Trendwatch: US lands framework trade deals with Switzerland, 5 other trading partners; Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X airplanes; Hapag-Lloyd to invest in 22 new container ships

Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X airplanes

Boeing and Emirates announced today the world's largest international airline has placed its third order for 777X airplanes to fuel future expansion and meet growing travel demand. The new order for 65 777-9 passenger jets was announced during a signing at the Dubai Airshow.

Emirates, which has grown its global network with the Boeing 777 as its flagship, is one of the launch customers for the new 777X family and placed two previous orders totaling 205 airplanes. The new purchase brings Emirates' 777X order – consisting of the 777-9 and 777-8 models – to 270 airplanes, further cementing its position as the largest 777X customer.

Hapag-Lloyd to invest in 22 new container ships

Ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd is planning to invest in 22 new container ships, as part of the company's efforts to cut emissions and modernize its fleet.

According to a November 12 release, the carrier's fleet in the Panamax class (less than 5,000 twenty-foot equivalent units), will be boosted by a mix of newly built long-term charter vessels and owned vessels. Once operational, the ships will replace older, less fuel-efficient vessels in Hapag-Lloyd's fleet, with the move representing an "important milestone" on the carrier's path to net-zero fleet operations by 2045, as well as its large-scale fleet renewal program.

Suez Canal Authority urging carriers to resume Red Sea Transits

The Suez Canal Authority is intensifying efforts to bring large containerships back through the strategic waterway following improved security conditions in the Red Sea, with Chairman Admiral Ossama Rabiee personally visiting vessels to demonstrate the canal’s readiness for large-scale operations.

Admiral Rabiee recently visited the CMA CGM JULES VERNE, a 396-meter vessel with a gross tonnage of 176,000 tons, during its northbound transit from Singapore to Lebanon. The ship’s voyage marked the first northbound transit through the Suez Canal after transiting the Bab El-Mandab, representing a significant milestone in the canal’s recovery from the Houthi maritime crisis that began in November 2023.

India’s October trade deficit hits record high on surge in gold imports

India's merchandise trade deficit widened to a record high of $41.68 billion in October, due to a rise in gold imports and a fall in U.S.-bound exports during the second month of steep U.S. tariffs on Indian goods, government data showed on Monday.

The trade deficit had widened to a 13-month high of $32.15 billion in September. In August 2024, the deficit stood at $35.62 billion, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India.

Boxes drive throughput growth at Port of Hamburg

The Port of Hamburg recorded throughput growth of 3.4% on-year in the first nine months of 2025, reaching 86.8m tonnes. Growth was driven by container throughput where an increase of 8.4% on-year brought container handling to 6.3m teu.

“Complications in trade” weighed on US volumes, resulting in a 23.9% drop in container trade between Hamburg and the US to 395,000 teu. The fall in US trade was more than offset by increased trade with Asia and Europe, which grew by 11% and 14%, respectively. Trade with China reached 1.8m teu, a 7.9% increase on-year, while Malaysia’s 273,000 teu was a 89.8% increase on-year.

Port of Savannah container volumes up 4% through October

The Port of Savannah handled 4.8 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in calendar year 2025 through October, up 183,250 TEUs or 4 percent. Monthly volumes in October totaled 452,934 TEUs, a decrease of 8.4 percent or 41,325 TEUs compared to October 2024.

Colonels Island Terminal at the Port of Brunswick handled 72,234 units of autos and heavy equipment in October, up 3,700 units or 5.4 percent compared to the same month last year. For calendar year 2025 through October, the Port of Brunswick handled 689,662 units of autos and heavy equipment, down 67,750 units or 9 percent.

Trendwatch: US lands framework trade deals with Switzerland, 5 other trading partners; Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X airplanes; Hapag-Lloyd to invest in 22 new container ships

US lands framework trade deals with Switzerland, 5 other trading partners

Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X airplanes

Hapag-Lloyd to invest in 22 new container ships

Suez Canal Authority urging carriers to resume Red Sea Transits

India’s October trade deficit hits record high on surge in gold imports

CMA CGM profit collapses on ocean ‘slowdown’

Swissport targets e-commerce with Liege expansion

Boxes drive throughput growth at Port of Hamburg

Port of Savannah container volumes up 4% through October

More from the BDP Blog