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Rising China-Europe backhaul demand spurs new services Trains between China and Europe follow either the trans-Kazakh western corridor or the trans-Siberian northern corridor. Credit: DHL The momentum that has been developing steadily on the rail freight link between China and Europe is spreading to the backhaul route with eastbound volumes rising sharply in the past […]

Paper blames end of carrier conferences for industry woes The paper argues that regulatory decisions made decades ago have led to the shipping industry’s current challanges. A new paper says beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) are in large part to blame for the poor service levels of today’s liner shipping industry. The paper, Globalization, Public Sector […]

Trans-Pac rates dip after spike without back-to-school surge Trans-Pacific spot rates in 2017 are trending in line with historical norms. Spot rates in the eastbound Pacific declined slightly this week following a big jump last week as the import trade from Asia waited for the peak-shipping season to begin later this summer. Based on normal […]

XPO sees big bump in new logistics, intermodal business A greater need for automation in the supply chain has helped fuel growth at XPO Logistics. Transportation markets worldwide may be “lukewarm,” but contract logistics “is hot,” XPO Logistics Chairman and CEO Bradley S. Jacobs said Thursday. Increased demand for contract logistics and e-commerce-linked last-mile delivery […]

Shanghai congestion improving steadily, data shows Forwarders are expecting Shanghai’s Yangshan terminal congestion to be cleared by mid-May. Bottlenecks at the port of Shanghai’s Yangshan terminals have continued to ease since peaking in mid-April, with vessel arrival delays in the last week of the month improving by 15 percent on the previous week.The latest available […]

JNPT gets final nod to equalize rates for rail-road handling The equalizing of road and rail rates is just one aspect of a push to grow rail volumes at India’s top port. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has received final approval from port regulators to equalize rail and truck handling rates at all terminals, clearing […]

Carriers secure higher trans-Pacific contracts Trans-Pacific contract rates are much stronger than last year, though still not on par with rates in 2015. Trans-Pacific carriers generally secured annual service contract rates this spring that were higher than last year, bringing them closer to or at near break-even levels, but putting pressure on the lines to […]

Asia-ECSA contract prices doubling on spot rate strength Spot rates from Asia to Buenos Aires and other destinations on South America’s east coast plummeted last year. With container lines and Brazilian shippers finalizing annual service contracts, all-in freight rates on the Asia to East Coast of South America (ECSA) trade lane and on the backhaul […]

BCOs slowly warming to multiyear contract, performance clauses Container line reliability is a regular sore spot for shippers. Multiyear contracts and contract clauses allowing the reduction or striking of volume guarantees when carriers underdeliver provide beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) ways to reduce service and pricing volatility and time spent on bidding is slowing gaining interest […]

Car carrier, ro-ro operators set sights on project cargo Car carrier and ro-ro operators such as Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Hoegh, “K” Line, and Grimaldi have invested in a new generation of ships featuring adjustable decks and large openings for oversize cargo, and reinforced ramps that can handle loads of up to 500 metric tons. “When you […]