American Shipper

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would give maritime regulators power to shift the carrier-shipper balance.

In this exclusive interview with American Shipper, the port envoy to the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force discusses the state of the ports, the challengers at hand and the outlook for the future.

Accusations fly as shipping lines rake in billions, but the numbers imply more carrier competition, not less.

A winter storm is severely impacting express air and air cargo operations in the middle of the country, which could impact deliveries anywhere in the U.S.

Congress, regulators and industry are trying to develop a long-term plan that would allow 5G cell towers to coexist with airport traffic.

The air cargo market is very strong, but the latest January numbers are deceiving.

Barring an economic downturn, U.S. demand could still be squeezing ports a year from now.

Despite the victory of saving Christmas, the congestion problems at the nation’s largest ports have not improved.

Extra safety precautions, for cargo and crew, are needed when vaccines need ultra-cold transport by air. The FAA wants to fine-tune its safety guidance.

A new export container subsidy at the Port of Oakland received a tepid response from lawmakers pushing for a major overhaul of shipping regulations.

Carrier profits are reaching previously unimaginable heights as supply chain disruptions supercharge gains.

E-commerce is becoming an increasing area of focus for some ocean carriers.

Qatar Airways is renewing its freighter fleet with a big order for an all-new aircraft from Boeing.

Legislation affecting the world’s largest gantry crane manufacturer brings supply chain risks along with it, according to a port security expert.

The FTC wants to know if large corporations are engaging in anticompetitive supply chain practices.

While there are other factors in driving up supply chain costs, it cannot be refuted that maritime costs are adding to inflation.

Airports in Asia have been in the news for cargo delays because of COVID cases, but infections are impacting cargo hubs around the world.

“International collaboration is essential to decarbonize global supply chains. It’s time to get started on this important work,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.

A “bomb cyclone” is expected to hit the Northeast and disrupt air traffic.

Renting a plane to move cargo is expensive but necessary in these days of supply chain turmoil.

Despite voluntary sustainability efforts and increasing regulations, shipping emissions are on the rise.

China Airlines has 21 freighter aircraft in its fleet and is adding capacity to meet trans-Pacific demand.

SoCal imports suffering multimonth slide, not because of falling demand, but because of supply chain bottlenecks.

Volkswagen aims to support sustainability in shipbuilding and ship recycling through the initiative, said Simon Motter, head of Volkswagen Group Logistics.

Nearly 80% of the U.S. commercial fleet has been deemed safe to operate around 5G antennas, but not some of the largest freighters in the FedEx and UPS fleets.

Shipping analysts rethink outlooks on crude and product tanker rates: already grim market appears even grimmer.

A commercial cargo carrier is at the forefront of U.S. efforts to supply Ukraine with weapons ahead of a possible Russian invasion.

Passenger airlines are limping back to health, but the air cargo sector is on fire.

The Port of Savannah handled a record 5.6 million TEUs in 2021.

This beluga whale doesn’t swim, it flies. Airbus built a freighter that looks like the whale so it can get large shipments in the front dome.

MSC, a giant shipping line, wants to buy an Italian airline. If successful, it will then be in the passenger airline and air cargo businesses.

The United States takes tit-for-tat action against Chinese airlines after China restricts access by U.S. carriers.

An attack on Ukraine could hike costs for shipowners and cargo shippers across the globe.

Shippers are “fed up” with the West Coast logjam and “happy” to pay extra for East Coast destinations.

Family comes first for Lionel van der Walt, who has left PayCargo.

Amazon doesn’t have any pilots. It outsources flight operations to airlines. Find out which one is supporting cargo service to Wichita.

New financiers are backing a major fleet expansion at Mexican cargo carrier MasAir.

Kubed Living is turning shipping containers into homes, offices and gyms.

Among the major U.S. passenger carriers, United Airlines was the big winner in cargo performance during 2021.

Aeronautical Engineering takes used planes and turns them into cargo configuration. More countries are approving a new design for its 737-800 freighter.

Could container shipping and tanker stocks end 2022 very differently than they began it?

It’s a sign of the supply chain times when customers are renting entire planes from United Airlines to haul low-value commodities like mayonnaise.

“Historic, pandemic-induced import surge” drove record-smashing volume at the Port of Long Beach.

“An earlier transition will allow more gradual changes, thereby reducing the risk of significant disruptions of the sector and of asset stranding,” the report said.

Shippers, not just passengers, will be negatively impacted by delayed flights and rerouting to alternative airports if telecom companies eventually launch service close to airports.

For bulk commodity shipping, a rough start to the year. For container shipping, the profit bonanza continues.

FedEx wants to study the feasibility of putting a laser on planes to divert potential missile strikes. The FAA has shelved its review for the time being.

FedEx wants to put a laser-emitting device on a certain aircraft to protect against a missile attack. By all indications it’s for a very limited test, not a fleetwide procurement.

Freightos is expanding its North American air cargo customer base with the acquisition of 7L Freight.

Clean up on Runway 2, please! We’ve got rubber deposits.

“Climate protection is an issue that impacts everyone. While we can work towards this goal internally, we also wanted to provide an opportunity to enroll our customers in our mission toward carbon neutrality,” said Mark McCullough, Gebrüder Weiss USA CEO.

“The global supply chain will be further strained because of these lockdowns in China and the result would be a further gap in global demand and supply,” says Container xChange CEO Johannes Schlingmeier.

FedEx Logistics is the latest company to find an alternative to big-port congestion by taking freight business to the Port of Hueneme in California.

Delta Air Lines is on the path to recovery from the depths of the coronavirus pandemic, but omicron remains a hurdle.

United opposition from four major U.S. cargo airlines has made Saudia reconsider its request for an exemption to fly freighters outside the normal regime governing air services.

Growth in air cargo volumes decelerated in the last two months of 2021. Blame it on too much demand stressing the freight system.

No letup yet: It’s taking even longer for Asian exports to get across Pacific to American buyers.

The finger-pointing of blame and the political promises and suggestions are not improving the flow of trade.

“This year will be the year for Maersk to ensure green solutions are developed end to end,” said Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of fleet and strategic brands at Maersk.

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted holiday season wins at the ports of LA and Long Beach while addressing shipping-sector prices.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants the Biden administration to spend less time correcting economic problems the chamber feels don’t exist, and more on trade.

2021 was a banner year for The Port of Virginia, SC Ports and Alabama Port Authority.

More COVID control measures in China are impacting international goods movement.

Shares of Zim are flirting with a new peak while shares of ship-leasing, dry bulk and tanker companies lose ground.

The omicron variant is depleting aircrews at FedEx just as it has among passenger airlines, resulting in customer delays for both industries.

The Biden administration wants consumer protection regulators to examine whether giant retailers are creating supply chain distortions for smaller businesses.

Popular interest in the supply chain may have faded, but the pileup of ships waiting offshore keeps growing.

A small COVID outbreak is curtailing industrial operations in the Chinese city of Ningbo and the port could soon feel the ripple effects.

The latest partial closure of the Port of Ningbo has forwarders shifting strategies to keep the flow of trade moving.

The leading spokesman in Washington for the world’s container trades offers his take on the implications of potential regulatory changes in 2022.

Atlas Air is one of the biggest cargo airlines in the U.S. Four big jets will join the fleet in the next two years.

Cathay Pacific Cargo is limping back to service after shutting down most flights for a week to adjust its schedule to lower pilot availability.

The U.S. government is monitoring for omicron-related disruptions “at ports overseas and at home,” according to port envoy John Porcari.

New barometer from NY Federal Reserve highlights how extreme supply chain crunch has become.

Chutzpah: When Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier asks the U.S. to operate cargo flights directly from Europe and the Saudi government denies similar rights to U.S. carriers.

“2022 must be the year where commitments are turned into concrete steps and binding regulations,” said Madeline Rose, climate campaign director at Pacific Environment.

California officials are going to court again to try to mitigate the emissions impact of a new air logistics center at the San Bernardino Airport anchored by Amazon Air.

Agriculture exporters on the West Coast are feeling neglected by ocean carriers. The Port of Oakland is trying to make more equipment available so they can ship their goods.

How could the consensus — that container spot rates will remain extremely high — be wrong?

Small ports were one solution for big-port problems in 2021. Shippers that could find a vessel were able to get their cargo processed quickly by shifting to a secondary port.

Cathay Pacific is running out of pilots for its freighter operations because of stricter quarantine measures.

Port of Los Angeles is going vessel operators to clear out empty containers or else face big fines.

MSC sues Deere, patent owner sues six shipping lines, box-overboard cases pile up, and Hanjin’s ghost tries to collect.

The Federal Maritime Commission is ratcheting up pressure on ocean carriers to reduce logistical challenges for their customers.

McDonald’s called in the air cavalry to overcome shipping disruptions that forced it to ration french fries in Japan.

Putting money on what American Shipper readers were clicking on in 2021 would be a safe bet.

There has never been a year like this for container shipping. Here are the biggest stories of 2021.

CBP and vessel operators will save money through a new rule requiring that crew-list inspections go paperless.

Twenty-five port projects in 19 states are receiving U.S. Maritime Administration grants aimed at bolstering port infrastructure.

While many companies put environmental concerns on the back burner the past two years, “the topic has very much returned to the top of the agenda for most leading players in the industry today,” said Greg Hewitt, CEO at DHL Express USA.

Shipping lines are flush with cash and using it to expand into logistics services.

After an exceptional year for ocean shipping, the data points to more action ahead in 2022.

The White House will be “shining a light on profiteering” by ocean carriers in an effort to fend off inflation and keep supply chains moving.

“Expectations are that high consumer demand and low inventory levels will keep rates elevated well into next year,” says Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta.

“We are a data company that happens to be applying our data points to solving problems in supply chain,” says Dray Alliance co-founder and CEO Steve Wen.

The biggest, baddest space observatory ever built is ready to ride into space on Dec. 25. How did NASA safely deliver it to the launch site in South America?

Maersk is becoming an integrated logistics goliath with the ability to provide freight management, transportation, warehousing and e-commerce fulfillment for big retailers and manufacturers.

Sun Country maintains labor peace with its pilots.

Spot rates topped $300,000/day, sank to teens, rose to over $360,000, now back near $100,000.

UPS Airlines boosts its fleet with a big order for Boeing cargo jets.