Port News

While there is some frontloading of US imports from China to get ahead of expected tariffs in the coming Trump administration, most cargo owners appear to be holding their fire, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.

A lack of action at the government level is now the number one bottleneck facing green corridor projects, according to a new report.

Forwarders and industry analysts forecast strong import volumes through the early Lunar New Year that begins Jan. 29 as importers of time-sensitive merchandise and manufacturing components route shipments through the country’s busiest gateway.

The move comes as the DP World-operated hub is making large investments in berths and supporting infrastructure with a plan to grow its throughput and attract volumes from other UK ports, including top rival Felixstowe.

Mounting congestion brought on by peak season volumes and port construction is making it difficult for exporters in Brazil to secure empty boxes.

The deal for privately-owned IMC Logistics gives NVO Kuehne+Nagel a significant advantage in selling door-to-door products to cargo owners.

While the presidential campaign is no longer a factor, the new Trump administration will likely be similarly disinterested in a strike of any significant length and, it can be assumed, will get directly involved in talks.

Dockworkers in British Columbia, as well as Montreal, say Labor Minister Steve MacKinnon’s order to accept binding arbitration goes against their rights under Canada’s constitution.

Developing an over-the-road network to handle containers carried on ships too large to traverse the waterway could increase the canal’s annual throughput by over 60%, officials say, although funding concerns exist.

The union representing about 45,000 dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports says employers want to eliminate jobs by implementing semi-automated technology at marine terminals.

The Democrat, appointed under the previous Trump administration, had taken a particular interest in port and terminal operations while at the US maritime regulator.

Canada’s Labor Minister requires management and unions to submit to binding arbitration and orders that ports reopen after a series of strikes and lockouts effectively halted container operations across the country.

US retailers plan to significantly increase imports in November and December compared with projections from just one month ago following Donald Trump’s election to a second term.

Coast-to-coast work stoppages at Canadian ports have ground container operations to a halt, with port employers saying their best offers for new dockworker contracts are on the table.

Among the major container lines, CMA CGM has taken the lead in reinstating shorter Suez Canal routings, offering India exporters to North America shorter transits than the majority of other services sailing around southern Africa.

Sources also noted that some recent sailings on the trade lane have had difficulty filling space at Nhava Sheva and Mundra in line with declared allocation plans.

The disruptions coming out of disagreements during port work contract negotiations in North America have intensified, as seen currently in Western Canada and Montreal, and possibly again on the US East and Gulf coasts come mid-January.

The work stoppage along Canada’s West Coast has also shut down rail operations, with CN suspending westbound rail service to British Columbia ports and CPKC halting acceptance of export and empty containers for the province.

The major Chinese ports of Shanghai and Ningbo are currently experiencing delays of two to three days due to the lingering impacts of the storm that hit the region late last week.

CMA CGM and Maersk are reshuffling their Mexico-Central America services beginning this month in response to chronic port congestion and berthing delays at key ports in the region.

Maritime employers say they will commence a lockout of the longshore foremen after their union began a threatened strike Monday morning, a move that will force marine terminals in the province to close.

Vancouver, Canada’s busiest container port, faces the possibility of a shutdown unless maritime employers and longshore foremen reach a new contract before a Monday deadline.

The Viau and Maisonneuve marine terminals closed to ship, rail and truck traffic Thursday morning as members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 375, which represents 1,200 dockworkers at Montreal, walked off the job.

While conventional retailers were decreasing their orders, the growth of e-commence shipments from Asia was more consistent as elevated air cargo rates pushed more shippers to move goods via ocean transport, the carrier’s CEO said.

The Environmental Protection Agency will disburse nearly $3 billion in federal funds meant to offset the costs of upgrading thousands of pieces of yard equipment from diesel to electric power.

Import demand from Asia, which typically tapers ahead of Black Friday sales, is holding steady, fueled by resilient retail sales, tariff concerns and the mid-January expiration of the tentative ILA labor agreement.

The port will see almost half of its container capacity go offline beginning Thursday as the local longshore union declares an unlimited strike against two of Montreal’s largest marine terminals.

It is the second major port investment the Marseilles-based carrier has made recently after paying $1.2 billion last month for a majority stake in Brazil’s largest terminal operator.

The completion of initial clearance improvements allows CSX to operate double-stack rail service on a temporary route from Baltimore along its network in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and into the Midwest.

The Port of Virginia is enjoying a 372% surge in breakbulk cargo volumes thanks largely to handling cargo shipments supporting a 2.6-gigawatt offshore wind project.

Forwarders say intra-Asia pricing is strengthening amid congestion-based blank sailings and strong demand, and carriers are marshalling another round of peak season rate increases.

Maritime employers and the longshore union representing dockworkers along the US East and Gulf coasts will restart negotiations in New Jersey next month, with automation the main issue at hand.

McBeth, who passed away last week at age 83, was remembered as instrumental in the development of the Prince Rupert container terminal.

Shippers and forwarders are reporting slowdowns at several inland gateways that are linked to seasonality, equipment placement, labor disruption and carrier behavior.

The agency said it has secured more refunds and waivers for shippers in disputes with ocean carriers over detention and demurrage charges, with more investigations pending.

Beth Ann Branch is taking the reins as New Orleans develops the $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal, which will allow the port to service ultra-large container ships.

The Port of Montreal’s maritime employers warn that even a brief strike will add to shipper uncertainty over routing cargo through the port given other recent job actions taken by the union.

UP’s CEO Jim Vena, during the railroad’s Q3 earnings call, appeared to take a shot at ocean carriers for not informing landside stakeholders sooner about the heavy volumes that landed along the West Coast in recent months.

The ruling from the Canada Industrial Relations Board said union longshore foremen moved too late in raising the issue of automation’s impact on jobs at the Port of Vancouver.

A report from the US Governmental Accountability Office shows the possible, but narrow, path for adoption of automation at US ports as maritime employers and longshore labor along the East and Gulf coasts attempt to hammer out a new master contract.