<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Port of Los Angeles is teaming up with terminal operators and a harbor drayage company to launch a container free-flow operation aimed at reducing congestion at the largest U.S. port while delivering import loads to retailers and other large shippers quickly and efficiently.</div>

The Port of Los Angeles is teaming up with terminal operators and a harbor drayage company to launch a container free-flow operation aimed at reducing congestion at the largest U.S. port while delivering import loads to retailers and other large shippers quickly and efficiently.

<div>The Port of Los Angeles is teaming up with terminal operators and a harbor drayage company to launch a container free-flow operation aimed at reducing congestion at the largest U.S. port while delivering import loads to retailers and other large shippers quickly and efficiently.“I am confident we will see this business model expand,” said Jeff Burgin, senior vice president of Pasha Stevedoring and Terminals. The model can be expanded to include other terminal operators in the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, and to other ports as well. Pasha began operations on Wednesday at a 16-acre site located within a mile...

The Port of Los Angeles is teaming up with terminal operators and a harbor drayage company to launch a container free-flow operation aimed at reducing congestion at the largest U.S. port while delivering import loads to retailers and other large shippers quickly and efficiently. “I am confident we will see this business model expand,” said Jeff Burgin, senior vice president of Pasha Stevedoring and Terminals. The model can be expanded to include other terminal operators in the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, and to other ports as well. Pasha began operations on Wednesday at a 16-acre site located within a mile of the port. Here is how free-flow works. Drayage firm TTSI serves a core group of beneficial cargo owners that generate a critical mass of imports each week. Four marine terminals that handle imports from those BCOs — APL, APMT, Yusen Terminals and West Basin Container Terminal — discharge those BCOs’ imports from the vessels and stack them in a block. TTSI truckers “peel off” the containers from the block and take them to the Pasha yard. Either TTSI or other truckers take the loaded containers to the BCOs’ distribution centers in the region. The drivers then pick up empty containers at the DCs and return them to the harbor. This closed-loop operation offers a number of benefits. It reduces congestion at the marine terminals by draying off 400 to 500 containers a day as soon as the import loads are discharged from ships. Harbor truckers experience quicker turn times. Rather than waiting at a general stack of containers for the correct box, each trucker proceeds directly to TTSI’s block and peels off the top container without regard to the consignee. The trucker then drives less than a mile to the Pasha site. At a time when ports are experiencing significant problems with chassis availability, TTSI’s chassis remain in the loop. When an import load and chassis are delivered to a DC, the driver then picks up an empty box that has already been mounted on a chassis and returns it to the harbor. “Our goal is velocity,” said Vic LaRosa, CEO of TTSI. Drivers’ time is respected because there should be no delays within the marine terminal or at Pasha’s near-dock yard. This also translates to a time savings for the BCOs both at the marine terminals and in retrieving the import load at the near-dock yard and transporting it to the inland distribution center. Sufficient chassis that are inspected to ensure they meet roadability requirements are always available. All of the imported containers are stored on chassis at the Pasha facility, and this facilitates quick pickup of the containers for delivery to the distribution centers. Pasha’s near-dock yard is manned by International Longshore and Warehouse Union gate clerks and includes a maintenance shop where ILWU mechanics will repair the chassis when defects are found. Preserving chassis inspection and M&R jurisdiction was one of the most controversial issues in the nine-month contract negotiations between the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association. This free-flow arrangement should prevent any friction with the union. LaRosa said the free-flow operation is open from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. the following morning, five days a week, although eventually there may be enough volume to operate 24/7. Since the BCOs he serves call at other marine terminals in addition to the four that have partnered with TTSI, LaRosa expects other terminals will eventually join in as they generate sufficient volume to warrant a TTSI block at their terminals. Pasha is in a good position to operate the near-dock yard because as a terminal operator it handles primarily non-containerized cargoes. It is not a competitor of the operators of the 13 container terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach and can therefore serve as a near-dock partner for any of the marine terminals in the port complex. The Pasha yard can accommodate up to 650 containers on chassis. If the free-flow model proves to be effective, there will be a need for other near-dock sites at the port complex. While land is constrained in the harbor area, Burgin said there are other potential sites in the harbor area for near-dock facilities. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bmongelluzzo@joc.com and follow him on Twitter: @billmongelluzzo .

North American ports

Free-flow container operation launched in Port of Los Angeles

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Five services are covered by the adjustments, which are being made to give “stronger market coverage and faster products,” on the trades, Hapag-Lloyd said. </div>

Five services are covered by the adjustments, which are being made to give “stronger market coverage and faster products,” on the trades, Hapag-Lloyd said.

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<div class="phx-topic">Gemini Cooperation partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd on Friday announced a revamp of some Asia-Europe and Mediterranean alliance services, with extra port calls and larger ships, mainly beginning in April. Five services are covered by the adjustments, which are being made to give “stronger market coverage and faster products on key Asia-North Europe and Mediterranean trades,” Hapag-Lloyd said in an advisory. The most significant change on Asia-Europe services has been made on the AE3/NE3 loop which will see the introduction of a Baltic rotation with calls at Aarhus (Denmark) and Gothenburg (Sweden), significantly enhancing market coverage in that region. Southampton will become the final European outbound call to Asia, strengthening UK export flows, while Spain’s Algeciras will be dropped from the rotation, the carriers said. In Asia, the service will call at Shenzhen’s Yantian port, “improving optionality for customers favoring Pearl River Delta connectivity,” Hapag-Lloyd said. While the service will continue to start from Shanghai, the call at Ningbo has been relinquished. The new rotation is: Shanghai, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia), London Gateway, Aarhus, Gothenburg, Rotterdam, Southampton, and Singapore. The Gemini partners confirmed that Antwerp would be added to the AE1/NE2 service, but the loop would no longer call at APM Terminals TC1 facility in Tangier. The call at Tanger Alliance TC3 terminal will continue. The Antwerp call, initially announced by the carriers in an advisory earlier this month, will expand the “hinterland reach and improving access to key Benelux and European cargo flows,” Hapag-Lloyd said Friday. The first westbound sailing will be made by the 23,664-TEU Hamburg Express that will depart Shanghai on March 6 and call Antwerp on April 21. The revised rotation is: Shanghai, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, London Gateway, Tangier (TC3), and Singapore. Hapag-Lloyd said the NE4/AE4 loop will revert to its previous rotation without the Baltic loop, which is now covered by the NE3. “This creates one of the fastest, direct Ningbo-Germany connections in the market, responding to strong customer demand,” the carrier said. Consequently, Maersk said calls will be added at Ningbo and Algeciras, but Yantian will be dropped. The full loop comprises Qingdao, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, London Gateway, Bremerhaven and Hamburg in Germany, Rotterdam, Algeciras, and Tanjung Pelepas. <h3>Larger ships deployed on Asia-Med services </h3>The major change on Asia-Mediterranean services is the deployment of 20,000-TEU vessels on the AE15/SE3 loop, which will replace ships of around 13,000 to 14,000-TEUs, including the 13,169-TEU Essen Express currently assigned on the route. The ships will increase capacity and product strength on the service, Hapag-Lloyd said. Calls will also be added at Port Said in Egypt and the new hub terminal at nearby Damietta, with Istanbul and Izmit in Turkey served via dedicated shuttle connections. Hapag-Lloyd said the new, simplified rotation comprising Qingdao, Gwangyang, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Said, Damietta, Colombo, and Singapore “will enhance service robustness.” The final changes are to the AE12/SE1 service that will see Algeciras and Singapore added to the port rotation. The revised loop is Ningbo, Shanghai, Tanjung Pelepas, Algeciras, Koper (Slovenia), Rijeka (Croatia), Algeciras, and Singapore. The Gemini partners said further changes would be made to the Asia-Mediterranean services when they decide to revert to routing the loops through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. They gave no timeline when that might happen. The revamp of the alliance services came as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/maersk-hapag-lloyd-to-reroute-some-march-sailings-away-from-red-seasuez-6177149">announced Friday they would reroute some Suez Canal and Red Sea services</a> back via the Cape of Good Hope because of “unforeseen constraints” in the volatile region. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Gemini Cooperation partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd on Friday announced a revamp of some Asia-Europe and Mediterranean alliance services, with extra port calls and larger ships, mainly beginning in April. Five services are covered by the adjustments, which are being made to give “stronger market coverage and faster products on key Asia-North Europe and Mediterranean trades,” Hapag-Lloyd said in an advisory. The most significant change on Asia-Europe services has been made on the AE3/NE3 loop which will see the introduction of a Baltic rotation with calls at Aarhus (Denmark) and Gothenburg (Sweden), significantly enhancing market coverage in that region. Southampton will become the final European outbound call to Asia, strengthening UK export flows, while Spain’s Algeciras will be dropped from the rotation, the carriers said. In Asia, the service will call at Shenzhen’s Yantian port, “improving optionality for customers favoring Pearl River Delta connectivity,” Hapag-Lloyd said. While the service will continue to start from Shanghai, the call at Ningbo has been relinquished. The new rotation is: Shanghai, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia), London Gateway, Aarhus, Gothenburg, Rotterdam, Southampton, and Singapore. The Gemini partners confirmed that Antwerp would be added to the AE1/NE2 service, but the loop would no longer call at APM Terminals TC1 facility in Tangier. The call at Tanger Alliance TC3 terminal will continue. The Antwerp call, initially announced by the carriers in an advisory earlier this month, will expand the “hinterland reach and improving access to key Benelux and European cargo flows,” Hapag-Lloyd said Friday. The first westbound sailing will be made by the 23,664-TEU Hamburg Express that will depart Shanghai on March 6 and call Antwerp on April 21. The revised rotation is: Shanghai, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, London Gateway, Tangier (TC3), and Singapore. Hapag-Lloyd said the NE4/AE4 loop will revert to its previous rotation without the Baltic loop, which is now covered by the NE3. “This creates one of the fastest, direct Ningbo-Germany connections in the market, responding to strong customer demand,” the carrier said. Consequently, Maersk said calls will be added at Ningbo and Algeciras, but Yantian will be dropped. The full loop comprises Qingdao, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, London Gateway, Bremerhaven and Hamburg in Germany, Rotterdam, Algeciras, and Tanjung Pelepas. Larger ships deployed on Asia-Med services The major change on Asia-Mediterranean services is the deployment of 20,000-TEU vessels on the AE15/SE3 loop, which will replace ships of around 13,000 to 14,000-TEUs, including the 13,169-TEU Essen Express currently assigned on the route. The ships will increase capacity and product strength on the service, Hapag-Lloyd said. Calls will also be added at Port Said in Egypt and the new hub terminal at nearby Damietta, with Istanbul and Izmit in Turkey served via dedicated shuttle connections. Hapag-Lloyd said the new, simplified rotation comprising Qingdao, Gwangyang, Ningbo, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Said, Damietta, Colombo, and Singapore “will enhance service robustness.” The final changes are to the AE12/SE1 service that will see Algeciras and Singapore added to the port rotation. The revised loop is Ningbo, Shanghai, Tanjung Pelepas, Algeciras, Koper (Slovenia), Rijeka (Croatia), Algeciras, and Singapore. The Gemini partners said further changes would be made to the Asia-Mediterranean services when they decide to revert to routing the loops through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. They gave no timeline when that might happen. The revamp of the alliance services came as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced Friday they would reroute some Suez Canal and Red Sea services back via the Cape of Good Hope because of “unforeseen constraints” in the volatile region. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

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Maritime

Gemini partners unveil revamp of some Asia services to Europe, Med

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Separate statements from the Gemini partners said “unforeseen constraints” prompted the moves, which come as the US weighs a possible military strike on Iran. </div>

Separate statements from the Gemini partners said “unforeseen constraints” prompted the moves, which come as the US weighs a possible military strike on Iran.

<div class="phx-topic">Gemini Cooperation partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are rerouting some Suez Canal and Red Sea services back via the Cape of Good Hope because of “unforeseen constraints” in the volatile region, the carriers said Friday. Separate statements from the carriers did not detail those constraints, but the moves come as the US weighs a possible military strike on Iran over that country’s nuclear program. Washington has built up a massive naval presence in the region in advance of a potential attack. “We are currently experiencing unforeseen constraints arising from the wider operating environment in the Red Sea region,” the carriers said. “After conversations with our security partners, it is clear that these constraints are making it challenging to avoid delays in regard to passage through the area.” Major liners have mostly avoided the Red Sea/Suez route since late 2023 when Houthi militants operating in Yemen began their attacks on commercial shipping to protest Israel’s move into Gaza, forcing lengthy diversions around southern Africa. With the US possibly targeting Iran, there are fears the Tehran-backed Houthis could resume attacks on vessels to launch a proxy war in retaliation. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd said selected sailings on their ME11/IMX service connecting India, the Mediterranean and Spain would be affected starting next month. The weekly loop — known as the ME11 for Maersk and the IMX for Hapag-Lloyd — calls Jebel Ali (Dubai), Mundra and Nhava Sheva (India), Salalah (Oman), Port Tangier (Morocco), Valencia (Spain) and Port Said (Egypt). A source at Maersk <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/gemini-india-med-service-the-next-to-plan-return-to-red-seasuez-passage-6152941">told the Journal of Commerce in mid-January</a> that the service would resume transits through the Red Sea and Suez “shortly.” Maersk also said in its statement Friday that some sailings on its independently operated MECL service connecting the Middle East and India with the US East Coast would also switch back to sailing around southern Africa. That service had <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/maersk-set-to-resume-regular-suez-transits-on-india-usec-mecl-loop-sources-6152441">only resumed transits through the Red Sea/Suez weeks ago.</a> <h3>Trans-Suez route remains a priority for other sailings </h3>The Gemini partners said the first westbound Cape of Good Hope sailing on the ME11/IMX service will be made by the 15,282-TEU Maersk Houston departing Salalah on March 5. The first eastbound sailing will be by the 15,226-TEU Maersk Hamburg departing Port Tangiers on March 8. Maersk added that the first eastbound vessel on its MECL service making the longer Cape of Good Hope voyage will be the 6,648-TEU Maersk Senang departing Port Tangiers on March 1. The 6,200-TEU Maersk Detroit will make the first westbound detour, leaving Salalah on March 11. The Cape of Good Hope diversions announced Friday cover the first half of March. “On all additional sailings, we continue to prioritze the trans-Suez route for these services as it is the fastest, most sustainable and most efficient way for us to serve our customers,” both carriers said their separate statements. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Gemini Cooperation partners Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are rerouting some Suez Canal and Red Sea services back via the Cape of Good Hope because of “unforeseen constraints” in the volatile region, the carriers said Friday. Separate statements from the carriers did not detail those constraints, but the moves come as the US weighs a possible military strike on Iran over that country’s nuclear program. Washington has built up a massive naval presence in the region in advance of a potential attack. “We are currently experiencing unforeseen constraints arising from the wider operating environment in the Red Sea region,” the carriers said. “After conversations with our security partners, it is clear that these constraints are making it challenging to avoid delays in regard to passage through the area.” Major liners have mostly avoided the Red Sea/Suez route since late 2023 when Houthi militants operating in Yemen began their attacks on commercial shipping to protest Israel’s move into Gaza, forcing lengthy diversions around southern Africa. With the US possibly targeting Iran, there are fears the Tehran-backed Houthis could resume attacks on vessels to launch a proxy war in retaliation. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd said selected sailings on their ME11/IMX service connecting India, the Mediterranean and Spain would be affected starting next month. The weekly loop — known as the ME11 for Maersk and the IMX for Hapag-Lloyd — calls Jebel Ali (Dubai), Mundra and Nhava Sheva (India), Salalah (Oman), Port Tangier (Morocco), Valencia (Spain) and Port Said (Egypt). A source at Maersk told the Journal of Commerce in mid-January that the service would resume transits through the Red Sea and Suez “shortly.” Maersk also said in its statement Friday that some sailings on its independently operated MECL service connecting the Middle East and India with the US East Coast would also switch back to sailing around southern Africa. That service had only resumed transits through the Red Sea/Suez weeks ago. Trans-Suez route remains a priority for other sailings The Gemini partners said the first westbound Cape of Good Hope sailing on the ME11/IMX service will be made by the 15,282-TEU Maersk Houston departing Salalah on March 5. The first eastbound sailing will be by the 15,226-TEU Maersk Hamburg departing Port Tangiers on March 8. Maersk added that the first eastbound vessel on its MECL service making the longer Cape of Good Hope voyage will be the 6,648-TEU Maersk Senang departing Port Tangiers on March 1. The 6,200-TEU Maersk Detroit will make the first westbound detour, leaving Salalah on March 11. The Cape of Good Hope diversions announced Friday cover the first half of March. “On all additional sailings, we continue to prioritze the trans-Suez route for these services as it is the fastest, most sustainable and most efficient way for us to serve our customers,” both carriers said their separate statements. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd to reroute some March sailings away from Red Sea/Suez

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Onshore wind and AI energy support offer twin strands of positivity for wind shippers operating in the US despite the Trump administration’s battle against renewable energy. </div>

Onshore wind and AI energy support offer twin strands of positivity for wind shippers operating in the US despite the Trump administration’s battle against renewable energy.

<div class="phx-topic">Surging demand for power to support data centers is generating optimism for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind turbines, even as permitting bans, project suspensions and import tariffs knock the wind out of US renewable energy markets. Turbines for onshore and offshore wind projects are considered a key source of breakbulk and project cargo. Increasing energy demands could propel turbine manufacturing, while <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/trump-administration-seeks-to-undo-court-rulings-favoring-offshore-wind-projects-6173748">US project interruptions and legal wranglings</a> continue to threaten wind equipment production. Amid the Trump administration’s pushback against wind energy, German onshore turbine maker Nordex SE and Danish turbine maker Vestas remain steadfast on playing the long game on US onshore projects as data center construction rapidly drives up power demands. Nordex, which primarily serves the onshore wind market, is projecting gains this year after global project orders grew 10% to $3.7 billion in the fourth quarter and increased 25% to a record high of $11 billion for all of 2025. During the company’s Feb. 26 earnings call, Nordex CEO Jose Luis Blanco cited “momentum” in the US market as customers continue to invest in wind developments. “Unfortunately, projects are pending permits from the federal government,” he said. “And this is something that honestly nobody has a view of when those permits are going to flow.” Despite those holdups, a “super cycle” of mounting energy needs to support AI infrastructure has reinforced the company’s decision to invest in the US long term, Blanco said. “Yes, maybe most of it is going to be delivered by gas, but wind plays a fantastic role to fit more with the demand profile of data centers, which is what has mainly driven electricity demand increase in the US,” he said. Nordex in December secured contracts from Alliant Energy for up to 190 turbines for wind projects in the US Midwest. Nordex will produce the turbines at its West Branch, Iowa, facility, which reopened in July after being shuttered for 12 years. <h3>Surge in onshore wind activity </h3>Vestas came out as bullish on the power generation buildout, with the company forecasting continued growth in 2026 following a year marked by higher onshore activity that offset lower offshore orders. After growing revenues 9% to $22 billion in 2025, Vestas estimates those numbers will increase to between $24 billion to $26 billion in 2026. In its Feb. 5 year-end earnings report, Vestas described US onshore wind as a market characterized by changes to legislation and tariffs, with developers still awaiting clarity on policy issues. “Nevertheless, there remain strong, fundamental drivers of wind power deployment in the USA, in particular the fast-growing electricity demand linked to the rise of AI and the buildout of data centers,” Vestas said. CEO Henrik Andersen confirmed there are opportunities to upgrade aging onshore turbines in the US, adding that modern components make it possible to replace three turbines with one and still generate more electricity. “It’s ongoing. It’s happening. It’s only now a matter of how quickly can you get the permitting, because the capital is there to get it done,” Andersen said during an earnings call. Orders for the year fell 9% to $20.5 billion, driven by fewer offshore orders in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Still, those orders led to a record-high order backlog for Vestas of $84.8 billion for 2025, up 5% from the previous year. <h3>Siemens wind business narrows losses </h3>Meanwhile, tariffs continue to present uncertainties for Spain’s Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and for its German parent company Siemens Energy AG. “In the wind power business...the tariff impact was the most substantial of all of ours,” Siemens Energy CFO Maria Ferraro said during the company’s fiscal first-quarter earnings call earlier this month. “So of course, we're watching that very carefully,” However, the US accounted for the company’s largest growth contributor because of a $470 million onshore repowering order, even as orders for the period fell 34% to $1.8 billion. Following a period of volatility related to defective onshore turbines, Siemens Gamesa is set to break even in 2026 after narrowing its FY first-quarter losses to $261 million from $499 million a year ago. Also in the first quarter, Siemens Gamesa received the first order for its SG 7.0 turbine, the successor to the troubled 5.X platform. Major flaws were discovered in 15% to 30% of the manufacturer’s already installed 4.X and 5.X onshore wind turbines in June 2023. <h3>US offshore delays wear down GE Vernova </h3>GE Vernova expects losses to widen in the first quarter after offshore wind project suspensions in the US made a sizeable dent in quarterly and full-year performance. Wind losses are on track to fall to $300 million to $400 million year over year in the first quarter, primarily from lower onshore wind volume and US import tariffs that have cost the company $70 million since the second quarter of 2025. The company’s wind business posted a $225 million loss in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the 2025 fourth quarter compared to a gain of $19 million for the same period in 2024. Losses for the year came in at $600 million, higher than initial projections of $400 million, driven by the US government’s Dec. 22 stop-work order on five offshore wind projects, including the Vineyard Wind project using GE Vernova’s blades. “Until that point, our team was on a path to achieve...expectations as they worked to complete the Vineyard Wind project in early January,” CFO Ken Parks said during a Q4 earnings call. A series of court rulings in January and February have allowed those projects to resume, but the Trump administration has pledged to appeal those decisions. Despite US setbacks, GE Vernova’s fourth-quarter wind orders increased 53% year over year to $3.1 billion, driven by improved onshore wind equipment orders, primarily outside of North America. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>.</div>

Surging demand for power to support data centers is generating optimism for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind turbines, even as permitting bans, project suspensions and import tariffs knock the wind out of US renewable energy markets. Turbines for onshore and offshore wind projects are considered a key source of breakbulk and project cargo. Increasing energy demands could propel turbine manufacturing, while US project interruptions and legal wranglings continue to threaten wind equipment production. Amid the Trump administration’s pushback against wind energy, German onshore turbine maker Nordex SE and Danish turbine maker Vestas remain steadfast on playing the long game on US onshore projects as data center construction rapidly drives up power demands. Nordex, which primarily serves the onshore wind market, is projecting gains this year after global project orders grew 10% to $3.7 billion in the fourth quarter and increased 25% to a record high of $11 billion for all of 2025. During the company’s Feb. 26 earnings call, Nordex CEO Jose Luis Blanco cited “momentum” in the US market as customers continue to invest in wind developments. “Unfortunately, projects are pending permits from the federal government,” he said. “And this is something that honestly nobody has a view of when those permits are going to flow.” Despite those holdups, a “super cycle” of mounting energy needs to support AI infrastructure has reinforced the company’s decision to invest in the US long term, Blanco said. “Yes, maybe most of it is going to be delivered by gas, but wind plays a fantastic role to fit more with the demand profile of data centers, which is what has mainly driven electricity demand increase in the US,” he said. Nordex in December secured contracts from Alliant Energy for up to 190 turbines for wind projects in the US Midwest. Nordex will produce the turbines at its West Branch, Iowa, facility, which reopened in July after being shuttered for 12 years. Surge in onshore wind activity Vestas came out as bullish on the power generation buildout, with the company forecasting continued growth in 2026 following a year marked by higher onshore activity that offset lower offshore orders. After growing revenues 9% to $22 billion in 2025, Vestas estimates those numbers will increase to between $24 billion to $26 billion in 2026. In its Feb. 5 year-end earnings report, Vestas described US onshore wind as a market characterized by changes to legislation and tariffs, with developers still awaiting clarity on policy issues. “Nevertheless, there remain strong, fundamental drivers of wind power deployment in the USA, in particular the fast-growing electricity demand linked to the rise of AI and the buildout of data centers,” Vestas said. CEO Henrik Andersen confirmed there are opportunities to upgrade aging onshore turbines in the US, adding that modern components make it possible to replace three turbines with one and still generate more electricity. “It’s ongoing. It’s happening. It’s only now a matter of how quickly can you get the permitting, because the capital is there to get it done,” Andersen said during an earnings call. Orders for the year fell 9% to $20.5 billion, driven by fewer offshore orders in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Still, those orders led to a record-high order backlog for Vestas of $84.8 billion for 2025, up 5% from the previous year. Siemens wind business narrows losses Meanwhile, tariffs continue to present uncertainties for Spain’s Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and for its German parent company Siemens Energy AG. “In the wind power business...the tariff impact was the most substantial of all of ours,” Siemens Energy CFO Maria Ferraro said during the company’s fiscal first-quarter earnings call earlier this month. “So of course, we're watching that very carefully,” However, the US accounted for the company’s largest growth contributor because of a $470 million onshore repowering order, even as orders for the period fell 34% to $1.8 billion. Following a period of volatility related to defective onshore turbines, Siemens Gamesa is set to break even in 2026 after narrowing its FY first-quarter losses to $261 million from $499 million a year ago. Also in the first quarter, Siemens Gamesa received the first order for its SG 7.0 turbine, the successor to the troubled 5.X platform. Major flaws were discovered in 15% to 30% of the manufacturer’s already installed 4.X and 5.X onshore wind turbines in June 2023. US offshore delays wear down GE Vernova GE Vernova expects losses to widen in the first quarter after offshore wind project suspensions in the US made a sizeable dent in quarterly and full-year performance. Wind losses are on track to fall to $300 million to $400 million year over year in the first quarter, primarily from lower onshore wind volume and US import tariffs that have cost the company $70 million since the second quarter of 2025. The company’s wind business posted a $225 million loss in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the 2025 fourth quarter compared to a gain of $19 million for the same period in 2024. Losses for the year came in at $600 million, higher than initial projections of $400 million, driven by the US government’s Dec. 22 stop-work order on five offshore wind projects, including the Vineyard Wind project using GE Vernova’s blades. “Until that point, our team was on a path to achieve...expectations as they worked to complete the Vineyard Wind project in early January,” CFO Ken Parks said during a Q4 earnings call. A series of court rulings in January and February have allowed those projects to resume, but the Trump administration has pledged to appeal those decisions. Despite US setbacks, GE Vernova’s fourth-quarter wind orders increased 53% year over year to $3.1 billion, driven by improved onshore wind equipment orders, primarily outside of North America. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

Energy projects

Project cargo

Breakbulk News

Wind OEMs pin hopes on data center energy demands amid US setbacks

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Hapag could leverage Zim-owned Gold Star Line’s ready-made ro/ro fleet to expand its offering in the breakbulk market, but overcapacity provides potential headwinds. </div>

Hapag could leverage Zim-owned Gold Star Line’s ready-made ro/ro fleet to expand its offering in the breakbulk market, but overcapacity provides potential headwinds.

<div class="phx-topic">Hapag-Lloyd’s <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hapag-lloyd-bolsters-fleet-with-42-billion-deal-to-acquire-zim-6170540">planned $4.2 billion takeover of Zim Integrated Shipping Services</a> offers an opportunity to develop the car carrier business established by Zim’s Hong Kong-headquartered affiliate Gold Star Line (GSL), shipping executives say. GSL currently operates two roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) services linking Asia and Latin America and Asia with Africa. The Gold Star Pacific Vehicle Carrier (GPL) service includes calls at Shanghai, Masan (South Korea) and Yokohama, linking with Mazatlan and Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico, Buenaventura (Colombia) and San Antonio (Chile). Current vessel schedules show on-demand inducement calls at California’s Port Hueneme and Manta in Ecuador. Similarly, the VEC service includes calls such as Kobe (Japan), Taicang and Shanghai in China, Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Vessels listed under the same service are also calling at Paranagua and Vitoria in Brazil in the next few weeks. Gold Star’s car carriers also call at Ashdod in Israel. GSL has developed its car carrier operations through specialized business, “targeting niche trades where we can provide a competitive service,” a senior source close to the company told the Journal of Commerce. “As a global operator, we have an ability to pivot quickly and efficiently towards areas to help our customers and their pain points,” the executive added. A third GSL ro/ro service connecting Asia and Europe has been suspended, although it could be reinstated. <h3>Operating a lean fleet </h3>Esgian, an Oslo, Norway-headquartered maritime consultant, said Gold Star Line has trimmed its ro/ro operations in the last few months. “Our data shows GSL currently operates a ro/ro fleet of 13 vessels,” Mijeong Jang Rolfsen, Esgian’s senior market impact analyst/shipping, told the Journal of Commerce. The vessels vary in size between 4,000 and 6,500 car equivalent units (CEUs) and are mostly chartered from other operators including Gram Car Carriers, Zodiac Maritime and Cido Shipping. “In terms of commercial footprint, Gold Star Line recorded 72 port calls in Q4 2025, which is 12% down from the previous quarter [Q3 2025], spanning Asia with services extending to South America and selected ports in Africa,” Rolfsen said. Captain Igal Dafni, who was Gold Star Line’s managing director in the early 2000s, said GSL’s ro/ro services are potentially a new source of business for Hapag-Lloyd. Dafni agreed Hapag-Lloyd could use the moves into the car carrier sector by rival container lines Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM as a blueprint for its own expansion into the market, using GSL’s existing network as the foundation. “But I’m not sure what it will do,” he said. MSC entered the vehicle carrier sector in 2024 after acquiring Gram Car Carriers and has a fleet of approximately 20 pure car and truck carriers. CMA CGM operates ro/ro services in the Mediterranean and North Africa. <h3>Flurry of new vessels pressurizing the sector </h3>While GSL is focused on bespoke services that should be more profitable, the wider car carrier sector is facing increasing headwinds, especially potential overcapacity that could hit freight rates. “There is a huge backlog of new vessels to be delivered between 2026 [and] 2030 which will create significant pressure for tonnage providers and operators,” a senior executive at a European freight forwarder specializing in the vehicle carrier sector told the Journal of Commerce. British shipbroker Clarksons said there are 140 car carriers on order, equivalent to 16% of the existing fleet of 899 ships, although 27% of the fleet is over 20 years old and is a likely candidate for scrapping. “So, I am not so sure the sector will continue to boom and [be] ... a great market to enter, especially if you are not well established,” the forwarding executive said. “It could be Hapag-Lloyd will keep GSL’s existing car carrier services until they feel comfortable and see how things turn out.” Hapag-Lloyd and Gold Star Line executives told the Journal of Commerce it was too early to comment on how the Hamburg-based carrier would develop GSL’s business. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Hapag-Lloyd’s planned $4.2 billion takeover of Zim Integrated Shipping Services offers an opportunity to develop the car carrier business established by Zim’s Hong Kong-headquartered affiliate Gold Star Line (GSL), shipping executives say. GSL currently operates two roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) services linking Asia and Latin America and Asia with Africa. The Gold Star Pacific Vehicle Carrier (GPL) service includes calls at Shanghai, Masan (South Korea) and Yokohama, linking with Mazatlan and Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico, Buenaventura (Colombia) and San Antonio (Chile). Current vessel schedules show on-demand inducement calls at California’s Port Hueneme and Manta in Ecuador. Similarly, the VEC service includes calls such as Kobe (Japan), Taicang and Shanghai in China, Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Vessels listed under the same service are also calling at Paranagua and Vitoria in Brazil in the next few weeks. Gold Star’s car carriers also call at Ashdod in Israel. GSL has developed its car carrier operations through specialized business, “targeting niche trades where we can provide a competitive service,” a senior source close to the company told the Journal of Commerce. “As a global operator, we have an ability to pivot quickly and efficiently towards areas to help our customers and their pain points,” the executive added. A third GSL ro/ro service connecting Asia and Europe has been suspended, although it could be reinstated. Operating a lean fleet Esgian, an Oslo, Norway-headquartered maritime consultant, said Gold Star Line has trimmed its ro/ro operations in the last few months. “Our data shows GSL currently operates a ro/ro fleet of 13 vessels,” Mijeong Jang Rolfsen, Esgian’s senior market impact analyst/shipping, told the Journal of Commerce. The vessels vary in size between 4,000 and 6,500 car equivalent units (CEUs) and are mostly chartered from other operators including Gram Car Carriers, Zodiac Maritime and Cido Shipping. “In terms of commercial footprint, Gold Star Line recorded 72 port calls in Q4 2025, which is 12% down from the previous quarter [Q3 2025], spanning Asia with services extending to South America and selected ports in Africa,” Rolfsen said. Captain Igal Dafni, who was Gold Star Line’s managing director in the early 2000s, said GSL’s ro/ro services are potentially a new source of business for Hapag-Lloyd. Dafni agreed Hapag-Lloyd could use the moves into the car carrier sector by rival container lines Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM as a blueprint for its own expansion into the market, using GSL’s existing network as the foundation. “But I’m not sure what it will do,” he said. MSC entered the vehicle carrier sector in 2024 after acquiring Gram Car Carriers and has a fleet of approximately 20 pure car and truck carriers. CMA CGM operates ro/ro services in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Flurry of new vessels pressurizing the sector While GSL is focused on bespoke services that should be more profitable, the wider car carrier sector is facing increasing headwinds, especially potential overcapacity that could hit freight rates. “There is a huge backlog of new vessels to be delivered between 2026 [and] 2030 which will create significant pressure for tonnage providers and operators,” a senior executive at a European freight forwarder specializing in the vehicle carrier sector told the Journal of Commerce. British shipbroker Clarksons said there are 140 car carriers on order, equivalent to 16% of the existing fleet of 899 ships, although 27% of the fleet is over 20 years old and is a likely candidate for scrapping. “So, I am not so sure the sector will continue to boom and [be] ... a great market to enter, especially if you are not well established,” the forwarding executive said. “It could be Hapag-Lloyd will keep GSL’s existing car carrier services until they feel comfortable and see how things turn out.” Hapag-Lloyd and Gold Star Line executives told the Journal of Commerce it was too early to comment on how the Hamburg-based carrier would develop GSL’s business. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Ro/ro cargo

Zim deal offers Hapag-Lloyd entry into niche car carrier market  

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Europe’s largest port handled 14.2 million TEUs during what was described by its CEO as “a challenging year” set against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions. </div>

Europe’s largest port handled 14.2 million TEUs during what was described by its CEO as “a challenging year” set against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions.

<div class="phx-topic">Container volume at the Port of Rotterdam grew 3.1% in 2025, driven by a second-half surge in imports from Asia and rising trade with North America that boosted annual throughput. But the volume growth at Europe’s largest port was held back by ongoing congestion last year as carrier alliance restructuring saw “a significant amount of throughput volume” being diverted to other ports, Rotterdam said in a statement Thursday. A total of 14.2 million TEUs crossed Rotterdam’s busy wharves in 2025, which was “a challenging year” that came against “a backdrop of further escalating geopolitical tensions,” according to Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “Chemical and logistics companies in our port were under considerable pressure and European industry was affected by increasing global competition,” Siemons said. “A continued focus on resilience, agility and intensive cooperation at the national and European level is crucial in this regard — both for the supply chain and for industry,” he added. Rotterdam’s imports of 6.8 million TEUs for the full year were down 5.7% year over year, but within those numbers was a 9.3% increase in imports from Asia and a 13.6% increase in two-way trade with North America. Total exports were up 12.7% at 7.4 million TEUs. <h3>Europe’s competitive position eroding </h3>The port said Europe’s deteriorating competitive position across several industries placed downward pressure on container volume and transshipment, leading to greater throughput of empty containers. The eroding competitive position of European industry also weighed heavily on Rotterdam’s steel, coal and raw materials bulk shipments, with concerns raised by the port over lagging investment in industry by the business community. Over the past 12 months, several chemical companies have announced plans to close their factories in Rotterdam, and investments in new and ongoing projects have been halted, primarily in renewable fuels, the port statement noted. “The measures taken by the government in 2025 are positive, but insufficient to level the playing field in the Netherlands with that in Europe,” the port said. “Additionally, competition from countries such as China remains evident.” The government measures focused on providing more predictable tax policies for industry, enhancing innovation in key technological sectors and reducing the regulatory burden. From a eurozone perspective, there was positive news in the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) compiled by Hamburg Commercial Bank and Journal of Commerce parent S&amp;P Global. Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, said Europe’s manufacturing sector could be at a turning point, with the headline PMI in February showing business activity rising at its fastest pace in three months. “Overall, it seems that the manufacturing sector is on a more stable footing and could contribute to overall growth this year instead of being a drag for the economy,” de la Rubia wrote in his analysis of the PMI results. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Container volume at the Port of Rotterdam grew 3.1% in 2025, driven by a second-half surge in imports from Asia and rising trade with North America that boosted annual throughput. But the volume growth at Europe’s largest port was held back by ongoing congestion last year as carrier alliance restructuring saw “a significant amount of throughput volume” being diverted to other ports, Rotterdam said in a statement Thursday. A total of 14.2 million TEUs crossed Rotterdam’s busy wharves in 2025, which was “a challenging year” that came against “a backdrop of further escalating geopolitical tensions,” according to Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “Chemical and logistics companies in our port were under considerable pressure and European industry was affected by increasing global competition,” Siemons said. “A continued focus on resilience, agility and intensive cooperation at the national and European level is crucial in this regard — both for the supply chain and for industry,” he added. Rotterdam’s imports of 6.8 million TEUs for the full year were down 5.7% year over year, but within those numbers was a 9.3% increase in imports from Asia and a 13.6% increase in two-way trade with North America. Total exports were up 12.7% at 7.4 million TEUs. Europe’s competitive position eroding The port said Europe’s deteriorating competitive position across several industries placed downward pressure on container volume and transshipment, leading to greater throughput of empty containers. The eroding competitive position of European industry also weighed heavily on Rotterdam’s steel, coal and raw materials bulk shipments, with concerns raised by the port over lagging investment in industry by the business community. Over the past 12 months, several chemical companies have announced plans to close their factories in Rotterdam, and investments in new and ongoing projects have been halted, primarily in renewable fuels, the port statement noted. “The measures taken by the government in 2025 are positive, but insufficient to level the playing field in the Netherlands with that in Europe,” the port said. “Additionally, competition from countries such as China remains evident.” The government measures focused on providing more predictable tax policies for industry, enhancing innovation in key technological sectors and reducing the regulatory burden. From a eurozone perspective, there was positive news in the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) compiled by Hamburg Commercial Bank and Journal of Commerce parent S&P Global. Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, said Europe’s manufacturing sector could be at a turning point, with the headline PMI in February showing business activity rising at its fastest pace in three months. “Overall, it seems that the manufacturing sector is on a more stable footing and could contribute to overall growth this year instead of being a drag for the economy,” de la Rubia wrote in his analysis of the PMI results. Contact Greg Knowler at  greg.knowler@spglobal.com . 

Trans-Atlantic

Rotterdam congestion limits benefit of second-half surge in imports

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