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Helpful Articles - Industry News

We’ve all heard the stories: Massive backlogs at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, complemented by a backup at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Warnings of a Christmas toy shortage. Encouragement to order more and order earlier to keep  supply chains running smoothly.   What’s behind the increasing chaos in the supply chain? Obviously, like many supply chain issues, it’s complicated. (If you work in the industry, you probably expected that answer!) Supply chains are, by nature, interconnected. A disruption in one link can easily cascade through the network. Additionally, supply chain disruptions are truly nothing new. Material shortages, natural disasters, labor strikes, economic trends, and more have long been par for the course, as many supply chain managers...

In 2020, the size of the ocean freight market was estimated at 64 million TEUs.i It’s hard to imagine the sheer magnitude of that volume of freight. However, consider the fact that AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, has an interior volume of about 76,740 standard TEUs.ii  To understand 64 million TEUs, imagine filling 834 professional football stadiums.  In other words, the global ocean freight market is massive! In this article, we’ll talk about the biggest players in the market so you can get a sense of who’s operating in this field.   Since we have a particular interest (and expertise) in Pacific lanes, we’ll start by discussing the...

As you’re optimizing your supply chain, you may compare  freight modes and wonder if you’re using the right mix for your business.   Below, we’ve rounded-up statistics and data on air, rail, ocean, and over-the-road freight. By perusing these numbers, you’ll get a sense of how other companies are leveraging modes within the United States and across the globe. You may also gain some new insights around mixing up your freight modes to support your organization’s goals and your budget. First, we’ll start with some stats on U.S. domestic freight.  How Far Does Freight Move in The U.S.?  As you may know, some modes of transportation are better suited for longer distances, while others shine at short distances. As...

Port BackupsA record-breaking number of ships waiting to dock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. A record-breaking number of ships waiting to dock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. read more Stranded ContainersA record-breaking number of ships waiting to dock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.  Big retailers chartering dedicated vessels to bring stranded containers of goods over from Asia. read more Price IncreasesA record-breaking number of ships waiting to dock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Cargo prices anywhere from five to eight times higher than a year ago. read more That’s the current state of the global ocean freight industry....

In the United States, transportation is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases. That dubious distinction previously belonged to power plants. However, starting in 2017, transportation eclipsed electricity generation in terms of emissions. In fact, transportation is currently estimated to contribute 29% of all U.S. greenhouse gases.i  For its part, the freight and transportation industry has made a significant push toward sustainability. Ocean freight in particular has leveraged new technology to power more sustainable ocean transportation, including LNG-powered container ships.  Other prevalent modes of freight transportation—road, rail, and air—are making moves of their own to reduce their environmental footprint. Let’s take a closer look at the technology behind the sustainability efforts in these three arenas. ...

Innovation drives supply chain optimization. As you’ll see in the profiles of these six forward-thinking companies, fresh ideas can create new efficiencies, solve persistent problems, and open the door for new opportunities in supply chain effectiveness.   We’ll look into the latest advances in logistics hardware, software and strategy. Plus, a peek at what’s coming down the road in the industry. You may discover some new ideas to power your own supply chain—or you may get inspired to create innovations of your own!  Attabotics: Reimagining the Warehouse  read more Inspired by the efficiency and structure of ant colonies, Attabotics is using robots to take the warehouse in a new dimension: up.  What if you could reduce the footprint of a warehouse from 1.5 million square feet to just 340,000—and...