<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Private equity fund Bridgepoint has funneled capital into supply chain technology provider Blume Global, which has customers in nearly every segment of the global logistics industry. </div>

Private equity fund Bridgepoint has funneled capital into supply chain technology provider Blume Global, which has customers in nearly every segment of the global logistics industry.

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<div>Supply chain technology provider Blume Global on Wednesday said it has received a cash infusion from London-based private equity firm Bridgepoint Group to build out its research and development team and expand its marketing footprint globally. It is the latest example of investors backing providers of visibility and supply chain execution technology. Blume, in a statement, did not disclose how much money it received from Bridgeport, but said the deal values the company at $500 million. Bridgepoint joins existing investors Apollo Global Management and EQT as part owners of Northern California-based Blume, which was founded in 2018. CEO Pervinder Johar...

Supply chain technology provider Blume Global on Wednesday said it has received a cash infusion from London-based private equity firm Bridgepoint Group to build out its research and development team and expand its marketing footprint globally. It is the latest example of investors backing providers of visibility and supply chain execution technology. Blume, in a statement, did not disclose how much money it received from Bridgeport, but said the deal values the company at $500 million. Bridgepoint joins existing investors Apollo Global Management and EQT as part owners of Northern California-based Blume, which was founded in 2018. CEO Pervinder Johar told JOC.com the company plans to increase its employee count from 400 at present to 600 by the end of 2021 and to 1,000 in 2022. Turning to private equity investors was a natural fit, Johar said. “When we started out in 2018, we set out to build a platform, not an application, for the next 50 years,” he said. “Not just visibility as an application, or transportation management as an application, or orchestration as an application. We can support multiple applications on the platform, but we believe it’s the platform that’s unique.” Blume has customers in nearly every vertical of global logistics, from importers and exporters to global forwarders to container lines and intermodal service providers. It primarily provides order management, transportation management, and real-time visibility solutions. Focusing on companies that can drive adoption within their supply chain partner base is key to the platform approach, Johar said. “The world moved to platforms on the consumer side a decade ago,” he said. “We do visibility extremely well, but it’s the platform that we see as the differentiator.” Touching different logistics processes Because its platform and constituent applications overlap into multiple areas of shipment management and monitoring, it is tough to characterize where Blume fits in the broader logistics technology landscape. It competes against visibility providers with multimodal ambitions, such as project44 and FourKites, along with supply chain orchestration platforms such as Slync.io or Singapore-based Orkestra Supply Chain Solutions, and even a range of third-party logistics provider (3PL) offerings. In fact, Blume is a white-labeled data and applications provider behind a cadre of 3PL visibility offerings, particularly for North American intermodal freight, where the company’s roots lie as an independent spinoff of chassis vendor DCLI. Johar noted that, ultimately, software buyers look for vendors to provide technology, data, and a network, all areas where Blume has strengths, he said, focusing on its large network of 3PL customers and its legacy as a data provider. The company’s customer base has changed in the last two years, from being led by North American importers and exporters needing global solutions, to attracting customers based in Asia and Europe, driven by the deployment of sales teams in those regions. Blume now has customers in 133 countries, and is keen to develop inexpensive tools for smaller carriers and 3PLs in other regions. The goal is to democratize access to technology, Johar said, and by doing so, increase the size of the network using its platform. Johar said, in particular, that dissemination of visibility and execution tools to more companies can help large shippers and 3PLs root out carbon emissions. “Most people don’t even know what their emissions are, forget about optimizing it,” he said. The company, meanwhile, seeks out customers that have a long-term view of using technology to make transportation more efficient and environmentally friendly. “We do applications well, and we’re happy to work with customers on those, but our discussions tend to be with shippers that have a three- to five-year vision, and that means you don’t need to get on the platform for everything today,” Johar said. “The journey of 1,000 miles begins with one small step.” The investment from Bridgepoint will likely not be used for major acquisitions, he said. “You haven’t seen us do too many acquisitions,” said Johar. “It’s not that we didn’t look at the companies that were out there. But acquisitions when you’re building a platform can be difficult. All these shippers are dealing with a platform economy for their own customers. So they should know there’s a platform in supply chain where they can grow together.” The nature of Blume’s investors is also an indication of the company’s direction. “They have invested in large companies or partnered with companies that own terminals and railroads and other aspects of logistics infrastructure,” he said. “These companies bring more than money; they own interesting companies themselves. We’re based in Silicon Valley — we have all types of VC (venture capital) activity going on around us, so we know that’s available. Sometimes to build something unique, you have to have a contrarian view.” Blume has an eye on eventually going public, the timing of which is “never something you can control,” Johar said. “We see ourselves as a public software company in the near future,” he said. “We’re focused on getting to a revenue point, which is probably 24 months away, where we can be public.” Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @LogTechEric .

Logistics Technology News

Software provider Blume to build out global footprint with new investment

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Tariff refunds might be available for many breakbulk companies, but they still need to prepare for the possibility of new levies, conference attendees were told.</div>

Tariff refunds might be available for many breakbulk companies, but they still need to prepare for the possibility of new levies, conference attendees were told.

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<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — Project cargo and breakbulk shippers need to shift their thinking on tariffs and trade compliance from “strategic weapons” to “strategic and tactical” tools, according to sector specialists speaking at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. Mance Adams, logistics manager and duty drawback project manager at oilfield services company SLB, said many companies treat tariffs and trade compliance as a secondary consideration. “I've talked to supply chain procurement, and they've come to me a year after a contract is negotiated, saying, ‘can you help me calculate the tariff on this?’ So, they had never calculated a true landed cost or total cost of ownership,” Adams said Tuesday. “When I told them that they have been paying 28%, they almost laughed me out of the office,” he added. Instead, Adams urged companies in the sector to consider trade compliance and the handling of tariffs and other import and export costs as something strategic and tactical. Elizabeth Lowe, Venable LLP partner and co-chair of the International Trade and Logistics Group, warned that companies should be “bracing” for further US tariffs this year. ”We don’t really know what exactly it’s going to look like when it comes out, but I do think folks should be bracing for there being pretty broad tariffs that go back into effect in July,” she said. Lowe said that those tariffs will likely be challenged because of a rushed process, but stakeholders should start looking at mitigation options now. “It will be pushed through. Whether it is done correctly or not is another question,” she said. After tariffs implemented by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-supreme-court-rules-against-trump-in-critical-ieepa-tariff-case-6173568">ruled illegal by the US Supreme Court in February</a>, shippers are now bracing for so-called Section 122 tariffs of 10% through July and the possibility of new tariffs resulting from ongoing Section 301 investigations. <h3>Tariff refund window now open </h3>The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has launched Phase 1of the IEEPA refund process, allowing importers of record and licensed customs brokers to file for refunds of tariffs paid between April 2025 and the Supreme Court ruling. These include so-called “reciprocal” tariffs ranging from 10% to 41% on most goods from nearly all US trading partners, a 40% additional duty on most imports from Brazil, and secondary tariff orders designed to penalize countries trading with nations like Russia, Iran or Venezuela. ”It covers a lot,” said Lowe. “Make sure you are getting it all. Don’t limit your refund just to the reciprocal tariffs.” She also advised that if project cargo and breakbulk companies are successful in their refund claim, they might find customers knocking on their door for their slice of the refund. “Figuring out how to deal with that,” is something that logistics specialists in the sector need to keep in mind and be aware of, Lowe said. ”Customs is not going to come and tell you you’ve got to reimburse your customer,” she said. “Ultimately, that’s a commercial discussion.” Contact Carly Fields on <a href="mailto:carly.fields@spglobal.com">carly.fields@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

New Orleans — Project cargo and breakbulk shippers need to shift their thinking on tariffs and trade compliance from “strategic weapons” to “strategic and tactical” tools, according to sector specialists speaking at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. Mance Adams, logistics manager and duty drawback project manager at oilfield services company SLB, said many companies treat tariffs and trade compliance as a secondary consideration. “I've talked to supply chain procurement, and they've come to me a year after a contract is negotiated, saying, ‘can you help me calculate the tariff on this?’ So, they had never calculated a true landed cost or total cost of ownership,” Adams said Tuesday. “When I told them that they have been paying 28%, they almost laughed me out of the office,” he added. Instead, Adams urged companies in the sector to consider trade compliance and the handling of tariffs and other import and export costs as something strategic and tactical. Elizabeth Lowe, Venable LLP partner and co-chair of the International Trade and Logistics Group, warned that companies should be “bracing” for further US tariffs this year. ”We don’t really know what exactly it’s going to look like when it comes out, but I do think folks should be bracing for there being pretty broad tariffs that go back into effect in July,” she said. Lowe said that those tariffs will likely be challenged because of a rushed process, but stakeholders should start looking at mitigation options now. “It will be pushed through. Whether it is done correctly or not is another question,” she said. After tariffs implemented by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were ruled illegal by the US Supreme Court in February , shippers are now bracing for so-called Section 122 tariffs of 10% through July and the possibility of new tariffs resulting from ongoing Section 301 investigations. Tariff refund window now open The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has launched Phase 1of the IEEPA refund process, allowing importers of record and licensed customs brokers to file for refunds of tariffs paid between April 2025 and the Supreme Court ruling. These include so-called “reciprocal” tariffs ranging from 10% to 41% on most goods from nearly all US trading partners, a 40% additional duty on most imports from Brazil, and secondary tariff orders designed to penalize countries trading with nations like Russia, Iran or Venezuela. ”It covers a lot,” said Lowe. “Make sure you are getting it all. Don’t limit your refund just to the reciprocal tariffs.” She also advised that if project cargo and breakbulk companies are successful in their refund claim, they might find customers knocking on their door for their slice of the refund. “Figuring out how to deal with that,” is something that logistics specialists in the sector need to keep in mind and be aware of, Lowe said. ”Customs is not going to come and tell you you’ve got to reimburse your customer,” she said. “Ultimately, that’s a commercial discussion.” Contact Carly Fields on carly.fields@spglobal.com .

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Project cargo

Breakbulk News

Maritime

Breakbulk26: Shippers urged to pivot from typical view of tariffs, trade compliance

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">An endless string of post-COVID disruptions has caused breakbulk and project cargo carriers to become more agile while breaking down old barriers with shippers.</div>

An endless string of post-COVID disruptions has caused breakbulk and project cargo carriers to become more agile while breaking down old barriers with shippers.

<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — Early engagement, transparency and open communication between shippers and carriers have become necessities for managing fleets in a global trade environment in which chaos has become a constant, a panel of breakbulk and project cargo carriers told attendees at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “We have learned that uncertainty will remain,” said Carsten Wendt, an executive with roll-on/roll-off carrier Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS. Wendt said Tuesday that before COVID, the shipping landscape was somewhat predictable in terms of schedule. “Since COVID, we are facing constant fires everywhere in the world,” he said. “And as soon as you put one little fire out, there’s another one starting somewhere.” Between the pandemic and the ongoing war in the Middle East, Wendt cited a succession of global trade disruptions that have included the obstruction of the Suez Canal by a container ship, and then Houthi militants in Yemen targeting vessels in the Red Sea. The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and the drought-inflicted low water levels along the Panama Canal added to the post-COVID chaos. “Even if now one crisis (is) over, we have to be prepared that there’s another one around the corner,” Wendt said. <h3>’Team effort’ with shippers </h3>The disruptions have underlined the importance of “open, frequent communication,” said Ulrich Ulrichs, CEO of German multipurpose vessel/heavy-lift (MPV-HL) operator BBC Chartering. Ulrichs said the industry has become accustomed to expecting the unexpected, and that carriers in particular have learned to react quickly in a crisis, as was the case when the war with Iran began. “I think we were much faster to react to the situation than maybe to other crises,” he said. Anders Hyrup, US vice president of sales and projects for JSI Alliance, which operates super-heavy carriers Jumbo and SAL-Intermarine and is based in Germany, said whereas before COVID there was more of an “us-versus-them” mentality between carriers and shippers, that dividing line has since blurred as carriers have worked to improve relationships with shippers. “It’s more of a team effort, and there’s a common understanding that there are issues for both parties,” he said. “Construction will be delayed, production will be delayed, ships will be delayed, and you need to prepare for that.” With the war in the Middle East upending the fuel supplies MPVs rely on, Michael Mørland, Atlantic region project cargo director for Norwegian MPV operator G2 Ocean, said bunker fuel price fluctuations and availability have necessitated advance planning for voyages and fuel. “We probably carry bigger stocks of bunkers than what we traditionally would, and that allows us (the) agility to go to the areas that are more affordable,” he said. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>. </div>

New Orleans — Early engagement, transparency and open communication between shippers and carriers have become necessities for managing fleets in a global trade environment in which chaos has become a constant, a panel of breakbulk and project cargo carriers told attendees at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “We have learned that uncertainty will remain,” said Carsten Wendt, an executive with roll-on/roll-off carrier Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean AS. Wendt said Tuesday that before COVID, the shipping landscape was somewhat predictable in terms of schedule. “Since COVID, we are facing constant fires everywhere in the world,” he said. “And as soon as you put one little fire out, there’s another one starting somewhere.” Between the pandemic and the ongoing war in the Middle East, Wendt cited a succession of global trade disruptions that have included the obstruction of the Suez Canal by a container ship, and then Houthi militants in Yemen targeting vessels in the Red Sea. The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and the drought-inflicted low water levels along the Panama Canal added to the post-COVID chaos. “Even if now one crisis (is) over, we have to be prepared that there’s another one around the corner,” Wendt said. ’Team effort’ with shippers The disruptions have underlined the importance of “open, frequent communication,” said Ulrich Ulrichs, CEO of German multipurpose vessel/heavy-lift (MPV-HL) operator BBC Chartering. Ulrichs said the industry has become accustomed to expecting the unexpected, and that carriers in particular have learned to react quickly in a crisis, as was the case when the war with Iran began. “I think we were much faster to react to the situation than maybe to other crises,” he said. Anders Hyrup, US vice president of sales and projects for JSI Alliance, which operates super-heavy carriers Jumbo and SAL-Intermarine and is based in Germany, said whereas before COVID there was more of an “us-versus-them” mentality between carriers and shippers, that dividing line has since blurred as carriers have worked to improve relationships with shippers. “It’s more of a team effort, and there’s a common understanding that there are issues for both parties,” he said. “Construction will be delayed, production will be delayed, ships will be delayed, and you need to prepare for that.” With the war in the Middle East upending the fuel supplies MPVs rely on, Michael Mørland, Atlantic region project cargo director for Norwegian MPV operator G2 Ocean, said bunker fuel price fluctuations and availability have necessitated advance planning for voyages and fuel. “We probably carry bigger stocks of bunkers than what we traditionally would, and that allows us (the) agility to go to the areas that are more affordable,” he said. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

Breakbulk carriers

Breakbulk26: Repeated global crises force carriers to adopt strategies for uncertainty

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The varied strategies employed by ocean carriers to manage war-driven volatility in bunker fuel prices are delaying the completion of some 2026-27 service contract negotiations as the key May 1 date looms.</div>

The varied strategies employed by ocean carriers to manage war-driven volatility in bunker fuel prices are delaying the completion of some 2026-27 service contract negotiations as the key May 1 date looms.

<div class="phx-topic">Small to mid-size customers say ocean carriers’ handling of bunker fuel surcharges is complicating the timely completion of their 2026-27 trans-Pacific service contracts due to difficulty in comparing how the liners approach the surcharges. While most annual service contracts on the eastbound trans-Pacific typically start May 1, the carrier customers say any delay could force them to ship under costlier spot/freight-all-kinds (FAK) rates until the annual service agreements are signed. Customers, both beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and forwarders, say that some carriers want them to agree to open-ended emergency bunker surcharges with no exit clause stipulating when the surcharges will end. “There is no real indicator as to when this is going to go away and how it is going to go away,” a forwarder who did not want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. Bunker surcharges have become a hot-button issue since the war in the Middle East sent oil prices soaring in early March. The traditional bunker adjustment factor (BAF) found in most service contracts is being changed by some carriers from a quarterly to a monthly reset. More recently, some carriers are also levying emergency fuel surcharges on top of the BAFs. A carrier executive said that while some customers may feel carriers are attempting to force them to accept emergency surcharges or are unilaterally changing the BAF to a monthly reset, he believes there is a growing willingness by liners and their customers to reach a mutually acceptable remedy. “There is a mounting effort by most parties to meet in the middle on the level of surcharges,” the executive said. <h3>Emergency bunker surcharges could increase </h3>In his April newsletter, Jon Monroe, who serves as an adviser to forwarders, said emergency bunker surcharges (EBS) are likely to remain a key wildcard in the trans-Pac for months to come, and they could add significantly to shippers’ costs. “EBS levels are expected to fluctuate significantly,” Monroe said. “In the near term, the EBS could range from $200 to $600 per FEU, with the potential for spikes beyond that if fuel prices surge further. As a result, total landed freight costs may be far less predictable than the base contract rates suggest.” Bunker fuel prices essentially doubled in key global hubs at the start of the war, and though prices have eased a bit in some locations, they are still well above where they were before the conflict. And with no end in sight to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has effectively blocked the daily transit of 20% of the world’s oil supplies, the specter of <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/bunker-fuel-shortages-loom-after-us-counter-blocks-strait-of-hormuz-6204678">bunker fuel shortages loom</a>, something that would add further upward pressure on prices. When bunker fuel prices are stable, the traditional BAF quarterly reset works fine for both carriers and their customers, said Rachel Shames, vice president of pricing and procurement at the forwarder CV International. But with some carriers now adjusting bunker prices monthly while adding seemingly open-ended emergency bunker surcharges to the equation, importers and forwarders are at an obvious disadvantage, Shames said “If the surcharge goes up, it should be able to come down when bunkers come down. It’s gotten very confusing,” she said. The more frequent changes in BAFs and EBSs now make it more difficult for forwarders to price their services to their clients in a timely manner, said Ben Coleman, president of forwarder Teampower Logistics. “You just have to accept that (carriers) will adjust their rates downward if bunker costs come down,” Coleman said. “Our main concern is that we want to remain competitive.” In the past, there was always a way to navigate through surcharges, said John Pace, senior manager for global logistics at Revelyst, an importer of outdoor gear. “You would circumvent those carriers that were penalizing you with higher costs,” Pace said. “But in this particular case, it seems to be widespread among most carriers. There doesn’t seem to be a strategy that allows you to navigate through this.” <h3>Different carriers, different approaches </h3>A trade director at a consumer products company that imports about 6,000 containers per year said his service contract talks are bogged down by the different approaches carriers are taking to surcharges and how they impact base rates. For example, the source said one major carrier is asking for a $300 emergency fuel surcharge on top of the regular BAF that applies on base rates. But the carrier has not made clear under what circumstances it will remove the fuel surcharge or how it was calculated, he said. Meanwhile, a second major liner is passing along fuel expenses on its carrier haulage moves through an “inland fuel surcharge,” the source said. The carrier provides a formula, albeit one he says is complicated, about how it is calculating the new fee. The second carrier is also presenting shippers with a choice on how their BAF will be calculated, either on a trailing three-month or one-month basis. So, shippers themselves can take the bet on whether they want to ride out fuel volatility for a longer period or benefit from a quick dip in oil prices. “It’s gotten really complicated with all these extra fuel costs,” the trade director said. “We were in line to get a good base rate reduction, but now that’s all hidden by the surcharges.” A national importer of home furnishings who is in his third round of service contract negotiations said importers must be diligent and persistent in talks with carriers to protect against unwanted surcharges. “We pushed back on the emergency bunker surcharges, and we did so successfully,” the source said. <h3>Contract extensions possible </h3>With less than two weeks left before most 2025-26 service contracts end and most 2026-27 contracts take effect, some importers are asking carriers to extend their current contracts at least until mid-May while negotiations on new deals continue. But that’s something that must be done on a carrier-by-carrier basis because not all liners are willing to extend the existing contracts, forwarders say. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="56cdc0fc-22a5-4ef9-9e3e-11f96f369c70"></dynamic-object></div>If a carrier refuses to extend the existing contract temporarily, importers will have to pay the current spot rate, which was $2,700 per FEU to the West Coast and $3,700 per FEU as of April 21, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Most mid-size importers are currently paying in the range of $1,700 to $1,850 to the West Coast per their 2025-26 service contracts. ”(Some) carriers are extending (existing contract) rates until mid-May,” Monroe said. An industry consultant who formerly served in logistics roles at big-box retailers said most of the larger retailers have finalized their 2026-27 service contracts or are ready to do so. However, smaller importers say they are meeting resistance from some carriers for escape clauses from emergency fuel surcharges. “The smaller ones, they don’t have any leverage,” the consultant said. “They’re at the mercy of the carriers.” Contact Bill Mongelluzzo <a href="bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com ">at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>.  Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Small to mid-size customers say ocean carriers’ handling of bunker fuel surcharges is complicating the timely completion of their 2026-27 trans-Pacific service contracts due to difficulty in comparing how the liners approach the surcharges. While most annual service contracts on the eastbound trans-Pacific typically start May 1, the carrier customers say any delay could force them to ship under costlier spot/freight-all-kinds (FAK) rates until the annual service agreements are signed. Customers, both beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and forwarders, say that some carriers want them to agree to open-ended emergency bunker surcharges with no exit clause stipulating when the surcharges will end. “There is no real indicator as to when this is going to go away and how it is going to go away,” a forwarder who did not want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. Bunker surcharges have become a hot-button issue since the war in the Middle East sent oil prices soaring in early March. The traditional bunker adjustment factor (BAF) found in most service contracts is being changed by some carriers from a quarterly to a monthly reset. More recently, some carriers are also levying emergency fuel surcharges on top of the BAFs. A carrier executive said that while some customers may feel carriers are attempting to force them to accept emergency surcharges or are unilaterally changing the BAF to a monthly reset, he believes there is a growing willingness by liners and their customers to reach a mutually acceptable remedy. “There is a mounting effort by most parties to meet in the middle on the level of surcharges,” the executive said. Emergency bunker surcharges could increase In his April newsletter, Jon Monroe, who serves as an adviser to forwarders, said emergency bunker surcharges (EBS) are likely to remain a key wildcard in the trans-Pac for months to come, and they could add significantly to shippers’ costs. “EBS levels are expected to fluctuate significantly,” Monroe said. “In the near term, the EBS could range from $200 to $600 per FEU, with the potential for spikes beyond that if fuel prices surge further. As a result, total landed freight costs may be far less predictable than the base contract rates suggest.” Bunker fuel prices essentially doubled in key global hubs at the start of the war, and though prices have eased a bit in some locations, they are still well above where they were before the conflict. And with no end in sight to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has effectively blocked the daily transit of 20% of the world’s oil supplies, the specter of bunker fuel shortages loom , something that would add further upward pressure on prices. When bunker fuel prices are stable, the traditional BAF quarterly reset works fine for both carriers and their customers, said Rachel Shames, vice president of pricing and procurement at the forwarder CV International. But with some carriers now adjusting bunker prices monthly while adding seemingly open-ended emergency bunker surcharges to the equation, importers and forwarders are at an obvious disadvantage, Shames said “If the surcharge goes up, it should be able to come down when bunkers come down. It’s gotten very confusing,” she said. The more frequent changes in BAFs and EBSs now make it more difficult for forwarders to price their services to their clients in a timely manner, said Ben Coleman, president of forwarder Teampower Logistics. “You just have to accept that (carriers) will adjust their rates downward if bunker costs come down,” Coleman said. “Our main concern is that we want to remain competitive.” In the past, there was always a way to navigate through surcharges, said John Pace, senior manager for global logistics at Revelyst, an importer of outdoor gear. “You would circumvent those carriers that were penalizing you with higher costs,” Pace said. “But in this particular case, it seems to be widespread among most carriers. There doesn’t seem to be a strategy that allows you to navigate through this.” Different carriers, different approaches A trade director at a consumer products company that imports about 6,000 containers per year said his service contract talks are bogged down by the different approaches carriers are taking to surcharges and how they impact base rates. For example, the source said one major carrier is asking for a $300 emergency fuel surcharge on top of the regular BAF that applies on base rates. But the carrier has not made clear under what circumstances it will remove the fuel surcharge or how it was calculated, he said. Meanwhile, a second major liner is passing along fuel expenses on its carrier haulage moves through an “inland fuel surcharge,” the source said. The carrier provides a formula, albeit one he says is complicated, about how it is calculating the new fee. The second carrier is also presenting shippers with a choice on how their BAF will be calculated, either on a trailing three-month or one-month basis. So, shippers themselves can take the bet on whether they want to ride out fuel volatility for a longer period or benefit from a quick dip in oil prices. “It’s gotten really complicated with all these extra fuel costs,” the trade director said. “We were in line to get a good base rate reduction, but now that’s all hidden by the surcharges.” A national importer of home furnishings who is in his third round of service contract negotiations said importers must be diligent and persistent in talks with carriers to protect against unwanted surcharges. “We pushed back on the emergency bunker surcharges, and we did so successfully,” the source said. Contract extensions possible With less than two weeks left before most 2025-26 service contracts end and most 2026-27 contracts take effect, some importers are asking carriers to extend their current contracts at least until mid-May while negotiations on new deals continue. But that’s something that must be done on a carrier-by-carrier basis because not all liners are willing to extend the existing contracts, forwarders say. If a carrier refuses to extend the existing contract temporarily, importers will have to pay the current spot rate, which was $2,700 per FEU to the West Coast and $3,700 per FEU as of April 21, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Most mid-size importers are currently paying in the range of $1,700 to $1,850 to the West Coast per their 2025-26 service contracts. ”(Some) carriers are extending (existing contract) rates until mid-May,” Monroe said. An industry consultant who formerly served in logistics roles at big-box retailers said most of the larger retailers have finalized their 2026-27 service contracts or are ready to do so. However, smaller importers say they are meeting resistance from some carriers for escape clauses from emergency fuel surcharges. “The smaller ones, they don’t have any leverage,” the consultant said. “They’re at the mercy of the carriers.” Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .  Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Container lines

Forwarding

Trans-Pacific

Container Shipping News

Carriers’ handling of fuel surcharges agitates small, mid-size trans-Pac shippers

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Forwarders are juggling a steady stream of distractions while balancing a workforce to meet ever-evolving hot-button topics, conference attendees were told.</div>

Forwarders are juggling a steady stream of distractions while balancing a workforce to meet ever-evolving hot-button topics, conference attendees were told.

<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — “Buckets of risks” are keeping project cargo stakeholders awake at night, according to panelists at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. Luke Mace, senior vice president at global freight forwarder GEODIS Project Logistics, told conference participants Tuesday he counted three buckets of risk: people, established risks and newer disruptions. “No matter what we discuss today, the biggest risk to your organization will always be people. Let's not forget that through everything else,” he said. “The second bucket is the more established risks, the ones that we’ve learned through decades of experience.” Mace said forwarders create tools to help measure what they believe “could” happen on any given project to identify what risks they can take. “And that could be anything from foreign exchange losses to compliance issues and equipment availability,” he said. But it is the third category of “newer disruptions” that is really upending project cargo and breakbulk logistics today. “Right now, that is the Middle East conflict, but that’s just the most recent,” Mace said. “You have had everything from the Baltimore bridge to Ukraine to COVID to union strikes ... there are so many things around that are not about moving cargo.” Guillermina del Pino, head of project logistics/Americas at shipper Siemens Energy, told Breakbulk26 that strategies are being adjusted every day. “I’ve been doing this for 27 years and today you would probably look at the next two to three years as a long-term strategy because we don’t know what will happen in 10 years,” she said. An upside of this volatility is that project cargo shippers are now working more closely with contract managers and legal sales within their companies, del Pino added. <h3>Priorities keep shifting </h3>Mace said managing project cargo logistics today has become a matter of “balancing priorities.” “Every couple of years there’s a new industry trend,” he said. “Today it’s AI. Before, it was sustainability. Before that, cyber security. Before that, gender diversity. These are all equally important topics.” Mace said that project forwarders invest heavily in these areas, and that investment has to be maintained when the industry moves onto the next topic. “You pivot now to putting more resources into dealing with the current conflicts, and you just keep adding more and more people to your organization,” he said, adding that customers still demand cheap deals from their forwarders, despite them carrying “crazy overheads.” “Sometimes I think it becomes a bit of a distraction, because I tend to spend 90% of my time talking about things that have nothing to do with delivering cargo,” said Mace. “We've become lawyers and finance directors. We’ve become everything, not only delivering cargo.” Contact Carly Fields at <a href="mailto:carly.fields@spglobal.com">carly.fields@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

New Orleans — “Buckets of risks” are keeping project cargo stakeholders awake at night, according to panelists at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. Luke Mace, senior vice president at global freight forwarder GEODIS Project Logistics, told conference participants Tuesday he counted three buckets of risk: people, established risks and newer disruptions. “No matter what we discuss today, the biggest risk to your organization will always be people. Let's not forget that through everything else,” he said. “The second bucket is the more established risks, the ones that we’ve learned through decades of experience.” Mace said forwarders create tools to help measure what they believe “could” happen on any given project to identify what risks they can take. “And that could be anything from foreign exchange losses to compliance issues and equipment availability,” he said. But it is the third category of “newer disruptions” that is really upending project cargo and breakbulk logistics today. “Right now, that is the Middle East conflict, but that’s just the most recent,” Mace said. “You have had everything from the Baltimore bridge to Ukraine to COVID to union strikes ... there are so many things around that are not about moving cargo.” Guillermina del Pino, head of project logistics/Americas at shipper Siemens Energy, told Breakbulk26 that strategies are being adjusted every day. “I’ve been doing this for 27 years and today you would probably look at the next two to three years as a long-term strategy because we don’t know what will happen in 10 years,” she said. An upside of this volatility is that project cargo shippers are now working more closely with contract managers and legal sales within their companies, del Pino added. Priorities keep shifting Mace said managing project cargo logistics today has become a matter of “balancing priorities.” “Every couple of years there’s a new industry trend,” he said. “Today it’s AI. Before, it was sustainability. Before that, cyber security. Before that, gender diversity. These are all equally important topics.” Mace said that project forwarders invest heavily in these areas, and that investment has to be maintained when the industry moves onto the next topic. “You pivot now to putting more resources into dealing with the current conflicts, and you just keep adding more and more people to your organization,” he said, adding that customers still demand cheap deals from their forwarders, despite them carrying “crazy overheads.” “Sometimes I think it becomes a bit of a distraction, because I tend to spend 90% of my time talking about things that have nothing to do with delivering cargo,” said Mace. “We've become lawyers and finance directors. We’ve become everything, not only delivering cargo.” Contact Carly Fields at carly.fields@spglobal.com .

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Breakbulk26: Risk ‘buckets’ disrupting project cargo logistics priorities

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The terminal operator and port authority will enter a one-year exclusivity period to explore jointly developing and operating the proposed mega terminal that would increase Vancouver’s capacity by 50%. </div>

The terminal operator and port authority will enter a one-year exclusivity period to explore jointly developing and operating the proposed mega terminal that would increase Vancouver’s capacity by 50%.

<div class="phx-topic">Global Container Terminals (GCT) and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) will explore the possibility of jointly developing and operating the port’s proposed mega terminal, they announced Tuesday. GCT will also pull its request to develop a new berth at its main Vancouver terminal. GCT and the VFPA said in a joint statement they’ve signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for studying the development of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2. The MOU will allow the parties to work exclusively over a one-year period “to share information and negotiate in good faith” toward a final development agreement, they said. First scoped out in 2013, Roberts Bank 2 would provide an additional 2.4 million TEUs of capacity to Vancouver, which, by some estimates, would near full capacity by the 2030s. Vancouver has nominal capacity of 5 million TEUs currently. The project, for which the VFPA would fund the below-water work, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/planned-vancouver-mega-container-terminal-wins-environmental-clearance-5217090">received environmental approval back in 2023 after a lengthy review</a>. The MOU also marks the official end of <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/vancouver-capacity-needs-spark-conflict-among-port-tenant-5223507">GCT’s own plan to expand Vancouver’s capacity</a> by adding a fourth berth to its Deltaport terminal. GCT had pitched the fourth berth that would add 2 million TEUs of capacity to Vancouver as a faster option than building a new terminal. However, GCT said that as part of the Roberts Bank MOU with the port authority, it has permanently withdrawn its application for developing the berth. “Increasing container capacity is essential to meeting future demand, improving supply chain resilience, and maintaining Canada’s global competitiveness,” the joint statement said. “The MOU reflects a shared commitment to strengthen Canada’s trade infrastructure by exploring opportunities for partnership to deliver RBT2 in a coordinated, efficient, and commercially viable manner.” The move by GCT and the VFPA to advance the terminal project comes amid Canada’s broader push to diversify its trade away from the US. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/canada-looks-for-new-container-gateways-for-decoupling-from-us-6122714">Canada’s government has pledged that billions in funds</a> will be made available to trade-related infrastructure projects over the coming years. In the country’s east, the Port of Montreal has started land grading and below-water work on <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/dp-world-to-build-big-ship-container-terminal-in-montreal-6077326">its planned Contrecoeur container terminal</a>, which DP World is slated to co-develop and operate. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Global Container Terminals (GCT) and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) will explore the possibility of jointly developing and operating the port’s proposed mega terminal, they announced Tuesday. GCT will also pull its request to develop a new berth at its main Vancouver terminal. GCT and the VFPA said in a joint statement they’ve signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for studying the development of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2. The MOU will allow the parties to work exclusively over a one-year period “to share information and negotiate in good faith” toward a final development agreement, they said. First scoped out in 2013, Roberts Bank 2 would provide an additional 2.4 million TEUs of capacity to Vancouver, which, by some estimates, would near full capacity by the 2030s. Vancouver has nominal capacity of 5 million TEUs currently. The project, for which the VFPA would fund the below-water work, received environmental approval back in 2023 after a lengthy review . The MOU also marks the official end of GCT’s own plan to expand Vancouver’s capacity by adding a fourth berth to its Deltaport terminal. GCT had pitched the fourth berth that would add 2 million TEUs of capacity to Vancouver as a faster option than building a new terminal. However, GCT said that as part of the Roberts Bank MOU with the port authority, it has permanently withdrawn its application for developing the berth. “Increasing container capacity is essential to meeting future demand, improving supply chain resilience, and maintaining Canada’s global competitiveness,” the joint statement said. “The MOU reflects a shared commitment to strengthen Canada’s trade infrastructure by exploring opportunities for partnership to deliver RBT2 in a coordinated, efficient, and commercially viable manner.” The move by GCT and the VFPA to advance the terminal project comes amid Canada’s broader push to diversify its trade away from the US. Canada’s government has pledged that billions in funds will be made available to trade-related infrastructure projects over the coming years. In the country’s east, the Port of Montreal has started land grading and below-water work on its planned Contrecoeur container terminal , which DP World is slated to co-develop and operate. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

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GCT, Vancouver port to jointly study Roberts Bank terminal project

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