Articles

Ocean Shipping

Tom Sproat
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Keys to Developing Strong Supply Chain Partnerships

Q: How can value chain partners collaborate to enhance performance and efficiencies? A: Collaboration among supply chain partners can improve supply chain performance, create new capabilities, and increase efficiencies. Meeting to review performance objectives helps build stronger partnerships based on definable measurements and greater transparency, and encourages more effective supply chain practices. Part of this […]

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Trends—March 2014
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Trends—March 2014

Is the Jones Act Worth its Salt? A briny tale about a man named Jones, complete with international intrigue, American protectionism, twisted truths, and misplaced blame unfolded recently when a 40,000-ton shipment of road salt bound for New Jersey got waylaid in Searsport, Maine. The man in question is Wesley Jones, the U.S. senator from […]

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Trends—January 2014
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Trends—January 2014

Getting Demand Forecasting in Hand In the demand-driven logistics domain, forecasting is king. Companies that are best able to predict sputters and spikes, then react and execute against those signals, will gain a competitive advantage. But given today’s market uncertainty—the economy, consumer purchasing power and appetite for new products, sliding holiday seasonality, and emerging omni-channel […]

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Global Logistics—December 2013
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Global Logistics—December 2013

Can India Overcome Supply Chain Obstacles? Supply chain management, the regulatory environment, rural markets, and e-commerce remain India’s obstacles to growth, according to Rick Blasgen, president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). "India could accomplish more if it had better infrastructure and the ability to scale up to get products […]

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Kris Kosmala
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Optimized Operations Are Green Operations

Many companies in the ocean shipping industry are coping with increasing operating costs, below break-even performance, and aggressive price competition. Under these circumstances, the environmental impact of shipping, and ways to minimize its harmful emissions, are pushed into the shadow of more urgent cost-cutting activities. In the meantime, governments around the world continue introducing environmental […]

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Global Logistics—November 2013
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Global Logistics—November 2013

Aviation Climate Emissions Agreement Flies Forward The October 2013 agreement by 191 countries at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) general assembly in Montreal, which will develop a global market-based measure for aviation emissions by 2020, is a major breakthrough in the development of global standards for the industry. Under terms of the resolution, governments […]

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<em>Inbound Logistics’</em> 2013 Shipping Lines Guide
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Inbound Logistics’ 2013 Shipping Lines Guide

Since economic recession began spreading around the world in 2008, the ocean freight industry has been in a period of marked transition. The rise and fall of global economies has precipitated a similar effect as global steamship lines try to balance capacity to demand—all while seeking rate stability and reducing costs. Larger, greener ships are […]

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Felecia Stratton
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All Aboard a Modal Conversion

Intermodal is crossing over. In August 2013, U.S. domestic traffic averaged 257,795 units per week, the highest weekly average ever recorded, according to the Association of American Railroads. All indications suggest intermodal growth will continue to roll. As over-the-road shippers embrace the efficiency, economy, and sustainability of shifting truck shipments to rail, a conversion is […]

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Lars Kloch
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Is Slow Steaming Good for the Supply Chain?

When shipping lines began promoting slow steaming—operating ships at lower speeds to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions—they highlighted its environmental benefits. Slow speeds reduce fuel consumption and, therefore, the output of harmful emissions, helping shippers reduce their carbon footprint and reinforce their green image. Sailing ships at slower speeds does significantly reduce fuel consumption. […]

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Howard Finkel
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Trading Partners Work Together to Secure Maritime Cargo

Q: How are ocean carriers and shippers addressing security standards? A: When U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) initiative after the Sept. 11 attacks, it gave government, shippers, carriers, port authorities, and other transportation and logistics intermediaries a platform to build better security protocol into the supply […]

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<em>Inbound Logistics’</em> 2012 Ocean Carrier Guide
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Inbound Logistics’ 2012 Ocean Carrier Guide

The global ocean freight industry is swelling with capacity as New Panamax ships come online. But after enduring one of its worst years in 2009, container volumes continue to dip as the tides of economic recession sweep across Europe and parts of Asia. Steamship lines have been working cooperatively within alliances, and on their own, […]

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Trends—August 2012
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Trends—August 2012

Ocean Freight Industry Seeks Delivery Time Reliability Awash with capacity and beset by rate fluctuations, the ocean container shipping industry reflects the global economy. Shippers are trying to find a measure of consistency as they navigate the peaks and troughs. While cost is often the common denominator linking shippers, carriers, intermediaries, and consignees, recent collaboration […]

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Fabrizio Brasca
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Containerization’s Benefits Can’t Be Contained

Today’s leading companies are reexamining their supply chain operations, and implementing new strategies and technology to improve performance and enhance efficiencies. Moving cargo in containers, or containerization, is one area of opportunity shippers can leverage, not only in downstream transportation and logistics functions, but also in unexpected upstream supply chain planning functions. In its simplest […]

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