EU 'frustration over what UK wants' as further trade talks loom
Photo 73488670 © Wojtek Kaczkowski – Dreamstime.com By Alexander Whiteman 21/02/2025 Supply chain operators are being warned not to get their hopes up of any imminent change in trading relations between the EU and the UK, as legislators in Brussels are trying to work out what the British government is seeking from a proposed…
The commercial implications of FuelEU Maritime
Published on 21-02-2025 at 07:26 FuelEU is aimed at addressing carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions across the entire fuel lifecycle Shutterstock One of the major commercial implications of the regulation is that responsibility for compliance lies with the ISM (International Safety Management) company, resulting in complexities for commercial contracts. The European Union’s FuelEU…
EC ready to talk with US on tariffs – but a deal 'must be mutually beneficial'
Photo: © motortion | Dreamstime.com By Charlotte Goldstone 20/02/2025 The European Commission (EC) is “ready to find mutually beneficial solutions” with the US amid ‘tit-for-tat’ tariff threats. According to the commission, there is no “absolute” figure for average tariffs on EU-US trade, as “this calculation can be done in a variety of ways which…
A Ukraine peace agreement: the effect on Europe's supply chains
By Alexander Whiteman 18/02/2025 Supply chain leaders are bracing ahead of advance negotiations due to begin in Saudi Arabia today to bring an end to the Russia’s war against Ukraine. Responding to news that presidents Trump and Putin would at some time be meeting, Ti CEO John Manners-Bell suggested any peace agreement could help…
EC slams US 'reciprocal tariffs' plan and says the trading bloc will retaliate
© Tanaonte By Charlotte Goldstone 14/02/2025 The European Commission (EC) has branded the latest US “reciprocal tariffs” as “a step in the wrong direction”. After the past few weeks of tariff-pandemonium, the Trump administration has released yet another plan to boost the US trade deficit. With its Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs Plan,…
US u-turn on corruption abroad 'won't drive rise in deals won by bribery'
© Romolo Tavani | By Alex Lennane 13/02/2025 Donald Trump’s decision to “pause” rules banning bribery abroad will not have much impact, according to one forwarder who has worked hard to stamp out corruption. On Monday, yet another executive order noted: “The president’s foreign policy authority is inextricably linked with the global economic competitiveness…
EC eyes 'handling charge' replacing de minimis in bid to tackle cheap imports
© Ironjohn By Alexander Whiteman 11/02/2025 European regulators are looking at ways to tackle the surging flow of goods entering the bloc under the de minimis rule, as concerns rise over eroding product standards. With President Trump removing the US de minimis exemption for goods from China – since suspended as parcels piled up…
Metals tariff rocks auto industry, and Trump smiles on bribes in foreign deals
© Snowingg By Alex Lennane 11/02/2025 While yesterday’s announcement of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to the US took most column inches, the world of logistics could also be impacted by a less-publicised executive order which could open the door to bribery in foreign deals. The order, which pauses enforcement of the…
US tariff plans could drive Europe into the arms of Chinese EV makers
© Suwin Puengsamrong By Alexander Whiteman 10/02/2025 Donald Trump’s tariff plan could spectacularly backfire, forcing Europe closer to China as it seeks to hit environmental targets, it was claimed. China is hunting alternative markets for its substantial output of electric vehicles as it faces up to exports to the US being hit by a 10%…
Trump readies 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports
Published on 10-02-2025 at 08:21 Donald Trump Shutterstock Trump is set to announce new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on Monday, primarily affecting Canada. US President Donald Trump has announced a new round of tariffs, stating on Sunday that all steel and aluminum imports to the US will face a 25% duty. Speaking…
Konecranes: US tariffs on EU could shift competitive balance in lift trucks
Published on 10-02-2025 at 07:10 Konecranes SMV 4638 at the Port of Hull ABP Konecranes says potential tariffs on EU imports could briefly favour US rivals in lift trucks but sees no major industry disadvantage. As the global trade landscape faces uncertainty amidst the looming potential tariff war between the US and China, and the…
Ports and logisticians criticise German plans
10.02.2025 By: Jeremy Soland Industry and port representatives and logistics companies have criticised Germany’s new federal plan for inland navigation, citing the need for a more comprehensive approach, according to a media release. At a meeting in Duisburg they called for a realistic modal split, a holistic traffic forecast and a more accurate analysis…
Trump to Announce Reciprocal Tariffs on Many Countries Next Week
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, on the day he signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Mike Schuler February 7, 2025 By Jarrett Renshaw and David Morgan WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Friday he plans to…
Trump administration ups sanctions against Iranian shipping
Sam ChambersFebruary 7, 2025 Donald Trump has wasted little time in carrying out his vow to up pressure against Iran with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday slapping sanctions on more than a dozen people and firms that are accused of facilitating the shipment of millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China.…
Trump’s China tariffs fail to make an impact
The latest data shows that President Trump’s tariff regime dating back to 2018, primarily on Chinese goods up to now, is having little effect on trade. Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent February 5, 2025 CREDIT: PORT OF LOS ANGELES Chinese import volumes have remained strong and there has been rising congestion at both ports in China…
Trump’s Tariff Threat Pushes Canada to Rethink Oil Pipelines
FILE PHOTO: A drone view of three berths able to load vessels with oil is seen after their construction at Westridge Marine Terminal, the terminus of the Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, April 26, 2024. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Bloomberg February 5, 2025 (Bloomberg) — Almost every day since…
Panama Canal Authority Denies U.S. Claim of Free Transit for Military Vessels
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez tour the Miraflores locks at the Panama Canal in Panama City Feb. 2, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS Mike Schuler February 5, 2025 The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has directly contradicted U.S. State Department claims regarding free passage for U.S. government vessels…
Hutchison’s grip on Panama ports under legal fire
Published on 05-02-2025 at 08:24 Container ship transits Panama Canal Shutterstock Hutchison risks losing its concession for two key Panamanian ports amid a fresh legal challenge driven by growing pressure from Trump over China’s influence. Hutchison Ports Holdings’ control over two key ports flanking the Panama Canal is under fresh scrutiny as US pressure on…
FEPORT and 44 European Transport Organisations Call for a Stronger EU Transport Budget
Brussels, February 5th, 2025 FEPORT, alongside 44 European transport organisations, urges EU policymakers to uphold a strong, centrally coordinated transport funding instrument to address Europe’s infrastructure, resilience, and decarbonisation challenges. A well-functioning, integrated transport network is essential to maintaining Europe’s supply chain sovereignty and enabling the shift to a net-zero economy. European-level…
Trump Pressures Iran; Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Closure
February 4, 2025 Copyright Robert/AdobeStock U.S. President Donald Trump will restore his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran and drive its oil exports down to zero, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz for traffic as a retaliation for Western pressure. That would shut down the region’s…
Trump in no Hurry to Talk to Xi
February 4, 2025 © freshidea / Adobe Stock U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is in no hurry to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping to try to defuse a new trade war between the world’s two largest economies sparked by his sweeping 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports. China imposed targeted tariffs…
Panama gives in as US pressure on Panama Canal intensifies
ID 61777801 © Rich Koele | Dreamstime.com By Charlie Bartlett technology editor 04/02/2025 Under increasing US pressure, Panama has elected not to renew its belt and road (BRI) deal with China and will also allow toll-free transits to American warships. Following the first overseas trip by US secretary of state Marco Rubio (above), Panama’s…
India pre-empts tariffs with import 'sweetener' for US cars and motorbikes
janfaukner By Angelo Mathais India correspondent 04/02/2025 Indian policymakers seem to be resigned to a potential rise in the cost of exporting to the US, in the wake of president Donald Trump’s tariff threats. Indeed, in a pre-emptive strategy, New Delhi has substantially slashed Indian import duties on high-end/luxury motorcycles and cars, in its…
Tariff truce for Canada and Mexico – China retaliates, but lightly
© Cammeraydave By Alex Lennane 04/02/2025 Donald Trump’s use of tariffs for leverage and ‘deal-making’ was proven yesterday when those to be imposed on Canada and Mexico today were postponed following security pledges from the US’s two neighbours. China, however, retaliated with a broad package of its own measures after 10% was added to…
Trump delays some tariffs for 30 days
Published on 04-02-2025 at 05:11 Donald Trump Shutterstock Trump postpones tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but new 10% tariff on China remains. After announcing 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, and a 10% tariff on energy imports from Canada would take effect on Tuesday, 4 February President Trump has given both countries…
STS cranes caught again in the middle of US-China tariff war
Published on 04-02-2025 at 16:46 ZPMC delivers STS cranes to Port Houston Port Houston The newly imposed blanket tariffs on Chinese imports will directly impact STS cranes as the US and China escalate their trade war. US ports face renewed financial headwinds with the latest 10% blanket tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese…
Are Panama and Trump on a collision course over the Canal?
US President Trump has threatened to take back control of the Panama Canal – can the two sides avoid battle for control of the key waterway? Marcus Hand, Michele Labrut February 4, 2025 US Secretary of State Rubio visits the Panama CanalCREDIT: OFFICIAL STATE DEPARTMENT PHOTO BY FREDDIE EVERETT The first weeks of the Trump…
Panama Drops China’s Belt and Road in Nod to U.S. Pressure
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tours the Miraflores locks at the Panama Canal in Panama City, Feb. 2, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS Bloomberg February 3, 2025 By Simon Lewis and Michael Martina SAN SALVADOR/WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday welcomed Panama’s decision to let its participation in China’s…
Moody’s: Trump Tariffs Threaten Major Supply Chain Disruptions Across Key Industries
Photo: Shutterstock/Strikernia Bloomberg February 3, 2025 Global trade uncertainty is forcing U.S. companies to urgently reassess their supply chain strategies as new tariffs threaten major disruptions across multiple sectors. According to John Donigian, Moody’s Senior Director of Supply Chain Strategy, automotive manufacturers face particular challenges as tariffs on Canadian and Chinese auto parts are expected…
US delays tariffs on Mexico for one month as it starts negotiations
Photo: © Americanspirit By Alexander Whiteman 03/02/2025 UPDATED 2.2.25, 16.10 GMT to include tariff implementation delay The US has agreed to postpone tariffs on Mexico for one month, following a call with Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum. In a post on social media, that revealed his transactional view of tariffs, Mr Trump said that Mexico…
Rubio Calls Chinese Presence at Panama Canal ‘Unacceptable’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez tour the Miraflores locks at the Panama Canal in Panama City Feb. 2, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS Bloomberg February 2, 2025 By Simon Lewis and Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY, Feb 2 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday…
Rubio Pressures Panama over Chinese Businesses Near Canal
February 2, 2025 © searagen / Adobe Stock U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino that Washington will “take measures necessary” if Panama does not immediately take steps to end what President Donald Trump sees as China’s influence and control over the Panama Canal. Mulino, after the talks…
Trump starts “the dumbest trade war in history”
Published on 03-02-2025 at 03:59 Approximately 1/4 of all trade between the US and Canada is trucked over the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor. Ambassador Bridge The Trump Administration has imposed tariffs on the US’s three largest trading partners, kicking off a tariff war in the process. As promised the Trump Administration has imposed…
FEPORT: The EU plan for competitiveness
The long awaited EU Competitiveness Compass has been published, and it will certainly be extensively commented in the coming weeks. Beyond its content, we may already collectively appreciate the fact that competitiveness is high on the EU agenda. We also hope that the intentions will be followed by concrete actions. FEPORT welcomes that ports and…
Trump Vows Tariffs to Hit Saturday With More in Coming Months
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, on the day he signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Bloomberg January 31, 2025 By Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump said he would impose tariffs on a wide range of imports, including oil…
Panama’s Mulino Shuts Down Trump’s Canal Takeover Talk Ahead of Rubio Visit
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, U.S., January 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo Reuters January 30, 2025 By Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY, Jan 30…
Trump Set On 25% Tariffs on Mexico and Canada Starting February 1
FILE PHOTO: A drone view of three berths able to load vessels with oil is seen after their construction at Westridge Marine Terminal, the terminus of the Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, April 26, 2024. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Bloomberg January 30, 2025 By Akayla Gardner and Josh Wingrove (Bloomberg)…
Trump injects new volatility into container shipping
US President Donald Trump has started his second term by giving the shipping industry a taste of the unpredictability over the next four years. Even before he took office, Mr Trump upended longshore labour contract negotiations and then threatened to take over the Panama Canal, according to New York’s Journal of Commerce. Upon taking office…
Trump’s Return to OPEC Politics Muddies Oil Talks Next Month
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria//File Photo Bloomberg January 24, 2025 By Grant Smith and Salma El Wardany Jan 24, 2025 (Bloomberg) –US President…
Trump threatens shippers: manufacture in 'the good old USA' or pay the price
© Tommy Jeffers By Charlotte Goldstone 24/01/2025 Global businesses are the latest victims caught up in President Trump’s tariff web, threatened with higher costs if they don’t manufacture in the US. But yesterday, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, World Trade Organization (WTO) director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala suggested there was no need…
EU pledges 'proportionate' response to new Trump tariffs
© Tanaonte By Alex Lennane 22/01/2025 Supply chains are bracing for the impact of US trade tariffs, which could be introduced as early as next week. While on inauguration day, president Trump pushed back on plans to introduce tariffs immediately, yesterday he singled out the EU, which he claimed “is very, very bad to us”. …
Trump Designates Lou Sola as New Federal Maritime Commission Chairman
FILE PHOTO: Container ships and oil tankers wait outside the Port of Long Beach-Port of Los Angeles complex. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson Mike Schuler January 21, 2025 President Donald J. Trump has appointed Commissioner Louis E. “Lou” Sola as the new Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, the independent federal agency responsible for regulating the international ocean…
Trump effectively pulls US out of global corporate tax deal
Updated / Tuesday, 21 Jan 2025 15:51 Former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen agreed to the global corporate tax deal in October 2021 US President Donald Trump has declared that a global corporate minimum tax deal “has no force or effect” in the US, effectively pulling America out of the landmark 2021 arrangement negotiated by…
Panama Canal, Paris Agreement and Gulf of Mexico: the three shipping takeaways from Trump’s first hours back
Sam ChambersJanuary 21, 2025 The White House / Facebook Wresting back control of the Panama Canal, renaming the Gulf of Mexico and exiting from the Paris Agreement were three of the shipping takeaways in the first hours following the inauguration of Donald Trump yesterday as the 47th president of the United States. Trump wasted little…
Cargo sector concern after shock admin change at the TSA
© Danielfela By Alex Lennane 21/01/2025 As the world trawls through the near-100 executive orders announced by new US president Donald Trump, the cargo business, particularly in air, could be first impacted by changes at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Despite serving as TSA administrator during Mr Trump’s first term and due to remain…
DP World warns of global supply chain overhaul as Trump says tariffs coming on 1 February
Published on 21-01-2025 at 15:50 Donald Trump Shutterstock President Trump did not implement any new tariffs on his first day in office, but he made it clear that work is underway that could further disrupt global supply chains. The first tariffs, which President Donald Trump had threatened to impose on imports from Canada and Mexico,…
Trump Vows Panama Canal ‘Takeback’ in Bold Inaugural Threat
FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Morry Gash/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Reuters January 20, 2025 By Matt…
Trump, team and trade
SplashJanuary 20, 2025 Official Twitter account for the Trump campaign on X.com Punit Oza from consultancy Maritime NXT gleans what lies ahead in the Trump 2.0 era. Albert Einstein famously said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”. Donald Trump may not be liked by many around the world…
Shipping readies to navigate new Trump era
Sam ChambersJanuary 20, 2025 White House Archives Today marks the end of the Joe Biden administration in the US, one of the most profitable four-year periods for shipping. With the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the shipping industry has many questions about what the future of global trade holds, some of which…
Trump moves into the Oval Office and supply chains enter unchartered waters
© Tommy Jeffers By Charlotte Goldstone 20/01/2025 Donald Trump has vowed to unleash a raft of decrees from “day one” of his US presidency that will include orders for mass deportations and harsh tariffs – but with no explicit timeline to help supply chain stakeholders prepare. CEO of Vespucci Maritime Lars Jensen said: “A…
Trump speaks on trade and the Panama Canal
Published on 20-01-2025 at 20:09 President Trump during his inauguration as the 47th US President. Screenshot from livestream President Trump says his administration is creating a new “external revenue service” to collect tariffs and is “taking back the Panama Canal.” Donald Trump is now sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of…
Launch of 'complex' Fuel EU regulation proving a challenge for some
© Max421 By Charlotte Goldstone 14/01/2025 Shipping stakeholders were under-prepared for the arrival of Fuel EU – the complexity of relationships between ship owners, managers and charterers posing the biggest challenge – but sustainable practices are gaining momentum. Since 1 January, carriers have had to increase the surcharge on their vessel emissions, from…
China unfairly dominates shipbuilding, US investigation finds, paving way for penalties
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai launched investigation in April at the request of the United Steelworkers and 4 other US unions Reuters Published: 4:15am, 14 Jan 2025Updated: 5:24am, 14 Jan 2025 US President Joe Biden’s administration has concluded that China uses unfair policies and practices to dominate the global maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, three…
'Military asset' listing sees Cosco and CCA barred from Pentagon contracts
By Alexander Whiteman 13/01/2025 Pentagon officials have confirmed to The Loadstar that China Cargo Airlines and Cosco face being blacklisted from US government-related contracts. The threat follows the firms being added to a list of Chinese commercial interests considered “military assets”, as reported by The Loadstar last week. A US defence official told The…
COSCO seeks to defuse Pentagon spat
Sam ChambersJanuary 8, 2025 COSCO, the world’s largest shipping company, has sought to downplay news carried by Splash yesterday that it has been added to a list of companies the US Department of Defense views as having links to the People’s Liberation Army. While being on the Pentagon’s blacklist carries no specific penalties, it discourages…
China Not Aware of Shandong Port Ban on US-Sanctioned Ships
January 8, 2025 © Vladimir / Adobe Stock China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was not aware of Shandong Port Group’s decision to ban U.S.-sanctioned vessels from its network of east coast harbours. The group oversees several major terminals in the province of Shandong, which is the main entry point for Iranian, Russian and…
US lists COSCO, CIMC as Chinese military-linked companies
Published on 08-01-2025 at 03:03 Shutterstock The US Department of Defense has added COSCO Shipping, its subsidiaries, and CIMC to its sanctions list, citing alleged links to the Chinese military. The US Department of Defense has added the Chinese state-owned shipping company COSCO Shipping, along with its subsidiaries COSCO Shipping North America and COSCO Shipping…
Gulf of America? Trump Floats Name Change for Gulf of Mexico
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Mike Schuler January 7, 2025 From “Freedom Gas” to “Gulf of America”: Trump Doubling Down on Energy Nationalism President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” while also…
COSCO targeted by the Pentagon over alleged ties to the People’s Liberation Army
Sam ChambersJanuary 7, 2025 COSCO, the world’s largest shipping company, is among a host of Chinese shipping-related names added to a list of companies the US Department of Defense views as having links to the People’s Liberation Army. While being on the Pentagon’s blacklist carries no specific penalties, it discourages US firms from dealing with…
Trump's tariff pledge prompts Trudeau resignation
By Alexander Whiteman 06/01/2025 After nearly a decade in office, Justin Trudeau today announced his resignation as Canada’s prime minister citing the paralysis the country’s parliament has experienced in recent months, but the decision also follows the fallout of US president-elect Trump’s impeding tariff policy. Just before Christmas, The Loadstar reported the resignation of…
Warning as penalties for non-compliance with US import/export rules increase
By Alexander Whiteman 06/01/2025 The number of penalties for violations of the US Department of Commerce’s import and export rules has spiked over the past six months – and the cost of breaches is set to increase next week. Among fines set to be hiked are those covering import or export of seafood and wildlife…
FuelEU enters into force
News 2 Jan 2025 by Jasmina Ovcina Mandra The FuelEU Maritime regulation, part of the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package, came into force on 1 January 2025. 𝕏 © Shutterstock The European Union’s FuelEU Maritime regulation came into effect on 1 January 2025, introducing mandatory well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity limits for ships over 5,000…