What moves your costs, your transit times and your cargo today.

Good morning. Maritime networks continue to adapt to risk and capacity constraints through more port-call changes and new regional services. The key signal is in Rotterdam: total volume has barely changed, but transhipment is shifting to other ports.

THE DAY IN 30 SECONDS

• Rotterdam attributes the fall in transhipment to persistent capacity constraints at its deep-sea terminals.
• HMM will invest 1.617 billion dollars in twelve container ships, adding 114,100 TEU of nominal capacity before 2030.
• CMA CGM and COSCO are moving the western call of their EPIC service from Tangier Med to Algeciras, expected to last until December.
• Hapag-Lloyd will resume its weekly AGX service between China, Malaysia, Singapore and Khorfakkan from 18 October.
• NCTS phase 6 is now operational in all 41 countries participating in European common transit.
• MSC is adding Southampton to its feeder service between Antwerp, Zeebrugge, France and Ireland with two vessels of around 1,500 TEU.
• Croatia continues to report closed border crossings and two-hour truck waits at its border with Bosnia.
• PTP says its refrigerated terminal in Cádiz is close to operating, but has not yet set an opening date.

🚪 CUSTOMS

NCTS phase 6 enters service in 41 countries

The figure: 41 countries connected to the new customs transit system

The European Commission said on 16 October that phase 6 of the New Computerised Transit System is now in use in the 27 EU member states and the other countries party to the Common Transit Convention.

Why it matters: any failure in the generation, transmission or receipt of messages can halt a transit movement before cargo leaves. Traders using common transit depend on customs representatives and software providers being operational under the active phase in every transit country.

Source →

🚢 OCEAN SHIPPING

HMM to order twelve ships and add 114,100 TEU

The figure: 114,100 TEU of nominal capacity, with full delivery before 31 December 2029

Why it matters: the order does not improve available space now, but it could add downward pressure on freight rates in the medium term if Suez traffic recovers and releases capacity absorbed by diversions. The announcement alone does not establish 2027 rate conditions, which will depend on actual delivery schedules and any withdrawal of chartered vessels.

• HMM’s board approved estimated investment of 1.617 billion dollars to acquire twelve container ships.
• The programme includes eight 13,000 TEU units, three 2,800 TEU units and one 1,700 TEU unit.
• The carrier warns that final prices and delivery dates may vary depending on specifications and deliveries.

What to watch: HMM has not clarified how much tonnage will replace older or chartered vessels, meaning the net capacity increase will be lower than the nominal figure.

Source →

Algeciras replaces Tangier Med on the EPIC service

Why it matters: imports from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Middle East may face changes in connections, terminals and cargo availability dates at destination. The transhipment port and service rotation may differ from those shown in earlier quotations.

• CMA CGM and COSCO Shipping Lines, including OOCL, are temporarily replacing the western Tangier Med call with Algeciras.
• According to DynaLiners, the change will remain in place at least until December 2026.
• The rotation links Algeciras with Southampton, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Jeddah, Duqm, Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Colombo.

What to watch: the concentration of connections in Algeciras could transfer delays to feeder services when several ocean services coincide.

Source →