Yang Ming Marine Transport corporation, one of Taiwan’s largest ocean carriers with a global network spanning the Asia-Europe, Transpacific, and intra-Asia trades, approved its financial results for the first half of 2026 at its 14th Board Meeting on August 2, reporting an after-tax net profit FNTS7.17 billion (US$0.23 billion) on consolidated revenue of NTS84.58 billion (US$2.68 billion).
Earnings per share for the six- month period reached NT$2.05, underpinned by a strengthening second quarter that outperformed the first.
Between April and June, shifting tariff policies and rising energy costs pulled forward import booking demand on the Asia- Europe and Transpacific trades, bringing the traditional peak season earlier than usual and supporting firmer freight rates.
Second-quarter consolidated revenue climbed to NT$45.92 billion (US$1.45 billion), with after-tax net profit of NT$5.73 billion (US$0.18 billion) and earnings per share of NT$1.64.
The quarter accounted for the majority of the company’s first-half profit, reflecting how quickly demand accelerated once cargo owners moved to secure capacity ahead of anticipated policy changes.
For businesses managing high-volume, multimodal supply chains, the earlier arrival of peak- season demand carried direct implications for cost planning, booking windows, and inventory decisions across global markets.
Market Drivers and Economic Outlook – The International Monetary Fund’s July 2026 World Economic Outlook projects global GDP growth of 3.0% for 2026, a slight downward revision from the 3.1% forecast in April. The 2027 outlook, by contrast, was revised upward from 3.2% to 3.4%.
The IMF cited the conflict in the Middle East, trade fragmentation, and a correction in expectations regarding Al-related profitability as factors weighing on the nearterm global picture.
Capacity and demand forecasts underscore a widening gap between supply and cargo growth.
July 2026 reports from Alphaliner and Drewry project global container fleet capacity growth of 4.2% and 4.4% respectively, while container demand is forecast to grow more slowly, at 2.5% and 2.1%.
Both figures reflect the dampening effect of higher fuel costs and elevated freight rates on trade Volumes.
Port congestion intensified during the second quarter, with major hubs including Shanghai and several European ports affected by adverse weather, short- term shipment surges, and terminal operational bottlenecks. Such disruptions bear directly on schedule reliability and on-time delivery, priorities that cargo owners and logistics partners weigh heavily when planning shipments and honoring customer commitments.
Conditions for the third quarter remain uncertain, and geopolitical developments together with tariff policy will continue to shape cargo flows and capacity deployment across the industry.
Positioning for the Third Quarter and Beyond – With the Asia- Europe and Transpacific trades now entering their traditional peak season, cargo demand is expected to support market conditions through the third quarter.
Yang Ming stated that it will continue to monitor cargo demand closely, adjust fleet deployment and sailing plans as needed, and strengthen both port contingency management and cost control to enhance schedule reliability and operational competitiveness.
The company framed these measures as part of a deliberate strategy to safeguard service dependability amid a volatile trading environment.
By pairing disciplined cost management with responsive capacity planning, Yang Ming aims to protect the reliable transit that shippers, forwarders, and importers depend on to keep goods moving and supply chains intact.
Port Congestion and Pre-Golden Week Cargo Rush Drive Freight Rates
The global container shipping market remains tight, with supply-demand dynamics showing little improvement since mid-September.
Key factors like Asian port congestion, typhoon-related vessel delays, pre-Golden Week cargo rush, and strong peak-season demand on US trade lanes continue to reduce effective capacity.
As a result, the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) has risen to 3,590.05 points, with US routes leading the surge.
Maersk reports declining schedule reliability at major Asian ports, with delays expected to impact future sailings.
Global port congestion affects 4 million TEUS of capacity, with Chinese ports heavily impacted by typhoon-related disruptions.
Waiting times range from seven to ten days in Shanghai, ten days in Ningbo-Zhoushan, and three to five days in Yantian.
With peak export season in full swing, these delays reduce operational availability, creating challenges for freight forwarders in securing stable bookings and managing schedules.
The US trade lane remains one and of the most robust markets, with SCFI rates reaching $7.242 per FEU for West Coast routes and $10.324 per FEU for East Coast routes.
US port volumes have hit record highs, driven by advance procurement of holiday merchandise.
However, ongoing Asian typhoon disruptions and blank sailings during Golden Week add further strain, sustaining high rates and limited space availability.
European trade lanes are experiencing a correction, with spot rates declining, but supply chain pressures remain.
Asian port congestion and blank sailings during Golden Week are expected to cause fluctuations in space availability.
Morocco's New Mediterranean Transshipment Port Nears Opening
Morocco’s Nador West Med Port East Container Terminal has completed operational testing and is now ready to receive its first commercial vessel, marking a decisive step toward full commercial operations.
Nador West Med Port, like Tanger Med, sits in close proximity to the Strait of Gibraltar along the principal east-west international shipping lanes of the Mediterranean – a geographic advantage that positions it as a natural candidate for a major transshipment hub.
In recent years, Tanger Med has recorded rapid growth in container throughput, surpassing 10 million TEU in 2024 and ascending swiftly from an emerging port to the Mediterranean’s foremost container transshipment hub.
Morocco now seeks to replicate that trajectory at Nador West Med. further reinforcing its strategic node value within the global container shipping network.
WMCT, the operator of the East Container Terminal, announced that following several months of preparation, the terminal has completed all operational readiness requirements and stands fully prepared for commercial service.
Prior to this milestone, WMCT successfully conducted live vessel trials, the results of which confirmed the terminal’s capability to handle the world’s largest class of container vessels a development that is expected to strengthen Morocco’s position as a hub for container transshipment and Mediterranean international logistics.
WMCT is a joint venture established by Marsa Maroc, Morocco’s prominent port operator, and TIL, the terminal investment arm of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
Marsa Maroc holds a 51% stake, with TIL holding the remaining 49%.
The partnership received formal regulatory approval in January of this year.
In terms of infrastructure, the East Terminal commands 1,520 metres of quay length, an 18-metre draft depth, and approximately 70 hectares of container yard, with a designed annual throughput capacity of 3.4 million TEU.
Marsa Maroc had previously targeted the fourth quarter of 2026 for the formal commissioning of the terminal’s first phase.
Port of Savannah container volumes remain resilient in August
The Port of Savannah handled 529,523 TEUS in August, with volumes down less than 1 percent year-on-year, according to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA).
Export loads reached 117,242 TEUs, an increase of 4.2 percent, while imports rose 1.5 percent to 265,859 TEUS.
Griff Lynch, CEO, Georgia Ports Authority, said: “Asia weather and Panama Canal water levels are being felt in August supply chains.
For September, we are seeing strong numbers on the water and the Suez Canal seems to be picking up.
The customer demand is present for Savannah, however typhoons in Asia and El Nino in Panama are affecting volumes.
The GPA handled 1.03 million TEUS across its ports during the first two months of its fiscal year.
Volumes were up 2.2 percent, or 22,537 TEUS, compared with the same period last year.
Kevin Price, President, Georgia Ports Authority, stated: “We’re off to a strong start, with more than a million TEUS moving through Georgia’s ports in the first two months of the fiscal year.
At the same time, we’re improving truck efficiency.”
At Garden City Terminal, truck turn times for dual import-export transactions averaged 43 minutes in August, 6.5 minutes below the previous six- month average.
Dual moves account for nearly 80 percent of truck transactions at the terminal, which handles around 15,000 truck gate transactions between 4am and 6pm on weekdays.
Alec Poitevint, Chairman, Georgia Ports Authority, said: “The Georgia Ports Authority and the entire state of Georgia are focused on providing a superior customer experience in all aspects of the supply chain.”
CMA CGM Raises Peak Season Surcharges on Asia-to-US Trade Lanes
CMA CGM has issued formal notice of a new round of Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) effective 1 October 2026, applicable to cargo exported from the Far East, Indian Subcontinent, and Bangladesh to the United States, with the surcharges remaining in force until further notice.
On select services to the US East Coast and Gulf Coast, the PSS will reach as high as USD 10,000 per container.
Far East to United States: Up USD 5,065 per Container
According to the notice issued by CMA CGM on 9 September, cargo exported from the Far East (excluding Bangladesh) to the United States will be subject to the following PSS rates: USD 3,600 per 20-foot container; USD 4,000 per 40-foot container; and USD 5,065 per 45-foot container.
These rates apply to all the cargo, exception of shipments destined for Honolulu and Dutch Harbor.
CMA CGM has noted that for cargo originating from China, the applicable PSS will be implemented subject to filing with the Shanghai Shipping Exchange and/or incorporated within the ocean freight rate.
Indian Subcontinent and Bangladesh to US East Coast and Gulf Coast: SD 10,000 per Container Effective 1 October – Shippers Advised to Recalculate Transportation Costs in Advance
The latest surcharge schedule from CMA CGM reflects considerable variation in PSS levels depending on the origin region and US destination port.
The surcharge of USD 10,000 per container on services from the Indian Subcontinent and Bangladesh to the US East Coast and Gulf Coast, in particular, will materially increase total transportation costs cargo on those trade lanes.
It is important to note that PSS constitutes an additional charge levied above the base ocean freight rate.
CMA CGM has further advised that bunker surcharges, origin and destination Terminal Handling and Charges (THC), security-related surcharges, and other contingency and local charges may apply separately.
Freight forwarders and export enterprises with US-bound shipments planned in the near term are advised to take close note of the 1. October effective date, and to confirm the applicable final rates directly with the carrier in advance accounting for origin, destination port, container type, and the specific terms of their contracts and quotations -in order to avoid cost estimation discrepancies arising from surcharge adjustments.
Hapag- Lloyd, DP in World target African port capacity
Hapag-Lloyd and DP World are expanding their cooperation in Africa, with plans to secure long-term terminal capacity in Dakar, Senegal; Luanda, Angola; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The partnership will also support the development of port infrastructure in Banana, Democratic Republic of the and Congo, Maputo, Mozambique, as Hapag-Lloyd looks to expand its service network across the continent.
Hapag-Lloyd expects its transport volumes in Africa to exceed one million TEUS in 2026.
The carrier said it plans to strengthen its network in response, with a focus on terminal capacity and service reliability.
Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of of Hapag-Lloyd AG, said: “Africa is one of Hapag-Lloyd’s most to important growth markets, and we see significant long-term the potential across the continent.
To support this growth, we need reliable infrastructure, sufficient terminal capacity and a network that can scale with our customers.
By strengthening our cooperation with DP World across the Africa continent, we are taking an important step to further improve the foundations of our service offering in Africa.”
The agreement forms part of Hapag-Lloyd’s wider terminal strategy, which includes maintaining access to infrastructure through a range of terminal operators.
The carrier is also expanding its own terminal interests through Hanseatic Global Terminals (HGT), which manages Hapag-Lloyd’s terminal investments.
For DP World, the agreement adds to its presence across African port infrastructure, while for Hapag-Lloyd