Tag Archives: Maritime

March 2nd, 2013 Dear Trade and Travel Industry Colleagues: As a result of the budget sequestration which went into effect on March 1, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is writing to provide you with information on how these … Continue reading →

Negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents shipping companies and terminal operators, opened and ended abruptly last Wednesday morning as the ILA walked out after objecting to … Continue reading →

U.S. diesel prices fell again last week, continuing a trend that began in early December. The average cost per gallon is now at $3.911, compared to $3.828 a year ago. Prices fell everywhere except for the Central Atlantic, Gulf Coast … Continue reading →

Despite efforts by ocean carrier’s to cut down on capacity in east-west trade routes, freight rates are expected to remain steady due to lower than expected cargo volumes. Average head-haul freight rates have declined from $2,700 to $2,400 in little … Continue reading →

The impending East and Gulf coasts ports strike was avoided this morning as shippers and longshoremen decided to extend talks for 30 days. With the issue over royalty payments on containers now settled, negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement between … Continue reading →

Under federal moderation, representatives of the International Longshoremen Alliance (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents steamship lines and terminals that employ ILA union members, continued negotiations towards a contract resolution this week. In late September, the ILA … Continue reading →

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in cooperation with trade stakeholders, is establishing procedures for events that cause major delays and diversions of vessel cargo arriving and departing the U.S. CBP will continue to demonstrate its commitment to the restoration … Continue reading →

Cargo handling resumed in the Ports of Long Beach (POLB) and Los Angeles (POLA) on Wednesday morning, after an agreement was made Tuesday night. Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, announced that a settlement has been reached between the Office Clerical … Continue reading →

A resolution to the labor disputes between the Office Clerical Unit (OCU) and their employers will not happen today. Clerical workers at the Port of Long Beach (POLB) and the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) continue to strike for a … Continue reading →

After a tumultuous couple weeks, trucking companies in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast began reopening terminals closed during Hurricane Sandy early last week. However, logistic bottlenecks, fuel/power shortages, and challenges accessing customers have continued to hamper normal operations. With losses in … Continue reading →

Analysts at the American Trucking Association (ATA) released a study this week confirming that the trucking industry is facing a driver shortage, and it is likely to grow over the next decade. The study reports that increased government regulations, specifically … Continue reading →

In an effort to prematurely prevent rate erosion during the weak trade season, carriers belonging to  the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) announced a proposed general rate increase of $1,500 per FEU on standard and high-cube refrigerated container shipments from Asia … Continue reading →

After a tumultuous couple days, trucking companies in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast began reopening terminals closed during Hurricane Sandy, although the hardest-hit areas remained limited or closed as of today. Logistic bottlenecks, fuel shortages, and challenges accessing customers will hamper … Continue reading →

On 4/22/2012, CBP published a Notice of Proposed Rule Making outlining changes in the in-bond process. Today, CBP continues to accept paper in-bond forms (CBP form 7512). The proposed changes would require all in-bond filers to electronically submit their in-bond … Continue reading →

Trans-Pacific spot rates paid by NVOCCs have remained relatively unchanged for the fourth consecutive week according to analysts. The spot index of Hong-Kong to Los Angeles remained at $2,711 per 40-ft container (FEU), which is where it has averaged since … Continue reading →

Yesterday, representatives of the International Longshoremen Alliance (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents steamship lines and terminals that employ ILA union members, resumed negotiations towards a contract resolution. The week prior, the ILA and USMX agreed to … Continue reading →

Although hardly talked about, the U.S. has been gradually shifting efforts towards the expansion of U.S. trade exports and the increase of home production in an effort to revive the economy and bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Analysts … Continue reading →

Although truck tonnage is up 3.2 percent from where it was a year ago in August, tonnage dropped 0.9 percent compared to June and July of this year, according to the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) assessment for the second quarter … Continue reading →

In a recent CSMS (Cargo Systems Messaging Service) from U.S. Customs, it was announced that 9% of ocean carriers have not begun program changes, testing and transition scheduling for the Automated Commercial Environment, known as ACE. Effective September 29, 2012 … Continue reading →

Despite the looming possibility of East Coast port closures, U.S. containerized imports are expected to rise 8.5 percent this month and remain high through the end of the year. September is forecasted to bring 1.49 million TEUs, which is over … Continue reading →

For the month of August, truckload rates remained flat in comparison to the month prior. Rates fell from 8.2 percent in February to 2.1 percent in July of this year, and truckload pricing increased 1 percent year over year (August). … Continue reading →

For the fifth consecutive week, average Asia-Europe spot rates fell, this week falling 12 percent ($350 per loaded FEU). Rates have been dropping dramatically in the second half of the year, due to low European demand caused by the recession … Continue reading →

After 10 consecutive weeks of increases, the average price of diesel in the U.S. stayed nearly flat last week. The average cost per gallon is at $4.132, 27 cents higher than the same period a year ago. Prices slipped in … Continue reading →

Following strong demand from Asia, the global market for natural gas-powered trucks is expected to rise 14 percent from now until 2019. Currently, Asia- Pacific nations make up nearly 75 percent of the global natural gas vehicle sales. This demand … Continue reading →

Members of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA) accounced earlier this week the recommendation of a general rate increase of $160 per TEU and $200 per FEU on October 1st for all dry commodities to and from all origins and … Continue reading →

Following last week’s decision by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) to grant authority to its president to recommend a union strike, several shipping lines have announced potential congestion surcharges if East or Gulf Coast ports are closed in response to … Continue reading →

As the maritime industry prepares for its busiest time of year, a threat of a strike looms over the East Coast ports. Earlier this week, the members of Local 1804-1 (New Jersey) of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) granted authority … Continue reading →

The world container ship fleet has crossed 16 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) after the addition of an estimated 802,000TEUs worth of new container ships in the first half of this year. These new container ships represent 5 percent of … Continue reading →

  In a recent CSMS (Cargo Systems Messaging Service) from U.S. Customs, it was announced that 9% of ocean carriers have not begun program changes, testing and transition scheduling for the Automated Commercial Environment, known as ACE. Effective September 29, … Continue reading →

CBP has instituted a pilot project for export manifest submission using their DIS (document imaging system) earlier this year.  This pilot has been very successful in automating the delivery of manifest to CBP as well as saving exporting carriers a … Continue reading →

The average U.S. price for diesel rose 6.3 cents last week, continuing a trend that began 6 weeks ago. The average cost per gallon is up to $4.089, with prices up 26.9 cents from a year ago. The price rose … Continue reading →

Led by U.S.-based companies’ exports to emerging foreign markets, U.S. global trade is expected to rise 4.7 percent annually over the course of the next 15 years according to analysts. During the next 5 years, U.S. exports are expected to … Continue reading →

U.S. diesel prices fell by 5.1 cents in the week ending June 25th, hitting the lowest points since February 2011. The national average sat at $3.678 per gallon, 21 cents cheaper than they were a year ago and 10.5 cents … Continue reading →

On Thursday, March 29, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection  published a notice to the trade announcing that effective September 29, 2012 AMS will be retired and ACE will become the only acceptable CBP approved EDI. The road to realization of … Continue reading →

Due to the reaction to the proposed changes to the Compliance, Accountability, Safety program (CSA) from the American Trucking Association along with shipper & broker groups, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the comment period by 60 days, to July … Continue reading →

According to the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the transportation industries added the most jobs for the month of May. Out of the 69,000 jobs added to non-farm payrolls, the transportation industries represented 36,000. Out … Continue reading →

After low new truck production levels in 2009, truckers are feeling the pinch with national used truck pricing rising around 16 percent in April compared to last year. Year over year, the national average price for used trucks is above … Continue reading →

A federal court of appeals on Monday struck down the employee-driver mandate in the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) clean-truck program. The verdict was a huge victory for the American Trucking Association (ATA), which has been appealing and fighting the … Continue reading →

Containerized imports at U.S ports in April are expected to grow 9% from a year ago, which would mark 15 consecutive months of year-over-year improvement in U.S container imports. The first half of 2011 is forecasted to grow 8% from … Continue reading →

Add Hapaq-Lloyd to the list of major ocean carriers who have stopped providing chassis to harbor truckers. At the end of 2010, many larger carriers operating in the US had begun to phase out providing chassis on the East coast, with … Continue reading →

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) proposed amendment for Hours of Service (HOS) has brought up some questions from the different facets of the transportation industry. The changes, which took effect in October 2010, require that truck drivers take … Continue reading →