Breakbulk News

A white paper released by the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America concludes that a program designed to streamline trade is still a “work in progress” that is “still in need of a substantial infusion of common sense policy, solid programming, additional budget allocation and good government oversight.”

Given increasing road congestion, the European Union is under pressure to make a concerted effort to create a genuine, pan-European rail market, but given the dominance of state-owned rail operators in most countries that stifles competition, shippers and forwarders remain skeptical.

Many shippers overlook transportation data that monitor their delivery exceptions. Mining data about delivery exceptions might provide shippers with smarter, more-effectual transportation performance data.

The US Department of Defense contract calls for Crowley to move various types of cargo from thousands of suppliers through 41 major depots around the continental United States, including Alaska, and Canada.

The key north-south rail link is flowing again, after the section between Milan and Basel had been closed for two weeks, but challenges remain, as terminals work to clear a huge container backlog.

RollDock and SAL say pooling their dock vessels will improve vessel utilization, broaden coverage, and provide more options for customers.

After reinventing itself several times over the decades, the Port of Galveston has settled on a business formula that emphasizes vehicles and other roll-on, roll-off cargo, refrigerated shipments, wind energy and project cargo, and cruise ships.

The new AAL-HMM joint-service will operate five ships — four 30,100-deadweight-ton vessels (dwt) from HMM and one 31,000-dwt vessel from AAL.

Beaumont, 90 miles east of Houston, is not a container port but instead has a diversified base of breakbulk cargo that includes projects, military cargo, wind energy, steel, forest products, bagged goods, and dry and liquid bulk cargo.

The new container service will be Pensacola’s first. World Direct said the port near the tip of Florida’s panhandle will complement the carrier’s current calls at Port Manatee.

Port CEO John Murray said the new berth is needed not only for aerospace modules but for shipments resulting from Central Florida’s growth.

The first sailing of MSC’s fortnightly roll-on, roll-off West Africa service will begin Feb. 19 from Le Havre.

The partnerships will allow Netherlands-based Mammoet to provide service in the Spanish market.

Breakbulk and project shipping demand and rates have been in the doldrums since the Great Recession, and low commodity prices softened just as carriers were taking delivery of new ships.

In an up-and-down market for breakbulk shipments, Pacific Northwest ports have seen strong volumes in several categories.

Convoy Logistics Providers' niche is "project and specialty needs cargo that can take six months to three years, where [there are sometimes quotes] without even knowing actual weights, dimensions, densities, or dozens and dozens of critical details."

One question that is definitely on the minds of shippers, especially transportation, is if the UK’s post-Brexit trade agreements will stimulate or dampen the growing Europe/UK economies.

Unlike many UK firms, heavy-lift and installation contractor ALE said it isn’t losing any sleep over the potential negative fallout from Brexit. Here's why.

The vessel rotation will include Auckland, New Zealand, and the Australian ports of Brisbane, Port Kembla, Melbourne, and Fremantle.

Businesses will be watching spot rates closely in the next few weeks to see if demand and capacity move back toward an equilibrium.

New ocean and rail services mark the return of the Port of Portland, Oregon, to regular container handling.

The hurricanes that struck the United States last year provided a teachable moment for shippers regarding supply chain structure and management.

Artificial intelligence and related technologies will transform supply chain management as transport operators adopt these technologies to uncover data patterns to boost efficiency, among other benefits, says a logistics executive.

Beneficial cargo owners see the advantage of warehouse space closer to the port, but that locale is not without a downside.

Implementing electronic logging in 2018 will not be easy and may spark a review of truck driver work rules.

Technology that provides real-time cargo location visibility gained much attention in 2017, as did tracking for containers, chassis, and other equipment. That trend is likely to continue in 2018.

In addition to containerized cargo, Boeing uses the port for breakbulk shipments — including oversized shipments for several well-known planes.

The year 2018, an election year, could be a moment when campaign promises to increase infrastructure funding are finally fulfilled, but how much of that potential pie will go toward freight and the broader needs of container shipping/trade?

Any recovery would contrast with the depressed market the industry has endured in recent years.

Higher construction spending and manufacturing output generate the type of heavy industrial freight handled by Daseke through its network of subsidiary trucking companies.

There’s not much confidence that the UK government will meet the deadline.

Considering how advanced some industries are in digitizing their processes, the maritime industry is still far behind.

Breakbulk carriers generally do not operate on a fixed schedule as container lines do.

The connectivity will facilitate trade between Bangladesh and a landlocked Indian state.

With land and location, Brownsville is on the verge of attracting multibillion-dollar projects.

The port said it is in negotiations with an unnamed potential operator for the new Dames Point auto terminal.

“It’s a first step, but a critical first step.”

Last week’s ruling by Judge Rudolph Contreras of the US District Court for the District of Columbia is the latest development in a years-long dispute over pilotage fees.

The primary issue is with “field formations” that must still set up systems and procedures for handling RFID e-sealed containers.

That state aid scheme underscores the importance the Narendra Modi government places on coastal and short-sea shipping.