Global air cargo volumes rose five percent year-on-year in August, marking a second consecutive month of growth, though the outlook remains uncertain amid economic and policy shifts, reported London’s Air Cargo News.
Data from Xeneta attributed the demand increase to a modal shift, with businesses opting for air transport over sea to avoid tariff risks.
Capacity rose four percent, but the dynamic load factor slipped to 56 percent.
Average spot rates fell three percent to US$2.55 per kg.
Xeneta said spot rate trends better reflect economic conditions than volume growth, which is being driven by short-term logistics decisions rather than broader recovery.
Chief air freight officer Niall van de Wouw said the rise in demand stems from tariff uncertainty and ecommerce, not economic expansion.
He warned that sustainable growth remains elusive.
Currency effects may deepen with the rate decline, with the dollar down 4 percent over the past year.
A seven percent drop in jet fuel prices may have helped offset some carrier losses.
Spot rates from Southeast Asia to North America and Europe fell 20 percent to $4.80 and $3.05 per kg, respectively.
North East Asia to North America rates dropped eight percent to $4.76, while rates to Europe held steady at $4.01.
Transatlantic spot rates rose five percent to $1.82 per kg, though volumes weakened later in the month due to European holidays and fading frontloading linked to Trumpera tariff extensions.
Xeneta said the US ending its de minimis exemption for low-value ecommerce goods will affect shipments from Canada, the UK and Mexico. Purchasing Managers’ indices and US consumer sentiment also declined in August.
Van de Wouw said the policy change, aimed at Chinese platforms, will impact B2B more than B2C, adding cost and complexity to the supply chain. He expects lower ecommerce volumes from Europe to the US, with China potentially gaining due to lower production costs.
Far East Container volumes rise 4-5pc in H1 2025
Container throughput in the Far East rose by 4-5 percent during the first half of 2025, exceeding 66.7 million TEU, according to preliminary figures from Container Trades Statistics, reported Container News.
Export growth outpaced imports, widening the trade imbalance by 3.2 million TEU to 22.8 million TEU compared to the same period in 2024, DynaLiners reported.
Intra-Far East cargo rose 4 percent, while exports from the region grew by 2.5 million TEU. All trade corridors posted at least moderate gains.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw the highest percentage increase at 24 percent, adding 416,000 TEU, though Europe contributed the largest absolute volume growth with 778,000 additional TEU.
The Indian Subcontinent. added 652,000 TEU, surpassing Africa’s physical growth despite a lower percentage rise, DynaLiners noted.
Imports to the Far East fell by over six percent, with Australasia the only region to buck the trend, posting nearly four percent growth and adding 36,000 TEU.
North America recorded the steepest decline at nine percent, losing 304,000 TEU, followed closely by Europe in both percentage and volume terms.
DP World to run Montreal's Contrecoeur port
Dubai’s DP World has been selected to design, build and operate the land-side components of the Port of Montreal’s planned Contrecoeur container terminal, reported Saint Petersburg’s PortNews
The Montreal Port Authority signed a Joint Development Agreement with DP World on September 4, announcing the deal four days later. The hybrid model assigns inwater works to the Port Authority
and land-side infrastructure to DP World.
DP World will manage the terminal yard, buildings, utilities and rail connection, and operate the facility for 40 years once land works commence.
The Port Authority aims to add 1.15 million TEU in annual capacity, with service entry targeted for 2030. Site preparation is expected to begin in 2025, followed by inwater works in 2026 and land-side construction in 2027.
The terminal will feature two berths, an intermodal rail yard, truck gate and support infrastructure, and is projected to create around 8,000 construction jobs.
On September 4, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans deemed the Port Authority’s permit application for in-water works complete. Environmental offsetting plans include habitat creation, wildlife measures and reforestation of 40,000 trees and shrubs.”
Public funding includes up to C$300 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, C$150 million (US$108 million) from the National Trade Corridors Fund and C$130 million from Quebec.
Contrecoeur will be DP World’s sixth Canadian port, joining Vancouver, Fraser Surrey, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and Saint John.
DP World is a global container terminal operator with assets on six continents. The Montreal Port Authority runs Eastern Canada’s largest container port.
CMA CGM to launch short- sea Med-Adriatic service
French shipping giant CMA CGM will begin operating a new short-sea service called MAESTRALE in early October, connecting ports in Malta, Albania, Croatia and Italy, reported Saint Petersburg’s Port News. The MAESTRALE service, managed by CMA CGM’s Short Sea Lines Division, will commence in Week 40, with the first sailing scheduled from Malta on October 5.
The weekly rotation will include calls at Malta, Durres, Rijeka Salerno and return to Malta, offering direct maritime links across the central Mediterranean.
CMA CGM will deploy two vessels to maintain the weekly frequency of the service, aiming to strengthen regional connectivity and support short-sea logistics.
CMA CGM, based in Marseille, operates across container shipping, inland transport, air cargo, logistics and port terminal sectors.
Saudi box volume up 9.5pc to 750,600 TEU in August
Saudi ports saw a 9.5 percent rise in container throughput in August, reaching 750,600 TEU, according to the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI), reports Saudi financial news portal Argaam.
Cargo tonnage at Saudi ports rose 9.52 percent year-on-year to 750,630 tons in August, up from 685,410 tons in the same month last year.
Transshipment container volumes increased 14.68 percent to 189,410 TEU, compared to 165,160 TEU in August 2024.
Outbound containers climbed 7.95 percent to 279,550, while inbound containers rose 7.80 percent to 281,680, both compared to the same month last year. cc
Maritime traffic grew 13.16 percent year-on-year, with 1,120 ships arriving in August. Passenger numbers surged 70.10 percent to 85,640, while car imports rose 4.27 percent to 107,830.
Total handled cargo, including solid and liquid bulk, declined 12.44 percent to 20.20 million tons, down from 23.07 million tons a year earlier. General cargo reached 1.08 million tons, dry bulk 4.58 million tons
and liquid bulk14.45 million tons.
Livestock imports rose 17.16 percent to 494,950 heads in August, compared to 422,450 in the same month of 2024.
PIL names first LNG dual-fuel vessel in Ghana
Pacific International Lines (PIL) held the naming ceremony of its latest 8,200 TEU LNG dual- fuel container vessel at the Port of Tema, marking a historic first for PIL in Ghana.
The vessel, part of PIL’s new “O” Class series, was officially named Kota Odyssey by Her Excellency Ms Naana Jane Opoku- Agyemang, Vice President of Republic of Ghana, who served as the Lady Sponsor.
The event was also graced by Hon joseph Bukari Nikpe, Minister of Transport, and Hon. Richard Gyan-Mensah, Deputy Minister for Energy Green Transition reflecting the strong support
Fom Ghana’s leadership for sustainable maritime development.
The vessel will operate on PIL’s a common comm outh West Africa Service (SWS), connecting China, Singapore, Ghana’s, togo , cote Ivoire through a direct weekly service. This strengthens trade lows between Asia and West Africa and reinforces Ghana’s role as strategic logistics hub.
PIL has operated in Africa since the 1970s and now serves over 30 African countries, with even weekly services and a feeder network connecting more than 40 ports.
Ghana is home to PIL’s West Africa regional head office, and key gateway for inland transport to Burkina Faso.
PIL also invests in local talent development, with around 100 Ghanaian seafarers currently serving across its fleet. In Ghana, PIL’s operations are powered entirely by renewable energy, supported through locally sourced renewable energy certificates (RECs).
This naming ceremony reafirms PIL’s commitment to deliver resilient, sustainable, and inclusive shipping and logistics soluions across Africa and beyond.
At the event, Ms Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Vice President of Republic of Ghana said: “This ceremony is a celebration of maritime innovation and a testament Ghana’s growing stature in regional trade and logistics.
For their part, PIL’s local and regional offices have long contributed ted to port and intermodal connectivity. Today, with the deployment of this state-of-the-art vessel to service Ghana, PIL is playing a further role in building our. trade links with Asia and our neighbours across west Africa.
This occasion is a sign of the long standing and ever-growing relationship between Ghana and Singapore. Our two nations share a common commitment to innovation development. We have strengthened our ties through trade agreements and collaborations, particularly in economic and environmental areas.
“Singapore’s expertise as a leading maritime hub is something that informs our own progress. We therefore appreciate that PIL highlights our bilateral relationship by creating jobs and supporting the West look forward to even greater collaborations between Ghana and Singapore.”
“Naming this vessel in Ghana reflects our deep-rooted presence and growing investment in the country,” said Lars Kastrup, CEO of PIL.
Ghana plays a vital role in our network, not only as a key gateway into West Africa but also as a strategic hub for regional connectivity and inland transport.
This ceremony underscores our commitment to supporting Ghana’s maritime ambitions and contributing to its economic development. As we continue to develop our operations here, we remain focused on delivering sustainable, integrated shipping and logistics solutions that meet the evolving needs of Ghana and the wider African trade landscape.”
Earlier this month, PIL announced the appointment of PIL (KENYA) LIMITED as the agent for Mariana Express Lines (MELL) in Kenya.
Panama Canal maps out $8bn investment- plan over next decade
Investments in the canal will include water availability, an LPG pipeline, road infrastructure and container shipping terminals.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has set out an ambitious investment plan, for the next ten years, with the aim of strengthening its strategic role in global trade and ensuring its sustainability.
The strategy was presented Tuesday, at a media event chaired by the Minister for Canal Affairs, Jose Ramón Icaza; the Canal Administrator, Ricaurte Vasquez; and the Deputy Administrator and Sustainability Officer, Ilya Espino de Marotta.
The Panama Canal Administrator Vasquez said that the ACP will invest more than $8 billion in strategic projects in four sectors: water availability; the construction of a pipeline for LPG; a road connecting both Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as the construction of terminals built on either cost with the terminals also able to accommodate containers and roll-on and roll-off cargo.
The building of the Rio Indio dam will both guarantee water for more than one million Panamanians and strengthen the reliability and certainty of transits through the Canal.
The Canal depends on rain- falls”, said Vasquez. After the 2023- drought, the canal was forced to reduce daily vessel transits to 24, the ACP needs to find additional source of water as it depends on fresh water for the operation of the million locks.
Construction for the dam is expected to begin in 2027 and would not be completed until 2032, with a cost estimated at $1.6 billion of total which $400 million will be allocated for compensating and relocating about 2,500 residents from various al on communities whose villages would be flooded to create the dam.
The interoceanic energy corridor consists of a 76-kilometre gas pipeline and two maritime terminals that will allow up to 2.5 million barrels of energy products be transported per day, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coast without crossing the locks.
The pipeline would allow for the transport of liquified petroleum,gas ethane, butane, and propane from the Atlantic side to a Pacific-side. roll-on Meetings with the industry will define how to structure the pipeline and which LPG would be transported.
At the same time, the pre-feasibility study for the Port of Corozal is progressing in its contracting phase, with results expected in the first quarter of 2026 for construction to begin in 2028.
The container port of Corozal, located on the east bank, will be integrated into a land logistics platform connected by road and rail.
The Panama Canal said it ensures an open and transparent process in the development of would projects. In the case of the gas pipeline, the concessionaire process has already been approved by the Panama Canal Board of Directors and the ACP is approaching potential interested parties.
The international tender and prequalification stage for companies will later follow.
The pipeline is not expected to be completed until 2030-2031.