Xeneta News

Iran said it had captured two container ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after firing on them and another vessel, in its first seizures since its war with the United States and Israel began in February.Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the seizures and added its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a "red line."The seizure of one of the ships, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca…

Maersk, one of the world's biggest container shipping groups, said on Friday it has temporarily suspended two services linking the Middle East to Asia and Europe as the Iran conflict continues to disrupt global supply chains.The Danish group said in a statement it would halt its FM1 service connecting the Far East to the Middle East and its ME11 service linking the Middle East to Europe"This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our personnel and vessels while minimizing operational disruption across our wider network," Maersk said in an advisory to custome

Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:“The recent tariff ruling by the US Supreme Court will have knock-on impacts for ocean container shipping, but this will be nuanced and unlikely to cause a huge increase in frontloading demand, even though tariffs on some Chinese manufactured goods are lower today than a week ago.“The court ruling and political fallout actually increase uncertainty for many shippers. The TPM industry conference taking place in Long Beach next week is traditionally when long term freight contracts are negotiated…

“Average spot rates are down this week across all main fronthaul trades out of the Far East. From Far East to US West Coast and US East Coast, it is a textbook market development with falling spot rates coinciding with a slight uptick in offered capacity,” said Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst.“It is a different story from Far East to North Europe where offered capacity has decreased week-on-week but spot rates continue to fall. This suggests an even weaker market on this trade.“2026 is expected to be a year defined by overcapacity in container shipping…

CMA CGM has announced its FAL1, FAL3 and MEX services connecting Asia and Europe, which recently began transiting Suez Canal again on backhaul voyages, will return to sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.CMA CGM cited the "the complex and uncertain international context” in reversing its decision to return to the Red Sea.“Shippers crave predictability in supply chains. Carriers taking the decision to return to the Red Sea then reversing that decision - even if it is done for important safety reasons - still risks undermining confidence in schedule reliability and eroding trust in partnerships…

Maersk said on Thursday that one of its services will resume using the Red Sea and Suez Canal this month, marking a key step towards ending two years of global trade disruption due to attacks on ships by Yemeni Houthi rebels.The Danish shipping group's share price fell more than 5% on the news, reflecting the likelihood of lower freight rates as vessels gradually return to the shorter Suez route.Shipping companies are weighing a return to the critical Asia-Europe trade corridor…

Major carrier CMA CGM has announced its INDAMEX service will transit Suez Canal on fronthaul and backhaul voyages between India/Pakistan and US East Coast in a notable step towards a largescale return of container ships to the Red Sea region.The first vessel to complete a full service loop via Suez Canal will be CMA CGM Verdi, sailing from Karachi to New York on 15 January. eeSea by Xeneta data shows voyages via Suez Canal rather than Cape of Good Hope reduces full loop transit time on this service by two weeks…

Houthi militia have reportedly ceased attacks on Israel and shipping in the Red Sea, and the impact could be seismic for global ocean container shipping, warns Chief Analyst Peter Sand at Xeneta. However, an immediate largescale return to the region will require a series of further assurances.“Details are sketchy, and you cannot base the safety of crews, ships and cargo on the word of Houthi militia. Carriers need far more assurance than that and, perhaps more importantly, so do insurance companies…

Xeneta AS announced the acquisition of fellow maritime and supply chain data company eeSea. By adding eeSea’s global schedule, transit time and reliability data to its existing range of freight rate data, Xeneta will enable BCO Procurement teams to manage freight contracts and suppliers based on service levels, and not just cost, to get the right service at the right price, no matter what the market conditions.“Today marks a key milestone for Xeneta; coming together with eeSea…

Latest data from Xeneta, an ocean and air freight intelligence platform, shows average spot rates from China to the US West Coast are down 59% since June 1, 2025, at USD 2 268 per FEU (40ft container). Rates have also plummeted into the US East Coast, down 43% to USD 3 796 per FEU in the same period.Average spot rates from North Europe to US East Coast are USD 2 000 per FEU, down a gentler 5% since June 1, 2025, but a more considerable 25% compared to January 1 of this year.“US…

Market average spot rates – July 8, 2025:Far East to US West Coast: USD 2673 per FEU (40ft container)Far East to US East Coast: USD 5151 per FEUFar East to North Europe: USD 3393 per FEUFar East to Mediterranean: USD 4197 per FEUNorth Europe to US East Coast: USD 1992 per FEUMarket average on the Transpacific trade from Far East to US West Coast accelerated its decline in the early days of July, down 18% from end-June and falling below the level seen in second half of May. With carriers now deploying more capacity above the level required to meet shippers’ demand…

Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst, shared insights following the escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict.“Geo-politics is once again threatening the safety and stability of global supply chains so we must hope for de-escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, with concerns it could see a de-facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a vital entry point for container ships calling at ports such as Jebel Ali and the wider Arabian Gulf region," said Sand.“Any closure of the Strait of Hormuz would see services re-routed…

The decision of the U.S. Court of International Trade to deem Trump’s sweeping tariffs as unlawful is good news for shippers—but it could signal the beginning of the next era of confusion in global supply chains.“The court decision to deem the sweeping tariffs unlawful is clearly positive news for shippers who have faced extraordinary increases in the cost of importing goods into the US, but this should come with a warning that the story is far from over. Even if the appeal fails…

German container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd on Monday welcomed an agreement between the United States and China to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs, saying it expected to be buoyed by a resulting increase in bookings from China to the U.S.The United States will cut extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports in April to 30% from 145% and Chinese duties on U.S. imports will fall to 10% from 125% for the next 90 days, the two sides said on Monday.Trade between the world's two largest economies plummeted in the midst of the trade standoff…

The prospect of a large scale return of container ships to the Red Sea following the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Houthi militia in Yemen would flood the market with shipping capacity and cause a global collapse in freight rates, but the situation remains far from certain.Data released by Xeneta, an ocean and air freight intelligence platform, shows global TEU-mile demand would decrease 6% if container ships begin sailing through the Red Sea and Suez Canal again…

U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout.The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce "reciprocal tariffs" targeting nations that have duties on U.S. goods. That move would come after it slapped new import levies on products from Mexico, China and Canada - the top U.S. trading partners - as well as on goods including steel and autos.Major global container shipping firms like MSC…

The global ocean shipping industry that handles 80% of world trade is navigating a sea of unknowns as U.S. President Donald Trump stokes trade and geopolitical tensions with historical foes as well as neighbors and allies.That is the backdrop for this week's S&P Global TPM container shipping and supply chain conference in Long Beach, California, an annual event that marks the start of container shipping contract negotiating season.Attendees this year include industry heavyweights like container carriers MSC…

Analysts caution that a new proposal to impose fees on China-built container ships entering the U.S. could trigger unintended consequences, including port congestion, rising freight costs, and shifts in global trade flows.The Trump administration has announced a plan to charge a $1 million fee every time a vessel operated by a Chinese carrier docks at a U.S. port. Additionally, the Federal Notice outlines potential extra charges for any China-built ships, even if operated by carriers from other nations.

Middle East ceasefire and Lunar New Year will see ocean container freight rates fall further in February - with carriers now taking action to slow the market decline.Latest data from Xeneta – an ocean and air freight intelligence platform – shows average spot rates from the Far East stand at USD 3 795 per FEU (40ft container) into North Europe and USD 5 085 per FEU into the Mediterranean – down 22% and 13% respectively since 1 January.Early data suggests spot rates will fall further on 1 February…

Strikes at ports on the US East Coast and Gulf Coast, which would have caused an economic and supply chain crisis, have been called off – with ocean container freight rate growth now expected to slow or fall.The strikes were set to begin on 15 January and would have forced the closure of ports from Maine to Texas. This has now been averted after a tentative agreement over a new six-year master contract was reached between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which represents port workers…

The ongoing impact of conflict in the Red Sea, spiraling freight rates and congestion across global ocean container supply chains resulted in record high carbon emissions from the ocean container shipping industry in Q3.The Xeneta and Marine Benchmark Carbon Emissions Index (CEI), which measures carbon emissions across Xeneta’s top 13 ocean container shipping trades, hit 107.9 points in Q3 – the highest on record and up 12.2% compared to a year ago before the Red Sea crisis.The CEI is based on Q1 2018…

Ocean container carriers are desperately trying to push spot freight rates up in early November to halt the market decline and strengthen their hand during negotiations with European shippers for new long-term contracts.Latest data from Xeneta’s ocean and air freight rate intelligence platform shows average spot rates on the major fronthaul trades from the Far East to North Europe and the Mediterranean are set to increase on November 1 between 15-25%.Average spot rates currently stand at 3 390 per FEU (40ft container) into North Europe and $3…

Donald Trump’s victory in the US Presidential Election is has importers on edge, fearing another spike in ocean container shipping freight rates premised on President Trump's vow on blanket tariffs of up to 20% on all imports into the US and additional tariffs of 60% to 100% on goods from China.Data from Xeneta shows the last time that President Trump ramped up tariffs on Chinese imports during the trade war in 2018, ocean container shipping freight rates spiked more than 70%.