Maritime News
The Journal of Commerce is the industry’s source for maritime news and analysis about ocean container shipping, logistics, supply chains, global shipping ports, shipping technology solutions and end-to-end connectivity. Coverage tracks the movement of containerized cargo — from origin to destination — handled by marine terminals in the US and abroad, depots, container ports, container lines, drayage, consignees and shippers, forwarders, non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) and off-dock warehousing providers, as well as pricing, capacity, volume and reliability on the trans-Pacific, Asia-Europe, North America-Caribbean, Central and South American and intra-Asia trades.
Updated: 2 hours 7 min ago
MPV carrier UAL braces for port asset takeover by Equatorial Guinea
Oil and gas supply chains are in jeopardy as the government of Equatorial Guinea announces that it plans to nationalize a major port asset owned by Netherlands-based UAL Group.
GPA allocates new funding for Ocean Terminal container expansion
The Georgia Ports Authority is expanding the Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal to eventually grow its annual container capacity from 300,000 TEUs to 1.5 million TEUs.
Baltimore bridge collision involving Maersk-chartered ship shuts port
The closure of the fifth-busiest container port on the US East Coast could put pressure on container lines as they divert vessel calls.
Journal of Commerce Rankings: 3PLs struggle with post-pandemic sugar high
The top end of the global 3PL sector is populated by companies that see a down market as a chance to focus on higher-yield customers and those that see a chance to build market share.
Vancouver hit by new round of rail congestion amid early year import surge
The port is struggling to relieve excessive rail container dwells on its docks caused by an unexpected jump in imports and what some stakeholders say is an inadequate supply of railcars.
New Maersk facility in Tijuana taps into growing low-value Mexico-US trade
Maersk is the first container line to publicly promote a direct pipeline of ocean freight to what’s known as Section 321 shipments, though the model has been used for years by freight forwarders.
Red Sea diversions keep shipping emissions at ‘dangerously high’ levels: report
Meeting interim emissions benchmarks will be increasingly difficult unless decisive policy action is taken, according to a new report from consultancy AlixPartners.
MSC unit secures takeover of French forwarder Clasquin
The acquisition will add significant volume of air and ocean cargo to the MSC subsidiary and extend its reach into European markets.
Groups urge DCSA members to implement standard on shipping schedules
The letter is a further sign that the work of the non-profit carrier group has stalled at the adoption phase for its members.
Path toward net-zero shipping starts to emerge as MEPC81 meeting ends
But there remains significant horse trading ahead as IMO member states try to reach agreement on a fuel standard and a global greenhouse gas pricing measure that need to be decided on by next year and rolled out in 2027.
US House passes ‘OSRA 2.0’ to set new curbs on China’s shipping industry
The legislation is an attempt to give federal maritime law more teeth to go after what its backers see as market manipulation and potential espionage from China.
Maersk resumes trans-Pacific service amid early ‘24 import growth
The carrier said the restored TP20 service will offer “competitive”’ transit times just as shippers need to ensure products are in stock for spring and summer.
OOCL posts 2023 net profit, although slashed significantly in ‘normalizing’ market
The carrier gave a highly uncertain outlook for the industry, outlining a litany of potential disruptors for 2024 that include Red Sea vessel diversions, high interest rates and geopolitical tensions.
DB Schenker profitable 2023 shows it’s still the jewel in Deutsche Bahn crown
The global forwarder is up for sale, and its high level of profitability during an otherwise challenging year for logistics could improve a selling price that analysts have already said could top $20 billion.
SC Ports lands deal seeks to make North Charleston ready for bigger ships
The purchase of an industrial site next to the terminal is part of Charleston’s plan to allow the facility to handle container ships that are double the size of the vessels it can currently accommodate.
APM enhances partnership for ultra-large container terminal at Haiphong port
The terminal operator said it hatched a new agreement with a Vietnamese logistics company that increases its involvement in developing an ultra-large container terminal in the country’s northern region.
India-US carriers lower spot rates for end-March sailings to push bookings
As the market softens, carriers have jettisoned previously announced rate activity for March, with Mediterranean Shipping Co. canceling a $1,000-per-container general rate increase and CMA CGM again postponing a peak season surcharge.
BNSF, UP working through rail container backlogs in Southern California
The railroads say they are deploying more intermodal railcars to Los Angeles-Long Beach and adjusting their operations so marine terminals can clear out rail containers and reduce dwell times following strong import volumes early this year.
THE Alliance restores two trans-Pacific services as Asia imports jump
US imports from Asia last month were up 40% over February 2023, the biggest year-over-year jump for any month since May 2021.
Seafarer unions declare Red Sea, Gulf of Aden ‘warlike’ no-go areas
The deaths of three bulk carrier crew in early March has spurred an international body representing seafarers to downgrade the busy shipping lanes from “high risk” to “warlike” and has urged all carriers to avoid sailing through the region.