American Shipper

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.

From ocean shipping reform to vaccine mandates, the past year has been a backdrop for new and proposed government oversight and requirements affecting carriers and shippers.

The latest example of an ocean carrier expanding into the logistics space involves MSC trying to buy a piece of Bolloré Logistics.

Don’t be afraid of the drone swarm. It’s just Korean Air’s approach to using several drones at once to visually inspect its aircraft.

Experts across the supply chain weigh in on the most impactful sustainability trends in 2021.

OSHA extends compliance deadlines for its vaccination mandate to Jan. 10 and Feb. 9 as ATA takes the fight to the Supreme Court.

The logistics startup has wrapped up its series B funding round.

Carriers and shippers are turning to East Coast ports as Los Angeles/Long Beach remains mired in congestion.

The White House is asking carriers to play nice with exporters, but next year Congress may give it a hammer to use if shipping practices don’t change.

The Health Industry Distributors Association said that between 8,000 to 12,000 containers filled with millions of critical medical supplies are delayed.

Port Hueneme is an example of a niche port that is attracting more container shipments because of bottlenecks at big seaports.

While the Port of Long Beach is still dealing with a lineup of container ships waiting to berth, it is looking ahead to providing more cargo visibility.

Import demand remains exceptionally strong but volumes through America’s largest port are falling.

SoCal port crunch “has really become as bad as it’s ever been,” reports industry veteran Jon Monroe.

Airbus appears to have placed a winning bet by introducing a new, big cargo jet — the A350.

A new report by Shifl shows the impact the massive congestion off the coast of Los Angeles and Long Beach has had on transit times from China.

It’s important for LSPs, cargo owners, warehouse operators and other stakeholders in the supply chain to understand their insurance programs, contractual agreements and best practices to properly protect their businesses.

United Airlines is getting lots of attention with bold statements that it hopes to fly hydrogen jets in seven years and supersonic jets by the end of the decade.

November volumes rose nearly 4% year-over-year, although on a sequential basis, volumes fell nearly 9% from October.

Christmas is just around the corner, but the supply chain remains snarled, says a C.H. Robinson exec.

The four, 100-foot tall gantry cranes are scheduled to begin work at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal early next year.

After brief reprieve, trans-Pacific shipping rates head back up, pointing to ongoing supply chain pressure.

If you fly on United Express or American Eagle, you may have actually been on a plane operated by Mesa Airlines. Now it has an all-cargo option too.

Some public shipowners are turning toward more diverse fleets. Others are moving in the opposite direction.

Strong selling on Friday follows the disclosure that XPO’s founder, and chair of both companies, sold 3.2 million shares in each.

The Port of Savannah handled 6.7% more containers in November compared to a year ago, according to the Georgia Ports Authority.

California drayage company Orange Avenue Express alleges ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd is forcing it to act as a storage facility for refrigerated containers.

The container shipping surge shows no signs of letup, but the Southern California ports say they are slowly clearing out the backlogs.

Air Canada is deploying a new cargo jet to alleviate the cargo delays caused when flooding partially cut off the Port of Vancouver.

Not only critical for the safety of seafarers on vessels, the terrestrial AIS data provides specific commodity and port information so trading decisions can be made.

The unique design will improve port efficiency and increase capacity, according to Maersk.

The A321 passenger-to-freighter aircraft is only a year old. Now its sister, the A320, is transitioning to an all-cargo configuration too.

The number of ships waiting to berth at the Port of Vancouver reached 60 as congestion continues while rail service slowly recovers from storms.

Controversial plan to charge for containers lingering on terminals keeps getting delayed. Yet containers still linger.

An FMC shipper advisory recommends prioritizing container automation ahead of next year’s labor negotiations.

Ocean shipping reform legislation passed on Wednesday in the U.S. House as the Senate prepares companion legislation.

Crowley wants to be “the most sustainable and innovative maritime and logistics company in the Americas by 2025,” says Alisa Praskovich, sustainability director at the company.

Amazon is throwing more freighters into its air logistics operation as online sales soar.

The deal continues the trend of steamship lines adding logistics capabilities to their portfolios.

The World Shipping Council warns of too much government intrusion while taking heat for sky-high carrier profits.

South Carolina Ports experienced an all-time high for the number of containers handled in November amid higher import volumes.

Qantas and Air Canada are pioneers in swapping older passenger planes from their fleets and turning them into full-time cargo haulers.

Georgia port officials are engaged in what appears to be the largest current expansion of a port in North America.

Container, dry bulk and tanker stocks are down from recent highs. Temporary setback or something more?

Commission).Bentzel: “Let’s face it, it’s taking two or three times longer to deliver cargo because of congestion and conservatively prices are three to five times higher.”

Industry cooperation removing containers from the docks has convinced port officials to hold off imposing penalties for excess storage.

CN begins moving trains on the Kamloops-Vancouver corridor three weeks after flooding and landslides in British Columbia knocked out its main Port of Vancouver rail link.

A container vessel made an emergency call at a Mexican port so sailors could seek medical attention for COVID-19.

COVID exposed underlying chinks in the supply chain, especially at the ports. The White House has lit a fire under the industry’s feet to improve the container shipping system.

Marine Exchange now counts ships waiting farther out to sea, confirming just how big the backlog really is.