Dec 7, 2018
— China is about to bring the Silk Road back to life, investing billions of dollars to improve trade relationships. Beijing is building its way to European markets by constructing a network of infrastructures that will grant the transfer of Chinese goods worldwide through the Belt and Road Initiative.
Dec 6, 2018
— Here are the stories that best summarize the year in logistics and transportation management—the news that’s changing the market environment and will most certainly alter the way shippers approach operations in the coming year.
Dec 6, 2018
— The British Ports Association recently published a report in which it encouraged UK ports to consider the implications of autonomous ships on their operations.
Dec 4, 2018
— To remain competitive in this changing environment, freight brokers and third-party logistics firms will need to adapt or risk being left in the dust, technology experts and logistics leaders said here at the Transportation Intermediaries Association’s inaugural 3PL Technovations conference.
Dec 4, 2018
— According to recently released data from the U.S. Census, only 10.1% of adults moved homes from August 2017 to August 2018. This is the lowest rate of moving since the government began collected data in 1948.
Dec 3, 2018
— European road transport firms are racing toward a driver shortage crisis of 150,000 unfilled jobs, according to research from Transport Intelligence. A report released last week shows that in just six countries – the UK, Germany, France, Denmark Sweden and Norway – the shortage adds up to 127,500.
Dec 3, 2018
— The latest figures from consultant Drewry in its Sea & Air Shipper Insight report show that average rates on 57 key trades reached $3.02 per kg in October compared with $2.81 per kg in September. Meanwhile, prices are up 8.6% year on year.
Dec 3, 2018
— The container shipping industry “will continue to struggle with overcapacity, notably for larger vessel segments,” says Danish Ship Finance in the latest edition of its twice-a-year Shipping Market Review. In addition, it says low freight rates and surging fuel costs are depressing the profitability of liner companies.
Nov 30, 2018
— Finnish technology group Wärtsilä says it has successfully tested the fully autonomous operation of a ferry on a route in Norway in what is believed to be the first ever attempt at fully automated dock-to-dock operation for a vessel of this size.
Nov 28, 2018
— China Customs is now strictly enforcing the new cargo manifest regulation – in force since 01 June. This regulation now applies, not only to imports, but also to all exports (air and sea).
Nov 27, 2018
— A landmark was reached at the weekend when the ONE Columba called at Laem Chabang Port, making it at 145,647 gross tonnes the largest ever container ship to berth anywhere in the country. The vessel is 364 metres and with a carrying capacity of 14,053 TEUs.
Nov 27, 2018
— The Water Transport Workers Federation of India has decided to join hands with other sister federations in the port sector to oppose the move to bring the Major Port Authorities Bill 2016 in the winter session of Parliament. It was also decided to participate in the two-day nationwide strike to be held on January 8 and 9 at the call of 10 central trade unions.
Nov 27, 2018
— After record high demand – and prices – in 2017, forwarders were keen to lock in capacity in advance this year, while airlines were equally keen to hold some space unblocked to capitalise on late-booked cargo when spot prices were high.
Nov 19, 2018
— Whatever the outcome of Brexit negotiations, the UK intends to remain “the undisputed leading global hub for Maritime Services,” Shipping Minister Nusrat Ghani told attendees at the Maritime London/IMIF annual dinner on Monday evening.
Nov 19, 2018
— October shipments, at 1.224, were up 6.2% annually and down 1.4% compared to September, and October expenditures, at 2.919, were up 12% compared to October 2017 and down 2.4% compared to September.
Nov 15, 2018
— Following a strong year in terms of growth in vessel transits, the Panama Canal Authority is once more turning its attention to building port capacity as well as new zones for increased logistics activity. Authority administrator and chief executive Jorge Quijano said that, while vessel transits were its primary business barometer, ports activity had become increasingly important to the country as a whole.
Nov 8, 2018
— Calls are increasing for the logistics sector to catch up with other industries in diversifying its workforce or face losing out on “good minds”.
Nov 8, 2018
— The U.S. maritime industry as a whole is not prepared to respond to today’s cyber threats, putting it at severe risk of being targeted, according to a new maritime cyber security survey of key maritime stakeholders.
Nov 8, 2018
— The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration over the next year plans to expand implementation of its “off-site safety audit” review process from 10 test states to all 50 states, officials said.
Nov 8, 2018
— The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission remains on schedule to deliver the final report of recommendations from its demurrage and detention investigation, known as Fact Finding 28, by Dec. 2, said Commissioner Rebecca Dye.
Nov 7, 2018
— India officials say the establishment of an alternative, river transport will help reduce highway congestion and improve supply chain efficiency.
Nov 7, 2018
— Submission of an advance electronic manifest will be required for de minimis shipments arriving in the U.S. via commercial truck starting Jan. 1, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday. CBP will start issuing penalties for carriers that “make no attempt” to comply with the electronic manifest requirement. First offenses will incur a fine of $5,000, and subsequent offenses will incur fines of $10,000.
Nov 7, 2018
— Yesterday’s announcement that five shipping lines and four terminal operators are to form a consortium to develop a Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) has raised more questions than it answered.
Nov 6, 2018
— Truckers racing to beat the U.S. rule requiring a rest break after driving for eight hours could be contributing to increased fatal crashes involving big rigs, according to some in the industry. Deaths from large truck crashes reached their highest level in 29 years in 2017, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Nov 6, 2018
— There are 1,966 vessels which have deliveries dates scheduled for 2018. However only 1,100 have hit the water so far this year, meaning 44 percent of the 2018 orderbook is outstanding, according to VesselsValue.
Nov 5, 2018
— Effective November 18, 2018, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be implemented for access to the General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Transportation Management Services Solution (TMSS) system. MFA provides an increased layer of security by requiring an additional method of authentication when accessing a system.
Nov 5, 2018
— The maritime industry needs to undergo a cultural change concerning the sharing of information on cyber attacks, Chris Henny, senior technical advisor – maritime, Airbus Defence & Space, told the Seatrade Maritime Middle East Exhibition & Conference in Dubai on Tuesday.
Nov 2, 2018
— A large gantry crane at South Africa’s Port Elizabeth collapsed in heap of metal during strong winds Tuesday morning. The collapsed resulted in damage but no injuries were reported, Transnet confirmed. It said an engineering team assessing extent of damage.
Nov 2, 2018
— U.S. officials are investigating an explosion inside an export-bound shipping container at a Port of Los Angeles container terminal on Tuesday evening. As a result of the explosion, the terminal was evacuated and officials investigated additional containers believed to be carrying the same scrap metal.
Nov 1, 2018
— The Panama Canal has set a new annual record for the total amount of tonnage that passed through the waterway over the course a fiscal year, recording a total tonnage 442.1 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS) in FY 2018. This amounts to a 9.5 percent increase compared to 2017, when 403.8 million PC/UMS passed through the Canal.
Nov 1, 2018
— Technology startups are focusing on reducing the empty container problem, a challenge that costs the container shipping industry about $20 billion per year. At any given time, about one-third of the ocean containers in circulation are empty, and the average container spends nearly half its life idle.
Nov 1, 2018
— Peak season 2018 broke a new threshold in terms of ocean freight spot rates: It is now as expensive to transport a product from China to North America's West Coast as it was to ship to the East Coast during last year's peak season.
Oct 31, 2018
— EasyJet has pushed back its forecast for flying electric planes to 2030, but is more confident about a technology it expects to cut emissions and costs after a partner moved to the next stage of engine development, the airline said on Monday.
Oct 31, 2018
— According to Alphaliner data, 1.21m teu of new container tonnage hit the water in the first 10 months of this year, of which 83% was for ships of 10,000 teu and above.
Oct 29, 2018
— The Port of Colombo has been ranked as the world’s fastest growing port among the top 30 container ports for the first half of 2018. In the wake of this positive sign it is important defining the challenges for the proposed East Container Terminal.
Oct 29, 2018
— The International Plant Protection Convention is investigating concerns that parasites and other invasive species are being spread globally on the outside of containers, contributing to the demise of local ecodiversity.
Oct 26, 2018
— Mandatory speed limits could be shipping lines’ best hope of achieving the IMO’s 2030 emissions reduction targets. Shipping officer for lobby group Transport & Environment Faig Abbasov told The Loadstar slow-steaming could “single-handedly” achieve the target.
Oct 26, 2018
— The Asia to North Europe component of the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI) recorded a 4.7% uplift in spot rates this week to $761 per teu, underpinned by a raft of cancelled October headhaul sailings by carriers.
Oct 25, 2018
— Rapidly evolving technologies deployed throughout the U.S. maritime industry to increase efficiencies and competitiveness present significant cybersecurity risks, which the industry is unprepared to shoulder.
Oct 25, 2018
— The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) on Wednesday voiced support for legislation designed to enhance the nation’s freight systems with investments in ports, railways and intermodal hubs.
Oct 23, 2018
— A proposed fee increase for harbor pilot services at Port Everglades, Florida will raise average pilotage by more than 100 percent on average for shipping lines that call frequently at the port, according to an analysis by Crowley Maritime Corporation, the port’s largest tenant.
Oct 23, 2018
— Heathrow Airport has defended its peak season plans – but warned forwarders, hauliers and handlers to change their behaviour to ensure there are no congestion problems. Airport data indicates that volumes will be as strong, or stronger, than last year, when congestion became a major issue.
Oct 22, 2018
— Workers at Croatia’s largest shipbuilding group Uljanik on Monday held their second strike in less than two months, this time over unpaid salary for September.
Oct 22, 2018
— Turkish Cargo is preparing to move services from its current Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) hub to the Istanbul New Airport (ISL). ISL is scheduled to open on Oct. 29 of this year, and shortly after, on Dec. 31, cargo moving in belly holds of passenger aircraft will move through ISL, while Turkish Cargo’s freighter services will continue operating at IST.
Oct 22, 2018
— Boonma Real Mobility Group Thailand has successfully completed the contract to manage the logistics needs of the Top Thai Brands 2018 exhibition. The contract was awarded to Boonma by the Department of International Trade Promotion and the Ministry of Commerce Thailand.
Oct 22, 2018
— Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is to re-think its strategy, examining all the airports in the group and its overall cargo plan for the Netherlands. It is a year since the airport hit its capacity constraints, leading to the loss of slots for freighter operators.
Oct 19, 2018
— Container ports should spearhead an “Internet of Logistics” to tackle inefficiencies in global container supply chains. According to PSA International chief executive Tan Chong Meng, a “connected community” beyond the scope of Internet of Things (IoT) technology is needed to improve data sharing.
Oct 19, 2018
— The images of Hurricane Michael’s debris and devastation are heartbreaking, especially when they are combined with what we have already been seeing come out of the Carolinas as a result of Hurricane Florence. And there is no sugar-coating how long and difficult the path to recovery will be. There’s so much to do that it’s difficult to know where to start.
Oct 19, 2018
— AGS Nigeria would like to inform its partners and colleagues of an increase of additional charges implemented in Lagos on all import and export shipments, following heavy port congestion which has lasted for several months.
Oct 18, 2018
— Interest in freight-related startups and technology continues to grow, as evidenced by several recent investment deals as well as a first-of-its-kind Founders Camp whereby representatives from 20 startup firms met with trucking executives and shippers in Chattanooga, Tenn., to exchange ideas for new products and services.
Oct 18, 2018
— Forwarders have the power to keep wannabe disrupters at bay and create advantages for themselves – but they must act now, and as an industry.
Oct 17, 2018
— Jordan’s Aqaba New Port will see all ship and goods movements, warehouse management and logistics fully digitised in a project with a contract volume worth millions of euros. German company INPLAN Software Solutions (INPLAN), which provides software solutions for ports, terminals and maritime logistics firms, has won a tender for the venture, which will be realised in several phases and is anticipated to last two years.
Oct 17, 2018
— IAM was informed today by JPPSO-SC of the potential for a large number of household goods shipments originating from Tyndall AFB, FL in the near future. Due to significant damage to Tyndall AFB from Hurricane Michael, the Air Force expects to PCS almost the entire military/dependent population out of Tyndall.
Oct 17, 2018
— A new federal rule will allow state driver’s licensing agencies to waive the requirement of the commercial learner’s permit test for individuals who worked in a military position that required operating a truck within the last year.
Oct 16, 2018
— AGS São Tomé would like to advise of possible delays following the recent elections in the country. Please note that protests are likely to hamper AGS operations in São Tomé. We are uncertain as to when the situation will be restored, however, AGS São Tomé remains operational and all possible measures are being taken to prevent delays.
Oct 16, 2018
— Arpin International Group has named Deena Fernandes head of operations for Arpin Middle East. In her new role, Fernandes will oversee and manage all international operations in the Middle East office, including allocation of moves, data integrity, pricing, and monitoring the team’s performance.
Oct 15, 2018
— Errol Gardiner joined Transworld International in New Zealand to handle business development on 24 September 2018. Until recently Errol ran New Zealand Van Lines and became FIDI President in 2013.
Oct 15, 2018
— Several projects to shift truck traffic on to barges, and several other more general goals to meet the same target, are part of the Freight NYC project that is being implemented by New York City’s Economic Development Corporation.
Oct 12, 2018
— A robust economy is placing new demands on third-party logistics service providers, based on survey results from two long-running university-sponsored studies released at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals annual conference in Nashville, Tenn.
Oct 12, 2018
— The Panama Canal closed its 2018 fiscal year (FY 2018) with a record tonnage of 442.1 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS), marking a 9.5 percent increase from 2017. The total tonnage for the year is greater than the 429.4 million PC/UMS tons forecast for FY 2018, as well as the 403.8 million PC/UMS tons registered in FY 2017.
Oct 11, 2018
— The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration relaxed hours-of-service regulations in eight states as Hurricane Michael made landfall, battering the Florida Panhandle with 155 mph winds. Administrators at FMCSA’s Southern Service Centers on Oct. 9 declared a state of emergency in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Oct 11, 2018
— Hong Kong cannot compete with its shipping rivals and will turn its attention to maritime services as a way to strengthen its position as a key seaport trading centre, the city’s leader has admitted. Acknowledging the decline in sea cargo passing through Hong Kong, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor sought to address the weakness by boosting the sector elsewhere.
Oct 11, 2018
— The US-China trade war has seemed “positive” for transpacific shipping lines, so far, with importers rushing to beat tariff deadlines. But there is growing concern that a prolonged dispute would leave shippers with question marks on whether to reorganise their supply chains.
Oct 10, 2018
— Synergy Group has launched a new counselling service aimed at improving mental health support for sea and shore-based maritime personnel. iCALL is a free psychological helpline for the worldwide maritime community available 24/7 in nine different languages via phone, email and the chat-based nULTA App.
Oct 10, 2018
— Apple’s new Measure App could be one of their best features yet, but has it been created as a novelty or are Apple’s intentions to replace the good old tape measure, and how could this benefit the removals industry?
