Market Intelligence

Air China, one of the largest airlines in China, is set to expand its operations to Sri Lanka with the introduction of daily flights starting in October 2024. This announcement was shared by former To...

Carriers are ramping up preparations for an increasingly likely strike at U.S. ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. With no significant progress in negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s...

Hapag-Lloyd AG has implemented a Work Disruption Surcharge (WDS) of USD 1,000 per TEU in response to potential strike risks on the U.S. East Coast. Effective from October 18, 2024, this surcharge will...

Donald Trump's plan to increase tariffs on imports if re-elected in November could drive up cargo rates and fuel inflation, much like during his 2017-2021 presidency, according to shipping and retail...

Disruptions in global supply chains caused by the Red Sea diversions are easing as supply and demand balance out, and the initial congestion from service bunching has significantly reduced, according...

CMA CGM has announced a revision to its Overweight Surcharge (OWS) for shipments from Asia to North Europe. Effective from 15 September 2024 and applicable until further notice, the surcharge will...

On 16 September, the 1,730 TEU MSC Riona, a feeder vessel, was involved in an accident at Yantian Port, southern China, where a portion of a ship-to-shore crane collapsed onto the ship. Local repor...

PSA Mumbai has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 200,000 TEUs in throughput for the first time in August, marking a record for any terminal within the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNP...

CMA CGM has notified its customers of forthcoming adjustments to local port charges at various ports along the US East Coast and Gulf. These revised charges will come into effect on 11 October 2024 an...

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a set of import duty changes this week, aimed at benefiting various sectors from manufacturing to trade. The new measures will revise customs duties for a wide ra...

With the acquisition of DB Schenker, DSV has emerged as the new dominant force in air freight forwarding, overtaking industry titans such as Kuehne+Nagel and DHL Global Forwarding. This landmark deal...

Danish logistics giant DSV has reportedly secured the acquisition of Schenker, the rail logistics division of Germany’s state-owned Deutsche Bahn, in a deal valued at approximately €14 billion ($15.43...

Starting next February, THE Alliance will be rebranded as the Premier Alliance, with Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM, and Yang Ming Marine Transportation continuing their partnership. The world's lar...

Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM, and Yang Ming Marine Transportation are excited to announce the continuation of their close collaboration under the newly named Premier Alliance. This strategic partn...

⚠️ Container Market Braces for Potential ILA Strike on US East Coast ⚠️ As the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) considers a strike, the container shipping market along the US East Coa...

Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port, which experienced robust transhipment growth earlier this year due to vessel diversions from the Red Sea, is now witnessing a slowdown. After significant gains, transhipment...

The global shipping industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the realignment of major alliances in 2024 and 2025. The Premier Alliance, comprising HMM, ONE, and Yang Ming, will launch...

Air China has announced it will begin daily flights to Colombo starting October 27, 2024, through March 29, 2025, to meet the heightened travel demand during the winter season. This new daily serv...

Rising charter costs have prompted HMM to follow in the footsteps of major ocean carriers MSC and CMA CGM by acquiring older secondhand feeder ships. HMM is reportedly negotiating the purchase of t...

SriLankan Airlines and flydubai have announced a new interline agreement, effective September 9, 2024, that will enhance travel options between Sri Lanka, the UAE, and beyond. This agreement will a...

The world's largest container shipping company, MSC, has unveiled its new independent service network for East/West trades, set to launch in February 2025, coinciding with the end of its 2M alliance w...

As the dust settles from the recent major liner announcements in anticipation of February's alliance reshuffles, analysts are pointing out that freight buyers stand to benefit significantly. Starti...

Get ready for a major transformation in the global container shipping industry in 2025! 🚢 With alliances shifting and new partnerships forming, the market power and trade routes are set to be resh...

Summary: • Vietnam's death toll rises to 49 due to Typhoon Yagi, with 22 still missing. • Infrastructure damage includes a collapsed bridge, with continued risks of floods and landslides. • Facto...

Summary: • Factories face pressure following protest-related shutdowns. • Floods disrupt cotton supply chains through Chittagong port. • Cotton imports may shift to India, Pakistan, and Vietnam....

Many garment workers in Bangladesh continue to earn wages far below the national minimum. The country is a vital hub for global fast fashion, supplying retailers like H&M, Gap, and Zara. Over the past...

Maersk's new Fossil Fuel Fee (FFF), introduced in 2024, has replaced the Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) and Low-Sulphur Surcharge (LSS), leading to increased costs for shippers and benefiting the carr...

Maersk has announced the appointment of Christopher Cook as Managing Director for India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, effective October 1st. This move is part of A.P. Moller - Maersk's strategy to reshu...

The Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) has announced the arrival of the 24,000 TEU container vessel, Ever Arm, at the Colombo East Container Terminal (CECT) on September 5th 2024. Flagged in Taiwan, t...

Maersk has announced several blank sailings in advance of the Golden Week National holiday in China. The Danish carrier stated that this adjustment is intended to align its network with anticipated re...

French ocean carrier CMA CGM has announced the introduction of a peak season surcharge (PSS) for shipments from East Africa, South Africa, and the Indian Ocean to Europe. Starting from September 15...

Air China has announced the launch of daily flights to Colombo, beginning October 27th, 2024, and running until March 29th, 2025, to accommodate the rising demand for air travel during the winter seas...

Hong Kong’s flagship airline, Cathay Pacific, has canceled dozens of flights after a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich was forced to turn back due to an “engine component failure.” Following this inc...

The container ship MSC Antonia lost 46 containers overboard due to severe weather off the coast of Port St. Johns in the Eastern Cape. The vessel, flying the Liberian flag, was en route from Colombo,...

With container volumes between the Far East and the Middle East experiencing robust double-digit growth annually, several shipping lines are expanding their services along this route. Starting 8 No...

French shipping giant CMA CGM has announced the introduction of new peak season surcharges globally, set to be implemented in the coming weeks. Firstly, a peak season surcharge (PSS) of US$250 per...

The prolonged lead times for new ship orders are forcing container carriers to place orders now to stay competitive, according to a senior industry executive. This urgency is driven by the limited yar...

In 2024, Sri Lanka's Port of Colombo has demonstrated significant growth in container handling, underscoring a marked improvement in its operational efficiency. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)...

According to Container News, container freight rates from India generally moderated in August, except for routes to Europe. On the westbound India-Europe route, average spot rates increased, with r...

Sea-Intelligence has published issue 156 of the Global Liner Performance (GLP) report, featuring schedule reliability data through July 2024. The report, which is comprehensive in scope, analyzes sche...

Air cargo demand continued its strong upward trajectory in July, with the latest IATA data revealing a 13.6% year-on-year surge, driven by ongoing disruptions in ocean freight and the booming e-commer...

Plans are underway to transform Trincomalee into an industrial port, while the Kankesanthurai (KKS) port is set to be developed in collaboration with India. To guide these developments, a comprehensiv...

A&A’s Top 25 Global Freight Forwarders List Ranked by 2023 Gross Logistics Revenue/Turnover and Freight Forwarding Volumes Figures represent company-reported data or Armstrong & Associates, Inc. e...

The Hambantota International Port (HIP) has witnessed a remarkable surge in volumes, with a 40% growth recorded so far in 2024. According to the port’s Commercial and Marketing division, this growth i...

Shippers are being advised to secure cargo space and develop contingency plans due to expected capacity shortages in the air cargo market from key Asian regions during the peak season, according to in...

Drewry forecasts that 2024 will likely be the second-highest year on record for dry freight container production, as manufacturers are reporting fully booked order schedules. Ocean carriers and con...

Freight forwarders and shippers are increasingly advocating for extended air cargo contracts to shield themselves from potential rate hikes driven by supply chain disruptions. According to a mid-ye...

In 2019, Dr. Harsha de Silva embarked on an ambitious project to revolutionize Sri Lanka's agricultural sector: Prabashwara, the country's first humidity and temperature-controlled warehouse. Designed...

DSV - Global Transport and Logistics has reportedly made a bid of approximately €14 billion for DB Schenker, according to Bloomberg, which cites anonymous sources. CVC Capital Partners, another major...

Air Ceilao, Sri Lanka's latest airline, is poised to make its mark on the aviation industry with a mission to redefine air travel. Initially targeting key destinations across the Middle East and Asia-...

Sri Lanka is set to host the inaugural YoungShip Global Leadership Summit (YGLS) from November 16 to 19, with events taking place in Colombo and Galle. The summit aims to foster the next generation of...

Adverse weather conditions have resulted in the loss of 99 containers from yet another large CMA CGM vessel off the coast of South Africa, as confirmed by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in the transportation industry, including workforce shortages, escalating fuel and equipment costs, and supply cha...

In response to a significant exodus of air traffic controllers following the country's recent currency crisis, Sri Lanka has implemented salary increases and initiated new hiring efforts to stabilize...

Introduction: Balancing short-term cost reduction with long-term business value is a constant challenge in supply chain management. The complexity increases with factors like supplier substitution, o...

The 4th Annual National Logistics Day is here, continuing the tradition since the Ministry of Transport designated August 16 as National Logistics Day in 2021. This day was established to highlight th...

The Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference rotates among the maritime nations of South Asia, focusing on uniting the shipping, ports, and logistics sectors to discuss regional advance...

A fire broke out this morning on a Singaporean vessel anchored at Colombo Port. Keith D. Bernard, Chairman of the Ports Authority, stated that prompt measures were taken to extinguish the blaze....

Colombo Port, the major transshipment hub in the Southeast Asian region, has emerged as the world's fastest-growing port, with a growth rate of 23.6% in the first quarter of 2024, according to Alphali...

IndiGo, an Indian airline, will launch non-stop daily flights between Chennai in southern India and Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka starting September 1. Reservations for these flights began on Thursd...

In a momentous event that promises to redefine the logistics landscape in Sri Lanka, the groundbreaking new platform SCLOE was officially launched on 23rd July 2024. This innovative project, nearly a...

How to Register as an Importer or Exporter To launch your import or export business, you must first register with Sri Lanka Customs by following these steps: Step 1: Obtain the Application Begi...