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US poultry exports forecast to fly higher The US chicken industry is recovering from down years caused by avian influenza. Robust demand is expected to push US poultry export volume higher this year in a global market roiled by outbreaks of avian influenza and trade restrictions Containerized exports of US poultry rose 3.3 percent year-over-year […]

China plan to ban waste imports threatens US exports China’s notification to the World Trade Organization(WTO) that it will no longer import solid waste by the end of this year imperils 8.2 percent, or nearly 1 million TEU, of all US exports, according to an analysis of data from PIERS. Click to Enlarge The WTO […]

Congestion paralyzes Chittagong port The Chittagong port is in desperate need of infrastructure improvements. Severe congestion in Bangladesh’s prime seaport Chittagong caused by low draft and broken ship-to-shore gantry cranes has crippled loading and unloading, nearly doubling the average time ships spend in port, and there’s no immediate solution on hand. Click to Enlarge The […]

Asia-Mediterranean trade outpacing forecasts Growth at Mediterranean ports such as Genoa has been beating expectations. Container traffic on the Asia-to-Mediterranean route has outpaced forecasts but the phasing in of larger vessels will put on pressure on spot freight rates towards the end of the year, according to Drewry Shipping Consultants. Traffic growth has risen from […]

US exporters tapping new DDG markets hurts container volumes Shipping dried distillers grains is marked by uncertainty after aggressive trade actions in Asia. Trade disputes with their primary customers China and Vietnam are driving US exporters of dried distillers grains (DDGs) to overhaul their supply chains, tapping new markets from Turkey to Thailand that not […]

Longer US auto factory closures bodes poorly for trade The market for US tire imports is less reliant on vehicle production than that for auto parts. Automakers in the United States are keeping plants closed longer during regularly scheduled intermissions this summer because of declining auto sales — a move expected to accelerate the decline […]

Longer factory closures to dent US auto exports, part imports The market for US tire imports is less reliant on vehicle production than that for auto parts. Automakers in the United States are keeping plants closed longer during regularly scheduled intermissions this summer because of declining auto sales — a move expected to accelerate the […]

Resins raise questions for surging US cotton exports US containerized cotton exports rose more than 70 percent in the first five months of the year. US cotton exporters are anticipating another strong year after containerized cotton exports rose 3.7 percent last year to 254,610 TEU, while hoping to avoid conflict with a fast-approaching boom in […]

Trans-Pac spot rates slip as trade preps for peak The trans-Pacific trade is gearing up for the peak season. Spot rates in the eastbound Pacific declined slightly for the second consecutive week, although the 2 percent drop to the East Coast reflects a tightening of capacity, whereas the 5 percent decline to the West Coast […]

Peak season so far providing no fillip for Asia-Europe spot rates The peak season has yet to materialize on the Asia-Europe trade. July rate increases and peak season surcharges from some carriers have been unable to push up the spot market on the Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean trades with freight rates declining for the second consecutive […]