As a result of the wheels coming off Hanjin mid last year I wrote a piece on August 31st 2016 that rates were going to go up and they did. The article can be reviewed at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hanjin-falls-down-rates-shoot-up-tom-o-malley?trk=mp-reader-card for a refresher. The writing on the wall was pretty clear. I was stating the obvious. Real live capacity was suddenly… Read more »
Category: Transportation
Shipping Container
Ever wonder where the standard ocean shipping container came from? If so, you may want to get a hobby or get out more. Maybe a couple of those after work ‘networking’ gatherings (that just happen to take place in a bar) are in order. You really shouldn’t be wondering about things as geeky as where… Read more »
Export 101
Anyone that has been working near the profession of the transportation of goods internationally for a while has a short list of horror stories. I am no different. Over the years we see importers buy containers full of rocks in the place of product, exporters selling goods and being stuck for payment, and merchandise get… Read more »
Will there be a busy season?
Every year the ‘busy season’ for container shipping runs from July through October as the USA imports increase to supply retailers for their yearend needs. Many transportation companies and 3PL’s estimate their yearly projections using the July through October uptick in business as an injection of year saving revenue. This year however the ingredients are… Read more »
Playing SOLAS Chicken
Remember the SOLAS game of chicken I wrote about in April in the ‘The End is Near’ SOLAS article? You didn’t read the article? Really? Geez…okay, here is a link to it https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/end-near-yep-solas-coming-july-tom-o-malley?trk=prof-post for you. Go read it now while the rest of us wait. There will be a test so comprehension counts. Okay, let’s… Read more »
This is a very heavy subject.
In case you just woke from a 12 year nap, SOLAS is an international treaty (Safety of Life at Sea) and has a new amendment going into effect 01July2016 requiring shippers to have a system to VGM (verify gross mass). Maritime operators are sick of the safety risk of handling over weight containers with misstated… Read more »
Your Trucker Your Railroad
Timing is everything. Just a couple of weeks ago I wrote an article stating full truckload rates would likely continue having downward pressure, in my opinion, for the rest of the year. I also stated I thought the American Trucking Association (ATA) was off target stating a 7% tonnage increase for Fenurary2016. The spike didn’t… Read more »