Trade heads into a gathering storm
Container trades are undergoing a capacity reshuffle as WTO warns of falling trade volumes in 2025. Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent April 17, 2025 IMAGE: © HHM / MICHAEL LINDNER A World Trade Organization (WTO) report highlights the uncertainty in markets and the gathering economic clouds that threaten to unleash a whirlwind on markets global container…
Global Shippers Await Word on U.S. Plan to Hit China-Built Ships With Port Fees
An OOCL containership at the Port of Long Beach. Photo: Richard H Grant / Shutterstock.com Reuters April 17, 2025 LOS ANGELES, April 17 (Reuters) – The U.S. Trade Representative’s office will announce its plan on Thursday for levying port fees on China-linked ships as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to revive domestic shipbuilding and counter China’s dominance on the…
USTR Targets China’s Maritime Dominance With New Fee Structure and U.S.-Build Incentives
FILE PHOTO: Container ships and oil tankers wait outside the Port of Long Beach-Port of Los Angeles complex. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson Mike Schuler April 17, 2025 Scaled-back from earlier proposals, the final USTR plan softens fee levels and offers exemptions and incentives, aiming to curb Chinese dominance without crippling global trade flows. The U.S. Trade Representative…
Trump administration chases substandard flags in bid to thwart Iran’s shadow fleet
Sam ChambersApril 17, 2025 The latest American sanctions aimed at Iran’s oil industry make specific warnings to shipping about the use of substandard shipping. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) yesterday designated a China-based independent teapot refinery, Shandong Shengxing Chemical, for its role in purchasing more than $1bn worth of…
Trump’s tariffs crash world trade forecasts
Sam ChambersApril 17, 2025 Julian Hoffmann Anton Julian Hoffmann Anton Many of shipping’s go-to bodies for trade forecasts are now slashing economic predictions for the year ahead in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariff war. Creating significant alarm, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned global merchandise trade for 2025 could drop by as much…
California sues Trump over tariffs
Published on 17-04-2025 at 09:09 California Gov. Gavin Newsom Government of California “No state will be impacted more than the state of California by Trump’s tariffs,” Governor Gavin Newsom said, announcing the lawsuit. Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday, April 16, filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging US President…
California Sues Trump Administration to Block Tariffs
Photo courtesy Port of Long Beach Reuters April 16, 2025 By Brendan Pierson and Dietrich Knauth April 16 (Reuters) – California on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking to block U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, accusing him of abusing his powers and inflicting financial harm on the state and nation. Trump imposed 10% tariffs on…
Trump’s China Ship Fees Set to Hit Global Shipping Giants
Shutterstock/Studio concept Bloomberg April 15, 2025 Container ships, the workhorses of global trade transporting almost 90% of the world’s manufactured goods, have become a target in Donald Trump’s conflict with China — and none of the major carriers stand to escape the extra costs. Trump wants to punish operators of Chinese ships in order to…
US Wants Other Nations to Block Potential China Tariff Work-Around
April 15, 2025 © Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock U.S. President Donald Trump administration plans to use ongoing tariff negotiations to pressure U.S. trading partners to limit their dealings with China, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday citing people with knowledge of the conversations. U.S. officials plan to use negotiations with more than 70…
UK nationalises Chinese-owned steel plant
Published on 15-04-2025 at 14:13 High quality coking coal is required to keep steel blast furnaces hot, including those behind the stockpiles at Scunthorpe Image by Katherine Tuck Industrial Photography Britain may have to source raw materials from Japan in order to keep its last steelworks open. That’s the situation after an extraordinary intervention by…
Shipping firms quitting HK to avoid US-China conflict
SHIPPING companies are discreetly moving operations out of Hong Kong and taking vessels off its flag registry to avoid geopolitical risks, Reuters reports. Behind these low-profile moves, six shipping executives say they are concerned that their ships could be commandeered by Chinese authorities or simply hit by US sanctions in a conflict between Beijing and…
US to nations: We won't pay your ship carbon tax
THE Trump administration has rejected a carbon tax on shipping and has vowed “reciprocal measures” to shield US ships such duties according to a letter seen by Politico, of Arlington, Virginia. The UN’s International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Maritime Environmental Protection Conference (MEPC) is taking place in London this week and aims introduce and green tax…
US tariffs bring Port of Shanghai activity to a halt
ACTIVITY at the Port of Shanghai came to a halt on last week after US President Donald Trump’s 125 per cent tariff on Chinese imports took effect, reports Caixin. On April 7 and 8, nearly half the vessels docked at Shanghai’s Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals were bound for the US, and racing against the clock.…
White House Aims To Eliminate NOAA Climate Research In Budget Plan
A “Pineapple Express” weather system, or atmospheric river storm, moves towards the U.S. west coast in a composite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GOES-West weather satellite February 4, 2024. NOAA Reuters April 12, 2025 By Valerie Volcovici April 11 (Reuters) – The administration of President Donald Trump aims to eliminate the…
Trump Plans Order To Enable Critical Metals Stockpiling
A Greenpeace activist holds a banner during a protest near the deep sea mining vessel Hidden Gem, commissioned by Canadian miner The Metals Company, in the Mexican Pacific port of Manzanillo, in Manzanillo, Mexico September 27, 2023. Gustavo Graf/Greenpeace Mexico/Handout via REUTERS Bloomberg April 13, 2025 By Subrat Patnaik Apr 12, 2025 (Bloomberg) –US President Donald…
Five Below Falls As US-China Trade War Spurs Canceled Orders
Maersk’s Triple-E giant container ship Majestic Maersk, one of the world’s largest container ships is seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port, part of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, in Shanghai, China September 24, 2016. Picture taken September 24, 2016. REUTERS/Aly Song TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Bloomberg April 13, 2025 By Reshmi Basu and Carrington…
Not all USTR proposed port fees will be implemented
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) will not impose all the proposed fees on Chinese-built ships calling the country’s ports Senate committee was told. Marcus Hand, Editor April 11, 2025 US Trade Representative Jamieson GreerSCREENSHOT FROM PBS YOUTUBE VIDEO Speaking to a Senate committee meeting on tariffs US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was also asked…
Trump Executive Order Echoes SHIPS Act in Bid to Reclaim Maritime Dominance
FILE PHOTO: The John F. Kennedy CVN 79 under construction at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo by John Whalen/Huntington Ingalls Mike Schuler April 10, 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday aimed at revitalizing the U.S. maritime and shipbuilding industries to counter China’s dominance in the sectors. The executive order aligns…
USTR Considers Adjusting Port Fee Plan for Chinese Ships After Pushback
The CMA CGM Marco Polo, an Explorer class mega sized container ship crosses under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, to enter New York Harbor to discharge at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Photo taken from Brooklyn, New York, U.S., May 20, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Reuters April 10, 2025 LONDON/ATHENS, April 9 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s…
‘Restoring America's maritime dominance' – stop laughing at the back of the class
By Gavin van Marle 10/04/2025 The US government has pushed ahead with plans to revitalise its shipbuilding industry, after President Trump issued an executive order yesterday entitled “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance”. However, the threat of severe fees on Chinese-built ships calling at US ports, by the US Trade Representative under the 301 rule, has yet…
Trump executive order targets Canadian/Mexican Ports
Published on 10-04-2025 at 23:05 Double stacked containers at the Port of Prince Rupert Photo: Port of Prince Rupert The Trump Administration has moved to end the long-standing practice of US shippers avoiding the Harbor Maintenance Tax by shipping goods through a Canadian or Mexican Port. In an Executive Order signed on 9 April President…
Trump suspends global tariffs for 90 days, ramps up pressure on China
Published on 10-04-2025 at 09:27 U.S. President Donald Trump White House The Art of the Deal: In the wake of Trump’s tariff suspension, the only certainty is volatility and uncertainty. After several days of stock market turmoil and a sharp plunge in the Dow Jones due to a wave of sweeping US tariffs on nations…
US targets Chinese STS cranes and “other cargo handling equipment” with fresh tariffs
Published on 10-04-2025 at 10:29 Port Houston gets new STS cranes ahead of tariffs Port Houston Donald Trump’s latest executive order sets the stage for new US tariffs on Chinese-made STS cranes and other port equipment, intensifying the pushback against Beijing’s “growing influence in global maritime trade”. In a move aimed at “restoring maritime dominance”…
Trump, Hegseth Signal Panama Canal Pivot
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, and Commander of the U.S. Southern Command Adm. Alvin Holsey tour the Miraflores locks, in Panama City, Panama April 8, 2025. REUTERS/Aris Martinez Reuters April 9, 2025 By Phil Stewart PANAMA CITY, April 9 (Reuters) – Panama said on Wednesday the United States recognized its…
Trump Signs Executive Order to Revitalize U.S. Shipbuilding Amid China’s Maritime Dominance
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks, as he signs executive orders and proclamations in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Mike Schuler April 9, 2025 President Trump has signed an executive order on Wednesday aimed at revitalizing the domestic shipbuilding industry, including in the both the…
Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Trump’s Executive Order to Restore U.S. Maritime Dominance
Photo courtesy Hanwha Philly Shipyard Mike Schuler April 9, 2025 President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order aimed at revitalizing America’s struggling shipbuilding industry, strengthening its maritime workforce, and expanding the nation’s global shipping presence. The executive order, titled “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” addresses a critical national security concern, with the United States…
US looks set to water down penalties on Chinese tonnage
Sam ChambersApril 9, 2025 Cosco Shipping has had a peek at what charges from the US it faces for links to Chinese tonnage. Appearing in front of a Senate Finance Committee yesterday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said his organisation had taken onboard the huge volume of complaints registered during a public hearing into proposals…
'Chaos after chaos' coming from de minimis changes and more tariffs
© Chormail By Ian Putzger Americas correspondent 09/04/2025 Logistics firms that focus on ecommerce are bracing themselves for a rocky May, when the US fully withdraws de minimis exemption for online purchases from China and Hong Kong. The firms are advising clients to prepare for disruptions and delays – one is predicting “chaos after…
Pentagon’s Hegseth to Visit Panama Canal After Trump Threats
Photo: Panama Canal Authority Reuters April 8, 2025 PANAMA CITY, April 8 (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to get a close-up look at the Panama Canal on Tuesday, as he kicks off a rare visit to a Central American nation still unsettled by President Donald Trump’s threats to take back the canal. Hegseth,…
Panama Alleges Port Concession Violations, Increasing Pressure on CK Hutchison
FILE PHOTO: A ship sails near the Balboa Port after Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd 0001.HK agreed to sell its interests in a key Panama Canal port operator to a BlackRock Inc-backed consortium, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to curb China’s influence in the region, Panama City, Panama, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Enea…
Liners draw up defensive measures in their armoury to fight Trump’s tariff war
Sam ChambersApril 8, 2025 White House Global container growth is set to head into a hard reverse this year on the back of the tariff war initiated by Donald Trump, the American president, which is already seeing noticeable cargo booking cancellations in Asia. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday,…
How Trump’s new economic order risks sinking green shipping
SplashApril 9, 2025 Maersk Matt Kenney, the head of Laureate Communications, warns readers on how Trump’s economic policies could sideswipe the most ambitious maritime transformation in a generation. Let’s begin with a truth so plain it should not require reiteration: President Trump’s tariff agenda is not a tantrum, nor a theatrical act of economic populism.…
Trump tariffs see hundreds of cancelled container bookings a day from Asia
© Marc Bruxelle By Alison Koo 08/04/2025 Donald Trump’s tariff war has seen several Asian exporters cancelling container bookings, as US cargo receivers are now wary of having to pay higher prices for the goods. Taiwanese cardboard manufacturers with factories in Vietnam have reported having to cancel as many as 300 container-loads of goods,…
Australian political leaders unite to reclaim Port of Darwin
Published on 08-04-2025 at 09:03 Military cargo being loaded at Darwin Port. Photo: Darwin Port Operations Australia’s political parties vow to return the Port of Darwin to national ownership ahead of the 2025 federal election due to security concerns. Australia’s major political parties have pledged to return the strategically important Port of Darwin to national…
Container shipping will be hit hardest – Bimco
07.04.2025 Bimco’s chief shipping analyst, Niels Rasmussen, has warned of major consequences following the USA’s announcement of new import tariffs. US import tariffs will rise by nearly 25%, significantly raising costs for businesses and consumers on around 80% of imports. Key US trading partners, including China, South Korea, Japan and the EU, are…
Which sectors are suffering the most from tariffs?
Sam ChambersApril 7, 2025 Gram Car Carriers Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs across all countries came into effect Saturday, with stock markets in Asia taking another battering today. Wednesday will see the much higher so-called reciprocal US tariffs come into effect with listed shipping companies facing up to the realities of an impending global trade war.…
Commodities Collapse: China Tariffs Send Oil, Soybeans and Copper Tumbling
The Sea Port Oil Terminal has a proposed capacity of 2 million barrels per day, Stock Photo: tcly / Shutterstock Reuters April 4, 2025 By Anna Hirtenstein and Karl Plume LONDON/CHICAGO April 4 (Reuters) – Oil prices plunged nearly 8% on Friday to the lowest level since 2021, while copper, soybeans and other commodities also…
Mixed response in US to 'Liberation Day', while China leads wave of retaliation
By Alexander Whiteman 04/04/2025 Some shippers have paused transport into the US amid the chaos thrown up by the new tariff regime, with hopes of a rash of reshoring into the country fast fading. Dubbed “Liberation Day” by Donald Trump, the US announced imposition of sweeping tariffs on almost every country on Wednesday to address…
Dry bulk market braces for impact as China hits back with retaliatory tarrifs
Published on 04-04-2025 at 15:12 Bulker loaded with grain Shutterstock According to BIMCO, the new tariffs are likely to reduce Chinese demand for major US dry bulk exports, particularly affecting the Panamax and Supramax segments. China has announced it will impose a tit-for-tat 34% tariff on all imports from the United States starting 10 April,…
Global Trade Braces for Impact After Trump’s Tariff Bombshell
Cargo containers piled up at a marine terminal at the Port of Los Angeles in March 2022. Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles Reuters April 3, 2025 By David Lawder, David Ljunggren, Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON/OTTAWA, April 3 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports sparked threats of retaliation on Thursday, as companies…
‘Worse Than Covid’: Trump’s Port Fee Plan Could Upend U.S. Shipping Schedules
Statue of Liberty overlooking STS cranes at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Photo: Edgar Feliz/Shutterstock Ira Breskin April 3, 2025 By Ira Breskin STAMFORD, CT — Shipping industry executives are considering options to address Trump administration policy changes, under consideration or enacted, that could significantly disrupt operations, speakers said here this week…
De minimis exemption on shipments from China to the US will end in May
© Lilit Salnazaryan | By Alex Lennane 03/04/2025 Ecommerce companies and airlines will be looking closely at the new de minimis treatment in the US. An executive order signed yesterday eliminated the de minimis exemption for goods coming from China and Hong Kong, starting on 2 May. If goods are sent via the international…
Forwarders stay cool as US 'liberation day' tariffs threaten 'global trade war'
ID 128370001 © Waingro | Dreamstime.com By Alexander Whiteman 03/04/2025 Shippers feel paralysed by the uncertainty thrown up by the sweeping new US tariff regime – but forwarders could win big from the chaos. President Trump announced what has been dubbed “the big one” and “liberation day” last night, imposing a base 10% on all…
Macron calls for ‘suspension’ – CMA CGM's $20bn US investment in doubt
Mr R Saade et Mr Macron meet at CMA CGM’s HQ in September 2021 By Alex Lennane 03/04/2025 CMA CGM’s much-heralded $20bn investment in the US could be in doubt after French president Emmanuel Macron called for a suspension of European investments in the US, following yesterday’s tariff announcement. Speaking to a group French business…
Trump’s “Liberation Day” unleashes global tariff turmoil
Published on 03-04-2025 at 08:59 The White House Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” has set off a global trade upheaval, as sweeping tariffs hit US trading partners across the globe. US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new tariffs, sending shockwaves through global trade and launching what analysts see as an all-out tariff war. The measures,…
Seroka: Ports likely to face another boom-bust cycle from tariffs
Published on 03-04-2025 at 10:07 Port of Los Angeles West Basin Port of Los Angeles Port of Los Angeles CEO Gene Seroka anticipates that, like during the previous Trump administration, the tariffs could trigger a cargo rush followed by a sharp drop in volumes once frontloading subsides. Fearing US tariffs, companies began frontloading inventories into…
Shipping executives ‘stumped by Trump’
Uncertainty was the over-arching theme from speakers at the Capital Link International Shipping Forum in New York this week. Barry Parker, New York Correspondent April 2, 2025 CREDIT: BARRY PARKER Many of the presenters, throughout the day, expressed uncertainty when presented with questions of what might happen with geopolitics – offering different expressions of “stumped…
Trump Drops Tariff Bomb On All U.S. Imports
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order on tariffs, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Mike Schuler April 2, 2025 By Andrea Shalal and David Lawder WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would impose a 10%…
Trump's Tariffs Risk of Shipping Chaos
April 2, 2025 © Kalyakan / Adobe Stock U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout. The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce “reciprocal tariffs” targeting nations that…
Canada pledges funds to diversify trade strategy as US relations sour
Canada US diplomatic crisis and north American division and trade war or national discord and fractures in the Canadian and American relationship as a disconnect between Washington and Ottawa broken jigsaw puzzle pieces. By Alexander Whiteman 02/04/2025 Trump’s trade war has provoked “total hatred” north of the border, with Canada’s PM vowing to support…
Genco CEO Says Trump’s China Ship Fees Will Hammer Farmers, Not China
Employees working at cargo ship Kypros Land which is loading soybeans to China at Tiplam terminal in Santos, Brazil, Merch 13, 2017. Picture taken March 13, 2017. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker Mike Schuler April 1, 2025 By Ilena Peng (Bloomberg) — The largest US-based dry bulk shipper said it is prepared to pass on costs to US exporters…
Looming Trump tariffs will create 'a bureaucratic monster' for Customs
By Charlotte Goldstone 01/04/2025 Tomorrow’s promised US tariffs will create “practical nightmares” and “a bureaucratic monster of new customs procedures”, with some countries directly in the firing line. Yesterday, The United States Trade Representative (USTR) office released the 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers for the US (NTE), alphabetically dissecting the…
ILWU urges USTR to introduce land border fee to counter cargo diversion
Published on 01-04-2025 at 11:00 Port of Los Angeles Shutterstock The ILWU believes a land border fee would prevent China from rerouting US-bound cargo through Canada and Mexico and bypassing US ports. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing 22,000 dock workers on the U.S. West Coast, believes the Office of the United States…
China State Media Blasts CK Hutchison’s Panama Port Deal In Soon-Deleted Post
A ship sails near the Balboa Port in Panama City, Panama, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun Reuters March 29, 2025 By Lewis Jackson and Jenny Su BEIJING, March 29 (Reuters) – Chinese state media attacked Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison’s plan to sell its ports near the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led group in a social media post…
Icebreaker Diplomacy: Finnish President Stubb Makes Surprise Visit To Meet With Trump
An icebreaker built for the Finnish government is seen at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jussi Rosendahl Reuters March 29, 2025 By Andrea Shalal and Anne Kauranen WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, March 29 (Reuters) – Finnish President Alexander Stubb made a surprise trip on Saturday to meet with U.S. President Donald…
De Minimis change 'no bad thing' for logistics operators
© Nunthana Setila By Alexander Whiteman 28/03/2025 Logistics suppliers appear increasingly unfazed by the chaos emanating out of the White House and the looming crackdown in not only the US but Europe on de minimis exemptions. Responding to a question from The Loadstar at an event marking the launch of Maersk’s latest dual-fuel vessel,…
Car-Shipping Companies Plunge After Trump’s Latest Tariffs
The car carrier Tristan of Wallenius Wilhelmsen in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany (Source: Tvabutzku1234 under CC0 1.0 Universal) Bloomberg March 27, 2025 By Alex Longley Mar 27, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Shares of companies that haul cars across oceans plunged after President Trump widened his trade war with tariffs on vehicles not made in the US. Wallenius…
Opposition builds for final hearing on US plan to tax Chinese box ship calls
© Eamesbot By Charlotte Goldstone 26/03/2025 US importers and shippers await the outcome of the final hearing on the new administration’s proposal to tax millions from Chinese-built vessels – but some carriers will be less worried than others. Today marks the second, and last, hearing on the US Trade Representative’s proposed 301 rule: a…
US tariff policy 'unsustainable and only temporary', says Geodis VP
@ CLERGUE Bruno By Stuart Todd 27/03/2025 Logistics services providers (LSPs) are feeling the impact of the downturn in the EU’s automobile sector. Against a backdrop of stagnant economic growth and flagging consumer demand, production fell 6.2% last year , with new vehicle registrations virtually flat (+0.8%), falling into negative territory in the new…
White House confirms automotive tariffs – 'a disaster for the industry'
Photo: © Amaiquez | By Alex Lennane 27/03/2025 Automotive logistics could be hard hit – with some modal shift to cut costs – now the US has confirmed ‘heavy-handed’ 25% tariffs on imported vehicles. To be introduced on 2 April, such a tariff would have impacted eight million vehicles last year, and increased their…
US auto tariffs signal old relationship between US and Canada “is over”
Published on 27-03-2025 at 20:52 GM’s Oshawa plant in Ontario. GM Following President Trump’s announcement of a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and some vehicle components Canada’s new Prime Minister has concluded that its 150-year-old relationship with the US “is over”. On March 26 President Trump signed a proclamation invoking Section 232 of the Trade…
Chinese ship charges receive cool reception at USTR
China pitched as biggest threat to US shipbuilding while Japan and South Korea were identified as a potential source of expertise to revitalise US shipbuilding. Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent March 26, 2025 IMAGE: PORT OF LA Initial hearings at the office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) investigating the shipping market manipulation by China have…
Opposition builds for final hearing on US plan to tax Chinese box ship calls
© Eamesbot By Charlotte Goldstone 26/03/2025 US importers and shippers await the outcome of the final hearing on the new administration’s proposal to tax millions from Chinese-built vessels – but some carriers will be less worried than others. Today marks the second, and last, hearing on the US Trade Representative’s proposed 301 rule: a…
Geopolitical tensions reshaping global trade warns Singapore Senior Minister
Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted an acceleration of structural shifts between major powers which the maritime sector needs to prepare for. Marcus Hand, Editor March 24, 2025 Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong giving the Singapore Maritime LectureCREDIT: MARCUS HAND Giving the annual Singapore Maritime Lecture at the start of Singapore Maritime Week Senior…
Trump Port Levies On Chinese Ships Could Mean Billion-Dollar ‘Trade Apocalypse’ Industry Executives Say
FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship full of containers is seen at the port of Oakland as trade tensions escalate over U.S. tariffs, in Oakland, California, U.S., February 3, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Malte Humpert March 24, 2025 The U.S. Trade Representative is gearing up for hearings this week on the proposed port fees targeting Chinese…
AgTC President: USTR’s fees on Chinese ships will decimate agriculture exports
Published on 24-03-2025 at 16:03 Bulker loaded with grain Shutterstock AGTC strongly opposes USTR’s proposal, arguing it threatens US agriculture and rural communities by making it more difficult to compete in global markets. The US Trade Representative’s (USTR) proposed fees on Chinese-built ships calling at US ports have drawn a wave of opposition from the…
Trump Tariffs Prompt Yachtmaker To Eschew Profit Forecast
File Photo: Ventura/Shutterstock Bloomberg March 22, 2025 By Francois de Beaupuy Mar 20, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Beneteau SA, a French maker of sailing yachts and powerboats that generates about 20% of its sales in the US, isn’t providing an annual profit forecast because of uncertainty over Trump administration trade policies. It opted not to give earnings guidance…
US Trade Chief To Speak With Chinese Counterpart As Tariff Rift Widens
A cargo ship full of shipping containers is seen at the port of Oakland as trade tensions escalate over U.S. tariffs, in Oakland, California, U.S., February 3, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Reuters March 22, 2025 By Trevor Hunnicutt, Jarrett Renshaw and David Lawder WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s top trade chief, Jamieson Greer, plans…
Majority of Americans Support Domestic Shipbuilding as National Security Priority, New Poll Reveals
Photo: Hanwha Philly Shipyard Mike Schuler March 21, 2025 A new poll released today reveals overwhelming support among Americans for strengthening domestic shipbuilding capabilities, with 72% agreeing that the United States must reduce dependence on foreign ship manufacturers. The survey, conducted by Morning Consult for the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), comes as U.S. shipbuilding…
$3.5m: How much this COSCO ship might be charged when calling at a US port
Sam ChambersMarch 21, 2025 Port of Oakland Public comments continue to fly into the US Trade Representative (USTR) ahead of Monday’s hearing into controversial plans to tax Chinese-built tonnage calling at US ports. In the more than 150 submissions sent in, a considerable number have hit out at the unfair, blanket nature of the penalties…
Trump prioritising shipping more than any past US President says FMC chair
Federal Maritime Commission chair Louis Sola urges port authority executives to make their views known on Capitol Hill. Barry Parker, New York Correspondent March 20, 2025 Louis Sola chair of the FMCCREDIT: FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION “We’ve never had a President prioritise shipping as much as this one has, in the past fifty-seven days,” states Louis…
US port call fees would force ACL to exit transatlantic trade, says CEO
ID 158054895 © Mikesimon25 | Dreamstime.com By Gavin van Marle 20/03/2025 Niche transatlantic carrier Atlantic Container Line (ACL) has warned it would have to exit the trade if the US Trade Representative (USTR) enforces its proposed 301 rule on Chinese-built ships. The company, owned by Italy’s Grimaldi Group but has its operational HQ in…
European Shipping Commands 35% of Global Fleet, Critical for EU Security and Trade
Photo: Sven Brandenburg/Shutterstock Mike Schuler March 19, 2025 European shipping has emerged as a crucial geopolitical asset for the European Union, controlling 35% of the world’s fleet despite the EU representing only 15% of global GDP, according to new studies released ahead of the European Shipping Summit. The comprehensive market analysis, conducted by Deloitte and…
$100m per VLCC port call: American targeting of Chinese tonnage risks backfiring
Sam ChambersMarch 19, 2025 Crowley The Monday deadline is fast approaching for public comments on the US Trade Representative’s investigation into China’s dominance in shipbuilding after which president Donald Trump will make a ruling. Submissions to the Washington body have been numerous, some full of praise, and plenty of others warning of the potential costly…
FMC empowered to investigate international 'shipping chokepoints'
ID 153673598 © Yolfran | Dreamstime.com By Alexander Whiteman 19/03/2025 Donald Trump appears to have ‘weaponised’ the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) as part of US efforts to revitalise its shipping sector. On Monday it was announced that the FMC would investigate seven “chokepoints” in liner shipping: the Northern Sea Passage; English Channel; Malacca Strait;…
BIMCO sounds alarm on impact of USTR’s proposed fees on Chinese ships
Published on 18-03-2025 at 10:07 China Shipping container ship in Oakland Shutterstock BIMCO warned that the proposed actions would significantly raise transport costs for US imports and exports, while the impact on Chinese dominance remains uncertain. BIMCO, the Baltic and International Maritime Council, has sent a letter to the US Trade Representative (USTR) highlighting that…
Can these two men find some middle ground to keep world trade moving?
SplashMarch 17, 2025 The White House We have a new magazine launching today, designed to give the shipping industry an idea of how the markets might play out in the coming months. Today’s opening instalment looks at the trajectories of the world’s two largest economies. Economists have been left flabbergasted by the opening months of…
US could bar ships from countries seen to be creating maritime chokepoints
Sam ChambersMarch 14, 2025 In the latest maritime bombshell coming out of Washington DC, the Federal Maritime Commission, the country’s shipping regulator, has warned it might bar entry to ships from countries found to be causing choke points at key locations around the world. The FMC yesterday opened an investigation into transit constraints at international…
Confusion over infrastructure projects as US pauses green agenda
© Photovs By Ian Putzger Americas correspondent 14/03/2025 Washington’s ‘back and forth’ tariff moves have created confusion among targeted countries as much as within US business circles. And on another front, the administration’s stance on infrastructure investment is raising questions for the project logistics sector. The shift in priorities that came with the change…
Canada Strikes Back in Trade War With Tariffs on US Steel, Aluminum
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump holds an executive order about tariffs increase, flanked by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/File Photo Bloomberg March 12, 2025 By Brian Platt, Josh Wingrove and Mathieu Dion (Bloomberg) — Canada announced new 25% tariffs…
US automakers fear 'double-whammy' cost hikes with latest tariffs
By Alexander Whiteman 12/03/2025 US automakers are facing a massive hike in car production costs with the imposition of 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminium. The levies came into effect this morning, with President Trump having rowed back after threatening to hit Canada with 50% tariffs, although he maintained his recommendation that…
EU hits back at US steel and aluminium tariffs
Published on 12-03-2025 at 14:11 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Shutterstock The EU is retaliating against new US steel and aluminium tariffs with countermeasures on US$28 billion of American imports, as Trump’s trade policies backfire and Wall Street tumbles. The European Commission has announced countermeasures against US imports worth US$28 billion in response…
White House can't see that trade war will hit US agriculture hardest
© Aoutphoto By Charlotte Goldstone 11/03/2025 Chinese retaliation to US tariffs will hit the “low-margin” agricultural sector the hardest, and White House officials haven’t grasped the full impact, say experts. Peter Friedmann, executive director at the Agriculture Transport Coalition, told operator Port of Long Beach’s Port Update he was “very concerned” for US agriculture…
Worries grow for US agricultural exporters amid new tarrifs
Published on 10-03-2025 at 07:06 Grain loading, Tacoma Washington Shutterstock China seems to have learned from past tariff battles, which doesn’t appear to be the case with the US. Will the US agricultural sector bear the brunt again? As tensions rise between the US and China over trade policies, American agricultural exporters find themselves grappling…
Shipping industry in crisis mode with tariff 'earthquake'
GLOBAL shipping executives meeting last week in Long Beach, California, found themselves in crisis mode instead of discussing market trends and supply chain challenges. On March 4, President Donald Trump upended decades of mostly free trade with the two biggest US trading partners, slapping 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada. The…
Analysts warn of more US pressure on Chinese investment after port sale
A HONG Kong company’s decision to sell its global port stakes highlights the dilemma countries and firms will face in pursuit of Chinese and US investment, according to analysts. They added that as the United States under President Donald Trump sought to exclude China from agreements around the world, Beijing’s global ambitions, particularly its Belt…
USTR China built ship fee would almost certainly face legal challenges
Shipping is in focus in the US with both the SHIPS for America Act and controversial USTR proposals seeking to reinvigorate the domestic maritime sector. Barry Parker, New York Correspondent March 10, 2025 CREDIT: PIXABAY “This is the largest piece of maritime legislation since the Great Depression,” were the words of Keith Letourneau, Houston based…
US shipping businesses bankruptcy warning over China built vessel fees
Smaller to mid-sized ship operators and ports could be put out of business by proposed port charges on China-built vessels by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Barry Parker, New York Correspondent March 10, 2025 Chinese vessel Qian Kun part of the fleet operated by Chipolbrok in the USCREDIT: BARRY PARKER The recommendations of the…
Mariner Crisis Goes Unsolved In New Tump Executive Order
US Mercant John Konrad March 9, 2025 by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) This week President Trump signed a huge deal with French shipping giant CMA to build approximately 20 new U.S.-flagged ships and announced at the State of the Union address that the White House will soon open a new shipbuilding office. The CMA deal…
Trump’s Shipbuilding Plan Could Upend Ocean Cargo Industry, Companies Warn
A cargo ship full of shipping containers is seen at the port of Oakland, as trade tensions escalate over U.S. tariffs, in Oakland, California, U.S., March 6, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Reuters March 8, 2025 By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES, March 7 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s plan to revitalize the U.S. shipping industry could heap massive costs…
Panama Maritime Authority to Review CK Hutchison-BlackRock Port Deal
Marshall Is. CL YINGDU oil/chemical tanker transits through the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal, on the outskirts of Panama City, Panama December 18, 2023. REUTERS/Roberto Cisneros Reuters March 7, 2025 By Elida Moreno and Marianna Parraga PANAMA CITY, March 7 (Reuters) – The Panama Maritime Authority, which oversees shipping and port infrastructure in the…
Shipping Firms Pull Back from Hong Kong to Skirt US-China Risks
Port Of Hong Kong Stock Photo: leungchopan / Shutterstock.com Reuters March 6, 2025 HONG KONG/LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) – Some shipping companies are discreetly moving operations out of Hong Kong and taking vessels off its flag registry. Others are making contingency plans to do so. Behind these low-profile moves, six shipping executives said, lie concerns that their ships could be commandeered…
House Committee Leaders Slam EU’s TikTok Campaign to Undermine Jones Act
Crowley’s Jones Act ConRo, El Coquí, arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the first time on July 30, 2018. Photo: Crowley Maritime Corp Mike Schuler March 6, 2025 Bipartisan leaders of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have confronted the European Union over its attempts to influence U.S. maritime policy through social media…
Trump offers carmakers one-month exemption from tariffs
By Alexander Whiteman 06/03/2025 President Trump has offered a reprieve to North American automakers after imposing what have been called “punishing” 25% tariffs on goods coming from US neighbours Canada and Mexico. The 25% penalty came into effect on Tuesday, sending stock markets into a spiral, more than wiping out gains that followed Mr Trump’s…
US businesses 'highly concerned' over hit from tariff retaliation
AI-generated © genpick | By Alex Lennane 05/03/2025 The US looks set reduce the tariffs imposed yesterday on Mexico and Canada – but tariffs are likely to remain rather than be suspended, according to US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. In yet more trade whiplash for shippers, he said the US administration would “probably” say…
WSC pushes for US to reconsider USTR’s ‘damaging proposal’ on Chinese ships
Published on 05-03-2025 at 22:31 Container ships berthed at the Port of Oakland, California Shutterstock Even Matson, the all-American shipping line, could be impacted by the USTR’s proposal, as it operates several Chinese-built vessels within its fleet. American shipping company Matson, Inc., a key player in Jones Act trades, could be caught in the crossfire…
More tariff confusion; Trump announces shipbuilding office and steps towards “reclaiming” the Panama Canal
Published on 05-03-2025 at 04:43 President Trump speaks to the joint session of Congress. Screenshot from Whitehouse broadcast Just as Canada starts to roll out retaliatory tariffs the Commerce Secretary hints that a deal with Canada and Mexico could be announced. As US tariffs of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10%…
Trump Orders New White House Shipbuilding Office Amid Rising China Maritime Dominance
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) applaud as U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Pool via REUTERS Mike Schuler March 4, 2025 President Donald Trump announced the creation of a new White…
Canada and Mexico eye retaliation as 25% tariffs come in
By Alexander Whiteman 04/03/2025 US tariffs of 25% are set to hit Canada and Mexico today, while those on Chinese goods have doubled, to 20%. Despite some hope there would be a last-minute reprieve, Donald Trump said yesterday there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to avoid tariffs. “They’re all set. They…
US Chinese ship penalties will hit transatlantic trade hardest – Soren Toft
Soren Toft. Photo: caughtinthemoment.com By Gavin van Marle in Long Beach 04/03/2025 The transatlantic container trade could be the most severely impacted if the US goes ahead with the proposed imposition of US fees on Chinese-built ships, MSC CEO Soren Toft said this week. Speaking at the S&P Global TPM conference in Long Beach, Mr…
Trump’s tariffs spark retaliation from China and Canada
Published on 04-03-2025 at 11:42 US President Donald Trump Shutterstock Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China take effect, escalating tensions with key US trade partners, who swiftly retaliated with their own tariffs. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs took effect on Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in global trade tensions. The Trump Administration implemented a…
More tariff confusion; Trump announces shipbuilding office and steps towards “reclaiming” the Panama Canal
Published on 05-03-2025 at 04:43 President Trump speaks to the joint session of Congress. Screenshot from Whitehouse broadcast Just as Canada starts to roll out retaliatory tariffs the Commerce Secretary hints that a deal with Canada and Mexico could be announced. As US tariffs of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10%…
US Port Fees on China Vessels Would Affect All Shipping Firms, CMA CGM Says
CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin at the port of Long Beach for its inauguration in February 2016. Photo credit: Port of Long Beach Reuters February 28, 2025 PARIS, Feb 28 (Reuters) – U.S. proposals to hit Chinese vessels with high port fees would have a major impact on all firms in a container shipping industry in which most vessels are…
U-turn on Canada/Mexico tariff delay – 'drugs still pouring in', says Trump
© Skypixel By Charlotte Goldstone 28/02/2025 US president Donald Trump has continued his tariff onslaught, and shippers have been warned that sourcing alternatives “do not necessarily exist”. On 4 February, President Trump promised 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, which, he explained, was to curb illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. After…
What will be the cost of US fees on Chinese ships?
Published on 28-02-2025 at 11:00 Cosco Shipping Line container ship in Port of Los Angeles, California/US Shutterstock According to Drewry, more than 80% of container ships calling at US ports would be hit by US tariff fees as they are envisaged. The shipping industry, particularly container shipping, has been left stunned by recent announcements from…
European shipowners, ports welcome Clean Industrial Deal
Published on 27-02-2025 at 08:39 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Shutterstock European port and shipowner associations voice support for the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal. The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) have strongly welcomed the Clean Industrial Deal unveiled by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on…
US shippers eye Chinese-built vessel charges with concern
Fears of inflation due to the proposed charges on Chinese owned and built vessels have been voiced by US shippers who believe that these charges will ultimately either be borne by American importers or passed on to consumers Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent February 26, 2025 CREDIT: OOCL Global Shippers Council (GSF) director James Hookham said…
Amid 'a war economy', EU drops key supply chain pledges from green deal
By Charlie Bartlett technology editor 26/02/2025 The EU has dropped targets from its Clean Industrial Deal (CID), including the pledge of a 90% reduction in emissions versus 1990 levels. Unveiled today, the amended CID strategy is designed to push for development of domestic European supply chains for renewable energy, and reduce reliance on foreign…
World’s Largest Ocean Carriers Face Costly U.S. Port Fees Under Proposed Rules
MSC Tessa, one of the world’s largest containerships, under construction at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai, China. Photo courtesy CSSC Mike Schuler February 25, 2025 The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed sweeping new restrictions targeting Chinese-built ships and operators, including substantial port fees that could reshape global shipping economics. The action, stemming from a Section…
Taiwan and South Korea lines don't fear US levy on Chinese ships
Photo: VesselFinder By Alison Koo 25/02/2025 Taiwanese and South Korean liner operators are likely to be those least impacted by the US Trade Representative Office’s proposed levies on operators of Chinese-built ships, according to Linerlytica’s report this week. The levies could see operators of ships built in China hit by fees of up to…
Mandatory reporting for emergency entry of foreign vessels into China
STARTING March 1, 2025, the China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) will require foreign-flagged vessels to report their intent to enter Chinese internal waters due to emergencies such as illness, mechanical failure, distress, and adverse weather. Vessels can report via marine radiotelephony, DSC on VHF, MF, and HF, marine satellite telephone, wired telephone, fax, the national…
Who Really Controls the Panama Canal? The Truth Behind Trump’s Claims
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 Mike Schuler February 24, 2025 With President Trump back in office, political rhetoric around expanding U.S. influence and securing key geopolitical assets has intensified. Recent claims about Chinese control of the…
Trump Administration Proposes Massive Port Fees on Chinese-Built Vessels
An OOCL containership at the Port of Long Beach. Photo: Richard H Grant / Shutterstock.com Mike Schuler February 24, 2025 The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced sweeping new measures targeting China’s growing dominance in global maritime sectors, including potential fees of up to $1.5 million per port call for Chinese-built…
UK-EU trade 'reset' could be on the cards if France uses its 'clout'
© Craig McKay Dreamstime.com By Alexander Whiteman 24/02/2025 A bilateral agreement between the UK and France could offer Britain its best opportunity for streamlining trade with the EU, with officials from bloc countries and Whitehall set to meet for what are being billed as “reset” talks in May. Paul Lavery, global CEO of logistics…
US moves to impose fees on Chinese ships
Published on 24-02-2025 at 08:17 Cosco container ship in Oakland, California Shutterstock The US proposes significant fees on Chinese ship operators and vessels constructed in Chinese shipyards, a decision likely to burden non-Chinese carriers with increased costs. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced a proposed set of Section 301 actions…
US Commerce Secretary’s Comments Give Cruise Operators Case Of Deja Vu
Bloomberg February 22, 2025 By Redd Brown Feb 21, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Cruise operators may yet avoid paying more US corporate taxes despite threats from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to close favorable loopholes. Lutnick’s comments on Fox News Wednesday that that US-based cruise companies should be paying taxes even on ships registered abroad sent shares lower,…
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…