As with many industries, 2020 has been a challenging year so far for cargo transportation. Global economic trade is the driver in the cargo shipping market and with the decrease in growth worldwide, predicting when the market will rebound has been difficult. Industries such as aerospace, energy and oil and gas that use the project […]
Shipowners and operators should get ready for a rough ride in 2020 as several economic and political factors will continue to shape the industry. The Trans-Pacific Eastbound will struggle, with not enough of a demand increase to make up for the excess capacity, amid an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China. Volume Contracts […]
The unfortunate medical issues that the coronavirus causes have been all over the news recently. While the biggest concern is how the virus will affect human health, it will also have a far-reaching effect on the global economy and international shipping. Since the virus originated in Wuhan, China, it is the country that is currently […]
The current trucking market may be making some nostalgic for 2018. Last year, shippers had to fight to secure sufficient truck capacity. This year, the tables have turned, and brokers and carriers are the ones calling around to find freight. Long haul trucking spot rates are 20% lower than last year. The Cass Freight Shipments […]
Last year saw an extraordinary rate of growth for air cargo. No one expected 2019 to replicate that level of demand. Still, even with mild expectations, the global air freight market has been strikingly weak in the first half of 2019. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) previously forecast an average annual growth rate of […]
Lately, it seems the shipping industry is staring down an all too familiar problem: the race to the bottom. This means annual RFPs and frequent carrier switching, costing shippers money as they spend time finding and onboarding new carriers. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a bit of innovation, carriers can find […]
The European Union represents a unique project in economic integration. Likewise, Brexit represents a unique problem in trade relations. The single market created by the EU has meant an absence of duties and quotas for Member States, along with free movement for workers and a reduced administrative burden. While most hoped that a new FTA […]
As Hong Kong enters its tenth week of increasingly violent and disruptive demonstrations, both companies and the people on the ground are growing increasingly nervous. On Friday, roughly a thousand protestors dressed in black staged a sit-in at Hong Kong international airport, distributing flyers, and chanting “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Miserables. […]
The container shipping industry has long had a healthy market environment with a wide selection of carriers to choose from. But in just the last few years, the industry has seen a sharp increase in consolidation. Some experts warn that we’re witnessing the formation of a loose oligopoly in container shipping. So how did this […]
Peak season is always a hectic time for shippers, carriers, and logistics professionals. While its arrival (from about mid-August through mid-October) is fairly predictable, it’s a season characterized by abrupt changes in the shipping landscape. However, even by peak season standards, 2019’s pre-Christmas rush may be in a class by itself for sheer unpredictability. There […]