Red Sea Risk Widens as Houthis Vow to Target Carriers Tied to Israel
Carriers have been warned to proceed “with extreme caution” following the major widening of the Houthis’ sphere of attacks announced last week, with lines including Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Yang Ming and CMA CGM all now in the firing line.
Typhoon Last Week Delays Containers at Yangtze River Delta
Last week’s typhoon, Co-May, although comparatively weak in energy saw the brief closure of Shanghai and Ningbo ports with the effect of backing up over 1 million TEU on the Yangtze River Delta.
Port of Hamburg invests in new terminals, Eurogate expands
Under a major infrastructure investment, the Hamburg Port Authority has announced the Elbe approach to the Waltershofer Hafen is to be enhanced and additional terminal yards will be created.
Yang Ming Expands Mid-Sized Methanol Fleet
Yang Ming Marine Transport is expanding its fleet with three new 8,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel-ready containerships. These vessels, to be built by Japan’s Nihon Shipyard, are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2030. The deal is valued between $351 million and $394 million, as disclosed in a recent stock exchange filing.
$85 Billion Megamerger Creates First Coast-to-coast Freight Rail Operator in the U.S.
U.S. rail operators, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, have agreed to an $85 billion merger that would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S., aiming to close the deal by early 2027. The merged company will retain the Union Pacific name and will link Union Pacific’s Western network with Norfolk Southern’s Eastern routes.
South Korea Backs Transshipment Future with $573 Million Feeder Terminal
South Korea is investing $573 million in a new feeder terminal to strengthen Busan’s status as the leading transshipment hub in North Asia. The port will undertake two significant initiatives: the terminal development project and the implementation of a real-time data-sharing platform.
Chinese ports container volumes up 6.9% in H1
China’s major container ports achieved a 6.9% year‑on‑year gain in container throughput during the first half of 2025, with Jiangsu Port Group handling approximately 12 million TEU and Guangzhou Port recording 12.14 million TEU, up 6% and 3.4% respectively.
MSC Aims to Deepen Relationship with China Despite Looming U.S. Fees
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is expanding its relationship with China on multiple fronts as the company continues its unrelenting drive to expand and pull away from the pack in container shipping.
Container lines invest heavily in newbuilds amid congestion pressures
Major shipping companies like MSC and Yang Ming have placed record orders for dual‑fuel and alternative‑energy vessels. With a wave of new capacity expected by 2026, the industry aims to ease congestion and meet stricter emissions standards that will also affect Canadian trade routes.
MSC outstripping rivals on new capacity for 2025
Mediterranean Shipping Co. widened its already leading market share among ocean carriers as its fleet added the most ships in the first half of 2025, according to Alphaliner. Many of those new ships, though, are entering non-US trades as trans-Pacific demand appears to be ebbing for the remainder of the year.