The 2M Alliance, composed of the two largest containership operators, Maersk and MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Corporation) reportedly announced today it will not admit Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) as a full partner in the agreement but will explore other options such as slot exchange or purchase agreement.

October volume figures were applauded by port executives, who said the Port of Los Angeles notched the best month ever for a Western Hemisphere container port!

A new terminal in the Viau sector of the Port of Montreal inaugurated today, Friday Nov 18, boosts the port’s handling capacity by 350,000 TEUs as Canada’s second largest port after Vancouver positions itself for increased global trade with North Atlantic shipping a key target.

The shipment of fresh and frozen produce is a billion dollar industry and ocean carriers take this commodity group very seriously.

Recent developments in Somalia may be a blessing or curse for international commerce as the nation enters a new age of exploration.

Significant developments are taking place these days at New Brunswick’s Port of Saint John on the Bay of Fundy.

The expansion of the Panama Canal has opened the Caribbean Basin and the Gulf of Mexico to the age of Mega Shipping. Increased commerce with Cuba, or a remix of cargo from regional load centers could spell a reshuffling of trade lanes to accommodate larger ships. Is the U.S. Gulf prepared for this potential traffic?

Let’s face it, Christmas is just around the corner. Yes, here in the Northeast the leaves are still turning, the nation is engaged in fall football and we just wrapped up the World Series. But, Thanksgiving is a few short weeks away and some stores are already selling Christmas ornaments. Santa is almost here!

Cuba in the 40s and 50s was a playground for the rich and famous. The country’s economy was fueled by U.S. investment: some legal, some not so legal. A rich trade in coffee and tobacco found its way to America and the Cuban middle class imported everything from wearing apparel to washing machines. All that ended in 1959 when rebels under Fidel Castro tossed out Batista and threw Cuba into the dark ages.

Container ships exiting the Panama Canal either head into the Caribbean or make a sharp turn to starboard following the coast to load centers in Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad. Ports along the upper coast of South America handle the bulk of “Hub and Spoke” traffic headed to neighboring countries as far south as Brazil.