US Customs postpones potential Jones Act changes

In a sharp reversal for US offshore service companies, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) withdrew its proposed changes to Jones Act rules that could have shut the door to foreign-flag operators in the Gulf of Mexico. CBP has decided to withdraw a proposal that would have reinterpreted 30 years...

Containers Choke Karachi Port during Strike by Transporters

The Karachi Port’s terminals are teeming with containers as a goods transporters’ strike has led to non-availability of heavy vehicles to move imports and exports. The port is almost at its full capacity, with import shipments obstructing the movement of export containers. Outbound ships are thus leaving without export loads....

Trump Rules Out Swift Nafta Exit in Favor of Renegotiation

President Donald Trump won’t immediately terminate U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement, the White House said, after he spoke with the leaders of Mexico and Canada about ways to renegotiate the accord. “Both conversations were pleasant and productive. President Trump agreed not to terminate Nafta at this...

China Box Congestion Spreads to Other Ports

Container port congestion in China is spreading up and down the coast, as new liner-alliance schedules, added to poor weather, cause disruption to container shipping operations. As reported yesterday, Shanghai’s Yangshan terminals are experiencing lengthy delays and vessel queues. The most congested facilities at Shanghai are now suffering from berthing...

Severe Congestion at Shanghai Port Continues

The world’s busiest container port, Yangshan in China’s business hub of Shanghai, is battling severe congestion wrought by dense fog, higher-than-usual volumes and the aftermath of a shake-up in shipping alliances, ocean carriers and port officials say. More than 100 container vessels are now waiting outside the port. The fog...

Indian Port Strike Postponed

A planned indefinite major ports strike in India due to start on April 19 was called off to give time for further talks beginning today, according to local reports. Forwarders had expressed concern that the strike would further tighten already-busy air freight market conditions from the Indian subcontinent, with demand...

India’s Dockworkers Planning Nationwide Strike

India’s labour unions, representing dockworkers employed at major ports, have announced an indefinite nationwide industrial action starting on April 19. The ports that are likely to be affected by the strike are Kolkata, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Tuticorin, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Kandla and Marmugao. The...

IMO urges vigilance

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) secretary-general, Kitack Lim, has urged the shipping industry to apply diligently the IMO guidance and best management practices to avert possible piracy attacks, in the wake of the hijack of the Aris 13 off Somalia. “While we have seen a very welcome decline in piracy...

24-Hour Ground Staff Strike to Hit Berlin Airports Today

German trade union Verdi has called for ground staff at Berlin airports Tegel and Schönefeld to strike today. The 24-hour strike, which is scheduled to begin at 4:00 am local time, is expected to have a considerable impact on air traffic to and from Berlin. Airberlin said in a statement...

French, Finnish Strikes Trigger Severe Disruption

A five-day French air traffic control strike triggered more than 830 flight cancellations in its first two days and, separately, Finnair has warned of considerable disruption on March 10. The walkout by French air traffic controllers, which started March 6, will run until March 10. Separately, Finnair warned that a...