Trendwatch: Canada to speak to partners in a bid to fend off US tariffs, says minister; Chinese New Year rush and threat of tariffs leaves box ports congested; CN, IBEW reach tentative agreement, avoid strike

Canada to speak to partners in a bid to fend off US tariffs, says minister

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Monday she would soon be talking to counterparts in allied nations in a bid to fend off tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose.

Joly told reporters she would speak to the foreign ministers of Britain, Mexico and some members of the 27-nation European Union.

Chinese New Year rush and threat of tariffs leaves box ports congested

The Chinese factory rush to get goods out before the new year holiday, and the threat of US import tariffs, have seen global container port congestion hit a three-month high.

Approximately 3.3m teu, or nearly 11% of the container shipping fleet, is held up at ports in Asia, Europe and North America, according to a Linerlytica report today.

CN, IBEW reach tentative agreement, avoid strike

Canadian National and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of Canada have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract, averting a strike that was slated to begin Tuesday.

The union represents approximately 750 signals and communications employees across Canada. They have been working without a contract since Dec. 31, 2024.

India's flag-carrying box line hunting tonnage to boost market share

Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), India’s only long-haul liner operator, is attempting to regain lost ground as the country’s export potential brightens amid the trade diversification in Asia.

The 63%-state-owned carrier wants to acquire up to six second-hand containerships, from mid-size to ultra-large, to beef-up operations that have been severely constrained due to tonnage problems and government divestment strategies.

CMA CGM to maintain Cape diversions on majority of network

Of the top tier container lines serving the Asia – Europe trade CMA CGM is the only carrier to have maintained some presence through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal over much of the last 14 months operating services on a case-by-case basis.

Following the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza the Houthi lifted its threat to most international shipping transiting the Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden apart from Israeli owned or flagged vessels

Port Houston record-breaking volume in 2024

Port Houston is celebrating a landmark year, achieving a record-breaking 53,066,219 million tons of cargo in 2024, up 6% over 2023 at the public terminals. Container volume rose 8%. This milestone demonstrates Port Houston’s critical role in moving cargo and driving economic prosperity for Houston, the region, and the nation. The overall port, which includes 200 private and eight public marine terminals, is the nation’s largest in tonnage and deep-water transits.

Maersk says Gemini will offer better service at same cost

The Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd is due to be launched on 1 February and is based around a hub and spoke network.

Speaking to journalists on a webinar Maersk’s Chief Product Officer – Ocean Johan Sigsgaard emphasised that the carrier’s aim is to offer a more reliable service at a similar price to conventional point-to-point services.

Annual figures for Port of Antwerp-Bruges show growth despite challenging times

Port of Antwerp-Bruges will close 2024 with 2.3% growth in total throughput, amounting to 278 million tons. Despite geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, the port is showing resilience, with a strong increase in container throughput as the main driver. Ambitious plans are ready for 2025 to further strengthen its pivotal role in energy transition and international trade.

Trump commerce nominee says Canada, Mexico can avoid tariffs, vows stronger China tech curbs

President Donald Trump's nominee to run the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, said on Wednesday that Canada and Mexico can avoid looming U.S. tariffs if they act swiftly to close their borders to fentanyl, while vowing to slow China's advancement in artificial intelligence.

Lutnick, a billionaire Wall Street CEO, said at his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing that he has advised Trump to pursue across-the-board tariffs country-by-country to restore "reciprocity" to America's trading relationships. He also said he would erect stronger curbs on China's access to U.S. technology, including advanced AI semiconductors.

Korean Air Cargo and Vienna Airport extend cargo handling contract

Korean Air Cargo has signed a four-year extension of its cargo handling contract with Vienna International Airport (VIE) to run until the end of 2028.

The cargo handling partnership has been in place since the airline’s first flight to Vienna in 2004, said VIE.

The collaboration between Incheon International Airport (ICN)-headquartered Korean Air Cargo and VIE has been continuously adapted over the years.