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The roller coaster ride in freight shows no signs of easing up in 2024, even as demand has rationalized and capacity constraints across modes have nominally eased up. Those conditions would seem perfect for shippers to take a measured approach to technology investment. But this isn’t an ordinary period, coming as it has toward the crescendo of an avalanche of private investment into logistics technology startups the past decade. In 2023, that investment faucet didn’t shut off completely, but it most certainly slowed, as technology providers were asked to show they could be profitable or were at least on a path to profitability. But in the background, the core international freight management processes shippers perform have not changed. A huge influx of money has not changed the basic nature of the job…yet.

This 75-minute webcast will explore how shippers should think about investment into technology across freight modes in 2024, serving as a table setter before broader discussions on tech investment at TPMTech in early March.

Agenda:

2:00-2:05pm Introduction/housekeeping -- Eric

2:05-2:20pm Chain.io CEO Brian Glick - System and Data Integrations for Shippers

2:20-2:30pm KlearNow Co-Founder Rick Tellez - Automation is Changing Customs Processes

2:30-2:40 pm Global Gateway Logistics CEO Caitlin Murphy - What Tools and Data Shippers want from a Forwarder?

2:40-2:50 pm ExFreight CEO Charles Marrale - Automating Freight Quoting for Shippers

2:50-3:00pm Terminal49 CEO Akshay Dodeja - Importance of Container Visibility Data Quality for Shippers

3:00-3:10pm ITS Logistics VP of Drayage/Intermodal Paul Brashier - Why 3PLs are Best Positioned to Provide Logistics Visibility to Shippers

3:10-3:15pm Q&A/wrap-up

Moderator:

Eric Johnson, Senior Editor, Technology, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Paul Brashier, Vice President Drayage and Intermodal, ITS Logistics

Akshay Dodeja, CEO, Terminal49

Brian Glick, CEO, Chain.io

Charles Marrale, CEO, ExFreight Zeta, Inc.

Caitlin Murphy, Founder and CEO, Global Gateway Logistics

Rick Tellez, Co-Founder, KlearNow

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The Red Sea attacks that forced ocean carriers to divert Asia-to-North Europe and Mediterranean services around the southern tip of Africa allowed container shipping to address its two main challenges heading into 2024: overcapacity and low-rate levels. Carriers will take delivery of nearly 2 million TEU of new capacity this year, a significant portion of which will be mega-ships that can only be deployed on the trades between Asia and Europe. While BIMCO estimates the Africa diversions are absorbing up to 9.5% of the excess capacity as carriers add ships to loops to maintain weekly schedules, economic growth in the Eurozone is forecast to be just 0.9% this year, only a slight improvement from 0.5% growth in 2023. Average spot rates from Asia to North Europe were less than $1,000 per TEU in late November 2023 but quickly rose when the Red Sea attacks began, peaking in mid-January at more than $5,000 per TEU before falling sharply. By early April, spot rates had lost more than a third of the gains made since December. Asia-Europe supply chains now have settled into the longer voyages with the Africa diversions expected to remain at least through the peak season. But the underlying challenges of overcapacity and downward rate pressure are reasserting themselves on the market. There is more than enough available capacity to cover the demand this year, even with the Red Sea crisis, and as soon as transits via the Suez Canal resume, rates will almost certainly collapse.

This webcast, led by Europe editor Greg Knowler will analyze these factors and more that will determine the course of the Asia-Europe trade this year.

Moderator:

Greg Knowler, Europe Editor, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Jochen Gutschmidt, Senior Advisor-Inland Supply Chain and Logistics, Lidl

Marc Meier, Managing Director Air & Sea Logistics EMEA, DACHSER

Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst, BIMCO

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Partner:

The two largest sectors of the for-hire US trucking industry took different routes in the first quarter, with less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers speeding down the high road and large truckload carriers stuck on a muddy low road. LTL providers exited the freight recession in late 2023 as they gained revenue, freight and terminal capacity from bankrupt Yellow, enabling them to raise pricing. Truckload companies are still struggling with excess capacity and face shipper demand for further rate cuts. Private shipper-owned fleets may be eating into their business as well. Where and when might a spark reignite even slower growth in demand for surface freight transportation? How should shippers think about opportunities in the current freight market? Our panelists will discuss these and other questions as we try to gauge trucking expectations for the remainder of 2024.

Moderator:

William Cassidy, Senior Editor, Trucking and Domestic Transportation, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Dean Croke, Principal Analyst, DAT Freight & Analytics 

Kevin Day, President of LTL, AFS Logistics

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Geopolitical confusion, supply chain snarls, and procurement challenges are complicating decision making and problem solving across the shipping spectrum, not least for project and breakbulk cargo shippers slammed with work and frustrated by seemingly endless turmoil. war risk in the red sea, congestion in the Panama Canal, the unresolved Russian invasion of Ukraine, wobbly geopolitical relationships, fractured supply chains: what should the breakbulk and project cargo logistics community expect in this chaotic environment? Laurence Allan, director of research, country risk analysis, and forecasting at S&P Global, leads the country risk regional team for Europe/cis and directs analysis and forecasting of political and violent risks, including their impacts on the business environment. in this preview of his breakbulk24 keynote, Allan will share his view of top-line risks and what can be expected in the weeks and months to come. this webcast will also introduce an innovative breakbulk academy session that will take place concurrently with the traditional conference program during breakbulk24. this interactive, two-part session, titled “managing a heavy-lift shipment from design to delivery,” is aimed at industry newcomers and early-career logistics managers. it will take audience members through the complexities of designing, planning, and transporting out-of-gauge project cargo – with a few challenges thrown in along the way. the session is being developed by John Hark, Bertling logistics regional director-north America and adjust professor, Texas A&M, and Dennis Mottola, global logistics consultant. they will be joining the webcast to discuss this exciting breakbulk session. the webcast will be led by Janet Nodar, chair of the journal of commerce breakbulk and project cargo conference and senior editor for project and breakbulk cargo with the journal of commerce by S&P Global and by Susan Oatway, dedicated senior analyst for breakbulk and project cargo with the journal of commerce by S&P Global.

Moderator:

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk, Project, and Heavy-Lift Shipping, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Co-Moderator:

Susan Oatway, Senior Analyst-Breakbulk and Project Cargo, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Laurence Allan, Executive Director and Head of Europe Insights and Analysis, S&P Global

Dennis Mottola, Global Logistics Consultant

John Hark, Regional Director-North America, Bertling Logistics and Texas A&M, Adjunct Professor

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Partner:

If 2023 was to be boiled down into a single-story line that defined the trans-Pacific container shipping, it might be that the market suffered from a complacency brought about by the rebalancing and so-called normalization of supply chains following the unprecedented upheaval of the COVID years. But as veterans of the industry can attest, normalization only lasts so long in this industry, and the next cycle of disruption is always just around the corner. Indeed, warning signs began to emerge during the late summer, replacing the relative calm of the first three quarters of 2023. First came the restricted transits through the Panama Canal, the result of historic drought in Central America. What followed in December — a full-blown shipping upheaval in the Middle East — made the Panama Canal disruption seem like child’s play. In a matter of weeks, container ships that now number well more than 300 and growing were forced to divert away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to avoid attacks by Houthi rebels targeting vessels off the western coast of Yemen. The resulting diversion from the Middle East to the much longer route around southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope has absorbed much of the capacity carriers had laid up during the lull, delayed cargo deliveries, and doubled rates on some lanes, while also prompting carriers to implement war-risk and other surcharges. How long the disruption endures is unknown, but it’s fair to assume that shippers will face increasing prices and disruption through the first half of 2024. Add to that the uncertainty and rhetoric surrounding negotiations that will begin in the spring on a new longshore labor contract on the East and Gulf coasts, and 2024 is shaping up to be a year of great unease for cargo owners.

This webcast, led by Journal of Commerce executive editor Mark Szakonyi and featuring Lars Jensen, the industry’s pre-eminent analyst, will look at how these landmark events will shape the shipping industry this year and beyond.

Moderator:

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Lars Jensen, CEO and Partner, Vespucci Maritime 

John McCauley, Former Vice President-Transportation & Logistics, Cargill 

Mary McNelly, Vice President-Global Distribution and Logistics, Fender Musical Instruments

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