<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A 21.9 percent jump in freight brokerage propelled Echo Global Logistics' profit in the first quarter to $3.1 million, up 42.9 percent year-over-year.
 
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A 21.9 percent jump in freight brokerage propelled Echo Global Logistics' profit in the first quarter to $3.1 million, up 42.9 percent year-over-year.

<div>A 21.9 percent jump in freight brokerage propelled Echo Global Logistics' profit in the first quarter to $3.1 million, up 42.9 percent year-over-year.The third-party logistics operator <a>saw revenue rise 30.2 percent year-over-year to $168.6 million</a> in the same period. Echo&amp;rsquo;s operating income improved 49.3 percent to $5.3 million in the same period.We are off to a good start in 2012 and anticipate continued growth in both revenue and earnings as the year progresses,&amp;rdquo; said CEO Doug Waggoner. The company expects revenue in 2012 to reach between $740 million and $780 million. Echo's <a>revenue last year hit $602.8 million</a>, a 41...

A 21.9 percent jump in freight brokerage propelled Echo Global Logistics' profit in the first quarter to $3.1 million, up 42.9 percent year-over-year. The third-party logistics operator saw revenue rise 30.2 percent year-over-year to $168.6 million in the same period. Echo&rsquo;s operating income improved 49.3 percent to $5.3 million in the same period. We are off to a good start in 2012 and anticipate continued growth in both revenue and earnings as the year progresses,&rdquo; said CEO Doug Waggoner. The company expects revenue in 2012 to reach between $740 million and $780 million. Echo's revenue last year hit $602.8 million , a 41 percent increase from 2010. Contact Mark Szakonyi at mszakonyi@joc.com . Follow him on Twitter @szakonyi_joc .

Truck brokers

International ports

Double-Digit Brokerage Growth Boosts Echo Profit 42.9 Percent

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The merger will see Fatton &amp; Lyseo use Ovrsea’s proprietary operating software across its air and sea customers in Asia, Africa and North America. </div>

The merger will see Fatton & Lyseo use Ovrsea’s proprietary operating software across its air and sea customers in Asia, Africa and North America.

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<div class="phx-topic">French forwarding group Fatton &amp; Lyseo on Thursday said it has merged operations with Ovrsea, a digital forwarder owned by the Bolloré Group. The merger will see Fatton &amp; Lyseo, itself the combination of a 2024 merger between two French forwarders, use Ovrsea’s proprietary operating software across its air and sea customers in Asia, Africa and North America. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ovrsea CEO Arthur Barillas de Thé will become CEO of the joint company, with Fatton &amp; Lyseo CEO Sylvain Fatton moving into a chairman role. The combined company brings 350 million euros of revenue across 60 offices in 14 countries, with 1,000 employees. “By combining over a century of operational excellence with pioneering digital technology and talent, we are creating a unique offering and position ourselves for strong organic and external growth in the future,” Barillas de Thé said in a LinkedIn post announcing the merger. Ovrsea was founded in 2017 as part of a cohort of so-called digital forwarders such as Flexport, Forto, iContainers, Nowports, and ExFreight as a technology-focused alternative to established global third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and non-vessel-operating common carriers. Unlike most of its cohorts, Paris-based Ovrsea eschewed major investment from venture capital or private equity firms, instead selling a majority stake in 2021 to the Bolloré Group, where it served as the 3PL’s digital customer channel and operated independently. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/bollor-backed-startup-ovrsea-expands-digital-forwarding-options-to-us-5222142">Ovrsea entered the US market</a> a year later on the basis of the relationship with Bolloré. Its customers generally move in the range of 200 to 1,000 TEUs annually. Fatton &amp; Lyseo provides ocean, air, warehousing and customs services. Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

French forwarding group Fatton & Lyseo on Thursday said it has merged operations with Ovrsea, a digital forwarder owned by the Bolloré Group. The merger will see Fatton & Lyseo, itself the combination of a 2024 merger between two French forwarders, use Ovrsea’s proprietary operating software across its air and sea customers in Asia, Africa and North America. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ovrsea CEO Arthur Barillas de Thé will become CEO of the joint company, with Fatton & Lyseo CEO Sylvain Fatton moving into a chairman role. The combined company brings 350 million euros of revenue across 60 offices in 14 countries, with 1,000 employees. “By combining over a century of operational excellence with pioneering digital technology and talent, we are creating a unique offering and position ourselves for strong organic and external growth in the future,” Barillas de Thé said in a LinkedIn post announcing the merger. Ovrsea was founded in 2017 as part of a cohort of so-called digital forwarders such as Flexport, Forto, iContainers, Nowports, and ExFreight as a technology-focused alternative to established global third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and non-vessel-operating common carriers. Unlike most of its cohorts, Paris-based Ovrsea eschewed major investment from venture capital or private equity firms, instead selling a majority stake in 2021 to the Bolloré Group, where it served as the 3PL’s digital customer channel and operated independently. Ovrsea entered the US market a year later on the basis of the relationship with Bolloré. Its customers generally move in the range of 200 to 1,000 TEUs annually. Fatton & Lyseo provides ocean, air, warehousing and customs services. Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

Logistics Technology News

Digital forwarder owned by Bolloré merges with French forwarding group

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The growth in traffic on intra-Asian routes is a result of ongoing US demand for cloud infrastructure logistics related to the rapid development of AI technology.</div>

The growth in traffic on intra-Asian routes is a result of ongoing US demand for cloud infrastructure logistics related to the rapid development of AI technology.

<div class="phx-topic">Strong US air cargo demand for high-tech and AI-related exports from Southeast Asia is having the indirect effect of placing intra-Asia capacity under mounting pressure as most flights to North America are routed via regional transit hubs. While the air cargo industry prepares for Asian export volume to rise over the next few weeks in line with seasonal demand ahead of the Lunar New Year that begins on Feb. 17, forwarders are already reporting congestion at some of the region’s key airports. Kathy Liu, vice president of global sales and marketing at Taiwan-based Dimerco Express Group, said the China-plus-one production strategy, accelerated by US tariffs last year, was strengthening intra-Asia demand. “This will further constrain intra-Asia capacity, as transit carriers are prioritizing first-leg capacity for long-haul cargo to maximize revenue,” Liu told the Journal of Commerce Thursday. “As a result, major transit hubs such as Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Incheon and Narita are expected to remain highly congested.” The growth in traffic on intra-Asian routes is being accelerated by US tariffs imposed on Beijing in 2025 that led to a shift in regional trade flows through the second half of the year and drove increasing demand from Southeast Asian origins. Tobias Hofemeier, senior vice president for air logistics in greater China at Kuehne + Nagel, said there was ongoing high demand for cloud infrastructure logistics related to the rapid development of AI technology. He cited data from research and advisory firm Gartner projecting 21.3% year-over-year growth in public cloud services in 2026. “We expect continued growth in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam ... due to strong demand driven primarily by high tech, electronics and semiconductor cargo,” Hofemeier said. Kuehne + Nagel uses available commercial capacity on the trans-Pacific and supplements that with nine Kuehne + Nagel-dedicated flights per week from Vietnam to the US and six flights from Taiwan to the US. <h3>Freighter capacity constraints </h3>Air freight capacity data from analyst Rotate shows high growth in direct flights on the Southeast Asia-North America trade lane in the past week, but much of the cargo on that corridor is shipped indirectly to the US through Asian transit hubs. While demand increases, overall capacity, especially belly capacity on commercial flights, is projected to remain at 2025 levels because of delays in aircraft deliveries. Boeing and Airbus have been facing long delays in producing, certifying and delivering new aircraft, severely constricting the ability of airlines to grow their fleets. Another capacity-limiting factor for the industry is the grounding of all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters and DC-10s following the fatal crash in Louisville, Kentucky, in November. Most of the 70 freighters are operated by FedEx and UPS (52 planes) and will be grounded indefinitely. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="a3f6b9ed-e750-40e5-8b28-b4d1703b5c40"></dynamic-object></div>In his latest monthly market update, Niall van de Wouw, chief air freight officer at rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, said one of the tailwinds of demand growth in 2025 came from investment linked to the development of AI solutions. But he warned that the less buoyant forward-looking signals for Chinese e-commerce exports were worrying. Despite a sharp drop in US business, China’s air freight exports are still dominated by e-commerce that comprises approximately one-third of the country’s total air cargo volume. “China’s cross-border e-commerce volumes were flat in October and November,” van de Wouw said. “If we see a third consecutive month of lower e-commerce growth out of China, that is a big signal, while duties imposed by other countries may present more unwelcome news for the air cargo market going forward.” Chinese customs data shows low-value and e-commerce exports in November rose by just 1% year over year after flatlining in October. Exports to the US represented the majority of the decline, falling 52% year over year in November after a drop of 51% in October. Before the de minimis ban imposed by Washington, China-US e-commerce accounted for approximately 3% of global air cargo volumes. China-European Union e-commerce volume continued to grow, expanding 29% in November following 47% year-over-year growth in October. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Strong US air cargo demand for high-tech and AI-related exports from Southeast Asia is having the indirect effect of placing intra-Asia capacity under mounting pressure as most flights to North America are routed via regional transit hubs. While the air cargo industry prepares for Asian export volume to rise over the next few weeks in line with seasonal demand ahead of the Lunar New Year that begins on Feb. 17, forwarders are already reporting congestion at some of the region’s key airports. Kathy Liu, vice president of global sales and marketing at Taiwan-based Dimerco Express Group, said the China-plus-one production strategy, accelerated by US tariffs last year, was strengthening intra-Asia demand. “This will further constrain intra-Asia capacity, as transit carriers are prioritizing first-leg capacity for long-haul cargo to maximize revenue,” Liu told the Journal of Commerce Thursday. “As a result, major transit hubs such as Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Incheon and Narita are expected to remain highly congested.” The growth in traffic on intra-Asian routes is being accelerated by US tariffs imposed on Beijing in 2025 that led to a shift in regional trade flows through the second half of the year and drove increasing demand from Southeast Asian origins. Tobias Hofemeier, senior vice president for air logistics in greater China at Kuehne + Nagel, said there was ongoing high demand for cloud infrastructure logistics related to the rapid development of AI technology. He cited data from research and advisory firm Gartner projecting 21.3% year-over-year growth in public cloud services in 2026. “We expect continued growth in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam ... due to strong demand driven primarily by high tech, electronics and semiconductor cargo,” Hofemeier said. Kuehne + Nagel uses available commercial capacity on the trans-Pacific and supplements that with nine Kuehne + Nagel-dedicated flights per week from Vietnam to the US and six flights from Taiwan to the US. Freighter capacity constraints Air freight capacity data from analyst Rotate shows high growth in direct flights on the Southeast Asia-North America trade lane in the past week, but much of the cargo on that corridor is shipped indirectly to the US through Asian transit hubs. While demand increases, overall capacity, especially belly capacity on commercial flights, is projected to remain at 2025 levels because of delays in aircraft deliveries. Boeing and Airbus have been facing long delays in producing, certifying and delivering new aircraft, severely constricting the ability of airlines to grow their fleets. Another capacity-limiting factor for the industry is the grounding of all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters and DC-10s following the fatal crash in Louisville, Kentucky, in November. Most of the 70 freighters are operated by FedEx and UPS (52 planes) and will be grounded indefinitely. In his latest monthly market update, Niall van de Wouw, chief air freight officer at rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, said one of the tailwinds of demand growth in 2025 came from investment linked to the development of AI solutions. But he warned that the less buoyant forward-looking signals for Chinese e-commerce exports were worrying. Despite a sharp drop in US business, China’s air freight exports are still dominated by e-commerce that comprises approximately one-third of the country’s total air cargo volume. “China’s cross-border e-commerce volumes were flat in October and November,” van de Wouw said. “If we see a third consecutive month of lower e-commerce growth out of China, that is a big signal, while duties imposed by other countries may present more unwelcome news for the air cargo market going forward.” Chinese customs data shows low-value and e-commerce exports in November rose by just 1% year over year after flatlining in October. Exports to the US represented the majority of the decline, falling 52% year over year in November after a drop of 51% in October. Before the de minimis ban imposed by Washington, China-US e-commerce accounted for approximately 3% of global air cargo volumes. China-European Union e-commerce volume continued to grow, expanding 29% in November following 47% year-over-year growth in October. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Air Cargo

Intra-Asia air freight capacity tightens on US high-tech demand

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">While second- and third-rung lines can no longer aspire to grow into the big leagues unless they have very deep pockets, there is plenty of scope to avoid being trampled by the behemoths and quietly grow by trading on strengths, writes Jeremy Masters. </div>

While second- and third-rung lines can no longer aspire to grow into the big leagues unless they have very deep pockets, there is plenty of scope to avoid being trampled by the behemoths and quietly grow by trading on strengths, writes Jeremy Masters.

<div class="phx-topic">As Alphaliner recently reported, Mediterranean Shipping Co. has reached the milestone of 7 million TEUs in vessel capacity, and the eight largest carriers — the 1 million-plus-TEU club — now operate upward of 80% of global capacity. The difference in punching power between MSC’s 7 million TEUs at No. 1 and Yang Ming’s 725,000 TEUs at No. 9 is already huge, but by the time we get to KMTC at No. 15, their fleet size is just 160,000 TEUs. <div class="wrapper-narrow float-right-element"><img src="/images/phoenix/6148856_0.1.jpg"></img></div>Within their ocean capacity expansion, carriers such as MSC and CMA CGM have scooped up a tremendous amount of second-hand tonnage from non-operating carriers in the smaller size ships, with the side effect of creating inelasticity of supply and higher prices in the charter market. MSC subsidiary Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) seeks to become the largest terminal operator globally. Maersk, CMA CGM, Cosco, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen and Ocean Network Express (ONE) also have substantial levels of terminal operating capacity directly and through subsidiary companies and want to build further. Expansion into logistics has further widened their capabilities, although in this case the big carriers do not have a commanding position. The fact that an elite set of carriers can now significantly control the global ocean sector, the container handling at many key hubs and, increasingly, the delivery to outports — and selectively to inland points — makes it tough for the rest of the carriers to compete comprehensively. <h3>Where the smaller lines dwell </h3>Midsize and smaller carriers having to find their way in a jungle of voracious predators is nothing new, but the predators are bigger and better equipped than ever before. So how can they prosper? Looking beyond Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Wan Hai Lines and Pacific International Lines (PIL) — numbers 10, 11 and 12, respectively — which are not global operators but still have extensive networks, the rest of the top 30 fall into one or more of the following categories: pure regional carriers focused on one or two key regions, regional carriers focused on one or two key regions but with some deep-sea services that connect to their regional stronghold, or feeder operators that also have selective deep-sea routes. For numbers 13 to 30, operated ship sizes are highly concentrated in the 1,000- to 8,000-TEU range, and the largest subcategories are below 3,000 TEUs. Whereas most of the big carriers have a balanced owned and charter fleet — and thus benefit from some averaging of costs — the midsize carrier fleets can range from almost 100% owned to 100% chartered. These two factors combine to give many of the smaller carriers a sizeable and volatile slot-cost deficiency in the major trades. <h3>Survive and prosper </h3>Midsize carriers with smaller ships can still participate in longer-haul big-ship trades, but they have to be opportunistic, as we have seen with Asia-North America West Coast. When cargo is insufficient and rates are low — as they are right now — there is a high likelihood that they starve, get eaten or both. Otherwise, it’s best they focus on trades predominantly populated by sub-8,000-TEU ships, so that their slot economics are competitive. Some of the more successful midsize carriers in long-haul trades have built out from a regional stronghold providing cargo flows that can be more sticky and less subject to acute rate volatility. If they also operate from regions such as the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia, with significant connecting cargo possibilities, that enhances the pool of cargo and allows for some selectivity. Within any trade there are choices of port call, so it’s good to find some less-populated submarkets. There are six services linking Antwerp with New York, for example, but only one service linking Ringaskiddy, Ireland, with Wilmington, North Carolina. A particularly viable focus for midsize carriers is high-growth regional trades such as intra-Asia, where those that operate with a competitive ship system cost, a lean organization and some niche products can happily survive, especially given that the biggest carriers often focus on the wayport legs in these trades. Whatever the size of the trade, the midsize and smaller carriers are well placed to design key client-focused services that are differentiated from a product or customer-service point of view. It’s no longer a world in which the second- and third-rung lines can aspire to grow into the big leagues, unless they have very deep pockets. There is, however, plenty of scope to avoid being trampled by the behemoths, differentiate and quietly grow by trading on strengths. Being nimble, lean and highly client-focused are key attributes for this segment. Jeremy Masters is managing director of Shipping Masters. Contact him at <a href="mailto:jeremy@shippingmastershk.com">jeremy@shippingmastershk.com</a>. </div>

As Alphaliner recently reported, Mediterranean Shipping Co. has reached the milestone of 7 million TEUs in vessel capacity, and the eight largest carriers — the 1 million-plus-TEU club — now operate upward of 80% of global capacity. The difference in punching power between MSC’s 7 million TEUs at No. 1 and Yang Ming’s 725,000 TEUs at No. 9 is already huge, but by the time we get to KMTC at No. 15, their fleet size is just 160,000 TEUs. Within their ocean capacity expansion, carriers such as MSC and CMA CGM have scooped up a tremendous amount of second-hand tonnage from non-operating carriers in the smaller size ships, with the side effect of creating inelasticity of supply and higher prices in the charter market. MSC subsidiary Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) seeks to become the largest terminal operator globally. Maersk, CMA CGM, Cosco, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen and Ocean Network Express (ONE) also have substantial levels of terminal operating capacity directly and through subsidiary companies and want to build further. Expansion into logistics has further widened their capabilities, although in this case the big carriers do not have a commanding position. The fact that an elite set of carriers can now significantly control the global ocean sector, the container handling at many key hubs and, increasingly, the delivery to outports — and selectively to inland points — makes it tough for the rest of the carriers to compete comprehensively. Where the smaller lines dwell Midsize and smaller carriers having to find their way in a jungle of voracious predators is nothing new, but the predators are bigger and better equipped than ever before. So how can they prosper? Looking beyond Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Wan Hai Lines and Pacific International Lines (PIL) — numbers 10, 11 and 12, respectively — which are not global operators but still have extensive networks, the rest of the top 30 fall into one or more of the following categories: pure regional carriers focused on one or two key regions, regional carriers focused on one or two key regions but with some deep-sea services that connect to their regional stronghold, or feeder operators that also have selective deep-sea routes. For numbers 13 to 30, operated ship sizes are highly concentrated in the 1,000- to 8,000-TEU range, and the largest subcategories are below 3,000 TEUs. Whereas most of the big carriers have a balanced owned and charter fleet — and thus benefit from some averaging of costs — the midsize carrier fleets can range from almost 100% owned to 100% chartered. These two factors combine to give many of the smaller carriers a sizeable and volatile slot-cost deficiency in the major trades. Survive and prosper Midsize carriers with smaller ships can still participate in longer-haul big-ship trades, but they have to be opportunistic, as we have seen with Asia-North America West Coast. When cargo is insufficient and rates are low — as they are right now — there is a high likelihood that they starve, get eaten or both. Otherwise, it’s best they focus on trades predominantly populated by sub-8,000-TEU ships, so that their slot economics are competitive. Some of the more successful midsize carriers in long-haul trades have built out from a regional stronghold providing cargo flows that can be more sticky and less subject to acute rate volatility. If they also operate from regions such as the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia, with significant connecting cargo possibilities, that enhances the pool of cargo and allows for some selectivity. Within any trade there are choices of port call, so it’s good to find some less-populated submarkets. There are six services linking Antwerp with New York, for example, but only one service linking Ringaskiddy, Ireland, with Wilmington, North Carolina. A particularly viable focus for midsize carriers is high-growth regional trades such as intra-Asia, where those that operate with a competitive ship system cost, a lean organization and some niche products can happily survive, especially given that the biggest carriers often focus on the wayport legs in these trades. Whatever the size of the trade, the midsize and smaller carriers are well placed to design key client-focused services that are differentiated from a product or customer-service point of view. It’s no longer a world in which the second- and third-rung lines can aspire to grow into the big leagues, unless they have very deep pockets. There is, however, plenty of scope to avoid being trampled by the behemoths, differentiate and quietly grow by trading on strengths. Being nimble, lean and highly client-focused are key attributes for this segment. Jeremy Masters is managing director of Shipping Masters. Contact him at jeremy@shippingmastershk.com .

Container lines

Maritime

Smaller ocean carriers can still prosper in a world of hungry ‘predators’

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Stakeholders say a contract with Harbor Industrial Services to manage the state’s only box terminal should herald a new era of stability and cargo growth. </div>

Stakeholders say a contract with Harbor Industrial Services to manage the state’s only box terminal should herald a new era of stability and cargo growth.

<div class="phx-topic">The formal handover of stevedore management at Portland’s sole container terminal to a third-party operator on Wednesday ensures state agriculture exporters have access to a weekly Asian service after financial challenges threatened the Oregon port. Harbor Industrial Services on Monday took over operation of the port-managed Terminal 6 — now renamed Oregon Container Terminal (OCT) — and will oversee vessel and rail services for importers and exporters in Oregon, southwest Washington State and Idaho. “Securing a long-term operator for container service at Terminal 6 means exporters and importers across the state and region can keep moving their goods efficiently, competitively and closer to home while supporting thousands of family-wage jobs,” Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold said during handover ceremonies Wednesday. The port did not provide specifics on the length of the contract with Harbor Industrial Services, only referring to it as a “long-term lease.” SM Line currently serves OCT with a weekly service that brings in imports from Asia such as tires, electronics, furniture and supplies used by businesses in their production processes. The vessels return to Asia with containerized exports such as grain, hay, berries and wood products, according to a statement from the port. Mediterranean Shipping Co. also had a weekly service from Asia to Portland earlier in 2025, but that service was paused due to tariffs and related federal trade policies as the carrier shifted space on the vessels to serve countries where it did not face high fees, the port said. Portland reached a “framework agreement” with Harbor Industrial Services in late 2024 to oversee operation of Terminal 6. The port had registered <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/port-of-portland-strikes-deal-with-stevedore-to-operate-container-terminal-5897345">losses of $26 million from 2023 through 2024.</a><h3>Troublesome venture with first private operator </h3>Portland for more than 30 years was an operating port, but it consistently lost money, and the port signed a lease with Philippine-based ICTSI in 2010 to manage Terminal 6. In a 2015 interview with the Journal of Commerce, Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt said when the port first went out to bid for a private sector terminal operator, it was <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/outgoing-portland-port-president-predicts-box-service-return-5193131">losing as much as $17 million a year.</a>But the situation did not improve under a private operator. As a <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ilwu-action-disrupts-work-at-portlands-terminal-6-5232355">result of non-stop labor turmoil</a>, Portland <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/sm-line-returns-container-service-to-portland-in-wake-of-ilwu-ruling-5243887">was without a regular liner service for about three years</a> until 2018. Its three carriers pulled out of the port while labor action continued and litigation between ICTSI and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) dragged on. A costly, decade-long case was settled in February 2024 when the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ilwu-ictsi-oregon-end-legal-dispute-bankruptcy-case-with-205-million-settlement-5244722">ILWU agreed to pay ICTSI $20.5 million in damages.</a>Container volumes at Terminal 6 suffered during the tumultuous decade. Portland last year through November handled 60,734 laden TEUs, according to PIERS, a Journal of Commerce sister product within S&amp;P Global. That’s a far cry from 2000 to 2005, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/labor-peace-drives-portlands-container-recovery-5245968">when the port handled more than 300,000 TEUs annually</a>, according to PIERS data. “OCT is about reliability, growth and partnership,” OCT President Tim McCarthy said at Wednesday’s ceremonies. “This terminal gives shippers from Oregon and inland locations a stable, efficient and competitive gateway, backed by 210 acres of already-developed infrastructure, experienced operators and a skilled workforce with a proven record of productivity.” “This is one of the good outcomes that can be achieved when government, business and labor work together for the benefit of Oregonians,” said Stuart Strader, speaking on behalf of ILWU Local 8. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at <a href="mailto:bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com">bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The formal handover of stevedore management at Portland’s sole container terminal to a third-party operator on Wednesday ensures state agriculture exporters have access to a weekly Asian service after financial challenges threatened the Oregon port. Harbor Industrial Services on Monday took over operation of the port-managed Terminal 6 — now renamed Oregon Container Terminal (OCT) — and will oversee vessel and rail services for importers and exporters in Oregon, southwest Washington State and Idaho. “Securing a long-term operator for container service at Terminal 6 means exporters and importers across the state and region can keep moving their goods efficiently, competitively and closer to home while supporting thousands of family-wage jobs,” Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold said during handover ceremonies Wednesday. The port did not provide specifics on the length of the contract with Harbor Industrial Services, only referring to it as a “long-term lease.” SM Line currently serves OCT with a weekly service that brings in imports from Asia such as tires, electronics, furniture and supplies used by businesses in their production processes. The vessels return to Asia with containerized exports such as grain, hay, berries and wood products, according to a statement from the port. Mediterranean Shipping Co. also had a weekly service from Asia to Portland earlier in 2025, but that service was paused due to tariffs and related federal trade policies as the carrier shifted space on the vessels to serve countries where it did not face high fees, the port said. Portland reached a “framework agreement” with Harbor Industrial Services in late 2024 to oversee operation of Terminal 6. The port had registered losses of $26 million from 2023 through 2024. Troublesome venture with first private operator Portland for more than 30 years was an operating port, but it consistently lost money, and the port signed a lease with Philippine-based ICTSI in 2010 to manage Terminal 6. In a 2015 interview with the Journal of Commerce, Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt said when the port first went out to bid for a private sector terminal operator, it was losing as much as $17 million a year. But the situation did not improve under a private operator. As a result of non-stop labor turmoil , Portland was without a regular liner service for about three years until 2018. Its three carriers pulled out of the port while labor action continued and litigation between ICTSI and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) dragged on. A costly, decade-long case was settled in February 2024 when the ILWU agreed to pay ICTSI $20.5 million in damages. Container volumes at Terminal 6 suffered during the tumultuous decade. Portland last year through November handled 60,734 laden TEUs, according to PIERS, a Journal of Commerce sister product within S&P Global. That’s a far cry from 2000 to 2005, when the port handled more than 300,000 TEUs annually , according to PIERS data. “OCT is about reliability, growth and partnership,” OCT President Tim McCarthy said at Wednesday’s ceremonies. “This terminal gives shippers from Oregon and inland locations a stable, efficient and competitive gateway, backed by 210 acres of already-developed infrastructure, experienced operators and a skilled workforce with a proven record of productivity.” “This is one of the good outcomes that can be achieved when government, business and labor work together for the benefit of Oregonians,” said Stuart Strader, speaking on behalf of ILWU Local 8. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Port News

Trans-Pacific

North American ports

Marine terminals

Container Shipping News

Operator switch gives renewed hope to Portland’s Terminal 6

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The action is tied to WiseTech’s acquisition of E2open in 2025, which included software that Australia’s competition commission deemed gave WiseTech too much control of the market.</div>

The action is tied to WiseTech’s acquisition of E2open in 2025, which included software that Australia’s competition commission deemed gave WiseTech too much control of the market.

<div class="phx-topic">Australian regulators are forcing WiseTech Global to sell an Oceania-based customs and forwarding software unit it took over as part of its $2.1 billion <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/wisetech-notches-biggest-acquisition-with-21-billion-deal-for-e2open-6011581">acquisition of E2open</a> in mid-2025. The company, Expedient, was initially acquired by BluJay Solutions in 2020, prior to BluJay <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/e2open-acquires-blujay-solutions-for-17-billion-5249821">being acquired in 2021 by E2open.</a> Forwarders in Australia argued to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that WiseTech’s ownership of Expedient gave it too large a share of the market that software forwarders and customs brokers use to run their businesses. WiseTech’s flagship product, CargoWise One, is the most used forwarding software globally. Expedient will be sold, subject to ACCC approval, to a purchaser that will be able to operate it as a viable competitor to WiseTech in Australia, according to a statement from the regulator this week. “The ACCC considers that WiseTech already has substantial market power in the supply of logistics software, and the acquisition has the effect of removing the competition between CargoWise and Expedient and significantly reduced the choice available to Australian customers,” ACCC Chairwoman Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in the statement. “The ACCC received significant concerns from users of logistics software during the investigation, and was concerned that the acquisition could lead to higher prices or lower quality services.” WiseTech’s rollup of core customs compliance software in various regions has been a key foundation of its ascent to become <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cargowises-pricing-model-change-could-mark-final-milestone-in-market-ascent-6133279">the biggest forwarding software provider globally</a>. Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Australian regulators are forcing WiseTech Global to sell an Oceania-based customs and forwarding software unit it took over as part of its $2.1 billion acquisition of E2open in mid-2025. The company, Expedient, was initially acquired by BluJay Solutions in 2020, prior to BluJay being acquired in 2021 by E2open. Forwarders in Australia argued to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that WiseTech’s ownership of Expedient gave it too large a share of the market that software forwarders and customs brokers use to run their businesses. WiseTech’s flagship product, CargoWise One, is the most used forwarding software globally. Expedient will be sold, subject to ACCC approval, to a purchaser that will be able to operate it as a viable competitor to WiseTech in Australia, according to a statement from the regulator this week. “The ACCC considers that WiseTech already has substantial market power in the supply of logistics software, and the acquisition has the effect of removing the competition between CargoWise and Expedient and significantly reduced the choice available to Australian customers,” ACCC Chairwoman Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in the statement. “The ACCC received significant concerns from users of logistics software during the investigation, and was concerned that the acquisition could lead to higher prices or lower quality services.” WiseTech’s rollup of core customs compliance software in various regions has been a key foundation of its ascent to become the biggest forwarding software provider globally . Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

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