Forwarding

Spot rates and volume from China to the U.S. East Coast continued to rise through March, signs that West Coast congestion is still driving cargo owners to other ports.

Milaha Maritime and Logistics has kicked off a direct feeder link between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (Nhava Sheva), India, and Doha, Qatar, a route that has seen significant gains in trade volumes in recent years.

After 10 days of "spontaneous" protests, many independent truck drivers in Brazil have agreed to government-inspired peace talks aimed at preventing the South American country from grinding to a halt.

The U.S. and Canada cleared a big hurdle to building a second span over the Detroit River, a critical crossing and sometime choke-point for cross-border trade.

The shipping industry — container carriers included — should prepare for a low-sulfur fuel requirement to be imposed on schedule in 2020, a development industry leaders have said will result in carriers incurring tens of billions of dollars annually in higher fuel costs, with no clear mechanism for recovering those costs from customers.

Asian countries dominated the 2015 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index released today with four nations ranked in the top 10 emerging markets – China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

Maersk subsidiary MCC Transport and China Shipping Container Line (CSCL) will both launch direct services between China and Myanmar on Jan. 24 to capitalize on growing trade between the two Asian nations.

Spot rates on the Asia-U.S. East Coast rose to their highest level in more than a year, suggesting that the rapidly deteriorating labor talks on the West Coast are driving cargo owners in search of alternative gateways.

Challenges remain for second-tier suppliers of major manufacturers in China’s inland production centres more than 14 years after the Go West policy was introduced to shift factories away from the wealthier coastal areas and boost the economies of its poorer central provinces.

The grounded car carrier Hoegh Osaka unexpectedly drifted free Wednesday after salvors delayed plans to refloat the vessel outside the U.K. Port of Southampton.

Hoegh Autoliners is working with salvors to develop a plan to free a car carrier ship that was intentionally grounded off the Isle of Wight after developing a list following its departure from the British port of Southampton.

Despite the smorgasbord of security crises in 2014, the global economy has managed to sputter along with few disruptions for global shippers. Are things likely to get worse in some regions of the world, and, if so, how?

The steep fall of bunker fuel in recent months prices slowed over Christmas week, though the price per metric ton still continued to drop.

So many breakbulk and heavy-lift carriers are losing money that industry analysts expect some smaller carriers to face bankruptcy in 2015 or consolidation with other carriers, at the very least.

Bunker prices sank an additional 8 percent last week, as a six month spiral has now led to a 50 percent decline in fuel prices.

Though many retailers initially began the holiday season with early shipping deadlines, shops clamoring for last-minute customers are testing fate with extended deadlines once again.

Carriers announced general rate increases that span into February this week, as spot rates around the globe respond to mid-December rate hikes. Drewry Maritime Research’s World Container Index composite index, which measures 11 East-to-West trade lanes, jumped a cumulative 35.8 percent this week.

Provisions to boost U.S.-flag ships’ required share of government-purchased food aid were deleted from the final version of a Coast Guard authorization bill that President Obama signed into law this week.

Rising volumes propelled FedEx profit up 23 percent year-over-year to $616 million in its second quarter ended Nov. 30, the second-largest U.S. transport operator reported today.

The price per metric ton for both low and high sulfur fuel dropped almost 10 percent during the week of Dec. 12, the second consecutive week of large losses.

Ocean carriers will reap considerable financial benefits from cheap oil in 2015 if prices stick close to current five-year lows, but shippers will be the big winners, according to Drewry Shipping Consultants.

Delays in receiving holiday sale inventory will likely affect fourth-quarter results of some shippers as they incur the added costs of diverting cargo and lost sales.

Spot freight rates are falling faster than the bunker fuel price and helping to erase any long term gain in profitability for the over-supplied container shipping industry.

Fuel prices out of Rotterdam, a leading global indicator of the broader fuel market, dropped over 10 percent last week, the latest in a downward spiral that began in July.

Congestion at Asia ports this is year is continuing to force intra-Asia carriers to charter feeder ships more frequently and for shorter time periods in order to maintain weekly schedules.

Ongoing congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continued to hurt the schedule of reliability of carriers calling the largest port complex in the Americas last month, according to SeaIntel Maritime Analysis’ latest Global Liner Performance Report.

Multiple container lines have planned general rate increases in numerous trade lanes in November, December and January, although any gains achieved could be temporary as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.

The idle container ship fleet has fallen to its lowest level since the global financial crisis erupted in late 2008 , as port congestion on the U.S. West Coast and in Manila keeps vessels in work.

Multiple container lines have planned general rate increases in numerous trade lanes in October and November, although any gains achieved could be temporary as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.

An independent organization of ocean industry executives seeks to enhance the efficiency and popularity of electronic invoicing by establishing a single standard that simplifies ocean freight invoicing by automating the time-consuming and costly manual invoicing and reconciliation process.

Major U.S. retailers don't expect U.S. West Coast port congestion to hamper getting Black Friday products on the shelves, but they’re far less confident on their ability to keep stores stocked through the entire holiday season.

Multiple container lines have planned general rate increases in numerous trade lanes in October and November, although any gains achieved could be temporary as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.

Norway’s Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA posted weaker earnings and revenue for the third quarter as the auto and project shipping and logistics group saw a seasonal decline in ocean freight volumes and an unfavorable cargo and trade mix.

Combined growth among the 50 largest transportation and logistics companies worldwide slowed to a halt in 2013 amid global economic uncertainty. The combined revenue of the 50 companies slipped 0.1 percent after increasing 2.6 percent in 2012 and 8.4 percent in 2011.

The massive congestion and delays experienced by shippers using the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach slowed freight movement inland and contributed to reduced shipment numbers in October and higher shipping costs, according to the latest Cass Freight Index.

Brazil's port managers and unions are uniting to try to keep the country's Special Ports Ministry separate from the Ministry of Transport.

Multiple container lines have planned general rate increases in numerous trade lanes in October and November, although any gains achieved could be temporary as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.

A rapid rise in spot rates on the Asia-Europe trade following a host of general rate increases failed to hold on to last week's gains, sliding more than 10 percent to $1,175 per 20-foot container, according to the latest Shanghai Containerised Freight Index reading released today.

Low-sulfur bunker fuel prices continued a 22-week downward trend this week, sinking to lows that haven't been seen since in nearly four years.