The dry bulk shipping market will remain in recession due to contracting demand for iron ore and coal, and any recovery is not expected until 2017, according to the Dry Bulk Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Lloyd's Register is classing the world's largest-ever container ships – led by a recent contract to oversee the building of six ultra-large container ships of more than 20,000 TEUs.

Challenge: This leading producer of spirits and wine lacked visibility of its ocean shipments and carrier performance levels. The company relied on each partner's individual tracking system, a process made more difficult as exports and revenues grew.

The Port of Oakland, in an effort to relieve weekday congestion, will initiate Saturday gate operations at four of its container terminals.

Breaking a run of six consecutive months of improvement, container service reliability across the three main East-West trades declined in July, falling by 4.0 percentage points from June to 73.3 percent, according to Carrier Performance Insight, the online schedule reliability tool provided by Drewry Supply Chain Advisors.

Port Logistics Group, a provider of gateway logistics services, has opened operations in Savannah, Ga.

LNG carrier freight rates have come under severe pressure due to rising fleet supply and stabilising LNG demand, as Japan prepares to restart its nuclear power plants. Despite the general market belief that new LNG supply from Australian projects will provide ample employment to the growing fleet, there are immediate challenges on freight rates. This is due to 49 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of Australian LNG cargo supply expected to hit the market over the next two years, according to the newly launched LNG Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

A surge in crude tanker vessel capacity over the next two years will lead to a fall in ship-owner earnings from current highs, according to the latest edition of the Tanker Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.