Hapag-Lloyd’s Acquisition of ZIM, Strikes in Argentina, and Winter Disruptions in Logistics Corridors

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has signed a binding agreement^[2] for acquisition by Hapag-Lloyd at 35 USD per share in cash, valuing the company at approximately 4.2 billion USD^[14]. After the merger, the carriers will operate a fleet of over 400 vessels^[13] with a total capacity of about 3 million TEU and expected annual throughput exceeding 18 million TEU by 2027, with ZIM contributing around 713,000 TEU^[21], including roughly 40 LNG-powered vessels. The Israeli fund FIMI Opportunity Funds will carve out “New ZIM”^[8] from the deal with 16 vessels and will maintain Israel’s “golden share,” to secure the country’s key connections^[17]. The acquisition strengthens Hapag-Lloyd’s position as the fifth-largest container line^[15] worldwide and could lead to adjustments in Asia-Europe service networks, including routes serving Gdańsk and Gdynia, as well as affecting rate negotiation conditions for Polish exporters and importers.

Record-Breaking Acquisition in Container Shipping

Simultaneously, freight rate corrections continue in the shipping market. Average spot rates from the Far East have dropped to 1,889 USD/FEU^[6] on routes to the US West Coast, 2,688 USD/FEU to the US East Coast, 2,251 USD/FEU to Northern Europe, and 3,363 Mediterranean basin. Meanwhile, capacity is increasing in some corridors — for example, on the Far East–US West Coast route by 2.7% week-over-week — intensifying margin pressure on carriers like Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd. This means lower import costs from Asia^[9] but also a higher risk of sailings being canceled as carriers try to stabilize freight levels^[46].

Strikes and Declining Service Reliability

At the same time, global ocean service reliability is deteriorating sharply. In January 2026, only 29% of container ship arrivals were ‘on time’^[4], with an average delay of 4.2 days. Punctuality on the Europe–North America route fell to 32%, and from the Far East to North America to 29%. Xeneta also recorded 93 canceled sailings^[19] scheduled for February and March, totaling about 687,000 TEU in capacity, impacting customers of alliances involving MSC, Ocean Alliance, and the new Gemini Cooperation Maersk–Hapag-Lloyd network. This necessitates extending planned delivery times^[10], higher safety stocks, and greater interest in guaranteed loading services or alternative combined corridors.

Winter Disruptions and New Infrastructure Regulations

Severe social tensions are hitting logistics in Argentina. The CGT Confederation carried out a 24-hour general strike on February 19^[1] against President Javier Milei’s labor law reform, causing an almost total halt to public transport, including domestic and international flights. Aerolíneas Argentinas canceled 255 flights^[30], affecting about 31,000 passengers^[29] and incurring estimated losses of 300 million USD^[16]. Meanwhile, the FESIMAF federation conducted a 48-hour port strike^[11] (February 18–19), effectively stopping grain loading at the Rosario/San Lorenzo–Timbúes complex and 17 other terminals, delaying at least 12 vessels carrying about 381,000 tons^[41] of grain and oilseed cargo. Disruptions at one of the key exporters of soy, corn, and wheat may trigger short-term commodity price hikes and cause supply chain complications to Europe, including for Polish feed importers.

Aviation Between Financial Records and Decarbonization Pressure

Weather has severely impacted intermodal transport^[22] in the Baltic region. In the second week of February, snowstorms caused major problems at Baltic Hub in Gdańsk, where on February 17 intermodal train delays exceeded 48 hours and over 2,500 containers awaited on sidings. To alleviate the bottleneck, the terminal canceled all scheduled train windows between 6:00 AM February 19 and 21 and stopped accepting additional trains, directly affecting deliveries to hubs in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Similar restrictions were imposed at the Port of Hamburg, where port authorities and the rail operator METRANS reported infrastructure overloads, shortages of wagons, and locomotives for import cargo handling. Meanwhile in Poland, the Management Board of Gdańsk S. A. signed a ‘design and build’ contract with PORR S. A.^[7] worth 114.6 million PLN net for upgrading the Coal Wharf and Administrative Wharf in the Mining Basin. The project plans to increase pavement load capacity to 40 kN/m²^[24], deepen to –12 m, accommodate vessels with drafts up to –10.6 m and capacity up to 100,000 DWT, extend approximately 335 m of quay, rebuild 121 m with a ro-ro ramp construction, and modernize tracks 301, 302, 303, and 344 by autumn 2029.

New regulations and financial results also shape the aviation sector. In Canada, Quebec’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility will introduce spring weight limits for trucks^[3] in three zones from mid-March — March 16 to May 15, March 23 to May 22, and March 30 to May 29 — reducing permissible axle loads by about 8–20%. This affects maximum container payloads, such as 19,050 kg for a 20-foot dry container and 19,950 kg for a 40-foot HC, forcing smaller shipments or more frequent transports for ports in Québec and Montreal. Meanwhile in the UK, Heathrow Airport Holdings is increasing incentives for using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)^[5] to over 80 million GBP, aiming for a 5.6% SAF share of fuel consumption in 2026, equating to about 350,000 tons, with an additional 124,068 tons above the national 3.6% mandate. This program could reduce CO₂ emissions by around 600,000 tons over its lifecycle — equivalent to more than 950,000 economy class flights between Heathrow and JFK — while also signaling cost rises for airlines that might partly pass these on to passengers. In the background, the four largest US carriers — Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines — closed 2025 with record revenues; Delta alone posted 58.3 billion USD in revenue and 5 billion USD pre-tax profit, while United recorded a net 1.04 Q4, strengthening their positions on transatlantic routes important for Polish travelers and exporters.

Related posts:

• Freight Signals at the Start of 2026: Cheap Sea Freight, Suez Returns, Record Investments in Poland
• Strikes, snowstorms, and port congestion* complicate global transportation
• Blockades, Fuel Surcharges, and New Regulations: A Week of Tensions in Transport and Logistics
• Middle East Tensions, Rising Fuel Costs, and Strikes Disrupt Transport and Logistics in Europe