Container Shipping News

NYK Line will establish NYK Bulk and Projects Carriers on Oct. 1, 2013, following the merger of its subsidiaries, NYK-Hinode Line and NYK Global Bulk.

Cyprus sought to play down fears that its financial crisis would hit the Mediterranean island’s large shipping registry and the ship-management industry.

Previously operated under the Liberian flag, the 7,100 20-foot-equivalent unit Santa Cruz container ship, operated by Hamburg Süd on its trade from Europe to South America’s east coast, has been entered into Luxembourg’s shipping register.

The ability of ocean carriers to nail down their scheduled April 1 general increases in the eastbound trans-Pacific trade appeared somewhat shaky this week after average spot rates fell for the fifth consecutive week.

Hapag-Lloyd will launch a new service between the Mediterranean and U.S. East Coast, starting in June.

On April 3, Wan Hai Lines will join Yang Ming Line and Pacific International Lines in operating the Pan Asia Service II to provide an express service from North China to Singapore and Malaysia.

Maersk Line will add Busan, South Korea, as a port call on its Asia-Europe, AE10, service schedule.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services will raise rates for all dry cargo on its trade from the Far East to Europe and the Mediterranean, starting April 15.

Hamburg Süd has reinstated La Guaira, Venezuela, as a direct call on its weekly Florida-ABC Islands/Venezuela service, which connects Florida, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Venezuela.

United Arab Shipping Company will increase rates on its trade from Asia to North Europe, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic region, effective April 15 and May 15, based on the bill of lading date.

The European Commission has launched a €66.7 million (about US$85.2 million) call for proposals to fight road congestion and make freight transport greener in the framework of the Marco Polo program...

Mediterranean Shipping Co. will adjust its Andes Service to include the Port of Coronel in Chile.

Hamburg Sud has announced rate increases for three trade lanes that will take effect on or after April 1, on the basis of bill of lading dates...

Steel imports in February were 2.440 million tons, dropping 6.8 percent from 2.617 million tons in January and falling 10.3 percent from February 2012...

OOCL today unveiled its new OOCL Memphis in Shanghai.

Evergreen Line will launch a new service linking South China, the Philippines and East Malaysia in mid-April.

U.S. exports of certain organic products expanded 8 percent year-over-year to nearly $450 million in 2012, driven by gains in apple shipments, which offset declines in grapes and cherries.

AdvanFort has named Dimitrios Angelopoulos, a retired Hellenic Navy submarine commander, as its new business development manager.

CMA CGM plans to open a new bonded “dry port” in Baghdad in June.

Chris Holloway has joined Metro Group Maritime, a commercial receivable management, debt recovery and consulting company focused on the maritime and transportation industry.

CMA CGM will increase rates on its trade from North Europe, the U.K. and Nordic countries to the Indian subcontinent, effective April 15. The hike will be $150 per 20-foot container and $200 per 40-foot container.

The NOL Group has unveiled its new 14,000 20-foot-equivalent unit APL Temasek container ship at the PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal in Singapore.

On April 15, Emirates Shipping Line will raise rates on two of its trade lanes.

With the transit of Canada Steamship Lines’ newly built Baie St. Paul through the St. Lambert Lock, the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 55th navigation season has opened, according to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

The International Bunker Industry Association has appointed Peter Hall as its new chief executive.

Hapag-Lloyd will launch its new Finland Express Service in April, directly connecting German hubs with ports in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea.

The news that Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Sud have walked away from a merger that would have created the world’s fourth-largest ocean carrier didn’t come as a major shock to rival container lines or industry watchers.

Hanjin Shipping plans to increase rates on its sevice between Asia and Europe, starting April 15.

Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd have abandoned a planned merger because the German container shipping lines couldn’t agree on the terms to create the world’s fourth largest ocean carrier.

Two Italian ship guards accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in February last year returned to New Delhi on Friday evening, easing a standoff that threatened to strain diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The 2013 shipping season at the Port of Duluth-Superior in Minnesota, on the western edge of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system, has kicked off.

Three subsidiaries of Euroseas have entered into time-charter agreements for three container ships...

Zim intends to order cheaper and more efficient container ships to replace the five large vessels the Israeli ocean carrier canceled this week.

OOCL will increase rates for westbound traffic from Asia to Europe, starting April 15.

Mediterranean Shipping Co. will hike rates for all cargo in its trade from Asia to the eastern and western Mediterranean, North Africa, the Black Sea, the Adriatic, North Europe and Scandinavia (Baltic), starting April 15.

Singapore-based ocean carrier APL plans to increase rates on all containers moving from India to Canada and the U.S., excluding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, starting April 1.

Three new board members have been appointed to the Maritime New Zealand Authority, including Maxine Moana-Tuwhangai, Belinda Vernon and Russell Watson.

At a naming ceremony at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard on Geojoe Island in South Korea, OOCL unveiled its second 13,208-TEU mega-vessel to join its fleet this year.

Despite a “bad” 2012, ocean container lines managed to get freight rates up enough to generate positive cash flows that are bringing them close to break-even. But even when they do start earning a profit again, they are unlikely to order many new ships.