A series of European port strikes show the rising risk of industrial actions, as global inflation squeezes workers throughout containerized supply chains, writes JOC Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.
Maritime News
Maritime News
Maritime news articles about every aspect of the industry, including ports, container and breakbulk lines; and ships and ship chartering. Coverage also includes the impact of recent industry mergers and acquisitions, and of emerging new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.
From the largest container lines such as Maersk Line, MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.), COSCO Shipping/OOCL, CMA CGM and Ocean Network Express (ONE), to smaller carriers such as SM Line and Eimskip, JOC.com covers the entire industry with unequaled intelligence, data, insight, statistics, and analysis. JOC.com regularly updates its proprietary data about the activity of largest ports, container lines, breakbulk lines and other stakeholders in the maritime shipping sector.
News & Analysis
28 May 2021
A move to reform the Shipping Act of 1984 is being driven by a sense among some shippers that conditions, particularly on the trans-Pacific trade, will only get worse in the coming months.
27 May 2021
Improved schedule reliability in the Asia-US trade in April offers encouragement that ports may be on track to clear their container backlogs before the summer-fall peak-shipping season.
27 May 2021
Elevated rate levels, peak season surcharges, equipment shortages, poor reliability, high demand — the challenges are mounting for shippers on the busy Europe-North America trade lane.
26 May 2021
Retailers should expect vessel space in Asia to get even tighter in June as advance bookings show continued strong demand for imports in the US, according to an industry analyst.
25 May 2021
Walmart remained atop the list of the 100 largest US importers by a wide margin in 2020, while Koch Industries retained the No. 1 export spot.
24 May 2021
A review of which goods and commodities saw the sharpest decreases and increases in 2020 speaks to how Americans spent their money while socially distanced and which sectors will continue to see heightened demand heading into the traditional peak season before the winter holidays.
24 May 2021
The US Department of Transportation is looking to further fund its decade-old bid to bring more container-on-barge services to US waterways with $10 million in new grants available for 2021.
21 May 2021
South Korean container lines HMM and SM Line will inject more than 82,000 TEU of monthly capacity on the trans-Pacific and Asia–Europe trades via extra loaders and the accelerated deployment of newbuild ships on existing loops.
21 May 2021
The chaotic container shipping market, and hugely elevated rate levels, have forced Asia-Europe forwarders to take unusual steps to secure capacity for time-sensitive cargo.
20 May 2021
Imports of photovoltaic cells used in solar power generation continue to reach new highs as the US developers plan to make major capacity additions over the next four years.
20 May 2021
Despite duties in China, vessel space limitations at US ports and equipment shortages at inland rail hubs, US containerized agricultural shipments increased seven percent in 2020.
20 May 2021
An expected increase in demand over the next few months will be accompanied by a rising number of canceled sailings as port delays throw out ship schedules.
19 May 2021
In reporting a $590 million net income in the first quarter, Zim Integrated Shipping Services said it would expand its chartered fleet to handle what it expects will be 30 percent more volume in 2021 than in 2020.
19 May 2021
Most of India’s cargo gateways reopened Tuesday morning, but carriers tell JOC.com it will take them at least until the end of the week to clear the backlog of vessels that built up over the weekend.
18 May 2021
Although US imports from Asia in April did not match the impressive volume recorded in March, it was nevertheless the busiest April on record and the 10th consecutive month of year-over-year import increases since last July.
18 May 2021
The surprise upswing in demand that began in the second half of 2020 and has kept building in 2021 has overwhelmed the US container shipping system and further shifted pricing power toward carriers.
17 May 2021
Hapag-Lloyd has announced three ad-hoc sailings between the Indian Subcontinent and the US East Coast in May and June to feed a resurgent market for US imports from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
17 May 2021
The tight vessel capacity situation US retailers face on vessels leaving Asia today will likely continue at least into July, possibly running straight through to an early — and strong — projected back-to-school shopping season.
14 May 2021
Having already achieved the economies of scale offered by larger vessels, carriers no longer need to order more capacity than is necessary to satisfy near-term demand.
14 May 2021
Maersk’s gambit to achieve the previously unachievable – becoming an end-to-end integrator -- still has its skeptics, but is showing few signs of slowing down.
14 May 2021
HMM has joined its peers in reporting a profitable first quarter, and the South Korean carrier expects the high rate/strong demand environment in container shipping to continue at least through the second quarter.
14 May 2021
CMA CGM said the largest container ship to arrive on the North American East Coast will start calls next week as part of a capacity increase on its Southeast Asia service.
13 May 2021
Maersk says its integrated logistics strategy cuts out the boom-and-bust cycles that characterize container shipping and brings greater reliability to a notoriously unreliable supply chain.
12 May 2021
The market outlook may be uncertain, but carrier profitability has never been clearer, with Hapag-Lloyd more profitable in the first quarter of this year than in all of 2020.
11 May 2021
The list of container lines able to quote rates and accept bookings through their websites has expanded over the past year, with Singapore-based Ocean Network Express now giving shippers and forwarders such tools.
11 May 2021
Maersk’s integrated logistics strategy is gathering momentum, the carrier says, as greater volume from its top 200 customers is locked into end-to-end multiyear contracts.
10 May 2021
Strong ocean shipping demand through the traditional slow summer season on the Asia-Europe trade will keep pressure on the container supply chain and support elevated rate levels.
07 May 2021
The upward revision to US import projections for peak shipping season sends a message to shippers and ports that tight vessel capacity and marine terminal congestion issues are far from over.
07 May 2021
Rotterdam has declared victory over the Suez surge in volume, but persistent delays at European hub ports have prompted some carriers to introduce congestion surcharges on imports and exports.
05 May 2021
Rising volume and rate levels through the first quarter allowed Maersk to dramatically increase its business and profitability across all business segments, posting a quarterly profit that is just shy of the carrier's full-year 2020 result.
05 May 2021
Looking at the cyclical history of container shipping and a rush of new vessel orders, it’s fair to wonder if the industry is setting itself up for another bout of overcapacity, but the reality is volumes will likely continue to grow faster than capacity.
04 May 2021
Hapag-Lloyd said truckers in the port of New York and New Jersey will be able to start dropping off empties at a new container yard and that it is working to sweep up empties that have built up at marine terminals there amid the US import surge.
03 May 2021
An advisory committee to the US Department of Commerce will explore new options to support manufacturers and agriculture exporters struggling to obtain empty containers at remote hinterland locations.
03 May 2021
Rates are increasing again on the Asia-East Coast of South America trade even as South American importers are facing a longer wait getting products from Asia.
30 Apr 2021
Ocean Network Express has joined its peers in delivering profitability in the billions as the carrier capitalized on rising demand and high rates through the second half of its fiscal year.
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Commentary
Ignorance-driven Policy Sinks U.S.-flag Shipping
Market-share Madness
What a start!