A truck skids on a patch of ice. A container ship jettisons cargo during a storm. Dock workers in a far-distant port go on strike. Even in the most well-managed supply chain, events like these are sometimes unavoidable, but cargo insurance is what determines whether they are minor setbacks or major catastrophes. Unfortunately, misconceptions and […]
The United States is reeling from a particularly brutal hurricane season, with Harvey and Irma predicted to costs hundreds of billions of dollars in reconstruction and the loss of life is incalculable. But while many have called these storms “historic” or “once-in-a-lifetime,” the reality is that extreme weather events are becoming all too common, as […]
Across the country, union pension funds are going bankrupt, leaving thousands of retiring truckers wondering what is to become of their hard-earned benefits. The Pension Rights Center reports that roughly one million Americans are covered by funds on the verge of insolvency, and unions in Cleveland, Illinois, and New York have already been forced to […]
Shippers, carriers, and logistics professionals are all watching closely as trade delegations from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico enter the second of seven rounds of negotiations to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Unfortunately for observers, uncertainty abounds as to what “NAFTA 2.0” will entail. President Trump’s opposition to NAFTA was a cornerstone […]
This month, Bangladesh’s finance minister announced plans to construct a floating terminal to alleviate the congestion that is crippling Chittagong, the country’s largest port. The concept is one of several bold steps the Bangladeshi government, private sector, and regional allies are considering to eliminate the bottleneck that is threatening Bangladesh’s burgeoning economy and costing shippers […]
Relationships are the foundation of a well-functioning supply chain, but when it comes to relationships between shippers and carriers, there is often room for improvement. For years, friction between carriers and shippers has simply been the status quo, but major changes to the logistics landscape mean that it’s more important than ever that both parties […]
Expanding a business internationally can seem like a daunting prospect in the best of times, and especially in 2017. Brexit, American political unrest, and a growing strain of economic nationalism have created an uncertain outlook for global trade, but these factors alone should not deter businesses from pursuing expansion. The rise of e-commerce, sophisticated data […]
Wal-Mart is launching its “On-Time, In-Full” (OTIF) initiative this month, putting the squeeze on shippers and truckers and likely starting an industry-wide push towards tighter delivery windows. OTIF demands that truckload deliveries arrive with 100 percent of the promised cargo, and be delivered on the “must-arrive-by” date 75 percent of the time (95 percent by […]
Dedicated trucking’s popularity is on the rise, as both shippers and carriers embrace it as a way to guarantee capacity and escape the volatility that has engulfed the industry as a whole. According to A.C. Kearney’s 2017 State of Logistics Report (subtitled “Accelerating into Uncertainty”), spending on dedicated and private fleets has risen 0.7 percent […]
The unprecedented scarcity of US warehouse and distribution space is driving prices up and forcing shippers to develop innovative solutions. According to JOC, warehouse rental prices have risen 10% over last year in coastal markets (New York-New Jersey, Long Beach, and Los Angeles) with rates in smaller markets following close behind. Warehouse space is all […]