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Matson Suspends Electric Vehicle Shipments Due to Lithium Battery Fire Risks

Matson Navigation Company, one of the largest shipping lines serving the Pacific region, announced last Thursday the immediate suspension of electric vehicle and hybrid car shipments across all its routes. The decision comes amid growing safety concerns over lithium-ion battery fire risks during ocean transport. The electric vehicle shipping suspension affects both new and used EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles traveling between the US mainland, Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska. This move has caught customers and the automotive industry off guard, as Matson provides critical transportation services for both businesses and individuals in these markets.

Premier Alliance Pulls Jacksonville Off EC2 Map: What the HMM/ONE/Yang Ming Move Means for U.S. East-Coast Shippers

The vessel-sharing Premier Alliance (HMM, Ocean Network Express, and Yang Ming) has quietly deleted Jacksonville (Florida) from its EC2 service rotation effective with the next sailing. Shippers with booked cargo must re-route to Savannah or Charleston, adding 2–3 days inland transit.

Hamburg Rail Closures: Port Authority to Shut Container-Access Tracks in August and October

The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has announced temporary closures of several rail links between the city’s container terminals and inland destinations in August and October 2025. The engineering works will disrupt intermodal services and may add up to 72 hours to transit times. Shippers are urged to review routing plans now.