Tag Archives: supply chains

Grim outlook for intermodal as an alternative to ‘maxed-out’ US truck market

Posted on September 5, 2021 by | Leave a comment

This article outlines why intermodal is not such a good option for US distribution. Though the trucking market is ‘maxed-out’, meaning it is hard to get a trucking firm to move a container, rail is having its own congestion and shortage difficulties.

And chassis remain a problem area. Most leasing companies, who own the chassis, prefer large long-term deals with ocean carreirs rather than shorter term deals for local movements in the US. The article refers to the trucker-owned chassis pool in the Midwest, which seems to be shunned by the leasing companies, creating a shortage of chassis for containers.

Today, we can’t find any area of logistics that isn’t suffering over something. A far cry from a year or two ago.

By Ian Putzger, Americas correspondent 02/09/2021

Grim outlook for intermodal as an alternative to ‘maxed-out’ US truck market – The Loadstar

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Posted in Logistics, Rail, Supply Chains, Trucking

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CH Robinson introduces drayage congestion surcharge for major US ports

Posted on September 4, 2021 by | 2 comments

This article clearly outlines some of the reasons drayage truckers don’t want the job any more. Fixing it will require major cooperation along several elements of the container supply chain.

We can enumerate them:

  • Drayage trucking companies that pick up containers weit a chassis and drive them to the next point on the journey.
  • Drayage truck drivers, who are often owner-operators, paid by theload and not hourly, who can’t afford to wait for chassis or container pickup.
  • Port terminal yards, which may have restrictions on hours, and increasingly operate with reservation systems that fix the time you can pick up.
  • Chassis pools. To move a container you must have a chassis, and chassis are currently in short supply. At many ports they are owned by leasing companies and stored in pools, where the driver must go to pick the chassis up and drop it later.
  • Forwarders and Shippers. Sometimes contracts for drayage are altered without notice and drivers must spend extra time traveling, or waiting for facilities to open. Sometimes the chassis must be dropped elsewhere, forcing the driver to go extra distance and spend unpaid time accommodating the change.
  • Rail lines. Many containers are delivered by drayage firms to transfer points where they are loaded on rail cars for a long distance trip. Currently rail lines have a shortage of the rail cars required to carry containers. Rail lines are also suffering from serious delays at key transfer points, such as Chicago. Perhaps there has been chronic underinvestment in equipment for container handling. It’s not as profitable as hauling coal or grains or other bulk commodities.
  • Warehouses. Often containers must be delivered or picked up within a specific time window. these windows are not flexible enough when there is a great deal of variation in pickup and travel times.

CH Robinson introduces drayage congestion surcharge for major US ports Published Sept. 2, 2021 Max Garland Reporter

CH Robinson introduces drayage congestion surcharge for major US ports | Supply Chain Dive

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Posted in Logistics, Ports, Supply Chains

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Maersk firm strikes deal for 16 electric trucks

Posted on September 2, 2021 by | 1 comment

Maersk is one of the largest, and possibly the most advanced, ocean carriers. The LA/LongBeach ports have been a problem area for air pollution and sustainabiolity for many years. There’s no rail connection directly to the ports, and even so, rail is powered by diesel.

Presently containers are trucked to outlying areas like Riverside or San Bernardino where there are many distribution centers. Ocean containers are 40-feet long. They are often ‘transloaded’ to 53-foot trailers which are the standard size in the US, for long distance travel to the destination. That transloading is done at the distribution centers. Or cargo is delivered direct to customers within the LA basin.

Electric trucks have zero emissions when measured by today’s standards. They also should require substantially less maintenance, without an internal combustion engine (ICE). Using the trucks for these short hauls will reduce pollution near the ports, and also on the LA freeways. And with a fixed route they can be kept charged easily at charging stations near the port. It’s a good thing to try out.

Maersk has made a big point of their commitment to get to zero emissions by 2050. This is one more experiment in the process.

Volvo makes the trucks in Virginia, and they are supposed to be rolling off the assembly line by now.

1 September 2021 Port Technology International Team

Maersk firm strikes deal for 16 electric trucks across Southern California – Port Technology International

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Posted in Logistics, Ports, Shipping, Supply Chains, Trucking

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