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Congressmen push FMC to form national advisory committee on port matters

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
With shippers already having a say in regulation and policy, two House members are urging maritime regulators to give marine terminal operators and public port authorities a seat at the table.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsNorth American ports

GPA lines up final funding for Northeast Georgia inland rail terminal

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Blue Ridge Connector will have 18,000 feet of working track and an annual lift capacity of up to 200,000 containers while providing shippers with an all-rail service from Savannah.
North American portsContainer Shipping NewsIntermodal providersNorth-American rail

Xotta appointed Vancouver port chief as ambitious expansion plans loom

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The long-time Vancouver Fraser Port Authority executive has helped to lead the port’s gateway infrastructure program to develop road and rail projects designed to facilitate cargo movement.
MaritimePort NewsNorth American ports

Big US LTL carriers reap lion’s share of Yellow terminals in auction

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
XPO, Estes, Saia and R+L collectively put up more than 80% of the $1.9 billion bid for terminals of bankrupt LTL provider Yellow, while more sites, including some major facilities, have yet to be auctioned. 
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

Shippers weigh costly routing changes against possibility of East Coast strike

Peter Tirschwell |
Shippers who have built East and Gulf coast routings into their supply chains are taking no chances, raising the need for contingency plans in discussions with carriers and NVOs ahead of 2024 contract renewals.
Longshore laborContainer linesMarine terminalsNorth American ports

Southern California agency to unilaterally develop emissions cut rules at rail yards

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
The South Coast Air Quality Management District says it will create rules to reduce emissions at Southern California rail yards because Union Pacific insists on including public financing as a precondition for participating in the more collaborative MOU process.
Intermodal providersNorth-American rail

Maersk to invest $500 million in Southeast Asia logistics even as integrator model struggles

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
The spending program will target the company’s logistics and services arm with a “substantial amount of investment” earmarked for its ocean and terminals infrastructure in the region.
Container linesMarine terminalsInternational portsAirport News

Europe’s ocean trades may see overlapping CO2 charges: DNV

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The IMO’s global market-based emissions-cutting measure will be introduced in 2027 when it will clash with Europe’s ETS and could force shippers to comply — and pay for — two CO2-reducing systems at the same time, classification societies believe.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer lines

Carriers weigh options after Red Sea route threatened by missile attacks

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
Three commercial ships were hit by rockets fired from Yemen over the weekend in a deteriorating security situation that has seen at least two ocean carriers introduce war risk surcharges on routes to and from Israel.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesAsia-Europe

Fast-approaching green goals pose uncomfortable question for shipping: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and Journal of Commerce analyst |
Given shipping’s relatively poor track record on implementing anything not rigorously enforced, and a preference to delay action to the last possible minute, there seems to be a high risk that decarbonization milestones will not be met, writes analyst Lars Jensen.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Wakeo lands fresh investment in far less heated freight visibility market

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
The company, which caters to shippers like Uniqlo and Michelin, will use the new round of funding to spur a global expansion of its multimodal freight visibility product.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer Shipping NewsTrucking NewsSupply chain

THE Alliance diverts ships through Suez ahead of Panama Canal transit cuts

Michael Angell, Associate Editor, and Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
Liner operators in THE Alliance will switch transits on three services as low water levels on the Panama Canal reduce the number of ships that can use the main artery for container trade between the US East Coast and Asia.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American ports

US truckload rates unlikely to see major holiday bump amid tepid peak season

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
As US port volumes remain lackluster, there is not as much freight to move on trucks, causing the market to stay relatively stagnant ahead of what typically is the busy holiday season.
Trucking NewsTruckload

Carrier CEOs issue COP28-linked statement urging action on energy transition

Peter Tirschwell |
The rare joint statement reiterates earlier comments by container lines that a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism is needed to make green fuel competitive with traditional bunkers during the phase when both fuels will be in use.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

MPV/HL carriers weigh costly, time-consuming alternatives to Panama Canal

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
Low water restrictions and “exorbitant” costs for rare transit slots through the drought-hit waterway mean tramp breakbulk and heavy-lift carriers must use longer ocean routes, thus increasing voyage costs.
Breakbulk NewsMaritimeBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

Swire Projects launches project cargo liner service to avoid Panama Canal delays

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent |
The service was previously operated on an ad hoc basis but is being upgraded due to growing demand for breakbulk and project cargo into the US West Coast to avoid restrictions and delays through the drought-hit waterway.
Breakbulk NewsBreakbulk carriersProject cargo

US warehouse fluidity returning to normal amid import drop, inventory discipline

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
US importers have finally cleared out most of the inventory overhang that kept their warehouses at capacity and created bottlenecks in their supply chains.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsTrans-PacificLast Mile News

Global liner performance unchanged in October, but USWC ticked higher

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
While container volumes have largely returned to normal historical levels, ocean carriers still have not been able to restore performance to pre-pandemic levels.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American ports

Shippers eye varied ‘training wheel’ approach to origin management technology

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Getting the most out of global logistics software sometimes involves using a forwarder as a co-pilot until a shipper is ready to run processes similarly to procurement and order management internally.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer Shipping NewsForwardingSupply chain

Order book more ‘manageable’ if measured in ship numbers, not TEUs: analyst

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
Although the incoming capacity will outstrip demand on the major trades over the next two years, the capacity overhang that has been touted in many corners of the shipping sector is being overstated, says an industry analyst.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificAsia-Europe

Roadrunner to enter Canada as K+N, Canada Cartage make cross-border acquisitions

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
The expansion of the three companies, all representing different modes across the US-Canadian border, underscores the depth of the relationship between the two economies.
SurfaceForwardingTrucking NewsTruckloadLTL

USDA invests $200 million to boost agricultural sector’s export efforts

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The fresh funding is part of recent federal efforts to increase economic opportunities for farmers and reduce food costs for US residents.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer Shipping News

UP boosts intermodal service with new Houston connections, Phoenix ramp

Michael Angell, Associate Editor and Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
The Class I railroad sees an opportunity to tap growth at the Gulf Coast’s busiest port with new intermodal lanes, while expanding its inland reach from Los Angeles and Long Beach.
North-American railNorth American portsIntermodal providers

Oversupplied Asia-Europe ocean trade readies for two December rate hikes

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The westbound trades out of Asia are heading into tender season with carriers attempting to lift rate levels before locking in long-term contracts being eroded by surplus capacity.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesAsia-Europe

New CMA CGM service adds to intra-Asia capacity boost for Indian shippers

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
The move complements a flurry of Asia-India service additions by niche regional carriers and newer feeder operators in recent months.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

FMC judge rules in favor of HMM in rolled cargo complaint

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
Despite initially failing to meet capacity commitments, the carrier extended the contract for three months at the original rate, saving the shipper $180,000.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer lines

End of EU block exemption a ‘missed opportunity’ for regulators: ITF’s Merk

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
European regulators have never had enough information to effectively monitor the container shipping industry since the consortia block exemption rule was introduced in 2009, according to Olaf Merk.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Busy intra-Asia market bucks trend in driving container demand growth: analyst

Lars Jensen, CEO & Partner, Vespucci Maritime, and Journal of Commerce analyst |
The intra-Asian region is expected to be a hotbed of mergers and acquisitions in container shipping because that is where the growth in container demand is centered, writes analyst Lars Jensen.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesInternational ports

India-US contract rates hit fresh lows despite lower capacity from sailing cuts

Bency Mathew, Special Correspondent |
Given the persistent downward pressure on demand, it remains to be seen if India-US carriers will be able to push through a new round of modest rate hikes planned for December.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesNorth American portsInternational ports

Control of US LTL capacity in 2024 hangs on sale of Yellow terminals

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
An auction of Yellow’s 174 owned terminals is scheduled for Tuesday, with winning bids to be disclosed on Friday while a separate battle continues over 149 leased terminals.
SurfaceTrucking NewsLTL

ONE readies India-US East Coast service as part of 2024 network rollout

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The carrier is looking to expand beyond its two current services jointly offered with other liners with a standalone service meant to take advantage of the growing shift in sourcing from India.
Container linesContainer Shipping NewsNorth American ports

Ashcroft Terminal to expand railcar storage to alleviate Vancouver congestion

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor |
The project, in coordination with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, is due to be completed in late 2024 and will help move cargo faster through Western Canada.
North-American railTrans-PacificNorth American portsPort infrastructure

Asian air freight stages US, Europe rate surge in November

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
But rising air cargo rates on the major Asian export trade lanes do not portend a peak season this year with analysts pointing to poor economic conditions exerting strong downward pressure on consumers in the US and Europe.
Air CargoAir Cargo Carriers NewsAir Cargo Forwarder News

Virginia’s resins export market gets boost with new $60 million investment

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Norfolk expansion plans from resin logistics specialist Katoen Natie come as more plastics production is going onstream in the Northeast US.
North American portsContainer Shipping News

Sharp rise in Asia-Europe Q3 volumes discounted by last year’s import slump

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
On its own, the growth in container volumes on Asia to Europe trade lanes in the third quarter was impressive, but it compares with the steep slowdown in imports last year by overstocked retailers.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer linesAsia-Europe

Soft US import volumes crimping container availability for agricultural exports

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
With peak season at hand for ag exports, shippers say weak US import volumes have constrained the supply of repositioned containers they need to send goods overseas, risking disruption to their supply chains.
MaritimeContainer linesNorth American portsNorth-American rail

Maersk inks new methanol sourcing deal with Chinese supplier

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The carrier’s largest alternative fuel deal to date will be enough to drive half the methanol-powered ships on its orderbook.
MaritimeContainer Shipping NewsContainer lines

Carriers weigh options as Panama Canal restrictions become a fact of life

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The soonest the Panama Canal Authority says it could see significant relief is 2028, raising the possibility of persistent drought restrictions and reduced container capacity and transits until then, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.
Container linesMaritimeContainer Shipping NewsTrans-Pacific

European truckers brace for hefty toll hikes in Germany linked to CO2 emissions

Greg Knowler, Senior Editor Europe |
The CO2 charge on commercial vehicles is aimed at incentivizing the use of green fuels and lower-emissions trucks, but it will come at a significant cost to the road haulage industry.
SurfaceTrucking NewsTruckload

UN climate conference comes amid shipping’s choppy path to decarbonization

Peter Tirschwell |
Despite some pockets of progress, exactly how container shipping achieves decarbonization will likely remain an unanswered question until new zero-emission fuel standards are adopted, writes Peter Tirschwell.
Container Shipping NewsContainer linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News