MSC will launch a new standalone Eagle Service connecting Philadelphia, Savannah, Freeport, Balboa, Papeete, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Tauranga, Balboa, Cristobal, Philadelphia from February 2026. The Eagle Service will turn in 77 days and will deploy 11 ships from MSC on a weekly frequency. The launch of the Eagle Service will challenge the longstanding Maersk Oceania Americas (OC1) service on which MSC currently takes slots as the Oceania Loop 2. MSC currently has a slot allocati
The freight futures market in China continued its volatile trajectory, driven by a broadly bearish consensus that has kept the forward curve in backwardation. However, intermittent speculative bets—fueled by hopes of further freight rate increases in August and expectations of a relatively mild slack season—have pushed futures prices higher at times. Following a couple of days of declines on Tuesday (22 July) and Wednesday (23 July), which were triggered by Maersk’s significantly low spot rate
Sea Legend Line, a wholly owned subsidiary of Worldwide Logistics Holding, has announced a China-Europe sailing using the Arctic / Northern Sea Route (NSR). The 4,890 teu ISTANBUL BRIDGE will make the maiden voyage from 20 Septmber 2025 calling at Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Gdansk. The ship is currently operated by Safetrans on the China-St Petersburg route via the Suez. The same ship, then named as FLYING FISH 1, had also performed a single eastbound Arctic/NSR
The 11,388 teu CMA CGM COLUMBA will make an eastbound Suez transit on 26 July 2025 on the Europe Pakistan India Consortium (EPIC) service that CMA CGM operates in cooperation with COSCO and OOCL. It is the second EPIC transit on the Suez and follows the 11,388 teu CMA CGM AQUILA that made an eastbound transit on 17 June 2025.
Global containership capacity has risen by 2.43m TEU in the last 12 months, registering a growth of 8.1% YoY with 2.48m TEU of new vessel deliveries added against just 0.05m teu that were scrapped. African routes helped to absorb 23% of the net capacity additions with 0.57m teu added on the trade since July last year. MSC’s redeployment of their 24,000 teu ships to the FE-West Africa trades since March have played a key part in the rise of African vessel capacity and relieving the capacity overh
Asia-North Europe rates have started to drop back after their recent rally, with capacity utilization rates dropping conspicuously in the past week. EC freight futures continue to trade haphazardly over the past week, reflecting the lack of clear market direction with strong initial gains giving way to doubts as spot rates are showing early signs of weakening. How long can carriers sustain the recent rate gains to North Europe remains the key question given the weakness that has already crept i
Register Free Trial Container freight rates continued their precipitous fall as the SCFI shed a further 5% last week with weaker rates across all main trades led once again by the Transpacific. Carriers’ reluctance to withdraw surplus transpacific capacity amidst the tariff chaos doomed their mid-July rate hike efforts. Rates to North Europe that have held up well in the last 2 months are also starting to crack with vessel utilization rates dropping noticeably last week, potentially signaling a
OOCL has launched a new Indonesia Vietnam Straits Express (IVS) service that connects Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Surabaya, Semarang, Singapore from 4 July 2025. The IVS turns in 14 days and deploys 2 ships - the 1,774 teu INFERRO and 1,809 teu MONICA. The IVS will replace OOCL's existing Vietnam Singapore Express (VSX) that is absorbed in the new service.
The freight futures for the Far East to North Europe route rebounded slightly today, as traders continue to debate the extent of correction the physical market may experience in the coming months. Uncertainty remains regarding the potential peak of spot freight rates. Maersk has issued a notice announcing an increase in its peak season surcharge (PSS) from $100 per FEU to $500 per FEU effective 1 August. With this adjustment, Maersk's FAK rate will rise to approximately $3,500 per FEU from 1 Au
The 8,204 teu MSC BILBAO and MSC VALENCIA that have been detained at Malta since 2022 are due to be released after both ships were transferred out of Russian ownership. The 2 ships are owned by interests linked to the GTLK-Joint Stock Company State Transportation Leasing Company that have been placed under the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Russia-related sanctions since 2022. Both ships were transferred to new owner TSC on 7 July 2025 and have been renamed TSC DORADO and