11 Dec 2024

Retailers Sound Alarm: January Port Strikes Could Paralyze Supply Chains

Retailers and major trade associations are calling on East Coast and Gulf Coast port operators and unions to resume negotiations to prevent potential strike action when a temporary labor contract expires in January. The contract, established in October between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) following three days of strikes, […]

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10 Dec 2024

ILA, USMX Disagree Over Semi-Automated Cranes

  The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) remain locked in a stalemate over the implementation of semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs). After an October 2024 three-day strike, the two sides agreed to extend their master contract deadline to January 15, 2025, in hopes of resolving the dispute. However, recent […]

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06 Dec 2024

Tariffs and Trade Barriers: Top Threats Reshaping Global Supply Chains

A survey conducted by Descartes Systems Group reveals that rising tariffs and trade barriers are the primary concerns for global supply chain leaders. According to the 2024 Supply Chain Intelligence Report: Escalating Challenges for Global Supply Chain Leaders, 48% of respondents cited these issues as their top challenge, followed by supply chain disruptions (45%) and […]

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04 Dec 2024

Global Air Freight Soars: Peak Season Drives Rates and Demand to New Heights

The global air cargo market entered its peak shipping season this week, with demand surging past available capacity, pushing rates on key trade lanes to new highs for 2024. Asian export routes and the trans-Atlantic corridor are experiencing particularly sharp rate increases, reflecting strong demand and limited supply. Spot rates for Shanghai to North Europe […]

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27 Nov 2024

Trump’s Labor Nominee Splits Opinions: Backed by Longshoremen, Criticized by Truckers

The logistics industry is divided over President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. While unions like the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the Teamsters applaud her pro-worker stance, trucking groups express concern over her opposition to the widely used owner-operator driver model. The ILA praised Chavez-DeRemer for […]

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20 Nov 2024

‘Machines Don’t Feed Families’: East Coast Port Tensions Escalate

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has abruptly ended contract negotiations with East and Gulf Coast port employers, accusing them of attempting to introduce automation technology into the new labor agreement—something the union says would threaten its members’ jobs. The talks, which resumed this week in New Jersey between the ILA and the United States Maritime […]

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19 Nov 2024

Importers Face Record Rail Delays at LA-Long Beach Ports Amid 2-Year High Container Dwell Times

Rail container dwell times at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reached their highest levels in two years last month and are expected to stay elevated through January. This surge is driven by higher-than-usual import volumes, partially due to cargo diversions from the East and Gulf Coasts. In October, containers destined for rail […]

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18 Nov 2024

Hapag-Lloyd Predicts Pre-Lunar New Year Cargo Rush Amid Strong Demand

Hapag-Lloyd anticipates a possible cargo surge ahead of the Lunar New Year in January, driven in part by shippers aiming to avoid potential new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods under the incoming Trump administration. Despite strong fourth-quarter demand, the carrier expects profitability to dip compared to its record-breaking third quarter. “There could be a rush […]

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18 Nov 2024

US Retailers Rush Year-End Imports Amid Strike and Tariff Concerns

US retailers are accelerating their year-end import volumes, planning to bring in an additional 350,000 TEUs this November and December compared to forecasts from just a month ago. The surge aims to preempt disruptions from a potential East and Gulf Coast dockworker strike in January and significant tariff hikes proposed by President-elect Donald Trump. According […]

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