The global shipping industry is constantly evolving, and the COVID-19 pandemic began a marked shift in how container shipping operates. Disruption caused by the pandemic has forced the industry to expand its capacity and reduce costs to remain profitable.
At the peak of the pandemic, containers essentially stopped moving. As manufacturers went into lockdown and closed factories, many of the containers used to ship those manufactured goods were left stranded at ports or storage depots, where they weren’t needed. Simultaneously, freight shippers were reducing the number of vessels in use due to the manufacturing slowdown. This limited global shipping capacity and disrupted the worldwide flow of containers and goods. As a result, some regions were left with an excess of stored containers, while other places were left with no containers at all.
As the pandemic slowed and the global economy began to rebound, labor shortages and congestion at ports have left many of these stored containers stuck where they aren’t needed. Now, instead of a shortage of shipping containers, the industry is dealing with too many. Many container storage depots are turning away new clients due to lack of space, and some shippers are even giving containers away to make room. Blank and cancelled sailings are increasing as well, as shippers decide to skip a port or cancel a trip altogether in order to manage changes in demand and capacity.
Check back here for the latest news and insights on the state of the container shipping industry. You can also visit our maritime news archive to learn more about cargo shipping, or our American Shipper archive for air cargo shipping industry news.
Maritime and logistics services company Crowley and Canadian railway CN have joined in a new service that will connect Canada, the Midwest and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
Further downside risks to the U.S. economy make the odds of a rebound in containerized import volumes unlikely.
Bed Bath & Beyond got pummeled by the supply chain crisis. The company is now targeting shipping lines for allegedly compounding its woes.
The Europe-U.S. trade held up a lot longer than the Asia-U.S. trade, but trans-Atlantic premiums are now fading away.
Cargo flow fell slightly at ports in Houston and New Orleans in March but increased at the Port of Corpus Christi in South Texas.
As new container ships flood the market amid weak demand, Drewry expects low freight rates to persist through 2024.
Not to be outdone by CPKC, CN said it is partnering with Union Pacific and Grupo México to provide a new, cross-continent intermodal service that will seek more truck-to-rail conversions.
There is growing sentiment that higher trans-Pacific spot rates will not hold and prospects for shipping lines remain weak.
Executive Director Mario Cordero says the Port of Long Beach is “ready for a rebound in retail.”
SC Ports’ Inland Port Dillon handled record rail moves in March, although volumes for the port authority overall were down year over year.
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