Container lines

Only eight of the JOC Top 40 Container Carriers by US Imports managed to increase volumes in the first five months of the year, none of which belong to one of the three major vessel-sharing alliances.

Mediterranean Shipping Co. announced a new weekly service from Asia to the US West Coast to meet import demand that has risen significantly in the past two months.

In proactively and successfully influencing the direction of the market as container lines have done this year, leading to higher rates and stronger profit, the carriers will inevitably provoke a regulatory reaction.

APL Logistics has added Haiphong to its OceanGuaranteed product as demand for premium services from Vietnam increases with the shift of some manufacturing from China.

Forwarders say shipping lines in the eastbound trans-Pacific are telling them to prepare for a Sept. 1 general rate increase (GRI) that could push West Coast spot rates above $4,000 per FEU.

Container lines have displayed an ability to flex capacity in response to short-term demand changes, and this strategy has paid off across the board despite stunted volumes in the second quarter.

Growth of Maersk Spot indicates the industry is past the point of no return on adoption of instant quoting tools, with container lines not having this capability lagging behind.

Earnings season is drawing to a close, with carriers shrugging off the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on demand in the second quarter and significantly boosting their earnings due to capacity management.

The new service will significantly shorten the transit time for Bangladeshi cargoes to reach their final destination in the US by — at least 10 days, according to officials.

Taiwanese carrier Yang Ming was unable to turn around its string of financial losses in the first half, but the shipping company continues to inch its way closer to a positive result.

Technology has the potential to solve long-running financing tensions between suppliers and importers, and logistics networks and service providers are likely to be the focal point for these solutions.

US imports from Asia and China turned positive in July, but US retailers predict a short peak season they say will be the weakest in four years.

Jack Mahoney, currently head of Maersk North America’s automotive industry division, will end a 21-year tenure with the Danish giant to lead the niche trans-Pacific carrier.

Spot rates from Asia to both US coasts spiked by several hundred dollars last week as carriers in the eastbound trans-Pacific prepare to implement an Aug. 15 general rate increase.

One marine terminal in Montreal has begun turning away refrigerated exports as a series of strikes will last until at least Friday.

Sources expect Bangladesh’s export figures for August and September to fall sharply, given the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and bankruptcy declarations from some major apparel retailers.

Crowley Maritime’s switch to lift-on lift-off vessels a decade ago didn’t pay full dividends until it adopted an aligned terminal operating system to support its grounded operations at its hubs in Florida and Puerto Rico.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) said blank sailings were key to boosting ship utilization, with use on eastbound trans-Pacific services hitting 96 percent.

The uncertainty that marks cargo forecasting in the largest US trade lane is largely a reflection of consumer purchasing habits, which have not followed normal seasonal trends due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Aggressive capacity management in response to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and escalating tariffs has helped the top 10 container carriers operating in the Europe–US trade increase their share of the market so far in 2020.

The Asia–US West Coast spot rate exploded past $3,000 per FEU this week, but forwarders expect pricing to stabilize for the coming month as demand and supply are reaching a state of balance.

Container carrier ONE said an increase in COVID-19 infections in South Africa has also disrupted port operations in Durban, causing vessel delays to ships operating on its South Africa Central service.

Singapore's sovereign wealth fund is thought to be contemplating a cash injection of up to $450 million into PIL in return for a significant shareholding in the privately controlled carrier.

Maersk’s march toward providing supply chain management services and tools for shippers continues with the addition of a control tower software suite aimed at small and mid-sized shippers.

Maersk will penalize shippers that make manual booking and documentation amendments starting Sept. 1; fees can be avoided if the changes are made on its website or through electronic platforms.

Container shipping alliances can cancel on blank sailings as long as it’s done to adjust capacity to match lower volumes and they don’t cause an unreasonable reduction in transportation services or an unreasonable increase in costs.

After carriers implemented three general rate increases between June 1 and July 1, spot rates on Friday in the eastbound trans-Pacific remained stable for the second consecutive week.

A startup that calculates door-to-door cargo shipping emissions has released an interface to convey its data directly to shippers and forwarders needing to meet emissions reductions goals.

CEVA Logistics has expanded the digital tools it offers shippers, part of a growing trend of global 3PLs providing self-service capabilities around quoting and visibility to transaction-oriented shippers.

CMA CGM’s decision to no longer directly serve Port Tampa Bay leaves the Florida port with two direct Asia container services.

Carriers may need to go beyond blank sailings to manage capacity if new and sustained outbreaks of COVID-19 cause a prolonged downturn in consumer demand, says Drewry.

Bangladesh’s maritime regulator implemented the quarantine in February just as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began spreading globally.

Some US importers are already trying to get ahead of a potential escalation in tariffs on EU goods by front-loading cargo.

A new waterborne service has debuted between Chittagong and Kolkata, saving time and money for shippers.

Cosco Shipping's partnership with Alibaba and the group’s finance arm Ant Financial, which will primarily focus on using blockchain to track containerized goods globally, fits into China’s larger goal of creating a digital silk road threading through its Belt and Road initiative.

Imports from Asia and China rebounded in June as a number of US retailers reopened, but consumer demand could pull back later this summer if stores are forced to close again due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Container lines can either keep up the capacity discipline they showed in the first half and be on track to end the year with $9 billion in profit, or lose $7 billion if they can’t, according to SeaIntelligence Consulting.

The Digital Container Shipping Association is targeting standard vessel schedule publishing to allow ports and cargo interests to get more real-time arrival and departure data.

The move, bringing an end to APL’s 170-year legacy as a commercial trans-Pacific carrier, is part of the Marseille-based shipping group’s broader effort to clarify its offering to customers since a series of major acquisitions.

Freight forwarders say they have reduced payment deadlines to 30 days, with some firms only accepting up-front payment for new shipper customers even if they pass credit checks.