Topic: Blogs

Supply chain transformation. Software and pouch sorters. The Internet of Things. Innovation. And, sustainability. Those were the five topics that came up in Bob Trebilcock's visits with suppliers on the MODEX floor on Monday.

In March, the NMI, hit 54.5 (a reading of 50 or higher indicates growth), which was 1.1 percent above February, while growing now for 80 consecutive months, coupled with economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector growing for 74 months through March.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association Of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) has filed comments in response to an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) from the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) regarding Discussion Agreements and vessel sharing agreements (VSAs).

The potential abuse of flags of convenience has again been brought to center stage with a feature in the Financial Times that argues that global terrorism is exploiting weaknesses in supply chain tracking and tracing.

When it comes to the regional, small package service providers, it is clear that they are making inroads and growing market share although they still represent less than 5 percent of the total market. But even with that said shippers have made it clear in various industry surveys that they are open to alternatives to FedEx and UPS to reduce costs.

In what amounts to something of a reversal of fortune, shipper confidence in the air cargo sector appears to be gaining on that of ocean freight.

According to the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) study from BTS and FHWA, freight tons moving on the United States’ transportation network are pegged to grow 40 percent over the next three decades to 25 billion tons, with the value of freight expected to rise 92 percent to $37 trillion.

Each year, $5.3 trillion of trade passes through the South China Sea and analysts say that $1.2 trillion of that number is U.S. commerce.

A broad coalition of shippers and other supply chain stakeholders are appealing to West Coast dockside labor and management to begin early discussions on either a contract extension or a new contract with the goal to conclude negotiations before the current contract expires on June 30, 2019.

With a high, and correct, focus on reducing costs, other metrics for measuring supply chain success tend to get lost in the shuffle.

The salary gap is narrowing between men in women in the logistics management dodge.

The Airforwarders Association, representing 360 companies and more than 300,000 employees who move air cargo through the supply chain, today urges the U.S. Department of Transportation to assign routes to U.S. passenger air carriers that currently offer air cargo service.

In the freight railroad sector, it truly seems that there is a press release issued by a Class I railroad carrier or a national news item with a common theme: railroad consolidation. This mostly stems from Canadian Pacific’s well-documented and myriad overtures to acquire Norfolk Southern, which has proved unsuccessful at least to this point but not over by any stretch either.

The Benjamin Franklin – capable of carrying 18,000 20-foot equivalent units [TEUs] – arrived in Seattle after making call in Long Beach and Oakland, signaling a “sea change” in West Coast shipping.

Even if there's a turnaround, don't expect the growth rates that we saw in the 1990’s or the 2000’s

Even though the ELD deadline is not until December 2017, shippers and carriers need to be sure they are compliant and ready when the time comes.

Exactly one year after the devastating West Coast port dispute concluded, the Washington Council on International Trade has released a study that finds Washington state lost $769.5 million in economic activity during that approximately six month period.

From its inception as an online book retailer, to being the world’s biggest e-commerce company, Amazon’s influence and control over the sector has been almost absolute.

When Congress passed the overwhelmingly-supported and bipartisan Water Resources and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) in 2014, it established annual incremental increases for Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) funded work.

The NRF is calling for 2016 retail industry sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants, to see a 3.1 percent annual increase.