Shipping companies transporting coal, iron ore and other commodities are urgently seeking ways to conserve cash and withstand the worst market downturn on record as too many ships chase shrinking business.

The restructuring of China's economy, the world's second-largest, is among five trends that will likely affect the world of maritime shipping, says Richard Clayton, chief maritime analyst at IHS Maritime & Trade.

French Energy Minister Segolene Royal is investigating legal means to ban the import of shale gas from the United States because France has banned shale gas exploration using hydraulic fracking for environmental reasons.

LPG shipping freight rates are forecast to deteriorate further through 2016 as a result of the fast-rising fleet of Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs), which has already started to impact earnings of smaller vessel classes, according to the latest edition of the LPG Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Livingston International, a customs broker and trade-compliance company, has expanded operations in Asia with the offering of a suite of global trade management (GTM) services in Taiwan, and an expanded presence in China.