Container lines

The ability of ocean carriers to nail down their scheduled April 1 general increases in the eastbound trans-Pacific trade appeared somewhat shaky this week after average spot rates fell for the fifth consecutive week.

Hapag-Lloyd will launch a new service between the Mediterranean and U.S. East Coast, starting in June.

On April 3, Wan Hai Lines will join Yang Ming Line and Pacific International Lines in operating the Pan Asia Service II to provide an express service from North China to Singapore and Malaysia.

Maersk Line will add Busan, South Korea, as a port call on its Asia-Europe, AE10, service schedule.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services will raise rates for all dry cargo on its trade from the Far East to Europe and the Mediterranean, starting April 15.

Hamburg Süd has reinstated La Guaira, Venezuela, as a direct call on its weekly Florida-ABC Islands/Venezuela service, which connects Florida, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Venezuela.

United Arab Shipping Company will increase rates on its trade from Asia to North Europe, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic region, effective April 15 and May 15, based on the bill of lading date.

Mediterranean Shipping Co. will adjust its Andes Service to include the Port of Coronel in Chile.

Hamburg Sud has announced rate increases for three trade lanes that will take effect on or after April 1, on the basis of bill of lading dates...

Steel imports in February were 2.440 million tons, dropping 6.8 percent from 2.617 million tons in January and falling 10.3 percent from February 2012...

OOCL today unveiled its new OOCL Memphis in Shanghai.

Evergreen Line will launch a new service linking South China, the Philippines and East Malaysia in mid-April.

U.S. exports of certain organic products expanded 8 percent year-over-year to nearly $450 million in 2012, driven by gains in apple shipments, which offset declines in grapes and cherries.

CMA CGM plans to open a new bonded “dry port” in Baghdad in June.

CMA CGM will increase rates on its trade from North Europe, the U.K. and Nordic countries to the Indian subcontinent, effective April 15. The hike will be $150 per 20-foot container and $200 per 40-foot container.

On April 15, Emirates Shipping Line will raise rates on two of its trade lanes.

Hapag-Lloyd will launch its new Finland Express Service in April, directly connecting German hubs with ports in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea.

The news that Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Sud have walked away from a merger that would have created the world’s fourth-largest ocean carrier didn’t come as a major shock to rival container lines or industry watchers.

Hanjin Shipping plans to increase rates on its sevice between Asia and Europe, starting April 15.

Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd have abandoned a planned merger because the German container shipping lines couldn’t agree on the terms to create the world’s fourth largest ocean carrier.

Three subsidiaries of Euroseas have entered into time-charter agreements for three container ships...

Zim intends to order cheaper and more efficient container ships to replace the five large vessels the Israeli ocean carrier canceled this week.

OOCL will increase rates for westbound traffic from Asia to Europe, starting April 15.

Mediterranean Shipping Co. will hike rates for all cargo in its trade from Asia to the eastern and western Mediterranean, North Africa, the Black Sea, the Adriatic, North Europe and Scandinavia (Baltic), starting April 15.

Singapore-based ocean carrier APL plans to increase rates on all containers moving from India to Canada and the U.S., excluding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, starting April 1.

At a naming ceremony at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard on Geojoe Island in South Korea, OOCL unveiled its second 13,208-TEU mega-vessel to join its fleet this year.

Despite a “bad” 2012, ocean container lines managed to get freight rates up enough to generate positive cash flows that are bringing them close to break-even. But even when they do start earning a profit again, they are unlikely to order many new ships.

Japan’s exports to the United States rose for the second straight month in February on a year-on-year basis, increasing 5.7 percent to $10.60 billion, according to preliminary figures released by the Finance Ministry on Thursday.

Maersk is currently involved in two projects that aim to develop lignin as a viable marine fuel.

Cosco Container Lines plans to increase rates for all shipments on its trade from the Far East to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian subcontinent, effective April 15.

Maersk Line’s South Atlantic Express will operate with a revised schedule, effective with the Maersk Roubaix, 1315, with an estimated time of arrival in Savannah, Ga., on March 28...

Nearly two dozen West and Central African countries have set up an agreement to combat the threat of piracy and maritime crime in the two region’s coastal waters, including the notorious Gulf of Guinea, Reuters reports.

Zim’s net loss widened to $239 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 from $151 million a year earlier as the Israeli ocean carrier took a $133 million hit for cancelling orders for five large container ships.

The lingering economic recession in Europe will set off a cascading of vessels that will result in another year of volatile freight rates in the U.S. import trade from Asia, according to an international maritime industry analyst.

Costamare has received delivery of the MSC Athens, an 8,827 20-foot-equivalent unit vessel built by Sungdong Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in South Korea, commencing its 10-year time charter with Mediterranean Shipping Co.

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) has added Jacksonville, Fla., to its regular liner service schedule.

In January, U.S. beef exports continued the trend shown in 2012 with higher export value on lower volume, while pork exports improved slightly from December 2012’s levels, but remained behind year-over-year...

Hapag-Lloyd will increase rates on its trade from East Asia, excluding Japan, to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, starting April 15.