Global maritime trade rose 2.4% in 2023 to 12.3 billion tons. According to the Review of Maritime Transport 2024 released by the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), shipping volumes are forecasted to grow 2% in 2024, with annual increases averaging 2.4% expected through 2029. However, the report warned that high freight costs and geopolitical
As dock workers announced a 24-hour strike starting Sunday, 27 October at 7 am, Montreal’s port faces another wave of disruption. The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) has warned that the strike’s impact will extend beyond the one-day stoppage. “We recall that the strike called on 30 September by the union paralyzed operations for three days
Airlines are increasing capacity on Asia Pacific-North America routes as the disruptions from China’s Golden Week eases and preparations for the Christmas rush begin. The U.S. National Retail Federation (NRF) expects holiday spending to rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared to last year, with e-commerce projected to grow between 8% and 9%, reaching $297.9 billion.
Drewry reports that three million TEUs of new shipping capacity expected in 2025 will not ease the challenges shippers face as disruptions and rising costs are expected to keep freight rates high. Drewry analyzed scenarios with and without potential U.S. East Coast port strikes in January. In both cases, rates are expected to climb. Philip
Tim Power, MD of Drewry Shipping Consultants, told delegates at the World Ports Conference in Hamburg that new regulations to decarbonize shipping could severely impact deep-sea shipping sectors. He cited a prediction by class society DNV that container shipping operating costs could double due to decarbonization costs. He suggested that in some cases, it could
Global shipping saw a 17.2% increase in TEU-mile demand in 2024 due to vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope, according to Xeneta. To counter longer transit times, the global fleet will expand by 4.5% in 2025, though at a slower growth than in 2024. Despite lower consumer demand, the longer routes have kept
MSC’s CEO, Soren Toft, expects global supply chains to become more fragmented, leading shippers to favor direct port calls over speed. Speaking at the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) World Port Conference, Toft said supply chains are no longer concentrated in just a few countries or dependent on one or two major markets.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global air cargo demand rose by 11.4% year-over-year (y/y) in August. Cargo capacity grew by 6.2% y/y, driven by a 10.9% rise in international belly capacity. Despite record capacity levels and lower fuel costs, yields rose by 11.7% y/y and is 46% above pre-pandemic levels. Willie Walsh,
The IMO’s recent Meeting of the Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 82) ended without a clear decision on the Carbon Intensity Index (CII), although there is growing support for a flat fee per tonne of CO2 emitted. Delegates said the current rules unfairly penalize waiting times in ports, a crucial factor to consider for shortsea and