US focus
The spot rate spread from Asia to the US West and East coasts has reached its widest point in nearly two years, driven by capacity increases to the West Coast…
Archive: Sea Freight
Container fires underline need for shipper protection
Recent containership fires have once again underscored the critical need for proper shipper protection. The latest incident occurred at Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo, where a fire broke out aboard…
Global supply chains disrupted by Microsoft IT outage
The IT outage caused by a flaw in CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software two-weeks ago led to significant disruptions across global supply chains. This incident, impacting 8.5 million computers running Microsoft Windows,…
Shipping lines secure capacity for the peak season
As we progress through the traditional container shipping peak season, analysing the planned levels of blank sailings and capacity deployment for the remainder of the third quarter provides valuable insight…
ILA strike threat looms as contract negotiations stall
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) warns that a strike at all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports is becoming more likely as the expiration of their current contract with maritime employers…
Considering what H2 2024 may have in store for sea freight
Diversions around the Red Sea and port congestion have absorbed any excess sea freight capacity that existed at the end of 2023, with spot rates rates more than doubling since…
Asia and freight market update; June 2024
The OECD, WTO and IMF are predicting that global trade growth could more than double in 2024, with falling inflation triggering lower interest rates, to stimulate domestic markets and consumer…
Strikes threaten US, Canada and European supply chains
Labor contract negotiations for 45,000 dockworkers along the US East Coast have been canceled, industrial action by Canadian railways is becoming more likely, port workers in Germany went on strike…
US import volumes surge
Despite talk of deglobalization, near-shoring and global economic tensions sea-borne imports into the United States continue to grow, increasing by more than a quarter on pre-COVID 2019. With the trade…
Port congestion growing
The additional two weeks it takes for ships to sail around the Cape of Good Hope as a result of the Red Sea conflict’s effective closure of the Suez Canal…
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Asia and freight market update; April 2024
Iran’s seizure of the 15,000 teu MSC Aries in international waters off the Gulf of…
Asia and freight market update; June 2024
The OECD, WTO and IMF are predicting that global trade growth could more than double…
Smart supply chains and business growth
Effective supply chains are essential to support business operation and growth, and the supply chain’s…