<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Ryder System inked a multi-year contract with plastic pallet maker Intelligent Global Pooling Systems to distribute and redeploy up to 175 million pallets annually to IGPS&amp;rsquo;s North American custo</div>

Ryder System inked a multi-year contract with plastic pallet maker Intelligent Global Pooling Systems to distribute and redeploy up to 175 million pallets annually to IGPS&rsquo;s North American custo

<div>Ryder System inked a multi-year contract with plastic pallet maker Intelligent Global Pooling Systems to distribute and redeploy up to 175 million pallets annually to IGPS&amp;rsquo;s North American customers.Ryder will also manage RFID tracking of the pallets, which allow shippers and receivers to track shipments in real time. Plastic pallets manufactured by IGPS, which was formed in 2006, weigh 30 percent less than wood pallets, according to IGPS, which saves on trucking transport costs.Contact John Gallagher at <a>jgallagher@joc.com</a>.</div>...

Ryder System inked a multi-year contract with plastic pallet maker Intelligent Global Pooling Systems to distribute and redeploy up to 175 million pallets annually to IGPS&rsquo;s North American customers. Ryder will also manage RFID tracking of the pallets, which allow shippers and receivers to track shipments in real time. Plastic pallets manufactured by IGPS, which was formed in 2006, weigh 30 percent less than wood pallets, according to IGPS, which saves on trucking transport costs. Contact John Gallagher at jgallagher@joc.com .

Trucking News

Ryder Signs with Pallet Maker

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The moves by Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM come amid uncertainty about the outlook for the intra-Asia trade, with one analyst suggesting a possible rate war could see prices in the region tumble if there is no summer peak season.</div>

The moves by Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM come amid uncertainty about the outlook for the intra-Asia trade, with one analyst suggesting a possible rate war could see prices in the region tumble if there is no summer peak season.

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<div class="phx-topic">Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are bolstering their intra-Asia networks this month with a raft of new services and extra port calls ahead of the reshuffle of carrier alliances, including the launch of the Hapag-Lloyd/Maersk Gemini Cooperation partnership on Feb 1. Hapag-Lloyd said its new feeeders include a Vietnam-Cambodia-China (VCS) service that will better connect the two Southeast Asian countries with Gemini's trans-Pacific and Asia networks. The service will be inaugurated on Jan. 18 with a call at Sihanoukville in Cambodia by the 1,900-TEU Nordatlantic. The rotation includes calls at Vung Tau, Haiphong, Yantian and Shekou. Other enhancements are a new India Asia Express (IAX) service that will connect ports in Asia, including Singapore and North Asia, with Mundra in India. It will link with the Gemini shuttle network to enable North America-bound cargo to connect at Qingdao and Busan, Hapag-Lloyd said in an advisory this week. The service will be inaugurated by the 4,957-TEU X-Press Odyssey that is due to arrive at Mundra on Feb. 16. The full rotation is Mundra-Singapore-Qingdao-Tianjin-Busan. Four other new services will connect the Gemini hubs at Singapore and Tanjung Pelepas in Malayasia with ports in Southeast Asia and East Asia. They are the China Philippines feeder (CPF) that will also connect Nansha in southern China and the Philippine ports of Batangas, Manila and Subic Bay beginning Feb. 14; the Jakarta feeder (JKF) that will have two weekly sailings linking Jakarta with the two Gemini hubs from Feb. 8; the Singapore Surabaya loop (SS1) service connecting Tanjung Pelepas and Singapore with Surabaya and Semarang in Indonesia beginning Feb. 13; and the Taiwan Express (TWX) linking the Gemini hubs with Taichung and Kaohsiung from Feb. 6. Tanjung Pelepas will also be added as a port call on the Vietnam-Indonesia-Straits (VIS) service to provide a direct connection between the existing VIS ports and Gemini’s east-west mainline network. CNC Line, the intra-Asia subsidiary of CMA CGM, said it will resume its NKT service connecting North and Southeast Asia that will improve connectivity with the updated Ocean Alliance 2025 East-West network <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ocean-alliance-network-to-grow-trans-pacific-asia-europe-coverage-5921435">that was announced on Jan 13</a>. There will be direct calls from Thailand and Vietnam to South Korea, reducing transit times, CNC said. The service will be inaugurated by the 1,614-TEU Starship Aquila from Jan. 15. The full rotation is Incheon-Gwangyang-Busan-Hong Kong-Shekou-Laem Chabang-Bangkok-Laem Chabang-Ho Chi Minh City-Incheon. <h3>Regional rate war? </h3>The moves come amid uncertainty about the outlook for the intra-Asia trade, with a Drewry analyst suggesting a possible rate war could see rates in the region tumble if there is no summer peak season. Data from online benchmarking platform Xeneta and Container Trade Statistics (CTS) shows the intra-Asia peak season has shifted over the last three years from an early summer to an early fall high to more closely resemble the east-west mainline peak. Highlighting the current rate environment the intra-Asia trade, Stijn Rubens, senior consultant at Drewry Supply Chain Advisors, said average freight rates are likely to soften until the middle of the second quarter. Rubens said Drewry’s recently launched intra-Asia index showed rates softening, “which is indicative of sluggish volumes - i.e. no pre-Lunar New Year peak, and hence rates are likely to continue softening until the start of summer peak season.” FIBS Logistics agreed, although said while rates generally may have slipped, they have nudged higher on some routes. “We have yet to see strong demand (for) after the Lunar New Year,” a Singapore-based senior executive at the company told the Journal of Commerce. “Intra-Asia space is still tight, partly due to bad weather, port and vessel delays,” the executive added. “Hence rate increases are positive for some corridors such as Japan/ Thailand/Indonesia.” Xeneta data shows intra-Asia rates started to ease on key trades from Shanghai to Singapore, Bangkok and Vietnam’s main ports – Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong -- at the beginning of January. Rates from Shanghai to Bangkok hit a 2024 high of around $2,000 per FEU in December, but had slipped to about $1,900 by Jan. 8. Similarly, spot rates from Shanghai to Vietnam’s main ports slipped from a 2024 high of $1,700 per FEU in December to $1,600 on Jan. 8. Drewry’s Rubens noted that rates still have some way to fall until they reach pre-COVID levels. “With the new alliance structures phasing in during the first and second quarters, a rate war may make that happen without a summer peak,” he said. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com.</a></div>

Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are bolstering their intra-Asia networks this month with a raft of new services and extra port calls ahead of the reshuffle of carrier alliances, including the launch of the Hapag-Lloyd/Maersk Gemini Cooperation partnership on Feb 1. Hapag-Lloyd said its new feeeders include a Vietnam-Cambodia-China (VCS) service that will better connect the two Southeast Asian countries with Gemini's trans-Pacific and Asia networks. The service will be inaugurated on Jan. 18 with a call at Sihanoukville in Cambodia by the 1,900-TEU Nordatlantic. The rotation includes calls at Vung Tau, Haiphong, Yantian and Shekou. Other enhancements are a new India Asia Express (IAX) service that will connect ports in Asia, including Singapore and North Asia, with Mundra in India. It will link with the Gemini shuttle network to enable North America-bound cargo to connect at Qingdao and Busan, Hapag-Lloyd said in an advisory this week. The service will be inaugurated by the 4,957-TEU X-Press Odyssey that is due to arrive at Mundra on Feb. 16. The full rotation is Mundra-Singapore-Qingdao-Tianjin-Busan. Four other new services will connect the Gemini hubs at Singapore and Tanjung Pelepas in Malayasia with ports in Southeast Asia and East Asia. They are the China Philippines feeder (CPF) that will also connect Nansha in southern China and the Philippine ports of Batangas, Manila and Subic Bay beginning Feb. 14; the Jakarta feeder (JKF) that will have two weekly sailings linking Jakarta with the two Gemini hubs from Feb. 8; the Singapore Surabaya loop (SS1) service connecting Tanjung Pelepas and Singapore with Surabaya and Semarang in Indonesia beginning Feb. 13; and the Taiwan Express (TWX) linking the Gemini hubs with Taichung and Kaohsiung from Feb. 6. Tanjung Pelepas will also be added as a port call on the Vietnam-Indonesia-Straits (VIS) service to provide a direct connection between the existing VIS ports and Gemini’s east-west mainline network. CNC Line, the intra-Asia subsidiary of CMA CGM, said it will resume its NKT service connecting North and Southeast Asia that will improve connectivity with the updated Ocean Alliance 2025 East-West network that was announced on Jan 13 . There will be direct calls from Thailand and Vietnam to South Korea, reducing transit times, CNC said. The service will be inaugurated by the 1,614-TEU Starship Aquila from Jan. 15. The full rotation is Incheon-Gwangyang-Busan-Hong Kong-Shekou-Laem Chabang-Bangkok-Laem Chabang-Ho Chi Minh City-Incheon. Regional rate war? The moves come amid uncertainty about the outlook for the intra-Asia trade, with a Drewry analyst suggesting a possible rate war could see rates in the region tumble if there is no summer peak season. Data from online benchmarking platform Xeneta and Container Trade Statistics (CTS) shows the intra-Asia peak season has shifted over the last three years from an early summer to an early fall high to more closely resemble the east-west mainline peak. Highlighting the current rate environment the intra-Asia trade, Stijn Rubens, senior consultant at Drewry Supply Chain Advisors, said average freight rates are likely to soften until the middle of the second quarter. Rubens said Drewry’s recently launched intra-Asia index showed rates softening, “which is indicative of sluggish volumes - i.e. no pre-Lunar New Year peak, and hence rates are likely to continue softening until the start of summer peak season.” FIBS Logistics agreed, although said while rates generally may have slipped, they have nudged higher on some routes. “We have yet to see strong demand (for) after the Lunar New Year,” a Singapore-based senior executive at the company told the Journal of Commerce. “Intra-Asia space is still tight, partly due to bad weather, port and vessel delays,” the executive added. “Hence rate increases are positive for some corridors such as Japan/ Thailand/Indonesia.” Xeneta data shows intra-Asia rates started to ease on key trades from Shanghai to Singapore, Bangkok and Vietnam’s main ports – Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong -- at the beginning of January. Rates from Shanghai to Bangkok hit a 2024 high of around $2,000 per FEU in December, but had slipped to about $1,900 by Jan. 8. Similarly, spot rates from Shanghai to Vietnam’s main ports slipped from a 2024 high of $1,700 per FEU in December to $1,600 on Jan. 8. Drewry’s Rubens noted that rates still have some way to fall until they reach pre-COVID levels. “With the new alliance structures phasing in during the first and second quarters, a rate war may make that happen without a summer peak,” he said. Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com.

Container Shipping News

Port News

Container lines

International ports

Maritime

Carriers bolster intra-Asia networks amid uncertain rate, demand outlook

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The peace deal in Gaza is highlighting the capacity overhang facing container shipping once vessels absorbed by the longer voyages around southern Africa return to the shorter route via the Red Sea and Suez.</div>

The peace deal in Gaza is highlighting the capacity overhang facing container shipping once vessels absorbed by the longer voyages around southern Africa return to the shorter route via the Red Sea and Suez.

<div class="phx-topic">Commercial shipping will resume normal transits through the Suez Canal in late February at the earliest under the most optimistic analyst prediction made following the ceasefire agreement signed Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, assuming all conditions are met. While that best-case scenario was offered by Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime and a Journal of Commerce analyst, the peace deal in Gaza is highlighting the capacity overhang facing container shipping once vessels absorbed by the longer voyages around southern Africa return to the shorter route via the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Most commercial vessels have avoided the Suez for the past 14 months amid ongoing attacks by Houthi militants operating in Yemen, forcing ships to divert away from the Red Sea to the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope. The Houthis said their attacks were a sign of solidarity with Hamas. Jensen noted the best-case scenario for shipping would require that the six-week ceasefire that begins Jan. 19 sticks, and that the two other phases of the deal – a full withdrawal from Gaza by Israeli forces and a rebuilding plan in place for the territory – are also met. “There is no specificity at this point as to whether or when the Houthis will lift their proclaimed embargo against certain groups of merchant vessels passing through the southern Red Sea,” Jensen <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&amp;heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAABT06QBma5hiHVSOND3WOHMUNYfxwswFL8&amp;keywords=lars%20jensen&amp;origin=RICH_QUERY_TYPEAHEAD_HISTORY&amp;position=0&amp;searchId=1367a011-a129-45c7-bb5b-3a8cff1f4783&amp;sid=%3AIW&amp;spellCorrectionEnabled=true">wrote in a LinkedIn post Thursday</a>. “It is likely that shipping lines currently diverting around Africa want to see not only the ceasefire hold up...but also see some meaningful traction on the negotiations for phase two and three of the ceasefire – as well as see some meaningful statements from the Houthis in terms of no longer targeting merchant vessels,” Jensen said. An analysis by S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence published Thursday noted that the main economic impact of the Red Sea route reopening would be to return capacity to the container shipping system, equivalent to around 6% to 8% of existing vessels. At the same time, new vessels adding nearly 24% of new capacity to the global fleet would be launched over the next three years. Still, Jack Kennedy, associate director of country risk for the Middle East and North Africa at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence, said the ceasefire would not bring safety to the Red Sea. "The Houthi are likely to continue to target international vessels in transit regardless of a ceasefire being agreed between Israel and Hamas or end to the wider conflict because it still is an effective means for them to demonstrate internal legitimacy and engage external actors, and secure revenue through protection payments," Kennedy wrote in a report Thursday. "Even with the ceasefire outlined, there is still going to be an Israeli military presence in Gaza, and what is in effect a blockade of the strip.” S&amp;P Global is the parent company of the Journal of Commerce. <h3>Red Sea risks remain </h3>Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and the revised carrier alliances have all indicated in their new 2025 schedules that Cape of Good Hope diversions will continue, though Suez transit services were included in the schedules as the preferred option to deploy once it was safe to return to the Red Sea. Peter Sand, chief analyst at rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, said carriers need to re-assess their risks for Red Sea transits, and while a ceasefire was likely to lower the overall risk, more certainty was needed before shipping’s full return can happen. “Carriers need some assurance from the Houthi rebels before they begin their return, at first with sub-10,000 TEU ships and the last ones to return will be the 24,000-TEU container ships,” Sand told the Journal of Commerce. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="476e3a1b-4a99-4f05-9eb9-1b3e0c96bf09"></dynamic-object></div>Container carriers entered 2025 with a record orderbook of 8.3 million TEUs that followed the delivery of vessels totaling 2.9 million TEUs in 2024, according to shipping association BIMCO. An average of 1.9 million TEUs in capacity will be delivered every year from 2025 to 2028, peaking at 2.2 million TEU in 2027, BIMCO noted. Sand said that when it was safe for carriers to return to the shorter Suez route, 2 million TEUs of container shipping capacity would no longer be needed, leading to large-scale lay-ups, demolition and re-deployment of vessels. ”But none of it, alone or in total, will prevent freight rates from falling to levels seen in early Q4 2023,” he said. “The question is how fast that will be. We expect some operational troubles to keep freight rates volatile for one to two months.” Sand said while carriers have been good at capacity management in the past few years, the Suez return scenario was “next level.” ”You can’t just be smart and feed 2 million TEUs into other trades and expect no impact,” he said. “Upon return (to the Suez), fundamental overcapacity will reign once again.” Much of the capacity ordered over the past three years is for vessels greater than 14,500 TEUs that are being steadily deployed on the Asia-Europe trade where all available vessels are being utilized. Virtually no scrapping in the past few years has resulted in the number of ships 20 years old or older reaching 11% of the in-service fleet at 3.4 million TEUs. “It would require 680,000 TEUs per year to recycle all ships 20 years old or older during the next five years – the current annual record is 657,000 TEUs – but actual recycling is likely to end lower,” Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at BIMCO, wrote in a report this week, adding that as long as ships could not fully return to the Red Sea, recycling would continue to be low. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Commercial shipping will resume normal transits through the Suez Canal in late February at the earliest under the most optimistic analyst prediction made following the ceasefire agreement signed Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, assuming all conditions are met. While that best-case scenario was offered by Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime and a Journal of Commerce analyst, the peace deal in Gaza is highlighting the capacity overhang facing container shipping once vessels absorbed by the longer voyages around southern Africa return to the shorter route via the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Most commercial vessels have avoided the Suez for the past 14 months amid ongoing attacks by Houthi militants operating in Yemen, forcing ships to divert away from the Red Sea to the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope. The Houthis said their attacks were a sign of solidarity with Hamas. Jensen noted the best-case scenario for shipping would require that the six-week ceasefire that begins Jan. 19 sticks, and that the two other phases of the deal – a full withdrawal from Gaza by Israeli forces and a rebuilding plan in place for the territory – are also met. “There is no specificity at this point as to whether or when the Houthis will lift their proclaimed embargo against certain groups of merchant vessels passing through the southern Red Sea,” Jensen wrote in a LinkedIn post Thursday . “It is likely that shipping lines currently diverting around Africa want to see not only the ceasefire hold up...but also see some meaningful traction on the negotiations for phase two and three of the ceasefire – as well as see some meaningful statements from the Houthis in terms of no longer targeting merchant vessels,” Jensen said. An analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence published Thursday noted that the main economic impact of the Red Sea route reopening would be to return capacity to the container shipping system, equivalent to around 6% to 8% of existing vessels. At the same time, new vessels adding nearly 24% of new capacity to the global fleet would be launched over the next three years. Still, Jack Kennedy, associate director of country risk for the Middle East and North Africa at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the ceasefire would not bring safety to the Red Sea. "The Houthi are likely to continue to target international vessels in transit regardless of a ceasefire being agreed between Israel and Hamas or end to the wider conflict because it still is an effective means for them to demonstrate internal legitimacy and engage external actors, and secure revenue through protection payments," Kennedy wrote in a report Thursday. "Even with the ceasefire outlined, there is still going to be an Israeli military presence in Gaza, and what is in effect a blockade of the strip.” S&P Global is the parent company of the Journal of Commerce. Red Sea risks remain Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and the revised carrier alliances have all indicated in their new 2025 schedules that Cape of Good Hope diversions will continue, though Suez transit services were included in the schedules as the preferred option to deploy once it was safe to return to the Red Sea. Peter Sand, chief analyst at rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, said carriers need to re-assess their risks for Red Sea transits, and while a ceasefire was likely to lower the overall risk, more certainty was needed before shipping’s full return can happen. “Carriers need some assurance from the Houthi rebels before they begin their return, at first with sub-10,000 TEU ships and the last ones to return will be the 24,000-TEU container ships,” Sand told the Journal of Commerce. Container carriers entered 2025 with a record orderbook of 8.3 million TEUs that followed the delivery of vessels totaling 2.9 million TEUs in 2024, according to shipping association BIMCO. An average of 1.9 million TEUs in capacity will be delivered every year from 2025 to 2028, peaking at 2.2 million TEU in 2027, BIMCO noted. Sand said that when it was safe for carriers to return to the shorter Suez route, 2 million TEUs of container shipping capacity would no longer be needed, leading to large-scale lay-ups, demolition and re-deployment of vessels. ”But none of it, alone or in total, will prevent freight rates from falling to levels seen in early Q4 2023,” he said. “The question is how fast that will be. We expect some operational troubles to keep freight rates volatile for one to two months.” Sand said while carriers have been good at capacity management in the past few years, the Suez return scenario was “next level.” ”You can’t just be smart and feed 2 million TEUs into other trades and expect no impact,” he said. “Upon return (to the Suez), fundamental overcapacity will reign once again.” Much of the capacity ordered over the past three years is for vessels greater than 14,500 TEUs that are being steadily deployed on the Asia-Europe trade where all available vessels are being utilized. Virtually no scrapping in the past few years has resulted in the number of ships 20 years old or older reaching 11% of the in-service fleet at 3.4 million TEUs. “It would require 680,000 TEUs per year to recycle all ships 20 years old or older during the next five years – the current annual record is 657,000 TEUs – but actual recycling is likely to end lower,” Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at BIMCO, wrote in a report this week, adding that as long as ships could not fully return to the Red Sea, recycling would continue to be low. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

Asia-Europe

Return to Suez not a certainty even after Israel-Hamas ceasefire: analysts

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">With the president-elect looking to unwind some Biden administration policies, US port operators want to ensure that maritime transportation funding will not be unduly affected.</div>

With the president-elect looking to unwind some Biden administration policies, US port operators want to ensure that maritime transportation funding will not be unduly affected.

<div class="phx-topic">US ports on Wednesday laid out legislative priorities for the incoming Trump administration and new Congress that include continued federal spending for maritime transportation and navigation. While many of the priorities of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) align with the president-elect’s campaign pledges, issues such as tariffs and clean energy funding at ports may face more challenges. AAPA said it met with Trump’s transition team and <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/former-congressman-tv-host-gets-trumps-nod-to-lead-dot-5820698">US Department of Transportation nominee Sean Duffy</a> to discuss its policy agenda for 2025. Among the group’s asks are permitting reform, easing restrictions on liquefied natural gas (LNG) development and reducing restrictions on vessel speed. AAPA said one of its top priorities is infrastructure spending. It asked Congress “not [to] rescind infrastructure spending” from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), two hallmark pieces of legislation from the outgoing Biden administration. BIL earmarked $17 billion specifically for ports through 2026, with the largest portion of that going to the US Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance of coastal and inland waterways. Some $2.25 billion of that law was funneled into the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which has already issued $2 billion in grants since the BIL’s passage. The AAPA also asked that <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/port-nola-receives-more-federal-funds-for-proposed-container-terminal-5219974">other funding programs for ports</a>, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/federal-grant-to-boost-baltimores-on-dock-rail-capacity-5242949">intermodal rail</a>, and <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/dot-offers-44-million-for-ny-nj-port-road-project-5249533">roads</a> be maintained. While Trump has not specifically addressed the BIL he has targeted the $3.5 trillion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), saying in September he would “rescind all unspent funds” from the law. <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/project-cargo-optimism-buffeted-by-policy-unpredictability-5917316">Offshore wind</a>, and <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/offshore-project-delivers-virginia-cargo-windfall-5780771">breakbulk ports</a> by extension, expect to take the biggest hit from any change in the IRA. But container ports also <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/us-ports-plan-upgrades-to-electric-yard-equipment-after-securing-epa-grants-5782145">availed themselves of IRA funding</a>, chiefly for replacing diesel yard equipment with electric-powered machinery and installing charging stations for electric trucks. The IRA is also expected to help fund the Biden administration’s <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/white-house-counters-risk-of-chinese-port-cranes-with-20-billion-for-us-sourcing-5200230">$20 billion push</a> to establish a US-based manufacturer of ship-to-shore cranes. The program is bolstering electric vehicle battery and auto manufacturing, which is <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/southeast-gulf-ports-expect-container-uplift-from-electric-vehicle-plants-5224276">expected to boost cargo volumes through Southeast and Gulf ports</a>. Trump’s ability to roll back the IRA, though, remains unclear. Funds that have already been pledged to ports and others are considered safe. Additionally, rescinding unspent IRA funds would require an act of Congress. Although no Republicans voted for the IRA, 18 Republican representatives <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4815990-mike-johnson-ira-clean-energy-tax-credits/">sent a letter last year to Speaker Mike Johnson</a> asking that IRA tax credits for clean energy projects remain intact. The AAPA also joined many other business groups in opposing Trump’s plans for fresh import tariffs, arguing that higher import duties may reduce cargo volumes and affect port revenues. “[But] any existing and expanded tariff revenue should be used to fund port infrastructure, which would strengthen our supply chains and have a deflationary effect on the economy,” the AAPA said. Contact Michael Angell at <a href="mailto:michael.angell@spglobal.com">michael.angell@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

US ports on Wednesday laid out legislative priorities for the incoming Trump administration and new Congress that include continued federal spending for maritime transportation and navigation. While many of the priorities of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) align with the president-elect’s campaign pledges, issues such as tariffs and clean energy funding at ports may face more challenges. AAPA said it met with Trump’s transition team and US Department of Transportation nominee Sean Duffy to discuss its policy agenda for 2025. Among the group’s asks are permitting reform, easing restrictions on liquefied natural gas (LNG) development and reducing restrictions on vessel speed. AAPA said one of its top priorities is infrastructure spending. It asked Congress “not [to] rescind infrastructure spending” from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), two hallmark pieces of legislation from the outgoing Biden administration. BIL earmarked $17 billion specifically for ports through 2026, with the largest portion of that going to the US Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance of coastal and inland waterways. Some $2.25 billion of that law was funneled into the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which has already issued $2 billion in grants since the BIL’s passage. The AAPA also asked that other funding programs for ports , intermodal rail , and roads be maintained. While Trump has not specifically addressed the BIL he has targeted the $3.5 trillion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), saying in September he would “rescind all unspent funds” from the law. Offshore wind , and breakbulk ports by extension, expect to take the biggest hit from any change in the IRA. But container ports also availed themselves of IRA funding , chiefly for replacing diesel yard equipment with electric-powered machinery and installing charging stations for electric trucks. The IRA is also expected to help fund the Biden administration’s $20 billion push to establish a US-based manufacturer of ship-to-shore cranes. The program is bolstering electric vehicle battery and auto manufacturing, which is expected to boost cargo volumes through Southeast and Gulf ports . Trump’s ability to roll back the IRA, though, remains unclear. Funds that have already been pledged to ports and others are considered safe. Additionally, rescinding unspent IRA funds would require an act of Congress. Although no Republicans voted for the IRA, 18 Republican representatives sent a letter last year to Speaker Mike Johnson asking that IRA tax credits for clean energy projects remain intact. The AAPA also joined many other business groups in opposing Trump’s plans for fresh import tariffs, arguing that higher import duties may reduce cargo volumes and affect port revenues. “[But] any existing and expanded tariff revenue should be used to fund port infrastructure, which would strengthen our supply chains and have a deflationary effect on the economy,” the AAPA said. Contact Michael Angell at michael.angell@spglobal.com .

Port infrastructure

North American ports

Transport, Trade and Regulation News

US ports urge Trump, Congress to keep funds in place but tariffs at bay

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The Barstow International Gateway will be a transloading hub where the contents of ocean containers come to be transferred into 53-foot domestic containers to travel inland, ensuring quicker turnarounds of ocean boxes moving back to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.</div>

The Barstow International Gateway will be a transloading hub where the contents of ocean containers come to be transferred into 53-foot domestic containers to travel inland, ensuring quicker turnarounds of ocean boxes moving back to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

<div class="phx-topic">The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has rescinded a proposed rule that would have required train locomotives operating in the state to produce zero emissions by 2030, a regulation that would have put a $1.5 billion project by BNSF Railway to expand its terminal in Barstow in serious jeopardy. BNSF can now move forward with the project that should be completed in 2027 or 2028. “Railroads are pleased that the California Air Resources Board has withdrawn its authorization request for the ill-conceived in-use locomotive rule,” the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said in a statement Wednesday. “As we move past this untenable proposal, railroads look forward to focusing on advancing their already strong sustainability profile and further reducing emissions in the years to come.” A US District Court judge last November paused the proposed Jan. 1 implementation of the locomotive emissions rule to determine whether it violated federal pre-emption laws on interstate commerce. The decision by CARB to drop the rule comes after the US Bureau of Land Management on Monday approved the sale of the federal land to BNSF on which the railroad will develop the Barstow Intermodal Gateway, or BIG. BIG will be a transloading hub where ocean containers come to be transferred into 53-foot domestic containers to travel inland, ensuring quicker turnarounds of ocean boxes moving back to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Aside from requiring zero-emission locomotives, the proposed CARB rule would have immediately banned any locomotive 23 years or older from operating in California. BNSF argued that the current technology isn’t viable to meet the zero-emission standards, adding the rule also would have limited the useful life of 25,000 relatively new diesel-electric hybrid locomotives. <h3>Hub would benefit stakeholders </h3>If BNSF’s Barstow hub is successful, it can have a positive impact on several supply chain stakeholders. For the railroad, it would boost transloading of imports into domestic containers using intermodal providers that don’t run into the same equipment challenges as the maritime industry. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, for example, owns its chassis, so BNSF can quickly mount a load off a train and place the unit in a parking spot. A successful Barstow terminal would also benefit shippers in several ways. Domestic intermodal providers are hyper-focused on box turns — meaning the number of revenue-paying loads an average container handles per month — in order to maximize revenue. BNSF partners such as J.B. Hunt are much more likely to send a driver immediately and deliver the load to the customer, rarely letting the box idle in the terminal for more than 24 to 48 hours. Also, customers who don’t transload will benefit because fewer loads would move in ocean containers. Transferring imports into domestic containers would free up the ocean boxes to be railed back to marine terminals in Los Angeles and Long Beach much faster, which benefits exporters requiring empty containers and helps ocean carriers moving boxes back to Asia. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has rescinded a proposed rule that would have required train locomotives operating in the state to produce zero emissions by 2030, a regulation that would have put a $1.5 billion project by BNSF Railway to expand its terminal in Barstow in serious jeopardy. BNSF can now move forward with the project that should be completed in 2027 or 2028. “Railroads are pleased that the California Air Resources Board has withdrawn its authorization request for the ill-conceived in-use locomotive rule,” the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said in a statement Wednesday. “As we move past this untenable proposal, railroads look forward to focusing on advancing their already strong sustainability profile and further reducing emissions in the years to come.” A US District Court judge last November paused the proposed Jan. 1 implementation of the locomotive emissions rule to determine whether it violated federal pre-emption laws on interstate commerce. The decision by CARB to drop the rule comes after the US Bureau of Land Management on Monday approved the sale of the federal land to BNSF on which the railroad will develop the Barstow Intermodal Gateway, or BIG. BIG will be a transloading hub where ocean containers come to be transferred into 53-foot domestic containers to travel inland, ensuring quicker turnarounds of ocean boxes moving back to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Aside from requiring zero-emission locomotives, the proposed CARB rule would have immediately banned any locomotive 23 years or older from operating in California. BNSF argued that the current technology isn’t viable to meet the zero-emission standards, adding the rule also would have limited the useful life of 25,000 relatively new diesel-electric hybrid locomotives. Hub would benefit stakeholders If BNSF’s Barstow hub is successful, it can have a positive impact on several supply chain stakeholders. For the railroad, it would boost transloading of imports into domestic containers using intermodal providers that don’t run into the same equipment challenges as the maritime industry. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, for example, owns its chassis, so BNSF can quickly mount a load off a train and place the unit in a parking spot. A successful Barstow terminal would also benefit shippers in several ways. Domestic intermodal providers are hyper-focused on box turns — meaning the number of revenue-paying loads an average container handles per month — in order to maximize revenue. BNSF partners such as J.B. Hunt are much more likely to send a driver immediately and deliver the load to the customer, rarely letting the box idle in the terminal for more than 24 to 48 hours. Also, customers who don’t transload will benefit because fewer loads would move in ocean containers. Transferring imports into domestic containers would free up the ocean boxes to be railed back to marine terminals in Los Angeles and Long Beach much faster, which benefits exporters requiring empty containers and helps ocean carriers moving boxes back to Asia. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

Intermodal providers

North-American rail

BNSF Barstow project to proceed after CARB emissions rule withdrawn

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Projections for North American intermodal will likely be upended by some “black swan” event that isn’t even on the radar right now as there seems to be no shortage of potential hot spots and disruptors looming, writes Larry Gross.</div>

Projections for North American intermodal will likely be upended by some “black swan” event that isn’t even on the radar right now as there seems to be no shortage of potential hot spots and disruptors looming, writes Larry Gross.

<div class="phx-topic">As a forecaster of the intermodal sector, I believe that it is a good practice to look back each year to see what I was saying as the year began … and just how badly I may have missed the mark. <div class="wrapper-narrow float-right-element"><img src="/images/phoenix/5923184_0.1.jpg"></img></div>In January 2024, readers of my Intermodal in Depth report were told to expect North American intermodal growth of 5.5%. Now that the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has issued its data for all 52 weeks of 2024, we can report that the growth in intermodal in 2024 was … drumroll please … 7.5%. So the forecast was not too bad. Call it a solid “B” grade. But a fair amount of luck was involved, because based on data from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) — which currently is available only through November — my forecast was substantially low for the international segment and too optimistic for the domestic market. So coming within 2% of the total was to a certain extent a fortunate coincidence. Regardless, 2024 was certainly a good year for intermodal; the chart shows just how strong it was. Using the AAR weekly data, it compares the weekly intermodal originated moves for 2024, 2023 and the average performance over the 10 years prior to the pandemic (2010–19). After a rough, weather-related stumble in January, volume leapt ahead of the prior year in February and the sector never looked back. Volume fell below the prior year in a meaningful manner only for one week (#40). This was due to a double whammy of Hurricane Helene plus the short-lived longshore port strike hitting the eastern US railroads that week. The 2024 volume was also below that of 2023 in week #48, but that was a statistical quirk relating to the week in which Thanksgiving occurred this year versus last and therefore not meaningful. <div class="wrapper-narrow"><dynamic-object type="jocchartid" resource-id="a0bf68c7-f6e7-4480-89f3-6cb625967b00"></dynamic-object></div>The strength in international can be attributed to several factors. One was strong retail sales. A second was a reversal in the long-term trend of West Coast to East Coast migration of import volumes. Why? First, the unavailability of the Red Sea due to missile-firing Houthi rebels forced cargo bound for the USEC to take the long way around Africa and added both cost and time to the voyage. This made the West Coast option more attractive. Second, the labor situation on the East Coast and the potential for disruption led importers to divert. The migration of volume back to the West Coast was an intermodal tailwind as intermodal share off the USWC is generally much higher than in the east. USWC import share was 45% in November, 4.5% higher than the prior year. The third source of strength was the pull-forward of imports, particularly later in the year. Importers raced to land cargo in advance of a possible second longshore strike and potential new tariffs. Thankfully, the former problem appears to have been resolved, but the tariff impacts, although unknown in timing and scope, continue to loom. This pull-forward resulted in a notable feature of 2024 — the extremely late annual peak, in week #50. Normally the peak occurs in week #39. <h3>A look ahead</h3>Looking forward, it seems likely that most of the factors that drove volume in 2024 will not be present in 2025. The labor situation has been settled, and (hopefully) a ceasefire in Gaza will deprive the Houthis of a reason to keep firing missiles and lead to a reopening of the Red Sea/Suez Canal route. Of course, the piper will eventually have to be paid for all the volume that was pulled forward into 2024 that ordinarily might have moved in 2025. So the prospect for 2025 international intermodal is muted to say the least. Conversely, the picture is a bit brighter for domestic, despite its disappointing performance in 2024. The 2024 growth in long-haul truckload demand was far weaker than was the case for international. This kept a lid on domestic intermodal and left share gains as the only avenue for meaningful improvement. This has been slow in coming, although there was a tantalizing uptick in the third quarter that, if sustained, could eventually turn into something meaningful. The near-term prospects for the economy seem reasonably bright, although the incoming administration’s promised tariff actions and mass deportations will be disruptive and inflationary. However, it will take some time for these effects to be felt. I’m not expecting to see any significant acceleration in domestic intermodal activity, but rather some modest improvement. This will still result in domestic outperforming international in 2025. Of course, history tells us that these projections will likely be upended by some “black swan” event that possibly isn’t even on the radar right now. There seems to be no shortage of potential hot spots and disruptors out there. So it is best to keep options open and be prepared to be nimble once again to meet the challenges that lie in wait in 2025. Contact Larry Gross at <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/lgross@intermodalindepth.com">lgross@intermodalindepth.com</a>.</div>

As a forecaster of the intermodal sector, I believe that it is a good practice to look back each year to see what I was saying as the year began … and just how badly I may have missed the mark. In January 2024, readers of my Intermodal in Depth report were told to expect North American intermodal growth of 5.5%. Now that the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has issued its data for all 52 weeks of 2024, we can report that the growth in intermodal in 2024 was … drumroll please … 7.5%. So the forecast was not too bad. Call it a solid “B” grade. But a fair amount of luck was involved, because based on data from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) — which currently is available only through November — my forecast was substantially low for the international segment and too optimistic for the domestic market. So coming within 2% of the total was to a certain extent a fortunate coincidence. Regardless, 2024 was certainly a good year for intermodal; the chart shows just how strong it was. Using the AAR weekly data, it compares the weekly intermodal originated moves for 2024, 2023 and the average performance over the 10 years prior to the pandemic (2010–19). After a rough, weather-related stumble in January, volume leapt ahead of the prior year in February and the sector never looked back. Volume fell below the prior year in a meaningful manner only for one week (#40). This was due to a double whammy of Hurricane Helene plus the short-lived longshore port strike hitting the eastern US railroads that week. The 2024 volume was also below that of 2023 in week #48, but that was a statistical quirk relating to the week in which Thanksgiving occurred this year versus last and therefore not meaningful. The strength in international can be attributed to several factors. One was strong retail sales. A second was a reversal in the long-term trend of West Coast to East Coast migration of import volumes. Why? First, the unavailability of the Red Sea due to missile-firing Houthi rebels forced cargo bound for the USEC to take the long way around Africa and added both cost and time to the voyage. This made the West Coast option more attractive. Second, the labor situation on the East Coast and the potential for disruption led importers to divert. The migration of volume back to the West Coast was an intermodal tailwind as intermodal share off the USWC is generally much higher than in the east. USWC import share was 45% in November, 4.5% higher than the prior year. The third source of strength was the pull-forward of imports, particularly later in the year. Importers raced to land cargo in advance of a possible second longshore strike and potential new tariffs. Thankfully, the former problem appears to have been resolved, but the tariff impacts, although unknown in timing and scope, continue to loom. This pull-forward resulted in a notable feature of 2024 — the extremely late annual peak, in week #50. Normally the peak occurs in week #39. A look ahead Looking forward, it seems likely that most of the factors that drove volume in 2024 will not be present in 2025. The labor situation has been settled, and (hopefully) a ceasefire in Gaza will deprive the Houthis of a reason to keep firing missiles and lead to a reopening of the Red Sea/Suez Canal route. Of course, the piper will eventually have to be paid for all the volume that was pulled forward into 2024 that ordinarily might have moved in 2025. So the prospect for 2025 international intermodal is muted to say the least. Conversely, the picture is a bit brighter for domestic, despite its disappointing performance in 2024. The 2024 growth in long-haul truckload demand was far weaker than was the case for international. This kept a lid on domestic intermodal and left share gains as the only avenue for meaningful improvement. This has been slow in coming, although there was a tantalizing uptick in the third quarter that, if sustained, could eventually turn into something meaningful. The near-term prospects for the economy seem reasonably bright, although the incoming administration’s promised tariff actions and mass deportations will be disruptive and inflationary. However, it will take some time for these effects to be felt. I’m not expecting to see any significant acceleration in domestic intermodal activity, but rather some modest improvement. This will still result in domestic outperforming international in 2025. Of course, history tells us that these projections will likely be upended by some “black swan” event that possibly isn’t even on the radar right now. There seems to be no shortage of potential hot spots and disruptors out there. So it is best to keep options open and be prepared to be nimble once again to meet the challenges that lie in wait in 2025. Contact Larry Gross at lgross@intermodalindepth.com .

Surface

Intermodal comes off strong 2024 to face market unknowns of new year: analyst

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

SMC3rates_shutterstock_5247046.jpg

Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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