<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Matson Integrated Logistics, a division of Matson Navigation based in Concord, Calif., has acquired </div>

Matson Integrated Logistics, a division of Matson Navigation based in Concord, Calif., has acquired

<div>Matson Integrated Logistics, a division of Matson Navigation based in Concord, Calif., has acquired TransAmerica Transportation Services, a third party logistics company with $45 million in revenue.Financial details were not disclosed.The unit will retain "virtually all" of Akron, Ohio-based TransAmerica Transportation's current management team, and TransAmerica will continue to be represented by its current roster of more than 50 agents, Matson Integrated Logistics said. Specializing in truck brokerage services in North America, TransAmerica currently moves over 50,000 shipments annually. Brothers Gary and Bruce Patena will remain at the helm of TransAmerica, which they founded in 1989. (TransAmerica Transportation has no...

Matson Integrated Logistics, a division of Matson Navigation based in Concord, Calif., has acquired TransAmerica Transportation Services, a third party logistics company with $45 million in revenue. Financial details were not disclosed. The unit will retain "virtually all" of Akron, Ohio-based TransAmerica Transportation's current management team, and TransAmerica will continue to be represented by its current roster of more than 50 agents, Matson Integrated Logistics said. Specializing in truck brokerage services in North America, TransAmerica currently moves over 50,000 shipments annually. Brothers Gary and Bruce Patena will remain at the helm of TransAmerica, which they founded in 1989. (TransAmerica Transportation has no connection to or affiliation with Transamerica Corp., which is based in San Francisco.) The new Matson business unit will operate initially under the name TransAmerica Transportation Services LLC and will ultimately be renamed Matson Integrated Logistics. Parent company Matson Navigation is owned by Alexander & Baldwin Inc. of Honolulu.

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

Matson unit buys 3PL

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The digital trade body argues that online sellers outside the EU were able to scale rapidly by exploiting gaps in customs and regulatory enforcement that European businesses could not legally replicate.</div>

The digital trade body argues that online sellers outside the EU were able to scale rapidly by exploiting gaps in customs and regulatory enforcement that European businesses could not legally replicate.

Feature image

<div class="phx-topic">A Polish digital trade group has warned that Chinese online platforms were distorting competition across the European Union using “unequal rules” to reshape the e-commerce market. The Chamber of Digital Economy in Poland argued in a report prepared with KPMG that non-EU sellers were scaling rapidly by exploiting gaps in customs and regulatory enforcement that European businesses could not legally replicate. “This is not a debate about protectionism,” Patrycja Sass-Staniszewska, president of the Chamber of Digital Economy, said in a statement. “Polish companies compete on price, service and innovation every day. What they cannot compete with are business models built on regulatory loopholes and the absence of effective enforcement.” The report said Chinese platforms now account for 6% to 11% of Poland’s $42 billion e-commerce market, with strong growth in the electronics and household goods sectors where sustained price dumping risks hollowing out domestic production and investment capacity. The threat to businesses extends across Europe, the Polish group warned, saying that without intervention, EU-based companies will struggle to scale, invest and compete globally. Regulatory clampdowns on e-commerce have profound implications for air freight, as evidenced by the US’ removal of the de minimis exemption from duties for low-value goods that went into force last year. Amid a growing outcry across Europe, the European Union will impose a similar regulatory clampdown from mid-2026. The European Commission has adopted measures to remove the €150 ($177) duty-free exemption for low-value goods, targeting a surge in e-commerce imports from China. In 2024, the European Commission estimated that 4.6 billion parcels with a value not exceeding €150 crossed the EU border, twice the number of parcels from the previous year. The EU de minimis exemption not only allows importers of low-value goods to avoid paying duties, but also removes the need for importers to submit a standard customs declaration. A temporary €3 ($3.50) import duty per item is expected to be applied by the European Commission from July 2026 with a full reform of measures scheduled for 2028. <h3>Hollowing out domestic production </h3>Data from rate benchmarking platform Xeneta shows the removal of the US’ de minimis exemption for Chinese imports last May led to a sharp decline in e-commerce on the trans-Pacific that has extended into 2026. China-Europe low-value exports are also slowing as regulatory scrutiny intensifies. For instance, France in November suspended access to Shein’s online platform for three months after discovering illegal items on sale, while it has intensified customs inspections of e-commerce imports. Data from Xeneta shows China-US e-commerce exports were down more than 50% for a third consecutive month in December and fell 28% for the full year. Growth in China-Europe e-commerce volume slowed to 8% in December compared to a 54% growth rate in the first 11 months of 2025, but when excluding Russia, volume to Europe fell 23% for the year. Niall van de Wouw, chief airfreight officer at Xeneta, said after three months of steadily slowing e-commerce demand from China, it appears obvious that the slowdown has now become a trend. “If it remains flat or declines further, it will certainly affect many organization’s growth plans, including those with commitments to freighter conversions that will be relying on the high level of e-commerce demand we have seen in recent years,” Van de Wouw said in a market update Friday. Xeneta estimated that the air cargo market relies on e-commerce for up to 25% of its total annual volumes globally. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

A Polish digital trade group has warned that Chinese online platforms were distorting competition across the European Union using “unequal rules” to reshape the e-commerce market. The Chamber of Digital Economy in Poland argued in a report prepared with KPMG that non-EU sellers were scaling rapidly by exploiting gaps in customs and regulatory enforcement that European businesses could not legally replicate. “This is not a debate about protectionism,” Patrycja Sass-Staniszewska, president of the Chamber of Digital Economy, said in a statement. “Polish companies compete on price, service and innovation every day. What they cannot compete with are business models built on regulatory loopholes and the absence of effective enforcement.” The report said Chinese platforms now account for 6% to 11% of Poland’s $42 billion e-commerce market, with strong growth in the electronics and household goods sectors where sustained price dumping risks hollowing out domestic production and investment capacity. The threat to businesses extends across Europe, the Polish group warned, saying that without intervention, EU-based companies will struggle to scale, invest and compete globally. Regulatory clampdowns on e-commerce have profound implications for air freight, as evidenced by the US’ removal of the de minimis exemption from duties for low-value goods that went into force last year. Amid a growing outcry across Europe, the European Union will impose a similar regulatory clampdown from mid-2026. The European Commission has adopted measures to remove the €150 ($177) duty-free exemption for low-value goods, targeting a surge in e-commerce imports from China. In 2024, the European Commission estimated that 4.6 billion parcels with a value not exceeding €150 crossed the EU border, twice the number of parcels from the previous year. The EU de minimis exemption not only allows importers of low-value goods to avoid paying duties, but also removes the need for importers to submit a standard customs declaration. A temporary €3 ($3.50) import duty per item is expected to be applied by the European Commission from July 2026 with a full reform of measures scheduled for 2028. Hollowing out domestic production Data from rate benchmarking platform Xeneta shows the removal of the US’ de minimis exemption for Chinese imports last May led to a sharp decline in e-commerce on the trans-Pacific that has extended into 2026. China-Europe low-value exports are also slowing as regulatory scrutiny intensifies. For instance, France in November suspended access to Shein’s online platform for three months after discovering illegal items on sale, while it has intensified customs inspections of e-commerce imports. Data from Xeneta shows China-US e-commerce exports were down more than 50% for a third consecutive month in December and fell 28% for the full year. Growth in China-Europe e-commerce volume slowed to 8% in December compared to a 54% growth rate in the first 11 months of 2025, but when excluding Russia, volume to Europe fell 23% for the year. Niall van de Wouw, chief airfreight officer at Xeneta, said after three months of steadily slowing e-commerce demand from China, it appears obvious that the slowdown has now become a trend. “If it remains flat or declines further, it will certainly affect many organization’s growth plans, including those with commitments to freighter conversions that will be relying on the high level of e-commerce demand we have seen in recent years,” Van de Wouw said in a market update Friday. Xeneta estimated that the air cargo market relies on e-commerce for up to 25% of its total annual volumes globally. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Asia-Europe

Polish trade group hits out at ‘unequal rules’ for Chinese e-commerce platforms

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The move to split Logistics and Services into three product segments reflects the sensitivities around a division that underpins the carrier’s integrated end-to-end strategy launched in 2017.</div>

The move to split Logistics and Services into three product segments reflects the sensitivities around a division that underpins the carrier’s integrated end-to-end strategy launched in 2017.

<div class="phx-topic">Maersk will split its Logistics and Services unit into three individual product segments as the division continues to frustrate management efforts to reach the 6% operating margin target set almost five years ago. While the segment’s 4.8% earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin in 2025 was an improvement on the 3.6% reported the previous year, it is not far above the 4.2% margin recorded in 2021 when the target was set. "We are proud of the progress we have made but are (neither) complacent or satisfied with where we are, and improving both our results and growth rates in logistics will remain a priority in 2026,” Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said during an earnings call after <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/gemini-benefits-face-looming-challenge-from-oversupplied-market-maersk-ceo-6164887">the carrier announced its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results</a> Thursday. With the EBIT margin showing only incremental growth, Clerc outlined plans to transform the Logistics and Services segment to drive more value for customers following feedback from the market. “It will increase comparability and transparency to allow you to better benchmark our performance with peers,” Clerc told analysts on the earnings call. The transformation reflects the sensitivities around a division that underpins the carrier’s integrated end-to-end strategy launched in 2017. Maersk wants to attract a greater share of shipper-direct volume with the aim of providing end-to-end control of customers’ cargo. It is a model <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/tpm24-industry-veteran-sees-little-value-in-ocean-carriers-integrating-logistics-services-5241059">that has drawn criticism from global forwarders</a> who regard their asset-light approach as better-suited to the complexities of global trade. “Our priority in 2026 is to continue to improve where we have fallen short in Logistics and Services,” Clerc insisted. <h3>Division split into three new segments </h3>In an organizational change that will take effect on April 1, the Logistics and Services business will be split into three new product segments: landside, forwarding and solutions, with each segments comprising its own set of products. Landside will comprise local and regional products linked to inland transportation: drayage in and out of terminals, ground freight in North America offering mainly expedited less-than-container-load (LCL) road transport, depots, and custom services to assist customers with declarations, tariffs and other regulatory matters. Forwarding will comprise global forwarding and ancillary products such as air freight, LCL for ocean, project logistics and insurance. Solutions will handle supply chain management, e-commerce and warehousing and distribution. While still short of the 6% EBIT margin target, the Logistics and Services segment was able to grow its business in 2025 while broadening its network footprint in strategic locations that should position the portfolio for long-term growth. Full-year revenue was up 1.3% year over year at $15.1 billion and EBIT grew 35% to $728 million. First-mile volume in the logistics segment was up almost 4% year over year at just over 7 million FEUs, while air freight volume was down 2.7% at 318,000 metric tons. “While the (logistics) business is by far not where we want it to be in terms of growth and profitability, 2025 has moved us closer,” Clerc said. “Our priority is to accelerate margin improvement and push harder on growth wherever it makes sense, which we define as the many parts of the portfolio delivering high margins and where higher volumes will increase network utilization and thus, translate also in better margins,” he noted. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Maersk will split its Logistics and Services unit into three individual product segments as the division continues to frustrate management efforts to reach the 6% operating margin target set almost five years ago. While the segment’s 4.8% earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin in 2025 was an improvement on the 3.6% reported the previous year, it is not far above the 4.2% margin recorded in 2021 when the target was set. "We are proud of the progress we have made but are (neither) complacent or satisfied with where we are, and improving both our results and growth rates in logistics will remain a priority in 2026,” Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said during an earnings call after the carrier announced its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results Thursday. With the EBIT margin showing only incremental growth, Clerc outlined plans to transform the Logistics and Services segment to drive more value for customers following feedback from the market. “It will increase comparability and transparency to allow you to better benchmark our performance with peers,” Clerc told analysts on the earnings call. The transformation reflects the sensitivities around a division that underpins the carrier’s integrated end-to-end strategy launched in 2017. Maersk wants to attract a greater share of shipper-direct volume with the aim of providing end-to-end control of customers’ cargo. It is a model that has drawn criticism from global forwarders who regard their asset-light approach as better-suited to the complexities of global trade. “Our priority in 2026 is to continue to improve where we have fallen short in Logistics and Services,” Clerc insisted. Division split into three new segments In an organizational change that will take effect on April 1, the Logistics and Services business will be split into three new product segments: landside, forwarding and solutions, with each segments comprising its own set of products. Landside will comprise local and regional products linked to inland transportation: drayage in and out of terminals, ground freight in North America offering mainly expedited less-than-container-load (LCL) road transport, depots, and custom services to assist customers with declarations, tariffs and other regulatory matters. Forwarding will comprise global forwarding and ancillary products such as air freight, LCL for ocean, project logistics and insurance. Solutions will handle supply chain management, e-commerce and warehousing and distribution. While still short of the 6% EBIT margin target, the Logistics and Services segment was able to grow its business in 2025 while broadening its network footprint in strategic locations that should position the portfolio for long-term growth. Full-year revenue was up 1.3% year over year at $15.1 billion and EBIT grew 35% to $728 million. First-mile volume in the logistics segment was up almost 4% year over year at just over 7 million FEUs, while air freight volume was down 2.7% at 318,000 metric tons. “While the (logistics) business is by far not where we want it to be in terms of growth and profitability, 2025 has moved us closer,” Clerc said. “Our priority is to accelerate margin improvement and push harder on growth wherever it makes sense, which we define as the many parts of the portfolio delivering high margins and where higher volumes will increase network utilization and thus, translate also in better margins,” he noted. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Port News

Container lines

Forwarding

Drayage

Container Shipping News

Maritime

Maersk to reorganize logistics segment as profit margins fall short again

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Marine terminals are using the new longshore contract to tackle one of the port’s recurring problems, with the union’s support, as they look to boost efficiency at the biggest port along the US East Coast. </div>

Marine terminals are using the new longshore contract to tackle one of the port’s recurring problems, with the union’s support, as they look to boost efficiency at the biggest port along the US East Coast.

<div class="phx-topic">Marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey have made the first — albeit very small — cuts of chronically absent employees under terms outlined in the new local longshore contract, one of the main concessions employers won under the deal to boost productivity at the port. John Nardi, president of the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey, which represents maritime employers at the port, said this week five local longshore workers were fired in January under the new unexcused absentee policy his group negotiated in the local contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). The cuts are miniscule in relation to the port’s 4,400 ILA workers. But Nardi said the new policy’s message has had an impact by cutting absenteeism at the port in half since the new contract, something that employers have “fought for years to improve.” “We worked very closely with the ILA to fix some longstanding challenges,” Nardi said. “We had the full support of the ILA at the highest level. We’re not fooling around on this.” The ILA did not respond to a request for comment from the Journal of Commerce. The local contract was officially ratified last year as part of the master contract between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, with the union securing a 62% increase in its top wage tier through 2030. The first year of that wage increase, along with a higher entry-level wage and manning changes, have resulted in a nearly 20% increase in labor costs for marine terminals since March 2025, according to a source familiar with the deal’s economics. <h3>Monday popular for absenteeism </h3>The master contract required all East and Gulf coast ports to draw up absentee policies. But absenteeism is a particular problem for the NY-NJ port relative to other East Coast ports, where longshore workers use hiring halls or telephonic dispatch to take any daily jobs listed as available at any of a port’s various facilities. NY-NJ maritime employers rely on specific longshore workers due to the different layout and equipment at each of its six container terminals. Marine terminals put out orders the day prior for how many longshore workers they need. ILA members at those terminals can then accept the day’s work, or it gets offered to someone else. Absenteeism can be particularly acute on Mondays. An ILA member may have worked at a time-and-half wage rate on the weekend but not show up for a shift at a regular time wage rate on Monday, despite having committed to that day’s work. “You can take a couple of days off for unanticipated reasons, but if you leave yourself in the system and accept a job, you need to take that job,” Nardi said. “You can’t just not show up without repercussions.” Under the new policy, longshore workers are allowed three days of unexcused absences each month. But unexcused absences following a weekend or a holiday count as one-and-half of those days, as do consecutive days of unexcused absences. The disciplinary escalation to firing is shortened under the new contract from seven unexcused absences to four. While longshore workers had a pass until the second unexcused absence for a warning letter, the first unexcused absence now results in a warning letter. Under the old contract, longshore workers were relegated to lower-paying, dispatched jobs at the cruise and roll-on/roll-off terminals for several periods of time before a possible termination. But the new contract only offers one relegation period, followed by a two-week suspension and then firing. The new contract also has a stricter policy around longshore employees who unexpectedly leave work during their shift. <h3>Container move clause </h3>The new, local NY-NJ contract also has requirements that each longshore gang improve productivity by one container move each year, otherwise they lose seniority to another more productive gang. The number of longshore workers hired as standby relief went up under the new contract from three workers for every two jobs to two workers for every one job. However, Nardi said the additional relief has to be cost-neutral for employers and is contingent on productivity goals. Close to a year under the new contract, Nardi said the new absenteeism policy, along with the productivity measures, have resulted in a 7% increase in productivity at the port’s biggest terminals. He added that improved labor productivity aligns with the ILA’s goal of halting port automation. During contract negotiations, ILA President Harold Daggett also <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ila-usmx-remain-at-odds-over-dockworker-wage-increases-daggett-5215515">appealed to the union’s rank-and-file</a> to improve their productivity due to the potential for job loss from automation. “If [the ILA is] focused on stemming the tide of automation, then people need to show up,” Nardi said. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

Marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey have made the first — albeit very small — cuts of chronically absent employees under terms outlined in the new local longshore contract, one of the main concessions employers won under the deal to boost productivity at the port. John Nardi, president of the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey, which represents maritime employers at the port, said this week five local longshore workers were fired in January under the new unexcused absentee policy his group negotiated in the local contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). The cuts are miniscule in relation to the port’s 4,400 ILA workers. But Nardi said the new policy’s message has had an impact by cutting absenteeism at the port in half since the new contract, something that employers have “fought for years to improve.” “We worked very closely with the ILA to fix some longstanding challenges,” Nardi said. “We had the full support of the ILA at the highest level. We’re not fooling around on this.” The ILA did not respond to a request for comment from the Journal of Commerce. The local contract was officially ratified last year as part of the master contract between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, with the union securing a 62% increase in its top wage tier through 2030. The first year of that wage increase, along with a higher entry-level wage and manning changes, have resulted in a nearly 20% increase in labor costs for marine terminals since March 2025, according to a source familiar with the deal’s economics. Monday popular for absenteeism The master contract required all East and Gulf coast ports to draw up absentee policies. But absenteeism is a particular problem for the NY-NJ port relative to other East Coast ports, where longshore workers use hiring halls or telephonic dispatch to take any daily jobs listed as available at any of a port’s various facilities. NY-NJ maritime employers rely on specific longshore workers due to the different layout and equipment at each of its six container terminals. Marine terminals put out orders the day prior for how many longshore workers they need. ILA members at those terminals can then accept the day’s work, or it gets offered to someone else. Absenteeism can be particularly acute on Mondays. An ILA member may have worked at a time-and-half wage rate on the weekend but not show up for a shift at a regular time wage rate on Monday, despite having committed to that day’s work. “You can take a couple of days off for unanticipated reasons, but if you leave yourself in the system and accept a job, you need to take that job,” Nardi said. “You can’t just not show up without repercussions.” Under the new policy, longshore workers are allowed three days of unexcused absences each month. But unexcused absences following a weekend or a holiday count as one-and-half of those days, as do consecutive days of unexcused absences. The disciplinary escalation to firing is shortened under the new contract from seven unexcused absences to four. While longshore workers had a pass until the second unexcused absence for a warning letter, the first unexcused absence now results in a warning letter. Under the old contract, longshore workers were relegated to lower-paying, dispatched jobs at the cruise and roll-on/roll-off terminals for several periods of time before a possible termination. But the new contract only offers one relegation period, followed by a two-week suspension and then firing. The new contract also has a stricter policy around longshore employees who unexpectedly leave work during their shift. Container move clause The new, local NY-NJ contract also has requirements that each longshore gang improve productivity by one container move each year, otherwise they lose seniority to another more productive gang. The number of longshore workers hired as standby relief went up under the new contract from three workers for every two jobs to two workers for every one job. However, Nardi said the additional relief has to be cost-neutral for employers and is contingent on productivity goals. Close to a year under the new contract, Nardi said the new absenteeism policy, along with the productivity measures, have resulted in a 7% increase in productivity at the port’s biggest terminals. He added that improved labor productivity aligns with the ILA’s goal of halting port automation. During contract negotiations, ILA President Harold Daggett also appealed to the union’s rank-and-file to improve their productivity due to the potential for job loss from automation. “If [the ILA is] focused on stemming the tide of automation, then people need to show up,” Nardi said. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

North American ports

Longshore labor

NY-NJ port’s stricter absentee policy results in first longshore cuts 

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The shock in spot market rates after the recent snowstorm and frigid temperatures has rivaled the severe winter weather of February 2021, which kickstarted an entire year of rising rates for shippers.</div>

The shock in spot market rates after the recent snowstorm and frigid temperatures has rivaled the severe winter weather of February 2021, which kickstarted an entire year of rising rates for shippers.

<div class="phx-topic">Spot truckload rates jumped in the days following a snowstorm that disrupted large portions of the US two weeks ago, driving a 40% week-over-week increase in spot market load posts, according to DAT Freight &amp; Analytics. Dry-van spot rates climbed 11 cents after snow and ice blanketed much of the eastern US, the largest seven-day increase in more than three years, DAT said. Spot prices for temperature-controlled capacity jumped 15 cents week over week, as shippers increasingly lean on refrigerated trucks to provide freeze protection during frigid conditions. “This storm stood out because it had an impact that was very similar to February 2021 when key freight routes turned into a skating rink,” Dean Croke, principal analyst for DAT, told the Journal of Commerce. “The only difference right now is that there is much less spot market capacity to absorb the disruption. There is no question in my mind there is less latent capacity, less buffer in the system.” The market reaction to the most recent storm has been more severe than is typically seen following hurricanes. After Hurricane Helene in September 2024, dry-van and temperature-controlled spot market loads increased 17%, while rates rose 4 cents week over week, according to DAT. Following Hurricane Ian in September 2022, dry-van load posts increased 2% and temperature-controlled load posts rose 10% week over week, but rates were largely unchanged. During the February 2021 ice storms, which caused widespread power outages in Texas, spot rates jumped approximately 20 cents during the two weeks afterward and then continued to climb through the remainder of the year. The disruption reset the market with spot rates rising steadily until the freight downturn began in 2022. <h3>Could the 2021 market trajectory repeat in 2026? </h3>Whether the current disruption evolves into a broader shift remains unclear. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing data for January flipped into expansion territory after more than a year of being below the baseline index of 50. Knight-Swift Transportation said <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/shippers-will-see-rates-climb-as-truckload-capacity-tightens-knight-swift-6156695">on its earnings call last month</a> that federal enforcement actions tied to non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and English-language proficiency requirements are prompting shippers to rely more heavily on asset-based carriers with company drivers. According to the carrier, that shift could support volume growth and contract rate increases independent of broader economic conditions. Old Dominion Freight Line also said it is <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/odfl-cautiously-optimistic-about-ltl-demand-despite-lackluster-q4-6164259">more optimistic</a> than it was three months ago, citing ISM data and discussions with less-than-truckload shippers as indicators that freight conditions could improve this year. Croke said those signals could point to the end of the freight recession and the emergence of a more carrier-favorable market. “If there is any truth to this non-domiciled CDL and English language proficiency stuff, it’s going to bite us even harder when produce season begins in the spring,” he said. “If we see an absolute roller coaster for reefer [temperature-controlled trucks], then it trickles down to dry-van, and I think the 2021 [storm] comparison becomes more valid for the rest of this year.” <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="13499d91-a088-4824-b1c4-db0f2c552702"></dynamic-object></div>Jason Miller, associate professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, said he remains skeptical that current conditions will mirror the red-hot carrier market of 2021. “Looking back, 2021 was an unusual year with incredible consumer stimulus,” Miller told the Journal of Commerce. “If housing starts to improve, then there will be an actual recovery in freight volumes taking place and an expansionary pricing cycle sticking.” Permits for new single-family homes were down about 9% year over year on a seasonally adjusted basis as of October, according to the US Census Bureau, reflecting continued weakness in residential construction. Existing home sales were up approximately 1% year over year in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the National Association of Realtors, indicating modest improvement but not a broad housing recovery. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Spot truckload rates jumped in the days following a snowstorm that disrupted large portions of the US two weeks ago, driving a 40% week-over-week increase in spot market load posts, according to DAT Freight & Analytics. Dry-van spot rates climbed 11 cents after snow and ice blanketed much of the eastern US, the largest seven-day increase in more than three years, DAT said. Spot prices for temperature-controlled capacity jumped 15 cents week over week, as shippers increasingly lean on refrigerated trucks to provide freeze protection during frigid conditions. “This storm stood out because it had an impact that was very similar to February 2021 when key freight routes turned into a skating rink,” Dean Croke, principal analyst for DAT, told the Journal of Commerce. “The only difference right now is that there is much less spot market capacity to absorb the disruption. There is no question in my mind there is less latent capacity, less buffer in the system.” The market reaction to the most recent storm has been more severe than is typically seen following hurricanes. After Hurricane Helene in September 2024, dry-van and temperature-controlled spot market loads increased 17%, while rates rose 4 cents week over week, according to DAT. Following Hurricane Ian in September 2022, dry-van load posts increased 2% and temperature-controlled load posts rose 10% week over week, but rates were largely unchanged. During the February 2021 ice storms, which caused widespread power outages in Texas, spot rates jumped approximately 20 cents during the two weeks afterward and then continued to climb through the remainder of the year. The disruption reset the market with spot rates rising steadily until the freight downturn began in 2022. Could the 2021 market trajectory repeat in 2026? Whether the current disruption evolves into a broader shift remains unclear. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing data for January flipped into expansion territory after more than a year of being below the baseline index of 50. Knight-Swift Transportation said on its earnings call last month that federal enforcement actions tied to non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and English-language proficiency requirements are prompting shippers to rely more heavily on asset-based carriers with company drivers. According to the carrier, that shift could support volume growth and contract rate increases independent of broader economic conditions. Old Dominion Freight Line also said it is more optimistic than it was three months ago, citing ISM data and discussions with less-than-truckload shippers as indicators that freight conditions could improve this year. Croke said those signals could point to the end of the freight recession and the emergence of a more carrier-favorable market. “If there is any truth to this non-domiciled CDL and English language proficiency stuff, it’s going to bite us even harder when produce season begins in the spring,” he said. “If we see an absolute roller coaster for reefer [temperature-controlled trucks], then it trickles down to dry-van, and I think the 2021 [storm] comparison becomes more valid for the rest of this year.” Jason Miller, associate professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, said he remains skeptical that current conditions will mirror the red-hot carrier market of 2021. “Looking back, 2021 was an unusual year with incredible consumer stimulus,” Miller told the Journal of Commerce. “If housing starts to improve, then there will be an actual recovery in freight volumes taking place and an expansionary pricing cycle sticking.” Permits for new single-family homes were down about 9% year over year on a seasonally adjusted basis as of October, according to the US Census Bureau, reflecting continued weakness in residential construction. Existing home sales were up approximately 1% year over year in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the National Association of Realtors, indicating modest improvement but not a broad housing recovery. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

Trucking News

Truckload

Surface

Disruptive winter weather in US jolts spot truck rates to big gains

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">New Delhi has formed a consortium of six state-owned entities to push ahead with a plan to launch a large nationally-owned container carrier, to be known as the Bharat Container Shipping Line. </div>

New Delhi has formed a consortium of six state-owned entities to push ahead with a plan to launch a large nationally-owned container carrier, to be known as the Bharat Container Shipping Line.

<div class="phx-topic">India is making a formidable bid to counter the long-standing dominance of foreign-flagged container vessel fleets over its growing export/import trade, which arguably exposes domestic shippers to the vagaries of global supply/demand dynamics and shifting logistics patterns. New Delhi has formed a consortium of six state-owned entities, led by the national carrier Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), to advance a plan approved last October to launch the operation of a large nationally-owned container carrier that will be known as the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The joint venture is primed to inject approximately $6.9 billion as an initial investment into the project, according to current indications. “This reinforces India’s strategic and commercial presence in global maritime trade,” a government statement said. “It strengthens India’s supply chains across maritime and logistics segments, reducing dependence on foreign operators.” Tentative plans call for acquiring 51 vessels in the initial phase and scaling tonnage capacity to over 400 ships in stages. The move was greeted with high optimism by local pro-export stakeholders who had been pushing Indian-flagged shipping capacity efforts, especially after the pandemic-linked supply chain mayhem. “The launch of BCSL is a timely and strategic step towards building India’s own maritime capacity,” Ajay Sahai, director general at the Federation of Indian Exports Organization (FIEO), told the Journal of Commerce. “Indian exporters have long faced challenges of freight volatility and capacity constraints. A domestic shipping line focused on India’s trade needs will enhance reliability, resilience and cost efficiency in our supply chains,” he said. <h3>Cabotage modification ended </h3>While the creation of BCSL is noteworthy and promises to stoke competition, it remains to be seen how the new entrant will be able to nurture network partnerships with large global carriers for long-haul services with end-to-end service reliability in a more consolidated industry. Currently, SCI, India’s only homegrown container line, has little to boast of as a long-haul operator due to a severely depleted box fleet — confined to just two 2008-built midsize vessels — and decades-long growth uncertainty caused by shifting government investment plans. With the exception of an India-Europe consortium deal with Mediterranean Shipping Co., the Indian liner’s trade participation is now largely relegated to short-sea or regional markets. Meanwhile, New Delhi has also signaled other protectionist postures. The 2018 <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/debate-over-india-cabotage-flares-again-5208366">cabotage modification</a> that allowed foreign-flag carriers to move containers intra-country freely was canceled last month because the reform failed to accomplish the policy objectives it had intended to advance, mainly domestic transshipment development and logistics cost improvements. “The withdrawal of cabotage relaxation does pose some challenges,” a Mumbai-based European carrier representative who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “The [foreign] lines now need to ponder the consequences of altered operational fundamentals.” Contact Bency Mathew at <a href="mailto:bencyvmathew@gmail.com">bencyvmathew@gmail.com</a>. </div>

India is making a formidable bid to counter the long-standing dominance of foreign-flagged container vessel fleets over its growing export/import trade, which arguably exposes domestic shippers to the vagaries of global supply/demand dynamics and shifting logistics patterns. New Delhi has formed a consortium of six state-owned entities, led by the national carrier Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), to advance a plan approved last October to launch the operation of a large nationally-owned container carrier that will be known as the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The joint venture is primed to inject approximately $6.9 billion as an initial investment into the project, according to current indications. “This reinforces India’s strategic and commercial presence in global maritime trade,” a government statement said. “It strengthens India’s supply chains across maritime and logistics segments, reducing dependence on foreign operators.” Tentative plans call for acquiring 51 vessels in the initial phase and scaling tonnage capacity to over 400 ships in stages. The move was greeted with high optimism by local pro-export stakeholders who had been pushing Indian-flagged shipping capacity efforts, especially after the pandemic-linked supply chain mayhem. “The launch of BCSL is a timely and strategic step towards building India’s own maritime capacity,” Ajay Sahai, director general at the Federation of Indian Exports Organization (FIEO), told the Journal of Commerce. “Indian exporters have long faced challenges of freight volatility and capacity constraints. A domestic shipping line focused on India’s trade needs will enhance reliability, resilience and cost efficiency in our supply chains,” he said. Cabotage modification ended While the creation of BCSL is noteworthy and promises to stoke competition, it remains to be seen how the new entrant will be able to nurture network partnerships with large global carriers for long-haul services with end-to-end service reliability in a more consolidated industry. Currently, SCI, India’s only homegrown container line, has little to boast of as a long-haul operator due to a severely depleted box fleet — confined to just two 2008-built midsize vessels — and decades-long growth uncertainty caused by shifting government investment plans. With the exception of an India-Europe consortium deal with Mediterranean Shipping Co., the Indian liner’s trade participation is now largely relegated to short-sea or regional markets. Meanwhile, New Delhi has also signaled other protectionist postures. The 2018 cabotage modification that allowed foreign-flag carriers to move containers intra-country freely was canceled last month because the reform failed to accomplish the policy objectives it had intended to advance, mainly domestic transshipment development and logistics cost improvements. “The withdrawal of cabotage relaxation does pose some challenges,” a Mumbai-based European carrier representative who didn’t want to be identified told the Journal of Commerce. “The [foreign] lines now need to ponder the consequences of altered operational fundamentals.” Contact Bency Mathew at bencyvmathew@gmail.com .

India advances launch of state container line after cabotage rule rewind

Use code GTW595 at checkout and save $900 on first year of an annual Gold subscription!

Upgrade Subscription - Gold Trials

Become a Gold Subscriber and Save!

Arm your team with the most trusted information portal for the international container shipping industry.

Group Subscriptions - Wide Box

Get into a group subscription today

Use code FTW25 at checkout to save 25% on a Silver or Silver Plus annual subscription! 

Subscribe Now - FT to S/SP - Wide Box

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 25%

Use code GW595 and upgrade to Gold for just $595! Valid for first year of subscription.

Upgrade Subscription - S/SP to Gold - Wide Box

SAVE $900 ON A GOLD SUBSCRIPTION

Choose a subscription plan that works best for you!

Subscribe Now - Anonymous to S/SP - Wide Box

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Access Journal of Commerce content for 30 days

Free Trial - Wide Box

START A FREE TRIAL TODAY

Use code GW995 at checkout to save $500 on first year of a Gold subscription!

Subscribe Now - FT to Gold - Wide Box

SAVE $500 ON A GOLD SUBSCRIPTION

Subscribe Now - Anonymous to Gold - Wide Box

START A FREE TRIAL: Access Journal of Commerce content for 30 days

Free Trial - Offer Box

Free Trial

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 25%: Use code FTW25 to save 25% on first year of a Silver or Silver Plus annual subscription!


Subscribe Now - FT to S/SP - Offer Box

Subscribe and Save

GET INTO A GROUP SUBSCRIPTION: Arm your team with unlimited Journal of Commerce content

Group Subscriptions - Offer Box

Group Subscriptions

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: Choose a subscription plan that works best for you!

Subscribe Now - Anonymous to S/SP - Offer Box

UPGRADE TO GOLD AND SAVE: Use code GTW595 at checkout and save $900 on first year of a Gold subscription!

Upgrade Subscription

Subscribe Now - Anonymous to Gold - Offer Box

SAVE $900 ON A GOLD SUBSCRIPTION: Use code GW595 and upgrade to Gold for just $595! Valid on first year of subscription.

Upgrade Subscription - S/SP to Gold - Offer Box

SAVE $500 ON A GOLD SUBSCRIPTION: Use code GW995 and save $500 on the first year of a Gold subscription!

Subscribe Now - FT to Gold - Offer Box

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE

Monthly publication providing an editorial deep dive into global supply chain news

Journal of Commerce Magazine - Rectangle Box

Journal of Commerce Magazine

A premium access index of savings using domestic intermodal vs. OTR 

ISI Report - Rectangle Box

Intermodal Savings Index

An in-depth analysis of transport trends in the multipurpose and heavy-lift fleet segment

Breakbulk Report - Rectangle Box

Breakbulk Quarterly

An extensive dashboard of charts organized by trade lane, mode, and topic

Gateway - Rectangle Box

Gateway

Customers scoring their intermodal partners to identify the best service providers

Intermodal Service Scorecard - Rectangle Box

Intermodal Service Scorecard

A premium access outlook critical to shippers and transportation providers

QI Report - Rectangle Box

Quarterly Intelligence

The premier conference for the global container shipping and supply chain community

TPM Conference - Rectangle Box

Attend TPM26

The only editorially independent conference for the breakbulk & project cargo industry

Breakbulk Conference - Rectangle Box

Attend Breakbulk26

Discover the news and analysis of supply chain strategies, sourcing and trends covered by the Journal of Commerce. Comprehensive coverage includes customs, trade news, transport news and the latest information about trade regulations.

Stay informed with the latest regulation news and trade updates. Explore comprehensive transportation news and trade regulations today.

Transport, Trade and Regulation News | Journal of Commerce

The Journal of Commerce’s supply chain news and analysis impacting the management of end-to-end supply chains reports on supply chain strategies, cargo visibility, inventory trends, sourcing, customs certification and contract logistics. Supply chain news coverage also delves into refrigerated shipping advancements and management of inventory status, regulatory updates and government funding projects.

Our logistics technology news include logistics technology startups, solutions, and the impact of technology on logistics and supply chain management.

Logistics Technology News | Journal of Commerce

Logistics Technology News

A thorough cool cargoes news by Journal of Commerce. Learn about the latest trends in refrigerated cargo transportation, weight capacity, technology, and more.

Cool Cargo News | Journal of Commerce

Cool Cargo News

Journal of Commerce keeps you informed on the latest last mile news with comprehensive coverage of carriers, logistics, and last mile transportation solutions.

Last Mile News | Journal of Commerce

Last Mile News

Discover the latest industrial real estate news and trends. Covering projects, real estate supply chain, logistics, pricing, cross dock facilities, and more.

Industrial Real Estate News | Journal of Commerce

Industrial Real Estate News

Stay updated on supply chain strategies, cargo visibility, inventory trends and more with our comprehensive supply chain news and analysis.

Latest News

More News & Analysis

Polish trade group hits out at ‘unequal rules’ for Chinese e-commerce platforms

Maersk to reorganize logistics segment as profit margins fall short again

NY-NJ port’s stricter absentee policy results in first longshore cuts