US container ports continued to handle resilient import volumes in June 2026, even as shipping markets faced growing uncertainty from geopolitical tensions, evolving U.S. trade policy and ongoing supply chain disruptions. According to analysis by Descartes, U.S. containerized imports reached 2.40 million TEUs during the month, down just 1.2% from May but still 8.2% higher […]
Container fleet growth in the first half of 2026 was led by CMA CGM, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. After many years, MSC appears to be no longer the fastest growing top-10 carrier. In the first six months of 2026, the title of ‘growth champion’ went to CMA CGM, as the French carrier added 235,500 […]
The India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) could replace around 60% of the container traffic that currently passes through the Strait of Hormuz if expanded into a network of interconnected trade corridors, according to a new report by the Atlantic Council, authored by William F. Wechsler, Ahmed Aboudouh and Jonathan Panikoff. The report argues […]
Container shipping portfolios differ sharply between European and Asian carriers, with Asian lines generally performing better due to stronger Far East export exposure, according to Alphaliner. Alphaliner’s latest quarterly report on operating margins for the big carriers showed that Asian lines are generally doing better than their European counterparts. One of the reasons is that […]
Global container shipping is entering a more volatile phase as shifting trade flows, geopolitical tensions, inventory imbalances and freight rate pressures reshape container markets in the second half of 2026. The Container Trade in 2026 is experiencing a systemic downfall comparing the previous 5 years with a solid growth around 16% particularly in the Asian […]
The global container ship orderbook is nearing 13 Mteu as owners increasingly turn towards smaller and mid-sized tonnage, according to Alphaliner. The global container ship orderbook is nearing the 13 Mteu mark, standing at 12.98 Mteu for 1,592 units. This is equivalent to 38.3% of the cellular fleet currently in service. While jumbo ship deals […]
Transpacific shipping could see a new wave of independent carrier services in the coming months, according to a recent market analysis from Sea-Intelligence. The company examined the relationship between Asia–North America West Coast spot rates and the share of container vessel capacity operated by non-alliance carriers, finding a strong historical connection between higher freight rates […]
Intra-Europe shipping is seeing a sharp rise in the deployment of 8,000+ teu vessels in the Mediterranean, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The number of vessels above 8,000 teu trading in the Mediterranean has nearly doubled in just one year, climbing from nine to sixteen. A jump of 78%, compared to a year ago in […]
North American container traffic weakened in April as several major gateways reported lower inbound volumes compared with a year earlier, although performance varied significantly across the region. On the US West Coast, the Port of Los Angeles remained one of the stronger performers, handling 459,825 inbound loaded TEUs in April, up 4.7% year-on-year. By contrast, […]