For our members, the return from the worst of the post-pandemic global supply chain’s shocks and consequences is progressing in the right direction, yet we’re not past the point of continuing danger. The underlying conditions that pre-existed the pandemic remain unresolved and the hyper-focus and engagement by industry and government has waned. Legislation has identified structural problems, and its pending rulemaking and implementation has yet to prove whether it will deliver measurable results. The logic and accountability we reference have been and continue to be ACSA policy and advocacy objectives, focusing on behavioral and practical improvements that increase efficiency and competitiveness for US exporters.
Due to weather and alternative crops, US cotton exports will be at their lowest in 15 years, yet the global marketplace remains challenging. Competing exporters are becoming continuously more efficient in their cost-to-market economics. We must execute more competitively and consistently on our commitments than pre-pandemic levels. We must also leverage the inherent and valuable characteristics of cotton compared to synthetic fiber to bolster generic demand.
Systemic improvement requires enhanced collaboration, communication and informed decisions between shippers and the rest of the members of their supply chains. Data integrity and utility is the most evident breakdown in the national system and will continue to create significant consequences if we do not act.
The US Federal Maritime Commission’s (FMC) National Shipper Advisory Board has crafted sound recommendations that are consistent with ACSA policy concerning this. FMC is hovering over meaningful reform, but they desperately need to expedite their rulemaking and related work across the finish line to create commercial adoption that reflects the vision of Congress and the administration prior to cargo levels resurging. Our viability as US exporters and the overall utility of US infrastructure depends on their ongoing work.