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Recession, geopolitics and costs top supply chain fears
A recession in the US, geopolitical tensions and rising operating costs were the top concerns among supply chain professionals, according to a recent survey. Gary Howard | May 10, 2023 Container xChange surveyed 1200 supply chain professionals, asking what disruptions...
Container line schedule reliability returning to pre-Covid levels
Container line schedule reliability is continuing to improve returning to pre-pandemic levels according to analysts Sea-Intelligence. Marcus Hand | May 09, 2023 After a dramatic 7.7 percentage points increase in reliability between January and February this year...
Lifeboats on Cargo Ships Need to Be Redesigned to Improve Crew Safety
While there have been significant advancements in developing lifesaving equipment, the Container Ship Safety Forum says there are far too many injuries to crewmembers aboard cargo ships while launching lifeboats. The industry association, which has a goal to improve...
Imports Continue Slow Climb Despite Cuts in 2023 Forecast
Retail import levels are continuing a slow but steady rise from the three-year lows experienced at the beginning of 2023. The National Retail Federation however continues to lower its forecasts cutting its projections for the second quarter and for the first half of...
As oil tumbles, marine fuel gets cheaper — and so do tanker stocks
VLSFO-HSFO marine fuel spread sinks below $100 threshold Russia — one of the world’s top energy providers — is mired in war. The OPEC cartel is cutting production. And yet, oil prices continue to tumble, weighed by global recession fears and concerns on Chinese...
AD Ports Group expands dry bulk fleet, moves into tankers
AD Ports Group is expanding its shipping fleet with the acquisition of five bulk carriers and three crude oil tankers. “The five bulk carriers, to be purchased for $125 million, form part of the long-term agreement with Saif Powertec, signed in April 2022, for the...
California to Start Phase Out All Diesel Trucks at Ports Next Year
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved on April 28 a first-of-its-kind rule that requires a phased transition toward zero-emission medium-and-heavy duty vehicles. Known as Advanced Clean Fleets, the new rule expands on California’s efforts to fully...
Trans-Atlantic shipping rates keep sinking as imports from Europe fall
Building material imports, which previously supported freight rates, are down The trans-Atlantic westbound trade has been a star performer for container lines over the past year, a bright spot amid a global slide. Europe-to-U.S. rates have been an outlier, staying far...
Spot container freight rates on the rise
Spot container rates would seem to be turning a corner with key indexes starting to rise after the collapse seen over the previous year. Both Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) and the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) posted rises this week. SCFI rose...
Singapore, Los Angeles, and Long Beach Agree to Green Corridor
The ports of Singapore, Los Angeles, and Long Beach became the latest to join the growing list of port authorities committing to the formation of green corridors in the support of the UN initiative and the efforts to achieve global decarbonization. The latest...
As Asia-US shipping rates rise, so does skepticism on staying power
Linerlytica says May 1 rate hikes delayed due to weak demand Container lines have used general rate increases (GRIs) to forcibly push up Asia-U.S. spot rates, yet there’s widespread skepticism on rates’ staying power given the gravitational pull of weak demand....
Starlink making waves in maritime – fast growing interest from major shipping companies
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service is attracting a growing list leading names in the maritime world. This week saw announcements by Columbia Ship Management (CSM) and Costamare as the latest companies to trial the service provided provided by a...
Reshaping the Future of Logistics: An Outlook on Warehousing Automation Trends
Despite an expected slowing pace of automation in 2023, the forecast is for stronger growth through 2027. According to Interact Analysis’ Warehouse Automation – 2022 report, between 2024 and 2027, the market is forecast to grow at a 19% CAGR, driven by improving...
Los Angeles and Long Beach Port Shutdown Sparks Fears of Retailer Exodus
The port of LOS ANGELES and LONG BEACH shut down for 24 hours from April 6th to 7th due to a mass absence of the majority of workers. The Labor Union and their employers at these ports had been involved in strained negotiations for months. On the...
China-Russia vs. US-EU: How global shipping is slowly splitting in two
Taiwan tensions are latest flash point; geopolitics is reshaping trade Another meeting between a House speaker and Taiwan’s president, another spike in tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Last summer’s meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Nancy...
Union Workers Skip Shifts Closing Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles
Crane operators and drivers of cargo-handling equipment failed to show up for work starting with Thursday, April 6, evening shift effectively bringing the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to a standstill. Neither the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents...
$34.7bn container line profits mark second straight quarterly decline
The major container lines recorded profits of $34.7bn in the fourth quarter 2022 and are on track for an 80% drop in 2023 profits. Consolidating the results of the sector, Blue Alpha Capital’s John McCown saw a 33.9% drop in profits compared to the year-ago quarter,...
UK’s logistics sector positive on Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal
The UK’s freight and logistics sector has welcomed news that the UK has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade deal although they say it won’t be a “game changer”. The CPTPP covers 500m people across Australia,...
Supply Chain Trends in 2023
After three years of crisis, the data show that supply chain conditions are improving. That will allow supply chain leaders in 2023 to resurrect initiatives that may have been sidelined — including data and digitalization programs and sustainability efforts. ...
Container cranes lag container ships by a generation
Shoreside infrastructure continues to suffer diseconomies of scale as container ships grow, adding a column per generation. Speaking at CMA Shipping 2023 last week, Shmuel Yahalom, Ph.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Transportation at SUNY Maritime...
Contract box rates likely to dip as US negotiation season approaches
Oslo-based analyst, Xeneta, expects shippers to hold the whip hand when this year’s long-term container contract negotiations gather pace through April and May. Latest figures from Xeneta show that global long-term ocean rates have fallen by 24% since their August...
Port of Montreal to Implement AI System to Reduce Vessels’ Carbon Footprint
Montreal Port Authority and Global Spatial Technology Solutions (GSTS) have announced a new project aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of vessels. The project, named the "digital corridor", uses artificial intelligence (AI) and is based on the OCIANATM modular...
Massive Strike in Germany Forces Closure of Hamburg Port
A strike organized by public employees has forced the Port of HAMBURG to close down for more than 48 hours. As the port is the second busiest in Europe, port officials have started to limit vessel movement on the Elbe and have closed the port for all...
Study: Maritime Chokepoints Could Contribute to CO2 Reduction
As shipping examines multiple scenarios to limit its GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, vessel speed reduction is a low hanging fruit in shipping’s decarbonization journey. This is based on the observation that inefficiencies caused by some key choke points in...
What Do You Do if a Hacker Takes Control of Your Ship?
You stand on the bridge and the course is seen digitally. Still, why does the ship continue to turn west? On the computer screens in the dark wheelhouse, everything looks normal - but outside the window, the land comes dangerously close! What is happening? Down in the...
Top bunkering markets – Singapore over three times larger than nearest rival
Singapore tops the rankings for bunker volumes sold with over a third of the global market among the world’s top 17 bunkering destinations last year. Total bunker output last year for the top 17 supply countries and regions was just under 141 million tonnes (mt),...
MSC Takes Delivery of World’s Largest Container Vessel
MSC took delivery of the Ultra Large Container Vessel, the MSC TESSA, at the Changxing Shipbuilding Base in Shanghai. The vessel is estimated to have cost MSC $600 million. The manufacturer claims that MSC TESSA is the world's largest...
First Automated High-Bay Storage System to be Installed at Korean Port
South Korean terminal will employ the first commercial-scale application of the automated high-bay storage system (BOXBAY) PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023 9:08 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE South Korean terminal will employ the first commercial-scale application of the...
FOCUS ON PANAMA
Panama Canal implements ‘disruption charge’ An incident in the Panama Canal could prove costly as the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) implements a ‘disruption charge’ for vessels causing delays and operational difficulties to the critical waterway. The disruption charge...
Retailers See Slow TEU Volume Climb After Positive January Trade Data
PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023 12:20 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE A positive tick-up in trade numbers for January 2023 reported by the U.S. government on Wednesday followed by a forecast for a slow climb back for U.S. retail imports created the first glimmer of hope for...
UK Ports Group ABP Commits $2.4B for Net Zero Transition
The UK’s leading ports group, Associated British Ports (ABP), has unveiled an ambitious $2.4 billion green growth and sustainability plan that is designed to decarbonize operations by 2040. The organization highlights that its plan will also significantly contribute...
China likely to dominate 2023 oil demand growth: MSI
Tanker markets have performed well over the first two months of the year, with sharp increases in spot earnings in both the crude and products sectors, according to Maritime Strategies International (MSI). In its most recent Horizon report, however, the analysts...
Container lines still chartering ships despite drop in cargo demand
GSL, MPC say lessors of smaller ships best positioned to weather storm With import demand flagging, freight rates falling, the container ship orderbook at record highs and ocean carriers canceling voyages, you might think nobody would be chartering more...
Hamburg Gets More Big Ships but Geopolitics/Economy Drive Volume Down
Hamburg is receiving more big containers but volumes were down overall in 2022 (HHA) PUBLISHED FEB 21, 2023 8:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The Port of Hamburg, traditionally one of the busiest in the world, experienced a decline in volumes in nearly all...
Hong Kong investing $2.5m to promote maritime services sector
The Hong Kong government has allocated HK$20m ($2.5m) in its 2023 – 24 budget to promote the high-end maritime service industry sector. Marcus Hand | Feb 23, 2023 In his budget speech on Wednesday Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan said with Hong Kong’s...
Freight forwarders spend 80% of their time fixing problems
Freight forwarders and NVOCCs spend up to 80% of their time manually solving problems with low-tech container operations processes, according to one logistics platform. Gary Howard | Feb 21, 2023 Speaking to Seatrade Maritime News for the Seatrade Maritime Podcast,...
Container price war underway, contract rates plummeting
The gulf between contract and spot container freight rates has narrowed rapidly, and lines appear to be slashing prices rather than capacity. Gary Howard | Feb 16, 2023 The latest market updates from market intelligence platform Xeneta and analyst Sea-Intelligence...
Container lines commit to 100% electronic bill of lading adoption by 2030
Members of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), including some of the world’s largest container lines, have committed to fully adopting electronic bills of lading (EBL) by 2030. Gary Howard | Feb 15, 2023 DCSA said its nine container line members...
Does it Make Sense to Have a National Emergency Towing Fleet?
Different nations take different approaches to emergency towing response services Two national response vessels in action: Abeille Liberte, foreground, and Anglian Princess, background. The UK has since retired its emergency response tug fleet (Marine Nationale file...
Slow Start to 2023 Volumes in Long Beach Due to Economy and Labor
Port of Long Beach started 2023 with its third consecutive month below 600,000 TEU (Port of Long Beach) PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2023 7:46 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Container volume at the Port of Long Beach is off to a slow start in 2023 as port officials continue...
Asian shipping lines are reporting steep revenue declines
Income plunges for OOCL, Evergreen, Yang Ming, Wan Hai New operating results from four Asian shipping lines were released Friday, pointing to steep performance declines in the fourth quarter and ongoing market erosion in the first month of this year. Orient Overseas...
Why ESG Matters for the Decarbonization of Shipping
The Potential for ESG Strategies in Shipping’s Decarbonization With shipping companies making ambitious investments in decarbonization, the debate around creation of robust ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies for the industry has become imperative....
Top four cold chain growth drivers in 2023
Stakeholders throughout the supply chain understand 2023 will not be like any other year—and this is especially true for the cold chain, both in terms of challenges and opportunities. Greg Tuthill, CCO, SeaCube Containers | Feb 10, 2023 Offering reliability and...
Ningbo-Zhoushan port retains world’s busiest cargo handling crown
China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port handled over 1.25bn tonnes cargo in 2022, keeping the number one spot globally for a 14th consecutive year. Container volume at Ningbo-Zhoushan port was 33.35m teu, ranking the third globally following Shanghai and Singapore. As the...
Seaports Are the Key to Making Green Hydrogen Cost Competitive
Illustration of Shell's future Holland Hydrogen 1 electrolyzer plant at Port of Rotterdam (Shell) PUBLISHED FEB 5, 2023 8:56 PM BY BRIAN GICHERU KINYUA As the world strives for a net zero emissions future by 2050, hydrogen has attracted considerable attention in...
Just how big are the global container shipping alliances?
Top 9 carriers control 83% of capacity, but the 3 alliances control only 39% The world’s top two container lines — Switzerland’s MSC and Denmark’s Maersk — have cooperated since 2015 in the 2M alliance, a partnership they will end in 2025. Because MSC and...
Maersk to kill off Hamburg Süd and Sealand brands
Maersk plans to retire the brands of 152-year old Hamburg Süd and containerisation pioneer Sealand. Gary Howard | Jan 27, 2023 The integration of Maersk-owned brands is part of a strategy to unify Maersk’s structure, remove internal barriers within the organisation...
Europe to Asia reefer rates slide
Freight rates on the Europe to Asia trades have begun to follow the wider container market down after a period of resistance. Gary Howard | Jan 26, 2023 According to a market update from freight rate benchmarking firm Xeneta, spot and log-term freight rates are...
Engines Driven by Sound Waves for Bottom-Cycle Maritime Application
PUBLISHED JAN 29, 2023 7:55 PM BY HARRY VALENTINE Thermoacoustic engines are based on tubes that convert heat into resonant sound waves, which in turn drive pistons inside cylinders. A discovery from several hundred years ago involved the bottom end of a...
FMC Reports Increase in D&D Claims as Carrier Rulemaking Proceeds
FMC continues to focus on carriers with rulemaking as D&D complaints increased PUBLISHED JAN 25, 2023 6:46 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The Federal Maritime Commission is reporting that it has received a strong response to the proposed rulemaking for key...
Local News
Malaysia targets emerging markets with new Matrade office in Karachi, says Tengku Zafrul
NEW DELHI, Aug 25 — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) will open an office in Karachi, Pakistan, as part of Malaysia’s growing focus on emerging markets. In key growth areas, Malaysia is looking at boosting trade with South Africa, Libya,...
Government Must Pay For Patients To Get Insulin From University Hospitals, Private Facilities Amid MOH Shortage: Lawmakers
Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh and Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi urge the government to pay for diabetes patients to get insulin from university hospitals or private facilities, amid a severe shortage in MOH. Dr Akmal suggests the use of vouchers. KUALA...
EcoCeres prepares for expansion in Malaysia with new storage agreement
Johor, Malaysia, 12 August, 2024 – EcoCeres Limited (“EcoCeres” or the “Company”), asubsidiary of EcoCeres Inc., agreed to lease 100,000 m3in Dialog Terminals Langsat (3)Sdn. Bhd. (“DTL3”)’s expanded storage facilities in Tanjung Langsat, Johor Darul...
Malaysia can play role in global supply chain between US-China stand-off – Tengku Zafrul
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia, as a middle power, can play its role in global supply chain security between the US-China stand-off, particularly via its electrical and electronics (E&E) and renewable energy (RE) sectors. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku...
Malaysia’s economy grows 5.9%
Malaysia’s economy grew 5.9% in the second quarter from a year earlier, surpassing market expectations, the government and central bank said on Friday. The growth in the April-to-June period compared with annual growth of 4.2% in the first quarter. Shipping containers...
Newly launched Selangor-Yunnan freight train could see faster transport of vegetables, halal goods to China
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 – A new freight train service between Yunnan in China and Selangor is set to enhance trade between Malaysia and China. Singapore's Straits Times (ST) reported that starting today, a trial run will begin from Yunnan’s capital Kunming,...
Northport breaks container, conventional cargo handling records in July 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Northport (M) Bhd has achieved unprecedented success by breaking monthly records in both its container and conventional cargo business segments in July 2024. Northport handled its highest-ever monthly container throughput of 354,548 twenty-foot...
More locals needed to fill up sea freight jobs, says federal deputy minister
MIRI (Aug 8): There is a crucial need for the locals to be trained and hired as maritime professionals, said federal Transport deputy minister Datuk Hasbi Habibolah. This, he pointed out, is to meet the demand of the shipping industry and to fill in the shortage of...
Malaysia’s first hydrogen filling station to be operational early 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is setting up mobile hydrogen filling stations, with work to begin at the end of this year and the first one operational by early 2025, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang. “We are going to set up a mobile...
Malaysian firms could be transformed by AI: Lenovo exec
Malaysia is poised to reap benefits from generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming years, but the largest gains are expected in the local manufacturing sector. According to Lenovo (NASDAQ: LNVGY) Malaysia General Manager Varinderjit Singh, the Southeast...
Tengku Zafrul: Global players like Tesla needed for the development of Malaysia’s EV ecosystem
KUALA LUMPUR: The development of Malaysia’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem requires the participation of global EV players such as Tesla, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He said his ministry (MITI) has a...
PTP hits another throughput record in handling 1.11 mln TEUs in July
JOHOR BAHRU: Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), a joint venture between MMC Group and Netherlands-based APM Terminals, has set a new throughput record by handling 1.11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in a single month without experiencing any congestion in...
Palm oil drops on strong ringgit, posts second monthly fall
JAKARTA: Malaysian palm oil futures fell and posted a second straight monthly drop on Wednesday despite strong July export as a stronger ringgit weighed down the price. The benchmark palm oil contract for October delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange...
JB is rapidly growing with a massive ambition; here’s why lingering traffic woes may hinder that
JOHOR BARU, Aug 3 — Several experts have warned that the worsening traffic conditions in Johor Baru is set to stunt the state capital’s growth and quality of life, if it continues to be unaddressed. Speaking to Malay Mail, the traffic woes may even impact future...
S’pore residents can clear T3 immigration by using facial & iris biometrics without passport from Aug. 2024
Singapore residents will be able to clear immigration at selected automated lanes at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from Aug. 5, 2024 by using their facial and iris biometrics without presenting their passports. This is part of a trial for the new passport-less clearance...
Marine DG charged with deceiving predecessor with fake letter
SHAH ALAM: A top tier civil servant was charged at the Sessions Court here Thursday (Aug 1) for deceiving his then superior into issuing some documentation four years ago. Current Marine Department director-general Capt Mohamad Halim Ahmed was accused of tricking his...
Shipping association says may face worker shortage after Immigration Dept halts issuing guarantee letters for foreigners
KUCHING (July 25): The Sarawak Shipping Association (SSA) claims local shippers may face a workforce shortage after the Sarawak Immigration Department stopped issuing letters of guarantee (LG) for recruiting foreign seafarers to serve tug and barge (T&B) operators...
India’s quest to become leading maritime shipping hub
Maritime transport serves as the bedrock of international trade and, by extension, the global economy. As per the International Chamber of Shipping, the international shipping industry is accountable for transporting approximately 90 per cent of global trade....
Singapore, Hafnia to transfer oil cargo from fire-hit tanker
Shipowner Hafnia, operator of the Hafnia Nile oil tanker, is in discussion with Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) about transferring the damaged ship’s cargo of naphtha to a safe location, the MPA said on Wednesday. The Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile and...
Industry experts urge Malaysia to reduce foreign vessel reliance with new shipping policy
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Malaysia’s new national shipping policy must not only encourage the development of a robust domestic fleet to reduce dependency on foreign vessels but also provide more funding to modernise and accelerate the transition to green shipping. They...