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.
Ship calls and volume expected to pick up in July, officials from South Carolina and New York/New Jersey ports tell the Agriculture Transportation Coalition
Canceled shipments hurt carriers as much as blanked sailings sting customers, says Hamburg Süd’s president for North America
Quick action sets the bar for terminal operators across the country, says Agriculture Transportation Coalition chief
Panel of importers and exporters will advise the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on policies of competitiveness, reliability, integrity and fairness in ocean shipping.
Port of LA chief promotes nationwide port optimization system to enhance visibility and improve execution
U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner Rebecca Dye said Fact Finding 29’s work will help the American ocean shipping industry better prepare the supply chain for the post-virus economic recovery.
Agriculture Transportation Coalition hears pandemic’s effect on global movement of goods
The fourth quarter of 2020 or the first quarter of 2021 might be when the intermodal sector will see some volume growth. But truck capacity, fuel pricing and pandemic uncertainties make a recovery hard to pin down.
An exclusive interview with Deutsche Bank’s Amit Mehrotra on what COVID-19 means to transport stocks.
Pandemic-caused shortages put spotlight on importance of cargo moved through California ports
Supply chain management solutions provider project44 said it has shippers covered no matter where and how their cargo is transported throughout the world.
The more sailings cancelled, the more risk to companies leasing container ships to carriers.
Nine carriers in the Digital Container Shipping Association say eliminating paper from transactions will improve all aspects of the process.
NCBFAA President Janet Fields has knowledge and skills to lead industry through worst of times, former association President Amy Magnus says.
Northwest Seaport Alliance reports 39 canceled sailings in first four months of 2020.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission says an amendment to the Puerto Nuevo Terminals Agreement poses no anticompetitive concern.
Box import volumes may be falling fast, but there are glimmers of hope.
European Commission scrutinizing financial incentives from South Korean government
German carrier is cutting costs and counting cash as the economic impact from the pandemic is expected to hit Q2 results.
“Nowcasting” platform uses ship-tracking data to detect coronavirus fallout.
San Pedro Bay complex braces for more blanked sailings as coronavirus pandemic rages on.
Taiwanese carrier among Asian container shipping lines criticized for government subsidies.
Ports authority reports refrigerated container record and largest vessel call.
CNBC’s Lori Ann LaRocco writes about the impact of COVID-19 on U.S.-China trade, particularly in regard to the trade war between the two nations.
The path ahead will look very different, according to global seaport authorities.
Future cargo flows at escalating risk from inaction on stranded seafarers.
World’s largest box carrier expects capacity cuts to mitigate volume downside.
Japanese carrier tempers profitability news with financial concerns.
As ships sail full in May, the hope is that fewer 3Q sailings get the ax.
Gene Seroka expects supply chain fractures may remain after the world heals from the coronavirus pandemic.
But in looking at big picture, Executive Director Griff Lynch is celebrating small victories.
Harbor Trucking Association hosts a wide-ranging conversation with West Virginia senator.
German container carrier also boosting lines of credit to tap if needed and holding off on buying new ships.
Singapore-based container carrier digs out from $586 million fiscal-year loss to report $105 million profit and procures 5,000 40-foot units.
Three former competitors’ collaboration had drawn criticism from the World Shipping Council and International Longshoremen’s Association.
New data from eeSea reveals that U.S. ports will see capacity plunge by up to 20% this month.
U.S. Federal Maritime Commission asks lawmakers to consider “financial bridge” to help container terminals make their lease payments.
Shippers and forwarders will be cautious with how much cargo they commit to the ocean container carriers this contract season, industry experts say.
COVID-19 can accelerate many existing but slow-moving trends in the industry as it has forced changes in behavior and altered industry priorities.
Liners could scrape bottom over next two months, then recover.
International association of forwarders says members have tools and knowledge to ease container-shipping pain of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 pandemic challenges American seed producers to secure airfreight capacity to meet spring planting.
Mayor Eric Garcetti grateful for “lifesaving purchase agreement” with Honeywell.
Industry sage Martin Stopford dives deep into the future of global trade.
Distribution patterns expected to change in post-coronavirus world.
Regulatory guidance is expected to be significant to American shippers facing container availability charges from carriers and marine terminals during COVID-19 pandemic.
Hong Kong-based shipping line says first-quarter volume was down less than half a percent despite pandemic.
Judge gives Maersk go-ahead to jump ship from GCT terminal in Staten Island.
The smallest of the standardized ocean containers in the global fleet remains ideal for dense, heavy agricultural goods, forest products, and machinery shipments.
Employees will test devices that vibrate when wearers come too close to protect them from coronavirus infection.
Service contract negotiations between container carriers and shippers are being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission says.
A CFO, government affairs VP and two life science sales directors are hired and a Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association board appointment is announced.
IHS Markit’s Paul Bingham predicts sustained 2020 weakness and higher long-term costs.
The 12 members of Reopen Jacksonville will advise the Florida city’s mayor on the easing of stay-at-home restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
While suffering a significant drop in cargo volume during the coronavirus pandemic, the seaport stands “ready to help position America’s industries for future success,” says Executive Director Gene Seroka.
The 24,000-TEU Algeciras will make maiden voyage from Qingdao, China, on Monday.
“We expect that more shippers will shift from just-in-time supply chains to just-in-case supply chains,” U.S. CEO Mark McCullough said.
Maersk plans sudden switch from Staten Island to New Jersey. The Staten Island terminal is fighting back.
Final steel floor beam lifted into place two years after assembly of main span got underway.
The German shipping line says it has cut CO2 emissions per transported TEU by about 50% since 2008
Container equipment shortage exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic stresses upper-Midwest soybean exporter trying to fill his springtime customer orders to Asia.
Here it comes: Ports will soon feel full force of canceled box-ship sailings.
The Jacksonville, Florida-based ocean carrier finds continued demand for reefers among Central American and Caribbean fruit and produce shippers.
Some reports say crew killed Spirit of Hamburg mariner, while others point to an intruder.
COVID-19 has not hurt cargo flows between the Pacific Northwest and Anchorage.
Portsmouth Marine Terminal will be closed while import volumes are down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The duty deferment applies to qualifying importers facing “significant financial hardship,” Customs and Border Protection said.
The longer the coronavirus crisis continues, “the longer it’s going to take to get the ship righted,” says GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch.
Big April gains at Southern California container terminals are deceiving.
Short-sea shipper says economic impact of COVID-19 has forced service disruption and employee layoffs.
The 19,200-TEU MSC Anna is retrieving empty containers piling up during the coronavirus crisis to return to Asia.
Pandemic yet to heavily impact Caribbean container transshipment but fallout looms.
Less-than-containerload services offer forwarders and their shippers an alternative to more expensive air freight and full-container transport services, industry experts say.
Ports of Seattle, Tacoma, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Houston, Jacksonville and Charleston all report drops in March.
Pandemic pressures on tourism, oil and textiles squeeze Caribbean cargo demand.
The Supply Chain Intelligence Center pinpoints trouble spots on the nation’s highways and ports to U.S. humanitarian relief providers responding to the health crisis.
World’s second-largest box carrier resolves its website woes.
Good news for box carriers: Freight rates haven’t collapsed. Bad news: Volumes have.
Global maritime insurer promotes international adoption of container packing and declaration practices to reduce losses.
Ocean shipping post-pandemic: What changes lie ahead for supply, demand, stocks and debt?
Problem-solving supply chain bottlenecks is the way to build customer loyalty, freight experts say.
Fee-based storage offered at five North American terminals to assist importers dealing with supply chain disruption caused by coronavirus pandemic.
The number of empty containers returned to Asia from the California port dropped 23% in March.
The global logistics giant said its Q1 profits among its five business divisions suffered from the coronavirus upheaval.
Website and the online booking platform of MSC have gone offline but fallout appears contained.
North American rail volumes last week were approaching levels normally seen during Christmas and New Year’s, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Coronavirus and tariffs blamed for lowest total in more than a decade.
Cargo flows face worst hit in a century but have potential to bounce back fast.
Third-party logistics providers engaged in international trade are facing the difficult decision of whether to thin staff or even close altogether in the face of a prolonged economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
No collapse yet for ocean container spot rates. In fact, they’re up.
World Shipping Council issues reminder that seafarers are the backbone of international supply chains.
Plunging demand on land has yet to be fully felt by ocean shipping
“The coronavirus is delivering a shock to the supply chain,” said port chief Mario Cordero.
Members of the Washington, D.C.-based National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America interviewed by American Shipper this week generally praised CBP for permitting the flow of legitimate trade across the continent.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission said there has been no shortage of container-shipping industry members willing to participate in its initiative to identify ways to overcome supply chain obstacles caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
VC funding has evaporated, wooing new customers is extremely difficult and existing customers’ focus has changed.
Carriers slash even more ocean services in bid to prop up rates as demand crumbles.
The Justice Department said joint logistics operations among five American medical supply distributors to provide protective medical gear to virus hot spots does not violate antitrust law.
In an interview with FreightWaves, TRAC Intermodal President and CEO Jennifer Polli describes how her company is handling its business operations against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor taps Gene Seroka to locate and deliver medical supplies critically needed during coronavirus pandemic.
