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Flexport asset push raises questions on future of logistics technology Flexport says warehouses such as this 102,000-square-foot facility in California allow it to better serve customers. Flexport’s move to become the first digital freight forwarder to physically handle freight has sparked debate on the merits and risks of a non-asset provider stepping into the same […]

Falling backhaul volume drives up Asia-Europe imbalance Rotterdam is the busiest container port in Europe. The strong start to the year by Europe imports from Asia that drove up freight rates and led to chronic vessel space shortages out of European gateways fell off completely in the second quarter, data on the backhaul trade shows.Volume […]

Rotterdam-Rhine-Alpine-rail route shut down, barges delayed Without rail access to much of its hinterland, barge delays at Rotterdam will likely grow worse. The rail route connecting Rotterdam with Switzerland and northern Italy, one of Europe’s busiest freight corridors, has shut down due to subsidence caused by engineering works on tracks in South West Germany. Diversion […]

Asia-Europe rates dip as August increases lose traction The falling rates despite higher volumes point to existing capacity being enough to handle demand. There was a slight decline in spot freight rates from Asia to Europe and the Mediterranean this week with demand slowing over late summer, although volume and rates on the trades are […]

Port Freeport resin packaging center targets Latin America A&R Logistics, which last month announced a bulk-to-containers packaging center for plastic resins at the Port of Savannah, is developing a similar operation at Port Freeport, Texas, to focus on exports to Latin America. The Freeport project comes as several polymer plants in Texas and Louisiana prepare […]

Brexit customs proposal short on details, say UK forwarders Andrew Baxter, Managing Director at logistics operator Europa Worldwide Group, said the UK government was taking a positive approach to minimising the customs issues that could be caused by Brexit. Credit: Europa Worldwide Trade and customs arrangements dominated the first of several papers to be released […]

PIL and PSA hook up with IBM in Singapore blockchain project Executives from PIL, PSA and IBM join Singapore government officials after signing an MOU to explore block chain technology. Credit: PSA Singapore’s Pacific International Lines and terminal operator PSA International have become the latest container industry players to explore distributed ledger technology known as […]

Global container volume gain forecast at fastest clip in six years Cranes at ports around the world have been lifting more containers than last year. Shipping analyst Drewry will be radically reassessing its volume forecast for this year and 2018 as world container throughput heads for its fastest growth in six years.The vast majority of […]

Global container volume growth at fastest clip in six years Cranes at ports around the world have been lifting more containers than last year. Shipping analyst Drewry will be radically reassessing its volume forecast for this year and 2018 as world container throughput heads for its fastest growth in six years.The vast majority of that […]

Surging US imports fail to lift trans-Pac spot rates US container imports are forecast to rise 6.6 percent this year. Despite record import volumes flowing through major US ports, container lines have failed to lift eastbound Pacific spot rates for the second week straight, although a forecast for accelerating Asia imports this month could propel […]