Rotterdam today officially opened the first phase of Maasvlakte 2, Europe’s largest container terminal hub, which is expected to unleash a fierce battle for cargo across the Le Havre-Hamburg port range at a time of sluggish traffic growth.
Denmark’s DFDS reported its pre-tax loss in the seasonally weak first quarter widened to 118 million kroner ($ 20.5 million) from 98 million kroner ($17 million) a year earlier, as cargo traffic stalled on its key North Sea and Baltic shipping routes.
Diana Containerships today reported a net loss of $31.8 million in the first quarter of 2013, compared with a net income of $1.9 million in the first quarter of 2012.
The European Union has allocated €37 million (about US$47.7 million) for its Regional Maritime Security program to strengthen the fight against piracy in several Eastern and Southern African countries.
Navios Maritime Holdings today reported a net loss of $10.2 million in the first quarter of 2013, plummeting from a net profit of $9.5 million in the first quarter of 2012.
CEVA Group reported its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the first quarter of 2013 were €31 million (about US$39.8 million), plummeting 53 percent from $84.8 million in the first quarter of 2012.
Royal Mail’s profit more than doubled, driven by surging parcel deliveries, in a major boost to the forthcoming privatization of the UK’s 363-year-old state-owned postal company.
Ocean carriers are paying a heavy price for failing to rein in capacity on the Asia-Mediterranean route despite the deepening economic crisis across southern Europe, according to shipping consultant Drewry.
Containerized export volume from Australasia/Oceania to South and Central America steeply declined in March 2013, according to data from Container Trades Statistics Ltd.