What We're Reading: Trendwatch Week 7

Your weekly update for the latest trends and news from the supply chain world. 

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Trade war: Trump 'could extend' deadline for deal with China

February 13, 2019 - Chinese and US officials will hold high-level talks this week aimed at halting their damaging trade war. US officials previously said 1 March was a hard deadline for achieving a deal to avert further tariffs. Both countries have imposed duties on billions of dollars worth of one another's goods. Deputy-level talks began this week in Beijing. High-level discussions, led by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, are due to begin on Thursday as both sides rush to make progress before the 1 March deadline.

Source: BBC

Tariff hike delay has helped out ag shippers, but not for long

February 8, 2019 - China buys roughly 60% of U.S. soybeans. According to BIMCO analysis of USDA figures, 754,609 metric tons of soybeans were ready to be shipped in China in January. In December that number was just 25,347 metric tons. Farmers, traders and even carriers have been at the mercy of the Trump administration for months now as the trade war stretches on. And it's not just what farmers are able to sell and ship that is dependent on the U.S. trade relationship with China.

Source: Supply Chain Dive

 

BDP International: providing global logistics solutions using state-of-the-art technology

February 6, 2019 - The Logistics industry is now a world of endless possibilities. CEO Magazine's editorial team spoke to Pavithran M Kallada, who currently serves as Managing Director for BDP International for India region, about how BDP is implementing state-of-the-art technology to provide to provide end-to-end logistics service offerings to customers. 
Source: The CEO Magazine

 

Fire-stricken APL Vancouver Singapore-bound after general average is declared

February 13, 2019 - The fire-stricken 9,200 teu APL Vancouver is en route to a Singapore lay-by berth for inspection by surveyors, following the decision last week to declare general average (GA). In the early hours of 31 January, off the Vietnamese coast, a fire started in a cargo hold forward of the vessel’s accommodation block.

Source: The Loadstar


Freight market expected to reach $565B by 2022

February 11, 2019 - The overall freight sector — including trucking, rail, pipeline, water and air — is expected to grow 3.3% annually until 2022 when it will reach $565 billion in revenue, up from $479 billion in 2017, according to a forecast by Freedonia Group. Trucking is expected to still be the largest sector of freight with forecasted revenue of $383 billion in 2022.

Source: Supply Chain Dive

 

Self-driving truck tech startup TuSimple raises $95 million in new funding

February 13, 2019 - Autonomous trucking firm TuSimple has raised $95 million to expand its fleet of self-driving big rigs and fund joint product development with truck manufacturers and equipment makers, the company said Wednesday.

Source: Wall Street Journal

 

ICS: Shipping cannot achieve climate goals using fossil fuels

February 12, 2019 - The International Chamber of Shipping has concluded that it will not be possible to achieve the IMO's target for greenhouse gas cuts using fossil fuels. The determination is in line with recent research on the greenhouse-gas profile of liquefied natural gas, the primary alternative marine fuel on the market today. Studies have found that LNG offers a relatively small 6-10 percent GHG reduction compared with HFO (and, with certain engine designs, the possibility of a GHG increase). By comparison, IMO aims for a 50 percent cut in GHG emissions by 2050. 
Source: Maritime Executive


Arctic council launches shipping database

February 9, 2019 - The Arctic Council’s Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) has launched a comprehensive Arctic shipping activity database. The launch is a significant milestone in PAME’s work to improve knowledge of historical Arctic ship traffic activity and the factors that affect it, such as sea ice extent, meteorological and oceanographic conditions and international regulations. 
Source: Maritime Executive