Category: Sea

The container shipping alliances help carriers lower operating costs and broaden service coverage through economies of scale. However, do the alliances restrict individual line’s ability to differentiate and innovate as services beyond the sea element is not always under a carrier’s control.&... Read more

In light of the recent criticism and industry-wide complaints concerning delays and service levels, the Port of Felixstowe – the UK’s largest and busiest container port - introduced vehicle booking changes on Monday, to improve service and lessen the delays on its terminals. One of these c... Read more

The anticipated equipment shortages in Asia are spreading as importers in the United States and Europe struggle to return empty containers to Asian manufacturing hubs, with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh hit particularly hard. The container imbalance followed the spike in imports to the US an... Read more

After weeks of complaints from port users, shipping lines, hauliers and cargo owners, there is some hope that Felixstowe’s service levels may be improving, but similar challenges are now being experienced at other key container ports. After the recent well-documented service issues, delays,... Read more

Container freight rates are at their highest levels in five years, Westbound Asia to Europe, driven by rocketing demand and the carriers manipulating capacity to create under or balanced supply, which allows the shipping lines to cherry-pick the best paying cargo and maintain rates at the st... Read more

Formed in 1946, the African specialist shipping line Safmarine, which is represented in more than 130 countries, was acquired in 1999 by Maersk. Earlier this month Maersk announced that it was closing the Safmarine brand at the end of the year, integrating it into Maersk Line. What are the market... Read more

The ongoing congestion and industrial action at Sydney port, which caused schedule disruption to many carriers and prompted Maersk to stop acceptance of all bookings for the port, has been withdrawn. The move to withdraw industrial action at Sydney port, will bring relief to shippers and shipp... Read more

High vessel volumes, spikes in container throughput and diminished operational capability due to COVID safe-working is creating high yard density at the port, resulting in terminal-wide congestion which means vessels are unable to complete empty loading or have diverted to other ports, not loadin... Read more

The ongoing impact of Coronavirus on the workforce and terminal operating practices at Felixstowe has reduced productivity which, with unexpected demand spikes, has resulted in high yard density impeding operations and prompted drastic action from port management.  To clear backlogs and e... Read more

Port operations have been severely diminished and inland distribution massively disrupted by the coronavirus, lockdowns and safe-working practices, which delay the unloading of containers and repositioning of equipment back to China. As European importers struggle to return empty containers to... Read more

The perfect storm threatening container haulage  There is not an industry sector that has not been impacted to some extent by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even those deemed ‘essential’ have had to battle unprecedented economic and operational challenges, but few have felt the impact quite a... Read more

As the container shipping lines continue to control capacity tightly, announcing a new series of blanked sailings in October on the Asia - Europe trade, they are preparing for their annual contract negotiations with the largest shippers on the critical route, with many anticipating higher long te... Read more