8 Reasons Shippers Need Cargo Insurance
“Why do I need cargo insurance?” I’ve heard this question asked. The short answer is: “Because you’re a shipper.” If that isn’t enough for you, keep [...]
7 Tips to Beat Cargo Theft by ID Theft Like Tom Brady Beat NFL Suspension
The big item in the news today is that U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman ruled to overturn Tom Brady’s four game suspension from the NFL. New England Patriots fans are celebrating. [...]
BNSF Railway’s New Intermodal Storage Policy Angers Shippers
Last week, on August 17th, a BNSF Railway intermodal storage policy change went into effect that is making shippers unhappy. The displeasure with the new policy couldn’t be missed in a [...]
Summary of New Trade Laws Passed by Congress & Signed by Obama
In the last blog, we discussed Congress passing and President Obama signing into law a bill that extended the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program retroactively. The president [...]
Shippers Get Import Duty Reimbursed — GSP is Back Retroactively!
The U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program is back! If you’re one of the many shippers who benefited from the GSP program, then you remember vividly when the program expired [...]
Almost Finished Panama Canal Expansion Will Shift Cargo Market Share
Panama Canal Nearing Completion I can hear the choirs singing, “Soon and very soon…!” Rather than singing about seeing the King, they’re singing about seeing the completed [...]
Services
Company
The Truth About the New ILWU Contract
After the news broke that both the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) voted to ratify the new West Coast longshore contract, the Los [...]
Which of These Chassis Plans Will Relieve Congestion at LA/LB Ports
“Back That Chassis Up” If Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, and Lil Wayne rapped about international shipping, “Back That Chassis Up” would be their biggest song. It would go [...]
Ask UCM: Can People Travel As Passengers On Cargo Ships? (w/ Videos)
When we asked last week what you–shippers, our blog readers, our social media followers, or general internet perusers–would like to read about in Universal Cargo Management’s [...]
Truckers Strike at the Ports of Los Angeles & Long Beach
Just when the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach seemed to be making headway in the major congestion problems there, another issue pops up which threatens the delivery of shippers’ cargo [...]
What’s Causing Congestion at the Port of New York & New Jersey?
The West Coast does not hold a monopoly on port congestion. Congestion problems on the West Coast, especially at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, have been extremely costly for truckers, [...]
Shippers’ Questions: What’s Going On With This Canal Thru Nicaragua
Every week, we post inquiries on Universal Cargo Management’s Facebook and Twitter pages asking what you want to read about in our international shipping blog. Yesterday–Monday, March [...]
Biggest Ship to Ever Call on East Coast Ports Signals Shippers’ Trend
For the first time ever, a container ship with a capacity larger than 10,000 TEUs (twenty-foot-equivalent units) called upon U.S. East Coast ports this week. Such megaships have called upon the [...]
3 Things Happening to Get Shippers’ Cargo Moving at the LA & LB Ports
Congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is not new news. During the months of contract negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore & [...]
West Coast Ports to Shut Down in Days Unless ILWU Accepts Contract
Five to ten days: that’s how long we have until West Coast ports completely shut down, according to the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). Two days ago, we posted a shipping news alert [...]
Will ILWU Caucus End Contract Negotiations?
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) have been in contract negotiations for months. For the first several months, negotiations seemed [...]
Exclusive Interview with ILWU Member During Contract Negotiations
Today’s blog is a special, exclusive interview with ILWU member David A. Griffen. The ILWU contract negotiations drag on while shippers, businesses, and international shipping industry [...]