<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">US retailers are forecasting continued strong import volumes in the second half of the year, although not quite as high as the torrid pace of 2021.</div>

US retailers are forecasting continued strong import volumes in the second half of the year, although not quite as high as the torrid pace of 2021.

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<div>US retailers project continued strong imports at least through November, although volumes during the summer-fall peak shipping season are forecasted to be down slightly from the record cargo that moved through the country’s ports last year. “The year-over-year declines during the second half of the year contrast with unusually high numbers during the same period in 2021, but volumes remain high, and the full year is still expected to see a net increase over 2021,” the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates said Friday in their July Global Port Tracker (GPT). US imports in 2021 increased an unusually strong...

US retailers project continued strong imports at least through November, although volumes during the summer-fall peak shipping season are forecasted to be down slightly from the record cargo that moved through the country’s ports last year. “The year-over-year declines during the second half of the year contrast with unusually high numbers during the same period in 2021, but volumes remain high, and the full year is still expected to see a net increase over 2021,” the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates said Friday in their July Global Port Tracker (GPT). US imports in 2021 increased an unusually strong 17.4 percent over the previous annual record set in 2020. Global Port Tracker each month revises its forecast from the previous month as greater clarity on imports is achieved. Friday’s GPT projected that imports in July will increase 5.3 percent year over year; last month’s forecast was for an increase of 4.8 percent in July. GPT forecasts August imports will be down 0.5 percent from last August, compared with the previous GPT projection of a 0.2 percent increase. September is now forecasted to be down 0.8 percent from September 2021, compared with last month’s projection of a 0.4 percent drop. October imports are now forecasted to be down 4.1 percent, versus the drop of 3.8 percent forecasted previously. GPT projects import volumes six months out, and Friday forecasted that November imports will be down 2.5 percent from November 2021. The monthly record or near-record import volumes have strained West Coast ports and their inland supply chains since last summer, and similar bottlenecks have surfaced at East and Gulf coast ports and are expected to continue throughout the 2022 peak season. Hanging over the trade are the contract negotiations between West Coast marine terminal employers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union that began in May. West Coast contract talks a wildcard “Supply chain challenges will continue throughout the remainder of the year, and it is particularly important that labor and management at West Coast ports remain at the bargaining table and reach an agreement,” Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the NRF, said in Friday’s GPT. The previous coastwide contract between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) expired July 1 , although the parties issued a joint statement that day saying cargo handling at West Coast ports would continue without disruption while talks continued. June’s volumes have yet to be reported, but GPT forecasts that imports in the first half of the year will be up 5.4 percent over the first six months of 2021. The growth is due in part to the front-loading of fall and holiday merchandise that took place during the first half of the year as retailers sought to avoid the supply chain delays that last year caused many goods to land after the holidays, GPT said. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @billmongelluzzo .

Container lines

US retailers urge ports to prepare for strong H2 imports

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">BNSF intermodal partner returning to Mexico</div>

BNSF intermodal partner returning to Mexico

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<div class="phx-topic">COFC Logistics, a partner to hundreds of US intermodal marketing companies (IMCs), is expanding to enter cross-border intermodal service, forging a partnership with BNSF Railway and Grupo México’s Ferromex (GMXT) The Ohio-based company is a wholesaler that provides domestic containers and slots on BNSF trains, often used by IMCs to offer their shippers options to use both western US railroads. The COFC service will offer originations in Monterrey and Silao to seven US destinations in the BNSF network, but the majority of the freight will terminate in Chicago or Dallas. “We are excited to expand the reach and capacity of our industry leading intermodal network to the IMC community, through these key additions to COFC Logistics’ service offering,” said Jon Gabriel, BNSF’s group vice president of consumer products, in a statement. For shippers that rely on non-asset IMCs, the new BNSF service offers another option for cross-border freight. Rival Union Pacific Railroad has served Mexico for decades, most recently teaming up with GMXT on the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/service-levels-to-determine-success-in-reshaped-mexico-us-intermodal-market-5192946">Falcon and Eagle Premium services</a>, but diversifying rail partners can help mitigate service disruptions. COFC, which made a similar — but unsuccessful — entry into the Mexico market more than a decade ago, believes this time will be different. “We’ve done our homework and retooled our approach in Mexico, bringing a renewed strategy and sharper execution compared with the past,” Jonathan Mulch, vice president of sales and marketing, told the Journal of Commerce. “This expansion gives us nationwide reach with our domestic product and reestablishes our presence in Mexico, a market that is growing fast but is highly competitive.” Although the long-term potential is strong — shippers moved $74.4 billion worth of freight between the US and Mexico in July, up 5.2% year over year, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics — intermodal volumes on the GMXT have faltered this year. Through the first week of September, the Mexican railroad has hauled 622,151 intermodal loads, down 1.9% year over year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). CPKC offers two cross-border intermodal services, the Mexico Midwest Express to Chicago and the Southeast Mexico Express to Atlanta, but demand is more difficult to gauge because the railroad doesn’t separate Mexico and non-Mexico volumes in data reported to AAR. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

COFC Logistics, a partner to hundreds of US intermodal marketing companies (IMCs), is expanding to enter cross-border intermodal service, forging a partnership with BNSF Railway and Grupo México’s Ferromex (GMXT) The Ohio-based company is a wholesaler that provides domestic containers and slots on BNSF trains, often used by IMCs to offer their shippers options to use both western US railroads. The COFC service will offer originations in Monterrey and Silao to seven US destinations in the BNSF network, but the majority of the freight will terminate in Chicago or Dallas. “We are excited to expand the reach and capacity of our industry leading intermodal network to the IMC community, through these key additions to COFC Logistics’ service offering,” said Jon Gabriel, BNSF’s group vice president of consumer products, in a statement. For shippers that rely on non-asset IMCs, the new BNSF service offers another option for cross-border freight. Rival Union Pacific Railroad has served Mexico for decades, most recently teaming up with GMXT on the Falcon and Eagle Premium services , but diversifying rail partners can help mitigate service disruptions. COFC, which made a similar — but unsuccessful — entry into the Mexico market more than a decade ago, believes this time will be different. “We’ve done our homework and retooled our approach in Mexico, bringing a renewed strategy and sharper execution compared with the past,” Jonathan Mulch, vice president of sales and marketing, told the Journal of Commerce. “This expansion gives us nationwide reach with our domestic product and reestablishes our presence in Mexico, a market that is growing fast but is highly competitive.” Although the long-term potential is strong — shippers moved $74.4 billion worth of freight between the US and Mexico in July, up 5.2% year over year, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics — intermodal volumes on the GMXT have faltered this year. Through the first week of September, the Mexican railroad has hauled 622,151 intermodal loads, down 1.9% year over year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). CPKC offers two cross-border intermodal services, the Mexico Midwest Express to Chicago and the Southeast Mexico Express to Atlanta, but demand is more difficult to gauge because the railroad doesn’t separate Mexico and non-Mexico volumes in data reported to AAR. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

North-American rail

Rail News

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">An acceleration of growth in US less-than-truckload rates reflected still-tight capacity, while seasonal truckload pricing gains failed to boost rates above 2024 levels.</div>

An acceleration of growth in US less-than-truckload rates reflected still-tight capacity, while seasonal truckload pricing gains failed to boost rates above 2024 levels.

<div class="phx-topic">US truck pricing rose in August despite what carriers referred to as a continuing soft freight market, a sign that shippers are balancing current capacity needs and future demand. The total cost of both truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) services to shippers increased in August from July, according to the producer price indexes (PPIs) released Wednesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Truckload pricing, as measured by the long-distance PPI, jumped 1.8% in August from the previous month, its biggest sequential leap since December 2024, but was still 0.2% lower than in the same month a year ago. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="d85fac8c-2297-4150-92dc-5357e780fd18"></dynamic-object></div>The long-distance LTL PPI rose 1.5% sequentially and 10.5% year over year in August. The measure of all-inclusive LTL pricing has risen 4.3% since May and 16.7% since July 2023, the last month prior to the shutdown of Yellow, then the third-largest US LTL provider. On an annualized basis, the LTL increase stood out compared with other sectors of trucking. Total for-hire truck transportation pricing rose 0.8% year over year, according to the BLS data. The solid growth in the LTL PPI belies reports that pricing is softening as freight demand declines, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/falling-us-ltl-volumes-putting-pressure-on-margins-rates-6077715">driving down shipment counts</a>. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="b8bff0bb-e602-4052-88a8-7955d25f97d2"></dynamic-object></div>“This says to me that shippers are willing to hang on to their current contracts and capacity and keep those carriers whole, at least for the moment,” said Keith Prather, managing director and partner at Armada Corporate Intelligence. “They may think they’re going to need that capacity later this year or early next year.” <h3>Cracks in the LTL armor? </h3>Since the recession of 2008–09, LTL carriers have become known for their pricing discipline, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-ltl-carriers-laying-groundwork-for-higher-pricing-in-2025-5822094">placing more emphasis on profitability</a> than market share. Some sources say that discipline is showing cracks as declining volumes raise the cost of operations for LTL carriers still trying to keep their trailers and networks full. But the PPI, which measures final “selling prices,” including surcharges reported by shippers, shows a steady upward trajectory for LTL costs, with year-over-year index growth accelerating considerably last month. “I think the increase in the LTL PPI is likely to stick, but I’m not as sure about the truckload PPI,” Prather said. The truckload PPI has risen 2.7% since April, with most of that increase in July and August. That gain may be attributable to increased shipments off the West Coast due to tariff-induced frontloading of imports, especially outbound from Southern California, and the produce season, he said. However, the truckload pricing index has been negative year over year since March after turning positive briefly from November 2024 through February. The PPI has struggled to pull out of the trough it fell into in 2023. A missing demand catalyst, such as increased consumer spending on goods, is <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/excess-truck-capacity-to-linger-through-2027-ftr-6077828">needed to tighten capacity</a> before rates can rise higher, according to FTR Transport Intelligence. Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto://bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

US truck pricing rose in August despite what carriers referred to as a continuing soft freight market, a sign that shippers are balancing current capacity needs and future demand. The total cost of both truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) services to shippers increased in August from July, according to the producer price indexes (PPIs) released Wednesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Truckload pricing, as measured by the long-distance PPI, jumped 1.8% in August from the previous month, its biggest sequential leap since December 2024, but was still 0.2% lower than in the same month a year ago. The long-distance LTL PPI rose 1.5% sequentially and 10.5% year over year in August. The measure of all-inclusive LTL pricing has risen 4.3% since May and 16.7% since July 2023, the last month prior to the shutdown of Yellow, then the third-largest US LTL provider. On an annualized basis, the LTL increase stood out compared with other sectors of trucking. Total for-hire truck transportation pricing rose 0.8% year over year, according to the BLS data. The solid growth in the LTL PPI belies reports that pricing is softening as freight demand declines, driving down shipment counts . “This says to me that shippers are willing to hang on to their current contracts and capacity and keep those carriers whole, at least for the moment,” said Keith Prather, managing director and partner at Armada Corporate Intelligence. “They may think they’re going to need that capacity later this year or early next year.” Cracks in the LTL armor? Since the recession of 2008–09, LTL carriers have become known for their pricing discipline, placing more emphasis on profitability than market share. Some sources say that discipline is showing cracks as declining volumes raise the cost of operations for LTL carriers still trying to keep their trailers and networks full. But the PPI, which measures final “selling prices,” including surcharges reported by shippers, shows a steady upward trajectory for LTL costs, with year-over-year index growth accelerating considerably last month. “I think the increase in the LTL PPI is likely to stick, but I’m not as sure about the truckload PPI,” Prather said. The truckload PPI has risen 2.7% since April, with most of that increase in July and August. That gain may be attributable to increased shipments off the West Coast due to tariff-induced frontloading of imports, especially outbound from Southern California, and the produce season, he said. However, the truckload pricing index has been negative year over year since March after turning positive briefly from November 2024 through February. The PPI has struggled to pull out of the trough it fell into in 2023. A missing demand catalyst, such as increased consumer spending on goods, is needed to tighten capacity before rates can rise higher, according to FTR Transport Intelligence. Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .

Trucking News

Truckload

Surface

LTL, truckload pricing rising despite soft demand

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Completing the Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge Subdivision projects will allow CSX to restore service — and better compete with trucking — on two major north-south corridors in the eastern US.</div>

Completing the Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge Subdivision projects will allow CSX to restore service — and better compete with trucking — on two major north-south corridors in the eastern US.

<div class="phx-topic">CSX Transportation is nearing completion of track renovation projects that will allow the railroad to “take yet another step” toward improving its operational performance, in addition to restoring service on two important intermodal corridors in the eastern US, company executives said Thursday. The first trains are expected to run through the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/csx-breaks-ground-on-baltimore-intermodal-project-5222647">Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore</a> and the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/csx-q1-service-metrics-take-hit-amid-storm-recovery-tunnel-project-5978828">Blue Ridge Subdivision</a> on the North Carolina-Tennessee border within the next three weeks after being out of service for months. The Howard Street Tunnel has been closed since February, and service through the Blue Ridge Subdivision was suspended shortly after Hurricane Helene last fall. Sources familiar with the matter have told the Journal of Commerce CSX will hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the projects on Sept. 26 and Oct. 2, respectively, with regular service resuming shortly thereafter. CSX’s intermodal service faltered in the first quarter due to the two construction projects and winter weather in Georgia and the Carolinas. CSX’s Intermodal Service Z-Score, a Journal of Commerce index that benchmarks various service metrics reported to the US Surface Transportation Board (STB) against a railroad’s past performance, fell to its lowest reading since the COVID-19 pandemic. Service has since rebounded, with CSX’s current metrics exceeding historical averages dating back to 2017. “We were able to demonstrate you can actually get back to our leading industry performance, even without the projects being completed,” CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs said during the Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference in Laguna Beach, California. “Once they’ve been completed, we should be able to take yet another step.” <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="d3655ff1-cc6b-48c1-ab4b-a84421338cf2"></dynamic-object></div>The reopening of the Blue Ridge Subdivision will restore faster service between the Midwest and the Southeast, eliminating detours imposed after Hurricane Helene struck Tennessee and the Carolinas nearly one year ago. The Howard Street Tunnel, built in the 1890s, previously allowed only single-stack trains and experienced drainage problems. The new, raised tunnel will be able to handle double-stack intermodal service, creating a new competitive option against trucks and rival Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). Although the tunnel will reopen later this month, bridge work still underway will delay double-stack service until next spring. Ceding the I-95 corridor to NS and the trucking industry has long been a weakness for CSX’s intermodal network. “We just don’t compete through [the I-95] corridor,” Hinrichs said, pointing specifically to shipments between Atlanta and the New York-New Jersey area. “We don’t even try. A lot of [the growth in those lanes] will be truck conversion, so we’re really excited about it.” Each year, about 25,000 domestic intermodal loads move from Atlanta to the New York-New Jersey region, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis of STB data. When Jacksonville, Fla., is included, CSX has been at a disadvantage on more than 30,000 shipments annually. The opportunity is even greater on the southbound leg. Nearly 50,000 domestic loads move each year from the New York-New Jersey region to Atlanta or Jacksonville, including significant parcel traffic from FedEx and UPS traveling in trailers and containers. CSX said the capabilities on the I-95 corridor could generate 75,000 to 125,000 additional loads per year, including intermodal and non-intermodal shipments. The company noted that customers have already begun preparing for the upgrade even though the railroad has not formally marketed any new services. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

CSX Transportation is nearing completion of track renovation projects that will allow the railroad to “take yet another step” toward improving its operational performance, in addition to restoring service on two important intermodal corridors in the eastern US, company executives said Thursday. The first trains are expected to run through the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore and the Blue Ridge Subdivision on the North Carolina-Tennessee border within the next three weeks after being out of service for months. The Howard Street Tunnel has been closed since February, and service through the Blue Ridge Subdivision was suspended shortly after Hurricane Helene last fall. Sources familiar with the matter have told the Journal of Commerce CSX will hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the projects on Sept. 26 and Oct. 2, respectively, with regular service resuming shortly thereafter. CSX’s intermodal service faltered in the first quarter due to the two construction projects and winter weather in Georgia and the Carolinas. CSX’s Intermodal Service Z-Score, a Journal of Commerce index that benchmarks various service metrics reported to the US Surface Transportation Board (STB) against a railroad’s past performance, fell to its lowest reading since the COVID-19 pandemic. Service has since rebounded, with CSX’s current metrics exceeding historical averages dating back to 2017. “We were able to demonstrate you can actually get back to our leading industry performance, even without the projects being completed,” CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs said during the Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference in Laguna Beach, California. “Once they’ve been completed, we should be able to take yet another step.” The reopening of the Blue Ridge Subdivision will restore faster service between the Midwest and the Southeast, eliminating detours imposed after Hurricane Helene struck Tennessee and the Carolinas nearly one year ago. The Howard Street Tunnel, built in the 1890s, previously allowed only single-stack trains and experienced drainage problems. The new, raised tunnel will be able to handle double-stack intermodal service, creating a new competitive option against trucks and rival Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). Although the tunnel will reopen later this month, bridge work still underway will delay double-stack service until next spring. Ceding the I-95 corridor to NS and the trucking industry has long been a weakness for CSX’s intermodal network. “We just don’t compete through [the I-95] corridor,” Hinrichs said, pointing specifically to shipments between Atlanta and the New York-New Jersey area. “We don’t even try. A lot of [the growth in those lanes] will be truck conversion, so we’re really excited about it.” Each year, about 25,000 domestic intermodal loads move from Atlanta to the New York-New Jersey region, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis of STB data. When Jacksonville, Fla., is included, CSX has been at a disadvantage on more than 30,000 shipments annually. The opportunity is even greater on the southbound leg. Nearly 50,000 domestic loads move each year from the New York-New Jersey region to Atlanta or Jacksonville, including significant parcel traffic from FedEx and UPS traveling in trailers and containers. CSX said the capabilities on the I-95 corridor could generate 75,000 to 125,000 additional loads per year, including intermodal and non-intermodal shipments. The company noted that customers have already begun preparing for the upgrade even though the railroad has not formally marketed any new services. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

Intermodal providers

CSX to reopen two East Coast intermodal lanes in early October

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Strong demand and the resulting tightening of intra-Asia vessel capacity is lifting intra-Asia rates, a sharp contrast to falling spot pricing on both the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades. </div>

Strong demand and the resulting tightening of intra-Asia vessel capacity is lifting intra-Asia rates, a sharp contrast to falling spot pricing on both the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades.

<div class="phx-topic">A surge of Southeast Asia cargo ahead of a manufacturing slowdown in China next month is filling up the holds of intra-Asia carriers, with vessels booked through September and early reports of rolled cargo. The tightening of vessel capacity serving Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, lanes that feed the trans-Pacific trade, comes despite lackluster expectations for a pre-Golden Week surge of Chinese exports and reflects increased sourcing from Southeast Asia in the face of higher US tariffs on imports from China. Forwarders say the strong volumes are lifting intra-Asia rates, in sharp contrast to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ocean-market-in-trans-pacific-arrives-at-spot-pricing-tipping-point-6073669">falling spot pricing on both the trans-Pacific</a> and <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/early-peak-new-vessels-could-tip-asia-europe-into-overcapacity-6077749 ">Asia-Europe trades</a>. The increase in demand has also caused a capacity shortage and port congestion in markets such as Indonesia, where most of the country’s major exporters are experiencing delays of two or three days, said Antonella Teodoro, MDS Transmodal senior consultant. The volume surge and resulting tightening of intra-Asia capacity reflects the “growing concentration of complex, high-value manufacturing within Asia and the need for stronger regional supply chains,” she said. The lack of space has caused some carriers to create so-called roll pools, holding cargo at origin to prioritize higher-yield bookings, Eunice Yu, head of ocean freight at Dachser Air &amp; Sea Logistics Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, told the Journal of Commerce. A FIBS Logistics spokesperson in Singapore said that some carriers, including SITC, CMA CGM subsidiary CNC Line, and Korea Maritime Transport Co. (KMTC), “are already fully booked on intra-Asia services to [Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia] until the end of September.” Forwarders also highlighted Indonesia as a particularly strong cargo market, with several intra-Asia carriers announcing a raft of new Indonesia-focused services. CNC Line, SeaLead and CK Shipping are launching the jointly operated China Indonesia Korea (CIK) service from Sept. 15, with direct connections from South Korea and central China to Indonesia. Pacific International Lines (PIL) said Tuesday it will commence a Korea China Indonesia (KCI) string on Oct. 13 that will follow an identical routing to the joint CIK loop. The top 10 carriers serving Southeast Asia by deployed capacity increased tonnage 10% year over year, to 4.7 million TEU in September, according to MDS Transmodal. Maersk drove the gains as part of its Gemini Cooperation alliance with Hapag-Lloyd, followed by CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and SITC. Cosco Shipping remains the largest carrier in the highly fragmented intra-Asia market. In the longer term, factory closures in China due to the long October holiday are expected to temporarily soften the intra-Asia market before it “gradually picks up again in November, leading into the traditional fourth-quarter peak season, when rates should move higher than September levels,” Yu said. In the first half of 2025, non-oil-related trade by value between mainland China and Southeast Asia jumped nearly 46% compared to the year prior; in the four months ended in June, the US imported more from Southeast Asia than China for the first time since 2000, according to an analysis by investment bank HSBC. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

A surge of Southeast Asia cargo ahead of a manufacturing slowdown in China next month is filling up the holds of intra-Asia carriers, with vessels booked through September and early reports of rolled cargo. The tightening of vessel capacity serving Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, lanes that feed the trans-Pacific trade, comes despite lackluster expectations for a pre-Golden Week surge of Chinese exports and reflects increased sourcing from Southeast Asia in the face of higher US tariffs on imports from China. Forwarders say the strong volumes are lifting intra-Asia rates, in sharp contrast to falling spot pricing on both the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades . The increase in demand has also caused a capacity shortage and port congestion in markets such as Indonesia, where most of the country’s major exporters are experiencing delays of two or three days, said Antonella Teodoro, MDS Transmodal senior consultant. The volume surge and resulting tightening of intra-Asia capacity reflects the “growing concentration of complex, high-value manufacturing within Asia and the need for stronger regional supply chains,” she said. The lack of space has caused some carriers to create so-called roll pools, holding cargo at origin to prioritize higher-yield bookings, Eunice Yu, head of ocean freight at Dachser Air & Sea Logistics Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, told the Journal of Commerce. A FIBS Logistics spokesperson in Singapore said that some carriers, including SITC, CMA CGM subsidiary CNC Line, and Korea Maritime Transport Co. (KMTC), “are already fully booked on intra-Asia services to [Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia] until the end of September.” Forwarders also highlighted Indonesia as a particularly strong cargo market, with several intra-Asia carriers announcing a raft of new Indonesia-focused services. CNC Line, SeaLead and CK Shipping are launching the jointly operated China Indonesia Korea (CIK) service from Sept. 15, with direct connections from South Korea and central China to Indonesia. Pacific International Lines (PIL) said Tuesday it will commence a Korea China Indonesia (KCI) string on Oct. 13 that will follow an identical routing to the joint CIK loop. The top 10 carriers serving Southeast Asia by deployed capacity increased tonnage 10% year over year, to 4.7 million TEU in September, according to MDS Transmodal. Maersk drove the gains as part of its Gemini Cooperation alliance with Hapag-Lloyd, followed by CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and SITC. Cosco Shipping remains the largest carrier in the highly fragmented intra-Asia market. In the longer term, factory closures in China due to the long October holiday are expected to temporarily soften the intra-Asia market before it “gradually picks up again in November, leading into the traditional fourth-quarter peak season, when rates should move higher than September levels,” Yu said. In the first half of 2025, non-oil-related trade by value between mainland China and Southeast Asia jumped nearly 46% compared to the year prior; in the four months ended in June, the US imported more from Southeast Asia than China for the first time since 2000, according to an analysis by investment bank HSBC. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Maritime

Container Shipping News

Surging Southeast Asia volumes strain intra-Asia capacity

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Delivery of the fuel will begin immediately and build on a strategic collaboration Hapag-Lloyd established with Shell in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonization of its fleet.</div>

Delivery of the fuel will begin immediately and build on a strategic collaboration Hapag-Lloyd established with Shell in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonization of its fleet.

<div class="phx-topic">Hapag-Lloyd and Shell Western LNG have signed a multiyear agreement for the supply of liquefied biomethane for its growing fleet of dual-fuel container vessels. Details on the volume of fuel to be provided were not disclosed, but the supply agreement begins immediately and builds on <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-inks-lng-deal-to-power-incoming-mega-ship-fleet-5242198">a strategic collaboration the carrier established with Shell in 2023</a> to accelerate the decarbonization of its alternative marine fuel. “This agreement helps secure the fuel certainty and supply reliability we need to further expand the use of waste-based renewable fuels across our fleet,” Jan Christensen, senior director of global fuel purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd, said in a statement Thursday. Christensen added that it is important for carriers to use the lower-emission fuels that are already available today, rather than waiting for future solutions. Hapag-Lloyd currently has 13 dual-fuel LNG container ships in its fleet, known as the Hamburg Express class, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-makes-4-billion-move-down-lng-path-with-24-ship-dual-fuel-order-5787368">which were ordered in November 2024</a>. The last vessel in the order, Wilhelmshaven Express, was delivered earlier this year. The carrier has another 24 container ships — 12 16,800-TEU ships and 12 9,200-TEU vessels — capable of running on either LNG or ammonia on order and scheduled for delivery starting in 2027. Hapag-Lloyd aims to achieve net-zero fleet operations by 2045, cutting emissions across its fleet while supporting customers in their efforts to decarbonize their supply chains. Biomethane, also known as bio-LNG, will play a significant role in this decarbonization strategy. <h3>‘Fueling the next chapter’ </h3>The fuel choice by ocean carriers — at least for now — is increasingly between LNG and methanol. Ships capable of running on one of those two fuels comprised 70% of the total 1.7 million TEUs of vessel capacity ordered in 2024, according to data from Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. In July, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) ordered six 22,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG vessels and upsized another six LNG-fueled container ships from 19,000 TEUs to 22,000 TEUs, while Yang Ming ordered seven 15,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG ships. In February, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/evergreen-makes-32-billion-order-for-lng-capable-megaships-5943682">ordered 11 24,000-TEU LNG-capable vessels</a>, while Maersk last year <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/maersks-lng-order-hedges-bet-on-green-fuel-technology-ceo-5703200">ordered dual-fuel vessels totaling 800,000 TEUs</a> capable of sailing on methanol as well as LNG. Several carriers have also signed similar deals to lock in fuel supply. Hapag-Lloyd in November last year signed an agreement with Chinese energy producer Goldwind for the annual supply of 250,000 tons of green methanol per year from 2026, joining Gemini Cooperation partner Maersk, which already has a 500,000-tons-per-year green methanol deal with Goldwind. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="b7235aec-17d5-4005-bec9-2ab17950874b"></dynamic-object></div>CMA CGM inked a long-term LNG supply agreement with TotalEnergies that will run from 2028 to 2040 and power the carrier’s dual-fuel fleet, which will number 123 vessels by 2029. Dexter Belmar, vice president of global downstream LNG at Shell, said these deals help build the confidence needed to produce and consume renewable fuels at scale. “Bio-LNG is no longer a concept — it’s here, and it’s fueling the next chapter of shipping decarbonization,” he said in the joint statement, noting that Shell now offers liquefied biomethane at 22 strategic locations within its global LNG bunkering network. Biomethane is a drop-in fuel that enables LNG dual-fuel vessels to transition to renewable fuels without any equipment modifications. Derived from the decomposition of organic waste, such as crop residues, livestock manure and food waste, biogas is upgraded to biomethane by removing CO2 and impurities. The liquefied biomethane is then fed into the local gas grid, liquefied and supplied to ships on a mass-balanced basis. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Hapag-Lloyd and Shell Western LNG have signed a multiyear agreement for the supply of liquefied biomethane for its growing fleet of dual-fuel container vessels. Details on the volume of fuel to be provided were not disclosed, but the supply agreement begins immediately and builds on a strategic collaboration the carrier established with Shell in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonization of its alternative marine fuel. “This agreement helps secure the fuel certainty and supply reliability we need to further expand the use of waste-based renewable fuels across our fleet,” Jan Christensen, senior director of global fuel purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd, said in a statement Thursday. Christensen added that it is important for carriers to use the lower-emission fuels that are already available today, rather than waiting for future solutions. Hapag-Lloyd currently has 13 dual-fuel LNG container ships in its fleet, known as the Hamburg Express class, which were ordered in November 2024 . The last vessel in the order, Wilhelmshaven Express, was delivered earlier this year. The carrier has another 24 container ships — 12 16,800-TEU ships and 12 9,200-TEU vessels — capable of running on either LNG or ammonia on order and scheduled for delivery starting in 2027. Hapag-Lloyd aims to achieve net-zero fleet operations by 2045, cutting emissions across its fleet while supporting customers in their efforts to decarbonize their supply chains. Biomethane, also known as bio-LNG, will play a significant role in this decarbonization strategy. ‘Fueling the next chapter’ The fuel choice by ocean carriers — at least for now — is increasingly between LNG and methanol. Ships capable of running on one of those two fuels comprised 70% of the total 1.7 million TEUs of vessel capacity ordered in 2024, according to data from Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. In July, Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) ordered six 22,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG vessels and upsized another six LNG-fueled container ships from 19,000 TEUs to 22,000 TEUs, while Yang Ming ordered seven 15,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG ships. In February, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine ordered 11 24,000-TEU LNG-capable vessels , while Maersk last year ordered dual-fuel vessels totaling 800,000 TEUs capable of sailing on methanol as well as LNG. Several carriers have also signed similar deals to lock in fuel supply. Hapag-Lloyd in November last year signed an agreement with Chinese energy producer Goldwind for the annual supply of 250,000 tons of green methanol per year from 2026, joining Gemini Cooperation partner Maersk, which already has a 500,000-tons-per-year green methanol deal with Goldwind. CMA CGM inked a long-term LNG supply agreement with TotalEnergies that will run from 2028 to 2040 and power the carrier’s dual-fuel fleet, which will number 123 vessels by 2029. Dexter Belmar, vice president of global downstream LNG at Shell, said these deals help build the confidence needed to produce and consume renewable fuels at scale. “Bio-LNG is no longer a concept — it’s here, and it’s fueling the next chapter of shipping decarbonization,” he said in the joint statement, noting that Shell now offers liquefied biomethane at 22 strategic locations within its global LNG bunkering network. Biomethane is a drop-in fuel that enables LNG dual-fuel vessels to transition to renewable fuels without any equipment modifications. Derived from the decomposition of organic waste, such as crop residues, livestock manure and food waste, biogas is upgraded to biomethane by removing CO2 and impurities. The liquefied biomethane is then fed into the local gas grid, liquefied and supplied to ships on a mass-balanced basis. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

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In today’s competitive logistical landscape, efficiency is an absolute necessity for smooth operations. Yet, in the barge sector, many operators still rely on fragmented systems, delayed updates, and manual tracking methods that slow decision-making and increase operational risk. OpenTug’s new eBook, How Enhanced Visibility Transforms Barge Operations, reveals how unified, real-time data can become your competitive advantage leading to improved voyage management and more actionable insights. Drawing on industry best practices and real-world examples, it explores how operational transparency empowers teams to: ●	Reduce delays with accurate ETAs and proactive scheduling decisions ●	Improve asset utilization by identifying underused equipment and optimizing cargos ●	Strengthen safety and compliance through consistent, accessible documentation and reporting ●	Boost customer satisfaction with transparent status updates and faster response time You’ll learn how visibility can connect every part of your operation into a single, actionable view. The ability to see and act on real-time information transforms the way you plan, execute, and deliver. From managing a small regional fleet to running a large, national operation, this eBook will help you understand the measurable benefits of enhanced visibility and how technology like BargeOS is transforming the way barge logistics is managed. Get your copy today and see how clear insights lead to stronger performance, smarter decisions, and more profitable operations. <a href="https://9315820.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9315820/eBook/Nav-theFuture-AJW-08.19.25.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">Click here</a><span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-16_9 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-small" data-figure-size="small" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="16:9"><img src="/content-assets/1756152344211_Opentug%20logo.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">

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Transform Barge Operations with Total Visibility

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

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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