Asia Pacific

FEMA awards $2.6M security grant to Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach has been awarded more than $2.6 million by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency to protect critical infrastructure and ensure the safe movement of trade at the nation’s second-busiest seaport.

Long Beach, as the third-largest recipient of funds from the agency’s Port Security Grant Program, plans to strengthen cybersecurity, improve drone detection capabilities and upgrade network infrastructure that supports the efficient flow of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fema-awards-2-6m-security-grant-to-port-of-long-beach

Port of Long Beach hits record container volumes

The Port of Long Beach saw record container volumes in September and in the third quarter amid robust consumer demand and shippers moving goods ahead of a longshore strike at East and Gulf Coast ports.

The Southern California gateway handled 829,499 twenty-foot equivalent units in September, narrowly up by 70 TEUs from the previous record set in September 2023, and the fourth consecutive monthly year-over-year increase.

Imports were up 2% to 416,999 TEUs while exports slipped 12.8% to 88,289...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-of-long-beach-hits-record-container-volumes

Tariffs ‘a tax on consumers,’ says NRF chief

While U.S. ports handle record-setting volume, retailers fear higher tariffs on foreign-made goods proposed by former President Donald Trump could blunt soaring consumer spending.

The Republican presidential nominee has made tariffs a central issue during his campaign, saying he would use them as an economic weapon to protect U.S. industry from lesser-priced goods chiefly made in China.

At the same time, Trump claims that the U.S. would bank billions of dollars in revenue from exporting countries...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tariffs-a-tax-on-consumers-says-nrf-chief

Roaring volume has Port of Los Angeles eyeing $1 trillion in imports

The busiest U.S. ocean container gateway could soon be handling $1 trillion worth of imports in a single quarter amid a roaring economy and resilient consumer spending.

Record volume of 954,706 TEUs in September, up 27% y/y, helped drive all-time high volume of 2,854,904 million TEUs in the third quarter, according to data released today by the Port of Los Angeles.

Imports totaled 497,803 TEUs in September, ahead 26% as shippers got an earlier-than-usual start bringing in end-of-year holiday...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/roaring-volume-has-port-of-los-angeles-eyeing-1-trillion-in-imports

Port of Los Angeles sees busiest month outside pandemic

The Port of Los Angeles handled 960,597 twenty-foot equivalent units in August, a 16% increase over the previous year and the busiest month ever outside the pandemic.

Eight months into 2024, the leading U.S. container gateway is 17% ahead of its 2023 pace, already moving nearly 1 million more containers than a year ago.

“The American consumer continues to spend and that’s helping to power our economy,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a media briefing. “Some of the cargo...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-of-los-angeles-sees-busiest-month-outside-pandemic

Maersk: Q4 container demand to remain strong

The world’s second-largest ocean freight carrier expects global demand for container shipping to remain strong into the fourth quarter on robust imports to North America and Latin America, as well as ongoing strong exports from the Far East. 

Maersk in a quarterly review and outlook on Wednesday projected a more balanced supply and demand across the global shipping market despite disruptions in the Red Sea and from a potential U.S. East Coast port strike.

“There will still be trade-specific and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maersk-q4-container-demand-to-remain-strong

Salvage begins on burning tanker attacked in Red Sea

Salvage of the still-burning crude oil tanker attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea is underway as tug boats began towing operations Saturday.

The Greek-flagged MV Sounion was the target of a series of attacks Aug. 21 by Houthi militia based in Yemen. Armed Houthis filmed themselves boarding the vessel and rigging it with explosives, crippling the ship and spurring fears of an environmental disaster since the cargo of more than 1 million barrels of crude oil had reportedly begun leaking.

The crew...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/salvage-begins-on-burning-tanker-attacked-in-red-sea

Could East Coast port strike spread to West Coast?

Could a work stoppage by East Coast longshoremen spread to West Coast ports?

That’s the nontrivial question facing shipping lines, terminal operators and the country at large as U.S. East and Gulf Coast port employers nervously wait out an Oct. 1 strike deadline set by the International Longshoremen’s Association.

The current six-year ILA master contract covering dockworkers and other port employees from Maine to Houston expires Sept. 30. No contract talks have been scheduled.

The primary issues...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/could-east-coast-port-strike-spread-to-west-coast

What to know about ILA demands in potential port strike

It was 1977 since the last strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents unionized workers at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing 40 ocean carriers and terminal operators, has successfully negotiated 10 straight master contracts without a work stoppage with the ILA.

The current six-year agreement covers approximately 45,000 port workers employed in container and roll-on/roll-off operations at ports from Maine...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ila-port-strike-what-you-need-to-know

Union pact averts India port strike

A strike at India’s ports that further threatened the global supply chain was called off Tuesday after workers agreed to a new five-year contract.

The indefinite walkout by almost 20,000 workers across India’s biggest ports was scheduled for Wednesday.

Unions, which had first demanded a pay raise of around 10.6%, agreed to an increase of 8.5% over five years at negotiations in New Delhi, Reuters reported.

Negotiations had been ongoing since 2021. The previous pact expired in December of that year.

A...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/union-pact-averts-india-port-strike

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