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Trans-Pac space tightening but peak season surcharges likely feeble Changes consumer habits have helped to flatten out the traditional peaks in shipping demand throughout the year. US importers in the coming weeks will begin to encounter a tightening of vessel space and occasional equipment shortages, but the likelihood of large rate increases or peak-season surcharges […]

Charleston, Virginia ports deepen intermodal rail reach The Greer inland port and booming auto exports have helped to fuel the growth in rail at the port of Charleston. As the number of container rail lifts at the top four US East Coast ports has receded in the past five years, the ports of Charleston and […]

Cosco-OOCL tie-up will further limit options, shippers say Cosco and Shanghai International Port Group have made a $6.3 billion bid for OOCL. The eye watering $6.3 billion that Cosco Shipping Holdings and Shanghai International Port Group are paying for Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. is great news for shareholders of the Hong Kong-listed carrier, but shippers […]

Proliferation of shipping data raises questions of ownership The idea of a smart container and the valuable information it provides to supply chain stakeholders continue to generate attention, particularly in the reefer shipping sector. Access to real-time data such as location, temperature, and humidity are extremely useful to carriers, beneficial cargo owners (BCOs), and others, […]

Proliferation of data raises questions of ownership The idea of a smart container and the valuable information it provides to supply chain stakeholders continue to generate attention, particularly in the reefer shipping sector. Access to real-time data such as location, temperature, and humidity are extremely useful to carriers, BCOs, and others, including insurers.  However, a […]

Project cargo shippers, carriers pin hopes on Ex-Im Bank Project shippers and carriers hope the Export-Import Bank of the United States, a political football for years, can get off the sidelines soon. Ex-Im Bank supporters’ hopes were raised in June when President Trump nominated a chairman and board member for the bank, which since 2015 […]

Asia-ECSA service shows cost to shippers of larger ships The 11,000-TEU Cape Sounio is too large to call at one of the ports on the service on which it is deployed. Ship upsizing coupled with inadequate infrastructure is costing Itajai shippers frequency on an Asia-east coast South America (ECSA) service, laying bare the costs to […]

Trans-Pac rates hold most gains on early peak season cargo Trans-Pacific spot rates declined modestly this week. Spot rates in the eastbound Pacific this week lost little of the ground gained in the week prior, signaling the early days of a peak season. Spot rates in the eastbound Pacific this week could not sustain the […]

APMT’s Maasvlakte II back in action at Rotterdam APM Terminals’ Maasvlakte II was the facility hardest hit by the cyber attack. APM Terminals’ (APMT’s) flagship Maasvlakte II terminal in Rotterdam is fully operational following the cyber attack on the parent Maersk Group that shut the fully automated container facility for more than a week. The […]

Asia-Europe rate drops despite peak season, space constraints The industry is expecting higher Asia-Europe spot rates over the summer despite this most recent decline. Spot freight rates on the Asia-North Europe and Mediterranean trades shrugged off peak season demand and tightly managed capacity and actually declined by almost 5 percent this week.The China-North Europe rate […]