A new study, Containerized Intermodal Goods Movement Assessment (CIGMA) 2008, has been released by freight transportation consultant The Tioga Group, Inc. (www.tiogagroup.com). Supported by interviews with more than 60 leading firms linked to the supply chain, CIGMA was created to be the key source of information about containerized transportation issues and trends in North America.
'Our interviews with major shippers, carriers, third parties, ports, and others have produced up-to-date insights that are a must-have resource for anyone involved in containerized shipping and logistics in North America,' says Frank Harder, Principal, The Tioga Group, Inc.
CIGMA will be useful to executives and public officials involved in all aspects of the logistics chain who are in need of current, insightful information on North American containerized trade issues and trends.
Key CIGMA findings include:
- China will continue as the dominant supply source; India and Southeast Asia imports are growing but on a relatively small base
- Some additional Asian cargo will shift to East Coast ports; but the West Coast will continue to grow
- Southern California container transloading will continue to play a major role to
- East and Midwest destinations; however, the efficiency of on-dock rail and inland logistics parks will continue to attract Inland Point Intermodal (IPI) traffic
- South Atlantic ports will expand due to all-water routings and regional market demands
- NY/NJ and Virginia Ports will continue as the primary East Coast entry points
- A shortage of bulk shipping capacity is shifting grain exports to containers, creating a shortage of containers in grain growing regions
'The CIGMA report is comprehensive, providing a fully integrated view of the North American containerized market for the coming year,' Harder says. Topics covered in the report include:
- Impact of higher fuel costs on supply chains and routings
- Import growth projections
- Import production sourcing trends
- Ocean routing trends
- Ocean carrier rationalization of inland network services for intact movements
- Port issues and capacity
- Import distribution center and transloading trends
- Rail trends including pricing, capacity and contracts
- Impact of recent significant increases in IPI rail rates
- Motor carrier trends including driver supply, fuel cost, security, and environment
