Container lines

OOCL will hike rates on its trans-Atlantic trade, starting April 1.

SeaFreight Agencies has signed a long-term lease for a new 148,750 square foot facility for two affiliates at International Corporate Park in Doral, Fla., expanding from its current 50,000 square foot location, also in Doral.

Evergreen Line will increase rates for all commodities on its trade to Europe and the Mediterranean, effective April 2.

Rickmers Maritime today reported its profit in the fourth quarter of 2012 was $2.24 million, plummeting 80 percent from $11.33 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Container leasing companies say the trends that helped them achieve record profits in 2012 remain firmly in place for this year.

Jensen Maritime has completed the designs of two new tugboats and a deck barge for Harley Marine.

Hapag-Lloyd will upgrade the rotation of the Pacific Atlantic Express Service to include Qingdao, China; Xingang, China; and Pusan, South Korea.

“K” Line has upgraded its intra-Asia service with improved transit times and better coverage between Japan and the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

Commercial Barge Line Company today reported profit was $20.8 million, improving from a net loss of $14.2 million in 2011. Annual revenue was $811.6 million, declining 4.9 percent from $852.9 million.

Maersk Line said a 30 percent hike in its reefer container freight rates, which provoked a storm of protest from shippers, has “largely been accepted” by the market.

The container shipping industry is at a crossroads where cargo interests must choose between paying higher rates for value-added service, or contending with another round of consolidation as carriers merge to survive, according to an industry executive.

NYK will restructure its Japan-Thailand-India service (HLS).

Maersk Line has added Hazira, India, as a port call on its Europe-Middle East service rotation to enhance direct coverage of India to and from the east Mediterranean.

Cosco Container Lines will increase rates on all shipments from the Far East and Indian subcontinent to Panama, the Caribbean (Venezuela, Columbia and Costa Rica) and Mexico, starting March 15.

APL will increase rates on all containers in its trade from India to Canada and the U.S., excluding Puerto Rico, effective March 15.

Imports into China are again set to rise this year after growth rates for container shipments and value of imports outstripped exports in 2012.

Hapag-Lloyd will increase rates for all cargoes and container types from East Asia, excluding Japan, to the Red Sea, by $500 per 20-foot-equivalent unit, effective March 15.

Matson Logistics has opened a new distribution center in Savannah, Ga.

Eos Risk Management has launched a maritime security service in West Africa to protect commercial ships on their way through the Gulf of Guinea, which has been designated as a high risk area for piracy.

Japan’s exports to the United States rose for the first time in two months in January on a year-on-year basis, surging 10.9 percent to $9.03 billion, according to preliminary figures released by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

Quest Navigation has leased a ship in anticipation of restarting ferry service between Portland, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and could, if awarded the contract, begin offering ferry service as early as...

NYK Line will increase rates for dry cargo on its trans-Atlantic trade, effective March 21.

Mediterranean Shipping Co., will increase rates on all southbound cargo from Europe and the Mediterranean to Australia and New Zealand, effective April 1.

CMA CGM will hike rates for dry and refrigerated cargo on its trade from India and Pakistan to the U.S. East Coast, starting March 15.

Eimskip will open a new office in Gdynia, Poland, on March 1.

Hamburg Sud and Alianca Navegacao will increase rates for all cargoes from North Europe and the U.K. to South America’s east coast, effective April 1.

Hapag-Lloyd will hike rates for all cargo and container types on its trade from North America to Latin America, effective April 1.

Box Ships today reported profit in the fourth quarter of 2012 was $2.9 million, dropping 48 percent from $5.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Diana Containerships reported profit in the fourth quarter of 2012 was $0.3 million, falling from $1.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

U.S. goods exports to Hong Kong have been increasing in recent years, said Donald Tong, Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, at a reception...

CMA CGM will hike rates on its trade from northern Europe to India and Pakistan, effective March 3.

Combined export value of U.S. poultry meat and eggs reached a record $5.7 billion in 2012, a 12 percent increase from 2011...

The Canadian Transportation Agency has appointed Sam Barone as vice chair for a five-year term, according to Denis Lebel, Canada’s Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.