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Carly Fields

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargomail

Carly Fields is associate editor for project and heavy-lift cargo, covering breakbulk, project and heavy-lift transport and logistics. Based in the UK, she is a specialist maritime editor, overseeing publications including Shipping Network, The Sea and Marine Professional in addition to her responsibilities at the Journal of Commerce. She was previously an editor at Breakbulk magazine and has been reporting on the breakbulk sector since 2015.

Read Carly's Latest Coverage

Slide in MPV rates seen as a blip, not a breakdown, as projects keep flowing

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Breakbulk and project carriers continue to be upbeat for cargo prospects through the end of the year and into 2026.

MaritimeBreakbulk carriersProject cargoBreakbulk News

Project cargo shippers urge shakeup for inconsistent carbon costs

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

A lack of transparency in carbon pricing from carriers is frustrating breakbulk shippers, while the industry must strike a balance that supports environmental goals without undermining the sector’s ability to function.

MaritimeHeavy-haul transportProject cargo

Shippers disillusioned by project cargo technology

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

“Stone age” thinking on technology to support breakbulk cargo moves has left engineering, procurement and construction companies in a tech void.

MaritimeLogistics Technology NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargoBreakbulk News

Shipping experts warn of ‘disaster’ if IMO’s net-zero framework voted down

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo and Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |

Should US attempts to derail the measure be successful, a global approach to putting a price on carbon emissions will be abandoned and replaced with uncoordinated regional and national measures, the experts say.

MaritimePort NewsTransport, Trade and Regulation News

Multipurpose vessel supply-demand balance on knife edge

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Little to no scrapping and scant new orders should keep the MPV fleet stable for now, but things could change quickly if demand surges.

Breakbulk carriersMaritimeBreakbulk News

US wind sector warns against further increase in import tariffs

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Equipment manufacturers and industry associations urged the US Department of Commerce to take a measured approach to avoid unintentionally harming the domestic wind industry.

Energy projectsMaritimeTransport, Trade and Regulation NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargoSupply chainBreakbulk News

Tight MPV supply countered by container rate crash, ship glut

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

With only low-capacity increases forecast for the MPV fleet, operators believe they will be able to handle the predicted increases in project cargo. 

Breakbulk carriersMaritimeProject cargoBreakbulk News

MPV shippers adopt ‘strategic inaction’ operating model to counter instability

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Cargo movers are holding back on executing breakbulk and project cargo shipments as much as possible until there is a clearer picture of costs in the current unsettled market.

Breakbulk NewsMaritime

MPV availability likely to tighten in aftermath of latest Houthi attacks

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

With more ships expected to divert to the longer Cape of Good Hope route around southern Africa, shippers could find it more difficult to secure capacity for project cargoes.

Project cargoMaritimeAsia-EuropeBreakbulk News

Market seeks to navigate medium-term cuts to heavy-lift air cargo capacity

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

The loss of An-124 heavy-lift air capacity will force a modal shift to ocean or a reduction in cargo sizes to fit into smaller craft, experts say.

Breakbulk NewsAir CargoHeavy-haul transportProject cargo

Heavier power cargoes challenge transport, infrastructure limitations

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Economies of scale are prompting shippers to superscale project cargoes, putting pressure on carriers and forwarders.

Energy projectsMaritimeHeavy-haul transportProject cargoBreakbulk News

Industrial cargo demand challenged by regional variation, economic uncertainty

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

While some markets grapple with the lingering effects of trade disputes and fluctuating demand, others are experiencing unprecedented growth driven by green initiatives, robust domestic infrastructure development and the necessities of defense.

Project cargoMaritimeBreakbulk News

Tariffs prompt honest talk on costs among project cargo players

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Client relationships have not been harmed by tariffs because shippers and carriers recognize the need for additional and unexpected costs to be passed through the supply chain.

Project cargoMaritimeBreakbulk carriersBreakbulk News

Growing project cargo scale testing transport limitations, but driving innovation

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Larger components are pushing handling boundaries with an increasing number of locations too small to accommodate growing cargo sizes.

Breakbulk NewsEnergy projectsProject cargo

Conventional power drives project cargo pipeline, but midterm worries persist

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

While traditional energy projects continue to drive immediate demand, long-heralded energy transition initiatives are progressing at a far slower pace amid tariffs and investment uncertainty.

Breakbulk NewsEnergy projectsProject cargo

Shippers mull new lease on life for overage multipurpose vessels

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

An aging MPV fleet is causing concerns for shippers and forwarders in a market where the fleet has limited capacity to accommodate cargo growth.

Breakbulk carriersMaritimeBreakbulk News

Crew availability ‘biggest threat’ to multipurpose ship sector

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

A squeeze on the talent pipeline for the MPV and heavy-lift sectors means that competition for crew and captains is set to intensify.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersHeavy-haul transportProject cargo

Potential regulatory bombshells flying under MPV sector’s radar

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Breakbulk and project cargo industry stakeholders must take note of the far-reaching potential ramifications of the recently reintroduced US SHIPS Act, writes Associate Editor Carly Fields.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Vessel operators warned not to rely on perceived stability in MPVs indexes

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Ongoing market uncertainty is expected to upend rates as the breakbulk sector continues to digest tariff ramifications on the specialized sector.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Breakbulk stakeholders blast USTR’s China tonnage tax proposal

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

MPV industry experts call for exemptions to US port taxes for China-built ships, stressing the lack of alternatives for specialist cargo carriage and the unfair burden on responsibility on the sector.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargoNorth American ports

Geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs start to weigh on MPV market

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Freight rate declines coupled with ship supply and cargo demand worries are rippling through the MPV sector.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

EPCs paint bleak picture for MPV sector under US port fee plan

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Engineering, procurement and construction companies are in a tailspin about the possible withdrawal of suitable ships for project cargoes if the US government’s port call proposal linked to Chinese tonnage is implemented.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

MPVs pass on steel frontloading surge as fleet concerns loom

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

While the breakbulk sector failed to capitalize on the forward loading of steel to get in front of US import tariffs, it now has bigger concerns with US proposals to penalize Chinese-made MPVs.

Breakbulk NewsTransport, Trade and Regulation NewsBreakbulk carriers

Softer MPV market conditions reflect shaky near-term expectations

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

The threat of US tariffs, inflation, rising government borrowing and slower interest rate cuts are undermining cargo confidence in the US and beyond, according to benchmark indicators.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Specter of US trade tariffs puts EPC companies on war footing

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

EPCs say that tariffs enforced after project costs are finalized not only impact the bottom line but in some cases destroy the viability of a project, hitting volumes in the breakbulk trade.

Breakbulk NewsEnergy projectsProject cargo

Capacity-bound MPV operators poised for strong year amid firming rates

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Increased orders and decreased recycling in 2024 helped capacity, but the volumes are still not where they need to be to balance the MPV fleet.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Slow-moving renewable projects curtail MPV enthusiasm

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Steady-but-uninspiring demand for MPVs has kept freight rates at a sustainable level.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersEnergy projectsProject cargo

MPV stability underscored by steady cargo demand

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Minimal movements in industry indexes underline a constant demand for MPVs with capacity artificially reduced by Red Sea diversions.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Stabilizing MPV rates belie geographical imbalances

Carly Fields, Associate Editor, Breakbulk and Project Cargo |

Healthy demand for “sophisticated” multipurpose vessels is being undercut by a sluggish market for standard MPVs.

Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo