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Breakbulk News

Up-to-date breakbulk news and analysis about the end-to-end movement of breakbulk cargo and heavy lift and project cargoes. Coverage tracks breakbulk news about premier gateway ports, terminals, carriers and charterers. It also covers wind cargo, roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) newbuildings, storage and processing capacity, inland supply chain connectivity and landside transport for energy, infrastructure, construction and other industries.

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The latest Breakbulk News News & Analysis

Some shippers sticking with MPVs even as ‘spillover’ market subsides

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
The breakbulk industry’s scramble to manage spillover cargo is ebbing as shippers' need for alternative tonnage eases, but that does not necessarily mean a rush back to pre-COVID norms.
Breakbulk carriers

Chaotic ‘spillover’ market reveals value of breakbulk shipping skills

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Old-fashioned breakbulk and supply chain skills have served shippers well in the “spillover” market, and some practices may linger after the container market normalizes.
Breakbulk carriers

Breakbulk demand heating up as spillover market plateaus

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Millions of tons of project cargo freight will be moving soon as energy projects, including Qatar’s massive LNG facility, gather steam, logistics executives say.
Project cargoEnergy projects

‘Spillover’ cargo market shows signs of waning

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Softening container rates are expected to pull “spillover” cargo back from the breakbulk sector, but the just-ended COVID lockdowns in China may slow a market normalization.
Project cargo

Container shippers tapping ro/ro capacity amid tight vessel space

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
Container ship capacity has become so scarce that cargoes are spilling over not only to breakbulk and multipurpose vessels, but to the roll-on/roll-off sector as well.
MaritimeBreakbulk NewsRo/ro cargo

Chaotic breakbulk market won’t return to pre-pandemic norms

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
The outlook for project cargo demand is bright, but tight capacity, congestion, high costs, and low schedule reliability will likely persist in the breakbulk sector.
Breakbulk News

Breakbulk shippers feeling the pinch from increased detention charges

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
In a hot breakbulk market, carriers are asking for — and getting — far higher detention fees to cover their potential losses when shippers delay loading or picking up their cargo.
Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk ports

MPV indexes hold steady at high levels as container spot rates soften

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
No “summer slump” is expected for the multipurpose sector even though softening spot rates for container shipping will send some spillover shippers back to boxes.
Breakbulk carriers

European short-sea ro/ro market undercut by Russian sanctions

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Demand for long-haul ro/ro services is strong, but COVID lockdowns and growing global economic uncertainties are constraining vehicle volumes, executives say.
Ro/ro cargo

MPV carrier UHL orders two F-900 ‘Eco-lifter’ newbuildings

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
The latest vessels in UHL’s F-900 series will be built in Hudong, China, and are due to be delivered in late 2023 and early 2024.
Breakbulk carriers

Higher oil prices, Russian sanctions may not drive long-term project investment

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
As the global energy transition gains momentum, a “mismatched” market will become more complex, partitioned, and costly, according to Jim Burkhard, head of oil market research at S&P Global.
Project cargo

MPV rates plateau, but long-term strength expected: analysts

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
A tightening supply of multipurpose ships bodes well for carriers and their bottom lines, but signals a higher “new normal” ahead for breakbulk and project shippers.
Breakbulk carriers

Container shippers pooling cargo to charter breakbulk ships

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The presence of container shippers at JOC’s recent breakbulk conference shows that while global container volumes are slowing, plenty of logistics managers are concerned enough about future capacity on US trades.
Container linesBreakbulk News

Global car carrier fleet to expand, get greener

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
The latest newbuild order from Japan’s MOL continues a flurry of vehicle carrier orders made in the last month that will result in a bigger — and greener fleet — global fleet.
Ro/ro cargo

Pitfalls increase for breakbulk importers as sanctions grow in complexity

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent |
Breakbulk importers must navigate complex sanctions rules and a CBP crackdown on goods made with forced labor, attendees at JOC’s 2022 Breakbulk and Project Cargo conference were told.
Breakbulk carriers

Steel, other US commodity imports face severe shortage of storage space

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent |
Severely limited warehousing capacity at North American ports is adding to the challenges facing breakbulk shippers in 2022, attendees at JOC’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo conference were told.
Breakbulk carriers

‘Troublesome’ outlook ahead for breakbulk shippers

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Multipurpose and heavy-lift vessel capacity will remain tight for years, keeping upward pressure on pricing, carrier executives said at the JOC Breakbulk & Project Cargo conference.
Breakbulk carriers

Offshore wind plans driving investment in installation vessels

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Massive investment in offshore wind energy projects planned for Asia and the US is fueling orders for installation vessels, but at least one analyst expects an equipment shortfall by the end of the decade.
Project cargo

War, market uncertainty stall MPV rate growth: analysts

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Although rates could plateau or slide as global stressors impact the MPV market, underlying demand will not soften as the energy transition accelerates.
Breakbulk carriers

Maersk unit orders wind installation vessel for US projects

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Maersk Supply Service has ordered a new wind turbine installation vessel to build offshore wind projects on the US Atlantic seaboard.
Energy projects

Recovering EPC forecast complicated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Burned by losses, key engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms continue to shift away from lump-sum contracting and toward more risk-averse strategies in the oil and gas space.
Breakbulk NewsProject cargo

US Gulf ports project continued breakbulk recovery, container ‘spillover’

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent |
Rebounding steel and project cargo volumes and a congested container market that continues to push both cargo and containers to the breakbulk mode are driving strong growth at the key Gulf Coast ports.
Breakbulk News

Industry veteran to drive new approach at Combi Lift

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Combi Lift will serve as a wholesale "integrator" of owner Harren & Partner’s assets, including the carriers SAL Heavy Lift and Intermarine
Breakbulk carriers

GPA spending millions to beef up ro/ro, breakbulk capacity

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
The Georgia Ports Authority plans to spend $150 million to create a “massive gateway port” for ro/ro and breakbulk cargo.
Ro/ro cargo

Ukraine invasion could tighten already-scarce MPV tonnage

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could exacerbate a tonnage shortage in the global MPV/HL sector driven by ongoing container-side congestion and spillover cargo.
Breakbulk carriers

Loss of AN-225 in Russian attack a blow to Ukraine's Antonov Airlines

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
While Antonov's smaller AN-124s continue to operate, restoring the behemoth AN-225 will take five years and cost more than $3 billion, according to the Ukrainian government's news outlet.
Breakbulk carriersAirport News

AAL bucks MPV ordering trend with two new ships

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
MPV/HL newbuildings expand dship, BBC Chartering fleet as AAL places orders for a total of six new ships.
Breakbulk carriers

‘Trickle-down’ expectations pressuring MPV operators

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
While a rate "plateau" may be looming, container congestion and equipment supply shortages will continue to push spillover cargo into the MPV sector, analysts say
Breakbulk carriersProject cargo

Rebounding vehicle production highlights looming landside labor shortages

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Auto makers and finished vehicle logistics (FVL) service providers say a dearth of car-haul drivers, dockworkers, and auto processing labor could hinder the tentative recovery in auto manufacturing.
Breakbulk NewsRo/ro cargo

Ro/ro volumes surge at NWSA as cargo shippers flee container chaos

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent |
The Northwest Seaport Alliance saw record breakbulk tonnage in 2021 thanks to container congestion and booming demand for construction machinery.
Ro/ro cargo

Ro/ro carriers brace for auto surge amid capacity crunch

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Even a slight recovery in auto production means shippers should brace for the reality that already tight vessel capacity will become even scarcer, ro/ro carriers warn.
Ro/ro cargo

US offshore wind buildout will require additional assets, labor

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
As the offshore wind buildout gains momentum, logistics providers are adapting European models to meet the specific needs and constraints of the US market.
Energy projects

Expect high MPV rates, tight capacity through 2022, say analysts

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Soaring freight rates are incentivizing MPV carriers to turn down lower-value backhauls and return empty to load ports.
Breakbulk carriers

Outlook 2022: MPV/HL demand to remain elevated despite receding container ‘spillover’

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Although spillover cargo from the congested container market will recede as the market stabilizes, breakbulk and recovering project demand coupled with shrinking capacity are expected to keep MPV/HL rates from sinking to pre-COVID-19 levels
MaritimeBreakbulk News

Container imports jump at Everett as carriers seek alternative ports

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent |
Extra-loaders carrying spillover cargo are dramatically increasing container imports at the Port of Everett in Washington state.
Breakbulk carriers

MPV extra-loader demand expected to last into 2022

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
In a bid for predictability, shippers are signing up for long-term MPV charters despite rocketing rates fueled by strong cargo demand from traditional customers and freight forwarders managing spillover container cargo.
Breakbulk carriers

MPV newbuildings won’t dent coming capacity shortage

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
While newbuildings add needed tonnage to the MPV/HL fleet, they will not stave off what sector participants say is a looming capacity shortage.
Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriers

No slowdown in MPV demand amid wind growth: Toepfer

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Ambitious global plans to increase wind energy capacity, ongoing spillover demand from the container market, and a scant orderbook are poised to drive a capacity shortage in the multipurpose vessel market.
Project cargo

MPV rates up, but rate of increase easing: Drewry

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
"Spillover" demand in the MPV/HL carrier segment is not yet slowing, thanks to ongoing port congestion and shippers willing to use alternatives to traditional container shipping.
Breakbulk carriers

Digital bulk, breakbulk marine management startup raises $8.4 million

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Low-code digital platform Voyager Portal is focused on reducing complexity and cost in non-containerized global shipping operations.
Project cargoLogistics Technology News