Monthly Archives for July 2018

Panama Canal: Low-sulfur fuel rule will attract new services Panal Canal officials expect the frequency of container ship transits to increase as ocean carriers seek to mitigate rising fuel costs driven by the International Maritime Organization low-sulfur emissions rule, taking effect in 2020. (Above: A container ship transits the Panama Canal.) Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. Two […]

Indian shippers face user fee for RFID container tracking service Above: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. Photo credit: JNPT. Real-time supply chain visibility has been a priority for shippers, but an Indian government fee for the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology-enabled container tracking services could prove to be a dampener for an export-import community continually […]

US importers from Asia face rockier than usual peak season Whether ships from Asia hit the sought-after utilization levels in the high 90s hinges on whether forecasts of 3 to 5 percent volume growth for the rest of the year are realized and the extent of carriers’ cancellation of services. (Above: The Port of Los […]

Inland port serving NY-NJ moves forward Shippers that use the Port of New York and New Jersey may find that Syracuse offers an attractive option once a rail-linked inland port is built. But will its lower rent offset logistics costs? Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. An inland port serving the Port of New York and New Jersey […]

US shippers face daunting intermodal peak season US beneficial cargo owners will face unprecedented challenges using intermodal this peak season. Still, there are time-tested tactics that will ensure the best possible transportation result. (Above: A BNSF intermodal freight train travels in Illinois, United States.) Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. If the first half of 2018 was a […]

US auto/auto parts imports tariff would tip Canada into a recession In March 2018, President Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports after directing US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to investigate the national security impact of steel and aluminum imports into the US. The tariffs […]

CMA CGM to re-start Chittagong feeder service CMA CGM’s service, if added, would complement existing feeder services by other ocean carriers. (Above: A CMA CGM ship in the Pacific Ocean.) Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. With Bangladesh’s container-based trade continuing to growth at a rapid rate, CMA CGM plans to re-introduce its feeder service to and from […]

Rising European truck rates show no sign of abetting Above-trend GDP growth is boosting the continent’s commerce, and that’s triggered a steady uptrend in trucking rates, amid tighter capacity — a trend shippers should expect through 2018. Rail is benefiting from some spillover transportation work, but the conversion is not nearly large enough to reduce […]

JOC Blockchain Explainer: Demystifying the buzz for shipping industry Many experts argue that blockchain technology is tailor-made for container shipping’s international logistics work. But blockchain faces numerous hurdles – and the biggest of which may be cultural. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. Blockchain promises to help transform container shipping, but there’s plenty to resolve as this technology […]

Record US imports forecast for peak season US importers plan to bring in record container volume this peak season, which will translate into an impressive 2018 year-end gain compared to 2017. (Above: the Port of Long Beach.) Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. US importers plan to bring in record container volume this peak season, bringing year-end growth […]