March 5, 2019 -Turkey and India reacted with a mix of anger and resignation Tuesday at the United States' decision to end a preferential trade program with the countries that will see some tariffs return on goods. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced Monday that India and Turkey will within 60 days no longer qualify for a zero-tariffs status that is given to some poor countries to help them grow. The decision came at U.S. President Donald Trump's direction.
Source: CBS News
March 1, 2019 - America’s trucker shortage is about to hit consumers right where it hurts: in the kitty litter. McDonald’s Corp.’s long-time distributor Martin-Brower Co. is raising delivery fees, imperiling low menu prices, and Procter & Gamble Co., Church & Dwight Co. and Hasbro Inc. are sounding the alarm that higher freight fees could be passed on to consumers of everything from Crest toothpaste to Arm & Hammer cat litter to My Little Pony figurines. And it’s all because transport companies can’t find drivers.
Source: Bloomberg
March 5, 2019 - China Post, a government-operated postal service in China, and Deppon Express, a Chinese logistics company, plan to begin using autonomous vehicles for daily package delivery in April. The companies say this is the first time autonomous vehicles have been used in commercial operations in China, according to a press release.
Source: Supply Chain Dive
March 6, 2019 - The UK cannot wait for Heathrow’s new runway if it is to prosper as an air cargo gateway. The challenges arising from Brexit may lead to much-needed and long-overdue diversification of the industry, said an executive at a major UK airports group at an FTA air freight round table last week.
Source: The Loadstar
March 4, 2019 - The Federal Maritime Commission's investigation into detention and demurrage is in its final phase, according to an agency press release, which will include creating industry standards of language and dispute resolution around the charges.
Source: Supply Chain Dive
March 4, 2019 - China lowered its economic growth target this year to between 6% and 6.5%, bowing to a deepening slowdown that can’t be quickly arrested without aggravating debt levels that are already high.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
March 4, 2019 - High capacity and low demand will leave ocean carriers on Asia-North Europe routes in a tight spot, with analysts suggesting even mild growth would seem a major victory. Drewry said that, with demand remaining low, carriers were likely set to face the same challenges as last year, in absorbing new big ships into the trade.
“The average size of containership deployed increased by approximately 6% from the start to end of 2018, to reach 15,000 TEU,” it said.
Source: The Loadstar
