In the latest developments in the trade war between USA and China, reduced tariffs of 30% and 10% have been respectively announced, alongside a rollback on some of the steeper tariffs, giving both sides 90 days to continue negotiations. Regardless of the de-escalation of the trade...
In the upcoming IMO meeting there is a strong likelihood that IMO negotiators will opt for a fuel standard rather than a carbon tax on shipping in order to achieve the organisation's goal of net-zero emissions by or around 2050. This touted fuel standard will mean...
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is being urged by an alliance of global cargo owners to utilise its upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting to approve "a clear, comprehensive, globally consistent set of measures" that will accelerate the transition to clean energy. This meeting, due...
The Victorian government has announced a new grain terminal in the state that will be connected to rail for the first time in 30 years, taking trucks off regional roads, with freight trains moving bulk grain for domestic and export markets. A four-kilometre section of the...
Recent statistics released by the Port of Melbourne have confirmed that 2024 was a record-breaking year for the port, with the highest annual container trade volume ever recorded at the site, reaching a total of 3.396 million TEUs, up nine per cent on 2023. The growth...
According to BIMCO, average container freight rates for Chinese exports have fallen 28% since the start of the year, marking the worst first-quarter decline in twenty years. The China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) fell from 1548 at the start of 2025 to 1112 at the end...
The combination of freight rates reaching new lows this year and increased capacity in the upcoming months as more ships hit the water, is expected to see the number of blank sailings increase in April as carriers seek to finalise their annual service contracts with...
The latest Drewry World Container Index (WCI) Index decreased 4% to US$2168 per 40-foot container this week. The average composite index for the year to date is US$3053 per FEU, which is US$167 higher than the 10-year average rate of US$2886. The following trade routes experienced...
New Zealand (NZ) wines have once again recorded growth in the United States in 2024, marking their 16th consecutive year of expansion in this export market. Among the top ten countries supplying wine to the U.S., New Zealand was the only nation to post a...
California, which produces around 80% of wine in the US, is bracing for an unusually small 2024 vintage, with a total red and white grape crush of 2.88 million tonnes, reflecting a 21.7% decrease from 2023. This represents the smallest crush in California in two decades,...