Tag: journal of commerce

UP-NS joint intermodal service to link West Coast with Louisville in Midwest The potential merger partners plan to replace drayage trucking legs with direct rail service as Class I railroads join to redraw North America’s intermodal map. Go to journal of commerce

Pre-Golden Week rate hike beginning to fade on trans-Pacific The bump in spot rates that was driven by the Sept. 1 GRI and blanked sailings in the eastbound trans-Pacific appears to be over, with rates this week headed lower, according to forwarders. Go to journal of commerce

Shipping decarbonization stalled by weak demand, investment shortfall: reports Research reports published to coincide with London International Shipping Week say although progress is being made toward decarbonization in shipping, there are growing concerns the sector is falling behind in efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Go to journal of commerce

Moving beyond the ‘waste’ inherent in ‘essential’ container shipping If suppliers, producers and distributors could eliminate some or most transportation moves, including container shipping, they would, writes John McCauley. Go to journal of commerce

British government, ports launch $1.5 billion logistics investment The public and private funding will go predominantly towards cutting shipping emissions, developing alternative fuel technology and rolling out shore-side power at UK ports. Go to journal of commerce

Ports America to pay 30% tariff on China-made ship-to-shore crane The crane, which arrived in Gulfport last week, was the first Chinese STS crane imported into the US since the Trump administration slapped tariffs on Beijing in April. Go to journal of commerce

Cosco Shipping to develop high-end logistics hub in Yantian with Shenzhen Port Cosco said the joint venture will be responsible for developing a multi-functional logistics park involving the construction of high-specification warehouses, cold chain storage, and consolidation and distribution facilities. Go to journal of commerce

Drayage strike shuts inland flow from Mundra, Kandla ports The trucking shutdown adds to existing pressure at India’s busiest container gateway after a buildup of import boxes caused severe rail slowdowns last month. Go to journal of commerce

MSC ready for US port fees after network changes: CEO The world’s largest container ship operator “proactively restructured” its US service network to mitigate any impact from the Trump administration’s new levies on Chinese ships, according to MSC CEO Soren Toft. Go to journal of commerce

LTL, truckload pricing rising despite soft demand An acceleration of growth in US less-than-truckload rates reflected still-tight capacity, while seasonal truckload pricing gains failed to boost rates above 2024 levels. Go to journal of commerce

BNSF intermodal partner returning to Mexico COFC Logistics joins a growing list of intermodal providers that see Mexico–US cross-border freight as a major growth engine going forward. Go to journal of commerce

US wind sector warns against further increase in import tariffs Equipment manufacturers and industry associations urged the US Department of Commerce to take a measured approach to avoid unintentionally harming the domestic wind industry. Go to journal of commerce

Multipurpose vessel supply-demand balance on knife edge Little to no scrapping and scant new orders should keep the MPV fleet stable for now, but things could change quickly if demand surges. Go to journal of commerce

Surging Southeast Asia volumes strain intra-Asia capacity Strong demand and the resulting tightening of intra-Asia vessel capacity is lifting intra-Asia rates, a sharp contrast to falling spot pricing on both the trans-Pacific and Asia–Europe trades. Go to journal of commerce

CSX to reopen two East Coast intermodal lanes in early October Completing the Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge subdivision projects will allow CSX to restore service — and better compete with trucking — on two major north-south corridors in the eastern US. Go to journal of commerce

Gemini suspends seasonal trans-Pacific service The suspension of the TP9/WC6 service from Xiamen and Busan is the latest effort by carriers to stem declining container spot rates and adjusting capacity to softening demand. Go to journal of commerce

‘Committed’ federal supply chain support key to US nuclear build-out: report Experts from the Working Group on US Nuclear Dominance recommend a federal review of critical supply chain components and bottlenecks as they relate to nuclear project cargo transport. Go to journal of commerce

Hapag-Lloyd locks in LNG supply with Shell fuel deal Delivery of the fuel will begin immediately and build on a strategic collaboration Hapag-Lloyd established with Shell in 2023 to accelerate the decarbonization of its fleet. Go to journal of commerce

CN-CSX joint service to connect west Canada and Nashville The two Class I railroads will collaborate on a service to replace the trucking leg for goods moving from CN’s Memphis terminal to the Music City. Go to journal of commerce

Elimination of US ‘de minimis’ rule hits SMEs hardest The Aug. 29 global removal of duty-free access for low-value US imports comes ahead of the end-of-year peak season for air freight. Go to journal of commerce

DC court hears challenge to FMC rulemaking on refusal to deal The World Shipping Council’s fight to have the FMC revise a key aspect of OSRA-22 hinges on how far the agency’s regulatory power extends into freight rates. Go to journal of commerce

CMA CGM reroutes China-built ships to avoid US port fees The carrier said that network adjustments that began in April will allow it to eliminate the impact of new US port fees for ships built in China on its shipper customers while maintaining US port coverage. Go to journal of commerce

US retailers upgrade import forecast but still expect Q4 decline US retailers increased September and October import volume expectations significantly, but it will not be enough to meet 2024 levels. Go to journal of commerce

Falling US LTL volumes putting pressure on margins, rates Cracks may be appearing in the LTL pricing wall, as shipment levels drop, but LTL costs remain elevated compared with pandemic-era rates. Go to journal of commerce

Early peak, new vessels could tip Asia-Europe into overcapacity Despite freefalling spot rates and lackluster demand expectations for the fourth quarter, carriers have been far more conservative in blanking sailings this year. Go to journal of commerce

Strong secondhand container ship demand defies deteriorating market Despite weakening supply-demand fundamentals, container vessel charter rates are rising and carriers are neither idling nor scrapping ships. Go to journal of commerce

US port fees could exceed $2B for Cosco, OOCL: HSBC The investment bank said non-Chinese carriers will largely avoid looming and escalating port fees, but Cosco and OOCL will be on the hook unless they adjust networks. Go to journal of commerce

DP World to build big-ship container terminal in Montreal The Montreal Port Authority said permits are in the works for Contrecoeur’s underwater work, while DP World has signed on to design and operate the terminal. Go to journal of commerce

Trans-Atlantic pricing weakens without year-end volume bump Full ships, a low number of blank sailings and improving schedule reliability have stabilised the westbound trade lane but will do little to raise rate levels, say executives and analysts. Go to journal of commerce

Fresh Del Monte Produce switching from breakbulk to box transport The fruit shipper cites the downsides of moving perishables by breakbulk methods, criticizing the “hours of exposure to extreme heat or cold and frequent handling.” Go to journal of commerce

US cross-border rail tracks Mexico recovery, Canada decline: analyst Railroads are expanding services between Mexico and the US, while Canada–US intermodal container traffic is down by double-digit percentages, writes rail analyst Larry Gross. Go to journal of commerce

India-Europe liners lower rates as capacity normalizes amid little peak demand signs New data obtained by the Journal of Commerce from local freight forwarders indicates a downward shift of between $400 and $600 per standard dry container in FAK rate levels over the last two weeks. Go to journal of commerce

US steps up attempts to derail IMO’s ‘net-zero’ ambitions Consequences for nations supporting the emissions-cutting measures were spelled out by the US State Department this week, which threatened to impose tariffs, port duties and even visa refusals. Go to journal of commerce

Disruptive force of AI will help usher in new era of container shipping Artificial intelligence will accelerate the new reality that ocean carriers make no secret of the fact that they are profit-making entities, writes Peter Tirschwell. Go to journal of commerce

Startups land collective $129 million in latest AI push into logistics Augment and Happy Robot are the most recent examples of investors betting that artificial intelligence agents will transform the operations of logistics providers. Go to journal of commerce

Premier Alliance service halt latest sign of trans-Pacific demand downturn Suspension of the Pacific South 5 service comes as container lines are announcing more blanked sailings from Asia to the US in an attempt to boost spot rates ahead of China’s Golden Week. Go to journal of commerce

BNSF, UP kept rail terminals fluid in August amid IPI surge That’s an improvement from the near gridlock of four years ago during the COVID-linked volume surge and the elevated dwell times during last year’s peak season, progress trucking companies say they have noticed. Go to journal of commerce

US ports look to Congress for tax breaks on replacing Chinese cranes A proposed amendment that could be included in the 2026 defense spending bill would allow terminal operators to receive the same tax breaks now available to the US shipbuilding industry. Go to journal of commerce

Ocean carrier profit margins, earnings outlook for 2025 trimmed further The dismal outlook for the second half of the year is prompting Wall Street analysts to rein in earnings expectations as many carriers also report steep declines in their profit margins amid a mix of overcapacity and “tariff-driven cost escalation.” Go to journal of commerce

Bad weather, early peak demand slowed BNSF trains last month Weather-related slowdowns were compounded by track work that typically wraps up in August but overlapped this year with an earlier-than-usual surge in international and domestic intermodal demand. Go to journal of commerce

Congestion choking Mundra Port threatens North India cargo flow Container lines offering regular calls at India’s busiest port have told customers the landside logjam is causing considerable supply chain risks for the trade as train turnarounds remain increasingly chaotic. Go to journal of commerce

Cargo groups slam ‘patchwork’ rollout of Europe’s ICS2 advance filing program Fifteen of the 27 EU countries will postpone implementation of the customs risk analysis program for imports into the EU until the end of the year, including France, Belgium, Spain and Italy. Go to journal of commerce

Ocean market in trans-Pacific arrives at spot pricing tipping point Ocean carriers are seeking to curb the sharp decline in spot rates in the run-up to next month’s Golden Week holiday. Go to journal of commerce

Knight-Swift says it backs Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern deal Knight-Swift already partners with both UP and NS, so a combined transcontinental railroad would fit nicely into its existing service for shippers. Go to journal of commerce

Dodd Fiori’s passing harks back to a bygone era in US shipping The former NYK Line executive was a swashbuckling figure who epitomized an era of influential and charismatic US heads of European and Asian container lines — figures who dominated the US landscape with levels of authority that have long since given way to…

Vietnam air cargo export jump on weaker China demand Air cargo capacity deployed on Vietnam-US routes nearly doubled in August on a year over year basis. Go to journal of commerce

DP World aims to run Carney-backed Montreal terminal The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) is expected later this fall to announce the winning bid to run the Contrecoeur terminal. Go to journal of commerce

External pressures putting ‘fungibility’ of container shipping at risk: analyst The days where container ships could be seen as fungible assets used in flexible ways might be coming to an end, leading to inefficiencies — and higher costs — in global liner networks, writes Lars Jensen. Go to journal of commerce

EPCs emboldened by investments in energy, tech and defense projects Revamped energy priorities in the US and data-related industrial projects are driving out-of-gauge cargo demand. Go to journal of commerce

Shipper groups say terminal deals will bring labor peace to Australia’s wharves The four-year pacts with Hutchison Ports Australia and Victoria International Container Terminal were confirmed by the Maritime Union of Australia on Thursday. Go to journal of commerce

Niche carriers plan to ride out declining spot rates on the trans-Pacific The carriers, because they offer services tailored to their customers’ needs, say they are “sheltered” somewhat from declining spot rates given they are able to charge a premium for those services. Go to journal of commerce

Trump move to oust STB’s Primus boosts likelihood of UP-NS approval Robert Primus has been vocal in his opposition to consolidation in the rail industry, voting against the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger in 2023 and Canadian National Railway’s acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway earlier this year. Go to journal of commerce

Charleston’s Navy Base railyard project faces delays, big cost overruns Opening of the first phase of the port’s new on-dock railyard will be delayed until next year, while the project faces a 42% increase in budgeted costs. Go to journal of commerce

Cosco H1 net profit ticks 4% higher amid ‘complex’ container shipping market The Chinese state-controlled carrier said in an interim earnings statement the industry experienced a volatile first half of 2025 due to “tariff swings and lingering geopolitical tensions.” Go to journal of commerce

DCSA turns to industry partners to drive shipping standards adoption Tech services company WNS is being added as the Digital Container Shipping Association’s “execution arm” to embed standards into systems commonly used by carriers, forwarders and shippers. Go to journal of commerce

Postal groups cite customs compliance issues in US shipment suspensions With no clear definition of what duty and data processes are required by CBP after the Aug. 29 end to all de minimis exemptions, most import shipments via post to the US have been suspended until further notice. Go to journal of commerce

European ports face continued congestion; Asia gateways saw mixed results in Q2: analysis S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Global Port Congestion Analysis shows that half of Northern Europe’s ports reported year-over-year declines in port moves per hour in the second quarter, while Asian ports faced higher arrival process times and mixed efficiency results. Go to journal…

ILA suing Virginia port, chief executive over rollout of new rail cranes The union claims the Virginia Port Authority is tacitly violating the new master contract by influencing the port’s main terminal employer. Go to journal of commerce

India-US liners adjust capacity to prepare for tariff-linked volume downturn Local freight forwarders who spoke with the Journal of Commerce have reported three upcoming blank calls out of West India through the first half of September in anticipation of lower cargo lifts. Go to journal of commerce

US DOT presses states to enforce English-language trucking rules Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy gave California, New Mexico and Washington 30 days to adopt and enforce ELP regulations or lose access to federal safety funding. Go to journal of commerce

Zim signals changes to Med network amid apparent Turkish port ban The Israeli carrier said it’s taking steps to comply with a purported ban on its ships at Turkish ports as relations between the two countries sour over the war in Gaza. Go to journal of commerce

Steel, aluminum tariff expansion ‘unwelcome news’ for transport providers The scale and scope of the number of products now subject to US steel and aluminum tariffs is likely to affect providers across multiple modes, writes Jason Miller. Go to journal of commerce

UP-NS deal would trigger ‘unnecessary wave’ of rail mergers: CPKC CPKC’s opposition comes just two years after its acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway was approved by US regulators. Go to journal of commerce

Ocean carriers intensify cost-cutting efforts as rates slide on major trades The unit cost of moving a container has been pushed higher compared with the prevailing pre-pandemic price structure, according to carrier executives, prompting cost-control measures. Go to journal of commerce

Highway latest entry in load board sector amid cargo crime rise The race among providers to provide the dominant and trusted US load board is ramping up and further fueled by growing concerns about freight theft. Go to journal of commerce

Container lines begin shifting China-built ships out of US loops The Premier Alliance is revamping a trans-Pacific service that would otherwise incur hundreds of millions of dollars in US port fees on Chinese-built vessels. Go to journal of commerce

US tariff deals on vehicle imports stabilizing car carrier market: Höegh Automobile carriers have benefited from falling charter rates to meet growing outbound vehicle moves from Asia. Go to journal of commerce

US-Mexico truck crossings rose marginally in July amid sluggish demand Tariff-related surges in US-bound freight from Mexico have abated, but truck volumes in July partially recovered from a second-quarter decline, according to new data. Go to journal of commerce

BNSF, CSX unveil new joint intermodal lanes in aftermath of UP-NS merger The joint BNSF/CSX services come as rivals Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have agreed to an $85 billion deal that would create the first transcontinental railroad, if approved by federal regulators. Go to journal of commerce

OEMs adapt to US wind industry slowdown, yet bank on tax credit uptick With uncertainty surrounding tariffs and renewable energy policy, wind turbine orders in the US fell 50% in the first half of 2025 year over year, the lowest since the early COVID-19 days in 2020. Go to journal of commerce

Dodd Fiori, ex-NYK North America executive, dead at 82 Fiori joined NYK Line (North America) in 1990 as executive vice president with a mandate to grow the newly formed liner agency and position it closer to US-based BCOs. Go to journal of commerce

Truck parking a $100 billion inefficiency issue for US truckload industry: report Truck Parking Club commissioned a report to quantify the truck parking problem facing drivers and what costs trickle down to the rest of the industry. Go to journal of commerce

Melvin steps down as SC Ports chief Barbara Melvin was on the job for three years, with the Leatherman terminal dispute and capacity expansions taking up much of her tenure. Go to journal of commerce

Trans-Atlantic carriers limit capacity cuts despite ongoing rate weakness Just over 7,000 TEUs of capacity is scheduled to be withdrawn through blank sailings in September even as carriers increase their deployed capacity by 2%. Go to journal of commerce

Tariff-linked trade pattern shifts could offset impact of US port fees: OOIL The carrier said trans-Pacific services have been especially susceptible to the erosion of business and consumer confidence and the disruption to long-term planning caused by frequent shifts in US tariff policy. Go to journal of commerce

Tariff battle suppressing Chinese market for US soybean, meat exports US ag exporters say the ongoing trade standoff between Washington and Beijing has effectively shut them out of the key Chinese market, causing them to fear for their long-term survival. Go to journal of commerce

Charleston’s Leatherman terminal eyes second berth by late 2026 The announcement of Leatherman’s expansion comes as MSC looks to bring in more trans-Atlantic services to call the terminal. Go to journal of commerce

A sea of opportunities exists to swap transshipment for direct services With a global capacity surplus in the offing, or already biting, now is a great time to invest and move capacity off surplus trades, writes Jeremy Masters. Go to journal of commerce

MSC’s legal woes escalate in India after late-May ship capsizing The incident has sparked a wave of claim filings from individual shippers and state authorities against the world’s largest container carrier, resulting in arrest orders for as many as five sister ships thus far. Go to journal of commerce

Trans-Pacific spot market exposure drags down Zim’s Q2 earnings With 70% of its volume moving under spot rates, there was no escape from the volatile US-China tariff battle. Go to journal of commerce

J.B. Hunt reduces peak season surcharge on Southern California moves Domestic intermodal volumes have been stagnant on partner BNSF Railway out of Los Angeles, likely dulling the justification for the original $1,500 fee. Go to journal of commerce

Sharp rise in Hamburg first-half volume driven by growth in Asian, Baltic trade New carrier services improved connections between Hamburg and the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia and India, while hinterland traffic has continued to develop. Go to journal of commerce

US ports look to DOT to close big funding gap for project grants US ports want the federal government to increase the amount set aside for infrastructure grants in the DOT’s next budget, saying ports are an integral part of the nation’s road and rail network. Go to journal of commerce

New TRAC offering reimagines pricing model for chassis use A new method for billing for chassis usage involves GPS technology and geofencing, something TRAC hopes will encourage truckers and cargo owners to build a resilient fleet of equipment. Go to journal of commerce

New API standard advances LTL billing transparency The NMFTA’s preliminary freight charges API helps notify shippers of changes to charges, including reweighing and classification, before delivery and final invoicing. Go to journal of commerce

Overhaul dives deeper into ‘part-level’ tracking with FreightVerify deal The acquisition will allow Overhaul to incorporate FreightVerify’s visibility data that helps shippers and logistics providers measure when freight is at risk while in transit. Go to journal of commerce

Truckstop.com acquires truckload factoring service Denim The deal comes as freight marketplaces and solutions providers look to expand their services to offer carriers, shippers and brokers end-to-end platforms. Go to journal of commerce

Slow-moving digitalization is threat to project sector progress, EPCs warn Fragmentation and systems that don’t “talk to each other” are holding back the effective use of data in the project cargo industry, stakeholders say. Go to journal of commerce

Intra-Asia carriers see H1 profits surge on higher freight rates, cargo volumes The upbeat results have led several carriers to invest in new tonnage, with vessels scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028. Go to journal of commerce

Xeneta expands shipping data footprint with acquisition of eeSea The all-Scandinavian takeover will combine data sources in a move designed to bring transparency and efficiency to how ocean freight is bought and sold, Xeneta CEO Patrick Berglund says. Go to journal of commerce

Shared-terminal operator rolls out AI-based gate security platform Outpost’s technology aims to answer key supply chain security questions and clarify visibility at terminal gates. Go to journal of commerce

US LTL rates still rising after muted response to shipment reclassification Less-than-truckload costs are up 7.3% year over year, according to the latest US data, but changes to the LTL classification system are adding little, if anything, to shipper rates. Go to journal of commerce

MSC will expand Africa-US trade with new calls Mediterranean Shipping Co. is adding new calls to West Africa on its South Africa service as former alliance partner Maersk pulls out of direct services from the continent. Go to journal of commerce

Pasha picks up GSC’s Pacific Northwest transload businesses in court sale The US-based ocean carrier and logistics company paid about $2 million for the two transload specialists following the July shutdown of GSC. Go to journal of commerce

Asia-Europe ocean rates edging down despite ‘robust’ bookings Carriers have responded by adjusting schedules and blanking sailings, but the capacity management has so far failed to hold up prices on the trade lane. Go to journal of commerce

High cost of Gemini transition drags on Hapag-Lloyd’s H1 result But the growing synergy and efficiencies of its Gemini network with Maersk are expected to generate significant savings over the next few quarters, CEO Rolf Habben Jansen says. Go to journal of commerce

Shipper network ShiftX inks Asia joint venture with Unitrans The Hong Kong-based JV will provide coordination, performance management and strategic oversight of all origin locations across Asia for members of the BCO group. Go to journal of commerce

Whipsaw from Trump’s tariffs drove US container import record in July Containerized imports into the US last month set an all-time high, according to PIERS data, reflecting what is likely a peak in 2025 imports as shippers tried to get ahead of tariffs. Go to journal of commerce

Shippers, logistics providers satisfied with H1 rail performance The latest Intermodal Service Scorecard from the Journal of Commerce marks a major boost in confidence that railroads can deliver reliable intermodal service only a few years after historic disruption gridlocked rail networks across North America amid pandemic-linked chaos. Go to journal of commerce

Retailers cut back on warehouse space as supply chain hurdles fuel 3PL growth Traditional retailers in the US are scaling back their space requirements, according to an annual report, as the volatility over tariffs trickles down to the industrial real estate market. Go to journal of commerce