In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, attention is again being called to the security of the world's transportation systems. Concerns about port security, airport security and the inspection of cargo being transported on planes, trucks and ships have been at the forefront of the industry for a number of years. In 2012, the Obama administration failed to meet its goal of inspecting 100% of incoming container freight when it arrives at US ports. The government pushed this deadline back to 2016 - which is now upon us.
The slump in commodity prices over the last few months, combined with an economy in China which is leaning towards recession have combined to decrease shipments of manufactured items and raw materials around the globe. World trade volumes increased by only 1.5 percent from September to November compared with the same window in 2015. It's clear that volume growth has been significantly weaker during the current economic expansion than during previous cycles, but it has slowed even more since early 2015.
As of January 11, 2016, adherence to the eManifest requirements of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) becomes mandatory. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in service delays and monetary penalties under CBSA’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS), which would be passed on to the bill to party. For example, one of the penalty areas relates to “failing to provide true/ accurate/complete information”. This primarily relates to bill of lading preparation; for example accurate description of packaging a
Though it's been a mild winter so far for most of the country, it is definitely winter. Making sure that your company and supply chain are prepared for winter storms is important to ensuring that your clients remain happy and your employees and assets remain safe. While we typically discuss topics specifically related to freight and logistics in our blog, this post can apply to all types of businesses.
Consumption of diesel fuel in the United States has leveled off this year, after two consecutive years of strong demand. Experts say that this slowdown in usage mirrors the slowdown we've seen in inland freight movement, and the larger slowdown in shipping worldwide, compared to 2013 and 2014. Reasons for the slowdown include the strong US dollar and the a slowdown in economies like China and Brazil. The number of empty shipping containers which are returning to Asia has been increasing steadily in the last few months.
Traditionally, security checks for air cargo shipments are performed by trained dogs and security officers. The increase in global air cargo over the past decade, however, has presented an increased need for additional security systems to screen cargo. Systems that are being used today include X-Rays and other explosive scanning devices. In the last 6 years. the TSA has expanded its use of canine detection teams, which conduct primary and secondary screening of air cargo. While all cargo is screened, the emphasis is on freight which will be moved on passenger airliners.
Australia’s domestic freight task is expected to triple from its current size by 2050. There is a concerted industry push to increase rail’s share of the growing freight transport task through productivity and customer focused initiatives. As a result, major additions to the inland transportation hub are being planned to accommodate the uptick in rail volumes.
Now that the West Coast longshore workers and the port have reached a tentitive agreement, trucking rates are already being affected. Spot market van rates from LA rose 4 cents to $1.92 per mile within the last 8 days. The bottleneck of freight that was caused by the strike severely decreased available loads that would normally pick up freight at nearby facilities and move them throughout the country. The directors of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach estimate that things won't return to normal for approximately 90 days.
Shipping freight rates are being pushed up due to a U.S. West Coast port strike. Container ships are unavailable for new orders because of delays in offloading and taking on new cargo.
Off the large U.S. West Coast ports, dozens of container ships are lying in wait. Many of which have been waiting more than a week to enter port to unload or take on new cargoes.
A lot of vessels are being affected by the strike. There are a lot of delays and container rates are being pushed up due to fewer ships being available for new orders.
A new report warns us about air pollution from ships in the high Arctic, to increase air pollution from shipping.
Although the report is called “Air pollution from marine vessels in the U.S. High Arctic in 2025,” its findings are of concern to the entire Arctic region.
It is estimated that shipping could increase in the next 10 years anywhere from 150 percent to 600 percent due to Arctic ice melt,
