<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The JOC Intermodal Savings Index hit a new record in Q1, but rising spot intermodal rates and surcharges could reduce savings in Q2.</div>

The JOC Intermodal Savings Index hit a new record in Q1, but rising spot intermodal rates and surcharges could reduce savings in Q2.

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<div>Intermodal shippers saved a record amount on contract and spot market business in the first quarter compared with truckload, but Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP's) surcharges and spot market price hikes in late April could erode those savings this spring and summer, according to <a>JOC’s Intermodal Savings Index</a> (ISI).The JOC Contract ISI averaged 132.5 in the first quarter, while the JOC Spot ISI averaged 122.5, the highest values for any quarter since JOC began recording the data in 2015.The JOC ISIs measure how much money a shipper should save on more than 190 modally competitive US lanes. There are two indexes:...

Intermodal shippers saved a record amount on contract and spot market business in the first quarter compared with truckload, but Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP's) surcharges and spot market price hikes in late April could erode those savings this spring and summer, according to JOC’s Intermodal Savings Index (ISI). The JOC Contract ISI averaged 132.5 in the first quarter, while the JOC Spot ISI averaged 122.5, the highest values for any quarter since JOC began recording the data in 2015. The JOC ISIs measure how much money a shipper should save on more than 190 modally competitive US lanes. There are two indexes: one for the spot market, and one for the contract market. JOC ISI values are measured from a neutral base of 100. Values over 100 indicate that intermodal is cheaper, and values below 100 indicate trucks are cheaper. The higher the value, the more money intermodal saves over trucking. All index values correspond to percentages, which means 132.5 signifies an average shipper saved 32.5 percent on an intermodal contract compared with truckload contract on a national level, and 122.5 signifies a 22.5 percent savings comparing intermodal and truckload spot markets. Click to enlarge On a rolling 12-month basis, the JOC Contrast ISI was 126.6 and JOC Spot ISI was 114.9 as of Mar. 31. Those figures are a glimpse into what a shipper saved over the last year, which is relevant because most intermodal contracts are good for 12 months. The sudden hike in the JOC Contract and Spot ISI is due to the steep rise in truckload rates in late 2020 and early 2021. Between Dec. 31 and Mar. 31, truckload contract rates have risen 18 cents per mile on the index lanes, while intermodal contracts rose 5 cents. “On the contract front, we are solidly into the low to mid-double-digit percentage range territory with renewals in our truckload network business, and high single-digit percentages in intermodal. We would expect intermodal to climb further by the end of the second-quarter renewals,” Mark Rourke, CEO of trucking and intermodal provider Schneider National, said on an Apr. 29 earnings call. Truckload spot market rates surged 30 cents per mile between Dec. 31 and Mar. 31, while intermodal spot rates declined 8 cents in the first quarter, creating the wide gap between the two modes. Intermodal service lags While shippers had access to significant savings, intermodal service was unreliable and inconsistent in the first quarter, with congestion for both domestic and international loads . With so many outbound loads, especially on the West Coast, inland rail terminals are running low on space. UP told investors on earnings calls that its trip-plan compliance percentage fell sequentially in the first quarter and short of its target of around 90 percent. Trip plan compliance measures how often a container or a trailer was loaded onto a train, taken to a destination, and offloaded on schedule. BNSF Railway (BNSF) told intermodal customers in a video posted online Apr. 15 that service “has not met your expectations or the expectations we place on ourselves.” This week, BNSF tightened restrictions on how many containers can be brought into its Los Angeles and Chicago terminals, a move J.B. Hunt Transportation Services called “a step back” in fluidity in a May 3 advisory . Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) lifted a restriction on domestic intermodal volume in Jacksonville, which had lasted several weeks. NS has also experienced delays on its domestic intermodal network in Croxton, New Jersey, and Chicago this year, and problems in its international intermodal business, which the railroad has blamed on the weather disruptions in mid-February. CSX Transportation has not had any major service disruptions in 2021. Spot rate savings may erode quickly Click to enlarge It’s unlikely the record-setting intermodal savings will last through the second quarter. UP instituted a $1,500 surcharge on excess contract cargo on low-volume shippers and $1,000 on other shippers in California in April. The western railroad also raised spot rates $1,500 to match the contract pricing decision. Other intermodal providers have also raised spot rates since April, according to data obtained by JOC.com. UP has argued that surcharges and raising spot rates are necessary to ensure rail-owned containers are available for core contract customers, and to provide better service by controlling volume to manageable levels. Preliminary April data show that the higher spot rates are having an impact on savings. Intermodal spot rates increased 3 cents per mile from March to April, while truckload spot fell at least 3 cents per mile. Intermodal spot rates will rise again this month since UP’s rate hikes took effect on Apr. 25, but how much savings will narrow depends on the truckload spot market in May and June. The prognosis for contract intermodal savings is not as clear. Even if Rourke is correct that intermodal contract rates will increase in the second quarter, the Contract ISI will move based on how truckload contract rates in the second quarter compare with the first quarter. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @arijashe .

North-American rail

Intermodal providers

JOC Research: Intermodal savings hit records, but could be short lived

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Port officials say the next Army Corps spending bill needs to make sure that dredging funds set aside under a 2020 law actually get distributed. </div>

Port officials say the next Army Corps spending bill needs to make sure that dredging funds set aside under a 2020 law actually get distributed.

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<div class="phx-topic">Large US ports face the prospect of less federal support for dredging and maintenance projects next year if Congress doesn’t ensure fairer distribution of monies from a government-run maintenance fund, lawmakers were told Wednesday. Port of Long Beach Chief Operating Officer Noel Hacegaba told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that Congress needs to require the US Army Corps of Engineers’ next spending authorization to comply with a law passed during its 2020 authorization that aimed at more even distribution of dredging funds. That law, known as Section 102, aimed to distribute at least 12% of the federal Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund back to so-called “donor and energy ports,” which contribute about half of the funds. Hacegaba’s testimony comes as Congress looks to draft a biennial spending authorization for the USACE. The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is expected to reach $7.8 billion next year. Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) introduced a spending bill earlier this month that would require the USACE to use $417 million from the trust toward Section 102 funding in 2026. The House version of the next USACE, however, does not have that provision. Hacegaba said the 2025 US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) budget failed to include some $380 million that should be available under Section 102. Without that, Hacegaba said there was a $43 million shortfall in federal funds available this year to Long Beach for dredging and other maintenance. “You’re talking about nearly a 90% drop in funding that is critical for this project,” Hacegaba said. “(Long Beach) respectfully requests your continued support to ensure that annual distribution of these funds is not viewed as optional,” he added. “We are asking for equitable funding for donor and energy ports.” The American Association of Port Authorities, which has estimated that <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/big-us-ports-ask-congress-to-follow-law-for-equal-funding-of-dredging-work-6055791">lax enforcement of Section 102 could mean a $1 billion loss in dredging funds</a>, said in a letter to Congress the law itself needs to be redrafted due to having too many qualifiers that “have led to inconsistent implementation.” Changing the law “would provide stability and ensure that these critical hubs receive the support needed to maintain safe and efficient operations,” AAPA said. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com ">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a> </div>

Large US ports face the prospect of less federal support for dredging and maintenance projects next year if Congress doesn’t ensure fairer distribution of monies from a government-run maintenance fund, lawmakers were told Wednesday. Port of Long Beach Chief Operating Officer Noel Hacegaba told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that Congress needs to require the US Army Corps of Engineers’ next spending authorization to comply with a law passed during its 2020 authorization that aimed at more even distribution of dredging funds. That law, known as Section 102, aimed to distribute at least 12% of the federal Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund back to so-called “donor and energy ports,” which contribute about half of the funds. Hacegaba’s testimony comes as Congress looks to draft a biennial spending authorization for the USACE. The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is expected to reach $7.8 billion next year. Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) introduced a spending bill earlier this month that would require the USACE to use $417 million from the trust toward Section 102 funding in 2026. The House version of the next USACE, however, does not have that provision. Hacegaba said the 2025 US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) budget failed to include some $380 million that should be available under Section 102. Without that, Hacegaba said there was a $43 million shortfall in federal funds available this year to Long Beach for dredging and other maintenance. “You’re talking about nearly a 90% drop in funding that is critical for this project,” Hacegaba said. “(Long Beach) respectfully requests your continued support to ensure that annual distribution of these funds is not viewed as optional,” he added. “We are asking for equitable funding for donor and energy ports.” The American Association of Port Authorities, which has estimated that lax enforcement of Section 102 could mean a $1 billion loss in dredging funds , said in a letter to Congress the law itself needs to be redrafted due to having too many qualifiers that “have led to inconsistent implementation.” Changing the law “would provide stability and ensure that these critical hubs receive the support needed to maintain safe and efficient operations,” AAPA said. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Port infrastructure

North American ports

Big US ports ask Congress to ensure fair funding for dredging

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Zvi Schreiber oversaw key milestones such as Freightos’ public listing and a transformative acquisition of air freight booking platform WebCargo, but the company has yet to turn a profit. </div>

Zvi Schreiber oversaw key milestones such as Freightos’ public listing and a transformative acquisition of air freight booking platform WebCargo, but the company has yet to turn a profit.

<div class="phx-topic">Freightos founder and CEO Zvi Schreiber will step down on Jan. 31, the company announced Wednesday, as the freight technology and marketplace provider looks for new leadership to guide it into its “next phase.” CFO Pablo Pinillos will become interim CEO from Feb. 1, Freightos said in a statement, adding that Schreiber will remain as a non-executive board member with the company after his departure as CEO. “The time is right for Freightos to have a CEO laser-focused on our next stage of scale-up, while I turn my attention to new adventures,” Schreiber said in the statement. Founded by Schreiber in 2012, Freightos provides a range of procurement, booking, rate management and rate data services. Among the notable milestones in Schreiber’s tenure as CEO was the launch of the now-widely used FBX spot rate index, the move to take Freightos public in 2023 on the NASDAQ exchange, and the transformative acquisition of air freight booking platform WebCargo. Along with launching a freight rate marketplace used primarily by forwarders and smaller importers and exporters, Freightos provides tools for cargo airlines and a digital customs brokerage service. Despite sizable growth in two key metrics it tracks — the number of bookings and gross booking value passing through its marketplace — Freightos has yet to turn a profit. The company’s third-quarter financials showed losses before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $2.6 million on revenue of $7.7 million. For context, those losses are the lowest since the company went public two years ago and its revenue is 25% higher over the last year. “Zvi poured himself into this company,” Udo Lange, non-executive chairman of Freightos, said in the statement. “His vision and his belief in a connected, digital freight ecosystem have shaped Freightos at every step. We’re now moving into Freightos’ next phase ... as we scale, implementing ongoing improvements for operational discipline, and delivering the full potential of the platform that Zvi envisioned.” Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Freightos founder and CEO Zvi Schreiber will step down on Jan. 31, the company announced Wednesday, as the freight technology and marketplace provider looks for new leadership to guide it into its “next phase.” CFO Pablo Pinillos will become interim CEO from Feb. 1, Freightos said in a statement, adding that Schreiber will remain as a non-executive board member with the company after his departure as CEO. “The time is right for Freightos to have a CEO laser-focused on our next stage of scale-up, while I turn my attention to new adventures,” Schreiber said in the statement. Founded by Schreiber in 2012, Freightos provides a range of procurement, booking, rate management and rate data services. Among the notable milestones in Schreiber’s tenure as CEO was the launch of the now-widely used FBX spot rate index, the move to take Freightos public in 2023 on the NASDAQ exchange, and the transformative acquisition of air freight booking platform WebCargo. Along with launching a freight rate marketplace used primarily by forwarders and smaller importers and exporters, Freightos provides tools for cargo airlines and a digital customs brokerage service. Despite sizable growth in two key metrics it tracks — the number of bookings and gross booking value passing through its marketplace — Freightos has yet to turn a profit. The company’s third-quarter financials showed losses before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $2.6 million on revenue of $7.7 million. For context, those losses are the lowest since the company went public two years ago and its revenue is 25% higher over the last year. “Zvi poured himself into this company,” Udo Lange, non-executive chairman of Freightos, said in the statement. “His vision and his belief in a connected, digital freight ecosystem have shaped Freightos at every step. We’re now moving into Freightos’ next phase ... as we scale, implementing ongoing improvements for operational discipline, and delivering the full potential of the platform that Zvi envisioned.” Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

Logistics Technology News

Freightos founder to step down as CEO as company moves into ‘next phase’

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The head of one opposition union says the job protection deals agreed to by other unions in exchange for their support of the merger have “loopholes big enough to traverse freight trains through.”</div>

The head of one opposition union says the job protection deals agreed to by other unions in exchange for their support of the merger have “loopholes big enough to traverse freight trains through.”

<div class="phx-topic">The second- and third-largest railroad worker unions in the US on Wednesday came out in opposition to Union Pacific’s (UP’s) proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern (NS). The move by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWED), both part of the Teamsters Union, comes just days before UP is expected to file its formal application seeking approval for the deal from the US Surface Transportation Board (STB). BLET National President Mark Wallace said the decision to oppose the merger came after five months of review, as well as meetings across the US with rank-and-file workers and direct negotiations with UP CEO Jim Vena over post-merger job protections. “We believe this transcontinental railroad will make shipping by rail less attractive as the merged carrier passes off rail lines that service small towns, factories, and farms to short-line railroads,” Wallace said in a statement. “For rail customers, it will be a choice between Hell or the highway.” BLET also cited safety concerns, referring to the high-profile NS derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023, and UP’s propensity to run “extremely long trains, some three miles in length” as key factors behind its opposition to the merger. The unions also rejected Vena’s promise to protect the jobs of workers, which convinced other unions to back the deal. “We don’t believe anything Vena says about how workers would be treated in the supersized Union Pacific,” Tony Cardwell, BMWED’s president, said in the statement. “The agreements reached with some other unions related to job protections post-merger have loopholes big enough to traverse freight trains through. We refuse to accept the same terms in return for unions’ support for the merger.” <h3>UP reiterates job protections </h3>Union Pacific responded in a statement Wednesday, saying the growth opportunities in the merger are “unprecedented in railroad history.” UP also reiterated its job protection stance and emphasized that five unions have come out in support of the deal. UP flagged what it said was its commitment to unions, notably an average annual compensation and benefits package worth $160,000 that it said is approximately 40% above the national industrial average and retirement income that is nearly twice the average Social Security recipient. BLET and BMWED become the first major rail unions to oppose the proposed merger. Five have come out in favor, driven mainly by the job protections UP has offered to all union workers. The railroad has vowed that anyone who has a job after the deal is approved is protected against losing their job for any reason linked to the merger. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) — the largest US rail union — <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/major-rail-union-backs-up-ns-merger-after-job-protection-deal-6084510">endorsed the deal in September</a>, while the International Brotherhood of Railway Boilermakers <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/up-reaches-agreement-with-ibb-union-to-support-ns-merger-6122657">pledged support</a> last month. Three other smaller unions — the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, and the United Supervisors Council of America — have also come out in favor of the merger. “We’ve formalized this ‘jobs-for-life’ agreement with five unions ... and we look forward to filing our application with the STB this week,” UP said. There is also a split among other interested parties. Nine Republican Attorneys General wrote a letter opposing the deal on Nov. 14, but the Attorneys General from three other US states, also all Republicans, wrote their own letter nearly two weeks later supporting the deal. The STB is not expected to rule on the UP-NS application until 2027. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The second- and third-largest railroad worker unions in the US on Wednesday came out in opposition to Union Pacific’s (UP’s) proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern (NS). The move by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWED), both part of the Teamsters Union, comes just days before UP is expected to file its formal application seeking approval for the deal from the US Surface Transportation Board (STB). BLET National President Mark Wallace said the decision to oppose the merger came after five months of review, as well as meetings across the US with rank-and-file workers and direct negotiations with UP CEO Jim Vena over post-merger job protections. “We believe this transcontinental railroad will make shipping by rail less attractive as the merged carrier passes off rail lines that service small towns, factories, and farms to short-line railroads,” Wallace said in a statement. “For rail customers, it will be a choice between Hell or the highway.” BLET also cited safety concerns, referring to the high-profile NS derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023, and UP’s propensity to run “extremely long trains, some three miles in length” as key factors behind its opposition to the merger. The unions also rejected Vena’s promise to protect the jobs of workers, which convinced other unions to back the deal. “We don’t believe anything Vena says about how workers would be treated in the supersized Union Pacific,” Tony Cardwell, BMWED’s president, said in the statement. “The agreements reached with some other unions related to job protections post-merger have loopholes big enough to traverse freight trains through. We refuse to accept the same terms in return for unions’ support for the merger.” UP reiterates job protections Union Pacific responded in a statement Wednesday, saying the growth opportunities in the merger are “unprecedented in railroad history.” UP also reiterated its job protection stance and emphasized that five unions have come out in support of the deal. UP flagged what it said was its commitment to unions, notably an average annual compensation and benefits package worth $160,000 that it said is approximately 40% above the national industrial average and retirement income that is nearly twice the average Social Security recipient. BLET and BMWED become the first major rail unions to oppose the proposed merger. Five have come out in favor, driven mainly by the job protections UP has offered to all union workers. The railroad has vowed that anyone who has a job after the deal is approved is protected against losing their job for any reason linked to the merger. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) — the largest US rail union — endorsed the deal in September , while the International Brotherhood of Railway Boilermakers pledged support last month. Three other smaller unions — the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, and the United Supervisors Council of America — have also come out in favor of the merger. “We’ve formalized this ‘jobs-for-life’ agreement with five unions ... and we look forward to filing our application with the STB this week,” UP said. There is also a split among other interested parties. Nine Republican Attorneys General wrote a letter opposing the deal on Nov. 14, but the Attorneys General from three other US states, also all Republicans, wrote their own letter nearly two weeks later supporting the deal. The STB is not expected to rule on the UP-NS application until 2027. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

Rail News

Two large rail unions say they oppose planned UP-NS merger

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Hamburg-based carrier will share the tender with feeder carrier North Sea Container Line that will operate e-ammonia services on a northern intra-Europe trade lane. </div>

The Hamburg-based carrier will share the tender with feeder carrier North Sea Container Line that will operate e-ammonia services on a northern intra-Europe trade lane. 

<div class="phx-topic">Hapag-Lloyd has won the deep-sea portion of an e-fuel-focused tender issued by the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), the second green shipping tender the carrier has secured from the group of global shippers. The Hamburg-based carrier will share the tender with feeder carrier North Sea Container Line (NCL) that will operate e-fuel services on a northern intra-Europe lane, ZEMBA said in a statement Wednesday. “At a time when sourcing scalable e-fuels remains a major challenge for the entire industry, winning the second ZEMBA tender is a significant milestone for us,” Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said in the statement, adding that deploying e-methanol vessels was “an essential step in our journey to reach net-zero fleet operations by 2045.”    The <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-wins-asia-europe-green-shipping-tender-to-launch-next-year-5240949">first ZEMBA tender won by Hapag-Lloyd</a> in 2024 was based on biomethane sourced from the carrier’s suppliers via the European gas grid, but the second tender is focused on two fuel pathways — e-methanol and e-ammonia. Hapag-Lloyd has committed to using e-methanol on dual-fuel container ships on a to-be-determined deep-sea trade lane from 2027, while NCL will deploy the world’s first e-ammonia-powered vessel on a northern European trade lane. The timing of the tender announcement was intended to follow the hoped-for adoption in October of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) net-zero framework of measures aimed at closing the cost gap between conventional and alternative fuels while accelerating investment in production. But despite the IMO being <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/imo-punts-on-pivotal-net-zero-shipping-regulation-6099141">forced to postpone the net-zero framework process for a year</a> after the adoption was derailed by US-led opposition, the private sector continues to pick up the slack. “This voluntary private sector initiative remains on track to invest in rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels,” Ingrid Irigoyen, president and CEO of ZEMBA, said in the statement.  <h3>Great potential for economies of scale </h3>Based on commitments to date, the more than 40 members of ZEMBA — including co-founders Amazon, Patagonia and Tchibo, and members including Beiersdorf, Brooks Running, IKEA and Nike — will be able to deploy e-fuels on an initial 22 billion metric ton-nautical miles of transport activity over three years, with some members extending to five years, ZEMBA’s statement said. It is estimated that a combined 132,000 of greenhouse gas emissions will be abated starting in 2027.   “Just as global renewable energy costs have declined significantly in recent years as the market has matured, e-methanol and e-ammonia that are produced with clean energy offer great potential for economies of scale,” ZEMBA said.  “With this announcement, ZEMBA’s first-mover members are demonstrating support for scalable, strategic, and holistic supply chain sustainability solutions that can enable them to meet long-term goals,” it added. Hapag-Lloyd has made big moves to bolster its fleet of methanol vessels. Earlier this month, the carrier announced <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-to-expand-feeder-fleet-with-new-methanol-ready-ships-6133938">plans to spend $500 million building eight dual-fuel methanol feeder vessels</a> of 4,500-TEU capacity for delivery in 2028 and 2029. And last year, it said it was <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-joins-maersk-in-chinese-methanol-supply-deal-5866031">retrofitting five of its post-Panamax chartered ships into dual-fuel methanol</a> while securing a long-term supply deal with Chinese methanol producer Goldwind. In the inaugural tender, ZEMBA members collectively committed to purchase alternative fuels associated with over 1 billion TEU-miles of zero-emission shipping on the Singapore-to-Rotterdam trade lane in 2025 and 2026. The tender covered a negotiated “green premium” paid by shippers and does not involve the base freight rate. As Hapag-Lloyd nears the halfway mark of the first tender, Arne Maibohm, the carrier’s director of decarbonization, told the Journal of Commerce the company was “fully on track and meeting all commitments.” Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Hapag-Lloyd has won the deep-sea portion of an e-fuel-focused tender issued by the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), the second green shipping tender the carrier has secured from the group of global shippers.  The Hamburg-based carrier will share the tender with feeder carrier North Sea Container Line (NCL) that will operate e-fuel services on a northern intra-Europe lane, ZEMBA said in a statement Wednesday.  “At a time when sourcing scalable e-fuels remains a major challenge for the entire industry, winning the second ZEMBA tender is a significant milestone for us,” Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said in the statement, adding that deploying e-methanol vessels was “an essential step in our journey to reach net-zero fleet operations by 2045.”     The  first ZEMBA tender won by Hapag-Lloyd  in 2024 was based on biomethane sourced from the carrier’s suppliers via the European gas grid, but the second tender is focused on two fuel pathways — e-methanol and e-ammonia.  Hapag-Lloyd has committed to using e-methanol on dual-fuel container ships on a to-be-determined deep-sea trade lane from 2027, while NCL will deploy the world’s first e-ammonia-powered vessel on a northern European trade lane.  The timing of the tender announcement was intended to follow the hoped-for adoption in October of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) net-zero framework of measures aimed at closing the cost gap between conventional and alternative fuels while accelerating investment in production. But despite the IMO being  forced to postpone the net-zero framework process for a year  after the adoption was derailed by US-led opposition, the private sector continues to pick up the slack.  “This voluntary private sector initiative remains on track to invest in rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels,” Ingrid Irigoyen, president and CEO of ZEMBA, said in the statement.   Great potential for economies of scale  Based on commitments to date, the more than 40 members of ZEMBA — including co-founders Amazon, Patagonia and Tchibo, and members including Beiersdorf, Brooks Running, IKEA and Nike — will be able to deploy e-fuels on an initial 22 billion metric ton-nautical miles of transport activity over three years, with some members extending to five years, ZEMBA’s statement said. It is estimated that a combined 132,000 of greenhouse gas emissions will be abated starting in 2027.    “Just as global renewable energy costs have declined significantly in recent years as the market has matured, e-methanol and e-ammonia that are produced with clean energy offer great potential for economies of scale,” ZEMBA said.  “With this announcement, ZEMBA’s first-mover members are demonstrating support for scalable, strategic, and holistic supply chain sustainability solutions that can enable them to meet long-term goals,” it added. Hapag-Lloyd has made big moves to bolster its fleet of methanol vessels. Earlier this month, the carrier announced  plans to spend $500 million building eight dual-fuel methanol feeder vessels  of 4,500-TEU capacity for delivery in 2028 and 2029. And last year, it said it was  retrofitting five of its post-Panamax chartered ships into dual-fuel methanol  while securing a long-term supply deal with Chinese methanol producer Goldwind.  In the inaugural tender, ZEMBA members collectively committed to purchase alternative fuels associated with over 1 billion TEU-miles of zero-emission shipping on the Singapore-to-Rotterdam trade lane in 2025 and 2026. The tender covered a negotiated “green premium” paid by shippers and does not involve the base freight rate.  As Hapag-Lloyd nears the halfway mark of the first tender, Arne Maibohm, the carrier’s director of decarbonization, told the Journal of Commerce the company was “fully on track and meeting all commitments.”  Contact Greg Knowler at  greg.knowler@spglobal.com . 

Container lines

Container Shipping News

Maritime

Hapag-Lloyd wins second green tender from global shipper group 

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">But a spokesperson for ONE would not be drawn on whether the agreement was a precursor to the carrier relaunching its own services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.</div>

But a spokesperson for ONE would not be drawn on whether the agreement was a precursor to the carrier relaunching its own services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

<div class="phx-topic">Ocean Network Express (ONE) is making a tentative return to the Red Sea cargo market under a slot charter agreement with three regional carriers, including Thailand’s Regional Container Lines (RCL), which launched its Red Sea-China Service (RCS) last month. ONE confirmed the move in a customer advisory Wednesday and said the agreement would start on Jan. 15 with the departure of the 3,534-TEU SSF Dream from Shanghai. The carrier declined to comment on how much space it was taking on the service. “We do not comment on slot allocations and are unable to provide added color,” a spokesperson for Singapore-headquartered ONE told the Journal of Commerce. ONE said its involvement in the service is being done, “to meet the demand between China and Red Sea ports, allowing us to better serve our customers with optimized network coverage and reliable shipping solutions.” ONE joins Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine, which recently signed a slot charter agreement on the same express service. Evergreen’s participation started on Dec. 3 when the 3,700-TEU SSF Valence sailed from Shanghai. The RCS was launched by RCL and partners — Hong Kong-listed TS Lines and Dubai-headquartered Global Feeder Shipping — on Nov. 14. Five ships are deployed on the service that will provide four sailings a month starting in January. The full rotation is four Chinese ports — Shanghai, Qingdao, Nansha and Shekou — before calling Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Sokhna (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan), Jeddah and Shanghai on an eight-week return voyage. There is a 31-day transit from Shanghai to Aqaba and 23 days from Nansha to Aqaba. <h3>Carriers mostly avoiding Red Sea transits </h3>ONE previously operated three Red Sea-related services connecting Aqaba, Jeddah and Sokhna with ports in Asia before those services were suspended due to the missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels operating from Yemen that began two years ago, forcing liners to divert around southern Africa. Ocean carriers have been weighing a resumption of mainline Red Sea/Suez Canal transits in the aftermath of what has been a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but most shipping executives say the security situation is still too unsettled. The Premier Alliance <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/premier-alliances-2026-network-to-maintain-red-sea-diversions-6134989">unveiled its updated 2026 network this week</a> with services from Asia to Europe, the Mediterranean and the US East Coast continuing to divert around southern Africa to avoid passing through the Red Sea. The ONE spokesperson would not be drawn on whether the slot charter deal with RCL and its partners was a precursor to relaunching its own services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. “On Red Sea transits, our priority remains ensuring the safety of vessels, crew, and cargo,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to monitor the situation in the region closely and assess market conditions and customer needs. Any future service decisions will be made based on a careful evaluation of safety, demand, and operational feasibility.” The return of ONE and Evergreen to the Red Sea follows the upgrading of CMA CGM’s Red Sea Express 2 (REX2) service in October between five ports in China, Singapore and Djibouti and three Red Sea ports. CMA CGM said the upgrade included a direct call at Qingdao and Aqaba and double calls at Jeddah. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is making a tentative return to the Red Sea cargo market under a slot charter agreement with three regional carriers, including Thailand’s Regional Container Lines (RCL), which launched its Red Sea-China Service (RCS) last month. ONE confirmed the move in a customer advisory Wednesday and said the agreement would start on Jan. 15 with the departure of the 3,534-TEU SSF Dream from Shanghai. The carrier declined to comment on how much space it was taking on the service. “We do not comment on slot allocations and are unable to provide added color,” a spokesperson for Singapore-headquartered ONE told the Journal of Commerce. ONE said its involvement in the service is being done, “to meet the demand between China and Red Sea ports, allowing us to better serve our customers with optimized network coverage and reliable shipping solutions.” ONE joins Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine, which recently signed a slot charter agreement on the same express service. Evergreen’s participation started on Dec. 3 when the 3,700-TEU SSF Valence sailed from Shanghai. The RCS was launched by RCL and partners — Hong Kong-listed TS Lines and Dubai-headquartered Global Feeder Shipping — on Nov. 14. Five ships are deployed on the service that will provide four sailings a month starting in January. The full rotation is four Chinese ports — Shanghai, Qingdao, Nansha and Shekou — before calling Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Sokhna (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan), Jeddah and Shanghai on an eight-week return voyage. There is a 31-day transit from Shanghai to Aqaba and 23 days from Nansha to Aqaba. Carriers mostly avoiding Red Sea transits ONE previously operated three Red Sea-related services connecting Aqaba, Jeddah and Sokhna with ports in Asia before those services were suspended due to the missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels operating from Yemen that began two years ago, forcing liners to divert around southern Africa. Ocean carriers have been weighing a resumption of mainline Red Sea/Suez Canal transits in the aftermath of what has been a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but most shipping executives say the security situation is still too unsettled. The Premier Alliance unveiled its updated 2026 network this week with services from Asia to Europe, the Mediterranean and the US East Coast continuing to divert around southern Africa to avoid passing through the Red Sea. The ONE spokesperson would not be drawn on whether the slot charter deal with RCL and its partners was a precursor to relaunching its own services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. “On Red Sea transits, our priority remains ensuring the safety of vessels, crew, and cargo,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to monitor the situation in the region closely and assess market conditions and customer needs. Any future service decisions will be made based on a careful evaluation of safety, demand, and operational feasibility.” The return of ONE and Evergreen to the Red Sea follows the upgrading of CMA CGM’s Red Sea Express 2 (REX2) service in October between five ports in China, Singapore and Djibouti and three Red Sea ports. CMA CGM said the upgrade included a direct call at Qingdao and Aqaba and double calls at Jeddah. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

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