Back in October 2016, at the 70th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC), the IMO announced the enforcement of a new regulation that would place a sulfur cap on fuel oil emissions known to damage wildlife, cause acid rain and respiratory ailments. Under the [...]
It’s difficult for shippers to ignore the tight capacity and backlog of deliveries plaguing domestic transportation across the United States. Fleets nationwide are desperate for drivers and equipment as freight rates, diesel prices, and container volumes continue to soar heading into the August peak season. Intermodal providers may have locked [...]
It’s been two years since 51 percent of Britain’s population voted for the separation of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU), but little has been done to reassure the community and the world of a “seamless” departure. Commonly referred to as “Brexit,” the decision to leave the [...]
Trade & tariffs If you’re a business owner, then chances are you’ve been following as the United States trade agenda sent waves of change across international waters. After implementing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, the Administration also announced the first round of additional 25 percent Section 301 tariffs on [...]
International shippers doing business through America’s East and Gulf Coasts can breathe a little easier as the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) await ratification of a tentative six-year master contract. For importers and exporters, it is a rare sign of stability in a fluctuating [...]
Drivers may have been celebrating after a compromise was reached between the Brazilian Association of Truckers, Abcam, and the government, but manufacturers across the country took deep losses. The 30-day truce comes days after a crippling, nationwide strike that cost the country $9 billion in lost income and damages. While [...]
Last week, the United States shocked the international trade community by implementing 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum for its closest trading allies, the European Union, Canada, and Mexico. While the greater culpability of steel and aluminum overcapacity rests with China, the U.S. believes transshipping, currency [...]
The United States will proceed with implementing a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports starting midnight this Friday, June 1, 2018. Originally announced in March, key allies were exempt pending independent trade negotiations, such as North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but with stagnant progress, the administration [...]
Ports all over Brazil are at a critical stand-still as the country enters its 10th day of protests. While a provisional, 30-day truce was reached between the government and Abcam, the Brazilian Association of Truck Drivers, independent operators refuse to return to work until they see lower fuel prices at gas [...]
As the U.S. trucking market tightens further under ELD compliance, shippers typically turning to intermodal for additional space will be greeted by high spot rates and cold shoulders as contracted commitments and service adjustments limit rail absorption capacity. Spot rates for intermodal are over 50 percent higher, on average, year-over-year. [...]
