Top Rankings

A decade-long revamp of its culture is driving profitability gains at Maersk Line, the world's largest global container line.

The three container lines planning to link up in a new vessel sharing agreement — CMA CGM, United Arab Shipping Co. and China Shipping Container Line — will initially operate 18 separate services covering the four major east-west trades, sources say.

CMA CGM, United Arab Shipping Co. and China Shipping Container Line will soon announce the formation of a new east-west vessel-sharing agreement, according to industry sources reached and news reports circulating Friday.

Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co. appear to have the same confidence that Chinese regulators will approve their “2M” vessel-sharing agreement as they did before China’s rejection of the P3 Network, said U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner Richard Lidinsky.

In a deal that could have implications for refrigerated shippers and warehouse operators across the U.S., Costco agreed to pay $335,000 in penalties and spend as much as $2 million over the next few years to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its warehouse stores.

As U.S. manufacturing gains steam, Old Dominion Freight Line is gaining freight.

Central Freight Lines reached out toward the East Coast last month by acquiring the less-than-truckload assets and business of Drug Transport, a Georgia-based company that in August filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in bankruptcy court in Atlanta.

Chemical manufacturers are learning that if they build new U.S. facilities, Quality Distribution will come calling. The second-largest bulk trucking operator by revenue, Quality and its subsidiaries are in the midst of an expansion driven by increased U.S. chemical production.

From the top to the bottom, here is a list of the ports that moved up in 2013, and those that are in danger of falling down — or even off — the list of the Top 50 World Container Ports.

UPS is making some major moves to tap growing domestic freight in Mexico, driven by the manufacturing sector and fueled by export demand and a burgeoning middle class.

A review of publicly owned trucking company earnings in the second quarter shows the strength of freight demand building up as the U.S. economy expanded, supporting growing expectations of a busier than typical peak shipping season in North America this fall.

Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with grain handlers in the Pacific Northwest, ending a two-year battle between the two parties.

Carriers’ strategy to bundle logistics services with container shipping services appears to be “unraveling,” according to Alphaliner’s latest newsletter.

The persistent congestion clogging major gateway ports in the U.S. and Europe is raising a debate about whether it’s just peak-season volumes causing delays in import shipments or the inability of ports to handle the sharp growth in container ship sizes.

Violence flared at Ningbo’s Beilun Container Port as thousands of striking truck drivers clashed with riot police and smashed the windshields of trucks crossing a picket line, according to the Hong Kong-based China Labor Bulletin.

In reporting its second-quarter and first-half 2014 results this week, Maersk Line again showed how its financial fortunes are diverging from most of the rest of the container shipping industry.

The cost benefits of Evergreen Marine joining the CKYH Alliance were reflected in its second-quarter earnings, which saw the Taipei-based carrier returning to profitability.

Asia is king among global container ports, even if stalwarts such as Hong Kong, which slipped to fourth place last year in part because of a 40-day dockworker strike at five terminals, have retreated a bit.

Taiwanese ocean carrier Yang Ming Line has upgraded its intra-Asia service network to better meet growing demand in the region.

The Association of Canadian Port Authorities is warning Canadian policymakers that inadequate development of port infrastructure could hinder the country from taking full advantage of its growing international trade.

The findings of a Chinese Ministry of Transport probe into rate filing by container lines and NVOCCs in the China-Japan market are expected to be released shortly. The case is being watched closely by foreign carriers to see whether China applies the same standard to its own carriers as it did to the erstwhile P3 Network.

After years of talking about the need to increase chronically low pay to attract and keep more truck drivers, trucking companies are beginning to put money on the table.

TSI Terminal Systems, the largest operator of container terminals at Port Metro Vancouver, says it will continue to accept U.S.-bound rail cargo at the Canadian port despite another terminal operator’s announcement that it will turn down U.S.-inbound rail shipments.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission cleared the planned merger between Hapag-Lloyd and Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, which will create the world’s fourth-largest ocean container line.

As the world's largest corporation, Wal-Mart holds hefty leverage over its vendors. Its next mission is to eliminate waste within its massive system, even on food, and vendors are taking note.

Rick Gabrielson, senior manager for import transportation at Target Corp., has been named vice president of transportation at Lowe’s Cos.

The strength of the 2014 economic recovery isn’t being questioned at Old Dominion Freight Line and Saia, two of the most profitable U.S. less-than-truckload carriers.

The strengthening U.S. economy, a second-quarter surge in freight and higher rates boosted revenue and profit at Con-way’s less-than-truckload, logistics and truckload divisions.

Roadrunner Transportation Systems reaped the benefits of an aggressive acquisition strategy in the second quarter, as truckload revenue soared year-over-year. Robust truckload and brokerage revenue helped compensate for weaker growth in less-than-truckload sales.

Swift Transportation, the largest U.S. truckload operator, got even bigger in the second quarter, but potential growth was restrained, the company said, by a “challenging driver market.”

Chronic overcapacity in air and ocean container markets presents a long-term obstacle to profitability of forwarders, which achieve better results when rates are higher, according to Stifel.

A stronger recovery, an “extremely challenging” driver market and rising number of trucking company failures gave Werner Enterprises more freight than it could handle in the second quarter. “Overbooked” is the term the nation’s third-largest truckload carrier used to describe its business last quarter.

First-quarter 2014 numbers are in for the U.S. containerized ocean trade, with year-over-year results essentially flat.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a fiscal year 2014-15 budget that calls for $579 million in capital expenditures, including replacement of the Gerald Desmond Bridge and redevelopment of the Middle Harbor container terminal.

Leaders of an industry group that proposed far-reaching changes to operations of the Port of New York and New Jersey are starting the more difficult task of deciding how to turn those recommendations into reality.

Growth in the United States 3PL market will outpace last year’s 3.2 percent expansion, according to consulting firm Armstrong & Associates’ new predictions.

William R. Davidson, a veteran Teamsters labor relations official with decades of hands-on less-than-truckload experience, will join the YRC Worldwide board of directors.

The top 10 companies among JOC’s Top 100 exporters were responsible for exporting 1,454,700 TEUs in 2013.