Rise of freight forwarders in shipping boxes Freight forwarders led by Kuehne+Nagel International AG are prompting shipping firms including Maersk Line, the world's biggest, to rethink their strategies after grabbing a chunk of the seaborne container market.
Global Ports prices its London IPO at low end Russian group Global Ports priced its US$534 million London flotation at the low end of an indicated range, making it the second company in two days to get a listing away in tough European markets.
Shanghai port sees steady growth Shanghai port, the world's busiest for containers, expects volumes to rise about 10 per cent annually for the next five years as manufacturers open plants in western and inland China in search of lower-cost labour.
Change of generations at Agility Area Central Europe After 37 years at Agility Area Central Europe, Edgar von der Heydt, Managing Director Fairs & Events, retired on 31. May. He hands over the reins to Achim Rauser, who, for the ...
Fedex improved revenue and incomes in Q4 2010/11 Integrator and CEP service provider Fedex has attributed the increase in its fourth quarter revenue and earnings to continued strong yield improvement in all transportation segment...
World Bank Money to develop roads in Rwanda The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors will invest in the next ten years USD 11 Million in Rwanda's Road. The project will help to improve the quality of Rwanda's paved road...
Latvian Railway: Volume of cargo increased considerably From January until May 2011 the volume of cargo transported by Latvian Railway increased 17,6% compared to the same period last year. The company transported a total of more than ...
BNSF and YSVR enhance operational coordination to serve growing rail demand for Montana customers BNSF Railway (BNSF) and Yellowstone Valley Railroad (YSVR), a 134-mile short line operated by Watco Transportation Services, announced that they will amend their lease agreement on...
CN's Alberta short-line rail acquisitions, upgrades total CAD 400 million Claude Mongeau, President of the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), said the company will have invested almost CAD 400 million (about EUR 285.6 million) to buy and rehabilitat...
CSA Czech Airlines cancels planned Prague-Baku service CSA Czech Airlines has cancelled the planned service to launch on the Prague - Baku route. This route was scheduled to start from 27 June (original launch date was 6 June but postp...
Paris is worth a trip for Airbus and Boeing Thanks to 600 orders for the new medium-range Airbus A320neo, 200 alone from Air Asia, the EADS subsidiary collected orders and letters of intent for a total of 730 aircrafts durin...
Centurion Cargo starts operation at Schiphol Centurion Group has launched this month a bi-weekly freighter service between Quito, Amsterdam-Schiphol, Miami and Mexico-City. The privately owned company founded in 2001 and base...
Dachser opens Eurohub in Bratislava With the Eurohub in Bratislava (Slovakia), the German logistics provider Dachser has opened a new corner pillar of its European land transport network. The central logistics hub fo...
Imperial shipping line group pools activities on the Danube The Imperial shipping line group pools its activities on the Danube and merges the two, so far independently operating companies, Multinaut Donaulogistik GmbH and Donaulogistik Gmb...
The Central Association Forwarding & Logistics (Zentralverband Spedition & Logistik) wants to obtain permission for road trains in Austria Forgoing an increased admissible total weight of 60 tons, the Austrian Central Association Forwarding & Logistics (ZV) wants to obtain permission for road trains in Austria. It...
DHL puts new hub in Morocco into operation DHL Express opened a new gateway of 6,800 sqm at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca (Morocco). The investments for the new location amounted to EUR 5.5 million. The fac...
CAPSA beats its own record for teu movement In March, CAPSA (Compañía Auxiliar del Puerto de Tenerife), which is part of Grup TCB, Spanish shipping operator of port terminals, has beaten its record of container moved with a...
Philippines launch logistics facility in Portland, Oregon The Philippines and the State of Oregon in the Unites States further strengthened economic ties with the Philippines' recent launch of a logistics facility in the port city of Port...
VLGC rates hit five-week high on rise in exports from major gas producers But additional volumes should have pushed rates up by even more, brokers say
Chinese scrap rates move closer to falling Indian subcontinent levels Dry vessels are fetching well below $500 per ldt from buyers in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, while rates in China remain steady at $450
Panamax containerships under pressure from larger vessels US roads and railways also threaten sector
Sale of Astrale points to further declines in panamax values Greece's TOP Ships has sold the panamax bulk carrier Astrale for a price below market benchmarks, signalling further decline in panamax asset values amid weak market fundamentals in the sector
American Club sees rise in Asian owners to 34% of entered tonnage P&I club reports 2010 as 'very good year'
Maersk expects to limit Triple-E fleet to 20 vessels Danish giant exercises first option for 10 more 18,000 teu boxships from DSME, but second tranche put in doubt
Customs strike threatens UK ports and terminals Shipping lines urge customers to submit customs declarations early to avoid cargo backlogs
Nordic American promises dividend payouts will continue Tanker company attacks rivals as having 'too much debt and too many ships'
NYK trials first selective catalytic reduction system on low speed engine Japan line proves capabilities of SCR on large bulk carrier
Black carbon from shipping is focus of tighter emissions curbs Bad for human health and a contributor to melting ice caps, fine dust that retains heat is now the subject of regular IMO discussions
Demands for guidelines on ballast compliance testing increase As the ballast water convention nears full ratification, port state control needs clear guidance on enforcement
Falling freight rates create issues for shippers, too Carriers' best guarantee of steady capacity utilisation is customer satisfaction yielding long-term loyalty
We must not be blinded by money Corporate excess is being confused with free competition
Cruise control freaks are wasting Greek potential The first Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum was a gilded chance for Greece's government to glean how to exploit the country's natural advantages in maritime tourism. Mainly, though, it offered a sweeping indictment of how Greece has mishandled the sector
A tale of two fleets The successful Greek oceangoing shipping industry is efficient, competitive and has flourished free from government intervention, a stark contrast with shipping within Greece
Liverpool should pay back cruise terminal's $33m subsidy, says ABP Basic fairness means ban on turnarounds should remain in place unless public funds are returned, claims rival
Horizon Lines lenders amend credit facility Move allows carrier to press ahead with its recently announced recapitalisation package
Wallem Group replaces veteran manging director Grool Shipmanager offers no reason for shake-up as Wallem Shipagencies chief Simon Doughty takes the helm
NSCSA seals $219m financing for phasing out older ships Saudi Arabian line signs Shariah-compliant deals with two banks to help pay for newbuildings from Hyundai Mipo
Grand Alliance and New World Alliance lose out on Asia-Europe loops Grand Alliance and New World Alliance members need to order more 13,000 teu ships to compete with rivals
Pacific and Indian Ocean face growing risks of conflict Nationalism, the need for resources and greater maritime patrolling have stepped up pressures, says think tank
Follow whose leader? IMO members are divided over electing a charismatic secretary-general or a more collegiate type
Golden Ocean to liquidate 10% stake in Knightsbridge Sell-out scuppers merger rumours
Moody's poised to downgrade MISC Review to include shipping group's strategy to cut losses in liner, chemical and petroleum segments and stability of earnings and cash flows
Hoegh to scale down IPO Weak market conditions force Norwegian owner to drop expectations to between $124m and $150m
NOL revenue per box down 8% in May Little sign of a comeback, with rise in volumes offset by weaker rates in the Asia-Europe trade lane
RCL refinances all of its debt with $85m DnB NOR loan Loss-making intra-Asia box carrier signs six-year agreement with Norwegian bank
Box lines outlook good but not great, says Goldman Freight rates are weaker than expected but cost pressure is abating and bunker prices falling, says bank
Capesize rally contrasts with other dry markets Rally to over $8 per tonne expected for voyages between Australia's west coast and China
Somalia pardons six ransom couriers Foreigners free but government confiscates $3.6m brought into the country illegally
Maersk exercises Triple-E box ship options MAERSK said today it has exercised options to build 10 more 18,000teu ships, four months after ordering 10 similar Triple-E ships from DSME
US cargo rule change suggested US MARITIME laws should be changed to allow faster access to government cargo for shipowners choosing the country's flag, according to the US Government Accountability Office
LNG fixture tops $100,000/day THE FIRST fixture of an LNG carrier at a rate above $100,000/day shows the strength of the market, according to Arctic Securities shipping analyst Erik Nikolai Stavseth
California extends clean-fuel zone VESSELS bound for southern California ports can no longer take a detour around the state's 24-mile (39km) low-sulphur fuel zone to cut costs
NAT reassures investors SPOT PLAYER Nordic American Tankers told shareholders today that its dividend-centric model remains intact, despite the extended rate slump
Havila plans share placement NORWEGIAN offshore vessel operator Havila Shipping today announced plans for a private placement of shares, plus an issue of shares to its biggest shareholder
Knightsbridge shares on the block DRYBULK carrier Golden Ocean Group is selling its stake in fellow John Fredriksen company Knightsbridge Tankers
Saigon secures port funds SAIGON Port has reportedly secured two trillion dong ($97M) in funding for the new Sai Gon-Hiep Phuoc port
Greece plans flag incentives THE GREEK government is preparing legislation aimed at boosting the country's ship registry, but has indicated that the plan won't involve tax cuts for shipping
Höegh LNG offering shrinks HöEGH LNG has reduced the size of its IPO and set the price of the offering at the bottom of the range, citing adverse market conditions
Reefer owners still scrapping REEFER owners are continuing to scrap their older vessels, despite the impact of the South Asian monsoon, Fairplay has been told
Jordan seen taking Russian grain RUSSIAN grain flows to the Middle East are likely to switch from Egypt to Jordan, the Russian Grain Union told Fairplay today
Aframax owners reverse rates AFRAMAX owners' resistance to ballasting to the Middle East has reversed the soft market, brokers have told Fairplay
India port congestion affects coal imports BROKERS told Fairplay today that congestion is worsening at ports on India's east coast, which is less affected by the country's monsoon season than the west coast
NOL secures loans worth $1.14Bn SINGAPORE'S NOL said today it has secured $1.14Bn in loans for the 12 box ships that it ordered for $1.54Bn on 15 June
US Import Growth Slowed to 5.9 percent in May U.S. containerized imports rose 5.9 percent to 1.5 million 20-foot-equivalent units in May from a year earlier, despite weakness in...
Lumber Demand Rose 18 Percent in 2010 Global demand for softwood number jumped 18 percent last year after plunging to a 50-year low in 2009, and lumber...
Truck Tonnage Index Drops 2.3 Percent in May The decline in truck tonnage accelerated in May, as the seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index dropped 2.3 percent after...
Small Railroads Rev Up Intermodal, Bulk Loadings Small railroads at mid-June posted their highest load volumes of 2011 for intermodal containers or trailers, stone aggregate used in...
Truck, Bus Safety Fines Rise 23 Percent Federal truck safety penalties against motor carriers jumped 23 percent in 2010, according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier...
Canada Post Employees Return to Work Canada Post ended its 12-day lockout this weekend, sending thousands of Canadian postal service mail sorters back to work Monday...
Savannah Box Volume up 10.1 Percent Container volume at the port of Savannah climbed by 10.1 percent in May from the same month last year, as...
Consumer Spending Flat in May Consumer spending was flat last month and dropped 0.1 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars, the Commerce Department said in a report...
Somalia Pardons Six Jailed Foreigners Somalia pardoned six foreigners jailed for illegally bringing $3.6 million into the country to pay ransom for two ships seized...
NTSB Investigates Fatal Truck-Train Crash It may take federal investigators more than a year to determine why a truck driver smashed into an Amtrak train...
From Restocking to Destocking? Inventory restocking seems to be on summer vacation. Softer-than-expected demand this spring seemed to bring the memories of the economic...
Maersk Orders 10 Additional Mega-Ships Maersk Line signed a contract Monday for another 10 18,000 20-foot equivalent units containerships for the Asia-Europe trade, just four...
NOL Signs Contracts for 12 New Ships Neptune Orient Lines confirmed Monday contracts with two Korean shipyeards to build 12 container vessels, including 10 of its largest...
NOL Volume Up, Average Revenue Slips Container volume at APL rose 7 percent in the four weeks ending June 3 over the same period last year,...
Japan Expands Pacific Rim Trade Security Network Japan and Singapore will recognize their respective trade security and facilitation programs, commonly called Authorized Economic Operator programs, under a...
PierPass Delays Fee Increase Marine terminal operators at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are delaying a $10 per-container TEU increase in the...
Betting on Brokerage Bradley S. Jacobs is buying into transportation in a big way. The founder of two multibillion-dollar enterprises, Jacobs and his...
Rethinking LTL Pricing No one, it seems, is happy with less-than-truckload pricing. Shippers aren't pleased with rising LTL rates. Truckers aren't satisfied...
Cross-Strait Trade No Longer Dire On a bright spring day in Taipei, groups of camera-toting foreign tourists are standing atop the long row of steps...
Shorting China One group watching international economy drivers says it already sees worrying signs in China's economy. Coface, a large credit...
Manufacturing a Supply Chain Upheaval When a major U.S. manufacturer sent the 4,000 workers at its Chinese factory home for the Lunar New Year holiday...
Gulfport Rises When Hurricane Katrina barreled into Gulfport in August 2005, the 24-foot surge all but destroyed the Mississippi port's container and...
How Green Is Your Carrier? When Maersk Line CEO Eivind Kolding this month issued his provocative call for radical changes in the way the global...
Building An Agenda A couple of months ago, I wrote about the planning process we engage in to establish the agenda for conference...
Clean Trucks Shift Gears The Los Angeles-Long Beach clean-trucks programs are nearing the end of their first phase, and despite many controversies, the initiatives...
C-TPAT Looks Within Two months after the September 11 attacks, Customs and Border Protection struck a bargain with the trade community: Companies would...
Waiting on Rail Regulators There have been plenty of words, warnings and venting as freight shippers and railroads vie to win over rail regulators...
June Thaw Hits Trans-Pacific After steady growth earlier in the year, container shipping demand from Asia to the United States tailed off in June,...
Retailers' Balancing Act In any economy, inventory management must strike a balance between costs and cutting into sales. Keep stockpiles too large,...
Claims Setoff: Law vs. Practice Q: Is it acceptable for a shipper to set off claims against freight charges owed prior to finalization of the...
Lost in interpretation? It seemed that the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, was talking good sense in Rotterdam last week when asked by the Dutch media about the status of the implementation of US legislation for the 100% scanning at foreign ports of all US-bound containers.
APL to grant shippers slow-steaming BAF discounts
China to bail-out eurozone
NOL charters ULCS newbuilds to MOL
APL: US box shortage will be 'less severe' with launch of its own 53 ft assets
Maersk exercises 10 x 18,000TEU option with Daewoo
Fresh blueprint frames SCF future Russian tanker titan sets privitisation clock while six-year investment strategy sheds light on emerging markets and fleet focus.
AET converts aframax tanker duo Malaysian tanker owner converts Japanese newbuildings into modular capture vessels following MWCC contract.
George E eyeing LNG assault? Equity analyst 'would not be surprised' to see Economou's DryShips dip into LNG sector with cash from Ocean Rig float.
NATS trumpets dividend promise Nordic American Tanker Shipping boss Herbjorn Hansson blast debt-laden competition during discussion of dividends and expansion.
Yard bidders want more time Davie and Seaway Marine urge extension of deadline to bid for Canada's massive $35bn programme of orders.
Tailwind boss signs with Safe Bulkers New York-based private equity player secures board seat at US-listed bulker owner.
Horizon Lines on road to recovery US liner operator secures breathing room as it hammers out financial restructuring.
Mermaid extends placement again Thoresen Thai-owned offshore company extends private placement of drilling arm shares and lowers expectations.
Hoegh LNG scales back IPO Market conditions chop Sveinung Stohle-led LNG carrier owner's Oslo share sale as it prices at bottom of range.
Hub Trader hits scrap heap Singapore-based liner operator sends containership to chopping block in Alang.
APL cutting fuel surcharge Slow-steaming succeeds in lowering costs for Singapore container line in Pacific.
NOCC cuts investor numbers Nearly 400 shareholders take up Norwegian Car Carriers buy-back offer.
Seatel reveals marine hotel Svitzer UK makes move into offshore floating accommodation sector with Sanderson Maritime.
MOL pens boxship double Japanese shipowner orders two new containerships at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Bumi Armada IPO details leaked Malaysian shipowner aims to raise nearly $1bn from public offering in Kuala Lumpur.
Dredger horror accident probed Details emerge of incident on Van Oord ship in New Zealand that nearly ripped off crewman's foot.
Marinakis denies match-fixing Greek club Olympiakos says allegedly "suspicious" matches date from before shipowner took over in 2010.
Maersk Line stopping at 20 Danish owner signs for 10 more $190m Triple-E giants at Daewoo, but says it does not intend to declare second option for another 10.
Havila eyes private share placement Njal Saevik-led offshore owner aims to raise nearly $80m from placement of shares to fund vessel purchases.
MOL boxship suffers fire APL Chiwan to be towed to Hong Kong after engine blaze off coast of China.
Fishing vessel sunk in clash Two fishermen saved after incident involving German cargoship Frank W off Denmark.
Rongsheng nets $1.7bn loan Hong Kong-listed shipbuilder secures cash from China CITIC Bank to revamp facilities.
Cargoship beached in Venice Turkish vessel ran aground after hitting part of a floodgate construction site.
Miclyn bags barge double Australian owner buys another two units for work on the Barrow Island LNG project in the north-west.
Mavrinac: 'IEA news not all bad' Release of oil from reserves may have hammered some tanker stocks but there are positives to the development, Jefferies says.
Crew rescued in sinking US Coast Guard picks up four men in Bering Sea after tug goes down in heavy swell.
NSCSA bags $220m for newbuilds Saudi Arabian owner nets cash for Hyundai Mipo newbuildings allowing it to take options on two ships.
NOL snatches huge newbuild loan Singapore-listed owner nets over $1bn to pay for its latest newbuilding splurge.
Two bulkers to be torched Tanjin Hebei Shipping and Pioneer Marine the latest owners to cash in ageing ships in a difficult market.
Prison pardon for ransom six Somalia agrees to release a group jailed earlier this month after being busted with ransom cash at a Mogadishu airport.
Cecon strikes Indian alliance Restructuring Norwegian owner teams up with Great Offshore for subsea project work.
Barclays backs boxship boys Bank pinpoints a window to buy shares in Asian container lines amid hope earnings will improve in the second half of 2011.
Chicago flyover splits passenger, freight rail The U.S. Transportation Department on Friday said its Illinois state counterpart can start spending $126 million for Chicago's so-called Englewood Flyover project that was awarded last year. The project, which will get under way later this summer,...
Grain shippers seek flood-damaged waterways fix A group of grain shipper associations has asked the congressional appropriations committees to include additional resources to dredge and repair inland waterways damaged by historic floods. "Agricultural producers, processors and exporters rely on...
Defense contractors join Shipbuilders Council The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) said Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding, Ingalls Shipbuilding Divisions and General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works have joined as members. (General Dynamics NASSCO is a member of the SCA.) ...
Horizon secures covenant relief Horizon Lines said Friday it has reached an agreement with its bank group to amend its credit facility. The nation's largest operator of Jones Act containerships said the "amendment relaxes compliance under the credit facility's financial covenan...
American Feeder allies with labor, shipyards American Feeder Lines said it is part of an "emerging labor and industry coalition that also includes the Metal Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, the Seafarers International Union, the International Longshoreman's Association, and the Marine Engine...
Flip-flop on Jones Act waiver flap? The U.S. Energy Department has apparently reversed itself and will not offer a blanket exemption to the Jones Act for ships carrying oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The government set off a furor on June 23 when it announced on the ...
New World lines order big for Asia/Europe Two members of the New World Alliance mapped out sizable fleet expansions on Monday, including a decision to share in the operation of 10 new 14,000-TEU ships to be delivered in the next three years. NOL, the Singapore-based parent company of cont...
Maersk orders 10 more 18,000-TEU ships Maersk Line said Monday it has decided to order an additional 10 Triple-E vessels, each able to carry 18,000 TEUs.The company exercised its option with Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. to build the ships, which it said are...
Middle East prices mixed Deliveries in Durban available for supply between July 1-7.
Omanoil adds three bunker barges to fleet The barges will be supplying 380 centistokes (cSt) intermediate fuel oil (IFO380).
Asian fuel market 'tight' through to August Traders say market sentiment is firming.
Bunker prices continue downward movement General strike in Greece on June 28-29.
Cruise line will have 'unsurpassed capability' for fuel savings Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) signs five-year agreement with Finland-based Eniram Ltd.
Maersk exercises option for 10 more giant, fuel efficient carriers 'Triple-E ships with their record capacity and energy efficiency will give us competitive advantage,' says Maersk.
Bunker player launches 'app' for marine fuel market O.W Bunker calls 'app' tool for ship owners and operators.
Bunker markets soft as week begins WTI showing losses in early trading.
Oiltanking Partners increase shares for IPO Company to put up 10 million common shares for offering at undisclosed price.
Athens-based shipowner orders fuel efficient engines G-type engines able to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 7%.
LNG bunkering in Singapore 'sure' to happen SLNG Corporation is working on the concept, says Norwegian Embassy.
Lukoil joins oil spill response drill Bunker barges Arktika and Baltic Seagull takes part in training.
The Suez Canal Authority has announced that it will introduce surcharges on transit tariffs through the Egyptian canal for most major cargo vessels, effective July 15.
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