We can officially mark this week down as the week my daughter informed me that the “plant” I’ve been diligently watering for years is, in fact, fake. Apparently, she bought it for me at a Mother’s Day stall years ago. The saddest part? I even replanted it at one stage without realising. I was so proud of myself for keeping it alive. Am I blind, or just hopeful?
Let's move on swiftly! The Australian market is seeing some ups and downs with an overall softening ahead of next month's Chinese New Year. Some lines are reporting that vessels are not yet at full capacity, while other lines are reporting strong bookings along with a slightly longer dwell time in Singapore.
With solid export demand out of Australia, particularly hay and grain, carriers need to keep a close eye on container imbalances on our trade lanes, where we often see 40’ containers coming in and 20s heading back out.
As the market softens, we’re also starting to see the return of blank sailings, with carriers adjusting capacity in an effort to manage downward pressure on rates. A handful of lines have already announced blanks, and history tells us others may follow.
Weaker demand also took a toll on the Drewry World Container Index this week, with the index falling 4% after last week’s sharp 16% jump. The correction was felt most strongly on the transpacific, where spot rates from Shanghai to New York dropped 10% , and Shanghai to Los Angeles fell 7%.
None of this is unexpected, it’s the familiar rise and fall that comes with the start of a new year, this time paired with a slightly later Chinese New Year. What’s interesting is how early the softness has appeared. With factory shutdowns not due until mid Feb, a period that would normally see volumes and rates lift, this dip, both globally and in the Australian market, feels ahead of schedule.
So, what else is happening?
💠China’s trade surplus hits new highs after strong finish to 2025
💠Maersk leads cautious return to the Red Sea
💠Port of New York/New Jersey begins AirTrain Newark construction
💠New biosecurity entry point opens for KMSB
💠World Bank sees global growth holding in 2026 despite tariffs
💠DP World completes $178m Port Saint John modernisation
💠COSCO Shipping acquires German forwarder and intermodal operator
💠DSV impacted by warehouse fire in Poland
💠OOCL reports Q4 container revenue decline
💠Hapag Lloyd subsidiary takes full control of Florida International Terminal
💠China to develop $4.1bn port project in Kuwait
💠COSCO moves to acquire Hamburg stevedore Zippel
💠Newcastle port protesters appear in court
Today’s photo is of the MSC Nadia IV alongside at Patrick Terminal in Fremantle. I hoped the new year would bring new vessels, and it didn’t take long! Built in 2007, the MSC Nadia IV is 247m long, 32m wide, and operates on MSC’s Koala Service.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, and for those heading to SailGP in Fremantle, enjoy it. The Fremantle Doctor shouldn’t disappoint!
Amanda Bradfield is Head of International Freight & Logistics at Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA).