Biden to clamp down on monopolies

President Biden informed in an address prior to signing the executive order that US society is built on open and fair competition and that the transport sector, including the container industry, appears to be lagging behind. “We have to get back to an economy that grows from the bottom up and the middle out. The…

EU Commission is watching closely

The Biden administration is particularly focused on the fact that there are currently three major container alliances that control more than 80 percent of the market. Specifically, the alliances comprise Maersk and MSC’s 2M alliance, THE Alliance composed of Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming and ONE as well as Ocean Alliance, which consists of Cosco, Evergreen, OOCL…

Vancouver intermodal delays worsen after track closure

Michael Angell, Associate Editor US and Canadian shippers are bracing for longer rail delays as Canada’s two Class I railroads slow their train speeds and share a single track to the Port of Vancouver in the wake of a wildfire that closed one of two tracks that run through British Columbia. Vancouver, Canada’s busiest port,…

Speed limit puts more pressure on train service

Speed limit puts more pressure on train service Intermodal volumes dropped by nearly 20 percent in the wake of the July 1 fire that is severely limiting intermodal capacity out of Vancouver. CP’s intermodal carloads fell 27 percent for the week ended July 10 from the prior week, while CN’s fell 15 percent, according to…

Ocean rates to remain at record levels into 2022: Moody’s

Greg Knowler Container shipping rates will remain at record levels for the rest of the year and into 2022 as demand significantly outpaces capacity in an environment that will further drive up carrier profitability, according to Moody’s Investors Service. “We expect financial performance to be even better in 2021 than it was in 2020,” the…

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Labor action would be ‘targeted,’ says union president 

Union members have been without a contract since 2018. Talks with their employer — technically the Treasury Board of Canada — broke down in the fall. They’re seeking pay increases to match other Canadian law enforcement agencies and changes to working conditions. Fortin declined to discuss how he anticipated a strike might affect the movement…

Baltic index hits 11-year high on gains across segments

Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index , tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, hit a more than 11-year peak bolstered by firmer rates across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was up 69 points, or 2.1%, at 3,324, its highest level since June…