Strait-Stranded HMM Cargo Ship Crew All Safe After Explosion
South Korean carrier HMM confirmed that its 38,000 dwt multi‑purpose vessel HMM Namu suffered an explosion—likely from an Iranian missile, sea‑drone or drifting mine—in the Strait of Hormuz. The fire was extinguished, all 24 crew members (six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals) were rescued unharmed, and the ship is now being towed to Dubai for repairs. The incident occurred amid Iran’s newly declared maritime control zone and follows a wave of attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic waterway. HMM still has four other ships stranded in the Gulf.
Teleport Plans to Build Air Cargo Ecommerce Hub in Bahrain
Teleport, the Southeast Asian e‑commerce logistics specialist backed by Capital A, announced plans to build an air‑cargo hub in Bahrain despite recent regional conflict. The move follows Bahrain Airport’s reopening and strong government encouragement, though a timeline was not disclosed....
MarketWatch: Shipping Stocks Fall After Amazon Launches Supply Chain Services Business
Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services on May 4, 2026, opening its extensive logistics network – including one‑hour and three‑hour delivery options – to any business. The service bundles Amazon’s fulfillment, transportation and AI‑driven routing capabilities into a single...
Gulf Resolution Needed, Says DHL Chief Fearing for Asia-Europe Trade
DHL chief Tobias Meyer praised the rapid relocation of its Middle‑East express operations after the U.S./Israel strikes on Iran forced a seven‑week closure of Bahrain’s airspace. The company shifted its hub to Muscat and Riyadh, using over‑land trucking backed by...
Widebody Freighter Boost Could Reshape Cargo Flows Across Africa’s Copperbelt
NAC2000, the ground handler at Ndola’s Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport, has installed a widebody‑capable high‑loader, paving the way for a potential Boeing 787 freighter service linking Ndola, Lubumbashi and East Africa. The upgrade arrives as mining output and high‑value...
Box Lines’ Return to Suez Would Open ‘Release Valve’ to Overcapacity
Analysts warn that the container market’s current tightness is largely artificial, sustained by vessels rerouted around the Red Sea rather than genuine demand. A faster‑than‑expected return of box‑line ships to the Suez Canal could unleash a sudden capacity surge, acting...
Union Withdraws Opposition to HMM Relocation to Busan
HMM’s land‑based workers’ union has withdrawn its opposition, signing an agreement to relocate the carrier’s headquarters to Busan’s North Port. The move fulfills President Lee Jae‑myung’s campaign promise to turn Busan into a maritime hub and follows a series of...
Charterers Join in as Cosco Heads a Flurry of Box Ship Newbuild Orders
Cosco Shipping Lines is accelerating its fleet expansion, with OOCL ordering twelve 13,600‑teu LNG dual‑fuel vessels for $2.2 bn and a total of 33 newbuildings over five years. Greek shipowner Costamare is backing a dozen 9,200‑teu and four 3,100‑teu ships that...
Mexico’s Rail Freight Booming, yet USMCA Review Could Slam the Brakes
Mexican rail freight is experiencing a surge, with 13,310 carloads in the week ending April 18—a 47.3% year‑over‑year increase—and 14,644 intermodal units moving through the network. The growth reflects the nearshoring wave that is shifting U.S. manufacturing supply chains south...
Ethan Harris: Core Concerns, Fed Follies
The Loadstar premium piece aggregates recent Federal Reserve developments, noting a series of modest rate hikes, a criminal investigation into Chairman Jerome Powell, and mixed inflation signals that keep markets uneasy. Minutes from the last policy meeting reveal that a...
After ‘Volatile’ Q1, Investors Pump DHL CEO on Impact of Jet Fuel Crisis
DHL Group posted a volatile first quarter, with revenue slipping 1.9% year‑on‑year but EBIT climbing 8.3% to €1.5 bn ($1.7 bn) driven by a strong Express division. Investors focused on CEO Tobias Meyer’s comments about jet‑fuel price spikes and supply constraints stemming...
Taiwan Carriers Call for Government Help to Free Trapped Box Ships
Taiwan’s three largest container lines—Evergreen, Yang Ming and Wan Hai—have asked the government to negotiate with Iran to free seven vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz since the US‑Israel‑Iran war began on 28 February. Around 40 container ships are immobilised...
ANA-NCA Now Selling One Network as Integration Advances
All Nippon Airways (ANA) completed its 100 % acquisition of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) in August 2025 and is now selling a single, integrated cargo network in North America. Sales, pricing and freight sales teams have been merged, allowing customers to...
Egypt Emerges as Transit Hub for Europe-Gulf Freight
Egypt is repositioning as an intermodal freight hub after Middle‑East hostilities disrupted traditional Suez‑to‑Gulf shipping. An existing ro‑ro corridor from Trieste to Damietta, operated by DFDS, now extends to Safaga and onward by ferry to Saudi Arabia’s Neom port, linking...
Fuel Surcharges and Slow-Steaming Making Waves for Shippers
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced carriers to adjust fuel surcharge practices, with Hapag‑Lloyd moving to monthly emergency fuel surcharges and reporting an extra $50 million in weekly fuel costs. Japanese carrier ONE lifted its EFS to $160...
FMC Orders Record Payback by Shipping Line for Unfair Fees During Covid
U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a record $45.6 million award against Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) for breaching service contracts and retaliating against the bankrupt Bed, Bath & Beyond administrator, Butterfly‑1. The decision follows three years of investigations into...
South Korea Offers Shippers a Helping Hand with Freight Rate Discounts
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) have launched a three‑pronged support scheme that offers 10‑20% discounts on full‑container‑load sea freight, LCL discounts on more than 20 routes via Samsung SDS, and...
Gulf Crisis a Blip in India’s Airfreight Growth, Claim Bullish Stakeholders
India’s international air‑cargo volumes fell 6% YoY in April as Gulf airport closures disrupted routes, but the sector still posted a 5.4% annual increase for FY 2025‑26. Chennai Airport led the surge with a 12% freight rise, while Ahmedabad logged a...
Charter Market Benefits From Tonnage Shortage in ‘Fully Employed’ Box Ship Fleet
Container shipping remains effectively at full employment despite the Gulf conflict, with commercially idle capacity dropping to 0.7% of global tonnage. Alphaliner reports that at least 58 containerships, representing roughly 310,000 TEU, have been diverted or sheltered, tightening supply further....
The Loadstar Leader: China Merchants Tipped to Join the Hutch Port Sale Talks – Why?
China Merchants, a centrally administered state‑owned enterprise, is being added to negotiations over the sale of Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH). Beijing previously forced Cosco’s participation, and the new partner may help finance and structure the deal, potentially easing regulator concerns....
High Fuel Prices Making Outlook for Logistics Demand Uncertain
Industry analysts warn that sustained high oil prices—projected to end 2026 over 30% above FY2025 levels—are clouding the demand outlook for freight forwarding and logistics services. Shippers are pushing back against fuel surcharges, while rising inflation and weaker consumer purchasing...
Honeywell Gives up on the Warehouse and Private Equity Is Betting It Shouldn’t Have
Honeywell is exiting the warehouse‑automation business, selling the Intelligrated‑Transnorm unit it built with nearly $2 billion of investment over the past decade. The deal, announced on Thursday, transfers the combined operation to a private‑equity firm at an undisclosed price. The move...
War Turning Africa-Far East Maritime Trade Into an ‘Absolute Dog’s Dinner’
The Israel‑U.S. conflict with Iran is reverberating through the Africa‑Far East container lane, compounding chronic Singapore port congestion and equipment shortages. Forwarders report a modest dip in Far East volumes and a near‑collapse of Middle East traffic, while fuel surcharges...
Air Cargo Rates Slow as Capacity Returns, but Fuel Squeeze Keeps Market Tight
Air cargo spot rates in mid‑April edged up only 1% to $3.73 per kilogram, marking the slowest weekly gain since the Iran conflict began but still sitting about 40% above pre‑war levels. Capacity is rebounding, especially in the Middle East‑South...
SCI Shops Around for New Box Ships Amid India’s Maritime Push
Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has issued a $360 million tender for four 1,700‑TEU methanol dual‑fuel containerships as part of a broader effort to revive its long‑haul liner business. The tender invites Indian and foreign shipyards, with a technical partnership clause...
FedEx Partners with Viettel Post in Vietnam
FedEx announced a strategic partnership with Viettel Post to strengthen its presence in Vietnam’s fast‑growing e‑commerce market. The deal gives FedEx access to Viettel’s extensive domestic network, including more than 5,000 rural delivery points and integrated customs‑clearance capabilities. Both companies...
CNBC: Kushner, Witkoff – Not Vance – Heading to Pakistan for ‘Direct Talks’ with Iran
Jared Kushner and real‑estate investor Jonathan Witkoff are heading to Pakistan for direct talks with Iranian officials, a move that sidesteps the U.S. special envoy role previously held by Steve Vance. The delegation arrives as Iran has announced the Strait...
UK Supply Chains ‘Still Working’ Despite Gulf Crisis Fears, Says Logistics UK
Logistics UK chief executive Ben Fletcher says UK supply chains remain functional despite Gulf crisis fears. He points to a decade of built‑in resilience, noting firms are rerouting shipments through the Panama Canal instead of the Suez or Africa. While...
Carriers Forced to Manage Capacity to Prevent Spot Rate ‘Free-Fall’
Container freight spot rates on Asia‑Europe routes have retreated toward pre‑conflict levels, with Shanghai‑Rotterdam falling 4% to $2,147 per 40 ft and Shanghai‑Genoa down 8% to $3,071. Drewry and Xeneta attribute the decline to seasonal weakness and excess capacity, prompting carriers...
China’s Maritime Code Revision a ‘Substantive Change’ for Cargo
The revised Article 295 of China’s Maritime Code, effective 1 May, expands Chinese court jurisdiction over cargo contracts that transit Chinese ports, even when parties have selected foreign law. It codifies the practice that Chinese law governs carriage contracts lacking explicit jurisdiction...
Kuehne + Nagel – Give Me a Reason…
Kuehne + Nagel (K+N) posted its first‑quarter 2026 results, which fell short of consensus forecasts, prompting a sharp sell‑off in its shares. The company narrowed its earnings guidance range but did not deliver the steep growth investors expected. Meanwhile, overland freight...
Crypto Scam Targets Ships Seeking Safe Passage in Strait of Hormuz
Maritime risk firm MARISKS warns that crypto scammers are masquerading as Iranian authorities, offering ships “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for bitcoin or stablecoins. The fraudulent messages have been sent to vessels stranded amid ongoing conflict,...
European Buyers Circle Chinese Feeder Ships as Supply Tightens
European liner operators are intensifying outreach to Chinese feeder ship owners as the market faces a shortage of small and mid‑size vessels. Brokers report that owners of ships like Shishi Hengtong’s Heng Hui 5 and Heng Hui 6 are fielding inquiries from European buyers...
Now Antwerp-Bruges Reports Reduced Q1 Container Throughput
Antwerp‑Bruges reported a 2.6% drop in first‑quarter container throughput, handling 3.4 million TEU, after severe weather and a four‑day strike cost the port roughly 100,000 TEU. Rotterdam, its main rival, posted a modest 0.3% increase to 3.37 million TEU, briefly reclaiming Europe’s...
Too Much Too Fast?
Fidelity strategist Jurrien Timmer notes that the equity market surged to fresh highs after a 10% slide and a 19% valuation dip just two weeks earlier. He compares the rapid rebound to historic V‑shaped recoveries following the 20% drop in...
Norfolk Southern Building a Merged Railroad the STB Hasn’t Approved Yet
Norfolk Southern announced it will lease its Doraville, Georgia rail corridor and transload terminal to Jaguar Transport Holdings. Jaguar will take over local switching, operate the terminal and fund infrastructure upgrades to handle higher freight volumes. The arrangement is presented...
Cathay Pacific Veteran Frosti Lau to Be Hactl’s New CEO
Hong Kong’s leading cargo handler Hactl announced that former Cathay Pacific executive Frosti Lau will assume the chief executive role in early June 2026, succeeding Wilson Kwong who departed after an eight‑year tenure. Lau arrives with 25 years of aviation...
UPDATED: Iran Claims Two MSC Box Ships Were Seized as They Fled the Gulf Under Fire
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it fired on three MSC container ships fleeing the Persian Gulf and seized two, the MSC Francesca and the Greek‑owned Epaminondas, though Greece disputes the seizure. UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed heavy bridge damage...
DHL Upbeat on Middle East Airfreight: Capacity Returns as Airspace Reopens
During a recent "navigating disruption" webinar, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa reported that Gulf airlines are steadily restoring air cargo capacity, with only Kuwait's airspace still closed. The company noted a modest softening in freight rates, though they...
Oman’s Asyad Group Completes Takeover of UK Forwarder Ligentia
Oman’s state‑owned Asyad Group has completed its acquisition of UK freight forwarder Ligentia, a deal cleared by German regulators. Ligentia, which generated about $190 million in revenue and serves 6,000 customers across 24 countries, brings its Ligentix digital platform to Asyad’s...
A Steady First Quarter, but Port of Rotterdam Waits for Hormuz Ripples
Rotterdam handled 103 million tonnes in Q1 2026, a modest 0.7% dip from the same period last year, reflecting stable container volumes but weaker dry‑bulk traffic. Container throughput rose 0.3% in TEU terms while tonnage fell 3.2% due to a surge...
UPS & Happy Returns: ‘Expansion to 10,000 US Locations’
UPS announced it will expand the Happy Returns reverse‑logistics network to 10,000 locations across the United States, embedding the service within its existing parcel infrastructure. The rollout leverages UPS’s 1,800 retail partners and more than 2,000 Access Point sites, giving...
Mekong Delta Ports to See Major Box Terminal Capacity Expansion
Vietnam’s Greater Mekong Delta is set for a major container‑terminal boost as CMA CGM’s Gemalink Phase 2 will nearly double capacity from 1.7 m to about 3 m TEU by Q4 2027. The Vietnamese government also approved a $5 bn Can Gio International Transhipment and Gateway Port,...
Cargo Theft ‘Way Way up’ as Crime Gangs Get Ever More Sophisticated
Global cargo theft surged in 2025, with trucks responsible for roughly 70% of incidents and U.S. losses climbing to an estimated $725 million—a 60% year‑over‑year increase. Rail‑freight theft doubled its share in the United States, while sea piracy rose 85% in...
EU Mulls Fuel-Sharing as Airlines Juggle Costs and Capacity
EU transport ministers are debating a bloc‑wide jet‑fuel‑sharing scheme as Middle East tensions threaten both fuel prices and availability. Airlines such as Lufthansa CityLine have already suspended routes, while KLM plans to cut about 80 European return flights to protect...
Europe-LatAm Volume Growth Stalls, but Shippers Remain Hopeful
Container Trade Statistics data shows Europe‑to‑Latin America ocean volumes slipping 10.6% year‑on‑year to 127,100 TEU in January 2026 and a further 6.1% dip in February, while the reverse LatAm‑to‑Europe lane rebounded 9.7% to 191,700 TEU in January and held a...
Hyundai Glovis Expands US Logistics Footprint with New Hubs
Hyundai Glovis, the logistics arm of Hyundai Motor, opened two new U.S. facilities—a 12,000‑square‑metre multimodal hub near Los Angeles and a 69,000‑square‑metre integrated warehouse in Savannah. The LA centre sits 25 minutes from the port and airport, enabling rapid air‑sea...
Brad Jacobs’ QXO to Acquire TopBuild for $17bn
Brad Jacobs’ QXO announced a cash‑and‑debt transaction to acquire TopBuild, a leading building‑products distributor, for approximately $17 billion. The deal adds more than 1,200 TopBuild locations to QXO’s existing portfolio, which already includes Beacon Roofing Supply and Kodiak Building Partners. Post‑closing,...
Iran Opens Strait of Hormuz, but Few Box Ship Transits Predicted
Iran’s foreign minister announced that the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" following a 10‑day Israel‑Lebanon cease‑fire, but industry insiders remain doubtful about actual container traffic. The United States continues its naval blockade and has warned it will pursue Iranian...
Customs Brokers Eyeing 10% to 15% of US Tariff Refunds, Claim
Customs brokers are reportedly charging importers 10% to 15% of any Trump‑era tariff refunds they help recover, despite providing only basic data entry services. Baker Tilly’s trade advisory director highlighted that these firms rarely audit entries, correct errors, or pursue post‑summary...