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Ready or not, digitalization is on its way The container shipping industry is embracing technology, hoping for gains in transparency, cost-savings, and efficiency. Photo credit: Shutterstock. The container shipping industry, widely seen as slow to embrace technology, could be on the verge of a year of significant advance. Driven by hundreds of millions of dollars […]

Intra-Asia outlook: Even more competition Scores of shipping lines competed for the estimated 30 million TEU in 2016 volume that moved among thousands of port pairs across Asia. Photo credit: Shutterstock. A key development in intra-Asia during 2018 will be the first-quarter launch of the Korea Shipping Partnership, an alliance of South Korean container shipping […]

US-Latin America outlook: Continued growth As the year beckons, the north-south route is characterized by multiple carrier options, all trying to capture business. Photo credit: Hamburg Sud. A 2.6 percent increase in trade on the north-south routes between the United States and Latin America in 2017 set the stage for potential further increases in the […]

E-commerce trend remains tailwind for air cargo One indication of air demand: shippers and forwarders are having difficulty securing space on planes out of Asia. Photo credit: Shutterstock. Air freight rates rose steadily through 2017, and booming demand for new technology products and e-commerce that filled available cargo space is expected to continue well into […]

Shippers' transport concern is capacity, not price The US economy is strengthening – something that’s likely to increase demand for transport services. Photo credit: Shutterstock. Capacity, not price, is king once again, at least temporarily, as shippers sweat to find and secure space for their freight on highways and rails in 2018. Beyond normal seasonal […]

Car carriers focused on remaining flexible Oversized project and breakbulk cargoes are a growing part of car carriers’ business. Photo credit: Shutterstock. Shifts in demand, capacity, and cargo mix present operators and customers of vehicle-carrying ships with challenges and opportunities in 2018. Roll-on, roll-off shipping is dominated by pure car and truck carriers — big, […]

India expands RFID container tracking system Officials said the RFID system is one of several ease-of-doing-business measures the government has deployed to enhance port/trade competitiveness. Photo credit: Shutterstock. India is expanding its radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology-enabled container tracking service to more terminal locations, aided by  Japanese technological assistance that’s proved to be a key driver […]

US shipping industry awaits data-sharing portal Shaving one day from the supply chain spread over thousands of shipments can save BCOs millions of dollars a year in cost. Photo credit: Shutterstock. NEWARK — The marine terminal, trucking and warehouse sectors are realizing incremental improvements in cargo velocity, but the industry needs a data-sharing portal that provides […]

Holiday will not dent sky-high air freight rates Tight space regarding Asia to Europe and across the Pacific, and on trans-Atlantic and Europe-South America trades, is driving up air cargo rates to levels not seen in years. Photo credit: Shutterstock. Favorable supply and demand dynamics are driving up air cargo yields and offsetting pressure from rising […]

JNPT eyes barges to reduce truck congestion Truck transport is causing congestion and backups on the area’s roads and highways. Photo credit: Shutterstock. After struggling to make steady progress on its road-to-rail freight conversion drive, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is looking to promote cargo movement via barges, as  pressure from Indian government authorities to […]