krogragg

Category: Ports and Logistics

  • Speak up for our sector

    Speak up for our sector Maritime leaders must use a single voice to challenge roadblocks and spotlight opportunities in an operating landscape that is fraught with turmoil, writes Intent Communications CEO Namrata Nadkarni. The maritime industry is no stranger to volatility, but the start of 2026 has brought a convergence of crises that would test…

  • 3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis

    3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis VLCC freight surged to extraordinary theoretical levels on Monday as the war between Iran and the US‑Israel coalition roiled shipping in the Persian Gulf, with some 3,200 vessels stuck in the region. The benchmark TD3C from the Middle East to China was quoted at $423,700 a day, up…

  • Splash Wrap: The world of shipping condensed

    Splash Wrap: The world of shipping condensed Tariffs are back at the top of the shipping news agenda once again, creating confusion just as the transpacific contracting season gets underway.  Last Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that president Donald Trump violated federal law by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to unilaterally…

  • Maersk and MSC handed temporary running of Hutchison’s Panamanian terminals

    Maersk and MSC handed temporary running of Hutchison’s Panamanian terminals Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) have moved in to run key terminals at the entrances to the Panama Canal after Panama published a Supreme Court ruling annulling long‑running concessions held by CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company (PPC), clearing the way for an immediate handover…

  • Maersk and Eurogate line up $1.2bn overhaul for Bremerhaven

    Maersk and Eurogate line up $1.2bn overhaul for Bremerhaven Maersk’s port operating arm, APM Terminals, and Germany’s Eurogate are in advanced talks over a long-term partnership that would see €1bn ($1.2bn) invested in upgrading the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB). APM Terminals already works alongside Eurogate at the facility. The new investment plan aims to…

  • Sulayem ousted at DP World over Epstein links

    Sulayem ousted at DP World over Epstein links Dubai-headquartered terminal operator DP World moved to replace one of the ports sector’s most recognisable figures on Friday after newly released US Department of Justice files tied CEO and chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to the child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Dubai‑based logistics group announced Essa…

  • CK Hutchison warns Maersk off Balboa and Cristobal

    CK Hutchison warns Maersk off Balboa and Cristobal Hong Kong terminal operator CK Hutchison has escalated its fight over two Panama Canal terminals by warning A.P. Moller‑Maersk that any attempt by APM Terminals to assume operations without Hutchison’s consent would trigger legal recourse and claims for damages. In a public update, Hutchison said it had…

  • AD Ports backs new dry bulk hub in Cameroon

    AD Ports backs new dry bulk hub in Cameroon AD Ports Group has joined a 30-year concession to develop and operate a new dry bulk terminal at the Port of Douala in Cameroon, deepening its footprint in West and Central Africa. The Abu Dhabi-based operator is partnering with Africa Ports Development (APD) on the project,…

  • Panama’s port purge draws China’s ire

    Panama’s port purge draws China’s ire The diplomatic spat between China and Panama is worsening over the Central American nation’s decision last week to strip Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison of its rights to operate two ports.  Panama’s president, José Raúl Mulino, declared the government will never again award the Balboa and Cristobal port concessions to…

  • Splash Wrap: Ports in a storm

    Splash Wrap: Ports in a storm The deepening dispute between Panama and China over two key ports at the Panama Canal was a constant source of headlines following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that invalidated CK Hutchison’s long-held concession contracts. A trade pact between the US and India that cuts American tariffs and ties New…

  • AD Ports secures 30-year concession to run Aqaba multipurpose terminal

    AD Ports secures 30-year concession to run Aqaba multipurpose terminal AD Ports Group is expanding its regional port footprint, signing a 30-year concession with Aqaba Development Corporation to manage and operate Jordan’s Aqaba multipurpose port. Under the deal, AD Ports will take a 70% stake in a new joint venture, with Aqaba Development Corporation holding…

  • CK Hutchison launches arbitration after Panama court voids port concessions

    CK Hutchison launches arbitration after Panama court voids port concessions Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison has launched arbitration proceedings against the republic of Panama, escalating a deepening dispute over two key ports at the Panama Canal following a landmark Supreme Court ruling last week that invalidated its long-held concession contracts. The conglomerate disclosed early Wednesday that…

  • APM Terminals steps up with offer to temporarily run Hutchison’s Panamanian ports

    APM Terminals steps up with offer to temporarily run Hutchison’s Panamanian ports Following last week’s decision by Panama’s Supreme Court to annul concession contracts held by a CK Hutchison unit for the Balboa and Cristobal terminals, Maersk-controlled APM Terminals has stepped into the breach. The Danish port operator has signalled its willingness to assume temporary…

  • Panama court torpedoes CK Hutchison terminals deal

    Panama court torpedoes CK Hutchison terminals deal Panama’s Supreme Court has thrown CK Hutchison’s flagship Panama Ports Company (PPC) concession into limbo, ruling the Hong Kong group’s contract to operate terminals at either end of the Panama Canal unconstitutional. In a brief statement late Thursday, the court struck down the 25‑year extension granted to PPC…

  • PSA and MOL step up Singapore car carrier push

    PSA and MOL step up Singapore car carrier push PSA Singapore and Japanese shipping major Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) have agreed to form a joint venture to run a dedicated roro terminal in the Lion City, tightening their grip on one of Asia’s busiest automotive transhipment hubs. The terminal, subject to regulatory approval, is expected…

  • Wan Hai tightens grip on Japan routes with Osaka terminal investment

    Wan Hai tightens grip on Japan routes with Osaka terminal investment Taiwanese containerline Wan Hai Lines is moving deeper into Japanese port infrastructure with the acquisition of Terminal C9 at Osaka Port, spending about $87m to strengthen its core intra-Asia network. The Taipei-headquartered carrier said in a Taiwan Stock Exchange filing that its board approved…

  • Damage reported following Russian strike on Chornomorsk

    Damage reported following Russian strike on Chornomorsk Russian forces have conducted a ballistic missile strike on the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine, impacting a Malta-flagged vessel preparing to load containers. The strike has left at least one crewmember injured and caused damage to the unidentified vessel. Ukrainian authorities have reported that yesterday’s strike not only…

  • Nova Marine Carriers JV doubles down on Amsterdam logistics

    Nova Marine Carriers JV doubles down on Amsterdam logistics Italian-Swiss dry bulk group Nova Marine Carriers has tightened its grip on the Port of Amsterdam after completing the acquisition of the Waterland Terminal in a joint venture with Germany’s Aug. Bolten and Spain’s Ership. The deal was executed through Dutch subsidiary Maja Stuwadoors Groep, which…

  • SIPG picks new chairman

    SIPG picks new chairman Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) has appointed ex-Shanghai transport commission head Yu Fulin as its chairman. According to the company, Yu Fulin was elected by the SIPG’s board via a unanimous vote. He will also serve as the chairman of the strategy committee. Fulin is a senior engineer, born in March…

  • ICTSI pours $175m into Rio terminal expansion

    ICTSI pours $175m into Rio terminal expansion Manila-based port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) is pressing ahead with a major expansion at Brazil’s Rio Brasil Terminal, committing R$948m ($175m) to lift capacity and modernise operations at the Port of Rio de Janeiro. The investment programme, running from 2025 to 2029, will increase annual…

  • Black Sea shipping carnage deepens as Turkish vessels hit in Russian retaliation

    Black Sea shipping carnage deepens as Turkish vessels hit in Russian retaliation The risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea escalated sharply over the weekend after two Turkish-controlled vessels were struck amid a wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure, following Kyiv’s recent strikes on Russian-linked shipping and energy assets. On Friday, Cenk…

  • Shanghai’s box boom exposes a resilience blind spot

    Shanghai’s box boom exposes a resilience blind spot In container shipping, the leverage – and the real fragility – now lives where the cranes greet the sea, writes Wolfgang Lehmacher.  Shanghai has just pulled off something remarkable, even by its own lofty standards. The world’s largest container port handled more than 46m teu in the…

  • New anti-corruption campaign rolls out across Asian and European hubs

    New anti-corruption campaign rolls out across Asian and European hubs The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has launched a three-year initiative aimed at tightening integrity standards across maritime supply chains in Indonesia, Malaysia and Germany. The programme—“Transparent Trade Routes: Strengthening Integrity in Maritime Supply Chains”—is backed by funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative. MACN said the…

  • Grieg Connect lands Finnish port management specialist Wellamo Data

    Grieg Connect lands Finnish port management specialist Wellamo Data Norway’s Grieg Connect is widening its Nordic reach with the acquisition of Wellamo Data, a long-established Finnish provider of port-management information systems. The move gives the Bergen-based digital solutions specialist its first foothold in mainland Finland as it pushes to build a unified PMIS offering across…

  • Auckland port heads to Turkey for bunker tanker newbuild

    Auckland port heads to Turkey for bunker tanker newbuild Port of Auckland in New Zealand is moving deeper into the bunkering business with a newbuild tanker designed to support the shift toward cleaner marine fuels. Its bunkering arm, Seafuels, has signed a NZD50m ($29m) shipbuilding contract for a vessel capable of supplying biodiesel and methanol,…

  • FSB clearance and underwater checks slow Russian port calls

    FSB clearance and underwater checks slow Russian port calls To add to the complications brought about by Ukraine’s renewed maritime attack campaign in and around the Black Sea, shipowners and charterers planning to call at Russian ports should brace for delays and heavy regulatory friction after Moscow introduced sweeping new entry rules for foreign vessels,…

  • Black Sea war risk premiums surge

    Black Sea war risk premiums surge Insurance rates for ships trading in the Black Sea have jumped sharply following a fresh wave of attacks on vessels linked to Russia. Citing data from Marsh, the world’s largest insurance broker, Bloomberg reported yesterday the cost of covering port calls in the region has more than tripled in…

  • Marseille-Fos maps out $1.5bn expansion through 2029

    Marseille-Fos maps out $1.5bn expansion through 2029 France’s biggest port has unveiled an investment plan of unprecedented scale as Marseille-Fos races to secure a stronger foothold in the Mediterranean container market. The new 2025–2029 strategic blueprint, approved this week, calls for up to €1.3bn ($1.5bn) in spending — triple the previous five-year cycle — as…

  • Zero-emission trade routes expand as China, India and Brazil step in

    Zero-emission trade routes expand as China, India and Brazil step in The global push to develop green shipping corridors gathered momentum in 2025, with 25 new zero-emission trade routes launched this year and major emerging economies stepping more firmly into the effort, according to the latest Annual Progress Report on Green Shipping Corridors from the…

  • New container port index launches

    New container port index launches The partnership that has been producing the Leading Maritime Cities of the World index over the past decade has turned its attention to container ports, providing a rival index to the one compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global. DNV and Menon Economics have crowned Singapore as the world’s…

  • MSC seals inland terminal deal in Bangladesh

    MSC seals inland terminal deal in Bangladesh Swiss containership giant MSC has moved to strengthen Bangladesh’s inland logistics network through a new concession to operate the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT), marking one of the largest inland infrastructure commitments yet by a global liner in the country. Medlog, MSC’s fast-growing inland logistics arm, struck a…

  • Macquarie tables $7.5bn bid for logistics giant Qube

    Macquarie tables $7.5bn bid for logistics giant Qube Australia’s Macquarie Asset Management has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire compatriot logistics major Qube at an enterprise value of AUD11.6bn ($7.5bn). Qube and Macquarie entered into a process and exclusivity deed in relation to the proposed acquisition. The price of AUD5.20 ($3.36) in cash per share…

  • CMA CGM and AD Ports push ahead with Khalifa port terminal expansion

    CMA CGM and AD Ports push ahead with Khalifa port terminal expansion France’s CMA CGM Group and Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports have agreed to expand their joint container terminal at Khalifa Port, less than a year after the facility opened, driven by stronger-than-expected demand. CMA Terminals Khalifa Port — owned 70% by CMA CGM and…

  • Ukrainian drones hit Novorossiysk as strikes on Russian Black Sea ports intensify

    Ukrainian drones hit Novorossiysk as strikes on Russian Black Sea ports intensify Ukrainian forces mounted a large drone strike on Novorossiysk early Friday, damaging a ship in port, hitting apartment blocks, and igniting a blaze at one of Russia’s most important oil terminals in the Black Sea – the latest in a growing series of…

  • Ashdod port invests in AI-driven vessel-tracking tech

    Ashdod port invests in AI-driven vessel-tracking tech Israel’s Ashdod port has taken a $650,000 stake in local maritime tech startup Azimut.ai following a successful pilot of the company’s AI-powered maritime awareness system, Albatross. The investment, made through the port’s Maritime Technology Hub (Blue Ocean CVC), follows a proof-of-concept that demonstrated the system’s ability to detect,…

  • Freightos expands into ocean freight

    Freightos expands into ocean freight Freightos has expanded its digital freight platform from air to sea, rolling out an integrated pricing, quoting, and booking system for ocean freight forwarders. The Nasdaq-listed logistics technology firm said its new WebCargo Rate & Quote Ocean platform marks a major step in unifying air and ocean freight management under…

  • AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal

    AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal AD Ports Group has struck a deal with France’s CMA CGM Group to acquire a 20% stake in Latakia International Container Terminal (LICT), Syria’s main container facility, for AED 81m ($22m). Under the agreement, the Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics group will join CMA…

  • Splash Wrap: Deals, diplomacy and disruption

    Splash Wrap: Deals, diplomacy and disruption Donald Trump’s tour of Asia provided the biggest shipping news of the week. His meet-up with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, yesterday saw the tit-for-tat port fees shelved for a year, and panamaxes surging as China committed to resume buying large amounts of American grain. Trump’s earlier meetings this…

  • India nets $7bn in fresh investment from DP World and Maersk

    India nets $7bn in fresh investment from DP World and Maersk India’s ambitions to become a global maritime powerhouse have gained major momentum, with Dubai-based DP World and Danish group APM Terminals announcing fresh investments worth more than $7bn combined to expand port and logistics infrastructure across the country. The announcements, made during India Maritime…

  • APM Terminals and Alabama Port move ahead with Mobile expansion

    APM Terminals and Alabama Port move ahead with Mobile expansion APM Terminals and the Alabama Port Authority have agreed to move ahead with a $131m expansion at the Port of Mobile, adding a new 1,300-foot container berth to handle growing trade volumes through the Gulf of Mexico gateway. The “Phase V” project will boost berth…

  • CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV

    CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM has taken another step to expand its terminal footprint in the Middle East, signing a term sheet with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) for a potential joint venture to build and operate Terminal 4…

  • Queue times for commodity vessels off Chinese ports hit highs not seen since 2022

    Queue times for commodity vessels off Chinese ports hit highs not seen since 2022 Xi Jinping’s meeting with Donald Trump in South Korea later this week cannot come soon enough to smooth troubled commodity supply chains with vessels backing up off China on a scale not seen for years.  Queue times for commodity vessels off…

  • Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade?

    Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade? Sagitta Marine managing director Thomas Zaidman on what happens if fair and unimpeded port access becomes a tool of trade policy. After decades lying in the long grass, geopolitical forces have re-emerged as a key operational risk. This is not to say that politicians especially…

  • Shipping heavyweights join bid to standardise emissions tracking

    Shipping heavyweights join bid to standardise emissions tracking Carbon Measures, a new global coalition representing major businesses from diverse industries and geographies, including famous names from shipping, ports and large charterers, has launched this week seeking to establish what they claim is a more accurate carbon accounting framework as well as to drive market-based solutions…

  • Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite

    Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite $1.7m. That’s the fee – or RMB12.1m – that the German owners of the US-flagged Matson Waikiki are being forced to pay to allow the vessel to dock in Shanghai, a sizeable sum, and an indication of the chaos, and costs, that…

  • Court clears ICTSI to run Durban terminal after Maersk challenge fails

    Court clears ICTSI to run Durban terminal after Maersk challenge fails A South African court has dismissed a legal challenge by AP Moller-Maersk’s terminal arm against the award of a key port concession to International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), paving the way for the Filipino operator to take control of Durban Container Terminal (DCT)…

  • DP World seals 10-year extension with Hapag-Lloyd at Santos

    DP World seals 10-year extension with Hapag-Lloyd at Santos Dubai-based ports and logistics player DP World has renewed its partnership with German liner Hapag-Lloyd for another decade, extending the long-running agreement between the two companies at the Port of Santos, Brazil’s largest container hub. The new contract secures continued cooperation that began in 2014, ensuring Hapag-Lloyd’s…

  • Europe’s top ports gridlocked by strikes

    Europe’s top ports gridlocked by strikes Container operations at Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, have come to a standstill as lashers began a 48-hour strike on Wednesday afternoon to demand higher wages, while harbour pilots’ protests in neighbouring Antwerp-Bruges continue to disrupt marine traffic. Dutch union FNV said workers at International Lashing Services and Matrans Marine…

  • US unveils payment rules for new China vessel fees

    US unveils payment rules for new China vessel fees US Customs provided over the weekend more details about the upcoming hiked port fees for Chinese-linked tonnage, due to come into effect next week. The notice makes clear: the burden for determining liability lies squarely with the vessel operator, not US Customs. Vessels failing to show…

  • ICTSI locks in Subic Bay terminals extension with $130m upgrade plan

    ICTSI locks in Subic Bay terminals extension with $130m upgrade plan Manila-headquartered International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) has secured a 25-year extension for its concession agreements to operate Subic Bay’s two container terminals, NCT-1 and NCT-2. The deal, signed with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), allows ICTSI’s subsidiaries, Subic Bay International Terminals Corp…

  • Boluda buys Boskalis towage arm in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640m

    Boluda buys Boskalis towage arm in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640m Spanish towage giant Boluda has struck a $640m deal to acquire Royal Boskalis’ harbour towage and salvage business in Australia and Papua New Guinea, cementing its position as the world’s largest operator in the sector. The takeover hands Boluda operations at key…

  • Box rates rates sink to lowest levels since Red Sea crisis

    Box rates rates sink to lowest levels since Red Sea crisis Container freight rates are sliding further, with Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) dropping 8% this week to $1,761 per feu — the fifteenth consecutive weekly decline. The fall is being felt across key trade lanes, with carriers struggling to hold the line despite capacity…

  • Splash Wrap: UNCTAD flags fragile growth as container trade rearranges and capacity soars

    Splash Wrap: UNCTAD flags fragile growth as container trade rearranges and capacity soars Several significant trends and forecasts led Splash coverage this week, from substantial expansion of container handling capacity to warnings that the overall global shipping environment is entering a period of fragile growth marked by geopolitical uncertainty, rising environmental compliance costs, and challenges…

  • UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty

    UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty Global shipping is entering a period of fragile growth, rising costs and mounting uncertainty, according to The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 released yesterday by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). After firm growth last year, seaborne trade is expected to stall in…

  • India unveils $8bn maritime moonshot

    India unveils $8bn maritime moonshot India has unveiled an $8bn maritime stimulus, its boldest bet yet to climb the global shipbuilding ladder.  The Union cabinet this week signed off on a ₹69,725 crore package aimed at nothing less than vaulting the country into the world’s top ten shipbuilding nations by 2030, and the top five…

  • Beirut blast shipowner arrested in Bulgaria five years after port tragedy

    Beirut blast shipowner arrested in Bulgaria five years after port tragedy Bulgarian authorities have arrested Igor Grechushkin, the Russian owner of the cargo ship tied to the 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that caused the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in August 2020, Lebanese judicial officials confirmed yesterday. Grechushkin, who also holds Cypriot citizenship, was detained…

  • Wah Kwong NatPower, Shandong Port to advance ship charging network

    Wah Kwong NatPower, Shandong Port to advance ship charging network Wah Kwong NatPower and Shandong Port Group (SPG) have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to develop large-scale shore power and ship charging projects. The agreement begins with Qingdao Port International, one of the world’s most automated terminals, and will explore new business models for…

  • Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars

    Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars Mexico is preparing to more than double tariffs on cars from China and several other Asian countries, with duties rising from 20% to 50% under a proposal sent to Congress by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The draft bill, expected to pass given the government’s majority, would take effect 30…

  • Adani turns away sanctioned tankers from its ports in India

    Adani turns away sanctioned tankers from its ports in India India’s largest private port operator, Adani Group, has banned entry of tankers that are sanctioned by the US, UK or the European Union, according to multiple local media outlets. Adani’s port footprint in India is more focused on containers and dry bulk than tankers with…

  • 67 boxes tumble overboard from ZIM-chartered vessel berthed at Long Beach

    67 boxes tumble overboard from ZIM-chartered vessel berthed at Long Beach A ZIM-chartered containership suffered a serious cargo accident while alongside at the Port of Long Beach yesterday, with 67 containers falling into the harbour during discharging operations — some striking a clean air barge moored nearby. The accident involved the 2024-built, 5,504 teu Mississippi…

  • Spanish ports closed to arms for Israel

    Spanish ports closed to arms for Israel Spain has banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons or military-grade fuel to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace due to Israel’s nearly two-year-long military offensive in Gaza. “There is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children,” Spanish prime…

  • The winners and losers among European ports from this year’s liner alliance reshuffle

    The winners and losers among European ports from this year’s liner alliance reshuffle At the start of the year, there was the largest alliance reshuffle among global liners in more than a decade. As the year has progressed, it has become apparent that this redrawing of the global liner map has had some winners and…

  • PSA Mumbai poised to become India’s largest container terminal

    PSA Mumbai poised to become India’s largest container terminal The prime ministers of India and Singapore gave speeches yesterday ahead of the inauguration of what will become India’s largest container terminal. With the inauguration of its phase two expansion, PSA Mumbai is poised to become India’s largest container terminal, doubling its annual handling capacity to…

  • NatPower Marine and Wah Kwong team up for Asian port electrification push

    NatPower Marine and Wah Kwong team up for Asian port electrification push NatPower Marine and Hong Kong-based shipowner Wah Kwong Maritime Transport have set up a joint venture to roll out large-scale shore power and vessel charging infrastructure across Asia. The new company, Wah Kwong NatPower, will start with projects in Hong Kong from 2026…

  • 30-ton hatch recovered from coal ship explosion in Baltimore

    30-ton hatch recovered from coal ship explosion in Baltimore Baltimore’s shipping traffic was disrupted for nearly a week after an explosion on a fully laden coal carrier in the Patapsco River forced the recovery of a massive 30-ton hatch from the harbour. The 81,681 dwt W-Sapphire, managed by Athens-based W Marine and flagged in Liberia,…

  • OOCL admits upcoming US port fees will have ‘relatively large impact’

    OOCL admits upcoming US port fees will have ‘relatively large impact’ Orient Overseas (International) Ltd (OOIL), the listed entity of Hong Kong container line OOCL, has conceded that October’s likely introduction of extra port fees for Chinese-linked tonnage could be painful. OOCL, owned by China’s COSCO, posted its interims yesterday in which it noted in…

  • APM Terminals seals $1bn ports deal in India

    APM Terminals seals $1bn ports deal in India Maersk’s port operating arm, APM Terminals, has signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board to invest 9,000 crore (around $1.1bn) in the development of three key ports in the state. The agreement, inked in the presence of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, covers…

  • Tanker hit in Russian drone strike on Izmail port

    Tanker hit in Russian drone strike on Izmail port A Panama-flagged chemical/oil products tanker has reportedly been severely damaged in Russian drone strike at the port of Izmail, Ukraine. The 7,842 dwt Excellion was moored at the eastern pier of the Izmail Oil Transshipment Complex during the early hours of August 20 when a series…

  • Xeneta acquires eeSea

    Xeneta acquires eeSea Xeneta has acquired fellow Scandinavian maritime and supply chain data company eeSea. By adding eeSea’s global schedule, transit time and reliability data to its existing range of freight rate data, Xeneta said in a release it will enable BCO procurement teams to manage freight contracts and suppliers based on service levels, and…

  • CK Hutchison ports sale unlikely to be concluded this year

    CK Hutchison ports sale unlikely to be concluded this year The big ports deal involving CK Hutchison has hit choppy waters. The Hong Kong-based conglomerate confirmed yesterday that its planned sale of 43 global ports for just shy of $23bn is unlikely to be completed this year as previously hoped. The deadline for exclusive talks…

  • Hutchison faces court challenge for control of ports in Panama

    Hutchison faces court challenge for control of ports in Panama The future of two of Panama’s most strategic ports is hanging in the balance after president José Raúl Mulino said on Thursday that public-private partnerships could assume control of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals if the courts strike down the operating contract of Hong Kong-based…

  • CMA CGM eyes Hutchison Ports as MSC deal falters

    CMA CGM eyes Hutchison Ports as MSC deal falters French shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM has confirmed it is eyeing the potential acquisition of terminals from CK Hutchison, after exclusive talks between the Hong Kong conglomerate and a consortium led by BlackRock expired over the weekend.  The preliminary deal, first announced in March, involved…

  • US rail giants in $85bn coast-to-coast tie-up

    US rail giants in $85bn coast-to-coast tie-up Union Pacific has struck a deal to acquire rival railroad Norfolk Southern in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at $85bn, in a move that would form the first coast-to-coast freight rail network in the US. The combined operator would span more than 50,000 route miles across 43 states and…

  • Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line

    Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line CK Hutchison, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate, confirmed on Monday that it is in discussions to bring a “major strategic investor” from China into the bidding consortium for its $22.8bn global ports business. The move follows the expiration of a 145-day exclusivity agreement…

  • NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports

    NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports Ports are facing a deluge of cyber attacks from state-backed hackers, according to a new policy brief from NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). Handling 80% of world trade and underpinning NATO’s logistics chain, ports are now “magnets” for cyber aggression from Russia, Iran,…

  • Zara founder buys into UK ports

    Zara founder buys into UK ports The Financial Times is reporting Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of the Zara fashion empire, has made his first move into maritime infrastructure, acquiring a 49% stake in UK port operator PD Ports through his investment arm Pontegadea. The deal sees Ortega’s family office partner with Brookfield Asset Management,…

  • BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships

    BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships The Documentary Committee of the world’s largest shipping association, BIMCO, has adopted a standard clause aimed at addressing contractual uncertainties that may arise from the US Trade Representative’s notice of actions to impose fees on Chinese-related ships calling US ports. A BIMCO subcommittee comprising legal…

  • DP World to invest $800m developing Syrian port

    DP World to invest $800m developing Syrian port DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports to develop and operate the port of Tartus. As part of the agreement, DP World will invest $800m over the duration of the concession to upgrade the port’s infrastructure and…

  • World’s largest coal port plots post-coal course as China slashes imports

    World’s largest coal port plots post-coal course as China slashes imports China is slashing coal imports dramatically, forcing the world’s largest coal export port to contemplate a future beyond the black fossil fuel.  This decline is largely driven, according to analysis by Greek broker Intermodal, by rising domestic coal output in China, elevated inventories, increased…

  • Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify

    Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify The security situation in the Red Sea has taken a sharp turn for the worse over the past 48 hours, with back-to-back attacks on merchant vessels and Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple Yemeni ports. Yesterday, the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C, operated by Greek firm Cosmoship Management,…

  • DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers

    DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers P&O Maritime Logistics, a unit of ports and logistics heavyweight DP World, has acquired a controlling stake in NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC), the leading operator of pneumatic cement carriers, in a move that positions the Dubai-based group deeper into infrastructure-driven dry bulk trades. The transaction, with…

  • Saudi Arabia strikes eight port terminal deals

    Saudi Arabia strikes eight port terminal deals The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has sealed long-term concession contracts worth over SAR2.2bn ($586m) to develop and operate multipurpose cargo terminals at eight major ports across the Kingdom. The 20-year agreements have been awarded to two international port operators: Saudi Global Ports (SGP), a subsidiary of Singapore’s PSA,…

  • New crane collapses at Singapore’s Tuas port

    New crane collapses at Singapore’s Tuas port On Sunday afternoon, a new quay crane at Singapore’s Tuas port tipped over while it was being delivered to a non-operational berth. There were no injuries or fatalities. No damage has been assessed to adjacent port equipment and facilities. All of PSA Singapore’s current operational berths remain fully…

  • AD Ports bolsters Bahrain ties with shipyard and port initiatives

    AD Ports bolsters Bahrain ties with shipyard and port initiatives Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics giant AD Ports Group has signed three agreements with Bahrain’s Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard Company (ASRY) designed to boost shipbuilding, drydocking, and port management capabilities across the Gulf region and beyond. The first agreement involves the establishment of a…

  • ADNOC L&S lands $530m deal with petchem giant Borouge

    ADNOC L&S lands $530m deal with petchem giant Borouge ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) has secured a 15-year contract with its compatriot polyolefins major, Borouge, to manage logistics for more than half of its annual petrochemicals output. The deal, valued at $531m, covers port management, container handling, and feeder container ship services for the…

  • HHLA buys majority stake in Ukrainian intermodal terminal

    HHLA buys majority stake in Ukrainian intermodal terminal Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has decided to invest in another terminal in Ukraine. The company is acquiring 60% of the shares in the Eurobridge Intermodal Terminal in Batiovo in western Ukraine. HHLA sees Ukraine as a hub for continental container transport and is simultaneously strengthening…

  • Faster, greener shipping route launched in Vietnam

    Faster, greener shipping route launched in Vietnam DP World, in partnership with VIMC Container Lines Joint Stock Company (VIMC Lines), has launched a new coastal and river transport service that is said to cut cargo transit times by 70%. The so-called Mekong Express service connects inland port Cai Cui and deepwater port Cai Mep twice…

  • Federal court blocks Trump’s tariffs

    Federal court blocks Trump’s tariffs In the latest twist in the trade war unleashed by Donald Trump, an American federal court has blocked the president’s sweeping tariffs. The Court of International Trade has ruled that the emergency law invoked by the White House does not give the president unilateral authority to impose tariffs on nearly…

  • CMA CGM signs $600m Vietnam box terminal deal

    CMA CGM signs $600m Vietnam box terminal deal France’s CMA CGM has penned an agreement with Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP) to develop a new $600m deepwater terminal in Haiphong, northern Vietnam. The deal covers the design, construction, and operation of the Lach Huyen terminals 7 and 8, located in Lach Huyen area in Haiphong. The…

  • Boxport congestion spreads from Europe to the US and China

    Boxport congestion spreads from Europe to the US and China Port congestion seen across key Northern European hubs is intensifying and is now spreading to China and the US, a situation expected to worsen as a result of Donald Trump’s on/off tariff strategy.  Compounding the situation, low water levels on the Rhine are limiting barge…

  • Shanghai port pollution in the spotlight

    Shanghai port pollution in the spotlight A new study by Scope3 emissions tracking specialist VesselBot reveals that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at major global ports continue to rise despite technological advancements and sustainability investments.  The report shows Shanghai port recorded the highest emissions (see chart below) at 140,000 tons, surpassing Singapore despite handling fewer vessels,…

  • MSC invests in Ukrainian inland logistics

    MSC invests in Ukrainian inland logistics Swiss-based Medlog, a growing inland cargo business of the world’s largest liner, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), has made its entry into Ukrainian logistics. Local media report Medlog has bought 50% of the Ukrainian intermodal logistics operator N’UNIT (New Ukrainian Network of Intermodal Terminals) and a 25% stake in the…

  • Norden signs iron ore port logistics deal in Australia

    Norden signs iron ore port logistics deal in Australia Danish shipping giant Norden has signed its first port logistics project in Australia with Kimberley Metals Group (KMG), a developer and operator of iron ore mining projects. Norden will provide additional assets for the existing transhipment operation, loading iron ore from the port of Wyndham in…

  • Shanghai spot box rates to US west coast leap 31% in just one week

    Shanghai spot box rates to US west coast leap 31% in just one week Friday’s weekly publishing of spot rates from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange has given a stark picture of the frenzy building on the transpacific. Rates from China to the US west coast leapt 31% week-on-week, while rates to the east coast jumped…

  • HD Hyundai pitches port cranes to US Trade Representative

    HD Hyundai pitches port cranes to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, has been in South Korea this week where shipbuilding talks have taken place as well as pitches made to become an alternate supply of port cranes.  As well as meeting with government officials, Greer sat down with HD Hyundai vice…

  • Liners confident of pushing through rate rises on surging transpacific business

    Liners confident of pushing through rate rises on surging transpacific business Liner executives are reporting a dramatic pick-up in box bookings between China and the US this week as a 90-day mini-reprieve in the tariff war between the world’s two largest economies gets underway. The busier liner bookings have yet to translate into an immediate…

  • US and China agree to slash tariffs

    US and China agree to slash tariffs In a significant curtailment of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies, the United States and China have agreed to considerably slash tariffs for the next 90 days. As part of the deal reached in Geneva over the weekend, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said both countries…

  • Boxships back up across Northern Europe

    Boxships back up across Northern Europe Ports across Northern Europe are dealing with what broker Braemar describes as “serious congestion” right now.  In Antwerp, Braemar reported yesterday the yard is already at 96% capacity, and reefer plugs are overloaded at 112%. Nearly half the arriving ships are waiting for a berth, and there are 52…

  • AD Ports strikes deal to set up logistics zone in Egypt

    AD Ports strikes deal to set up logistics zone in Egypt Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics giant AD Ports Group has signed a 50-year concession deal with Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone to set up a 20 sq km logistics and industrial zone east of Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea. Under the agreement, AD…

  • CMA CGM signs Syrian port deal

    CMA CGM signs Syrian port deal CMA CGM has signed a 30-year deal with the Syrian government to develop Latakia port, including building a new berth and investing $260m to bolster Syria’s top port. CMA CGM has been operating at Latakia since 2009.  The new deepwater berth will be 1.5 km long with depths alongside…