Global Supply Chain

A torrent of backlogged cargo in China is expected to overwhelm global ports once Chinese authorities end widespread COVID lockdowns.

Shelley Simpson of J.B. Hunt will be the industry keynote speaker at The Future of Supply Chain.

The White House is pressuring Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to lift additional truck inspections as lines of cross-border trucks grow.

Attend the FreightWaves Enterprise Fleet Summit on Wednesday, April 13!

The pandemic and the supply chain crisis was a one-two punch for United Road Services, the car hauler that moves 4 million vehicles a year.

With record inventories building and bottlenecks easing is deflation next?

With order fulfillment lagging, Nussbaum Transportation counts on its maintenance skill to keep older equipment running longer.

Maersk is one of the world’s dominant container shipping lines. Now it is making a play to be a major cargo airline.

The CEO and co-founder of Treet answers questions about his resale platform and the growing recommerce industry.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new border plan Wednesday to inspect all commercial vehicles at the border for undocumented migrants.

While visibility has always been important, it has been increasingly essential over the past couple of years. Better technology allows businesses to track products accurately through the supply chain and provides predictive capabilities.

Chinese President Xi is intent on eradicating COVID. The policy has come at a high economic cost. A new lockdown in Kunshan could threaten electronics production and further snarl ocean and air transport.

FreightWaves adviser Matt Waller answers questions about shifting priorities that may include sustainability.

Gatik CEO Gautam Narang will detail middle-mile autonomy’s role in the future of the supply chain at FreightWaves’ upcoming The Future of Supply Chain conference.

Also on the podcast: Transplace’s view of the supply chain and whether it’s getting any better.

FreightWaves Founder and CEO Craig Fuller provides further analysis regarding the decline in the freight market.

RH confirms sharp drop in demand since Russia-Ukraine war and sees no supply chain relief.

Gulf Coast port volumes rose in February, boosted by imports of steel and breakbulk cargo, along with exports of petroleum and crude oil.

Tracks emissions technology will help project44 customers measure and mitigate scope 3 supply chain emissions, which are currently difficult to track.

Data can help identify causes of inefficiency and inform better decision-making.

Key speakers announced for The Future of Supply Chain.

Craig Fuller analyzes the state of the U.S. truckload market.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for federal, state and local governments to develop inland ports to improve network flows, say stakeholders.

The shutdown of Canadian Pacific’s rail network is putting additional strain on the supply chain as shipments grind to a halt with backups looming at ports.

Gatik’s Gautam Narang will be an industry keynoter at The Future of Supply Chain event.

Experts discuss how environmental impacts and supply chain resilience are becoming increasingly important.

Despite the problems in the U.S. and around the world, there are some encouraging signs.

Transfix’s Scott Sokoloff discusses how data is keeping supply chains resilient in the wake of recent shake-ups.

Many industries are differentiating between all-in providers and specialists.

Congress is paying more attention than ever to freight supply chains. Here are 10 pending bills that attempt to address disruption and lower costs for carriers and their customers.

Fancy a Moscow mule or White Russian? Get ready to change brands.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is a leader in computer science education; Jonathan Hoffman has expertise in national defense.

As You Sow graded companies based on their progress toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Mark Delaney of FourKites helps break down wider implications of slowing e-commerce sales in the region.

Modern Shipper talked with Sourcemap CEO Leo Bonanni and investor Juan Muldoon to break down the company’s new funding raise.

Nominate industry-leading shippers for FreightWaves’ annual Shipper of Choice award before Saturday, April 2.

Expeditors International is desperately trying to recover from a major cyberattack that has degraded its logistics capabilities.

Growing e-commerce demand is likely to require higher inventories for timely fulfillment. That means a congested supply chain could become the new norm.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week has caused uncertainty not just for the energy markets but also for global agricultural trade.

The procurement module will help companies find more sustainable suppliers, said Ethan Soloviev, chief innovation officer at HowGood.

Several trade and transport groups claim ocean carriers should lose special antitrust privileges and face stricter regulatory enforcement of shipping laws.

Nexxiot co-founder Daniel MacGregor chats with FreightWaves’ Tyler Cole about how data and Internet of Things can impact sustainability.

“The more we talk about data you need to be specific about what data you want to get and what purpose you want to get the data for,” said Rik Arends, program director at Smart Freight Centre.

FreightWaves’ Tony Mulvey and Torqata’s Rak-Joon Choi discuss how visibility and blockchain technology are impacting the automotive industry.

Electric bus, battery and infrastructure developer Proterra Inc. deals with its own supply chain issues as well as those of end customers.

The “everything shortage” forced truck manufacturers to cancel, retime and slow order intake even as demand for more trucks surges.

A one-on-one talk with the top supply chain policy expert at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“There’s a lot more focus on tracking the product itself” when it comes to consumer packaged goods, said Bart De Muynck, vice president of supply chain research at Gartner.

Automation can help “you get a ton more value out of your existing systems and any new investments you want to make in technology,” said Eric Rempel, chief innovation officer at Redwood Logistics.

On-demand air charter companies are providing emergency parts deliveries for automakers trying to cope with demonstrations blocking a key U.S.-Canada border bridge.

They can take my gravy when they pry it from my cold, greasy skillet.

A Thursday report from logistics real estate investment trust Prologis shows market rents grew at the fastest pace recorded during 2021.

Donald Trump claimed his trade war got the Chinese to bend to U.S. will. But the “historic” trade deal he negotiated didn’t turn out so well.

“Efficiency is the place to start. Look for opportunities to collaborate,” said Ryan Purcell, senior director of supply chain, global health and development at Coupa Software.

Capacity must expand by 15% just to keep up with normal inventory levels and build resilient operations, the company’s research arm says.

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

Bottlenecks and a lack of transportation capacity led many retailers to order extra merchandise in the fall. Inventories are now piling up at points along the supply chain for some companies because they still can’t find the transportation to move the goods, a supply chain survey finds.

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

“I do believe that companies can make this profitable for themselves,” said Zsofia Agnes Nagy, supply chain adviser at BZLW Consulting.

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

Truck Tech is a weekly newsletter providing perspective and context on autonomy, electrification and other technologies impacting the fleet ecosystem.

According to Deloitte’s 2022 Retail Industry Outlook, supply chain automation and voice-enabled commerce are top of mind for retailers.

In a move that will triple its European carrier base, FourKites is building the continent’s largest multimodal carrier network.

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.

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

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.

A bill in the state of New York proposes environmental and social disclosure requirements for fashion companies.

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

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

Supply chain visibility provider project44 sees record top-line growth during the fourth quarter, with bookings, account wins and retention coming in better than expected.

“We’ll see real progress as more companies have leadership at the highest levels in the company focused on sustainability and incorporating sustainability into business strategy,” said Susan Uthayakumar, chief sustainability and energy officer at Prologis.

December supply chain numbers again show “significant expansion.” The Logistics Managers’ Index report questions whether retailers ordered too much for the holidays.

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.

As ransomware attacks battered transportation and logistics companies in 2021, here are six things we learned about cybersecurity and freight.

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

Deutsche Post DHL Group is ranking its road transport subcontractors on their level of sustainability.

Shippers increasingly search for suppliers with sustainable operations.

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

“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.

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.

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

FreightWaves takes a look back at some of the most destructive weather events of 2021 and their impacts on freight.

“This is not optional. This is going to be a core part of how we think about our investments going forward,” Jon Bradford, a partner at Dynamo Ventures, said.

CarrierDirect’s Ryan Schreiber and Nolan Transportation Group’s Drew Herpich discuss optimizing capacity during FreightWaves’ Domestic Supply Chain Summit.

Autonomy will ripple strongly through multiple modes, Lee Klaskow said during FreightWaves’ Domestic Supply Chain Summit.

Dozens are confirmed dead, but the search continues for survivors of Friday’s tornado outbreak across the South.

Making freight and logistics activities sustainable in the Asia-Pacific region is anything but simple.

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

Cummins Inc. deals with multiple short-term supply chain glitches, but it could take two years to fix chip shortages, CEO Tom Linebarger says.

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

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

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.

Officials are creating unrealistic expectations that supply chains will be unplugged within weeks or months.

The largest container terminal operator in the world is buying BDP, a midsize U.S. freight forwarder.

Major retailers and suppliers reassured the White House they have a handle on supply chain volatility and can meet consumer demand.

Retail inventories jump ahead of the holiday buying season but the need for restocking will extend well into 2022, which bodes well for freight demand.

The Federal Trade Commission will investigate whether large companies have taken advantage of the supply chain chaos at the expense of consumers or smaller competitors.

Southern California ports and private operators are using carrots and sticks to help eliminate a massive pileup of cargo.

Innovation and investment are the watchwords at the Georgia Ports Authority, where officials are rushing to deal with supply chain constraints.

Double demurrage in Seattle: A terminal operator is adding a second layer of fees for extended container dwell times.