Business

   Members of the G6 Alliance today announced the cancellation of two Asia-Europe sailings in response to seasonal changes in market demand.

   The Taiwanese carrier said it had signed charter agreements with both Costamare and Shoei Kisen Kaisha for each to provide, on charter, five 14,000-TEU containerships to be delivered during […]

   Strikes have stopped operations at some ports in Chile near the beginning of the country’s winter fruit export season.

   Container Trade Statistics said that “in line with market expectations, the global containerized output contracted in November, reflecting the cyclical trough associated with the final quarter of the year.” […]

   Hanjin told customers on Thursday that it will end its New Trans Atlantic (NTA) service between the U.S. East Coast and North Europe.    “This decision comes in light […]

   The U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday announced its so-called “Look South” initiative to help American companies increase their exports to Latin America.    The Look South Initiative is specifically […]

   Gold Star Line (GSL) is ending its Australia China Express Line service known as ACX on Jan. 26 after more than four decades of service.    GSL said it […]

   APL said it will reorganize along functional instead of geographic lines “to drive its business forward.”    “The container shipping industry is undergoing profound changes, characterized by low growth […]

The carrier said Thursday it has received a draft cease and desist order and a draft surcharge order from the Japanese Fair Trade Commission indicating it, as one of several […]

   The Suez Canal Authority has announced the names of 14 consortia that have qualified to draw up master plans to develop an industrial and logistics hub for the canal. […]

   The new affiliate will have a structure similar to Maersk’s other regional carriers, which include MCC Transport on intra-Asia trades and Seago on intra-Europe routes.

   Ownership of the parent company of SSA Marine, which describes itself as the world’s largest independent, privately-held marine terminal operator, has changed hands.    Carrix, Inc. and its parent […]

   A BBC report over the weekend found that construction on a canal that runs through Nicaragua would probably not begin until next year, but the AP reported Monday reported […]

   A.P. Moller-Maersk said it is divesting its shares in a Danish supermarket chain, receiving net proceeds of $3 billion and an accounting gain of about $2.5 billion through the deal.

   Yasumi Kudo, NYK Line’s president, said he has created an executive committee to oversee antitrust law compliance; he called on employees to “redouble our efforts to ensure antitrust law […]

   Reederei NSB, the owner of the containership MSC Monterey, which sought protection in St. Mary’s Bay, Newfoundland, last week after developing a crack in its deck and hull, said […]

   CMA CGM said one of its ships, the 5,770-TEU Rossini, lost 14 containers overboard off Ushant at the southern entrance to the western English Channel on the night of […]

   The Shanghai Container Freight Index was set at 1,176.12 on Friday, Jan. 3, 62.39 points higher than a week earlier.    The index is a weighted average of estimated […]

   A Florida-based management consultant who previously was a port executive suggested that because Florida ports are receiving more assistance from the state they should “engage in an exchange of […]

   COSCO Group said it held a ceremony in Ocean Plaza Dec. 30 for the signing of a shipbuilding contract with China State Shipbuilding Corporation for four 64,000 DWT dry […]

   The first stage of a container terminal in Cuba at the Mariel Special Development Zone west of Havana will be opened this month by President Raul Castro and Dilma […]

   The White House has reinstated Mali’s eligibility to receive trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, meaning that 40 of the 49 potentially eligible countries in sub-Saharan […]

   The amount of capacity on idle, unemployed containerships reached reached 718,000 TEU in mid-December, according to Alphaliner, and “is expected to continue to rise until the end of March, […]

   The containership chartering company Seaspan Corp. announced Monday it has entered into an agreement to extend and refinance its $1 billion credit facility.    “The refinancing provides multiple benefits […]

   The president of the International Longshoremen’s Association says a joint lawsuit by his union and two employer groups against the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor will continue despite […]

   Press outlets have reported the Hyundai Group has announced a major restructuring plan, that will include selling financial assets and support for its shipping company, Hyundai Merchant Marine.

   Hanjin Shipping said it will raise 300 billion Korean won (KRW) ($283 million) by spinning off its dedicated bulk business into a joint venture.

“K” Line Next Generation Car Carriers    The Japanese shipping company “K” Line said it has decided to double the number of next-generation car carrier vessels it is ordering.    […]

   The Federal Maritime Commission announced it reached compromise agreements with two Japanese companies for alleged violations of the Shipping Act by their roll-on, roll-off cargo operations.     Under separate […]

   ‘Tis the day after Christmas, but no matter how carefully they hung their stockings, for many port executives funding for dredging and port infrastructure remains just a vision dancing […]

   Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., said Monday it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire American Petroleum Tankers (APT) and State Class Tankers (SCT) from affiliates of The […]

   Maersk, in its Dec. 17 “Weekly Highlights” newsletter, has laid out contingency plans in connection with the upcoming Chinese New Year period.    “We have endeavored to balance our […]

   Canada’s Port of Sept-Îles on the Saint Lawrence Seaway said it set a new record earlier this month when it loaded 302,264 tons of iron ore on a ship, […]

   The Danish foundation that controls the A.P. Møller-Maersk conglomerate, A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal, has restructured.    A.P. Møller-Maersk said the foundation, which […]

   NOL Group has appointed 30-year logistics industry veteran Beat Simon to president of its APL Logistics subsidiary, effective March 1.    Simon joins APL Logistics from Agility, where he […]

   United Arab Shipping Co., which has nearly doubled U.S. cargo volumes this year, plans to consolidate most jobs, including employees from its U.S. headquarters of United Arab Agencies in […]

   Ecu-Line, a non-vessel-operating common carrier based in Antwerp and subsidiary of the Avvashya Group in India, has partnered with FCL Marine Agencies in Rotterdam.    FCL Marine is a […]

   China has issued a new document to clarify value-added tax measures that went into effect in Aug. 1, which have caused concern in the shipping and logistics industry both […]

   A report on large container ship safety, growing out of the loss of the container ship MOL Comfort, which broke in half June 17, has been released, setting visual […]

   The deal will establish a joint U.S.-Libya Council on Trade and Investment, which will address issues including market access, intellectual property, labor, and environmental challenges, the Office of the […]

   The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food on Wednesday pledged to improve trade in beef and beef-related products between the two countries.

   Let’s face it, shippers and non-vessel-operating common carriers are wed to their liner carriers, for better or worse.    The economics of the container shipping industry are such the […]

   In a new analysis, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors has found that “carriers continue to be spooked by the specter of imminent big ship deliveries and so are fighting to […]

   When I read that two former executives at the state run-Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) were sentenced to death Monday for alleged embezzlement, I was troubled.

   Members of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission met with regulators from China and the European Commission on Tuesday as all three review plans by container shipping companies to form […]

Senate Confirms Johnson to lead DHS.   By a vote of 78 to 16, the U.S. Senate voted Monday to confirm Jeh Johnson as secretary of homeland security.    President Obama […]

   A job dispute at Portland’s container terminal has been resolved. Work involving plugging in and unplugging refrigerated containers will be assigned to workers represented by the International Longshore and […]

   According to reports, despite a loss of $67 million in the first three quarters of this year, Evergreen “might post a profit for the whole of this year thanks […]

   The Federal Maritime Commission will hold its Global Regulatory Summit on shipping Dec. 17.    The agency confirmed regulators from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the European […]

   Peter Keller, the president of Sea Star Line, will become executive vice president of TOTE, Sea Star’s parent company. He will oversee TOTE Shipholdings and the TOTE Maritime Division, […]

   Hyundai Merchant Marine has provided details on the port rotations for the services it will offer next year in the Asia to North America West Coast and on the […]

   The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security has added 36 companies and individuals to the Entity List for “engaging in actions contrary to the national security or […]

   The U.S. International Trade Commission said imports of silica bricks and shapes from China do not hurt domestic manufacturing, even though the Commerce Department determined earlier that they are […]

   Siim Kallas, the vice president of the European Commission responsible for transport, told a Danish publication that the proposed P3 Alliance between Maersk Line, MSC and CGM CGA is […]

   The South Carolina State Ports Authority’s James Newsome said he hoped the P3 would be approved in some form, but said ports that are in close proximity may file […]

   The G6 carriers — APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, MOL, NYK, and OOCL — filed their agreement on Dec. 2, and it is slated to go into effect Jan. […]

   The Asian Shippers Council (ASC) at its annual meeting on this week in Shenzhen, China, has objected to the proposal by Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM to form the […]

   Intertanko said, “Vetting inspections of tankers by oil companies are proliferating in frequency, rising steadily in cost and, at an estimated $300 million a year, are well on the […]

   Frank Peake was sentenced to serve five years in prison and made to pay a $25,000 criminal fine for his participation in a conspiracy to fix rates and surcharges for […]

   APL Logistics today opened its first APL Logistics/Carmichael International Service customs brokerage office in Laredo, Texas.    APL Logistics, the supply chain management unit of Singapore’s NOL Group, acquired […]

   Two shipping analysts are warning of containership over capacity in commentaries released today.    In the latest edition of its Container Insight Weekly, the London-based consultant Drewry said it […]

   The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released its annual Review of Maritime Transport, a 204-page book that can be downloaded online.   The 2013 review […]

   The Federal Maritime Commission voted Thursday to approve a request for additional information from the parties to the proposed P3 Network Vessel Sharing Agreement — Maersk, MSC and CMA […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank has authorized a $640.7 million direct loan to Star Refineri A.S. of Istanbul, Turkey, which will finance the export of American-made oil refinery equipment and […]

   The Federal Maritime Commission has released 83 pages of comments from shippers, ports, government officials and others about the proposal by Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM to create a […]

   “Joint ventures are part of Zim’s ongoing strategy,” Rafael Ben-Ari, Zim’s vice president, shipping, said. “Our aim, as always, is to improve the services to our customers.” Any cooperative […]

   The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday reported that the country’s exports of goods and services for October reached an “all-time monthly high” of $192.7 billion, up from $189.3 billion […]

   Sweden announced Dec. 3 the launch of a new trade facilitation training facility in Arusha, Tanzania.    The Swedish government, through its development agency Sida, will provide an initial […]

   A group of countries with a tradition in obtaining and importing illegally procured elephant ivory in Africa committed this week at the African Elephant Summit in Botswana to stiffer […]

   The Port of Jacksonville said $12.4 million has been spent over the past 18 months improving the heavy lift cargo berth at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal. The project […]

   The president of the New York Shipping Association (NYSA) fired back at the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor with a statement saying that the NYSA board of directors […]

   Hapag-Lloyd said it will revise and enhance its Gulf Caribbean Service (GCS).    It said the rotation of the current GCS is extended to provide Eastbound and Westbound calls for […]

   The plant will produce about 180 metric tons per year, which will be packaged into large sacks and loaded on to trucks (25 truck trips annually) for shipment to […]

   The Port of Antwerp Authority said it will invite expressions of interest for new opportunities to expand cargo handling capacity at its Deurganck dock, a request prompted by the […]

   The Federal Maritime Commission said Monday it planned to host on Dec. 17 a global regulatory summit “in light of the increased networking among ocean common carriers.” Regulators from […]

   Maersk said it will launch a new  new weekly intra-America service, MesoAmerica Express (MAE), that will connect the United States and Puerto Rico with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, […]

   The Federal Antimonopoly Service said the case was initiated upon materials obtained in the course of several dozens of unscheduled on-site inspections of economic entities — in particular, Russian […]

   The six containership companies that belong to the G6 Alliance are planning to expand their cooperation to the Asia-U.S. West Coast and transatlantic trade lanes. The new services are […]

   U.S. steel imports in October increased 8.4 percent compared to September based on preliminary data reported by the government and analyzed by the American Institute for International Steel.    […]

In a letter to the FMC, ILA President Harold Daggett wrote, “Such a drastic consolidation of capacity naturally leads to questions as to the long-term impact of such an agreement […]

   During the third quarter, Zim, the Israel-based container shipping company, had a net loss of $44 million, down from a $97 million loss in the second quarter of this […]

   MTC Logistics, a subsidiary of Hoffberger Holdings, Inc., will expand its Port of Baltimore temperature-controlled distribution center located at the Chesapeake Commerce Center.    “The strategic position immediately adjacent […]

   The European Shippers’ Council and the Asian Shippers’ Meeting said they have “agreed to take their cooperation to the next level,” according to a statement after a meeting last […]

   Shipper groups are expressing reservations over the plan by the three largest container carriers — Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM — to form a P3 alliance to operate on […]

   The Port of Oakland Truckers Association said that as many as 800 drivers may not be able to work at the port after Jan. 1 because of California clean […]

   Holt Logistics Corp. said Tuesday that Bermuda Container Line (BCL) will move its U.S. port of call from Elizabeth, N.J., to Holt’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in Philadelphia in […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank has approved a $61.1 million direct loan to Inversiones Eolicas de Orosi Dos S.A. (Orosi), a subsidiary of Central American wind-generation company Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy, […]

   Representatives to the World Trade Organization’s General Council held the “most intensive” negotiations in Geneva since July 2008, but final agreements remain elusive in the face of the Bali […]

   The 26,500-DWT ships, which are being built by VT Halter Marine, will have a cargo capacity of approximately 2,400 TEU, with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles. They are […]

   JF Hillebrand Group AG, a third-party logistics specialist in the beverage industry, has acquired Houston-based Satellite Logistics Group.    Terms of the deal were not disclosed.    SLG specializes in […]

   The World Trade Organization released a final report this week backing the European Union’s ban on trade in products of commercial seal hunts. In 2010, Canada and Norway initiated […]

   United Arab Shipping Company is introducing two new feeder services to improve its service in Asia.    “The dedicated and direct services will run weekly, covering Japan, Central and […]

   The company said transported volume reached 493,512 TEU in the third quarter of 2013, an increase of 5.6 percent compared to the second quarter of 2013 and of 0.8 […]

   The lawsuit claims the commission, which was created in 1953 to fight corruption, “has gone off the rails to pursue a future role for itself that is well outside […]

   CMA CGM, the world’s third largest container shipping company, said it had a profit attributable to shareholders of $70 million in the third quarter, compared to $363 million in […]

   The European Commission said it has “opened formal antitrust proceedings against several container liner shipping companies to investigate whether they engaged in concerted practices, in breach of EU antitrust […]

   The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to investigate imports of certain windshield wipers — “flat blades” or “beam blades,” as referred to by the automotive industry — and related […]

   The U.S. and Moroccan governments Thursday signed a Trade Facilitation Agreement with a focus on improving transparency of customs practices between the two countries. The deal builds on the United […]

   The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that a $275 million loan under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act (TIFIA) has been issued to Georgia to build new reversible lanes […]

   A Port of Cleveland official said the service will be the “fastest and greenest route” between Europe and North America’s heartland, allowing regional companies to potentially ship goods four […]