Decaying demand sees China’s ports building empty container mountains Amid a “very quiet” end-of-year shipping season, empty containers are piling up at Chinese ports. According to Alice Tang, China-Europe land transport planner at ITS Cargo, there has been a complete reversal of the severe equipment shortages of last year’s pandemic-induced cargo boom. “Empty containers are […]
Potential for rail shutdown rises as largest union rejects labor deal The largest rail union in the U.S. rejected its labor contract Monday, setting the stage for a potential shutdown of the nation’s freight rail system in as soon as two weeks. Rank-and-file members of SMART-TD rejected the agreement, with 50.87% of conductors represented by […]
Third Railroad Workers Union Turns Down Pact The possibility of a nationwide freight railroad strike is increasing after another union turned down a tentative agreement that was negotiated in mid-September among the major Class I carriers, a management council and the Biden administration. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers voted down the agreement, according to the […]
Top North American Seaports and Airports Realize Record Volumes Seaports across North America spent last year playing catch-up after the disruptions caused by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and the resurgence in freight demand as the economy recovered. Despite numerous challenges including supply shortages and container backlogs, several major ports recorded record-breaking […]
USDOT Dedicates $700 Million for Port Improvement Projects Additional funding for the country’s ports was recently announced as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to facilitate the movement of freight along key supply chains. The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing more than $700 million to nearly four dozen ports for improvement projects. The funding, […]
Goods-Trade Deficit Widens for the First Time Since March The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit widened in September for the first time in six months as imports grew and some exports plunged. The shortfall widened 5.7% to $92.2 billion last month, Commerce Department data showed Oct. 26. The figures, which aren’t adjusted for inflation, compared with a […]
Here are some of the most notable logistics industry news updates for the week of October 21, 2022 from Point Global Logistics. California to fund $1.2B in port improvement projects California will spend $1.2 billion to upgrade port and supply chain infrastructure, with most of the money earmarked for improving the flow of goods […]
Mississippi River levels are dropping too low for barges to float The Mississippi River is flowing at its lowest level in at least a decade, and until rain relieves a worsening drought in the region, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain water levels high enough to carry critical exports from the nation’s bread basket. Areas […]
Carriers work to restore service after Hurricane Ian Carriers are continuing their work to restore service after Hurricane Ian ripped through Florida last week, halting delivery and transportation operations. The hurricane made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, devastating the southwest portion of the state and killing at least 101 people, CNN reported. As the state […]
American Logistics Aid Network gets activated for Hurricane Ian As Hurricane Ian intensifies, the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) is urging Florida and Gulf Coast residents to prepare—and asking members of the logistics community who aren’t located near the storm’s path to be ready to help. “Over the next few days Hurricane Ian has the […]
