Red-hot ocean rates could spark government intervention

In tanker and dry bulk shipping, the rate is the rate. It’s whatever the market says it is. It can be below zero (net of costs). It can be six figures per day. No government can intervene. This is definitely not the case in container shipping. Record-high trans-Pacific spot rates and container-equipment shortfalls in Asia […]

Asia airfreight rates are high and climbing higher

After a three-week lull, prices for air exports from China have turned noticeably upward, a trend most international trade professionals expect will continue through the end of the year as the traditional peak shipping season overlaps with high demand for coronavirus medical supplies and online retail orders, and major product releases from big tech companies. […]

3PLs prepare to catch Damco shippers jumping ship

A.P. Moller-Maersk’s (OTCMKTS: AMKBY) announcement earlier this week that it will integrate the air cargo and less-than-container-load (LCL) services of its subsidiary Damco into the Maersk brand has some customers checking their options. Shippers remain unclear how the absorption of Damco into Maersk will impact their overall logistics contracts with the longtime third-party logistics services […]

Ports Say Business Beginning to Recover

The nation’s ports are seeing some improvement in business, compared with spring, even as the U.S. economy continues to struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The uptick comes as officials at three California ports — Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland — report operations at their facilities have been spared by the wildfires, which have killed […]

Airlines seek government help to survive winter doldrums

Airlines need more government help dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus if they are to get through the winter doldrums, when revenues tend to wane, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Tuesday. The key to survival during the winter is schedule flexibility at large airports and for that airlines say they need relief […]

Port Houston: ‘Worst should be behind us’

Executive Director Roger Guenther believes Port Houston has turned a corner. “We had nine blank sailings in the month of May,” Guenther said. “But the worst should be behind us. We are aware of seven blank — or canceled — sailings to Houston in June and only three for the month of July.” Container volume […]

Getting crews on and off ships and airplanes

The three largest global organizations representing the workforces of the maritime and air transport industries have asked their government members to ensure the continued cross-border movement of these “key workers” to and from their jobs. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a flurry of government bans on international travel, which has obstructed necessary crew changes […]

No letup in volatility for air cargo market

Trailing data released Tuesday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed total air cargo volume in April plunged 27.7%, year-over year because of the global recession caused by the coronavirus crisis. The airline industry group said it was the sharpest one-month fall in cargo business since it started collecting data in 1990. The figure […]

Slump at US Ports Continues in April

The slump at the nation’s ports continued in April as 20-foot-equivalent container (TEU) volumes were down, in some cases by double digits when compared with 2019. The Port of Los Angeles reported a 6.4% year-over-year decrease as it processed 688,999 containers in April compared with 736,465 in the same month a year ago. The facility’s […]

Struggling US importers granted 90-day duty deferment

Under authority of the White House, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will allow U.S. importers of certain goods to defer their payments of duties, taxes and fees for the next 90 days, starting April 20. The temporary duty deferment was included in an executive order signed by President Trump on Friday, April 17, to help American businesses […]