent months. Tightening capacity on ships from Europe to Asia hit a new inflection point with exporters, with the European Shippers’ Council (ESC) calling an emergency meeting last week to determine why shipments have been stalled up […]

Project cargo prospects brighten in India Economic growth, infrastructure upgrades, energy-related projects, and efforts to weed out trade barriers and customs red tape are combining to make India a bright spot for breakbulk and heavy-lift shipments. “There is heavy demand for construction equipment. Sectors such as roads, airports, power, and seaports have become very attractive […]