Last mile

Most of the transportation job losses reported for February were due to seasonal cuts rather than economic contraction, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Transportation providers of all sizes, from Maersk to Pitt Ohio, are searching for last-mile delivery options as customer and consumer demand evolves.

The container shipping industry’s profit margins are easing, but the appetite for acquisitions — from air cargo units to last-mile delivery logistics — isn’t letting up, writes Journal of Commerce Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.

The Port of Houston, citing technology problems, is postponing the start date of a new fee that would penalize shippers who don’t retrieve import containers after the allowable free time.

FourKites has partnered with e-commerce technology specialist Narvar to link predictive freight visibility with post-purchase solutions for retailers and brands aspiring to fulfill orders online.

CMA CGM has increased its e-commerce capability in Europe with an acquisition that targets end-to-end control of goods within its network.

International air freight and last-mile delivery saw the fastest revenue growth in the transportation sector last year, while industrial transportation suffered.

project44 continues its active 2021 with the $255 million acquisition of last-mile visibility platform Convey, the Chicago-based company’s largest purchase to date.

Maersk’s acquisition of Visible Supply Chain Management last week adds nine fulfillment centers to its distribution network, allowing it to reach 95 percent of the US direct-to-consumer market within 48 hours.

The FRONTdoor Collective will provide franchised last-mile options to providers, logistics providers, and shippers looking to expand or build out last-mile capabilities.

Retailers and logistics providers are utilizing technology offerings from such providers as Bringg to expand and manage last-mile delivery options.

Supply chain optimization firms Locus and Shippo each received $50 million in new funding, while 3PL Redwood Logistics acquired two parcel companies and merged them into a new last-mile division.

The acquisition of CLW Delivery gives expedited trucking operator Forward Air custom final-mile delivery services and new territory, as its LTL and final-mile businesses converge.

A four-year-old logistics technology platform founded in India sees itself as the digital connective thread between the country’s long-haul freight market and the disorganized urban delivery sector.