News
Logistics Recap April 9th – April 15th
Logistics Recap
April 9th – April 15th
Landing and launching terminals for autonomous trucks getting closer
Driverless trucks likely will be in limited use on some U.S. interstates as soon as late 2024. How they will be maintained between trips is a growing focus for their software developers.
Aurora Innovation appears to be farthest along in preparing for inspections, fueling maintenance and automated landing and launch of autonomous Class 8 trucks. An unremarkable frontage road location in Palmer, Texas, south of Dallas is being transformed into a terminal capable of doing for autonomous trucks those things they cannot do themselves.
3PLs surpass retailers in big warehouse leases
For the first year on record, third-party logistics providers in 2022 leased more big-box warehouse space in North America than any other sector, according to a CBRE report published last week.
3PLs accounted for 41% of all lease transactions at traditional warehouses and distribution centers with at least 200,000 square feet in 2022. Retailers and wholesalers, the previous leader, came in second at 31.5% of leasing share.
Read More Here Supply Chain Dive
Truckers take government to court over electronic logbook mandate
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a lawsuit over a new regulation announced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requiring electronic logbooks, known as ELDs.
“This rule has the potential to have the single largest, most negative impact on the industry than anything else done by FMCSA,” said Jim Johnston, OOIDA President and CEO. “We intend to fight it with everything we have available.”
Logistics Portal April 2nd – April 8th
Logistics Recap
April 2nd – April 8th
Laredo, Texas, again top US gateway for international trade
The port of entry in Laredo, Texas, regained the No. 1 spot among the nation’s 450 international gateways for trade in February.
It’s the first time since February 2020 that Laredo was the No. 1 overall trade port in the U.S.
Laredo recorded $24.6 billion in two-way trade, with Mexico commerce accounting for $23.9 billion, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by WorldCity.
Los Angeles, Long Beach port terminals shut down due to labor issues
Terminals at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach effectively shut down due to a lack of labor starting Thursday evening.
Ports, trucking groups, shipping lines and terminal operators have reported widespread terminal closures at the twin ports. The closures continued throughout Friday, according to several stakeholders.
Read More Here Supply Chain Dive
GSCPI shows supply chains getting back to normal
Global supply chain conditions have largely normalized after experiencing temporary setbacks around the turn of the year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI), released April 6.
The bank says the research shows global supply chain pressures decreased again in March, falling from .28 to 1.06 standard deviations below the index’s historical average. The index peaked at 4.32 in December 2021, and has dropped fairly consistently since then.
Logistics Recap March 26th – April 1st
Logistics Recap
March 26th – April 1st
Cost of low-sulfur fuel oil drops 46% from post-invasion high
The price of ship fuel is now down to around half the post-Ukraine-invasion peak. Second-quarter fuel surcharges for containerized cargo shippers promise more savings ahead.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that if shipping ultimately switches from fuel oil to LNG or methanol as part of its much ballyhooed energy transition, future fuel costs will likely skyrocket back to levels seen after the invasion — or worse.
Derailment in Minnesota sets train cars ablaze
A 22-car BNSF train derailed early Thursday morning near Raymond, Minnesota, forcing the town’s residents to evacuate their homes, according to a March 30 statement from the railway.
The cars were carrying corn syrup and ethanol. Four of the cars carrying ethanol, which is highly flammable, ruptured and caught fire, the Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes tweeted Thursday.
Read More Here Supply Chain Dive
Japan plans to restrict some equipment exports
Japan’s government says it plans to put restrictions on some computer chip-making exports, following similar moves by the U.S. and the Netherlands. The measures will apply to 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Although semiconductors are at the center of a bitter dispute between the U.S. and China, the March 31 statement from Japan’s trade and industry ministry did not make any reference to China or the U.S., reports BBC News.