US ports are facing what could be a historically challenging 2017 as changes in the rapidly evolving steamship industry — among them new alliances, consolidation, and escalating ship capacity — heighten the already vigorous competition between ports for cargo.
The diminished number of carriers, in the wake of mergers of some companies and potential dissolution of others, could mean fewer port stops in 2017, with a small group of select ports getting a larger share of container trade. Vessel-sharing alliances may shrink from the current four, to three or fewer, after April depending on government approvals. In addition, larger ships could mean the unloading of more cargo at fewer ports, with trucks, railroads, or smaller ships taking shipments to their final destinations.
