Dry ice demand rises more than 1,100% as procurement leaders navigate vaccine rollout: Thomas

Sourcing for freezers and syringes ticked up significantly, and nitrile gloves are expected to be in high demand throughout the year.

By A.B. Brown • Feb. 4, 2021

Analysts see 'no underlying currents' to loosen tight airfreight capacity

Shippers, forwarders and carriers pivoted to short-term rate negotiations and the spot market as airfreight capacity dropped 18% YoY.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 4, 2021

Harbor truckers dispute millions of detention, demurrage charges as fees surpass $200

Trucking firms may pass added costs down to shippers, depending on the relationship, as well as the terms of the contract between the two parties, HTA's CEO said.

By S.L. Fuller • Feb. 3, 2021

Why the empty container math doesn't add up in US exporters' favor

What led to a global imbalance of available shipping containers? And what were the effects on U.S. businesses?

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 3, 2021

FMC calls on Biden to prioritize vaccines, PPE for port workers

Unions and groups representing maritime employees reported nearly 2,000 COVID-19 cases since March 2020.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 1, 2021

Tight capacity pushes CH Robinson to the spot market, hikes prices 29%

The market is showing signs of normalization, but pricing for customers will continue "gravitating higher throughout the course of the year," CEO Bob Biesterfeld said.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 28, 2021

Is Lunar New Year the turning point for equipment shortages?

Manufacturers are operating at full capacity to produce containers. It's just a matter of moving the new equipment to where it's needed.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 27, 2021

XPO CEO: More acquisitions possible once spinoff is complete

Bradley Jacobs turned XPO into a trucking powerhouse over the years by growing the LTL company organically and through absorbing other firms.

By Jim Stinson • Jan. 27, 2021

Intermodal carloads up 12% but railroads struggle with trip plan compliance

Traditional commodities, such as coal, saw volume slump on the rail lines in 2020, but intermodal grew thanks to a tight trucking market and a glut of containers needing to move.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 26, 2021

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 S.L. 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

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

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 S.L. Fuller • Jan. 7, 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. 7, 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. 6, 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. 5, 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. 4, 2021