<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Netherlands airport hub Schiphol is considering a government proposal aimed at solving its landing rights crisis impacting all-cargo flights. </div>

Netherlands airport hub Schiphol is considering a government proposal aimed at solving its landing rights crisis impacting all-cargo flights.

<div>[Editorial note: image removed/no longer available]Schiphol is looking at options to ease the impact of its landing right rule on cargo aircraft. Photo credit: ShutterstockAmsterdam Schiphol is looking at a Dutch government proposal for a “local rule” that would give cargo airlines at the airport priority over other carriers in the allocation of landing rights as the airport faces flak over a “use it or lose it” regulation that is <a>affecting freight operations</a>.Secretary for Infrastructure and Environment Sharon Dijksma recently asked Schiphol to come up with a local rule proposal backed by the Dutch aviation sector where cargo companies would...

[Editorial note: image removed/no longer available] Schiphol is looking at options to ease the impact of its landing right rule on cargo aircraft. Photo credit: Shutterstock Amsterdam Schiphol is looking at a Dutch government proposal for a “local rule” that would give cargo airlines at the airport priority over other carriers in the allocation of landing rights as the airport faces flak over a “use it or lose it” regulation that is affecting freight operations .Secretary for Infrastructure and Environment Sharon Dijksma recently asked Schiphol to come up with a local rule proposal backed by the Dutch aviation sector where cargo companies would have priority under certain conditions.A spokesperson for Schiphol told JOC.com that given the vital interest of air cargo operations for the airport and for the cargo sector labor market, “Schiphol is currently exploring the options for such a rule.”Aircraft landing rights in the country are allocated by the independent slot coordinator Stichting Airport Coordination Netherlands, not by the airport, and give an airline the right to take off or land at a particular time. Twice a year, just ahead of the winter and summer seasons, the slot coordinator issues all the available slots according to a simple principle: use it or lose it.It is known as the 80:20 rule where if an airline uses more than 80 percent of its allocated slots, it acquires a historic right to the set of slots and will automatically be allowed to operate its flights in the next season. An airline that uses fewer than 80 percent of its allocated slots automatically loses them.“For cargo airlines, this creates a problem,” Schiphol said in a statement. “Because they have to be more flexible and therefore operate a less regular flight schedule, cargo carriers were unable to hold their historical slots.”The freed-up slots become available for other airlines and how they are divvied up is a decision made by the slot coordinator, which divides them on the basis of domestic and international regulations, the Worldwide Slot Guidelines drawn up by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the capacity determined by Schiphol.“Until recently, the 80 percent rule had little impact on cargo carriers because there were always plenty of slots to go around. But now, with Schiphol nearing its capacity limit of 500,000 flights a year [until 2020], slots are becoming scarce, to the extent that there are almost none left,” the airport said.When the Dutch gateway reached full capacity in September and the 80:20 rule was applied, Russian carrier AirBridgeCargo lost half of its freighter slots and was preparing to shift scheduled B747 freighter flights to Liege. It was reported that Russia subsequently threatened to deny Dutch airlines the right to use its airspace, but that crisis was averted when AirBridgeCargo reached an agreement with KLM to use the Dutch carrier’s slots at the airport.Other carriers are believed to be moving their cargo flights. Emirates SkyCargo will shift some flights from Schiphol to Brussels, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt, while Singapore Airlines is shifting to Brussels.Improving economic conditions in the world’s major consuming markets have been driving up air cargo volume this year, but the recovering freight market has coincided with a rapid increase in low-cost and leisure travel. With both sectors competing for landing slots, there is mounting pressure on infrastructure-constrained airport hubs with worrying consequences for carriers and anyone shipping goods by air.According to IATA, more than 100 of the 177 capacity-constrained airports around the world are situated in Europe, and with passenger levels expected to double in the next 20 years, the ability for these airports to accommodate growing freight and leisure flights is being severely tested.Amsterdam Schiphol is currently headlining the cargo-versus-passenger slot challenge issue, but most aviation hubs around the world are struggling to accommodate growing flight numbers. Although building additional runways, such as those expected to go ahead in Hong Kong and Heathrow, can increase traffic, airspace requirements limit the ability of most airports to expand beyond a certain point. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @greg_knowler .

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Air Cargo Forwarder News

Slot-stricken Schiphol explores Dutch call for local rule

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Federal Maritime Commission is looking at areas where ships are having transit troubles with an eye on how US maritime influence can fix those problems.</div>

The Federal Maritime Commission is looking at areas where ships are having transit troubles with an eye on how US maritime influence can fix those problems.

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<div class="phx-topic">The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is asking shipping interests to weigh in on the biggest global maritime chokepoints they face as part of US waterborne commerce. The probe, part of the FMC’s regular work under US shipping law, comes amid the Trump administration’s moves to assert US power across the global maritime sector and to develop a US-based shipping industry. The FMC said Thursday it is investigating “transit constraints at international maritime chokepoints” as part of its regular annual report to Congress about practices in the ocean shipping industry. The agency is asking, in particular, whether the practices or policies of foreign governments and ocean carriers exacerbate those chokepoints. “It appears that constraints on transits ... may have created shipping conditions that call for careful consideration by the Federal Maritime Commission in connection with the determination of its policies and the carrying out of its duties,” the agency said in the docket announcing the probe. The FMC identified seven chokepoints for the probe — the English Channel, the Malacca Strait, the Northern Sea Passage, the Singapore Strait, the Panama Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. The Panama Canal has been a particular area of concern for President Donald Trump, who has criticized the 1977 treaty that ceded US control of the canal to Panama. The Trump administration got one win in that regard when <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/big-hutchison-deal-could-reshuffle-global-ports-network-drewry-5958162">BlackRock-backed investors Global Infrastructure Partners struck a $23 billion deal</a> to buy the ports network belonging to Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison. The deal included two <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/panama-canal-transit-data-belies-trumps-claims-of-chinas-control-project44-5948559">Panama marine terminals that Trump called out for their Chinese ownership</a>. The FMC said in its docket about the investigation that the Panama Canal “holds substantial geopolitical importance [and is] crucial to the interests of the United States.” “Political instability or disruptions in its operation could have far-reaching consequences,” it added. The FMC suggested that if Panama or any other maritime entity appears to be causing problems at the canal, the US is prepared to hit back at Panama’s ship registry — one of the largest in the world with 8,000 vessels — including refusing US entry to Panama-flag vessels. <h3>Attempt to bolster US maritime presence</h3>The FMC is also seeking input on avoiding other types of navigational constraints, including the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/with-ever-given-freed-suez-backlog-to-clear-through-week-carriers-5250358">2021 grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal</a> and the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/baltimore-preps-for-limited-port-reopening-by-end-of-april-5225392">2024 closure of the Port of Baltimore</a> after the container ship Dali struck a bridge, causing it to collapse. Alongside the FMC, the Trump administration as a whole has taken interest in the maritime sector, particularly regarding how to boost the US’ presence. The US Trade Representative is currently weighing whether <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/tpm25-us-exporters-starting-to-feel-pinch-of-trump-trade-war-with-china-5956798">Chinese-built and -operated ships should face $1 million fees for US port calls</a> to offset China’s dominance in shipbuilding. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 24. Trump also said in his joint address to Congress at the start of March that his administration plans to create an office of commercial and military shipbuilding with a view of “bringing this industry home to America.” Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is asking shipping interests to weigh in on the biggest global maritime chokepoints they face as part of US waterborne commerce. The probe, part of the FMC’s regular work under US shipping law, comes amid the Trump administration’s moves to assert US power across the global maritime sector and to develop a US-based shipping industry. The FMC said Thursday it is investigating “transit constraints at international maritime chokepoints” as part of its regular annual report to Congress about practices in the ocean shipping industry. The agency is asking, in particular, whether the practices or policies of foreign governments and ocean carriers exacerbate those chokepoints. “It appears that constraints on transits ... may have created shipping conditions that call for careful consideration by the Federal Maritime Commission in connection with the determination of its policies and the carrying out of its duties,” the agency said in the docket announcing the probe. The FMC identified seven chokepoints for the probe — the English Channel, the Malacca Strait, the Northern Sea Passage, the Singapore Strait, the Panama Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. The Panama Canal has been a particular area of concern for President Donald Trump, who has criticized the 1977 treaty that ceded US control of the canal to Panama. The Trump administration got one win in that regard when BlackRock-backed investors Global Infrastructure Partners struck a $23 billion deal to buy the ports network belonging to Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison. The deal included two Panama marine terminals that Trump called out for their Chinese ownership . The FMC said in its docket about the investigation that the Panama Canal “holds substantial geopolitical importance [and is] crucial to the interests of the United States.” “Political instability or disruptions in its operation could have far-reaching consequences,” it added. The FMC suggested that if Panama or any other maritime entity appears to be causing problems at the canal, the US is prepared to hit back at Panama’s ship registry — one of the largest in the world with 8,000 vessels — including refusing US entry to Panama-flag vessels. Attempt to bolster US maritime presence The FMC is also seeking input on avoiding other types of navigational constraints, including the 2021 grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal and the 2024 closure of the Port of Baltimore after the container ship Dali struck a bridge, causing it to collapse. Alongside the FMC, the Trump administration as a whole has taken interest in the maritime sector, particularly regarding how to boost the US’ presence. The US Trade Representative is currently weighing whether Chinese-built and -operated ships should face $1 million fees for US port calls to offset China’s dominance in shipbuilding. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 24. Trump also said in his joint address to Congress at the start of March that his administration plans to create an office of commercial and military shipbuilding with a view of “bringing this industry home to America.” Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Container lines

FMC probes ocean chokepoints as Trump looks to rule the waves

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A commentary published in a Hong Kong state-backed newspaper said the acquisition of Hutchison’s Panama assets by BlackRock and TiL would “Americanize” the canal and cause Washington to restrict Chinese access to the waterway. </div>

A commentary published in a Hong Kong state-backed newspaper said the acquisition of Hutchison’s Panama assets by BlackRock and TiL would “Americanize” the canal and cause Washington to restrict Chinese access to the waterway.

<div class="phx-topic">Beijing is voicing its opposition to the sale by Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison of its Panama ports terminals to a consortium of BlackRock Group and Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), warning the Panama Canal would be “Americanized” by the US government restricting Chinese access to the waterway. Chinese government concerns were outlined in a commentary published Thursday by Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao, a China state-backed newspaper. Official endorsement of the commentary was demonstrated when it was reposted on the joint website of the Chinese Communist Party’s Hong Kong and Macao Work Office and the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. The report spooked investors, causing Hutchison’s share price to drop more than 6% Friday to close at HK$46.25 (US$6). China’s opposition could put pressure on regulators to reject the sale. Hutchison on March 4 <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hutchison-inks-228-billion-deal-to-sell-majority-of-port-holdings-to-blackrock-til-5955819">announced it had agreed to sell</a> its 90% stake in the Panama Ports Company as part of a larger $22.8 billion deal to offload its global ports business to BlackRock and TiL. The deal covers its 80% interest in Hutchison Port Holdings, which has terminal operations at 43 ports, but excludes Hutchison’s China ports. The Panama Ports Company controls terminals at Christobal and Balbao at both ends of the canal. The newspaper commentary said the sale of the Panama terminals would lead the canal to become “Americanized” and “politicized,” with the US using the canal for “political purposes and pursuit of its own political agenda.” “China’s shipping trade will inevitably be constrained by the United States,” it said. “Once the US implements measures such as selective flow restrictions and imposition of political surcharges, the logistics costs and supply chain stability of Chinese enterprises will face great risks.” <h3>‘Not ordinary business practice’</h3>When the deal was announced, Frank Sixt, CK Hutchison’s co-managing director, stressed that the transaction was “purely commercial in nature and wholly unrelated to recent political news reports concerning the Panama Ports.” He added the sale “was the result of a rapid, discrete, but competitive process in which numerous bids and expressions of interest were received.” But the newspaper commentary rejected that explanation, highlighting Donald Trump’s ongoing threats to take back control of the canal and his close relationship with BlackRock co-founder, chairman and CEO Larry Fink. The Hutchison ports sale was “not ordinary business practice,” the commentary said. “Some [on the internet] pointed out that the United States may use this transaction as a template, through political pressure, to set off port mergers and acquisitions around the world, control more key ports in the world, and use ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ to implement suppression methods so that Chinese ships have nowhere to be berth,” the commentary added. “It can be seen that this deal is a hegemonic act by the US to use national power to embezzle the legitimate rights and interests of other countries through coercion, pressure, inducement and other despicable means, and it is power politics packaged as commercial behavior,” it added. CK Hutchison was also attacked, with the commentary saying that observers “generally strongly questioned and criticized this transaction” with the company “ignoring national interests and betraying all Chinese.” Warning of possible consequences if the sale goes ahead, the commentary said: “The relevant enterprises should think twice and think carefully about what position they want to stand on and which side they want to stand on.” Hutchison structured the deal as two transactions so the Panama Ports Company can likely be sold ahead of the other terminals in its portfolio. Regulatory and related issues in jurisdictions where the terminals are located could delay the sale of those assets by about a year, Eleanor Hadland, senior associate and ports and terminals analyst at maritime consultancy Drewry, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/big-hutchison-deal-could-reshuffle-global-ports-network-drewry-5958162">told the Journal of Commerce</a>. Officially, the Chinese government has not commented on the deal, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson saying it does not comment on commercial matters. Hutchison, which is in a 145-day exclusive negotiating period with BlackRock and TiL, did not immediately comment. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

Beijing is voicing its opposition to the sale by Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison of its Panama ports terminals to a consortium of BlackRock Group and Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), warning the Panama Canal would be “Americanized” by the US government restricting Chinese access to the waterway. Chinese government concerns were outlined in a commentary published Thursday by Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao, a China state-backed newspaper. Official endorsement of the commentary was demonstrated when it was reposted on the joint website of the Chinese Communist Party’s Hong Kong and Macao Work Office and the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. The report spooked investors, causing Hutchison’s share price to drop more than 6% Friday to close at HK$46.25 (US$6). China’s opposition could put pressure on regulators to reject the sale. Hutchison on March 4 announced it had agreed to sell its 90% stake in the Panama Ports Company as part of a larger $22.8 billion deal to offload its global ports business to BlackRock and TiL. The deal covers its 80% interest in Hutchison Port Holdings, which has terminal operations at 43 ports, but excludes Hutchison’s China ports. The Panama Ports Company controls terminals at Christobal and Balbao at both ends of the canal. The newspaper commentary said the sale of the Panama terminals would lead the canal to become “Americanized” and “politicized,” with the US using the canal for “political purposes and pursuit of its own political agenda.” “China’s shipping trade will inevitably be constrained by the United States,” it said. “Once the US implements measures such as selective flow restrictions and imposition of political surcharges, the logistics costs and supply chain stability of Chinese enterprises will face great risks.” ‘Not ordinary business practice’ When the deal was announced, Frank Sixt, CK Hutchison’s co-managing director, stressed that the transaction was “purely commercial in nature and wholly unrelated to recent political news reports concerning the Panama Ports.” He added the sale “was the result of a rapid, discrete, but competitive process in which numerous bids and expressions of interest were received.” But the newspaper commentary rejected that explanation, highlighting Donald Trump’s ongoing threats to take back control of the canal and his close relationship with BlackRock co-founder, chairman and CEO Larry Fink. The Hutchison ports sale was “not ordinary business practice,” the commentary said. “Some [on the internet] pointed out that the United States may use this transaction as a template, through political pressure, to set off port mergers and acquisitions around the world, control more key ports in the world, and use ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ to implement suppression methods so that Chinese ships have nowhere to be berth,” the commentary added. “It can be seen that this deal is a hegemonic act by the US to use national power to embezzle the legitimate rights and interests of other countries through coercion, pressure, inducement and other despicable means, and it is power politics packaged as commercial behavior,” it added. CK Hutchison was also attacked, with the commentary saying that observers “generally strongly questioned and criticized this transaction” with the company “ignoring national interests and betraying all Chinese.” Warning of possible consequences if the sale goes ahead, the commentary said: “The relevant enterprises should think twice and think carefully about what position they want to stand on and which side they want to stand on.” Hutchison structured the deal as two transactions so the Panama Ports Company can likely be sold ahead of the other terminals in its portfolio. Regulatory and related issues in jurisdictions where the terminals are located could delay the sale of those assets by about a year, Eleanor Hadland, senior associate and ports and terminals analyst at maritime consultancy Drewry, told the Journal of Commerce. Officially, the Chinese government has not commented on the deal, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson saying it does not comment on commercial matters. Hutchison, which is in a 145-day exclusive negotiating period with BlackRock and TiL, did not immediately comment. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Container Shipping News

Port News

International ports

Maritime

Beijing issues warning over Hutchison’s proposed sale of Panama Ports Company

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Engineering, procurement and construction companies are in a tailspin about the possible withdrawal of suitable ships for project cargoes if the US government’s port call proposal linked to Chinese tonnage is implemented.</div>

Engineering, procurement and construction companies are in a tailspin about the possible withdrawal of suitable ships for project cargoes if the US government’s port call proposal linked to Chinese tonnage is implemented.

<div class="phx-topic">Engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs) are lambasting the Trump administration’s proposed port call tax on Chinese-built and -operated ships, fearing a “devastating” 50%-plus contracting fee increase for chartering multipurpose vessels (MPVs). The increased fee would render some US projects unsustainable, they say. The US Trade Representative <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-port-fees-could-hit-chinese-ships-under-trump-trade-proposal-5949409">has proposed sliding scale fees</a> of up to $1.5 million per port call for Chinese tonnage, depending on factors such as the carrier’s current fleet and orders at Chinese shipyards. Chinese-built tonnage dominates the MPV sector, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis of S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence data. About half the global MPV/heavy-lift fleet is Chinese-built, but the order book makes it more vulnerable: 89% is signed for Chinese yards. The multipurpose fleet is also more exposed to the proposed port call tariffs than the container sector because the specialized construction needed for heavy-lift and project cargo ships means very few countries can build MPVs at scale. “For breakbulk shipping this is devastating,” said a global EPC source speaking to the Journal of Commerce under condition of anonymity. For projects, EPCs will often be the sole importer on a ship. On a typical $1.85 million part-charter voyage for heavy lifts and ancillary cargo, port call tariffs could add $1 million to the chartering bill.“Obviously, this is unsustainable for projects if you calculate +50% on a million-dollar charter budget,” said the source.For container shipments related to industrial projects, EPCs said they expect an additional $200 to $300 per container as a result of the port tariffs, equal to a 15% increase in costs. That was described as more manageable as the tariff burden is shared on a container ship carrying multiple consignments for different shippers. But for MPVs, the port call tariff is “horrible,” said the source. A second EPC source shared their calculation of a range of anticipated budget increases as a result of the proposed port call tariff, which maxed out at a 75% increase. “That’s unsustainable. For a $50 million chartering budget for one project, that is an additional $37.5 million,” the source said. “It’s absolutely insane.” <h3>‘Panic’ in the market</h3>EPCs speaking to the Journal of Commerce expressed hope that the US government was overplaying its hand and that after the port tariff consultation deadline of March 24 passes, it will settle for a different fee structure that does not penalize current projects. However, they described the current proposal as a “credible risk.” In considering alternative solutions to avoid the port tariff, one EPC said they had studied transshipment of project cargoes, sharing the fee on a direct deep-sea call and then utilizing a second mode to get the cargo to the job site. However, the EPC concluded this would be unviable as additional handling and on-transport costs, in addition to increased risk, would make that route as expensive as paying the port call fee. “We think that with the fee implementation we could see reduced capacity and increased freight costs, as carriers look to concentrate on other trade lanes,” the source said. An MPV carrier speaking to the Journal of Commerce said EPCs were “sweating buckets” over the Trump administration proposal. The Journal of Commerce has learned that at least one MPV carrier has issued a surcharge note to clients and another is considering employing a government intervention clause, which requires shippers to pay a surcharge or risk cancellation of the shipment if it is not on the water. Another EPC spoke of “panic” in the market regarding the Chinese ship port call tax. “Everything is being renegotiated. We are having real problems getting rates,” the source said, adding that some carriers might simply pull out of the US if they can, choking off supply for US projects.Contact Carly Fields at <a href="mailto:carly.fields@spglobal.com">carly.fields@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs) are lambasting the Trump administration’s proposed port call tax on Chinese-built and -operated ships, fearing a “devastating” 50%-plus contracting fee increase for chartering multipurpose vessels (MPVs). The increased fee would render some US projects unsustainable, they say. The US Trade Representative has proposed sliding scale fees of up to $1.5 million per port call for Chinese tonnage, depending on factors such as the carrier’s current fleet and orders at Chinese shipyards. Chinese-built tonnage dominates the MPV sector, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis of S&P Global Market Intelligence data. About half the global MPV/heavy-lift fleet is Chinese-built, but the order book makes it more vulnerable: 89% is signed for Chinese yards. The multipurpose fleet is also more exposed to the proposed port call tariffs than the container sector because the specialized construction needed for heavy-lift and project cargo ships means very few countries can build MPVs at scale. “For breakbulk shipping this is devastating,” said a global EPC source speaking to the Journal of Commerce under condition of anonymity. For projects, EPCs will often be the sole importer on a ship. On a typical $1.85 million part-charter voyage for heavy lifts and ancillary cargo, port call tariffs could add $1 million to the chartering bill. “Obviously, this is unsustainable for projects if you calculate +50% on a million-dollar charter budget,” said the source. For container shipments related to industrial projects, EPCs said they expect an additional $200 to $300 per container as a result of the port tariffs, equal to a 15% increase in costs. That was described as more manageable as the tariff burden is shared on a container ship carrying multiple consignments for different shippers. But for MPVs, the port call tariff is “horrible,” said the source. A second EPC source shared their calculation of a range of anticipated budget increases as a result of the proposed port call tariff, which maxed out at a 75% increase. “That’s unsustainable. For a $50 million chartering budget for one project, that is an additional $37.5 million,” the source said. “It’s absolutely insane.” ‘Panic’ in the market EPCs speaking to the Journal of Commerce expressed hope that the US government was overplaying its hand and that after the port tariff consultation deadline of March 24 passes, it will settle for a different fee structure that does not penalize current projects. However, they described the current proposal as a “credible risk.” In considering alternative solutions to avoid the port tariff, one EPC said they had studied transshipment of project cargoes, sharing the fee on a direct deep-sea call and then utilizing a second mode to get the cargo to the job site. However, the EPC concluded this would be unviable as additional handling and on-transport costs, in addition to increased risk, would make that route as expensive as paying the port call fee. “We think that with the fee implementation we could see reduced capacity and increased freight costs, as carriers look to concentrate on other trade lanes,” the source said. An MPV carrier speaking to the Journal of Commerce said EPCs were “sweating buckets” over the Trump administration proposal. The Journal of Commerce has learned that at least one MPV carrier has issued a surcharge note to clients and another is considering employing a government intervention clause, which requires shippers to pay a surcharge or risk cancellation of the shipment if it is not on the water. Another EPC spoke of “panic” in the market regarding the Chinese ship port call tax. “Everything is being renegotiated. We are having real problems getting rates,” the source said, adding that some carriers might simply pull out of the US if they can, choking off supply for US projects. Contact Carly Fields at carly.fields@spglobal.com .

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Project cargo

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EPCs paint bleak picture for MPV sector under US port fee plan

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Fresh questions about the direction of the US economy after the tariff chaos unleashed by the Trump administration in recent weeks has container lines resetting their rate expectations for the 2025–26 service year.</div>

Fresh questions about the direction of the US economy after the tariff chaos unleashed by the Trump administration in recent weeks has container lines resetting their rate expectations for the 2025–26 service year.

<div class="phx-topic">Ocean carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific are acknowledging they will be unable to achieve their hoped-for rates in 2025–26 annual service contracts with importers amid fresh concerns about the health of the US economy and a spot market that continues to slide. Mere weeks ago, those same carriers were adamant about nailing down rates for next year at a minimum level of $2,000 per FEU to the West Coast and $3,000 per FEU to the East Coast, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/trans-pacific-carriers-reaching-higher-in-early-202526-contract-talks-5952701">saying they were determined not to underprice their services again</a> as they believe they did in the existing 2024–25 contracts. But a plummeting stock market and larger questions about the direction of the US economy after the tariff chaos unleashed by the Trump administration in recent weeks has container lines resetting their rate expectations. Four carriers told the Journal of Commerce they are now setting their sights slightly lower than $2,000/FEU for the West Coast and $3,000/FEU to the East Coast. One carrier executive said the new going rate in service contract negotiations with shippers is $1,800 to $1,900 per FEU to the West Coast and about $1,000 higher to the East Coast. But even that may not be a level to satiate some beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) who may prefer to wait to see if the market moves lower. “BCOs are still asking for lower,” the carrier executive said. The rapid decline in spot rates during the Lunar New Year factory closures in Asia is prompting some retailers to look at one or two more rounds of negotiations before they agree to a final contract rate for the 2025–26 service year, a second carrier source said. Most service contracts begin on May 1. <h3>Spot rate plunge influencing contract talks </h3>Spot rates from North Asia to the West Coast were at $1,850 per FEU as of Thursday, down 19% in just one week, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Rates to the East Coast of $2,900 per FEU were down 14% over the week. Plummeting spot rates — which are about 46% lower than this time last year — are having a knock-on effect on service contract levels now under negotiation. “Contract rates have mostly fallen below $2,000/$3,000,” said Rachel Shames, vice president for pricing and procurement at the forwarder CV International. “Carriers are becoming more aggressive with rates.” <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="e7a65aab-9aac-4f07-9b74-1793746c01ef"></dynamic-object></div>Kevin Parkerson, an industry consultant and former logistics manager at national retailers, said he’s seeing West Coast/East Coast levels now talked at $1,800/$2,900. “I would not be surprised to see $1,700 [for the West Coast],” he said. Four importers who spoke to the Journal of Commerce said carriers, in a second round of negotiations over 2025–26 contracts, are now quoting rates below $2,000 to the West Coast and $3,000 to the East Coast. “Round two is now south of $2,000 [to the West Coast],” said one importer in the apparel sector. <h3>Confusion, frustration over tariffs </h3>While they negotiate new service contracts with carriers, importers are also trying to plan their sourcing and supply chain requirements while wading through the day-to-day confusion over the Trump administration’s ever-changing policy on tariffs. Frustrated retailers and importers say it has become increasingly difficult to plan ahead. “We are making estimates on [the tariffs’] impact on a per-unit basis and determining how that might impact imports on [vessel] strings where we do not have many options,” said an importer in the automotive sector. “This whole tariff thing is causing chaos and an inability to plan. We hate it.” An importer in the furniture sector said he is almost becoming numb to the bluster and constantly changing announcements from the White House on which nations will be hit with tariffs and how much those tariffs will be. “Whatever answer I get could change in the next 24 hours,” the source said. If and when some clarity is achieved as to how the tariffs will affect sourcing, “[we] will certainly go to our carriers” to lock in vessel space, he added. Meanwhile, importers say they will <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/new-year-heralds-triple-threat-to-us-container-shipping-5908327">continue to engage in frontloading of seasonal merchandise</a> while they wait for clarity on tariffs. One importer said he is already bringing in back-to-school and other fall merchandise, and another said his team is preparing to begin importing year-end holiday merchandise soon depending on the ability of factories in Asia to deliver the products. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at <a href="mailto:bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com">bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Ocean carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific are acknowledging they will be unable to achieve their hoped-for rates in 2025–26 annual service contracts with importers amid fresh concerns about the health of the US economy and a spot market that continues to slide. Mere weeks ago, those same carriers were adamant about nailing down rates for next year at a minimum level of $2,000 per FEU to the West Coast and $3,000 per FEU to the East Coast, saying they were determined not to underprice their services again as they believe they did in the existing 2024–25 contracts. But a plummeting stock market and larger questions about the direction of the US economy after the tariff chaos unleashed by the Trump administration in recent weeks has container lines resetting their rate expectations. Four carriers told the Journal of Commerce they are now setting their sights slightly lower than $2,000/FEU for the West Coast and $3,000/FEU to the East Coast. One carrier executive said the new going rate in service contract negotiations with shippers is $1,800 to $1,900 per FEU to the West Coast and about $1,000 higher to the East Coast. But even that may not be a level to satiate some beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) who may prefer to wait to see if the market moves lower. “BCOs are still asking for lower,” the carrier executive said. The rapid decline in spot rates during the Lunar New Year factory closures in Asia is prompting some retailers to look at one or two more rounds of negotiations before they agree to a final contract rate for the 2025–26 service year, a second carrier source said. Most service contracts begin on May 1. Spot rate plunge influencing contract talks Spot rates from North Asia to the West Coast were at $1,850 per FEU as of Thursday, down 19% in just one week, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Rates to the East Coast of $2,900 per FEU were down 14% over the week. Plummeting spot rates — which are about 46% lower than this time last year — are having a knock-on effect on service contract levels now under negotiation. “Contract rates have mostly fallen below $2,000/$3,000,” said Rachel Shames, vice president for pricing and procurement at the forwarder CV International. “Carriers are becoming more aggressive with rates.” Kevin Parkerson, an industry consultant and former logistics manager at national retailers, said he’s seeing West Coast/East Coast levels now talked at $1,800/$2,900. “I would not be surprised to see $1,700 [for the West Coast],” he said. Four importers who spoke to the Journal of Commerce said carriers, in a second round of negotiations over 2025–26 contracts, are now quoting rates below $2,000 to the West Coast and $3,000 to the East Coast. “Round two is now south of $2,000 [to the West Coast],” said one importer in the apparel sector. Confusion, frustration over tariffs While they negotiate new service contracts with carriers, importers are also trying to plan their sourcing and supply chain requirements while wading through the day-to-day confusion over the Trump administration’s ever-changing policy on tariffs. Frustrated retailers and importers say it has become increasingly difficult to plan ahead. “We are making estimates on [the tariffs’] impact on a per-unit basis and determining how that might impact imports on [vessel] strings where we do not have many options,” said an importer in the automotive sector. “This whole tariff thing is causing chaos and an inability to plan. We hate it.” An importer in the furniture sector said he is almost becoming numb to the bluster and constantly changing announcements from the White House on which nations will be hit with tariffs and how much those tariffs will be. “Whatever answer I get could change in the next 24 hours,” the source said. If and when some clarity is achieved as to how the tariffs will affect sourcing, “[we] will certainly go to our carriers” to lock in vessel space, he added. Meanwhile, importers say they will continue to engage in frontloading of seasonal merchandise while they wait for clarity on tariffs. One importer said he is already bringing in back-to-school and other fall merchandise, and another said his team is preparing to begin importing year-end holiday merchandise soon depending on the ability of factories in Asia to deliver the products. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Forwarding

Trans-Pacific

Tariffs, falling spot market weaken contract resolve of trans-Pac carriers

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The dizzying pace of the Trump administration’s moves against longtime US trading partners is putting shippers at risk of facing hefty new costs as a result of tariff “stacking.” </div>

The dizzying pace of the Trump administration’s moves against longtime US trading partners is putting shippers at risk of facing hefty new costs as a result of tariff “stacking.”

<div class="phx-topic">The Trump administration’s flurry of threats against trading partners puts shippers at risk of tariff “stacking” as import duties compound on top of other charges, customs experts say. That flurry is adding to the increasing compliance burden on shippers who face what one expert called a “massive historic shift” in the cost of US import duties. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s executive order ending tariff exemptions on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union and South Korea went into effect. The move essentially reinstates a 25% tariff from Trump’s first administration, but from which those countries had successfully negotiated exemptions. Cameron Roberts, partner at trade and customs law specialist Roberts &amp; Kehagiaras, said at the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference in Long Beach, California, last week that complying with the steel and aluminum tariffs “is going to be a major headache for everybody when you are importing goods into the United States” as it will require calculating the non-US metal content of goods for their customs entry. “That will be an important one to watch,” Roberts said. “There has been a recent discussion and information from the US Customs messaging system about derivatives and figuring out how much of the steel in a product is made from non-US steel and paying the countervailing duty on those amounts.” Tariffs on cooper imports could also rise under a pending US trade investigation. Those tariffs would come on top of the current 25% tariff rates on all goods from Canada and Mexico, along with the 20% tariffs on imports from China. The cornerstone of Trump’s “America First” trade policy, Roberts said, is removing the trade deficit between the US and its three largest trading partners. “The answer from the administration is we are going to make it extremely expensive to import into the United States of America,” Roberts said. “So, these [tariffs] are stacking. “Over the last two decades, tariff rates have averaged 2% to 3%,” he added. “We are seeing now, what, a [multiple of 10] change? This is a massive historic shift.” Also speaking at TPM25, Pete Mento, director of customs at forwarder DSV, said Trump’s threat of an across-the-board 10% tariff on all imports is also hanging over the heads of importers. “That would run roughshod on inflation,” Mento said. <h3>Tariff wildcards coming </h3>Trump implemented the country-specific tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives US presidents executive authority over parts of the economy due to a national emergency. Typically used to impose financial penalties on criminal and terrorist groups, IEEPA has only been used once before for tariffs, by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Roberts said the IEEPA tariffs, which are being justified to stem flows of illegal drugs and migrants into the US, offer the most latitude for new carveouts and exemptions because they are over negotiable issues. However, steel and aluminum tariffs, which were imposed under national security provisions of US trade law, are more likely to last due to Trump’s policy of building up US manufacturing and national defense capacity. Another tariff wildcard will come in April when the Trump administration is scheduled to release a wide-ranging report on what it sees as unfair practices of US trading partners. The report is expected to address how the US could enact “reciprocal” tariffs against countries based on the tariffs they charge US exports. That would upend the practice of most import duties being assessed based on the type of goods, not the country of origin. DSV’s Mento said the additional line items for country-specific goods will balloon the number of possible import classifications in the US tariff schedule. The retaliatory measures that China, Canada and the European Union enacted in response to Trump’s trade measures further risk spiraling reciprocal tariffs upward. “Trump said he’s going to put a 25% tariff on Japanese and European cars, but that’s far beyond reciprocal,” Mento said. “So now I’m worried that reciprocal tariffs will be far higher than imagined and more punitive.” The tariff escalations put further risk on importers who use a customs bond to release cargo prior to paying actual import duties, Roberts said. The increasing size of tariffs means importers will have to post additional bonds, raising their financial costs and increasing their credit risk. “This increase in duty will diminish your profit margin if you are an importer,” Roberts said. “If your financials don’t look as good, you will have a harder time qualifying for credit.” On top of the tariffs, Roberts said shippers need to know the makeup of the fleet carrying their imports due to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-port-tax-would-scramble-ocean-services-raise-shipper-costs-drewry-5952046">Trump’s plan for a port tax on Chinese ocean carriers and ships</a>. The proposed order calls for fees of about $1 million per port call based on a mix of factors including the ship’s country of ownership, the number of newbuilds the carrier has at Chinese shipyards and the cargo capacity of the ships. “If you have a vessel, you could be responsible to pay the fee for bringing in the ship, plus being a Chinese firm, for having a majority of Chinese-built ships, plus a majority of Chinese-built ships in the order process,” Roberts said. “You could be looking at a $4 million to $5 million hit just for coming into the US.” Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The Trump administration’s flurry of threats against trading partners puts shippers at risk of tariff “stacking” as import duties compound on top of other charges, customs experts say. That flurry is adding to the increasing compliance burden on shippers who face what one expert called a “massive historic shift” in the cost of US import duties. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s executive order ending tariff exemptions on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union and South Korea went into effect. The move essentially reinstates a 25% tariff from Trump’s first administration, but from which those countries had successfully negotiated exemptions. Cameron Roberts, partner at trade and customs law specialist Roberts & Kehagiaras, said at the Journal of Commerce’s TPM25 conference in Long Beach, California, last week that complying with the steel and aluminum tariffs “is going to be a major headache for everybody when you are importing goods into the United States” as it will require calculating the non-US metal content of goods for their customs entry. “That will be an important one to watch,” Roberts said. “There has been a recent discussion and information from the US Customs messaging system about derivatives and figuring out how much of the steel in a product is made from non-US steel and paying the countervailing duty on those amounts.” Tariffs on cooper imports could also rise under a pending US trade investigation. Those tariffs would come on top of the current 25% tariff rates on all goods from Canada and Mexico, along with the 20% tariffs on imports from China. The cornerstone of Trump’s “America First” trade policy, Roberts said, is removing the trade deficit between the US and its three largest trading partners. “The answer from the administration is we are going to make it extremely expensive to import into the United States of America,” Roberts said. “So, these [tariffs] are stacking. “Over the last two decades, tariff rates have averaged 2% to 3%,” he added. “We are seeing now, what, a [multiple of 10] change? This is a massive historic shift.” Also speaking at TPM25, Pete Mento, director of customs at forwarder DSV, said Trump’s threat of an across-the-board 10% tariff on all imports is also hanging over the heads of importers. “That would run roughshod on inflation,” Mento said. Tariff wildcards coming Trump implemented the country-specific tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives US presidents executive authority over parts of the economy due to a national emergency. Typically used to impose financial penalties on criminal and terrorist groups, IEEPA has only been used once before for tariffs, by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Roberts said the IEEPA tariffs, which are being justified to stem flows of illegal drugs and migrants into the US, offer the most latitude for new carveouts and exemptions because they are over negotiable issues. However, steel and aluminum tariffs, which were imposed under national security provisions of US trade law, are more likely to last due to Trump’s policy of building up US manufacturing and national defense capacity. Another tariff wildcard will come in April when the Trump administration is scheduled to release a wide-ranging report on what it sees as unfair practices of US trading partners. The report is expected to address how the US could enact “reciprocal” tariffs against countries based on the tariffs they charge US exports. That would upend the practice of most import duties being assessed based on the type of goods, not the country of origin. DSV’s Mento said the additional line items for country-specific goods will balloon the number of possible import classifications in the US tariff schedule. The retaliatory measures that China, Canada and the European Union enacted in response to Trump’s trade measures further risk spiraling reciprocal tariffs upward. “Trump said he’s going to put a 25% tariff on Japanese and European cars, but that’s far beyond reciprocal,” Mento said. “So now I’m worried that reciprocal tariffs will be far higher than imagined and more punitive.” The tariff escalations put further risk on importers who use a customs bond to release cargo prior to paying actual import duties, Roberts said. The increasing size of tariffs means importers will have to post additional bonds, raising their financial costs and increasing their credit risk. “This increase in duty will diminish your profit margin if you are an importer,” Roberts said. “If your financials don’t look as good, you will have a harder time qualifying for credit.” On top of the tariffs, Roberts said shippers need to know the makeup of the fleet carrying their imports due to Trump’s plan for a port tax on Chinese ocean carriers and ships . The proposed order calls for fees of about $1 million per port call based on a mix of factors including the ship’s country of ownership, the number of newbuilds the carrier has at Chinese shipyards and the cargo capacity of the ships. “If you have a vessel, you could be responsible to pay the fee for bringing in the ship, plus being a Chinese firm, for having a majority of Chinese-built ships, plus a majority of Chinese-built ships in the order process,” Roberts said. “You could be looking at a $4 million to $5 million hit just for coming into the US.” Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Escalating tariff costs are ‘massive’ financial shift for US importers: experts

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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

SMC3rates_shutterstock_5247046.jpg

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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