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First LNG-powered vessel calls at Panama port
The dual-fuelled French-flagged CMA CGM 15,000 teu-Patagonia, docked at the port facility located east of the Panama Canal Atlantic entrance, in the Bay of Manzanillo, province of Colon. Early December 2022, the vessel transited the Panama Canal for the first time as...
Drewry: Carriers Failed to Act on Capacity Losing Market Control
The container lines failed to respond quickly enough to changes in the markets as volumes plummeted in the second half of 2022 instead falling back on their old ways says Drewry in its latest Container Forecast report. The financial and consulting firm writes that...
Shipping’s Decarbonization Outlook for 2023
Will the CII succeed? Will green fuels take off? And will the IMO enact a carbon levy? This year, we may have the answers. PUBLISHED JAN 1, 2023 7:34 PM BY BRIAN GICHERU KINYUA As we begin 2023, maritime experts are looking into their crystal balls for the trends...
Houston is Proceeding with Container Dwell Fee as Volumes Remain High
Houston will start an excess dwell time fee at its container terminals starting in February 2023 (Barbours Cut Container Terminal file photo) PUBLISHED DEC 30, 2022 6:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Port Houston continues to report strong increases in...
Euroseas Boxship Sold for Scrap as Environmental Regulations Loom
More containerships are expected to head for scrap as demand falls and environmental regulations loom PUBLISHED DEC 30, 2022 3:57 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Just weeks after admitting that the age profile of its fleet that is tilted towards older vessels is...
New shipping regulation to combat global warming is under fire
Leading charterers will refuse to use new regulatory contract clause The ocean shipping industry is just days away from the debut of the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), a new regulation meant to combat global warming. Even as an initial baby step, the CII is not...
Alarm sounded on low blank sailings for Lunar New Year
Analysts Sea-Intelligence have sounded the alarm over the low level of blank sailings scheduled by container lines for the Lunar New Year period. The Lunar New Year, which traditionally sees an extended shutdown of factory production in China, impacting container...
Will shippers hold back container cargo from contracts for lower spot rates?
The yawning gap between container shipping spot rates and contract rates leaves a question on how much volume shippers will commit to contracts when they renegotiate. Container shipping spot rates have crumbled since the start of the year and in early December...
Expectations that Pacific Container Trade Will Remain Down till Q2’23
Recent trends for softer cargo volumes at the Southern California ports continued in November. Both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, however, believe that it is a temporary slowdown partially due to market conditions and in part operational uncertainties...
Major Chinese ports container volume up 4.7% in mid-Nov
Container volume at eight major Chinese ports increased 4.7% year-on-year in mid-November. Export container volume increased 5.2% while the domestic volume grew 3.2%. Among which, the port of Dalian posted an increasing rate of 20.8%. Export containers number...
Drewry: Less Congestion Means Less Profit for Container Terminals
The sudden fall-off in container spot rates has been well publicized, and it is likely to lead to leaner times for ocean carriers in the next few quarters. Some of the smaller start-up lines that launched during the pandemic are already finding it hard to cover the...
Expansion of Ukraine Grain Deal Unlikely in the Near Term
At the end of a four-day visit to Ukraine, Martin Griffiths, the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said it was unlikely the Black Sea grain deal would be expanded in the near term to include more Ukrainian ports....
2023 could bring ‘all-out price war’ for container lines
As container lines fail to support falling spot rates in the second half of 2022, next year could bring an all-out price war as contract rates follow spot rates down. Gary Howard | Dec 07, 2022 Online container logistics platform Container xChange said a drop in...
Spot and long-term container rate gulf continues to widen
As container spot rates continue to plunge the gulf with long-term contract levels gets ever wider. Marcus Hand | Dec 09, 2022 The Asia – Europe trade continued to lead the downwards trajectory with Drewry reporting that Shanghai to Rotterdam spot rates lost another...
The Singapore Information Fusion Centre’s Role in Maritime Security
PUBLISHED DEC 11, 2022 7:44 PM BY INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE The IFC was established in 2009 to collate relevant commercial shipping and maritime information to increase MARSEC awareness. Through the strong support of our partners, the IFC has established itself...
Striking South Korean Truck Drivers Return to Work After 16 Days
Container volumes are returning to normal at South Korea's ports after the truck drivers ended their strike (file photo) PUBLISHED DEC 9, 2022 12:36 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Activity at South Korea’s main ports returned to normal on Friday as the striking...
Container lines facing difficult contract negotiations
As container shipping spot rates drop to close to 2019 levels on some major trades it does not bode well for carriers renegotiating long-term contracts in the coming months. Marcus Hand | Dec 06, 2022 In particular spot rates the on the Asia – Europe trade have...
U.S. Sets New Records for Oil Exports as EU Looks for New Supplies
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2022 6:32 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE As Russia's oil exports prepare for a hit from new EU sanctions, the petroleum is flowing freely at American loading terminals, which are busier than ever before. The U.S. exported a record 11.8 million...
MSC Partners with Valencia to Expand Med’s Busiest Container Port
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2022 6:42 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Already the busiest container port in the Mediterranean and Spain’s leading Mediterranean port in terms of commercial traffic, Valencia is moving forward on a project valued at more than $1.5 billion to...
Container volume at Ningbo-Zhoushan port exceeds 2021 total
Container volume at China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port has exceeded 31.08m teu surpassing the total throughput the last year. Katherine Si | Nov 28, 2022 The number of sea-rail services has increased to 22 and the sea-rail combined container volume also grew 25%...
Salalah Port launches service to transport goods from China to Yemen via Al-Mazyouna
The Port of Salalah has partnered with Maersk to launch a new multimodal transport service to Al-Mazyouna Free Zone. Peter Shaw-Smith | Nov 28, 2022 The agreement aims to secure customs clearances and bonded trucking services to Salalah and Al-Mazyouna free zone...
New DP World train connects London Gateway and Southampton
DP World announced it has launched a new intermodal train service connection its terminals at London Gateway and Southampton. Gary Howard | Nov 28, 2022 Operated by DP World, the service is scheduled on Saturdays and will carry cargoes of fresh fruit, beverages...
Volumes Fall Faster at Port of Long Beach as Imports Slow
The Port of Long Beach experienced an accelerating rate of decline in volumes during October confirming the broader industry views of an end to the surge in volumes experienced over the last two years. October was the second month of volume declines for one of the...
Slack container market to test depot capacity
Container depots face a flood of unwanted boxes as retailer inventories run high and demand continues to weaken. Gary Howard | Nov 08, 2022 A report from Container xChange warned that there are a range of ripple effects of the order to inventory ratio, most...
Container spot rate decline accelerates again in past week
A Maersk branded container being moved by a crane. Spot container shipping freight rates fell sharply again over the last week dropping a further 9% driven down by the Asia – Europe trade. Marcus Hand | Nov 11, 2022 The rate of decline of average spot rates had...
Alliance carriers winning back Transpacific market share
The market share of carriers outside of the main alliances on the transpacific is falling back after rising in recent years, according to one analysis. Gary Howard | Nov 04, 2022 Sea-Intelligence noted in a recent analysis that non-alliance carriers accounted for...
In Latin America, Resistance to Deep-Sea Mining is Growing
PUBLISHED NOV 6, 2022 6:47 PM BY CHINA DIALOGUE OCEAN [By Jack Lo Lau] Almost a year ago, Sandor Mulsow told China Dialogue Ocean that the body charged with both protecting the international seabed and developing rules to govern its exploitation,...
US Fines Shipping Company for Caribbean Air Pollution Violations
PUBLISHED NOV 4, 2022 2:43 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The United States concluded a multi-year investigation and prosecution of shipping companies operating in the Caribbean with the sentencing of New York-based Ionian Management for violations dating back to...
China – LA container spot rates slump to pre-pandemic peak season levels
Container spot freight rates between China and Los Angeles have dropped to pre-pandemic peak season levels, but the rate of decline is seen as slowing. Marcus Hand | Oct 26, 2022 Shifl’s forwarder drive container spot freight index Shifex for forty-foot boxes from...
Should We Alter the Ocean to Fight Climate Change?
Phytoplankton can grow explosively over a few days or weeks. Ocean fertilization is designed to supercharge that process to capture carbon dioxide, but it can have harmful affects for other marine life. Robert Simmon and Jesse Allen/NOAA/MODIS PUBLISHED OCT 30,...
World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Tug Arrives in Belgium for Final Tests
Hydrotug 1 is completing outfitting and trials before deployment in 2023 (Port of Ostend) PUBLISHED OCT 28, 2022 7:28 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The world’s first hydrogen-powered tugboat arrived in Belgium on October 27 after completing construction in Spain....
Liverpool port pay talks ‘end in chaos’
Workers at the Port of Liverpool’s container operation have begun another two-week strike after pay discussions broke down. Gary Howard | Oct 24, 2022 Peel Ports, owner of Port of Liverpool, claimed that Unite the union had rejected an 11% pay offer, the highest...
Drop in US inbound container volumes accelerates
September inbound container volumes across the top 10 US box ports dropped by their fastest level in 27 months. Gary Howard | Oct 20, 2022 According to the latest McCown report, inbound volumes dropped by 5.5% in September, a level not seen since the early stages of...
Government of India Approves Construction of Two New Terminals Worth $720 MN at Kandla
The Government of India has approved the construction of two new terminals in Deendayal Port, Kandla. One of the terminals is a multipurpose berth and the other is a container terminal. The two terminals will equip Deendayal port for handling Next...
Ukraine’s Grain Ship Backlog Exceeds 150 Vessels
PUBLISHED OCT 24, 2022 5:02 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The UN Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) for the Black Sea Grain Initiative says that the vessel backlog that affected the program is back, and more challenging than ever. Though the program is operating...
Lines stick to blanking strategy as spot rates continue to slide
Carriers continue their attempts at managing service capacity to support freight rates as volumes fall and congestion eases. Gary Howard | Oct 14, 2022 Drewry noted 64 cancelled sailings across the transpacific, transatlantic and Asia-North Europe & Med trades for...
Port of Rotterdam and Cespa Sign MoU for a Green Hydrogen Corridor
Posted in Ports by Raghib Raza on Oct 13, 2022 at 04:57. The Port of Rotterdam and Spanish oil group Cespa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the first green hydrogen corridor between Southern and Northern Europe. The trade lane is expected...
Third Strike Set for Liverpool as UK Ports Labor Disputes Continue
The second strike at Liverpool is still running while a third strike was scheduled to start October 24 (Unite) PUBLISHED OCT 14, 2022 4:15 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The labor disputes at two of the UK’s largest ports show no signs of progress as fears continue...
Container shipping set for ‘short, sharp, hard landing’
The container sector is heading for a short, sharp, hard landing as the supply chain normalises and large amounts of new tonnage hits the water, Maritime Strategies International’s (MSI) Adam Kent says in our latest podcast episode. Marcus Hand | Oct 06, 2022 From...
‘Potential feeder containership shortage’ in Mediterranean
The higher average age of the Mediterranean feeder fleet could lead to a shortage when new environmental regulations come into force, according to Maritime Strategies International. Gary Howard | Oct 10, 2022 MSI said that newbuilding contracting by owners who operate...
Port of Long Beach Joins Partnership to Develop a Hydrogen Market in California
Posted in Ports by Raghib Raza on Oct 10, 2022 at 05:44. The port of Long Beach joined the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES). ARCHES is a public-private partnership formed to procure newly available funding from a federal US...
Crimean Bridge explosion, collapse. Warning to shipping.
Crimean Bridge across Kerch Strait suffered explosion and fire early in the morning Oct 8, two spans of motorway bridge collapsed and fell into water, railway bridge above motorway with cargo train including railway car tanks with fuel, is on fire. Details sketchy and...
Container spot freight rate decline bleeds into contracts
The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI) took another plunge this week, its fifth consecutive week of decline. Gary Howard | Sep 30, 2022 The SCFI recorded 1922.95 on 30 September, down from 2072.04 on 23 September and well down on its all time high of 5,051 in...
If supply chain crunch is finally easing, why is inflation so high?
Fed supply chain pressure index headed in opposite direction of inflation Remember back in 2021 when inflation was “transitory” and surging consumer prices were blamed on the supply chain crisis? The Fed and macro investors became intensely interested in chaos at the...
How many containers will we lose this year?
As we once again make our way towards winter in the North Pacific, should we be bracing ourselves for another season of container losses or have we, as an industry, started to learn some lessons? Tom Bebbington, Maritime Innvoation | Sep 29, 2022 There are many...
Port of New York and New Jersey Becomes America’s Busiest Box Port
For at least one month, the East Coast's busiest container port became the busiest container port in the U.S. PUBLISHED SEP 25, 2022 9:05 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Last month, volumes at the Port of Los Angeles fell below both Port of Long Beach and the Port...
SIPG splashing out $7.3bn to develop new Yangshan container terminal
Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) has announced it is to invest up to RMB51.3bn ($7.3bn) in constructing container terminal and supporting projects at Xiaoyangshan. Katherine Si | Sep 23, 2022 The investment in the new area through its subsidiary Shanghai...
Container spot rates plunge 58% since January
Container spot rates have fallen by 10% for the fourth week running as increasingly looks like the sector could be in for a hard landing. Marcus Hand | Sep 23, 2022 he bell weather Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) has lost another 10.4% over the last week...
Lines seize Golden Week opportunity for blank sailings
Container capacities on the main trade routes out of China are set to plummet in the weeks following Golden Week as lines blank sailings to maintain rates. Gary Howard | Sep 22, 2022 China’s Golden Week of public holidays runs 1-7 October and comes at an odd time for...
Imports to Los Angeles, America’s largest port, plunged 17% in August
LA lost cargo to East, Gulf Coast ports — and Long Beach next door The Port of Los Angeles, the highest-volume container gateway in America, is diverging from the nationwide trend. U.S. container imports remain close to record highs, yet imports to LA are falling...
Local News
Transport minister: Ship allegedly owned by Israeli firm has changed ownership to HK company
PUTRAJAYA, May 9 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke today said the ship claimed to be owned by an Israeli company while using the port in this country has actually changed ownership to another company based in Hong Kong. He insisted that his ministry had inspected and...
Miti: Semiconductor industry offers Malaysia chance for exponential growth
BATU KAWAN: The semiconductor industry presents Malaysia with a 'once-in-a-generation' opportunity for exponential economic growth and industry players are advised to capitalise on this billion-dollar sector. Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister (MITI) Liew...
Maybank IB: Johor-Singapore SEZ has competitive advantage in attracting fresh FDI
KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) could be a formidable competitive advantage in attracting fresh foreign direct investment (FDI) from multinational companies (MNCs). This can be achieved by integrating Singapore’s global...
Rail route connects China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia
(KPL/VNA)The first China - Laos - Thailand - Malaysia express freight train recently departed from Chengdu, the capital of China’s southwestern Sichuan province, marking a significant milestone in regional trade connectivity. The train, carrying 30 containers of LCD...
Seizing Malaysia’s economic momentum
The drastic depreciation of the Malaysian ringgit, comparable in magnitude to the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis, has spooked many and triggered debates on the nation’s economic performance. External headwinds such as persistent high inflation in the United States,...
Malaysia makes its stand on waste | #AsiaNewsNetwork
PORT KLANG (The Star) - Even Bangladesh is sending its contaminated plastic waste to Malaysia. The government will be sending 450 metric tonnes of contaminated plastic waste in 10 containers back to their countries of origin immediately. Besides the one container from...
Malaysian supplier bunkers containership with ISCC-certified biofuel
Tumpuan Megah supplied approximately 4,500 metric tonnes of ISCC EU-certified B24 marine biofuel to a containership operated by Danish container shipping giant Maersk. The bunkering operation took place at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in the state of Johor on April 25,...
Product innovation drives sales of local plastic packaging
KUALA LUMPUR: The adoption of new product innovations is giving local plastic packaging manufacturers an edge over their global peers as they vie for market share amid a period of inventory restocking. Two new products - nano stretch film and mono film - are gaining...
Expert: Introduction of EPF Account 3 can help contributors in times of emergency
KUALA LUMPUR: The introduction of the Employee Provident Fund's (EPF) Account 3 or Flexible Account is seen as one of the institution's alternatives to meeting the emergency needs and funds of its contributors in tackling life's challenges before retiring. Bank...
DP World and Sabah Ports to expand East Malaysia terminal
Under the agreement, DP World will support efforts currently underway to increase SBCP’s container handling capacity from 500,000 teu to 1.25 million teu by 2025. Investments will also be made to optimise terminal workflows, accelerate digitalisation for greater...
Finance Ministry seeks logistics industry’s views on targeted diesel subsidies
KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican held a discussion yesterday with the logistics industry on the implementation of the proposed targeted diesel subsidies. “This discussion was held to seek the views of associations and...
Container vessels supply to exceed demand, pressuring freight rates, says analyst
KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — The supply of container vessels will continue to outpace demand, putting pressure on freight rates as more newly built containerships are introduced into the market amidst ongoing geopolitical conflicts. -ADVERTISEMENT- Veson Nautical senior...
Tengku Zafrul: Miti closely monitoring situation in Middle East for possible escalation in conflict
RAWANG, April 19 — The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) is closely monitoring reports on the Middle East conflict for a possible escalation in the region. Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said so far, shipments through the Red Sea shipping...
Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre a crucial cog in Johor’s development, says MB
JOHOR BARU: The Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre (IMFC) will play a crucial role in the economic development of Johor, says Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. The Johor Mentri Besar said establishing the IMFC was among the issues discussed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar...
Malaysia: Lack of cross-sector merger control sparks updates to current regime and new emphasis on digital economy
In summary This article provides an overview of developments in competition law from 2022 to 2024, including the status of proposed amendments to introduce a cross sectoral merger control regime in Malaysia, the application of merger control via sectoral laws, cartels...
Malaysia is next best bet – Country can position itself as viable alternative to S’pore
PETALING JAYA: With some Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) looking beyond Singapore to base their regional headquarters due to the rising cost there, Malaysia has what it takes to position itself as a viable destination, say economists. Sunway University...
Escalating tension in Middle East could result in supply chain disruption, higher insurance premiums for shipping, say Malaysia industry associations.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — Escalated tension in the Middle East with the latest Israel-linked container ship seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier today could result in supply chain disruption and higher insurance premiums, said shipping...
Malaysia’s Sales and Service Tax Increase: What Industries are Impacted?
The Malaysian government officially increased the sales and services tax (SST) rate from six percent to eight percent, effective from March 1, 2024, across several sectors such as finance and leisure. Finance Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Azizan stated that this was part...
Port Of Tanjung Pelepas Adds Five ULCV Quay Cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries
Port of Tanjung Pelepas SdnBhd (PTP), a joint venture between the MMC Group and APM Terminals, announced today a recent signing of an agreement with Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (ZPMC) for the purchase of five (5) Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) Quay...
Global Trade Compliance: How to Play by the RulesGlobal air cargo demand increases 11.9% to 19.7bil CTKs in Feb – IATA
KUALA LUMPUR: The global air cargo industry registered a total of 19.7 billion cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs) in February 2024, representing an increase of 11.9 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The...