Fears of new tariffs and a strike at East Coast ports combined to push up ocean container rates on Asia-U.S. routes in December.
Continuing consumer demand and frontloading by importers in November helped the Port of Los Angeles to double-digit gains in container volumes.
Rates on Asia-U.S. West Coast and Asia-U.S. East Coast container transport fell for the latest week tracked by Freightos but rose by double digits for Asia-Europe/Mediterranean traffic.
A plethora of factors will weigh on container prices in 2025 as shippers manage their businesses in a changing supply chain.
Ocean container rates to the U.S. remained steady as shippers maneuver to minimize the effects of higher tariffs and a potential port strike in 2025.
Container rates to the U.S. West and East coasts stayed above $5,000 per FEU as tariff talk and labor issues shadowed shippers’ plans.
High tariffs on Chinese imports, promised by President-elect Trump, will likely slow U.S. trade in 2025 as uncertainty hinders investment in reshoring of manufacturing, a trade analyst predicts.
The Port of Los Angeles posted record container volume in October on resilient consumer spending and a strong economy.
Zim saw a decision to leverage its business against spot rates pay off on surging demand in the trans-Pacific trade.
Alone among major liner operators, CMA CGM of France has maintained scheduled voyages between Asia, the Mediterranean and North America ports via the turbulent Red Sea.
Ocean Network Express posted soaring results in the second quarter on strong demand in the major trades, an early peak season in the U.S. and attacks on the Red Sea trade route.
The ONE alliance of container vessel lines posted second-quarter revenue on an early peak shipping season thanks to attacks on a key Mideast route and looming East Coast longshore strike.
The ONE vessel alliance plans to add a new East Asia string to the Port of Jacksonville’s modernized SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal.
Russia conveyed Iranian data to help Houthi rebels in Yemen attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Funding from FEMA will help protect operations and infrastructure at the second-busiest U.S. container hub.
The second-busiest U.S. container gateway moved record levels of cargo in September and in the third quarter on diversions ahead of an East Coast work stoppage and continued demand for holiday merchandise.
Importers with the National Retail Federation fear a second Trump administration could hurt business with higher tariffs on consumer goods.
An early peak shipping season, strong economy and resilient consumer spending boosted container volume to a record quarter at the Port of Los Angeles.
The Port of Los Angeles handled 960,597 twenty-foot equivalent units in August, a 16% increase over the previous year and the busiest month ever outside the pandemic. Eight months into […]
Continued robust demand for container shipping services could help balance supply and demand, the world’s second-largest vessel operator said, easing strains despite disruptions across the global supply chain.
Salvors began towing the Greek-flagged tanker Sounion, still burning from attacks by Houthi militia in late August. The vessel became a symbol of civilian shipping targets that have led container and other vessel operators to detour around the region.
The International Longshoremen’s Association has adopted a resolute stance in negotiations with East Coast port employers from Maine to Houston. There’s speculation that sympathy work stoppages could spread to West Coast container gateways.
No talks are scheduled between employers and the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents unionized workers at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. Bargaining has stalled over technology and pay issues.
A nationwide strike by port workers in India threatened further stresses to a global supply chain struggling with congestion and delays.
The Port of Los Angeles has named Erica M. Calhoun deputy executive director overseeing the city of Los Angeles Harbor Department’s Administrative Bureau.
As eastbound import traffic continues to grow, Union Pacific announced surcharges for its premium EMP and UMAX services out of the Southern California gateway.
The outlook for supply chain congestion this fall led importers to move holiday goods earlier than usual through Long Beach, the second-busiest U.S. port.
CMA CGM Air Cargo, with roots in the container shipping industry, plans to add 11 large freighters from Boeing and Airbus within three years. The first additions will enable the start of an Asia-U.S. service this summer.
Newbie airline Starlux in Taiwan has signed with Airbus for five large A350 freighters, an aircraft that is still under development.
Despite concerns about the impact of international tensions on global trade, shipyards are flooded with orders.
Amid the focus on wars in Europe and the Middle East, North Korea’s threat to key exporting and shipbuilding nations grows.
Container lines faced overcapacity and huge losses in 2024. Then the Houthis flipped the market in favor of container lines.
The upsurge in rates due to ship diversions did not come soon enough to rescue container lines’ fourth-quarter results.
U.S. crude exports have never been higher. Overseas buyers are incentivizing American producers to pump more “black gold.”
UPS will invest an undisclosed amount of money to build an ultra-modern air package hub at Hong Kong International Airport.
Panama Canal restrictions force more ships to transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen, where they face a hijacking risk.
U.S. agribulk exports to Asia are taking the longer route via the Suez Canal due to Panama transit restrictions.
Persistent congestion and higher delays at the Panama Canal could lead to lasting changes in global LPG shipping flows.
The global coal trade is thriving, with dry bulk ships busy carrying the loads. As the West consumes less coal, Asia buys even more.
Looking ahead, Taiwanese ocean carrier Yang Ming said that “the overall momentum for economic recovery over the next two years still appears relatively weak.”
Ocean carrier HMM attributed much of its first-half net-profit nosedive of 90% to overcapacity in the container shipping industry.
Container lines did not manage post-boom vessel capacity as well as expected. In the trans-Pacific, they may be belatedly getting the hang of it.
Expectations for peak season have waned, but container lines may have bounced off the bottom.
Tanker shipping sanctions compliance is getting a lot more complicated as the price of Russian crude oil rises.
Declining demand for Chinese exports and reduced stimulus options threaten bulk commodity import prospects.
U.S. and EU antitrust authorities are worried about reduced cargo competition from a merger between South Korea’s top airlines.
FedEx Express is quadrupling throughput at one of its airport gateways in Australia.
Large liquefied petroleum gas tankers are riding high on rising U.S. exports and higher Chinese import demand.
Europe faced a potentially disastrous energy shortage after war broke out. LNG shipping played a vital role in limiting the fallout.
Shipping line NYK says operating Nippon Cargo Airlines is too expensive and plans to sell it to another Japanese carrier.
HMM acknowledged that “freight rates in most key trade lanes have been under downward pressure since H1 2022.”
A weaker-than-normal shipping season is hurting Cathay Pacific Cargo’s ability to recover from the pandemic.
Ed Aldridge is retiring from CMA CGM America, and Uffe Ostergaard is leaving Hapag-Lloyd.
“Container demand is expected to be under downward pressure due to considerable uncertainties,” HMM said in its third-quarter earnings release.
Cargo continued to dominate the passenger side at Korean Air during the third quarter.
Investors behind Vietnam’s first domestic cargo airline, IPP Air Cargo, have grounded operations before ever taking off.
Maersk is a giant in the ocean shipping industry. It is also heavily investing to grow its all-cargo airline.
China-based Zongteng Group has acquired a large cargo jet to enhance its global e-commerce logistics distribution capabilities.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller outlines how FreightWaves SONAR pointed to the global freight recession months ago.
Shipping line Maersk has completed the $3.6 billion takeover of Asian retail distribution specialist LF Logistics.
A severe typhoon is headed for the South China region, forcing airlines and ports to take precautions and adjust schedules.
OOIL reports record revenue but has “legitimate concerns about the impact of inflation and interest rate rises on consumer spending.”
Ocean carrier HMM announced Thursday it will invest $7.5 billion over the next five years on ships, terminals and logistics facilities.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller assesses the potential for a “great purge” in trucking fleets.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes the bullwhip effect on the current retail and trucking environments.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes changes taking place in global supply chains.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller lays out the premise of Freedom Trade.
China’s zero-COVID policy is a prescription for more inflation and supply chain “illness.”
Craig Fuller explains the impact of higher diesel prices on the U.S. economy and consumers.
COVID lockdowns in major Chinese cities are bottling up freight shipments, but the full impact on global trade won’t be clear until this summer.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller writes about the impact of Chinese lockdowns on global supply chains and the U.S. trucking industry.
FreightWaves Founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes the impact of the latest Chinese lockdowns on the supply chains between China and the U.S.
Cargo is piling up at the Port of Shanghai because a citywide quarantine means most trucks can’t reach the port to pick up loads and keep commerce flowing.
The ripple effects on logistics from Shanghai’s quarantine are being felt beyond the city as companies try to redirect freight to alternative import/export gateways.
The partnership marks a “pivotal step” toward making green e-methanol more accessible and commercially viable for the maritime industry.
Chinese President Xi is intent on eradicating COVID. The policy has come at a high economic cost. A new lockdown in Kunshan could threaten electronics production and further snarl ocean and air transport.
Shippers should brace for “skyrocketing haulage costs,” HLS Holding warns.
Current CEO Jae Hoon Bae was not mentioned in the announcement that Kyung-bae Kim will succeed him.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is a leader in computer science education; Jonathan Hoffman has expertise in national defense.
Cathay Pacific is a once-proud airline hanging on for dear life.
Donald Trump claimed his trade war got the Chinese to bend to U.S. will. But the “historic” trade deal he negotiated didn’t turn out so well.
“International collaboration is essential to decarbonize global supply chains. It’s time to get started on this important work,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.
“The global supply chain will be further strained because of these lockdowns in China and the result would be a further gap in global demand and supply,” says Container xChange CEO Johannes Schlingmeier.
More COVID control measures in China are impacting international goods movement.
A small COVID outbreak is curtailing industrial operations in the Chinese city of Ningbo and the port could soon feel the ripple effects.
Cathay Pacific is running out of pilots for its freighter operations because of stricter quarantine measures.
“Expectations are that high consumer demand and low inventory levels will keep rates elevated well into next year,” says Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta.
Making freight and logistics activities sustainable in the Asia-Pacific region is anything but simple.
“This record result was achieved despite severe congestion around the network,” says the Hong Kong ocean carrier.
Yes, despite the headaches, the ocean carriers are making boatloads of money.
With limited manpower because of COVID, the main cargo terminal at Shanghai airport can’t process many freighter flights.
Shanghai, the largest container port in the world, has stopped operations because of a big storm.
“This collaboration brings us closer to another source of data and another way to look at last-mile problems.”
The cranes cost $21.6 million to construct; a price tag on vessel and cargo damage has not yet been estimated.
Cainiao, which means newcomer or beginner in Chinese, is the 8-year-old logistics unit of Alibaba. Besides providing express delivery for packages ordered through Alibaba, it is offering end-to-end logistics services to other companies.
Doing business in China is tricky and companies could get sucked into the political quicksand, so best to have an exit strategy to avoid reputational risk, experts say.
A search is ongoing for three missing crew members from a roll-on/roll-off vessel that sank after colliding with a tanker.
FreightWaves and Turvo announced that FreightWaves SONAR will be added to the Turvo collaborative logistics platform.
DHL Express has added two large freighters to its fleet to bolster service between the Asia-Pacific and the U.S. and Europe, in response to “exponential” growth in shipment volume. The […]
Pearl service customers’ imports likely will be delayed arriving from Asia.
