American Shipper

Ocean carriers: Shipping reform act ‘doomed to fail’

Container carrier representatives in Washington are pushing back hard against legislation introduced Tuesday aimed at addressing yearlong complaints against carriers by their customers alleging service failures and unfair pricing they say would have disastrous consequences for container markets.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, spearheaded by Reps. John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., imposes minimum requirements on ocean carrier service contracts and shifts the burden of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ocean-carriers-shipping-reform-act-doomed-to-fail

August to be record for retail imports, NRF says

More boxes on the way

The National Retail Federation is calling for the start of peak season to kick off with a bang. The group sees imports to the nation’s largest retail container ports increasing 12.6% year-over-year in August to 2.37 million twenty-foot equivalent units, ahead of the recent monthly record established in May of 2.33 million.

“August is the beginning of the ‘peak season,’ when retailers stock up on holiday merchandise each year,” the report stated. “Many retailers are moving up their shipments this...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/august-to-be-record-for-retail-imports-nrf-says

Why a big 767 freighter operator now likes the Airbus A330

Close up side view of a white plane, with logo Air Transport International.

The Boeing 767 is Air Transport Services Group’s flagship freighter for its aircraft leasing and cargo airline businesses. Out of 110 aircraft currently in service, 91 are 767s. The medium widebodies are just the right size for express delivery linehaul routes — not too big, not too small — which require fast turn times and high load factors to make them economical.

So why is Wilmington, Ohio-based ATSG (NASDAQ: ATSG) betting big on the Airbus A330? The primary reason is fleet modernization...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/why-a-big-767-freighter-operator-now-likes-the-airbus-a330

FreightWaves Flashback: Bills of lading in a bar code

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected].

The many industries that make up the world of freight have undergone tremendous change over the past several decades. Each week, FreightWaves explores the archives of American Shipper’s nearly 70-year-old collection of shipping and maritime publications to showcase interesting freight stories of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-flashback-bills-of-lading-in-a-bar-code

Global demand isn’t booming. So why are shipping rates this high?

Maersk

There is no COVID-era surge in global cargo demand. There’s a lengthy albeit temporary spike in congestion compounded by a localized, stimulus-and-savings-driven demand boom in America.

That explanation for skyrocketing rates gained more traction Friday when liner giant Maersk released details of its quarterly performance.

Maersk — which pre-reported record Q2 2021 results on Monday — estimated that global container shipping demand was up only 2.7% in the second quarter versus the same period two...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/global-demand-isnt-booming-so-why-are-shipping-rates-this-high

Golden Ray wreckage continues leaking oil off Georgia coast

Cleanup crews are still working around the clock to stop oil leaking from the Golden Ray, a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel that capsized off the coast of Georgia nearly two years ago.

The leak began about a week ago after workers dismantled a section of the Golden Ray. The tide swept oil spilling from the wreckage under an environmental protection barrier that was set up around the half-submerged ship.

Michael Himes, a spokesman for St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command, said oil was still...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/golden-ray-wreckage-continues-leaking-oil-off-georgia-coast

ATSG to invest in A330 passenger-to-freighter conversions

A big white jet with ATI lettering lifts off from runway.

Air Transport Services Group said Thursday it will begin procuring Airbus A330 passenger jets and convert them into freighters as part of a broader strategy to expand its leasing business in support of express network operators that need bigger fleets to keep up with volume growth. The announcement came in the company’s second-quarter earnings report, which showed 8% revenue growth to $409.9 million driven by strong tailwinds in the air cargo sector.

The provider of bundled transportation...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/atsg-to-invest-in-a330-passenger-to-freighter-conversions

Canada border officers begin job action as slowdown hits trucking

An overhead view of trucks preparing to enter Canada via the Peace Bridge border crossing

Thousands of Canada Border Services Agency members began a work-to-rule strike, bringing delays to major truck crossings as talks between the unions and government continue.   

Nearly 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees began the work-to-rule strike — effectively a collective slowdown — at ports of entry across the country on Friday morning as delays mounted for trucks at some of the busiest border crossings. 

The job action started at 6 a.m. as talks between the federal...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/canada-border-officers-begin-job-action-as-slowdown-hits-trucking

Atlas Air buys eight 747 freighters off lease to maintain capacity

A white Atlas Air jumbo jet taking off against gray sky.

Atlas Air Worldwide said Thursday it is purchasing eight Boeing 747-400 freighters as their leases expire between this summer and the end of 2022 to ensure capacity as strong air cargo volumes collide with supply shortages.

The cargo airline holding company’s second-quarter revenue increased 20% to $990.4 million and it projected sales will reach $1 billion in the current period as shippers flock to air transport to support heavy ordering from customers and avoid ocean shipping congestion that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/atlas-air-buys-eight-747-freighters-off-lease-to-maintain-capacity

Swiss megaship operator rejects allegations of collusion by US shipper

Geneva-based container line giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. has denied allegations of collusion and contract violations by an American home furnishings manufacturer claiming its customer’s accusations are unsubstantiated.

MSC said it was “shocked” to learn of accusations made by Easton, Pennsylvania-based MCS Industries in a complaint filed at the Federal Maritime Commission. The complaint alleges that MSC, China’s COSCO Shipping Lines and their competitors are violating U.S. maritime laws...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/swiss-megaship-operator-rejects-allegations-of-collusion-by-us-shipper

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