Category Archives for Industry News

Chinese retail giant takes domestic delivery to the rails China’s largest retailer JD.com, fresh from the $2.5 billion sale of 19.6 percent of its logistics unit, is testing the use of the country’s fast growing high-speed rail network for the delivery of products ordered online as the e-commerce specialist continues its breakneck expansion. JD.com will […]

Chassis provider looks to ‘Digital DCLI’ for growth Digital DCLI goals extend far beyond the basics of equipment supply. Photo credit: DCLI. Direct ChassisLink Inc. (DCLI) plans this year to start rolling out an ambitious plan to leverage digital technology to improve supply chains and expand the company’s reach far beyond merely supplying intermodal chassis. […]

Audit firms zero in on freight delivery reliability Many shippers overlook transportation data that monitor their delivery exceptions. Mining data about delivery exceptions might provide shippers with smarter, more-effectual transportation performance data. Photo credit: Shutterstock. “Transportation is now about 75 percent, or even more, of the customer experience, says Bart De Muynck, research director, supply […]

Milan-Basel rail resumes, terminals work-down backlog The north-south rail corridor linking North Europe with ports on the Mediterranean is one of the busiest on the continent. Photo credit: Swissterminal. Terminals are clearing the huge backlog of containers that built up at the key inland rail hub of Basel over the past two weeks following a […]

Global air freight demand likely to remain strong in 2018 Driven by rising e-commerce sales, last year saw a 9.5 percent surge in global air freight tonnage for the 12 months ended Nov. 2017 — the industry’s strongest performance since the global financial crisis of 2010. EVERETT, Wash. — After a steep plunge into negative […]

Tight US truck capacity ripples to carriers The tightness in US trucking seen in a scarcity of capacity and a sharp upswing in rates in recent months is making itself felt in the ocean container space. Because of the growing likelihood of higher drayage and regional trucking rates this year, ocean carriers are hoping to […]

Container lines resist door delivery exposure The rise in US truckload rates has been dramatic. Photo credit: Shutterstock. The tightness in US trucking seen in a scarcity of capacity and a sharp upswing in rates in recent months is making itself felt in the ocean container space. Because of the growing likelihood of higher drayage […]

Documentation vital to prove same-day commitment Q: I’ll try to give you the facts as unvarnished as possible. Company A contacts a less-than-truckload (LTL) broker to transport a load from New Jersey to Cleveland, Ohio. Freight will be paid by Company A. For what it’s worth, the rate is $1,100 for next-day delivery. The consignee […]

Electronic logging device driving up US short-haul trucking costs As the electronic logging era begins, Echo Global Logistics warns shippers transit times are getting longer, costs rising in shorter trucking lanes. Photo credit: Echo Global Logistics. The electronic logging era is less than two months old, but transportation intermediary Echo Global Logistics already sees shippers […]

DP World hopes expanded containerized rail speeds India connections   Through its local rail arm, CRRS, DP World introduced a block train (above) service for exports from Ludhiana. Photo credit: DP World India DP World is ramping up its inland logistics offerings in India, as supply chain efficiency, combined with cargo visibility, is seen as […]