The Loadstar

The Loadstar is an independent, United Kingdom based, supply chain and logistics publication covering freight forwarding, air cargo, ocean shipping, ports, and international trade policy. gCaptain republishes select Loadstar coverage under content partnership terms when stories are materially relevant to maritime and offshore readers. Loadstar stories on gCaptain are clearly attributed and may be edited for house style, formatting, and headline clarity while preserving source reporting.


Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Shipping

FMC Ruling Could Prove Crucial for ‘Unfair’ Detention and Demurrage Fee Complaints

By Nick Savvides (The Loadstar) – A US Federal Maritime Commission small claims officer’s (SCO) decision to uphold trucker TCW Inc’s complaint

January 3, 2023
Total Views: 1849

Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Shipping

Carriers Face the ‘Quiet Before the Storm’ for Contract Rates

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – A year ago, shippers were desperate to agree annual contract deals with ocean carriers  to secure their supply

December 27, 2022
Total Views: 2436

Thursday, December 22, 2022
Shipping

Container Shipping’s Idled Fleet Set to Soar Next Year

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Just 12 months ago, the 2009-built 4,253 teu Synergy Oakland was preparing to commence a two-month charter

December 22, 2022
Total Views: 8450

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Shipping

Amid Container Market Turmoil, Shipping Alliances Prepare to Deploy New Megaships

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – THE Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Yang Ming and HMM have finalised their April network plans, which feature

December 20, 2022
Total Views: 2015

Friday, December 16, 2022
Shipping

Ocean Carriers to Increase Blank Sailings from Asia Post-Chinese New Year

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Against a background of extremely weak demand forecasts, ocean carriers are preparing to blank around half their

December 16, 2022
Total Views: 2071

Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Shipping

Crew ‘Feared for Their Safety’ During Transpacific Voyage on ‘Unseaworthy’ Containership

By Nick Savvides (The Loadstar) – Crew onboard the Zim Iberia have written to their crewing agents asking for redeployment after they

December 13, 2022
Total Views: 26583

Friday, December 9, 2022
Shipping

Transatlantic Spot Rates Tread Water as Chinese Export Rates Tumble

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Navigating the container spot rate market has become a minefield for shipper procurement managers under pressure from

December 9, 2022
Total Views: 903

Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Shipping

Sign of the Times: New World’s Largest Containership Sails Light on Maiden Voyage

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – The 24,004 teu Ever Atop transited the Suez Canal over the weekend on its maiden voyage to North Europe,

December 6, 2022
Total Views: 13543

Thursday, December 1, 2022
An MSC containership passes a Maersk containership
Shipping

Could MSC Be Mulling a 2M Split?

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Since August 2020, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company brokers have completed the acquisition of nearly 250 second-hand

December 1, 2022
Total Views: 6141

Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Shipping

Maersk Revamps Network for Shipping’s ‘New Reality’

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Major Chinese export markets are showing signs of a recovery after the steep post-Golden Week holiday decline, led by a

November 29, 2022
Total Views: 1816

Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Shipping

Maersk ‘Test Case’ Could Shift Container Shipping’s Balance of Power

By Nick Savvides (The Loadstar) – Since the pandemic began, complaints of carrier misdeeds have circulated across the industry and around the globe. In

November 23, 2022
Total Views: 8767

Friday, November 18, 2022
Shipping

Carriers in ‘Panic Mode’ as China Bookings Plummet

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Ocean carriers are said to be in “panic mode” as bookings from China to North Europe and the US west coast tank,

November 18, 2022
Total Views: 26522

Monday, November 14, 2022
Shipping

Shipper Files FMC Complaint: Maersk ‘Flouts the Law to Rake in Profits’

By Nick Savvides (The Loadstar) – A Florida shipper has issued a complaint against Maersk and its subsidiary, Hamburg Süd, that includes a failure

November 14, 2022
Total Views: 6602

Friday, November 11, 2022
Shipping

Container Spot Rates Tick Up as Capacity is Removed from Market

By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) – Spot container freight rates on the largest deepsea trades rebounded this week, despite continuing weak demand,

November 11, 2022
Total Views: 2364

Thursday, November 3, 2022
Shipping

Idled Boxship Fleet Sails Past 1 Million TEUs as Blankings Fail to Stop Freight Rate Erosion

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – The idled containership fleet has breached the 1m teu capacity milestone – and is set to jump significantly

November 3, 2022
Total Views: 5624

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Shipping

Maersk Gives Overstocked Retailers the Option to Slow Arrivals

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Maersk says it is offering shippers the opportunity to slow cargo arrivals from Asia destined for European and US ports

November 1, 2022
Total Views: 1649

Thursday, October 27, 2022
Shipping

Smaller Containerships Most Likely to Face the Chopping Block

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – A period of aggressive vessel scrapping will be required to address a looming “severe risk of overcapacity” in

October 27, 2022
Total Views: 6893

Friday, October 21, 2022
Shipping

Export Markets ‘Destabilized’ as Carriers ‘Undersell’ Capacity

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – Ocean carriers are endeavouring to top up their ships from China with heavily discounted spot cargo as their contracted

October 21, 2022
Total Views: 1984

Wednesday, October 19, 2022
container ship port
Shipping

Idled Containership Fleet Set to Grow as Market Turns

By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) – The number of carrier-controlled container vessels in lay-up is increasing exponentially as liner networks are

October 19, 2022
Total Views: 5668

Thursday, October 13, 2022
Shipping

‘Fast and Furious’ Return to Normal Puts Liner Profits at Risk

A new research paper from HSBC predicts that the “fast and furious” collapse in freight rate will result in global container shipping returning to

October 13, 2022
Total Views: 1821