Container lines

Beyond the biggest carriers — the Maersk Lines, MSCs, CMA CGMs, APLs and Evergreens — that dominate the U.S. containerized ocean trades are some of the biggest movers. The Journal of Commerce Top 40 Container Carriers, after all, isn’t just about the Top 10.

APL Ltd. said it plans to scrap four 1980s-built U.S.-flag container ships that are seeing reduced demand for military shipments as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars wind down.

China Shipping Container Lines has opened an office in Johannesburg, South Africa, according to a Chinese language press release.

Starting May 4, Cosco Container Lines, Evergreen Line, PIL and Wan Hai Line will launch a new weekly service linking Asia and the west coast of South America, called Asia-South America Service, WSA2.

Hapag-Lloyd will increase rates for all cargoes and container types from East Asia to the Red Sea, starting May 15.

Singapore-based APL appears poised for a turnaround as it takes delivery of new fuel-efficient ships and reorganizes its global network to take advantage of the vessels’ lower slot costs.

Cochin Shipyard, Union Territory of Lakshadweep and Lakshadweep Development Corporation in India have signed a memorandum of understanding to repair ships owned by UTL.

Mediterranean Shipping Co. will increase rates for all export cargo on its trade from the California ports of Oakland and Los Angeles to Australia and New Zealand, starting June 1.

Actions by some shipping lines to add vessel capacity onto the eastbound lane of the trans-Pacific trade to the U.S. West Coast may depress vessel utilization levels for the rest of the year, according to Drewry Shipping Consultants.

Hapag-Lloyd will boost rates for all cargoes and container types on several of its trade routes, starting May 15...

Starting May 11, Evergreen Line will team up with Cosco and Zim Integrated Shipping Services to upgrade the fleet operating its Far East to South America service, ESA, linking China Singapore and South America’s east coast.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has revamped its Pacific Southwest Express, PSX, service deployment to provide additional port coverage at Kobe, Japan.

In one of the more renowned Aesop Fables, the tortoise’s slow and steady pace leads it to victory in a race against the frenetic hare. In the world of maritime commerce, a similar race is playing out between the Panama and Suez canals.

For three years, Mediterranean Shipping Co. has fallen just short in the quest to be the top carrier in all three segments of the U.S. container trade: imports, exports and overall volume.

APL will boost rates on its trade from Hong Kong and Macau in South China to Nhava Sheva and Pipavav in India, starting April 15.

Hyundai Merchant Marine has launched a refrigerated on-board temperature monitoring service, which allows its customers to check a reefer container’s temperature and thusly ensure the stability and safety of the its inner cargo.

Maersk Line has added Busan, South Korea, to its Asia-Europe, AE10, service schedule.

A.P. Moller-Maersk has stuck to its forecast for a lower profit in 2013, as weak economies in developed markets continue to curb container shipping rates, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Hapag-Lloyd will raise rates for all cargoes and container types on its trade from the Mediterranean to East Asia, starting May 12.

China’s $884 million March trade deficit has raised questions about the veracity of the country’s official figures.

CMA CGM will launch a new fixed-day weekly service on its Asia to Red Sea route, the REX 3 service, on May 2, in partnership with Evergreen Line.

APL will raise rates on its trade from Singapore to India, effective April 15.

Wan Hai Lines has unveiled its Wan Hai 516 vessel at an opening ceremony at CSBC Corp. Taiwan’s Kaohsiung shipyard.

Lynden, a group of freight transportation companies serving Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, has entered into a purchase agreement to buy Northland Services, a tug and barge carrier serving Seattle, Alaska and Hawaii.

Evergreen Line has adjusted its Greek Turkey Service, GTS, by adding a call at the Turkish port of Gebze.

The Panama Canal Authority is planning to implement a new system of tolls for the post-Panamax ships that will be able to transit the canal when it completes the enlargement project in 2015.

Scandlines announced record profits for 2012 on higher freight and passenger traffic on Baltic Sea routes as its co-owners prepare to sell one of Europe’s largest ferry operators.

OOCL has ordered 72 battery-powered Terex Gottwald automated guided vehicles, as well as fleet management software and a battery-changing station for the AGVs from Terex Port Solutions.

The Chilean Fruit Exporters Association has confirmed that exports of fresh fruit form Chile are back to normal, following labor action by dockworkers which interrupted port operations.

Only about 25 percent of non-vessel-operating common carriers today are making use of negotiated rate arrangements, an alternative to tariff filing, a survey finds.

The cost of Somali piracy to the global economy in 2012 dropped 13 percent year-over-year to about $6 billion, as navies and private armed guards stepped up their presence to prevent attacks...

Hapag-Lloyd will raise rates for all cargoes and container types on its trade from East Asia, excluding Japan, to the Persian Gulf, beginning May 15.

Hamburg Süd will hike rates for all cargo moving from the west coast of the U.S. and Canada to Australia and New Zealand, effective June 1.

Maersk Line will increase rates on some its trade routes in May...

INTTRA plans to roll out a series of new links on its e-commerce platform over the next few months that will enable customers to buy ancillary ocean shipment services, such as the cargo insurance link unveiled this week.

Hapag-Lloyd will introduce a new trans-Pacific service between Asia and the U.S. West Coast.

The city of Hamburg, Germany, is pushing for Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd to resume merger talks to increase its chances of surviving a four-year slump in the sector, according to a city official, Reuters reports.

Member carriers of the Caribbean Shipowners Association have postponed the rate increase scheduled for April 28 to June 16.