Peter Eavis

The companies that operate large container ships say they plan to keep going around Africa as violence flares in the region.

Concern about the cost of materials has tempered business enthusiasm about taxing imports. But steel and aluminum makers say they welcome the help.

An investor group led by BlackRock will acquire two ports near the Panama Canal that are owned by CK Hutchison and have been the subject of a dispute between President Trump and Panama.

Importers will have to make changes to pay new tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, and government agencies will need more resources to enforce the fees.

Workers at East and Gulf Coast ports who went on strike briefly in October ratified a deal that includes a 62 percent raise over six years.

The state will no longer require some truckers to shift away from diesel semis but hopes that subsidies can keep dreams of pollution-free big rigs alive.

President Trump says the canal authority is overcharging. Recent increases are attributed in part to drought, maintenance investments and demand.

Experts say the freight system could handle an increase in imports from Canada and Mexico, but there is little sign of a significant increase.

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

Dockworkers and employers on the East and Gulf Coasts had until Jan. 15 to reach a new agreement that settled differences over automation.