<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">What will 2014 deliver to the docks of trucking companies and shippers moving freight over the highways?</div>

What will 2014 deliver to the docks of trucking companies and shippers moving freight over the highways?

<div>A new year always brings new cause for optimism, and 2014 is no exception. The economy in late 2013 appears to be gathering at least a little steam, with manufacturing, inventory volumes, employment and consumer sentiment improving. E-commerce sales boosted daily package volume to a record high of more than 22 million at FedEx Dec. 16. A number of motor carriers, including Landstar System, have seen freight volume pick up in December. Load-matching service DAT reports a spot market freight boom in a usually quiet month.What will 2014 deliver to the docks of trucking companies and shippers moving freight over...

A new year always brings new cause for optimism, and 2014 is no exception. The economy in late 2013 appears to be gathering at least a little steam, with manufacturing, inventory volumes, employment and consumer sentiment improving. E-commerce sales boosted daily package volume to a record high of more than 22 million at FedEx Dec. 16. A number of motor carriers, including Landstar System, have seen freight volume pick up in December. Load-matching service DAT reports a spot market freight boom in a usually quiet month. What will 2014 deliver to the docks of trucking companies and shippers moving freight over the highways? Making predictions is easy, but getting them right is hard. Current trends, however, are shaping my expectations for 2014. With the usual caveats, here are five predictions for the brave new year. 1. No Trucking Capacity Crunch We’ve heard for years now a capacity crunch in the truckload sector is just around the next bend in the calendar. It didn’t materialize in 2011, 2012 or 2013, and it probably won’t next year either. Blame the unusually slow economic recovery. Gross domestic product has only grown faster than 3 percent in three quarters since mid-2009. Yes, there are fewer trucks on the road, and yes, there are fewer drivers to hire (at current pay rates). But there’s also not enough freight to chase to tip the capacity scale toward a real shortage — not yet. Analysts and economists, including American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello, think it wouldn’t take much additional growth to change the balance, only consistent growth in the high 2 percent to 3 percent range. Others, including FTR Associates President Eric Starks, say more consistent improvement across sectors of the economy — manufacturing, housing, retail — would quickly make a difference. But is that kind of growth likely over the next year? I’m going to bet on modest, not spectacular growth, limiting how tight capacity will get, though increased construction and energy demand could eat up more capacity that would otherwise haul freight elsewhere. I also think shippers and carriers will work to find ways around the constraints placed on productivity and capacity by government regulations such as the new driver hours of service rules. They’ll do in 2014 what they did in 2004, which is cooperate to increase efficiency and keep a lid on costs. And I think we need to take into account the vastly improved ability of third-party logistics companies and brokers to source truck capacity for shippers. All those factors will buffer shippers from a real capacity crunch until GDP rises at a much faster and more consistent rate — say above 3 or even 4 percent per quarter, as we saw in eight straight quarters in 2004 and 2005. Next year could surprise us, but let’s watch for hotter growth heading into 2015. 2. More Trucking Acquisitions With modest economic expansion limiting the amount of additional freight hitting the docks, how’s a motor carrier to grow? By buying competitors and diversifying into new markets. 2013 saw some big deals — most notably Heartland Express’ $300 million acquisition of Gordon Trucking, Swift Transportation’s $225 million purchase of Central Refrigerated, and in the less-than-truckload aisle Central Transport International’s purchase of Vitran Express in the U.S. There were many more smaller deals, with companies including Celadon Trucking, Roadrunner System and TransForce acquiring niche carriers for their business and for drivers. One of the biggest acquisitions that didn’t take place in 2013 was the putative purchase of ABF Freight System by YRC Worldwide. That deal, rejected after the idea was broached by YRC chairman and CEO James Welch, would have added a significant amount of density to YRC Freight’s LTL network. Also, USA Truck rejected a takeover bid by Knight Transportation. The acquisition action is likely to continue in 2014, with more major combinations being considered and consummated as carriers look to expand their reach, add customers, increase density and hire more drivers. Rising operating costs are likely to push many smaller companies to look for bigger buyers. 3. YRC Worldwide Survives The ballots in the latest Teamsters vote on YRC Worldwide’s future won’t be counted until Jan. 8, but it is likely the struggling less-than-truckload operator will win a new concessionary contract. YRC may not win by a wide margin — there’s opposition among the rank-and-file to accepting a non-negotiated company proposal that extended 2009 wage and benefit concessions through 2019. But there aren’t reasonable alternatives that wouldn’t cost a lot of people their jobs. YRC Worldwide faces a series of debt deadlines starting in February that can’t be postponed while the LTL operator and union negotiate an alternative proposal. I believe a majority will grit their teeth, hold their noses, and vote “yes” to extended concessions, painful as that may be, to keep YRC a “going concern.” That would keep nearly 30,000 Teamster jobs in place at YRC Worldwide’s four operating subsidiaries, and also bolster the status quo in the LTL sector. YRC’s survival after several near brushes with bankruptcy has helped maintain pricing discipline in the LTL business that is good for shippers and ultimately good for other carriers, which are also rebuilding their profits. A “no” vote by YRC Teamsters would make it much harder for the trucking giant to get the refinancing it needs from lenders who are playing hardball, frustrated by the company’s slow recovery and recent setbacks. YRC Worldwide — and its customers — should hope they don’t have to deal with that situation. 4. Brokerage Industry Consolidates, Matures In the last days of 2013, federal regulators revoked the operating licenses of more than 8,000 property brokers that failed to comply with new legal requirements, namely that they obtain a surety bond worth $75,000 by Dec. 1. That number represented nearly 40 percent of the brokers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Legally, those brokers can’t continue in business until they get that $75,000 bond and have their licenses reinstated. The question is, could 8,000 or 10,000 broker licenses be revoked without any major impact on how freight moves in the U.S.? Maybe. The Association of Independent Property Brokers & Agents warned of a catastrophe — higher unemployment, higher freight rates for shippers, lower income for truckers — as it battled to block implementation of the new bond requirement. But by late December, the crisis had yet to appear. That’s probably because those brokers, despite their numbers, didn’t handle a large share of the nation’s freight. Many of them were likely small businesses with a limited base of customers — just as most of the 700,000 trucking companies registered with the FMCSA have fewer than 10 trucks. What’s probably doomed by the bond change is the “brokerage-in-the-basement” business model, which promises big money to the work-at-home self-employed. With $75,000 surety bonds available for premiums costing less than $10,000 a year, companies that can’t afford them are likely to be woefully undercapitalized and considered a risk by carriers and shippers. Without doubt, big brokers will get bigger, as the AIPB&A warns. They would anyway, as they have the technology and revenue base needed to grow rapidly. Scale in freight brokerage, like trucking, means a lot. Many successful smaller brokers will likely become acquisition targets for companies like XPO Logistics, which are working to consolidate a still largely fragmented and competitive field with tens of thousands of companies, even after December. 5. The Hours of Service Rules Stay As much as truckers and shippers would like to see the new HOS rules revoked, that’s unlikely to happen. Ask Mike Regan, chief relationship development officer at TranzAct Technologies and NASSTRAC’s advocacy committee chairman. He gives efforts in the House of Representatives to pass legislation reversing the new rules “zilch, nada, zero” chance of making it into law. “The environment is so poisoned right now, you’re looking at gridlock as being the reality we’re confronted with,” he said. Even if a bill sponsored by Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., Tom Rice, R-S.C., and Mike Michaud, D-Maine, makes it through committee, is it likely to be attached to legislation that would pass the full House, or survive a Senate-House conference committee, or be signed by a Democratic president? “Spending time and money on a productivity thing like HOS, although it’s a big issue, it’s not going to change anything,” Regan said. He encourages truckers and shippers to “go for the slow fat rabbits” and try to influence policy making in areas such as driver health. In the meantime, shippers and carriers will have to deal with the fallout from the new HOS rules, including a 2 to 4 percent productivity loss among truck fleets and potentially higher rates for shippers. As in 2004, shippers and carriers in the long term are likely to work out ways to restore some efficiency and avoid higher rates — unless the economy gets much hotter in 2014 and 2015 than expected. And as a bonus ... Still Wanted: Truck Drivers What follows isn’t a prediction, it’s a certainty: hiring truck drivers is not going to get any easier in 2014. The driver shortage enters its 100th year in 2014 (I’m not kidding. The earliest reference to the “motor truck driver problem” I’ve found dates to 1914.) Although the shortage becomes a glut as soon as the economy begins to fail, it’s never really gone away, it’s simply been masked by recessions and depressions. Despite the fact the current experienced pool of drivers is aging and nearing retirement, the shortage really remains market-based. There are not enough people willing to drive trucks for a living under current market conditions, which embrace driver pay, working hours and conditions and time away from home. If those conditions change, more young people will take an interest in truck driving as opposed to construction, oil field work and other jobs that may pay more and get them home every night for dinner, or at least on weekends. The impetus needed, once again, is stronger economic growth that would give carriers the money needed to raise pay and make their operations more driver-centric. Meanwhile, the “driver clock” is ticking. Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com and follow him at twitter.com/wbcassidy_joc .

Truck brokers

Trucking News

Five Trucking Predictions for 2014

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Market sources say an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 TEUs have landed at Indian ports thus far, with Nhava Sheva (JNPA) terminals alone accounting for 25,000 TEUs of discharges.</div>

Market sources say an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 TEUs have landed at Indian ports thus far, with Nhava Sheva (JNPA) terminals alone accounting for 25,000 TEUs of discharges.

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<div class="phx-topic">As Middle East-bound containers sourced from Asia continue to make their way into Indian ports for temporary shelter, container lines are concurrently trying to evacuate them on available shuttle capacity for the final leg of their connection. But carriers are being hobbled by multiple operational and systematic challenges at alternative Persian Gulf gateways, according to industry insights. Market sources say an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 TEUs <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.joc.com%2Farticle%2Fcarriers-seek-to-offload-stranded-asia-middle-east-containers-at-indian-ports-6185263&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ckevin.saville2%40spglobal.com%7C972081c3ba2f499979eb08de8671235c%7C8f3e36ea80394b4081a77dc0599e8645%7C1%7C0%7C639096017679329220%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=YDeZjDrpaLFB3%2Fkl5wZnogGsDaNv7ZkjIuMMmkD74Pk%3D&amp;reserved=0">have landed at Indian ports thus far</a>, with Nhava Sheva (JNPA) terminals alone accounting for 25,000 TEUs of discharges. Sohar in Oman and Fujairah and Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates have become the contingency lifeline for supply chain stakeholders following <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.joc.com%2Farticle%2Fcarriers-pause-india-middle-east-cargo-bookings-amid-persian-gulf-port-chaos-6179223&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ckevin.saville2%40spglobal.com%7C972081c3ba2f499979eb08de8671235c%7C8f3e36ea80394b4081a77dc0599e8645%7C1%7C0%7C639096017679373330%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Tmtv68DMGAWGS5a2%2BTCY46RYQCq7O%2F3%2FryQQLFbWW1k%3D&amp;reserved=0">widespread port suspensions and disruptions</a> across the Middle East in the aftermath of hostilities between the US/Israel and Iran. A five million-TEU capacity terminal makes Gulftainer's Khor Fakkan facility the favorite carrier transit option, but limited availability of reefer handling capacity across all the three alternative ports, particularly Fujairah, is a major concern for carriers. “There are only about 120 reefer plug points at Fujairah,” a carrier executive who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “This severely constrains perishable cargo movements.” Compounding the pain, UAE authorities have directed ocean carriers seeking access at Khor Fakkan to keep the scale of cargo loads meant for cross-border transits significantly low as onward road dispatches massively struggle. According to industry sources, the Khor Fakkan port authority has either turned away some vessels carrying large transshipment volumes or declined offloading permission for those containers. Given that context, vessel operators out of India are understood to have generally been advised to plan or manifest no more than 30% of loads for transshipment discharges. Khor Fakkan is facing severe port congestion and berthing delays, with several vessels forced to wait more than a week — up to 12 days in some cases — to secure discharge windows. Some ad-hoc callers have finally diverted away with waits extending indefinitely, sources said. Additionally, consignees have been given a firm two-day window to clear goods from the UAE docks amid the import rush, with cargo interests facing the risk of hefty port charges on overstaying boxes. Another concern reported by carrier sources is the scramble at terminal gates when importers not holding pre-customs registration status show up to receive goods at the alternative ports. “Unregistered customers turning up for cargo pickups is adding to the chaos,” said another carrier executive. <h3>CMA CGM ‘inland’ fuel fee </h3>CMA CGM is said to have finalized plans to operate three Middle East shuttle sailings out of West India (Nhava Sheva/Mundra) to call at Sohar and Fujairah over the next week in order to clear up its rerouted containers. To that end, JNPA officials at a stakeholder review meeting Thursday reiterated that the port is working proactively with stakeholders to support unexpected transshipment volumes. JNPA officials said the port currently has adequate storage capacity available, with only around 50% of its container holding space presently occupied. At the same time, some congestion signals are emerging. Container truckers serving Nhava Sheva’s PSA terminal (BMCT) on Friday complained to authorities about vehicles experiencing lengthening turn times over the past week, making drivers refuse trips for BMCT, which has handled most of the vessels rerouted to the port. Sunil Vaswani, executive director at the Container Shipping Lines’ Association (India), told the Journal of Commerce carriers are now deploying capacity over the Red Sea in a contingency approach to handle import deliveries into the Middle East, with multimodal solutions for onward movements. That effort is also triggering more cost add-ons for shippers. After raising emergency fuel surcharges previously rolled into the ocean freight side, CMA CGM has announced an “inland” emergency fuel fee for the Middle East beginning March 23, without specifying the amount. “These (fuel cost) increases are impacting not only sea transportation but also inland operations across all modes, affecting the overall cost of moving containers throughout the supply chain,” the Marseille-based liner noted. Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, speaking to media in Mumbai this week, said the Middle East crisis has left six Hapag-Lloyd container ships stranded and about 25,000 shipments impacted. He also noted that the carrier continues a pause on acceptance of bookings to and from the Middle East as it remains wary of landside pressures in a war zone. Contact Bency Mathew at <a href="mailto:bencyvmathew@gmail.com">bencyvmathew@gmail.com.</a></div>

As Middle East-bound containers sourced from Asia continue to make their way into Indian ports for temporary shelter, container lines are concurrently trying to evacuate them on available shuttle capacity for the final leg of their connection. But carriers are being hobbled by multiple operational and systematic challenges at alternative Persian Gulf gateways, according to industry insights. Market sources say an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 TEUs have landed at Indian ports thus far , with Nhava Sheva (JNPA) terminals alone accounting for 25,000 TEUs of discharges. Sohar in Oman and Fujairah and Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates have become the contingency lifeline for supply chain stakeholders following widespread port suspensions and disruptions across the Middle East in the aftermath of hostilities between the US/Israel and Iran. A five million-TEU capacity terminal makes Gulftainer's Khor Fakkan facility the favorite carrier transit option, but limited availability of reefer handling capacity across all the three alternative ports, particularly Fujairah, is a major concern for carriers. “There are only about 120 reefer plug points at Fujairah,” a carrier executive who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “This severely constrains perishable cargo movements.” Compounding the pain, UAE authorities have directed ocean carriers seeking access at Khor Fakkan to keep the scale of cargo loads meant for cross-border transits significantly low as onward road dispatches massively struggle. According to industry sources, the Khor Fakkan port authority has either turned away some vessels carrying large transshipment volumes or declined offloading permission for those containers. Given that context, vessel operators out of India are understood to have generally been advised to plan or manifest no more than 30% of loads for transshipment discharges. Khor Fakkan is facing severe port congestion and berthing delays, with several vessels forced to wait more than a week — up to 12 days in some cases — to secure discharge windows. Some ad-hoc callers have finally diverted away with waits extending indefinitely, sources said. Additionally, consignees have been given a firm two-day window to clear goods from the UAE docks amid the import rush, with cargo interests facing the risk of hefty port charges on overstaying boxes. Another concern reported by carrier sources is the scramble at terminal gates when importers not holding pre-customs registration status show up to receive goods at the alternative ports. “Unregistered customers turning up for cargo pickups is adding to the chaos,” said another carrier executive. CMA CGM ‘inland’ fuel fee CMA CGM is said to have finalized plans to operate three Middle East shuttle sailings out of West India (Nhava Sheva/Mundra) to call at Sohar and Fujairah over the next week in order to clear up its rerouted containers. To that end, JNPA officials at a stakeholder review meeting Thursday reiterated that the port is working proactively with stakeholders to support unexpected transshipment volumes. JNPA officials said the port currently has adequate storage capacity available, with only around 50% of its container holding space presently occupied. At the same time, some congestion signals are emerging. Container truckers serving Nhava Sheva’s PSA terminal (BMCT) on Friday complained to authorities about vehicles experiencing lengthening turn times over the past week, making drivers refuse trips for BMCT, which has handled most of the vessels rerouted to the port. Sunil Vaswani, executive director at the Container Shipping Lines’ Association (India), told the Journal of Commerce carriers are now deploying capacity over the Red Sea in a contingency approach to handle import deliveries into the Middle East, with multimodal solutions for onward movements. That effort is also triggering more cost add-ons for shippers. After raising emergency fuel surcharges previously rolled into the ocean freight side, CMA CGM has announced an “inland” emergency fuel fee for the Middle East beginning March 23, without specifying the amount. “These (fuel cost) increases are impacting not only sea transportation but also inland operations across all modes, affecting the overall cost of moving containers throughout the supply chain,” the Marseille-based liner noted. Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, speaking to media in Mumbai this week, said the Middle East crisis has left six Hapag-Lloyd container ships stranded and about 25,000 shipments impacted. He also noted that the carrier continues a pause on acceptance of bookings to and from the Middle East as it remains wary of landside pressures in a war zone. Contact Bency Mathew at bencyvmathew@gmail.com.

Port News

Container lines

International ports

Container Shipping News

Maritime

Hurdles in Persian Gulf test carriers moving stranded Asian cargo from India

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">China’s largest shipping company commented on current geopolitical events as it released its 2025 financial results, which saw net profits plummet 38%.</div>

China’s largest shipping company commented on current geopolitical events as it released its 2025 financial results, which saw net profits plummet 38%.

<div class="phx-topic">Geopolitical tensions, heightened by war in the Middle East, will accelerate the pace of regionalization in global trade and nearshoring this year while “amplifying the volatility of global supply chains,” Cosco Shipping said Thursday. Momentum for global economic growth is weak, and the external environment for the container shipping industry remains severe, the liner shipping and terminals group said in its 2025 results statement filed with the Shanghai stock exchange. “Looking ahead to 2026, the complexity and uncertainty of the container shipping market will further intensify,” Cosco said. More favorably for global trade, Cosco said emerging economies are showing strong growth potential, cooperation among developing countries is warming and tariff uncertainties have temporarily eased. Cosco specifically highlighted Southeast Asia and Latin America, where demand is strengthening, buoyed by the widening implementation of free trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Asia. China’s biggest shipping company said the imbalance between cargo demand and fleet growth will also ease this year, with cargo volumes rising by a “low to moderate 2.5%” compared with 3.8% fleet growth, “the lowest in the past three years.” While this increase in capacity is likely to put downward pressure on freight rates, the impact could be mitigated by port congestion caused by the realignment of carrier alliance networks and the war in the Middle East, the carrier said. <h3>Net profit down 38% in 2025 </h3>Cosco saw mixed results last year, largely reflected by volatile US tariff policy, the deteriorating global economy and the crash in freight rates in the fourth quarter. Overall, net profit fell 38% to $4.3 billion last year while operating revenues slipped 6% to $30.7 billion. Cosco said net profit in the fourth quarter was the lowest of all four quarters, falling 60% to $532 million. The carrier said the worst-performing trades last year were the Asia-Europe and Mediterranean services, which saw an 18% decline in total revenues to $5.3 billion. Revenue from trans-Pacific services fell 17% to $7.7 billion, while revenue from intra-Asia routes was unchanged at $7.6 billion. Cosco saw a better performance from its terminals business, with revenue climbing 11% to $1.7 billion last year, supported by a 6% increase in total throughput to 153 million TEUs. Cosco said it would focus the development of its terminal business on emerging markets and trade lanes to reflect the growing trade between Southeast Asia and Latin America and the increasing importance of ports in areas such as North Africa and India. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

Geopolitical tensions, heightened by war in the Middle East, will accelerate the pace of regionalization in global trade and nearshoring this year while “amplifying the volatility of global supply chains,” Cosco Shipping said Thursday. Momentum for global economic growth is weak, and the external environment for the container shipping industry remains severe, the liner shipping and terminals group said in its 2025 results statement filed with the Shanghai stock exchange. “Looking ahead to 2026, the complexity and uncertainty of the container shipping market will further intensify,” Cosco said. More favorably for global trade, Cosco said emerging economies are showing strong growth potential, cooperation among developing countries is warming and tariff uncertainties have temporarily eased. Cosco specifically highlighted Southeast Asia and Latin America, where demand is strengthening, buoyed by the widening implementation of free trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Asia. China’s biggest shipping company said the imbalance between cargo demand and fleet growth will also ease this year, with cargo volumes rising by a “low to moderate 2.5%” compared with 3.8% fleet growth, “the lowest in the past three years.” While this increase in capacity is likely to put downward pressure on freight rates, the impact could be mitigated by port congestion caused by the realignment of carrier alliance networks and the war in the Middle East, the carrier said. Net profit down 38% in 2025 Cosco saw mixed results last year, largely reflected by volatile US tariff policy, the deteriorating global economy and the crash in freight rates in the fourth quarter. Overall, net profit fell 38% to $4.3 billion last year while operating revenues slipped 6% to $30.7 billion. Cosco said net profit in the fourth quarter was the lowest of all four quarters, falling 60% to $532 million. The carrier said the worst-performing trades last year were the Asia-Europe and Mediterranean services, which saw an 18% decline in total revenues to $5.3 billion. Revenue from trans-Pacific services fell 17% to $7.7 billion, while revenue from intra-Asia routes was unchanged at $7.6 billion. Cosco saw a better performance from its terminals business, with revenue climbing 11% to $1.7 billion last year, supported by a 6% increase in total throughput to 153 million TEUs. Cosco said it would focus the development of its terminal business on emerging markets and trade lanes to reflect the growing trade between Southeast Asia and Latin America and the increasing importance of ports in areas such as North Africa and India. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Asia-Europe

Trans-Pacific

Middle East war will ‘amplify’ volatility in global supply chains: Cosco

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Norfolk’s dredging to a 55-foot depth will allow ocean carriers to offer more capacity on big ships that have to load lightly due to draft constraints. </div>

Norfolk’s dredging to a 55-foot depth will allow ocean carriers to offer more capacity on big ships that have to load lightly due to draft constraints.

<div class="phx-topic">The Port of Virginia has completed a dredging project that brings Norfolk Harbor to a 55-foot depth, making it the deepest port on the US East Coast and allowing ocean carriers to better utilize the ultra-large container vessels increasingly deployed on the coast’s long-haul services.The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) said Wednesday the dredging of an additional five feet of navigable depth in its harbor was completed Feb. 28, with the remaining work on official depth soundings and updated navigation charts expected to be finished in late spring. Portions of the ship channel were also widened to allow two-way vessel traffic, with the VPA expecting a 15% improvement in ship turnover, according to a spokesperson. The dredging was part of a $1.4 billion capacity upgrade for Virginia that began in 2023. The upgrades include expansion of the port’s intermodal rail capacity and ongoing development of a new ultra-large container vessel berth on the northern side of Norfolk International Terminals.With the expected completion of the north berth in mid-2027, Virginia will have nominal capacity of 5.8 million TEUs and be capable of handling five large ships simultaneously. VPA’s interim Chief Executive Sarah McCoy said in a statement the dredging and other expansion projects allow ocean carriers and shippers to “expand their operations and cargo volumes at the Port of Virginia without concern for outgrowing our capabilities.”At 52 feet, the Port of Charleston had been the deepest on the East Coast since 2022. The Port of New York and New Jersey, which dredged to 50 feet in 2016, is studying <a href="NY-NJ port takes next steps to study dredging amid larger ship calls | Journal of Commerce">further dredging to a 55-foot depth</a>. <h3>Big ships partially filled</h3>While Virginia and other East Coast ports are already handling ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs), current harbor depths put a limit on the amount of cargo space those larger ships can offer. Since last March, ships over 14,000 TEUs in capacity have made 599 calls to the four largest US East Coast ports, according to Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Those vessels have an average maximum draft of 16 meters, just over 52 feet. However, the average draft at arrival has been just under 13 meters, or 42 feet. Cargo mix and operational constraints make every vessel loading situation different. But one industry rule of thumb has been that every meter of loaded draft amounts to $3 million to $4 million of available cargo space. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="79349f5e-726b-41eb-b8cb-724e259bae44"></dynamic-object></div>Ocean Network Express’ ULCVs have been the most frequent visitors to the East Coast, with some 149 calls over the past 12 months, followed by Evergreen Marine’s 133 ULCV calls and Zim Integrated Shipping Service’s 109, according to Sea-web data. During 2025, Virginia handled 1.47 million TEUs in loaded imports, a 5.6% drop from a year earlier, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Exports through the gateway during that time were 959,889 TEUs, a 1.5% drop from 2024.The 2.43 million TEUs in total volume, which was down 4% from 2024, made Virginia the sixth-busiest port in the US last year, according to PIERS.Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto: michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The Port of Virginia has completed a dredging project that brings Norfolk Harbor to a 55-foot depth, making it the deepest port on the US East Coast and allowing ocean carriers to better utilize the ultra-large container vessels increasingly deployed on the coast’s long-haul services. The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) said Wednesday the dredging of an additional five feet of navigable depth in its harbor was completed Feb. 28, with the remaining work on official depth soundings and updated navigation charts expected to be finished in late spring. Portions of the ship channel were also widened to allow two-way vessel traffic, with the VPA expecting a 15% improvement in ship turnover, according to a spokesperson. The dredging was part of a $1.4 billion capacity upgrade for Virginia that began in 2023. The upgrades include expansion of the port’s intermodal rail capacity and ongoing development of a new ultra-large container vessel berth on the northern side of Norfolk International Terminals. With the expected completion of the north berth in mid-2027, Virginia will have nominal capacity of 5.8 million TEUs and be capable of handling five large ships simultaneously. VPA’s interim Chief Executive Sarah McCoy said in a statement the dredging and other expansion projects allow ocean carriers and shippers to “expand their operations and cargo volumes at the Port of Virginia without concern for outgrowing our capabilities.” At 52 feet, the Port of Charleston had been the deepest on the East Coast since 2022. The Port of New York and New Jersey, which dredged to 50 feet in 2016, is studying further dredging to a 55-foot depth . Big ships partially filled While Virginia and other East Coast ports are already handling ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs), current harbor depths put a limit on the amount of cargo space those larger ships can offer. Since last March, ships over 14,000 TEUs in capacity have made 599 calls to the four largest US East Coast ports, according to Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Those vessels have an average maximum draft of 16 meters, just over 52 feet. However, the average draft at arrival has been just under 13 meters, or 42 feet. Cargo mix and operational constraints make every vessel loading situation different. But one industry rule of thumb has been that every meter of loaded draft amounts to $3 million to $4 million of available cargo space. Ocean Network Express’ ULCVs have been the most frequent visitors to the East Coast, with some 149 calls over the past 12 months, followed by Evergreen Marine’s 133 ULCV calls and Zim Integrated Shipping Service’s 109, according to Sea-web data. During 2025, Virginia handled 1.47 million TEUs in loaded imports, a 5.6% drop from a year earlier, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Exports through the gateway during that time were 959,889 TEUs, a 1.5% drop from 2024. The 2.43 million TEUs in total volume, which was down 4% from 2024, made Virginia the sixth-busiest port in the US last year, according to PIERS. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Port infrastructure

North American ports

Virginia’s deeper harbor could allow higher usage on ULCVs

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Containers that were inbound when the war started have been plugged into reefer slots in terminals outside the Gulf, accruing mounting storage charges as cargo owners either wait for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen or start looking for new markets</div>

Containers that were inbound when the war started have been plugged into reefer slots in terminals outside the Gulf, accruing mounting storage charges as cargo owners either wait for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen or start looking for new markets

<div class="phx-topic">Düsseldorf — Cold chain shippers with containers destined for the Middle East are in a state of suspended animation with reefer boxes offloaded early at other ports in the region and no timeline on when their voyages will be able to resume through the war zone. Ocean carriers have suspended the acceptance of reefer, dangerous goods and special cargo in and out of the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice. Reefer containers that were inbound when the war started on Feb. 28 have been dropped off and plugged into reefer slots in terminals outside the Persian Gulf, accruing mounting storage charges and leaving cargo owners waiting until shipping can again pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Alternatively, cargo owners will need to start looking for new markets. One such shipper with reefers out of position is Tyson Foods. The Middle East is a major market for the global protein producer that brings in halal chicken from Brazil, but Gulf-bound reefer containers were offloaded before reaching their destination, according to Juliana Violato, Tyson’s senior manager of procurement in Europe. “In Brazil we have slowed down production because all containers that were on the water are now sitting in ports near the Gulf or in India or Singapore,” Violato told the Journal of Commerce at the Global Cold Chain Association (GCCA) Europe conference in Dusseldorf this week. “They will be there until they find a new trade lane that could be through Oman or Saudi Arabia, but we don’t know how or when because of the war,” she added. “What we do know is that the market is still there.” Thomas Eskesen, founder of cold chain industry consultants Eskesen Advisory, said the fate of frozen food shipments and perishables with a limited shelf life has been the number one issue for the global cold chain since the Middle East war began. “This has a massive cascading effect with equipment tied up and booking stops affecting carriers individually,” Eskesen told the Journal of Commerce. “Lots of cargo is being diverted via the Jeddah back door [in Saudi Arabia], but it is more difficult if dumped in India and Sri Lanka.” <h3>Land-based options under pressure </h3>The land options via Khor Fakkan and Fujairah in the UAE, Sohar in Oman and Jeddah that are being offered by ocean carriers and forwarders <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/rising-road-volume-puts-middle-east-land-based-options-under-pressure-6187755">are creaking under the heavy demand</a>. Port delays are growing fast, as are trucking bottlenecks, with one forwarder reporting a 20-mile line of trucks waiting to get into Dubai’s Jebel Ali container port. Violato said the clock was ticking as reefers could not wait forever and new markets will need to be found if Hormuz remains unpassable “in the coming weeks,” a move that would bring its own set of problems. “There will be a decision to bring back the containers [to origin] or to sell the products in different markets,” she said. “If it’s chicken breast it can be sold in Europe, and if it’s dark meat it can be sold in Africa, but if the war continues, they will need to find another destination.” Kevin Marchetti, co-founder of Lineage Logistics, said although he had no customers with reefers stuck in the region, those shippers are in a difficult position as there will need to be a different solution depending on the customer, the product and the destination. “Some of the products are pre-approved for certain markets where some traders have licenses and some don’t, so it is a really complicated issue,” Marchetti said on the sidelines of the GCCA conference. “The bigger question is that you produce goods thinking you have the end markets open and the goods will just flow, but now reefers are backing up,” he added. “There is also a limited amount of equipment and although we don’t have shortages yet, people have started to talk about it.” <h3>Holding back shipments from Europe </h3>Andrew Mates, managing director of Europe for temperature-controlled warehousing and food logistics specialist Americold, said shipments from Europe to the Middle East have been held back because of the war. “Our Dubai joint venture has reported the UAE government is being very active in redirecting cargo coming in from ports in Oman and Saudi Arabia and arranging land-based routes to keep the supply chain moving,” Mates said. “But there are trucking constraints where all of a sudden containers need to go thousands of kilometers,” he added. “The UAE government realizes that if the situation stays as it is for a few more weeks, they will simply have to get products in somehow.” While exceptions are being made for critical foodstuffs, pharma and other essential goods, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/maersk-forced-to-ship-fuel-from-us-europe-as-asia-bunkers-start-to-run-dry-6184651">in a recent interview with the Journal of Commerce</a>, Maersk CCO Karsten Kildahl said that at some point “all cargo becomes urgent,” including aluminum, petrochemicals and polyethylene that are all raw materials for plastics production. Persian Gulf states import more than 90% of their goods, and while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has long been factored into their scenario planning, a long-term closure will start to hit the shelves. Another fast-developing problem is outward-bound cargo, particularly fertilizer from the Middle East that comprises about 30% of the global market and is crucial for food production, according to Violato. “If the war takes longer, we will not have fertilizer for planting and grain production will drop,” she said. “When we impact grain, we impact animal feed and protein becomes more expensive and inflation is impossible to avoid. But again, everything depends on how long the war goes on for.” Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Düsseldorf — Cold chain shippers with containers destined for the Middle East are in a state of suspended animation with reefer boxes offloaded early at other ports in the region and no timeline on when their voyages will be able to resume through the war zone. Ocean carriers have suspended the acceptance of reefer, dangerous goods and special cargo in and out of the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice. Reefer containers that were inbound when the war started on Feb. 28 have been dropped off and plugged into reefer slots in terminals outside the Persian Gulf, accruing mounting storage charges and leaving cargo owners waiting until shipping can again pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Alternatively, cargo owners will need to start looking for new markets. One such shipper with reefers out of position is Tyson Foods. The Middle East is a major market for the global protein producer that brings in halal chicken from Brazil, but Gulf-bound reefer containers were offloaded before reaching their destination, according to Juliana Violato, Tyson’s senior manager of procurement in Europe. “In Brazil we have slowed down production because all containers that were on the water are now sitting in ports near the Gulf or in India or Singapore,” Violato told the Journal of Commerce at the Global Cold Chain Association (GCCA) Europe conference in Dusseldorf this week. “They will be there until they find a new trade lane that could be through Oman or Saudi Arabia, but we don’t know how or when because of the war,” she added. “What we do know is that the market is still there.” Thomas Eskesen, founder of cold chain industry consultants Eskesen Advisory, said the fate of frozen food shipments and perishables with a limited shelf life has been the number one issue for the global cold chain since the Middle East war began. “This has a massive cascading effect with equipment tied up and booking stops affecting carriers individually,” Eskesen told the Journal of Commerce. “Lots of cargo is being diverted via the Jeddah back door [in Saudi Arabia], but it is more difficult if dumped in India and Sri Lanka.” Land-based options under pressure The land options via Khor Fakkan and Fujairah in the UAE, Sohar in Oman and Jeddah that are being offered by ocean carriers and forwarders are creaking under the heavy demand . Port delays are growing fast, as are trucking bottlenecks, with one forwarder reporting a 20-mile line of trucks waiting to get into Dubai’s Jebel Ali container port. Violato said the clock was ticking as reefers could not wait forever and new markets will need to be found if Hormuz remains unpassable “in the coming weeks,” a move that would bring its own set of problems. “There will be a decision to bring back the containers [to origin] or to sell the products in different markets,” she said. “If it’s chicken breast it can be sold in Europe, and if it’s dark meat it can be sold in Africa, but if the war continues, they will need to find another destination.” Kevin Marchetti, co-founder of Lineage Logistics, said although he had no customers with reefers stuck in the region, those shippers are in a difficult position as there will need to be a different solution depending on the customer, the product and the destination. “Some of the products are pre-approved for certain markets where some traders have licenses and some don’t, so it is a really complicated issue,” Marchetti said on the sidelines of the GCCA conference. “The bigger question is that you produce goods thinking you have the end markets open and the goods will just flow, but now reefers are backing up,” he added. “There is also a limited amount of equipment and although we don’t have shortages yet, people have started to talk about it.” Holding back shipments from Europe Andrew Mates, managing director of Europe for temperature-controlled warehousing and food logistics specialist Americold, said shipments from Europe to the Middle East have been held back because of the war. “Our Dubai joint venture has reported the UAE government is being very active in redirecting cargo coming in from ports in Oman and Saudi Arabia and arranging land-based routes to keep the supply chain moving,” Mates said. “But there are trucking constraints where all of a sudden containers need to go thousands of kilometers,” he added. “The UAE government realizes that if the situation stays as it is for a few more weeks, they will simply have to get products in somehow.” While exceptions are being made for critical foodstuffs, pharma and other essential goods, in a recent interview with the Journal of Commerce, Maersk CCO Karsten Kildahl said that at some point “all cargo becomes urgent,” including aluminum, petrochemicals and polyethylene that are all raw materials for plastics production. Persian Gulf states import more than 90% of their goods, and while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has long been factored into their scenario planning, a long-term closure will start to hit the shelves. Another fast-developing problem is outward-bound cargo, particularly fertilizer from the Middle East that comprises about 30% of the global market and is crucial for food production, according to Violato. “If the war takes longer, we will not have fertilizer for planting and grain production will drop,” she said. “When we impact grain, we impact animal feed and protein becomes more expensive and inflation is impossible to avoid. But again, everything depends on how long the war goes on for.” Contact Greg Knowler at  greg.knowler@spglobal.com . 

Forwarding

Reefer shippers play waiting game with boxes stuck outside Persian Gulf

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The multi-pronged program includes reflagging four of the carrier’s container ships to the Indian registry and participating in terminal infrastructure development at Vadhavan.</div>

The multi-pronged program includes reflagging four of the carrier’s container ships to the Indian registry and participating in terminal infrastructure development at Vadhavan.

<div class="phx-topic">Hapag-Lloyd is moving to expand its business profile in India via an investment of about $1 billion in a move designed to play catch up with competitors while aligning with local regulatory changes. The German liner announced the multi-pronged growth plan on Thursday as a contingent of company executives, including CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, visited Mumbai. The expansion program includes reflagging four of Hapag-Lloyd’s container ships to the Indian registry and participating in terminal infrastructure development at Vadhavan, a greenfield deepwater harbor project about 100 miles north of Mumbai, the carrier said in a statement. “India is one of the most important growth markets in global trade and a key strategic partner for Hapag-Lloyd,” Habben Jansen said. “We want to further strengthen our long-standing relationships with India and support the country’s ambitions to expand its maritime capabilities, enhance global connectivity and advance sustainable shipping.” While the carrier did not provide specifics of the flag transition, Habben Jansen said it will involve the type of tonnage suitable for short-haul trades. Hapag-Lloyd joins CMA CGM, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co. <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.joc.com%2Farticle%2Fmsc-agrees-to-reflag-12-container-ships-in-india-in-diversification-push-6108526&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ckevin.saville2%40spglobal.com%7C74f5ecd618184ac0524908de85b97d44%7C8f3e36ea80394b4081a77dc0599e8645%7C1%7C0%7C639095228896173730%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=gDljRvjLsRJ%2Byz4QLEDtm5p1ez6WkLQ8sP5%2B5znWkR4%3D&amp;reserved=0">in making such a move in the Indian market</a>.Hapag-Lloyd is primed to drive projects in India linked to terminal capacity and ship recycling via its local partner JM Baxi Ports &amp; Logistics (JMBPL), which operates a clutch of marine terminals across the country, including Nhava Sheva (JNPA). The carrier holds a controlling stake in JMBPL via equity acquisitions made in stages since 2023. “India’s port and logistics infrastructure is developing at remarkable speed and scale,” said Dheeraj Bhatia, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd subsidiary Hanseatic Global Terminals. “Projects such as Vadhavan Port have the potential to significantly strengthen India’s role in global supply chains.” Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines of a Mumbai media briefing, Habben Jansen reiterated Hapag-Lloyd’s stated position to continue operating vessels via the Cape of Good of Hope in southern Africa until the security situation in the Middle East and Red Sea region is sustainably safe. <h3>Regulatory pressures </h3>A wave of investments by liner heavyweights in India beyond port-to-port shipping comes as the industry there faces a seesaw of <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/indias-renewed-protectionist-policies-threaten-foreign-liner-network-expansions-5751795">regulatory and government pressures</a>. Last month, New Delhi reversed cabotage relaxations granted to foreign-flag vessels in 2018 for the movement of laden containers for transshipment and empty boxes for repositioning between domestic ports. The move raises cargo scalability concerns for major carriers as vessel sizes on Indian long-haul trades rapidly grow. Indian lawmakers appear firm on the revised policy implementation beginning in late April despite foreign liners strongly appealing for a review. “The [Indian] cabotage policy reversal is a major supply chain hurdle for mainline carriers,” an industry representative who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “This will have a detrimental effect on transshipment trade, especially at the Vizhinjam hub [in southern India].” Contact Bency Mathew at <a href="mailto:bencyvmathew@gmail.com">bencyvmathew@gmail.com</a>.</div>

Hapag-Lloyd is moving to expand its business profile in India via an investment of about $1 billion in a move designed to play catch up with competitors while aligning with local regulatory changes. The German liner announced the multi-pronged growth plan on Thursday as a contingent of company executives, including CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, visited Mumbai. The expansion program includes reflagging four of Hapag-Lloyd’s container ships to the Indian registry and participating in terminal infrastructure development at Vadhavan, a greenfield deepwater harbor project about 100 miles north of Mumbai, the carrier said in a statement. “India is one of the most important growth markets in global trade and a key strategic partner for Hapag-Lloyd,” Habben Jansen said. “We want to further strengthen our long-standing relationships with India and support the country’s ambitions to expand its maritime capabilities, enhance global connectivity and advance sustainable shipping.” While the carrier did not provide specifics of the flag transition, Habben Jansen said it will involve the type of tonnage suitable for short-haul trades. Hapag-Lloyd joins CMA CGM, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co. in making such a move in the Indian market . Hapag-Lloyd is primed to drive projects in India linked to terminal capacity and ship recycling via its local partner JM Baxi Ports & Logistics (JMBPL), which operates a clutch of marine terminals across the country, including Nhava Sheva (JNPA). The carrier holds a controlling stake in JMBPL via equity acquisitions made in stages since 2023. “India’s port and logistics infrastructure is developing at remarkable speed and scale,” said Dheeraj Bhatia, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd subsidiary Hanseatic Global Terminals. “Projects such as Vadhavan Port have the potential to significantly strengthen India’s role in global supply chains.” Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines of a Mumbai media briefing, Habben Jansen reiterated Hapag-Lloyd’s stated position to continue operating vessels via the Cape of Good of Hope in southern Africa until the security situation in the Middle East and Red Sea region is sustainably safe. Regulatory pressures A wave of investments by liner heavyweights in India beyond port-to-port shipping comes as the industry there faces a seesaw of regulatory and government pressures . Last month, New Delhi reversed cabotage relaxations granted to foreign-flag vessels in 2018 for the movement of laden containers for transshipment and empty boxes for repositioning between domestic ports. The move raises cargo scalability concerns for major carriers as vessel sizes on Indian long-haul trades rapidly grow. Indian lawmakers appear firm on the revised policy implementation beginning in late April despite foreign liners strongly appealing for a review. “The [Indian] cabotage policy reversal is a major supply chain hurdle for mainline carriers,” an industry representative who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “This will have a detrimental effect on transshipment trade, especially at the Vizhinjam hub [in southern India].” Contact Bency Mathew at bencyvmathew@gmail.com .

Hapag-Lloyd to invest $1 billion across Indian maritime verticals

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If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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