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.
Oceangoing vessels challenge scale of newly introduced carbon-free power technologies for short-sea shipping and ferries, World Shipping Council CEO John Butler tells U.S. lawmakers.
Few freight forwarders currently offer shipper-owned containers due to the lack of market transparency in their sourcing.
Phase One of the U.S.-China trade deal is scheduled to take effect Wednesday. Read CNBC’s Lori Ann LaRocco’s take on how that trade has changed since the tariff war began — and how it may never be quite the same.
All shipping interests through Panama Canal face new fees as water levels drop to ‘historic’ lows.
The shipping consultants Drewry predicts carriers should be able to return “solid if unspectacular results”in 2020.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is required by the 2015 Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act to annually adjust its civil penalty amounts in line with inflation.
The Port of Monroe says its efforts to increase international business has been stymied by the Detroit office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The transport of cargo from China to Europe by sea is likely to remain more important than Eurasian railway routes, says the CEO of the German forwarder DACHSER.
2018 high-water mark for container volumes makes it ever tougher for 2019 to come out on top.
New Platts indices offer bird’s-eye view of rough IMO 2020 transition for dry bulk.
McLean Trucking is one of the pioneers of the less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking industry. The company’s founder eventually became one of the pioneers of the global logistics and trade industry.
Companies from Amazon to Zulily agree to help Customs and Border Protection figure out how to identify and target high-risk shipments.
Lunar New Year marks traditional ocean shipping slowdown, but U.S.-China trade tiff means extra slack.
Despite all the mergers and all the alliances, ocean container rates are still lower than they were seven years ago.
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced more than $7.5 million in grants for nine “marine highway” projects.
Traditional U.S. import rush prior to Chinese holiday is subdued in 2020.
Is IMO 2020 fallout for dry bulk shipping a warning sign for container sector?
The high-stakes wild cards to watch in what promises to be a volatile year.
California’s effort to restrict owner-operators in trucking would create havoc for farm and forest product exporters, says the Agriculture Transportation Coalition.
The International Longshore and Harbor Workers Union (ILWU) wants a judge to reverse or reduce a $93.6 million jury award against it or order a new trial.
MSI expects bunker surcharges to also be a factor in container rates.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, has introduced three related bills in Congress to modify the Jones Act, saying that the law is “one of the key drivers of our astronomically […]
President Trump said he plans to travel to Beijing sometime this year to start the next round of trade negotiations with China.
Two industry groups have announced a program to prevent the accidental release of pre-production plastic pellets.
Trans-Pacific container rates continue to fall as Asia-Europe rates continue to rise.
IMO2020 is an environmental rule effective January 1, 2020 that regulates how much sulfur a ship can give out in its exhaust.
For all containers moving in and out of the U.S., rates (both contract and spot rates) are required to be filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) 30 days in advance of the containerized cargo being shipped. This adds an additional layer of complexity to the way ocean container rates are negotiated and governed.
Links to 16 exclusive interviews with key decision-makers in ocean shipping.
International trade and customs attorney Zhaokang Jiang explains how China is aiming to improve cross-border trade efficiency, create fair competition and ensure compliance and sustainable growth.
Capital constraints should keep ocean shipping capacity in check, a plus for rates.
A strong U.S. economy should see Europe-North America container volume growth of 3%+ next year, but clouds hover over the trade.
Matson has taken delivery of the largest container/roll-on, roll-off ship ever built in the U.S.
Concerns rise that shipping can’t recoup cost of IMO 2020-compliant fuel.
DP World has been awarded a contract that will result in expansion of a container terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A global effort is underway to slash harmful emissions from ocean-going ships. Liquefied natural gas will likely play an important — but only partial — role in that endeavor.
Cargo on board a ship has frequently been the cause of damage or total loss.
A trade war truce is not stopping multinationals from exploring alternative sourcing options to China, but moving supply chains is difficult, says expert.
The Chinese government said the tariff reductions will help expand imports of key consumer products.
CMA CGM has finalized agreement to sell 10 terminals to Terminal Link.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission will proceed with proposed rule to eliminate the requirement for vessel-operating common carriers to publish essential terms of service contracts.
Even a full U.S.-China trade deal might not stop shippers moving production out of China. But is the U.S. a realistic option?
APM Terminals is selling one of its two large terminals in Rotterdam, but will retain ownership of Maasvlakte II.
But an undercover survey finds that traditional forwarders face increased pressure from container lines and digital forwarders.
As carbon tax on ocean shipping appears more likely, industry lays groundwork for future collection.
Hopes that last week’s trade deal might boost the beleaguered shipping lane are overly optimistic, says analyst.
Organizations representing 90% for the world’s merchant fleet have proposed spending $5 billion on research to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions.
New independent research reveals that lines are failing to adequately explain how IMO 2020 fuel bill surcharges are calculated.
Japanese ocean shipping giant is investigating how to make its ships greener with liquefied natural gas, hydrogen and batteries.
Well-known Pacific Ocean specialists Matson and Swire have joined forces to serve the South Pacific island nations.
International container operator DP World joins Asian and European feeder networks together; synergies – and tensions – abound, say analysts.
U.S.-China deal should boost shipping stock sentiment, assuming investors believe it’ll stick.
CAI International, one of the world’s largest container lessors, is reviewing strategic alternatives with the help of Centerview Partners.
A trio accused of massive drug smuggling allegedly illegally directed customs-controlled shipments away from logistics operators to “unknown” locations.
David Howard, who developed a preeminent publication that explored successful international logistics connections between U.S. manufacturers and ocean container carriers, has passed away.
Production of most Christmas lights has moved Cambodia and other Asian countries from China.
An exclusive interview with John Hadjipateras, founder and CEO of NYSE-listed Dorian LPG.
A new APM Terminals container terminal in Italy also expects to capture cargo moving to and from Switzerland, Germany and France.
Fifth largest global carrier is responding to customer interest in greater container visibility.
Japan’s leading boxship carrier becomes seventh to join NYSHEX’s platform for guaranteed slots.
When demand falls, prices fall too — or they should. Yet on the southbound Asia-Oceania trade lane rates are up but volumes are down.
Index data appears to show that IMO 2020 fuel costs are being passed along to box shippers.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, says many analysts believe the impacts of IMO 2020 will be less than what was projected just a year ago.
Despite extensive general reporting to the contrary, a trio who imported a massive quantity of illegal drugs were not customs brokers or trusted traders.
An exclusive interview with Scorpio President Robert Bugbee on shipping stocks and what lies ahead.
Longtime Capitol Hill legislative counsel and policy consultant completes the five-person commission.
The fast growing forwarder Flexport was awarded sixth place in FreightWaves 2020 FreightTech 25 competition.
Move to establish green bona fides comes as the liner operator is called out for its carbon output.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said excluding ocean cargo from the Section 321 pilot program reduced “a substantial number of relevant shipments of potential participants.”
Container industry veteran John McCown argues that the shift toward East Coast ports is inexorable.
Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha (JPX: 9101) has taken out a 50 billion yen ($456.7 million) loan with an adjustable interest rate based on the company’s corporate social performance.
California ports already face high energy costs, a situation that is likely to continue as the ports pursue clean air goals.
Carriers are “jacking up” spot rates to improve their negotiating hands with shippers as they agree pricing for IMO 2020 fuel bills and long-term Asia-Europe contracts.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) said it will provide up to $300 million to finance a new container terminal the Montreal Port Authority plans to open downriver in Contrecoeur. CIB […]
After all the trade turmoil, many legacy supply chains may still be in “wait-and-see” mode.
While Customs and Border Protection’s Automated Commercial Environment has automated much of the cross-border trade process, the U.S. export manifest process remains paper intensive and error prone.
Container ship giant signs deal that will fuel LNG-powered ships on its Asia-Mediterranean service.
The EU is pushing to bring carbon pricing to shipping, but there are a lot more questions than answers.
Private equity-backed 3PL said deal comes as demand exceeds capacity in Northeast market.
Expanding truck appointment system and new lanes credited for fast moves as port readies for dredging
Port, engineering and property giant MMC shrugged off the trade war and economic headwinds to report massive increases in revenues and profits. Analysts issued a “buy” rating.
Integrated logistics provider and ocean carrier Harbour Link saw a boost in revenues but its costs grew too, causing its profits to weaken in the most recent quarter. A weak result in its ocean shipping division was a drag on profit as well.
PierPass says long late-afternoon queues at the entrance to container terminals om Los Angeles and Long Beach have been eliminated.
Darren Prokop writes about the benefits of economies of scale in maritime shipping; he also writes about the dangers of diseconomies of scale.
Maritime, air and overland trade routes into Europe are being piggybacked by criminal gangs deploying the latest digital supply chain technologies to help meet mushrooming demand for illegal drugs across […]
In this week’s round-up of trucking stories from around Australia: truckers slugged by box terminal operators; truckers slugged by tax hikes; truckers slugged by safety regulators; drivers slugged by Queensland politicians; Freightliner Cascadia rolls into the Outback; Linfox buys 90-truck fleet to transport booze.
Peter Levesque is joining Ports America as president next year, after nine years at Modern Terminals in Hong Kong.
The Global Shippers Forum says the views of exporters and importers have been ignored by European regulators extending antitrust protection to liner carriers.
The shift of production from China to southeast Asia is unlikely to stop the trans-Pacific container market from declining this year.
Sino-Malaysian services provider Integrated Logistics (trading as Integrated Group) has announced another poor set of financial results. It looks set to deliver its fifth full-year loss in six years.
China’s exports to the U.S. contracted last month. Even so, slowing U.S. exports to its trade rival saw China’s trade surplus with the U.S. widen.
Despite solid revenues, costs at CJ Century Logistics surged and the company has reported a third consecutive quarterly loss.
A look at today’s containerized ocean transport of alcohol via bottle, can, keg, flexitank and ISO tank container — and how this mix could change going forward.
CMA CGM reported solid results for the third quarter of 2019. However, those results were weighed down by the costs of financing its purchase of CEVA Logistics.
Trucking and trade bodies are outraged by the ongoing tactics of container terminal operators to frequently hike already huge fees on trucks. Lobbying of government ministers is underway and even port operators are disappointed at the ongoing tactics of terminal operators.
Port of Los Angeles Executive Gene Seroka cautioned the port’s Board of Harbor Commissioners that even if a trade deal is reached with China, it may take months or years […]
SCF Marine Inc.’s SEACOR America’s Marine Highway (AMH) unit has seen its business grow rapidly with the boom in U.S. plastic exports.
Saybrook Capital alleges that additional evidence shows how port and longshore union aimed to derail project.
Freight data confirms that container lines are increasing their flows to the U.S. East Coast at the expense of California ports.
Data reveals how container pricing may have suffered collateral damage from the trade war.
ZIM reported a $5 million profit in the third quarter of 2019, saying it benefited from its cooperation with Maersk and MSC.
