Hapag Lloyd News

The English Commercial Court (the “Court”) has provided helpful clarity on the extent of damages available to a claimant shipowner for the late redelivery of a vessel under a time charter where there is evidence that the owner of the vessel would have been unable to enter into a subsequent charter for the vessel. In such circumstances, only nominal damages will be recoverable, as no actual loss has been suffered.BackgroundHapag-Lloyd AG (the “Charterers”) entered into two materially…

U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout.The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce "reciprocal tariffs" targeting nations that have duties on U.S. goods. That move would come after it slapped new import levies on products from Mexico, China and Canada - the top U.S. trading partners - as well as on goods including steel and autos.Major global container shipping firms like MSC…

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Chair Mike Ezell (MS-04) introduced the bipartisan “American Cargo for American Ships Act” to strengthen U.S. Cargo preference laws and promote American economic growth.The legislation aims to reduce the ongoing decline of U.S. flagged ships.In 2022, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and highlighted the decline of U.S. flagged ships. Per MARAD, there were 106 ships in the foreign trade flying the U.S. flag in 2012.

As the shipping industry pushes toward decarbonization, Hapag-Lloyd is leveraging StormGeo’s digital solutions to ensure compliance with the new FuelEU Maritime regulation. The regulation, which took effect on January 1, 2025, requires shipping companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the use of sustainable fuels.With a fleet of 300 container ships, Hapag-Lloyd has already made significant strides in sustainability, operating LNG dual-fuel vessels and using biofuels capable of cutting emissions by up to 80%.

The global ocean shipping industry that handles 80% of world trade is navigating a sea of unknowns as U.S. President Donald Trump stokes trade and geopolitical tensions with historical foes as well as neighbors and allies.That is the backdrop for this week's S&P Global TPM container shipping and supply chain conference in Long Beach, California, an annual event that marks the start of container shipping contract negotiating season.Attendees this year include industry heavyweights like container carriers MSC…

Capacity and its deployment dominate the outlook for shippers this year as they digest the impact of tariffs, the potential rebound in Red Sea traffic and the introduction of the new alliance Gemini, according to global consulting firm AlixPartners’ 2025 Container Shipping Outlook Report, “Navigating the Crosscurrents.”The tailwinds from the Suez Canal diversions, industrial action at ports, and a U.S. soft landing reversed early expectations in 2024 and resulted in container shippers enjoying one of their best years on record.

Analysts caution that a new proposal to impose fees on China-built container ships entering the U.S. could trigger unintended consequences, including port congestion, rising freight costs, and shifts in global trade flows.The Trump administration has announced a plan to charge a $1 million fee every time a vessel operated by a Chinese carrier docks at a U.S. port. Additionally, the Federal Notice outlines potential extra charges for any China-built ships, even if operated by carriers from other nations.

Battered by Covid, the cruise industry was down but not out. Today it is setting records in passenger count + the size and cost of a new fleet.Post-Pandemic, the fortunes of the big cruise companies have brightened dramatically. A late December, 2024 earnings release from Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE: CCL), encompassing brands including Carnival Cruise, Holland America, Cunard, Princess Cruises and others, says it all: “This has been an incredibly strong finish to a record year,” said CCL’s CEO Josh Weinstein, in its statement.

Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) and Hogan Lovells jointly advised on three separate green ship financing transactions with an aggregate value of over $1.5 billion.All three transactions, one of which was secured by Chinese ECA Sinosure, were carried out in accordance with the Green Loan Principles of the Loan Market Association. WFW advised arrangers, financing banks and green loan arranger, with Hogan Lovells acting for Hapag-Lloyd.In October 2024, Hapag-Lloyd signed two orders for a total of 24 container ships with two Chinese shipyards.

Taking a well-to-wake approach to CO2 emissions means that the shipping industry will look beyond emerging engine technologies such as dual-fuel ammonia engines when considering the viability of alternative fuels.Engine manufacturers are optimizing combustion and reducing pilot fuel requirements, but any pilot diesel requirements mean the process is not 100% carbon free.This week, Hanwha Power Systems, Hanwha Ocean and Baker Hughes announced a different concept. The companies agreed to design and produce low carbon ammonia gas turbines capable of 100% ammonia combustion.

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has announced that the Premier Alliance Agreement (No. 201435) can take effect on February 9, 2025.The Premier Alliance is replacing THE Alliance, but does not include Hapag-Lloyd which instead entered the Gemini Cooperation with Maersk.The new arrangement allows Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Yang Ming to share vessels on trade lines between the United States and Asia, the Middle East and Europe.The cooperation is comprised of mainline services across the major East – West Tradelines: Asia – North America West Coast…

Container shipping liner Hapag-Lloyd will be able to cope with the advent of U.S. tariffs on Chinese products, its chief executive told reporters on Tuesday."It is too early to push the panic button," CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said in the remarks published on Wednesday, when additional 10% tariffs kicked in, and made before U.S. President Donald Trump proposed that his country to take over the Gaza Strip."Fortunately we are able to react when transport flows change," he said, adding foreseeable events were easier to handle than the unexpected ones…

DP World Southampton has welcomed the arrival of MV Leonidio, the first ship to dock to the port under the Gemini Cooperation agreement, set up by Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk. The MV Leonidio docked at the Southampton logistics hub on February 3 as part of its first rotation on the Gemini Transatlantic AL1/AT3 service.The ship will call at the ports of Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Wilhelmshaven in Northern Europe before crossing the Atlantic to dock at New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore…

Container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd has secured long-term financing, in the amount of $4 billion, for 24 large container ships ordered in October 2024, with a combined capacity of 312,000 TEU.Around $900 million of the purchase price will be financed using the company’s own funds. A total of $500 million will be made available from two banks in the form of bilateral mortgage loans.Another part, in the amount of $1.8 billion, will be financed via three leasing structures, and $1.1…

On February 1, Maersk A/S (Maersk), an entity under A.P. Moller - Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd AG (Hapag-Lloyd) launch their operational collaboration Gemini Cooperation. The ambition is to deliver a flexible and interconnected ocean network with industry-leading schedule reliability above 90 percent once fully phased in.Around 340 vessels will be phased in and be a part of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s shared ocean network with the first sailings taking place on February 1, and more vessels will gradually sail on the new schedules.“We are now ready to commence the phase-in of the new network.

Two of the world's top shipping companies, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, said on Thursday they did not see an immediate return to Red Sea after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was announced.Both companies said they would be closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and would return to the Red Sea once it was safe to do so."The agreement has only just been reached. We will closely analyze the latest developments and their impact on the security situation in the Red Sea…

The shipping industry has been watching the dual-fuel engine choices made for newbuildings as an indicator of what many see as an uncertain fuel future.In December, DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insights platform counted 27 ammonia and 322 methanol-fueled vessels currently on the orderbooks.Methanol has raced ahead of ammonia, which currently lags in both engine and regulatory development.As the years tick by, 2025 is here and 2030 is rapidly approaching, eyes are now turning to the existing fleet – to the potential for engine retrofits. Again, methanol is ahead of ammonia.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) Board of Directors has elected Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the World Shipping Council Board.“It is an honor to step into the role of Chair for the World Shipping Council and to represent the global liner shipping industry alongside our members. WSC is today a respected voice of liner shipping, engaging with governments and organizations globally,” said Toft.“An ever-changing world presents both challenges and opportunities for our industry as we head into the future…

The bipartisan, bicameral bill will fuel U.S. economy, strengthen national security by responding to China’s threat over the oceans. Currently, the number of U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce is 80; China has 5,500.Today, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. After decades of neglect, the United States has a weakened shipbuilding capacity, a declining commercial shipping fleet that is dwarfed by China, and a diminished ability to supply the U.S. military during wartime.

With the upcoming dissolution of the 2M Alliance in early 2025, JAXPORT is maintaining and growing its global container services through strategic partnerships with the world's top ocean carriers. New and modified service routes through JAXPORT will provide expanded global connectivity and access to new and emerging markets.Three primary changes are taking place beginning in February 2025.The Gemini Cooperation – an alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd – has added JAXPORT to a new, direct service calling Cartagena, Colombia, opening doors not only to South American markets but also to the global Gemini network, including ports in Asia…

German container line operator Hapag-Lloyd has implemented Shipshave’s In Transit Cleaning of Hull (ITCH) solution for proactive fouling removal on two of its container ships, achieving significant fuel savings and emissions reduction results.In order to independently verify the benefit of proactive fouling removal, Shipshave in cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd commissioned DNV to analyse operational performance data from two Hapag-Lloyd container ships equipped with the ITCH solution.The vessels are of 8…

Hapag-Lloyd expects lower profitability in the fourth quarter but still at a "good level", after freight rates peaked in the third quarter, Rolf Habben Jansen, the CEO of the German shipping company, said at a press conference on Monday.Habben Jansen also expects disruptions in the Red Sea linked to Houthi militants to continue well into 2025, meaning that rerouting around Africa would continue.Hapag's nine-month net profit fell by 47% as diverting container ships around Africa brought costs for the company.The world's fifth-biggest container shipping firm expects prolonged uncertainty beyond 2024 as volatile freight rates and geopolitical challenges persist.Its Gemini joint venture with Danish peer Maersk MAERSK remains on track with a network being built around the Cape of Good Hope…

Hapag-Lloyd has reached an agreement with China-based Goldwind for the delivery of 250,000 tonnes of green methanol per year, which will lead to savings of up to 400,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year.The green methanol will consist of a blend of bio- and e-methanol, ensuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of at least 70%, and comply with all current sustainability certification requirements.By 2030, Hapag-Lloyd aims to reduce the absolute GHG emissions of the fleet by around one third compared to 2022.