Latest News

Caribbean, US Southeast shippers prep for Irma disruption Hurricane Irma bears down the eastern reaches of the Caribbean. A little more than a week after Hurricane Harvey roiled Gulf Coast supply chains, another larger and stronger storm is threatening days-long delays and significant damage to cargo in the Caribbean and US Southeast. Hurricane Irma, now […]

Thursdays worst for cargo theft, TT Club finds Three types of cargo account for nearly half of all theft. Cargo theft accounts for around 10 percent by volume and cost of all reported claims in the last 10 years, according to TT Club, with criminal organisations able to move stolen cargo through the supply chain […]

Mega-ships drive capacity upgrades across three alliances OOCL Hong Kong, the second of an order for six 21,413-TEU ships, loads up at Singapore. The vessels will be deployed on the Ocean Alliance’s NEU1 Asia-Europe service. Credit: OOCL The three alliances will take delivery of a large number of ultra-large container ships during the next two years, […]

Excess capacity forecast to constrain rate hikes for two years OOCL Japan undergoes sea trials after being launched by Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea. The 21,413 TEU vessel is the third to be built from a six-ship order for OOCL. Credit: OOCL The failure of Sept. 1 rate increases on the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades […]

US export growth emboldens carriers to pursue higher rates Developments regarding international trade regulations have given US exporters hope for future growth. Carriers in the westbound Pacific are signaling that modest freight rate increases on US exports to Asia will take place as early as October, but it is uncertain if the lines are emboldened […]

Texas ports handle ships, railroads fix lines after Hurricane Members of the US Coast Guard examine and repair navigational aids in the waters around Houston. More ships are calling Houston-area ports and railroads are working to restore service as import-export activity continues to recover from Hurricane Harvey’s floods that continue in much of southeast Texas. […]

Trans-Pacific spot rates slip despite capacity concerns Trans-Pacific rates to the United States spiked this time last year as a result of Hanjin Shipping’s bankruptcy. The decline in trans-Pacific spot rates to the US East and West coasts shows that capacity remains adequate despite growing concern over tight space and the rolling of containers in […]

Asia-Europe spot rates fall despite hefty peak season hikes It has been a year since Hanjin Shipping collapsed, roiling supply chains and sending spot rates up. Rate increases on Sept. 1 last year combined with the collapse of Hanjin Shipping sent Asia-Europe spot rates soaring by $254 per TEU, beginning a highly volatile period that […]

Houston to reopen container terminals Friday Coast Guard Aids to Navigation team crewmembers replace and repair navigational aids in the Port of Corpus Christi, Thursday. Port Houston plans to reopen its container terminals Friday as limited vessel traffic resumes on the Houston Ship Channel and the region’s freight services take initial steps toward recovery from […]

Maersk expands Indian temperature-controlled service Maersk sees opportunites in India for growth in shipments of both refrigerated and dry cargo. Maersk Line is ramping up its end-to-end cold chain service to and from India as the emerging economy’s reefer cargo market represents a lucrative business for transport providers seeking new avenues for growth. The world’s […]