23 CPG companies form contactless delivery task force

The Consumer Brands Association task force members are working with Accenture, Coyote Logistics and Vector, a transportation digitization company, to develop and scale electronic bills of lading across CPG supply chains.

By Morgan Forde • June 30, 2020

Freight market shows slight improvement in May

The scale and timing of recovery depend largely on uncertain customer demand amid high unemployment and spiking coronavirus infection rates in some reopening states.

By Matt Leonard • June 29, 2020

UPS lowers peak surcharge on China-US shipments starting Sunday

The reduction coincides with a gradual calming of airfreight demand and rates, but surcharges remain above the amount announced in March. 

By Shefali Kapadia • June 26, 2020

FEMA winds down PPE flights as 'supply chain is stabilizing'

Brokers have said the PPE procurement process is nowhere near normal, and the agency has an agreement with airline partners to redeploy Project Airbridge if needed. 

By S.L. Fuller • June 24, 2020

Kuehne + Nagel extends 2030 net-zero carbon goal to include suppliers, contractors

The new target incorporates contracted services and purchases, adding nearly 60 times the emissions to measure and manage compared to the company's previous 2010 goal.

By Emma Cosgrove • June 24, 2020

Carriers reinstate capacity on Transpacific route after rates rise 50%

Blank sailings have kept rates aloft as carriers match capacity with a downturn in freight demand. However canceled trips are set to increase again in the third quarter, according to Sea-Intelligence.

By Matt Leonard • June 24, 2020

CSX lays off 86 including management

The railroad did not specifically reference the coronavirus in its explanation for the staff cuts, but CEO Jim Foote has forecasted that the cost cuts driven by the pandemic may be maintained even when volumes recover.

By Emma Cosgrove • June 23, 2020

Shippers should embed carrier financial health into resilience plans as pandemic upends logistics

As supply chain leaders shift their focus to increasing resilience, they will need to consider multi-modal, multi-carrier logistics plans, according to CSCMP's State of Logistics Report.

By Matt Leonard • June 23, 2020

Airfreight rates from China to US begin falling back to earth

Demand for transporting PPE via air has fallen as shippers build up inventories, but aifreight rates remained up 65% year over year through June 8.

By Matt Leonard • June 22, 2020

FMC: Trucks should return empties to pickup terminal, increasing dual transactions

The process would boost driver productivity and reduce congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

By S.L. Fuller • June 19, 2020

CH Robinson flexes muscle to wrangle PPE supply chains

The struggle to procure PPE has led states and hospital systems to lean on the procurement and logistics skills of private players.

By Emma Cosgrove • June 18, 2020

MSC rolls out carbon neutral shipping program

Shippers now have the option to offset the carbon emissions produced in transit by investing in clean energy and environmental protection programs chosen by MSC.

By Morgan Forde • June 17, 2020

Automotive rail volume remains below pre-pandemic levels as factories reopen

Motor vehicles and parts volume was down 75% year over year in May, according to the latest numbers from the Association of American Railroads.

By Matt Leonard • June 17, 2020

CMA CGM adds $200 per TEU peak surcharge for July as rates soar

Rising rates suggest carriers may have overestimated the downturn in freight demand, as capacity heading to the U.S. West Coast is expected to be 10% higher through June compared to May.

By Matt Leonard • June 16, 2020

Commercial truck traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels

Research indicates trucking is in a better position to recover from the shutdowns than other industries. 

By Jim Stinson • June 16, 2020

DHL Express expands hiring as peak season volumes continue through summer

The carrier is opening 400 full- and part-time positions at three major airports to cope with double-digit increases in parcel volume.

By Morgan Forde • June 15, 2020

Port of LA's Seroka calls for nationwide data sharing portal

The system would allow ports, carriers and shippers to get a better view of cargo movement with details including when a customer makes a reservation and the location of containers throughout the country.

By Matt Leonard • June 12, 2020

Maersk commits fleet to improve climate research, cites potential to improve arrival times

Having access to better weather data will help the carrier optimize routes for on-time delivery, fuel efficiency and crew and cargo safety, the company said.

By Morgan Forde • June 11, 2020

Descartes boosts digital bona fides with $12M Kontainers acquisition

Kontainers' technology helps carriers, freight forwarders and logistics companies create platforms to facilitate instant quoting, booking and shipment tracking.

By Matt Leonard • June 11, 2020

Supply chain median salary 24% higher than national median, gender gap narrows

Supply chain professionals with a bachelor's degree have a median salary of $78,750 and 88% of respondents said they have a positive career outlook.

By Matt Leonard • June 10, 2020

3 strategies for managing trucking RFPs in the pandemic

Shippers chasing low spot rates in the short term may damage relationships with carriers in the long term. 

By Gary Wollenhaupt • June 9, 2020

Blank capacity nears 4M TEUs with carriers planning Q3 cancellations

The amount of blanked capacity increased 15% week over week to end a six-week plateau where industry held sailings steady.

By Matt Leonard • June 8, 2020

Patent Pending: Target's plan for a store-fulfillment manager

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 • June 5, 2020

Airfreight capacity falls 42%, 'damaging' global supply chains

The drop has resulted in longer shipping times and higher costs for companies moving cargo by air.

By Matt Leonard • June 5, 2020

Amazon Air's fleet expansion is a bid for logistics domination

The company announced plans to add an additional 12 aircraft to its fleet, bringing its total size to 82 planes by the end of 2021.

By Matt Leonard • June 4, 2020