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Port News

The latest port news from the Journal of Commerce spans the globe from North Carolina and Florida to Shanghai and Singapore. Port news includes port automation, terminal construction projects, the future of decarbonization and net-zero shipping, dredging, port hinterland connectivity, labor, disruption, port congestion and cargo flow.

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The latest Port News News & Analysis

Small, mid-sized US shippers find falling trans-Pac spot rates hard to ignore

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
With most new trans-Pacific service contracts in effect only since late May, container lines are already nudging shippers to meet their minimum quantity commitments instead of taking advantage of spot rates that have been cratering for approximately three weeks, sources say.
Trans-PacificContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesForwardingNorth American ports

Senators look to rein in longshore work actions with change to US labor laws

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The legislation comes less than two weeks after West Coast waterfront employers and the ILWU struck a tentative deal for a new labor contract after 13 months of contentious talks that saw the union slow down port operations on numerous occasions.
Longshore laborNorth American ports

Congressman adds ban of China shipping data platform to Defense budget

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Scrutiny of China’s access to US maritime data is rising, with a US congressman targeting China’s state-sponsored shipping platform in a Defense Department budget amendment.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer Shipping NewsPort NewsNorth American ports

SSA Marine looks to expand into new US ports with deal for Ceres

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Carrix, the parent company of terminal operator SSA Marine, said it has agreed to buy Ceres Terminals for its exposure to container business going to the US East and Gulf coasts.
North American portsContainer Shipping News

C&K Trucking expands to Columbus and Kansas City, with more to come

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The major eastern US drayage provider is looking to expand its footprint to California and the Pacific Northwest before the end of the year, markets where its major competitors already operate.
Drayage

Demand pressure keeps India-US contract rates sliding despite GRI efforts

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
After two attempts to push through GRIs largely failed, forwarder sources in India believe it will be difficult for carriers to achieve success under current tight booking conditions, but liners have nonetheless lined up further rate hikes.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Lackluster north-south demand, rates to rebound in Q3: forwarders

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
A combination of softer volumes and increased vessel capacity continues to drag on spot rates between Latin America and the US, but forwarders say they expect demand to begin to recover in September.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Falling Asia container rates may be too much of a good thing for US exporters

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
There’s growing concern among some US exporters that outbound container spot rates are too low, recalling memories of when unprofitable cargo was left on the docks and service levels fell in parallel with the bottom lines of ocean carriers, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.
Trans-PacificContainer linesNorth American ports

US ag shippers look to diversify exports away from West Coast

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor, and Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Even though port congestion has cleared and a longshore labor deal has been reached, ag shippers say intractable problems still plague their ability to move goods easily through the West Coast.
North American portsContainer Shipping News

UPDATE: Doyle lands new post after resigning from top job at Maryland Port Administration

JOC Staff |
William Doyle’s departure after three years, announced to Maryland Port Administration employees Friday according to local news reports, came less than a week after he received three traffic citations.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsRo/ro cargo

Louisiana governor aims to restore funds for new Port NOLA terminal

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Louisiana’s state legislators made a surprise cut to funding the Port of New Orleans planned to use for the design and planning of a new $1.5 billion mega-terminal.
North American portsContainer Shipping News

ILWU scores 32% wage increase, $70 million bonus in tentative new contract

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
In addition to a 32% increase in dockworker wages over the life of the six-year deal, the tentative US West Coast longshore labor agreement includes a one-time $70 million bonus for staying on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Longshore laborContainer linesTrans-PacificMarine terminalsNorth American ports

West India ports reopen to limited operations after cyclone

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Some inland logistics services have resumed, but vessel movements at the ports of Pipavav and Mundra remain suspended due to disruption stemming from Cyclone Biparjoy.
International portsContainer Shipping News

Chassis providers rehabbing fleets as costs for new units remain elevated

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
With demand in ports and rail hubs weak, chassis providers are turning their attention to refurbishing older, less-reliable units, a process that is expected to take years to complete.
Drayage

Tentative West Coast longshore deal triggers lengthy ratification process

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
After 13 months of contentious negotiations that spawned numerous job actions by dockworkers, the ILWU and waterfront employers will engage in a ratification process expected to take several months.
Longshore laborContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

West Coast labor deal finally reached, but the damage is done

Peter Tirschwell |
Labor woes along the West Coast over the past year highlighted a stark difference: Shippers on the East and Gulf coasts are customers whose business is valued, while West Coast shippers are not customers in the traditional sense, but more like helpless bystanders, writes Peter Tirschwell.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificLongshore labor

May US imports highest of 2023, but down 20% from year-ago: data

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Most big US ports are closing out the first half of 2023 with year-on-year double-digit volume declines as retail sales falter, but the West Coast labor deal may spark a seasonal uptick.
Container Shipping NewsNorth American ports

Hungry domestic market driving US Southeast cold storage development

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
Refrigerated warehousing construction is “exploding” in the US Southeast, as one port executive put it, thanks to a growing population and increased demand for imported produce and other food products.
Cool Cargo NewsContainer Shipping NewsNorth American ports

ILWU, US West Coast employers reach tentative deal on new six-year contract

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The deal, subject to ratification by both parties, ends 13 months of contentious negotiations marked by on-again, off-again job actions that disrupted port operations on the West Coast and diverted growing volumes of cargo to the East and Gulf coasts.
Longshore laborContainer Shipping NewsPort NewsNorth American ports

USWC talks notch some progress, but random job actions continuing

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
Minor progress in West Coast longshore talks came as ports operated without significant disruption on the first shift Wednesday, but were not completely spared some measure of labor action by workers.
Longshore laborContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Indian container flow hit by port capacity strain, cyclone disruptions

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
More supply chain disruptions are imminent for Indian containerized trade as Cyclone Biparjoy, a storm that is expected to make landfall Thursday, has now forced major ports on the western coastline to shut.
International portsContainer Shipping NewsContainer lines

TRAC, DCLI throw support behind new South Atlantic chassis pool

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Two major chassis lessors have committed to spending hundreds of millions of dollars to inject high-quality equipment to haul containers in five southern states.
North American ports

West Coast ports ‘stable’ after ILWU, PMA agree to cooling off period

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The two sides will attempt to use the apparent truce brokered by Labor Secretary nominee Julie Su to reach agreement on the highly contentious issue of wages, which triggered disruptive job actions by ILWU locals over the past week.
Longshore laborContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Container volumes getting back to trend after pandemic surge: analyst

Larry Gross, president and founder, Gross Transportation Consulting; and JOC analyst |
The container shipping market is well down the path toward normalcy, and if current conditions continue for another few months, the surge-related volume overhang will be worked off, writes analyst Larry Gross.
Supply chainContainer Shipping NewsMarine terminalsNorth American ports

UPDATE: ILWU Canada votes to strike if contract talks fail

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The vote to authorize a strike at Vancouver and Prince Rupert comes as negotiations between the ILWU and maritime employers on the US West Coast appeared to hit a new low over the weekend.
Longshore laborContainer Shipping NewsNorth American ports

West Coast ports hit with new round of cargo-handling disruptions

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
Disruption flared at West Coast ports as the Biden administration’s nominee for Labor Secretary flew to San Francisco in a bid to break the impasse in contract negotiations that some fear are rapidly deteriorating.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsLongshore laborNorth American ports

Maritime employers seek White House help with West Coast contract impasse

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor and Peter Tirschwell |
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 Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificPort NewsMarine terminalsNorth American ports

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

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
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 Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Southern California ports navigate vessel backlog after ILWU job actions

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
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 Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

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

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
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 News

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

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
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 Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

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

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
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 Shipping NewsNorth American ports

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

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
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 Shipping NewsPort News

Latest ILWU job action further energizes West Coast cargo diversions

Peter Tirschwell |
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 Shipping NewsMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Stage set for IMO to provide strong direction on decarbonization path

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
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 Shipping NewsPort NewsMarine terminalsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

US importers still destocking, and delaying restocking in uncertain economy

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
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 Shipping NewsNorth American portsTrucking NewsIndustrial Real Estate News

USWC longshore contract talks resume while terminal disruptions continue

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
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 Shipping NewsContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

MSC adds North American calls to Latin America-Europe service

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
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 Shipping NewsNorth American ports

Vancouver port authority searching for new leader after CEO says will step down

Teri Errico Griffis |
Perhaps Robin Silvester’s biggest accomplishment leading the port was shepherding the early stages of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project, which cleared a major environmental hurdle last month and will double Vancouver’s annual throughput capacity.
Port NewsMaritimeMarine terminalsNorth American ports

ILWU Canada threatens strike at Vancouver, Prince Rupert

Journal of Commerce staff |
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 Shipping NewsTrans-PacificPort NewsNorth American portsNorth-American rail