The highest discount is 75%, the Suez Canal lowers the toll; ONE launches a new service connecting Europe and South America!

NO.1 Ya Suez Canal lowers tolls, with a maximum discount of 75%

It is reported that the Suez Canal Authority (Suez Canal Authority) has announced that in order to further facilitate the transportation of the Suez Canal, it has issued a new toll reduction notice for "chemicals and other liquids in bulk" tankers. This toll reduction applies between US Gulf ports (from Port Miami and its western ports within the "US Gulf") to the Caribbean (ports north of San Andres Island) and in Asia Tankers sailing between the following areas.

20% discount for ports from Karachi, Pakistan to Cochin, India; 60% discount for ports east of Cochin to Port Klang, Malaysia; ships from Port Klang to ports east Discounts of up to 75%. Discount applies to ships passing between July 1 and December 31.

NO.2 ONE launched a new service connecting Europe and South America

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has announced the launch of Latin-East Coast Europe Express (LUX), a new weekly route connecting Europe and the Mediterranean to the East Coast of South America. LUX's maiden voyage will depart from the port of Montevideo on September 16.

According to Singapore Container Line, LUX is the company's first dedicated service connecting Europe and the Mediterranean to the east coast of South America. ONE hopes to offer competitive northbound transit times from the east coast of South America to the Mediterranean and Europe, offering customers a competitive alternative to existing products in the market, especially for refrigerated cargo.

“It is also the only service in the market that dials directly from Lisbon to the east coast of South America, offering customers the opportunity to ship from these unique port pairs,” ONE noted in a statement.

NO.3 Maersk deploys artificial intelligence robot solutions in UK warehouses

Maersk, in partnership with US company Berkshire Gray, is implementing an artificial intelligence robotics solution at its newest warehouse in the East Midlands, UK.

The system sorts orders three times faster than traditional manual systems, speeds up upstream bulk inventory extraction by 33%, and handles 100% of typical stock keeping unit (SKU) sorting, order profiles and packaging. This will not only increase the competitiveness of Maersk's fulfillment services, but also increase the resilience and flexibility of its customers' supply chains.

“Berkshire Gray’s AI-powered robots have a proven track record across industries in North America and we are delighted to now be bringing these benefits to our customers in the UK,” said Fergus Whinham, Regional Director for Maersk Fulfillment UK and Ireland. "This complex, flexible system reflects our commitment to optimize processes and better serve our customers in a rapidly evolving market."

NO.4 Wanhai container ship was detained after hitting the revetment

Source: Wan Hai Shipping Official Website Invasion and Deletion

Recently, a Wan Hai shipping container ship was detained in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China. The ship hit the revetment of one of the berths on the same day, and the revetment, guardrails, street lights and navigation lights along the revetment were all damaged. No one was injured and there were no reports of an oil spill.

On July 11, officials from the Kaohsiung Branch of Taiwan International Port Corporation went to the scene of the accident and found two obvious impact marks on the breakwater. One navigation light was damaged and tilted, one landscape light was knocked out and another landscape light tilted due to the impact of the collision with the breakwater.

TIPC officials estimate that replacing the damaged navigation and landscape lights will cost about NT.5 million (US,871). Damaged navigation lights are being removed and temporary navigation lights installed. In addition, warning equipment will be set up on site to maintain site safety. TIPC is expected to demand damages from Wan Hai.

NO.5 The Port of Los Angeles, USA, sold 833,035 TEUs in June

The Port of Los Angeles shipped 833,035 TEUs in June, the best performance since last July. "While we may see lower cargo volumes in July, I am optimistic that the second half of 2023 will perform better than the first six months," said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.

In June 2023, loaded imports reached 435,307 TEUs, down 2% year-on-year. Full-load exports reached 108,050 TEUs, an increase of 15% compared to last year. The discharge of empty containers was 289,679 TEUs, down 14% year-on-year.

During the first six months of 2023, the port handled 4.1 million TEUs, a 24% drop compared to the same period in 2022. Separately, the Port of Long Beach had its strongest month so far in 2023 in May, raising hopes of a midyear growth trend in container volumes.