The Loadstar is a leading news source for shippers, logistics service providers, and their carrier suppliers, providing independent, high-quality journalism and commentary for the global freight industry.

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Every day thousands of freight professionals and shippers read The Loadstar to make sense of the supply chain. Our global importance to the people who move cargo is reflected in a readership that is truly international with a third of our 80,000 weekly site visitors based in North America, a third in Asia-Pac, and a third in Europe.

Our focus is on independent, high-quality journalism for the benefit of our readers’ knowledge and understanding. We strive for authenticity and significance by a daily attempt to be first to the story, making the market think, and challenging the global freight industry to do better.

This unremitting focus on producing great journalism day in, day out has been the driving force behind our incredible growth story and has allowed The Loadstar to become one of the world’s most significant publishers of logistics and supply chain news, comment and analysis.

Sea-air providers are gearing up for a sudden rush in demand from shippers concerned at delays caused by vessels avoiding the Suez Canal, with fashion brands most likely to take up the offer.

Kim Ekstrøm COO global air cargo for Shipco Transport said: “Right now, you have both situations; high rates and severe infrastructural challenges. It is a perfect storm brewing.”

Alex Lennane reports. 

#airfreight #seafreight #suezcanal

European and US container ports and forwarders are scrambling to obtain revised ETAs for vessels from Asia that have been re-routed around the Cape of Good Hope.

Meanwhile, there is speculation that ships heading for North Europe may be instructed to increase speed to grab terminal slots ahead of their competitors.

Mike Wackett reports. 

#redsea #oceanfreight #containershipping

Freight forwarders are offering cheaper rates than carriers in their 2024 contracts, according to the latest data from Xeneta. 

The outcome of this, however, “will depend on the buying strategy of each freight forwarder”.  

Charlotte Goldstone reports.

Ocean carriers are imposing emergency peak season surcharges (PSSs) as global supply chains face weeks of disruption with ships being re-routed via Southern Africa instead of using the much shorter transit via the Suez Canal.

The PSS will be a major blow to Asia-North Europe shippers already having to come to terms with new FAK (freight all kinds) rates on the route of $3,000 per 40ft on 1 January.

Mike Wackett reports.

#peakseason #oceancargo #suezcanal

Some forwarders have admitted that the Suez Canal situation could offer them some relief from the financial stresses of a soft market.

“Carriers are anticipating it will be 'Ever Given times 100'," said one forwarder.

And with shipping lines planning GRIs and rate hikes, “forwarders will also take advantage of this”.

Alex Lennane reports.

#suezcanal #forwarding #carriers #ratehikes

Deutsche Bahn has announced that it is officially launching the sale process for DB Schenker, on the condition that any sale must have “apparent economic advantages for Deutsche Bahn in all respects”.

The move sets up some big M&A action for 2024, forecast by forwarders to be a “year of consolidation”

Alex Lennane reports.

Asia-North Europe freight rates are predicted to soar due to the impact of some westbound voyages being paused and others being diverted around Africa to avoid increasing attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels.

Forwarders will need to use their best endeavours and alternative intelligence methods to track the movement of re-routed or delayed vessels from Asia - and hope that the standard of status updates and advisories from carriers has improved.

Mike Wackett reports. 

#shipping #houthi #forwarding #freightrates

We are delighted to announce that The Loadstar Media Ltd and Hedging Beta Ltd have merged their operations into a jointly owned holding company, Loadstar Hedge HoldCo Ltd (LHH) https://lnkd.in/e9_Q4Yhd #mergersandaquisitions #financialnews #supplychainnews #logistics

Houthi rebels set a Hapag-Lloyd containership ablaze during a series of missile attacks against box ships crossing the Red Sea in the early hours today.

Xeneta’s chief analyst, Peter Sand, warned that continued attacks could precipitate a “global supply chain crisis”.

Alex Whiteman reports.

#hapaglloyd #redsea #attack #isreal

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