<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">California must immediately stop issuing CDLs to drivers not “domiciled” in the state and revoke the licenses of unqualified drivers or face the loss of federal highway funds. </div>

California must immediately stop issuing CDLs to drivers not “domiciled” in the state and revoke the licenses of unqualified drivers or face the loss of federal highway funds.

Feature image

<div class="phx-topic">The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Friday said it is cracking down on state licensing of “non-domiciled” commercial truck drivers, threatening states with the loss of millions of dollars in federal funds unless they comply with USDOT requirements. “Moving forward, non-citizens will not be eligible for a non-domiciled CDL (commercial driver’s license) unless they meet a much stricter set of rules, including an employment-based visa and undergoing a mandatory federal immigration status check,” USDOT said. The department spelled out its requirements for new non-domiciled CDL applicants — drivers who don’t permanently reside in the state issuing the license — in an interim final rule that will be published in the Sept. 29 edition of the Federal Register. But the USDOT also took specific additional action against California, ordering the state to immediately stop issuing non-domiciled CDLs and to identify all unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with USDOT rules and revoke them within 30 days. “California must get its act together immediately, or I will not hesitate to pull millions in funding,” US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement. “To every other state around the country — find all improperly issued CDLs and revoke their licenses now.” <h3>Heightened enforcement effort </h3>The order is the latest push by USDOT to get states to adopt and enforce tougher driver licensing standards. Duffy in August gave California, Washington and New Mexico 30 days to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-dot-presses-states-to-enforce-english-language-trucking-rules-6069884">adopt and enforce English-language proficiency (ELP) requirements</a> or risk losing funds. The USDOT’s latest move followed a nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDL licensing by states that found “systematic non-compliance" with federal rules across several states, including California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington. “In California alone, more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs reviewed were improperly issued,” the USDOT said in a statement. An unspecified number of these non-domiciled licenses went to foreign drivers in the US illegally, according to USDOT. USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched its nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDLs in June. USDOT did not release data on how many drivers with non-domiciled CDLs it believes are unqualified or in the country illegally. Non-domiciled CDLs are not issued to Mexican or Canadian truck drivers. Commercial driver’s licenses from Mexico and Canada are recognized in the US. The US State Department has suspended certain visas issued to foreign truck drivers, including the H-2B, E-2 and EB-3 visas. Only a small number of truck drivers are believed to hold such visas, with about 1,500 truck drivers receiving H-2B visas each year. Trucking groups including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and American Trucking Associations have been pushing USDOT to crack down on the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, claiming thousands of unqualified drivers are obtaining them. Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto://bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Friday said it is cracking down on state licensing of “non-domiciled” commercial truck drivers, threatening states with the loss of millions of dollars in federal funds unless they comply with USDOT requirements. “Moving forward, non-citizens will not be eligible for a non-domiciled CDL (commercial driver’s license) unless they meet a much stricter set of rules, including an employment-based visa and undergoing a mandatory federal immigration status check,” USDOT said. The department spelled out its requirements for new non-domiciled CDL applicants — drivers who don’t permanently reside in the state issuing the license — in an interim final rule that will be published in the Sept. 29 edition of the Federal Register. But the USDOT also took specific additional action against California, ordering the state to immediately stop issuing non-domiciled CDLs and to identify all unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with USDOT rules and revoke them within 30 days. “California must get its act together immediately, or I will not hesitate to pull millions in funding,” US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement. “To every other state around the country — find all improperly issued CDLs and revoke their licenses now.” Heightened enforcement effort The order is the latest push by USDOT to get states to adopt and enforce tougher driver licensing standards. Duffy in August gave California, Washington and New Mexico 30 days to adopt and enforce English-language proficiency (ELP) requirements or risk losing funds. The USDOT’s latest move followed a nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDL licensing by states that found “systematic non-compliance" with federal rules across several states, including California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington. “In California alone, more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs reviewed were improperly issued,” the USDOT said in a statement. An unspecified number of these non-domiciled licenses went to foreign drivers in the US illegally, according to USDOT. USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched its nationwide audit of non-domiciled CDLs in June. USDOT did not release data on how many drivers with non-domiciled CDLs it believes are unqualified or in the country illegally. Non-domiciled CDLs are not issued to Mexican or Canadian truck drivers. Commercial driver’s licenses from Mexico and Canada are recognized in the US. The US State Department has suspended certain visas issued to foreign truck drivers, including the H-2B, E-2 and EB-3 visas. Only a small number of truck drivers are believed to hold such visas, with about 1,500 truck drivers receiving H-2B visas each year. Trucking groups including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and American Trucking Associations have been pushing USDOT to crack down on the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, claiming thousands of unqualified drivers are obtaining them. Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .

Trucking News

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Trucking labor

Surface

USDOT cracks down on ‘non-domiciled’ CDLs, targets California

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Port of Los Angeles is meeting with California state officials to promote its plan to extend the Vincent Thomas Bridge repair project to allow 23,000-TEU ships to call all six of its marine terminals. </div>

The Port of Los Angeles is meeting with California state officials to promote its plan to extend the Vincent Thomas Bridge repair project to allow 23,000-TEU ships to call all six of its marine terminals.

<div class="phx-topic">The Port of Los Angeles and its industry stakeholders are trying to convince the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to expand a key bridge project to allow ships up to 23,000 TEUs to call the other half of its terminals. The port says expanding the Vincent Thomas Bridge redecking project to include raising the height of the bridge by 26 feet will increase the total cost from $1.5 billion to $2.2 billion and extend its timeline — and, in turn, disruptions to truck traffic in and out of the port — from 16 months to 28 months. The Vincent Thomas Bridge is crossed daily by 53,000 vehicles, about 3,400 of which are heavy-duty trucks, according to Caltrans. But without the additional clearance under the bridge, access to three of Los Angeles’ six container terminals will remain limited to vessels with 15,000 TEUs of capacity. Increasing the clearance to 211 feet will allow super-post-Panamax vessels with up to 23,000 TEUs of capacity to serve Yusen Terminals, TraPac and the West Basin Container Terminal, according to Gene Seroka, executive director at the Port of Los Angeles. Terminal operators and industry representatives joined Seroka in Sacramento on Friday to discuss the details of the port’s proposal with Caltrans officials. “We believe they’re willing to listen. We began talking about this months ago,” Seroka told the Journal of Commerce Thursday, adding that he expects Caltrans to announce a decision “soon.” <h3>One fell swoop? </h3>Caltrans representatives in late May told the Propeller Club of Los Angeles the agency <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/la-port-stakeholders-warming-to-plan-to-mitigate-impact-of-bridge-project-6013847">must address the 62-year-old bridge’s structural defects</a>, which have been judged to be a safety hazard. Caltrans’ initial plans included resurfacing the deck of the bridge and replacing its railings, fences and median barrier. At the Propeller Club meeting, Caltrans representatives said construction would begin in early 2026 and would involve one-directional lane closures at night, followed by complete closure of the bridge from November 2026 to March 2028. The port estimates its proposal to raise the height of the bridge will delay completion of the project into 2029. However, Seroka said it would make more sense to do the bridge repairs and raise the structure all at once rather than having to return some years later to finish the job. He pointed to the project to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-gulf-trade-momentum-puts-focus-on-houston-port-channel-widening-5251013">raise the height of the Bayonne Bridge</a> that connects New Jersey with Staten Island as the model that could be used in Los Angeles. Caltrans said it is well along in designating and repaving detour routes in the harbor area to prepare for when construction shuts down the bridge. Caltrans said it is also developing a real-time communications network to update motorists and truckers on traffic conditions. Seroka said access by the largest and most efficient ships in use today will not only increase the effective capacity of Yusen, TraPac and West Basin by 20%, but will also attract the newest, greenest vessels afloat. Those container ships are often equipped with fuel tanks that carry alternatives to traditional higher-emission bunker fuel, he said. As for the increased cost, Seroka said he has lined up commitments of private equity financing, including from banks, pension funds and industry sources, which he planned to detail at Friday’s meeting with Caltrans in Sacramento. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at <a href="mailto:bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com">bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The Port of Los Angeles and its industry stakeholders are trying to convince the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to expand a key bridge project to allow ships up to 23,000 TEUs to call the other half of its terminals. The port says expanding the Vincent Thomas Bridge redecking project to include raising the height of the bridge by 26 feet will increase the total cost from $1.5 billion to $2.2 billion and extend its timeline — and, in turn, disruptions to truck traffic in and out of the port — from 16 months to 28 months. The Vincent Thomas Bridge is crossed daily by 53,000 vehicles, about 3,400 of which are heavy-duty trucks, according to Caltrans. But without the additional clearance under the bridge, access to three of Los Angeles’ six container terminals will remain limited to vessels with 15,000 TEUs of capacity. Increasing the clearance to 211 feet will allow super-post-Panamax vessels with up to 23,000 TEUs of capacity to serve Yusen Terminals, TraPac and the West Basin Container Terminal, according to Gene Seroka, executive director at the Port of Los Angeles. Terminal operators and industry representatives joined Seroka in Sacramento on Friday to discuss the details of the port’s proposal with Caltrans officials. “We believe they’re willing to listen. We began talking about this months ago,” Seroka told the Journal of Commerce Thursday, adding that he expects Caltrans to announce a decision “soon.” One fell swoop? Caltrans representatives in late May told the Propeller Club of Los Angeles the agency must address the 62-year-old bridge’s structural defects , which have been judged to be a safety hazard. Caltrans’ initial plans included resurfacing the deck of the bridge and replacing its railings, fences and median barrier. At the Propeller Club meeting, Caltrans representatives said construction would begin in early 2026 and would involve one-directional lane closures at night, followed by complete closure of the bridge from November 2026 to March 2028. The port estimates its proposal to raise the height of the bridge will delay completion of the project into 2029. However, Seroka said it would make more sense to do the bridge repairs and raise the structure all at once rather than having to return some years later to finish the job. He pointed to the project to raise the height of the Bayonne Bridge that connects New Jersey with Staten Island as the model that could be used in Los Angeles. Caltrans said it is well along in designating and repaving detour routes in the harbor area to prepare for when construction shuts down the bridge. Caltrans said it is also developing a real-time communications network to update motorists and truckers on traffic conditions. Seroka said access by the largest and most efficient ships in use today will not only increase the effective capacity of Yusen, TraPac and West Basin by 20%, but will also attract the newest, greenest vessels afloat. Those container ships are often equipped with fuel tanks that carry alternatives to traditional higher-emission bunker fuel, he said. As for the increased cost, Seroka said he has lined up commitments of private equity financing, including from banks, pension funds and industry sources, which he planned to detail at Friday’s meeting with Caltrans in Sacramento. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Port News

Port infrastructure

North American ports

Maritime

LA port wants California to raise bridge to accommodate big ships

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Evergreen’s plan to focus on adding more tonnage between Asia and Latin America over the next five years comes as US import volume growth cools. </div>

Evergreen’s plan to focus on adding more tonnage between Asia and Latin America over the next five years comes as US import volume growth cools.

<div class="phx-topic">Evergreen Marine will focus on expanding service to Latin America and the Middle East over the next five years, a pivot that comes as container growth momentum shifts away from the US to secondary ocean trades. The Taiwan-based carrier plans to increase the number of vessels deployed on the Asia-Latin America trade and deploy 12,000-TEU ships on the Asia-West Coast of South America trades, according to Wilson Chen, head of Evergreen’s project division. Evergreen will also add capacity between Europe and Mexico, and from Asia to the Caribbean, Chen added. The boost in services will be possible thanks to a 29% surge in capacity between now and 2029, when Evergreen’s total fleet capacity will reach 2.5 million TEUs. Figures from MDS Transmodal show that while Evergreen Marine is the third-largest carrier in terms of deployed capacity on the China-Latin America trade, year-over-year capacity has slipped slightly. Evergreen deployed about 500,000 TEUs in the second quarter, from about 513,000 TEUs in the same period last year, according to MDS figures. Evergreen will reinforce Middle East connections with Asia, India and East Africa and the Red Sea region in 2027, as well as enhance its links between China and Southeast Asia with connections between central China and the Philippines, Chen said. Evergreen recently launched a North China-Indonesia-Manila service that includes calls at Dalian, Xingang, Surabaya and Jakarta. Chen said the carrier plans to deploy larger, 3,000-TEU ships on services in the Caribbean Sea by 2030 and expand its regional route network in the Mediterranean. In the first eight months of 2025, Evergreen’s cumulative operating revenue has fallen 13% year over year to $8.6 billion, including a 39% tumble in August alone, according to the firm’s latest filings to the Taiwan stock exchange. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Evergreen Marine will focus on expanding service to Latin America and the Middle East over the next five years, a pivot that comes as container growth momentum shifts away from the US to secondary ocean trades. The Taiwan-based carrier plans to increase the number of vessels deployed on the Asia-Latin America trade and deploy 12,000-TEU ships on the Asia-West Coast of South America trades, according to Wilson Chen, head of Evergreen’s project division. Evergreen will also add capacity between Europe and Mexico, and from Asia to the Caribbean, Chen added. The boost in services will be possible thanks to a 29% surge in capacity between now and 2029, when Evergreen’s total fleet capacity will reach 2.5 million TEUs. Figures from MDS Transmodal show that while Evergreen Marine is the third-largest carrier in terms of deployed capacity on the China-Latin America trade, year-over-year capacity has slipped slightly. Evergreen deployed about 500,000 TEUs in the second quarter, from about 513,000 TEUs in the same period last year, according to MDS figures. Evergreen will reinforce Middle East connections with Asia, India and East Africa and the Red Sea region in 2027, as well as enhance its links between China and Southeast Asia with connections between central China and the Philippines, Chen said. Evergreen recently launched a North China-Indonesia-Manila service that includes calls at Dalian, Xingang, Surabaya and Jakarta. Chen said the carrier plans to deploy larger, 3,000-TEU ships on services in the Caribbean Sea by 2030 and expand its regional route network in the Mediterranean. In the first eight months of 2025, Evergreen’s cumulative operating revenue has fallen 13% year over year to $8.6 billion, including a 39% tumble in August alone, according to the firm’s latest filings to the Taiwan stock exchange. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Trans-Atlantic

Trans-Pacific

Container Shipping News

Evergreen to expand Latin America, Middle East services

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The disruptions in the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore and Blue Ridge subdivision on the Tennessee-North Carolina border resulted in longer transits for intermodal shippers on CSX this year. </div>

The disruptions in the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore and Blue Ridge subdivision on the Tennessee-North Carolina border resulted in longer transits for intermodal shippers on CSX this year.

<div class="phx-topic">The restart of CSX Transportation services through the Howard Street Tunnel on Friday put the railroad back on track to offer double-stack container services to and from Baltimore by the second quarter of next year. The nearly $500 million project still requires work on two bridges before trains can carry containers stacked two high along the Interstate 95 corridor and between the Port of Baltimore and the Midwest. But reopening the tunnel removes the chokepoint that had <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/csx-q1-service-metrics-take-hit-amid-storm-recovery-tunnel-project-5978828">slowed freight flows</a> since its closure on Feb. 1. “The tunnel opens up for us options all the way from the Southeast to the Northeast and across to Chicago,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs told the Journal of Commerce. “Double-stacking opens up between 75,000 and 125,000 new container opportunities once everything is finished.” The official reopening of the Howard Street Tunnel ends a turbulent nine-month stretch for CSX. During the closure, its East Coast network was effectively cut in half. Trains from the Northeast stopped at the Port of Baltimore, then truckers drayed containers across the city to the Curtis Bay terminal where new trains were constructed to the Southeast. Trains from the Southeast did the reverse to access the Northeast. The reopened Howard Street Tunnel should immediately eliminate 24 hours from transit times, CSX said. It also marks the end of a four-year construction project to raise the vertical clearance in the tunnel built in the 1890s. <h3>New possibilities </h3>Through its double-stack service, CSX will be better positioned to compete with trucking and rival Norfolk Southern Railway between Atlanta and key Northeast markets such as Harrisburg (Chambersburg), Pennsylvania; Philadelphia; and Newark, New Jersey, three high-volume freight lanes. The completion of the project opens an opportunity for CSX to collaborate with BNSF Railway via a joint-line service from Southern California to Philadelphia and Newark, as it has done to Atlanta for nearly two decades, and the company recently expanded to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/bnsf-csx-unveil-new-joint-intermodal-lanes-in-aftermath-of-up-ns-merger-6067789">Charlotte and Jacksonville</a>. It also opens the possibility for BNSF and CSX to create a joint single-line service from Southern California to Philadelphia and Newark in the future. Opening a double-stack option through Baltimore would allow BNSF and CSX to avoid routing cargo through upstate New York, making the service viable even in winter months. International intermodal service from the Port of Baltimore will also become more competitive with the Port of New York and New Jersey and Port of Virginia, which already offer double-stack service. Because Baltimore is farther inland than neighboring ports, the transit times to Chicago and the Ohio Valley are shorter. “It’s hard to imagine that this tunnel could be such a chokepoint,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told the Journal of Commerce Friday. “It’s been constricting the amount of cargo that we can bring out of the Port of Baltimore, but now we can double the throughput [to] 160,000 containers annually and that’s important for us to compete in international trade.” On Thursday, CSX also reopened the Blue Ridge subdivision on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, which was significantly damaged during Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The first coal train moved through the region ahead of a ceremony scheduled for Oct. 2. Since the hurricane, trains from Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been detoured to Nashville, Tennessee, before turning back east to the Carolinas. The Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge subdivision shuttered two of CSX’s four north-south routes. CSX’s service <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/csx-q1-service-metrics-take-hit-amid-storm-recovery-tunnel-project-5978828">suffered in the first quarter</a> before the railroad implemented workarounds last spring. “We learned that if we focus, work together with our customers and our internal team, we can get around these obstacles and still deliver a strong service product,” Hinrichs said. “Now that we open these routes back up, it gives us even more fluidity to our network, and it unleashes us to even run better.” Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The restart of CSX Transportation services through the Howard Street Tunnel on Friday put the railroad back on track to offer double-stack container services to and from Baltimore by the second quarter of next year. The nearly $500 million project still requires work on two bridges before trains can carry containers stacked two high along the Interstate 95 corridor and between the Port of Baltimore and the Midwest. But reopening the tunnel removes the chokepoint that had slowed freight flows since its closure on Feb. 1. “The tunnel opens up for us options all the way from the Southeast to the Northeast and across to Chicago,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs told the Journal of Commerce. “Double-stacking opens up between 75,000 and 125,000 new container opportunities once everything is finished.” The official reopening of the Howard Street Tunnel ends a turbulent nine-month stretch for CSX. During the closure, its East Coast network was effectively cut in half. Trains from the Northeast stopped at the Port of Baltimore, then truckers drayed containers across the city to the Curtis Bay terminal where new trains were constructed to the Southeast. Trains from the Southeast did the reverse to access the Northeast. The reopened Howard Street Tunnel should immediately eliminate 24 hours from transit times, CSX said. It also marks the end of a four-year construction project to raise the vertical clearance in the tunnel built in the 1890s. New possibilities Through its double-stack service, CSX will be better positioned to compete with trucking and rival Norfolk Southern Railway between Atlanta and key Northeast markets such as Harrisburg (Chambersburg), Pennsylvania; Philadelphia; and Newark, New Jersey, three high-volume freight lanes. The completion of the project opens an opportunity for CSX to collaborate with BNSF Railway via a joint-line service from Southern California to Philadelphia and Newark, as it has done to Atlanta for nearly two decades, and the company recently expanded to Charlotte and Jacksonville . It also opens the possibility for BNSF and CSX to create a joint single-line service from Southern California to Philadelphia and Newark in the future. Opening a double-stack option through Baltimore would allow BNSF and CSX to avoid routing cargo through upstate New York, making the service viable even in winter months. International intermodal service from the Port of Baltimore will also become more competitive with the Port of New York and New Jersey and Port of Virginia, which already offer double-stack service. Because Baltimore is farther inland than neighboring ports, the transit times to Chicago and the Ohio Valley are shorter. “It’s hard to imagine that this tunnel could be such a chokepoint,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told the Journal of Commerce Friday. “It’s been constricting the amount of cargo that we can bring out of the Port of Baltimore, but now we can double the throughput [to] 160,000 containers annually and that’s important for us to compete in international trade.” On Thursday, CSX also reopened the Blue Ridge subdivision on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, which was significantly damaged during Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The first coal train moved through the region ahead of a ceremony scheduled for Oct. 2. Since the hurricane, trains from Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been detoured to Nashville, Tennessee, before turning back east to the Carolinas. The Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge subdivision shuttered two of CSX’s four north-south routes. CSX’s service suffered in the first quarter before the railroad implemented workarounds last spring. “We learned that if we focus, work together with our customers and our internal team, we can get around these obstacles and still deliver a strong service product,” Hinrichs said. “Now that we open these routes back up, it gives us even more fluidity to our network, and it unleashes us to even run better.” Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

Rail News

North-American rail

CSX restarts Baltimore tunnel service for double-stack in 2026

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Gulf Coast port faced the potential that later US actions against Chinese ship-to-shore cranes would raise costs more if it deferred delivery. </div>

The Gulf Coast port faced the potential that later US actions against Chinese ship-to-shore cranes would raise costs more if it deferred delivery.

<div class="phx-topic">Port Freeport is taking direct delivery of two Chinese-made ship-to-shore cranes, determining that the cost of the current US tariffs against China outweigh the risk of further punitive tariffs against that country’s maritime industry. Port Freeport said in a statement to the Journal of Commerce that it plans to install and commission two new super-Post-Panamax cranes manufactured by China’s ZPMC before the end of the calendar year. The cranes arrived at the port this week, were entered into US Customs, and the “applicable tariff has been paid.”<a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ports-america-to-pay-30-tariff-on-china-made-ship-to-shore-crane-6080582">Chinese cranes are subject to a 30% import duty</a> that is the result of an August trade truce between the US and China, with the Trump administration agreeing to that baseline tariff before the Nov. 10 deadline for a new trade deal. Port Freeport will face a $7.5 million bill at the current tariff rate. The cranes are arriving as Freeport prepares for a deepening project that will bring its ship channel down to 56 feet from 51 feet. Port Freeport prepared to put the cranes into a bonded warehouse to defer any import duties, according to meeting minutes of Port Freeport’s commission. That would give the port time for US-China trade negotiations to take place or the US Supreme Court to rule that Trump’s tariffs were illegal. However, commission staff said the port faced the risk of an additional tariff up to 100% from the US Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) proposed action against Chinese crane makers. While the USTR has not made a final decision on the proposed action, commission staff said they understand a decision is coming in October. Port Freeport was among those that <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ports-look-to-delay-proposed-us-tariffs-on-chinese-made-cranes-6007628">provided feedback to the USTR</a> about its proposal, saying in May that it would face a $25 million USTR tariff bill on cranes ordered in November 2023. “Port Freeport and other U.S. seaports with cranes under contract are in an untenable situation,” according to its written report. “If the cranes are put in customs bonded warehouse status, it’s unlikely that tariffs will go lower than 30%; however, there is a greater risk the rates could go higher,” commission staff said. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto: michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a> </div>

Port Freeport is taking direct delivery of two Chinese-made ship-to-shore cranes, determining that the cost of the current US tariffs against China outweigh the risk of further punitive tariffs against that country’s maritime industry. Port Freeport said in a statement to the Journal of Commerce that it plans to install and commission two new super-Post-Panamax cranes manufactured by China’s ZPMC before the end of the calendar year. The cranes arrived at the port this week, were entered into US Customs, and the “applicable tariff has been paid.” Chinese cranes are subject to a 30% import duty that is the result of an August trade truce between the US and China, with the Trump administration agreeing to that baseline tariff before the Nov. 10 deadline for a new trade deal. Port Freeport will face a $7.5 million bill at the current tariff rate. The cranes are arriving as Freeport prepares for a deepening project that will bring its ship channel down to 56 feet from 51 feet. Port Freeport prepared to put the cranes into a bonded warehouse to defer any import duties, according to meeting minutes of Port Freeport’s commission. That would give the port time for US-China trade negotiations to take place or the US Supreme Court to rule that Trump’s tariffs were illegal. However, commission staff said the port faced the risk of an additional tariff up to 100% from the US Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) proposed action against Chinese crane makers. While the USTR has not made a final decision on the proposed action, commission staff said they understand a decision is coming in October. Port Freeport was among those that provided feedback to the USTR about its proposal, saying in May that it would face a $25 million USTR tariff bill on cranes ordered in November 2023. “Port Freeport and other U.S. seaports with cranes under contract are in an untenable situation,” according to its written report. “If the cranes are put in customs bonded warehouse status, it’s unlikely that tariffs will go lower than 30%; however, there is a greater risk the rates could go higher,” commission staff said. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com

Marine terminals

Freeport pays crane tariffs to avoid USTR fee risk

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A wave of new mining projects to support domestic demand for critical minerals is expected to drive roll-on/roll-off cargo demand.</div>

A wave of new mining projects to support domestic demand for critical minerals is expected to drive roll-on/roll-off cargo demand.

<div class="phx-topic">President Donald Trump’s executive order accelerates permitting and investment in the mining of critical minerals and provides the breakbulk and project-cargo sectors a shot in the arm. In March, Trump signed an executive order to increase domestic minerals production as a national security priority. The order is part of the administration’s overall efforts to reduce US dependence on overseas minerals suppliers — and particularly from China, the world’s dominant exporter of critical minerals. Since April, the Trump administration has added 25 mineral projects to a federal fast-track permitting list. One of those projects took a major step forward on Sept. 19, when the US Forest Service gave mining company Perpetua Resources the green light to move ahead with its Stibnite Gold Project in central Idaho following over eight years of permitting reviews. The project involves redeveloping an abandoned mine in the Stibnite mining district to extract gold and other materials. Among those materials contained in the mine is the raw ore of antimony sulfide, a key component of nearly 30% of military ammunition items, according to the US Army. Once operations resume, the site would become the only domestically mined source of antimony. Construction to redevelop the mine is on track to begin this fall, pending the finalization of bonding with state and federal regulators. <h3>Copper added to critical list </h3>The US government defines critical minerals as resources considered essential to the US economy and national security. There are 130 minerals named to government lists, with aluminum, cobalt and nickel identified among the most critical. But Trump’s executive order expanded the definition to include elements such as copper, which is essential to electrification and batteries. On Aug. 26 — nearly a month after Trump imposed a 50% tariff on semi-finished and derivative copper products imported into the United States — the US Geological Survey formally added copper to a draft of its 2025 US Critical Minerals List, which guides federal strategy, investment and permitting decisions for securing critical minerals. One US copper project moving closer to construction is the Copperwood mine under development in Michigan by a subsidiary of Highland Copper Company Inc. of Canada. On Sept. 16, Highland Copper announced that the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) — the federal government’s export credit agency — issued a non-binding letter of interest to provide financing for up to $250 million of the estimated $400 million required to build and commission the mine. Copperwood is one of the few fully permitted copper projects in the US, and Highland Copper is advancing detailed engineering to set up the project for a near-term construction decision. The proposed funding is part of the Trump administration’s Make More in America initiative to develop domestic supply chains for critical minerals, and it could also be eligible under EXIM’s China and Transformational Exports Program to give US exporters a competitive edge over China. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>. </div>

President Donald Trump’s executive order accelerates permitting and investment in the mining of critical minerals and provides the breakbulk and project-cargo sectors a shot in the arm. In March, Trump signed an executive order to increase domestic minerals production as a national security priority. The order is part of the administration’s overall efforts to reduce US dependence on overseas minerals suppliers — and particularly from China, the world’s dominant exporter of critical minerals. Since April, the Trump administration has added 25 mineral projects to a federal fast-track permitting list. One of those projects took a major step forward on Sept. 19, when the US Forest Service gave mining company Perpetua Resources the green light to move ahead with its Stibnite Gold Project in central Idaho following over eight years of permitting reviews. The project involves redeveloping an abandoned mine in the Stibnite mining district to extract gold and other materials. Among those materials contained in the mine is the raw ore of antimony sulfide, a key component of nearly 30% of military ammunition items, according to the US Army. Once operations resume, the site would become the only domestically mined source of antimony. Construction to redevelop the mine is on track to begin this fall, pending the finalization of bonding with state and federal regulators. Copper added to critical list The US government defines critical minerals as resources considered essential to the US economy and national security. There are 130 minerals named to government lists, with aluminum, cobalt and nickel identified among the most critical. But Trump’s executive order expanded the definition to include elements such as copper, which is essential to electrification and batteries. On Aug. 26 — nearly a month after Trump imposed a 50% tariff on semi-finished and derivative copper products imported into the United States — the US Geological Survey formally added copper to a draft of its 2025 US Critical Minerals List, which guides federal strategy, investment and permitting decisions for securing critical minerals. One US copper project moving closer to construction is the Copperwood mine under development in Michigan by a subsidiary of Highland Copper Company Inc. of Canada. On Sept. 16, Highland Copper announced that the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) — the federal government’s export credit agency — issued a non-binding letter of interest to provide financing for up to $250 million of the estimated $400 million required to build and commission the mine. Copperwood is one of the few fully permitted copper projects in the US, and Highland Copper is advancing detailed engineering to set up the project for a near-term construction decision. The proposed funding is part of the Trump administration’s Make More in America initiative to develop domestic supply chains for critical minerals, and it could also be eligible under EXIM’s China and Transformational Exports Program to give US exporters a competitive edge over China. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

Project cargo

Breakbulk News

Trump order to speed up mining projects offers breakbulk growth

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The LTL world of 2025 does not reward those who guess, but rather those who know — and knowing begins with visibility. </div>

The LTL world of 2025 does not reward those who guess, but rather those who know — and knowing begins with visibility.

<div class="phx-topic">The US less-than-truckload (LTL) sector stands at a critical crossroads. Faced with depressed demand, high operating costs, economic uncertainty and rising customer expectations, LTL carriers, brokers and shippers are under mounting pressure to do more with less. Efficiency, accuracy and transparency have never been more vital. Even as some aspects of LTL have modernized, persistent blind spots still drain time, revenue and customer satisfaction. Accessorial management and location visibility remain at the heart of operational performance and profitability in the LTL sector, and companies must solve these challenges to thrive in this freight environment. Accessorial charges are often treated as the fine print of freight, but their financial impact is anything but small. These additional fees, covering services such as liftgate usage, residential delivery, limited-access sites and inside delivery are frequently not accounted for until after a delivery is completed. At that point, shippers receive unexpected invoices, brokers scramble to reconcile charges, and carriers are left fielding disputes that strain valuable relationships and negatively impact their bottom line. Without an accurate, upfront method of identifying potential accessorials, companies lose control over cost predictability. This unpredictability does more than damage budgets. It undermines long-term rate negotiations and muddies performance metrics such as cost per shipment and gross margin. Billing disputes over accessorials can also slow down cash flow and stretch out time-to-payment cycles. As the logistics sector faces tighter margins and rising customer expectations, these seemingly minor charges can add up to major financial consequences. Location data is another underestimated factor that directly impacts LTL performance. While most transportation management systems (TMSs) offer basic shipment tracking, they often lack granular location insights. This includes data points such as whether a site is residential or commercial, whether there is dock access or a forklift onsite, or if the delivery site has limited hours or requires specialized entry. These details may seem minor, but their absence leads to service mismatches, re-delivery attempts, extended dwell times and more accessorial charges. For example, failing to flag a residential delivery that requires a liftgate can result in a surprise fee and an unhappy customer. A shipment bound for a military base or an airport without the right equipment or credentials can create costly delays and failed deliveries. Inaccurate or incomplete location information does more than increase costs — it erodes operational agility. <h3>Technology can ease challenges </h3>The good news is that technology now exists to solve these challenges at scale. New platforms that leverage AI, machine learning and geospatial data are transforming how logistics professionals manage LTL freight. These tools can identify potential accessorial charges before the freight is tendered, analyze delivery site characteristics in real time and deliver a unified accessorial view across all stakeholders. By automating accessorial identification during order entry and integrating precise location attributes such as limited access, loading dock availability, forklifts on site or gated entry, these platforms allow teams to move from reactive firefighting to proactive planning. With real-time alerts and API integrations that connect directly into a TMS, shippers, brokers and carriers can operate from a shared source of accessorial truth. The impact of smarter accessorial identification and location visibility delivers measurable results. Companies that have adopted these advanced solutions have reported a 75% reduction in unexpected accessorial fees, leading to cleaner invoices and faster dispute resolution. Customers have also seen improved on-time in-full (OTIF) performance, driving higher customer satisfaction and stronger service-level agreement (SLA) compliance. This shift is particularly timely in 2025, as the LTL industry grapples with economic volatility, rising operating costs and major classification changes. Freight volumes are inconsistent, carriers are prioritizing profitability over market share, and the new National Motor Freight Traffic Association density-based classification system is forcing shippers to re-evaluate how they package and price freight. In this environment, hidden costs such as accessorials and inefficiencies tied to poor location visibility can erode already thin margins. With shifting demand, cost inflation and operational headwinds, the ability to forecast costs, identify risks and plan accordingly has become a key competitive advantage. In the past, accessorial management and granular location visibility may have been viewed as optional enhancements. Today, they are essential for any company that relies on LTL shipping as a core part of its logistics strategy. When customer expectations are rising and disruptions are the new norm, having visibility into every shipment detail and every delivery site is table stakes. The LTL world of 2025 does not reward those who guess. It rewards those who know, and knowing begins with visibility. North Winship is president of Shiplify. Contact him at <a href="mailto:northw@shiplify.com">northw@shiplify.com</a>. Bart De Muynck is a strategic advisor for Drewry. Contact him at <a href="mailto:bart@bartdemuynck.com">bart@bartdemuynck.com</a>. </div>

The US less-than-truckload (LTL) sector stands at a critical crossroads. Faced with depressed demand, high operating costs, economic uncertainty and rising customer expectations, LTL carriers, brokers and shippers are under mounting pressure to do more with less. Efficiency, accuracy and transparency have never been more vital. Even as some aspects of LTL have modernized, persistent blind spots still drain time, revenue and customer satisfaction. Accessorial management and location visibility remain at the heart of operational performance and profitability in the LTL sector, and companies must solve these challenges to thrive in this freight environment. Accessorial charges are often treated as the fine print of freight, but their financial impact is anything but small. These additional fees, covering services such as liftgate usage, residential delivery, limited-access sites and inside delivery are frequently not accounted for until after a delivery is completed. At that point, shippers receive unexpected invoices, brokers scramble to reconcile charges, and carriers are left fielding disputes that strain valuable relationships and negatively impact their bottom line. Without an accurate, upfront method of identifying potential accessorials, companies lose control over cost predictability. This unpredictability does more than damage budgets. It undermines long-term rate negotiations and muddies performance metrics such as cost per shipment and gross margin. Billing disputes over accessorials can also slow down cash flow and stretch out time-to-payment cycles. As the logistics sector faces tighter margins and rising customer expectations, these seemingly minor charges can add up to major financial consequences. Location data is another underestimated factor that directly impacts LTL performance. While most transportation management systems (TMSs) offer basic shipment tracking, they often lack granular location insights. This includes data points such as whether a site is residential or commercial, whether there is dock access or a forklift onsite, or if the delivery site has limited hours or requires specialized entry. These details may seem minor, but their absence leads to service mismatches, re-delivery attempts, extended dwell times and more accessorial charges. For example, failing to flag a residential delivery that requires a liftgate can result in a surprise fee and an unhappy customer. A shipment bound for a military base or an airport without the right equipment or credentials can create costly delays and failed deliveries. Inaccurate or incomplete location information does more than increase costs — it erodes operational agility. Technology can ease challenges The good news is that technology now exists to solve these challenges at scale. New platforms that leverage AI, machine learning and geospatial data are transforming how logistics professionals manage LTL freight. These tools can identify potential accessorial charges before the freight is tendered, analyze delivery site characteristics in real time and deliver a unified accessorial view across all stakeholders. By automating accessorial identification during order entry and integrating precise location attributes such as limited access, loading dock availability, forklifts on site or gated entry, these platforms allow teams to move from reactive firefighting to proactive planning. With real-time alerts and API integrations that connect directly into a TMS, shippers, brokers and carriers can operate from a shared source of accessorial truth. The impact of smarter accessorial identification and location visibility delivers measurable results. Companies that have adopted these advanced solutions have reported a 75% reduction in unexpected accessorial fees, leading to cleaner invoices and faster dispute resolution. Customers have also seen improved on-time in-full (OTIF) performance, driving higher customer satisfaction and stronger service-level agreement (SLA) compliance. This shift is particularly timely in 2025, as the LTL industry grapples with economic volatility, rising operating costs and major classification changes. Freight volumes are inconsistent, carriers are prioritizing profitability over market share, and the new National Motor Freight Traffic Association density-based classification system is forcing shippers to re-evaluate how they package and price freight. In this environment, hidden costs such as accessorials and inefficiencies tied to poor location visibility can erode already thin margins. With shifting demand, cost inflation and operational headwinds, the ability to forecast costs, identify risks and plan accordingly has become a key competitive advantage. In the past, accessorial management and granular location visibility may have been viewed as optional enhancements. Today, they are essential for any company that relies on LTL shipping as a core part of its logistics strategy. When customer expectations are rising and disruptions are the new norm, having visibility into every shipment detail and every delivery site is table stakes. The LTL world of 2025 does not reward those who guess. It rewards those who know, and knowing begins with visibility. North Winship is president of Shiplify. Contact him at northw@shiplify.com . Bart De Muynck is a strategic advisor for Drewry. Contact him at bart@bartdemuynck.com .

Visibility transforming accessorial and location insights in LTL shipping

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">There are measures carriers can take around the edges, but if they really want to take control of supply — and thus price — collectively sidelining some high-caliber tonnage is the standout solution, writes Jeremy Masters. </div>

There are measures carriers can take around the edges, but if they really want to take control of supply — and thus price — collectively sidelining some high-caliber tonnage is the standout solution, writes Jeremy Masters.

<div class="phx-topic">The laws of supply and demand dictate that prices will move in accordance with the relativity of the two. Container carriers can marginally move the dial between what is containerized and what is bulk or breakbulk by offering very attractive (low contribution) rates. An innovative product — for example, Gemini Cooperation’s high reliability network or an express service — might lure some air freight to sea freight. For the most part, however, carriers have very little control over demand. The key price lever that carriers have is slot supply, and current fundamentals point to heavy surplus, even as diversions around southern Africa continue. Are the carriers, then, sprinting to the edge of the cliff with newbuild deliveries, fresh orders, second-hand buying and chartering of what little spare capacity is left, followed by a freefall? Or do they at least have a parachute to slow down their momentum? There are some things they can do to help themselves in trades with overcapacity. <h3>Pushing pause </h3>The most obvious and dramatic way would be to park ships. To be impactful, that would mean collectively taking out multiple strings rather than tinkering with single strings or blank sailings. Understandably, there is a mental block in the big east-west trades when it comes to parking high-capacity, high-value, newer ships. But if the carriers get supply even minimally below demand, the economics are massively in their favor. Let's assume that, in the Asia-to-Europe trade, each consortium (for these purposes, Mediterranean Shipping Co. would be considered a consortium) ties up one string of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) that was forecasted to make a minimal contribution to fixed cost because of declining rates. If, because of removing these strings, freight rates were a very conservative $500 per TEU higher on average on the headhaul than they would have been, based on 20,000 TEU per week and 50 weeks, all consortiums would accumulate an additional $500,000 million per annum on all remaining loops. There would be, of course, some incremental lay-up costs, but other costs would remain similar. Parking some $3 billion worth of assets per consortium is easier in theory than in practice, especially for those carriers who need to justify some heavy investments to their boards. If the carriers accept that drastic action is required, however, and there is enough collective action — not orchestrated action, of course, in contravention of competition rules — then the results will be dramatically better, and the ships will be readily available for an upturn. <h3>Beyond parking </h3>Are there less capacity-eating measures that carriers could undertake? The catalyst for a major dive in multi-trade rates would be a return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal for Asia-to-Europe strings, but it's unlikely that we will go overnight from high-risk Red Sea transits to totally safe ones. Given the disruption and risk — for carriers and their clients — of moving all strings back to the Red Sea only to find that further issues arise, it would be entirely justifiable to keep some strings moving around the Cape of Good Hope. Big beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and forwarders/non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) have — forcefully — adjusted to the Cape routing. And while there is higher on-the-water inventory cost, the weekly pipeline of arrivals are established. They would naturally lean towards the faster Red Sea routing, but at the same time, would want to strenuously avoid a situation where production lines are stopped or shelves empty because they have put all their eggs in the Red Sea basket that has turned bad again. This may be counterintuitive, given more expensive ship systems around the Cape, but carriers could also implement two-tier pricing to re-enforce this prudence — essentially, a premium for Red Sea risk or a deficit for longer transits, whichever you prefer. Slow-steaming is another area of capacity control where a systematic approach could eat up more capacity. This means not just applying it in over-tonnaged trades, but in all trades. Tonnage can then be moved from trades where there is oversupply to those that are short because of slow-steaming. Finally, there is the scrapping of older vessels. If we look at carriers' desire to hold onto bigger, newer assets and their purchase of relatively old smaller tonnage to run regional and feeder networks, this does not look to be a particularly encouraging area for capacity shedding. There are measures the carriers can take around the edges, but if they really want to take control of supply – and thus price – collectively sidelining some high-caliber tonnage is the standout solution. Contact Jeremy Masters at <a href="mailto:jeremy@shippingmastershk.com">jeremy@shippingmastershk.com</a>. </div>

The laws of supply and demand dictate that prices will move in accordance with the relativity of the two. Container carriers can marginally move the dial between what is containerized and what is bulk or breakbulk by offering very attractive (low contribution) rates. An innovative product — for example, Gemini Cooperation’s high reliability network or an express service — might lure some air freight to sea freight. For the most part, however, carriers have very little control over demand. The key price lever that carriers have is slot supply, and current fundamentals point to heavy surplus, even as diversions around southern Africa continue. Are the carriers, then, sprinting to the edge of the cliff with newbuild deliveries, fresh orders, second-hand buying and chartering of what little spare capacity is left, followed by a freefall? Or do they at least have a parachute to slow down their momentum? There are some things they can do to help themselves in trades with overcapacity. Pushing pause The most obvious and dramatic way would be to park ships. To be impactful, that would mean collectively taking out multiple strings rather than tinkering with single strings or blank sailings. Understandably, there is a mental block in the big east-west trades when it comes to parking high-capacity, high-value, newer ships. But if the carriers get supply even minimally below demand, the economics are massively in their favor. Let's assume that, in the Asia-to-Europe trade, each consortium (for these purposes, Mediterranean Shipping Co. would be considered a consortium) ties up one string of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) that was forecasted to make a minimal contribution to fixed cost because of declining rates. If, because of removing these strings, freight rates were a very conservative $500 per TEU higher on average on the headhaul than they would have been, based on 20,000 TEU per week and 50 weeks, all consortiums would accumulate an additional $500,000 million per annum on all remaining loops. There would be, of course, some incremental lay-up costs, but other costs would remain similar. Parking some $3 billion worth of assets per consortium is easier in theory than in practice, especially for those carriers who need to justify some heavy investments to their boards. If the carriers accept that drastic action is required, however, and there is enough collective action — not orchestrated action, of course, in contravention of competition rules — then the results will be dramatically better, and the ships will be readily available for an upturn. Beyond parking Are there less capacity-eating measures that carriers could undertake? The catalyst for a major dive in multi-trade rates would be a return to the Red Sea and Suez Canal for Asia-to-Europe strings, but it's unlikely that we will go overnight from high-risk Red Sea transits to totally safe ones. Given the disruption and risk — for carriers and their clients — of moving all strings back to the Red Sea only to find that further issues arise, it would be entirely justifiable to keep some strings moving around the Cape of Good Hope. Big beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and forwarders/non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) have — forcefully — adjusted to the Cape routing. And while there is higher on-the-water inventory cost, the weekly pipeline of arrivals are established. They would naturally lean towards the faster Red Sea routing, but at the same time, would want to strenuously avoid a situation where production lines are stopped or shelves empty because they have put all their eggs in the Red Sea basket that has turned bad again. This may be counterintuitive, given more expensive ship systems around the Cape, but carriers could also implement two-tier pricing to re-enforce this prudence — essentially, a premium for Red Sea risk or a deficit for longer transits, whichever you prefer. Slow-steaming is another area of capacity control where a systematic approach could eat up more capacity. This means not just applying it in over-tonnaged trades, but in all trades. Tonnage can then be moved from trades where there is oversupply to those that are short because of slow-steaming. Finally, there is the scrapping of older vessels. If we look at carriers' desire to hold onto bigger, newer assets and their purchase of relatively old smaller tonnage to run regional and feeder networks, this does not look to be a particularly encouraging area for capacity shedding. There are measures the carriers can take around the edges, but if they really want to take control of supply – and thus price – collectively sidelining some high-caliber tonnage is the standout solution. Contact Jeremy Masters at jeremy@shippingmastershk.com .

Container lines

Ocean carriers are not helpless when it comes to managing capacity

East Coast of South America to US

West Coast of South America to US

eeSea collects and centralizes liner network data from dozens of public sources including carriers’ vessel tracking portals, long-term schedules, customer advisories, port and terminal operator schedules, and pilot schedules. These disparate datasets are continually inspected, cleaned, and carefully structured. eeSea synthesizes this refined public data with AIS positions from a third-party provider and its datasets spanning schedule reliability, transit times, trade capacity evolution, and 60-day vessel forecasts. Capacity is measured based on the last load port in Asia [eeSea](https://www.eesea.com/https://www.eesea.com)

South America to US ocean reliability (eeSea)

On-Time Performance West and East Coasts of South America to US (eeSea) Gateway

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Excess capacity and lower rates are drawing some LTL freight into the truckload sector, helping to depress overall LTL volumes, FedEx quarterly results indicate.</div>

Excess capacity and lower rates are drawing some LTL freight into the truckload sector, helping to depress overall LTL volumes, FedEx quarterly results indicate.

<div class="phx-topic">The pressure of a three-year freight downturn is pushing more less-than-truckload (LTL) freight to the lower-priced truckload market, squeezing revenue and profits at FedEx Freight, the largest US LTL provider. FedEx Freight’s daily LTL shipment count declined 2.2% to 90,012 shipments in the fiscal quarter that ended Aug. 31, with revenue per shipment falling 0.9% year over year and revenue per hundredweight — a measure of profitability — dropping 0.6%. “Weakness in the industrial economy and excess capacity in the truckload market continue to pressure our results,” said Brie Carere, executive vice president and chief customer officer for FedEx, said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday. “You’ve all tracked the pressures on the industrial economy,” Carere said. “Of course, we are feeling that pressure.” Still, the company expects the pressure to ease somewhat heading into 2026. “We do anticipate that yields will increase in the back half, but we remain very disciplined and very focused,” Carere said, adding the company’s number one priority is “revenue quality.” <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="b8bff0bb-e602-4052-88a8-7955d25f97d2"></dynamic-object></div>During the last quarter, FedEx Freight’s revenue dropped 3.1% from a year ago to $2.3 billion. The company’s operating profit margin narrowed to 16% from 18.8% a year ago and 20.8% in the previous quarter. That gives FedEx Freight an operating ratio of 86%. Carere hit on two factors many analysts and executives say are inhibiting LTL growth — <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/manufacturing-malaise-clouds-outlook-for-us-industrial-freight-6001813">softness in US manufacturing</a> and a glut of cheap truckload capacity. Excess capacity has become the norm in the truckload sector, according to FTR Transport Intelligence. At its 2025 FTR Transport conference last week, the research firm said it expects a capacity “overhang” to persist throughout 2026 <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/excess-truck-capacity-to-linger-through-2027-ftr-6077828">and into 2027</a>. That excess capacity puts a cap on truckload rate increases and siphons freight away from higher-priced LTL networks and into lower-cost truckload trailers. <h3>A slow leak in volume </h3>Other LTL carriers have noted the shift, too. “We’ve seen some market share shift, I think, from LTL to truckload through this cycle,” Adam Satterfield, CFO of Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL), the second-largest US LTL provider, said during an earnings call in July. The shipments component of the Cass Freight Index fell 9.3% from a year earlier in August, and Cass pointed out that truckload volumes rose while LTL shipments dropped. “When you look at some of the statistics in the truckload industry in terms of what they’re charging ... they’re willing to operate at break-even or worse,” ODFL’s Satterfield said. That’s something ODFL, FedEx and other LTL providers haven't been willing to do, so they’ve lost some freight. Several carriers reported a year-over-year <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/falling-us-ltl-volumes-putting-pressure-on-margins-rates-6077715">decline in volume</a> in August, with daily shipments falling 8.2% at ODFL, 3.4% at XPO and 2.2% at Saia. The growing gap between <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ltl-truckload-pricing-rising-despite-soft-demand-6079263">truckload and LTL pricing</a> is evident in the US producer price index (PPI) for each sector. Those PPIs both increased in August, but the long-distance LTL PPI was up 10.5% year over year, while the truckload PPI was down 0.5% from a year earlier. <h3>Building inventories </h3>Lower LTL volumes are not just about modal shift, however. Weakness in US manufacturing is pulling down shipment counts as well. The S&amp;P Global US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™, a measure of manufacturing health, returned to expansion in August, rising to 53 from 49.8 in July. But that increase was linked to volatility surrounding higher US tariffs. Manufacturing firms are building inventories to hedge against price increases expected in coming months for inputs attributed to higher tariffs, S&amp;P Global, parent company of the Journal of Commerce, said Sept. 2. As such, that production hasn’t translated into higher linehaul volumes for LTL carriers. FedEx Freight still has a commanding volume lead over its largest competitors. ODFL reported 44,907 shipments a day in the second quarter. And FedEx Freight plans to double the size of its dedicated sales force by its spinoff deadline of June 2026. The carrier has about 200 frontline LTL sales personnel and is “well on its way” toward its goal of hiring 400 sales specialists prior to the spinoff, said CFO John Dietrich. That signals determination to expand a market share that already approaches 15% by shipment volume, according to SJ Consulting Group data. By revenue, FedEx Freight’s market share totals 17.2%, the transportation research firm’s data shows. Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto://bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The pressure of a three-year freight downturn is pushing more less-than-truckload (LTL) freight to the lower-priced truckload market, squeezing revenue and profits at FedEx Freight, the largest US LTL provider. FedEx Freight’s daily LTL shipment count declined 2.2% to 90,012 shipments in the fiscal quarter that ended Aug. 31, with revenue per shipment falling 0.9% year over year and revenue per hundredweight — a measure of profitability — dropping 0.6%. “Weakness in the industrial economy and excess capacity in the truckload market continue to pressure our results,” said Brie Carere, executive vice president and chief customer officer for FedEx, said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday. “You’ve all tracked the pressures on the industrial economy,” Carere said. “Of course, we are feeling that pressure.” Still, the company expects the pressure to ease somewhat heading into 2026. “We do anticipate that yields will increase in the back half, but we remain very disciplined and very focused,” Carere said, adding the company’s number one priority is “revenue quality.” During the last quarter, FedEx Freight’s revenue dropped 3.1% from a year ago to $2.3 billion. The company’s operating profit margin narrowed to 16% from 18.8% a year ago and 20.8% in the previous quarter. That gives FedEx Freight an operating ratio of 86%. Carere hit on two factors many analysts and executives say are inhibiting LTL growth — softness in US manufacturing and a glut of cheap truckload capacity. Excess capacity has become the norm in the truckload sector, according to FTR Transport Intelligence. At its 2025 FTR Transport conference last week, the research firm said it expects a capacity “overhang” to persist throughout 2026 and into 2027 . That excess capacity puts a cap on truckload rate increases and siphons freight away from higher-priced LTL networks and into lower-cost truckload trailers. A slow leak in volume Other LTL carriers have noted the shift, too. “We’ve seen some market share shift, I think, from LTL to truckload through this cycle,” Adam Satterfield, CFO of Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL), the second-largest US LTL provider, said during an earnings call in July. The shipments component of the Cass Freight Index fell 9.3% from a year earlier in August, and Cass pointed out that truckload volumes rose while LTL shipments dropped. “When you look at some of the statistics in the truckload industry in terms of what they’re charging ... they’re willing to operate at break-even or worse,” ODFL’s Satterfield said. That’s something ODFL, FedEx and other LTL providers haven't been willing to do, so they’ve lost some freight. Several carriers reported a year-over-year decline in volume in August, with daily shipments falling 8.2% at ODFL, 3.4% at XPO and 2.2% at Saia. The growing gap between truckload and LTL pricing is evident in the US producer price index (PPI) for each sector. Those PPIs both increased in August, but the long-distance LTL PPI was up 10.5% year over year, while the truckload PPI was down 0.5% from a year earlier. Building inventories Lower LTL volumes are not just about modal shift, however. Weakness in US manufacturing is pulling down shipment counts as well. The S&P Global US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™, a measure of manufacturing health, returned to expansion in August, rising to 53 from 49.8 in July. But that increase was linked to volatility surrounding higher US tariffs. Manufacturing firms are building inventories to hedge against price increases expected in coming months for inputs attributed to higher tariffs, S&P Global, parent company of the Journal of Commerce, said Sept. 2. As such, that production hasn’t translated into higher linehaul volumes for LTL carriers. FedEx Freight still has a commanding volume lead over its largest competitors. ODFL reported 44,907 shipments a day in the second quarter. And FedEx Freight plans to double the size of its dedicated sales force by its spinoff deadline of June 2026. The carrier has about 200 frontline LTL sales personnel and is “well on its way” toward its goal of hiring 400 sales specialists prior to the spinoff, said CFO John Dietrich. That signals determination to expand a market share that already approaches 15% by shipment volume, according to SJ Consulting Group data. By revenue, FedEx Freight’s market share totals 17.2%, the transportation research firm’s data shows. Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .

Truckload carriers capturing more LTL shipments: FedEx Freight

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">LNG is the current alternative fuel of choice for ocean carriers that see greater potential to scale up its production to supply the fast-growing dual-fuel fleet. </div>

LNG is the current alternative fuel of choice for ocean carriers that see greater potential to scale up its production to supply the fast-growing dual-fuel fleet.

<div class="phx-topic">Concerns over the availability of green fuels continue to drive orders for container ships capable of sailing on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol that now account for more than half of the order book. Neils Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst for shipping association Bimco, said in a market update Thursday that LNG remained the most popular alternative fuel, with LNG-fueled ships now accounting for two-thirds of all alternatively fueled ships on order. “As of end-August 2025, 534 container ships are on order that will be able to use alternative fuels upon delivery,” Rasmussen said. “These represent 53% of ships on order and 77% of the TEUs [on order].” A host of dual-fuel LNG ship orders have been announced this year. Yang Ming Marine Transport recently <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/yang-ming-signs-14-billion-upgraded-ship-order-for-16000-teu-vessels-6081736">ordered seven LNG and ammonia-capable 16,000-TEU ships</a>, while Mediterranean Shipping Co. in July ordered six 22,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG vessels and upsized another six LNG-fueled container ships from 19,000 TEUs to 22,000 TEUs. In February, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/evergreen-makes-32-billion-order-for-lng-capable-megaships-5943682">ordered 11 24,000-TEU LNG-capable vessels</a>. Alternative fuels have proven popular among the largest ships. For ships of 8,000-TEU capacity or more, 81% of the vessels and 85% of the TEU capacity on order are for mainly LNG and methanol-capable ships, according to the Bimco report. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="80e7aa34-41b8-4bd7-b5ac-58f5337eebb6"></dynamic-object></div>Rasmussen noted that a shift from methanol toward LNG highlighted a key concern of shipowners when building dual-fuel ships: the availability of fuel. LNG is currently available mainly as a carbon fuel but could increasingly become available as a low-carbon biofuel or e-fuel. More than 25% of all the container capacity in operation by 2030 could be capable of sailing on alternative fuels, Rasmussen said. “Assuming that none of the alternatively fueled ships in operation are recycled, the container fleet in 2030 will include 837 alternatively fueled ships with 10.9 million TEUs of capacity once all the ships in the order book have been delivered,” he said. While container shipping is making strides toward alternatively fueled vessels, the other shipping sectors are more difficult to decarbonize, the Bimco analyst said. “In the bulker, crude tanker and product tanker sectors, alternatively fueled ships only make up respectively 8%, 17% and 9% of the ships on order,” Rasmussen said, noting that the prevalence of smaller operators in those sectors may negatively impact orders, whereas the container sector was controlled by a few large companies. <h3>Significant shortfall in green fuels </h3>The technology to build ships capable of low-carbon operation is available, but the Bimco update highlighted the lack of availability of the fuel. That emerged as a key concern this week at London International Shipping Week (LISW), where the urgent need for investment in alternative fuel production to scale up supply and for an increase in demand for dual-fuel ships was raised regularly. The International Maritime Organization’s net-zero framework, due for adoption in October, has set a target of zero- or near-zero emission fuel types making up 5% to 10% of shipping fuel by 2030. But current estimates predict a significant shortfall. Unless demand for alternative fuel vessels significantly ramps up, the current order book for these ships will only deliver about 37% of the demand needed to achieve the 2030 target, according to a research report released at LISW called Progress Towards Shipping’s 2030 breakthrough — 2025 edition. The report was compiled jointly by the London-based UCL Energy Institute, the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition and the Climate High-Level Champions. In another report released at LISW, Accelerating to Net Zero, consultants at Accelleron noted that dual-fuel ships dominate the order books, but scalable carbon-neutral fuels are not available while emissions continue to rise. “The proliferation of fuel pathways has created paralysis,” the report said, highlighting how fuel pathway uncertainty was fragmenting demand and diluting investment in scalable net-zero solutions. “LNG, biofuels and e-fuels are all being trialed, but none at scale,” according to the report. “Shipping, historically the first in line for the leftovers of the fossil economy, now faces the reverse: competing for premium fuels.” Accelleron estimated that if LNG was the industry choice, 333 million tons of LNG would be required annually by 2050 to fully decarbonize global shipping, which would see a 67% increase in fuel consumption by 2050 as maritime transport doubles. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Concerns over the availability of green fuels continue to drive orders for container ships capable of sailing on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol that now account for more than half of the order book. Neils Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst for shipping association Bimco, said in a market update Thursday that LNG remained the most popular alternative fuel, with LNG-fueled ships now accounting for two-thirds of all alternatively fueled ships on order. “As of end-August 2025, 534 container ships are on order that will be able to use alternative fuels upon delivery,” Rasmussen said. “These represent 53% of ships on order and 77% of the TEUs [on order].” A host of dual-fuel LNG ship orders have been announced this year. Yang Ming Marine Transport recently ordered seven LNG and ammonia-capable 16,000-TEU ships , while Mediterranean Shipping Co. in July ordered six 22,000-TEU dual-fuel LNG vessels and upsized another six LNG-fueled container ships from 19,000 TEUs to 22,000 TEUs. In February, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine ordered 11 24,000-TEU LNG-capable vessels . Alternative fuels have proven popular among the largest ships. For ships of 8,000-TEU capacity or more, 81% of the vessels and 85% of the TEU capacity on order are for mainly LNG and methanol-capable ships, according to the Bimco report. Rasmussen noted that a shift from methanol toward LNG highlighted a key concern of shipowners when building dual-fuel ships: the availability of fuel. LNG is currently available mainly as a carbon fuel but could increasingly become available as a low-carbon biofuel or e-fuel. More than 25% of all the container capacity in operation by 2030 could be capable of sailing on alternative fuels, Rasmussen said. “Assuming that none of the alternatively fueled ships in operation are recycled, the container fleet in 2030 will include 837 alternatively fueled ships with 10.9 million TEUs of capacity once all the ships in the order book have been delivered,” he said. While container shipping is making strides toward alternatively fueled vessels, the other shipping sectors are more difficult to decarbonize, the Bimco analyst said. “In the bulker, crude tanker and product tanker sectors, alternatively fueled ships only make up respectively 8%, 17% and 9% of the ships on order,” Rasmussen said, noting that the prevalence of smaller operators in those sectors may negatively impact orders, whereas the container sector was controlled by a few large companies. Significant shortfall in green fuels The technology to build ships capable of low-carbon operation is available, but the Bimco update highlighted the lack of availability of the fuel. That emerged as a key concern this week at London International Shipping Week (LISW), where the urgent need for investment in alternative fuel production to scale up supply and for an increase in demand for dual-fuel ships was raised regularly. The International Maritime Organization’s net-zero framework, due for adoption in October, has set a target of zero- or near-zero emission fuel types making up 5% to 10% of shipping fuel by 2030. But current estimates predict a significant shortfall. Unless demand for alternative fuel vessels significantly ramps up, the current order book for these ships will only deliver about 37% of the demand needed to achieve the 2030 target, according to a research report released at LISW called Progress Towards Shipping’s 2030 breakthrough — 2025 edition. The report was compiled jointly by the London-based UCL Energy Institute, the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition and the Climate High-Level Champions. In another report released at LISW, Accelerating to Net Zero, consultants at Accelleron noted that dual-fuel ships dominate the order books, but scalable carbon-neutral fuels are not available while emissions continue to rise. “The proliferation of fuel pathways has created paralysis,” the report said, highlighting how fuel pathway uncertainty was fragmenting demand and diluting investment in scalable net-zero solutions. “LNG, biofuels and e-fuels are all being trialed, but none at scale,” according to the report. “Shipping, historically the first in line for the leftovers of the fossil economy, now faces the reverse: competing for premium fuels.” Accelleron estimated that if LNG was the industry choice, 333 million tons of LNG would be required annually by 2050 to fully decarbonize global shipping, which would see a 67% increase in fuel consumption by 2050 as maritime transport doubles. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Ocean carrier order book dominated by LNG-capable ships: Bimco

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">While the new fees “may pose certain operational challenges,” Cosco said it does not plan to remove any trans-Pacific services, reduce its ship deployments to the US, or impose new surcharges to cover the fees.</div>

While the new fees “may pose certain operational challenges,” Cosco said it does not plan to remove any trans-Pacific services, reduce its ship deployments to the US, or impose new surcharges to cover the fees.

<div class="phx-topic">Cosco Shipping has informed its US customers to expect little change in its services and rates as the carrier starts paying new service fees for US port calls in October, becoming the latest container line to signal it will absorb the Trump administration’s penalties against China’s maritime industry. Cosco said in a customer advisory Wednesday it will “continue to serve the US market” once the US Trade Representative (USTR) begins collecting fees on Chinese-built and -operated ships calling US ports starting Oct. 14. The fees stem from <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-port-fees-could-hit-chinese-ships-under-trump-trade-proposal-5949409">the USTR’s finding</a> that China has used unfair trade practices to promote its shipbuilders and ocean carriers. While the new fees “may pose certain operational challenges,” Cosco said it does not plan to remove any trans-Pacific services, reduce the number of ships in its US services, or impose new surcharges to cover the fees. “We are committed to maintaining stable capacity deployment and service quality,” Cosco said. “We will maintain competitive rates and surcharges.” Cosco’s advisory follows similar announcements from competitors <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cma-cgm-reroutes-china-built-ships-to-avoid-us-port-fees-6078488">CMA CGM</a> and <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/msc-ready-for-us-port-fees-after-network-changes-ceo-6079762">Mediterranean Shipping Co.</a>, which have both said they hope to mitigate the impact of the fees after having rotated most, if not all, of their <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/chinese-tonnage-moving-out-of-us-container-trade-ahead-of-new-fees-xeneta-6081320">China-built container ships out of US services prior to mid-October</a>.As a China-based carrier, Cosco does not have that option under the USTR’s action, which assesses a higher penalty for Chinese carriers than for Chinese ships. Cosco, along with its OOCL subsidiary, faces a $50-per-net-ton fee for any of their vessels on their first port call to the US, up to five times per year. The fee rises to $140 by 2028. In contrast, a Chinese-built ship operated by a non-China domiciled carrier only faces an $18-per-net-ton fee in the first year of the USTR’s penalty scheme, rising to $33 by 2028. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="e78cef13-8c4c-467e-afde-4967a79f87ca"></dynamic-object></div><h3>Will subsidies help offset fees?</h3>Investment bank HSBC estimated that a Chinese-operated ship of 10,000-TEU capacity would pay $2.7 million for its first US port call in the first year of the new fees, equating to a nearly $600 per container fee. A Chinese-built ship of similar size faces a $1 million fee, or approximately $222 per container. Based on the number of US calls per year, HSBC estimated Cosco could pay $1.5 billion in USTR fees through 2026. The question then becomes whether the Chinese government will offset those new port fees through subsidies. The USTR investigation cited estimates that China provided some $3.4 billion in subsidies between 2010 and 2018 to the country’s major carriers and port operators. Cosco’s last annual report listed $169 million in subsidies received during 2024, down from $423 million in 2023. Those subsidies, though, do not extend to OOCL, which itself could face $654 million in port fees, HSBC estimated. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Cosco Shipping has informed its US customers to expect little change in its services and rates as the carrier starts paying new service fees for US port calls in October, becoming the latest container line to signal it will absorb the Trump administration’s penalties against China’s maritime industry. Cosco said in a customer advisory Wednesday it will “continue to serve the US market” once the US Trade Representative (USTR) begins collecting fees on Chinese-built and -operated ships calling US ports starting Oct. 14. The fees stem from the USTR’s finding that China has used unfair trade practices to promote its shipbuilders and ocean carriers. While the new fees “may pose certain operational challenges,” Cosco said it does not plan to remove any trans-Pacific services, reduce the number of ships in its US services, or impose new surcharges to cover the fees. “We are committed to maintaining stable capacity deployment and service quality,” Cosco said. “We will maintain competitive rates and surcharges.” Cosco’s advisory follows similar announcements from competitors CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Co. , which have both said they hope to mitigate the impact of the fees after having rotated most, if not all, of their China-built container ships out of US services prior to mid-October . As a China-based carrier, Cosco does not have that option under the USTR’s action, which assesses a higher penalty for Chinese carriers than for Chinese ships. Cosco, along with its OOCL subsidiary, faces a $50-per-net-ton fee for any of their vessels on their first port call to the US, up to five times per year. The fee rises to $140 by 2028. In contrast, a Chinese-built ship operated by a non-China domiciled carrier only faces an $18-per-net-ton fee in the first year of the USTR’s penalty scheme, rising to $33 by 2028. Will subsidies help offset fees? Investment bank HSBC estimated that a Chinese-operated ship of 10,000-TEU capacity would pay $2.7 million for its first US port call in the first year of the new fees, equating to a nearly $600 per container fee. A Chinese-built ship of similar size faces a $1 million fee, or approximately $222 per container. Based on the number of US calls per year, HSBC estimated Cosco could pay $1.5 billion in USTR fees through 2026. The question then becomes whether the Chinese government will offset those new port fees through subsidies. The USTR investigation cited estimates that China provided some $3.4 billion in subsidies between 2010 and 2018 to the country’s major carriers and port operators. Cosco’s last annual report listed $169 million in subsidies received during 2024, down from $423 million in 2023. Those subsidies, though, do not extend to OOCL, which itself could face $654 million in port fees, HSBC estimated. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Cosco says no changes to US services as new port fees approach

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In today’s competitive logistical landscape, efficiency is an absolute necessity for smooth operations. Yet, in the barge sector, many operators still rely on fragmented systems, delayed updates, and manual tracking methods that slow decision-making and increase operational risk. OpenTug’s new eBook, How Enhanced Visibility Transforms Barge Operations, reveals how unified, real-time data can become your competitive advantage leading to improved voyage management and more actionable insights. Drawing on industry best practices and real-world examples, it explores how operational transparency empowers teams to: ●	Reduce delays with accurate ETAs and proactive scheduling decisions ●	Improve asset utilization by identifying underused equipment and optimizing cargos ●	Strengthen safety and compliance through consistent, accessible documentation and reporting ●	Boost customer satisfaction with transparent status updates and faster response time You’ll learn how visibility can connect every part of your operation into a single, actionable view. The ability to see and act on real-time information transforms the way you plan, execute, and deliver. From managing a small regional fleet to running a large, national operation, this eBook will help you understand the measurable benefits of enhanced visibility and how technology like BargeOS is transforming the way barge logistics is managed. Get your copy today and see how clear insights lead to stronger performance, smarter decisions, and more profitable operations. <a href="https://9315820.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9315820/eBook/Nav-theFuture-AJW-08.19.25.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">Click here</a><span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-16_9 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-small" data-figure-size="small" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="16:9"><img src="/content-assets/1756152344211_Opentug%20logo.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">

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Transform Barge Operations with Total Visibility

At SSA Marine Mexico, we firmly believe that business development must go hand in hand with social and environmental well-being. Our vision is not solely focused on operating efficiently, but also on creating a meaningful and positive impact in the communities where we are present. Since 1995, we have reaffirmed this commitment through tangible actions that reflect our core values of responsibility, solidarity, and sustainability. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584535914_Photo%201.jpg" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> A Year of Major Achievements Over the past year, we allocated more than $107,000 USD to the implementation of 60 social and environmental projects, positively impacting over 7,800 people across various regions of Mexico. Each initiative was designed with a holistic approach, addressing key areas that contribute to long-term community development. Education: Laying the Foundation for the Future Education is one of the most powerful tools to promote social mobility and equitable development. At SSA Marine Mexico, we support academic initiatives that inspire and empower the next generation of leaders. One of our most impactful partnerships was with the University of Colima, where we sponsored the “Reto Camp” program. This initiative encourages university students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of sustainability, logistics, and port operations, offering them mentorship, tools, and real-world challenges to solve. In addition, we donated microscopes, school supplies, and educational materials to institutions in underserved communities, helping to improve the learning environment and provide students with the resources they need to succeed. Health and Sports: Promoting Wellness We believe that healthy communities are strong communities. We have supported several local sporting events and provided direct assistance to talented athletes, enabling them to pursue their passions and represent their regions with pride. Beyond sports, we also strengthened our collaboration with critical emergency response organizations such as the Mexican Red Cross and Civil Protection. Our contributions helped enhance their readiness and capabilities in times of crisis, ensuring better outcomes for those affected by emergencies. Supporting Vulnerable Groups: Reaching Those Who Need It Most A core part of our social responsibility efforts is directed toward supporting vulnerable populations. We have contributed to a range of initiatives focused on children, migrants, and at-risk families. These efforts included donations to orphanages and shelters, as well as support for the National Institute of Migration and grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting and empowering people facing adversity. By standing with those in need, we reinforce our commitment to inclusion and social justice, values that are central to our identity as a responsible company. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584944645_Photo%202.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">Culture: Strengthening Community Identity Cultural identity is a key element in building resilient and united communities. At SSA Marine Mexico, we actively participate in the organization and sponsorship of cultural events that celebrate local traditions and foster civic pride. Working alongside port authorities and municipal governments, we helped bring music, art, and heritage to the forefront, creating spaces for community engagement and intercultural dialogue. Environment: Investing in the Planet Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond operations—it’s a philosophy that drives every decision we make. We have partnered with environmental institutions to carry out reforestation campaigns, beach cleanups, and conservation efforts. In collaboration with the Institute for the Environment, we supported initiatives aimed at decarbonization, biodiversity protection, and environmental education. By involving our employees and local volunteers in these actions, we also foster a culture of environmental stewardship throughout our organization and our surrounding communities. Innovation for a Sustainable Future Sustainability is not just about doing good—it’s also about doing things better. In 2024, we invested $22 million USD in the acquisition of 11 state-of-the-art E-RTG cranes. These electric rubber-tired gantry cranes represent a significant technological advancement in port equipment. Seven of them are already operating on clean electric energy, resulting in a reduction of nearly 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and improving operational efficiency by 7%. The remaining four cranes are fully compatible with future electrification, underscoring our long-term strategy to modernize our operations in an environmentally responsible way. This investment is part of a broader innovation roadmap that includes digitalization, automation, and cleaner energy sources—all designed to ensure that our ports continue to grow without compromising the health of our planet. Building a Better Tomorrow, Together At SSA Marine Mexico, we understand that sustainability is a shared and ongoing responsibility. True impact requires collaboration across sectors, long-term vision, and unwavering commitment. That is why we continue to work hand-in-hand with local authorities, non-profit organizations, universities, and our own employees to create solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. Our journey is far from over. In the years ahead, we will continue to deepen our community engagement, explore cleaner technologies, and strengthen the social fabric of the regions where we operate. Each initiative, no matter the size, is a step toward building a future where business success goes hand-in-hand with human and environmental prosperity. We are proud of what we have achieved in 2024, but we are even more excited about what lies ahead. SSA Marine Mexico — Moving the World, Caring for People and Planet. LINK: <a href="https://www.ssamarine.mx/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">https://www.ssamarine.mx/</a>

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SSA Marine Mexico: True Commitment to Sustainability

The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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Filling the Supply Chain Education Gap with LTL Education Courses

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<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Supply chain control, not just cost, is the priority for shippers that have built up in-house truck fleets and increasingly are using them for more than outbound deliveries. </div>

Supply chain control, not just cost, is the priority for shippers that have built up in-house truck fleets and increasingly are using them for more than outbound deliveries.

<div class="phx-topic">US shippers are expanding their use of private, in-house truck fleets, hauling more goods in their own trucks despite favorable for-hire spot market and contract rates. Growth in private fleets is slowing compared with a peak experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped, industry experts told the Journal of Commerce. Shipments handled by private fleets increased 11.7% year over year in 2024, according to data released last week by the National Private Truck Council (NPTC). The need for more precise supply chain control and truck capacity is the reason given for greater reliance by shippers on in-house assets, and it is being enabled by technology. “The importance of the private fleet has become more elevated as shippers take greater control of supply chains,” especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tom Moore, NPTC’s executive vice president. The change has been noted by industry analysts and for-hire carriers. Schneider National, a major truckload carrier and provider of dedicated fleet services, has seen the growth of private, shipper-owned fleets outpace the for-hire carrier market, Mark Rourke, CEO and president, told a Morgan Stanley investor conference Sept. 11. “For a number of years, we’ve kind of assessed the full truckload market to be about 50% for-hire, 50% private fleet,” Rourke said at the event. Coming out of COVID-19, “there’s been a shift” to 55% private fleet, 45% for-hire, Rourke said. “That’s a pretty big movement,” he said, although he thinks there are opportunities “to move the needle back toward 50-50” as truck fleet operating costs rise. “We’ve seen private fleets grow to the point where last year there were more employee truck drivers in private fleets than in for-hire truck transportation,” Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR Transport Intelligence, said at an FTR conference Sept. 9. The total number of US private fleets, both interstate and intrastate, rose 15.9% from December 2019 through August 2025, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data, reaching 776,588, according to data published last month. Rising fleet operating costs and continuing low rates will probably shift more freight toward for-hire carriers, “but that will certainly be an incremental thing,” Vise said. “It’s not that some of these private fleets will just shut down.” The choice of whether to use for-hire or in-house trucking isn’t about choosing either one or the other, and it’s not only about costs, experts told the Journal of Commerce. “Most of our customers, especially our larger ones, use all their options — private fleets, outsourced capacity, dedicated and for-hire trucking,” said Jim Lager, executive vice president of Penske Truck Leasing, an equipment and logistics supplier. “Technology is having a huge impact” on shippers’ decisions, Lager said. “The ability to track vehicles and product in route is at people’s fingertips now.” The common factor among Penske’s private fleet customers is “they want control,” he said. “They want their product to end up in their customers’ hands the way they want it to.” <h3>An inbound shift </h3>Traditionally, private fleets have been used more to haul outbound freight to customers. Now, shippers are working more closely with vendors and suppliers on the inbound side of transportation and distribution to find ways to move more freight in their in-house fleets. The shift is evident in data NPTC collected from a diverse group of more than 100 shippers with private fleets in its most recent annual benchmarking survey report, released Monday. Those shippers moved 43% of their inbound freight by private fleet last year. That compares with 35% the previous year and 31% in 2022, according to NPTC. The last time shippers relied as heavily on private fleets for inbound transportation was in 2021, when COVID-19 supply chain disruption hit its peak, NPTC’s data indicated. Greater use of private fleets for inbound transportation requires more sophisticated collaboration between shippers and their vendors and suppliers, Moore said. “Often they both will have private fleets,” as well as brokers and for-hire carriers, he said. When a vendor uses a customer’s private fleet to deliver to that customer’s warehouse, “that shows they’ve increased their understanding of the inbound logistics side.” Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto:bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>.Senior Editor Ari Ashe contributed to this report. </div>

US shippers are expanding their use of private, in-house truck fleets, hauling more goods in their own trucks despite favorable for-hire spot market and contract rates. Growth in private fleets is slowing compared with a peak experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped, industry experts told the Journal of Commerce. Shipments handled by private fleets increased 11.7% year over year in 2024, according to data released last week by the National Private Truck Council (NPTC). The need for more precise supply chain control and truck capacity is the reason given for greater reliance by shippers on in-house assets, and it is being enabled by technology. “The importance of the private fleet has become more elevated as shippers take greater control of supply chains,” especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tom Moore, NPTC’s executive vice president. The change has been noted by industry analysts and for-hire carriers. Schneider National, a major truckload carrier and provider of dedicated fleet services, has seen the growth of private, shipper-owned fleets outpace the for-hire carrier market, Mark Rourke, CEO and president, told a Morgan Stanley investor conference Sept. 11. “For a number of years, we’ve kind of assessed the full truckload market to be about 50% for-hire, 50% private fleet,” Rourke said at the event. Coming out of COVID-19, “there’s been a shift” to 55% private fleet, 45% for-hire, Rourke said. “That’s a pretty big movement,” he said, although he thinks there are opportunities “to move the needle back toward 50-50” as truck fleet operating costs rise. “We’ve seen private fleets grow to the point where last year there were more employee truck drivers in private fleets than in for-hire truck transportation,” Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR Transport Intelligence, said at an FTR conference Sept. 9. The total number of US private fleets, both interstate and intrastate, rose 15.9% from December 2019 through August 2025, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data, reaching 776,588, according to data published last month. Rising fleet operating costs and continuing low rates will probably shift more freight toward for-hire carriers, “but that will certainly be an incremental thing,” Vise said. “It’s not that some of these private fleets will just shut down.” The choice of whether to use for-hire or in-house trucking isn’t about choosing either one or the other, and it’s not only about costs, experts told the Journal of Commerce. “Most of our customers, especially our larger ones, use all their options — private fleets, outsourced capacity, dedicated and for-hire trucking,” said Jim Lager, executive vice president of Penske Truck Leasing, an equipment and logistics supplier. “Technology is having a huge impact” on shippers’ decisions, Lager said. “The ability to track vehicles and product in route is at people’s fingertips now.” The common factor among Penske’s private fleet customers is “they want control,” he said. “They want their product to end up in their customers’ hands the way they want it to.” An inbound shift Traditionally, private fleets have been used more to haul outbound freight to customers. Now, shippers are working more closely with vendors and suppliers on the inbound side of transportation and distribution to find ways to move more freight in their in-house fleets. The shift is evident in data NPTC collected from a diverse group of more than 100 shippers with private fleets in its most recent annual benchmarking survey report, released Monday. Those shippers moved 43% of their inbound freight by private fleet last year. That compares with 35% the previous year and 31% in 2022, according to NPTC. The last time shippers relied as heavily on private fleets for inbound transportation was in 2021, when COVID-19 supply chain disruption hit its peak, NPTC’s data indicated. Greater use of private fleets for inbound transportation requires more sophisticated collaboration between shippers and their vendors and suppliers, Moore said. “Often they both will have private fleets,” as well as brokers and for-hire carriers, he said. When a vendor uses a customer’s private fleet to deliver to that customer’s warehouse, “that shows they’ve increased their understanding of the inbound logistics side.” Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .Senior Editor Ari Ashe contributed to this report.

Truck brokers

US shippers expand use of private fleets despite low truck rates

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A frenzy of acquisition activity in the truckload market continued this week, with software provider Highway buying Newtrul, a marketplace founded to compete with DAT and Truckstop.com. </div>

A frenzy of acquisition activity in the truckload market continued this week, with software provider Highway buying Newtrul, a marketplace founded to compete with DAT and Truckstop.com.

<div class="phx-topic">Carrier identity software provider Highway has continued its drive to enable truckload transactions through the acquisition of Newtrul, a freight marketplace launched to compete with existing load boards such as DAT Freight &amp; Analytics and Truckstop.com. The deal, announced Thursday, will help Highway accelerate adoption of its <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/highway-latest-entry-in-load-board-sector-amid-cargo-crime-rise-6069143">Trusted Freight Exchange</a> (TFX) that was launched in August with partner Triumph, Highway’s Chief Commercial Officer Michael Caney told the Journal of Commerce. Terms were not disclosed. The acquisition of Newtrul further places Highway in the heart of a battle between it, DAT and Truckstop as competing platforms that enable truckload transactions, payment solutions and carrier vetting. Newtrul was founded in 2018 to build a platform tied into the transportation management systems (TMSs) of truckload carriers and brokers so that the system had built-in information about the carrier, not just that they had capacity available at a specific time. In a LinkedIn post Thursday, co-founder and CEO Ed Stockman said Newtrul set out to accomplish three things: create application programming interfaces (APIs) to automate truckload transactions, reduce costs on both ends of those transactions, and “disrupt the legacy incumbents.” “We were successful with the first two and could never quite make a dent [with] the 300-pound gorilla,” Stockman said in explaining the sale to Highway. “We’ve built a state-of-the-art digital freight exchange ... around integrity and quality and are signing dozens of customers each and every day.” Caney said Highway was drawn to the acquisition by Newtrul’s talent, intellectual property in freight matching and its existing TMS integrations. More broadly, the acquisition continues a busy year in <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/truckstopcom-acquires-truckload-factoring-service-denim-6065710">truckload deal activity</a> for startups in the <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/dat-acquiring-convoy-automation-platform-from-flexport-6051850">freight matching</a>, pricing, payment and carrier performance spaces, with Triumph, DAT and Truckstop all having <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/triumph-acquires-broker-focused-pricing-technology-provider-greenscreensai-5951484">acquired startups</a> in those areas. Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Carrier identity software provider Highway has continued its drive to enable truckload transactions through the acquisition of Newtrul, a freight marketplace launched to compete with existing load boards such as DAT Freight & Analytics and Truckstop.com. The deal, announced Thursday, will help Highway accelerate adoption of its Trusted Freight Exchange (TFX) that was launched in August with partner Triumph, Highway’s Chief Commercial Officer Michael Caney told the Journal of Commerce. Terms were not disclosed. The acquisition of Newtrul further places Highway in the heart of a battle between it, DAT and Truckstop as competing platforms that enable truckload transactions, payment solutions and carrier vetting. Newtrul was founded in 2018 to build a platform tied into the transportation management systems (TMSs) of truckload carriers and brokers so that the system had built-in information about the carrier, not just that they had capacity available at a specific time. In a LinkedIn post Thursday, co-founder and CEO Ed Stockman said Newtrul set out to accomplish three things: create application programming interfaces (APIs) to automate truckload transactions, reduce costs on both ends of those transactions, and “disrupt the legacy incumbents.” “We were successful with the first two and could never quite make a dent [with] the 300-pound gorilla,” Stockman said in explaining the sale to Highway. “We’ve built a state-of-the-art digital freight exchange ... around integrity and quality and are signing dozens of customers each and every day.” Caney said Highway was drawn to the acquisition by Newtrul’s talent, intellectual property in freight matching and its existing TMS integrations. More broadly, the acquisition continues a busy year in truckload deal activity for startups in the freight matching , pricing, payment and carrier performance spaces, with Triumph, DAT and Truckstop all having acquired startups in those areas. Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

Truckload

Logistics Technology News

Highway buys freight marketplace to accelerate load board rollout

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The slow drive to bring more maritime equipment manufacturing to the US has received a small boost with a crane order from MSC’s terminal division that will include US-made components. </div>

The slow drive to bring more maritime equipment manufacturing to the US has received a small boost with a crane order from MSC’s terminal division that will include US-made components.

<div class="phx-topic">Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s terminal division is throwing its support to the US’ bid to reshore maritime equipment manufacturing away from China with an order for new ship-to-shore cranes using American-made parts. Crane manufacturer Paceco has announced that a supply deal with Total Terminals International at the Port of Long Beach for two new ship-to-shore cranes “will include key American-made components supplied by US companies.” Total Terminals, the largest container facility at Long Beach, is operated by MSC’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL). The two cranes, capable of handling ultra-large containerships, are expected to enter service in 2027, Paceco said in a statement. It did not detail what parts of the cranes would be made in the US. While the new cranes will be built in Japan, the inclusion of US components in the cranes shows “that there are reliable alternatives that both meet the needs of US ports and support broader national security and supply chain resilience goals,” Troy Collard, Paceco’s general manager of sales, said in the statement, issued last week.Paceco, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Mitsui E&amp;S, was named by the Biden administration as one of the beneficiaries from <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/white-house-counters-risk-of-chinese-port-cranes-with-20-billion-for-us-sourcing-5200230">approximately $20 billion in grants</a> made available under the 2021 Infrastructure Act that aimed to foster domestic manufacturing of ship-to-shore cranes. The grants were in response to concerns over <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/zpmc-pressures-us-ports-for-remote-crane-access-house-report-5726693">Chinese manufacturer ZPMC’s dominance of the crane market</a>. The Trump administration has not outlined further direct incentives for domestic crane manufacturers, but <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/looming-us-tariffs-put-economic-viability-of-sts-cranes-in-doubt-6055678">the US Trade Representative has proposed a 100% tariff on Chinese-made cranes and components</a>. Until that tariff becomes official, Chinese cranes are still subject to the 30% reciprocal tariffs the Trump administration has slapped on China. The new Long Beach cranes, though, will be subject to the 15% tariffs the Trump administration has issued for imports from Japan. Ports across the US are grappling with the higher costs of ship-to-shore cranes. The South Carolina Ports Authority had originally budgeted $25 million for new cranes from ZPMC. In light of the Trump administration’s tariff actions, the port revised its budget for non-Chinese cranes that would cost $34 million instead. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto: michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s terminal division is throwing its support to the US’ bid to reshore maritime equipment manufacturing away from China with an order for new ship-to-shore cranes using American-made parts. Crane manufacturer Paceco has announced that a supply deal with Total Terminals International at the Port of Long Beach for two new ship-to-shore cranes “will include key American-made components supplied by US companies.” Total Terminals, the largest container facility at Long Beach, is operated by MSC’s Terminal Investment Limited (TiL). The two cranes, capable of handling ultra-large containerships, are expected to enter service in 2027, Paceco said in a statement. It did not detail what parts of the cranes would be made in the US. While the new cranes will be built in Japan, the inclusion of US components in the cranes shows “that there are reliable alternatives that both meet the needs of US ports and support broader national security and supply chain resilience goals,” Troy Collard, Paceco’s general manager of sales, said in the statement, issued last week. Paceco, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Mitsui E&S, was named by the Biden administration as one of the beneficiaries from approximately $20 billion in grants made available under the 2021 Infrastructure Act that aimed to foster domestic manufacturing of ship-to-shore cranes. The grants were in response to concerns over Chinese manufacturer ZPMC’s dominance of the crane market . The Trump administration has not outlined further direct incentives for domestic crane manufacturers, but the US Trade Representative has proposed a 100% tariff on Chinese-made cranes and components . Until that tariff becomes official, Chinese cranes are still subject to the 30% reciprocal tariffs the Trump administration has slapped on China. The new Long Beach cranes, though, will be subject to the 15% tariffs the Trump administration has issued for imports from Japan. Ports across the US are grappling with the higher costs of ship-to-shore cranes. The South Carolina Ports Authority had originally budgeted $25 million for new cranes from ZPMC. In light of the Trump administration’s tariff actions, the port revised its budget for non-Chinese cranes that would cost $34 million instead. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

New ship-to-shore cranes with US parts coming to Long Beach

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">But supply chains in a region stretching between South China, Taiwan and the Philippines face extensive disruption even after terminals reopen and flights resume as shippers rush to complete orders ahead of Golden Week factory closures.</div>

But supply chains in a region stretching between South China, Taiwan and the Philippines face extensive disruption even after terminals reopen and flights resume as shippers rush to complete orders ahead of Golden Week factory closures.

<div class="phx-topic">Ports and airports in southern China will restart operations Thursday after super typhoon Ragasa, the world’s strongest storm so far this year, made landfall in Guangdong province Wednesday, causing widespread flooding and property damage. But supply chains in a region stretching between South China, Taiwan and the Philippines face extensive disruption even after terminals reopen and flights resume. The turmoil comes ahead of China’s National Day holiday that starts Oct. 1. “The cyclone couldn’t have come for a worse time for shippers rushing to complete orders before factories in southern China close for a week to 10 days from next week,” said a senior executive at a Hong Kong-based freight forwarder. The storm, packing winds of up to 140 miles per hour at its peak, struck the South China coast near Yangjiang about 130 miles west of Hong Kong on Wednesday after killing at least 17 people in Taiwan and 10 in the Philippines. The hurricane-force winds and rains have cut a swathe through the region, damaging buildings, bringing down power lines and causing extensive flooding that has disrupted road and rail transport in the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China. Hapag-Lloyd, in an advisory Wednesday, warned of lengthy berthing delays at key ports in South China. Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s dominant air cargo airline, said it would take some time for flights to return to normal. At Shenzhen’s Yantian terminal, which handles about a quarter of China’s exports to the US, Hapag-Lloyd forecast berthing delays of five to seven days after the facility reopens. The carrier said it expected a four- to five-day delay at Shekou, three to four days at Nansha, Guangzhou’s main export port; about three days in Hong Kong and delays of two days in both Kaohsiung and Keelung in Taiwan. “As a result, we anticipate significant disruptions to our operations,” Hapag-Lloyd said in its advisory. All ports in southern China, including Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Nansha, plus Kaohsiung, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/south-china-supply-chains-brace-for-years-strongest-typhoon-6084358">have been closed since early Monday.</a>CMA CGM said the Philippine Coast Guard had banned the movement of all vessels ahead of the cyclone’s arrival on Sept. 22, although terminals at Manila and Subic Bay were kept partially open. The carrier indicated Tuesday vessels were being delayed up to two days. OOCL said in an advisory that the Hong Kong government downgraded its typhoon warning Wednesday evening, but cargo operations at terminals and depots in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and nearby cities including Dongguan and Nansha remained suspended. <h3>Flights suspended in Hong Kong </h3>At Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest cargo airport, all flights were suspended Wednesday and are not scheduled to resume until Thursday morning. The Airport Authority of Hong Kong said 100 cargo flights will be canceled during this period, including services operated by integrators FedEx, UPS and DHL. A further 15 flights operated by carriers including Atlas Air, Kalitta Air and MSC Air Cargo will be delayed until Friday and Saturday. In an advisory Wednesday, Cathay Pacific said flights would resume Thursday, but noted that restoring its normal schedule will be a “challenging and gradual process that will take time.” Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, used by carriers including UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air, suspended all flights late Tuesday and won’t restart operations until Thursday, according to flight schedules. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>.</div>

Ports and airports in southern China will restart operations Thursday after super typhoon Ragasa, the world’s strongest storm so far this year, made landfall in Guangdong province Wednesday, causing widespread flooding and property damage. But supply chains in a region stretching between South China, Taiwan and the Philippines face extensive disruption even after terminals reopen and flights resume. The turmoil comes ahead of China’s National Day holiday that starts Oct. 1. “The cyclone couldn’t have come for a worse time for shippers rushing to complete orders before factories in southern China close for a week to 10 days from next week,” said a senior executive at a Hong Kong-based freight forwarder. The storm, packing winds of up to 140 miles per hour at its peak, struck the South China coast near Yangjiang about 130 miles west of Hong Kong on Wednesday after killing at least 17 people in Taiwan and 10 in the Philippines. The hurricane-force winds and rains have cut a swathe through the region, damaging buildings, bringing down power lines and causing extensive flooding that has disrupted road and rail transport in the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China. Hapag-Lloyd, in an advisory Wednesday, warned of lengthy berthing delays at key ports in South China. Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s dominant air cargo airline, said it would take some time for flights to return to normal. At Shenzhen’s Yantian terminal, which handles about a quarter of China’s exports to the US, Hapag-Lloyd forecast berthing delays of five to seven days after the facility reopens. The carrier said it expected a four- to five-day delay at Shekou, three to four days at Nansha, Guangzhou’s main export port; about three days in Hong Kong and delays of two days in both Kaohsiung and Keelung in Taiwan. “As a result, we anticipate significant disruptions to our operations,” Hapag-Lloyd said in its advisory. All ports in southern China, including Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Nansha, plus Kaohsiung, have been closed since early Monday. CMA CGM said the Philippine Coast Guard had banned the movement of all vessels ahead of the cyclone’s arrival on Sept. 22, although terminals at Manila and Subic Bay were kept partially open. The carrier indicated Tuesday vessels were being delayed up to two days. OOCL said in an advisory that the Hong Kong government downgraded its typhoon warning Wednesday evening, but cargo operations at terminals and depots in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and nearby cities including Dongguan and Nansha remained suspended. Flights suspended in Hong Kong At Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest cargo airport, all flights were suspended Wednesday and are not scheduled to resume until Thursday morning. The Airport Authority of Hong Kong said 100 cargo flights will be canceled during this period, including services operated by integrators FedEx, UPS and DHL. A further 15 flights operated by carriers including Atlas Air, Kalitta Air and MSC Air Cargo will be delayed until Friday and Saturday. In an advisory Wednesday, Cathay Pacific said flights would resume Thursday, but noted that restoring its normal schedule will be a “challenging and gradual process that will take time.” Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, used by carriers including UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air, suspended all flights late Tuesday and won’t restart operations until Thursday, according to flight schedules. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

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