Commentary

One of the hottest topics in business these days, right behind whether there is a true economic recovery under way, is whether the $787 million federal stimulus package Congress approved a year ago ac

Q: We are renegotiating some terms with a less-than-truckload carrier and wonder how we can protect ourselves in the event the carrier files for bankruptcy.

Last month marked the beginning of my 40th year in the international transportation and trade industry.

Slow steaming by container ships seems to be here to stay.

Given the dynamics in the trans-Pacific shipping market so far this year, with capacity so surprisingly tight and many shippers scrambling to find space at almost any cost, it seems certain that chang

No economic policy could better serve Americans than genuine free trade, but open trade policies are failing Americans.

Q: In the Jan. 11 issue, you state, “If you have been doing (IRS Form) 1099s for your carriers up to now, you can legally quit.”

When you’re driving for 40 miles during a blizzard in a small rental car on a major interstate, trying for most of the time to stay in the fast-disappearing tire tracks of a tractor-trailer chug

Stories abound about individuals having their identities stolen, and such thievery is becoming more common in shipping, too.

It was a nice gesture by Virginia International Terminals to halt work at

Containerized shipping is rightfully credited with spurring globalization by adding speed and reliability to international freight transportation.

Q: In previous columns, you have said often that you think shippers should prohibit any brokers they use from re-brokering loads to others.

As containers pile up in Shanghai awaiting passage on a fleet too small to handle an unexpected surge of volume, it’s worth taking a step back and assessing the potential impact of one of those

There’s plenty of skepticism that the United States can meet President Obama’s ambitious goal of doubling exports in five years and whether accomplishing that would create the 2 million jo

There have been interesting developments and hopeful signs from the industry during the early part of 2010.

Customer Loyalty Should Be Job One

The 1972 song “Stuck in the Middle With You” was a one-hit wonder by Stealers Wheel.

Losing Ted Kennedy’s seat to the Republican Party is stirring deep angst in the White House and among Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Today’s parcel industry is starkly different from that of 1998, when UPS and FedEx Ground brought ground delivery service into the same arena as air express by guaranteeing delivery times

Last month’s special election in Massachusetts may have rocked the political landscape, but for anyone with a stake in transportation, the best and most immediate impact may be a clearer path to

Q: I’m a motor carrier claims manager.

As importers weather some of the most brutal conditions in years in the eastbound trans-Pacific trade — merchandise is missing store delivery windows and carriers either are enforcing the letter

It’s not every day that I’m minding my own business and my phone rings, and on the other end of the line is the logistics director for one of the world’s largest retailers.

Q: A broker accepted our load and gave it to another carrier, who is a carrier of ours anyway. The broker went bankrupt since accepting our payment in full, but has not paid its hired carrier.

The first month of any year is typically a time for predictions — predictions about the direction of the stock market; predictions on the outcome of political elections (remember to register and

For the first weeks of January, at least, 2010 is shaping up as the year of inventory for everyone in the supply chain.

The chaos in delivering aid to Haitians more than a week after the Jan. 12 earthquake is all too familiar to José Holguín-Veras.

The U.S. economy will gain strength over the course of this year. The United States will get a value-added tax. Home improvement retailers will see a couple of good years.

Q: A major parcel company offers a big customer discounts and incentives on ground and express service at a modest level — let’s say 10 percent — for weights of one through 20 pounds

Over the last year or two, we heard a good deal about fusion centers, locations where the federal government electronically shares details about individuals with state and local governments (which als

There have been some welcome reports of improvement in general shipping trends at the start of 2010, but the more important signs that dark economic clouds may be clearing may be coming far from truck

The eighth revision of the Incoterms, the International Chamber of Commerce shipment and delivery terms, is well under way.

NOW THAT THE NEW DECADE IS UPON US, it’s important to know what breakbulk and heavy-lift industry leaders are seeing in their crystal balls.

The wind turbine market in China needs to be considered from two perspectives, domestic and exports, to fully appreciate its magnitude.

It’s difficult to say whether the 2008-2009 global economic recession will leave the shipping industry with the kind of imprint that World War I left on the British poet Robert Graves, author of

Logistics is both the most important factor and the biggest obstacle facing a massive international aid operation rushing emergency supplies to Haiti.

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, which sent U.S.

Q: Some time ago, you answered a question about whether it was legal for consignees to require shippers to use certain carriers to deliver purchased product to their facility or whether this was restr

Although we all hope for a strong economic recovery in 2010, it is increasingly clear West Coast ports and the trade industries that depend on them won’t be recovering to their previous peaks an

A few clients and several business friends have asked for my views on where 2010 is heading, and my stock answer is, “If I knew that, I’d bottle it, sell it and be very active in the buyin