Supply chain

Freight brokers believe spot market rates will remain lower than historical norms through the first half of 2020 despite a recent seasonal bump in rates.

In an unusual move, Flexport is gauging interest from competing forwarders about their interest in aiding the company with its “high volume” of customs entries.

The acquisition of Panalpina allowed DSV to more than double its business in Asia, giving the new company the scale required to compete with larger incumbents on the trans-Pacific.

The agreement will see Flexport offer full containerload (FCL), air cargo, and final mile services in the United States and EU to SF Express’ Chinese customers. SF Express essentially will act as a channel partner for Flexport.

Increased use of dimensioning equipment and more detailed cost analysis is seen lifting the floor for LTL and truckload pricing in the future.

A venture capital-backed freight broker wants to create carpooling opportunities for LTL by using technology instead of physical terminals to aggregate shipments.

The partnership with Wing furthers CMA CGM’s attempts to provide an array of logistics services beyond port-to-port vessel operation, focusing on last-mile logistics for small and medium sellers the container lines is targeting with broader digital services.

Freight intermediaries say a recent move by the Indian government to streamline logistics costs will sideline them and result in delays and bottlenecks in the country’s supply chain.

New warehouse and distribution space in Q3 2019 exceeded demand for the first time in nine years, and the excess supply will slow the pace of growth in rents and absorption of new space into 2020, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Forty-seven of the top 50 global transportation providers saw revenues rise in 2018, benefitting from a strong global economic growth and growing anticipation of reciprocal tariffs between the United States and China.

Seattle-based startup Logixboard has garnered $4.2 million in funding, joining a growing list of software providers aiming to enable forwarders to compete.

Global ocean freight volume continues to grow this year, albeit slowly, despite economic slowdowns and gloomy trading conditions.

The recent wobbles of WeWork connect to the forwarder Flexport, which shares the same primary investor, but also might be constrained to grow in the way a pure software provider does.

GCT has joined with a number of other terminal operators in participating in the IBM- and Maersk-developed TradeLens platform to get better access to container data and visibility.

The two-day "El Dorado" tech experience will address the growing need among beneficial cargo owners, third-party logistics providers, container lines, ports, and other freight transportation interests to understand the true value of technology and navigate an increasingly complex landscape of vendors and emerging technologies.

Importers seeking relief amid the ongoing US-China trade war could consider re-classifying their products or seeking tariff exclusions, but the process can be costly and time-consuming.

Industry sources say an approved “SOP” document to regulate logistics costs is expected to be circulated to stakeholders in the coming days as the Indian government proceeds with a sense of urgency to conclude what is seen as a game-changer for the country’s ocean trade.

While the “phase one” trade agreement reduces tensions between the US and China, the two sides are nowhere near reaching a more comprehensive deal at this time, a US-China business expert says.

DP World will invite 10 Indian startup businesses to participate in an interactive technology program as it seeks to leverage the benefits of blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics, simulators, and the internet of things (IoT) for the development of smart trade solutions.

Demand from e-commerce and other companies has pushed up rents and reduced availability of smaller warehouses over the last five years more than for larger spaces, according to a new report.

A bigger footprint in El Paso, Texas, will help the freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL reach more shippers in the US and Mexico.

With the acquisition of the software maker Crux Systems, Flexport is becoming a provider of third-party visibility data while also eschewing concerns about M&A expressed in the wake of its $1 billion round of funding in February.

The pace of technological growth is exceeding the logistics sector’s ability to come up with ways to use it, leaving the market with “solutions” that do not align with actual shipper needs.

The Reston, Virginia-based software supplier’s new “Book it Now” feature adds an execution element to its existing load-matching capabilities.

Venture capital firms are pouring an unprecedented amount of funding into logistics-focused startups, but a focus on rapid revenue growth over sustainable profitability may not be leading these companies away from products that would provide the most value to shippers.

A California-based digital freight marketplace sets a five-year goal to replace its asset-based diesel fleet with alternative power.

The US Surface Transportation Board is urging railroads to work closely with shippers to address concerns about demurrage practices.

Payment options and visibility for carriers working with progressive freight brokers are expanding, exemplified by Transplace’s integrations with two third-party solutions for small and larger carriers.

The contract rate benchmarking platform Xeneta has tied up another integration with a freight forwarding software provider following its first such partnership in June, signaling that its data is most effective when piped into a system that contextualizes it.

Maersk last week performed its first door-to-door containerized rail operation to an interior point in India’s eastern state of Odisha as part of what it called a move to “unlock new trade opportunities.”

The Marseille-based technology provider has developed a UN standard for sensor-based container messages it hopes will be used widely throughout the industry to make such systems interoperable for potential buyers and users of tracking solutions and associated analytics.

Drewry’s contention is that an online marketplace where ocean freight buyers and sellers could agree on binding forward commitments would eliminate inefficiencies in the existing spot market.

While the search for true end-to-end visibility continues, the rise of partnerships between visibility providers in distinct legs continues with surface transportation-oriented software company FourKites partnering with container visibility provider Ocean Insights.

The India Ports Association is looking to link its digital platform to a network operated by Abu Dhabi Ports, sources said, as India seeks more international integration in logistics.

The convergence of contract and spot rates for ocean freight and the increased availability of instant digital quoting tools is pushing more cargo to the spot market and changing shipper negotiation strategies for long-term contracts.

An early blockchain-based liner shipping product has shuttered due to a lack of demand, signaling that the industry is still struggling to understand the concept and the value of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Fierce competition for warehouse space in and around New York and a lack of land on which to build has prompted developers to construct multi-level warehouses to meet the industrial space demands of logistics companies, shippers, and e-commerce business.

As more technology is integrated into the supply chain, a Coyote Logistics survey examines what tasks are given to computers and what humans should continue to handle.

Nippon Express takes an ownership stake in an Indian logistics company as it looks to grow its presence in the country’s evolving supply chain dynamic.