Category: Uncategorized

TPM26: War a problem for container shipping, but not ‘pandemic-scale’: analyst While of concern to shippers and ocean carriers, the global impact of the war in the Middle East on container flows will be less severe than COVID-19 disruptions and Red Sea diversions, Lars Jensen told TPM26. Go to journal of commerce

Intercontinental Exchange to launch container freight futures in April The push to launch futures contracts for container shipping has gained momentum in recent years given the seemingly never-ending volatility and disruption in the market. Go to journal of commerce

CMA CGM adds direct India-USWC string as part of Asia network overhaul The new express service comes amid expectations of a rebound in capacity demand with the easing of tariffs between the two countries and ongoing trade negotiations. Go to journal of commerce

Industry stakeholders don’t see regulators rubber-stamping UP-NS deal While the White House has signaled support and Republicans hold a majority on the US Surface Transportation Board, opposition has surfaced that has many believing the $85 billion merger is not necessarily a done deal. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Empty boxes pose structural challenge for Europe’s busy ports A sharp increase in imports from Asia, declining back-haul volume, and congestion delaying the return of empties are slowing down the repatriation of equipment back to Asia. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Europe’s persistent port congestion won’t be remedied by short-term fixes The bottlenecks are rippling through Asia-Europe supply chains, undermining vessel schedule reliability, disrupting inventory positioning, and ultimately influencing freight rates, according to Drewry. Go to journal of commerce

EPCs bank on growing demand for fossil fuels, tech projects Engineering, procurement and construction companies, key shippers of project cargo, are expecting an uptick in business in 2026. Go to journal of commerce

Middle East transshipment options to emerge in the coming days: DHL CEO Tobias Meyer said companies are starting to consider offloading Asia export cargo at ports in the Indian subcontinent for eventual onward shipment into the Gulf region, but it has not yet emerged as a trend. Go to journal of commerce

Middle East war slows trans-Pacific service contract talks further Three ocean carriers told the Journal of Commerce they could not commit to contract volume allocations with customers until there was greater clarity on how long the hostilities would last. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: US trucking crackdown likely to have delayed impact on drayage sector The Trump administration’s move against non-English-speaking drivers and non-domiciled commercial driver’s license holders could hit the drayage sector, but only after it trickles down from other parts of the trucking industry, experts say. Go to journal of commerce

BIMCO expresses caution over Trump’s Persian Gulf shipping insurance offer While resuming the movement of vessels in the war zone is important, the shipping group says the president’s offer needs clarification. Go to journal of commerce

Middle East war puts trans-Pacific service contract talks in limbo Four ocean carriers told the Journal of Commerce they could not commit to contract volume allocations with customers until there was greater clarity on how long the hostilities would last. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Volatile US trade policy undermines exporters: AgTC The head of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition says US ag shippers face a plethora of changing tariffs and other measures that undermine their ability to tap overseas markets. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Stakeholders put UP-NS merger proposal under the microscope Those who would be affected by the proposed $85 billion transaction either directly or indirectly had plenty to say about the matter during the first TPM26 conference since the deal was announced. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Iran conflict puts new risk on US economic growth: Yellen  The ex-US Treasury Secretary said consumers could pull back on spending should crude oil and gasoline prices remain aloft due to the latest attacks on Iran by the US and Israel. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Unpredictability the ‘operating model’ for Trump administration: economist The global chief economist for S&P Global Ratings told TPM26 the uncertainties that come with current White House policies are part of the mix when formulating economic forecasts. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Middle East conflict to ripple across global trade lanes: industry experts As the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran extends into its third day, about 10% of the global container shipping fleet remains stranded inside the Persian Gulf or held up outside. Go to journal of commerce

TPM26: Shipping waits for Houthi reaction to US/Israeli attacks on Iran An expert on Yemen told TPM26 the leadership of the Tehran-backed militant group appears to be split on how best to respond to the attacks on Iran that began over the weekend. Go to journal of commerce

Carriers pause India-Middle East cargo bookings amid Persian Gulf port chaos  While reefer trade is at the center of carrier booking suspensions because of its time-sensitive nature, many mainline carriers have put a stop to all Middle East shipments until further notice. Go to journal of commerce

Truckload capacity index moves up as large US carriers shuffle assets Cuts to traditional one-way service have been balanced by additional capacity in dedicated, specialized fleets. Go to journal of commerce

MSC downgrades India-Europe/Med network amid transshipment cargo lift woes The move comes as transshipment cargo handling declines are expected at Indian ports following a recent government decision to revoke the cabotage waiver that foreign-flag carriers have enjoyed since 2018. Go to journal of commerce

Shipping avoids Middle East region after US, Israel begin strikes on Iran The US has established a maritime warning zone, effectively placing the region out of bounds to shipping, while airlines have suspended passenger and freighter flights across the Middle East. Go to journal of commerce

CMA CGM to launch standalone Japan-Europe express service in April The new service comes as cargo owners are facing a drop in direct connections between Japan and the main markets of Europe and North America. Go to journal of commerce

Federal court dismisses ILA complaint over Virginia rail cranes Even if the terminal operator arm of the Virginia Port Authority violated the terms of its contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association, the VPA’s influence did not violate national labor law, the court said in its ruling. Go to journal of commerce

Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd to reroute some March sailings away from Red Sea/Suez Separate statements from the Gemini partners said “unforeseen constraints” prompted the moves, which come as the US weighs a possible military strike on Iran. Go to journal of commerce

Gemini partners unveil revamp of some Asia services to Europe, Med Five services are covered by the adjustments, which are being made to give “stronger market coverage and faster products,” on the trades, Hapag-Lloyd said. Go to journal of commerce

Wind OEMs pin hopes on data center energy demands amid US setbacks Onshore wind and AI energy support offer twin strands of positivity for wind shippers operating in the US despite the Trump administration’s battle against renewable energy. Go to journal of commerce

After Hapag-Zim deal, Premier Alliance may be next in the spotlight Premier Alliance carriers may not have the most chips in the game, but in a world where all the alliances are competing to provide the best product, they can inject some very useful capacity to enhance particular trade lanes, writes Jeremy Masters. Go to…

Rotterdam congestion limits benefit of second-half surge in imports Europe’s largest port handled 14.2 million TEUs during what was described by its CEO as “a challenging year” set against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions. Go to journal of commerce

Zim deal offers Hapag-Lloyd entry into niche car carrier market   Hapag could leverage Zim-owned Gold Star Line’s ready-made ro/ro fleet to expand its offering in the breakbulk market, but overcapacity provides potential headwinds. Go to journal of commerce