International ports

News and analysis of international ports, terminals, dredging, expansion, inland distribution, labor, disruption, congestion, cargo flow 

The latest International ports News & Analysis

New CMA CGM service adds to intra-Asia capacity boost for Indian shippers

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
The move complements a flurry of Asia-India service additions by niche regional carriers and newer feeder operators in recent months.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Busy intra-Asia market bucks trend in driving container demand growth: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and Journal of Commerce analyst |
The intra-Asian region is expected to be a hotbed of mergers and acquisitions in container shipping because that is where the growth in container demand is centered, writes analyst Lars Jensen.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

India-US contract rates hit fresh lows despite lower capacity from sailing cuts

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Given the persistent downward pressure on demand, it remains to be seen if India-US carriers will be able to push through a new round of modest rate hikes planned for December.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

November rate plunge negates carrier pricing activity on India-Europe trade

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Still, the latest Indian trade data presents some hopeful signs for supply chain stakeholders, as the country's merchandise exports grew 6.3% by value year over year in October, the fastest rate of expansion in a year.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Hamburg port volume turns positive in Q3 amid boost in Asia business

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
There was significant improvement in Hamburg’s operational indicators through the third quarter, especially those covering trade with China, its biggest source of imports.
Port NewsInternational ports

Deadline looming for IMO’s ‘single window’ data-sharing platform

Peter Shaw-Smith, Middle East contributor |
The International Maritime Organization voted in May 2022 to implement the so-called Maritime Single Window from the start of 2024 in a bid to accelerate digitalization in shipping.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational portsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Cargo operations partially resume after cyberattack hits DP World Australia

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
The incident comes as dockworkers announced a further series of strikes this week at DP World's four Australian terminals in an ongoing row over new rostering arrangements.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsLongshore laborInternational ports

India's Adani secures big US investment for Colombo container terminal project

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
The move holds considerable significance as it comes amid accelerated efforts by India and the US to boost bilateral ties at multiple levels.
Container Shipping NewsInternational ports

Rising marine terminal charges stir ire of Australian shipper groups

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
DP World Australia plans to hike terminal access charges by up to 50% at its four terminals in the country from Jan. 1.
Container Shipping NewsMarine terminalsInternational ports

India-US cargo flow buffeted by blank sailings, sliding schedule reliability

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
On top of the sailing cuts, some recent vessel arrivals at India have been behind schedule by up to a week, resulting in cargo rollovers, according to forwarder sources.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Hamburg terminal operator HHLA accepts MSC’s offer for ownership stake

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
While the carrier will not hold the controlling share, expanding its presence in Hamburg will cement MSC’s terminal operating position in Europe’s third-largest container shipping port.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesPort NewsMarine terminalsInternational ports

ONE finalizes terminal deals in Los Angeles, Oakland, Rotterdam

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The Singapore-based carrier has now expanded its access to capacity in the strategic locations of the US West Coast, North Europe and Southeast Asia.
Port NewsContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Volume growth underscores need for expansion at Port Tanger Med

Peter Shaw-Smith, Middle East Contributor |
Given the current growth rate, Morrocco’s Tanger Med could reach its nominal annual container capacity of 9 million TEUs as early as next year.
International portsContainer Shipping NewsPort infrastructure

Carriers, shippers face Australia cargo delays from DP World stevedore strikes

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
DP World said it is currently experiencing a seven- to eight-day turnaround in vessels being worked at four major ports in the country, a significant delay compared with the usual two-day turnaround.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

China-India rates tick steadily higher as Asian manufacturing diversifies

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Seeing the demand growth, niche intra-Asia liners have beefed up their networks out of India, deploying bigger vessels and opening more calls to the country’s East Coast ports.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

THE Alliance culls US, Europe services amid weak Southeast Asia import demand

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The latest service suspensions signal that US and European demand for some Asia-sourced consumer goods will remain tepid following the record spending splurge of the previous two years.
Container linesContainer Shipping NewsNorth American portsInternational ports

DSV signs onto $10 billion JV linked to Saudi-backed NEOM port project

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The announcement was made simultaneously with the forwarder releasing its nine-month financial results that reflected softening air and ocean markets, dragging down profitability from last year’s record performance.
ForwardingMaritimeInternational portsAir Cargo

Geopolitics, economic slump drag down Antwerp-Bruges nine-month volumes

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
Antwerp-Bruges follows neighboring rival Rotterdam in reporting a decline in container throughput this year through September.
Port NewsInternational ports

Rotterdam container volume decline continues through Q3

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
A weak regional economy in which increasing demand for services is cutting into consumer goods spending, high inflation and rising geopolitical tensions are dragging on containerized trade through Europe’s largest port.
Port NewsInternational ports

Hapag-Lloyd enters Brazil feeder market amid cabotage deregulation

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Forwarders in Brazil say Hapag-Lloyd’s entrance into the feeder market through a joint venture will inject competition amid an easing of the country’s cabotage rules.
Container linesInternational ports

India-US rates pushed lower amid excess capacity, muted peak season

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
After jettisoning previously planned October rate hikes, some India-USEC carriers have published new, modest rate increase plans for November.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Fresh geopolitical stress puts supply chain resilience back in the spotlight: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and JOC Analyst |
Existing overcapacity in the container shipping market has provided the resilience required to handle a potential prolonged blockage of the Suez Canal, says analyst Lars Jensen, who wonders if stakeholders are willing to pay higher freight rates to maintain that safety net.
Container linesAsia-EuropeInternational ports

Typhoon leaves vessel delays in its wake as ports in China, Taiwan reopen

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Both Hongkong International Terminals and Modern Terminals confirmed cargo handling operations at their facilities at Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung container port were halted for about 33 hours, gradually resuming late Monday afternoon.
Container Shipping NewsTrans-PacificAsia-EuropeInternational ports

MSC cements North Europe presence with Bremerhaven terminal extension

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
MSC’s move to extend its partnership with Eurogate in the north German gateway port follows a bid by the carrier for a half-stake in Hamburg’s largest terminal operator.
Port NewsContainer Shipping NewsMarine terminalsInternational ports

Coming implementation of European ETS setting up for a predictable mess: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and JOC Analyst |
If shippers found the post-IMO 2020 bunker fuel formulas confusing and misaligned across ocean carriers, just wait until they see the surcharges linked to Europe’s new emissions trading system, says analyst Lars Jensen.
Container Shipping NewsInternational portsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

India-Middle East-Europe corridor plan to skirt Suez begs costly questions

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
The multimodal transshipment connector is taking shape as the industry puts a heavier focus on end-to-end, point-to-point carrier offerings to enable more resilient and sustainable trade flow.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Aggressive trans-Pac blank sailings likely through Lunar New Year amid freight downturn: sources

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
For importers and forwarders, the blank sailings mean the resulting schedule disruptions and “rolling” of cargo they are already experiencing at Asian load ports will force them to book more of their cargo with carriers they can count on to maintain schedule integrity.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificNorth American portsInternational ports

Sourcing shift causes surge in South American logistics investment

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
New forwarding and ocean services are being added to South American trade lanes as service providers move to capture rising trade growth in the region.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificInternational ports

August volume boost, FAK rate revisions drive India-Europe rates higher

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Signaling some growth expectations, Indian container volumes saw gains in August, hitting 1.9 million TEUs, up 14% from 1.7 million TEUs a year earlier.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Panama Canal draft restrictions offer sustained challenge for carriers

Peter Tirschwell |
Carrier executives and others say the draft limitations imposed due to a shortage of rainfall are creating a more difficult economic rationale for the so-called all-water route to the East Coast of North America.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificNorth American portsInternational ports

Possible MSC deal brings ‘respite’ for competition-hit HHLA: Drewry

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The carrier’s commitment to bring an additional 1 million TEUs per year across HHLA’s wharves in Hamburg if it wins a bid for almost half the company will come as an attractive sweetener for the terminal operator.
Port NewsContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

Low rates, poor service to mark trans-Pacific trade amid capacity boom

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
Although importers can look forward to paying low freight rates at least into 2024 due to weak volumes and significant overcapacity in the trans-Pacific, aggressive capacity reductions through blank sailings will disrupt service levels, this week’s IANA conference was told.
Trans-PacificContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Ocean carriers on India-US trade cut sailings to keep rates afloat

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
The Indamex 2, the weekly loop touted as the fastest connection between western India and the US East Coast, is set to see a 50% capacity reduction for loads out of India this month.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

MSC makes bid for a half-stake in Hamburg’s main terminal operator

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The carrier has made a cash offer to acquire just under 50% of HHLA in a deal that will significantly expand its terminal and intermodal reach.
Port NewsContainer Shipping NewsMarine terminalsInternational ports

Greek operator Neptune orders two 4,200-unit car carriers in fleet expansion move

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
The carrier’s dual-fuel newbuildings will be the first in a series of vessels to be delivered over the next decade.
Ro/ro cargoNorth American portsInternational ports

String of Asia storms cause port closures, cargo delays

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Sailing schedules showed delays of up to five days on some services due to the typhoons, including one that hit the coast of southern China Tuesday after sweeping across Taiwan at the weekend.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsInternational ports

'Rushed' sourcing shift out of China prompts some reconsideration

Peter Tirschwell |
For any number of product categories, relocating sourcing brings with it less efficient logistics, occasional lower quality and overall higher costs at a time when cost control is rapidly assuming a higher priority for shippers.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsInternational ports

MSC reconnects India to Asia-USWC string as contract rates tick higher

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
MSC, which has implemented large-scale network realignments in recent months, halted Indian calls on the Sentosa service in April when it opened a standalone intra-Asia loop.
Trans-PacificContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

US shippers should begin planning now for potential 2024 disruptions: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and JOC Analyst |
In addition to the typical annual planning, such as for budgets and freight rates, US importers need to start weighing contingency plans for two potentially disruptive occurrences next year — continued low-water levels along the Panama Canal and the expiration of the International Longshoremen’s Association contract, writes Lars Jensen.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesLongshore laborNorth American portsInternational ports

Hamburg follows North Europe port rivals with H1 volume decline

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
Weak European demand for containerized trade through the first half is hurting port throughput at the region’s top three gateways, but signs are emerging of recovering volume on certain routes.
Port NewsContainer Shipping NewsTrans-AtlanticAsia-EuropeInternational ports