International ports

Local freight forwarder sources in India say they view GRIs more as a tool to slow the erosion in rates rather than effectively trying to increase prices.

The Port of Hamburg is once again being disrupted by strike action that is causing significant disruption to vessel schedules at Europe’s third-largest container hub.

While the ocean shipping market has largely normalized after COVID-19, stakeholders would be wise to pursue a business strategy that takes operationally disruptive events into account, writes analyst Lars Jensen.

Delays began to build after an equipment upgrade project to enhance productivity and capacity at APM Terminals Mumbai put one of its berths out of commission for six months.

MSC and other leading carriers serving Indian trades have been reorganizing their service networks and vessel deployments in a bid to match excess capacity with weakening demand conditions.

A variety of data sources suggest it is premature to conclude that supply chain bottlenecks have reverted to their pre-COVID levels, as issues continue to be more pervasive than before the pandemic, writes analyst Jason Miller.

Yang Ming echoed the warnings of its competitors, saying consumer spending power has fallen since the fourth quarter of last year because of inflation, while high inventory levels have also affected demand.

The JV will serve Vietnam's three major ports and link with nearby provinces where direct access to international and domestic shipping services is limited.

While the supply chain has mostly healed from COVID-19, the pandemic revealed the risk of relying too much on China for product sourcing, CMA CGM’s new US president told TPM23.

Encouraging carriers in their somewhat tentative bid to raise rates from recent lows are India’s trade indicators, including the country’s role as a sourcing alternative to China.

Europe’s three biggest container shipping ports reported falling volumes in 2022, with throughput dragged lower by geopolitics, COVID-19, and economic headwinds.

The port is unlikely to decide for another year or so how the terminal will be developed, meaning it could negotiate with ICTSI over its proposal or invite bids from other terminal operators.

The funding commitment comes after port congestion in Western Canada last year, fueled by backlogs at key inland hubs such as Toronto and Montreal, slowed import shipments.

Container shipping sources in India expect an even more dramatic impact on carrier pricing power in the coming weeks as new services added recently settle into the market.

If Maersk’s volumes and market share continue to slip, the reduction in size will eventually challenge profitability aspirations in a market where some competitors are increasing their scale benefit, writes analyst Lars Jensen.

Slowing global trade and tough Chinese measures to combat COVID-19 infections dragged down volume last year at Hutchison Ports subsidiary HPH Trust.

With the extended port reach into India, carriers are looking to fill leftover capacity from Southeast Asia as primary market volumes slow and US sourcing within Asia diversifies beyond China, sources say.

As the size of China’s workforce declines and production challenges increase, US retailers are shifting to global sourcing strategies, with each sector looking for the business model that meets its particular requirements.

The expansion of origin-to-destination ocean connectivity with predictable transit time improvements is a boon for Indian exporters trying to find untapped markets for their products amid slowing demand.

Data shows US importers are walking the walk when it comes to sourcing diversification, slowly moving trade flows away from China and toward Vietnam, India, and South Korea, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.