Monthly Archives for August 2018

Auto traffic through US ports grows amid tariff pressure Roll-on, roll-off cargo flowed smoothly through US ports during the first half of 2018, and the involved ports are moving forward with planned, needed investments. Further, the immediate years ahead look promising, provided the trade tension winds die down. (Above: Processors preparing cars for transit at […]

Port Miami enhances truck fluidity, rail, and transload options   Port Miami is making a statement. New cranes, a better truck gating system and transloading facilities, and access to Interstate 95 mean the port has the infrastructure for global trade. And Miami has one other tangible that many stakeholders in container shipping will note. Certainly […]

What does Maersk-IBM’s TradeLens tell us about the future of blockchain-logistics? Has blockchain finally become a reality in logistics? The recent announcement that 90 parties ranging from shippers to terminal operators across 234 global gateways are participating in Maersk/IBM’s blockchain shipping platform TradeLens suggests that the era of blockchain is upon us. But before we […]

Reducing the transport risk in US manufacturing supply chains US manufacturers that focus on protecting their production, supply chain operations, profit and loss, and customer experience are looking for alternative approaches to traditional truck and rail transportation to remove risk as well as cost. For example, paper manufacturers in Wisconsin are asking international suppliers to […]

Maersk’s resumed Maldives feeder prompted by trade growth   Above: The Port of Male, Maldives. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. Maersk Line India told JOC.com that freight demand in Maldives has doubled since it ceased operations in 2012, as part of a port simplification project to reduce its cost exposures to small markets, given the low economies […]

The first steps of necessary Federal Maritime Commission changes Long before there were trucks, trains, and planes, there were ships. Ships transformed travel and warfare, enabling humans to see beyond their villages and into the world. Most importantly, they unlocked global trade. In today’s Information Age, the world’s pace has accelerated. It is hard to imagine […]

Paranaguá rides higher rail use to chicken export king goal Terminal de Conteineres de Paranaguá (TCP) (above), also known as Paranaguá, is in an annual race with another port for the title of “global chicken export port king,” and its officials are not subtle regarding where they want to finish each year. Photo credit: TCP. […]

Peak season scramble for US-Asia slots intensifies Ocean carriers are enjoying rare pricing power, which is being propelled by three factors. But the impact of their decisions on customer relationships with beneficial cargo owners and truckers remains to be seen. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. US importers, large and small, are struggling more than usual this peak […]

US importers from Mexico ramp up ocean routing to avoid land border Port Miami began investigating ways to increase Mexican business five years ago, but progress really picked up when Grupo México Transportes purchased Florida East Coast Railway from Fortress Investment Group in 2017. (Above: Port Miami.) Photo credit: Shutterstock.com. Importers from Mexico are increasingly […]

JNPT’s direct port delivery still not benefitting new 3PLs India’s government has a two-pronged goal under the ease-of-doing-business program: decrease dwell times at the port with speedier cargo clearance, and reduce logistics costs via the elimination of so-called intermediaries in the supply chain ecosystem. Photo credit: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. A reworked customs policy regarding […]