The global containership fleet capacity idled as of mid-March reached 913,000 TEUs, according to the liner analyst Alphaliner. That’s still far short of the 1.5 million TEUs in layup in early 2010, but significantly up from the beginning of 2012. But don’t expect the idle fleet to cross the 1 million TEU level […]
Shippers are hit with planned rate hikes, despite burden of vessel overcapacity. By Eric Johnson Try as the liner shipping industry might to portray a situation that rates aren’t the only factor in service contract negotiations, the reality is clear: the transpacific trade is preoccupied with rates. The issue is particularly acute and understandable this year, […]
During the depths of the Great Recession four years ago, shipping lines introduced “slow steaming” on almost all global trade lanes. Their reason — to save on fuel costs which would help reduce their huge losses. Customers complained loudly that reducing ship speeds and lengthening transit times drove up their inventory costs. For many, […]
The Strategic View By Walter Kemmsies As economic data continues to show the recovery is gaining traction it is time to start looking farther down the road to see where major trends in place will lead the economy. Unfortunately the conclusions one would draw from these trends are not encouraging. […]
Green supply chains remain priority for retailers, freight companies, reports show. By Eric Kulisch Preserving the environment, and the wellbeing of communities and employees, has become a key business consideration for the retail and freight transportation sectors, affecting all aspects of strategy, operations and marketing, two new reports confirmed. Whereas companies several […]
The ubiquitous wooden pallet has been a staple of the shipping industry since the advent of containerization almost 60 years ago, enabling companies to move stacks of goods at one time. While some shippers have incorporated plastic pallets into their supply chains, the cheap wooden skid still dominates as the shipping platform of choice. […]
PO Shipping survived a tough 2011 on the transpacific when other small carriers didn’t. By Eric Johnson To say 2011 was a tumultuous year on the transpacific would be an understatement. According to American Shipper liner research affiliate ComPair Data, of the 29 vessel operators in the trade at the start […]
In mid-February, Maersk Line announced it was pulling 9 percent of its Asia-Mediterranean capacity from the end of March through a reshuffling of its joint Asia-Med service network with CMA CGM. That announcement, coming as it did on the heels of Maersk’s confirmation that it would be pulling one of its seven Asia-Northern […]
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to soon release a draft strategic plan for taking its Air Cargo Advanced Screening system from a limited pilot program to a mandatory requirement that carriers pre-file information on all air shipments bound for the United States, according to industry representatives and government officials involved in the project. […]
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration in February expanded its TSA PreCheck pilot program to Salt Lake City International Airport and New York’s JFK International Airport. TSA PreCheck began last October as a limited trial for expedited screening of pre-approved passengers who provide advance information about themselves and verify their identity at airport checkpoints. Pre-screening […]
U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a notice of proposed rulemaking on Feb. 22 that would make substantial changes to the way imported merchandise is transported inland under a bond, enabling the cargo owner to defer payment of duties until it reaches the destination port or is exported. The primary fixes involve making […]
Extending the re-validation cycle for companies in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism by a year will not adversely impact supply chain security, according to Shawn Beddows, the U.S. Customs official directly in charge of the program. The Obama administration’s budget plan for fiscal year 2013 calls for a $5 million reduction in […]
By Geoff Whiting International and domestic logistics operations are often managed by separate departments using different logistics management technology. This antiquated approach creates a critical disconnect in the supply chain between product sources and stores. Forward-thinking companies – led by the retail and consumer goods industries – are now seeking solutions to […]
The new, merged service dubbed ISE operates with eight vessels averaging 5,136 TEUs. Five vessels are operated by MSC and three are operated by partner Shipping Corp. of India.
Walmart Canada DC is model for energy conservation. By Eric Kulisch In November 2010, Walmart Canada opened a 400,000-square foot fresh food distribution center in Balzac, Alberta, that sets industry standards for sustainability. The company says the $115 million facility, which services all 104 Walmart stores in Western Canada, is 60-percent […]
Buried within the archives of the World Trade Organization’s Website is a hefty list of case numbers documenting the trade disputes between member countries. The list is organized by country and the longest subset belongs to the United States, which is no accident. The United States is the most vigorous pursuer of WTO rules […]
The liner carrier CSAV said this week its container volume in February was the lowest of any month since September 2009. CSAV handled 161,300 TEUs in February, a 40.8 percent year-on-year drop. In the last four-plus years, only the first nine months of 2009 saw lower volume than in February. The line […]
The addition of Rickmers-Linie and TOTE Inc. boosts the council’s membership to 29 companies. However, these newest members are somewhat unusual as the council’s roster is dominated by international container shipping companies.
Maersk Line has continued its focus on the backhaul of the Asia-Europe trade with another measure aimed at improving revenue on European exports. The line said Thursday it will assess a $300-per-TEU rate increase on shipments from Northern Europe (including Russia and Scandinavia) to Asia (including Japan) from May 1. In the […]
ShipmentOptimizer allows shippers to account for variables in complex supply chains. By Eric Johnson In mid-February, Singapore-based APL Logistics unveiled a new product aimed at revamping the way large shippers handle their overall supply chain planning. The product, which APL Logistics dubs ShipmentOptimizer, is notable not just for what it does, but […]
