<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Digital Container Shipping Association is ramping up efforts to drive electronic bill of lading adoption by working with four technology vendors and a major shipper to ensure their products are interoperable.</div>

The Digital Container Shipping Association is ramping up efforts to drive electronic bill of lading adoption by working with four technology vendors and a major shipper to ensure their products are interoperable.

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<div>A coalition of container lines and software providers is working with ExxonMobil to test whether an array of electronic bill of lading (eBL) products can be used interchangeably across carriers. The project, led by the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), will test the ability of eBLs from four vendors — CargoX, edoxOnline, essDOCS, and Wave BL — to be used by ExxonMobil for any carrier, a key step in adoption of eBLs, because no one vendor has claimed a dominant share of the eBL market. <a>Interoperability among eBL products is crucial to their adoption</a> because container lines often work with...

A coalition of container lines and software providers is working with ExxonMobil to test whether an array of electronic bill of lading (eBL) products can be used interchangeably across carriers. The project, led by the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), will test the ability of eBLs from four vendors — CargoX, edoxOnline, essDOCS, and Wave BL — to be used by ExxonMobil for any carrier, a key step in adoption of eBLs, because no one vendor has claimed a dominant share of the eBL market. Interoperability among eBL products is crucial to their adoption because container lines often work with different technology providers and shippers generally use a range of carriers and non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) to move their freight. “For an eBL system to be effective, it has to be interoperable across different platforms, and we applaud DCSA and its members for publishing standards to enable interoperability,” Georgios Diallas, global strategy manager for the marine container team at ExxonMobil, said in a statement Tuesday. “We encourage all eBL platform providers to help fast-track eBL adoption by embracing DCSA standards.” The project has been ongoing since May, with seven of DCSA’s nine container line members taking part. The vendors’ and carriers’ ability to handle different eBL products interchangeably will be tested using “data that mirrors a live shipment,” the companies said in the statement. DCSA CEO Thomas Bagge noted that the association’s research at the end of 2021 found that barely 1 percent of all global bills of lading were electronic. “[A] fully interoperable eBL is a starting point for digital trade,” he said. “Actors in global supply chains want to be able to choose the best platform for their needs. For service providers, it will remove barriers to adoption and create an operational foundation that fosters innovation and collaboration.” Steady progress Although adoption of eBL technology among carriers has been slow, progress is being made, with Mediterranean Shipping Co. last year joining Zim in using Wave BL’s product and Ocean Network Express using essDOCS. On July 1, forwarding software vendor WiseTech Global acquired eBL provider Bolero , an early entrant in the shipping documentation digitization race, having been founded in 1998 by the TT Club and SWIFT to overhaul freight payment and letters of credit. The company evolved to focus on eBLs, building a product for Evergreen Line in 2018. The Bolero acquisition came just a few days after the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) and Hong Kong–based logistics provider Orient Overseas International (OOIL) announced that an eBL application using GSBN’s technology framework had been approved by the International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I). All four of the vendors in the DCSA interoperability project were previously approved by IGP&I, whose members provide insurance for more than 90 percent of ocean-going vessels by tonnage. DCSA said the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. “While eBL use has been expanding steadily via contractual solutions, having legal and technical interoperability across solutions would super-charge global adoption and use, enabling major efficiency and cost benefits for all trade stakeholders,” Alexander Goulandris, co-head of essDOCS, said in the statement. essDOCS itself was acquired in April by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), an owner and operator of financial and commodity marketplaces and exchanges. DSCA members include MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen Line, HMM, Yang Ming, and Zim Integrated Shipping Services. Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com and follow him on Twitter: @LogTechEric .

Maritime

Container lines

Logistics Technology News

ExxonMobil, container lines testing eBL vendor interoperability

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Some carriers and forward are predicting a strong recovery in volumes in the first quarter of next year despite US retailers’ downward expectations. </div>

Some carriers and forward are predicting a strong recovery in volumes in the first quarter of next year despite US retailers’ downward expectations.

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<div class="phx-topic">Trans-Pacific imports fell off a cliff in September, tumbling 11.8% year over year, according to PIERS, but the absence of an obvious pullback in consumer spending or economic slowdown has some carriers and forwarders predicting a strong recovery in volumes in the first quarter of next year. The story of 2025 has been one of frontloading US imports to avoid higher tariffs. But warehouses and gateway ports like Los Angeles-Long Beach are completely fluid despite handing more cargo over the summer than they did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. This points to goods flowing through the system through to final sale, which supports the view, as reported by several US-based banks in recent earnings calls, that consumer spending remains solid. Container dwell times at Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals have been relatively low all year, outside of a brief spike in rail container dwells in the first quarter, according to data from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Intermodal equipment providers tell the Journal of Commerce chassis are being returned more quicky, indicating containerized cargo is arriving at warehouses and being quickly unloaded for onward distribution. With US consumer spending holding up, evidence points to inventory not piling up but rather moving through the supply chain and being sold. To some veteran freight professionals, that suggests retailers will need more freight, and soon. “We see an overcorrection occurring on US imports, which we think will result in a very strong bounce back in the first quarter,” said Trond Prestroenning, CEO for the Americas region at Hamburg-based forwarder Fr. Meyer’s Sohn. “In the first quarter of 2026, there will be a mini revival similar to COVID in terms of volumes,” said a senior US-based carrier executive. “Warehouses are depleted and you can see some real movement of volume, and space will become tight.” The falloff following widespread frontloading that resulted in an early peak season materialized in September, with total US imports down more than 9% from August and 8% year over year, according to data from PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. That came after volumes grew more than 5% in the first seven months of the year. And those volume declines are <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/tariff-uncertainty-to-keep-lid-on-us-import-growth-until-spring-retailers-6094200">forecast to accelerate through the remainder of the year</a> in what looks like a pronounced post-peak season lull. The Global Port Tracker report, co-written by Hackett Associates and the National Retail Federation, projects total US imports will fall 12.3% year over year in October, 19.2% in November and 19.4% in December and remain below 2025 levels through at least February. “This year’s peak season has come and gone, largely due to retailers frontloading imports ahead of reciprocal tariffs taking effect,” Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the NRF, said in the October Global Port Tracker report. Yet, there is no evidence to suggest a massive pileup of inventory in the US, with stocks remaining roughly aligned with demand. Inventory-to-sales ratios for retailers and manufacturers — which have hovered between 1.28 and 1.32 this year, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis — suggest that businesses “are holding leaner inventories than expected amid the frontloading narrative,” Maersk said in an Oct. 1 market update. Inventory-to-sales ratios compare the value of a company’s inventory to net sales and provide a measure of how quickly inventory moves off the shelf. These relatively lean inventories come amid what has been, so far, a limited economic fallout from tariffs and stubborn inflation. US GDP growth is forecast at 2.3% next year, down slightly from the prior forecast of 2.4%, according to S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. That is leading to optimism in some segments of the supply chain, like warehouse space. “Demand has clearly turned a corner. The market is in an inflection point,” Christopher Caton, senior vice president and global head of research at Prologis, Inc. told investors on Oct. 15, as reported by CapIQ Pro. Contact Peter Tirschwell at <a href="mailto:peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com">peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Trans-Pacific imports fell off a cliff in September, tumbling 11.8% year over year, according to PIERS, but the absence of an obvious pullback in consumer spending or economic slowdown has some carriers and forwarders predicting a strong recovery in volumes in the first quarter of next year. The story of 2025 has been one of frontloading US imports to avoid higher tariffs. But warehouses and gateway ports like Los Angeles-Long Beach are completely fluid despite handing more cargo over the summer than they did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. This points to goods flowing through the system through to final sale, which supports the view, as reported by several US-based banks in recent earnings calls, that consumer spending remains solid. Container dwell times at Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals have been relatively low all year, outside of a brief spike in rail container dwells in the first quarter, according to data from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Intermodal equipment providers tell the Journal of Commerce chassis are being returned more quicky, indicating containerized cargo is arriving at warehouses and being quickly unloaded for onward distribution. With US consumer spending holding up, evidence points to inventory not piling up but rather moving through the supply chain and being sold. To some veteran freight professionals, that suggests retailers will need more freight, and soon. “We see an overcorrection occurring on US imports, which we think will result in a very strong bounce back in the first quarter,” said Trond Prestroenning, CEO for the Americas region at Hamburg-based forwarder Fr. Meyer’s Sohn. “In the first quarter of 2026, there will be a mini revival similar to COVID in terms of volumes,” said a senior US-based carrier executive. “Warehouses are depleted and you can see some real movement of volume, and space will become tight.” The falloff following widespread frontloading that resulted in an early peak season materialized in September, with total US imports down more than 9% from August and 8% year over year, according to data from PIERS, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. That came after volumes grew more than 5% in the first seven months of the year. And those volume declines are forecast to accelerate through the remainder of the year in what looks like a pronounced post-peak season lull. The Global Port Tracker report, co-written by Hackett Associates and the National Retail Federation, projects total US imports will fall 12.3% year over year in October, 19.2% in November and 19.4% in December and remain below 2025 levels through at least February. “This year’s peak season has come and gone, largely due to retailers frontloading imports ahead of reciprocal tariffs taking effect,” Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the NRF, said in the October Global Port Tracker report. Yet, there is no evidence to suggest a massive pileup of inventory in the US, with stocks remaining roughly aligned with demand. Inventory-to-sales ratios for retailers and manufacturers — which have hovered between 1.28 and 1.32 this year, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis — suggest that businesses “are holding leaner inventories than expected amid the frontloading narrative,” Maersk said in an Oct. 1 market update. Inventory-to-sales ratios compare the value of a company’s inventory to net sales and provide a measure of how quickly inventory moves off the shelf. These relatively lean inventories come amid what has been, so far, a limited economic fallout from tariffs and stubborn inflation. US GDP growth is forecast at 2.3% next year, down slightly from the prior forecast of 2.4%, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That is leading to optimism in some segments of the supply chain, like warehouse space. “Demand has clearly turned a corner. The market is in an inflection point,” Christopher Caton, senior vice president and global head of research at Prologis, Inc. told investors on Oct. 15, as reported by CapIQ Pro. Contact Peter Tirschwell at peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com .

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Trans-Pacific

Container Shipping News

Supply chain

Strong spending, lean inventories could spur US import rebound in early 2026

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">J.B. Hunt lowered its peak season surcharge because of disappointing volume on the West Coast.</div>

J.B. Hunt lowered its peak season surcharge because of disappointing volume on the West Coast.

<div class="phx-topic">J.B. Hunt Transport Services said demand for its intermodal business remained soft in the third quarter, particularly on the West Coast, where transcontinental container loads fell 6% from a year earlier, as total rail shipments declined 1% overall. In describing the overall freight market, the company remarked that “it’s no secret, the market hasn’t returned yet,” which has now surpassed three years. The nation’s largest domestic intermodal provider rolled out an early peak-season surcharge in July of $1,500 per container in Los Angeles, but the company <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/jb-hunt-reduces-peak-season-surcharge-on-southern-california-moves-6066323">later trimmed the fee to $800.</a> “We were disappointed in demand off the West Coast during the quarter and even adjusted our peak program in the middle of the quarter as an example,” said Darren Field, president of J.B. Hunt’s intermodal division. “Demand for our domestic intermodal service wasn’t all that strong.” Despite sluggish volume, executives said the peak season may not be finished because much of the cargo unloaded at West Coast ports this summer remains in local warehouses. “It is important to disconnect the timing of peak season on the water from peak season of the inland supply chain,” said Spencer Frazier, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Our conversations indicate there is a large amount of freight that was imported early that hasn’t moved through the inland supply chain yet. No one has canceled Christmas.” There were some positive results despite the weaker third quarter in Southern California. Domestic intermodal operating income rose 12% year over year, contributing to an 8% increase in company-wide operating income. The company said aggressive cost controls shaved $20 million in costs during the quarter. <h3>East Coast intermodal doing better </h3>Local East Coast intermodal volume climbed 6% in the quarter, a signal that there is strength on containerized freight staying within the CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) networks. The carrier credited improved rail service for helping to shift more truckload freight to rail in the region. The Journal of Commerce Intermodal Service Z-Score, a measurement of how a railroad performs against its own history on three key service metrics, showed CSX and NS operated at or above average through the second-to-last week of the quarter. The final week’s data is unavailable because the US Surface Transportation Board, which publishes the metrics, is affected by the federal government shutdown. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="128e25f2-064e-4956-afe3-0fe7d3c06552"></dynamic-object></div>Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George said Thursday at the Virginia Maritime Association conference that intermodal train speeds are up this year. “We’re delivering consistent service, trending about 90% on-time performance,” George said. “In fact, in September, we had a standout month, hitting 100% in intermodal plan compliance.” He added that international intermodal traffic has risen more than 3% year over year, while domestic volume has flatlined because of trade disruptions. The comments suggest either J.B. Hunt’s East Coast gains may be concentrated on the CSX network, or other NS domestic intermodal partners have struggled to sustain shipments. <h3>Not taking sides on UP-NS deal </h3>J.B. Hunt CEO Shelley Simpson addressed Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP’s) <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/major-rail-union-backs-up-ns-merger-after-job-protection-deal-6084510">proposed acquisition</a> of NS before US regulators, signaling that the company would neither endorse nor oppose the transaction. “Our decades of experience, including navigating seven prior Class I railroad mergers and our thoughtfully developed long-term agreements and strong relationships with NS, CSX, and BNSF should provide the basis for us to accept any changes in the industry,” she said Wednesday. J.B. Hunt’s Field pushed back on speculation that a merger would force J.B. Hunt to shift all East Coast traffic to CSX. The assumption stems from the carrier’s long-standing partnership with BNSF Railway under the “Quantum Agreement,” a revenue-sharing arrangement formed more than 35 years ago that gives J.B. Hunt a pricing edge over competitors. It also launched a <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/j-b-hunt-bnsf-launch-new-intermodal-service-to-grab-time-sensitive-freight-5215574">Quantum service product</a> two years ago with a 95% on-time intermodal performance guarantee supported by J.B. Hunt staff embedded at BNSF’s headquarters in Texas. In recent months, BNSF and CSX have deepened their relationship, launching coast-to-coast intermodal routes linking Southern California <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/bnsf-csx-unveil-new-joint-intermodal-lanes-in-aftermath-of-up-ns-merger-6067789">with Charlotte and Jacksonville</a>. Other coast-to-coast routes to the Northeast <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/csx-restarts-baltimore-tunnel-service-for-double-stack-in-2026-6087384">may be announced next year</a> after CSX begins double-stack intermodal service through Baltimore next spring. This budding partnership has fueled speculation that J.B. Hunt could edge closer to CSX along with BNSF. Many West Coast rail contracts include exclusivity clauses preventing companies such as Hub Group or Schneider National from using BNSF in markets where UP also runs. J.B. Hunt’s BNSF deals carry similar restrictions, making it unlikely the carrier would be permitted to shift volume onto a merged UP-NS network in BNSF-served territories. Even so, J.B. Hunt could continue using a combined UP-NS network for freight to stay east of the Mississippi, where BNSF has no presence. “Any future merger that would be approved for whatever reason has been perceived that J.B. Hunt would have to move our traffic to CSX and that’s not accurate at all,” Field said. “There’s nothing about a future state new railroad that would mean our current Norfolk Southern footprint that we have today would be required to change.” Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. Senior Editor Eric Johnson contributed to this report. </div>

J.B. Hunt Transport Services said demand for its intermodal business remained soft in the third quarter, particularly on the West Coast, where transcontinental container loads fell 6% from a year earlier, as total rail shipments declined 1% overall. In describing the overall freight market, the company remarked that “it’s no secret, the market hasn’t returned yet,” which has now surpassed three years. The nation’s largest domestic intermodal provider rolled out an early peak-season surcharge in July of $1,500 per container in Los Angeles, but the company later trimmed the fee to $800. “We were disappointed in demand off the West Coast during the quarter and even adjusted our peak program in the middle of the quarter as an example,” said Darren Field, president of J.B. Hunt’s intermodal division. “Demand for our domestic intermodal service wasn’t all that strong.” Despite sluggish volume, executives said the peak season may not be finished because much of the cargo unloaded at West Coast ports this summer remains in local warehouses. “It is important to disconnect the timing of peak season on the water from peak season of the inland supply chain,” said Spencer Frazier, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Our conversations indicate there is a large amount of freight that was imported early that hasn’t moved through the inland supply chain yet. No one has canceled Christmas.” There were some positive results despite the weaker third quarter in Southern California. Domestic intermodal operating income rose 12% year over year, contributing to an 8% increase in company-wide operating income. The company said aggressive cost controls shaved $20 million in costs during the quarter. East Coast intermodal doing better Local East Coast intermodal volume climbed 6% in the quarter, a signal that there is strength on containerized freight staying within the CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) networks. The carrier credited improved rail service for helping to shift more truckload freight to rail in the region. The Journal of Commerce Intermodal Service Z-Score, a measurement of how a railroad performs against its own history on three key service metrics, showed CSX and NS operated at or above average through the second-to-last week of the quarter. The final week’s data is unavailable because the US Surface Transportation Board, which publishes the metrics, is affected by the federal government shutdown. Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George said Thursday at the Virginia Maritime Association conference that intermodal train speeds are up this year. “We’re delivering consistent service, trending about 90% on-time performance,” George said. “In fact, in September, we had a standout month, hitting 100% in intermodal plan compliance.” He added that international intermodal traffic has risen more than 3% year over year, while domestic volume has flatlined because of trade disruptions. The comments suggest either J.B. Hunt’s East Coast gains may be concentrated on the CSX network, or other NS domestic intermodal partners have struggled to sustain shipments. Not taking sides on UP-NS deal J.B. Hunt CEO Shelley Simpson addressed Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP’s) proposed acquisition of NS before US regulators, signaling that the company would neither endorse nor oppose the transaction. “Our decades of experience, including navigating seven prior Class I railroad mergers and our thoughtfully developed long-term agreements and strong relationships with NS, CSX, and BNSF should provide the basis for us to accept any changes in the industry,” she said Wednesday. J.B. Hunt’s Field pushed back on speculation that a merger would force J.B. Hunt to shift all East Coast traffic to CSX. The assumption stems from the carrier’s long-standing partnership with BNSF Railway under the “Quantum Agreement,” a revenue-sharing arrangement formed more than 35 years ago that gives J.B. Hunt a pricing edge over competitors. It also launched a Quantum service product two years ago with a 95% on-time intermodal performance guarantee supported by J.B. Hunt staff embedded at BNSF’s headquarters in Texas. In recent months, BNSF and CSX have deepened their relationship, launching coast-to-coast intermodal routes linking Southern California with Charlotte and Jacksonville . Other coast-to-coast routes to the Northeast may be announced next year after CSX begins double-stack intermodal service through Baltimore next spring. This budding partnership has fueled speculation that J.B. Hunt could edge closer to CSX along with BNSF. Many West Coast rail contracts include exclusivity clauses preventing companies such as Hub Group or Schneider National from using BNSF in markets where UP also runs. J.B. Hunt’s BNSF deals carry similar restrictions, making it unlikely the carrier would be permitted to shift volume onto a merged UP-NS network in BNSF-served territories. Even so, J.B. Hunt could continue using a combined UP-NS network for freight to stay east of the Mississippi, where BNSF has no presence. “Any future merger that would be approved for whatever reason has been perceived that J.B. Hunt would have to move our traffic to CSX and that’s not accurate at all,” Field said. “There’s nothing about a future state new railroad that would mean our current Norfolk Southern footprint that we have today would be required to change.” Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com . Senior Editor Eric Johnson contributed to this report.

North-American rail

Intermodal providers

J.B. Hunt: Intermodal volume retracts amid cost-cutting measures

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The investment in less carbon-intensive vessels is part of a $17 billion spending plan that also includes $3 billion on its logistics business and the acquisition of new container terminals by 2030.</div>

The investment in less carbon-intensive vessels is part of a $17 billion spending plan that also includes $3 billion on its logistics business and the acquisition of new container terminals by 2030.

<div class="phx-topic">HMM is pushing full steam ahead with alternative-fuel vessel plans with new orders for a dozen container ships that will be capable of running on LNG. The South Korea-based ocean carrier on Thursday confirmed orders for 12 dual-fuel 13,000-TEU container vessels from HD Hyundai Heavy and Hanhwa Ocean worth a total of $2.55 billion. The deals are the first to be announced since HMM outlined plans in September to spend $8 billion on eco-friendly ships by 2030 to boost its operational fleet to 130 container ships totaling 1.55 million TEUs. The investment is part of a $17 billion spending plan that also includes $3 billion on its logistics business with the acquisition of new container terminals and extending existing facilities by 2030. Given their size, the new ships are likely to be deployed on the trans-Pacific trade between Asia and North America when delivered starting in 2027. The carrier has said it aims to be carbon-neutral across all transport modes by 2045. “By adding these new LNG dual-fueled vessels to its existing portfolio, which already includes methanol-powered containerships and LNG-powered vessels, HMM continues to strengthen its position in sustainable shipping,” the carrier said in a statement. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="3ea23764-fec2-4391-b0e3-4c5cff1b6eee"></dynamic-object></div>Container lines have been laser focused on ordering alternative-fueled ships in recent years. More than three-quarters of the total 7.2 million TEUs of container ship capacity ordered since the beginning of 2024 will be capable of running on LNG, methanol or hydrogen, according to data from Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce with S&amp;P Global. HMM alone ordered 41 LNG- and methanol-fueled ships between 2018 and 2023. These included nine 9,000-TEU methanol-powered vessels ordered in February 2023, the first of which, HMM Green, was delivered in March. The remaining eight will be delivered in 2026, the line said. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

HMM is pushing full steam ahead with alternative-fuel vessel plans with new orders for a dozen container ships that will be capable of running on LNG. The South Korea-based ocean carrier on Thursday confirmed orders for 12 dual-fuel 13,000-TEU container vessels from HD Hyundai Heavy and Hanhwa Ocean worth a total of $2.55 billion. The deals are the first to be announced since HMM outlined plans in September to spend $8 billion on eco-friendly ships by 2030 to boost its operational fleet to 130 container ships totaling 1.55 million TEUs. The investment is part of a $17 billion spending plan that also includes $3 billion on its logistics business with the acquisition of new container terminals and extending existing facilities by 2030. Given their size, the new ships are likely to be deployed on the trans-Pacific trade between Asia and North America when delivered starting in 2027. The carrier has said it aims to be carbon-neutral across all transport modes by 2045. “By adding these new LNG dual-fueled vessels to its existing portfolio, which already includes methanol-powered containerships and LNG-powered vessels, HMM continues to strengthen its position in sustainable shipping,” the carrier said in a statement. Container lines have been laser focused on ordering alternative-fueled ships in recent years. More than three-quarters of the total 7.2 million TEUs of container ship capacity ordered since the beginning of 2024 will be capable of running on LNG, methanol or hydrogen, according to data from Sea-web, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce with S&P Global. HMM alone ordered 41 LNG- and methanol-fueled ships between 2018 and 2023. These included nine 9,000-TEU methanol-powered vessels ordered in February 2023, the first of which, HMM Green, was delivered in March. The remaining eight will be delivered in 2026, the line said. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

HMM inks $2.5 billion LNG container ship order

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The trade dispute has become multi-dimensional with many different elements all impacting shipping and the supply chain, writes maritime and Journal of Commerce analyst Lars Jensen. </div>

The trade dispute has become multi-dimensional with many different elements all impacting shipping and the supply chain, writes maritime and Journal of Commerce analyst Lars Jensen.

<div class="phx-topic">Seen from the container shipping sector, the US trade dispute has become multi-dimensional and global in nature. The complexities are likely to grow further with shipping as a centrally impacted industry. Initially, the trade conflict mainly focused on tariffs — which countries were being hit by which magnitude of tariffs and on which commodities. The so-called “Liberation Day,” where reciprocal tariffs on all countries in the world were announced, was the clear embodiment of this early phase. <div class="wrapper-narrow float-right-element"><img src="/images/phoenix/6098416_0.1.png"></img></div>Had this been the only element to the trade dispute and had the first round of reciprocal tariffs simply been kept in place, container shipping would have adapted. Tariff wars are not new, and the impact of such actions is somewhat predictable. Sourcing will shift and adapt to the new landscape, and goods will be sourced where it is most advantageous given the new landscape. Ships will follow and trade lanes adapt accordingly. It could potentially result in an overall demand reduction, but swings in demand and supply are something shipping stakeholders have been handling literally for centuries. This is not to imply it would have been without cost for the shipping industry, but simply to point out that the situation would have been within the parameters of what has also previously been handled. But as the months have gone on, the trade dispute has become multi-dimensional, developing many different elements, all of which impact shipping and supply chains. <h3>Tariff changes speeding up </h3>A second front is that the speed of change in tariffs is accelerating. Deadlines for implementation of new tariffs, and details thereof, have become progressively faster, to the point where cargo already loaded on vessels would now be subject to tariffs with the importer having no recourse but to accept the sudden increase in cost for goods already purchased. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/importers-pump-brakes-as-they-tire-of-ever-changing-us-tariff-policy-analyst-6091571">Neither shippers nor carriers can physically adapt</a> to the supply chain at the speed of recent tariff changes. This creates an environment for shippers where planning a stable long-term supply chain is no longer a risk-mitigating activity but a source of risk. And in an environment for shipping lines where large-scale capacity reduction or capacity increases are necessary at extremely short notice — resulting in poor schedule adherence as well as erratic appearances of vessel capacity shortages (and excesses) — port congestion problems emerge at destination and at origin. <h3>A port fee standoff </h3>We arrive at the third dimension of the trade dispute: port fees based on nationality. At the headline level, this came with ample warning time from the US where Chinese shipping interests are targeted, albeit a range of details are still missing. Shipping lines planned and adapted accordingly by shuffling vessels in the network — a process taking place over a period of months. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/chinas-port-fees-forcing-gemini-to-shift-out-us-flag-ships-6097952">But then came the Chinese reaction</a> in the form of similar tit-for-tat rules directed against US shipping interests. There was almost no lead time for the shipping lines that are still processing what the precise impact will be and how they will once more reshuffle vessels to mitigate it. Regarding this aspect of the trade dispute, the impact is especially important for Cosco Shipping, OOCL, Hede Shipping, Matson and APL, highlighting the clear US-China conflict. What is unknown is whether the next steps in this aspect will be to escalate or de-escalate. <h3>The coming fronts </h3>The fourth dimension has been brewing for six months and came to the headlines early in October in the form of the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/white-house-sanctions-threat-ups-ante-ahead-of-pivotal-imo-meeting-6096646">US opposition to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Net Zero Framework</a> (NZF). At the time of writing <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/high-stakes-imo-decarbonization-meeting-begins-in-london-6097313">it is not yet known whether the IMO will vote in favor</a>, whether they will reject it or whether there will be a stalling action that will push it six months to the next MEPC meeting. But the US made their position clear: if NZF is adopted, countries voting “yes” will be subject to US penalties. A range of possibilities were listed such as fees on vessels or entry bans to US ports. Should any of the proposed actions be implemented, this will clearly open a fourth front of the trade dispute and directly impact shipping. A fifth front looms on the horizon — the Federal Maritime Commission’s (FMC’s) investigation into unfair practices related to flag state competition, especially from flags of convenience. This is on hold as the FMC staff is sent home due to the government shutdown. Eventually, the study will be completed, and it is highly likely a conclusion will be made that points to examples of what, from a US perspective, would be seen as unfair competitive practices. Looking at the actions the US government took following the USTR investigation on Chinese shipping practices, it is very likely the FMC study will act as well and, just as with the USTR port fees, open yet another front in the trade war involving shipping directly. Finally, a sixth front has opened in US ports where cranes and chassis <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/freeport-pays-crane-tariffs-to-avoid-ustr-fee-risk-6087337">are now subject to 100% duties</a>, and port handling equipment now faces a proposed 150% duty level. All of this has emerged during 2025 alone and has pushed container shipping into the center of the US trade dispute. Contact Lars Jensen at <a href="mailto:lars.jensen@vespucci-maritime.com">lars.jensen@vespucci-maritime.com</a>. </div>

Seen from the container shipping sector, the US trade dispute has become multi-dimensional and global in nature. The complexities are likely to grow further with shipping as a centrally impacted industry. Initially, the trade conflict mainly focused on tariffs — which countries were being hit by which magnitude of tariffs and on which commodities. The so-called “Liberation Day,” where reciprocal tariffs on all countries in the world were announced, was the clear embodiment of this early phase. Had this been the only element to the trade dispute and had the first round of reciprocal tariffs simply been kept in place, container shipping would have adapted. Tariff wars are not new, and the impact of such actions is somewhat predictable. Sourcing will shift and adapt to the new landscape, and goods will be sourced where it is most advantageous given the new landscape. Ships will follow and trade lanes adapt accordingly. It could potentially result in an overall demand reduction, but swings in demand and supply are something shipping stakeholders have been handling literally for centuries. This is not to imply it would have been without cost for the shipping industry, but simply to point out that the situation would have been within the parameters of what has also previously been handled. But as the months have gone on, the trade dispute has become multi-dimensional, developing many different elements, all of which impact shipping and supply chains. Tariff changes speeding up A second front is that the speed of change in tariffs is accelerating. Deadlines for implementation of new tariffs, and details thereof, have become progressively faster, to the point where cargo already loaded on vessels would now be subject to tariffs with the importer having no recourse but to accept the sudden increase in cost for goods already purchased. Neither shippers nor carriers can physically adapt to the supply chain at the speed of recent tariff changes. This creates an environment for shippers where planning a stable long-term supply chain is no longer a risk-mitigating activity but a source of risk. And in an environment for shipping lines where large-scale capacity reduction or capacity increases are necessary at extremely short notice — resulting in poor schedule adherence as well as erratic appearances of vessel capacity shortages (and excesses) — port congestion problems emerge at destination and at origin. A port fee standoff We arrive at the third dimension of the trade dispute: port fees based on nationality. At the headline level, this came with ample warning time from the US where Chinese shipping interests are targeted, albeit a range of details are still missing. Shipping lines planned and adapted accordingly by shuffling vessels in the network — a process taking place over a period of months. But then came the Chinese reaction in the form of similar tit-for-tat rules directed against US shipping interests. There was almost no lead time for the shipping lines that are still processing what the precise impact will be and how they will once more reshuffle vessels to mitigate it. Regarding this aspect of the trade dispute, the impact is especially important for Cosco Shipping, OOCL, Hede Shipping, Matson and APL, highlighting the clear US-China conflict. What is unknown is whether the next steps in this aspect will be to escalate or de-escalate. The coming fronts The fourth dimension has been brewing for six months and came to the headlines early in October in the form of the US opposition to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Net Zero Framework (NZF). At the time of writing it is not yet known whether the IMO will vote in favor , whether they will reject it or whether there will be a stalling action that will push it six months to the next MEPC meeting. But the US made their position clear: if NZF is adopted, countries voting “yes” will be subject to US penalties. A range of possibilities were listed such as fees on vessels or entry bans to US ports. Should any of the proposed actions be implemented, this will clearly open a fourth front of the trade dispute and directly impact shipping. A fifth front looms on the horizon — the Federal Maritime Commission’s (FMC’s) investigation into unfair practices related to flag state competition, especially from flags of convenience. This is on hold as the FMC staff is sent home due to the government shutdown. Eventually, the study will be completed, and it is highly likely a conclusion will be made that points to examples of what, from a US perspective, would be seen as unfair competitive practices. Looking at the actions the US government took following the USTR investigation on Chinese shipping practices, it is very likely the FMC study will act as well and, just as with the USTR port fees, open yet another front in the trade war involving shipping directly. Finally, a sixth front has opened in US ports where cranes and chassis are now subject to 100% duties , and port handling equipment now faces a proposed 150% duty level. All of this has emerged during 2025 alone and has pushed container shipping into the center of the US trade dispute. Contact Lars Jensen at lars.jensen@vespucci-maritime.com .

US trade dispute has multiple fronts to disrupt shipping: analyst

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Industrial action by auxiliary workers in Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges is heavily disrupting operations in the region’s two busiest container ports.</div>

Industrial action by auxiliary workers in Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges is heavily disrupting operations in the region’s two busiest container ports.

<div class="phx-topic"> Container lashing workers in the port of Rotterdam reached an agreement over wages and working conditions with employers Friday, bringing the industrial action by the FNV Havens union to an end. Strike action continues to disrupt operations at Europe’s two busiest container hubs, Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges, resulting in reduced handling capacity and backlogs that could take weeks to clear. If container lashing companies and FNV Havens union in Rotterdam fail to reach an agreement over working conditions and wages by Friday morning, workers critical to handling operations will resume strike action that has been suspended since the weekend following a court ruling. The 48-hour strike by 700 lashers last week has left Rotterdam already facing a backlog of 19 vessels, 11 of them deep-sea ships, that a spokesperson for the port said would take “several weeks” to clear even without further strike action. “Tonight, we will know if the lashers have reached an agreement with their employers. If not, the strike will resume tomorrow [Friday] at 7 a.m.,” the spokesperson told the Journal of Commerce. A broad delegation from the logistics sector asked a Dutch court last Saturday to prohibit or limit the strike by the lashers because of “major social consequences.” It was agreed that the lashers would return to work on Monday, but strikes would resume Friday if no agreement was reached between the lashing workers and their employers. While Rotterdam noted in a statement following the court ruling that although the four-day solution was “not ideal,” it would allow essential goods to enter the Netherlands. “The aim was and is to protect the interests of the logistics sector and society from the far-reaching consequences of the strike,” the port statement noted. “We remain of the opinion that the action is currently causing disproportionate damage and putting serious pressure on security of supply.” The dispute has impacted all of the major container terminals in Rotterdam: APM Terminals Maasvlakte II, Hutchinson Ports Delta II, ECT Delta and Rotterdam World Gateway. <h3>Pilots in ‘maximum rest’ action </h3>In Antwerp, a “maximum rest” slowdown by sea pilots in the BVL union has left the logistics chain to and from the port operating at 70% of normal capacity, officials said in a “crisis” update Thursday. Flemish pilots have been protesting federal pension reforms since Oct. 5, with the port disruption exacerbated by a national general workers strike in Belgium on Tuesday this week. The industrial action has caused significant congestion on the Scheldt River that provides deep-sea access to Antwerp’s container terminals, affecting 60 outbound and 128 inbound vessels, according to the port. “The [strike] actions are expected to continue until Sunday ... clearing the backlog caused by the various actions will take several more days,” Antwerp-Bruges said in its latest update. A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd said the carrier was “closely monitoring the evolving strike actions” at both ports. “In Rotterdam, lashing operations remain unstable and further industrial action is anticipated should negotiations fail by Friday, Oct. 17,” the spokesperson told the Journal of Commerce. “In Belgium, the consequences of the general strike and ongoing pilot actions continue to impact vessel movements and port accessibility. At the moment, we are seeing delays of some hours to three days of our services across affected terminals.” Kuehne + Nagel’s SeaExplorer visibility platform has described operations at both Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges as “heavily disrupted.” The strike action is doing nothing positive for overall Asia-Europe schedule reliability that continues to present shippers with the worst on-time performance among the major ocean corridors. In September, on-time vessel performance of 23% was a slight improvement on the 17% recorded in August, according to industry analyst Xeneta. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Container lashing workers in the port of Rotterdam reached an agreement over wages and working conditions with employers Friday, bringing the industrial action by the FNV Havens union to an end. Strike action continues to disrupt operations at Europe’s two busiest container hubs, Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges, resulting in reduced handling capacity and backlogs that could take weeks to clear. If container lashing companies and FNV Havens union in Rotterdam fail to reach an agreement over working conditions and wages by Friday morning, workers critical to handling operations will resume strike action that has been suspended since the weekend following a court ruling. The 48-hour strike by 700 lashers last week has left Rotterdam already facing a backlog of 19 vessels, 11 of them deep-sea ships, that a spokesperson for the port said would take “several weeks” to clear even without further strike action. “Tonight, we will know if the lashers have reached an agreement with their employers. If not, the strike will resume tomorrow [Friday] at 7 a.m.,” the spokesperson told the Journal of Commerce. A broad delegation from the logistics sector asked a Dutch court last Saturday to prohibit or limit the strike by the lashers because of “major social consequences.” It was agreed that the lashers would return to work on Monday, but strikes would resume Friday if no agreement was reached between the lashing workers and their employers. While Rotterdam noted in a statement following the court ruling that although the four-day solution was “not ideal,” it would allow essential goods to enter the Netherlands. “The aim was and is to protect the interests of the logistics sector and society from the far-reaching consequences of the strike,” the port statement noted. “We remain of the opinion that the action is currently causing disproportionate damage and putting serious pressure on security of supply.” The dispute has impacted all of the major container terminals in Rotterdam: APM Terminals Maasvlakte II, Hutchinson Ports Delta II, ECT Delta and Rotterdam World Gateway. Pilots in ‘maximum rest’ action In Antwerp, a “maximum rest” slowdown by sea pilots in the BVL union has left the logistics chain to and from the port operating at 70% of normal capacity, officials said in a “crisis” update Thursday. Flemish pilots have been protesting federal pension reforms since Oct. 5, with the port disruption exacerbated by a national general workers strike in Belgium on Tuesday this week. The industrial action has caused significant congestion on the Scheldt River that provides deep-sea access to Antwerp’s container terminals, affecting 60 outbound and 128 inbound vessels, according to the port. “The [strike] actions are expected to continue until Sunday ... clearing the backlog caused by the various actions will take several more days,” Antwerp-Bruges said in its latest update. A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd said the carrier was “closely monitoring the evolving strike actions” at both ports. “In Rotterdam, lashing operations remain unstable and further industrial action is anticipated should negotiations fail by Friday, Oct. 17,” the spokesperson told the Journal of Commerce. “In Belgium, the consequences of the general strike and ongoing pilot actions continue to impact vessel movements and port accessibility. At the moment, we are seeing delays of some hours to three days of our services across affected terminals.” Kuehne + Nagel’s SeaExplorer visibility platform has described operations at both Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges as “heavily disrupted.” The strike action is doing nothing positive for overall Asia-Europe schedule reliability that continues to present shippers with the worst on-time performance among the major ocean corridors. In September, on-time vessel performance of 23% was a slight improvement on the 17% recorded in August, according to industry analyst Xeneta. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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Filling the Supply Chain Education Gap with LTL Education Courses

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