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The US producer price index shows LTL pricing has been flat since September, but carriers continue to push for annualized increases in service contracts.

Domestic intermodal providers are frustrated that they’ve been unable to win significant rate increases in contracts in early 2025, but capacity in trucking and rail is still abundant and easy to procure.

The pricing move means a general rate increase planned by carriers for Jan. 15 will not be implemented, forwarders say, because demand is not sufficient to support another boost.

The shipowner’s decision to expand its MPV fleet is underpinned by expected growth in project cargo volumes and a lack of suitable ships.

The carrier said its ability to capture market share was directly linked to a shift in trade dynamics as mainline operators outsourced intra-regional services to more agile operators.

The Doha-based carrier will expand the digital connectivity of its containers to improve real-time visibility across the global cargo and passenger network.

The twin complaints to the FMC charge that several ocean carriers pushed the shippers into paying surcharges and premium rates totaling $5.5 million, while creating another $76 million in added spot market costs.

Shipper-paid spot truck pricing from major US ports rose faster than the average US rate in late 2024 as importers prepared for a potential longshore strike.

The US is seeking to amend rules regarding so-called de minimis shipments, which have skyrocketed since the pandemic.

Multiple forwarder sources who spoke with the Journal of Commerce confirmed that the portal booking specifics are still unavailable for February voyages from India to Europe.

The uncertainty surrounding the Red Sea was highlighted by member OOCL, and although the carrier provided both an around-Africa option and a version via the Suez, it said the Africa diversions will continue until further notice.

The decline reflects the wider slide in container freight rates from August, which accelerated in October and November as cargo demand eased.

The carrier’s top-line financials are a clear signal that container shipping is firmly back in profitable territory following a poor end to 2023 that left several carriers nursing losses.

The US last-mile market has become fragmented, benefiting shippers from both a cost and capacity perspective.

A confluence of factors, including vessel bunching at Asian load ports and a pre-Lunar New Year cargo surge, have combined to cause congestion at the port and reduce its railcar availability.

The project, expected to drive further investment at Europe’s second-busiest port, is the largest investment in Europe’s chemical industry in more than 20 years.

The lack of sustained underlying freight demand is keeping contract truckload rates close to flat, analysts and shippers say, despite a late-year seasonal gain in spot rates.

With the threat of a US port strike averted, the transition to new global service networks will not be accompanied by widespread disruption, the analyst believes.

While the draft language of the tentative agreement was not disclosed, the two sides said the deal includes language that covers the contentious issue of port automation and new technologies.

It’s important for railroads to prevent export containers from clogging their terminals because domestic and international intermodal cargo share terminal space.

Capacity will continue to be the greatest challenge facing cargo owners moving goods from Asia by air this year.

Shippers have long outsourced drayage to third parties, but farming out allocation decisions to managed transportation providers threads the needle between access to capacity and neutrality.

With shippers under pressure to finalize production plans with Asian factories amid ongoing vessel diversions around Africa and elevated rates, there is little point in delaying the signing of annual contracts.

Local freight forwarders believe any extra capacity entering the Indian market from smaller ship operators working around an “opportunistic approach” has the potential to spoil rate recovery efforts by large carriers.

The acquisition is part of a surge in logistics M&A transactions aimed at simplifying access to systems and services for shippers and brokers.

The challenges for truck demand growth in 2025 vary depending on activity in four major sectors: warehousing, office, data centers and manufacturing, according to Jason Miller.

Carriers adopting a “wait-and-see” approach to the new regulation will face significant penalties and a potential loss of income from decarbonization-focused customers, according to a report from the classification society.

Whereas 2024 was a banner year for US West Coast ports, the pendulum could swing back to East and Gulf coast ports in 2025.

Pitt Ohio’s acquisition of Sutton Transport is the latest in a string of acquisitions rebuilding the LTL sector from the middle out, and more regional acquisitions are expected.

More uptake of transactional pricing in the less-than-truckload market is a sign that some carriers are targeting smaller or more infrequent LTL shippers.

US energy and climate regulations and policies are expected to shift with the incoming Trump administration, although the magnitude of that shift is still unknown.

Increased orders and decreased recycling in 2024 helped capacity, but the volumes are still not where they need to be to balance the MPV fleet.

The IMO tends to move at a glacial pace, but with 2030 emissions targets looming, it no longer has that luxury.

Outside investment for project carriers is scarce, primarily because future project cargo flows are so difficult to predict.

Shippers must weigh the merits of a single-source relationship on drayage through key ports over splitting volume among regional and national carriers, or even brokers.

The charges come as spot rates for ex-Asia cargo into the US have climbed sharply over the past month.

The LTL sector will try to hold its ground on pricing until improvements in US manufacturing lift demand.

The deal will see Acuitive Solutions’ AcuAudit product integrated into Cass’ freight audit and payment platform, one widely used by large shippers.

Shippers moving cargo on the inter-Americas lane can expect to see further volume growth in 2025, potentially reflected by increased attention and capacity from carriers.

While the two sides have come to terms on wages, formal negotiations have stalled since mid-November as the union and maritime employers remain stuck on what provisions the deal will include about port automation.