Last year, many headlines were focused on supply chain challenges that were impacting retail and every other industry. The nation’s ports saw congestion on the water with vessels backed up, as well as on land with terminals full of both loaded and empty containers. There were difficulties with finding enough truckers, a shortage of […]
Read MoreWASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation today issued its annual forecast, anticipating that retail sales will grow between 4% and 6% in 2023. In total, NRF projects that retail sales will reach between $5.13 trillion and $5.23 trillion this year. “In just the last three years, the retail industry has experienced growth that would normally take almost a decade by pre-pandemic standards,” […]
Read MoreThe members of Congress behind the law that combats the import of goods produced by Uyghur forced labor are warning that some importers are taking advantage of a loophole intended to avoid scrutiny of the products that they’re bringing into the U.S. — and that increasingly popular Chinese e-commerce apps might facilitate breaches of […]
Read MoreRecent airfreight rate data appears to show that the air cargo market may have reached a new normal but the outlook remains cloudy. Writing in his monthly column for the Baltic Exchange Airfreight newsletter, Bruce Chan, director and senior research analyst covering global logistics and future mobility at investment bank Stifel said that airfreight […]
Read MoreAccording to industry experts, due to 76% of the U.S. population residing closer to the East Coast, it is not surprising that more cargo will head there. Consequently, ocean freight will continue to move from ports in the Pacific to ports on the East Coast of the United States. John McCown, founder of Blue […]
Read MoreU.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday rebuffed appeals from senators to begin negotiating trade agreements that would cut tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports. “At this moment we do not have tariff liberalization negotiations going on with a partner,” Tai told the Senate Finance Committee. Tai left open the possibility for that to change, saying […]
Read MoreThe latest market analysis from CLIVE Data Services reveals that air cargo capacity has exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in four years. In February, global air cargo capacity increased by 11% compared to the same period last year. However, global air cargo volumes fell by 4% YoY and rates remained stable. This […]
Read MoreAsia Trade Lane Price Drop The contrast between the import rates from Asia in 2022 and those in 2023 is quite striking. Just half a year ago, it was not unusual for ocean rates to be in the five-figure range. However, presently, the shipping industry has become fiercely competitive with rates dropping even below the […]
Read MoreThe average contract cost to ship a container from China to the U.S. West Coast fell from $8,607 last April to $2,618 in February Retailers in the U.S. hope to slash shipping costs and save millions of dollars when they sit down later this month to negotiate long-term contracts with ocean carriers following last year’s […]
Read MoreThe two largest global container lines have mutually agreed to end their vessel-sharing partnership in January 2025. A joint statement by Vincent Clerc, CEO of A. P. Moller – Maersk, and Soren Toft, CEO of MSC, said that discontinuing the vessel-sharing alliance would allow both companies to “pursue their individual strategies”. Consultant Drewry observed […]
Read More