The global shipping industry is constantly evolving, and the COVID-19 pandemic began a marked shift in how container shipping operates. Disruption caused by the pandemic has forced the industry to expand its capacity and reduce costs to remain profitable.
At the peak of the pandemic, containers essentially stopped moving. As manufacturers went into lockdown and closed factories, many of the containers used to ship those manufactured goods were left stranded at ports or storage depots, where they weren’t needed. Simultaneously, freight shippers were reducing the number of vessels in use due to the manufacturing slowdown. This limited global shipping capacity and disrupted the worldwide flow of containers and goods. As a result, some regions were left with an excess of stored containers, while other places were left with no containers at all.
As the pandemic slowed and the global economy began to rebound, labor shortages and congestion at ports have left many of these stored containers stuck where they aren’t needed. Now, instead of a shortage of shipping containers, the industry is dealing with too many. Many container storage depots are turning away new clients due to lack of space, and some shippers are even giving containers away to make room. Blank and cancelled sailings are increasing as well, as shippers decide to skip a port or cancel a trip altogether in order to manage changes in demand and capacity.
Check back here for the latest news and insights on the state of the container shipping industry. You can also visit our maritime news archive to learn more about cargo shipping, or our American Shipper archive for air cargo shipping industry news.
For DHL Global Forwarding, the coronavirus pandemic is no excuse for the ocean freight industry to neglect sustainability initiatives in the supply chain.
French shipping giant says in a tweet expected some 24 hours earlier that all maritime and port operations are functioning normally.
Insight Partners’ investment will allow PayCargo to build new online freight payment services and tools for shippers, 3PLs and transportation providers.
The French shipping giant’s network is down.
Marine fuel prices are down 30% year-on-year despite the IMO 2020 regulation.
Executive Director Gene Seroka shines spotlight on trade gap on “Squawk Box Asia.”
French ocean carrier CMA CGM is diversifying into a multi-modal transport and logistics company, dipping its toe into the air cargo market after buying a huge third-party logistics company last year.
Shipping channel widening is expected to begin next year.
Good luck finding an available aircraft to haul your goods at a reasonable price for the next three months. Competition for airlift is fierce these days. Find out why.
The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association says the Federal Maritime Commission’s jurisdiction does not apply to a domestic transport dispute with container-hauling truckers.
South Korean carrier announces opening of fleet control center but doesn’t open up about sailing plans.
Bullish signal: Strong demand for box equipment extends into 2021.
The Jacques Saadé is the first of nine vessels designed to reduce CMA CGM’s environmental footprint.
Earnings reports from retailers show a clear shakeout between winners and losers.
Bias-ply tires persist within the nation’s container chassis fleet, but equipment providers vow that their days are numbered with the ongoing switch to radial tires.
Analysts point to upside prospects for container-ship stocks as charter rates rebound.
Ocean shipping stocks remain mired in a sea of red. A bad year is getting worse.
Northwest Seaport Alliance CEO John Wolfe is encouraged by an increase in imports so far this month.
Newly released case study says gateway’s work could become model for other Canadian ports
Campaign to end cargo-related accidents continues with flow of information in multiple languages.
China could decide enough is enough if trans-Pacific rates rise too high.
“China and tariffs: Why COVID has actually increased cargo yields” was the topic of a virtual fireside chat at the American Shipper Global Trade Tech Summit.
Retail giant will be the first tenant in the port-owned Ridgeville Commerce Park.
New Panjiva survey reveals extent of coronavirus fallout on global supply chains.
Gene Seroka says the “disruption and breakdown of the global medical supply chain” during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for change in the maritime sector.
There were no balloons or cake when the Port of Los Angeles announced its record-breaking August volumes.
The deal comes amid wider efforts from both companies to expand their reach and increase supply chain efficiency.
The Malaysia captain and crew followed instructions from the Coast Guard in the rescue of four people aboard the sailboat Yes Dear.
“Our August volumes surpassed expectations, reflecting the best year-over-year month since the pandemic began impacting global supply chains in March,” says SCPA President and CEO Jim Newsome.
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America said its members are tired of ocean carriers charging them hundreds of dollars over their service contract rates.
The 15,072-TEU CMA CGM Brazil earns the honor as the biggest container ship to call the East Coast.
COVID-19 may have disrupted supply chains but not the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission’s regulatory and policy focus on ocean container shipping, FMC chairman says.
Hyster introduces newest double-empty container handler to marine terminal and intermodal rail yard operators.
As prosecutors rack up guilty pleas in 2019 case, more coke crosses via ship from South America to Europe in 2020.
Iowa transportation company Travero plans to open a multimodal cross-dock operation by next September.
Shipping line works with APM Terminals Mobile, the Alabama State Port Authority and Team Rubicon to get 36,000 pounds of needed goods to the people of Louisiana.
New ocean container floor design developed and tested by the Institute of International Container Lessors over the past 10 years reduces wood use by up to 45%.
Just over a month after a massive explosion killed nearly 200 people, Lebanon’s capital city again filled with choking smoke
Information sharing is part of Executive Director Gene Seroka’s quest for more efficient operations.
U.S. importers now paying three times more per mile than Europeans for transport of Chinese goods.
On the whole, deregulation of transportation is beneficial to the economy.
A.P. Moller-Maersk’s recent announcement that Damco will no longer exist as a separate brand is expected to drive some shippers into the arms of others.
CMA CGM bonds that traded at 55 cents on the dollar in March are now trading near par.
McKinsey warns that global shocks will become more frequent and shippers must improve the resiliency of their supply chains.
Intermodal was supposed to be the growth engine for rail.
Layoffs loom. Maersk maintains changes are not about cutting costs amid COVID, but about improving service.
Direct ChassisLink has added 1,000 new chassis to the Gulf Coast region since its departure from the OCEMA Gulf Consolidated Chassis Pool earlier this year.
Canadian Pacific and CN say the deepwater ports are key to gaining market share.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission’s Office of Administrative Law Judges is expected to announce an initial decision in this multibillion-dollar complaint against the ocean carriers by August 2021.
Some ships bypass calls at Port NOLA this week, although Port Houston reports no schedule changes.
Hong Kong-based 3PL’s warehouse business suffers from shrinking inventories, but forwarding business saves the day, leading to $109 million first-half profit.
The pandemic, trade war and a communication gap have muddled implementation of a $10-per-TEU surcharge.
The trans-Atlantic may not be the dominant container market, but it remains dependable for hungry ocean consolidators and forwarders.
U.S. importers turn to Chinese sellers in the wake of COVID.
Good news: Ocean volumes are recovering from COVID.
Q2 EBITDA increases 53.7% and operating cash flow jumps 86.9%.
The American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference seeks to put an end to alleged price manipulation of container chassis usage between ocean carriers and draymen.
The Intermodal Association of North America said the federal agency’s signoff allows more efficient training and helps recruit and retain equipment mechanics.
Maritime Employers Association announces longshore workers will handle ‘controlled substances and COVID-19-related merchandise.’
“We are going to lose some of the food and pharmaceuticals.”
Top July welcome news amid “devastating effects of the coronavirus on the economy.”
New normal for container shipping: active capacity management and digital spot bookings.
Shipco Transport and its container freight station subsidiary ICT have adopted Vector Software to reduce human contact and on-site paperwork processing as the coronavirus persists.
Executive Director Gene Seroka does not want to break the 15-month record set during the recession of 2008-09.
The campaign is part of a broader effort to prevent the spillage of the tiny pellets during their transport.
Former XPO executive Daniel Walsh succeeds Jennifer Polli, who is credited with leading the chassis provider through “significant transformation.”
COVID-19 could ignite geopolitical clashes and cause “meltdown” in U.S. consumer demand.
Taiwanese carrier’s dry bulk business takes a beating.
The coronavirus pandemic remains a “major source of uncertainty for the entire logistics industry.”
The Port of Charleston reports its busiest July for vehicles handled.
“We’re not doing any victory celebrations because the trade outlook remains unclear as long as the pandemic is with us.”
Asia-U.S. ocean freight rates are hitting record highs as import demand outpaces vessel supply.
The railway hopes to build its intermodal presence in the East and bolster the network serving Toronto, Montreal and the U.S. Midwest.
Operating profit “turnaround” of more than $300 million reported.
Some volumes have been diverted to the Port of Halifax and other East Coast ports.
State-of-the-art rubber-tired gantry cranes will have 169 feet of lift height.
Longshore workers walk for the fourth time since the beginning of July.
PayCargo has become a force in the online payment of freight transportation bills and now offers coronavirus-impacted shippers and forwarders credit lines to smooth their cash flow.
Victoria and the city of Melbourne, Australia, are tightening health measures to stop an outbreak of the coronavirus. Imports and exports could get stuck at terminals and warehouses.
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control is accused of failing to enforce environmental law.
Multiple Lebanese government agencies may have known dangerous ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse.
Containers are used to carry imports to the U.S., but they also carry exports from the U.S. The agriculture industry depends on them, but COVID-19 has caused the system to fray…
Container carriers are rerouting goods and assessing damage following Tuesday’s blast.
Federal government asked to contribute $3 billion to cover projected losses.
Ports on the Atlantic are losing imports from Europe as well as Asia.
Container lines, some with damaged or destroyed buildings, are scrambling to reroute cargo bound for Lebanon.
Logistics providers are worried that new emergency measures to combat a COVID resurgence in Victoria, Australia, will hamstring deliveries of imports and exports.
Deutsche Post DHL saw a significant rise in e-commerce activity during the second quarter due to continued COVID-19 travel restrictions and retail store closures.
Lebanese officials blame confiscated highly explosive material for the blast, according to reports.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission found during its Fact Finding 29 investigation that the Port of New York and New Jersey showed supply chain resolve during the coronavirus pandemic.
Two logistics parks are in operation nearby and more are to come in Alabama.
With airfreight capacity squeezed and rates high between China and the U.S., ocean freight consolidators offer the option of fast, cheaper less-than-container load, trans-Pacific services.
DCLI chief commercial officer warns shippers and truckers who seek a national chassis pool: Be careful what you wish for.
Jacksonville, Florida, port this week also welcomed the largest LNG-powered ro-ro vessel on its maiden voyage to the United States.
New data reveals just how far ship orders have sunk. The fewer ships ordered, the higher future rates could climb.
Digital platform is designed to provide shippers end-to-end transparency.
Supply chain strategy set “to seamlessly and efficiently import materials and export tires to global markets.”
Canadian Union of Public Employees says port labor toils for 19 days before receiving a two-day break.
“Cargo volume reductions related to COVID-19 were offset by the strength of our export markets and record volumes earlier in the year,” says GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch.
Orient Overseas Container Line briefly outlines performance for the second quarter and first six months of 2020.
