CLIFF NOTES 

Top Logistics Headlines This Week

Domestic Freight Management

Spot Market Reefer Rates Increase Significantly In June 2018

According to the DAT, spot market reefer rates during the month of June reached the highest mark in recent history. Rates increased 6.3 percent last month compared to May 2018 and jumped 30 percent year-over-year. See more here.

Rail Traffic Trends Upward

Cargo transported via rail continues to pick up steam. For the week ending July 7, rail traffic increased 8.6 percent compared year-over-year. North American rail volume during the first half of 2018 reached 19,399,124 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to 2017. Click here to read more.

How To Apply For Exemptions From The Latest Proposed Tariffs

The U.S. Administration recently announced intentions to implement $200 billion worth of additional tariffs on U.S. imports from China. This announcement (USTR-2018-0026) came after the Administration released a list of more than 6,031 product lines that could be charged a 10 percent tariff. See more here.

Peak Import Season On The Horizon

Peak import season is almost here and U.S. importers are bracing for a number of unusual factors this year. From tariffs to increased bunker fuel prices to record over-the-road rates, importing this peak season could be more costly than previous years. To learn more about navigating these complexities and planning ahead, please contact our International Freight Forwarding team.

Port of Long Beach Reaches Record High for Cargo Volumes

The Port of Long Beach moved 752,000 containers during June 2018, surpassing the previous record of 720,000 during July 2017. Through the first half of 2018, the Port of Long Beach processed nearly four million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) a 14.5 percent increase compared to last year which was the port’s busiest year ever. Read more here.

Retail Consolidation

Three Ways Our Retail Consolidation Program Helps Walmart Suppliers

Retail Sales Reach $506.8B in June 

The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that it estimates U.S. retail and food services sales will increase 0.5 percent to $506.8 billion during June. Total sales for the April 2018 through June 2018 period were up 5.9 percent from the same period last year. Click here to read more.