The current port situation in the United States remains very critical. Delays and extra charges are still occurring, especially at the West Coast port facilities. We predict that the delays will continue for a while, and we are still waiting for a solution in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union negotiations.
Availability of trucks and chassis across the U.S. to perform import door deliveries and export door pickups continues to be a major concern. There is also a shortage of about 35,000 truck drivers at the moment, and we believe that number will continue to grow, thus increasing trucking costs. The truck driver shortage will most likely continue over the next few years.
The main topic in compliance for 2015 will most likely be the continued efforts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to meet the milestones for the ACE deployment schedule. The Automated Commercial Environment is the new single-window interface between U.S. Customs and the importing community.
There are several deployments scheduled for this year that will continue to push the industry to a more paperless and seamless environment. The first deployment will be e-Bond in January, which will allow the sureties and U.S. Customs to communicate directly and ensure that all information for a Customs bond is accurate and properly documented. This should help create faster processing times for both CBP and the trade.
Frank Guenzerodt, President and CEO, Dachser USA