18 Nov 2023

Idle Vessel Fleet Faces Continued Growth as Newbuilds Arrive

The long-awaited surge in inactive tonnage, driven by a wave of new large vessels delivered from shipyards, appears to have temporarily subsided. However, this lull may be short-lived as the industry faces a further increase in idle capacity. Despite the influx of larger vessels, box ships with capacities of 12,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) and […]

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12 Nov 2023

Excess Containers Clog Europe’s Ports Amid Economic Downturn

  Logistics depots across Europe are struggling to cope with a surge of empty shipping containers as the economic downturn in the Eurozone and falling trade volumes exacerbate the issue. Industry experts at Container xChange claim that the cost of repositioning empty containers now surpasses their asset value, discouraging container lessors from shipping them back […]

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06 Nov 2023

Container Freight Rates Expected to Fall in November

After four weeks of gains, spot container freight rates are expected to decline in November, as shipping lines continue to add capacity despite weak demand. The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI) closed on 3 November with Transpacific rates still up, but Shanghai-North Europe rates had already begun to retreat. This is due to carriers adding […]

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23 Oct 2023

Container Shipping Market Forecast for 2024

A recent report by analyst Maritime Strategies International (MSI) predicts a positive outlook for container carriers operating between Asia and North Europe in 2024. The report cites emerging signs of a demand recovery in the medium term, as inventories are replenished. The Trans-Pacific route is expected to experience healthy growth in the upcoming year, while […]

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15 Oct 2023

China’s Global Shipping Network: A Tool for Surveillance and Control

Beijing’s global maritime operations double as intelligence-gathering outposts. Introduction: Maritime trade, which accounts for ninety percent of global trade, plays a pivotal role in connecting markets worldwide. However, its vulnerability to disruptions, whether due to pandemics, port congestion, or shipping incidents, underscores the need for safeguarding this critical sector. Unlike traditional naval embargoes, modern warfare […]

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13 Oct 2023

Exporters face challenges in container shipping market, despite improvements

  Freight rates are higher and scheduling complications are worse than pre-COVID ‘normal’. Container rates for U.S. imports have normalized. Rates for America’s exports have not. Both spot and contract rates for U.S. exports are still up double digits from pre-COVID levels. And rates are not the biggest cost issue exporters face, according to Peter […]

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13 Sep 2023

Containers Lost at Sea

  The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released its annual report on containers lost at sea, revealing positive developments in container safety within the international liner shipping industry. The report covers the year 2022, showing that 661 containers were lost overboard during the year. “The reduction in containers lost at sea in 2022 is positive […]

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14 Jul 2023

POLB Trade Slows Down and Midyear Container Shipping Report Released

Trade activity at the Port of Long Beach (POLB) experienced a cooling trend in June as retailers worked to clear their warehouses. Last month, dockworkers and terminal operators handled a total of 597,076 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking a significant 28.5% decline compared to the same period in the record-setting June of 2022. Notably, imports […]

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