Register Free Trial The positive momentum in the container market continues with the mid-June rate hikes sticking without rollbacks in the strongest rate ascent since the Red Sea diversions started at the end of 2023. Carriers are gearing for another major rate hike in July with increases as high as $5,000/feu on certain routes. Cargo demand is now clearly outpacing the availability of vessel slots with the peak season in full swing coupled with the strong growth of cleantech exports out of Chi

SM Lines will launch a new Shenzhen Busan Express (SBX) service connecting Yantian, Busan, Yantian from 6 July 2026 using the newly chartered 1,103 teu ULTIMA. The SBX service will replace the direct call at Yantian on the SM Line PNW service that will be shortened to call at Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Vancouver, Seattle, Busan, Ningbo with the last direct call at Yantian on 29 June 2026. The revised PNW service will turn in 35 days using 5 ships of 4,250 to 4,380 teu compared to 42 days previousl

Register Free Trial The re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Iran peace deal due to be signed this Friday will release some 51 containerships with a total capacity of 300,000 teu presently stranded in the Persian Gulf (full list of ships in page 2). The capacity set to be evacuated from the Gulf could provide some short-term relief to an over-stretched container market but uncertainty remains over when regular services to the Persian Gulf can be restarted which would add to additiona

The 7,154 teu SANTA CATARINA MAERSK and 8,648 teu CLEMENTINE MAERSK have made the first passages through the Bab el-Mandeb by Maersk vessels since 1 March 2026. SANTA CATARINA MAERSK was on a positioning trip from China to the Med and made its Suez passage on 4 June 2026 while CLEMENTINE MAERSK made the westbound Suez Canal passage on 13 June 2026 on its way from Salalah to New York on Maersk's Middle East-India to East Coast US (MECL) service, marking the first trans-Suez voyages by Maersk sinc

COSCO has launched a new Spain Morocco Service (SMS) connecting Valencia, Casablanca, Valencia from 10 June 2026 using the 925 teu CONTSHIP IVY on a weekly rotation.

MSC will launch a new Sierra service calling at Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Manzanillo, Lazaro Cardenas, Shanghai from 24 June 2026. The service will turn in 49 days using up to 7 ships of 4,000 to 9,000 teu starting with the 9,411 teu MSC DOMITILLE at Shanghai on 24 June 2026.

MSC has enhanced its North Europe-Russia connections with the launch of a new Baltic Loop 12 service connecting Antwerp, St Petersburg, Klaipeda, Antwerp from 9 June 2026. The service will turn in 14 days and will deploy the 3,005 teu MSC SHANNON III and MSC NEDERLAND III on a weekly frequency. MSC remains the only main carrier to retain services to Russia since European sanctions against Russia were rolled out in February 2022.

Register Free Trial The Iran war has not triggered a stagflationary shock but has instead driven a fresh container cargo boom that has sent freight rates to a new 18 month high. Demand for AI-related technology and renewable energy products have driven an early peak season cargo surge with a new round of rate hikes still planned on 15 June after carriers pushed through the 1 June rate hike and Peak Season Surcharge implementation. The positive momentum is driven by both a shortage of vessel spa

MSC has launched a new Zephyr service connecting Singapore, Colombo, Djibouti, Salalah, Singapore from 7 June 2026. The service will turn in 28 days and deploy 4 ships of 4,200 teu to 5,000 teu starting with the 4,738 teu MSC SHRINIKA V at Singapore on 7 June.

MSC will withdraw the Indus Express service that currently connects Port Qasim, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Caucedo, Freeport (Bahamas), Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York via the Cape of Good Hope. The last sailing will be on the 4,992 teu MSC PRATITI that departed from Mundra on 3 June 2026. The service has omitted calls at Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali since March 2026 due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and is currently operated with 11 ships of 4,200 teu to 7,800 teu that will al

Maersk has announced the launch of a new Far East-West Coast South America AC1 service connecting Ningbo, Busan, Lazaro Cardenas, Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Ningbo from 4 July 2026. The service will turn in 56 days deploying 8 ships of 3,400 to 4,600 teu starting with the first sailing at Ningbo on 4 July 2026 with the 4,298 teu REN JIAN 8, followed in successive weeks by the 4,253 teu KOTA LUKIS, 4,578 teu DYROS, 4,250 teu NAVIOS DORADO and 3,316 teu HUA XIN 758.

MSC has launched a new Southern Loop service connecting Melbourne, Bluff, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Wellington, Nelson, Napier, Wellington, Bell Bay, Melbourne from 9 May 2026. The service turns in 21 days and deploys 3 ships - the 2,556 teu MSC HANISHA III and MSC LUCIA III with the 2,664 teu MSC RINI III. The new service will provide connections to New Zealand and Tasmania via Melbourne. MSC has also revised its existing Noumea Express service with the removal of its previous New Zealand and