Freight rates, particularly Asia to U.S. West Coast (USWC) freight rates, have increased by more than 100% since June. That's not too surprising, since we're in the peak season, and freight rates [...]
A hot topic just popped up in international shipping. It revolves around the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) potentially getting involved in regulating pricing when it comes to importing and [...]
Well, that didn't last long. The good feelings that the strike at Canada's ports was over only lasted days. However, a resumed or new strike (depending on your point of view) this week was even [...]
Want to know what's happening with international shipping right now? You're in the right place. Today's post hits top international shipping news stories affecting shippers' import and export [...]
The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) claimed today to have reached a "tentative agreement" with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) on "certain key issues." Immediately, it [...]
One of the things we often do in Universal Cargo's blog is give shippers an outlook for how the international shipping freight rate market is behaving and looks to behave. Over the years, [...]
After a couple years of out of control, skyrocketing freight rates, ocean freight pricing finally came tumbling down. Freight rates have gone from peaks, including cargo routes getting carriers [...]
Ocean freight rates have fallen, for which U.S. importers can rejoice. Readers of Universal Cargo's blog certainly don't need a recap of how freight rates skyrocketed during the pandemic, thanks [...]
2022 is nearly over, so it's time to look back on the year and digest what happened. Here at Universal Cargo, we like to count down the top international shipping news stories we covered from [...]
There was more port disruption this week as the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) contract negotiations drag on. And shippers can expect this to continue for some time. By all [...]
There are lines in current news outlet articles that shippers, importers in particular, will actually be happy to read: "Trans-Pacific shipping rates have plummeted roughly 75% from year-ago [...]
Labor action from West Coast dockworkers is looking more and more likely to disrupt supply chains. In fact, local action, including a port security guard strike authorization, have already taken [...]
The Wall Street Journal headlined an article yesterday with "Ocean Shipping Rates Have Plunged 60% This Year." Costas Paris reports in the article: "The cost to ship a 40-foot container from [...]
For more than a year, many shippers who have always shipped by sea have turned to air freight for their heavy lifting. There's a reason 90% of goods are transported around the world by ship. [...]
It's kind of a good news, bad news situation. Or more accurately, bad news, good news situation. Because of the slowing economy (bad news), freight rates should see decline (good news) in the [...]
Strike, strike, strike! The U.S. supply chain is in a triple strike threat from truckers, dockworkers, and rail workers. Normally, it's three strikes and you're out, but this is no game. Any one [...]
For years, we've talked about a trucker shortage that has been a problem for the international shipping industry and U.S. supply chains. Now, a law is going into effect in California that [...]
President Biden is about to sign a piece of legislation into law: The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA). The president claims that this "will solve a big piece of [inflation]." The [...]
Ocean freight rates are falling. Yes, they're still extremely high, but they're moving in the right direction. Greg Miller reported this week in Freight Waves that global spot rates for ocean [...]
Countdown ‘Til ILWU Slowdowns Contract Negotiations The countdown is at nine days. This isn’t an exciting countdown like counting down the days ’til Christmas or the seconds [...]