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Liner Shipping News

10 Oct 2023

Cargo Shipping to Lose EU Antitrust Exemption from 2024

© tiero / Adobe Stock

Cargo shipping companies will from next year no longer enjoy a decades-long exemption from EU rules against anti-competitive agreements because this derogation does not boost competition any more, EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday.First adopted in 2009, the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) allows liner shipping operators with a combined market share below 30% to team up to provide joint cargo transport services as long as they do not fix prices or share markets between themselves.The European Commission said it would let the exemption, extended in 2014 and 2020, to lapse in Ap

06 Sep 2023

UK Insurers Join Cargo Safety Initiative

Source: Lloyd's Register

Safetytech Accelerator, a non-profit established by Lloyd’s Register, has confirmed that UK maritime insurers, the UK P&I Club and TT Club, have signed up for its Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative (CFLII).The Initiative, launched in February 2023, is a multi-year collaborative technology acceleration program focused on reducing cargo fires and loss in maritime and its impact. It is already supported by anchor partners COSCO Shipping Lines, Evergreen Line, HMM, Lloyd’s Register…

07 Jul 2023

Seaspan Inks Deal with MAN for Methanol Engine Retrofits

(Photo: MAN Energy Solutions)

The world's largest containership lessor Seaspan Corporation has signed an agreement with MAN Energy Solutions to refit 15 of its vessels with dual-fuel engines capable of running on cleaner burning methanol.Under the conversion commitment agreement, signed by Seaspan in collaboration with liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, MAN’s after-sales division MAN PrimeServ will deliver 15 engine retrofit solutions for conversion of vessels powered by individual MAN B&W S90-type fuel-oil…

22 May 2023

Container Losses Fall to Record Low

© Chris / Adobe Stock

The number of containers lost overboard from ships at sea has been on the decline, according to a recent report from the World Shipping Council (WSC).The 661 containers lost at sea during 2022 is significantly lower that the average of 1,566 containers lost each year since 2008.Lost containers in 2022 represents less than one thousandth of 1% (0.00026%) of the 250 million containers currently shipped each year, with cargo transported valued at more than $7 trillion.“The reduction in containers lost at sea in 2022 is positive news, but there is no time for complacency.

19 Oct 2022

Shareholders Approve SAAM's $1 Billion Terminals Sale to Hapag-Lloyd

(Photo: SAAM)

SAAM shareholders at an extraordinary shareholder’s meeting on Tuesday approved a deal valued at about $1 billion to sell 100% of the shares of its subsidiaries SAAM Ports and SAAM Logistics, as well as the real estate assets belonging to the logistics business, to the German liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd.The agreement, first announced earlier this month, consists of selling SAAM’s stakes in the 10 port terminals it operates in six countries in the Americas (five are in Chile)…

15 Sep 2022

Hapag-Lloyd Buys Stake in Spinelli Group

(Photo: Hapag-Lloyd)

German container liner-shipping company Hapag-Lloyd on Thursday announced it has acquired a minority stake in Italy-based logistics group Spinelli Group.Hapag-Lloyd said it purchased a 49% stake in the Spinelli Group from existing shareholders, while the Spinelli family will continue to hold the majority stake of 51%.Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.The completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of the responsible antitrust authorities, which is expected within the next months, Hapag-Lloyd said.

22 Jun 2022

Container Losses Are On the Rise

© Mariusz / Adobe Stock

The number of containers being lost overboard from ships at sea has been on the rise, according to a recent report from the World Shipping Council (WSC).In 2021, international liner carriers’ onshore staff and crews managed 6,300 ships, successfully delivering vital supplies worth $7 trillion to the people of the world, in approximately 241 million containers. The WSC Containers Lost at Sea Report covering 2020-2021 shows that containers lost overboard represent less than one thousandth of 1% (0.001%).

02 Jun 2022

Hapag-Lloyd Acquires DAL's Container Liner Business

Hapag-Lloyd announced it has closed its acquisition of the container liner business of German carrier Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL), as the German liner shipping company aims to continue its growth in the South African market.Hapag-Lloyd, which signed the framework agreement in March 2022, said the transaction has already been approved antitrust authorities and that full commercial integration is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022.Hamburg-headquartered DAL operates four liner services between Europe, South Africa and the Indian Ocean, and its liner business (including agencies) employs more than 150 people. The company owns a 6…

17 Sep 2021

Supply Chain Shocks: Ocean Shipping Challenges Abound

Pier 300 Port of Los Angeles. Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles

Supply chain issues tied to liner shipping have been front page news throughout 2021; just about everyone agrees that there’s a problem. The underlying cause is right out of Economics 101: a surge in demand for moving containerized cargo, in the face of “inelastic” throughput capacity (which includes vessels and their landside interfaces to surface transportation, trucks and rail) that could not handle the swell, attributable to re-stocking of containerized cargo as economic activity recovered from the pandemic induced jolts.

12 Jul 2021

US Maritime, Justice Agencies to Partner on Antitrust Issues

The United States Federal Maritime Commission and the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on Monday agreed to boost cooperation and communication in their respective oversight and enforcement responsibilities of the ocean liner shipping industry.FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei and Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Powers signed the first-ever interagency memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two agencies on Monday. The MOU comes in succession to the executive order…

13 Apr 2021

BIMCO: U.S. Economic Stimulus Have Worked Magic for Container Shipping

© Idanupong/AdobeStock

North American import of containerized goods from the Far East soared to a noteworthy high of 1.62m TEU during February 2021, a 100% increase from the low point of the same month last year. Fueled by US stimulus, volumes moving on the trans-pacific trade lane to consumers and businesses in North America thereby defied all obstacles during a month usually characterized by slow activity.In particular, the US economic stimulus packages have worked magic for the container shipping industry…

26 Mar 2021

Hamburger Lloyd Sells Two Ships to Hapag-Lloyd

Photo courtesy Hamburger Lloyd

Hamburger Lloyd is selling the two widebeam containerships, RHL Constantia (IMO-No. 9495765) and RHL Calliditas (IMO-No. 9495777), to Hapag-Lloyd AG. Hamburger Lloyd will remain responsible for the technical management and crewing of the two freighters. With the purchase of the Constantia and the Calliditas, Hapag-Lloyd AG is expanding its fleet to a total of 17 units in the 4000-6000 TEU ship segment. The RHL Calliditas has already been deployed as a charter vessel for Hapag-Lloyd in the Swahili Express / Gulf India Africa service since 2019.

04 Feb 2021

Hestbaek Takes the Helm at Hamburg Süd

Poul Hestbaek (Photo: Hamburg SĂĽd)

Long-serving Hamburg Süd executive Poul Hestbaek will take the CEO reins from Dr. Arnt Vespermann, who will step down after more than 20 years at the German container shipping company.Hestbaek has been with Hamburg Süd since 2004 and is currently the company's CCO. The 59-year-old shipping-industry veteran has previously been responsible for the liner shipping company’s commercial business on several continents, including Latin America, Europe and Asia/Pacific.Vespermann joined…

04 Oct 2020

Swire Bulk Taps Norborg as CEO

(Photo: The China Navigation Co. Pte. Ltd )

Peter Norborg will take over as CEO of Swire Bulk at the start of 2021, parent company the China Navigation Company Ltd (CNCo) announced Thursday.Norborg has held several top-level management positions in leading shipping companies, including his most recent role as CEO of Clipper Group, which he's held since 2016.Norborg is slated to officially take up his new role on January 1, 2021, the same day the Singapore-headquartered company will be established as a standalone privately…

25 Aug 2020

Container Shipping & Perfecting on-time Performance

© eyewave/AdobeStock

Recent reports show that on-time performance in the containership sector continues to deteriorate, causing tension between the carriers and retailers. In general, non-ocean carriers – trucks and trains – are achieving reliability rates well above 90% whereas containerships rarely beat a 70% on-time threshold. For retailers, the threat of having empty shelves is beginning to swing the balance from cheaper ocean transport to a need for reliable just-in-time deliveries supplied by…

01 Apr 2020

FMC Investigating COVID-19's Suply Chain Impacts

© Mihai Andritoiu / Adobe Stock

The Federal Maritime Commission issued an order authorizing Commissioner Rebecca Dye to identify operational solutions to cargo delivery system challenges related to Coronavirus-19.The Order notes that “Recent global events have only highlighted the economic urgency of responsive port and terminal operations to the effectiveness of the United States international freight delivery system. Given the Commission’s mandate to ensure an efficient and economic transportation system for ocean commerce…

25 Mar 2020

Cargo Shipping to Keep EU Antitrust Exemption until 2024

© Marcus Millo / Adobe Stock

Cargo shipping companies will be exempt from antitrust rules against anti-competitive agreements for a further four years until 2024 because this leads to lower prices and better consumer services, EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday.First adopted in 2009 and extended for five years in 2014, the consortia block exemption regulation will be prolonged for four more years to April 2024, the European Commission said in a statement.It allows liner shipping operators with a combined market share below 30% to cooperate to provide joint liner shipping services…

16 Mar 2020

Neptune Pacific Acquires Pacific Direct

Neptune Pacific Line, the provider of ocean freight services between Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, said that it has acquired Pacific Direct Line(PDL) from its Singapore based parent holding company, Pacific International Lines (PIL).The acquisition makes Neptune the new owners of all of PDL’s regional and Fiji based companies. The combined business will seamlessly link transport, warehousing, depots and customs clearance services and fully integrate customers’ supply chains across 18 South Pacific markets, it said in a press note."This purchase supports our long-term vision of creating the strongest and best regional network of shipping and logistics services in the Pacific Islands…

11 Feb 2020

Port Bronka, NBG Sign Agency Pact

The owner and operator of Port Bronka Fenix LLC St.Petersburg and NBG Nouschirvan Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH Hamburg have signed an agency agreement for the promotion of the most modern sea port in Russia.Port Bronka is the only deep-water port in St.Petersburg.The port handles container, project, break bulk and ro-ro cargo. The current capacity of the port is 500.000 TEU and 130.000 units of ro-ro cargo per year.The further development plan includes an increase in the container cargo capacity to 1.9 million TEU per year and ro-ro cargo – up to 200.000 units per year."The development of the port is very dynamic and enormously increasing.

10 Feb 2020

Port Bronka, NBG Sign Agency Pact

Fenix LLC St.Petersburg, owner and operator of Port Bronka, inked an agency agreement with NBG Nouschirvan Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH Hamburg, to promote the most modern sea port in Russia.Port Bronka is the only deep-water port in St.Petersburg.The port handles container, project, break bulk and ro-ro cargo. The current capacity of the port is 500.000 TEU and 130.000 units of ro-ro cargo per year.The further development plan includes an increase in the container cargo capacity to 1.9 million TEU per year and ro-ro cargo – up to 200.000 units per year.The development of the port is very dynamic and enormously increasing. Long-term contracts have already been concluded with major shipping lines and the industry…

03 Feb 2020

Hapag-Lloyd Trials Biofuel

German shipping major Hapag-Lloyd announced that one of its ships recently refueled in Rotterdam with an eco-friendly biofuel, as part of its plan to reduce CO2 emissions."For the first time, the “Montreal Express” is being powered by so-called “B20” fuel, which consists of 80 percent low-sulfur fuel oil and 20 percent bio-diesel based on cooking oils and fats that had previously been used in the food service/catering industry," said a press note from the container transportation company.The biodiesel generates up to 90 percent less CO2 emissions than conventional fuels, it said.With this test, Hapag-Lloyd is taking another step towards reaching its ambitious climate-protection goals.“By the end of this year…

26 Jan 2020

Hamburg Port Defends Service Losses

Germany's largest port, the Port of Hamburg not expecting reduction in container throughput caused by liner service changes announced by Ocean Alliance and Maersk.From April, the Ocean Alliance NEU 5 service handled by EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg – CTH is being transferred to Antwerp, said a press release from the a sea port on the river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, 110 kilometres from its mouth on the North Sea."This service will be run by the Ocean Alliance Partner, CMA CGM as FAL 3 with an approximate annual volume of 150,000 TEU," it said.Going forward, according to CMA CGM, the entire container volume carried until now to and from Hamburg by this service will be handled by the five Ocean Alliance liner services continuing to call in Hamburg.

11 Nov 2019

Hapag-Lloyd Expands Atlantic Loop 3

German international shipping and container transportation company Hapag-Lloyd AG announced that it is expanding fleet on Atlantic Loop 3 service between the US and Europe."Our Atlantic Loop 3 Service (AL3) fleet is growing with the addition of the 4,248 TEU vessel “Rio Grande Express” sailing between the United States and Europe," the cargo container shipping line said in a statement."Upgrading to a 6 vessel rotation will improve the reliability of the AL3 service for our customers and support our strategy of being number one for quality," it added.The “Rio Grande Express” will be flagged under the United States, completing an entire loop of US Flag vessels…