<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">It&amp;rsquo;s not just apples and bananas in fruit markets these days.</div>

It&rsquo;s not just apples and bananas in fruit markets these days.

<div>It&amp;rsquo;s not just apples and bananas in fruit markets these days. Producing nations are trying to beef up production and sales of so-called superfruits &amp;mdash; produce thought to have enhanced nutritional benefits.Blueberry production is picking up as a result. Washington state, a traditional berry producer, is producing a record harvest this year.&amp;ldquo;Three years ago, Washington produced 20 million pounds of blueberries. Last year, we produced 60 million pounds. In five years, Washington will be producing 100 million pounds of blueberries,&amp;rdquo; said Alan Schreiber, director of the Washington Blueberry Commission. Blueberries traditionally have been grown in the western part of the...

It&rsquo;s not just apples and bananas in fruit markets these days. Producing nations are trying to beef up production and sales of so-called superfruits &mdash; produce thought to have enhanced nutritional benefits. Blueberry production is picking up as a result. Washington state, a traditional berry producer, is producing a record harvest this year. &ldquo;Three years ago, Washington produced 20 million pounds of blueberries. Last year, we produced 60 million pounds. In five years, Washington will be producing 100 million pounds of blueberries,&rdquo; said Alan Schreiber, director of the Washington Blueberry Commission. Blueberries traditionally have been grown in the western part of the state, but Schreiber said things are changing on this front as well. &ldquo;Ten years ago, there were no blueberries in eastern Washington. Now a third of the blueberries come from that side of that state. In two years, half of the blueberries will come out of the eastern portion of the state.&rdquo; A couple of years ago, Peru produced no blueberries, but within a year there will be 1,235 acres under cultivation. Jose Francisco Unzueta, general director of Blueberries Peru, said the nation&rsquo;s climate allows it to produce the berries at a time they cannot be grown in Chile and Argentina. &ldquo;In periods when the blueberry harvest is scarce, mostly in the fall, we get thousands of orders from abroad,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;During these months, neither Chile nor Argentina is able to deliver, and Europe and the U.S. are prepared to pay handsomely.&rdquo; Chile is working to stretch its blueberry crops to include organically grown fruit, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed two varieties that will grow well in Georgia, and not just in cooler more northern climates.

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Blueberries, Other Superfruits Cropping Up in Bunches

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Assessing maritime choke points and leveraging partnerships in regions around the globe will serve as important strategies for EPC companies and forwarders in developing contingency plans for their projects.</div>

Assessing maritime choke points and leveraging partnerships in regions around the globe will serve as important strategies for EPC companies and forwarders in developing contingency plans for their projects.

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<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — With war in the Middle East wreaking havoc on global trade, relationships and awareness will be key for logistics providers, carriers and shippers as they navigate an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape, a panel of experts told attendees Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “You need to strive to be the vendor of choice for your client, and to be the client of choice for your vendor,” John Hark, director at Bertling Logistics and an adjunct professor at Texas A&amp;M Galveston, said Assessing maritime choke points and leveraging partnerships in regions around the globe will serve as important strategies for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies and forwarders in developing contingency plans for their projects, Hark said. “If you’ve got those strong relationships, now is when that’s paying off,” he said. Hark cited the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has resulted in shipments being diverted to nearby safe ports. “When the (shipment) gets dropped off in Sri Lanka or India, you still have a contact you can talk to at that steamship line to work through the problem and get information,” he said. <h3>Expanding energy sources </h3>José Enrique Sevilla-Macip, senior research analyst for Latin America Country Risk at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence, said the war in the Middle East underlined the urgency to expand global energy sources, regardless of how long fighting continues. “There’s a longer-term incentive to develop these alternatives to secure energy supplies for any potential conflict, which most certainly at some point will erupt because the core of the conflict in the Middle East won’t be resolved,” he said. Sevilla-Macip said shutting down the Strait of Hormuz has empowered Iran to look to that capability as leverage in the future while they also work to establish a tolling system to effectively control the waterway. “That threat is going to remain permanent,” he said. With the US pushing to expand its energy production, Sevilla-Macip said the conflict in the Middle East could reshape trade deals the US is seeking with partners in Asia and Europe. In those deals, the US has sought to have its partners purchase more of its energy. “The current landscape is a driver that could actually push all these partners,” he said. “If they weren’t actually planning on increasing their purchases, now it makes more sense for them to look for this additional source of energy.” In evaluating geopolitical tensions in other parts of the world, Sevilla-Macip said that while the potential exists for a future conflict between China and Taiwan, it’s an “unlikely scenario,” even as tensions are expected to remain without escalating to military force at least through the end of President Xi Jinping‘s term in 2027. “At most, what we would see would be sporadic interruptions due to maritime blockades if China were trying to escalate its pressure on Taiwan,” he said. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>. </div>

New Orleans — With war in the Middle East wreaking havoc on global trade, relationships and awareness will be key for logistics providers, carriers and shippers as they navigate an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape, a panel of experts told attendees Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “You need to strive to be the vendor of choice for your client, and to be the client of choice for your vendor,” John Hark, director at Bertling Logistics and an adjunct professor at Texas A&M Galveston, said Assessing maritime choke points and leveraging partnerships in regions around the globe will serve as important strategies for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies and forwarders in developing contingency plans for their projects, Hark said. “If you’ve got those strong relationships, now is when that’s paying off,” he said. Hark cited the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has resulted in shipments being diverted to nearby safe ports. “When the (shipment) gets dropped off in Sri Lanka or India, you still have a contact you can talk to at that steamship line to work through the problem and get information,” he said. Expanding energy sources José Enrique Sevilla-Macip, senior research analyst for Latin America Country Risk at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the war in the Middle East underlined the urgency to expand global energy sources, regardless of how long fighting continues. “There’s a longer-term incentive to develop these alternatives to secure energy supplies for any potential conflict, which most certainly at some point will erupt because the core of the conflict in the Middle East won’t be resolved,” he said. Sevilla-Macip said shutting down the Strait of Hormuz has empowered Iran to look to that capability as leverage in the future while they also work to establish a tolling system to effectively control the waterway. “That threat is going to remain permanent,” he said. With the US pushing to expand its energy production, Sevilla-Macip said the conflict in the Middle East could reshape trade deals the US is seeking with partners in Asia and Europe. In those deals, the US has sought to have its partners purchase more of its energy. “The current landscape is a driver that could actually push all these partners,” he said. “If they weren’t actually planning on increasing their purchases, now it makes more sense for them to look for this additional source of energy.” In evaluating geopolitical tensions in other parts of the world, Sevilla-Macip said that while the potential exists for a future conflict between China and Taiwan, it’s an “unlikely scenario,” even as tensions are expected to remain without escalating to military force at least through the end of President Xi Jinping‘s term in 2027. “At most, what we would see would be sporadic interruptions due to maritime blockades if China were trying to escalate its pressure on Taiwan,” he said. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

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Breakbulk26: Maritime partnerships transcend uncertainty amid Middle East war

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">But the conflict in the Middle East and resultant increase in fuel prices could weigh on nearer-term prospects, participants heard Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026.</div>

But the conflict in the Middle East and resultant increase in fuel prices could weigh on nearer-term prospects, participants heard Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026.

<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — Long-term demand for project cargo and breakbulk capacity is largely healthy and mostly driven by data center construction and electricity projects. But the conflict in the Middle East and resultant increase in fuel prices could weigh on nearer-term prospects, participants heard Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “The world is hungry for energy, especially electricity,” Felix Schoeller, chief commercial officer at AAL Shipping (AAL), told the conference. “Demand for power generating capability and oil and gas exploration have remained strong. Industries that were written off may come back, like renewables. The biggest challenge for forwarding and shipping companies is, can we execute.” Long-term prospects for large projects remain robust due in part to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom and the need to build data centers to support that trend. But the global volatility caused by the war in the Middle East, layered on top of continued trade policy uncertainty in North America, could have a chilling effect on capacity demand this year. “I feel good about ‘27 and beyond, but late summer this year is going to be ugly,” Michael Ruediger, director of projects/North America at Austria-based logistics company Gebrüder Weiss, said at the conference. “Companies with an abundance of staff will do some bloodletting to get through the summer.” Robert Drew, vice president/North American trade development at German logistics services company Menzell Döhle Logistics Gmbh, said the current market volatility makes it nearly impossible to assemble an accurate project cost assessment. “The challenges of tariffs are a huge one,” Drew said, noting the particular impact US tariffs have had on imported steel products used for projects. “Geopolitical issues, the increase in fuel rates. The process of putting a project together and determining whether it’s viable includes logistics costs and those are a moving target. How do you price on that basis with the increased costs and volatility?” That uncertainty has manifested itself in project deferments and delays, Drew said, adding that the signs of import volume declines for project shipments started showing in late 2025. Still, “Demand has not disappeared for steel,” he said. “It’s been deferred.” Drew said domestic steel manufacturers have stepped in to serve that demand, emboldened by the US’ chilly stance toward imports. “There doesn’t seem to be a lifting of barriers with tariffs,” he said. “Domestics jump in with anti-dumping action as soon as you get a good [import] program going. It’s all about the political aspect and the revenues it’s generating. The demand hasn’t disappeared.” <h3>Data center ‘fad’ </h3>Ruediger echoed those thoughts around broader near-term delays in project demand. He said the data center phenomenon, while powerful, is likely to be a “fad” that will lose steam in two years. But he expects demand to come from industrial gases by 2028. He also pointed to strong demand from equipment manufacturers in Europe serving US customers and structural steel produced in Vietnam and Thailand. He encouraged the breakbulk and project cargo market to not be overly fixated on one sector. “We don’t discriminate,” he said. “We move freight.” Meanwhile, Drew said the industry would benefit from any sort of resolution to the war in Iran and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “I’ve been around this industry a long time, and I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been to the precipice and thankfully the world hasn’t yet come to an end,” he said. Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

New Orleans — Long-term demand for project cargo and breakbulk capacity is largely healthy and mostly driven by data center construction and electricity projects. But the conflict in the Middle East and resultant increase in fuel prices could weigh on nearer-term prospects, participants heard Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026. “The world is hungry for energy, especially electricity,” Felix Schoeller, chief commercial officer at AAL Shipping (AAL), told the conference. “Demand for power generating capability and oil and gas exploration have remained strong. Industries that were written off may come back, like renewables. The biggest challenge for forwarding and shipping companies is, can we execute.” Long-term prospects for large projects remain robust due in part to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom and the need to build data centers to support that trend. But the global volatility caused by the war in the Middle East, layered on top of continued trade policy uncertainty in North America, could have a chilling effect on capacity demand this year. “I feel good about ‘27 and beyond, but late summer this year is going to be ugly,” Michael Ruediger, director of projects/North America at Austria-based logistics company Gebrüder Weiss, said at the conference. “Companies with an abundance of staff will do some bloodletting to get through the summer.” Robert Drew, vice president/North American trade development at German logistics services company Menzell Döhle Logistics Gmbh, said the current market volatility makes it nearly impossible to assemble an accurate project cost assessment. “The challenges of tariffs are a huge one,” Drew said, noting the particular impact US tariffs have had on imported steel products used for projects. “Geopolitical issues, the increase in fuel rates. The process of putting a project together and determining whether it’s viable includes logistics costs and those are a moving target. How do you price on that basis with the increased costs and volatility?” That uncertainty has manifested itself in project deferments and delays, Drew said, adding that the signs of import volume declines for project shipments started showing in late 2025. Still, “Demand has not disappeared for steel,” he said. “It’s been deferred.” Drew said domestic steel manufacturers have stepped in to serve that demand, emboldened by the US’ chilly stance toward imports. “There doesn’t seem to be a lifting of barriers with tariffs,” he said. “Domestics jump in with anti-dumping action as soon as you get a good [import] program going. It’s all about the political aspect and the revenues it’s generating. The demand hasn’t disappeared.” Data center ‘fad’ Ruediger echoed those thoughts around broader near-term delays in project demand. He said the data center phenomenon, while powerful, is likely to be a “fad” that will lose steam in two years. But he expects demand to come from industrial gases by 2028. He also pointed to strong demand from equipment manufacturers in Europe serving US customers and structural steel produced in Vietnam and Thailand. He encouraged the breakbulk and project cargo market to not be overly fixated on one sector. “We don’t discriminate,” he said. “We move freight.” Meanwhile, Drew said the industry would benefit from any sort of resolution to the war in Iran and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “I’ve been around this industry a long time, and I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been to the precipice and thankfully the world hasn’t yet come to an end,” he said. Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

Breakbulk26: Data center, electricity demand buoy project cargo industry

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Unveiled at Breakbulk26 in New Orleans this week, the Journal of Commerce’s new Breakbulk Shipper Index tracks a range of indicators including changes in volumes carried by different vessel types, lead time for chartering vessels, and load and discharge regions.</div>

Unveiled at Breakbulk26 in New Orleans this week, the Journal of Commerce’s new Breakbulk Shipper Index tracks a range of indicators including changes in volumes carried by different vessel types, lead time for chartering vessels, and load and discharge regions.

<div class="phx-topic">New Orleans — The Journal of Commerce has launched an exclusive benchmark for the breakbulk and project cargo sector designed to improve transparency in both ship capacity projections and contract negotiations. Unveiled at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026 taking place this week, the Breakbulk Shipper Index tracks a range of indicators including changes in volumes carried by different vessel types, lead time for chartering vessels and load and discharge regions. The index is based on cargo owner activity rather than data from cargo carriers. Input comes from a range of cargo owner types, including engineering, procurement &amp; construction companies (EPCs), manufacturers of breakbulk and project cargo, project owners, and project freight forwarders. All the data providers are members of the Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Shipper Group (BSG), shippers who control the transportation of breakbulk and project cargo. Susan Oatway, the Journal of Commerce’s senior research analyst for breakbulk and project cargo, has been building the index since July 2024 after requests from EPCs and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for an index that they could use to track future freight contract pricing. Although there are freight rate indices available for the sector, Oatway said they are very specific or based on assessments from carriers. “The Journal of Commerce’s index does not incorporate data from carriers or information on rates, making it unique in its assessment,” Oatway said. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="dd8e14c5-769e-4133-a9f2-f81a491f47aa"></dynamic-object></div>The Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Shipper Index covers five vessel types: a general cargo ship with single-lift capacity of under 250 tons, project cargo carrier with single-lift capacity of over 250t, container carriers, deck cargo carriers, and roll-on/roll-off vessels. The published index is a consolidated figure, weighted against the five ship types. The index is now active and available for use by the industry. “This is a unique index that is shipper-led and shipper-driven,” Oatway said. “We anticipate that its main use will be in contract negotiations for seaborne capacity. Shippers trying to fix freight rates a year out will be able to add in an index escalation clause. We hope that this index will quickly become a bellwether of capacity in the MPV trades.” Members of the BSG already use the index to benchmark themselves, she added. In the future, the Journal of Commerce will use this index to forecast the direction of the MPV market. <h3>‘Growing’ the index </h3>Oatway said the Breakbulk Shipper Group has been actively involved at every step in the formulation of the index. “Launching the index is only the first step,” she said. “We will be growing and developing the index over time and are extending the invite to the BSG to all shippers who want to join us on this vital journey towards improving transparency in this sector.” Members of the BSG receive a regular monthly report with all data related to the index and access to the proprietary index report. The Breakbulk Shipper Index is not a financial benchmark index, nor is it designed or intended to be used as a reference rate for financial instruments or investment products, such as those produced by S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices (SPDJI). Contact Carly Fields at <a href="mailto:carly.fields@spglobal.com">carly.fields@spglobal.com.</a></div>

New Orleans — The Journal of Commerce has launched an exclusive benchmark for the breakbulk and project cargo sector designed to improve transparency in both ship capacity projections and contract negotiations. Unveiled at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026 taking place this week, the Breakbulk Shipper Index tracks a range of indicators including changes in volumes carried by different vessel types, lead time for chartering vessels and load and discharge regions. The index is based on cargo owner activity rather than data from cargo carriers. Input comes from a range of cargo owner types, including engineering, procurement & construction companies (EPCs), manufacturers of breakbulk and project cargo, project owners, and project freight forwarders. All the data providers are members of the Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Shipper Group (BSG), shippers who control the transportation of breakbulk and project cargo. Susan Oatway, the Journal of Commerce’s senior research analyst for breakbulk and project cargo, has been building the index since July 2024 after requests from EPCs and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for an index that they could use to track future freight contract pricing. Although there are freight rate indices available for the sector, Oatway said they are very specific or based on assessments from carriers. “The Journal of Commerce’s index does not incorporate data from carriers or information on rates, making it unique in its assessment,” Oatway said. The Journal of Commerce Breakbulk Shipper Index covers five vessel types: a general cargo ship with single-lift capacity of under 250 tons, project cargo carrier with single-lift capacity of over 250t, container carriers, deck cargo carriers, and roll-on/roll-off vessels. The published index is a consolidated figure, weighted against the five ship types. The index is now active and available for use by the industry. “This is a unique index that is shipper-led and shipper-driven,” Oatway said. “We anticipate that its main use will be in contract negotiations for seaborne capacity. Shippers trying to fix freight rates a year out will be able to add in an index escalation clause. We hope that this index will quickly become a bellwether of capacity in the MPV trades.” Members of the BSG already use the index to benchmark themselves, she added. In the future, the Journal of Commerce will use this index to forecast the direction of the MPV market. ‘Growing’ the index Oatway said the Breakbulk Shipper Group has been actively involved at every step in the formulation of the index. “Launching the index is only the first step,” she said. “We will be growing and developing the index over time and are extending the invite to the BSG to all shippers who want to join us on this vital journey towards improving transparency in this sector.” Members of the BSG receive a regular monthly report with all data related to the index and access to the proprietary index report. The Breakbulk Shipper Index is not a financial benchmark index, nor is it designed or intended to be used as a reference rate for financial instruments or investment products, such as those produced by S&P Dow Jones Indices (SPDJI). Contact Carly Fields at carly.fields@spglobal.com.

Slight uptick in Breakbulk Shipper Index signals increase in capacity

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Hapag-Lloyd said the changes “reflect the consolidation of capacity into alternative services to ensure continued reliable coverage in the region."</div>

Hapag-Lloyd said the changes “reflect the consolidation of capacity into alternative services to ensure continued reliable coverage in the region."

<div class="phx-topic">Gemini Cooperation is suspending two Mediterranean-Saudi Arabia shuttle services beginning in mid-May, adding to the tally of mainline and regional services the alliance halted last month due to the war in the Middle East. The latest move was confirmed by Gemini partners Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk in separate advisories Tuesday. The affected loops are the JED2/JD2 service calling at Tangier, Port Said East, and Jeddah; and the JED3/JD3 that calls at Port Said East, Aqaba, and Jeddah. ”This change reflects the consolidation of capacity into alternative services to ensure continued reliable coverage in the region,” Hapag-Lloyd said in its notice. Maersk said cargo previously shipped on these shuttle connections would shift to the mainline AE19/SE4 service that was inaugurated on March 13 to largely replace the services that were stopped around the same time. The service connects Jeddah with Gemini’s West Med hub at Damietta in Egypt and the East Med hub at the Tanger Med port complex in Morocco where it continues to Asia with calls at major ports including Tanjung Pelepas, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Busan. The suspension of the two shuttle services was being done to “optimize coverage and enhance overall service efficiency,” Maersk said in its advisory. The last sailings from Jeddah will be the 3,800-TEU Merkur Ocean on May 10 as part of the JED3/JD3 shuttle, and the 5,470-TEU GSL Tinos on the JED2/JD2 service on May 11, the Gemini carriers said. The loops halted last month include the Asia-Middle East FM1/AGX service, the Europe-Middle East ME11/IMX service, plus India-Gulf and regional shuttles. Other services stopped calling at Dubai's Jebel Ali port after rocket and drone attacks made it risky for shipping. Contact Keith Wallis on <a href="mailto:keith.wallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Gemini Cooperation is suspending two Mediterranean-Saudi Arabia shuttle services beginning in mid-May, adding to the tally of mainline and regional services the alliance halted last month due to the war in the Middle East. The latest move was confirmed by Gemini partners Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk in separate advisories Tuesday. The affected loops are the JED2/JD2 service calling at Tangier, Port Said East, and Jeddah; and the JED3/JD3 that calls at Port Said East, Aqaba, and Jeddah. ”This change reflects the consolidation of capacity into alternative services to ensure continued reliable coverage in the region,” Hapag-Lloyd said in its notice. Maersk said cargo previously shipped on these shuttle connections would shift to the mainline AE19/SE4 service that was inaugurated on March 13 to largely replace the services that were stopped around the same time. The service connects Jeddah with Gemini’s West Med hub at Damietta in Egypt and the East Med hub at the Tanger Med port complex in Morocco where it continues to Asia with calls at major ports including Tanjung Pelepas, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Busan. The suspension of the two shuttle services was being done to “optimize coverage and enhance overall service efficiency,” Maersk said in its advisory. The last sailings from Jeddah will be the 3,800-TEU Merkur Ocean on May 10 as part of the JED3/JD3 shuttle, and the 5,470-TEU GSL Tinos on the JED2/JD2 service on May 11, the Gemini carriers said. The loops halted last month include the Asia-Middle East FM1/AGX service, the Europe-Middle East ME11/IMX service, plus India-Gulf and regional shuttles. Other services stopped calling at Dubai's Jebel Ali port after rocket and drone attacks made it risky for shipping. Contact Keith Wallis on keithwallis@hotmail.com .

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Gemini to suspend two more Middle East shuttles in May due to war

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The possibility can’t be ruled out that carrier-controlled port operations will commence in the next few years at Charleston and Savannah, where the state-operated model has prevailed for decades.</div>

The possibility can’t be ruled out that carrier-controlled port operations will commence in the next few years at Charleston and Savannah, where the state-operated model has prevailed for decades.

<div class="phx-topic">Cargo routed through East Coast ports, including in the Southeast, will likely move increasingly through carrier-controlled terminals, the result of a long-term transformation of the regional port industry now in full swing. The possibility can’t be ruled out, for example, that carrier-controlled port operations will commence in the next few years at Charleston and Savannah, where the state-operated model has prevailed for decades. Meanwhile, Maher Terminals, the largest terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/mahers-next-buyer-faces-billions-in-upgrades-decisions-on-capacity-6165792">is being prepped for sale</a> by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners with a possible price tag of $4 billion to $5 billion, according to one source, a sum within reach for terminal-hungry carriers flush with cash after a six-year run of profitability since the pandemic. A more favorable climate for expansion of carrier-controlled terminals along the East Coast stems from three main changes: deep-pocketed carriers aggressively pursuing terminal deals; favorable lease terms achieved by the Port of New York and New Jersey at multiple terminals, which is inspiring other East Coast ports to consider similar deals; and clarity around the dockworker union gaining jobs at new terminals once they are opened. That means the Savannah Container Terminal being developed across the river from the Georgia Ports Authority’s sprawling Garden City Terminal as a newly opened facility is guaranteed to be manned by workers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) under the current collective bargaining agreement. Since the state cannot by law employ unionized dockworkers directly, the facility may be leased out to a third-party operator, possibly one aligned to an ocean carrier. It also means the Hugh Leatherman terminal at Charleston, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/sc-ports-strikes-deal-with-ila-to-fully-open-leatherman-marine-terminal-5192280">where the port waged an unsuccessful legal battle to keep the ILA out</a>, could fall into the hands of a carrier under a lease process being considered by the port. In Baltimore, Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) is a partner in a project to develop Sparrows Point, a former industrial site, into a 165-acre terminal. <h3>Terminals mean stable, profitable assets </h3>Ultimately, carrier investment in East Coast terminals will expand capacity in a region that has seen little of it while providing shippers in certain cases with the potential for improved service stemming from carriers’ direct control over their facilities. For carriers, controlling terminals means investing in typically stable and profitable assets made more attractive by their own volumes, as well as priority berthing and cargo handling rates. Carriers directing ships and volumes to their own facilities puts the ports where they are located at an advantage versus those ports where carriers are just customers. The natural strategic alignment between carriers and terminals is why carrier-controlled facilities go back years. At New York-New Jersey, such operations go back to the origins of container shipping in the late 1950s. Maersk has been a terminal operator at the port since the 1970s, while OOCL controlled Howland Hook on Staten Island from 1995-2006. In pursuing terminal deals, carriers are hardly dissuaded by a 62% pay increase achieved by dockworkers <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ila-ratifies-new-six-year-deal-with-higher-entry-pay-automation-protection-5951338">in the last contract ratified in early 2025</a>, nor their inability in the US market to collect terminal handling charges to offset what many carriers say are the highest longshore costs in the world. <h3>Southeast ports noticing recent NY-NJ success </h3>Recent deals at NY-NJ that have been favorable to the port have caught the attention of ports in the Southeast. The 2023 sale of Global Container Terminals’ <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cma-cgm-closes-deal-for-two-new-york-new-jersey-marine-terminals-5226315">Bayonne and Howland Hook terminals to CMA CGM</a>, which outbid other carriers including Hapag-Lloyd, was noteworthy because it committed the world’s third-largest carrier to infrastructure improvements, normally the responsibility of the port, while CMA CGM also agreed to share detention and demurrage revenues with the port authority. Macquarie in December of last year <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/macquarie-seals-deal-for-new-maher-lease-at-nynj-through-2063-6137751">renewed its lease for Maher terminals through 2063</a>, agreeing to terms that include responsibility for upkeep of its wharves and berths, while committing to increase capacity at the largest East Coast port by volume. That lease renewal will set the stage for a formal sale process now getting under way, according to multiple sources. While NY-NJ is in a strong negotiating position due to the lack of efficient alternatives to serve the large and wealthy New York metropolitan region, how much leverage other ports will have is an open question. For example, allowing an independent or carrier-controlled terminal operator free reign to compete for cargo could undermine states’ common user ports, yet curtailing their activities within lease terms could make those leases less attractive, sources tell JOC.com. For NY-NJ, the lease terms demanded in return for approving the CMA-CGM purchase stem from the 2000 effort by what was then called Maersk Sealand to bid out its East Coast hub operations, which ultimately secured a favorable lease at New York-New Jersey. According to one source, the controversial move by the carrier led to below-market lease rates that the port was determined to reverse in recent lease negotiations and sale approvals. Such insistence by the port <a href="https://www.stattimes.com/news/apm-terminals-to-retain-full-ownership-of-port-elizabeth-facility">led to the 2014 collapse of deal by APM Terminals</a> to sell a stake in its Elizabeth terminal to Brookfield, an infrastructure investor. At Savannah, GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said in an interview that the port authority is hoping to secure a permit for Savannah Container Terminal this year, with construction slated to begin a few years later in advance of the facility going online sometime in the early 2030s, depending on an assessment of demand. Lynch said the port is exploring a “partnership” approach whereby the GPA becomes a landlord, leasing the terminal to a third-party terminal operator, not an operator closely aligned to the port like the approach at the Port of Virginia, where the port owns the terminal operator, Virginia International Terminals. There would be less concern about the possibility of a third-party operator aggressively competing with Garden City, he said, if the overall result is more cargo, jobs and economic development opportunity for the state of Georgia. Contact Peter Tirschwell at <a href="mailto:peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com">peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Cargo routed through East Coast ports, including in the Southeast, will likely move increasingly through carrier-controlled terminals, the result of a long-term transformation of the regional port industry now in full swing. The possibility can’t be ruled out, for example, that carrier-controlled port operations will commence in the next few years at Charleston and Savannah, where the state-operated model has prevailed for decades. Meanwhile, Maher Terminals, the largest terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey, is being prepped for sale by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners with a possible price tag of $4 billion to $5 billion, according to one source, a sum within reach for terminal-hungry carriers flush with cash after a six-year run of profitability since the pandemic. A more favorable climate for expansion of carrier-controlled terminals along the East Coast stems from three main changes: deep-pocketed carriers aggressively pursuing terminal deals; favorable lease terms achieved by the Port of New York and New Jersey at multiple terminals, which is inspiring other East Coast ports to consider similar deals; and clarity around the dockworker union gaining jobs at new terminals once they are opened. That means the Savannah Container Terminal being developed across the river from the Georgia Ports Authority’s sprawling Garden City Terminal as a newly opened facility is guaranteed to be manned by workers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) under the current collective bargaining agreement. Since the state cannot by law employ unionized dockworkers directly, the facility may be leased out to a third-party operator, possibly one aligned to an ocean carrier. It also means the Hugh Leatherman terminal at Charleston, where the port waged an unsuccessful legal battle to keep the ILA out , could fall into the hands of a carrier under a lease process being considered by the port. In Baltimore, Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) is a partner in a project to develop Sparrows Point, a former industrial site, into a 165-acre terminal. Terminals mean stable, profitable assets Ultimately, carrier investment in East Coast terminals will expand capacity in a region that has seen little of it while providing shippers in certain cases with the potential for improved service stemming from carriers’ direct control over their facilities. For carriers, controlling terminals means investing in typically stable and profitable assets made more attractive by their own volumes, as well as priority berthing and cargo handling rates. Carriers directing ships and volumes to their own facilities puts the ports where they are located at an advantage versus those ports where carriers are just customers. The natural strategic alignment between carriers and terminals is why carrier-controlled facilities go back years. At New York-New Jersey, such operations go back to the origins of container shipping in the late 1950s. Maersk has been a terminal operator at the port since the 1970s, while OOCL controlled Howland Hook on Staten Island from 1995-2006. In pursuing terminal deals, carriers are hardly dissuaded by a 62% pay increase achieved by dockworkers in the last contract ratified in early 2025 , nor their inability in the US market to collect terminal handling charges to offset what many carriers say are the highest longshore costs in the world. Southeast ports noticing recent NY-NJ success Recent deals at NY-NJ that have been favorable to the port have caught the attention of ports in the Southeast. The 2023 sale of Global Container Terminals’ Bayonne and Howland Hook terminals to CMA CGM , which outbid other carriers including Hapag-Lloyd, was noteworthy because it committed the world’s third-largest carrier to infrastructure improvements, normally the responsibility of the port, while CMA CGM also agreed to share detention and demurrage revenues with the port authority. Macquarie in December of last year renewed its lease for Maher terminals through 2063 , agreeing to terms that include responsibility for upkeep of its wharves and berths, while committing to increase capacity at the largest East Coast port by volume. That lease renewal will set the stage for a formal sale process now getting under way, according to multiple sources. While NY-NJ is in a strong negotiating position due to the lack of efficient alternatives to serve the large and wealthy New York metropolitan region, how much leverage other ports will have is an open question. For example, allowing an independent or carrier-controlled terminal operator free reign to compete for cargo could undermine states’ common user ports, yet curtailing their activities within lease terms could make those leases less attractive, sources tell JOC.com. For NY-NJ, the lease terms demanded in return for approving the CMA-CGM purchase stem from the 2000 effort by what was then called Maersk Sealand to bid out its East Coast hub operations, which ultimately secured a favorable lease at New York-New Jersey. According to one source, the controversial move by the carrier led to below-market lease rates that the port was determined to reverse in recent lease negotiations and sale approvals. Such insistence by the port led to the 2014 collapse of deal by APM Terminals to sell a stake in its Elizabeth terminal to Brookfield, an infrastructure investor. At Savannah, GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch said in an interview that the port authority is hoping to secure a permit for Savannah Container Terminal this year, with construction slated to begin a few years later in advance of the facility going online sometime in the early 2030s, depending on an assessment of demand. Lynch said the port is exploring a “partnership” approach whereby the GPA becomes a landlord, leasing the terminal to a third-party terminal operator, not an operator closely aligned to the port like the approach at the Port of Virginia, where the port owns the terminal operator, Virginia International Terminals. There would be less concern about the possibility of a third-party operator aggressively competing with Garden City, he said, if the overall result is more cargo, jobs and economic development opportunity for the state of Georgia. Contact Peter Tirschwell at peter.tirschwell@spglobal.com .

North American ports

Marine terminals

More carrier-controlled terminal operations could be coming to the East Coast

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