Ocean shipping

Former chief mate of MSC Gayane gets seven years behind bars for lead role in massive 2019 smuggling operation.

Decision to secure dedicated vessel highlights unprecedented strength of container shipping and risks faced by importers.

Container spot rates spiked again, with new records set. For importers, the worst is yet to come.

Rising fuel costs are yet another woe for containerized cargo shippers, while widening spreads should benefit ships with scrubbers.

Consolidation in the liner sector is already extreme. Newbuild orders will further concentrate market power in fewer hands.

Congestion is cutting liner capacity just as freight rates are at all-time highs, incentivizing carriers to buy or charter more ships.

Environmental regs could extend future dry bulk and tanker upside, while consolidation could change curve of container-shipping cycle.

Retailers at increasing risk of not getting goods from Asia on shelves as ocean transport system hits limit.

Freight forwarder will pay “absolute historic high” to secure container ship as “people are panicking” amid “out of control” market.

Ships at anchor are unlikely to clear by peak season. Congestion is forcing wide-scale voyage cancellations.

The containers that U.S. shippers need are all built in China, where factories could set a new production record this year.

How bad is it? A Vietnam-New York slot was just offered at $19,000 per FEU, reveals Flexport’s Nerijus Poskus.

ZIM is the liner most exposed to upside from America’s import binge. It’s taking full advantage of the situation.

With the retail inventory-to-sales ratio still falling, U.S. importers are urged to move fast on their holiday import plans.

Container rates are in uncharted territory. If demand continues to outpace supply, there’s little to stop them from ascending further.

The situation for importers is getting even more dire. Already extreme container rates are ascending to even higher peaks.

Danaos will stockpile cash from the current boom and spend it on new ships when environmental regs are clearer.

Trans-Atlantic product tanker rates have spiked, but a quick pipeline restart would curb future upside.

Formerly containerized cargoes are being loaded onto bulkers. Box-ship orders are keeping future bulker growth in check.

Tanker execs explain lack of distress sales and scrapping this time around, and why new orders will be more curtailed.