<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The bi-state watchdog agency that does background checks and criminal investigations in the Port of New York and New Jersey will retain its power after a federal judge rejected an effort by New Jersey officials to shift that authority to the state.</div>

The bi-state watchdog agency that does background checks and criminal investigations in the Port of New York and New Jersey will retain its power after a federal judge rejected an effort by New Jersey officials to shift that authority to the state.

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<div>A federal judge has ruled that New Jersey can’t unilaterally withdraw the Port of New York and New Jersey from oversight by the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, ensuring a continuation of the agency’s power to do background checks and criminal investigations, and the dispute over the agency’s role.US District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton, sitting in Newark, New Jersey, ruled in favor of <a>a lawsuit filed Jan. 16, 2018</a> by the Waterfront Commission seeking to strike down a law signed by then Gov. Chris Christie that <a>required the transfer of some of the agency’s responsibilities</a> to the New...

A federal judge has ruled that New Jersey can’t unilaterally withdraw the Port of New York and New Jersey from oversight by the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, ensuring a continuation of the agency’s power to do background checks and criminal investigations, and the dispute over the agency’s role. US District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton, sitting in Newark, New Jersey, ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed Jan. 16, 2018 by the Waterfront Commission seeking to strike down a law signed by then Gov. Chris Christie that required the transfer of some of the agency’s responsibilities to the New Jersey State Police. Those responsibilities included criminal investigations, fighting organized crime, doing background checks on longshore workers and other port workers, and licensing them. While legislative efforts to dissolve the commission have gained traction in the New Jersey legislature on several occasions, enthusiasm has been far less on the New York side. In the suit, the Waterfront Commission argued, as it has in the past, that the compact creating the commission in 1953 — which was approved by Congress and signed by former president Dwight D. Eisenhower — could not be dismantled without the consent of either both states or Congress. The four largest of New York-New Jersey’s six main terminals are located in New Jersey and account for 90-92 percent of all containerized cargo through the port, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey figures show. Disputed role The ruling is a blow to the New York Shipping Association (NYSA) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which were not a party to the litigation but have long sought to diminish the commission’s power in the port. Both sides of the argument — NYSA and ILA on one side and the Waterfront Commission on the other — maintain that the work of the commission impacts the flow of cargo through the port, as would a reduction of the agency’s responsibility. The ILA and NYSA accuse the commission of overstepping its authority to combat crime on the docks and say the commission’s effort to oversee hiring in the port causes delays and disruption. The Waterfront Commission says its work is necessary, and it is merely carrying out its responsibility to fight racketeering that can push up costs in the port, and ensure fair hiring, in part by promoting diversity. However, the two sides do manage to work together. In February, the Waterfront Commission and NYSA reached an agreement that would enable the port to hire 650 longshore workers and checkers over 18 months to replace retiring workers and handle rising container growth. Fighting corruption New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office referred an inquiry by JOC.com about the ruling to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, where spokesperson Leland Moore said he couldn’t comment on whether the state would appeal the ruling. “The decision is under review,” he said. Walter Arsenault, executive director of the Waterfront Commission, welcomed the decision. “Today’s significant victory safeguards the Waterfront Commission’s ability to continue its critical mission of combating corruption and ensuring fair hiring practices in the Port of New York-New Jersey,” he said. “We have worked closely with Governor Murphy’s administration to enhance port productivity and fair hiring, and we look forward to continuing to work together for the good of the port and the citizens of New Jersey and New York.” A Democrat succeeding Christie’s Republican administration, Murphy opted to oppose the suit and support the Christie-backed law when he took office, just a few days after the suit was filed. Murphy supports the ILA and other unions. Wigenton, who in June 2018 backed a preliminary injunction that denied New Jersey’s effort to dissolve the pact, said in an opinion issued Wednesday that it was clear that the drafters of the 66-year old compact “did not intend to permit the type of unilateral withdrawal and termination prescribed under the act.” She also rejected New Jersey’s argument that the administrative staff of the Waterfront Commission did not have the authority to file the lawsuit because it was not backed by the agency’s two-person board. One commissioner, who is appointed by the governor of New York, backed the suit, but the commissioner appointed by New Jersey’s governor recused himself. Contact Hugh R. Morley at hugh.morley@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @HughRMorley1 .

Marine terminals

New Jersey blocked from waterfront commission exit

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Canadian transportation regulators are considering whether empty container fees are justified, following protests from shipowners and vessel operators. </div>

Canadian transportation regulators are considering whether empty container fees are justified, following protests from shipowners and vessel operators.

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<div class="phx-topic">The Port of Montreal has joined Vancouver in imposing a surcharge on empty containers as ocean carriers challenge the justification for the fees with Canadian regulators. The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) imposed a one-time C$10 fee per empty TEU container starting Tuesday after Vancouver implemented a similar C$17.58 surcharge on May 1. The ports have defended the fees, arguing they’ll speed up cargo flow at marine terminals and help pay for infrastructure improvements. “The surcharge will help us recover the costs of maintaining infrastructure that empties strain daily,” a spokesperson for the Montreal Port Authority told the Journal of Commerce. “Ultimately, this initiative supports our broader goals of reducing congestion, maintaining fluidity and minimizing environmental impacts across the supply chain.” The Shipping Federation of Canada, which represents shipowners and carriers, rejected the justification for the fees, saying they will disrupt operations and incentivize shippers to use other Canadian ports or even shift to the US. The clash comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney trumpets the need to make Canadian exporters more competitive and diversify trade away from the US. The fees at Vancouver and Montreal are expected to yield millions of dollars. Roughly 507,000 TEUs were exported out of Vancouver in the first half of 2025, which would have accrued $8.9 million if the new surcharge had taken effect at the start of the year. The Shipping Federation in the spring appealed the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s then-proposed empty container fee, asking the Canadian Transportation Agency to intervene. The agency has not yet responded; a decision against the port authority could spur lawmakers to introduce legislation. A bill that would have allowed port users to challenge fees was introduced in the Canadian Parliament in 2023 but was never passed. Saying that the fee is under review, a spokesperson for the Vancouver port declined to comment. The fee for loading empty equipment onto vessels is half that of laden export containers, which is $35.15 per FEU. <h3>Shipping group pushes back </h3>According to the Shipping Federation of Canada, Vancouver has justified the fees in presentations to the industry, saying the handling of empty containers places wear and tear on infrastructure and the boxes take up terminal space, so the fees would help ease port congestion by encouraging movement of the containers. The shipping federation has countered by saying that the terminal operator, not the port authority, takes on such costs and that wharfage by its definition only applies to laden cargo. There’s a natural imbalance in the weight of inbound containers loaded with items such as toys and other retail items compared to outbound containers loaded with heavier agriculture and machinery exports, the shipping federation noted in a March 12 comment on Vancouver’s fee. Thus, it said, it’s not uncommon to “top off” outbound vessels with empty containers to optimize ship utilization. “The concept of incentivizing the carrier to fill more empties with export cargo makes no sense within such a context, as the vessel’s cargo carrying capacity is inherently constrained from both an operational and commercial perspective, and cannot simply be expanded in response to a new financial measure imposed by the port,” the federation wrote. The group added that the new fee disadvantages container transport versus bulk and multipurpose shipping and criticized the lack of transparency on how the fees would be invested in infrastructure. Contact Mark Szakonyi at <a href="mailto:mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com">mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The Port of Montreal has joined Vancouver in imposing a surcharge on empty containers as ocean carriers challenge the justification for the fees with Canadian regulators. The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) imposed a one-time C$10 fee per empty TEU container starting Tuesday after Vancouver implemented a similar C$17.58 surcharge on May 1. The ports have defended the fees, arguing they’ll speed up cargo flow at marine terminals and help pay for infrastructure improvements. “The surcharge will help us recover the costs of maintaining infrastructure that empties strain daily,” a spokesperson for the Montreal Port Authority told the Journal of Commerce. “Ultimately, this initiative supports our broader goals of reducing congestion, maintaining fluidity and minimizing environmental impacts across the supply chain.” The Shipping Federation of Canada, which represents shipowners and carriers, rejected the justification for the fees, saying they will disrupt operations and incentivize shippers to use other Canadian ports or even shift to the US. The clash comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney trumpets the need to make Canadian exporters more competitive and diversify trade away from the US. The fees at Vancouver and Montreal are expected to yield millions of dollars. Roughly 507,000 TEUs were exported out of Vancouver in the first half of 2025, which would have accrued $8.9 million if the new surcharge had taken effect at the start of the year. The Shipping Federation in the spring appealed the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s then-proposed empty container fee, asking the Canadian Transportation Agency to intervene. The agency has not yet responded; a decision against the port authority could spur lawmakers to introduce legislation. A bill that would have allowed port users to challenge fees was introduced in the Canadian Parliament in 2023 but was never passed. Saying that the fee is under review, a spokesperson for the Vancouver port declined to comment. The fee for loading empty equipment onto vessels is half that of laden export containers, which is $35.15 per FEU. Shipping group pushes back According to the Shipping Federation of Canada, Vancouver has justified the fees in presentations to the industry, saying the handling of empty containers places wear and tear on infrastructure and the boxes take up terminal space, so the fees would help ease port congestion by encouraging movement of the containers. The shipping federation has countered by saying that the terminal operator, not the port authority, takes on such costs and that wharfage by its definition only applies to laden cargo. There’s a natural imbalance in the weight of inbound containers loaded with items such as toys and other retail items compared to outbound containers loaded with heavier agriculture and machinery exports, the shipping federation noted in a March 12 comment on Vancouver’s fee. Thus, it said, it’s not uncommon to “top off” outbound vessels with empty containers to optimize ship utilization. “The concept of incentivizing the carrier to fill more empties with export cargo makes no sense within such a context, as the vessel’s cargo carrying capacity is inherently constrained from both an operational and commercial perspective, and cannot simply be expanded in response to a new financial measure imposed by the port,” the federation wrote. The group added that the new fee disadvantages container transport versus bulk and multipurpose shipping and criticized the lack of transparency on how the fees would be invested in infrastructure. Contact Mark Szakonyi at  mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com .

Port News

North American ports

Maritime

Montreal joins Vancouver in levying empty container fee

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Hamburg-headquartered breakbulk and project cargo operator confirmed new vessel orders after it announced that Managing Director Lars Bonnesen would leave the company at the end of the year. </div>

The Hamburg-headquartered breakbulk and project cargo operator confirmed new vessel orders after it announced that Managing Director Lars Bonnesen would leave the company at the end of the year.

<div class="phx-topic">Germany's United Heavy Lift is gearing up for another spree of new vessel orders just over a year after it completed the delivery of a series of heavy-lift vessels from a Chinese shipyard. Hamburg-headquartered UHL confirmed the orders Monday after the breakbulk and project cargo operator announced that Managing Director Lars Bonnesen would leave the company at the end of the year. Bonnesen's departure "is closely linked to the next strategic phase of UHL, which will place a strong focus on newbuildings and further investments,” the company said in a statement. “Lars Bonnesen has chosen not to take part in this journey and will instead dedicate his time to new projects outside the shipping industry." UHL gave no details on the vessel expansion plans, while Bonnesen declined to comment on his planned departure. ”Unfortunately, (I’m) not allowed to disclose information,” he told the Journal of Commerce. Bonnesen joined UHL in April 2019, having previously been chartering director at Intermarine for more than six years until October 2018. UHL said Bonnesen had “played a key role in shaping the company.” “With his expertise and dedication, he contributed significantly to the development of the fleet, the expansion of the international presence, and the strengthening of important partnerships,” the company said. “His perspectives and dedication have helped UHL navigate challenging market conditions and further consolidate its position in the global heavy lift and project cargo segment." <h3>Bonnesen sells UHL shares </h3>On Bonnesen’s watch, UHL expanded its fleet with 17 F-900 series heavy-lift vessels, including eight ordered at shipyards in China and nine acquired from other owners. The final ship of the eight newbuildings was delivered in July 2024. Bonnesen was also involved in the October 2020 creation of United Marguisa Lines, a heavy-lift vessel joint venture between UHL and Marguisa Lines in Africa. As part of his departure, Bonnesen has sold his shares in United Heavy Lift to the United Shipping Group. In a related development, UHL shareholder Christian Monsted has also sold his UHL shares to the United Shipping Group, but will continue as managing director of United Marguisa Lines. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com.</a></div>

Germany's United Heavy Lift is gearing up for another spree of new vessel orders just over a year after it completed the delivery of a series of heavy-lift vessels from a Chinese shipyard. Hamburg-headquartered UHL confirmed the orders Monday after the breakbulk and project cargo operator announced that Managing Director Lars Bonnesen would leave the company at the end of the year. Bonnesen's departure "is closely linked to the next strategic phase of UHL, which will place a strong focus on newbuildings and further investments,” the company said in a statement. “Lars Bonnesen has chosen not to take part in this journey and will instead dedicate his time to new projects outside the shipping industry." UHL gave no details on the vessel expansion plans, while Bonnesen declined to comment on his planned departure. ”Unfortunately, (I’m) not allowed to disclose information,” he told the Journal of Commerce. Bonnesen joined UHL in April 2019, having previously been chartering director at Intermarine for more than six years until October 2018. UHL said Bonnesen had “played a key role in shaping the company.” “With his expertise and dedication, he contributed significantly to the development of the fleet, the expansion of the international presence, and the strengthening of important partnerships,” the company said. “His perspectives and dedication have helped UHL navigate challenging market conditions and further consolidate its position in the global heavy lift and project cargo segment." Bonnesen sells UHL shares On Bonnesen’s watch, UHL expanded its fleet with 17 F-900 series heavy-lift vessels, including eight ordered at shipyards in China and nine acquired from other owners. The final ship of the eight newbuildings was delivered in July 2024. Bonnesen was also involved in the October 2020 creation of United Marguisa Lines, a heavy-lift vessel joint venture between UHL and Marguisa Lines in Africa. As part of his departure, Bonnesen has sold his shares in United Heavy Lift to the United Shipping Group. In a related development, UHL shareholder Christian Monsted has also sold his UHL shares to the United Shipping Group, but will continue as managing director of United Marguisa Lines. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com.

Breakbulk carriers

Project cargo

Breakbulk News

UHL to embark on fleet expansion amid leadership change

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A string of storms in September has roiled vessel schedules and terminal operations throughout the region.</div>

A string of storms in September has roiled vessel schedules and terminal operations throughout the region.

<div class="phx-topic">Ocean carriers are warning of skipped port calls, rerouted cargo and vessel delays on a raft of trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean sailings over the next two weeks in the aftermath of the recent typhoons that have hit China. The threat of widespread disruption comes on the eve of China’s National Day holiday that starts Wednesday and is expected to last 10 days. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/south-china-supply-chains-brace-for-years-strongest-typhoon-6084358">Typhoon Ragasa closed ports in southern China and Taiwan for three days last week</a>, Tropical Storm Mitag affected the Philippines and southeast China in mid-September and Typhoon Tapah struck the same region in early September. Hapag-Lloyd said its Gemini Cooperation services with partner Maersk are among those affected by the string of tropical cyclones. The most severely impacted is Gemini's Pacific Southwest services, WC1 and WC3, with Nansha omitted this week on the trans-Pacific eastbound sailing by Gerd Maersk. Hapag-Lloyd said cargo will be rolled to the next WC1 voyage. Shanghai will also be omitted this week and next week on Gemini's WC3 service to recover schedule reliability from delays caused by the typhoons, Hapag-Lloyd said. Sailings affected are those by GSL Lydia this week, with cargo transferred to the WC2 and US2 services, and by Norwalk next week with cargo shifted to the US2 service operated by Kandla Express and US1 served by CCNI Algol. The delays follow call omissions last week at Yantian by the Gunvor Maersk due to Typhoon Ragasa. Hapag-Lloyd said cargo for Nansha has been discharged in both Vung Tau in Vietnam and Yantian, and will be carried back the Guangzhou international gateway port in three subsequent sailings. The carrier said the Dortmund Express operating Gemini’s Asia-US East Coast 1 service was late berthing at Yantian last Friday due to Ragasa after having already omitted Nansha on the same service due to Typhoon Tapah. Ocean Network Express (ONE) also highlighted delays of up to seven days on its Asia-Mediterranean MS1 and MD2 services due to the storms in the South China Sea. ONE confirmed a four-day delay by ACX Pearl operating its Japan-Straits-Malaysia service due to the disruption at Hong Kong and at Keelung in Taiwan. The carrier also said vessels are being delayed due to Typhoon Neoguri, which affected Japan and South Korea last week. CMA CGM also warned of vessel delays following port closures at Manila and Subic due to Typhoon Bualoi, which hit the Philippines over the weekend. Delays are also likely at Haiphong after Bualoi made landfall in northern Vietnam Monday, killing at least 30 people and causing extensive flooding. <h3>Congested ports gradually recovering </h3>Ports in south China are gradually recovering from the impact of Ragasa, with Hong Kong back to normal operations, but some Shenzhen terminals still heavily congested. “The backlog (at Hong Kong and DaChan Bay) caused by Typhoon Ragasa has already been cleared,” a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Modern Terminals told the Journal of Commerce Tuesday. A senior executive at a Hong Kong-based forwarder said Shenzhen’s western terminals, including Shekou and Chiwan, are still heavily congested. “The terminals will remain open during the extended National Day holiday and with factories closed for the holiday, this should provide (the terminals) with some respite to clear the backlog of cargo,” the executive told the Journal of Commerce Tuesday. Hapag-Lloyd said Shekou is still experiencing berthing delays of four to five days, with a five- to seven-day wait at Yantian. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com.</a></div>

Ocean carriers are warning of skipped port calls, rerouted cargo and vessel delays on a raft of trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean sailings over the next two weeks in the aftermath of the recent typhoons that have hit China. The threat of widespread disruption comes on the eve of China’s National Day holiday that starts Wednesday and is expected to last 10 days. Typhoon Ragasa closed ports in southern China and Taiwan for three days last week , Tropical Storm Mitag affected the Philippines and southeast China in mid-September and Typhoon Tapah struck the same region in early September. Hapag-Lloyd said its Gemini Cooperation services with partner Maersk are among those affected by the string of tropical cyclones. The most severely impacted is Gemini's Pacific Southwest services, WC1 and WC3, with Nansha omitted this week on the trans-Pacific eastbound sailing by Gerd Maersk. Hapag-Lloyd said cargo will be rolled to the next WC1 voyage. Shanghai will also be omitted this week and next week on Gemini's WC3 service to recover schedule reliability from delays caused by the typhoons, Hapag-Lloyd said. Sailings affected are those by GSL Lydia this week, with cargo transferred to the WC2 and US2 services, and by Norwalk next week with cargo shifted to the US2 service operated by Kandla Express and US1 served by CCNI Algol. The delays follow call omissions last week at Yantian by the Gunvor Maersk due to Typhoon Ragasa. Hapag-Lloyd said cargo for Nansha has been discharged in both Vung Tau in Vietnam and Yantian, and will be carried back the Guangzhou international gateway port in three subsequent sailings. The carrier said the Dortmund Express operating Gemini’s Asia-US East Coast 1 service was late berthing at Yantian last Friday due to Ragasa after having already omitted Nansha on the same service due to Typhoon Tapah. Ocean Network Express (ONE) also highlighted delays of up to seven days on its Asia-Mediterranean MS1 and MD2 services due to the storms in the South China Sea. ONE confirmed a four-day delay by ACX Pearl operating its Japan-Straits-Malaysia service due to the disruption at Hong Kong and at Keelung in Taiwan. The carrier also said vessels are being delayed due to Typhoon Neoguri, which affected Japan and South Korea last week. CMA CGM also warned of vessel delays following port closures at Manila and Subic due to Typhoon Bualoi, which hit the Philippines over the weekend. Delays are also likely at Haiphong after Bualoi made landfall in northern Vietnam Monday, killing at least 30 people and causing extensive flooding. Congested ports gradually recovering Ports in south China are gradually recovering from the impact of Ragasa, with Hong Kong back to normal operations, but some Shenzhen terminals still heavily congested. “The backlog (at Hong Kong and DaChan Bay) caused by Typhoon Ragasa has already been cleared,” a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Modern Terminals told the Journal of Commerce Tuesday. A senior executive at a Hong Kong-based forwarder said Shenzhen’s western terminals, including Shekou and Chiwan, are still heavily congested. “The terminals will remain open during the extended National Day holiday and with factories closed for the holiday, this should provide (the terminals) with some respite to clear the backlog of cargo,” the executive told the Journal of Commerce Tuesday. Hapag-Lloyd said Shekou is still experiencing berthing delays of four to five days, with a five- to seven-day wait at Yantian. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com.

Container lines

Asia-Europe

Trans-Pacific

International ports

Container Shipping News

Hapag-Lloyd, ONE warn of skipped calls, vessel delays due to Asian typhoons

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A regulation change that went into effect over the weekend allows Beijing to penalize and block vessels from countries that it accuses of targeting its own shipping activities. </div>

A regulation change that went into effect over the weekend allows Beijing to penalize and block vessels from countries that it accuses of targeting its own shipping activities.

<div class="phx-topic">China has amended its maritime regulations to allow it to penalize and restrict vessels of countries accused of targeting its shipping operations, flexing its power and raising the stakes just two weeks before a US tax on Chinese operators and shipbuilding takes effect. China Premier Li Qiang has signed into law an amendment that took effect Sunday, laying the groundwork for China to block not just vessels, but also data, information and other maritime services of other countries it wishes to target, according to an order from China’s State Council seen by the Journal of Commerce. The amendment keeps the door open for conciliation through treaties and agreements, which comes as the Trump administration seeks to negotiate a larger trade deal with China. The move by Beijing comes ahead of the Oct. 14 date when US Customs and Border Protection will begin collecting special taxes on ships calling US ports that are operated by China-based companies or were built in China. The US has accused China of unfairly subsidizing its shipbuilding industry to establish global maritime dominance and is leveling the sharpest taxes on Cosco Shipping and its OOCL subsidiary. Container lines not based in China <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/chinese-tonnage-moving-out-of-us-container-trade-ahead-of-new-fees-xeneta-6081320">have shifted China-built ships out of US services</a> and replaced them with vessels from South Korea and elsewhere to avoid the new fees. Major carriers including <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/msc-ready-for-us-port-fees-after-network-changes-ceo-6079762">Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co.</a> have said in recent weeks they won’t need to levy a surcharge to recoup costs from the new fee. Cosco and OOCL, which together handle the largest share of US imports from Asia, have signaled they will continue to operate in the US trades. The port fees, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-port-fees-could-exceed-2b-for-cosco-oocl-hsbc-6077305">estimated by investment bank HSBC to cost the two Chinese carriers at least $2 billion in the first year</a>, will rise incrementally over the next four years. The US Trade Representative (USTR) is expected in the coming week to release an FAQ regarding the so-called Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime activities and respond to requests for clarifications and changes on the US new tax, according to one person close to the matter. The investigation targets Chinese-built chassis, container equipment and cranes, some of which are being <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/freeport-pays-crane-tariffs-to-avoid-ustr-fee-risk-6087337">received by US ports this month before the Oct. 14 deadline</a>. Contact Mark Szakonyi at <a href="mailto:mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com">mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

China has amended its maritime regulations to allow it to penalize and restrict vessels of countries accused of targeting its shipping operations, flexing its power and raising the stakes just two weeks before a US tax on Chinese operators and shipbuilding takes effect. China Premier Li Qiang has signed into law an amendment that took effect Sunday, laying the groundwork for China to block not just vessels, but also data, information and other maritime services of other countries it wishes to target, according to an order from China’s State Council seen by the Journal of Commerce. The amendment keeps the door open for conciliation through treaties and agreements, which comes as the Trump administration seeks to negotiate a larger trade deal with China. The move by Beijing comes ahead of the Oct. 14 date when US Customs and Border Protection will begin collecting special taxes on ships calling US ports that are operated by China-based companies or were built in China. The US has accused China of unfairly subsidizing its shipbuilding industry to establish global maritime dominance and is leveling the sharpest taxes on Cosco Shipping and its OOCL subsidiary. Container lines not based in China have shifted China-built ships out of US services and replaced them with vessels from South Korea and elsewhere to avoid the new fees. Major carriers including Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co. have said in recent weeks they won’t need to levy a surcharge to recoup costs from the new fee. Cosco and OOCL, which together handle the largest share of US imports from Asia, have signaled they will continue to operate in the US trades. The port fees, estimated by investment bank HSBC to cost the two Chinese carriers at least $2 billion in the first year , will rise incrementally over the next four years. The US Trade Representative (USTR) is expected in the coming week to release an FAQ regarding the so-called Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime activities and respond to requests for clarifications and changes on the US new tax, according to one person close to the matter. The investigation targets Chinese-built chassis, container equipment and cranes, some of which are being received by US ports this month before the Oct. 14 deadline . Contact Mark Szakonyi at mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com .

Supply chain

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

China flexes maritime power in response to coming US port fee

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">US truckload carriers are likely to see a 2% increase in contract rates next year as shippers focus on doing more with less, Arrive Logistics says. </div>

US truckload carriers are likely to see a 2% increase in contract rates next year as shippers focus on doing more with less, Arrive Logistics says.

<div class="phx-topic">A significant increase in US truckload contract rates in 2026 is “improbable,” with rates likely to rise by low single-digit percentages, a new market forecast claims. Contract rates should rise about 2% by the end of 2026, while transactional truckload spot rates claw their way up 6% from this year’s bottom, according to Arrive Logistics. Oversupply, weak demand and low spot prices will keep a lid on contract rate hikes, with shippers retaining pricing power well into 2026, the brokerage provider said. “We see a little bit of an upward movement next year, but not a great disruption,” David Spencer, Arrive’s vice president of market intelligence, told the Journal of Commerce. That forecast should please shippers enjoying an unprecedented period of pricing power and frustrate truckload carriers whose margins are under pressure from rising costs. Carriers have told the Journal of Commerce they need a rate hike of 4% to 6% just to keep up with inflation and operating costs. Shippers, Spencer said, aren’t ready for that leap. “The major shippers are looking to do more with less,” he said in an interview after the release of Arrive’s 2025–26 North American Truckload Freight Forecast last week. In conversations between Arrive and more than a dozen shippers, “the consensus was that 2% to 4% is a fair range” for truckload rate increases in 2026, Spencer said. “A lot of them felt that if they had the flexibility, [their rate increases] would be closer to flat in the first half and high single-digit in the back half [of 2026],” he said. Currently, the market is highly competitive, with many truckload carriers willing to bid below cost to obtain freight and keep tractor-trailers rolling. “Even lanes we cover well [as a broker] are being under bid,” Spencer said, adding that in such a market, “there’s more appetite for shippers to leverage non-asset providers” offering lower-priced rates. <h3>Spot-contract delta </h3>Arrive’s annual forecast is the latest report to predict a relatively stable year for truckload rates in 2026 with modest growth in pricing capped by low truck freight demand. In August, C.H. Robinson Worldwide forecast a <a href="https://www.chrobinson.com/en-us/resources/insights-and-advisories/north-america-freight-insights/aug-2025-freight-market-update/na-truckload/">2% increase</a> in spot truckload pricing in 2026. “There’s little evidence of a catalyst on the horizon that would suggest freight volumes will increase materially next year,” the largest US truckload broker said. Logistics provider RXO, publisher of the quarterly RXO Curve report on truckload pricing, found “no momentum” in truckload spot pricing <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-truckload-market-mired-in-malaise-as-import-surge-wanes-6075566">during the third quarter</a>. Truckload pricing, as measured by the US long-haul truckload producer price index (PPI), did rise 1.8% in August from July but was still 0.2% lower than a year earlier. The PPI represents final selling prices and is weighted toward contract rates. “The biggest reason why contract rates aren’t going to go up is how low spot rates are,” Spencer said. Arrive’s data put the average US spot rate at $1.61 per mile in August, down from $1.75 in January and up 2 cents from August 2024. The broker’s average dry-van contract rate in August was $2 per mile. Contract rates usually rise after spot rates rise above them, but the size of the gap makes that less likely without a market shock, Spencer said. “If there’s a 40-cent delta [between spot and contract rates], what’s going to create a sustained 40-cent increase in spot rates?” he said. The Arrive forecast does show that delta narrowing by December 2026, but only to 22 cents — $1.81 per mile for spot rates and $2.03 per mile for contract pricing. Truckload capacity attrition “is real,” Spencer said. Not only are carriers exiting trucking, but fewer trucks are being purchased and put on the road, he said. ACT Research reported Class 8 heavy truck net orders were down 21% year over year in August, the eighth consecutive month of declining orders. But truckload capacity hasn’t tightened enough to affect truck availability or pricing heading into the fourth quarter, trucking’s peak shipping season. “Demand has been pretty stable and isn’t heading toward a cliff,” said Spencer. “The available capacity will support it.” Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto:bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

A significant increase in US truckload contract rates in 2026 is “improbable,” with rates likely to rise by low single-digit percentages, a new market forecast claims. Contract rates should rise about 2% by the end of 2026, while transactional truckload spot rates claw their way up 6% from this year’s bottom, according to Arrive Logistics. Oversupply, weak demand and low spot prices will keep a lid on contract rate hikes, with shippers retaining pricing power well into 2026, the brokerage provider said. “We see a little bit of an upward movement next year, but not a great disruption,” David Spencer, Arrive’s vice president of market intelligence, told the Journal of Commerce. That forecast should please shippers enjoying an unprecedented period of pricing power and frustrate truckload carriers whose margins are under pressure from rising costs. Carriers have told the Journal of Commerce they need a rate hike of 4% to 6% just to keep up with inflation and operating costs. Shippers, Spencer said, aren’t ready for that leap. “The major shippers are looking to do more with less,” he said in an interview after the release of Arrive’s 2025–26 North American Truckload Freight Forecast last week. In conversations between Arrive and more than a dozen shippers, “the consensus was that 2% to 4% is a fair range” for truckload rate increases in 2026, Spencer said. “A lot of them felt that if they had the flexibility, [their rate increases] would be closer to flat in the first half and high single-digit in the back half [of 2026],” he said. Currently, the market is highly competitive, with many truckload carriers willing to bid below cost to obtain freight and keep tractor-trailers rolling. “Even lanes we cover well [as a broker] are being under bid,” Spencer said, adding that in such a market, “there’s more appetite for shippers to leverage non-asset providers” offering lower-priced rates. Spot-contract delta Arrive’s annual forecast is the latest report to predict a relatively stable year for truckload rates in 2026 with modest growth in pricing capped by low truck freight demand. In August, C.H. Robinson Worldwide forecast a 2% increase in spot truckload pricing in 2026. “There’s little evidence of a catalyst on the horizon that would suggest freight volumes will increase materially next year,” the largest US truckload broker said. Logistics provider RXO, publisher of the quarterly RXO Curve report on truckload pricing, found “no momentum” in truckload spot pricing during the third quarter . Truckload pricing, as measured by the US long-haul truckload producer price index (PPI), did rise 1.8% in August from July but was still 0.2% lower than a year earlier. The PPI represents final selling prices and is weighted toward contract rates. “The biggest reason why contract rates aren’t going to go up is how low spot rates are,” Spencer said. Arrive’s data put the average US spot rate at $1.61 per mile in August, down from $1.75 in January and up 2 cents from August 2024. The broker’s average dry-van contract rate in August was $2 per mile. Contract rates usually rise after spot rates rise above them, but the size of the gap makes that less likely without a market shock, Spencer said. “If there’s a 40-cent delta [between spot and contract rates], what’s going to create a sustained 40-cent increase in spot rates?” he said. The Arrive forecast does show that delta narrowing by December 2026, but only to 22 cents — $1.81 per mile for spot rates and $2.03 per mile for contract pricing. Truckload capacity attrition “is real,” Spencer said. Not only are carriers exiting trucking, but fewer trucks are being purchased and put on the road, he said. ACT Research reported Class 8 heavy truck net orders were down 21% year over year in August, the eighth consecutive month of declining orders. But truckload capacity hasn’t tightened enough to affect truck availability or pricing heading into the fourth quarter, trucking’s peak shipping season. “Demand has been pretty stable and isn’t heading toward a cliff,” said Spencer. “The available capacity will support it.” Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .

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In today’s competitive logistical landscape, efficiency is an absolute necessity for smooth operations. Yet, in the barge sector, many operators still rely on fragmented systems, delayed updates, and manual tracking methods that slow decision-making and increase operational risk. OpenTug’s new eBook, How Enhanced Visibility Transforms Barge Operations, reveals how unified, real-time data can become your competitive advantage leading to improved voyage management and more actionable insights. Drawing on industry best practices and real-world examples, it explores how operational transparency empowers teams to: ●	Reduce delays with accurate ETAs and proactive scheduling decisions ●	Improve asset utilization by identifying underused equipment and optimizing cargos ●	Strengthen safety and compliance through consistent, accessible documentation and reporting ●	Boost customer satisfaction with transparent status updates and faster response time You’ll learn how visibility can connect every part of your operation into a single, actionable view. The ability to see and act on real-time information transforms the way you plan, execute, and deliver. From managing a small regional fleet to running a large, national operation, this eBook will help you understand the measurable benefits of enhanced visibility and how technology like BargeOS is transforming the way barge logistics is managed. Get your copy today and see how clear insights lead to stronger performance, smarter decisions, and more profitable operations. <a href="https://9315820.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9315820/eBook/Nav-theFuture-AJW-08.19.25.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">Click here</a><span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-16_9 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-small" data-figure-size="small" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="16:9"><img src="/content-assets/1756152344211_Opentug%20logo.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">

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At SSA Marine Mexico, we firmly believe that business development must go hand in hand with social and environmental well-being. Our vision is not solely focused on operating efficiently, but also on creating a meaningful and positive impact in the communities where we are present. Since 1995, we have reaffirmed this commitment through tangible actions that reflect our core values of responsibility, solidarity, and sustainability. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584535914_Photo%201.jpg" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> A Year of Major Achievements Over the past year, we allocated more than $107,000 USD to the implementation of 60 social and environmental projects, positively impacting over 7,800 people across various regions of Mexico. Each initiative was designed with a holistic approach, addressing key areas that contribute to long-term community development. Education: Laying the Foundation for the Future Education is one of the most powerful tools to promote social mobility and equitable development. At SSA Marine Mexico, we support academic initiatives that inspire and empower the next generation of leaders. One of our most impactful partnerships was with the University of Colima, where we sponsored the “Reto Camp” program. This initiative encourages university students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of sustainability, logistics, and port operations, offering them mentorship, tools, and real-world challenges to solve. In addition, we donated microscopes, school supplies, and educational materials to institutions in underserved communities, helping to improve the learning environment and provide students with the resources they need to succeed. Health and Sports: Promoting Wellness We believe that healthy communities are strong communities. We have supported several local sporting events and provided direct assistance to talented athletes, enabling them to pursue their passions and represent their regions with pride. Beyond sports, we also strengthened our collaboration with critical emergency response organizations such as the Mexican Red Cross and Civil Protection. Our contributions helped enhance their readiness and capabilities in times of crisis, ensuring better outcomes for those affected by emergencies. Supporting Vulnerable Groups: Reaching Those Who Need It Most A core part of our social responsibility efforts is directed toward supporting vulnerable populations. We have contributed to a range of initiatives focused on children, migrants, and at-risk families. These efforts included donations to orphanages and shelters, as well as support for the National Institute of Migration and grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting and empowering people facing adversity. By standing with those in need, we reinforce our commitment to inclusion and social justice, values that are central to our identity as a responsible company. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584944645_Photo%202.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">Culture: Strengthening Community Identity Cultural identity is a key element in building resilient and united communities. At SSA Marine Mexico, we actively participate in the organization and sponsorship of cultural events that celebrate local traditions and foster civic pride. Working alongside port authorities and municipal governments, we helped bring music, art, and heritage to the forefront, creating spaces for community engagement and intercultural dialogue. Environment: Investing in the Planet Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond operations—it’s a philosophy that drives every decision we make. We have partnered with environmental institutions to carry out reforestation campaigns, beach cleanups, and conservation efforts. In collaboration with the Institute for the Environment, we supported initiatives aimed at decarbonization, biodiversity protection, and environmental education. By involving our employees and local volunteers in these actions, we also foster a culture of environmental stewardship throughout our organization and our surrounding communities. Innovation for a Sustainable Future Sustainability is not just about doing good—it’s also about doing things better. In 2024, we invested $22 million USD in the acquisition of 11 state-of-the-art E-RTG cranes. These electric rubber-tired gantry cranes represent a significant technological advancement in port equipment. Seven of them are already operating on clean electric energy, resulting in a reduction of nearly 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and improving operational efficiency by 7%. The remaining four cranes are fully compatible with future electrification, underscoring our long-term strategy to modernize our operations in an environmentally responsible way. This investment is part of a broader innovation roadmap that includes digitalization, automation, and cleaner energy sources—all designed to ensure that our ports continue to grow without compromising the health of our planet. Building a Better Tomorrow, Together At SSA Marine Mexico, we understand that sustainability is a shared and ongoing responsibility. True impact requires collaboration across sectors, long-term vision, and unwavering commitment. That is why we continue to work hand-in-hand with local authorities, non-profit organizations, universities, and our own employees to create solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. Our journey is far from over. In the years ahead, we will continue to deepen our community engagement, explore cleaner technologies, and strengthen the social fabric of the regions where we operate. Each initiative, no matter the size, is a step toward building a future where business success goes hand-in-hand with human and environmental prosperity. We are proud of what we have achieved in 2024, but we are even more excited about what lies ahead. SSA Marine Mexico — Moving the World, Caring for People and Planet. LINK: <a href="https://www.ssamarine.mx/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">https://www.ssamarine.mx/</a>

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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