News

India’s government approved three rail track expansion projects (375km total) with a total investment of Rs $79.3b:  

• Quadrupling the 160km Manmad-Jalgaon line  
• Quadrupling the 131km Bhusawal-Khandwa line, which will boost freight traffic by 13m tons per year.  
• Tripling the 84km Manikpur-Prayagraj line, which will serve as a feeder route to the 1337km Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), with the expansion expected to increase freight traffic by 16m tons per year.  

Overall, Mahrashtra’s rail freight traffic will be boosted by an estimated 21m tons per year. 

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The Port of Manzanillo, Mexico’s primary gateway on the Pacific Coast, will more than double its capacity to 10m TEUs (currently 3.5m) as part of a $3b expansion, making it the largest container port in Latin America and one of the world’s top 15 ports. 

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The United States, Canada, and Finland recently formed the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact, a transformative partnership that strengthens the three nations’ collective presence in the strategically important Arctic and Antarctic regions.  

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The global cold chain market (temperature-controlled containers) was worth almost $248.4b in 2020 but is expected to exceed $410b by 2028. 

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Canada’s Labour Minister directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to resume all port operations in Montreal and on the West Coast. CIRB directed all parties, namely the Port Employers’ BCMEA and the Vancouver Port Foremen Union, to resume all operations starting 14 Nov 2024 until the CIRB makes a final decision on binding arbitration. An exact timeframe for the resumption of services is not yet known, but port operations should resume soon.

In recent days, the USMX bargaining committee met with the ILA in New Jersey to collectively bargain, attempting to resolve all outstanding issues and reach a new Master Contract. Although there was positive movement on several issues, both sides reached an impasse in discussions about current technologies, so the ILA has ended collective bargaining. 

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Montreal: The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) issued a lockout notice to the union representing workers at the Port of Montreal, halting activities at Termont and Montreal Gateway Terminals (MGT) as of 10 November 2024 at 21:00. Trucking and rail services were already closed at MGT as of 8 November 2024 and the lockout will remain in effect until further notice.

Vancouver / Prince Rupert: The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) initiated a lockout with the Longshore Workers Union (ILWU 514) on 4 November 2024. Discussions between both parties will remain ongoing.

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