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Rail Directories

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Ottensmeyer spent 17 years with Kansas City Southern Railway until the merger with Canadian Pacific Railway in 2023, then served on J.B. Hunt’s board of directors.</div>

Ottensmeyer spent 17 years with Kansas City Southern Railway until the merger with Canadian Pacific Railway in 2023, then served on J.B. Hunt’s board of directors.

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<div>Pat Ottensmeyer, the former CEO of Kansas City Southern (KCS) who oversaw sweeping changes at the company and a merger with Canadian Pacific Railway, died this weekend, CPKC announced. He was 67.&nbsp;<div><img>Pat Ottensmeyer (Credit: KCS)</div>The Indiana native spent 17 years with KCS beginning as the CFO in 2006. During his two years in that position, KCS’ profits grew nearly 70%. He spent seven years as an executive vice president of marketing and sales between 2008 and 2015, when he was named president. He became CEO less than a year later.&nbsp;Ottensmeyer&nbsp;spearheaded KCS’ transition to precision scheduled railroading in 2018. He also...

Pat Ottensmeyer, the former CEO of Kansas City Southern (KCS) who oversaw sweeping changes at the company and a merger with Canadian Pacific Railway, died this weekend, CPKC announced. He was 67.  Pat Ottensmeyer (Credit: KCS) The Indiana native spent 17 years with KCS beginning as the CFO in 2006. During his two years in that position, KCS’ profits grew nearly 70%. He spent seven years as an executive vice president of marketing and sales between 2008 and 2015, when he was named president. He became CEO less than a year later.  Ottensmeyer spearheaded KCS’ transition to precision scheduled railroading in 2018. He also engineered a landmark merger with Canadian Pacific that was completed in 2023. Ottensmeyer later revealed in an Ingram’s Magazine profile in 2022 that “before we said yes to Canadian Pacific ... we said no 11 other times.”  “Pat’s vision and leadership played a monumental role in the great history of Kansas City Southern as he helped reshape the railway industry,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in a statement. “...Pat’s legacy lives on and can be seen in the work we do every day at CPKC. His contributions as a railroader and as a person will never be forgotten.”  Ottensmeyer was also chair of the US Chamber of Commerce’s US-Mexico Economic Council from 2019 to 2023 given KCS’ role as the only Class I railroad operating in both countries.  He left KCS when the deal with Canadian Pacific was completed but continued to work in transportation, including joining the board of directors of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, the largest intermodal provider in North America, this January.  Had stints with Bank of America, BNSF  Ottensmeyer was not a lifelong railroader. He graduated with a degree in finance from Indiana University and worked in executive roles with Bank of America and pharmaceutical company Intranasal Therapeutics.   He was a vice president of finance and treasurer at BNSF Railway between 1993 and 1999 but then left the industry for seven years. A colleague connected Ottensmeyer to then-KCS CEO Mike Haverty who was looking to beef up his leadership team. He hired Ottensmeyer to run the financial aspects of the railroad and David Starling to run operations.   Haverty would retire and hand the reins of KCS over to Starling in 2010; when Starling retired in 2015, Ottensmeyer was elevated to the CEO role.  More than anything, Ottensmeyer had a firm grip on the role of rail versus trucking.  “We’ll never be as fast as FedEx or UPS or some of the super-fast trucking services, but we don’t have to be,” he said in the Ingram’s Magazine profile. “If we can be highly consistent and highly reliable, we can win and take market share off the highways, even if we are slower.”  Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com . 

Former KCS CEO Pat Ottensmeyer dies at 67

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">While the conclusion of arbitration should provide more stability to shippers using Montreal, Canada’s other East Coast gateways will soon face their own contract negotiations.</div>

While the conclusion of arbitration should provide more stability to shippers using Montreal, Canada’s other East Coast gateways will soon face their own contract negotiations.

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<div class="phx-topic">Arbitration hearings meant to reach new deal between maritime employers and longshore workers at the Port of Montreal are expected to wrap up by early 2026, more than two years after the expiration of the last contract set off sporadic work stoppages at Canada’s second-busiest port. While the conclusion of arbitration should provide more stability to shippers using Montreal, Canada’s other East Coast gateways will soon face their own contract negotiations. Those talks come amid a push by the country’s biggest union to repeal the law that allowed the federal government to end the longshore strikes last year that hit both coasts. In September, arbitrator Maureen Flynn began the initial hearings between Montreal’s Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 375 over a new contract for the union’s 1,300 members. Flynn was brought in this past May, after mediated talks in the first quarter of 2025 failed to produce a deal. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/bc-ports-to-reopen-but-longshore-union-plans-challenge-to-back-to-work-order-5810473">Canada’s labor minister had ordered striking dockworkers at both Montreal and Vancouver back on the job</a> in November 2024, requiring their disputes go to arbitration due to the impasse at both coasts. But <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/montreal-port-employers-union-agree-to-mediation-in-talks-for-new-contract-5824318">the MEA had asked for more time in mediation with the union</a>, hoping for a more amicable outcome than arbitration. Speaking at a conference in Toronto in October, Paul Bird, chief commercial officer for the Montreal Port Authority, which is not a direct party to the contract talks, said that he expects the arbitration to conclude at least by the first quarter of 2026. “We were hopeful we would get a decision during the fall, but it’s maybe more realistic that were getting a decision during Q1 of 2026,” Bird said. While Montreal’s container count is up for 2025 following last year’s work stoppages, containerized cargo tonnage is about 2 million metric tons less than it was in 2019. Much of that drop happened in 2023 as the previous contract with Local 375 was expiring. Bird said some of that drop was the result of shippers deciding to reroute their freight due to concerns over work stoppages at the port. He said a new contract should give shippers confidence to bring more freight back through Montreal. “When forwarders and BCOs look at when the next contract anniversary is coming up, they start rerouting cargo or make plan B options,” Bird said. “We’ve lost some of those volumes that have been rerouted, especially through US East Coast ports. (Work stoppages) have led to a dip in volume that takes time to recuperate.” <h3>Halifax, Saint John contracts expiring </h3>In ending last year’s coast-to-coast longshore strikes, the labor minister used a provision of Canadian law called Section 107 that forces workers back on the job and to submit to arbitration with employers or otherwise face fines. The same provision was used on Canadian railroad workers and postal employees who also threatened to strike. However, that same provision failed to end a short-lived strike by Air Canada flight attendants this past August, after the government admitted it would fine workers or the union. CUPE, which also represents the flight attendants, said they are working with Canadian legislators to repeal Section 107, arguing the government abused its power last year invoking the provision. A challenge to the government’s ability to bring workers back on the job comes as its other East Coast gateways face pending labor negotiations. The contract covering 631 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) at the Port of Halifax is expiring at the end of 2025. The union there has launched a publicity campaign against terminal operator PSA International, accusing it foisting automation technology on the workforce at the expense of jobs. The Port of Saint John will also see two agreements covering 268 ILA members expire at the end of 2025. Canada has seen some 62 work stoppages across its transportation industry between 2023 and 2024, according to government statistics. Canadian National Railway Vice President Dan Bresolin said the frequent strikes are shaking the confidence of carriers and shippers to use Canada, especially at a time when it wants to diversify its trade routes away from the US. “It’s the trust that’s eroded a little bit,” Bresolin said at the Toronto conference. “We need to get back to where carriers can bring in bigger ships, bring more business through Canadian gateways. The last 18 months has impacted that.” Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a> </div>

Arbitration hearings meant to reach new deal between maritime employers and longshore workers at the Port of Montreal are expected to wrap up by early 2026, more than two years after the expiration of the last contract set off sporadic work stoppages at Canada’s second-busiest port. While the conclusion of arbitration should provide more stability to shippers using Montreal, Canada’s other East Coast gateways will soon face their own contract negotiations. Those talks come amid a push by the country’s biggest union to repeal the law that allowed the federal government to end the longshore strikes last year that hit both coasts. In September, arbitrator Maureen Flynn began the initial hearings between Montreal’s Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 375 over a new contract for the union’s 1,300 members. Flynn was brought in this past May, after mediated talks in the first quarter of 2025 failed to produce a deal. Canada’s labor minister had ordered striking dockworkers at both Montreal and Vancouver back on the job in November 2024, requiring their disputes go to arbitration due to the impasse at both coasts. But the MEA had asked for more time in mediation with the union , hoping for a more amicable outcome than arbitration. Speaking at a conference in Toronto in October, Paul Bird, chief commercial officer for the Montreal Port Authority, which is not a direct party to the contract talks, said that he expects the arbitration to conclude at least by the first quarter of 2026. “We were hopeful we would get a decision during the fall, but it’s maybe more realistic that were getting a decision during Q1 of 2026,” Bird said. While Montreal’s container count is up for 2025 following last year’s work stoppages, containerized cargo tonnage is about 2 million metric tons less than it was in 2019. Much of that drop happened in 2023 as the previous contract with Local 375 was expiring. Bird said some of that drop was the result of shippers deciding to reroute their freight due to concerns over work stoppages at the port. He said a new contract should give shippers confidence to bring more freight back through Montreal. “When forwarders and BCOs look at when the next contract anniversary is coming up, they start rerouting cargo or make plan B options,” Bird said. “We’ve lost some of those volumes that have been rerouted, especially through US East Coast ports. (Work stoppages) have led to a dip in volume that takes time to recuperate.” Halifax, Saint John contracts expiring In ending last year’s coast-to-coast longshore strikes, the labor minister used a provision of Canadian law called Section 107 that forces workers back on the job and to submit to arbitration with employers or otherwise face fines. The same provision was used on Canadian railroad workers and postal employees who also threatened to strike. However, that same provision failed to end a short-lived strike by Air Canada flight attendants this past August, after the government admitted it would fine workers or the union. CUPE, which also represents the flight attendants, said they are working with Canadian legislators to repeal Section 107, arguing the government abused its power last year invoking the provision. A challenge to the government’s ability to bring workers back on the job comes as its other East Coast gateways face pending labor negotiations. The contract covering 631 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) at the Port of Halifax is expiring at the end of 2025. The union there has launched a publicity campaign against terminal operator PSA International, accusing it foisting automation technology on the workforce at the expense of jobs. The Port of Saint John will also see two agreements covering 268 ILA members expire at the end of 2025. Canada has seen some 62 work stoppages across its transportation industry between 2023 and 2024, according to government statistics. Canadian National Railway Vice President Dan Bresolin said the frequent strikes are shaking the confidence of carriers and shippers to use Canada, especially at a time when it wants to diversify its trade routes away from the US. “It’s the trust that’s eroded a little bit,” Bresolin said at the Toronto conference. “We need to get back to where carriers can bring in bigger ships, bring more business through Canadian gateways. The last 18 months has impacted that.” Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com

Montreal longshore arbitration expected to conclude in Q1 2026

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A surge in replenishment activity in the US could turbocharge container shipping demand, while a wholesale return of container ships to Red Sea and Suez Canal transits would have a far-reaching market impact, speakers on a panel sponsored by the carrier said Wednesday.</div>

A surge in replenishment activity in the US could turbocharge container shipping demand, while a wholesale return of container ships to Red Sea and Suez Canal transits would have a far-reaching market impact, speakers on a panel sponsored by the carrier said Wednesday.

<div class="phx-topic">Restocking depleted inventories in the US and a return of Red Sea-Suez Canal transits are the two biggest uncertainties facing the container shipping industry next year, a group of industry experts said Wednesday. A surge in replenishment activity could turbocharge container shipping demand. But a wholesale return of container ships to Red Sea and Suez Canal transits would have a far-reaching impact, creating significant congestion in Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia that would also impact US East Coast services, they said. “Inventory restocking would have quite a big effect,” Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, said during the online panel briefing organized by the company. Habben Jansen, who gave the odds of such a move at “well above 50%,” said restocking would likely increase container demand by more than 4% next year, compared with 4.7% growth so far this year. Fellow panelist Michael Aldwell, Kuehne + Nagel’s executive vice president for sea logistics, said the recent US government shutdown meant there were no reliable inventory statistics available, although it was assumed inventory levels have fallen to unsustainable levels amid the tariff-driven decline in shipments to the US. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="b2c4ed98-5885-4436-931d-5f035f537df1"></dynamic-object></div>Containerized US imports from Asia have fallen from the year’s high of 1.81 million TEUs in July to 1.6 million TEUs in October, according to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. The potential for the US to become more economically stable next year compared with the upheavals seen this year would “lead to substantial restocking,” Lars Jensen, CEO of consultant Vespucci Maritime and a Journal of Commerce contributor, added. <h3>Hapag has ‘a plan on the shelf’ for Red Sea transits </h3>Turning to the possibility of a resumption of Red Sea transits, Aldwell said aside from port congestion due to vessel bunching, there would also be landside bottlenecks with terminal congestion caused by shortages of trucks and equipment. He said carriers were likely to use both Red Sea and Cape of Good Hope routings in their schedules once it became clear the Red Sea was safe to use again, but there was still a lot of caution before that happened, with vessel insurance and crew welfare among the issues that had to be taken into account. Some carriers, including CMA CGM, have made a tentative return to the Red Sea since Houthi rebels announced a ceasefire, with several vessels escorted by naval ships. Habben Jansen said Hapag-Lloyd had no immediate intention to return to Red Sea transits, although it has “a plan on the shelf to follow” once it does decide to shift back. “The risk of significant congestion in the Mediterranean and North Europe is just huge,” he said of when carriers do return to normal transits. Jensen said assuming the latest ceasefire holds, the period after the Lunar New Year holiday in early March would be the best time to mitigate the impact from the disruption caused by transitioning back to Red Sea transits. He pointed out post-Lunar New Year is typically the slack season, so the combination of lower demand and vessel blankings would reduce congestion. Carriers have used the longer route around southern Africa since late 2023 when the Houthis began their attacks on commercial shipping to protest Israel’s move into Gaza. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

Restocking depleted inventories in the US and a return of Red Sea-Suez Canal transits are the two biggest uncertainties facing the container shipping industry next year, a group of industry experts said Wednesday. A surge in replenishment activity could turbocharge container shipping demand. But a wholesale return of container ships to Red Sea and Suez Canal transits would have a far-reaching impact, creating significant congestion in Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia that would also impact US East Coast services, they said. “Inventory restocking would have quite a big effect,” Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, said during the online panel briefing organized by the company. Habben Jansen, who gave the odds of such a move at “well above 50%,” said restocking would likely increase container demand by more than 4% next year, compared with 4.7% growth so far this year. Fellow panelist Michael Aldwell, Kuehne + Nagel’s executive vice president for sea logistics, said the recent US government shutdown meant there were no reliable inventory statistics available, although it was assumed inventory levels have fallen to unsustainable levels amid the tariff-driven decline in shipments to the US. Containerized US imports from Asia have fallen from the year’s high of 1.81 million TEUs in July to 1.6 million TEUs in October, according to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. The potential for the US to become more economically stable next year compared with the upheavals seen this year would “lead to substantial restocking,” Lars Jensen, CEO of consultant Vespucci Maritime and a Journal of Commerce contributor, added. Hapag has ‘a plan on the shelf’ for Red Sea transits Turning to the possibility of a resumption of Red Sea transits, Aldwell said aside from port congestion due to vessel bunching, there would also be landside bottlenecks with terminal congestion caused by shortages of trucks and equipment. He said carriers were likely to use both Red Sea and Cape of Good Hope routings in their schedules once it became clear the Red Sea was safe to use again, but there was still a lot of caution before that happened, with vessel insurance and crew welfare among the issues that had to be taken into account. Some carriers, including CMA CGM, have made a tentative return to the Red Sea since Houthi rebels announced a ceasefire, with several vessels escorted by naval ships. Habben Jansen said Hapag-Lloyd had no immediate intention to return to Red Sea transits, although it has “a plan on the shelf to follow” once it does decide to shift back. “The risk of significant congestion in the Mediterranean and North Europe is just huge,” he said of when carriers do return to normal transits. Jensen said assuming the latest ceasefire holds, the period after the Lunar New Year holiday in early March would be the best time to mitigate the impact from the disruption caused by transitioning back to Red Sea transits. He pointed out post-Lunar New Year is typically the slack season, so the combination of lower demand and vessel blankings would reduce congestion. Carriers have used the longer route around southern Africa since late 2023 when the Houthis began their attacks on commercial shipping to protest Israel’s move into Gaza. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

US restocking, Red Sea return the two big unknowns for 2026: Hapag briefing

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A series of freight-all-kinds increases since Oct. 1 has held up the spot market on the trade, with carriers aiming to sustain the pricing momentum through fourth-quarter contract talks.</div>

A series of freight-all-kinds increases since Oct. 1 has held up the spot market on the trade, with carriers aiming to sustain the pricing momentum through fourth-quarter contract talks.

<div class="phx-topic">Ocean carriers on the Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean trades will roll out yet another rate increase on Dec. 1 in a bid to extend an upward pricing run that began in October. It is the latest freight-all-kinds (FAK) increase to be announced on the trade lanes that have seen rate hikes every two weeks since Oct. 1. “Asia-Europe and Mediterranean rates are holding steady, supported by aggressive blank sailings during tender season,” Judah Levine, head of research at online freight marketplace Freightos, wrote in a market update this week. “This stability may reflect more aggressive blanked sailing campaigns for these lanes during the current tendering season, with some carriers announcing additional [rate increases] to push prices up to the $3,000-$4,000 per FEU level in December,” Levine said. On Asia-North Europe, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Hapag-Lloyd will set their FAK rate at $3,200/FEU from Dec. 1. On Asia-Mediterranean routes, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have set their FAK rates at $4,000/FEU, while MSC has announced a rate level of $3,950/FEU from Asia to the West Mediterranean and $3,800/FEU to the East Mediterranean. <h3>Spot market momentum </h3>While the fortnightly FAKs have not enabled carriers to achieve all their sought-after increases, the price hikes have seen the spot rate on Asia-North Europe rise steadily from $1,300 per FEU on Oct. 1 to $2,300/FEU this week, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global. Asia-Mediterranean rates have risen from $1,600/FEU on Oct. 1 to the current level of $3,000/FEU. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="b07fd015-2b73-4e9d-a61e-e44aaa45715e"></dynamic-object></div>With tendering season for long-term rates on the European trades now underway, the higher prices are being supported by significant capacity withdrawals in the form of blank sailings. Carriers on Asia-North Europe have announced November blanks of almost 110,000 TEUs of capacity, with blank sailings of 56,000 TEUs set so far for December, according to Xeneta’s eeSea data. Both those numbers are expected to increase as new capacity continues to steam into service. Asia-North Europe carriers will deploy 1.12 million TEUs of capacity in December, a record that will be beaten in January, when 1.17 million TEUs will be in service, according to Xeneta. On Asia-Mediterranean, 100,000 TEUs are set thus far to be blanked in November and 40,000 TEUs in December, with 17,000 TEUs on tap right now for January, according to Xeneta. A record 842,000 TEUs of capacity deployed on the trade in December will be beaten in January when the deployed fleet hits 861,000 TEUs. Whether there will be enough demand to fill ships and hold up rates through December remains to be seen. The latest volume numbers from Container Trades Statistics are for September and showed that demand on Asia-Europe in the first nine months of the year was up 9.8% year over year. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Ocean carriers on the Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean trades will roll out yet another rate increase on Dec. 1 in a bid to extend an upward pricing run that began in October. It is the latest freight-all-kinds (FAK) increase to be announced on the trade lanes that have seen rate hikes every two weeks since Oct. 1. “Asia-Europe and Mediterranean rates are holding steady, supported by aggressive blank sailings during tender season,” Judah Levine, head of research at online freight marketplace Freightos, wrote in a market update this week. “This stability may reflect more aggressive blanked sailing campaigns for these lanes during the current tendering season, with some carriers announcing additional [rate increases] to push prices up to the $3,000-$4,000 per FEU level in December,” Levine said. On Asia-North Europe, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Hapag-Lloyd will set their FAK rate at $3,200/FEU from Dec. 1. On Asia-Mediterranean routes, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have set their FAK rates at $4,000/FEU, while MSC has announced a rate level of $3,950/FEU from Asia to the West Mediterranean and $3,800/FEU to the East Mediterranean. Spot market momentum While the fortnightly FAKs have not enabled carriers to achieve all their sought-after increases, the price hikes have seen the spot rate on Asia-North Europe rise steadily from $1,300 per FEU on Oct. 1 to $2,300/FEU this week, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Asia-Mediterranean rates have risen from $1,600/FEU on Oct. 1 to the current level of $3,000/FEU. With tendering season for long-term rates on the European trades now underway, the higher prices are being supported by significant capacity withdrawals in the form of blank sailings. Carriers on Asia-North Europe have announced November blanks of almost 110,000 TEUs of capacity, with blank sailings of 56,000 TEUs set so far for December, according to Xeneta’s eeSea data. Both those numbers are expected to increase as new capacity continues to steam into service. Asia-North Europe carriers will deploy 1.12 million TEUs of capacity in December, a record that will be beaten in January, when 1.17 million TEUs will be in service, according to Xeneta. On Asia-Mediterranean, 100,000 TEUs are set thus far to be blanked in November and 40,000 TEUs in December, with 17,000 TEUs on tap right now for January, according to Xeneta. A record 842,000 TEUs of capacity deployed on the trade in December will be beaten in January when the deployed fleet hits 861,000 TEUs. Whether there will be enough demand to fill ships and hold up rates through December remains to be seen. The latest volume numbers from Container Trades Statistics are for September and showed that demand on Asia-Europe in the first nine months of the year was up 9.8% year over year. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Asia-Europe carriers to levy yet another rate hike on Dec. 1

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">As a result of that heightened overcapacity, spot rates on the trade lane are at their lowest since February, while exports to the US East Coast fell sharply in October.</div>

As a result of that heightened overcapacity, spot rates on the trade lane are at their lowest since February, while exports to the US East Coast fell sharply in October.

<div class="phx-topic">A more settled capacity situation on the India-US East Coast trade due to fewer blank sailings in November has upped the rate pressure on ocean carriers in the market that have been squeezed by US tariffs. With the exception of two calls voided by CMA CGM’s Indamex loop, westbound sailings out of Nhava Sheva/Mundra for the month are known to be on normal schedule across the premier services operated by Hapag-Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Maersk. As a result of that heightened overcapacity, spot rates on the trade lane are at their lowest since February. Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global, put India-USEC spot rates at $1,450 per FEU as of Nov. 18, a 9% decline on the week and the lowest reading since $1,330 per FEU on Feb. 21. Local forwarder sources have reported carrier quotes even lower, in the range of $1,200 to $1,300 per FEU for bookings from Nhava Sheva to New York. That’s a drop of $200 to $300 per FEU from the late-October trendline. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="56199e2b-5df4-468f-a149-b18ae7c32e51"></dynamic-object></div>Sources noted that while cargo bookings have weakened, overcapacity is the bigger factor pushing rates lower and prompting carriers to undercut each other in an attempt to keep vessel liftings as close as possible to their declared allocations. “Capacity utilization for USEC sailings out of West India has generally dipped to between 60% to 70% from the normal 80% to 90% level,” a Nhava Sheva-based vessel operations executive at a European liner who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “Most carriers are now weighing cost control measures to tighten operating expenses.” Additionally, carrier sources are pinning their hopes for a rebound in volumes on an early breakthrough in bilateral trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington. But they believe a return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, on which there are some tentative signals, will create a fresh set of capacity problems to solve. “The speed of [Suez] return will determine whether the industry experiences renewed volatility or a more balanced adjustment,” Supal Shah, CEO of Sarjak Container Lines, noted. “A measured, well-sequenced return supports stability across the supply chain.” <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="ae1df54b-4003-46b5-a8c3-e0d35707e941"></dynamic-object></div>Meanwhile, Indian goods exports in October took a severe beating, falling nearly 12% by value year over year, with exports to the US down 7%, according to provisional official data. “The decline in merchandise exports was primarily driven by a sharper fall in several dominant export sectors,” S.C. Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, said in a statement. Indian exports to the USEC came in at just under 70,000 TEUs in October, down from 87,970 TEUs in September, according to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce. Contact Bency Mathew at <a href="mailto:bencyvmathew@gmail.com">bencyvmathew@gmail.com</a>.</div>

A more settled capacity situation on the India-US East Coast trade due to fewer blank sailings in November has upped the rate pressure on ocean carriers in the market that have been squeezed by US tariffs. With the exception of two calls voided by CMA CGM’s Indamex loop, westbound sailings out of Nhava Sheva/Mundra for the month are known to be on normal schedule across the premier services operated by Hapag-Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Maersk. As a result of that heightened overcapacity, spot rates on the trade lane are at their lowest since February. Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global, put India-USEC spot rates at $1,450 per FEU as of Nov. 18, a 9% decline on the week and the lowest reading since $1,330 per FEU on Feb. 21. Local forwarder sources have reported carrier quotes even lower, in the range of $1,200 to $1,300 per FEU for bookings from Nhava Sheva to New York. That’s a drop of $200 to $300 per FEU from the late-October trendline. Sources noted that while cargo bookings have weakened, overcapacity is the bigger factor pushing rates lower and prompting carriers to undercut each other in an attempt to keep vessel liftings as close as possible to their declared allocations. “Capacity utilization for USEC sailings out of West India has generally dipped to between 60% to 70% from the normal 80% to 90% level,” a Nhava Sheva-based vessel operations executive at a European liner who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “Most carriers are now weighing cost control measures to tighten operating expenses.” Additionally, carrier sources are pinning their hopes for a rebound in volumes on an early breakthrough in bilateral trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington. But they believe a return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, on which there are some tentative signals, will create a fresh set of capacity problems to solve. “The speed of [Suez] return will determine whether the industry experiences renewed volatility or a more balanced adjustment,” Supal Shah, CEO of Sarjak Container Lines, noted. “A measured, well-sequenced return supports stability across the supply chain.” Meanwhile, Indian goods exports in October took a severe beating, falling nearly 12% by value year over year, with exports to the US down 7%, according to provisional official data. “The decline in merchandise exports was primarily driven by a sharper fall in several dominant export sectors,” S.C. Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, said in a statement. Indian exports to the USEC came in at just under 70,000 TEUs in October, down from 87,970 TEUs in September, according to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce. Contact Bency Mathew at bencyvmathew@gmail.com .

Steadier capacity in November adds to India-USEC ocean pricing pressure

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The carrier’s first direct service to Halifax comes as Canada looks to pivot its trade networks and as low water levels affect Montreal’s container business.</div>

The carrier’s first direct service to Halifax comes as Canada looks to pivot its trade networks and as low water levels affect Montreal’s container business.

<div class="phx-topic">OOCL is adding the Port of Halifax to a trans-Atlantic Mediterranean service, marking the carrier’s first direct service to the port. The new port call comes as Canada looks outside the US for more trade and as low water levels on the St. Lawrence River make Halifax an offtake point for Montreal-bound cargo. OOCL said its West Mediterranean America service from Italy and Spain would add Halifax as the first call before US East Coast ports, noting in a statement the move “unlocks direct access to Montreal and Toronto.” The OOCL service joins three other Mediterranean-North American East Coast services that also call Halifax; this will be the Hong Kong-based carrier’s first service to the port. While Halifax’s overall cargo volumes have yet to approach their 2022 peak, the port has seen some uptick this year. First-half 2025 import volumes are up 13.6% to 131,980 TEUs and export volumes have risen 8.9% to 126,937 TEUs compared to the first half of 2024. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="09c4541c-c611-4969-af40-74647b74b5fd"></dynamic-object></div>Halifax, meanwhile, has been providing relief to the Port of Montreal this year due to navigational challenges on the St. Lawrence Seaway. One portion of Montreal’s harbor has been hovering at about a 17-foot depth since September, according to the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, among the historical lows recorded for the area. “For the carriers, the biggest problem is low water on the Seaway,” Grace Liang, president of OOCL Canada, said at a conference in Toronto last month. “The impact of low water is pretty substantial.” Paul Bird, chief commercial officer of the Montreal Port Authority, said Montreal’s current water levels are part of the La Niña weather cycle that occurs approximately every 12 years. As a result, container ships have to offload cargo prior to entering the Seaway to reduce their draft, which serves as a temporary measure until water levels rise again. “Carriers have to top off either at Saint John or Halifax before they come into Montreal,” Bird said at the Toronto conference. “But there’s a cycle here. We don’t expect these low water levels to return for another 10 or 12 years.” <h3>Canadian ports handled frontloaded imports </h3>Liang said at the conference that Canada’s ports handled frontloaded imports, either from US-bound freight or as inputs for other Canadian goods shipped to the US. But she said Canadian ports are likely to see the same cargo slowdown as US ports in the fourth quarter. “When it comes to demand, it’s affected by the trade wars and tariffs,” Liang said. “We’ve seen a lot of frontloading both in the US and Canada.” In the long term, Canada’s international trade also faces a restructuring that favors enlarged port coverage. Back in March, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s traditional reliance on the US export market is now over due to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Carney’s 2025 budget proposes C$5 billion in spending for Transport Canada to develop new trade and infrastructure projects, as well as other funds to help Canadian businesses tap overseas markets. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto: michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

OOCL is adding the Port of Halifax to a trans-Atlantic Mediterranean service, marking the carrier’s first direct service to the port. The new port call comes as Canada looks outside the US for more trade and as low water levels on the St. Lawrence River make Halifax an offtake point for Montreal-bound cargo. OOCL said its West Mediterranean America service from Italy and Spain would add Halifax as the first call before US East Coast ports, noting in a statement the move “unlocks direct access to Montreal and Toronto.” The OOCL service joins three other Mediterranean-North American East Coast services that also call Halifax; this will be the Hong Kong-based carrier’s first service to the port. While Halifax’s overall cargo volumes have yet to approach their 2022 peak, the port has seen some uptick this year. First-half 2025 import volumes are up 13.6% to 131,980 TEUs and export volumes have risen 8.9% to 126,937 TEUs compared to the first half of 2024. Halifax, meanwhile, has been providing relief to the Port of Montreal this year due to navigational challenges on the St. Lawrence Seaway. One portion of Montreal’s harbor has been hovering at about a 17-foot depth since September, according to the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, among the historical lows recorded for the area. “For the carriers, the biggest problem is low water on the Seaway,” Grace Liang, president of OOCL Canada, said at a conference in Toronto last month. “The impact of low water is pretty substantial.” Paul Bird, chief commercial officer of the Montreal Port Authority, said Montreal’s current water levels are part of the La Niña weather cycle that occurs approximately every 12 years. As a result, container ships have to offload cargo prior to entering the Seaway to reduce their draft, which serves as a temporary measure until water levels rise again. “Carriers have to top off either at Saint John or Halifax before they come into Montreal,” Bird said at the Toronto conference. “But there’s a cycle here. We don’t expect these low water levels to return for another 10 or 12 years.” Canadian ports handled frontloaded imports Liang said at the conference that Canada’s ports handled frontloaded imports, either from US-bound freight or as inputs for other Canadian goods shipped to the US. But she said Canadian ports are likely to see the same cargo slowdown as US ports in the fourth quarter. “When it comes to demand, it’s affected by the trade wars and tariffs,” Liang said. “We’ve seen a lot of frontloading both in the US and Canada.” In the long term, Canada’s international trade also faces a restructuring that favors enlarged port coverage. Back in March, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s traditional reliance on the US export market is now over due to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Carney’s 2025 budget proposes C$5 billion in spending for Transport Canada to develop new trade and infrastructure projects, as well as other funds to help Canadian businesses tap overseas markets. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

OOCL adds Halifax call to trans-Atlantic Med service

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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

In 1995, we began operations with a clear vision: to grow alongside Mexico and connect the world through our terminals. Our priority has always been to deliver excellence in service, foster economic development, and strengthen our communities. We firmly believe that progress is not only measured in tons of cargo moved, but in the opportunities we create. _______________________________________________________________ This year marks a significant milestone: SSA Marine Mexico celebrates 30 years of presence in the country, having established itself from day one as the leading port operator nationwide. Over the past three decades, we have built a legacy of reliability, innovation, and commitment to Mexico’s growth. Our journey has been defined by continuous evolution and a steadfast dedication to our mission. SSA Marine México currently operates in six of the country’s most important ports: Cozumel, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Progreso, Tuxpan, and Veracruz. Additionally, we have signed a concession to operate a new multipurpose terminal in Guaymas, Sonora, expanding our footprint to the north of the country. We serve a wide range of segments including containers, general cargo, automobiles, cruise ships, hydrocarbons, and asphalt. As part of this ongoing commitment, SSA Marine Mexico continues to strengthen its infrastructure and capabilities. International trade remains a key driver of global economic growth, and we are proud to support this momentum. Through our continuous improvement strategy, we invest in cutting-edge technology and equipment to deliver more efficient and competitive services, contributing to the success of Mexican businesses. •	Manzanillo, Colima- Specialized Container Terminal I: On October 13, we celebrated the arrival of two new STS (Ship To Shore) Super Post Panamax dockside cranes. This $21.2 million USD investment significantly boosts our operational capacity, streamlining cargo reception and delivery processes. In line with our modernization efforts, we will also retire four of our oldest cranes, paving the way for a more sustainable and technologically advanced fleet that meets the evolving demands of international trade. With these upgrades, SSA Marine México now operates a total of 16 cranes along our 1,350-meter dock, reaffirming our position as a national benchmark in port <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-4_3 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-large" data-figure-size="large" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="4:3"><img src="/content-assets/1760982635607_Manzanillo.jpg" alt="Image provided by SSA Marine" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> •	As for the Multipurpose Terminal and Specialized Facility, also in Manzanillo, Colima, improvement and conditioning works are planned, along with the acquisition of four E-RTG (Electric Rubber-Tyred Gantry) cranes to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. •	At our Automobile and General Cargo Terminal in the port of Veracruz, we continue to lead with specialized value-added services that support our clients’ growth. Recent investments include a new washing cabin and a general cargo warehouse, increasing indoor storage capacity by 67%. •	Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan – Specialized Automobile Terminal: we are working on the development of an additional 4-hectare storage space within our bonded area and a 10-hectare Vehicle Distribution Center (VDC). These enhancements, along with ongoing personnel and system improvements, will reinforce our leadership in automotive handling across the Mexican Pacific coast.<span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-4_3 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-large" data-figure-size="large" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="4:3"><img src="/content-assets/1760982742240_Lazaro.jpg" alt="Image provided by SSA Marine" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> Through these strategic investments, SSA Marine Mexico reaffirms its commitment to the sustained growth of Mexico’s foreign trade. By expanding capacity, modernizing infrastructure, and diversifying services, we continue to strengthen the country’s competitiveness in global logistics. Today, we celebrate three decades of dedication, innovation, and leadership, with deep gratitude to our employees, clients, and partners for being part of this incredible journey. LINK: https://www.ssamarine.mx/<span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-16_9 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-small" data-figure-size="small" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="16:9"><img src="/content-assets/1760982787360_SSA%20Marine%20Mexico%20logo%20150pxW.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">

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SSA Marine Mexico: 30 years growing together.

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