The Asia-Prince Rupert, BC-Chicago run has a new entry. The claim is that even with Chicago rail delays, it is faster than going to LA/Long Beach. That could be true.
There’s a discussion of it here.
With Canadian Rails trying to take over the KCY line in the US, the route could perform even better.
By Martina Li in Taiwan 08/10/2021
Cosco offers faster, intermodal, alternative Asia-US route via Canada – The Loadstar
Posted in Logistics, Ports, Rail, Shipping, Supply Chains
Tagged Chicago, China, container shipping, intermodal, Logistics, ports, Prince Rupert, supply chains
Rapid home delivery is a growing area of logistics competition in retail. Walmart has a quick delivery service, and has gotten Home Depot to participate.
One interesting fact in the article is that Home Depot and Walmart rank #3 and #1 respectively in container imports!!
By Ian Putzger, Americas Correspondent 08/10/2021
Home Depot jumps onboard as Walmart launches third-party delivery cart – The Loadstar
Posted in Logistics, Service Management, Supply Chains
Tagged innovation, last mile, Logistics, supply chains, transportation
What happens to ships that nobody wants anymore?
The lifetime of a ship is roughly 20 years, before it is no longer economical to repair it. And technology advances may make a ship obsolete before that. So when no one wants it, what happens?
Used ships are sold to salvage brokers, who arrange for them to be disposed of for the value of steel they contain. As you probably know, used steel is an important additive to make new steel. And some of the plates and members have some use in other projects. Shipbreakers take on theships from the brokers, and cut them up.
In the US and EU, this is done in dry docks, with careful supervision. But another way to do it is to drive the ship onshore in Bangladesh, where a horde of workers armed with torches and so on cuts it up. Accidents are likely to happen.
Last quarter lots of accidents happened. Read the article.
The NGO tracking the deaths thinks the ship broker shold stop dealing with Bangladeshi operations that are not properly regulated. Perhaps that broker should be boycotted by those selling ships.
Another view is that Bangladesh is a poor country and this type of operation provides work and income for people who otherwise would have no jobs. But that doesn’t make the job safe.
Adis Ajdin October 7, 2021
Bangladesh shipbreaking sector sees highest quarterly death toll – Splash247
Tagged Logistics, ocean shipping, safety, shipbreaking, sustainability
Supply Chain Digest Port Technology International Marine Link
Supply Chain and Logistics 