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 [...]
On Thursday, Universal Cargo's blog was about MSC and Maersk announcing they're ending the 2M Alliance. The world's top two shipping lines said they're doing this to "pursue individual [...]
Like a bad hairstyle fad, the 2M Alliance is coming to an end. But that end won't be abrupt. The process is not as simple as combing hair along a part, sending this section of hair that way and [...]
This is a guest post by David Burns. Shipping regular goods is stressful enough for any business that imports or export. However, if you find yourself in a position where you need to ship [...]
This is a guest post by Joe Webster. Most U.S. imports are transported via ocean freight or air freight. However, air freight primarily deals with shipments of perishable goods and other [...]
2022 is just days away from being over, so it's time to look forward to 2023. We'll probably have a few posts focused on what the year will have in store for international shipping, but today we [...]
This is a guest post by Alanna Melton. Expanding globally is a dream that many entrepreneurs hope to see come true. Thankfully, technology and increased connectedness have made it easy to take [...]
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 [...]
More International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) disruption is happening at West Coast ports, particularly at the Port of Oakland, as contract negotiations don't appear to be getting [...]
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest ocean freight carrier by capacity, has been making moves that could position itself to leave the 2M Alliance it has with Maersk, [...]
Imports for the end of the year were already expected to decline, but at the end of last week the expected decline for October basically doubled. November and December's expected decline [...]
This is a guest post by Tony Diaz. When businesses deal with shipping, they are often faced with various options. From multiple types of transport to different supply chains, shipping can be a [...]
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 [...]
Now that most countries are easing COVID-19 restrictions, ocean shipping processes might improve. However, as of the first half of 2022, you also have to consider the impacts of the [...]
There's an issue holding up contract negotiations at the West Coast ports, and it's not automation. Paul Berger reports in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ): Labor talks between West Coast [...]
In the last blog, we looked at how – with the slowing economy – retailers and shippers are decreasing their imports and expected to keep doing so in 2023. As discussed, that should mean [...]
As of Friday (July 1st), the master contract between the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for all the dockworkers at West Coast ports is [...]
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 [...]
Shippers who import from China were likely relieved to hear the months-long "Covid Zero" lockdown in Shanghai had been lifted last Wednesday. However, they shouldn't expect the supply chain to [...]
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