North American Trade Lanes:US West Coast outperforms East Coast with some carriers experiencing rolloversFailed mid-July GRIs followed by significant rate erosionEast Coast volumes decline as slower transit times miss tariff deadlinesMSC suspends PEARL service, Ocean Alliance implements blank sailin

Ro-Ro ships offer fastest, safest (0.3% damage) but costliest EV transport. Container ships save 30-40% for small cars. Breakbulk fits oversized loads only. Choose wrong = +50% cost/delays.

Matson Lines has immediately halted all shipments of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids due to lithium-ion battery risks, following recent maritime fires. No timeline for resumption.

Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and other carriers have announced August freight rate adjustments. Maersk will impose PSS on China to South Africa/Mauritius routes ($1,000/20’, $1,600/40’ dry containers), while Hapag-Lloyd adds $300/TEU on Far East-Australia routes. US West/East rates rebound, while Europe-Asia rates may rise further due to tariffs.

Hamburg Port Authority will close key rail routes in August & October 2025 for bridge construction, disrupting 100% of rail links to CTH/Eurogate and CTB terminals. Parallel shutdowns on Berlin-Northern Ports routes until April 2026 will compound delays.

Israel will permanently shut down its Red Sea port of Eilat on July 20, 2025, following Houthi attacks and financial collapse. The closure eliminates a key Suez Canal alternative for Israeli trade.

Hapag-Lloyd (HPL) will apply a $300/TEU Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) from Far East, Indian Subcontinent & Middle East to Australia, effective August 1, 2025, amid rising demand and capacity constraints.

MSC modifies Swan, Britannia, and Lion routes to bypass Antwerp congestion, adding Felixstowe and Colombo calls while adjusting China port rotations. Changes follow April's rate hikes and worsening Red Sea delays.

Pacific International Lines (PIL) launches CA1 and CA2 feeder routes to enhance connectivity between Central America and its existing WCSA mainline, serving Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.

Piracy incidents in the Singapore Strait surged 309% YoY in Q2 2025, with 45 reported boardings – primarily targeting bulk carriers (58%) and now container ships (8 cases in 2025). Analysts blame weak Indonesian enforcement in overlapping waters.