“The Port of Thunder Bay’s 2025 shipping season is off to a solid start,” the port authority said in a news release.

While the port’s tally of 1.3 million metric tonnes of cargo is down nine per cent from 2024, that year was the best on record in more than 25 years. This year’s cargo shipments to April 30 were 11 per cent higher than the five-year average.

Cargos to April 30 included:

• 1,096,924 tonnes of grain (average is 994,666)
• 140,396 tonnes of potash (average is 76,763)
• 26,074 tonnes of coal (average is 44,302)

To April 30, 59 vessels had come through the port, up from an average of 51. In 2024, 62 vessels came through the port between the beginning of the season and April 30.

The post Thunder Bay sees strong spring grain shipments appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

That is the backdrop for this week’s S&P Global TPM container shipping and supply chain conference in Long Beach, California, an annual event that marks the start of container shipping contract negotiating season.

Attendees this year include industry heavyweights like container carriers MSC, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, marquee customers including Walmart, and major logistics firms including DSV and DHL.

Why it matters: Canadian agricultural goods are shipped all around the world, and Canada is at a freight disadvantage in many markets compared to some competitors

These companies will be grappling with the ripple effects of increased protectionism, which could reduce international trade while weakening the negotiating position of massive container ship owners that have drawn robust profits and for years held the upper hand in pricing.

Trump has already slapped an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, the world’s largest exporter, and has proposed million-dollar port entry fees for Chinese-built ships.

As early as Tuesday, the U.S. could impose 25 per cent tariffs on familiar goods like avocados and tequila from Mexico, and beef, lumber and oil from Canada.

Trump has threatened to levy an additional 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods. His administration also plans new or higher tariffs on steel and aluminum and has floated 25 per cent duties on products from the European Union.

“Unprecedented uncertainty is all around,” said Peter Sand, chief analyst at transportation pricing platform Xeneta.

The world’s biggest importer’s shift away from free trade hits as global supply chains are managing higher costs from global warming-fueled severe weather and routing ships away from the Suez Canal to avoid attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

U.S. container imports of everything from plastic toys to machine parts have surged, in part due to early purchases to avoid tariffs. But trade experts warn that a pullback is likely once new import taxes kick in, targeted nations retaliate, and inflation-weary shoppers absorb the brunt of tariff-related cost increases – something that could pressure shipping demand and prices.

The Drewry World Container Index’s spot rate for a 40-foot container was (US) $2,629 as of Thursday, 75 per cent below the pandemic peak of $10,377 in September 2021 and lowest since May 2024.

“The geopolitical landscape has of course become more complex which could lead to wild swings for freight rates in either direction, but our base case is for a moderation throughout 2025,” Jefferies analysts said in a recent note.

In another move that has set off alarms around the globe, the U.S. Trade Representative on Feb. 21 proposed hefty fees on Chinese-built vessels entering U.S. ports under a union-supported plan to spur U.S. shipbuilding.

Under the proposal, a vessel owned by Chinese maritime transport operators including state-owned COSCO would pay a port entrance fee of up to $1 million per vessel. The fee for other operators using Chinese-built ships could top out at $1.5 million.

The change could benefit Taiwanese and South Korean liner operators. Still, experts warn it will have a major impact on container carriers and could translate into steeper consumer prices for goods from toys and clothing to food and fuel.

“The economic burden on U.S. exporters and importers will be huge,” container shipping expert Lars Jensen said on LinkedIn.

“The actions taken by the U.S. administration over the past four weeks are unprecedented in scope and scale.”

The post Trump trade threats compound global ocean shipping uncertainty appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

“The project to modernize Piers 16 and 17 will make a significant contribution to the resilience of the Canadian supply chain for these primary sectors of activity,” said Port of Trois-Rivières president and CEO Gaétan Boivin in a news release.

The federal government will contribute up to $87.1 million to the project. Total investment in the project is $312 million, the Port of Trois-Rivières a separate statement.

The port plans to refurbish Pier 17 and build a new Pier 16. This will include new wharves and terminals and redevelopment of traffic lanes. Grain buyer G3 Canada and aluminum firm Alcoa will install new loading and unloading equipment, the port said.

The changes will reduce port congestion and improve the flow of cargo traffic, the government said.

Trois-Rivières sits between Montreal and Quebec City on the St. Lawrence River and handles approximately 250 ships and 3.3 million tonnes of grain, aluminum, steel, and other products like wind towers and cacao beans, the port’s website said.

The post Federal government funds Port of Trois-Rivières update appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

• RELATED: Federal government moves to end disputes at ports of Vancouver and Montreal
• RELATED: Agribition 2024: CN optimistic despite potential strike

The breakthrough came after port employers offered a 62 per cent increase in wages over six years, according to people familiar with the matter (as reported by The Wall Street Journal). The new offer, up from an earlier proposed raise of 50 per cent, came after the White House privately and publicly pressed the large shipping lines and cargo terminal operators who employ the longshore workers to make a new offer to the union. President Biden applauded the agreement, saying in a statement, “Collective bargaining works and it is critical to building a stronger economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”

The U.S. Meat Export Federation immediately praised the International Longshoremen’s Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance for their decision, as the meat industry relies heavily on access to those ports. This is a tremendous relief to everyone in the U.S. meat and livestock industries, as about US$100 million worth of beef and pork products are exported every week through East and Gulf Coast ports, said Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Exports are a critical revenue stream at all levels of the U.S. red meat supply chain, and the industry needs all U.S. ports operating to meet the needs of its international customers and to maintain the U.S.’s reputation as a reliable red meat supplier, he said.

Without a renewed labour contract, the U.S. agriculture sector would have taken a big hit, especially as the shutdown would have occurred at a time of year when U.S. meat exports increase. The strike could have imposed a significant economic impact on the U.S. meat industry, Erin Borror, vice-president for economic analysis for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, had warned when the strike began. In the first seven months of 2024, the East and Gulf Coast ports directly accounted for nearly $3 billion worth of U.S. red meat exports. As the industry learned from the COVID shipping issues, when there is one disruption in the shipping or supply chain, there are ripple or domino effects, said Borror. The industry needs to think about the effects indirectly on all U.S. red meat exports, which were valued at over $11 billion in the first seven months of the year, she said.

Especially with the seasonal increase in pork production and exports, the industry looks at the need to be able to handle and accommodate more pork, including ahead of year-end holidays. The U.S. is exporting a record large share of its pork production. More than 30 per cent of all production goes to export when one includes variety meats. For beef, about 14 per cent of all production, including variety meats, is exported, she said.

The post October strike agreement brings sigh of relief appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

If the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 375 does not accept the offer by Sunday at 8:00 p.m. “only essential services and activities unrelated to longshoring will continue at the Port of Montréal from 9 p.m. on Sunday,” the Maritime Employers Association said in a statement on Thursday.

So far, two terminals operated by Termont, representing about 40 per cent of Montreal’s container traffic and 15 per cent of total port volume, have been shut down by the union’s strike, which began on Oct. 31.

If the operators’ offer is not accepted, all longshoring at the port would be locked out, the association said.

The association said its pay offer represented a “cumulative increase” of over 20 per cent over six years.

A CUPE spokesperson said on Friday “an offer has been made and the union is looking at it.”

West Coast ports, including Canada’s largest port of Vancouver, have been mostly shut down since Monday due to a labor dispute, impacting exports of canola oil and forest products. Bulk grain exports are not affected.

The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association said in a statement on Thursday evening that it is scheduled to meet with International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 representatives with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on Saturday afternoon.

Federal Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon has said both sides have a responsibility to reach an agreement. On Thursday, he criticized the lack of apparent progress at both ports.

The post Montreal port employers threaten shutdown appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

The stoppage, which started on Monday, involves limited strike action by the longshore foremen and a full lockout of Local 514 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union by the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.

While bulk grain shipments are exempt from the British Columbia action, canola oil and forestry products are not covered by that federal labor code provision and are not being loaded onto ships at Pacific ports.

Based on the market price of canola oil, each day without shipments represents C$4 million in lost revenue, said Chris Vervaet, the executive director of the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, which says it represents about 95 per cent of Canada’s canola and soybean crush capacity.

“We really implore the government to get involved and really help both sides to a resolution.”

Federal Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon has said both sides have a responsibility to reach an agreement. On Thursday he criticized the lack of apparent progress between the union and employers as well as a smaller shutdown affecting some container traffic at the Port of Montreal.

“Both sets of talks are progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved,” said MacKinnon in a post on social media platform X.

Vervaet said Canada exports about one million metric tons of canola oil through the Port of Vancouver yearly.

Canada is the world’s top exporter of the oilseed, and canola oil is the most valuable part of the crop.

The Forest Products Association of Canada also called for federal government intervention.

Wood, pulp, paper and byproduct shipments by the organization’s members make up about 17 per cent of Vancouver’s container exports and 14 per cent of Montreal’s.

The post Labor dispute stops canola oil, forestry exports from West Coast appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

The strike affects two terminals operated by Termont, which handle about 40 per cent of the port’s container traffic but only about 15 per cent of the port’s overall volumes.

In a statement, the Maritime Employers Association called on federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to intervene to bring parties back to the negotiating table.

“The uncertainty caused by this long delay and the recurrence of labor disputes are affecting the Quebec and Canadian economies, and Canada’s reputation as a reliable and resilient trading partner,” said the Maritime Employers Association when the strike commenced on Thursday.

Commodities like Western Canadian pulse crops are significant users of the terminals.

The union has said that it has focused actions on Termont because of employer-specific complaints.

“Termont is targeted because it is the only company at the Port of Montreal to modify schedules in a punitive way,” Canadian Union of Public Employees 375, which represents the longshore workers, said on Oct. 28.

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the federal government remained willing to help with mediation.

“Parties must find a process leading to a negotiated agreement as quickly as possible. Federal mediators and Minister MacKinnon remain available to assist them, and we continue to monitor the situation closely,” MacKinnon said in a statement.

The employer’s association previously asked for federal intervention.

The post Port of Montreal workers at two terminals start new strike, employer group says appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

“I conveyed Ukraine’s interest in further developing cooperation between Ukraine and Türkiye, especially in defense area,” Sybiha wrote on the social platform X.

“I also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. We also discussed ways to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.”

Sybiha had earlier called for support to stop intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea port infrastructure, in comments made while on a visit to Turkey on Monday.

He said such strikes in recent weeks had damaged four civilian vessels.

Turkey has offered to act as an intermediary to end the more than 2-1/2-year old war sparked by the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine and has endeavoured to maintain good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.

“We see benefit in once again discussing initiatives that could serve peace, like the Black Sea grain initiative,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, referring to the deal Turkey helped broker to allow Black Sea exports from Ukraine’s ports.

“I discussed this with my counterpart as well, we admire Ukraine’s positive stance on this.”

The Black Sea grain initiative remained in force for about a year until Russia backed out of the accord in July 2023, saying provisions of the agreement were not being fulfilled.

— Reporting for Reuters by Yuliia Dysa and by Tuvan Gumrukcu

The post Ukraine foreign minister calls for support to stop Russian strikes on its Black Sea ports appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

Dozens of groups including the American Farm Bureau Federation, Renewable Fuels Association and American Chemistry Council said “the time has come for the U.S. government to intervene and ensure port operations do not stop” in order to prevent damage to U.S. agriculture and the economy.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz raised concerns about the impact of a work stoppage, saying the U.S. “teeters on the brink of the first union strike among East and Gulf Coast ports since 1977.” He cited a JPMorgan analysis that projected a port strike could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion daily.

Negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group appear to be deadlocked over pay as the Sept. 30 contract expiration approaches.

The White House did not immediately comment on the letter.

“We are monitoring and assessing potential ways to address impacts to U.S. supply chains related to operations at our ports, if necessary,” White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson said Tuesday, adding officials encourage continued negotiations “toward an agreement that benefits all sides and prevents any disruption.”

President Joe Biden’s administration has said the president does not intend to invoke a federal law known as the Taft-Hartley Act to prevent a strike.

A threatened strike by 45,000 ILA-represented workers at three dozen affected ports, including New York and New Jersey, Houston and Savannah, Georgia, would send delays and costs cascading through U.S. supply chains.

Approximately 40 per cent of U.S. containerized agricultural exports move through East and Gulf Coast ports, the agriculture groups said.

The post Agriculture groups urge White House to avert U.S. East Coast port disruption appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.

A strike would hit 36 ports that handle about one-half of U.S. ocean imports. That could affect availability of a range of goods from bananas to clothing to cars shipped via container, while creating weeks-long backlogs at ports. It could also stoke shipping cost increases that may be passed on to American voters already frustrated with housing and food inflation, according to logistics experts.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union representing workers at 36 ports from Maine to Texas and the United States Maritime Alliance employer group appear to have hit an impasse over pay. The current six-year contract expires at midnight on Sept. 30.

A strike at all East Coast and Gulf of Mexico ports would be the first for the ILA since 1977.

The White House said it is not trying to help broker a deal, as it did last year during West Coast talks, and a Biden administration official has said the President would not use his federal powers to block a strike.

Ports in the negotiating group handled $37.8 billion (C$50.9 billion) worth of vehicle imports during the 12 months ended June 30, 2024, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The Port of Baltimore, Maryland, leads the nation in car shipments.

Auto parts are also a key import on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, with shipments from Europe more difficult to reroute than those from China, logistics experts said.

The ports also lead the U.S. in shipments of machinery, fabricated steel and precision instruments.

Three-quarters of the nation’s banana imports from countries like Guatemala and Ecuador land at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, said Jason Miller, interim chair of Michigan State University’s department of supply chain management.

A strike also would affect container exports of soybeans, soybean meal and other products and would have a significant impact on chilled or frozen meat and eggs, said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

The $18-billion-a-year (C$24.2 billion) U.S. beef and pork export market and the $5.8 billion (C$7.8 billion) poultry and egg export sector relies on refrigerated containers that cannot sit idle for long.

About 45 per cent of all waterborne U.S. pork exports and 30 per cent of beef exports were shipped via East Coast and Gulf Coast ports in the first seven months of this year, said U.S. Meat Export Federation spokesperson Joe Schuele.

More than a quarter of all U.S. egg and egg product exports and around 70 per cent of all poultry meat exports are shipped from ports along the East and Gulf Coasts, according to Customs data and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.

Retailers account for roughly half of all container volumes. Many U.S. retailers already have rushed in shipments of year-end holiday goods.

Though the Gulf Coast ports of Houston and New Orleans are major oil and gas shipment hubs, those commodities would remain largely unaffected by a strike involving more labor-intensive container cargo. The same applies to coal exports from Norfolk, Virginia, experts said

—Reporting for Reuters by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Karl Plume in Chicago.

The post U.S. port strike threatens vital trade arteries appeared first on Canadian Cattlemen.