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Tobias Deil appointed director of forwarding for DACH at Geodis

Geodis has appointed Tobias Deil as its new director of freight forwarding for the Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH) sub-region. Mr Diel has more than 25 years' experience in international transport and logistics, across forwarding, business development, sales, and corporate management, most recently as co-CEO and MD of Ceva Air & Ocean Germany and Ceva Freight Germany. He began his career with an apprenticeship in freight forwarding at Geis Group in 2000, which was acquired by SDV in 2004, then Bolloré Logistics in 2014, and finally became part of Ceva in 2024. Marc Meier, DACH MD, said: "With his many years of international experience and strategic vision, Tobias will provide important impetus for the further development of our freight forwarding business. Together with the teams, he will work to further expand our market position in the region and actively help shape the future of our business." Mr Deil said: "What a first week it has been. Full of energy, inspiring conversations, and genuine exchange. Above all, I have met great people who made the start truly special. "The passion and expertise in this team are impressive, and I am convinced we will achieve great things together. Thank you for a strong start. Now let's build on this momentum."

Zim chiefs upbeat as 'solid' Q2 takes edge off disappointing first half

Amid its struggle to get regulatory buy-in for its $4.5bn sale to Hapag-Lloyd, while Zim's Q2 numbers were healthy, they were insufficient to wipe out a difficult first quarter that leaves its year-to-date performance well down on 2025. Revenue fell substantively, 12.6% year on year, to $3.18bn over the six months to July, and the Israeli carrier saw a 2.7% drop in volumes and an average freight rate of $1,455 per teu, down 10.8% year on year. Second-quarter revenue was easier reading, the carrier posting near-9% year-on-year growth to hit $1.78bn, with average freight rates jumping 7.5% on Q225, reaching $1,590 per teu. Although Zim saw volumes increase over the three months to July, hitting 922,000 teu, it is worth noting that this represented a growth rate of just 3%, well short of the 5% average for the industry. But CFO Sami Jubran was keen to stress the positive, describing Q2's results as "solid", adding that the team was now expecting a "significantly stronger performance during the remainder of the year, as reflected in our guidance" - put at $2.4bn for Ebitda. Recently installed CEO Chen Lichtenstein said his focus was to "capitalise fully on current market opportunities while deploying the company's resources with discipline and efficiency". He added: "We remain committed to preserving the agility that allows us to respond quickly to changing market conditions, strengthening our competitiveness, and creating sustainable value." Given the looming tie-up with Hapag-Lloyd, Zim declined to participate in an investor call and continued its recent approach of not offering either the CFO or CEO up for questions from the media. The earnings statement did, however, comment on the state of that deal, albeit without saying much beyond noting that until regulators agree to the deal - or disagree as the case may be - Hapag-Lloyd and Zim will continue to operate separately.

Asia-USWC rates surge as shippers look to beat Panama Canal restrictions

Asia-US west coast rates are surging at an even faster pace this week, as carriers look to cash in ahead of concerns around the impact of vessel reductions through the Panama Canal. However, it seems the speed of decline of Asia-North Europe rates has been arrested. According to Drewry's World Container Index (WCI), Shanghai-Los Angeles and Shanghai-New York spots climbed 9% week on week, to $6,802 and $9,507 per 40ft comparing favourably with the 6% growth rate recorded by LA last week and only a percentage point down on New York's. Drewry noted: "Transpacific trade remains resilient, while carriers continue to manage supply through blanked sailings and capacity reductions. According to Drewry's Container Capacity Insight, seven blanked sailings have been announced for the next week. "Additionally, capacity in August declined 9% month of month on Asia-US east coast and fell 0.4% month on month on Asia-US west coast, further tightening space availability." It added: "Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable next week, due to tightened capacity." Freightos' Baltic Index confirmed a similar growth rate for the Asia-USWC trades, with a 9% week-on-week uptick to $7,422 per 40ft, but contended that the pace of growth on Asia-USEC trades had slowed to just 3%, at $9,422 per 40ft. According to Linerlytica, the picture was somewhat different, as it predicted the decision of the Panama Canal authority (ACP) to impose further restrictions on vessel transits could take Asia-USEC spots close to $11,000 per 40ft. ACP said that, from 3 September, the number of daily slots at its Neopanamax locks would be adjusted to nine, and at the Panamax locks slots, reduced to 25, with a further reduction, to 23, on 15 September. This is from a normal daily average of 34. It said: "Despite the arrival of the rainy season in Panama and the water-saving measures implemented by the Panama Canal to mitigate the adverse effects of the El Niño event, current watershed conditions require additional action to support the long-term sustainability of transit operations." ACP is also rejigging its daily auction system by splitting vessels into four commodity groups, to "promote a more equitable allocation process that better reflects market composition". They are: LNG and LPG vessels; dry bulk and general cargo vessels; containerships, vehicle carriers, ro-ro and refrigerated vessels; and chemical, crude and product tankers. This week, The Loadstar reported that the situation at the mouth of the canal had got to such a point that one carrier had paid $4.6m to land an auction slot, way up on the daily post-Iran war average of $385,000 and out of sight of the pre-war $140,000 average. One source told The Loadstar congestion was building to the point where delays of "up to 10 days" could be expected on eastbound transits, with "at least" 112 vessels waiting to enter the canal, and the situation for transits to the US west coast transits set to worsen in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, on European trades, the rate situation is notably less rosy, the WCI recording a 1% week-on-week drop for its Shanghai-Rotterdam leg, now at $4,401 per 40ft, and a downturn of 2% for Shanghai-Genoa, which is now trading at $4,955 per 40ft. Linerlytica noted this was the sixth consecutive weekly fall for European trades, with Vespucci Maritime CEO Lars Jensen pointing out: "Asia-North Europe has dropped $522 per 40ft since the peak six weeks ago, and Asia-Mediterranean is also down, $1,508".