Freight

Ocean rates rose through January as ports report record year

Carriers have held off on the blank sailings that usually happen around Lunar New Year, but one forwarder suggested booking loads for spring now as capacity is strained.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 22, 2021

What does shipper of choice mean in 2021?

A history of short dwell times and consistent tendering behavior will be important as carriers prioritize freight in a tight market.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 21, 2021

BNSF: Network redundancy key to intermodal speed

The railroad's new CEO, Katie Farmer, discussed adding redundancy at a time when other railroads see whittling away at network assets as the more in-vogue option.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 21, 2021

California proposes points system to hold warehouses accountable for truck emissions

Road transport has been at the forefront of Southern California's emissions crackdown, but it's also one of the most challenging areas for supply chains to curb given the involvement of external parties.

By Sarah Fuller • Jan. 20, 2021

Rolled cargo ticks up at 75% of ports worldwide: Ocean Insights

Shippers are also dealing with an increased rate of blanked sailings to start 2021. Blanked capacity is expected to reach 13% and 11% of overall capacity in the third and fourth week of January, respectively.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 20, 2021

Port of LA to roll out Control Tower with trucking, rail data

The tool will provide more information on dual transactions, as the port begins incentivizing terminals to increase them.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 19, 2021

Column

Patent Pending: Walmart plans automated order picking, Target floats RFID for freight tracking

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 15, 2021

Congestion could clog California ports into February, Hapag-Lloyd warns

One analyst suggested the congestion might continue into March, as nearly one quarter of all cargo was experiencing dwell times longer than five days near the end of 2020.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 14, 2021

Deep Dive

Damco is gone. Where do Maersk, freight forwarders and shippers go from here?

Shippers face a choice as they plan freight strategies: the simplicity of a single end-to-end provider or the reduced risk of a diversified carrier network.

By Shefali Kapadia • Jan. 13, 2021

CH Robinson, SAS bet real-time demand data can shorten freight bid windows

Demand doesn't change at the pace of an annual contract. The two companies will use their existing tools to drive more agile freight procurement.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 12, 2021

Airfreight rates start 2021 on a decline following mediocre peak

Rates more than doubled YoY from China to the U.S. to reach $7.57 per kilogram in the last week of December, but pricing has already fallen to $6.19 per kilogram in the first half of January.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 11, 2021

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigns following insurrection at Capitol

Chao said the department will help President-elect Joe Biden's pick for transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, assume the post.

By Sarah Fuller • Jan. 07, 2021

European shippers say ocean carriers broke contracts, call on regulators to step in

Authorities in China and South Korea and the Federal Maritime Commission in the U.S. are also examining ocean shipping practices and container availability.   

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 07, 2021

Amazon buys 11 planes to boost airfreight capacity

The aircraft purchases, a first for Amazon, come at a time when airfreight procurement has become increasingly difficult, and e-commerce demand is soaring.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 06, 2021

Analysts: Restocking in Q1 will keep trucking market hot

Cass' latest Freight Index showed expenditures were up almost 6% in November as rate increases in the spot market have begun to spill over into contracts.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 05, 2021

Maersk works with stakeholders on port congestion, export issues

The carrier wants to increase dual transactions at its Los Angeles terminal to help with congestion but didn't provide specifics on improving the equipment availability for exporters.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 04, 2021

Short-term freight snags expected as Brexit deal goes into force

Officials expect delays to accrue beginning Monday and affect just-in-time and perishable supply chains the most.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 04, 2021

Railroads leaned into PSR principles during the pandemic

The Class I railroads sought to do more with less, as volume rebounded after a dip in the spring. But it wasn't all success in 2020.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 22, 2020

Airfreight rates from China to US rise 58% ahead of the holidays

The ongoing distribution of coronavirus vaccines could increase annual air cargo demand by 2% and lift airfreight rates in the first half of next year, according to one analyst.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 22, 2020

XPO has 'eyes on every truck' as it transports Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine

The company is also shipping dry ice, containers and syringes while responding to demand for items related to COVID-19 treatment and mitigation.

By Jim Stinson • Dec. 21, 2020

Refusing US export cargo may violate Shipping Act, FMC warns in letter to carrier association

The ideal situation is industry works out a solution on its own, one commissioner said. But the agency could open a new investigation and has the power to levy fines if the alleged behavior continues.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 21, 2020

JB Hunt: Rail ramp congestion disrupts intermodal service in Los Angeles, Chicago

J.B. Hunt expects the closures will impact its ability to pick up freight through Dec. 19.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 17, 2020

Container movement lags at Port of Los Angeles as unseasonably high imports arrive

Dozens of container ships are idling off the Southern California coast, a sign of "the sheer amount of traffic" at the Port of Los Angeles, said Executive Director Gene Seroka.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 16, 2020

Containers, port congestion subject of upcoming FMC meetings with 6 ocean carriers

The Federal Maritime Commission has suggestions for how the carriers can improve container movement, but the agency doesn't have plans for enforcement.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 15, 2020

JB Hunt sets out on expedition for final-mile acquisitions

Carriers see opportunity in last mile as e-commerce grows. Buying smaller fleets comes with the books of business, the talent and the know-how to enter the final-mile market.

By Jim Stinson • Dec. 14, 2020