AI Infrastructure Boom Reshaping Freight Flows and Driving Modal Shift
AI infrastructure is emerging as a major cargo vertical, reshaping freight flows worldwide. DHL, Expeditors and Matson report surging demand for specialized handling, premium air‑freight, and new routes as hyperscalers build data centres across the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. High‑value servers—worth $1‑$3 million each—are prompting white‑glove logistics and rapid pricing responses, while rising fuel costs and geopolitical tensions are nudging shipments toward expedited ocean services. The trend is driving a broader modal shift and influencing capacity planning for both air and ocean carriers.
Ceva Logistics Slumps to ’22 Margins – M&A Talk Resumes (No Surprise)
CMA CGM reported that its 3PL subsidiary Ceva Logistics saw its EBITDA margin tumble by 210 basis points in the first quarter of 2026, signalling a sharp earnings contraction. The decline was attributed to heightened pressure on freight‑management activities as...
Fifteen Years of Cargolux Results Reveal Air Cargo’s Uneven New Era
Cargolux posted a net profit of $465 million in 2025, slightly above its $448 million 2024 result, underscoring a robust post‑pandemic baseline for air cargo. The airline’s delayed B777‑8F deliveries, now pushed to 2029, highlight a broader freighter shortage that keeps older...
China’s Ports ‘at Full Throttle’, as Global Rivals ‘Drift Along’
China’s major ports are operating at full throttle, with throughput outpacing global averages. Ningbo‑Zhoushan handled 11.55 million TEU in Q1, up 15% YoY, while Shanghai moved 4.7 million TEU in March, breaking its previous record. MSC responded by launching the Ochna intra‑Asia...
Surgical CH Robinson: ‘Ready to Do M&A, We’re Going to Do M&A’
C.H. Robinson’s share price surged from $111 in late 2024 to a record $203 earlier this year, settling around $178 and giving the company a $21 billion market value. The AI‑driven freight broker has trimmed its workforce to 11,705 employees, equating...
Advent, FedEx, A&R & PPF Launch €7.8bn All-Cash Offer for InPost
Advent International, together with FedEx, A&R Capital and PPF Group, has launched an all‑cash bid of €7.8 billion (about $8.5 billion) to acquire InPost, the Polish‑based parcel‑locker and last‑mile delivery specialist. The offer values InPost at a premium to its current market...
Ship Angel: 23 Years Inside Microsoft’s Supply Chain – a Conversation with David Warrick
David Warrick, who has spent 23 years steering Microsoft’s global supply chain, sat down with Loadstar to trace the company’s evolution from manual logistics to a cloud‑centric, AI‑enabled network. He details how Microsoft’s internal platforms, such as the Microsoft Supply...
Target Corp Appoints Jeff England as Chief Supply Chain and Logistics Officer
Target Corp announced the appointment of Jeff England as its new chief supply chain and logistics officer. England, a veteran who previously oversaw Walmart’s global supply chain, will report directly to the CEO and lead initiatives across sourcing, transportation, and...
STG Logistics – Reorg Plan Receives Court Approval, ‘Clearing Path to Emergence’
STG Logistics Inc. received court approval for its Chapter 11 reorganization plan, clearing the way for emergence in the coming weeks. The plan will trim more than $1 billion of funded debt and unlock the final $25 million of a previously pledged $150 million...
Supreme Court Ruling on Broker Liability Will Drive Trucking Costs Up
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that freight brokers can be held liable for negligently selecting carriers with poor safety records, overturning the long‑standing exemption from state tort claims. The decision subjects roughly 28,000 brokers to potential lawsuits unless they...
Tighter US Haulage Market a Serious Threat to Low Inventory Strategy
U.S. trucking capacity has tightened sharply, pushing haulage rates to multi‑year highs and driving tender rejection rates above 13%. The surge, fueled by driver shortages, rising fuel costs and regulatory pressures, has eroded the cheap‑transport assumption behind lean, just‑in‑time inventory...
Feeders Still Dominate Newbuild Orders, but ‘Cautious’ ONE Goes Large
Ocean Network Express (ONE) has placed an order for six 15,900‑TEU LNG dual‑fuel vessels at Hyundai Heavy Industries, each priced at $203 million and slated for delivery by the end of 2029. The move follows a sharp 92% drop in ONE's...
Early Parcel Tax Debut Ravages Air Cargo Volumes at Vatry
France’s premature €2 (≈$2.16) parcel tax on low‑value e‑commerce items has slashed air‑cargo volumes at Vatry Airport by 65% in just ten weeks. The airport, which can handle 150,000 tonnes annually, saw throughput drop from 2,000 to 800 tonnes, prompting...
US Broker Liability Blown Open – Winners and Losers (so Far)
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous 9‑0 ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, holding that federal law does not protect freight brokers from state‑level personal‑injury lawsuits when they select carriers that cause accidents. The decision subjects roughly 30,000...
LA Container Imports Jump as US East Coast Ports Slump
The Port of Los Angeles recorded 891,000 TEU in April, a 5.5% year‑over‑year increase and an 18% rise from March, driven largely by loaded imports. In contrast, major East‑coast gateways such as New York & New Jersey, Norfolk, Charleston and Savannah posted...
Hong Kong’s ‘Multi-Pronged Strategy’ to Restore Global Port Hub Status
Hong Kong is rolling out a multi‑pronged plan to reclaim its status as a premier global shipping hub. Secretary for Transport Chan Mei‑po highlighted a 1.03‑day average vessel dwell time, the fastest among the world’s top 20 ports, and a...
Clarifying Liability, Capturing Value: How Specialised Cargo Claims Elevate Bottom Line
Specialized cargo claim management is turning a cost center into a profit generator for carriers and insurers. A 2023 study shows that incomplete documentation reduces recoveries by nearly 20%, while Veritas Cargo Services leverages legal expertise and data analytics to...
US Broker Lawsuit Expands Into ‘Blacklist’ Claims Against Major Logistics Firms
A federal lawsuit filed by Georgia owner‑operator David Worrell accuses major freight brokers—including Uber Freight, Amazon Logistics, and CH Robinson—of concealing freight rates, retaining hidden margins, and blacklisting carriers. The complaint cites violations of 49 CFR §371.3, which mandates brokers...
MSC Dominating North-South European Regional Box Trade
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) now commands 45.5% of the North Europe‑Mediterranean container market, equivalent to 360,517 TEU, according to Alphaliner data as of 1 May 2026. The trade is dominated by seven major carriers who together hold 97.3% of capacity, leaving...
Hapag-Lloyd Loses Market Share in an ‘Unsatisfactory’ First Quarter
Hapag‑Lloyd’s first‑quarter results underscore the volatility that has returned to the container market after two years of robust growth. While global TEU volumes rose 4.4% year‑on‑year, the German carrier’s volumes were essentially flat, dragging revenue down 8.5% to $4.78 bn and...
Shippers Await OOCL Appeal After FMC’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Record Fine
OOCL has been hit with a record $45 million fine by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) for alleged pandemic‑era service breaches. The carrier filed an appeal in federal court, arguing that the FMC’s in‑house adjudication is unconstitutional because such disputes...
DP World Eyes Second Chittagong Box Terminal in Bangladesh Push
DP World has formally proposed to operate the Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) in Bangladesh, expanding its bid beyond the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) it already targets. The proposal, submitted during a Bangladesh‑UAE PPP forum, seeks long‑term leases for both...
‘Jet Fuel Will Be the Least of Our Worries’: Cargolux CEO on Hormuz Crisis
Cargolux CEO Richard Forson warned that a prolonged disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could spark jet‑fuel shortages, fuel‑price inflation and a wider economic slowdown. The carrier has stripped all Middle‑East stops except Muscat, rerouted flights overnight and evacuated staff...
Box Ship Manager Denies Negligence as DoJ Probes Baltimore Bridge Tragedy
Singapore‑based ship manager Synergy Marine says it has been cleared of wrongdoing after the U.S. Justice Department indicted it and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair for negligence in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Department of...
EXCLUSIVE: Saadé Just Can’t Stem the (Talent) Bleed at Ceva Logistics – Sources
CMA CGM’s logistics arm Ceva is experiencing a sharp talent exodus, with senior managers like Bermond and Peigné departing in May 2026. Rodolphe Saadé has reportedly tried a series of retention tricks, but ex‑Bollore staff continue to leave in large numbers....
More Pain for Cargo Owners From Rising THCs at Indian Ports
Terminal operators at India’s major ports have sharply increased container handling charges, with DP World’s Mundra International Container Terminal raising fees by 15‑20% as of May 2026. The new THC rates push a 20‑ft dry container to about $163 and...
DSV Capital Markets Day – New Ambitious Targets Disclosed (LIVE)
During its Capital Markets Day, Danish freight forwarder DSV announced a new cost‑saving ambition tied to the integration of its recent Schenker acquisition. The company now aims to generate up to Dkr9bn (approximately $1.4 billion) in additional annual synergies by 2030,...
‘Significant Migration’ of USWC Imports to Canadian Ports, Says Sea-Intelligence
North‑west Pacific container traffic is shifting north, with Canadian ports capturing market share as U.S. west‑coast gateways see volume declines. In Q1 2026, Prince Rupert and Vancouver posted 7.8% and 9% import growth respectively, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance plunged 18%....
Taiwan in Talks with Iran to Free Flag-Carrier Box Ships From the Gulf
Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are negotiating with Iranian authorities to secure safe passage for eight Taiwanese‑flagged container ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels, operated by Evergreen, Yang Ming and...
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Politicians Don’t Appreciate the Value of Logistics to the UK’
Logistics UK’s newly appointed chief executive Ben Fletcher, after 100 days in post, warned that British politicians still treat logistics as a collection of niche, heavily regulated activities rather than a growth engine. He highlighted that the sector employs roughly 2.8 million...
EXCLUSIVE: Emirates Cargo Chief Gets Major New Role After ‘Challenging’ Period
Emirates Group has appointed former SkyCargo chief Nabil Sultan as chief executive of dnata, effective 15 June 2026. The move follows the carrier’s 2025/26 results that showed cargo delivering $4.4 bn in revenue and handling 3.2 million tonnes of freight despite a disruptive...
Kuehne + Nagel Sorely Missing the ‘Otto Factor’
Kuehne + Nagel, once the gold standard in global forwarding, has struggled since Stefan Paul replaced Detlef Trefzger as CEO in August 2022. Overland margins have eroded, prompting the hire of DSV’s road chief Søren Schmidt to revive the under‑performing truck business. The...
Spot Rates Edge up, but Carriers Plan More Blanked Sailings
Container spot freight rates on key trans‑pacific and Asia‑Europe lanes nudged higher this week, ending a three‑week price decline into Europe. The Shanghai‑Rotterdam route rose 2% to $2,170 per 40 ft, while Shanghai‑Genoa edged up 1% to $3,075. Carriers are preparing...
Vallarpadam Loses Transhipment Cargo Share to Newcomer Vizhinjam
DP World‑operated Vallarpadam terminal at Cochin saw transhipment volumes plunge 49% year‑on‑year to 85,911 TEU in FY 2025‑26, cutting total throughput to 767,948 TEU. In contrast, Adani‑run Vizhinjam, which opened in December 2024, handled 1.3 million TEU, surpassing its 1 million TEU design capacity....
Asia-Europe Shippers Eye Multimodal Routes as Airfreight Costs Soar
Rising air‑freight rates—up 41% year‑over‑year to $5.14 per kilogram—and prolonged ocean delays from Red Sea disruptions have prompted Asia‑Pacific shippers to test sea‑air routes via the U.S. West Coast for Europe. Forwarders such as Dimerco and DHL Global Forwarding now...
Forward Air, Looking a Bit Yellow-Like – Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)
Forward Air Corp. (NASDAQ:FWRD) saw its shares tumble 45% in after‑hours trading, sinking to $9.50 – a multi‑year low – after releasing a modest Q1 2026 earnings update. The company disclosed that cash remains tight, prompting concerns about its ability...
Middle East: More Air Freight Activity as Fuel Surcharges Ease, Says DHL
DHL Global Forwarding reports that Middle East air‑freight activity is stabilising as airline fuel surcharges begin to ease. Capacity is expanding and rates are softening, though they remain above pre‑crisis levels. DHL has restored intercontinental flights to Bahrain, Dubai, Qatar...
Latest Court Defeat Threatens Legal Basis of Trump Tariff Strategy
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the Trump administration’s 10% global tariff regime was ultra vires, exceeding the authority granted under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The three‑judge panel found the tariffs were based on...
CNBC: Markets Whirlpool Says Iran War Causing ‘Recession-Level Industry Decline’
Whirlpool told CNBC that the ongoing Iran‑Israel war is driving an industry‑wide decline comparable to a recession. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have spiked oil and freight costs, while uncertainty is dampening consumer demand for large appliances. The company...
Middle East Conflict Sees Shippers Face Soaring Costs and Weakening Demand
The Iran‑related war in the Middle East has disrupted traditional shipping lanes, forcing exporters to reroute goods through overland corridors in Saudi Arabia and Red Sea ports. Rising oil prices have driven freight rates upward, while Saudia Cargo’s partnership with...
Market Shifting as More Containers Are Shipped Back to China
European ports are experiencing prolonged congestion, prompting equipment owners to ship containers back to China. Sogese’s latest report highlights a clear directional shift as container prices rise on the back‑haul, reflecting strengthening demand at the origin. The repositioning effort is...
Avoid Cheap Spot Rates as Liner Capacity Tightens, Shippers Warned
Ocean freight spot rates have fallen for a third consecutive week, yet liner capacity is tightening as carriers issue blank sailings amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Forwarders in China have rolled shipments into later departures, further squeezing available space for...
Fuel Costs Reshape Europe’s Road Freight as Contract-Spot Split Widens
European road freight is entering a cost‑driven phase as diesel prices jumped 26% to €1.96 per litre (about $2.14/L) after oil breached $100 a barrel. Contract rates rose to 140.1 index points, up 8.9% year‑on‑year, while spot rates slipped to...
‘Anchorage a Mess’: Airlines Look Elsewhere as Canada Pitches Transpac Role
Anchorage International Airport is losing its edge as the primary transpacific cargo hub, with taxi‑times exceeding an hour and stand capacity stretched to the high teens. April data shows arrivals steady at 60‑70 flights daily, but a third of eastbound...
Bunker Surcharges Driving Intra-Asia Rates up, Even as Demand Falls
Intra‑Asia container freight rates have risen again in early May, with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation’s Container Composite Index showing a Busan‑South‑East Asia price of $1,097 per 40‑ft unit, a $12 fortnightly increase and a 16% jump from March’s $933...
Your Next Data Centre – What About a Retired Car Carrier?
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Hitachi and Hitachi Systems signed a memorandum of understanding on March 30 to convert a retired pure‑car carrier into a floating data centre. The partnership aims to provide offshore compute capacity for AI workloads that are consuming...
Reuters: US SEC Proposes Allowing Public Companies to Opt Out of Quarterly Earnings Reports
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a rule proposal that would let publicly traded companies voluntarily opt out of filing quarterly earnings reports, shifting to an annual reporting model unless they choose otherwise. The proposal follows a multi‑year...
Marine Insurance – Can New Conflicts Be Covered by Old Clauses?
The marine insurance market is relying on decades‑old war clauses as vessels face prolonged disruptions in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. While hull coverage has adapted through recent IUMI and JWC updates, cargo war policies still...
MSC Bridges the Strife with New Europe-Red Sea-Middle East Express
MSC announced the Europe‑Red Sea‑Middle East Express, a new container service that connects ten European and Middle Eastern ports, launching its first sailing from Antwerp on 10 May. The route bypasses the Strait of Hormuz by using a land‑bridge through Saudi...
Mixed Fortunes in Q1 for North American Intermodal Operators
Q1 2026 saw divergent results among North American intermodal railroads. CSX posted a 5% revenue rise to $518 m and a 6% volume increase, while Canadian National’s revenue held at $707 m (about $712 m USD) despite a slight volume dip. Union Pacific...