Category: Sea

With 2024 just weeks away, scheduled container shipping capacity post-Golden Week on both the trans-Pacific and Asia to North Europe trade-lanes is up massively. Over 30% to the USEC and over 10% to Europe, raising fears of a massive blank sailing program between now and the end of the year. J... Read more

Following the driest year and October on record, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has been steadily cutting daily vessel transit numbers and draught levels across the canal, with some restrictions possibly staying in force until 2028, with wider supply chain ramifications. With each transit of... Read more

In an attempt to recover operations back into the black and jettison unprofitable cargoes, the container shipping lines have deferred FAK freight rate increases from Asia until December, after their planned November GRIs failed. The Asia-North Europe rate increases, that were due to be valid f... Read more

While sea freight traffic is largely operating without significant issues, the conflict in Israel is impacting airfreight to the country and the surrounding region, with many carriers’ services subject to cancellation and delay. Many airlines have suspended direct flights to and from Israel,... Read more

The UK’s Electronic Trade Documents Act (ETDA) came into force on the 20th September, providing an electronic bill of lading (eBill) the same legal status as a paper bill of lading. This is a major step forward in the modernisation of international trade and is anticipated to boost the UK ec... Read more

On the 9th August 2022, the European Commission (EC) issued a call for feedback on the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) and on Tuesday announced that it will not renew the sector’s exemption to operating shipping alliances when current legislation expires on 25th  April. The Cons... Read more

Just months after IMO 2023 launched, the International Maritime Organisation raised its carbon emissions targets, which will require more carrier investment and with the EU rolling out its emissions trading scheme from next year, shipping lines will be looking to recover a lot of costs from shipp... Read more

With a 3-4 month delay for car and truck RoRo (PCTC/PCC) services, automotive clients have looked to container shipping to provide an effective alternative transport solution, that also turns out to be much better for the environment. As the automotive industry emerged from the Covid pandemic,... Read more

The cancellation of multiple October sailings from Asia to Europe is an attempt by the carriers to push capacity down and raise rates, but if they fail, they may not have another opportunity to significantly raise prices before Chinese New Year, next February.  Container shipping lines ac... Read more

Unpredictable weather patterns and drought for most of 2023 have driven the Panama Canal Authority to impose numerous draft restrictions, reducing vessel transit numbers, and cutting vessel booking slots for lock usage, due to low water levels. The Panama Canal consists of the man-made lakes o... Read more

The container shipping lines’ GRIs seem to be sticking as spot rates climb above long-term prices on key routes from China. General Rate Increases (GRIs) have been a persistent battleground since April this year, as carriers struggle to tackle the supply-demand dynamic and recover sea freigh... Read more

Maersk took a sea fright market struggling with excess capacity by surprise a fortnight ago, when it announced its intention to impose a 49% freight all kinds (FAK) general rate increase (GRI) on the 1st August 2023. The carrier said that to continue offering a broad portfolio of high-quality ... Read more