CMA CGM has made another major acquisition, bringing Europe’s main automotive logistics service provider under the wing of CEVA Logistics.

The bull run that drove carrier profits to extreme levels last year has continued into 2022, with Cosco the first to predict multi-billion-dollar first-quarter earnings.

Shippers and their service providers exiting the China-Europe rail route through Russia has slammed the brakes on a trade lane that expanded by almost 30 percent in 2021.

The differential between short- and long-term rates on Asia-North Europe has narrowed dramatically in the past few days, while spot rates on the trans-Atlantic have taken off.

Carriers and analysts warn that higher-than-expected demand and resulting shifts in vessel rotations have made the US East Coast “the next hot spot” for port congestion.

Chinese carrier Cosco believes the high-riding container shipping sector will need to navigate a growing series of global challenges that could influence the industry’s long-term performance.

Bonded trucking services in and out of Shanghai’s Pudong have been suspended and most flights have been canceled, bringing operations at China’s busiest cargo airport to a standstill.

The reluctance to ship China export rail cargo through Russia to Europe is keeping forwarders busy, but the only available options come at a cost.

Import volume from China has been increasing since late last year, and combined with the severely disrupted supply chains is leading to a deteriorating cargo storage situation across Europe.

The temporary suspension of P&O Ferries’ services has rocked a UK logistics industry already struggling to cope with a host of supply chain issues caused by Brexit, the pandemic, and ongoing manpower shortages.

For China-Europe rail shippers, there are precious few alternatives to the northern corridor that passes through Russia and Belarus and handles almost all the volume moved on the land bridge.

Maritime groups say they have addressed concerns that have slowed progress in creating an R&D fund meant to find global shipping’s green fuel of the future.

The ever-widening effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine and China’s COVID-19 lockdowns are placing mounting pressure on an already stressed air cargo sector.

Geopolitical turmoil is pushing up bunker prices, significantly adding to carrier costs that will be passed on to shippers through fuel surcharges in long-term contracts.

Maersk has signed strategic agreements with global green methanol producers as it accelerates progress towards revised greenhouse gas emissions targets.

Hapag-Lloyd has acquired Africa specialist carrier as the German container line expands its footprint in a continent the carrier’s CEO believes holds long-term potential.

The first-ever China-Europe express ocean service connecting just two ports is a move by Hapag-Lloyd to reduce its exposure to heavily congested North European hubs.

CMA CGM has followed the industry trend of reporting extreme profitability for 2021, dramatically paring down debt while making several billion-dollar acquisitions.

Strong demand and port and inland logistics bottlenecks continue to tie up ships on the major trades, while carriers inject capacity to cover the disruption.

The land bridge rail network between Asia and North Europe, a popular alternative to ocean shipping, is now restricted as carriers suspend bookings to a key rail hub in Belarus.

The fast-evolving sanctions against Russia have created growing uncertainty in shipping circles, with thousands of inbound containers that can’t be delivered likely to further clog Europe’s already-congested terminals.

Upcoming labor contract negotiations between dockworkers and terminals on the US West Coast were on the minds of carrier executives at TPM22.

Most of the world’s major carriers have now suspended shipments to and from Russia, severely restricting commercial maritime access to the country in the aftermath of its invasion of Ukraine.

Dutch Customs is preventing terminals in the country from handling Russia-bound containers, while another carrier has suspended all bookings to Russia in the aftermath of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Europe’s busiest container port was able to shrug off congestion and fewer ship arrivals to report rising container volume in 2021.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted the closure of the country’s main port of Odessa, forcing container carriers to divert vessels.

Growing demand for e-commerce is behind forwarder moves to lock in controlled air freight capacity on Asia-US routes, with a particular focus on Vietnam.

The board of UK e-commerce and reverse logistics specialist Clipper will recommend shareholders accept terms of a takeover deal from New York-based GXO.

Severe supply chain disruption in the world’s key markets has led to a joint effort among international competition authorities to investigate potential collusion.

Sustained demand on the trans-Pacific and limited capacity is pushing forwarders such as Kuehne + Nagel to lock in long-term air cargo charter commitments.

Long delays at ports are severely disrupting Europe’s extensive feeder shipping system that is a critical part of the regional hub-and-spoke network.

DB Schenker has been unable to keep pace with its global peers over the past year as they make billion-dollar investments to build scale that is critical in the fragmented forwarding market.

Securing control of capacity and equipment has become a trend among shippers trying to improve reliability across congested supply chains.

Strong demand and constrained air freight capacity on the Asia-US trade lane has prompted Flexport to secure a strategic agreement to increase access to space on the trans-Pacific.

Carrier results season is well underway with HMM following the trend of extreme profitability that is being seen across the container shipping sector.

By expanding contracts negotiated directly with shippers, Maersk is automatically reducing the amount of business available to forwarders.

German carrier Hapag-Lloyd will not be investing in the air or sea freight forwarding business, keeping its focus on the ocean transport of containers.

After a year of growing disruption, shippers are seeking a more predictable service on the trans-Atlantic, which can be seen in far higher contract rates than just a few months ago.

There are no signs the severely congested ports in Asia and the US ports will ease anytime soon, leading a Chinese shipper and European forwarders to step into a space once reserved for carriers.

Hapag-Lloyd has joined other major carriers in shrugging off flat volumes to ride high rates across congested ocean trade lanes to a record annual operating profit.