World Container News

Risk is the "new normal" for the global ocean shipping industry that handles 80% of global trade as pressure from geopolitical tensions, rising protectionism and climate change mounts."There are going to be global tensions ... and I think global dangers, at a level we haven't seen since the end of World War II," former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said at the opening of S&P Global's TPM24 container shipping conference in Long Beach, California, on Monday.Houthi missile and drone attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are top of mind…

The Indian Navy said on Thursday it had rescued the crew of a U.S.-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden after an attack by Yemen's Houthi movement as tensions in the region's sea lanes disrupted global trade.Following the attack on the U.S. Genco Picardy late on Wednesday, the U.S. military said its forces had conducted strikes on 14 Houthi missiles that "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region".Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on…

The United States on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, while business chiefs warned that disruption to shipping in the Red Sea caused by their attacks could affect supply chains for months.Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on ships in the region since November have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers - an escalation of Israel's more than three-month-old war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians and have threatened to expand attacks to include U.S.

Recent hostilities in the Red Sea have thrown global shippers of vital goods for a loop - but it is hardly the only issue that big carriers are facing as 2024 kicks off.Giants like Maersk say the industry, which handles 90% of global trade, faces the possibility of significant disruptions, from ongoing wars to droughts affecting key routes like the Panama Canal. Complex vessel schedules are likely to be knocked out of sync for giant container ships, fuel tankers and other commodity haulers throughout the year.That will increase delays and raise costs for retailers like Walmart…

A whale carcass was discovered on Tuesday in Belgium's Port of Antwerp.Responders are working to remove the 7- to 10-meter long whale from the water after it was found near DP World's container terminal. The port said whale deaths in the area are rare.Follownig a failed attempt to get the animal ashore using an AMT vessel and crane, the port is now using Brabo, a floating derrick crane capable of lifting up to 800 tonnes.After the whale is brought on land, the cadaver will be…

Long-term ocean freight rates suffered a steep month-on-month decline in November as subdued spot prices, weak demand, and ongoing economic uncertainty caught up with contracted container agreements. The latest data from the Xeneta Shipping Index (XSI) indicates that global rates fell by 5.7%, with all major corridors experiencing negative import and export trends. This is the third month in a row rates have dropped, but the largest month-on-month decline recorded since the launch of the XSI in 2019.Fighting for volume“A drop in long-term rates is no surprise…

A stuck container vessel in the Suez Canal, which has blocked the flow of goods through the narrow channel, will add strain to global supply chains already stretched by rebounding economic activity and tight shipping container supplies, analysts said on Friday.The 400-metres long Ever Given container vessel has been stuck in the canal since Tuesday, suspending traffic of containers transporting goods, parts and equipment through the shortest sea link between Europe and Asia.The…

German container liner Hapag-Lloyd expects transport volumes in the fourth quarter to pare sharp losses seen earlier this year as a demand recovery in Asia lifts seaborne shipments.Fourth quarter volumes should show a low single-digit gain year-on-year after they fell by 3.5% in the January-September period, Chief Executive Rolf Habben Jansen said at a virtual meeting with journalists late on Tuesday.He said full-year volumes at the world's fifth biggest shipping firm would likely lag those seen in 2019 by between 1.5% and 2%.The company raised its earnings guidance on Tuesday…

Drewry Shipping Consultants has revealed that it now expects global port throughput to rise by 2.6% in 2019, down from the previous 3.0% expectation.The mood-music surrounding the container market has deteriorated further in the last three months, resulting in Drewry downgrading its outlook for world container port throughput for the current year and the rest of the five-year horizon in the Container Market Annual Review and Forecast.The weight of risks pressing down on the container market seems to be getting heavier by the day,” said Simon Heaney, senior manager, container research at Drewry and editor of the Container Forecaster.

The outlook for global container port demand is modest growth and numerous uncertainties, but in the face of this, capacity expansion plans are also muted, said the global shipping consultancy Drewry."This means that most world regions will see an increase in average terminal utilisation," said Drewry in its Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast 2019.Drewry’s container port demand forecast for the next five years is for global growth of 4.4% per annum on average, lifting world container port throughput from 784 million teu in 2018 to 973 million teu by 2023, an absolute increase of almost 190 million teu.The…

Evergreen Group celebrated its 50th Anniversary at the Chang Yung-Fa Foundation, home of the charity set-up by Evergreen Group Founder and Chairman Dr. Y.F. Chang, said a press release from the company.In addition to senior executives and employees of the Group’s businesses, the event was also attended by public officials, customers and business agents from both the shipping and airline industries as well as representatives of supply chain partners from more than fifty countries.The celebration commenced with a performance by the choir of the Yihsing branch of Jiahsing Elementary School from Hsinchu County. The choir was a gold medal…

The medium term outlook for global container port demand growth is positive thanks to strong underlying economic momentum across the world’s major economies. While there may be clouds on the horizon in the form of tariff and trade war fears, economic fundamentals are likely to win-out in the long run, according to the Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast 2018 by global shipping consultancy Drewry.Against this positive picture near term container port capacity expansion will remain relatively subdued following several years of under investment, particularly in greenfield projects. As a result, average utilisation…

ICHCA International, the global NGO and membership association for cargo handling operations, technical, HSSE and risk professionals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) to pursue cooperative projects of mutual interest. This includes the sharing of the research and findings of ICHCA’s Technical Panel (ITP) with the IAPH membership through its own working groups. The ICHCA Technical Panel has recently launched four new working groups on Dangerous Goods, Digital & Innovation, Straddle Carrier Safety and Dry Bulk Cargoes. The four new working groups were established following consultation with the ITP’s 80+ members who represent cross-sectoral private and public-sector experience from the worlds of shipping…

Drewry says that recovering demand recovery in the North America-East Coast South America box trades provides encouragement, but local political conditions bear watching. Elsewhere, reports that Maersk and MSC are reviewing their Iran operations underpins broader political uncertainties that could get in the way. North America-East Coast South America box tradesMaritime Research Consultancy Drewry is reporting that the headhaul East Coast South America to North America trade fell by 1% in the first quarter 2018 to 137,000 teu. Brazil owns as much 85% of that market where the slowdown was mostly a function of waning US demand for major commodities. Nevertheless, wood shipments improved sharply to offset lower volumes for other cargoes.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned Djibouti’s cancellation of DP World’s contract to run the Doraleh Container Terminal, calling it an “arbitrary” flouting of a signed agreement, said a report in Bloomberg. Media reports yesterday said that Dubai has accused Djibouti of illegally seizing a port operated by one of its state-owned shipping companies and started legal action against the African government. “Djibouti government’s seizure of the Doraleh port is regrettable,’’ Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash wrote on Twitter. According to a press statement from DP World, the Government of Djibouti illegally seized control of the Doraleh Container Terminal from a Dubai Ports World (DP World) owned entity that designed…

On April 1, 2017 Kotug Smit Towage (KotugSmit) commenced towage activities with four powerful tugs in the port of Southampton, United Kingdom. The tugs ‘ZP Boxer’ and ‘SD Salvor’ performed their ‘first’ assistance on the River Test. The container vessel ‘MOL Brilliance’ was towed to the DP World Container Terminal in Southampton. Thanks to a warm welcome and in close cooperation with the local port authorities and pilots, KotugSmit’s dedicated crew was able to prepare for the operations and to get well familiarized with the port and local area.

The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has given the nod to a proposed joint venture between three Japanese shipping lines. Japan’s big three shipping groups, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK),  announced last year an integration of their container shipping business with the establishment of a joint venture by 1 July 2017 and the commencement of joint servce from 1 April 2018. Under the JV, the Parties will merge their container liner shipping business, and their container terminal services businesses outside Japan. The only overlapping service of the Parties that would affect Singapore is the provision of container liner shipping services.

Spot container freight rates from North Europe to China increased by 45 percent this week, reaching a four-year high. The “World Container Index assessed by Drewry” market reading on the route from Rotterdam to Shanghai jumped to $1,076 per 40ft dry container today, from $740 last week. “Our sources reported that ships are currently full and that carriers have demanded much higher rates – only some prior rate agreements remain in place,” said Philip Damas, head of Drewry’s logistics practice. It is highly unusual for the “backhaul” route from Europe to Asia – where vessels normally have load factors of less than 70 percent - to see such spikes in rate levels and capacity shortages.

Spot container freight rates on the major East-West routes reached a 20-month high this week and have risen above the average of the last 5 years, said a report by Drewry. The latest weekly reading is $1,770/40ft container for the composite index, reflecting increases on individual lanes to $1,785 for the Rotterdam-New York index (up $4 this week), $2,210 for the Shanghai-Rotterdam index (up $257 this week) and $2,106 for the Shanghai-Los Angeles index (up $545 this week). On the back of 1 January GRIs, the World Container Index between Shanghai and Rotterdam rose by 13% to reach $2,210 this week. Drewry expects the volume upsurge on account of an early Chinese New Year to support further increases next week.

Spot container freight rates on the major East-West routes reached a 20-month high this week and have risen above the average of the last 5 years. The latest weekly reading is $1,770/40ft container for the composite index, reflecting increases on individual lanes to $1,785 for the Rotterdam-New York index (up $4 this week), $2,210 for the Shanghai-Rotterdam index (up $257 this week) and $2,106 for the Shanghai-Los Angeles index (up $545 this week). On the back of 1 January GRIs, the World Container Index between Shanghai and Rotterdam rose by 13% to reach $2,210 this week. Drewry expects the volume upsurge on account of an early Chinese New Year to support further increases next week.

International transport and logistics executives are increasingly benchmarking their companies’ costs and supplier terms in ocean transport contracts, according to data gathered by Drewry Supply Chain Advisors. In the past 6 months, the ocean transport spend under carrier contracts benchmarked by Beneficial Cargo Owners via the Drewry Benchmarking Club global initiative increased by 50%, to $2.2 billion; the number of benchmarked routes rose by 81% and the volume of benchmarked dry container teu jumped by 67%. FMCG companies and retailers are generally ahead of industrial manufacturers when it comes to using benchmarking to negotiate contracts.

Port Klang Authority stated that Port Klang registered a positive growth of 10.8% in 2016 in container handling compared to 2015 with a total of 13,169,577 TEU’s, Northport handled 3,223,544 TEU’s while Westports handled 9,946,033 TEU’s. In terms of import container throughput, Port Klang handled 2,063,736 TEU’s,registering growth of 3.6 % compared to 2015’s performance - Northport handled 802,993 TEU’s while Westports handled 1,260,743 TEU’s in 2016. TEU’s compared to 2015; Northport handled 760,148 TEU’s and Westports handled 1,278,379 TEU’s. Port Klang handled 9,067,314 TEU’s in terms of Transshipment throughput in 2016, registering a growth of 14.3 % compared to 2015; Northport handled 1,660,403 TEU’s and Westports handled 7,406,911 TEU’s. state of the art cargo handling equipment.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has been awarded an order to supply DP World's flagship terminal, Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, with the new generation empty container handlers. The order for 13 units has been booked into Cargotec's 2016 fourth quarter order intake. The deliveries will begin in the second quarter of 2017 and they are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017. Commenting on the order, Suresh Ananthanarayan, Kalmar's Key Account Manager for DP World, said: "This is the first order of Kalmar's new range of empty container handlers for the Middle East & Africa region. The new product matches the requirements for the region's busiest and most demanding port and demonstrates Kalmar's advancements in product offering.