Container Shipping News

In a series of conversations, JOC executive editor Mark Szakonyi surveyed three shippers on how 2017 fared for their supply chains and what 2018 holds.

Economic health is driving growth in cargo volumes.

Carriers have little track record of self-policing in pursuit of overall industry gains. Can carriers change their operational stance?

It would appear that managing infrastructure needs for bigger ships and environmental responsibility are at cross-purposes. But heading into 2018, North American ports have a plan.

Spot rates in the major east-west trades ended 2017 on a high note.

A key, new container shipping partnership will commence operations in 2018's first quarter, and it will affect the intra-Asia supply-demand equation.

As experienced trade professionals know, how 2018 will play out is not something shippers have any influence over and the business of shipping containers in the Asia-Europe trade could take three directions.

Key north-south parties expect the positive trade pattern to continue in the year ahead, but there are challenges that could dent that forecast.

The third direct service supplements the carrier's CIMEX 6 and CIMEX 8 service.

Eastbound trans-Pacific spot rates are also down substantially from 2016, but there is a qualification. Those 2016 spot rates were boosted by the Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy.

There was no movement in Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean rates this week as the holiday season begins.

It is unclear whether Maersk's strategy regarding forwarders is a temporary tactical move or part of a broader push.

SM Line is hoping to partner with its larger Korean rival HMM as the carrier plans to launch a new trans-Pacific service.

The impact of mega-ships and consolidation will see the alliances needing to revise their network offerings in 2018, creating new uncertainty for shippers already concerned at potentially large numbers of canceled sailings.

The pre-Lunar New Year push so far this year has been erratic.

Several port authorities told JOC’s Port Performance North America Conference on Wednesday that they take the threat very seriously.

The intra-Asia trade continues to grow, attracting new services from carriers in the region.

The rate increases announced by several carriers may not have lifted rates by much, but they at least have prevented a slide deep in the low season.

Trans-Pacific rate volatility is likely to continue through 2018, as carriers add capacity and the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement loses another member.

APL was No. 13 on the trans-Atlantic trade in the first three quarters.

The Asia-Europe trade has seen greater volume and higher rates this year, but the backhaul trade has outperformed its larger headhaul counterpart.

The latest JOC port productivity data show call sizes continued to increase globally through the first half of 2017.

CMA CGM has completed its acquisition of Mercosul Line, kicking off a battle for control of the fast-growing Latin American market.

The capital injection from 257.7 million new common stock shares, at 10.18 New Taiwan dollar per share (about $0.34) is the third stage in the company’s recapitalization effort.

US import growth is expected to slow in 2018, after an impressive increase in 2017, but the National Retail Federation adds that a recession is not on the horizon.

Rates from China to the United States fell this week with ample capacity on the trade and demand starting to weaken.

“If we can harmonize the behavior of the actors in our supply chain and stop working at cross purposes, it will boost American economic growth and competitiveness.”

A closer look at contract extension talks for the US East and Gulf coasts suggests less cause for alarm.

The Cosco-OOIL deal took another giant step towards becoming the world's largest carrier in total liftings when it received approval for the takeover from the European Commission.

Maersk transports roughly 20 percent of India’s total containerized cargo.

Latin America leads Maersk's trade lanes in terms of capacity following the completion of the Hamburg Süd takeover, but rising demand is making the routes even more competitive.

Four shipping carriers will help steer the New York Shipping Exchange.

>The pottery, soil, and stone sector led in both imports and exports.

The coming month will tell whether carriers can keep capacity discipline beyond the surge ahead of Chinese factory closures.

Spot rates from China to Europe strengthened this week, but the surplus capacity in the trade and the reluctance of carriers to blank sailings will likely limit any sharp increases in the run up to Chinese New Year.

The merger will create a European-wide transportation company with 18 services.

Six months after the merger process started, UASC was integrated with German carrier Hapag-Lloyd.

The service fulfills a company goal of introducing weekly calls at Portland by 2020.

Independent container lines increased their combined market share as well as their total volume of imports in the third quarter.

The new loop is well suited for the booming general consumer goods and garments industry in Bangladesh.