Carriers feeling cheery about on-time holiday deliveries
November 21, 2022 GMTThe nation’s major shipping companies are in the best shape to get holiday shoppers’ packages delivered on time since the start of the pandemic, suggesting a return to normalcy.
Germany blocks Chinese-owned firm’s chip factory deal
November 9, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — The German government on Wednesday blocked the sale of a chip factory to a Swedish subsidiary of a Chinese company, a decision that comes as Berlin grapples with its future approach to Beijing.
Germany may block sale of chip factory to Chinese-owned firm
November 8, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — The German government may decide this week to block the sale of a chip factory to a Swedish subsidiary of a Chinese company, following a recent compromise over a Chinese shipping firm's investment in a German container terminal.
Germany’s Scholz makes difficult visit to assertive China
November 3, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz is making his first visit to China as German leader this week, a diplomatically delicate trip while Germany and the European Union work on their strategy toward an increasingly assertive and authoritarian Beijing.
Maersk 3Q profit surges but shipper warns of ‘dark clouds’
November 2, 2022 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The world’s biggest container shipping company Maersk on Wednesday reported substantially improved third-quarter profit and sales on the back of higher ocean freight rates and acquisitions but warned that there were “dark clouds on the horizon” in the business.
Germany finds compromise over Chinese Hamburg terminal deal
October 26, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Germany's government agreed on a compromise Wednesday that will allow a Chinese shipping group to take a reduced stake in the operator of a container terminal at the Hamburg port following concerns the deal might pose a national security risk.
Allies blast Scholz over Chinese investment in German port
October 20, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Lawmakers from two of Germany’s governing parties on Thursday slammed plans for Chinese shipping group COSCO to take a major stake in the operator of the country’s biggest container terminal, warning that they pose a national security risk.
Walmart deal with Paramount gives members streaming perks
August 15, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Walmart Inc. said Monday it has signed a deal with Paramount Global to offer the entertainment company's streaming service as a perk to subscribers of the discounter's shipping subscription service.
7 accused in $1.2M extortion scheme at Puerto Rico docks
August 15, 2022 GMTSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Federal authorities on Monday arrested seven people including a union leader and various dock workers accused in a $1.2 million extortion scheme that targeted shipping companies.
Some ships push back at rules requiring slowdown for whales
August 13, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal regulators who want to enforce new vessel speed rules to help protect rare whales can expect some pushback from ship operators.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the new proposed rules, which are designed to protect the last remaining North Atlantic right whales, last month.
Shippers prepare for worst as Rhine levels near critical low
August 13, 2022 GMTShipping companies prepared to halt the transport of goods on the Rhine as water levels in Germany's biggest river neared a critically low point Saturday.
Ships must slow down more often to save whales, feds say
July 29, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Vessels off the East Coast must slow down more often to help save a vanishing species of whale from extinction, the federal government said Friday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made the announcement via new proposed rules designed to prevent ships colliding with North Atlantic right whales.
Ukraine’s grain is ready to go. But ships aren’t. Why? Risk
July 27, 2022 GMTShipping companies are not rushing to export millions of tons of grain trapped in Ukraine, despite a breakthrough deal to provide safe corridors through the Black Sea.
Trucker protest shuts down operations at California port
July 21, 2022 GMTOAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Truckers protesting a state labor law have effectively shut down cargo operations at the Port of Oakland, it was announced Wednesday.
“The shutdown will further exacerbate the congestion of containers" and port officials are urging operations at shipping terminals to resume, a port statement said.
Arson damages Athens building housing Greek media outlets
July 13, 2022 GMTATHENS, Greece (AP) — An arson attack on a suburban Athens building that houses the offices of a Greek radio station and newspaper caused significant damage early Wednesday and drew condemnation from political leaders in Greece and elsewhere in the European Union.
West Coast dockworkers still talking after contract expires
July 6, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A contract between shipping companies and 22,000 West Coast dockworkers expired over the weekend. But both sides continued to talk and said they want to avoid a strike that could savage an economy already stressed by soaring inflation and supply chain woes.
Ship owners sought CO2 exemption when the sea gets too wavy
June 10, 2022 GMTThe world's ocean freight shipping companies recently called on international maritime authorities to exclude pollution that their vessels spew in bad weather from new regulations, a condition that would apply almost a third of the time in the Atlantic.
New restrictions on ships to protect whales coming soon
June 10, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal authorities spent the past few years analyzing rules for the shipping industry and are now close to releasing fresh guidelines to help protect a vanishing species of whale.
Biden pushing to lower ocean shipping costs, fight inflation
June 9, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden launched a renewed push Thursday to reduce the costs of shipping goods across oceans, a major challenge for retailers that the White House said has pushed up prices as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
Robotic buoys developed to keep Atlantic right whales safe
May 28, 2022 GMTA Cape Cod science center and one of the world’s largest shipping businesses are collaborating on a project to use robotic buoys to protect a vanishing whale from lethal collisions with ships.
A lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution developed the technology, which uses buoys and underwater gliders to record whale sounds in near real time.
ZIM: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
May 18, 2022 GMTHAIFA, Israel (AP) _ ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM) on Wednesday reported earnings of $1.71 billion in its first quarter.
On a per-share basis, the Haifa, Israel-based company said it had profit of $14.19.
Contract talks near for thousands of West Coast dockworkers
May 6, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Contract negotiations between 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports and representatives of shipping companies will begin next week with automation and its impact on jobs emerging as a major point of contention amid supply chain issues.
Shipping company Maersk sees record quarter as demand surges
May 4, 2022 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The world’s biggest shipping company, Denmark’s A.P. Moeller-Maersk, said Wednesday that it had delivered its “best earnings quarter ever,” driven by higher freight rates and more contracts being signed.
Amazon extends Prime perks to merchant sites
April 21, 2022 GMTAmazon is extending the benefits of a Prime subscription to online stores beyond its own site, a move geared toward boosting revenue from merchant fees and expanding its logistics footprint.
The company said Thursday the new service it calls “Buy with Prime,” will initially be available by invitation for merchants who ship their products using Amazon’s warehouse and delivery services.
FedEx Logistics opens global headquarters in Memphis
April 6, 2022 GMTMEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Shipping giant FedEx Corp.'s logistics subsidiary has opened a new global headquarters in the building that once held the Gibson guitar factory in an entertainment district in downtown Memphis, Tennessee.
Feds: Minnesota man stole guns, ammo from shipping facility
March 28, 2022 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A man is accused of stealing numerous boxes of guns and ammunition while working at a national shipping company in Minnesota, prosecutors said Monday.
Jason Cikotte, of Isanti, Minnesota, is charged in federal court with possession of stolen firearms.
Nantucket shops scrambling after UPS misses ferry bookings
March 13, 2022 GMTNANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — Shops on Nantucket that rely on UPS to bring their goods to the tiny island are bracing for trouble after the shipping company failed to make ferry reservations for its trucks this summer.
ZIM: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
March 9, 2022 GMTHAIFA, Israel (AP) _ ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM) on Wednesday reported net income of $1.71 billion in its fourth quarter.
The Haifa, Israel-based company said it had profit of $14.17 per share.
Shipping between Florida and 3 Asian ports starts in May
March 5, 2022 GMTJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Starting in May, a Singapore-based shipping company will begin carrying cargo between north Florida and four Asian ports, officials said.
The start of service at the Port of Jacksonville by Sea Lead Shipping Pte.
French shipping company wins Beirut port containers contract
February 17, 2022 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — A giant French shipping company has won a 10-year contract to run the containers terminal at Beirut’s port, which was destroyed by a massive blast in 2020, Lebanon’s minister of public works and the company said Thursday.
Super PAC spends $841K on TV ads backing Bequette Senate bid
February 10, 2022 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A super PAC backing former NFL player Jake Bequette's bid to unseat U.S. Sen. John Boozman in the May Arkansas Republican primary spent more than $841,000 this week to air ads in the state.
Shipping company Maersk sees record profit as demand surges
February 9, 2022 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The world’s biggest shipping company said Wednesday that 2021 was its most profitable year yet, with Denmark’s A.P. Moeller-Maersk bringing in $18.7 billion as surging demand from a rebounding global economy led to supply chain logjams.
Container ship runs aground off German North Sea island
February 3, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A container ship has run aground off a German North Sea island, and an initial attempt to free it was unsuccessful, authorities said Thursday.
Shipping company Maersk said on Twitter that the 400-meter (1,310-foot) -long Mumbai Maersk ran aground on a “shallow patch” on Wednesday night.
Digital warfare tech at sea helping US foes evade sanctions
February 3, 2022 GMTMIAMI (AP) — Technology to hide a ship's location previously available only to the world's militaries is spreading fast through the global maritime industry as governments from Iran to Venezuela — and the rogue shipping companies they depend on to move their petroleum products — look for stealthier ways to circumvent U.S.
Website for free virus tests is here. How does it work?
January 19, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Under criticism after weeks of shortages, President Joe Biden's administration is working to make COVID-19 rapid test kits more available and accessible to Americans by boosting supply and lowering costs.
Website for free virus tests is coming. How will it work?
January 14, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Under criticism after weeks of shortages, President Joe Biden's administration is working to make COVID-19 rapid test kits more available and accessible to Americans by boosting supply and lowering costs.
Young Brothers to restore Kahului-Honolulu cargo services
January 14, 2022 GMTWAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Young Brothers will once again accept all its usual cargo items for shipping from Maui to Oahu after a staffing shortage triggered by a COVID-19 outbreak disrupted some operations.
Suez Canal revenues hit all-time record at $6.3 billion
January 2, 2022 GMTCAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s Suez Canal said Sunday its annual revenues reached $6.3 billion last year, the highest in the crucial waterway's history.
Admiral Ossama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said last year’s revenues rose 12.8%, compared to 2020, when the canal achieved $5.6 billion.
US Postal Service recovers from poor holiday showing in 2020
December 31, 2021 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S Postal Service pulled out all the stops to avoid a repeat of the 2020 holiday shipping disaster, and it worked.
The Postal Service and several other private shippers reported that holiday season deliveries went smoothly for the most part.
Danish shipping giant acquires Hong Kong-based company
December 22, 2021 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The world’s biggest shipping company, Denmark’s A.P. Moeller-Maersk, said Wednesday that it has acquired Hong Kong-based LF Logistics Holdings Limited in a $3.6 billion deal — one of the Danish group's biggest acquisitions ever.
Report: British ship didn’t noticed it rammed smaller vessel
December 14, 2021 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish media reported Tuesday that a British freighter didn’t noticed it had rammed a Danish freighter off southern Sweden, causing the smaller vessel to capsize and leaving one person dead and another missing.
Varsity Truce: Last parent in college bribery scandal pleads
December 10, 2021 GMTBOSTON (AP) — The last parent ensnared in Operation Varsity Blues — the captivating nationwide college admissions bribery scandal — has agreed to plead guilty, federal prosecutors said.
Authorities said I-Hsin “Joey" Chen, 67, of Newport Beach, California, paid $75,000 to have someone correct his son's answers on a college entrance exam.
Lebanese businesses pay steep price for standoff with Saudis
December 2, 2021 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese DJ was days away from moving to Riyadh to play for a month in one of the newest entertainment centers in Saudi Arabia's capital when a brief, polite Whatsapp message informed her that the contract won’t go through.
Georgia proposes $3 million fine for cargo ship pollution
November 24, 2021 GMTATLANTA (AP) — State environmental regulators are proposing a $3 million fine for the Hyundai Glovis Co. logistics and shipping firm after a cargo ship carrying vehicles capsized and polluted ocean waters off the Georgia coast.
LA, Long Beach ports delay fines for backlogged cargo
November 16, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex will delay fining shipping companies that let cargo containers stack up at terminals.
The reprieve comes because of early compliance by companies in clearing cargo since the penalties were approved last month, the Southern California News Group reported.
Port of Portland expects set record for shipping containers
November 13, 2021 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s only container port is operating smoothly even as supply chain disruptions cause cargo ships to back up at other U.S. harbors.
Mass vehicle break-ins creating worry in St. Louis area
November 10, 2021 GMTST. LOUIS (AP) — Police throughout the St. Louis area are reporting a new trend in vehicle break-ins — groups of thieves hitting multiple cars in a matter of minutes.
KTVI-TV reports that a UPS facility in the Maryland Heights area is among the parking areas victimized recently.
Supply chain delays disrupt California agriculture exports
November 4, 2021 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Amid an historic drought posing threats to future harvests, California farmers now say they have no way to export the crops they do have because of a kink in the global supply chain that has left container ships lined up off the Southern California coast with nowhere to deliver their goods.
World’s biggest shipper Maersk reports 68% rise in revenue
November 2, 2021 GMTCOPENHAGEN (AP) — The world’s biggest shipping company, Denmark’s A.P. Moeller-Maersk, reported Tuesday a sharp rise in earnings amid strong worldwide demand for shipments of goods as the economy bounces back from the coronavirus pandemic.
LA, Long Beach ports will issue fines for backlogged cargo
October 30, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex will begin fining shipping companies if they let cargo containers stack up as the nation's busiest twin harbors deal with an unprecedented backlog of vessels.
Ports of LA, Long Beach to fine firms over container backlog
October 26, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — In an effort to ease congestion at the nation’s busiest port complex, officials said Monday that they will start fining shipping companies whose cargo containers linger for too long at marine terminals.
Cargo backlog creates traffic headaches on sea and land
October 21, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles neighborhood just outside the nation's busiest port complex has become a perpetual traffic jam, with trucks hauling cargo containers backed up day and night as workers try to break through an unprecedented backlog of ships waiting to unload.
Ship owner, operator of interest in California oil spill
October 17, 2021 GMTHUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has designated the Mediterranean Shipping Company and others as parties of interest in an investigation into a vessel that was determined to be the source of an offshore pipeline leak in Southern California.
Logjam at busiest UK commercial port adds to Christmas fears
October 13, 2021 GMTLONDON (AP) — A logjam at the U.K.'s busiest commercial port ratcheted up concerns Wednesday that the country could see shortages during the crucial Christmas holiday period, including of toys and food.
Customs dispute jeopardizes US fish stick, filet supply
October 11, 2021 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A customs dispute at the U.S.-Canada border is threatening America's supply of a key fish used for popular products such as fish sticks and fast food sandwiches.
Shipping industry group aims for net-zero emissions by 2050
October 5, 2021 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A major shipping industry group said Tuesday that its members will aim for “net-zero” carbon emissions by 2050, following a commitment to the same goal by the world's airline industry a day earlier.
Freight services company to expand SC facility
October 2, 2021 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A freight services company is investing $400,000 in an expansion that will bring 35 new jobs to South Carolina's Charleston County.
Argents Air Express, Ltd., a full-service logistics solution company, said Thursday the new jobs will be at its facility in North Charleston.
Industry group backs global carbon price for large ships
September 6, 2021 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A major maritime industry association on Monday backed plans for a global surcharge on carbon emissions from shipping to help fund the sector's shift toward climate-friendly fuels.
The International Chamber of Shipping said it's proposing to the United Nations that all vessels trading globally above a certain size should pay a set amount per metric ton of carbon dioxide they emit.
As Ida leaves Gulf, analysts foresee modest economic damage
August 30, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — With more than 1 million customers in Louisiana and Mississippi having lost power, Hurricane Ida is sure to take a toll on the energy, chemical and shipping industries that have major hubs along the Gulf Coast.
Shipping snags prompt US firms to mull retreat from China
August 5, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Game maker Eric Poses last year created The Worst-Case Scenario Card Game, making a wry reference to the way the coronavirus had upended normal life.
He had no idea.
In a twist that Poses never could have predicted, his game itself would become caught up in the latest fallout from the health crisis: a backlogged global supply chain that has delayed shipments around the world and sent freight costs rocketing.