Container shipping

News and analysis of ocean containerized cargo movement, logistics, supply chains, technology, and end-to-end connectivity.

The latest Container shipping News & Analysis

Maritime employers seek White House help with West Coast contract impasse

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor and Peter Tirschwell | Jun 12, 2023, 2:34 PM EDT

The Pacific Maritime Association hopes Labor Secretary nominee Julie Su can get ILWU negotiators to move closer to a level of wage increases that puts an agreement within reach.
Longshore laborContainer shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificPortsMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Maersk makes ‘gap filler’ move to secure green methanol for new vessel

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 12, 2023, 2:28 PM EDT

The deal made by the carrier highlights the challenges of securing the supply of green methanol from a global market that is in its infancy.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesEnergy projects

LA-LB vessel backlog cleared as West Coast negotiators remain at bargaining table

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 9, 2023, 3:10 PM EDT

Talks between the ILWU and maritime employers continued Friday for a third straight day, which sources called a positive indicator with negotiations hitting the 13-month mark this weekend.
Longshore laborContainer shippingContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

US House bill aims to cap further growth in ship emissions

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 9, 2023, 8:00 AM EDT

Legislation now in Congress would put commercial shipping under the oversight of the US Clean Air Act and set increasing targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer shipping

Southern California ports navigate vessel backlog after ILWU job actions

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 8, 2023, 4:47 PM EDT

Cargo handling was back to normal Thursday in Los Angeles and Long Beach for the first time in a week, but the ports are now struggling with a large vessel backlog after not having sufficient longshore labor.
Longshore laborContainer shippingContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Wilmington port looks at new operator after GT USA’s unsettled tenure

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 8, 2023, 11:28 AM EDT

The Delaware port could be turned over to terminal operator Enstructure, which has committed to advancing the proposed Edgemoor container terminal project.
North American portsContainer shipping

CSX looks to dismiss Hapag-Lloyd complaint amid FMC oversight question

Teri Errico Griffis | Jun 8, 2023, 10:19 AM EDT

While the FMC has jurisdiction over ocean carriers, it cannot regulate railroads simply because of their association with container lines, CSX said in a motion to disentangle itself from a demurrage complaint.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer shippingContainer linesSurfaceRailNorth-American rail

IMO must set zero-emission target for 2050: Norwegian shipowners

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 8, 2023, 9:39 AM EDT

The shift to green fuels needs to be “supercharged” by establishing a clear zero-emissions target at the IMO’s July meeting, according to an Oslo-based shipowner group.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificTrans-AtlanticAsia-Europe

Second month of big Asia-Med volume growth drives market optimism

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 8, 2023, 8:55 AM EDT

There are growing expectations in the container shipping market that the Asia-Europe trade will see a peak season this year as European import volume growth continued in April.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesAsia-Europe

CMA CGM to acquire share of Cosco’s Spanish terminal unit

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 8, 2023, 8:48 AM EDT

The Marseille-based carrier continues to grow its terminal portfolio in strategic areas as part of a broad move to control the end-to-end logistics of customer shipments.
Marine terminalsContainer shippingContainer linesInternational ports

Rate of US import declines to slow into third quarter: retailers

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 7, 2023, 5:33 PM EDT

The year-on-year gap in monthly import volumes will only narrow as shippers start to ramp up back-to-school and seasonal product ordering, says the National Retail Federation.
Container shippingNorth American ports

Hamburg Sud hit with $10 million FMC judgment in shipper retaliation case

Teri Errico Griffis | Jun 7, 2023, 4:45 PM EDT

The carrier was found to have willfully engaged in retaliation against a Florida-based retailer who had sought relief for $40,000 in detention fees.
Transport, trade and regulationMaritimeContainer shippingContainer lines

Seattle effectively shut, vessel backup builds in LA-LB amid ILWU job actions

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 7, 2023, 3:51 PM EDT

The latest labor-related port disruptions along the West Coast came as coastwide contract negotiations between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association were scheduled to resume Wednesday.
North American portsContainer shippingPorts

Latest ILWU job action further energizes West Coast cargo diversions

Peter Tirschwell | Jun 7, 2023, 12:30 PM EDT

Shippers diverting goods away from the West Coast typically like what they see: Ports up and down the East and Gulf coasts that have invested significantly to handle growth, are customer-focused, take fluidity seriously and have experienced virtually no labor disruption since the late 1970s.
Longshore laborContainer shippingMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Stage set for IMO to provide strong direction on decarbonization path

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Jun 7, 2023, 12:06 PM EDT

The International Maritime Organization has an opportunity next month to set more aggressive goals to slash carbon emissions, which could send a powerful signal to stakeholders needing direction, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.
Container linesContainer shippingPortsMarine terminalsTransport, trade and regulation

US importers still destocking, and delaying restocking in uncertain economy

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 7, 2023, 10:52 AM EDT

US consumers are still spending, but at a slower rate, and that’s pushing major restocking of goods further toward the back half of 2023, analysts and retailers say.
Supply ChainContainer shippingNorth American portsTruckingIndustrial real estate

USWC longshore contract talks resume while terminal disruptions continue

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 6, 2023, 5:12 PM EDT

The disruptions happening now are a repeat of events in April when ILWU locals up and down the coast slowed cargo handling to gain leverage on local issues, which prevented coastwide negotiators from addressing broader issues such as wages and pension benefits.
Longshore laborContainer shippingContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

MSC adds North American calls to Latin America-Europe service

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 6, 2023, 2:55 PM EDT

The ports of Boston and Halifax are getting additional trans-Atlantic coverage through a new rotation on Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s north-south service from Ecuador.
Container linesContainer shippingNorth American ports

Regulatory support critical for aviation’s green energy transition: IATA

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 6, 2023, 2:53 PM EDT

The air and ocean shipping sectors have set out their decarbonization agendas, but policy help is urgently required to underpin investment in new fuel technology and production, a global trade group says.
Air CargoContainer shippingAir cargo carriers

Megaship deliveries add to growing capacity on Asia-Europe trade

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 6, 2023, 11:09 AM EDT

About 65% of the current carrier orderbook is for ships over 15,000 TEUs in capacity, the majority of which will be deployed on the already oversupplied Asia-Europe trade.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificAsia-Europe

ILWU Canada threatens strike at Vancouver, Prince Rupert

Journal of Commerce staff | Jun 5, 2023, 5:39 PM EDT

ILWU Canada rank-and-file will vote later this week on whether to issue a 72-hour strike notice, raising the unprecedented prospect of disruption on Canada’s West Coast amid job actions by labor along the US West Coast.
Longshore laborContainer shippingTrans-PacificPortsNorth American portsNorth-American rail

UPDATE: USWC disruptions continue as ILWU flexes power amid wage, manning gap with employers

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 5, 2023, 5:22 PM EDT

The White House said it was monitoring the fast-developing situation along the West Coast, while a major retail organization urged the Biden administration to intervene and warned about the ongoing diversion of cargo to the East and Gulf coasts.
Longshore laborContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Wilmington, Virginia top US port performers for 2022: index

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 5, 2023, 1:17 PM EDT

The Container Port Performance Index for 2022 showed that among large ports, China’s Yangshan ranked No. 1, while Ningbo and Guangzhou were among the top 10.
North American portsContainer shippingInternational ports

ILWU shuts down some US West Coast port terminals

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jun 2, 2023, 3:26 PM EDT

The ILWU Friday shut down some terminals at West Coast ports after coastwide contract negotiations broke down Thursday because the union and employers are reportedly far apart on wages.
Longshore laborContainer shippingMarine terminals

FMC ‘improperly’ applied incentive principle in detention decision: Evergreen

Teri Errico Griffis | Jun 2, 2023, 1:30 PM EDT

Container carrier Evergreen argues the FMC ignored “critical facts” when applying the incentive rule in a December case and, in doing so, inadvertently set a precedent that detention cannot be charged on a holiday weekend.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer shippingContainer linesSurfaceTrucking

Slow demand, rising capacity drags air cargo rates to three-year low

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 2, 2023, 10:18 AM EDT

Air cargo carriers are set for a bleak few months, with high inventory levels and economic issues in destination markets further dampening the traditionally slow summer season.
Air CargoTrans-PacificAsia-EuropeAir cargo forwarding

Carrier decarbonization business case flawed: Seaspan

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | Jun 1, 2023, 10:32 AM EDT

The lack of security around the supply of alternative fuels in a highly fragmented market will undermine ocean carrier efforts to decarbonize the industry, according to the world’s largest container ship owner.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesTransport, trade and regulation

No clear link between slow-steaming, schedule reliability: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and JOC Analyst | May 31, 2023, 12:38 PM EDT

Slow-steaming has come to the fore of late as ocean carriers seek help in absorbing overcapacity, but analyst Lars Jensen says the common refrain that slower speeds also help to improve schedule reliability doesn’t hold water.
Container shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificAsia-Europe

Weaker ocean rates, China sourcing shift drive rise in LCL shipments

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor | May 31, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT

An emerging trend of sending smaller shipments more frequently is leading to growing demand for LCL services across the major trade lanes.
Container shippingContainer linesForwardingInternational ports

New UP intermodal service from Houston to provide West Coast reach

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | May 30, 2023, 5:02 PM EDT

Union Pacific’s launch of direct intermodal service from Houston comes two weeks after competitor BNSF announced it would begin a new service from the port’s Barbours Cut marine terminal.
North-American railContainer shippingNorth American portsIntermodal providers

Hong Kong struggles to recover volumes lost amid South China cargo shift

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent | May 30, 2023, 2:07 PM EDT

Shippers and port executives say the post-COVID shift of cargo back to Hong Kong is being hampered by the global slump in demand as developed countries grapple with elevated inventories and inflationary pressures.
Container shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificNorth American portsInternational ports

CMA CGM attempts peak season surcharge for India-US trade

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent | May 30, 2023, 10:02 AM EDT

Thanks to a recent GRI push, average contract rates for India to the US have seen modest gains in recent weeks and carriers are now looking to build around that limited success.
Container shippingContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Ocean carriers’ schedule reliability rose in April amid falling volumes

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | May 26, 2023, 2:41 PM EDT

The port congestion in Asia and North America that compromised vessel on-time performance during the pandemic began to ease last fall with declining cargo volumes, and the reliability improvements have accelerated since.
Container shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificNorth American portsInternational ports

Market headwinds push CMA CGM Q1 revenue, profit sharply lower

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 26, 2023, 1:54 PM EDT

The carrier's CEO said inflation and destocking in global markets heralded a “phase of normalization” for container shipping.
Container linesContainer shipping

Shippers bemoan lack of progress in ocean visibility despite heavy investment

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 26, 2023, 11:15 AM EDT

End-to-end supply chain visibility remains an elusive goal for providers in a market where shippers are expecting better data quality than they have seen.
Logistics technologyContainer shippingContainer linesPortsNorth American portsSupply Chain

Hydrogen-driven barge debuts on Europe’s inland network

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | May 26, 2023, 10:17 AM EDT

The drive to decarbonize European inland transport by switching freight from the road to greener alternatives took a step forward this week.
MaritimeContainer shippingEnergy projects

‘Super’ slow steaming makes a comeback as surplus capacity builds

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | May 26, 2023, 10:01 AM EDT

Ocean carriers are pulling all available capacity management levers to address a supply-demand imbalance that is set to widen significantly through 2024.
MaritimeContainer shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificAsia-Europe

Carriers pare blank sailings in May as ocean freight rates steady

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | May 25, 2023, 12:37 PM EDT

With spot freight rates largely stabilized, ocean carriers have blanked fewer sailings in May and instead opted for more biweekly sailings.
Container linesContainer shippingNorth American ports

Ocean trade emerges from pandemic haze to face new realities

Peter Tirschwell | May 25, 2023, 11:23 AM EDT

Although the container shipping order book is the highest it has been in many years and demand remains subdued, the ground is shifting under the ocean market in new and unfamiliar ways, writes Peter Tirschwell.
Container shippingContainer linesTrans-PacificTrans-AtlanticAsia-EuropeTransport, trade and regulation

Forwarders locked in margin-destroying price war in post-COVID ocean market

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe | May 25, 2023, 10:16 AM EDT

Price is once again on the side of shippers, with excess ocean capacity allowing them to extract lower rates from service providers.
MaritimeContainer shippingForwardingTrans-PacificTrans-AtlanticAsia-Europe