<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">When the container age began in 1958, Raphael Che was still a grade school student in Hong Kong.</div>

When the container age began in 1958, Raphael Che was still a grade school student in Hong Kong.

<div>When the container age began in 1958, Raphael Che was still a grade school student in Hong Kong.Now, at 38, Mr. Che has been named the president of Genstar Container Corp., arguably the world's biggest container lessor. Last year, the San Francisco-based company's 500,000-pluscontainer fleet brought in over $175 million in revenue.Over the past two decades, more and more steamship companies have decided to lease shipping boxes rather than buy them. Leasing enables carriers to conserve capital and increase their flexibility during strong or weak markets.A shakeout in the past few years has shrunk the ranks of the container leasing...

When the container age began in 1958, Raphael Che was still a grade school student in Hong Kong. Now, at 38, Mr. Che has been named the president of Genstar Container Corp., arguably the world's biggest container lessor. Last year, the San Francisco-based company's 500,000-pluscontainer fleet brought in over $175 million in revenue.Over the past two decades, more and more steamship companies have decided to lease shipping boxes rather than buy them. Leasing enables carriers to conserve capital and increase their flexibility during strong or weak markets. A shakeout in the past few years has shrunk the ranks of the container leasing industry considerably. Genstar and rival Itel Corp., the two largest firms, now control 40 percent of the world's leased containers, more than the top seven firms controlled three years ago. Itel and Genstar are both based in San Francisco. But far from sitting back in what is rapidly becoming a mature industry, the young Mr. Che is looking to expand Genstar even more. He said the company is always on the lookout for promising acquisitions. Mr. Che thinks Genstar could manage up to 1 million containers. Bigger is better, he says. Mr. Che estimates that even after the next takeover he won't need to increase his staff much over its current level of 125 people. The economics is definitely there. Mr. Che helped start Genstar's container business in 1981 with Thomas Tan, a former president of Itel. When Mr. Tan died last October, Mr. Che, then vice president of world marketing, was named president. Genstar is no longer the family business it once was, Mr. Che says. In 1986 GE Capital Corp. bought the company and Mr. Che now makes frequent trips to Stamford, Conn., where the parent is based. But GE Capital's backing does have the advantage of virtually unlimited credit for acquisitions, he said. Mr. Che has assumed control at a time when the company's business is strong. In fact, he says, Genstar has had trouble rehabilitating some of the older containers it gained with acquisitions because they are in such hot demand. But no one expects the strength in the cyclical leasing business to last. Mr. Che says the only question is whether the downturn will come this year or next. In the short term, the leasing business performs inversely to the shipping business as a whole. Tight pockets at steamship lines mean that a company will buy fewer boxes and turn to the leasing companies instead. Ironically, the problems of the shipping industry - port congestion and overcapacity - are good for container lessors in the short run. But in the long run, as Mr. Che is quick to point out, the fates of the steamship lines and the leasing companies are intertwined. He says he is uneasy about the coming year. The trend toward larger containerships has increased the demand for leased boxes as carriers try to line up sufficient box capacity. But if cargo doesn't fill the boxes, the leases won't last, Mr. Che said. The vessel overcapacity situation worldwide is becoming more serious, he said. There's not been a major bankruptcy since U.S. Lines. But we're hearing predictions, he said. One strategy Itel and other competitors have taken to protect themselves from a market slump is diversification. Traditionally, lessors have focused exclusively on dry containers, but in recent years they've been buying refrigerated and other specialty boxes. Mr. Che said Genstar has no plans to buy refrigerated boxes because the market is too crowded and prices for new containers too high. Genstar should enter the reefer business when the market comes down, when people are getting out, he said. Meanwhile, the only feasible way to achieve major growth in dry container fleet size is to buy other companies because world manufacturers are already at their limits, Mr. Che said. There is no way we can buy enough new containers to see the kind of growth we want to see, he said. We don't want to stop at CTI, he said, referring to Genstar's latest acquisition. But he adds that Genstar will probably wait until business softens before it will want to buy a bigger share of the market. Other companies are too expensive now. As Mr. Che puts it, The basic problem is that the industry as a whole is doing very well.

Trucking News

GENSTAR PRESIDENT BELIEVES BIGGER IS BETTER

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Fiori joined NYK Line (North America) in 1990 as executive vice president with a mandate to grow the newly formed liner agency and position it closer to US-based BCOs.</div>

Fiori joined NYK Line (North America) in 1990 as executive vice president with a mandate to grow the newly formed liner agency and position it closer to US-based BCOs.

Feature image

<div class="phx-topic">Dodd W. Fiori, a larger-than-life figure in an earlier container shipping era who led the US agency of NYK Line, died Aug. 16. He was 82. At the height of his career in the 1990s, Fiori was executive vice president of Japanese carrier NYK Line (North America) Inc., a job in which he personified the high-profile, influential and charismatic US leader of foreign ocean carriers. It’s a role that has largely disappeared as carrier headquarters have assumed greater control over their far-flung operations. Fiori joined NYK Line (North America) in 1990 as executive vice president after stints at Seatrain and APL. The job came with a mandate to grow the newly formed North American liner agency with a view towards being closer to US beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and independent from the traditional centralized headquarters, top-down management style typical of ocean carriers at the time. When Fiori arrived at NYK, the carrier, whose liner business was consolidated into Ocean Network Express (ONE) in 2017 along with those of two other major Japanese carriers, was investing in and adding capacity in the trans-Pacific with a focus on capturing rapidly growing manufacturing output in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and, later, China. It was a heady time, with independent or non-conference carriers like Evergreen Marine, Hanjin, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Yang Ming rapidly gaining market share at the expense of the traditionally dominant US-flag carriers American President Lines and Sea-Land Service Inc., which were operating in the Asia-North America Eastbound Rate Agreement (ANERA) and its westbound counterpart the TWRA, both of which disbanded in 1999. Fiori later served as president of the freight consolidation and handling unit of Pacer Global Logistics, a unit of Pacer International. “His larger-than-life personality and sense of humor put him in the forefront of US-based executives, never shy to give opinions and criticism but also acknowledging loyalty and good performance,” said Mike Divirgilio, who worked under Fiori at NYK. According to Divirgilio, in the late 90’s as the liner industry was under pressure that eventually led to the collapse of the conference system and the 1998 Ocean Shipping Reform Act, Fiori, in order to protect carriers’ anti-trust immunity, was one of the key influencers seeking to project a positive image and the necessity of what the liner industry meant to US foreign trade. This led to the creation of the World Shipping Council in 2000 as the advocate for liner carriers. Contact Peter Tirschwell at <a href="mailto:peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com">peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Dodd W. Fiori, a larger-than-life figure in an earlier container shipping era who led the US agency of NYK Line, died Aug. 16. He was 82. At the height of his career in the 1990s, Fiori was executive vice president of Japanese carrier NYK Line (North America) Inc., a job in which he personified the high-profile, influential and charismatic US leader of foreign ocean carriers. It’s a role that has largely disappeared as carrier headquarters have assumed greater control over their far-flung operations. Fiori joined NYK Line (North America) in 1990 as executive vice president after stints at Seatrain and APL. The job came with a mandate to grow the newly formed North American liner agency with a view towards being closer to US beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and independent from the traditional centralized headquarters, top-down management style typical of ocean carriers at the time. When Fiori arrived at NYK, the carrier, whose liner business was consolidated into Ocean Network Express (ONE) in 2017 along with those of two other major Japanese carriers, was investing in and adding capacity in the trans-Pacific with a focus on capturing rapidly growing manufacturing output in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and, later, China. It was a heady time, with independent or non-conference carriers like Evergreen Marine, Hanjin, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Yang Ming rapidly gaining market share at the expense of the traditionally dominant US-flag carriers American President Lines and Sea-Land Service Inc., which were operating in the Asia-North America Eastbound Rate Agreement (ANERA) and its westbound counterpart the TWRA, both of which disbanded in 1999. Fiori later served as president of the freight consolidation and handling unit of Pacer Global Logistics, a unit of Pacer International. “His larger-than-life personality and sense of humor put him in the forefront of US-based executives, never shy to give opinions and criticism but also acknowledging loyalty and good performance,” said Mike Divirgilio, who worked under Fiori at NYK. According to Divirgilio, in the late 90’s as the liner industry was under pressure that eventually led to the collapse of the conference system and the 1998 Ocean Shipping Reform Act, Fiori, in order to protect carriers’ anti-trust immunity, was one of the key influencers seeking to project a positive image and the necessity of what the liner industry meant to US foreign trade. This led to the creation of the World Shipping Council in 2000 as the advocate for liner carriers. Contact Peter Tirschwell at peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com .

Container Shipping News

Container lines

Maritime

Dodd Fiori, ex-NYK North America executive, dead at 82

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With uncertainty surrounding tariffs and renewable energy policy, wind turbine orders in the US fell 50% in the first half of 2025 year on year, lowest since the early COVID days in 2020. </div>

With uncertainty surrounding tariffs and renewable energy policy, wind turbine orders in the US fell 50% in the first half of 2025 year on year, lowest since the early COVID days in 2020.

<div class="phx-topic">As US President Donald Trump’s clampdown on the wind industry causes original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind turbines to temper their expectations of US markets, the next two years could bring a temporary uptick in wind cargo activity as project developers race to order turbine components before federal tax credits expire. Turbines for onshore and offshore wind farms account for an important source of breakbulk and project cargo, and the shortened timeline could temporarily drive up demand for turbine components for projects under construction. Under the broad-based spending bill that Trump signed into law July 4, wind projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026, or become operational by the end of 2027 to qualify for a 30% tax credit and other bonuses. On Aug. 15, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued tighter restrictions on qualifying for those incentives — eliminating a rule that a project could count as having begun construction if the developer spent at least 5% of the project cost. The new rules come at a time when US orders have plummeted to a five-year low, and after the Trump administration in July canceled plans to use federal waters for any new offshore wind development. And just this week, Trump posted on social media that his administration would not approve any additional solar or wind projects in the US. With uncertainty surrounding tariffs and renewable energy policy, wind turbine orders in the US fell 50% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period as last year, marking the lowest level of orders since 2020, according to a July report from the American Clean Power Association. Martyn Lawns, senior vice president of growth for new energy and interim global head of industrial projects for DHL Global Forwarding, told the Journal of Commerce that US offshore wind cargo activity has declined rapidly among its customers. “It’s clear those decisions have immediately impacted the investment in offshore wind,” Lawns said. “What that’s done is it’s diverted that cargo to other parts of the world.” He added that manufacturers appear to have shifted their focus to Europe as the largest growth area for offshore wind. <h3>US pullback, tariffs take toll </h3>The slowdown in the US wind market was reflected in the latest quarterly performance of four of the world’s largest OEMs of wind turbines — GE Vernova, Nordex SE, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas. For Danish turbine maker Vestas, the company’s year-over-year order intake fell 44% to 2,009 megawatts (MW), driven by a lack of orders in the US as customers awaited clarity on US wind energy policy, according to the company’s Aug. 13 second-quarter earnings report. Vestas did not receive offshore orders from any of its markets in the second quarter, while onshore orders from the Americas fell 32% to 2,009 megawatts (MW). At Siemens Gamesa, the sting of tariffs overshadowed a record quarter for offshore wind orders, although new US orders were absent from the most recent earnings period. Spain’s Siemens Gamesa is supplying 176 wind turbines for the ongoing 2.6-gigawatt (GW) Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project that Virginia utility Dominion Energy is developing off the coast of Virginia Beach. In May, Dominion Energy estimated that tariffs could add $500 million to the total cost of the project, which is set for completion in 2026. During an Aug. 6 third-quarter earnings call for German parent company Siemens Energy AG, CFO Maria Ferraro said tariffs accounted for the “number one” factor that offset operational improvements as Siemens Gamesa continues to undergo a restructuring. “They had an impact here of a mid-double-digit amount, which accounts for almost half of the impact of Siemens Energy so far,” Ferraro said. <h3>OEMs look to ongoing US projects </h3>At US-based GE Vernova, CEO Scott Strazik is expecting a short-term bump in orders to come from US wind project developers scrambling to receive federal tax incentives before they sunset. The US accounts for two-thirds of the 57,000 onshore wind turbines GE Vernova has installed globally. “Since the tax bill was signed on July 4, we have experienced an increase in our customer engagement in the US,” Strazik said during the company’s July 23 second-quarter earnings call. “So the potential certainly exists for an inflection towards growth.” Meanwhile, German turbine maker Nordex SE, which primarily serves the onshore wind segment, is forging ahead with plans to resume turbine production at its long-dormant factory in Iowa despite the expiration of federal tax credits and uncertainties about the industry’s future in the US. The facility, which had been shuttered since 2013, reopened in July. “We are doing so to qualify turbines for continuous construction,” chairman and CEO Jose Luis Blanco Diéguez said during the company’s July 28 half-year earnings call, referring to the US requirement that after wind projects begin, they must demonstrate continuous physical work to obtain tax credits. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>. </div>

As US President Donald Trump’s clampdown on the wind industry causes original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind turbines to temper their expectations of US markets, the next two years could bring a temporary uptick in wind cargo activity as project developers race to order turbine components before federal tax credits expire. Turbines for onshore and offshore wind farms account for an important source of breakbulk and project cargo, and the shortened timeline could temporarily drive up demand for turbine components for projects under construction. Under the broad-based spending bill that Trump signed into law July 4, wind projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026, or become operational by the end of 2027 to qualify for a 30% tax credit and other bonuses. On Aug. 15, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued tighter restrictions on qualifying for those incentives — eliminating a rule that a project could count as having begun construction if the developer spent at least 5% of the project cost. The new rules come at a time when US orders have plummeted to a five-year low, and after the Trump administration in July canceled plans to use federal waters for any new offshore wind development. And just this week, Trump posted on social media that his administration would not approve any additional solar or wind projects in the US. With uncertainty surrounding tariffs and renewable energy policy, wind turbine orders in the US fell 50% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period as last year, marking the lowest level of orders since 2020, according to a July report from the American Clean Power Association. Martyn Lawns, senior vice president of growth for new energy and interim global head of industrial projects for DHL Global Forwarding, told the Journal of Commerce that US offshore wind cargo activity has declined rapidly among its customers. “It’s clear those decisions have immediately impacted the investment in offshore wind,” Lawns said. “What that’s done is it’s diverted that cargo to other parts of the world.” He added that manufacturers appear to have shifted their focus to Europe as the largest growth area for offshore wind. US pullback, tariffs take toll The slowdown in the US wind market was reflected in the latest quarterly performance of four of the world’s largest OEMs of wind turbines — GE Vernova, Nordex SE, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas. For Danish turbine maker Vestas, the company’s year-over-year order intake fell 44% to 2,009 megawatts (MW), driven by a lack of orders in the US as customers awaited clarity on US wind energy policy, according to the company’s Aug. 13 second-quarter earnings report. Vestas did not receive offshore orders from any of its markets in the second quarter, while onshore orders from the Americas fell 32% to 2,009 megawatts (MW). At Siemens Gamesa, the sting of tariffs overshadowed a record quarter for offshore wind orders, although new US orders were absent from the most recent earnings period. Spain’s Siemens Gamesa is supplying 176 wind turbines for the ongoing 2.6-gigawatt (GW) Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project that Virginia utility Dominion Energy is developing off the coast of Virginia Beach. In May, Dominion Energy estimated that tariffs could add $500 million to the total cost of the project, which is set for completion in 2026. During an Aug. 6 third-quarter earnings call for German parent company Siemens Energy AG, CFO Maria Ferraro said tariffs accounted for the “number one” factor that offset operational improvements as Siemens Gamesa continues to undergo a restructuring. “They had an impact here of a mid-double-digit amount, which accounts for almost half of the impact of Siemens Energy so far,” Ferraro said. OEMs look to ongoing US projects At US-based GE Vernova, CEO Scott Strazik is expecting a short-term bump in orders to come from US wind project developers scrambling to receive federal tax incentives before they sunset. The US accounts for two-thirds of the 57,000 onshore wind turbines GE Vernova has installed globally. “Since the tax bill was signed on July 4, we have experienced an increase in our customer engagement in the US,” Strazik said during the company’s July 23 second-quarter earnings call. “So the potential certainly exists for an inflection towards growth.” Meanwhile, German turbine maker Nordex SE, which primarily serves the onshore wind segment, is forging ahead with plans to resume turbine production at its long-dormant factory in Iowa despite the expiration of federal tax credits and uncertainties about the industry’s future in the US. The facility, which had been shuttered since 2013, reopened in July. “We are doing so to qualify turbines for continuous construction,” chairman and CEO Jose Luis Blanco Diéguez said during the company’s July 28 half-year earnings call, referring to the US requirement that after wind projects begin, they must demonstrate continuous physical work to obtain tax credits. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Project cargo

Trans-Pacific

Breakbulk News

OEMs adapt to US wind industry slowdown, yet bank on tax credit uptick

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Barbara Melvin was on the job for three years, with the Leatherman terminal dispute and capacity expansions taking up much of her tenure. </div>

Barbara Melvin was on the job for three years, with the Leatherman terminal dispute and capacity expansions taking up much of her tenure.

<div class="phx-topic">South Carolina State Ports Authority Chief Executive Barbara Melvin has resigned from her role after a three-year tenure to pursue other opportunities, SC Ports announced Thursday. The agency named Phillip Padgett, its chief financial and administrative officer, as interim chief executive. Melvin <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/newsome-to-step-down-as-sc-ports-ceo-5243562">took over as chief executive in July 202</a>2, becoming at the time the fourth female to lead a major US container port.She joined SC Ports in 1998, later becoming senior vice president of operations and terminals in 2015. She was named chief operating officer in 2018, overseeing daily operations of the port and leading its major infrastructure projects. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served South Carolina and the ports authority over these many years,” Melvin said in a statement. “I take pride in what has been accomplished by the port while I have served it in multiple roles.”The Port of Charleston was the nation’s eighth-busiest container port by volume in 2024, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global, handling 1.85 million TEUs in laden imports and exports. Melvin laid out a plan for having Charleston reach 10 million TEUs in capacity over the next decade, largely through the development of the North Charleston marine terminal, a major undertaking that would require raising a bridge spanning the Cooper River. However, much of her time was spent dealing with how to settle a dispute with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) over work jurisdiction at the Hugh K. Leatherman terminal, which opened in April 2021. Soon after it opened, ocean carriers stopped calling Leatherman after <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ila-can-sue-carriers-over-leatherman-terminal-calls-nlrb-5245707">the ILA sued the carriers</a> for using a terminal that employed state workers, instead of ILA members, for crane jobs. In the interim, the $1 billion terminal largely sat idle. The three-year legal dispute, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/sc-ports-turns-to-us-supreme-court-in-bid-for-relief-over-leatherman-dispute-5201466">which almost reached the US Supreme Court</a>, was settled last year when <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/sc-ports-strikes-deal-with-ila-to-fully-open-leatherman-marine-terminal-5192280">SC Ports opened Leatherman’s crane jobs to ILA members</a>. More recently, Melvin was questioned by South Carolina state legislators over the increasing cost of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility, the near-dock rail yard for Leatherman, according to local press reports. Norfolk Southern Railway has requested additional trackage leading into the yard due to right-of-way issues with CSX Transportation, which has led to <a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2025/07/17/norfolk-southern-budget-maneuver-adds-27m-to-sc-ports-rail-yard-costs/">a $27 million increase in the cost of the facility</a>, according to local press reports. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

South Carolina State Ports Authority Chief Executive Barbara Melvin has resigned from her role after a three-year tenure to pursue other opportunities, SC Ports announced Thursday. The agency named Phillip Padgett, its chief financial and administrative officer, as interim chief executive. Melvin took over as chief executive in July 202 2, becoming at the time the fourth female to lead a major US container port. She joined SC Ports in 1998, later becoming senior vice president of operations and terminals in 2015. She was named chief operating officer in 2018, overseeing daily operations of the port and leading its major infrastructure projects. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served South Carolina and the ports authority over these many years,” Melvin said in a statement. “I take pride in what has been accomplished by the port while I have served it in multiple roles.” The Port of Charleston was the nation’s eighth-busiest container port by volume in 2024, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global, handling 1.85 million TEUs in laden imports and exports. Melvin laid out a plan for having Charleston reach 10 million TEUs in capacity over the next decade, largely through the development of the North Charleston marine terminal, a major undertaking that would require raising a bridge spanning the Cooper River. However, much of her time was spent dealing with how to settle a dispute with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) over work jurisdiction at the Hugh K. Leatherman terminal, which opened in April 2021. Soon after it opened, ocean carriers stopped calling Leatherman after the ILA sued the carriers for using a terminal that employed state workers, instead of ILA members, for crane jobs. In the interim, the $1 billion terminal largely sat idle. The three-year legal dispute, which almost reached the US Supreme Court , was settled last year when SC Ports opened Leatherman’s crane jobs to ILA members . More recently, Melvin was questioned by South Carolina state legislators over the increasing cost of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility, the near-dock rail yard for Leatherman, according to local press reports. Norfolk Southern Railway has requested additional trackage leading into the yard due to right-of-way issues with CSX Transportation, which has led to a $27 million increase in the cost of the facility , according to local press reports. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Marine terminals

North American ports

Melvin steps down as SC Ports chief

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The announcement of Leatherman’s expansion comes as MSC looks to bring in more trans-Atlantic services to call the terminal.</div>

The announcement of Leatherman’s expansion comes as MSC looks to bring in more trans-Atlantic services to call the terminal.

<div class="phx-topic">The Port of Charleston plans to add a second big ship berth to its Hugh K. Leatherman marine terminal, with the terminal’s main customer, Mediterranean Shipping Co., readying to bring new trans-Atlantic capacity to the port. The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SC Ports) said in a statement this week it began installing the test piles to ensure the integrity of a new 1,600-foot berth at Leatherman. The second berth, outfitted with five cranes, will allow the terminal to handle two super-post-Panamax vessels at once. SC Ports said it expects to complete the second berth by late 2026, bringing Leatherman’s capacity to about 1.6 million TEUs per year. The port’s board of directors approved an $88.5 million contract with Orion Marine Group for the preliminary work. Plans for a third berth at Leatherman, which would bring it to full capacity of 2.4 million TEUs, have yet to go forward. SC Ports said the cost of both the second and third berths could reach a total of $1.5 billion. In addition to the second berth, Leatherman will also be able to offer near-dock rail service with the opening of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility. SC Ports said it is in the process of commissioning six rail-mounted gantry cranes for that facility, which is expected to open by early 2026. <h3>MSC adds services </h3>Leatherman’s sole berth has seen usage rise quickly a little over a year after SC Ports and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) settled <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/sc-ports-strikes-deal-with-ila-to-fully-open-leatherman-marine-terminal-5192280">a legal dispute that kept ocean carriers away from the terminal</a>. Leatherman handled 45 vessels in the second quarter, according to data from Sea-web, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. The second-quarter vessel count was up from 33 ships in the first quarter and 23 in the fourth quarter of 2024. Zim Shipping became <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/zim-becomes-first-carrier-to-commit-to-reopened-leatherman-terminal-5735909">the first carrier to provide weekly service into Leatherman</a> following its reopening, but it has since moved the service to Charleston’s other marine terminal. Now, Leatherman primarily handles MSC services from the Indian subcontinent and the Mediterranean. SC Ports said MSC will bring two additional trans-Atlantic services to Leatherman starting in September. Those include the “Albatros” service from Baltic ports and London’s Felixstowe, and the “Dragon” service between the Mediterranean and the US East Coast. Thanks to the presence of automakers and other high-value manufacturing in South Carolina, Charleston sees relatively steady freight volumes coming from Europe. Since the start of 2024, containerized imports from Europe into Charleston have averaged 89,125 TEUs per quarter, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Hapag-Lloyd carries the majority of the trans-Atlantic freight into Charleston, with its average quarterly volume near 29,590 TEUs, PIERS data shows. MSC is second with a quarterly average of 21,939 TEUs. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The Port of Charleston plans to add a second big ship berth to its Hugh K. Leatherman marine terminal, with the terminal’s main customer, Mediterranean Shipping Co., readying to bring new trans-Atlantic capacity to the port. The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SC Ports) said in a statement this week it began installing the test piles to ensure the integrity of a new 1,600-foot berth at Leatherman. The second berth, outfitted with five cranes, will allow the terminal to handle two super-post-Panamax vessels at once. SC Ports said it expects to complete the second berth by late 2026, bringing Leatherman’s capacity to about 1.6 million TEUs per year. The port’s board of directors approved an $88.5 million contract with Orion Marine Group for the preliminary work. Plans for a third berth at Leatherman, which would bring it to full capacity of 2.4 million TEUs, have yet to go forward. SC Ports said the cost of both the second and third berths could reach a total of $1.5 billion. In addition to the second berth, Leatherman will also be able to offer near-dock rail service with the opening of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility. SC Ports said it is in the process of commissioning six rail-mounted gantry cranes for that facility, which is expected to open by early 2026. MSC adds services Leatherman’s sole berth has seen usage rise quickly a little over a year after SC Ports and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) settled a legal dispute that kept ocean carriers away from the terminal . Leatherman handled 45 vessels in the second quarter, according to data from Sea-web, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. The second-quarter vessel count was up from 33 ships in the first quarter and 23 in the fourth quarter of 2024. Zim Shipping became the first carrier to provide weekly service into Leatherman following its reopening, but it has since moved the service to Charleston’s other marine terminal. Now, Leatherman primarily handles MSC services from the Indian subcontinent and the Mediterranean. SC Ports said MSC will bring two additional trans-Atlantic services to Leatherman starting in September. Those include the “Albatros” service from Baltic ports and London’s Felixstowe, and the “Dragon” service between the Mediterranean and the US East Coast. Thanks to the presence of automakers and other high-value manufacturing in South Carolina, Charleston sees relatively steady freight volumes coming from Europe. Since the start of 2024, containerized imports from Europe into Charleston have averaged 89,125 TEUs per quarter, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Hapag-Lloyd carries the majority of the trans-Atlantic freight into Charleston, with its average quarterly volume near 29,590 TEUs, PIERS data shows. MSC is second with a quarterly average of 21,939 TEUs. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Port infrastructure

Port News

Charleston’s Leatherman terminal eyes second berth by late 2026

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">US agriculture exporters say the ongoing trade standoff between Washington and Beijing has effectively shut them out of the key Chinese market, causing them to fear for their long-term survival.</div>

US agriculture exporters say the ongoing trade standoff between Washington and Beijing has effectively shut them out of the key Chinese market, causing them to fear for their long-term survival.

<div class="phx-topic">US exporters of soybeans and meat say they are losing key Chinese buyers due to high tariffs and are turning to President Donald Trump for relief. The 34% tariff China imposed in April is suppressing US containerized exports, Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), said in a letter this week urging Trump to remove reciprocal duties on China, which also imposed a 32% tariff on US beef and a 57% levy on pork amid the trade standoff between Washington and Beijing. “US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,” Ragland said. Approximately 112,000 TEUs of US soybeans and meat were exported to China last year, down about 6% from 2023, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. According to Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, the 34.07% duty rate for cargo into China is pushing American soybean exporters out of the global market. Between July 2024 and June 2025, the most recent data available, PIERS shows a total of 356,830 TEUs of soybeans exported from the US, up 7% compared with the previous 12-month period. Total US meat exports declined 3.5% to 402,610 TEUs during that time. The China tariffs on the US are a boon for Brazilian exporters of soybeans and meat who compete with the US for Chinese buyers. Most US soybean exports are shipped via bulk; the commodity is transported in containers when smaller volumes are ordered. Meat exports move exclusively through refrigerated containers. Since China’s implementation of tariffs on US exports, South American soybeans cost about 20% less than their US competition, according to the ASA. <h3>Export window closing </h3>Meanwhile, the window for US exporters to regain the Chinese market this year is closing. US soybeans are harvested from September to March. After March, China sources soybeans from Brazil until its season ends in September, when US exporters typically resume supply. “The window for US soybean exporters to sell and ship this fall’s harvest to China is rapidly closing,” Steenhoek told the Journal of Commerce. “If an agreement is not reached during the latest US-China three-month [tariff] pause, it will probably be too late for this fall’s harvest.” US meat exporters are facing similar challenges. Last year, China consumed 15% of US pork exports and 14% of US beef exports, said Joe Schuele, spokesperson for the US Meat Export Federation. In 2024, the US exported about 424,000 TEUs of meat, about 56,380 TEUs of which were destined for China. Also creating a problem is the fact that China failed to reauthorize exports from individual US beef plants in February and March when the five-year authorizations expired, further hindering US beef exporters. “We are all but shut out of the China market until those authorizations [for the individual beef plants] are renewed,” Schuele said. Thomas Eskesen, founder of reefer market consultant Eskesen Advisory, said given the ongoing tariff complications, US shippers need to look at new markets to sell their products. “[But] for this year, it’s almost too late to sort of just kind of plan like that,” Eskesen said Wednesday during a Journal of Commerce webcast. Contact Laura Robb at <a href="mailto:Laura.Robb@spglobal.com">laura.robb@spglobal.com</a>.  Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at <a href="mailto:bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com">bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

US exporters of soybeans and meat say they are losing key Chinese buyers due to high tariffs and are turning to President Donald Trump for relief. The 34% tariff China imposed in April is suppressing US containerized exports, Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), said in a letter this week urging Trump to remove reciprocal duties on China, which also imposed a 32% tariff on US beef and a 57% levy on pork amid the trade standoff between Washington and Beijing. “US soybean farmers cannot survive a prolonged trade dispute with our largest customer,” Ragland said. Approximately 112,000 TEUs of US soybeans and meat were exported to China last year, down about 6% from 2023, according to PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. According to Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, the 34.07% duty rate for cargo into China is pushing American soybean exporters out of the global market. Between July 2024 and June 2025, the most recent data available, PIERS shows a total of 356,830 TEUs of soybeans exported from the US, up 7% compared with the previous 12-month period. Total US meat exports declined 3.5% to 402,610 TEUs during that time. The China tariffs on the US are a boon for Brazilian exporters of soybeans and meat who compete with the US for Chinese buyers. Most US soybean exports are shipped via bulk; the commodity is transported in containers when smaller volumes are ordered. Meat exports move exclusively through refrigerated containers. Since China’s implementation of tariffs on US exports, South American soybeans cost about 20% less than their US competition, according to the ASA. Export window closing Meanwhile, the window for US exporters to regain the Chinese market this year is closing. US soybeans are harvested from September to March. After March, China sources soybeans from Brazil until its season ends in September, when US exporters typically resume supply. “The window for US soybean exporters to sell and ship this fall’s harvest to China is rapidly closing,” Steenhoek told the Journal of Commerce. “If an agreement is not reached during the latest US-China three-month [tariff] pause, it will probably be too late for this fall’s harvest.” US meat exporters are facing similar challenges. Last year, China consumed 15% of US pork exports and 14% of US beef exports, said Joe Schuele, spokesperson for the US Meat Export Federation. In 2024, the US exported about 424,000 TEUs of meat, about 56,380 TEUs of which were destined for China. Also creating a problem is the fact that China failed to reauthorize exports from individual US beef plants in February and March when the five-year authorizations expired, further hindering US beef exporters. “We are all but shut out of the China market until those authorizations [for the individual beef plants] are renewed,” Schuele said. Thomas Eskesen, founder of reefer market consultant Eskesen Advisory, said given the ongoing tariff complications, US shippers need to look at new markets to sell their products. “[But] for this year, it’s almost too late to sort of just kind of plan like that,” Eskesen said Wednesday during a Journal of Commerce webcast. Contact Laura Robb at laura.robb@spglobal.com .  Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Tariff battle suppressing Chinese market for US soybean, meat exports

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At SSA Marine Mexico, we firmly believe that business development must go hand in hand with social and environmental well-being. Our vision is not solely focused on operating efficiently, but also on creating a meaningful and positive impact in the communities where we are present. Since 1995, we have reaffirmed this commitment through tangible actions that reflect our core values of responsibility, solidarity, and sustainability. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584535914_Photo%201.jpg" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> A Year of Major Achievements Over the past year, we allocated more than $107,000 USD to the implementation of 60 social and environmental projects, positively impacting over 7,800 people across various regions of Mexico. Each initiative was designed with a holistic approach, addressing key areas that contribute to long-term community development. Education: Laying the Foundation for the Future Education is one of the most powerful tools to promote social mobility and equitable development. At SSA Marine Mexico, we support academic initiatives that inspire and empower the next generation of leaders. One of our most impactful partnerships was with the University of Colima, where we sponsored the “Reto Camp” program. This initiative encourages university students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of sustainability, logistics, and port operations, offering them mentorship, tools, and real-world challenges to solve. In addition, we donated microscopes, school supplies, and educational materials to institutions in underserved communities, helping to improve the learning environment and provide students with the resources they need to succeed. Health and Sports: Promoting Wellness We believe that healthy communities are strong communities. We have supported several local sporting events and provided direct assistance to talented athletes, enabling them to pursue their passions and represent their regions with pride. Beyond sports, we also strengthened our collaboration with critical emergency response organizations such as the Mexican Red Cross and Civil Protection. Our contributions helped enhance their readiness and capabilities in times of crisis, ensuring better outcomes for those affected by emergencies. Supporting Vulnerable Groups: Reaching Those Who Need It Most A core part of our social responsibility efforts is directed toward supporting vulnerable populations. We have contributed to a range of initiatives focused on children, migrants, and at-risk families. These efforts included donations to orphanages and shelters, as well as support for the National Institute of Migration and grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting and empowering people facing adversity. By standing with those in need, we reinforce our commitment to inclusion and social justice, values that are central to our identity as a responsible company. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584944645_Photo%202.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">Culture: Strengthening Community Identity Cultural identity is a key element in building resilient and united communities. At SSA Marine Mexico, we actively participate in the organization and sponsorship of cultural events that celebrate local traditions and foster civic pride. Working alongside port authorities and municipal governments, we helped bring music, art, and heritage to the forefront, creating spaces for community engagement and intercultural dialogue. Environment: Investing in the Planet Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond operations—it’s a philosophy that drives every decision we make. We have partnered with environmental institutions to carry out reforestation campaigns, beach cleanups, and conservation efforts. In collaboration with the Institute for the Environment, we supported initiatives aimed at decarbonization, biodiversity protection, and environmental education. By involving our employees and local volunteers in these actions, we also foster a culture of environmental stewardship throughout our organization and our surrounding communities. Innovation for a Sustainable Future Sustainability is not just about doing good—it’s also about doing things better. In 2024, we invested $22 million USD in the acquisition of 11 state-of-the-art E-RTG cranes. These electric rubber-tired gantry cranes represent a significant technological advancement in port equipment. Seven of them are already operating on clean electric energy, resulting in a reduction of nearly 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and improving operational efficiency by 7%. The remaining four cranes are fully compatible with future electrification, underscoring our long-term strategy to modernize our operations in an environmentally responsible way. This investment is part of a broader innovation roadmap that includes digitalization, automation, and cleaner energy sources—all designed to ensure that our ports continue to grow without compromising the health of our planet. Building a Better Tomorrow, Together At SSA Marine Mexico, we understand that sustainability is a shared and ongoing responsibility. True impact requires collaboration across sectors, long-term vision, and unwavering commitment. That is why we continue to work hand-in-hand with local authorities, non-profit organizations, universities, and our own employees to create solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. Our journey is far from over. In the years ahead, we will continue to deepen our community engagement, explore cleaner technologies, and strengthen the social fabric of the regions where we operate. Each initiative, no matter the size, is a step toward building a future where business success goes hand-in-hand with human and environmental prosperity. We are proud of what we have achieved in 2024, but we are even more excited about what lies ahead. SSA Marine Mexico — Moving the World, Caring for People and Planet. LINK: https://www.ssamarine.mx/

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