Freight stress rises
DP World opened a new Quebec forwarding office ahead of its multibillion Contrecoeur terminal, and Hanwha’s Philly Shipyard won the US Navy Next‑Gen Logistics Ship contract — developments that come as freight liquidity stress peaks. Vessels are avoiding high‑risk Middle East zones, capacity is tightening, and the Union Pacific vs CN rail data fight heads to an STB deadline on Apr 30. ( )
DP World opened a new Montreal freight‑forwarding office in the Saint‑Laurent district this month as part of an eastern Canada push that the company says will feed its planned Contrecoeur container terminal. (insidelogistics.ca) DP World and the Port of Montreal signed a joint development agreement that schedules in‑water works to begin in 2026, land‑based works in 2027 and full commissioning of the Contrecoeur terminal by 2030. (port-montreal.com) Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard were named subcontractors to Vard Marine US on the U.S. Navy’s Next‑Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) concept‑refinement award on March 30, marking Hanwha’s first U.S. Navy subcontract. (hanwha.com) Hanwha said it has invested more than $200 million in upgrades at Philly Shipyard since December 2024 as it positions the yard to compete for future naval and commercial build work. (hanwha.com) An industry report from OntegosCloud warns 2026 will be a year of “peak liquidity stress” for freight forwarders, citing operational disruption from the Middle East and buyer pressure as drivers of widening cash‑flow gaps. (theloadstar.com) Major carriers have suspended transits through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el‑Mandeb since early March and ordered reroutes around the Cape of Good Hope, with estimates that roughly 170 container ships (about 450,000 TEU) have been diverted and average Asia–Europe voyages extended by around ten days. (maersk.com) Shippers are also facing emergency surcharges and tightening capacity: Drewry’s World Container Index hit roughly $2,172 per 40ft in mid‑March while carriers and forwarders have imposed war‑risk and emergency fuel surcharges to offset longer sailings and higher bunker costs. (maritimenews.com) Canadian National filed a motion with the Surface Transportation Board on Jan. 12 to compel Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to produce additional merger documents and data, and the STB set an April 30, 2026 refile deadline for UP and NS to submit a revised application. (cn.ca)
