Topic
Container Shipping
Logistics Container shipping urged to move fire prevention upstream, new report says
A new Thetius and Tigris Systems report urges container shipping to screen dangerous goods at the booking stage rather than after loading. Vessel fires hit 250 in 2024, the highest in a decade, and TT Club estimates a major containership fire roughly every 60 days. The report calls for automated document screening, connected data and specialist oversight.
Logistics Reefer Rejections Hold at 20% as Intermodal Savings Index Hits 33%
Reefer tender rejections remain stuck at 20%–20.5% even as van and flatbed rates ease, driven by summer heat and the structural inability of reefers to shift to intermodal, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. Meanwhile, the intermodal contract savings index has hit 33% above over-the-road trucking—a three-year high—pulling record volumes onto rail, while flatbed capacity loosens and cross-border rail data is watched for tariff signals.
Logistics Ocean Rate Concerns Rise as New Containership Orders Near 40% of Global Fleet
The global containership orderbook has reached nearly 39% of operating fleet capacity, with large mainline vessels dominating the pipeline. Fleet growth of about 4.2% is set to outpace container trade growth of 3-4% in 2026, pressuring ocean freight rates. Feeders and intermediate vessels face less risk due to older fleets and limited replacement, according to FreightWaves.
Logistics Port Houston container volumes fall 6% in July as import surge cools
Port Houston handled 369,899 TEUs in July, down 6% year over year, as container growth moderated after frontloading earlier in 2026. Loaded imports fell 3% but remain up 5% YTD, with East Asia driving a 10% gain. General cargo surged 42% while steel imports dropped 36%.
Logistics Euroseas Secures Two-Year Charter Extension for 1,740 TEU Jonathan P at $26,000 per Day
Euroseas extended the charter of its 1,740 teu containership Jonathan P for two years at $26,000 per day, up from $25,000. The deal generates about $12.7m in EBITDA and covers 97% of available days for the rest of 2026, 86% for 2027 and 50% for 2028, according to Splash247.
Logistics Ningbo-Zhoushan Overtakes Singapore as World’s Number Two Boxport
Ningbo-Zhoushan handled 22.9m teu in H1 2026, up 8.8% year-on-year, edging past Singapore's 22.7m teu to become the world's second-busiest container port, according to Alphaliner data reported by Splash247. Shanghai leads with 28.7m teu, while Jebel Ali plunged to 32nd place after Hormuz disruption cut first-half throughput from 7.77m to 3.14m teu.
Logistics Container shipping tipped to normalise through Red Sea by year-end
Analyst Lars Jensen says Red Sea container shipping could normalise by end-2026 as MSC restores four Suez services and Maersk accelerates returns. Canal traffic is at its highest since January 2024 but remains 41% below pre-crisis levels, with Houthi attacks and war-risk insurance costs still elevated.
Logistics Hormuz Shock Sends Jebel Ali Tumbling Out of Global Top 30 Container Rankings
Jebel Ali fell from 10th to 32nd in global container port rankings as the Strait of Hormuz disruption cut H1 throughput to 3.14m teu, less than half of last year's 7.77m teu. DP World shifted 500,000 teu via Gulf road and rail corridors and signed a 50-year deal for a new Fujairah terminal. Ningbo-Zhoushan overtook Singapore for the first time in Alphaliner's half-year rankings.
Logistics MSC Returns to Red Sea as Trans-Pacific Spot Rates Hold Elevated
Mediterranean Shipping Co. has joined other container lines returning to the southern Red Sea despite renewed Houthi attacks, according to FreightWaves. Trans-Pacific spot rates remain elevated, with Asia-U.S. West Coast prices up 1% to $6,826 per FEU and East Coast prices up 2% to $9,576 per FEU. Carrier capacity cuts and China port congestion are supporting rates, while U.S.-Iran and U.S.-China tensions keep the market on edge.
Logistics Container Port Congestion Smashes Covid-Era Record, Removing 4.3m TEU of Capacity
Global container port congestion has climbed beyond Covid-era levels, with 4.3m TEU waiting to berth and removing capacity from circulation. East Asian ports, led by Shanghai and Ningbo, are driving the spike after tropical storms, while Panama Canal transit cuts loom. Freight indices like SCFI and Platts Container Index are accordingly rising.
Logistics Liners and Red Sea: Damn the Houthis, full speed ahead!
Container spot rates are diverging sharply, with Trans-Pacific lanes climbing to new highs while Asia-Europe rates slide from July peaks. Carriers including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, and Cosco are pushing to resume Red Sea transits despite renewed Houthi attacks and the expiry of the U.S.-Iran agreement, while Panama Canal restrictions add capacity and cost pressure, according to FreightWaves.
Logistics NBOSCO commits $123m to four 1,900 TEU feeder boxships at Wuchang Shipbuilding
Ningbo Ocean Shipping (NBOSCO) has committed RMB832m ($123m) to four 1,900 TEU feeder newbuildings at CSSC's Wuchang Shipbuilding, with delivery set for 2028 and 2029 and options for two more vessels. The order adds to an orderbook that Alphaliner puts at 20 ships across three size classes, including larger tonnage from Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard.
Logistics MSC reaches 500 secondhand acquisitions in six-year buying blitz
MSC has completed its 500th secondhand containership acquisition since August 2020, according to Alphaliner via Splash247. The Swiss carrier's fleet is approaching 7.4m TEU with over 21% of global capacity, and it now operates east-west trades independently of global alliances.
Logistics Port of Los Angeles Posts Second-Highest July on Record as Consumer Demand Holds
The Port of Los Angeles moved 960,464 TEUs in July, its second-highest July total on record, according to FreightWaves. Total volume fell 6% year-over-year after 2025 frontloading but ran 7.5% above the five-year July average. Loaded imports reached 499,552 TEUs, while year-to-date volume rose 1.8%.
Logistics Ocean Freight Rates Surge 400% as Carriers Cut Capacity, Demand Flat
Ocean freight spot rates have surged more than 400% on transpacific lanes even as China-to-U.S. volumes decline roughly 1%, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. The spike is driven by capacity control and strategic blank sailings by top carriers, not demand. Shippers should prepare for continued rate and capacity volatility through Q4.
Logistics Maersk abandons 4.4m teu fleet ceiling as CEO Vincent Clerc signals capacity growth
Maersk has abandoned its 4-4.4m teu capacity ceiling, with its operated fleet now above 4.7m teu. CEO Vincent Clerc told investors the carrier will 'ensure that we have the capacity to grow.' Analysts are split on whether this will trigger a newbuilding spree or more chartering.
Logistics Empty Containers Pile Up as Global Trade Growth Widens East-West Imbalance
Global trade is outperforming expectations in 2026, but a surge of empty containers driven by China's export strength and east-west trade imbalance is adding landside pressure and schedule disruptions. Maersk said terminal throughput burden is rising at 7-8% versus 4% loaded-container market growth, while Rotterdam empties jumped 60% in the first six months versus 2020.
Logistics Sea Legend turns China's Arctic container trial into weekly Northern Sea Route service
China's Arctic container corridor to Europe has moved from experiment to scheduled service. Sea Legend has launched weekly seasonal sailings along Russia's Northern Sea Route, with the first vessel, the 1,740 teu Dubai Tower, departing Ningbo-Zhoushan. Eight sailings are planned between August and October, offering a transit time of around 18 to 20 days.
Logistics Port Congestion Removes 1.7m TEU of Capacity, Nearly an Evergreen-Sized Fleet
Sea-Intelligence analysis reported by Splash247 finds persistent port congestion is removing about 1.7m teu of containership capacity from the global market, approaching the size of Evergreen's fleet. June 2026 schedule reliability remains at 60–65%, while delays absorb 5% of the global container fleet. Maersk has raised its full-year guidance again, citing congestion as a key freight rate driver.
Logistics Maritime rates back on the rise as supply-side pressures lift China-U.S. spot freight rates
Spot rates for containers from China to U.S. East and West Coasts are climbing again, up $1,328 on the West Coast and roughly $413 on the East Coast since late July. FreightWaves reports the rise is supply-driven, with China-to-U.S. bookings down 4% year over year, while storms and congestion hit Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen. The Panama Canal Authority has issued draft restrictions into September as El Niño brings drought-like conditions.
Logistics India's digital logistics tracking platform crosses 10 crore EXIM container tracking milestone
India's Logistics Data Bank (LDB) has crossed 10 crore export-import (EXIM) containers tracked since its 2016 launch, according to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The platform logs over 1.5 crore monthly container queries and provides dwell time, transit duration and port performance analytics via RFID, IoT and Big Data. LDB 2.0, rolled out in September 2025, adds high-seas export cargo tracking and multimodal shipment visibility.
Logistics Splash Wrap: War, drought and broken infrastructure force shipping into the detour economy
Splash247's Splash Wrap documents how conflict, drought and failing infrastructure are rerouting global shipping. Ukrainian grain exports are down 76% year-on-year, DP World is losing about $100m monthly at Jebel Ali, and the Rhine is close to being cut in two at Kaub.
Logistics Yang Ming's First-Half Rebound Sets Up Volatile Second Half
Yang Ming Marine Transport reported consolidated revenue of US$2.62 billion for the first half of 2026, with Q2 outperforming both Q1 and the prior-year period on tariff-driven front-loading, an early peak season and firmer freight rates. The carrier cautioned that trade-policy uncertainty, Middle East and Red Sea geopolitics, and a looming newbuild delivery wave could make the second half volatile.
Logistics Port of Long Beach handles 928,508 TEUs in second-busiest July on record
The Port of Long Beach moved 928,508 TEUs in July, its second-busiest July on record and the fourth-strongest month in its 115-year history. Imports were nearly flat, exports rose 14.8%, and year-to-date throughput is up 1.2%, according to FreightWaves.
Logistics Spot Rates Split as Tender Rejections Hold Above 13%
Truckload tender rejections are holding at 13.5%, more than double the balanced-market range, while demand erodes faster than seasonal norms. Long-haul truckload volumes rose just 2% year over year against an 8% gain for domestic intermodal, and Midwest refrigerated rates are spiking early in protein and grain corridors. Zach Strickland's SONAR update details a three-way spot rate split across flatbed, reefer and dry van.
Logistics Maersk raises 2026 outlook again as earnings surge, Q2 revenue climbs 20%
A.P. Moller-Maersk raised its 2026 guidance again after Q2 revenue jumped 20% to $15.8 billion on strong Far East exports, higher spot rates and port congestion. Ocean EBIT more than quadrupled, and the company lifted its full-year EBITDA forecast to $10.5–12.5 billion. Maersk also announced terminal investments in Brazil and Vietnam.
Logistics Pricing Maritime Emissions Could Accelerate Cleaner Shipping Without Consumer Shock, CTI Consultancy Argues
Andy Lane of CTI Consultancy argues that putting a meaningful price on maritime emissions could accelerate the switch to lower-GHG fuels without triggering consumer shock. The Splash247 analysis cites record ocean temperatures, shipping's 11% share of transport emissions, and 26 years of IMO measures as context for the debate over EEXI enforcement and decarbonisation costs.
Logistics Regional Container Lines Boxship Runs Aground Near Kolkata After Steering Failure
A Singapore-flagged containership owned by Regional Container Lines ran aground on the Hooghly River near Kolkata after a steering failure, according to Splash247. The vessel was refloated at high tide with no injuries reported, though part of the riverbank was damaged.
Logistics China Merchants Renews Push for Control of Container Carrier Antong Holdings
China Merchants Group has accumulated a 24.84% position in Shanghai-listed Antong Holdings through its Sinotrans Container Lines unit, positioning it to become Antong's controlling shareholder. The move revives a consolidation effort after a 2024 share-issue deal was scrapped. A shareholder vote and early board election will decide control.
Logistics U.S. container imports surge 4.5% in July as China peak season momentum builds
U.S. containerized imports increased 4.5% month over month in July to 2,508,310 TEU, driven by a 7.2% jump in China-origin cargo, according to Descartes Systems Group. Volumes remain 4.3% below July 2025 levels amid trade-policy uncertainty and last year's frontloading. Gulf Coast gateways also posted gains, continuing a shift in U.S. freight flows.
Logistics DP World unit Avana Logistek buys Transworld's largest boxship for $11.4 million
DP World-controlled Avana Logistek is set to acquire the SSL Brahmaputra, Transworld Shipping Lines' largest containership, for $11.4 million under a memorandum of agreement signed August 7. The 2003-built, 4,250 teu vessel becomes the latest in a series of Transworld boxships sold to the DP World unit in 2026.
Logistics Iranian Owner Kamal & Adel Enters Boxship Sector with Chinese Newbuild Order
Tehran-based Kamal & Adel has placed an order with China's Chizhou Tianyu Shipbuilding for a single 1,700 TEU containership, priced at around $31.5 million and scheduled for delivery in 2028. The order marks the low-profile operator's first move into the containership segment, having previously focused on tugs and harbour craft. Alphaliner suggests the vessel could potentially be deployed locally in the Persian Gulf.
Logistics US Disables Containership in Gulf of Oman While Red Sea Strike Kills Six Seafarers
On Tuesday, US forces disabled the Panama-flagged containership Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman, while a separate ballistic-missile attack on the Egyptian-owned general cargoship Tihamah near the Bab el-Mandeb killed six seafarers. The incidents underscore elevated threats for commercial shipping along two of the Middle East's critical maritime corridors.
Logistics New Harbor Commission President Steven Neal Backs Long Beach Port of the Future Plans
Newly installed Long Beach Harbor Commission President Steven Neal said the commission will prioritize infrastructure, sustainability and technology programs under the port's 'Port of the Future' strategy. FreightWaves reported the agenda includes doubling container throughput to 20 million TEUs by 2050, tripling on-dock rail capacity at the Pier B facility, and purchasing a downtown Long Beach office tower for a maritime hub.
Logistics Spot vs. Contract Rates: Don't Be Fooled by Short-Term Declines
Van contract rates are up 19.3% year over year while NTI spot rates dipped about 5% month over month, a divergence FreightWaves says reflects carriers pricing forward risk, not a softening market. Intermodal volumes are rising 2% as truckload tenders fall 2%, driven by a 32% cost spread, with Indianapolis still showing hot market conditions.
Logistics Asia-US East Coast Container Rate Hits New High of $9,400 Per FEU
Container rates on the Asia-U.S. East Coast lane hit a new high of $9,400 per FEU this week, according to FreightWaves, while West Coast rates rose 11% to $6,826 per FEU on the Freightos Baltic Index. The surge follows an early peak shipping season and comes as CMA CGM, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co. expand or return to Red Sea services despite Middle East tensions.
Logistics SONAR Pricing Power Index Slides Five Weeks as Carrier Leverage Eases
SONAR's Pricing Power Index has slid for five consecutive weeks since peaking in mid-July, according to FreightWaves, as capacity eased and rail and ocean demand signals cooled. The spot-to-contract spread has narrowed from a record high, giving shippers stronger negotiating leverage. The three-month forecast has pulled back, converging with the current reading.
Logistics Modal shift dampens trucking market as shippers pivot to rail
Domestic intermodal volumes rose 10% year-over-year while long-haul truckload tenders fell to their lowest point of the year, according to FreightWaves. Truckload contract rates on key lanes jumped 31-60% versus single-digit intermodal increases, driving shippers toward rail. Risks include imminent intermodal rate hikes, drayage constraints, and peak-season stress.
Logistics MSC Boxship MSC Silvana VIII Sinks Deeper Off Zhoushan After Failed Refloat
The 8,401 TEU MSC Silvana VIII has sunk deeper into the water off Zhoushan, China, after attempts to refloat the grounded containership failed. Much of the vessel is now submerged, with several cargo holds and the engine room flooded, while another typhoon threatens the salvage operation.
Strong peak demand pumps trans-Pac box rates
Read the full story for in-depth analysis.
Logistics Trucking Capacity Declines: LMI Shows Shifting Trends
The July Logistics Manager Index fell to 68.9% from 71.7% in June as transportation capacity contracted at a faster rate and spot rates softened. Truckload contract rates held 18% above year-ago levels at $271 plus fuel, while Operation Highway Shield removed more than 750 unsafe trucks from the road. FreightWaves analysts expect continued tightening through late August.
Logistics Port of New York-New Jersey Moves 503,016 Loaded TEUs in June, Up 7.6%
Port of New York-New Jersey moved 503,016 loaded TEUs in June, up 7.6% year over year, making it the nation's second-busiest gateway for loaded containers behind Los Angeles-Long Beach. Total June volume grew 11.9% to 769,422 TEUs, signaling an earlier, front-loaded peak season driven by changing federal trade policy.
Logistics Supply Chain: Why Ocean Rates Skyrocketed 300% in 5 Months
Ocean spot rates have climbed more than 300% in five months, with GEODIS President and CEO Laura Ritchie citing blank sailings, port congestion, and Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz threats as the cause. Cargo booked in March was still rolling into July, straining manufacturing assembly lines. Ritchie also detailed GEODIS's use of AI, drones, and a new client experience structure to manage the volatility.
Logistics Texas ports defy tariff uncertainty with record cargo performance
Port Houston set a record 2.23 million TEUs in the first half of 2026, while the Port of Corpus Christi achieved its best quarter and first half ever, according to FreightWaves. Despite tariff uncertainty, Texas Gulf Coast ports are moving record cargo volumes in containers, steel, and energy exports.
Logistics Minerva Dry returns to Hengli Heavy Industries for more boxship newbuilds
Greek owner Minerva Dry has booked another series of Hengli Heavy Industries' 3,100 teu containership newbuildings, adding to an orderbook that already included 13 vessels across four Chinese yards. The design targets regional services and feeder fleet renewal, though Hengli did not disclose number, price, or delivery schedule for the latest batch.
Logistics CK Line signs for up to four 6,400 teu newbuilds in China
South Korea's CK Line has signed a contract with Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for up to four 6,400 teu containerships, marking the largest vessels ever ordered by the carrier. The newbuilds, with around 1,150 reefer plugs each, are designed by CSSC's 708 Research Institute and will significantly expand CK Line's capacity on regional trades linking Korea with China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Russia.
Logistics MSC sues CargoLoop for $273,000 over electric vehicle fire aboard MSC Carlotta
MSC is suing CargoLoop for approximately $273,000 after alleging that improperly secured used electric vehicles sparked a fire aboard the MSC Carlotta in September 2023. The blaze forced the boxship to divert to Mexico for inspection and restow, and damaged several containers. CargoLoop has not yet publicly responded.
Logistics Are Index-Linked Freight Contracts Optimising Rates Instead of Supply Chains?
Dr Raymon Krishnan of Singapore's Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society argues that index-linked freight contracts, while solving pandemic-era pricing problems, are steering the industry toward optimising rates rather than supply chains. He warns that this approach rewards volatility and shifts focus away from service capabilities like schedule reliability and risk management.
Logistics Shanghai smashes daily container record with 203,881 teu in a single day
Shanghai International Port Group moved 203,881 teu on August 1, a daily container throughput record for the port and the first time it has exceeded 200,000 teu in a day. The record came after Typhoon Bavi caused a four-day disruption, and follows a 6.2% year-on-year rise in first-half 2026 volumes.
Logistics East Asia faces $890bn maritime investment bill to 2040, World Bank warns
The World Bank estimates East Asia and the Pacific needs about $890bn through 2040 to modernize ports, replace aging fleets and build alternative-fuel supply chains. Ports need $12bn annually, container capacity may nearly double, and China accounts for 65% of port spending. The report warns that regulatory uncertainty has led to sectoral paralysis.
Logistics Carriers Gain Leverage: Become a Shipper of Choice to Win Capacity, Says Covenant SVP
Carriers have entered their strongest negotiating position in years, giving them leverage to prioritize shippers offering predictable, steady freight volumes. Covenant Transport SVP Tyson Wimberly shared strategies at the Univar Carrier Kickoff, highlighting regulatory constraints, insurance cost inflation, and driver pay variability as key challenges. Shippers must become a 'shipper of choice' to win capacity.
Logistics Blystad's Songa Box Orders Up to Six Feeders at Chinese Newcomer Shipyard
Arne Blystad's Songa Box has ordered two 1,300 teu feeder vessels at Hubei Guangji Green Energy Shipbuilding in China, with options that could bring the series to six ships worth $180m. The order expands Songa Box's pipeline to eight firm newbuildings and up to 12 with options, amid a broader feeder fleet renewal.
Logistics Celadon Bankruptcy Chaos: Stranded Drivers, $1M Monthly Legal Drain, and Lessons for Today's Freight Market
Former Celadon CEO Paul Svindland recounts the December 2019 bankruptcy, where early news publication stranded drivers with shut-off fuel cards. He now warns that a wave of newbuild vessels will make current container spot rates unsustainable. Svindland’s new venture, Mallory Alexander, targets middle-market shippers and is deploying AI for documentation.
Logistics Zhenghe Mainline Orders Six 4,600 TEU Boxships at Hengli Shipbuilding for Baltic Service
Chinese state-owned carrier Zhenghe Mainline has ordered six 4,600 TEU containerships from Hengli Shipbuilding in a deal worth over RMB3 billion ($443 million). The vessels will serve a new route linking Taicang with the Baltic, giving parent Jiangsu Port Group greater control over capacity for eastern China exporters. The order brings Zhenghe's confirmed orderbook at the yard to 11 ships with combined capacity of about 47,700 TEU.
Logistics Zodiac Maritime Orders Eight 6,400 TEU Boxships at Hengli Heavy Industry, Extending $1.6B Drive
Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Maritime has been linked to an order for eight 6,400 TEU containerships at China's Hengli Heavy Industry, worth about $640 million. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029. This order extends Zodiac's boxship newbuilding drive to 19 vessels since early 2025, with a combined capacity of around 135,200 TEU.
Logistics Geopolitics Drives CMA CGM Q2 Profit Surge of 42% as Volumes and Rates Climb
CMA CGM posted a 42.4% increase in second-quarter EBITDA to $2.26 billion, with maritime volumes rising 6% to 6.3 million TEUs. The carrier attributed the results to geopolitical instability, sustained freight rates, and network adjustments, including new services like the Mekong Transpacific Express.
Logistics US urged to create publicly backed container line to reduce foreign carrier dependence, report says
The Open Markets Institute report urges the US to create a publicly backed container shipping line to reduce dependence on foreign carriers, which control nearly 80% of global container capacity. The report alleges a 'container cartel' and proposes tighter FMC scrutiny, restored common-carrier protections, and expanded mariner training.
Logistics Asia-US Ocean Freight Rates Soar 234% Since February Amid Iran Conflict and Tariff Frontloading
Ocean container spot rates from Asia to the US have surged over 230% since the start of the Iran conflict in late February, driven by geopolitical disruption and tariff frontloading. While rates are now gradually softening, carriers are leveraging higher bunker costs to slow the decline. The peak shipping season appears to have ended early, and blank sailings are emerging.
Logistics Sinotrans Doubles Qingshan Feeder Order with Second Quartet of 1,800 TEU Vessels
Sinotrans Container Lines is doubling its feeder vessel order at China Merchants' revived Qingshan Shipyard, issuing a procurement invitation for four additional 1,800 TEU ships. The move follows a May contract for an initial quartet and brings the total programme to eight vessels with an indicative investment of around RMB1.88 billion.
Logistics Italian Police Seize $290 Million in Cocaine Hidden in Ecuador Banana Shipment at Port of Vado Ligure
Italian authorities seized nearly 1,700 pounds of cocaine hidden in a refrigerated shipping container carrying bananas at the Port of Vado Ligure. The container originated in Ecuador. The cocaine had an estimated street value of €250 million ($290 million). This bust is among the largest recent cocaine seizures at the port and highlights the use of legitimate refrigerated produce shipments for drug trafficking.