Did You Know That…

…Why are spot container rates to the US more than double rates to Europe?

• Asia-US spot rates remain at or near their peak, exceeding Red Sea crisis levels and reaching highest point since 2022 at the tail end of pandemic boom
• Since July 1, WCI transpacific indexes are up 27% and WCI Asia-Europe indexes are down 27%, with transpacific assessments now 119% higher than the Asia-Europe average
• Analysts highlight capacity management as the key to transpacific rate strength, but US demand — buoyed by the AI datacentre buildout — is also playing a role.

Spot container rates to the US have relentlessly risen throughout 2026. US demand has weathered Trump’s tariffs and is being supported by the AI datacentre buildout and derived demand from that ecosystem.

…Abu Dhabi emerges as container shipping’s Hormuz shuttle operator

• AD Ports-linked feeder vessels now account for almost all recorded container transits through the Strait of Hormuz, with major global liner operators still largely absent from the waterway
• Container flows have recovered modestly from crisis lows, but weekly crossings remain only a fraction of pre-conflict levels and are concentrated among a handful of repeat Abu Dhabi-backed operators
• Emerging feeder network mirrors the shuttle tanker model supporting Gulf crude exports, with state-backed operators assuming risks that most commercial carriers continue to avoid.

State-backed feeder vessels are maintaining some of the last regular container services through the Strait of Hormuz, mirroring the shuttle tanker model that has become critical to Gulf crude exports.

…Grimaldi unveils next-generation ro-ro cargo ship orders as it defends open trade

• Grimaldi revealed plans for next-generation con-ro and multipurpose ro-ro cargo ships which are expected to replace vessels built between the late 1990s and 2000s   
• The group, which now deploys 30 vessels on Asia-linked services, said rising geopolitical tensions and trade barriers reinforce the need to protect open markets and fair competition.

Grimaldi used its annual Euromed Convention to unveil plans for new con-ro and multipurpose vessels, extending a multibillion-dollar fleet renewal programme while warning against growing trade barriers.

…Next week, we will gather in Istanbul for our annual conference. We are looking forward to welcoming approximately 130 delegates from more than 60 countries across the globe and to an inspiring and fruitful conference. The central theme of the conference is “EAA Network members Road to 2030”. Success is not about reaching the destination alone, but about building the right connections along the way.. We wish all participants safe and smooth travel to the venue.

…Bangkok Flooding Disrupts Shipping and Logistics. Severe flooding in Bangkok and surrounding areas is creating additional challenges for the shipping and logistics sector. Heavy rainfall and rising water levels are affecting road connectivity, warehouse operations, and the movement of cargo in and around the city. For logistics providers, the main concerns are delays in trucking operations, difficulties reaching industrial areas and distribution centers, and potential disruptions to scheduled cargo movements. Where roads become inaccessible, alternative routes can add both transit time and cost. Warehouses and manufacturing facilities in vulnerable areas may also face temporary operational restrictions.

…Port delays remove 3m TEU of containership capacity

• Port congestion has sidelined 3m teu, up 75% since mid-August
• Schedule reliability fell to 49.9%, led by delays at Shanghai and Ningbo
• Disruption may persist into the Chinese New Year peak as landside bottlenecks worsen.

Congestion is absorbing 8.5% of the global fleet and may persist into the pre-Chinese New Year cargo peak, according to Sea-Intelligence.

…Panama Canal eases restrictions as rainfall outlook improves

• Panama Canal raises neo-panamax draft limit to 49 ft and increases total daily transit capacity to 33 vessels
• Improvement follows near-average rainfall and water-saving measures, reversing some restrictions imposed earlier this month
• Canal authority warns water deficit persists and deeper cuts could still be required if El Niño conditions worsen later this year.

Weeks after warning of potentially deeper cuts to vessel traffic, the Panama Canal has increased daily transit capacity and restored a 49 ft draft limit as reservoir conditions stabilise, offering temporary relief to global shipping markets.

…Manchester City, found guilty of cheating, stares into the abyss. The Premier League’s punishment for the club will define English football for decades. If you haven’t seen Sergio Aguero’s 94th-minute league-winning goal for Manchester City in 2012, Google it. It is among the greatest moments in football history. This week it became infamous. An independent commission has found City, the most successful English team of the past 15 years, guilty of over 100 breaches of the Premier League’s rules between 2009 and 2018. It is by far the most complicated legal case in the history of English football—and the most consequential. In football, the relationship between money and success is linear. Most of the charges against City relate to attempts to circumvent rules which prevent owners from pumping vast sums into their clubs, by limiting what teams can spend relative to their revenue. According to the verdict published on September 29th, City’s Emirati owners evaded those rules with “sham” sponsorship contracts that helped the club overstate its income by more than £830m ($1.2bn), money that enabled it to buy players, like Mr Aguero, who made a mediocre outfit record-breaking. In the decade to 2020 the club recorded £600m more in commercial income than the average of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

Have A Great Weekend !

…This DYKT news bulletin will be published on the website as well, go to www.eaanetwork.com.