For the first time ever, South Korea sent a cargo ship to Europe through the Arctic. The journey is considerably shorter – provided the Arctic ice allows it. China and Russia also intend to make greater use of the route.

Due to falling water levels, the canal authority has limited the number of daily transit slots. With storm front El Niño coming up, the situation is likely to get worse. Meanwhile, the cost of transiting the canal has reached a record high.

The deal gives Hapag-Lloyd a bigger foothold in Rotterdam and adds to the terminal portfolio it markets under the Hanseatic Global Terminals brand. Maasvlakte II is a key European hub for the Gemini Cooperation, the joint network run by Hapag-Lloyd…

Hopes are growing across the shipping industry that traffic between the Far East and Europe will once again be able to run primarily via the Suez Canal from 2027. That would go a long way towards easing the current shortage of berthing capacity.