Over the last few weeks operations within MIQ Logistics have been experiencing a tightening of the intermodal drayage market, especially throughout certain regions of the U.S. Drayage demand is currently outpacing capacity, and there are several factors, both new and old that are contributing to increased pricing and equipment shortages.
News
Source: National Retail Federation
Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports grew 7 percent during 2017 over 2016 as retail sales continued to increase and the industry wrapped up the year with a strong holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
GSP Expired On December 31, 2017
The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) provides duty-free treatment to goods of designated beneficiary countries. The program was authorized by the Trade Act of 1974 to promote economic growth in the developing countries and was implemented on January 1, 1976.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 148,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment gains occurred in health care, construction, and manufacturing.
MIQ Logistics was named a top service provider in Inbound Logistics magazine’s recent Who’s Who in Airfreight Forwarding guide. This is the eighth consecutive year Inbound Logistics has included MIQ Logistics in its annual listing.
Source: Institute for Supply Management
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in December, and the overall economy grew for the 103rd consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report on Business®.
Ernesto Zegarra, MIQ’s general manager for Chile and Argentina, was recently interviewed by Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International magazine about the mining and recovery of lithium. The full interview is available on pages 125-126 of Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International Magazine.
It would be an understatement to say that those involved in international supply chain were kept busy with logistics news in 2017. Our own MIQ team members who monitor news within supply chain have issued numerous communications to MIQ customers throughout this last year. These supply chain alerts ranged in topic from global trade policy, cyber security, Customs Border Protection, port congestion, record import volumes, earthquakes, floods and hurricanes. It is with these communications in mind that we look back quarter-by-quarter at what we witnessed this year. As we take stock in what has taken place in 2017, we also turn our attention to 2018 and examine what could be taking shape on the horizon.
Capacity shortages within the truckload and intermodal markets have been an ongoing topic in supply chain for the last few years. There have been numerous publications that have listed out the factors contributing to these shortages. These factors range from a shortage of qualified long-haul drivers, to equipment shortages, and government regulations. On Monday, December 18th the ELD (Electronic Logging Device) mandate will take effect. This mandate has the potential to tighten truckload capacity even further; which could have a rippling effect on inland transportation.