<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Ever take a flight to Latin America in the nude?A U.S. airline once tried to entice Latin Am</div>

Ever take a flight to Latin America in the nude?A U.S. airline once tried to entice Latin Am

<div>Ever take a flight to Latin America in the nude?A U.S. airline once tried to entice Latin America customers with that advertising line, albeit unwittingly.Betting on the comfort and softness of its new leather seats in first class, the airline used advertising copy to celebrate the benefits of flying next to the skin - meaning the leather skin of the cow. But for Spanish-speaking customers, the translated copy meant flying next to one's own skin - the proverbial birthday suit.The airline - Braniff - is long gone. No one is sure to what extent, if any, its entrapment in the...

Ever take a flight to Latin America in the nude? A U.S. airline once tried to entice Latin America customers with that advertising line, albeit unwittingly.Betting on the comfort and softness of its new leather seats in first class, the airline used advertising copy to celebrate the benefits of flying next to the skin - meaning the leather skin of the cow. But for Spanish-speaking customers, the translated copy meant flying next to one's own skin - the proverbial birthday suit. The airline - Braniff - is long gone. No one is sure to what extent, if any, its entrapment in the perils of poor translation contributed to its demise. So goes the intrepid world of advertising in Latin America. One little slip and the best advertising or marketing campaign can go down the tubes. U.S. marketing strategists are converging on the region stretching from Tijuana in Mexico to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina as it emerges from economic basket case to coveted market. In less than a decade, import duties in Latin America have been lowered or altogether eliminated, red tape is slowly being snipped away and dynamic trading partnerships are taking shape. In many countries, free dollar trading is now permitted, making it easier to buy and sell goods and services abroad. The region is attracting the attention of U.S. companies ready to tap into its 100 million consumer households. For marketing and advertising strategists, the new Latin America is a veritable minefield, with land mines that take the form of anything from sloppy translation work to cultural misconceptions to unreliable research data. ''You can't generalize and think it's Latin America so everyone speaks Spanish and they're all Catholic,'' said Grace Palacios, president of Charney/Palacios & Co., a media-buying company based in Miami. ''Every country is its own world and you have to understand that each nation is different.'' For all its history of closed markets, advertising is not new to Latin America. Indeed, foreign multinationals may be surprised to find their ads competing against well-known local brands that have decades of consumer loyalty. ''These brands have been built with very established capitalistic methods in non-competitive markets,'' said Richard A. Segal Jr., managing director at Hensley Segal Rentschler Inc., an advertising agency based in Cincinnati. ''Your brand may not be better.'' But modern advertising concepts are just beginning to reach the market. Take regional advertising. While an advertising message may be tailored to the uniqueness of each country, actual purchasing of space to place those ads in the various media is only now being done on a regional basis in Latin America. For example, a company wishing to sell its widgets in Mercosur countries (the free-trade area covering Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), may head for a Miami- or Sao Paulo-based advertising agency, say, that can place the ads on cable networks available in those countries. Such agencies have an infrastructure that allows them to operate in several markets from a single base. In the past, the widget company would have to head for local agencies in each target country. This shift toward regional advertising, analysts agree, is one of the most significant marketing changes to hit Latin America in the last few years. The shift is being encouraged primarily by the weakening of regulatory barriers between countries such as restrictions on the use of foreign acting talent in commercials, improvements in telecommunications services and use of multichannel television like cable. MORE PEOPLE CHANNELING IN ''Latin America is making tremendous leaps. From no phones to cellular phones . . . from two or three state-owned channels to multichannels,'' said John Holmes, president of the Latin America/Caribbean division of the advertising giant J. Walter Thompson Co. ''That means increasing clutter for advertisers. But with more channels, there's more segmentation and better targeting.'' About 100 million households in Latin America have an average annual buying power of about $1 trillion, according to statistics provided by Strategy Research Corp., a market research firm based in Miami. Brazil, with more than 37 million households, has the largest amount of households, followed by 19.1 million in Mexico and 10 million in Argentina. Mr. Holmes, who works in Mexico City, estimates about 13 percent of the households in Latin America have multichannel television in their homes, compared with 40 percent in the United States. Use of cable and direct-to-home satellite television means advertisers can now buy time on networks like Music Television Video or Cable News Network on a cross-border basis, rather than buying time on state-owned channels on a country-by-country basis. Still, the cable industry is very young. Only about 12 percent of homes in Latin America subscribe to cable or satellite direct-to-home services. Pan-regional programming network is even less grown up, according the Economist Intelligence Unit's Oct. 21 issue of Business Latin America. Multinational companies unsure of who is getting their message, last year allocated a meager 0.8 percent of their advertising budgets to the medium. Nevertheless, the network is beginning to show signs of maturity, offering marketers new opportunities for their messages. Pan-regional advertising can also be found in the print medium, an important part of any marketing campaign. About five years ago, 10 of the leading newspapers in nine Latin countries formed an alliance for editorial, technological and advertising purposes. Known as Grupo Diarios de America, the papers give U.S. companies a regional alternative when placing print campaigns. Instead of going into each country, a U.S. company can place a single advertisement and reach the 10 newspapers' 10 million readers in one day, Ms. Palacios said. Her agency is the exclusive U.S. agent for handling advertising for the group. FIGURES HARD TO MEASURE Even so, U.S. companies - used to operating with reams of market research and basing their carefully calculated advertising buys on audited circulation figures or monitored television audiences - still are in for a shock when they begin to deal with Latin American advertising. In addition to poor (though improving) telecommunications and mail systems, record-keeping is unreliable or nonexistent. This often makes it impossible to obtain circulation figures. When figures do exist, chances are they were not audited by an independent source. People meters, the little machines used to measure audience share, have been around for only about five years. Only two big rating services operate all of Latin America currently - the ACNielson Co., the U.S. media research company based in Schaumburg, Ill., and Ibope, a Brazilian ratings firm. The largest portion of any marketing campaign will probably center on print and television for consumer products, while companies targeting other businesses, such as a bank selling its financial services, would focus on selected business and financial publications to reach their audience. Public relations also can play a role in a promotion campaign, although publicity events aren't as popular in Latin America as in the United States. Direct marketing also is far less common in most Latin countries. But this can change if the mail delivery system improves as state governments sell off the inefficiently run postal systems. ''The controlled economies didn't encourage the proliferation of marketing and communications specialists,'' Mr. Segal said. ''So most agencies are setting up operations in the field or training people from the countries.'' Mr. Segal also believes that Latin America harbors lots of promise for the new emerging media, like the Internet. As the region improves its telecommunications infrastructure, even leapfrogging over the costly infrastructure systems of the more developed economies, advertising by computer will become more popular. ''There's a whole new class of young people in Latin America who have a passion for the digital revolution and the freedom revolution,'' he added. ''When you put the human energy behind the political energy, you can have an explosion.'' MARKETING IN LATIN AMERICA For information on media buying, contact: Grace Palacios Charney/Palacios & Co. 9200 S. Dadenland Blvd. Suite 307 Miami, Fla. Tel: 305-670-9450 For general advertising, contact: Richard A. Segal Jr. Hensley Segal Rentschler Inc. 11590 Century Blvd. Suite 211 Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 Tel: 513-671-3811 Norman Vale International Advertising Association 521 Fifth Ave. Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10175 Tel: 212-557-1133 For marketing research information, contact: Richard W. Tobin Strategy Research Corp. 100 N.W. 37th Ave. Miami, Fla. 33125 Tel: 305-649-5400

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<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With the status of a federal multimodal freight network unclear, heavy haulers are forging ahead with their own push for processes, highway improvements and infrastructure specific to the transport of oversized and overweight loads.</div>

With the status of a federal multimodal freight network unclear, heavy haulers are forging ahead with their own push for processes, highway improvements and infrastructure specific to the transport of oversized and overweight loads.

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<div class="phx-topic">After a decade of sporadic development, an in-depth federal map of corridors and facilities critical to multimodal freight transport in the US is closer than ever to completion. But it’s unclear whether the map, formally known as the National Multimodal Freight Network, will come to fruition now that its fate is in the hands of the Trump administration.With those efforts in question, heavy haulers with a stake in the multimodal network are forging ahead with their own push for processes, highway improvements and infrastructure specific to the transport of oversized and/or overweight (OS/OW) loads that carry breakbulk and project cargo over land. “The continuing message is: Don’t forget the oversized-overweight segment. If a state is going to be looking at corridors for freight, remember that our industry is out there as well, and we’re going to need some slightly different accommodations on those highway networks,” Chris Smith, transportation vice president for the Specialized Carriers &amp; Rigging Association (SC&amp;RA), told the Journal of Commerce. Creation of the network was scheduled to advance to the final stages this spring, although that timeline was set during the final days of the Biden administration. “I think uncertainty is the word of the day,” Smith said.After failed attempts by the Obama and previous Trump administrations to establish the network, the Biden administration revived those efforts in late 2023. On Jan. 13, a week before Donald Trump took office, the US Department of Transportation published a draft version of its National Multimodal Freight Network map, informed by public comments the department solicited in April 2024. The draft was signed Jan. 6 by Allison Dane Camden, the then-principal deputy assistant secretary for multimodal freight under the US Department of Transportation (US DOT). Camden, who was tapped by the Biden administration to oversee the network’s development, has since left the agency. The US DOT did not respond to a request for comment from the Journal of Commerce. The draft network consists of 175,000 miles of highways, railways and waterways, along with 205 marine ports and airports designated as critical to freight movement and global and domestic supply chains. US DOT opened up the draft for public comments through Feb. 27 with plans to designate the network in spring 2025. Once designated, the network could be used to inform decision-making and investment priorities at the federal, state and local levels.When tying freight corridors to ports, industrial parks and intermodal centers, Smith said both federal and state corridor mapping should factor in the needs of heavy-haul transport.“The economic impact of the things our segment carries far outpaces the volume,” he said. “But there are some special needs that come with that.”<h3>Oversized parking problem</h3>Establishing a network of critical multimodal corridors could help remedy a perennial challenge for heavy-haul truckers — the need for more rest stops that can accommodate oversized loads, as some rest areas restrict them. Smith cited a concerted effort by USDOT to address the shortage of parking for cargo trucks, especially in urban and high-traffic areas. Finding enough space for container trucks and standard-size hauls presents a challenge in and of itself, but factoring in heavy-haul vehicles and loads adds another layer of complexity. “Oversized, overweight permanent loads often run on local and state highways, not on the interstate,” Smith said.” So if all the rest stations are on the interstate, that’s a problem.” John Welch, general manager of heavy-haul and wind operations for Fort Worth-based Lone Star Transportation, told the Journal of Commerce that developing such a map could help governments pinpoint where to locate rest areas, while giving commercial developers insights into where to build truck stops. “I would hope that would encourage the Flying Js, the Pilots, the larger truck stops to start putting their facilities along those corridors,” he said.Welch said federal mapping could also help government entities prioritize which corridors are in need of improvements. “I think this network would be great, especially if these roads were continually funded by federal grants so they’re constantly being repaired and upgraded,” he said.Preserving the existing corridors that heavy haulers rely on is another concern for OS/OW transporters. Craig McGraw, vice president of sales and marketing for New Jersey-based carrier Trans American Trucking &amp; Warehouse, told the Journal of Commerce that the addition of roundabouts makes it more difficult for oversized loads to maneuver. “All the heavy-haul routes are in place for a reason,” he said. “So our big push was just to keep everything the way it is with that.” Roundabouts can make things particularly challenging when transporting massive components such as wind turbines, Welch said. “A route that would be good for a general 13-axle heavy load would not necessarily be good for the blades,” he said. “We could not get most of our blades into and out of most of the ports around the greater Houston area.” Welch added that he’s seeing larger blades being sent to Corpus Christi and Brownsville instead because that’s where the infrastructure can accommodate them.<h3>States stepping up</h3>Independent of federal efforts to develop mapping for multimodal freight, the heavy-haul segment has made a push over the last decade for improved synchronization among state transportation departments when it comes to OS/OW transport requirements, as well as automated permitting systems for each state. Permitting and regulations vary from state to state, and there are often additional, overlapping requirements set by county and municipal governments. In 2018, SC&amp;RA rolled out an initiative encouraging states to implement an automated system that would make the issuance of permits available electronically 24 hours a day, seven days a week — eliminating the need for human review in most cases. At the time, there were 36 states with some level of automation. Since then, Alaska and Wyoming have joined the ranks, launching fully automated systems in 2024, while Connecticut and Oregon have systems in development, Smith said. “So, we’re down to a handful of states that don’t have it yet,” he said. According to a Journal of Commerce analysis of SC&amp;RA data, only seven states and the District of Columbia have indicated no interest in using an automated permitting system. The states are Alabama, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, South Carolina and Vermont. Should the Multimodal Freight Network move forward this spring, states would have a specific role to play in developing it. Each state would have at least 180 days to propose route additions of up to 30% of the total mileage designated in that state. Following US DOT’s April 2024 request for information, the agency received 43 written responses from shippers, carriers, port authorities, state DOT representatives, metropolitan planning organizations, railroads and community interest groups.Among them was the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). On Feb. 25, the association submitted a letter to US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy urging the department to finalize the multimodal network map. “Our supply chains have been tested significantly in recent years, and we strongly advise that the completion of this framework will serve as a vital tool for improving freight transportation infrastructure,” the organization wrote.Regardless of whether the Multimodal Freight Network moves forward, Smith said there are indications that efforts to meet the needs of heavy haulers will continue to advance.“I do think there’s a sense that this administration will ultimately be more friendly to commerce and trade,” he said.Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at <a href="mailto:autumn@autumngiusti.com">autumn@autumngiusti.com</a>.</div>

After a decade of sporadic development, an in-depth federal map of corridors and facilities critical to multimodal freight transport in the US is closer than ever to completion. But it’s unclear whether the map, formally known as the National Multimodal Freight Network, will come to fruition now that its fate is in the hands of the Trump administration. With those efforts in question, heavy haulers with a stake in the multimodal network are forging ahead with their own push for processes, highway improvements and infrastructure specific to the transport of oversized and/or overweight (OS/OW) loads that carry breakbulk and project cargo over land. “The continuing message is: Don’t forget the oversized-overweight segment. If a state is going to be looking at corridors for freight, remember that our industry is out there as well, and we’re going to need some slightly different accommodations on those highway networks,” Chris Smith, transportation vice president for the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA), told the Journal of Commerce. Creation of the network was scheduled to advance to the final stages this spring, although that timeline was set during the final days of the Biden administration. “I think uncertainty is the word of the day,” Smith said. After failed attempts by the Obama and previous Trump administrations to establish the network, the Biden administration revived those efforts in late 2023. On Jan. 13, a week before Donald Trump took office, the US Department of Transportation published a draft version of its National Multimodal Freight Network map, informed by public comments the department solicited in April 2024. The draft was signed Jan. 6 by Allison Dane Camden, the then-principal deputy assistant secretary for multimodal freight under the US Department of Transportation (US DOT). Camden, who was tapped by the Biden administration to oversee the network’s development, has since left the agency. The US DOT did not respond to a request for comment from the Journal of Commerce. The draft network consists of 175,000 miles of highways, railways and waterways, along with 205 marine ports and airports designated as critical to freight movement and global and domestic supply chains. US DOT opened up the draft for public comments through Feb. 27 with plans to designate the network in spring 2025. Once designated, the network could be used to inform decision-making and investment priorities at the federal, state and local levels. When tying freight corridors to ports, industrial parks and intermodal centers, Smith said both federal and state corridor mapping should factor in the needs of heavy-haul transport. “The economic impact of the things our segment carries far outpaces the volume,” he said. “But there are some special needs that come with that.” Oversized parking problem Establishing a network of critical multimodal corridors could help remedy a perennial challenge for heavy-haul truckers — the need for more rest stops that can accommodate oversized loads, as some rest areas restrict them. Smith cited a concerted effort by USDOT to address the shortage of parking for cargo trucks, especially in urban and high-traffic areas. Finding enough space for container trucks and standard-size hauls presents a challenge in and of itself, but factoring in heavy-haul vehicles and loads adds another layer of complexity. “Oversized, overweight permanent loads often run on local and state highways, not on the interstate,” Smith said.” So if all the rest stations are on the interstate, that’s a problem.” John Welch, general manager of heavy-haul and wind operations for Fort Worth-based Lone Star Transportation, told the Journal of Commerce that developing such a map could help governments pinpoint where to locate rest areas, while giving commercial developers insights into where to build truck stops. “I would hope that would encourage the Flying Js, the Pilots, the larger truck stops to start putting their facilities along those corridors,” he said. Welch said federal mapping could also help government entities prioritize which corridors are in need of improvements. “I think this network would be great, especially if these roads were continually funded by federal grants so they’re constantly being repaired and upgraded,” he said. Preserving the existing corridors that heavy haulers rely on is another concern for OS/OW transporters. Craig McGraw, vice president of sales and marketing for New Jersey-based carrier Trans American Trucking & Warehouse, told the Journal of Commerce that the addition of roundabouts makes it more difficult for oversized loads to maneuver. “All the heavy-haul routes are in place for a reason,” he said. “So our big push was just to keep everything the way it is with that.” Roundabouts can make things particularly challenging when transporting massive components such as wind turbines, Welch said. “A route that would be good for a general 13-axle heavy load would not necessarily be good for the blades,” he said. “We could not get most of our blades into and out of most of the ports around the greater Houston area.” Welch added that he’s seeing larger blades being sent to Corpus Christi and Brownsville instead because that’s where the infrastructure can accommodate them. States stepping up Independent of federal efforts to develop mapping for multimodal freight, the heavy-haul segment has made a push over the last decade for improved synchronization among state transportation departments when it comes to OS/OW transport requirements, as well as automated permitting systems for each state. Permitting and regulations vary from state to state, and there are often additional, overlapping requirements set by county and municipal governments. In 2018, SC&RA rolled out an initiative encouraging states to implement an automated system that would make the issuance of permits available electronically 24 hours a day, seven days a week — eliminating the need for human review in most cases. At the time, there were 36 states with some level of automation. Since then, Alaska and Wyoming have joined the ranks, launching fully automated systems in 2024, while Connecticut and Oregon have systems in development, Smith said. “So, we’re down to a handful of states that don’t have it yet,” he said. According to a Journal of Commerce analysis of SC&RA data, only seven states and the District of Columbia have indicated no interest in using an automated permitting system. The states are Alabama, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, South Carolina and Vermont. Should the Multimodal Freight Network move forward this spring, states would have a specific role to play in developing it. Each state would have at least 180 days to propose route additions of up to 30% of the total mileage designated in that state. Following US DOT’s April 2024 request for information, the agency received 43 written responses from shippers, carriers, port authorities, state DOT representatives, metropolitan planning organizations, railroads and community interest groups. Among them was the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). On Feb. 25, the association submitted a letter to US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy urging the department to finalize the multimodal network map. “Our supply chains have been tested significantly in recent years, and we strongly advise that the completion of this framework will serve as a vital tool for improving freight transportation infrastructure,” the organization wrote. Regardless of whether the Multimodal Freight Network moves forward, Smith said there are indications that efforts to meet the needs of heavy haulers will continue to advance. “I do think there’s a sense that this administration will ultimately be more friendly to commerce and trade,” he said. Contact Autumn Cafiero Giusti at autumn@autumngiusti.com .

Trucking News

Heavy-haul transport

Breakbulk News

Heavy loads at risk from uncertainty around US freight network map

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A divergence from the weakening container sector has seen the MPV trade hold steady, although the potential for a breakbulk cargo grab by container lines cannot be discounted.</div>

A divergence from the weakening container sector has seen the MPV trade hold steady, although the potential for a breakbulk cargo grab by container lines cannot be discounted.

<div class="phx-topic">Multipurpose ship operators are keeping a weather eye on a demand slump in the competing container ship sector, plummeting container freight rates and an expected deluge of new container ship capacity, fearing it will prompt mode-malleable cargoes to literally jump ship. <div class="wrapper-narrow float-right-element"><img src="/images/phoenix/6000435_0.1.jpg"></img></div>The container sector is bracing for a notable contraction, echoing challenges not seen since the early days of the pandemic. Multiple factors are contributing to this slump — a slowing economy and slowing retail sales among them. Conversely, the multipurpose/heavy-lift (MPV/HL) sector is eyeing modest growth for 2025, according to exclusive Journal of Commerce analysis, albeit clouded by economic headwinds and regulatory questions. But that growth outlook could diminish if more-than-expected breakbulk cargoes shift to cargo-starved container ships in that forecast period.Seaborne dry cargo trade — a catch-all group that includes dry bulk, dry containerized and general cargo — was expected to grow at an average of just 1% per year to 2026, according to an April 2025 forecast from S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. This forecast was almost halved from the January 2025 forecast report. S&amp;P Global is the parent company of the Journal of Commerce.<div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="7015183f-ea29-4c3b-996a-b9b99d2e80ae"></dynamic-object></div>Container carriers have some tools to manage the influx of newbuildings: the capacity that arrived in the market over the first quarter of 2025 was mitigated by blank sailings, slower steaming and the withdrawal of capacity in terms of idling, according to container sector experts. But as the situation worsens, this may not be enough, and falling container rates could tempt some cargo traditionally moved as breakbulk to containers. With the pressures from competing sectors, MPV/HL rates are expected to soften, although shippers attending the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference last month said they did not expect them to fall off a cliff the way containers have.<h3>Stark order book differences </h3>The broader dynamics within the MPV/HL fleet differ starkly from the container sector. The MPV order book is much more modest and is equivalent to just 9% of the operating fleet, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis. Fleet growth projections are equally restrained at an average 1.7% per year to 2029. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="153f6b09-2be5-4feb-ac85-4667ff36b8c1"></dynamic-object></div>However, there are downsides to the limited ship supply pipeline, too. Shippers speaking to the Journal of Commerce have raised concerns about capacity going forward, especially for project cargo that needs heavy-lift vessels or deck carriers. “Our biggest challenge is capacity — is this going to be sustainable in the future? If you can’t get a space at all, that’s a bigger problem than a rise in fees,” one shipper said.In contrast, the project cargo sector, while not immune to global economic trends, presents a different outlook. Project cargo is for the longer term; there is a steady flow of cargo expected over 2025 as projects that have reached a final investment decision are already looking to charter tonnage. Looming over all sectors has been the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) Section 301 investigation and potential import tariffs on breakbulk and project cargoes. In the latest iteration of the proposed legislation <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/scaled-back-ustr-port-tariff-to-hit-chinese-carriers-hardest-5987549">released April 17</a>, the majority of the MPV/HL fleet would escape the proposed fees targeting Chinese shipbuilding and ownership. However, for affected Chinese-owned vessels, costs could be substantial, according to Journal of Commerce calculations. Based on the initial $50 per net ton, the charges range from an average $280,000 to near $990,000 per ship for the open hatch MPVs that are significantly bigger. Still, another shipper cautioned that the USTR Section 301 is “not a done deal” and “does not exist in isolation.” “There is a bigger picture we need to be mindful of,” the source said, pointing to the US Federal Maritime Commission’s <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/fmc-probes-ocean-chokepoints-as-trump-looks-to-rule-the-waves-5962937">investigation on global chokepoints</a> as another “one to watch.”Contact Susan Oatway at <a href="mailto:susan.oatway@spglobal.com">susan.oatway@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Multipurpose ship operators are keeping a weather eye on a demand slump in the competing container ship sector, plummeting container freight rates and an expected deluge of new container ship capacity, fearing it will prompt mode-malleable cargoes to literally jump ship. The container sector is bracing for a notable contraction, echoing challenges not seen since the early days of the pandemic. Multiple factors are contributing to this slump — a slowing economy and slowing retail sales among them. Conversely, the multipurpose/heavy-lift (MPV/HL) sector is eyeing modest growth for 2025, according to exclusive Journal of Commerce analysis, albeit clouded by economic headwinds and regulatory questions. But that growth outlook could diminish if more-than-expected breakbulk cargoes shift to cargo-starved container ships in that forecast period. Seaborne dry cargo trade — a catch-all group that includes dry bulk, dry containerized and general cargo — was expected to grow at an average of just 1% per year to 2026, according to an April 2025 forecast from S&P Global Market Intelligence. This forecast was almost halved from the January 2025 forecast report. S&P Global is the parent company of the Journal of Commerce. Container carriers have some tools to manage the influx of newbuildings: the capacity that arrived in the market over the first quarter of 2025 was mitigated by blank sailings, slower steaming and the withdrawal of capacity in terms of idling, according to container sector experts. But as the situation worsens, this may not be enough, and falling container rates could tempt some cargo traditionally moved as breakbulk to containers. With the pressures from competing sectors, MPV/HL rates are expected to soften, although shippers attending the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference last month said they did not expect them to fall off a cliff the way containers have. Stark order book differences The broader dynamics within the MPV/HL fleet differ starkly from the container sector. The MPV order book is much more modest and is equivalent to just 9% of the operating fleet, according to a Journal of Commerce analysis. Fleet growth projections are equally restrained at an average 1.7% per year to 2029. However, there are downsides to the limited ship supply pipeline, too. Shippers speaking to the Journal of Commerce have raised concerns about capacity going forward, especially for project cargo that needs heavy-lift vessels or deck carriers. “Our biggest challenge is capacity — is this going to be sustainable in the future? If you can’t get a space at all, that’s a bigger problem than a rise in fees,” one shipper said. In contrast, the project cargo sector, while not immune to global economic trends, presents a different outlook. Project cargo is for the longer term; there is a steady flow of cargo expected over 2025 as projects that have reached a final investment decision are already looking to charter tonnage. Looming over all sectors has been the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR’s) Section 301 investigation and potential import tariffs on breakbulk and project cargoes. In the latest iteration of the proposed legislation released April 17 , the majority of the MPV/HL fleet would escape the proposed fees targeting Chinese shipbuilding and ownership. However, for affected Chinese-owned vessels, costs could be substantial, according to Journal of Commerce calculations. Based on the initial $50 per net ton, the charges range from an average $280,000 to near $990,000 per ship for the open hatch MPVs that are significantly bigger. Still, another shipper cautioned that the USTR Section 301 is “not a done deal” and “does not exist in isolation.” “There is a bigger picture we need to be mindful of,” the source said, pointing to the US Federal Maritime Commission’s investigation on global chokepoints as another “one to watch.” Contact Susan Oatway at susan.oatway@spglobal.com .

Container Shipping News

Breakbulk carriers

Project cargo

Container sector challenges cast shadow over MPV demand

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">PSA BDP acquired a majority stake in Mexico-based forwarder ED International, expanding PSA’s cross-border forwarding network.</div>

PSA BDP acquired a majority stake in Mexico-based forwarder ED International, expanding PSA’s cross-border forwarding network.

<div class="phx-topic">Logistics provider PSA BDP on Tuesday said it would take a majority stake in a Mexico-based forwarder, strengthening its US cross-border capabilities leveraged with parent PSA International’s global marine terminal network. Terms of the sale of the majority stake in Mexico City-based forwarder ED International were not disclosed. Through its <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/psa-leveraging-forwarder-acquisition-to-serve-shippers-directly-5242073">2022 acquisition of BDP International</a>, PSA has positioned the non-vessel-operating common carrier to provide logistics solutions connecting PSA International’s network of 73 marine terminals. “With many shippers continuing the trend of nearshoring from Asia to Mexico, there is a growing need for expanded distribution networks that can provide comprehensive solutions,” PSA BDP said in a statement. Despite US tariffs on Mexican imports of up to 25%, including on finished vehicles, cross-border trade is expected to expand in the long term. Most of that trade is conducted by truck, and in January, the number of northbound trucks headed from Mexico to the US increased 2.8% year over year, with gains in El Paso, Otay Mesa, Nogales, Hildalgo and Eagle Pass, according to the latest US Bureau of Transportation Statistics border-crossing data. Truck traffic into Laredo, Texas, the largest US border crossing, dropped 2% year over year in January, possibly reflecting increased congestion ahead of tariffs that were scheduled to take effect in February. Those tariffs eventually took effect in March but were limited to goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. That means many goods are still moving from Mexico to the US duty-free. Stronger US tariff pressure on China encourages continued manufacturing investment in Mexico to serve North and South America. Direct foreign investment rose 1.1% to US$36.9 billion in 2024, according to preliminary data released earlier this year by Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía (SE). About half of that direct foreign investment came from US companies. In recent years, marine terminals operators, including DP World, have sought to take greater control of landside logistics outside the gates of their facilities. That has manifested through acquisitions of forwarders and even ocean feeder services as in the case of DP World. Contact Laura Robb at <a href="mailto:Laura.Robb@spglobal.com">laura.robb@spglobal.com</a>.  </div>

Logistics provider PSA BDP on Tuesday said it would take a majority stake in a Mexico-based forwarder, strengthening its US cross-border capabilities leveraged with parent PSA International’s global marine terminal network. Terms of the sale of the majority stake in Mexico City-based forwarder ED International were not disclosed. Through its 2022 acquisition of BDP International , PSA has positioned the non-vessel-operating common carrier to provide logistics solutions connecting PSA International’s network of 73 marine terminals. “With many shippers continuing the trend of nearshoring from Asia to Mexico, there is a growing need for expanded distribution networks that can provide comprehensive solutions,” PSA BDP said in a statement. Despite US tariffs on Mexican imports of up to 25%, including on finished vehicles, cross-border trade is expected to expand in the long term. Most of that trade is conducted by truck, and in January, the number of northbound trucks headed from Mexico to the US increased 2.8% year over year, with gains in El Paso, Otay Mesa, Nogales, Hildalgo and Eagle Pass, according to the latest US Bureau of Transportation Statistics border-crossing data. Truck traffic into Laredo, Texas, the largest US border crossing, dropped 2% year over year in January, possibly reflecting increased congestion ahead of tariffs that were scheduled to take effect in February. Those tariffs eventually took effect in March but were limited to goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. That means many goods are still moving from Mexico to the US duty-free. Stronger US tariff pressure on China encourages continued manufacturing investment in Mexico to serve North and South America. Direct foreign investment rose 1.1% to US$36.9 billion in 2024, according to preliminary data released earlier this year by Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía (SE). About half of that direct foreign investment came from US companies. In recent years, marine terminals operators, including DP World, have sought to take greater control of landside logistics outside the gates of their facilities. That has manifested through acquisitions of forwarders and even ocean feeder services as in the case of DP World. Contact Laura Robb at laura.robb@spglobal.com . 

Maritime

Forwarding

Port infrastructure

North American ports

Marine terminals

Port-focused US logistics provider takes majority stake in Mexican forwarder

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The freeing up of vessel capacity that has been diverted around southern Africa for the past 18 months could inject as much as 2 million TEUs of functional capacity into the global container shipping market. </div>

The freeing up of vessel capacity that has been diverted around southern Africa for the past 18 months could inject as much as 2 million TEUs of functional capacity into the global container shipping market.

<div class="phx-topic">US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Houthi militants operating from Yemen have agreed to stop their 18-month-long series of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. If true, the apparent ceasefire would raise the prospects of major ocean carriers returning to Suez Canal transits this year, something that would result in significant vessel overcapacity in the container shipping market.While not a formal deal, Trump said the Houthis have agreed to stop their missile and drone attacks on vessels that began in late 2023 as part of what the militants said was a show of solidarity for Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.The Houthis have not confirmed that a deal with the US has been made. US bombings of militant positions in Yemen have intensified in the last two months. “They don’t want to fight anymore. They just don’t want to fight. We will honor that, and we will stop the bombings,” Trump said at the White House. “They have capitulated, but more importantly we will take their word. They say they won’t be blowing up ships anymore.” Approximately 1 million to 2 million TEUs of capacity would become available if the container shipping industry returned to Suez Canal transits and no longer needed to use the lengthy diversion around southern Africa, according to Maersk estimates. An estimated 10% of global capacity has been absorbed by the longer transits, according to shipping association BIMCO. The container shipping order book is currently just over 7 million TEUs, representing 25% of the existing fleet, according to Sea-web, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&amp;P Global, with the supply-demand imbalance expected to be particularly acute over the next two years. An Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the Houthis’ pledge to not attack commercial vessels was announced in January but didn’t provide enough certainty to most container lines to restart their Suez Canal sailings. Small Asian container lines along with CMA CGM have transited the Red Sea amid Houthi threats, yet it is unclear whether the apparent de-escalation announced by Trump will change the risk calculations of carriers that include crew safety and insurance costs. The Houthis – who on Wednesday said it was the US who “backed down,” not them, according to various news reports – warned they will continue to target Israel. Zim Integrated Shipping Services, based in Israel, has been specifically targeted by Houthi militants. A return to a safe shipping environment in the region would also be a boon to Gulf-based ocean shippers, reopening a direct east-west route rather than forcing cargo owners to transship via feeder vessels or even tap overland trucking. Contact Mark Szakonyi at <a href="mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com.">mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Houthi militants operating from Yemen have agreed to stop their 18-month-long series of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. If true, the apparent ceasefire would raise the prospects of major ocean carriers returning to Suez Canal transits this year, something that would result in significant vessel overcapacity in the container shipping market. While not a formal deal, Trump said the Houthis have agreed to stop their missile and drone attacks on vessels that began in late 2023 as part of what the militants said was a show of solidarity for Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Houthis have not confirmed that a deal with the US has been made. US bombings of militant positions in Yemen have intensified in the last two months. “They don’t want to fight anymore. They just don’t want to fight. We will honor that, and we will stop the bombings,” Trump said at the White House. “They have capitulated, but more importantly we will take their word. They say they won’t be blowing up ships anymore.” Approximately 1 million to 2 million TEUs of capacity would become available if the container shipping industry returned to Suez Canal transits and no longer needed to use the lengthy diversion around southern Africa, according to Maersk estimates. An estimated 10% of global capacity has been absorbed by the longer transits, according to shipping association BIMCO. The container shipping order book is currently just over 7 million TEUs, representing 25% of the existing fleet, according to Sea-web, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global, with the supply-demand imbalance expected to be particularly acute over the next two years. An Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the Houthis’ pledge to not attack commercial vessels was announced in January but didn’t provide enough certainty to most container lines to restart their Suez Canal sailings. Small Asian container lines along with CMA CGM have transited the Red Sea amid Houthi threats, yet it is unclear whether the apparent de-escalation announced by Trump will change the risk calculations of carriers that include crew safety and insurance costs. The Houthis – who on Wednesday said it was the US who “backed down,” not them, according to various news reports – warned they will continue to target Israel. Zim Integrated Shipping Services, based in Israel, has been specifically targeted by Houthi militants. A return to a safe shipping environment in the region would also be a boon to Gulf-based ocean shippers, reopening a direct east-west route rather than forcing cargo owners to transship via feeder vessels or even tap overland trucking. Contact Mark Szakonyi at mark.szakonyi@spglobal.com .

Port News

Container lines

Asia-Europe

Trans-Pacific

Apparent Houthi ceasefire raises container shipping overcapacity risk

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">As port volumes plunge along the West Coast, the downstream effects will likely be felt in the coming months, with softening demand to move freight into middle America on trucks and trains.</div>

As port volumes plunge along the West Coast, the downstream effects will likely be felt in the coming months, with softening demand to move freight into middle America on trucks and trains.

<div class="phx-topic">US shippers saved an average of 19% on spot market freight and nearly 26% on contract loads in the first quarter by using domestic intermodal instead of long-haul trucking, savings that softened in March amid rising trade tensions with China, according to the latest Journal of Commerce <a href="https://www.joc.com/resources/special-reports/intermodal-savings-index">Intermodal Savings Index</a> (ISI). Trucking companies managed to secure contract rate increases early in the quarter, but that momentum faded as freight volumes slowed amid the growing trade conflict with Beijing, according to the quarterly earnings reports of several major carriers. Intermodal contracts remained flat, with the only notable increases concentrated in California. Spot truckload rates, a leading indicator for intermodal pricing, fell as geopolitical tensions rose. And now as port volumes plunge along the West Coast, the downstream effects will likely be felt in the coming months, with softening demand to move freight into middle America on trucks and trains. “Imports may be dropping faster than consumer demand and a lull in shipping could be the catalyst that removes additional capacity from the market,” Jim Filter, executive vice president of transportation and logistics for Schneider National, said on a May 1 earnings call. “If there were new trade agreements, there could be an abrupt restart of imports with less capacity than there is today [to handle the upswing].” The Spot ISI averaged 119.1 in the first quarter, down from 120.4 in the fourth quarter but up from 117.1 a year ago. The Contract ISI slipped to 125.6 from 126.2 in the fourth quarter and 125.8 one year ago. Index values above 100 indicate intermodal is the more cost-effective mode. The higher the index number, the greater the savings. For example, a spot ISI of 119.1 translates to a 19.1% savings on intermodal versus truckload and a contract ISI of 125.6 implies a 25.6% savings. In terms of raw dollars, shippers saved an average of $706 per container on the spot market and $964 per container on the contract market by using domestic intermodal, according to the ISI. Each is virtually unchanged from the prior year. On hauls longer than 2,000 miles, contract savings topped $1,600 per box. But on lanes under 800 miles, the average savings dropped to $170 per container, which is easily erased if the shipper is located more than an hour from the rail terminal or incurs accessorial fees. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="18f45e44-8027-488a-8afc-87771e60ca91"></dynamic-object></div>Spot truckload rates declined 14 cents between January and March to $1.86 per mile, while spot intermodal rates fell 6 cents to $1.56 per mile, according to the ISI. Contract truckload rates fell 3 cents to $1.95 per mile, while contract intermodal rose a penny to $1.48 per mile in the first quarter. Truckload contracts rose 3 cents in the first two months of the year before falling 6 cents in March amid the rising geopolitical tensions. <h3>A flat bid season </h3>The most common word to describe bid season was “flat,” according to conversations with asset-based and non-asset-based intermodal providers. Rates went up on freight originating in California but remained largely unchanged or down elsewhere in the US. One retail shipper told the Journal of Commerce that a major intermodal provider ramped up outreach in the final five days before freight awards, repeatedly calling and emailing with last-minute rate cuts to secure additional volumes. Downward pricing pressure is intensifying on westbound lanes from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Memphis to Los Angeles, where Amazon is undercutting traditional carriers to fill its fleet of more than 22,000 branded containers. The online retail giant moves heavy eastbound volumes but often struggles to backhaul westbound containers, many of which return empty. While some shippers have rebuffed Amazon’s overtures, others are shifting a portion of their freight previously awarded to established carriers to Amazon to test whether the retail giant can offer consistent capacity and service throughout the year. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. The data behind the Contract ISI and Spot ISI is available to Journal of Commerce subscribers with a Gold-tier subscription.</div>

US shippers saved an average of 19% on spot market freight and nearly 26% on contract loads in the first quarter by using domestic intermodal instead of long-haul trucking, savings that softened in March amid rising trade tensions with China, according to the latest Journal of Commerce Intermodal Savings Index (ISI). Trucking companies managed to secure contract rate increases early in the quarter, but that momentum faded as freight volumes slowed amid the growing trade conflict with Beijing, according to the quarterly earnings reports of several major carriers. Intermodal contracts remained flat, with the only notable increases concentrated in California. Spot truckload rates, a leading indicator for intermodal pricing, fell as geopolitical tensions rose. And now as port volumes plunge along the West Coast, the downstream effects will likely be felt in the coming months, with softening demand to move freight into middle America on trucks and trains. “Imports may be dropping faster than consumer demand and a lull in shipping could be the catalyst that removes additional capacity from the market,” Jim Filter, executive vice president of transportation and logistics for Schneider National, said on a May 1 earnings call. “If there were new trade agreements, there could be an abrupt restart of imports with less capacity than there is today [to handle the upswing].” The Spot ISI averaged 119.1 in the first quarter, down from 120.4 in the fourth quarter but up from 117.1 a year ago. The Contract ISI slipped to 125.6 from 126.2 in the fourth quarter and 125.8 one year ago. Index values above 100 indicate intermodal is the more cost-effective mode. The higher the index number, the greater the savings. For example, a spot ISI of 119.1 translates to a 19.1% savings on intermodal versus truckload and a contract ISI of 125.6 implies a 25.6% savings. In terms of raw dollars, shippers saved an average of $706 per container on the spot market and $964 per container on the contract market by using domestic intermodal, according to the ISI. Each is virtually unchanged from the prior year. On hauls longer than 2,000 miles, contract savings topped $1,600 per box. But on lanes under 800 miles, the average savings dropped to $170 per container, which is easily erased if the shipper is located more than an hour from the rail terminal or incurs accessorial fees. Spot truckload rates declined 14 cents between January and March to $1.86 per mile, while spot intermodal rates fell 6 cents to $1.56 per mile, according to the ISI. Contract truckload rates fell 3 cents to $1.95 per mile, while contract intermodal rose a penny to $1.48 per mile in the first quarter. Truckload contracts rose 3 cents in the first two months of the year before falling 6 cents in March amid the rising geopolitical tensions. A flat bid season The most common word to describe bid season was “flat,” according to conversations with asset-based and non-asset-based intermodal providers. Rates went up on freight originating in California but remained largely unchanged or down elsewhere in the US. One retail shipper told the Journal of Commerce that a major intermodal provider ramped up outreach in the final five days before freight awards, repeatedly calling and emailing with last-minute rate cuts to secure additional volumes. Downward pricing pressure is intensifying on westbound lanes from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Memphis to Los Angeles, where Amazon is undercutting traditional carriers to fill its fleet of more than 22,000 branded containers. The online retail giant moves heavy eastbound volumes but often struggles to backhaul westbound containers, many of which return empty. While some shippers have rebuffed Amazon’s overtures, others are shifting a portion of their freight previously awarded to established carriers to Amazon to test whether the retail giant can offer consistent capacity and service throughout the year. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com . The data behind the Contract ISI and Spot ISI is available to Journal of Commerce subscribers with a Gold-tier subscription.

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US spot intermodal savings dipped in Q1 amid largely flat rate environment

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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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