French shipping company CMA CGM has officially registered one of its massive cargo ships, the CMA CGM Phoenix, under the U.S. Flag during a ceremony in Charleston, South Carolina. With a capacity of 9,300 TEU, it is now the largest container vessel to ever sail under the U.S. Flag. Previously operating under the Singapore flag, the Phoenix is a Neo-Panamax class ship measuring over 1,000 feet long and 150 feet wide.  The vessel will be staffed by American crews, with 21 sailors on board at any time, rotating through a total team of 42.  The Phoenix will also serve as a new training platform for maritime officers advancing through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point and other (state) academies.  (See more at: gcaptain.com “CMA CGM Phoenix Becomes Largest Containership Ever to Fly U.S. Flag,” by Mike Schuler, 7/24/2025)

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The Port of Los Angeles reported its busiest month of June on record, with 892,340 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled.  This marks an 8% increase in container traffic compared to June of last year. According to port officials, the increase is partly driven by businesses fast-tracking holiday shipments to avoid potential tariff increases later in the year. By importing products now, companies hope to avoid higher costs if trade policies change. Most of the activity came from incoming goods, which jumped 10% to over 470,000 containers. Exports also ticked up slightly, with more than 126,000 containers shipped out — a 3% increase. (See more at: freightwaves.com “June box record for Port of Los Angeles,” by Stuart Chirls, 7/15/2025)

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FedEx Corp.’s journey from a small logistics carrier with a few aircraft to the world’s largest cargo airline is widely considered a landmark achievement in U.S. business and global commerce. The company’s founder and longtime leader, Fred Smith—who guided FedEx for nearly five decades—passed away June 21^st at the age of 80. Smith was known among colleagues and former employees as a deeply involved leader with a sharp instinct for aircraft acquisitions. Today, FedEx operates a fleet of over 700 aircraft. Around 400 of those serve core air routes, while another 310 regional turboprops are used by smaller contractors to move shipments into major FedEx hubs. The main fleet includes Boeing 757s, AirbusA300-600s, Boeing 767s, and larger wide-body MD-11 and Boeing 777 aircraft. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), FedEx handles more cargo than any other airline worldwide.

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Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach dropped by 8.2% in May, with the port handling 639,160 TEUs as tariffs impact global trade. The nearby Port of Los Angeles also saw a year-over-year dip, moving only 716,619 TEUs—a 5% decline. At Long Beach, imported goods were down 13.4% to 299,116 TEUs, and exports slid 18.6% to 82,149 TEUs. The only category to rise was empty containers, which increased 3.2% to 257,895 TEUs. The Port of Los Angeles reported similar trends, with loaded imports down 9% and exports off by 5%. Executive Director Gene Seroka said May marked the port’s slowest month for cargo movement in over two years. However, a short-term tariff rollback is expected to drive a rebound in trade. After a 145% U.S. tariff on Chinese goods halted many orders in April, activity resumed when the rate dropped to 30% with a 90-day pause lasting through August 12. (See more at: gcaptain.com “U.S. West Coast Ports See Sharp Decline Amid Tariff Impacts…” by Mike Schuler, 6/17/2025)

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A fire broke out on the cargo ship Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala, India, after a powerful explosion earlier today. The incident prompted 18 of the vessel’s 22 crew members to evacuate, according to initial reports. Authorities say four crew members are currently unaccounted for. The Singapore-registered ship was traveling from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva port near Mumbai.  Rescue efforts are ongoing, with the evacuated crew being moved from life rafts to Indian Coast Guard vessels. The cause of the explosion on the Wan Hai vessel remains unknown, however experts believe dangerous goods, possibly undeclared, may have been stored below deck in a forward cargo hold. (See more at: seatrade-maritime.com “Wan Hai vessel explosion forces crew to abandon…”by Nick Savvides, 06/09/2025)

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The 135-meter-long container ship NCL Salten ran aground only meters from a cabin in Byneset, Norway. The 862 TEU feeder vessel was traveling approximately 16 knots when it ran aground during the night. The cabin’s owners were asleep at the time and only became aware of the vessel in their front yard after being alerted by neighbors. Johan Helberg was awakened by his neighbor ringing the doorbell. It was only then that he looked out the window and saw the massive ship looming outside. The Cyprus-registered ship had 16 crew members on board. (See more at: gCaptain.com, “Container Ship Runs Aground Just Meters from Seaside Cabin….…” by Malte Humpert, 05/22/2025)

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