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Convoy’s counterpunching approach to being sued by load board provider DAT Freight & Analytics is as much about winning the battle of public opinion as it is about winning in court, a transportation attorney told JOC.com.

Two of Taiwan’s largest carriers have joined Maersk, ONE, and Cosco in posting highly profitable financial results for the first half of 2022 amid a still-elevated rate environment compared to the year-ago period.

MSC’s move would appear to show some skepticism among ocean carriers active on India trades about their ability to hold firm on new rate hikes in the wake of ongoing demand pressure.

The main rail option from China for European importers is via the so-called “middle corridor,” but as demand steadily increases, so too are the many chokepoints along the route.

While some carriers have been willing to adjust shipping contracts, others are holding the line, anticipating that peak season, US port congestion, and the ability to blank sailings will keep the spot market afloat through the balance of the year.

Falling water levels on the Rhine are a seasonal problem, but this summer a European heatwave and low rainfall has left parts of the river virtually impassable.

CMA CGM believes the advantages from a dedicated terminal in India will help it enhance service levels there as the carrier vigorously pursues integrator goals.

The Port of New York and New Jersey saw a decline in rail volumes in the first half of 2022 as intermittent container embargoes at railroads and low trucking rates pushed shippers off the rails.

Maersk is expanding its footprint in the heavy-lift sector with the acquisition of specialist logistics provider Martin Bencher that will be central to its new Maersk Project Logistics product.

Ocean carriers serving the Port of New York and New Jersey should do more to sweep up empty containers, according to FMC chairman Daniel Maffei, as the agency announces a broader look into the issue.

Container shipping trades out of Asia will continue to slow through the second half of the year as the global economy contracts, but carriers and analysts say it will be a gradual weakening of demand and rates rather than a sharp drop.

An FMC data initiative that launched late last year involved industry stakeholder meetings with participants from container lines, shippers, forwarders, longshore unions, railroads, and technology solutions providers.

Intermodal discounts declined in the second quarter both sequentially and year over year as shippers were able to negotiate lower spot and contract truckload rates with motor carriers.

Maritime regulators are wrestling with how to refine rulemaking on when it is unreasonable for carriers to refuse export bookings, writes JOC Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.

The call for export and import data comes as small- and medium-sized US agricultural exporters complain that their cargo has been largely ignored by carriers over the past three years.

Rail terminals are congested for the second consecutive year in Kansas City, causing truckers and importers to lash out at BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.

Carriers are reducing the intake of new containers and holding onto older units longer ahead of peak season and as congestion slows the circulation of boxes globally.

Congestion and unreliable service from liner carriers is driving some cold chain shippers back to the conventional reefer fleet

The steep reduction in rail services to Los Angeles-Long Beach is having a knock-on impact at the terminal gates, with the average truck turn time increasing by four minutes in July.

Rather than falling off a cliff, it appears freight markets are normalizing after two years where nothing has been normal, writes logistics expert Jason Miller.

Maersk’s strategy of aggressively expanding long-term contracts is paying off, and with many of the agreements covering multi-years, the carrier is set to reap the financial rewards far beyond 2022.

Expeditors International said its revenue grew in the second quarter despite a drop in volumes as supply chain uncertainty kept freight rates at a premium.

The US trucking market is reinventing itself after a significant spot market correction, with larger contract carriers expecting steady freight demand through 2022 despite economic fears.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it will start charging an export container dwell fee in a bid to prod ocean carriers to remove more containers than they drop off.

The port authorities of Rotterdam and Singapore want a new green corridor between the hubs to attract the investment and pilot projects crucial to developing a fossil fuel alternative for shipping.

Scoular, one of the US’ top exporters, discovered significant duplicate invoices from its ocean transportation providers in recent months, an issue likely to become more pervasive as regulators scrutinize carrier and terminal billing.

A highly profitable second quarter and no sign of easing in congested container shipping markets has left Maersk on course for a significantly improved annual result.

Drivers are returning to port drayage as long-haul trucking rates slide and operating costs for small, independent motor carriers rise.

Despite the FMC finding there was no collusion among ocean shipping alliances causing elevated freight rates, NITL believes there are still concerns about the industry that new antitrust legislation could address.

With North American shippers importing record amounts of Asia-made goods, the largest gains by volume were recorded at the Chinese ports of Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, and Shenzhen.

India cargo owners are now dealing with a fresh levy linked to container weight, along with a new wave of general rate increases and surcharges that have already found their way into the market ahead of peak shipping season.

A new intra-Asia trade pact has helped boost container activity in the region, while volumes to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa have dipped as a result.

Load board provider DAT and freight broker Convoy have sued one another over Convoy’s development of a product that DAT says is competitive with its own, violating a contract Convoy signed with DAT.

The reorganization within the FMC comes as the agency steps up its enforcement and compliance activities in the wake of US shipping reform.

One shipping executive warns that if the current trend continues, Hong Kong will lose its position as a leading transshipment hub for China and the region.

US retailers have shifted some of their imports to the East Coast as a hedge against possible labor disruption at West Coast ports, a move that has caused vessel backlogs at major gateways along the eastern seaboard.

Indian policymakers have had a heightened focus of late on the development of marine highways along the country’s vast river network in order to encourage a larger modal shift from land to sea.

The enormous challenges of transitioning global shipping from fossil fuels to zero-carbon alternatives are coming into view, none more important than aligning private investors and governments to ensure decarbonization targets are met.

ONE has extended its highly profitable run through its fiscal first quarter, building on last year’s stellar performance to turn in another record result.

The latest integration is a sign of continued strategic partnerships between logistics software vendors as they seek to amplify the value their solutions offer.