On January 1, 2020, a set of emission standards created by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will take effect. These regulations, which limit sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions from all ships, aim to create global health and environmental benefits, especially for populations who live in proximity to ports and coastal areas.  In order to meet these new standards, steamship lines will need to make changes to 1) the fuels they use and/or 2) the equipment they operate. The global consulting firm AlixPartners estimates that these changes could cost the shipping industry as much as $10 billion. Furthermore, they estimate that this could result in fuel surcharges ranging from 33-40%. How will IMO 2020 affect your [...]

Careful management of your supply chain means analyzing each link to uncover new strategies that can give you an edge. When it comes to moving supplies and finished products, rail could be worth a look. In specific cases, transitioning from trucking to rail can offer your organization several advantages, including good transit times at lower rates. (More on the benefits of rail in a moment!)   However, not all organizations will benefit equally from rail. Those that stand to benefit the most share three criteria:  Criteria #1: You Have Access to a Rail Spur  Moving freight exclusively by rail—as opposed to an intermodal solution—allows you to take full advantage of all that rail transport has to offer. This includes leveraging the additional capacity that rail cars can handle, both in terms of weight and volume.  However, [...]

When you're selecting a freight forwarder or shipper, you might notice that they use "agents" in certain destinations to make the final delivery of your freight. This can be especially prevalent in far-flung places like Hawaii and Guam.  Before deciding on a forwarder, you should know that using agents can have three potential areas of impact on your business. To help you make a well-informed decision, we'll walk you through each one of them so you can see how delivery from an agent might affect your operations.  But, first, let's walk through the role of an agent so you can understand how it works—and why a forwarder might use an agent in the first place.  When a freight forwarder or shipper doesn't [...]