In today’s demanding supply chain environment, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are facing unprecedented supply chain challenges much like larger companies and, as a result, have been investing in their own fleets due to the lack of equipment available in the marketplace.

A Hapag Lloyd ‘Operational Update’ reported on delays unloading its containers for customers at a number of North American ports published on November 4th, 2021

International Propeller Club President, James Patti, warned that the current supply chain crisis, has exposed the United States’ dependence on foreign flag shipping and argued that the United States needs to:

Greg Scott, director of LCL Ocean Services at C.H. Robinson, shares why shippers should consider expedited LCL shipping in the face of current disruption.

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero defended surcharges that the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles propose to assess on ocean carriers, which he said were necessary to alleviate the congestion crisis at the two ports.

In a bold move to end the gridlock at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two ports announced that they will assess ocean carriers $100 per container per day surcharges for import containers that are not moved off marine terminals after specified time periods.

Following an October 13th White House meeting with President Biden on port congestion, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka provided assurances that terminals at the Port of Los Angeles would utilize 24/7 operations to reduce congestion.

Two U.S. port officials said improvements in transportation infrastructure are necessary to avoid a repeat of current port congestion problems and cited the need for upgrades in warehousing and rail transport as well as increased worker training.

The Agriculture Transportation Coalition’s (AgTC) virtual convention heard Executive Director Peter Friedmann underscore the continued frustration that U.S. agricultural exporters experience booking space for export containers from ocean carriers.