Hasbro, Mattel lean on supply chain teams to minimize effects of costly ocean freight, port congestion

The toymakers said challenges in ocean shipping were among the leading factors of cost inflation, but their supply chain teams found ways to navigate the disruptions.

By Edwin Lopez • Aug. 2, 2021

A congested freight environment shows no signs of improvement for peak

Shippers are moving freight earlier, while carriers are trying to plan ahead and add capacity if possible. Could the congestion last through Lunar New Year?

By Matt Leonard • July 22, 2021

FMC to audit top 9 carriers as part of permanent program to oversee detention, demurrage

The agency said it wants to ensure "shippers do not suffer from unfair disadvantages."

By Matt Leonard • July 21, 2021

Stockouts worsen for the chemical industry as shipping delays exacerbate inventory woes

Shortages may last yet another year due to the lasting effects of a February storm in Texas, increased demand and supply chain congestion.

By Matt Leonard • July 13, 2021

Levi's diverts freight to East Coast amid 'challenge in Long Beach'

The decision was one of several actions Levi Strauss took to mitigate supply chain disruptions in Q2, according to CEO Chip Bergh.

By Edwin Lopez • July 12, 2021

Biden takes aim at consolidation in ocean, rail with new executive order on increasing competition

The FMC and DOJ Antitrust Division signed a Memorandum of Understanding Monday as the two agencies begin to work more closely on oversight and enforcement in the ocean freight market.

By Matt Leonard • Updated July 13, 2021

Lower inventories offset rising transport costs in 2020: report

A lack of inventory may have caused supply chain challenges, but it also led to a 15% decrease in logistics costs in 2020, according to CSCMP's Annual State of Logistics Report.

By Edwin Lopez • July 8, 2021

Detention and demurrage were hotly debated pre-pandemic. Congestion made it worse.

The average charge more than doubled from 2020, increasing 104%, Container xChange found.

By Matt Leonard • July 8, 2021

Timeline: How the Suez Canal blockage unfolded across supply chains

The Ever Given was lodged in the canal for six days, blocking hundreds of ships from traversing the waterway. It finally arrived at the Port of Rotterdam.

By Matt Leonard , Shefali Kapadia • Updated July 29, 2021

HB Fuller leans on 'strong supplier relationships' to navigate shortages, tight freight market

Strategizing for a "ship stuck in the Suez is exactly what they're set up to do," an executive said of its supply chain team.

By Matt Leonard • July 1, 2021

Flexport, Convoy integration enables automated transloading

All shippers have to do is select their origin and destination, and the Flexport platform handles the rest, the company said.

By Matt Leonard • June 30, 2021

Ocean carrier reliability falls 35 points from last May as congestion persists

Maersk was the most punctual carrier for the month, but its 46.2% schedule reliability figure means a shipper is more likely to correctly guess a coin flip than have their ship show up on time.

By Matt Leonard • June 29, 2021

Hapag-Lloyd, ONE complete integration with Maersk's TradeLens

The carriers have finished the pilot, but it could take up to 10 months to provide all of the milestone updates associated with TradeLens' visibility platform, a Hapag-Lloyd executive said.

By Matt Leonard • June 28, 2021

Yantian resumes full operations, backlog expected to linger up to a month

"Having an incident like Yantian right now, in a market which is out of balance, that just adds on top of the current imbalance," one analyst said.

By Matt Leonard • June 24, 2021

Last year, the Transpacific was a 'nightmare.' It's only gotten worse.

One shipper offered a carrier $6,000 for space. It was told $60,000 wouldn't even be enough.

By Matt Leonard • June 24, 2021

6 charts show the effects of Yantian port congestion

Dwell times increase, containers build up and blank sailings surge — all at a time when shippers are planning and importing for peak season.

By Matt Leonard • June 22, 2021

Patent Pending: Walmart's idea for just-in-time, FourKites' plan for predictive visibility

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 18, 2021

FMC commissioners back audits of ocean carrier detention and demurrage

One shipper called the fees "unfair" and scolded carriers for profiting off of supply chain challenges.

By Matt Leonard • June 16, 2021

Congestion, container issues pile up at Yantian and southern China ports

Analysts and container lines warn of two-week delays as ports limit operations due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

By Shefali Kapadia • June 9, 2021

Dollar Tree: 'Upside down' ocean market sends import rates skyward

The company utilized spot markets more than it expected last quarter, which tripled its transportation cost assumption.

By S.L. Fuller • June 4, 2021

Supply chains stick with lean methods despite inventory woes

Growing demand and flat inventory growth led the inventory-to-sales ratio to drop to 1.23 in March, the lowest ever recorded.

By Matt Leonard • June 1, 2021

As storms become more frequent and volatile, some ports plan for the risk — but most do not

The interconnectedness of ports leave assets such as warehouses, trucking networks and railroads vulnerable to disruptions from climate change and rising sea levels.

By Matt Leonard • Updated June 8, 2021

Demand, container shortages drive Zim contract rates up 50%

The carrier had to limit the volume it could commit to shippers even as it expanded capacity on the Transpacific.

By Matt Leonard • May 21, 2021

Wayfair adds fulfillment capacity, scales forwarding to help supply chain flow

Scale and carrier partnerships help prioritize shipments, but the company is not immune to port congestion, inventory constraints and delivery delays, the CEO said.

By Matt Leonard • May 13, 2021

Maersk pursues M&A for end-to-end logistics, moves to 'larger targets'

The carrier's litmus test for acquisitions is a company with a strategic geographic footprint, an established customer base and a scalable model.

By Matt Leonard • May 12, 2021