Heavy-haul transport

Ports that previously had been able to count on more predictable planning and certain cargo types, such as wind project equipment, are finding themselves having to take stock of their capabilities and recalibrate accordingly.

With a combined fleet of about 80 ships, the new structure unites SAL’s services under one integrated brand specializing in heavy-lift, ultra heavy-lift, multipurpose, offshore, semi liner shipping and bulk transport.

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project has been a test case of sorts for the Port of Virginia’s heavy-lift capabilities for future cargo opportunities.

A lack of transparency in carbon pricing from carriers is frustrating breakbulk shippers, while the industry must strike a balance that supports environmental goals without undermining the sector’s ability to function.

The latest orders come as the heavy-lift shipping sector is facing a mixed outlook in the energy industry, which has been one of its traditional cargo streams.

Experts from the Working Group on US Nuclear Dominance recommend a federal review of critical supply chain components and bottlenecks as they relate to nuclear project cargo transport.

Revamped energy priorities in the US and data-related industrial projects are driving out-of-gauge cargo demand.

Fragmentation and systems that don’t “talk to each other” are holding back the effective use of data in the project cargo industry, stakeholders say.

Having tentatively returned to Red Sea transits, multipurpose and heavy-lift vessels are again shunning the route in favor of the safer but longer passage around southern Africa.

The push and pull of US support for decarbonization efforts puts a question mark over potential project cargo demand.

Global vehicle carriers are set to feel the sting of a growing Chinese-operated ro/ro fleet amid a fight for international car cargoes.

The loss of An-124 heavy-lift air capacity will force a modal shift to ocean or a reduction in cargo sizes to fit into smaller craft, experts say.

Economies of scale are prompting shippers to superscale project cargoes, putting pressure on carriers and forwarders.

A squeeze on the talent pipeline for the MPV and heavy-lift sectors means that competition for crew and captains is set to intensify.

The main heavy-lift components needed for datacenters are cooling infrastructure such as large-scale air conditioners and backup power infrastructure such as batteries, diesel generators and transformers.

A slip in a key sentiment index reveals the MPV sector’s vulnerability to general market uncertainty, but operators remain optimistic that the cargo pipeline is still robust.

With the status of a federal multimodal freight network unclear, heavy haulers are forging ahead with their own push for processes, highway improvements and infrastructure specific to the transport of oversized and overweight loads.

A swing from renewables to fossil fuels in the US and new opportunities for wind cargoes internationally could overhaul traditional MPV trade lanes over time.

The unknowns surrounding US tariffs and proposed fees on Chinese tonnage are forcing shipowners to take a wait-and-see approach to ordering new vessels.

Carriers in the specialized cargo sector are designing contracts that would shift the cost of the US’ possible tax on Chinese tonnage to heavy-lift and project cargo shippers.

Donald Trump said he planned to announce that the US would impose a 25% tariff on all imports of steel and aluminum, both of which are key cargo types for the breakbulk sector.

Outside investment for project carriers is scarce, primarily because future project cargo flows are so difficult to predict.

Limited air freight options for specialized cargoes are not expected to ease in the short term.

A decline in sales of high-and-heavy equipment for the bellwether roll-on/roll-off cargo providers will reduce demand for breakbulk carriers.

Rapid urbanization and strong economic growth are driving project cargo volumes in India, although heavier cargoes are becoming harder to handle due to port equipment and infrastructure limitations.

Project slowdowns ease pressure on heavy transport service providers and the breakbulk supply chain, injecting realism into schedules, but a buoyant outlook could mask signs of stress, executives say.

Weaker demand, congestion and supply chain disruptions held back volumes at two of Europe’s largest breakbulk ports during the first six months of the year.

A 458-ton cold box, one of 24 heavy-haul transports bound for Intel’s newest chip plant, is inching its way across Ohio after a year-plus of planning.

Often oddly shaped or very heavy, project cargo does not necessarily consume all the deadweight space on a given vessel.

The US DOT’s latest iteration of a national multimodal freight network map presents an opportunity to pinpoint vital routes and address concerns specific to out-of-gauge and heavy-haul road transport.

The moves come as the project cargo market is set to continue its growth trajectory, supported by key sectors such as oil and gas and mining.

Deere and Caterpillar are facing a lackluster year as equipment sales soften amid lower commodity prices and market uncertainty.

The shipping industry is facing a prolonged period of geopolitical instability, attendees at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk & Project Cargo Conference were told Thursday.

The global energy buildout in renewables and oil and gas has spurred the heavy-transport partners to order two new carriers.

The cost of moving flatbed loads from Baltimore to warehouses in western Maryland jumped more than $100 per load compared with February’s average cost, according to data from DAT Freight & Analytics.

New orders for open-hatch multi-purpose ships, some of them heavy-lift capable, have increased the MPV fleet growth forecast by 3.5% through 2028.

Billions of dollars in federal funds are available to scale up innovative green energy projects, once would-be developers make it through the DOE’s loan qualification process.

Amid growth in US infrastructure spending, the heavy-haul transport segment is calling for better synchronization among state transportation departments when it comes to oversized transport requirements and permitting processes.

With capacity restricted, global MPV/HL rates are expected to rise again starting in the second quarter of 2024.

The biggest trucking acquisition of 2023 gives Canada’s TFI an additional $1.8 billion in annual revenue and nearly 20 operating subsidiaries hauling oversized, heavy freight.