This Week in Logistics

CMA CGM Sets China Record with First Biomethanol Bunkering — CMA CGM completed its first biomethanol bunkering operation at Shanghai's Yangshan Port, setting a Chinese volume record for the sustainable fuel.

Yang Ming Reports Strong 2025 Earnings, Orders Six LNG Ships — Yang Ming Marine Transport reported 2025 revenues of NT$163.56 billion with after-tax profit of NT$17.1 billion, while its board approved an order for six 13,000-TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships.

China Summons Maersk, MSC Over Shipping Disruptions and Canal Concerns — China's Ministry of Transport summoned executives from Maersk and MSC to Beijing for talks on Middle East shipping disruptions and rising freight rates affecting global supply chains.

Amerijet Founder David Bassett, Pioneer of Regional Air Cargo, Dies at 77 — David Bassett, founder of all-cargo airline Amerijet International Airways, has died at age 77, leaving behind a legacy as a visionary who revolutionized air freight operations across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cargo iQ Network Adds Singapore Changi and Frankfurt Airports — Cargo iQ has added Singapore Changi and Frankfurt airports as members, expanding its network of standardized cargo handling facilities.

Middle East Crisis Tightens Air Cargo Capacity, Lifts Global Freight Rates — Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are constraining air cargo capacity and driving significant increases in global freight rates.

FMCSA Cracks Down on Illegal Sale of USDOT and MC Numbers — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued warnings against carriers buying, selling, or leasing USDOT numbers and Motor Carrier authorities, practices that circumvent safety oversight.

Three States Mandate English Proficiency for Foreign CDL Drivers — Alabama, South Dakota, and Wyoming have enacted laws requiring English language proficiency testing and work authorization verification for foreign commercial driver's license holders.

BlueBox Launches Tradelane Intelligence Analytics Platform — BlueBox Systems has launched Tradelane Intelligence, a data analytics platform leveraging validated airfreight data to enable real-time operational and strategic decision-making across supply chains.

Anthropic Sues Pentagon Over Supply Chain Risk Designation — Anthropic filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon challenging its designation as a supply chain security risk, while the Trump administration considers additional executive orders targeting the AI startup.

Lödige Industries Launches Cargo Direct Terminal Orchestration Platform — Lödige Industries has launched Cargo Direct, an intelligent terminal orchestration platform that integrates Air Waybill data with terminal resources in real-time to optimize air cargo workflows and boost capacity utilization.

Strait of Hormuz Blockade Traps Thousands of Ships, Threatens Global Supply Chains — Regional instability has stranded approximately 2,500 commercial vessels and 20,000 seafarers in the Middle East, with major carriers like Maersk reporting 10+ ships trapped in the Persian Gulf.

Iran Mining Operations Escalate Strait of Hormuz Crisis — Iranian forces have commenced mining operations in the Strait of Hormuz while the new supreme leader pledges to keep the critical waterway closed, prompting the IEA to warn of "the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market." The escalation has effectively paralyzed shipping through the region, with significant implications for global oil and LNG supplies as Asian buyers extend procurement windows through May..

Container Ship Hit Off UAE as Middle East Shipping Threats Escalate — A container vessel operating for Maersk-Hapag Lloyd was struck by shrapnel near Dubai's Jebel Ali port, sustaining damage and a fire that crews extinguished.

IEA Approves Record 400 Million Barrel Oil Reserve Release — The International Energy Agency's 32 member nations unanimously authorized a historic 400 million-barrel emergency oil reserve release to stabilize markets disrupted by Middle East conflict.

FMC Warns Carriers Over Hormuz Strait Surcharge Practices — The Federal Maritime Commission issued a statement warning shipping lines about surcharge practices related to the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional tensions.