United States expects to bolster trade with South America, hastening liner carrier service changes. By Chris Dupin    In the past month, the Obama administration has been drawing renewed attention to […]

   In late April, a joint venture by ACM Shipping and broker GFI Group exited the container derivatives market.    A GFI spokeswoman said the firm might return someday to […]

   Maersk Line made a profit of $204 million in the first quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of $599 million in the first quarter of 2012. It said […]

The London-based firm said its global freight rate index, which covers 600 trade routes, fell 12 percent in April to reach its lowest level since February 2012, when container shipping was still recovering from […]

Starting with the voyage of the ship Suape Express (1316N), the GS1 will replace the northbound call of Caucedo, Dominican Republic with Cartagena, Colombia. The first call in Cartagena will […]

   Rickmers Holding GmbH & Cie. KG, the parent of the Rickmers Group of shipping companies, intends to issue corporate bonds of up to 200 million euros ($258 million).    […]

   The Coast Guard has completed an environmental assessment of a plan by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to increase the clearance or “air draft” beneath […]

   Mark Ivey Sheppard, vice president for trade and development for the Alabama State Port Authority, died Tuesday at his home following a brief illness. He was 61 years old. […]

The German liner carrier said “Europe-America and Far East services contributed in particular to this growth. Pleasing performance was seen, too, in some of the inter-America services.” Mediterranean services fell below […]

The liner carrier had a net loss of 93.6 million euros ($120 million) in the first quarter 2013, but considered an improvement over the net loss of 132.4 million euros recorded […]

   Hapag-Lloyd has announced substantial rate increases and a peak season surcharge in the Asia-Europe trade.    They include: $1,000-per-TEU general rate increase on the Far East Westbound trade, effective […]

   The Montreal Port Authority said the Canadian Coast Guard has authorized the passage of vessels up to 44 meters wide in the Quebec-Montreal section of the St. Lawrence navigation […]

   A half dozen container shipping lines say they will restructure their services between the Far East and South America east coast.    The Chilean carrier CSAV said the changes are […]

   Yusen Logistics (Americas) will open a new 229,000-square-foot warehouse in Chicago on May 20 that will employ 170 people.    The warehouse will include 185,000 square feet dedicated to […]

Matsuda    David T. Matsuda, head of the Maritime Administration, plans to leave the agency at the end of the month.    In a memorandum sent to industry leaders to […]

   SeaIntel Maritime Analysis says some carriers appear to be moving freight in the Asia-Europe trade lane at below the price of fuel.    In the most recent issue of […]

   United Arab Shipping Co. said an explosion Saturday morning in the engine room of its ship Asir, while en route from Suez to Jeddah, injured three officers.    The ship […]

   Lloyd’s List reported China Shipping Group Chairman Li Shaode has confirmed the five 18,400-TEU ships his company has ordered will be deployed in a 10-year joint service with United Arab […]

   Transportation Worker Identification Credentials, or TWIC cards, were described as a “joke” during hearings before the U.S. House of Representative’s Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee last week.    The hearings came […]

The liner said its petroleum services group is entering the liquefied natural gas market by acquiring Carib Energy, a Florida-based company that was founded in 2011 to export LNG to industrial […]

Hutchison Port Holdings Management said a wage increase proposal put forth by the external contractors at its Hongkong International Terminals, providing a 9.8 percent pay rise, has been accepted by […]

   National Shipping of America (NSA) will start a new fortnightly service between Puerto Rico and the Port of Houston on May 29.    The company will operate its “Isla […]

Jolly Nero    As many as 10 people are feared dead and others injured, some seriously, following an accident at the Port of Genoa late Tuesday night.    The accident occurred […]

   Alphaliner is forecasting a record year for scrapping containerships.    In its latest newsletter, Alphaliner said vessels with a total capacity of 450,000 TEUs are expected to go to the breakers […]

   Panalpina had a consolidated profit of 14.3 million Swiss francs ($15.3 million) in the first quarter compared to a loss of 40.9 million francs in the first quarter of […]

   Canada said it’s adopting strict environmental standards to reduce air emissions from ships navigating in Canadian waters, and these changes further align the country’s air emission standards with those of […]

   Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) said it has begun upgrading its U.S.-flag fleet by replacing eight existing ships with eight newer and larger containerships at a cost of about $500 million. […]

   Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corp., North American agents for Evergreen Line, will return to its headquarters office at One Evertrust Plaza in Jersey City on May 10, following major repairs. […]

The U.S.-flag container carrier, which offers services between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii and Guam, as well as an eastbound service from China, said it had a profit of $9.1 million […]

“As the container shipping industry is a zero-sum game, carriers are de facto forced to match each others’ rate declines in order to maintain their vessel utilization,” said Lars Jensen, […]

   MOL said it will start offering a new Asia-Mexico Express Service, joining a string operated by Hapag-Lloyd.    Designated AME by MOL and AME 1 by Hapag-Lloyd, MOL joins […]

   Purolator International, a provider of U.S.-Canada logistics services, has opened three new branch offices in Columbus, Ohio; Newark, N.J.; and Phoenix, bringing their total number of 33 branches.    […]

   Dockworkers in Hong Kong have decided to end a 40-day strike after securing a promise of a 9.8 percent wage increase and improved working conditions.    The Union of […]

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) said five ships it will build for China Shipping Container Lines will be capable of carrying 18,400 TEUs. The vessels are scheduled to be handed over […]

Speaking during a reception for customers held in Elizabeth, N.J., Lea Bogatch-Genossar, president of Zim America, said the company’s Zim Container Service Pacific (ZCP) is adding the Virginia port with […]

Atlantic Cartier, one of the combination container-roll-on/roll-off ships operated by Atlantic Container Line in its transatlantic liner service, was damaged last week during a fire in Hamburg. Two hundred firefighters […]

   COSCO, Hanjin, and Yang Ming said they will launch a new service connecting Germany, Russia and Finland later this month.    The RFS (Russia–Finland Service) service will use three […]

Members voted in favor of a new six-year contract by a vote of 632-18, according to Dennis A. Daggett, president of Local 1804-1 and the chief negotiator for the maintenance […]

   With dimensions that might have stunned even France’s greatest writer of science fiction, CMA CGM said the third in a series of 16,000-TEU containerships, CMA CGM Jules Verne, will […]

The South Korean liner carrier predicted “even though some difficulties are inevitable due to supply growth, numbers in the second quarter will improve through continued rate restoration efforts and active cost […]

   Attempts by container carriers to tackle surplus capacity are being undone as new orders for ultra large container vessels (ULCVs) make the headlines, said London-based Drewry, in a press […]

   Eurogate said its container terminal in Wilhelmshaven is enhancing its competitiveness by offering hinterland connections by rail at the same prices as other German ports.    “Eurogate Group rail operators Eurogate […]

   Horizon Lines said it lost $20.1 million in the first quarter of its current fiscal year compared to $26.8 million in the same 2012 period.    Horizon, which operates […]

Allegretti    The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), a trade organization for the U.S. shipping industry, said Thomas Allegretti has been elected as its new chairman.    Allegretti is president and chief […]

The Chilean liner shipping company said shareholders meeting in Valparaiso this week approved a plan to increase capital by $500 million that will be used to purchase seven 9,300-TEU ships […]

SA Recycling, a long-time exporter of scrap metal through the port, is working with CML Metals Corp. to send iron ore from mines in Utah, California, Arizona and Nevada to […]

   Hong Kong Radio Television said striking dockworkers are expected to return to the bargaining table on Thursday for a fifth day of talks after little progress was made in […]

   The information service Alphaliner says spot freight rates from China to Europe have crashed.    “Spot freight rates from China to Europe are currently offered at $700-$800 per TEU, […]

The Washington-based NCBFAA wants exemptions pertaining to non-vessel-operating common carrier negotiated rate arrangements (NRAs) extended to foreign-based, unlicensed NVOs as well as U.S.-licensed companies.

Japan’s three large container carriers, which operate with a fiscal year that runs from April 1 to March 31, on Tuesday reported their results for the 2012-2013 fiscal year ending […]

   Maersk Line has named Stephen Richard Schueler as chief commercial officer, effective May 27.    He replaces Lucas Vos, who leaves the position at the liner carrier on May […]

It’s not clear how the company will deploy the ships. Maersk and most large shipping companies have deployed their largest ships in the Asia-Europe trade lane, but such strings generally […]

The Chinese liner company’s report to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange said its container shipping business had revenue of 9.2 billion yuan in the first quarter, 14.3 percent more than in […]

Hong Kong-based OOCL had revenue of $1.36 billion in the quarter, 3.6 percent more than in the same 2012 period. Container volumes in the first quarter were 1,241,454 TEUs, down […]

   Sea Star Line said it has increased its refrigerated container fleet by 25 percent in the past year to better serve the Puerto Rico trade.    The company said […]

   This case highlights the importance of clean equipment when carrying ingredients for moving food.    In 2006, Cargill and Ron Burge Trucking entered into a motor transport agreement that […]

   During the 19th and early 20th centuries, logs were frequently transported in rafts, and sometimes sank to the bottom of rivers. Aqua Log is a company that recovers sunken […]

Ports, terminals prepare for challenges from bigger ships, expanding alliances. By Chris Dupin    Ports and terminals in the United States and worldwide will have to accommodate growing numbers of […]

First Solar counts on carriers, 3PLs to deliver materials safely to project sites. By Chris Dupin    While clouds have been hanging over the solar energy industry in recent years due […]

‘The transition continues and there is no turning back.’ By Chris Dupin    Container carriers are continuing the push to reduce the size of their U.S. chassis fleets, but their […]

A leading U.S.-flag shipowners’ group said a proposal by the Obama administration to allow more purchasing of food abroad and eliminating requirements that it be carried on U.S. merchant ships would […]

   Evergreen said it will launch a new weekly direct service next month linking central China with the U.S. West Coast.    The China-Pacific South West Service (CPS2) will employ […]

The $743.3 million contract was issued to a joint venture of Skanska Koch and Kiewit Infrastructure Co. as part of a $1.29 billion project to raise the bridge so bigger ships can […]

Ocean carriers are reaping big savings through slow steaming and using larger vessels, but a Germanischer Lloyd official said significant additional benefits can be realized through adopting improved technology.

   It’s become an article of faith for some in the transportation industry that ocean shipping’s move to larger ships will be a boon to the environment.    But speaking […]

   The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday morning that the Port of Mobile was open following an explosion Wednesday evening aboard a gasoline barge owned by Kirby Inland Marine.    […]

   Maersk Line will discontinue its participation in two direct services, its West Med and Med Gulf strings, later this spring in favor of a feeder network to serve Mediterranean […]

Hong Kong’s Labor Secretary, Matthew Cheung, met with striking dock workers on Monday and urged them to return to the negotiating table. The workers are employed by subcontractors at Hong […]

“The lack of investigation and accident reports hinders the development of appropriate measures by IMO to address the cause of serious incidents in which seafarers may have lost their lives.” […]

“Where the cargo to fill the extra capacity is going to come from has not yet been defined,” the London-based firm said, adding it appeared carriers expect to entice some cargo […]

While the new containerships will result in a big infusion of capacity in the Asia-Europe trade, “we will put them in over a prolonged period and we will take out a […]

A report released this month estimates the cost of Somalia Piracy was around $5.7 billion-$6.1 billion in 2012, despite notable gains achieved by private armed security guards and aggressive naval […]

   Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett visited the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal Thursday to welcome Horizon Lines to the Port of Philadelphia.  PA Governor Tom Corbett welcomes […]

“Some other lines have chosen to respond to lower demand levels by lowering prices. Such a move risks resulting in a fully-fledged price war: a development that concerns us,” said Vincent […]

The agreement was announced Thursday by New York/New Jersey port Local 1804-1’s president, Dennis A. Daggett, on the union’s Facebook page. He said “we are in the process of fine […]

Lawmakers worry whether the Transportation Security Administration will be able to efficiently handle the renewal of large numbers of Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) expiring this year.

   The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in the American Trucking Associations’ ongoing challenge to the Port of Los Angeles to impose a comprehensive licensing scheme on trucks hauling […]

Lawmakers yesterday blasted plans by the Obama administration to modify food aid programs to allow more local and regional purchasing of food, citing negative effects on both farmers and the U.S. […]

“Efforts to increase eastbound freight rates by ocean carriers operating between Asia and West Coast North America (WCNA) remain ineffectual with new services planned rather than laying up unwanted vessel […]

   APL is planning to take four of its U.S.-flag ships out service – the President Adams, President Jackson, President Polk and President Truman — citing reduced need for transport by […]

The vote by employers followed approval of both the local contract in New York and master contract covering 14 container ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts by ILA […]

News reports said Tuesday’s negotiations between dockworkers and their employer would be the third round of talks mediated by the Hong Kong’s Labor Department in the past 20 days of […]

   The Philadelphia-based logistics company BDP International has taken an equity position in Interflex, based in Cartagena, Colombia.    The resulting joint venture will operate as BDP International Colombia under its […]

   The Global Shippers’ Forum said it has begun a campaign to enhance safety in the maritime transport supply chain.    “While the vast majority of shippers comply with the rules, […]

   Bahri said it had a net profit in the three months ending March 31 of 144.5 million SAR-Saudi Arabian Riyal ($38.5 million), a decrease of 9.7 percent from the […]

   Liner carrier Evergreen said it will join forces with COSCO and Zim to operate a new service between the Far East – South America Service (ESA).    Evergreen said […]

The Canadian Shipowners Association are worried the new vessel general permit published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could threaten the commercial viability of its members’ operations in the Great Lakes.

“With over 40 ships of at least 10,000 TEUs due for delivery in 2013, carriers will find it increasingly difficult to manage capacity without upsetting the fragile supply-demand balance,” the […]

   Liner carriers Evergreen and CMA CGM are starting a new, weekly service connecting Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea.    Called the South Red Sea Service (SRS2) […]

News reports said talks between striking Hong Kong dockworkers and the contractors who employ them resumed on Thursday. The talks ended abruptly Wednesday after just three hours. The strike is […]

   President Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2014 includes $4.8 billion in gross discretionary funding for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program, offset in part by a proposal to cancel […]

“USA Maritime is severely disappointed that the Obama administration has moved forward with this misguided proposal to effectively eliminate the long-standing and successful Food for Peace program,” the group’s chairman […]

According to Hong Kong news reports, mediation talks between striking dockworkers and the contractors who employ them have “broken off without any immediate progress,” as the strike at HKIT continues […]

   The Port of Hamburg said the COSCO Belgium, the first of eight, new 13,380-TEU ships that COSCO is putting into service will arrive at HHLA’s Container Terminal Tollerort on […]

Along with the master contract, local agreements at most ports along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts also were ratified by ILA members, including one with the NYSA. Negotiations are continuing […]

   An Austrian company will build a plant for making hot briquetted iron (HBI), a raw material used for making steel, in Corpus Christi, Texas.    Port Corpus Christi Authority […]

Unions representing Hong Kong dockworkers will hold talks with two contractors and mediators from Hong Kong’s Labor Department on Wednesday, according to a report from Radio Television Hong Kong.

   General cargo at the Port of New Orleans totaled 7.55 million tons in 2012, 8.6 percent more than in 2011.     Volume was boosted by steel imports, which were […]

Rickmers Chennai    Rickmers-Linie said it will add a another ship to its fleet.    The 19,100- deadweight-ton Pacific Winter, to be renamed Rickmers Chennai, is a sister ship to […]

About 14,500 rank-and-file members of the International Longshoremen’s Union who work at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are voting today on whether to ratify a new six-year master […]