<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The European Union and Armenia have concluded negotiations for a deep and comprehensive trade area, which will create a new framework for trade relations between the two nations and boost bilateral economic benefits.</div>

The European Union and Armenia have concluded negotiations for a deep and comprehensive trade area, which will create a new framework for trade relations between the two nations and boost bilateral economic benefits.

<div>The European Union and Armenia <a>have concluded</a> negotiations for a deep and comprehensive trade area, which will create a new framework for trade relations between the two nations and boost bilateral economic benefits.Negotiators reached agreement at the seventh and final round of talks, held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. The DCFTA, part of an association agreement between the EU and Armenia, aims to strengthen Armenia’s economic integration with the EU by providing better market access for European and Armenian goods and services to each other’s markets. It will also offer Armenia a framework for modernizing its trade relations and...

The European Union and Armenia have concluded negotiations for a deep and comprehensive trade area, which will create a new framework for trade relations between the two nations and boost bilateral economic benefits. Negotiators reached agreement at the seventh and final round of talks, held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. The DCFTA, part of an association agreement between the EU and Armenia, aims to strengthen Armenia’s economic integration with the EU by providing better market access for European and Armenian goods and services to each other’s markets. It will also offer Armenia a framework for modernizing its trade relations and developing its economy by harmonizing its laws and regulations in various trade-related sectors with EU standards. “Today’s conclusion of negotiations on a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the EU and Armenia paves the way for Armenia to enjoy much improved access to the EU market in more than trade in goods, which will help the country strengthen its exports, increase investment and sustain growth,” said Karel De Gucht, EU’s trade commissioner, in a written statement.

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

EU, Armenia Strike Deal for Free Trade Area

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">A swing from renewables to fossil fuels in the US and new opportunities for wind cargoes internationally could overhaul traditional MPV trade lanes over time.</div>

A swing from renewables to fossil fuels in the US and new opportunities for wind cargoes internationally could overhaul traditional MPV trade lanes over time.

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<div class="phx-topic">A shift in multipurpose vessel (MPV) trade patterns in response to a US focus on fossil fuels over renewables will be more evolutionary than revolutionary, industry executives tell the Journal of Commerce. MPV operators are expecting to see a shift from wind energy to oil and gas-related cargoes to the US due to the Trump administration’s emphasis on hydrocarbon developments at the expense of renewables. This recalibration in energy resource development coupled with the impact from Donald Trump’s tariff policies could also lead to a shift in trade patterns as project developers and engineering contractors source equipment from alternative markets, executives said. However, while oil and gas projects have a shorter lead time in planning and construction compared with renewable projects, the shift in focus is likely to take some time to materialize. “We are likely to see a shift in energy-related shipments rather than a complete switch, with less wind energy cargo and more oil and gas-related shipments,” Michael Morland, G2 Ocean’s project cargo director/Atlantic, told the Journal of Commerce. “Wind energy projects typically take longer to plan, finance and build, so changes in policy or market conditions are slower to show.” he added. “On the other hand, the oil and gas sector tends to react more quickly to changes.” The readjustment in US energy priorities — summed up in the Trump mantra “drill, baby drill” and a presidential directive in January to immediately stop offshore wind development — was highlighted in several recent US government decisions. These include the launch by the Department of the Interior on April 18 of public consultation for the five-year 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing program. This is likely to include new offshore development areas in the High Arctic offshore of Alaska and large tracts off the Atlantic and Pacific that were protected under the previous Biden administration. “The increased governmental support for oil drilling has been welcomed by the industry, leading to more shipments of land-based drilling equipment to the US,” Morland added. On wind power, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has already rolled back approval for two East Coast offshore wind energy projects following the presidential directive. In March, the EPA suspended permits for the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project planned for offshore New Jersey, pending a review of regulatory approvals. Then on April 16, the BOEM ordered work to stop on Equinor’s $2.5 billion Empire Wind offshore wind development in New York while a review took place. While state authorities have vowed to fight the Trump administration’s decision, Atlantic Shores, part of French electricity utility EDF Renewables, and Equinor both said they were assessing the implications of the stop work orders before deciding further action. <h3>Market shift for wind cargoes </h3>Development of wind energy projects in the US, like Europe, were already facing a raft of challenges even before the US government’s moratorium, shipping executives said. The US action, coupled with the uncertain tariff regime, may also encourage operators and carriers to look at other international markets. “High interest rates, inflation and rising material and logistics costs are hurting the financial viability of many capital projects, especially in renewable energy, across the US and Europe,” Edwin Peh, G2 Ocean’s project cargo director/Pacific, told the Journal of Commerce. “The uncertain regulatory environment in the US and the application of reciprocal tariffs will further impact renewable projects,” Peh added. “These challenges are expected to raise project costs, cause delays, and drive a strategic shift away from the US toward markets with more favorable conditions.” The US was the third-largest global market last year for new wind turbine installations, adding around 4 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, according to the Global Wind Energy Council’s 2025 market report published on April 23. But the number of onshore installations dropped to the lowest level since 2013, the GWEC report said. GWEC pointed out the rising stars for wind energy development include Southeast Asia, Central Asia (including Uzbekistan), South Africa and the Middle East. GWEC forecast that, globally, a record 139 GW of new capacity will be added this year, with 981 GW of new capacity likely to be added by 2030 under current policies. Ulrich Ulrichs, CEO of BBC Chartering, said Europe is expected “to maintain a significant market share” of renewable energy projects that are anticipated to be developed in the coming years. Norwegian ship classification society DNV forecast a six-fold increase in offshore wind capacity, to 214 GW, in Europe’s North Sea by 2050, according to its North Sea report published on April 9. <h3>Opportunities in Asia </h3>Japan and Taiwan are also expanding their offshore wind capacity, creating opportunities for carriers. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced it had teamed up with Taisei Corporation and Kanadevia Corporation at the end of March to collaborate on the commercialization of floating offshore wind power generation. That followed approval of Japan’s 7th strategic energy plan in February that aims for renewable energy to account for 40% to 50% of the country’s electricity mix by 2040 with offshore wind power the key element. In Taiwan, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) said in March it had reached financial close on its 495 MW Fengmiao 1 offshore wind project after securing $3 billion in project financing. CIP said Vestas will supply 33 15-MW wind turbines to Fengmiao 1 with construction due to be completed by the end of 2027. Netherlands-headquartered MPV and heavy-lift operator Jumbo Offshore has previously been active in the Taiwanese market, completing its Yunlin offshore wind farm contract last September for client Yunneng Wind Power. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

A shift in multipurpose vessel (MPV) trade patterns in response to a US focus on fossil fuels over renewables will be more evolutionary than revolutionary, industry executives tell the Journal of Commerce. MPV operators are expecting to see a shift from wind energy to oil and gas-related cargoes to the US due to the Trump administration’s emphasis on hydrocarbon developments at the expense of renewables. This recalibration in energy resource development coupled with the impact from Donald Trump’s tariff policies could also lead to a shift in trade patterns as project developers and engineering contractors source equipment from alternative markets, executives said. However, while oil and gas projects have a shorter lead time in planning and construction compared with renewable projects, the shift in focus is likely to take some time to materialize. “We are likely to see a shift in energy-related shipments rather than a complete switch, with less wind energy cargo and more oil and gas-related shipments,” Michael Morland, G2 Ocean’s project cargo director/Atlantic, told the Journal of Commerce. “Wind energy projects typically take longer to plan, finance and build, so changes in policy or market conditions are slower to show.” he added. “On the other hand, the oil and gas sector tends to react more quickly to changes.” The readjustment in US energy priorities — summed up in the Trump mantra “drill, baby drill” and a presidential directive in January to immediately stop offshore wind development — was highlighted in several recent US government decisions. These include the launch by the Department of the Interior on April 18 of public consultation for the five-year 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing program. This is likely to include new offshore development areas in the High Arctic offshore of Alaska and large tracts off the Atlantic and Pacific that were protected under the previous Biden administration. “The increased governmental support for oil drilling has been welcomed by the industry, leading to more shipments of land-based drilling equipment to the US,” Morland added. On wind power, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has already rolled back approval for two East Coast offshore wind energy projects following the presidential directive. In March, the EPA suspended permits for the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project planned for offshore New Jersey, pending a review of regulatory approvals. Then on April 16, the BOEM ordered work to stop on Equinor’s $2.5 billion Empire Wind offshore wind development in New York while a review took place. While state authorities have vowed to fight the Trump administration’s decision, Atlantic Shores, part of French electricity utility EDF Renewables, and Equinor both said they were assessing the implications of the stop work orders before deciding further action. Market shift for wind cargoes Development of wind energy projects in the US, like Europe, were already facing a raft of challenges even before the US government’s moratorium, shipping executives said. The US action, coupled with the uncertain tariff regime, may also encourage operators and carriers to look at other international markets. “High interest rates, inflation and rising material and logistics costs are hurting the financial viability of many capital projects, especially in renewable energy, across the US and Europe,” Edwin Peh, G2 Ocean’s project cargo director/Pacific, told the Journal of Commerce. “The uncertain regulatory environment in the US and the application of reciprocal tariffs will further impact renewable projects,” Peh added. “These challenges are expected to raise project costs, cause delays, and drive a strategic shift away from the US toward markets with more favorable conditions.” The US was the third-largest global market last year for new wind turbine installations, adding around 4 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, according to the Global Wind Energy Council’s 2025 market report published on April 23. But the number of onshore installations dropped to the lowest level since 2013, the GWEC report said. GWEC pointed out the rising stars for wind energy development include Southeast Asia, Central Asia (including Uzbekistan), South Africa and the Middle East. GWEC forecast that, globally, a record 139 GW of new capacity will be added this year, with 981 GW of new capacity likely to be added by 2030 under current policies. Ulrich Ulrichs, CEO of BBC Chartering, said Europe is expected “to maintain a significant market share” of renewable energy projects that are anticipated to be developed in the coming years. Norwegian ship classification society DNV forecast a six-fold increase in offshore wind capacity, to 214 GW, in Europe’s North Sea by 2050, according to its North Sea report published on April 9. Opportunities in Asia Japan and Taiwan are also expanding their offshore wind capacity, creating opportunities for carriers. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced it had teamed up with Taisei Corporation and Kanadevia Corporation at the end of March to collaborate on the commercialization of floating offshore wind power generation. That followed approval of Japan’s 7th strategic energy plan in February that aims for renewable energy to account for 40% to 50% of the country’s electricity mix by 2040 with offshore wind power the key element. In Taiwan, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) said in March it had reached financial close on its 495 MW Fengmiao 1 offshore wind project after securing $3 billion in project financing. CIP said Vestas will supply 33 15-MW wind turbines to Fengmiao 1 with construction due to be completed by the end of 2027. Netherlands-headquartered MPV and heavy-lift operator Jumbo Offshore has previously been active in the Taiwanese market, completing its Yunlin offshore wind farm contract last September for client Yunneng Wind Power. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

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Breakbulk carriers

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Heavy-haul transport

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Breakbulk News

MPV trade shift slow to materialize on shakeup of cargo mix

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">In launching TruSygnal, Burns Logistics CEO Ed Burns wanted to provide a way to allow small carriers to create relationships with shippers that typically shy away from brokers. </div>

In launching TruSygnal, Burns Logistics CEO Ed Burns wanted to provide a way to allow small carriers to create relationships with shippers that typically shy away from brokers.

<div class="phx-topic">The tug of war between truckload brokers and small carriers for the attention of shippers has almost always gone the way of brokers; <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/dat-acquires-trucker-tools-in-move-to-reduce-load-board-driver-churn-5907848">the huge number of solutions</a> aimed at <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/broker-automation-vendor-lands-funding-round-in-increasingly-competitive-market-5874677">enabling brokers</a> — rather than disintermediating them — is a testament to that reality. <div class="wrapper-narrow float-right-element"><img src="/images/phoenix/5998128_0.1.jpg"></img></div>But there remains a section of the US truckload industry that sees a path for small carriers to work directly with shippers more often. Ed Burns, CEO of third-party logistics provider (3PL) Burns Logistics, is one of those people. Over the past year, he and his father, a well-known industry veteran with the same name, launched a new platform to enable shippers and small carriers to connect on lanes where volume and capacity overlap. Burns Logistics has built a name for itself as a trusted 3PL across virtually every category of trucking, but Burns realized there was still room for technology to serve as a direct conduit between certain shippers and smaller carriers. The vast proportion of truckload volume either moves directly with large carriers — i.e., those with fleets of 1,000 or more trucks — or via freight brokers. The online platform, dubbed TruSygnal, allows carriers to input their available capacity and shippers to post their volume requirements. The system automatically finds matches based on the lanes where those factors overlap and alerts both parties, which then have a choice to work together, either through the app or offline. The younger Burns told the Journal of Commerce TruSygnal is designed to give shippers a more complete view of the truckload market by showing them more of the capacity that is available, not just the carriers a broker might have access to. “There are lot of 100-, 200-, or 500-truck fleets that no one knows exists,” he said, adding that “A 300-truck fleet is a significant carrier, but it still flies under the radar.” The app is not meant to facilitate spot market or transactional interactions, but rather to expose shippers to new sources of long-term capacity. “The premise is that a carrier’s network is always going to change,” Burns said. “If you’re running 250 trucks, you have existing customers, but every time you win a new customer, your network changes. And shipper networks aren’t stagnant either. Carriers go out of business, or they don’t meet your service needs.” Burns emphasized that TruSygnal is “not for every shipper, by any means.” He said the idea is not to replace brokers but rather to provide a different option for shippers that don’t ordinarily use brokers a lot — or at all — while giving carriers more visibility to those shippers. “It depends on your split between carriers and brokers and what do you want it to be,” he said. “If you’re 50-50 and like it that way, or you just want [the freight] to move as cheaply as possible, then it’s probably not suited for you.” Alternatively, if a shipper prioritizes service over price, or they tend to work with their carriers on a long-term basis, “that’s a good sign that this platform will work. Strategic shippers realize this market will change at some point, and they realize if they’re set up now and locked in at whatever the price is, and price goes up, and it’s a good fleet, they’ll still be taken care of.” Burns said the company plans to eventually layer in carrier vetting, insurance and rate benchmarking tools to provide a more robust experience for shippers. Carriers, meanwhile, can set preferences around things like deadhead tolerances to ensure they aren’t matched with too many loads outside their comfort zone. More broadly, Burns sees TruSygnal as a way to combat a market that’s become too “bid happy.” “It’s wild for a major shipper to do an annual bid, and then two weeks later, [they] get invited to a mini-bid,” either in a lane in which they already operate, or a new one they’re adding, he said. With TruSygnal, shippers don’t need mini-bids, they can see which fleets already operate in this new lane. “Shippers are getting 50 to 60 solicitations a day for their freight,” Burns added. “They can’t answer all those, but on any given day, there’s probably a carrier in that group that works for them.” Contact Eric Johnson at <a href="mailto:eric.johnson@spglobal.com">eric.johnson@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

The tug of war between truckload brokers and small carriers for the attention of shippers has almost always gone the way of brokers; the huge number of solutions aimed at enabling brokers — rather than disintermediating them — is a testament to that reality. But there remains a section of the US truckload industry that sees a path for small carriers to work directly with shippers more often. Ed Burns, CEO of third-party logistics provider (3PL) Burns Logistics, is one of those people. Over the past year, he and his father, a well-known industry veteran with the same name, launched a new platform to enable shippers and small carriers to connect on lanes where volume and capacity overlap. Burns Logistics has built a name for itself as a trusted 3PL across virtually every category of trucking, but Burns realized there was still room for technology to serve as a direct conduit between certain shippers and smaller carriers. The vast proportion of truckload volume either moves directly with large carriers — i.e., those with fleets of 1,000 or more trucks — or via freight brokers. The online platform, dubbed TruSygnal, allows carriers to input their available capacity and shippers to post their volume requirements. The system automatically finds matches based on the lanes where those factors overlap and alerts both parties, which then have a choice to work together, either through the app or offline. The younger Burns told the Journal of Commerce TruSygnal is designed to give shippers a more complete view of the truckload market by showing them more of the capacity that is available, not just the carriers a broker might have access to. “There are lot of 100-, 200-, or 500-truck fleets that no one knows exists,” he said, adding that “A 300-truck fleet is a significant carrier, but it still flies under the radar.” The app is not meant to facilitate spot market or transactional interactions, but rather to expose shippers to new sources of long-term capacity. “The premise is that a carrier’s network is always going to change,” Burns said. “If you’re running 250 trucks, you have existing customers, but every time you win a new customer, your network changes. And shipper networks aren’t stagnant either. Carriers go out of business, or they don’t meet your service needs.” Burns emphasized that TruSygnal is “not for every shipper, by any means.” He said the idea is not to replace brokers but rather to provide a different option for shippers that don’t ordinarily use brokers a lot — or at all — while giving carriers more visibility to those shippers. “It depends on your split between carriers and brokers and what do you want it to be,” he said. “If you’re 50-50 and like it that way, or you just want [the freight] to move as cheaply as possible, then it’s probably not suited for you.” Alternatively, if a shipper prioritizes service over price, or they tend to work with their carriers on a long-term basis, “that’s a good sign that this platform will work. Strategic shippers realize this market will change at some point, and they realize if they’re set up now and locked in at whatever the price is, and price goes up, and it’s a good fleet, they’ll still be taken care of.” Burns said the company plans to eventually layer in carrier vetting, insurance and rate benchmarking tools to provide a more robust experience for shippers. Carriers, meanwhile, can set preferences around things like deadhead tolerances to ensure they aren’t matched with too many loads outside their comfort zone. More broadly, Burns sees TruSygnal as a way to combat a market that’s become too “bid happy.” “It’s wild for a major shipper to do an annual bid, and then two weeks later, [they] get invited to a mini-bid,” either in a lane in which they already operate, or a new one they’re adding, he said. With TruSygnal, shippers don’t need mini-bids, they can see which fleets already operate in this new lane. “Shippers are getting 50 to 60 solicitations a day for their freight,” Burns added. “They can’t answer all those, but on any given day, there’s probably a carrier in that group that works for them.” Contact Eric Johnson at eric.johnson@spglobal.com .

Truckload

Truck brokers

Logistics Technology News

Logistics vets bridging shipper-small carrier divide sans broker

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Shippers are increasingly seeking so-called mini-bid contracts to bridge a transitioning market reflected by carriers cutting capacity.</div>

Shippers are increasingly seeking so-called mini-bid contracts to bridge a transitioning market reflected by carriers cutting capacity.

<div class="phx-topic">US truckload shippers aren’t surrendering their long-held pricing power as uncertainty disrupts freight volumes and sends them back to the negotiating table with truckload carriers. More and more shippers are pressing for mini-bids as expectations for volumes and rates fluctuate because of US tariffs and the trade dispute with China. Contractual rate increases have been in the low-single-digit to mid-single-digit percentage range, according to carriers, lower than they had hoped for late last year but still increases, rather than the decreases they experienced in 2023 and 2024. But neither shippers, carriers nor third-party logistics partners have a clear view of the road ahead. Uncertainty has US truckload carriers tightening their belts as never before with the freight downturn that began in 2022 entering its fourth year. That decline has already exceeded the length of any freight downcycle since the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. And its persistence is changing the way shippers take truckload freight to market. “We are seeing an increase in the number of shipper mini-allocation events [mini-bids] to address carrier turn backs or performance issues arising from the initial event outcomes,” Mark B. Rourke, CEO and president of Schneider National, one of the largest US truckload carriers, told Wall Street analysts in a first-quarter earnings call last week. Some of those “performance issues” cited by Rourke relate to volumes that are lower than carriers expected when they signed contracts earlier this year or late last year. Truckload volumes are dropping, or are expected to drop, because of rising US tariffs and the US trade disputes with China and other trading partners, Rourke and other executives said. “We’re seeing, on a regular basis, more and more mini-allocation events because of something not working right on behalf of the customer,” Rourke said. “Not committing our capacity at rates that we believe don’t recognize the value we’re providing ... allows us then to say yes to these newer opportunities that are more attractive.” <h3>Hedging amid uncertainty </h3>Mini-bids are often used by shippers to hedge against price increases when markets are in transition, as the truckload market appeared to be at the beginning of 2025. The freight downturn was expected to end by mid-year but now may continue until late this year or even 2026, although carriers hope for a rebound if trade disputes are settled. “Early in the first quarter, several indicators, both internal and external, were pointing to positive momentum in the truckload market,” Andrew Miller, CEO of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, told Wall Street analysts in an earnings call earlier in April. Those indicators changed quickly as new tariffs arrived and trade disputes kicked into high gear. That dampened or eliminated an expected seasonal build-up in freight in March and April. “We are not seeing the increases build like we had originally anticipated,” Miller said. He expects “negative disruptions in volume” in the near term. Even so, Knight-Swift is seeing low to mid-single-digit percentage increases in renewal rates in new contracts. <h3>Capacity cuts coming </h3>Because of continuing market uncertainty, large truckload carriers that already have shed substantial capacity over the past three years are planning to cull even more trucks and rein in capital expenditures. That’s reflected in preliminary orders for new heavy-duty trucks, which shrank 52% year over year in April, according to ACT Research. That’s likely to push the Journal of Commerce Truckload Capacity Index (TCI) even lower. The TCI, a measure of truck capacity at some of the largest US truckload providers, dropped from 76.6 in the third quarter to 75.7 in the fourth quarter, its lowest reading in 10 years. The index is down 18.8% from its mid-2022 peak reading of 93.2. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="74878cf7-b1f7-4787-b304-a428aaa9a11b"></dynamic-object></div>“We are tightening our equipment fleet by selling underutilized tractors and trailers that will lead to lower depreciation and greater utilization of our remaining assets,” Miller said April 23. “We made the choice to tighten that up and pull a few hundred tractors out of the network to just clean up any excess capital that we have that we’re not utilizing today.” Werner Enterprises reduced its tractor count by 4.7% year over year in the first quarter, ending the period with 7,440 tractors, both company-owned and contracted owner-operated trucks. Both its one-way truckload and dedicated fleets were reduced, although the dedicated fleet now represents 65% of Werner’s total fleet. But new contract awards in the dedicated business should boost overall capacity in the second and third quarters, Chairman and CEO Derek J. Leathers said in an earnings call last week. “While our one-way fleet is smaller versus prior years ... we remain committed to serving specific specialized segments,” including Mexico cross-border, he said. If US tariffs “stick,” Leathers anticipates higher costs for trucks and other equipment. “We expect low single-digit percent increases to the cost of equipment and parts, but with favorable offsets with growing demand and improved resale value of used equipment,” he said. He also expects more small carriers to exit the business as trade wars drag on. Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto:bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

US truckload shippers aren’t surrendering their long-held pricing power as uncertainty disrupts freight volumes and sends them back to the negotiating table with truckload carriers. More and more shippers are pressing for mini-bids as expectations for volumes and rates fluctuate because of US tariffs and the trade dispute with China. Contractual rate increases have been in the low-single-digit to mid-single-digit percentage range, according to carriers, lower than they had hoped for late last year but still increases, rather than the decreases they experienced in 2023 and 2024. But neither shippers, carriers nor third-party logistics partners have a clear view of the road ahead. Uncertainty has US truckload carriers tightening their belts as never before with the freight downturn that began in 2022 entering its fourth year. That decline has already exceeded the length of any freight downcycle since the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. And its persistence is changing the way shippers take truckload freight to market. “We are seeing an increase in the number of shipper mini-allocation events [mini-bids] to address carrier turn backs or performance issues arising from the initial event outcomes,” Mark B. Rourke, CEO and president of Schneider National, one of the largest US truckload carriers, told Wall Street analysts in a first-quarter earnings call last week. Some of those “performance issues” cited by Rourke relate to volumes that are lower than carriers expected when they signed contracts earlier this year or late last year. Truckload volumes are dropping, or are expected to drop, because of rising US tariffs and the US trade disputes with China and other trading partners, Rourke and other executives said. “We’re seeing, on a regular basis, more and more mini-allocation events because of something not working right on behalf of the customer,” Rourke said. “Not committing our capacity at rates that we believe don’t recognize the value we’re providing ... allows us then to say yes to these newer opportunities that are more attractive.” Hedging amid uncertainty Mini-bids are often used by shippers to hedge against price increases when markets are in transition, as the truckload market appeared to be at the beginning of 2025. The freight downturn was expected to end by mid-year but now may continue until late this year or even 2026, although carriers hope for a rebound if trade disputes are settled. “Early in the first quarter, several indicators, both internal and external, were pointing to positive momentum in the truckload market,” Andrew Miller, CEO of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, told Wall Street analysts in an earnings call earlier in April. Those indicators changed quickly as new tariffs arrived and trade disputes kicked into high gear. That dampened or eliminated an expected seasonal build-up in freight in March and April. “We are not seeing the increases build like we had originally anticipated,” Miller said. He expects “negative disruptions in volume” in the near term. Even so, Knight-Swift is seeing low to mid-single-digit percentage increases in renewal rates in new contracts. Capacity cuts coming Because of continuing market uncertainty, large truckload carriers that already have shed substantial capacity over the past three years are planning to cull even more trucks and rein in capital expenditures. That’s reflected in preliminary orders for new heavy-duty trucks, which shrank 52% year over year in April, according to ACT Research. That’s likely to push the Journal of Commerce Truckload Capacity Index (TCI) even lower. The TCI, a measure of truck capacity at some of the largest US truckload providers, dropped from 76.6 in the third quarter to 75.7 in the fourth quarter, its lowest reading in 10 years. The index is down 18.8% from its mid-2022 peak reading of 93.2. “We are tightening our equipment fleet by selling underutilized tractors and trailers that will lead to lower depreciation and greater utilization of our remaining assets,” Miller said April 23. “We made the choice to tighten that up and pull a few hundred tractors out of the network to just clean up any excess capital that we have that we’re not utilizing today.” Werner Enterprises reduced its tractor count by 4.7% year over year in the first quarter, ending the period with 7,440 tractors, both company-owned and contracted owner-operated trucks. Both its one-way truckload and dedicated fleets were reduced, although the dedicated fleet now represents 65% of Werner’s total fleet. But new contract awards in the dedicated business should boost overall capacity in the second and third quarters, Chairman and CEO Derek J. Leathers said in an earnings call last week. “While our one-way fleet is smaller versus prior years ... we remain committed to serving specific specialized segments,” including Mexico cross-border, he said. If US tariffs “stick,” Leathers anticipates higher costs for trucks and other equipment. “We expect low single-digit percent increases to the cost of equipment and parts, but with favorable offsets with growing demand and improved resale value of used equipment,” he said. He also expects more small carriers to exit the business as trade wars drag on. Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .

Trucking News

Surface

US truckload shippers hedge contract rates as carriers cut capacity

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With a “reintroduced” ground freight shipping option, UPS hopes to tempt LTL shippers seeking alternatives to LTL rates that are up 12% on average from mid-2023. </div>

With a “reintroduced” ground freight shipping option, UPS hopes to tempt LTL shippers seeking alternatives to LTL rates that are up 12% on average from mid-2023.

<div class="phx-topic">UPS no longer owns a less-than-truckload (LTL) subsidiary, but that doesn’t mean it’s lost all interest in LTL freight. The largest US package carrier has “reintroduced” UPS Ground with Freight Pricing, a service option that targets shipments weighing more than 150 pounds typically hauled by LTL carriers as part of a palletized shipment. “This positions us to be the only small package carrier that offers parcel-like pricing for less-than-truckload shipments, which is a true differentiator,” Carol B. Tomé, UPS CEO, said in a first-quarter earnings call last Tuesday. UPS’ major small package competitor, FedEx, owns its own LTL carrier, although it plans to spin off FedEx Freight in 2026. The service is being revived by UPS at a time when LTL shipping costs are rising, with the US long-distance LTL producer price index (PPI) up 5.5% year over year in March and 6% on average in the first quarter. Overall, the selling prices the PPI represents have climbed 12.1% since Yellow, once one of the largest LTL carriers, collapsed in July 2023. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="397d0614-9019-449a-8ca0-64a882efbfbf"></dynamic-object></div>As LTL prices rise, shippers show more interest in alternative modes and shipping options. “We see customers choosing other options in certain instances when we’re taking rate increases,” Matthew J. Batteh, CFO of LTL carrier Saia, said in an earnings call last week. “Customers always challenge the pricing increases that we propose.” With excess truckload capacity available and truckload rates still climbing out of the trough they entered in 2023, some shippers have tried to consolidate LTL shipments into truckloads. But parcel and package shippers have long vied for LTL freight through hundredweight programs and other options similar to ground freight pricing. “They’re bringing back LPL or less-than-pallet load, which they used to have before they bought the LTL business [UPS Freight, sold in 2021],” said Satish Jindel, president of research firm SJ Consulting Group, which covers both LTL and parcel business. “They’re looking for shipments that are higher revenue per parcel.” UPS believes it can move those shipments at a better rate for shippers than an LTL carrier. Boxes, shrink-wrapped together on a pallet, are at the core of LTL volumes, Jindel said. “Shipments under 250 pounds represent 25% of total LTL volumes, and under 500 pounds 45% of the total. Those shipments could be sitting ducks for UPS, depending on how they go after them. They don’t want the pallets, just the nice brown boxes.” UPS sold UPS Freight, now TForce Freight, to <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ups-freight-sold-to-canadas-tfi-for-800-million-5250895">TFI International for $800 million</a>. Under the 2021 sale agreement, TFI agreed to continue to utilize UPS’ domestic package network to fulfill shipments for five years. <h3>UPS, Amazon shifting freight </h3>UPS is also looking to bolster US domestic package volume, which fell 3.5% year over year in the first quarter. Ground package volume dropped 2.5% in the quarter, while volumes moving through its deferred service fell 17.3% from a year ago. That countered a 7.1% increase in international package volume, pulling UPS’ total volume down 1.9%. Some of the decline came from UPS’ reduced reliance on Amazon, which UPS calls a “glide-down” in volume. The company said it would close 73 facilities and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/ups-reports-fall-first-quarter-revenue-2025-04-29/">cut 20,000 jobs</a> as part of that reduction. UPS plans to reduce its Amazon volume by 50% by 2026, largely by dropping unprofitable shipments from Amazon fulfillment centers. “The Amazon volume we plan to keep is profitable and it is healthy volume,” Tomé said. UPS first announced the revival of the ground freight pricing offering in early April, alongside UPS Ground Saver, a business-to-consumer shipping option that offers a slower, economy version of UPS ground package service for less urgent packages. Coincidentally, the announcement came the same day Amazon launched its foray <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/amazon-ltl-offering-is-no-threat-to-standalone-carriers-odfl-5990215">into the LTL business</a>. Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto:bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>. Journal of Commerce Research Analyst Cathy Morrow Roberson contributed to this report. </div>

UPS no longer owns a less-than-truckload (LTL) subsidiary, but that doesn’t mean it’s lost all interest in LTL freight. The largest US package carrier has “reintroduced” UPS Ground with Freight Pricing, a service option that targets shipments weighing more than 150 pounds typically hauled by LTL carriers as part of a palletized shipment. “This positions us to be the only small package carrier that offers parcel-like pricing for less-than-truckload shipments, which is a true differentiator,” Carol B. Tomé, UPS CEO, said in a first-quarter earnings call last Tuesday. UPS’ major small package competitor, FedEx, owns its own LTL carrier, although it plans to spin off FedEx Freight in 2026. The service is being revived by UPS at a time when LTL shipping costs are rising, with the US long-distance LTL producer price index (PPI) up 5.5% year over year in March and 6% on average in the first quarter. Overall, the selling prices the PPI represents have climbed 12.1% since Yellow, once one of the largest LTL carriers, collapsed in July 2023. As LTL prices rise, shippers show more interest in alternative modes and shipping options. “We see customers choosing other options in certain instances when we’re taking rate increases,” Matthew J. Batteh, CFO of LTL carrier Saia, said in an earnings call last week. “Customers always challenge the pricing increases that we propose.” With excess truckload capacity available and truckload rates still climbing out of the trough they entered in 2023, some shippers have tried to consolidate LTL shipments into truckloads. But parcel and package shippers have long vied for LTL freight through hundredweight programs and other options similar to ground freight pricing. “They’re bringing back LPL or less-than-pallet load, which they used to have before they bought the LTL business [UPS Freight, sold in 2021],” said Satish Jindel, president of research firm SJ Consulting Group, which covers both LTL and parcel business. “They’re looking for shipments that are higher revenue per parcel.” UPS believes it can move those shipments at a better rate for shippers than an LTL carrier. Boxes, shrink-wrapped together on a pallet, are at the core of LTL volumes, Jindel said. “Shipments under 250 pounds represent 25% of total LTL volumes, and under 500 pounds 45% of the total. Those shipments could be sitting ducks for UPS, depending on how they go after them. They don’t want the pallets, just the nice brown boxes.” UPS sold UPS Freight, now TForce Freight, to TFI International for $800 million . Under the 2021 sale agreement, TFI agreed to continue to utilize UPS’ domestic package network to fulfill shipments for five years. UPS, Amazon shifting freight UPS is also looking to bolster US domestic package volume, which fell 3.5% year over year in the first quarter. Ground package volume dropped 2.5% in the quarter, while volumes moving through its deferred service fell 17.3% from a year ago. That countered a 7.1% increase in international package volume, pulling UPS’ total volume down 1.9%. Some of the decline came from UPS’ reduced reliance on Amazon, which UPS calls a “glide-down” in volume. The company said it would close 73 facilities and cut 20,000 jobs as part of that reduction. UPS plans to reduce its Amazon volume by 50% by 2026, largely by dropping unprofitable shipments from Amazon fulfillment centers. “The Amazon volume we plan to keep is profitable and it is healthy volume,” Tomé said. UPS first announced the revival of the ground freight pricing offering in early April, alongside UPS Ground Saver, a business-to-consumer shipping option that offers a slower, economy version of UPS ground package service for less urgent packages. Coincidentally, the announcement came the same day Amazon launched its foray into the LTL business . Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com . Journal of Commerce Research Analyst Cathy Morrow Roberson contributed to this report.

UPS seeks reentry into LTL space as LTL costs climb higher

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The restrictions have “effectively” made direct vessel calls to either Karachi or Port Qasim on India services operationally impossible, according to major container lines. </div>

The restrictions have “effectively” made direct vessel calls to either Karachi or Port Qasim on India services operationally impossible, according to major container lines.

<div class="phx-topic">The Indian government on Friday imposed an abrupt ban on Pakistan-origin cargo passing through its ports, raising the risk of schedule disruptions for services with twin market coverage in India and Pakistan amid rapidly deteriorating political relations between the two neighbor nations. “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders,” the government said in a May 2 decree. “This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy.” Local mainline carrier sources told the Journal of Commerce the restrictions have “effectively” made direct vessel calls to either Karachi or Port Qasim operationally impossible for services also calling India. CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and Ocean Network Express (ONE), all have Pakistan-linked westbound services out of West India, with connecting loops to North America and North Europe. Carriers are already troubleshooting to ward off potential customs issues at Indian ports for vessels that were already in transit. The CMA CGM Bianca, for example, has turned back to Port Qasim to offload Pakistan containers before “re-proceeding” to India, delaying the ship’s arrival in Nhava Sheva by at least three days, carrier sources said. A spokesperson at Maersk said the carrier is closely monitoring the developments and working on contingency plans, even though it does not facilitate direct export/import movements between the two countries. Maersk operates two long-haul services with stops in Pakistan, the FI3 (Northeast Asia-India) and Mawingu Express (India-Middle East-Africa) routes, as well as multiple warehousing centers in and around Karachi.  Other notable long-haul services calling Pakistan include MSC’s Indus and ONE’s WIN loops, both of which connect to the US East Coast, and ONE’s India-North Europe IOX string. Connor Helm, manager of ocean procurement at forwarder Flexport, voiced concerns over potential additional changes resulting from the India-Pakistan standoff. “Carriers have not issued official notices, but AIS tracking of USEC services like Hapag-Lloyd’s TPI and CMA-CGM’s Indamex reveals [routing] changes,” Connor told the Journal of Commerce. “Hapag-Lloyd’s vessel Nagoya Express, after calling Port Qasim on May 1, was due in Nhava Sheva on May 3 but diverted south to Colombo [in Sri Lanka] likely to transship Pakistani cargo to the AA7 or US4 services for the US East Coast.” The recent ocean freight yield for carriers out of Karachi has been higher than that of West India for USEC loads by $300 to $500 per container, which, for Hapag-Lloyd spot bookings to New York, stood at $3,285 per TEU and $3,533 per FEU as of Friday, industry data shows.Industry sources also believe those diversions could become a new source of transshipment gains for the Port of Colombo after the Red Sea-linked buildup.  Contact Bency Mathew at <a href="mailto:bencyvmathew@gmail.com">bencyvmathew@gmail.com</a>. </div>

The Indian government on Friday imposed an abrupt ban on Pakistan-origin cargo passing through its ports, raising the risk of schedule disruptions for services with twin market coverage in India and Pakistan amid rapidly deteriorating political relations between the two neighbor nations. “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders,” the government said in a May 2 decree. “This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy.” Local mainline carrier sources told the Journal of Commerce the restrictions have “effectively” made direct vessel calls to either Karachi or Port Qasim operationally impossible for services also calling India. CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and Ocean Network Express (ONE), all have Pakistan-linked westbound services out of West India, with connecting loops to North America and North Europe. Carriers are already troubleshooting to ward off potential customs issues at Indian ports for vessels that were already in transit. The CMA CGM Bianca, for example, has turned back to Port Qasim to offload Pakistan containers before “re-proceeding” to India, delaying the ship’s arrival in Nhava Sheva by at least three days, carrier sources said. A spokesperson at Maersk said the carrier is closely monitoring the developments and working on contingency plans, even though it does not facilitate direct export/import movements between the two countries. Maersk operates two long-haul services with stops in Pakistan, the FI3 (Northeast Asia-India) and Mawingu Express (India-Middle East-Africa) routes, as well as multiple warehousing centers in and around Karachi.  Other notable long-haul services calling Pakistan include MSC’s Indus and ONE’s WIN loops, both of which connect to the US East Coast, and ONE’s India-North Europe IOX string. Connor Helm, manager of ocean procurement at forwarder Flexport, voiced concerns over potential additional changes resulting from the India-Pakistan standoff. “Carriers have not issued official notices, but AIS tracking of USEC services like Hapag-Lloyd’s TPI and CMA-CGM’s Indamex reveals [routing] changes,” Connor told the Journal of Commerce. “Hapag-Lloyd’s vessel Nagoya Express, after calling Port Qasim on May 1, was due in Nhava Sheva on May 3 but diverted south to Colombo [in Sri Lanka] likely to transship Pakistani cargo to the AA7 or US4 services for the US East Coast.” The recent ocean freight yield for carriers out of Karachi has been higher than that of West India for USEC loads by $300 to $500 per container, which, for Hapag-Lloyd spot bookings to New York, stood at $3,285 per TEU and $3,533 per FEU as of Friday, industry data shows. Industry sources also believe those diversions could become a new source of transshipment gains for the Port of Colombo after the Red Sea-linked buildup.  Contact Bency Mathew at bencyvmathew@gmail.com .

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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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