Freight Logistics








Asia

North America

Logistics

Expeditors tops quarterly estimates on strong customs brokerage demand

The demand for its customs brokerage services helped Expeditors international of Washington to report a profit and revenue in the fourth quarter that exceeded Wall Street expectations. Customs clearance costs have increased as businesses adjust to new tariff rules and comply with compliance requirements. This has boosted demand for brokerage companies like Expeditors and driven up the cost of customs clearance. The demand for customs brokers remained high, reflecting the complexity of the work and the volume. CEO Daniel Wall added that the company planned to increase investments in technology including AI-driven tools to improve efficiency. Wall said that in...

Freight Logistics

C.H. Robinson CEO: AI will drive consolidation of freight brokerage

C.H. Global logistics provider C.H. Robinson's CEO Dave Bozeman has dismissed the'recent sale' of shares tied to AI disruptions in the freight industry. He said that the race to adopt AI technology would lead to consolidation. C.H. C.H. Since the 14.5% drop earlier in this month, the?stock is up a little. In the afternoon of Monday's trading, it was down 6.1% to $178.44. The sale was triggered after Algorhythm Holdings, a company that specializes in AI technology, stated that their SemiCab platform helps customers increase 'freight volume by 300% to 400% without adding additional operational staff. Bozeman, in an interview...

Freight Logistics

Leader of the busiest US port says: 'Exports look dismal'

The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest U.S. ocean gateway. Exports fell by 8% in January, to the lowest output monthly in almost three years. Seroka, after the Port of Los Angeles handled 104.297 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) of loaded export containers in January, said that "exports to China are?dismal". The aggressive tariffs of President Trump have disrupted global trade. Retaliatory trade duty from China and other countries has hit U.S. farmers and exporters particularly hard. Soybean Seroka stated that shipments to China from the Port of Los Angeles dropped by 80% in the past year. He also said...

Freight Logistics

Descartes: US container imports dropped 6.8% in January but the result indicates a more normalized trade

U.S. Seaports handled 6.8% less "container" import volume in January than they did in the same month last year, when U.S. firms rushed to get goods in to avoid President Donald Trump’s tariffs, sending imports to a monthly record high. Investors closely monitor U.S. imports of containers because they're a?bellwether for the health of the economy, which includes consumer demand as the primary driver in the domestic?economy. The data also shows the ripple effects of Trump’s trade policies from Main Street up to Wall Street. U.S. container exports in January totaled 2,318,722 equivalent 20-foot units (TEUs), exceeding the historic average...

Ground Freight

Old Dominion's quarterly results are weaker as the freight market remains soft

Old Dominion Freight Line announced a decline in profit and revenue for the fourth quarter on Wednesday. It was 'hurt' by lower volumes, as it navigates through a 'challenging environment. After the e-commerce boom of 2022, the U.S. trucking industry remains in a prolonged slowdown. U.S. carriers continue to be affected by low shipment volumes, excess capacities and weak domestic production. According to the Institute for Supply Management, U.S. Manufacturing PMI, which is a gauge for economic activity, recorded its tenth consecutive month of contraction when it reached?47.9 in December. The readings below 50 indicate shrinking activity. CEO Marty Freeman...

Ground Freight

Gatik, a self-driving truck company, secures $600M in contract revenue

Gatik announced on Tuesday that it had secured $600,000,000?in contract revenue and has deployed 'fully driverless trucks' for commercial operations. This highlights the ambitions of the autonomous trucking company to gain a foothold in the market. The heavy regulatory scrutiny surrounding safety has made the commercialization of autonomous vehicles a challenge. However, advances in artificial intelligent have helped many firms improve their technology. Gautam Nang, CEO and founder of Gatik, said: "Today we operate fully driverless trucks across multiple logistic networks and markets. We serve the largest retailers and CPG firms in the country." Gatik's trucks operate nearly?24-hours a day....

Ground Freight

J.B. Hunt’s profit increases in the fourth quarter on cost reductions

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, a U.S. trucking company, reported an increased profit for the fourth quarter on Thursday. This was largely due to a strong shipping demand during peak season and efforts made by all departments to reduce costs. As volumes increase, carriers add seasonal surcharges. The company is pursuing cost reductions in order to increase efficiency. This is because the trucking industry has been experiencing a downturn for'more than three years, marked by excessive capacity and seasonal volume increases, which have kept rates low. The expectation of a U.S. trucking market turnaround in 2026 is gaining momentum. This is...

Ground Freight

US withholds $160M in funding for California due to foreign driver licenses

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday that it is withholding federal funds of $160 million from California for failing to cancel 17,000 commercial driver's licences improperly issued by non-U.S. Citizens. First, the department warned that it would take action in September. USDOT stated that California failed to revoke licenses within the agreed upon deadline of January 5, A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom declined to comment immediately, but previously stated that the state's commercial drivers license holders "had a deadly crash rate nearly 40 percent lower than the average national." Texas, the only state with more commercial...

Ground Freight

Teamsters union re-opposes Union Pacific Norfork Southern Deal

Teamsters said that it opposed the merger of U.S. freight railways Union Pacific and?Southern on Wednesday. In a joint press release, union presidents representing 20,000 employees at both railroads stated that they will not support any?deal? that does not protect the lives and livelihoods of workers. Since its announcement, the proposed merger has been criticized by unions and other railroads. It aims to create the first coast-tocoast railroad in America and reduce delays and handoffs. Teamsters claimed that executives from both railroads had failed to protect jobs or address?other concerns. It's time that Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern get serious...

Freight Logistics

JD Vance makes an economic case in Pennsylvania, as U.S. citizens worry about costs

U.S.? Vice President JDVance visited Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley Tuesday to try to boost the dour spirits of Americans. This comes a week after Donald Trump's comments in this same battleground state went off topic. The visit was part of a larger 'White House' effort to sharpen the economic message, as Republicans seek to retain power during the midterms. This is despite signs that voter dissatisfaction over cost has been undermining the party's standing in spite of upbeat rhetoric by the administration. Vance stated that "even though we have made tremendous progress, there is still a lot of work to be...

Freight Logistics

Michael and Susan Dell will invest $250 in the accounts of 25,000,000 U.S. Children

Michael Dell and Susan Dell, as part of Invest America's $6.25 billion philanthropic initiative, will each deposit $250 into the accounts of 25,000,000 American children. This initiative was launched this year as part of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The U.S. Treasury Department will deposit $1,000 in investment accounts for every child born between 2025-2028. At age 18, the funds, which must be invested in a fund that reflects the performance of the stock market, are available for education, training, buying a home, or starting a small business. The Dells released a statement saying that they believed...

Ground Freight

Expeditors, a logistics firm, reports positive results amid tariff tensions that boost brokerage demand

The global freight forwarder, Expeditors of Washington, reported a third-quarter profit that was above Wall Street expectations on Tuesday. This was due to strong airfreight volume and an increase in demand for their customs brokerage service. Early trading saw the company's stock rise 5%. The tonnage of air freight carried by expeditors increased 4% during the quarter reported, mainly due to shipments from Asia. This was due in part because the previously limited air capacity became more available after the 'de minimis exemption' for goods entering the United States expired. Sources in the industry say that the company also benefits...

Europe

Freight Logistics

Kumba Iron Ore anticipates a 23% increase in profit on increased prices and sales volume

Kumba Iron Ore, South Africa, said Thursday that it expected its full-year profits to increase by up to 23% due to higher mineral prices and sales volumes. Kumba, an Anglo American unit, expects to earn between $1,39 billion and $15,33 billion ($862,55 million-$951,29 million) in the year ending December 2025. This compares with the 12.5 billion rand earned the year before. Africa's largest iron ore producer said that the increase in earnings was due to the higher average free-onboard export iron ore prices of $95 per metric tonne in 2025. This is up from $92 a metric tonne the previous...

Transport Infrastructure

Marsa Maroc, the Moroccan port operator, will buy 45% of Boluda Maritime Terminals

Marsa Maroc, Morocco's largest port operator, announced a deal on Tuesday to purchase a 45% stake in Spain's Boluda Maritime Terminals, a subsidiary of Boluda Corporacion Maritima, for 80 million euro ($94.01million). The company stated that the deal was?approved by Marsa Maroc’s board and is subject to regulatory approval. BMT will handle more than one million?containers by 2024, through its nine terminals located in mainland Spain and Canary Islands. It added that the acquisition would allow Marsa Maroc International Logistics, the group's expansion on the international front, to strengthen their?positioning along the Spain-Morocco Corridor. Marsa Maroc operates 25 terminals in...

Freight Logistics

Lithuania Railway Company stops Lukoil shipments from Russia's Kaliningrad

Due to U.S. Sanctions, the Lithuanian state-owned railway group LTG announced on Friday that it would stop shipments of oil cargoes from Russia's Lukoil into the Russian exclave Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad, located on the Baltic Sea Coast, receives most of its supplies via rail transit via NATO member Lithuania. It can also receive direct shipments via ocean from its own nation. Last month, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Lukoil over the conflict in Ukraine. The OFAC also warned that foreign companies who do business with this Russian group would face consequences if they continued to...

Western Europe

Middle East

Ground Freight

Israeli military identifies missile fired from Yemen toward Israel

Israel's military confirmed that a missile fired from Yemen at Israel on Thursday fell in an area open outside Israeli territory. No sirens were activated. This was the third launch of this kind within 24 hours. Yemen's Iran supported Houthis have recently increased attacks and launched missiles in response to Israeli attacks against Yemen. The Houthis launched missiles and drones towards Israel from thousands of kilometers away, calling it an act of solidarity with Palestinians. The majority of missiles or drones that were launched either missed their targets or were intercepted. Israel has responded by bombing areas in Yemen controlled...

Freight Logistics

Greek ship manager is'relieved to see' Houthi video that shows missing seafarers still alive

The manager of the vessel in Greece that sank earlier this month after it was attacked by Houthi militants near Yemen expressed his relief after watching a video which showed 11 crew members still alive. The Houthis, allied with Iran, released the six-minute video on Monday. They claimed to have rescued seafarers aboard the Eternity C cargo vessel flying the Liberian flag. The Athens based ship management company issued a statement saying that efforts are being made to ensure "safe and rapid return of the sailors to their families". The company said that it was "deeply relieved" to see the...

Transport Infrastructure

Houthis claim to have 10 crew members from a Greek-operated vessel they sank in Yemen

Houthis, who are Iran-aligned and live in Yemen, said on Monday that they had rescued ten seafarers off the Greek cargo ship EternityC which they had attacked and sunk earlier this month in the Red Sea. Eternity C, flying the Liberian flag, was the second vessel to sink in Yemen this month following repeated attacks from Houthi militants using sea drones and rocket propelled grenades. The Magic Seas was another Greek-operated ship that had been lost days before. The Houthis have been resuming their attacks on ships, having hit over 100 vessels between November 2023 to December 2024 as a...

Ground Freight

Operator says crew of Greek ship that was hit by Yemen is safe, but vessel could sink.

The operator of the Greek bulk carrier said that the 19-member crew, which was severely damaged by repeated attacks in the Red Sea, likely carried out by Houthi militants are safe. They will arrive at Djibouti on Monday evening. Michael Bodouroglou said that the fate of the Liberian Magic Seas, which is flying the Liberian flag, was uncertain. The vessel could sink, according to Bodouroglou. The first incident of this kind to be reported since mid-April was Sunday's attack off the southwest coast Yemen. The Magic Seas was targeted by gunfire, rocket-propelled missiles, and skiffs for more than four hour....

Freight Logistics

Operator: Explosive device likely caused damage to Greek tanker near Libya last week

TMS Tankers, the Greek operator of the tanker, said that an external explosive device was most likely responsible for the explosion which damaged the Greek oil tanker Vilamoura last week as it was sailing near the coast of Libya. This conclusion is based on a preliminary investigation. On June 27, the Marshall Islands flagged tanker Vilamoura was leaving the Libyan port Zuetina to head to Gibraltar, with around 1 million barrels oil. An explosion occurred in the engine room. TMS Tankers stated that preliminary investigation findings indicate clearly that the explosion and subsequent fracture of side shell plating as well...

Ground Freight

UK maritime agency reports that a ship was attacked in the Red Sea near Yemen.

An attack on a ship in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen's southwest coast, was launched by eight small boats using gunfire and grenades. A British maritime agency and a security firm confirmed the incident. The situation continues, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and British maritime security company Ambrey. The attack was not immediately attributed to anyone. This is the first report on the region by the agencies since the middle of April. The tensions in the Middle East are still high due to the conflict in Gaza, the 12-day Israel/Iran war that lasted for...

Transport Infrastructure

Ambrey: RSF drones attacked Port Sudan's container port

Ambrey, a British maritime security company, reported on Tuesday the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces had launched a drone strike on Port Sudan facilities. The attack targeted the container terminal escalating the two-year conflict. Ambrey claimed to have obtained video footage of damage done to the terminal, as well as the civilian infrastructure. The city is now reported to be without electricity. Ambrey reported significant GPS disruptions, but no damage was reported to merchant vessels. Witnesses reported that explosions and fires erupted in Port Sudan, Sudan's wartime capital and main port city, on Tuesday. This was part of an ongoing drone...

Freight Logistics

An explosion in Bandar Abbas, Iran, has injured at least 47 people

State media reported that a large explosion struck Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iranian city Bandar Abbas, causing at least 47 injuries. The explosion occurred just as Iran was about to begin a third round nuclear talks with United States in Oman. However, the cause of this explosion wasn't immediately known. The explosion of containers in the Shahid Rajaee Port wharf caused this incident. "We are currently evacuating the injured and transferring them to medical centers," said a local crisis-management official on state television. Initial estimates by Fars News Agency indicate that 47 people have been injured. The semi-official Tasnim...

Freight Logistics

Brazil's Santos Port seeks to attract bigger vessels

The Santos Port Authority in Brazil, which manages the largest southern hemisphere port, has said that the port's draft will be deepened in order to attract larger ships in coming years. Beto Mendes (director of port operations) said that the goal is to increase the draft from 16 to 17 meters by 2031. Attracting larger ships would allow Brazil's commercial ties to be strengthened with partners like China, who is currently in a trade conflict with the United States. Mendes stated during a presentation that "we need to be ready." Santos will see an increase in shipping volumes as a...

Freight Logistics

After a slump in profits, port operator DP World has an uncertain outlook for trade

DP World, a Dubai owned ports and logistics firm, reported a 28 percent fall in its annual profit on Friday, partly because of higher finance costs. It also highlighted global trade uncertainty and geopolitical risk as clouding the outlook. DP World announced that the profit attributable by owners after accounting for items separately dropped from $820 to $591 millions a year ago. In a statement, Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem stated that "while the year started on a good note, global trade is still in flux because of ongoing geopolitical issues." DP World's revenue rose by 9.7%, to...

Freight Logistics

UKMTO: Vessels report radio problems in the northern Gulf during Iranian exercises

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported on Friday that vessels in the northern Gulf received multiple VHF challenges, including requests to change course. They could be part an Iranian military exercise. The UKMTO which monitors maritime security in the area has warned seafarers to be aware that similar VHF hailing may occur during an exercise of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near Iranian waters. The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that naval units of the Revolutionary Guards conducted operations in the Gulf Strait of Hormuz Friday as part of an exercise called Great Prophet 19. The UKMTO had earlier...

Freight Logistics

Airstrikes target Hezyaz power station in Sanaa, Houthis' Al Masirah television reports

Airstrikes targeted the Hezyaz power station in Sanaa, Al . Masirah TV, the primary television news outlet run by the Houthis. who control northern Yemen including the capital reported on. Friday. Earlier, British security company Ambrey stated it had actually received. reports of continuous airstrikes throughout Houthi-controlled locations of. Yemen consisting of the port of Ras Issa, Yemen's primary oil export. terminal. The Houthis have repeatedly fired drones and rockets. towards Israel and introduced attacks on worldwide shipping in. waters near Yemen given that November 2023, in assistance of the. Palestinians over Israel's war with Hamas. Israel has actually responded...