The Bradfield Bulletin - 30 May 2025

YOU know how you have those weeks when you have it all together? You're eating well, sleeping well, just generally feeling good.

Then you have those weeks where you are frazzled, and you find yourself colouring in your grey hairs with mascara because you haven’t had a chance to get them done.

This week, I am definitely the latter. If you see me today — don’t comment!

Some weeks just get away from you, and this was one of them. But hey, we made it to Friday - and that counts for something, right?

Well, wasn’t this week in shipping fun for everyone?

The 90 day China-US tariff pause has sparked a flurry of frontloading activity. In the latest twist in the never ending trade war saga a US appeals court has paused the trade court decision that found many of the Trump administration's tariffs were illegal. This comes a day after the Court of International Trade ruled Donald Trump had overstepped his authority when he imposed his "liberation day" tariffs in April. Honestly, if you are thinking "I can't keep up" you are not alone, and possibly by the time this goes live, this all may be changed again!

Meanwhile, European port congestion is dragging on with no real signs of easing. Over in Asia, Singapore has now climbed to number three on the global containership port congestion list. Perhaps more concerning, though, is that Port Klang has taken the second spot, just behind the ever-congested Shanghai/Ningbo.

Did you hear that the container shipping sector posted a $9.9 billion net profit in Q1 2025? That’s a hefty 36.4% drop from the previous quarter’s $15.6 billion. 

What else has been happening?

💠 MSC deploys first 24,000 TEU megaships to Africa

💠 Kuehne+Nagel to acquire Spanish road logistics firm TDN

💠 Panama Maritime Authority recovers $8.5M in unpaid seafarer wages

💠 China Merchants debuts first methanol-fuel car carrier

💠 Hudong-Zhonghua opens new mega shipyard near Shanghai

💠 Shanghai port tops emissions, surpassing Singapore

💠 ACCC delays DP World-Silk ruling again

💠 Italian shipbroker Umberto Costa passes away

💠 Houthis claim Red Sea safe for ships not calling at Haifa port

💠 CMA CGM invests $600M in Vietnam terminal amid trade surge

💠 The tug of war over Darwin port continues

💠 South Korea reclaims top spot in March shipbuilding orders

💠 Brazilian, Dutch-Belgian ports plan green shipping corridor

💠 CMA CGM boosts rail link between Marseille and Lyon

💠 WiseTech Global signs binding deal to acquire US firm E2open for $2.1bn

Let me know what I have missed! 

Today’s pic flashes back to the CMA CGM Baalbeck’s last Fremantle visit. It’s due again Sunday! The MSC Archimidis, delayed by bad weather, will also arrive soon and will be phased out in Singapore, off on another adventure.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend, for those in W.A. And the ACT, enjoy your long weekend!