There’s a great graphic in this article showing the container and carload bookings on rail by month over the last year.
I also was interested by the statement that ag and bulk products, which often go in hopper cars, are down considerably. The data come from the AAR (American Association of Railroads), an industry group that provides many statistics about railroad operations.
via Rail volume down for 9th straight month in November | Supply Chain Dive
This story is a follow up to one I did a couple of weeks ago. Fuel surcharges are varying wildly. A consultant found that there’s a wide disparity, the rate rationale is not very transparent, and rates vary even within alliances. Conditions like this lead to confusion and annoyance among customers, especially smaller shippers. I expect 3PLs will also be annoyed, but they will be figuring out how to explain the surcharges or where to hide them in their reselling agreements. It doesn’t make for great credibility among the ocean carriers.
Mike Wackett
via Are carriers boosting low-sulphur fuel surcharges to make up for low rates? – The Loadstar
Why did the EU decide to extend shipping alliances’ rights? This article in the Loadstar points to a short piece on Linked in calling attention to a study by Olaf Merk (and others) critiquing alliances and what they have done to the ocean shipping and port industries.
The study points out alliances were useful in the distant past, but today they are serving to consolidate ocean shipping, reduce offers and most every service, and they also put great pressure on ports to engage in competition on facilities, a costly endeavor that results in over-allocation of capital for the use of few lines.
I’ve attached the Merk etal. article below. He’s an eminent port and maritime economist, and what he writes should be taken seriously.
By Alex Lennane 22/11/2019
via Study on shipping alliances makes EC exemption decision ‘puzzling’ – The Loadstar
Supply Chain Digest Port Technology International Marine Link
Supply Chain and Logistics 