Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor Welcomes the First Vessel of the International Shipping Season
Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor celebrated the start of the 2026 international shipping season Saturday with the arrival of the Ocean7 Ranger. The ocean vessel completed a 52-day voyage carrying equipment for facility improvements at U.S. Steel Gary Works, the largest integrated steel mill in North America.The 2026 opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway to ocean vessels marked one of the shortest winter closures in history, totaling just 69 days from Jan. 12 until March 22.To commemorate the occasion…
At Least Three Tankers Hit in Gulf
At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway…
Orders for Less Polluting Ships Hold Share
Cleaner-fuel burning ships accounted for 37% of cargo vessel orders in the first 10 months of 2025, unchanged from the year-ago period, as buyers were uncertain about when global rules for cutting maritime emissions will take effect, data from shipping consultancy AXSMarine showed.Overall gross tonnage (GT), an industry measure for vessel capacity, totaled 78 million from January through October, down from 113 million from the year-ago period, AXSMarine data showed.Orders for all of 2024 surged to a 17-year high after ships were rerouted to avoid Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea…
Panama Canal Begins Industry Engagement for the Development of Port Terminals
The Panama Canal launched a consultation process with representatives of the maritime industry to identify potential partners interested in developing port terminals on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the waterway.Following a process similar to that followed for the introduction of the gas pipeline project, the Panama Canal convened a group of representatives from companies with proven experience in container port operations and container shipping lines.According to institutional rules and regulations…
Service Fees on Chinese Vessels Could Cost Billions
VesselBot has highlighted the significant financial exposure for major container shipping lines under the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed Section 301 service fees targeting China's maritime sector.USTR is proposing to impose fees and restrictions on international maritime transport services related to Chinese ship operators and Chinese-built ships, as it has found China’s acts, policies and practices to be unreasonable and to burden or restrict US commerce.Of the global container fleet of approximately 6…
CMA CGM Halts Red Sea Transit on Security Risks
Shipping group CMA CGM on Friday suspended until further notice all crossings by its vessels of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in and out of the Red Sea due to security risks, a source familiar with the matter said.The decision was taken after the latest attacks on vessels by Houthi militants in Yemen, including the targeting this week of a convoy containing CMA CGM-operated ships, the source said.The move means CMA CGM joins other major shipping firms in suspending transit through the southern Red Sea, disrupting the main route for trade between Asia and Europe.CMA CGM, one of the world's largest c
CMA CGM to Buy New York, New Jersey Terminals from Canada's GCT
CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping lines, said on Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire two container terminals at the port of New York and New Jersey from Global Container Terminals (GCT), which will extend its presence in a crucial hub for trade.The deal comes after French-based CMA CGM last month said it expects a pullback in shipping markets to accelerate in the fourth quarter due to high energy prices and flagging consumer spending, resulting a drop in its profitability following an earnings surge in the past year.Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Cargo Shippers Pressure EU for Review of Container Shipping Regulation
Ten trade organizations representing the owners and forwarders of cargo, port terminal operators and other parts of the supply chain dependent on container shipping are demanding an immediate review of European Union’s Consortia Block Exemption Regulation for the container shipping industry.The Regulation exempts container shipping lines from many of the checks and balances of EU competition law and permits them to exchange commercially-sensitive information to manage the number…
French Shipping Firm CMA CGM to Buy Stake in Air France-KLM
French shipping firm CMA CGM will take a stake in Air France-KLM as part of an air cargo partnership, betting on growing demand for flying goods around the world as supply chains remain snarled in the wake of the pandemic.CMA CGM will take up to 9% of Air France-KLM, worth about 240 million euros ($252 million) based on Tuesday's closing price, part of a possible capital increase by the airline group for the duration of their partnership that is initially set to run for 10 years…
Russia Faces Drop in Cargo Traffic, Container Deficit
Russia is bracing for a sharp decline in cargo flows and a deficit of containers after major international container shipping lines halted operations in the country due to Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine, two Russian executives said.The world’s three largest container shipping lines, Denmark’s Maersk, France’s CMA CGM and Swiss-based MSC, have suspended their bookings to and from Russia after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, sparking a flurry of Western sanctions.The…
Aker Clean Hydro, Kuehne & Nagel in CO2-free Container Shipping Pact
Norway's Aker Clean Hydro and Swiss logistics group Kuehne & Nagel on Friday announced a cooperation to boost carbon-neutral container transport at sea, banking on hydrogen as one of the fuels that will make it possible.The partnership comes as Europe is trying to establish a flourishing hydrogen industry to help CO2-intense sectors, such as steel, construction and transport, cut emissions and wean off fossil fuels.As part of the cooperation, Aker Clean Hydro, which is majority-owned by conglomerate Aker ASA via green technology subsidiary Aker Horizons…
CMA CGM to Buy Los Angeles' FMS Container Terminal
Shipping group CMA CGM has agreed to acquire the Fenix Marine Services (FMS) container terminal at the port of Los Angeles in a deal worth around $2 billion that will extend its presence in a crucial hub for transpacific trade.CMA CGM currently has a 10% stake in FMS and it is to buy the remaining 90% from investment fund EQT Infrastructure III on the basis of an enterprise value of $2.3 billion, CMA CGM and EQT said on Wednesday.France-based CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping lines, expects to pay out around $1.8 billion for the 90% stake and will finance the deal from its
Backlogs from Suez Closure Could Take Months to Clear
The stranding of a container ship in the Suez Canal has created disruptions in the global shipping industry that could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said.Around 30% of the world’s shipping container volume - including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes - moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog.“Even when the canal gets reopened…
Shipping Firm CMA CGM Launches Air Freight Division. Buys Four Planes
Shipping group CMA CGM on Friday announced the creation of an air freight division, backed by the acquisition of four cargo planes, as it continues to expand its non-maritime activities.The new unit, called CMA CGM Air Cargo, will use the four Airbus A330-200F cargo planes acquired by CMA CGM along with partnerships with airlines to develop worldwide coverage, the group said in a statement.The price of the planes, which originally went into service between 2014 and 2016, was not disclosed.CMA CGM is due to take delivery of the planes next month, a spokesman added.French-based CMA CGM, one of t
Storm Approaching: Firms Fear IMO's 2020 Rules
U.S. furniture company RC Willey Home Furnishings is so concerned that new global clean air rules will cause transport disruption that it brought forward the shipment of arm chairs and sofas from China by two months.The tougher regulations, set by the United Nations shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), come into force on Jan 1. Costs will rise for ships towards the end of this year and there will be a knock on effect for trucks and other transporters…
ZIM Joins DCSA
Israel cargo shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) announced that it has joined the Digital Shipping Association (DCSA) dedicated to digitization and standardization in the container shipping industry.ZIM CIO, EVP Eyal Ben-Amram, said: "We are excited to join DCSA and to contribute to the digital transformation. We firmly believe that digital innovation will shape the future of the shipping industry, and our multi-service approach embodies this belief. Standardization is the right way to improve the eco-system of all stakeholders".A month ago, DCSA was created by four founding members — A.P. Moller – Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd…
Cavotec to Supply Shore Power Systems for Ultra Large Containerships
cavotec said it has won a series of orders in the second quarter with a total value of €5 million ($6.1 million) to equip the world’s largest newbuild containerships with ShorePower systems. This is in addition to €3 million ($3.7 million) in orders already secured in the first quarter.“We’re proud to support the world’s major container shipping lines in their journey towards sustainable operations. As the leading supplier of shore power systems, Cavotec is trusted to provide worldwide connection compatibility for vessels using shoreside power supply…
Satisfaction in Container Transport Declines
The level of satisfaction regarding container carriers among exporters, importers, and freight forwarders reduces marginally, according to the third annual shipper satisfaction survey of Drewry and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC).The joint ESC and Drewry survey reveals that the 249 shippers and forwarders who took part in the survey rated the service of container shipping lines with a score of 3.1 on average (which is 0.1 lower than last year) on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).Customer satisfaction was reported least favourable for clarity of prices and surcharges, transit times, and reliability of booking/cargo…
Port of Dover Prepared for Brexit: Drewry
Alternative capacity could be provided by short-sea container services between the UK and EU to alleviate possible congestion at the Port of Dover post-Brexit.The Port of Dover is the cross-channel port situated in Dover, Kent, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just 34 kilometres (21 miles) away.According to a new study by global shipping consultancy Drewry the Port of Dover had the capacity to cope with moderate Brexit disruption.The earlier study, validated by the Port of Dover, concluded that of the 2.5 million trailers going via Dover, around 20% (i.e. 500k trailers) could possibly shift to another mode of transport.Using this ‘alternative mode’ assumption…
Ever Given Grounding Causes Vessel Logjam In and Near the Suez Canal
Dozens of ships carrying everything from oil to consumer goods have been delayed by the grounding of a vessel in the Suez Canal, and companies may have to reroute cargoes around Africa if the blockage extends beyond 24 hours, shipping sources said.Efforts were underway on Wednesday to refloat the 400-meter, 224,000-tonne Ever Given, which got stranded on Tuesday morning after losing the ability to steer amid high winds and a dust storm.Shipping sources say the grounding has disrupted regular voyages through the Canal…
CMA CGM Buys Part of Ingram Micro in $3 Billion Deal
France's CMA CGM said it had agreed to buy most of Ingram Micro's Commerce & Lifecycle Services (CLS) activities in a deal valued at $3 billion, adding this was aimed at accelerating the shipping group's push into end-to-end logistics.CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping lines, said it will finance the acquisition from its own funds and expects the transaction to close in the first half of 2022.The part of Ingram Micro's CLS business being bought specialises in logistics outsourcing for e-commerce and order fulfilment across sales channels…
Future Prospects of Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines by Sea
The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks…
CMA CGM Forms Venture with MACCFA
France's CMA CGM has signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture with Ethiopian company MACCFA, as well as a letter of intent with ESLSE to manage Ethiopia's Modjo port, according to a document made available by the French President's office.Marseille-based CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping lines, recently became the core shareholder in Ceva Logistics, with the company looking to expand in non-maritime freight services. (Reuters, Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
