Maersk reported a 30–40% drop in U.S.–China container traffic in April and revised its 2025 global outlook to a range of -1% to +4% (down from the earlier forecast of 4% growth).

The main cause is U.S. tariffs, which have weakened global demand and forced many economies to revise their growth projections.

Despite this, Maersk maintained its profit forecast thanks to rising freight rates and longer routes due to Red Sea disruptions.

Carriers benefit from extended detours around Africa, but the risk of falling demand in the second half of the year remains.

China's tightening of controls on exports of related rare earth elements reflects the country's firm determination to safeguard national security as well as world peace and security. This was stated by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association on Sunday.

The statement was made after China's Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced on April 4 the imposition of export control measures on seven medium and heavy rare earth elements.

As the association noted, these rare earth metals can be used for both military and civilian purposes, and the Chinese government's export control measures are fully based on international practices.

The industry association emphasized that if enterprises are not engaged in activities that undermine China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, export controls will not affect their normal business and trade activities, much less the stability and security of international supply chains.

China's rare earth element enterprises will, in view of the requirements announced on April 4, firmly adhere to high-level openness to the outside world and continue to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with friendly countries, the association added.

Danish shipping logistics company A. P. Moller-Maersk A/S has acquired a railway connecting seaports on both sides of the Panama Canal, limiting the U.S. presence on a key trade route. This is reported in a press release from Maersk.

As part of the deal, the port operator Maersk APM Terminals acquired the Panama Canal Railway Company from a joint venture controlled by Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and the American Lanco Group.

From the point of view of APM Terminals, the railway "represents an attractive investment in the region's infrastructure as part of the provision of intermodal container transportation services."

The deal is aimed at optimizing CPKC's portfolio for the development of its core railway business in North America as part of a network connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

For months, Donald Trump has opposed increasing Chinese influence in the Panama Canal, calling the transfer of control of the canal to the Panamanian government a "failed deal." In March 2025, BlackRock Inc. submitted an offer to acquire two ports on both sides of the Panama Canal from Hong Kong's C.K. Hutchison for $19 billion, but the proposed deal has faced opposition from the Chinese government and may be postponed.

The Panama Canal Railway Company operates a seventy-six-kilometer railway running parallel to the Panama Canal and connecting the seaports on both sides of the Panama Canal. The capacity of the railway is about 2 million TEU, taking into account the two-tier arrangement of containers. The headquarters is located in Panama.

Maersk is a Danish shipping company in the maritime cargo transportation and port terminal maintenance sector. The headquarters is located in Copenhagen (Denmark) with representative offices and subsidiaries with a staff of 100,000 employees in 135 countries. In 2024, Maersk ranked second in the world with a 14.6% share in the container shipping market.

China’s Jiangsu Qinfeng Shipbuilding has secured orders from Jiangsu Lvhang Logistics for up to six containerships.

The deal, with an undisclosed value covers one firm and five optional 1,138 teu newbuilds, with the first vessel expected for delivery by November 2026.

No further details have been divulged, except that the boxships have been designed to run on LNG.

The yard, established in 2007, won orders for 16 methanol-powered bulkers from Wuhan Innovation Jianghai Transportation last September. The 15,000 dwt and 19,600 dwt newbuilds are touted as the first Chinese coastal ships to run solely on the low-carbon fuel.

During last year's season, the company operated 13 voyages between Shanghai and Arkhangelsk, carrying more than 20,000 TEUs. In 2025, NewNew Shipping plans to employ larger container ships on the Arctic Express No. 1 service.

Within a few years, the operator expects to expand its June and December navigation window by launching five specialized ice-class container ships currently under construction at a Chinese shipyard.

The second Arctic container shipping operator, Safetrans Line, has not yet announced its plans for 2025.