Trending Now

Building a Resilient Supply Chain with Advanced Predictive…

New Articles

INTERMODAL IS HOT: HOW SIX CITIES ARE MEETING LONG-HAUL CHALLENGES

intermodal
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Site Selection, Stories

INTERMODAL IS HOT: HOW SIX CITIES ARE MEETING LONG-HAUL CHALLENGES

Leave a comment

How hot is intermodal right now? Total volumes rose 20.4% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2021, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) Intermodal Quarterly report. 

International containers gained 24.8% from 2020; domestic shipments, 15.7%; and trailers, 18.5%, according to the Calverton, Maryland-based association’s report, which also found that intermodal volumes not only grew for the fourth consecutive quarter in Q2, but the double-digit gain was the largest quarterly increase since Q3 of 2010 as well as the sixth quarter with a double-digit growth rate in the history of the data. 

“What is noteworthy is the breadth of the gains,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA, before September’s IANA Expo in Long Beach, California, where the Q2 surge was a source of industry optimism. “With one or two exceptions, the three market segments showed positive performance in all of IANA’s 10 regions.”

Trans-Canada led with a 29.6% total growth increase, followed by the Southeast-Southwest at 28.9% and the Midwest-Northwest at 26.6%. The Intra-Southeast likewise posted a 25.9% increase; the South Central-Southwest, 24.5%; and the Midwest-Southwest, 21.8%. The Northeast-Midwest came in at 20.9%.

“Freight volumes are expected to slow but experience steady q/q growth into 2022,” forecasts the 2021 Second Quarter Intermodal Quarterly report. “For 2021 as a whole, truck loadings are forecasted to be 7% higher than 2020 levels.”

Freight demand pressures, the end of consumer stimulus infusions and unemployment supplement and the ongoing surge in small new trucking companies have complicated matters, according to the report. “Intermodal remains highly competitive with trucking due to very high rates and tight driver supply. 

This situation will likely continue at least into early 2022, however, could be affected by a quicker stabilization in the trucking market, as reflected by a peak in truck spot metrics.” 

Managing the ups and downs of intermodal transport is greatly assisted by the IANA, whose roster includes more than 1,000 members from railroads, ocean carriers, ports, intermodal truckers and over-the-road highway carriers, intermodal marketing and logistic companies, and suppliers to the industry. (Learn more at intermodal.org.) But at the hyper-local level, economic development corporations (EDCs) also play a role in keeping freight trains rolling. Below are six cities meeting intermodal challenges with the help of their EDCs.

MILLERSBURG, OREGON

The Albay-Millersburg Economic Development Corporation estimates that 81% of the exported agricultural products from the Mid-Willamette Valley of Southern Oregon are loaded onto ships at the Seattle and Tacoma ports, with the remainder exported from ports in Long Beach (8 percent) and Oakland (3 percent), California. 

Complicating the flow of produce is traffic congestion near Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and farther down Interstate 5 into California.

However, like an oasis of calm sits Millersburg, which allows agricultural producers in the region to consolidate their products efficiently and avoid bumper-to-bumper nightmares altogether. To that end, the Linn Economic Development Group (LEDG), which is an affiliate of the Albay-Millersburg EDC, is constructing the Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Center (MWVIC) in Millersburg.

The town of around 2,000 people just happens to be where the Union Pacific Railroad mainline, BNSF’s Portland Western Railroad and I-5 come together. The MWVIC was made possible by passage of the state’s Keep Oregon Moving legislation, which appropriated $25 million toward development.

The intermodal center will include a main office, parking lot, space for about 100 trucks to park overnight, amenities for truck drivers, capabilities to handle domestic and international containers, track space for inbound and outbound trains, a 60,000-square-foot storage warehouse and docks to support reloading and transloading onto rail, with capacity for longer-term storage of product.

Agricultural producers and train operators are not the only beneficiaries of the project. Shippers will now have the option of choosing the best transportation alternative for each individual load. The LEDG estimates that under full utilization, private transportation cost savings will total $2.1 million per year.

But the public should turn out to be the biggest winner. Reducing the number of trucks on the highways would lower maintenance costs, reduce congestion, improve air quality and decrease carbon emissions—while the MWVIC at the same time increases jobs and local spending. 

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

The Norfolk Southern Allentown Rail Yard is among the railroad’s largest facilities, but only a few of the 200 manufacturers in the Pennsylvania town transport goods by rail. The Allentown Economic Development Corporation would like to change that. Saying of the yard “we’re very fortunate to have it,” Scott Unger, executive director of the Allentown EDC, says he and his team are pulling out all the stops to increase rail usage.

Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Rail Freight administers a special grant program called the Rail Freight Assistance Program that provides financial assistance to companies that are interested in bringing a railroad spur directly to their property for freight shipments. The goal of the grant program is to preserve and stimulate economic development through new and expanded rail service.

Also hoping the state incentive program lights a fire under local manufacturers is the R. J. Corman Railroad Co., LLC, which owns 11 Class 3 short line railroads in the Mid-Atlantic and the South, as well as the R. J. Corman Allentown Rail Yard.

“Products that are ideal for transloading include palletized commodities which can be loaded and unloaded in a boxcar,” explained John Gogniat, director of Commercial Development for R. J. Corman. “In addition, products such as lumber or steel that can be unloaded with a forklift are ideal candidates. That said, we are open to entertaining any potential commodity and will develop a mutually desirable solution for its loading and unloading.”

Gogniat notes that Allentown’s strategic location provides access to Philadelphia, Scranton, York, Harrisburg, Wilmington, New York and beyond.

WILKES COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Rail Industrial Access Program also uses state funds to help construct or refurbish railroad spur tracks required by a new or expanding company. Program funding is intended to modernize railroad tracks to ensure effective and efficient freight deliveries.

Many companies taking advantage of the incentive are located in Wilkes County, which was established in 1777 and is still known today as a mecca for outdoor recreation, small-town living . . . and a big business mentality. 

Consider the Yadkin Valley Railroad, which offers Wilkes County businesses rail access to ship their products into the Ronda and Roaring River areas. Operating out of the Winston-Salem area and hauling 11,500 carloads per year with freight, Yadkin joins G&O’s short line railroads, which offer connections to CSX and Norfolk Southern, in figuring into the logistical operations of Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility.

Wilkes County Economic Development Corporation will point businesses to other local and state incentive programs to improve rail access—dependent on the applicant’s potential to create new jobs and invest capital in the region. The aim is to get companies to locate or expand in North Carolina versus another state.

“The North Carolina Railroad Company partners with the state’s economic development community and railroads on initiatives designed to drive job creation, freight rail use and economic growth,” reads an EDC release. “Through NCRR Invests we evaluate requests for investments to address the freight rail infrastructure needs of companies considering location or expansion in the state.” 

But Wilkes County does not live by rail alone, as the EDC also trumpets a location that is close to major freeways and interstates, two international airports (Charlotte Douglas and Piedmont Triad) and three major East Coast ports (Wilmington, North Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; and Charleston, South Carolina). 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

An ambitious program was born out of congestion, pollution and unconnected cargo transportation options in the Big Apple. Freight NYC aims to expand the use of rail and water to move food, building materials and other goods that are normally trucked in from outside the five boroughs.

“Freight NYC will better equip New York City to meet 21st-century demand by modernizing the city’s freight infrastructure, reducing truck traffic and improving air quality, while creating nearly 5,000 good-paying jobs in the process,” says James Patchett, chief executive of the New York Economic Development Corporation. “This plan is a win-win for our environment and economy.”

The city would invest as much as $100 million in the program that would include a 500,000-square-foot distribution center on the site of the Brooklyn Army Terminal, adjacent to the New York New Jersey Rail carfloat hub, as well as a new air cargo center near John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens.

Private participation in a $20-30 million barge terminal on five acres of land owned by the city in Hunts Point, a major distribution crossroads for produce in the Bronx, is also part of the multimodal plan. 

Small rail freight yards on a line through Brooklyn and Queens, where goods would be transloaded to smaller vehicles for final delivery, is also envisioned.

DECATUR, ILLINOIS

When you think of the granddaddy of rail operations in the Midwest, you think of Chicago. That’s part of . . . heck, the main problem, according to Nicole Bateman, president of the Decatur Economic Development Corporation and executive director of the Midwest Inland Port. The Windy City is not only the nation’s busiest rail freight gateway, it’s the third-largest intermodal container/trailer port in the world, following Singapore and Hong Kong, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

What comes to mind when you think about freight, Singapore and Hong Kong? Congestion. As such, shippers on both ends of the supply chain need alternatives to Chicago—which is where Decatur (as Bateman’s fingers cross) comes in. 

Located 160 miles southwest of Chicago, Decatur is now being propped up by its EDC and the Midwest Inland Port as a distribution transportation center, which is fed not only by four railroads but easy access to interstates and airports. The port association is utilizing public-private partnerships to capitalize on Decatur’s geographic location, while the EDC seeks to make the city Illinois’ designated downstate freight transportation hub as a way to relieve rail and highway congestion in Chicago.

Users of the Midwest Inland Port have experienced savings in freight transportation costs and significant reduction in transit times, Bateman recently told American Shipper.

SEGUIN, TEXAS

Talk about strategic locations, Seguin sits alongside Interstate 10 and the banks of the Guadalupe River, with San Antonio a mere 35 minutes to the west, Austin only 55 minutes north and Houston about 2 ½ hours to the east.  

Besides the easy access to I-10, Seguin also connects to State Highway 130, which it bills as “the safe, fast and reliable alternative to congested Interstate 35 in Central Texas.” Two international airports (San Antonio and Austin-Bergstrom) and two deep-water ports (Houston and Corpus Christi) are an hour of so away.

But perhaps the biggest jewel in the close proximity crown is Union Pacific’s San Antonio Intermodal Terminal (SAIT), a $100 million state-of-the-art facility designed to support the growing intermodal volume in southern Texas. The expansive facility is designed to handle 250,000 annual container lifts as it serves markets across South Texas.  

If that hasn’t sold you, allow the Seguin Economic Development Corporation to work its magic. The EDC helps guide businesses through the maze of available loans, grants and tax breaks from the city, county and state. To hear the EDC tell it, finding applicants should be no sweat considering Seguin’s “easy access to four of the United States’ largest consumer markets, allowing manufactures to get their products to millions of consumers, all within a five-hour drive.”

technology
Archives, Features, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO MEET MODERN CHALLENGES: PART II

Leave a comment

For part two of our tech-focused feature, Global Trade identified industry players who confronted challenges with the help of technological partners. Our case studies are arranged by the categories Global Trade covers on the regular, from 3PLs and e-commerce to intermodal and air cargo logistics.

Please be aware that each category could have had many multiple case studies. Therefore, we do not want to leave the impression that only the best of the best are represented. We felt it better to spread the coverage around to different types of tech challenges and solutions. Do you have your own special story that could have been reported here? Please continue sharing it with us. Read part one here.

EDUCATION

Institution: Humber College of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Challenge: Preparing students for Industry 4.0  

Problem Solver: SEW-Eurodrive Canada of Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Solution: Industry 4.0 Laboratory

SEW-Eurodrive, which specializes in geared motors, frequency inverters, controls and software to individual drive solutions, has been headquartered in Bruchsal, Germany, since its founding in 1931 as Süddeutsche Elektromotorenwerke (SEW).

However, the company’s facilities around the world include the North American corporate offices, SEW-Eurodrive Inc. in Lyman, South Carolina, and SEW-Eurodrive Canada that is about a half hour from Toronto.

Humber College and SEW-Eurodrive are now at about the mid-point of a five-year partnership to prepare students for Industry 4.0 technologies, a critical aspect of advanced manufacturing, with training, applied research and future career opportunities. The centerpiece of the partnership with the college is the SEW-Eurodrive’s first-ever Industry 4.0 laboratory in North America. Focused on automated guided vehicles (AGVs), mobile worker assistants and connected automation equipment, the SEW-Eurodrive Industry 4.0 Live Laboratory is in Humber’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation.

The lab opened in 2018 after a $4 million+ investment in SEW-Eurodrive technology, $125,000 to establish new scholarships and a commitment to have students intern at the company’s Canadian locations and be considered for permanent employment at those facilities after graduation. 

“At SEW-Eurodrive, we see great value in investing in Humber students,” says Anthony Peluso, SEW-Eurodrive Canada’s chief operating officer, “and providing the opportunity for students to develop the skills and gain the practical experience that today’s employers demand.”

INTERMODAL

Company: The Jaeger Bernburg Group of Bernburg, Germany

Challenge: Digitize its rail transport division fleet  

Problem Solver: Nexxiot AG of Zurich, Switzerland

Solution: IoT technology 

Jaeger Bernburg is actually a group of medium-sized companies that offers a wide range of different services in the construction industry, with a focus on transport infrastructure and civil engineering. They are primarily active in railroad construction and managing a large number of vehicles adapted to deliver related services.

“Our company is pursuing an ambitious digitalization strategy,” explains Christian Koch, Jaeger Bernburg’s local operations manager. “To achieve this, it was important for us to rely on a system that is maintenance-free as well as one that enables precise monitoring of the mileage of our fleet.”

The collaboration with Nexxiot, which began in April 2020, has relied on equipping the rolling assets with IoT technology to make the monitoring of mileage and other real-time data communication possible. The entire Jaeger Bernburg fleet is now equipped with Nexxiot sensor gateways called Globehoppers.

“The technology enables us to ensure that our vehicles are maintained in accordance with European regulations and that we always have an overview of the operating performance,” Koch says. “This allows us to optimize our processes and automate the collection and evaluation of data.

“We can deliver our vehicles to construction sites more efficiently because we know where they are at all times. This prevents unnecessary shunting and saves CO2 emissions. We also improved our support for our own employees, especially with regards to their working processes. We now provide them with critical information for improved transparency and fact-based decision-making in real time.”

Nexxiot, which was founded in 2015, now operates more than 122,000 Globehoppers globally, with connected assets having traveled a combined total of more than 2.5 billion miles. 

“Our goal is to achieve a five percent reduction in total global cargo CO2 emissions by shifting freight traffic from road to rail and optimizing routes,” says Nexxiot CEO Stefan Kalmund. “Enabled by our technology, every mile saved contributes towards this goal.” 

LAST-MILE

Company: Walmart of Bentonville, Arkansas

Challenge: Expand and improve deliveries between distribution centers and customers

Problem Solver: Flytrex of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Solution: Drones

Two years after announcing a pilot-less program (get it?) focused on food delivery from a distribution center to a recreational area in North Carolina, Walmart recently revealed an expansion of drones over the Tar Heel State.

Flytrex drones had been soaring along fixed routes over unpopulated areas, but the Israeli company and the giant retailer recently received a Federal Aviation Administration permit to deliver to homes. The service is mainly for detached, single-family homes with front and back yards and within 3.5 miles of the Walmart distribution center in Fayetteville. 

Causey Aviation Unmanned actually operates the 6.6-pound drones that were manufactured by Flytrex and will hover about 65 feet up in the air before lowering to the ground with a tethered device.

When it comes to incorporating technology into the business, Walmart Senior VP, Customer Product, Tom Ward repeats the words of founder Sam Walton, who went to that Big Greeter Stand in the Sky in 1992: “I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they’ve been.” 

Ward claims, “It remains a guiding principle at Walmart to this day. From being an early pioneer of universal bar codes and electronic scanning cash registers to our work on autonomous vehicle delivery, we’re working to understand how these technologies can impact the future of our business and help us better serve our customers.”

Of course, Walmart is not alone in last-mile air space. Kroger has a drone delivery program flying the friendly skies of Centerville, Ohio, UPS has been making unmanned commercial flight deliveries for more than a year, and Amazon has famously been running pilotless pilot programs around the globe for some time. 

Despite the near space race, Ward urges caution. “We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone,” he says. “That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but we’re at a point where we’re learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers’ lives easier.”

Somewhere, Sam Walton is smiling.

“At the end of the day,” Ward says, “it’s learnings from pilots such as this that will help shape the potential of drone delivery on a larger scale and, true to the vision of our founder, take Walmart beyond where we’ve been.”

MANUFACTURING

Company: Whirlpool Corp. of Benton Harbor, Michigan

Challenge: Overcoming a skilled labor shortage  

Problem Solver: Seegrid, Corp. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Solution: Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)

A Whirlpool manufacturing plant can crank out a new washing machine every 10 seconds. That can present challenges as humans, product materials and automation don’t always get along well with one another. Think heavy machinery whirring, forklifts whizzing by and, oh yeah, a global pandemic racing through your workforce.

Whirlpool managed to better the situation with the introduction years ago of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which replaced the repetitive movement of items by workers from point A to point B. There are, however, drawbacks with AGVs: they possess minimal on-board intelligence and can only obey simple programming instructions. They are guided by wires, magnetic strips or sensors, which typically require extensive (and expensive) facility upgrades. While they can detect obstacles in front of them on their fixed routes, they cannot navigate around these obstacles, even if that obstacle is living and breathing. 

Though AGVs do what people did before them, manufacturing plants still require humans . . . from a labor pool that seems to be getting smaller and smaller. Hoping to get ahead of that challenge, Whirlpool set the spin cycle for “Seegrid,” which specializes in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that navigate via maps that their software constructs on-site or via pre-loaded facility drawings. 

The AMRs also utilize data from built-in sensors, cameras and laser scanners to detect their surroundings and chose the most efficient route to their destination. Working completely autonomously, an AMR will safely maneuver around forklifts, pallets and ol’ “Sleepy” Pete, choosing the best alternative route to avoid any obstacles. This optimizes productivity by ensuring that material flow stays on schedule.

“We see Seegrid as the evolution in AGVs,” says Jim Keppler, vice president, Integrated Supply Chain for Whirlpool’s North America region. Facilities under Keppler’s watch include a Clive, Iowa, manufacturing plant that now has more than 50 Seegrid units operating during three work shifts. The AMRs have created welcome changes for Clive’s 150 employees.

“For any manufacturer in the United States, there is an overall labor shortage, especially for skilled positions,” Keppler explains. “We have been able to take employees in our facilities that were doing more mundane work and move them to more value-added positions and let the Seegrids do the work.”

With Seegrids, whose technology is protected by more than 100 patents, intellectual property and proprietary know-how, Whirlpool has greatly reduced absenteeism, turnover and occupational injuries while increasing reliability, Keppler says.

“One of the key features of Seegrid is the configurability of the units,” the veep notes. “On one of my visits to Clive last year, they actually had me program one of the Seegrid units. And it’s so easy, even a guy like me can do it.”

ports Fuentes
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Site Selection, U.S. Ports

GLOBAL COMMERCE’S LIFEBLOOD: PORT CITY REVIEW 2021

Leave a comment

While maritime trade can be traced back to ancient civilizations in previous millennia, sea freight and ports have never been more important than they are today.

The lifeblood of global commerce, seaports handle almost 811 million TEUs every year, supporting industries of all shapes and sizes all over the world. Indeed, many of the United States’ maritime logistics hubs are some of the largest, their associated economic development corporations (EDCs) having helped to accelerate their growth and value to regional, national and global economies.


In this 2021 roundup of 15 U.S. port cities, we analyze the role of some of the country’s key logistics hubs—as well as the role their economic development engines play in ensuring their continual progression.

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is arguably the West Coast’s most important intermodal transport hub, the beating heart of which is the Port of Los Angeles–a seaport covering 7,500 acres of land and water along 43 miles of waterfront. It is the nation’s No. 1 container port, with its state-of-the-art facilities seeing it move 9.2 million TEUs in 2020. Port of Los Angeles also adjoins to the Port of Long Beach, another one of the busiest seaports in the world, moving around 7.5 million TEUs every year. Both ports are supported by the efforts of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the regional EDC combining economic research with industry programs, workforce development, business assistance and policy changes that promote a thriving local economy, for which these two ports are vital. 

New York City, New York

New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC) is the EDC for the nation’s most highly populated city, home to more than 8 million people. A mission-driven non-profit, it aims to support the city by creating prosperity through investing in neighborhoods, building sustainably, creating workforce opportunities and advancing company growth. In achieving these goals, it works closely with the Port of New York and New Jersey. Recently, it has been helping to develop a visionary freight system, supported the major South Brooklyn Marine Terminal project and completed a 2019 survey of the NYC and NJ maritime community. “Through PortNYC and other initiatives, we’re working to ensure both the long-term health of the maritime industry in NYC and the city’s economy as a whole,” NYCEDC states.

New Orleans, Louisiana

With the simple mission of creating a region with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, Greater New Orleans (GNO) pursues a two-pronged strategy as the EDC for the region. This includes helping to attract, retain and develop key businesses (Business Development), and propose, promote and facilitate policies and programs that improve business conditions (Business Environment). Such efforts have assisted in securing a new ground-breaking Lineage Logistics project at the Port of New Orleans, the organization having committed $42 million to the expansion of the Jourdan Road cold-storage facility in New Orleans East in April 2021. “The cold-storage complex at Jourdan Road along the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal will grow from 160,000 square feet to 304,000 square feet,” an announcement from GNO reads.

Oakland, California

While Oakland is home to fewer than half a million people, its maritime logistics hub–Port of Oakland–is renowned as a key gateway to U.S. commerce. It oversees 1,300 acres of maritime-related facilities serving a local market of more than 14.5 million consumers, with 34 million people located within a seven-hour drive of its facilities. Supporting Port of Oakland’s thriving economic activity is the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EDA). The two have an intertwined relationship, the EDA having previously supported harbor dredging activities in 1991 and 2009, and assisted stakeholders in resolving the transportation impacts created by the port’s growth in 2003. In 2020, it also recognized the port at its Innovation Awards for its significant contributions as a long-standing generator of jobs and economic vitality in the region.

Norfolk, Virginia

The city of Norfolk, Virginia, is home to a vibrant intermodal transport scene, in large part thanks to a formidable maritime history centered around the enormous naval base on Chesapeake Bay and the Port of Virginia. The port boasts of the largest percentage of rail arrivals and departures on the East Coast, is directly responsible for nearly 40,000 jobs, and managed 2,327 vessel calls and departures in 2019, equating to around 3 million TEUs and 55 million tons of cargo worth almost $75 billion. The Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (EDA) has long assisted both domestic and international firms wishing to invest in the Norfolk area, offering three lucrative tax incentives to companies using the port: The Port Volume Increase Tax Credit, Barge and Rail Use Tax Credit and International Trade Facility Tax Credit.

Savannah, Georgia

The Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) is the EDC for Savannah, its goal being to help create, grow and attract new job opportunities and investment in the region. It attracts and supports a variety of organizations through customized services that include anything from infrastructure and real estate opportunities to incentives and tax abatements. Much of Savannah’s draw stems from the Port of Savannah, where 85% of the world’s top 3PLs operate in Georgia. To maintain this competitive advantage, SEDA actively supports several logistics-related projects, including the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, the Mid-American Arc Initiative & International, and The Center of Innovation for Logistics for the state of Georgia.

Houston, Texas

Originally founded in 1840, the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) strives to make the region the best place to live, work and build a business, serving a thousand-member companies and 7.1 million people in the 12-county Houston region. It is a fervent supporter of the Port of Houston, hosting an annual State of the Port conference, outlining the logistics hub’s performance, future growth opportunities and capital investment plans to regional economic players. The overall impact of the port on a national level includes 3.2 million jobs, $801.9 billion in economic value and more than $38.1 billion in tax revenue. “As the largest port in foreign tonnage in the nation, Port Houston is an economic engine supporting the Houston region, the state of Texas, and the nation,” GHP states. 

Tampa, Florida 

The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC) has remained the designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County for 12 years, also serving the surrounding cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Currently it is delivering upon a 2020-2022 strategic action plan geared toward achieving business development, talent attraction and placemaking. As part of this vision, the EDC provides several incentives to business, creating high-wage jobs in high-value industries. In terms of its engagements with the ports, logistics and supply chain industry, it supports those organizations seeking real estate opportunities not only at the Port of Tampa Bay, but equally in Port Redwing and Port Ybor. 

Chicago, Illinois

The Windy City is extremely well connected, in large part thanks to what is North America’s largest inland port–the CenterPoint Intermodal Center. Located in the Joilet and Elwood area, it is a 6,400-acre, master-planned intermodal development which handles approximately three million TEUs every year. The site is also home to more than 30 economic powerhouse tenant companies that between them occupy over 14 million square feet of space. The Chicago Regional Growth Corporation plays a key role in supporting the city and region’s buoyant logistics activities, priding itself on a “history of working together” with key partners to developed projects leading to growth, investment and the creation of quality jobs.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Port of Philadelphia, also known as PhilaPort, holds several impressive accolades. Not only is it the fastest growing port in the U.S., having achieved a 7% increase in container volumes in 2020. Equally, it generates roughly 55,000 jobs for the local region, handles 6.4 million metric tons annually, is the largest refrigerated port in the country and helps to generate $30.5 billion in trade every year. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. (PIDC) continues to play a crucial role in helping the port to reach new heights. The city’s EDC, the PIDC has leveraged $30 billion in total investment and assisted in retaining and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in Philadelphia since its foundation 62 years ago. The local seaport industry’s latest venture, announced March 2021, will see the development of a $23 million distribution center that is set to add more than 200,000 square feet of flexible, food-grade storage within one mile of Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.

Mobile, Alabama

The Port of Mobile is a significant contributor to the city’s economy. Indeed, the figures speak for themselves. According to the Alabama State Port Authority, its economic impact includes roughly 155,000 direct and indirect jobs, $559.3 million in direct and indirect tax impact, and a total economic value $25.4 billion. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) has supported the growth of these numbers over many years, having worked to support companies compete not only locally but on a global stage. The EDPA helps various free trade zones (FTZs) to flourish while also providing tax incentives, support for startups and management of the region’s transport links that are vital to its intermodal abilities and more. 

Matagorda County, Texas

Matagorda County is privileged enough to be the home of two ports: Port of Bay City and Port of Palacios. The former has approximately 150 acres of land available for commercial development, providing access to the Colorado River Channel, while the latter equally provides opportunities and parcels for long-term lease and development. Both ports are backed by the Matagorda County EDC that provides key economic contributors with incentives including employee recruitment and training, tailored services to help locate or expand, tax abatement policies and tax-free industrial and environmental bonds.

Baltimore, Maryland

The City of Baltimore is home to one of Maryland’s four FTZs. Serving as the administrator of the FTZ is the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), which is  mandated to grow the city’s economy in an inclusive manner by retaining, expanding and attracting businesses and promoting investment. Port of Baltimore forms a large part of these activities, being one of the 10 busiest ports in the U.S. and serving a significant part of the East Coast. The bulk of the products that pass through the port, and indeed the FTZ, includes cars, paper and steel, with BDC itself reporting that the total value of shipments through Baltimore’s FTZ was more than $19.9 billion in 2017.

Cleveland, Ohio

The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) is a particularly active EDC, supporting the city and its 12,000 members as a catalyst for business growth and development in its various forms. It works closely with the Port of Cleveland, the latter responsible for more than 20,000 jobs and $3.5 billion in annual economic activity tied to the 13 million tons of cargo it handles per annum. With support from GCP, the port announced in May 2012 that it would be moving ahead with $20 million in projects that will include dock improvements, main gate enhancements and the construction of a state-of-the-art customs processing facility. This latest investment follows the completion of a $1.1 million cruise terminal processing center and $10.36 million extension of the Cleveland Bulk Terminal iron ore tunnel in 2020, the latter anticipated to bring another 1 million tons of cargo each year to the port. 

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is an interesting proposition, being the home of one of the country’s most active intermodal freight hubs and the thriving Port of Memphis, despite being in a landlocked state in Tennessee. The port serves 150 industries and handles a rich variety of goods, from petroleum and cement to grain and steel. It is able to connect these vital goods with the rest of the country thanks to the Mississippi River, five Class 1 railroads, major north-south and east-west interstate highways, and the nearby airport. Such is its critical role in accelerating economic activity, it carries an annual economic impact of more than $9.2 billion. Created in 2011, the Economic and Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County helps to support the region’s buoyant logistics industry, managing its foreign trade zone, providing business loans and tax incentives, and overseeing the Memphis Port Commission. 

intermodal
Archives, Global Logistics, Ocean Carriers, Trucking

IANA Releases 2021’s Second Quarter Intermodal Quarterly Report

Leave a comment

Second Quarter 2021 Intermodal Volume

Intermodal volumes improved for the fourth consecutive quarter, surging 20.4% year-over-year in Q2. This quarter’s double-digit increase was the largest quarterly gain since Q3 of 2010 and was also the sixth quarter with a double-digit growth rate in the history of the data. On a seasonally adjusted basis, total intermodal volume was 1.7% higher in Q2 than the previous quarter. This was anticipated, as inclement winter weather and service shutdowns held back volume in Q1. In Q2, all three market sectors had impressive growth. The domestic market, which consists of trailers and domestic containers, improved by 16.1% year-over-year. Trailer loads jumped 18.5% this quarter, compared to a 14.0% decline in Q2 of 2020. Domestic container traffic rose slightly less than trailers, at a pace of 15.7% year-over-year. However, domestic containers were up against stronger comparisons as this sector only lost 7.0% in Q2 of 2020. International volumes expanded by 24.8% this quarter, after declining 15.4% in Q2 of 2020.

On a regional basis, domestic container moves posted positive growth in all ten IANA regions in Q2. This was a change from the previous quarter when losses were present in both the Midwest and
Mexico. Only the Midwest and Eastern Canada increased less than 10% during Q2, rising 9.3% and 9.8%, respectively. Domestic container volumes were the best in western regions this quarter. The Mountain Central, Northwest and Southwest rose by 33.9%, 19.3% and 18.0%, respectively. In comparison, the eastern regions gained 15.0% year-over-year but were up against an almost 10% loss in the previous quarter. Stronger West Coast growth can be attributed to less trucking competition in the region and an overwhelming amount of imports flowing into West Coast ports and being transloaded. The trailer market sector surged by double-digits for the third quarter in a row during Q2. However, strong growth cannot be attributed to improving conditions but instead to weak comparisons. From Q4 of 2019 to Q2 of 2020, trailer volumes dropped 19.8% when compared to the previous year. As of Q2 2021, trailer moves were still considerably below 2018 and 2019 levels and it is unlikely that they will return to levels seen in prior years throughout the remainder of 2021. On a regional basis, this
market sector expanded in nine of the ten IANA regions. Trailers are currently not present in Eastern Canada, as the trailer lane was closed in early 2018.

Q2 is the second consecutive quarter with double-digit gains in international traffic and the third with positive improvements. Robust performance was bolstered by weak comparisons and soaring U.S. imports. As with last quarter, international volumes advanced in nine of the ten IANA regions. Mexico, the only region to decline in Q2, faltered 3.9%. However, this is one of the smallest regions, representing only 3% of the total international volume. International moves rose at comparative levels of 32.5% in the West and 32.6% in the East. And while growth rates were very close, Western improvement was more impactful as almost 30% of all international volume originates in this region.

Solid intermodal growth is expected over the remainder
of 2021. Strong domestic demand coupled with weak comparisons will bolster future gains. Intermodal volumes are forecasted to advance an estimated 9% during 2021. International traffic is anticipated to lead the annual improvement by rising almost 13% in 2021. Domestic container moves are expected to rise just above 6% over the course of the year, while trailer loads are estimated to gain between 1.5% and 2.5%.

In Q2 of 2021, total IMC loads rose significantly again, up 29.8% from last year. Q2 2020 volumes were down for IMCs, falling 10.0%, as COVID-19 slowed almost everything. Highway loads were up slightly more than intermodal loads, but both surged during the current quarter. Highway loads rose 33.4%, and intermodal loads grew 23.9% during Q2. Also, highway loads were up over 30% for all of the last three months, while intermodal loads slowed a bit as both April and May increased nearly 30%, but June was up only 11.5%. Total revenue rose in Q2, climbing 59.5% from 2020. Most of that surge was in highway activity that jumped 93.4%, reflecting the 45.0% rise in average revenue per highway load. Intermodal load revenue rose 29.2%, just a bit higher than volume because the average revenue per intermodal load was up just 4.3%. The normal growth from Q1 to Q2 happened again in 2021 with total loads up 6.7%, and total revenue increasing 9.7%. Part of that was due to intermodal volume and revenue slowing down significantly in February 2021 because of the weather.

Trucking Industry Outlook

Trucking posted modest quarter-over-quarter volume growth in the second quarter of 2021. Seasonally adjusted tractor-trailer loads were up 1.1% quarter-over-quarter. While dry van loadings had led growth in Q1, it was the only segment to experience a small decline in Q2 of 0.3%. Refrigerated loadings increased 1.4% q/q while all other loadings were up 2.1%, which is a reflection of the industrial sector’s recovery after lagging the consumer sector.

Short-haul tractor-trailer loadings were the only length of haul to decline in Q2, easing 1.3% quarter-over-quarter. Short-haul had also been the only drag in volume in Q1. The strongest quarter-over-quarter growth was in the super long haul which was up 2.2% quarter-over-quarter. Long-haul rose 1.6%, and medium-haul was up 0.9%.

Trucking volume was 14.0% higher in Q2 than in the same 2020 period. Comparisons range from being up 8.2% in short-haul to a 19.4% differential in long-haul. Dry van was 18.8% higher. refrigerated was up 7.8%, and all other segments were 11.6% above Q2 of 2020.

Active truck utilization – the share of seated trucks engaged in hauling freight – stood at 100% in Q1, basically in line with the extreme tightness seen in late 2017 and early 2018.

Hiring in for-hire trucking finally showed some signs of strength at the end of Q2 as payroll employment rose by 6,400 jobs, seasonally adjusted. The sector remains 38,300 jobs, or 2.5%, below February 2020 on a seasonally adjusted basis, although on an unadjusted basis, for-hire employment has essentially recovered to February 2020 levels.

While June’s job growth was the strongest since November, the first half of the year remains relatively weak with the addition of just 7,600 jobs, seasonally adjusted. By comparison, for-hire trucking in Q4 of 2020 had added nearly 29,000 jobs – the most in any three-month period in 25 years.

It is unclear how much loosening, if any, trucking has seen in the headwinds for adding drivers. Although the licensing of new drivers presumably has improved since the heights of the pandemic, hard data is lacking.

Net orders for Class 8 trucks are finally coming back down to normal levels. After orders of 40,000 or more in each month of Q1, they decreased to nearly 35,000 in April and moderated further to the mid-20,000s in April and June. However, one clear factor in the decline is that order boards for 2021 have been filled and manufacturers had not yet opened the boards for 2022.

Truck freight has not shown any signs of weakness, though it is showing indications that growth might have peaked. Total spot market volume by the end of June was off the peak in May, although the flatbed sector was mostly responsible. Dry van and refrigerated volumes through June were holding at near-record levels if the year’s two big spikes – February weather and the International Roadcheck inspection event in May – are excluded. Moreover, spot rates might also have peaked, but they have not moderated significantly yet.

Freight volumes are expected to slow but experience steady q/q growth into 2022. For 2021 as a whole, truck loadings are forecasted to be 7% higher than 2020 levels.

Freight demand pressures are becoming more complicated. Automotive sales are starting to slide based on low production due to the semiconductor shortage. This bottleneck could keep demand high for an extended period. The large infusions of consumer stimulus that the economy saw in January and March appear to be over but advance payments of a child tax credit started in July and run through December could extent consumer spending. On the other hand, a $300-a-week supplement in unemployment payments to around 14 million Americans has already ended in nearly half of U.S. states and probably will not be renewed nationwide beyond early September.

The sunset of generous unemployment benefits could have some near-term implications for trucking capacity as well if it turns out that those benefits have been a constraint on drivers returning to work. Active truck utilization is forecasted at 100% through Q3 and an easing to only about 99% in Q4. However, this forecast does not assume a significant increase in driver employment as generous unemployment benefits end. Therefore, the forecast risk would seem to be mostly on an easing of active utilization rather than a hardening of it.

Another issue that bears watching is the ongoing surge in small new trucking companies since the middle of 2020. However, if the spot market begins to cool, many of these mostly one-truck operations might rush back to the security of employment with larger carriers.

Intermodal remains highly competitive with trucking due to very high rates and tight driver supply. This situation will likely continue at least into early 2022, however, could be affected by a quicker stabilization in the trucking market, as reflected by a peak in truck spot metrics.

intermodal
Archives, Executive Education, Global Trade Daily, News

UPCOMING: Intermodal Association of North America

Leave a comment

Intermodal Association of North America EXPO is the intermodal industry’s platform for products, services, and solutions; a classroom for new skills and know-how; and an exchange for ideas and business.

Join us in Long Beach, California, September 12– 14, 2021 for three days of breakthrough thinking and real connections with intermodal executives from across the world.

From quality exhibitors to more than 700 companies including 3PLs,  global carriers and shippers, and more, the annual event is known as the connecting force behind intermodal freight.

Leaders in the industry can attest to the event, such as South Carolina Ports Authority’s president and CEO, Jim Newsome:

“It’s to have the exposure to the movers and shakers in the intermodal industry,  to learn about trends that are occurring and how one can leverage that to make their business better.”

Visit https://www.IntermodalExpo.com to learn more about the conference, advanced discount pricing and discounted registrations for new IANA members and first-time attendees.

intermodal transport
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Site Selection

5 KEY STATES WITH INTERMODAL TRANSIT HUBS OFFERING SIZABLE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES

Leave a comment

In today’s hyper-globalized world, the ease at which goods are moved from A to B in many ways defines how we live and work. 

If you were to take a straw poll of your household or office, the chances of somebody not wearing, carrying or using an item made from components that were produced or assembled hundreds if not thousands of miles away is almost zero. The ease at which we can acquire everything, from food and clothing to tech gadgets and furniture is, largely, taken for granted. 

However, without the non-stop functioning of transportation networks at the local, national and international level, none of this would be possible. And the way in which these networks operate continues to evolve in sophistication, both in terms of routing efficiency, technology leveraged and coordination between players on land, at sea and in the air. 

Indeed, the latter refers to the concept of intermodal transportation. 

In the simplest of terms, intermodal transportation is the use of two or more modes, or carriers, to transport goods from shipper to consignee, without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. 

A TEU container, for example, could conceivably leave a Chinese factory on a haulage truck to a nearby rail depot, travel by freight train to the nearest seaport, be ferried by container vessel to the U.S. coast, transferred onto a railway line and moved to another depot, before being unloaded onto a truck and driven to its final destination–all without a single hand touching the goods inside. 

Despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the value of such activity is estimated to have hit $25 billion in 2020. As the world’s economy starts to recover, the global intermodal freight transportation industry is forecast to grow at around 15 percent year-on-year between now and 2027, when it is set to be worth $67 billion. 

North America holds a significant share of the global market. The U.S. alone is expected to register at around $6.8 billion for 2020, a figure which should steadily rise given how increasingly dependent intermodal transport activity is on the consumer economy’s demand. 

The region’s rail industry is concentrating on creating new intermodal services that can successfully rival over the road options. 

For instance, in August 2019, Canadian National Railway (CN) and CSX Transportation announced a new intermodal service offering between CN’s greater Montreal and Southern Ontario areas, and the CSX-served ports of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and the New York City metropolitan area. 

This intermodal offering is expected to convert long-haul trucks to interline various rail services. Trains will be able to run directly into the center of Toronto and Montreal’s urban markets via CN intermodal yards, making this partnership a natural opportunity for both railroads. 

Meanwhile, there are signs that intermodal activity in the U.S. is bouncing back from the initial COVID-19 slump. 

According to the Association of American Railroads, during the first week of August 2020, 277,054 intermodal shipments were made by U.S. railways, the highest level seen since December 2019 and 30 percent up on the 2020 low in April. 

Around the States: 5 key Intermodal Transit Hubs

The signs are indeed healthy, and many cities and regions across the U.S. are ready to help the country bounce back by increasing throughput of goods once more. 

Critical intermodal transport conduits exist all over the States, from east to west and north to south–without them, supply chains would be far costlier and more difficult to operate seamlessly. Here, we take a look at just five key nodes which provide leading intermodal infrastructure, starting in the Midwest. 

ILLINOIS 

For well over a century, Chicago has acted as a key artery in America’s commercial transport network. Around a quarter of all rail freight calls into the city, either as a final destination or stop on a journey elsewhere, while O’Hare International Airport processes around 2 million metric tons of cargo at a value of approximately $200 billion every year. 

Illinois is also extremely well served by what is North America’s largest inland port in the form of CentrePoint Intermodal Center. Located in the Joliet and Elwood area, around 40 miles southwest of Chicago, it is a 6,400-acre master-planned intermodal development that sees 3 million TEUs pass through it every year. 

It includes a 785-acre Union Pacific Railroad complex just south of Joliet and a 770-acre BNSF railway complex farther to the southwest. Furthermore, it is built with heavyweight roads able to withstand massive pressure and contains a number of other useful features such as water and utility systems, public bus service connections, no restrictions on trailer parking ratios and 24/7 on-site fire and police protection. 

The site constitutes something of an intermodal fortress, and it is currently home to more than 30 tenant companies who between them occupy more than 14 million square feet of space.

TEXAS 

Dallas strategically sits at a crossroads of numerous railroad lines, four major interstate roads and one of the world’s busiest airports, making it among the country’s most important intermodal transport hubs. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a 9,000-square-mile urban center located near the geographic heart of the United States and equally accessible to the East and West coasts. Its location means that around 80 markets can be reached overnight either by road or rail, with major regional business heartlands such as New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City all within easy reach, an advantage that few other intermodal nodes can offer. 

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport considers itself “the nexus of Latin America-Asia transit freight,” and for good reason. In 2019, it saw almost 985,000 tons of international and domestic cargo move through its site and, despite the impact of COVID-19, still recorded more than 870,000 tons of goods in 2020, a drop of around 11.5 percent.

Another important facility is the Wylie Intermodal Terminal. A fairly recent addition to Dallas’ intermodal transport infrastructure (opening in 2015), it is a $64 million development owned by Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS), and it is set to capitalize on significant opportunities in cross-border activity with Mexico. 

Wylie is a city and northeastern suburb of Dallas, with the KCS terminal spanning 500 acres and servicing 12 gulf ports and one Pacific Ocean port, as well as more than 140 transload centers and 11 intermodal ramps. KCS also provides 181 interchange points with other railroads, including all U.S. and Mexico class 1 railroads.

VIRGINIA

Norfolk, Virginia, is home to a vibrant intermodal transport scene thanks to its ability to serve rail, sea and air freight seamlessly. It is built on a formidable maritime history, centered around the enormous naval base on the Chesapeake Bay, a tradition that has very much expanded into the sea freight domain. 

The Port of Virginia, which is situated around two and half hours from the open sea, handled 2,327 vessel calls and departures in 2019, equating to around 3 million TEUs and 55 million tons of cargo worth almost $75 billion. Thanks to the port’s two on-dock class 1 railroads, more than a third of the cargo managed here arrives or departs by rail–this is a higher proportion than any port on the East Coast. 

Logistics firms using Norfolk can also rely on its international airport. It is one of the most efficient cargo operations in Virginia and moves around 30,000 tons of air cargo every year, with the likes of FedEx, Mountain Air and UPS all regular customers. 

CALIFORNIA

Around 2,700 miles due west of Norfolk, you will find Los Angeles, arguably the West Coast’s most important intermodal transport hub. 

Its beating heart is undoubtedly the Port of Los Angeles, a massive seaport covering 7,500 acres of land and water along 43 miles of waterfront that brands itself as America’s Port. Indeed, it is the nation’s No. 1 container port and prides itself on providing a global model for sustainability, security and social responsibility. 

Founded in 1907 as a far smaller operation, today it holds 82 ship-to-shore container cranes spread across 15 marinas with 3,376 recreational vessel slips and dry docks, facilities that enabled it to move 9.2 million TEUs in 2020.   

It adjoins the Port of Long Beach, itself one of the busiest seaports in the world. The operation here houses 68 gantry cranes, which between them move around 7.5 million TEUs every year, all valued at close to $200 billion. 

This is not to forget the contribution of Los Angeles International Airport, the world’s fourth busiest, which handled almost 2.5 million tons of cargo in 2018, FedEx alone is responsible for carrying 16 percent of the freight that moves in and out of the site. 

TENNESSEE 

It is also important to consider the significance of intermodal transport infrastructure away from the coast. Memphis, unlike our other four locations, is situated in a landlocked state (Tennessee) and is home to one of the country’s most active intermodal freight systems.  

Its focal point is Memphis International Airport which, thanks to its heavy use by FedEx, is the top U.S. gateway in terms of cargo weight and the second busiest cargo airport in the world. 

FedEx employs more than 11,000 staff at its Memphis hub and has more than 34 million square feet of space under lease on airport property. The company operates around 400 flights daily and handles over 180,000 packages and 245,000 documents per hour.

In striking distance of Memphis International Airport is America’s fifth-largest inland port–the Port of Memphis. It serves more than 150 industries and moves a rich variety of goods, from petroleum and cement to grain and steel, and can connect to sea, rail, road and air via the Mississippi River, five class 1 railroads, major north-south and east-west interstate highways, and the nearby airport. 

Such is its vital role in facilitating economic activity, it claims to carry an annual economic impact of more than $9.2 billion. Indeed, it refers to itself as “the Mid-South’s best kept industrial and economic secret,” even though it has been operational since the 1950s. 

Exploiting the Intermodal Advantages

These are just five examples of cities and regions enabling supply chain and logistics firms to exploit the numerous advantages offered by intermodal transit hubs. 

Economically, they help to minimize truck movements, which reduces fuel consumption, driver costs and the need to invest in road-based vehicles. Lower fuel consumption also results in fewer carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, vital if the country is to drive future development along a sustainable path. 

From an operational perspective, businesses can benefit from more reliable transit times (due to reduced road reliance), elimination of border documentation and hold-ups, reduced impacts from adverse weather and fewer accidents and damage to cargo. Meanwhile, hauliers can benefit from working within their own country and avoid making long trips across borders. 

Intermodal transportation is, above all else, designed to create an even more fluid supply chain from which all commercial enterprises and consumers can benefit. By taking advantage of the numerous modes of transport via critical junctures and hubs along long-distance routes, freight need not rely on a single truck to make it from destination A to destination B. 

Rather, intermodal relies on input from a variety of stakeholders along the way, spreading the wealth generated by commercial and consumer-based purchases more widely than it otherwise would. Hubs such as those seen in Chicago, Dallas, Norfolk, Los Angeles, Memphis, and many others not cited, help to realize this.   

And as the country recovers from the enormous health, social and financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, intermodal transport will no doubt play its part in remobilizing the U.S. economy for the betterment of all American businesses. 

intermodal
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Carriers, Stories, Trucking

SHIPPERS ON INTERMODAL: CHANGES NEEDED FOR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

Leave a comment

The intermodal transportation sector is experiencing an interesting shift as of lately. The combination of disruptions from the pandemic while others are caught playing catch up to adequately refill warehouses and distribution centers has posed new questions for a variety of sector leaders. For the intermodal sector, however, a new question is present in the minds of leaders and players in this arena: What is needed to leverage opportunities for growth post-pandemic and moving forward with the “new normal” we keep hearing about?

The answer to this question is not found within one single solution or technology offering. In fact, there is no single answer at all. The perfect mix of artificial intelligence, increasing capacity and creating more visibility and agility within operations will ultimately be the key to reviving and maintenance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all parts of the supply chain, from operations and compliance to technology integration, and although many players have successfully restarted operations, it is important to consider the ways transportation has been forever impacted to better prepare for future disruptions. But in what ways has the pandemic impacted the intermodal industry? Doug Punzel, president of Celtic Intermodal, explains exactly how the pandemic has impacted the sector and how methods are shifting to accommodate continued movement.

“As COVID-19 continues to impact the supply chain and logistics across industries, some areas have limited access to trucks,” explains Punzel. “The truck shortage has increased demand for intermodal transportation. In fact, beginning the third week in April, we have begun to see surges in volume–especially in California, Texas and Mexico. We are seeing shortages of box and train capacity in some areas, as shippers with expanding needs are caught up and filling warehouses. At the same time, many markets in the United States have plenty of box, drayage and train capacity.”

Utilizing a robust technology toolbox further supports the industry, although some sectors are slower to adapt than their partners. The key to remember here is not how much tech is being used, but what challenges are solved through their implementation and how they are customizable for specific customer needs.

“AI, machine learning and other software advancements allow real-time visibility of end-to-end supply chain operations to keep a pulse on the business,” Punzel says. “The ultimate goal is to reduce risks, capture more competitive freight pricing, and identify optimal routes for the greatest cost savings.

“With today’s volatile current events that threaten to disrupt the supply chain on a regular basis, flexibility is vital for business success. For many shippers, intermodal transportation has incredible potential to be a reliable and affordable component of logistics strategy. Technology innovations are supporting real-time visibility, mitigating risks, and optimizing transportation costs.”

Celtic Intermodal, a Transplace company, offers a unique solutions portfolio for customers seeking the perfect solutions, offering flexibility and visibility while keeping an eye on the unexpected. Celtic focuses on what the customer needs are throughout the process while identifying areas of improvement both operationally and financially. The company offers customers Strategic Capacity Solutions, Door-to-Door Intermodal, 53-foot Containers, 40-foot Containers, Cross-border Intermodal and International Drayage in addition to managing more than 20,000 40-foot container shipments each year. Celtic’s robust network of steamship lines and dray provider partners further support consistent capacity to meet the needs of their global customer network.

“We implement dynamic solutions to our customers’ transportation needs by providing exceptional customer services, capacity, reliability and expertise,” Punzel says. “With access to over 70,000 containers every day and strong relationships with major rail providers, including Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, CN, CP, and KCS/KCSM, our dedicated account team focuses on our customers–providing the best combination of rates and routes.

“Our cross-border intermodal services bypass border-crossing issues and congestion,” he continues. “We enhance the security of customers’ shipments while reducing overall transportation spend with our door-to-door intermodal services across Canada, Mexico and the U.S.”

The unique relationship Celtic has with its Class 1 Railways network offers customers competitive options in transportation that others cannot. Punzel points out two specific pros to working with Celtic that keep shipments moving and customers satisfied.

“We are strategically located near our customers and where rail ramps are located,” he says. “We can be more effective with short-haul moves within five to 800 miles because we are closer to rail ramps. And in case of derailment or tunnel outage or another type of outage, we leverage our relationships to remain in close communications with Class 1 Railways and be more collaborative to support our customers’ needs. We conduct network analysis to help customers identify modal conversions and scale up or down with volume. With well-integrated intermodal transportation, overall shipping costs are greatly reduced.”

Punzel goes on to explain that the simplicity of scheduling is a significant factor to promoting growth for the intermodal sector. It goes directly back to predictability and the constant need for progression within the industry. The relationships developed and utilized by Celtic provides added security for customers in case of the unpredictable. This is especially important in today’s “new normal,” where measures in safety and regulation seem to change without much notice. The supply chain does not have time to stop and companies such as Celtic present solutions for issues before they happen.

“Customers with over-the-road freight are open to conversion to intermodal only if the schedule is predictable,” Punzel explains. “Over the past three years, all railroads have improved service by maintaining reliable, scheduled, on-time performance, which is key to growth.”

So, what exactly needs to occur for progression and growth within the intermodal sector? In simple terms, the perfect mix consisting of the right technology that provides accurate and timely visibility, advanced predictions analytics, integrated communications, and removing inefficiencies that create unplanned costs. This perfect mix is not as hard to attain when customers are paired with the right partners for the job. As we learned with Celtic, strategic locations and competitive offerings make a significant difference in offering the best options and supporting the bottom line.

_______________________________________________________________

Doug Punzel is the president of Celtic International, to which he brought more than three decades of transportation experience. He joined Celtic in 2014 and has been instrumental in the company’s growth. Throughout his tenure in the industry, he has served in a number of roles, including sales, customer service, operations and leadership. Prior to Celtic, he was a leader within the intermodal sales division at Schneider National.

cross-border
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Shippers 101, Global Trade Daily

Supporting Global Supply Chain Strategy with Cross-Border Shipping

Leave a comment

COVID-19 has shed light on the importance of shippers being prepared to work through unforeseen market conditions. This is especially true for cross-border shippers, whose businesses are reliant on multiple countries’ markets. To better prepare for these variations, businesses that rely on cross-border shipping should consider optimizing their supply chain strategies now by dedicating time to understand the cross-border options available to them. There are two primary choices: through-trailer and transloading.

What’s the difference?

Through-trailer shipping is the process of moving shipments in the origin trailer through border crossings. Whether exporting or importing, through-trailer shipments are handled on one side of the border with a carrier from the same country who has an interchange agreement. A different carrier from the other country handles the second part of the shipment.

To illustrate, a Mexico carrier with a trailer interchange agreement with a U.S. carrier picks up the freight. It’s taken to a secure yard where a border drayage driver transports the trailer across the border to the U.S. carrier’s yard for final delivery.

The shipment remains in the same trailer throughout the transport process, leading some shippers to believe the shipment seal is not broken. This is not necessarily true. U.S. and Mexico customs officials often break seals during border crossing inspections to verify product details.

Transloading is another option and is often considered more efficient. Transloading is the process of transferring shipments from one trailer to another at the border crossing. For example, a Mexico carrier picks up the freight and moves it to a secure yard at the border. A border drayage carrier moves the trailer across the border to a transloading facility. The facility then transfers the product to a U.S. carrier for final delivery.

The Benefits of Transloading

While both options have their pros and cons, transloading can offer some unique benefits that fall into three categories:

Additional Carrier Capacity: Transloading offers shippers additional carrier capacity because it enables them to access the full capacity of two independent carrier bases. Any U.S. carrier can pair with any Mexico carrier on a shipment, increasing available carrier options and granting additional flexibility. Through-trailer service only allows shippers to use carriers with an interchange agreement in place with a counterpart carrier on the other side of the border, limiting the capacity pool. With lessened demand not filling up truckloads, the ability to leverage the additional carrier capacity to identify which carriers’ trucks best match truckloads keeps products moving to meet consumer demand.

Lower Shipping Costs: Transloading grants access to additional capacity on both sides of the border, which means more, and potentially more efficient, carrier options. With transloading, shippers and logistics providers can identify carriers whose networks most closely align with theirs, resulting in more cost-effective rates. During a time when all departments are urged to cut costs where possible, the method with lower shipping costs benefits everyone involved.

Fewer Border Delays: The broad variety of carriers available to shippers makes it easier to source carriers on both sides of the border that best match the ideal pick-up and delivery time frames. Through-trailer shipments are dependent upon the limited capacity of the two carriers tied to an interchange agreement. In turn, this can lead to delays at borders and in overall shipments. Such delays are becoming more widespread because of the imbalance between northbound and southbound freight.

The Types of Freight to be Transloaded

Any specialized transloading facility located near a major border should have the ability to handle a variety of freight, although some types work better than others. Freight loaded on slip sheets or pallets typically fare best with transloading, especially consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, and raw materials. Transloading is also prevalent when shipping to warehouses with strict labeling and palletization requirements. Conversely, freight is better off using through-trailer shipping when it requires specialized loading, contains over-dimensional products, or includes flatbed shipments.

The needs of each shipper with a global supply chain strategy differ and come with unique challenges and requirements. It’s critical for each shipper to know their cross-border options and determine which will work best for their business. By being knowledgeable and prepared, shippers can more easily select which process to implement based on what is most important to their company at the time, whether that be price, shipping time, or carrier capacity.

__________________________________________________________________

Kyle Toombs is the VP and Head of Mexico and Canada at Coyote Logistics

south carolina ports authority
Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

South Carolina Ports Authority Welcomes the New Year with Optimistic Outlook

Leave a comment

South Carolina Ports Authority boasted an impressive 2019 and is more than prepared to leverage this year’s momentum for a successful 2020. Robust cargo volumes were reported throughout the year for container, breakbulk, and inland terminals in addition to international recognition for performance and productivity, specifically the Port of Charleston and Wando Welch Terminal No. 1 by Journal of Commerce. SCPA brought in additional recognitions in 2019 as well, including “Best Places to Work in South Carolina” and CEO and President Jim Newsome’s recognition as one of DC Velocity Logistics Rainmakers. 

“The equipment operators at S.C. Ports and all those working in the maritime community enable the notable productivity that cargo owners have come to rely on at S.C. Ports,” said SCPA Board Chairman Bill Stern.

SCPA reported an impressive 2.25 million TEUs handled since January, of which 184,928 TEUs were handled a the Wando Welch and North Charleston terminals in November alone. November’s success brought the total y-o-y increase to 6 percent for fiscal year 2020.

“We continue to attract cargo with our efficiently run terminals and reliable service,” SCPA President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “This is made possible by our excellent team and the broader maritime community, all of whom work tirelessly to keep cargo moving seamlessly through our supply chain.”

“Looking ahead to 2020, we expect to continue weathering uncertainty in the world economy, but our strong position in the Southeast and proximity to a booming consumer market will drive growth,” Newsome added. “We expect to grow above the market as more cargo shifts from West Coast to East Coast ports.”

SCPA’s Columbus Street terminal was also reported with a 17 percent increase in regards to vehicle imports and exports compared to last year’s numbers. A total of 19,933 were handled in November.

As 2020 quickly approaches, SCPA continues to focus on increasing retail volumes while managing imports through South Carolina-based distribution centers while maintaining its position in the public seaport and intermodal facility sectors.

“We appreciate the board’s continued support of our investments that enable us to service some of the biggest ships in the world,” Newsome concluded. “This next year is critical as we progress on our momentous infrastructure investments, including a new container terminal and a 52-foot deep harbor, both set for completion in 2021.”
Intermodal Expo
Archives, Executive Education, Global Trade Daily

Intermodal Expo Brings the Best in Business and Expertise

Leave a comment

September 15 marked the first day of this year’s IANA Intermodal Expo in Long Beach, California. This is no ordinary expo, however. While more than 125 exhibitors and 60 plus intermodal experts in attendance, this conference covers all bases for three days each year, leaving no unfinished business. It’s no wonder why some are referring to the paramount event as “all-encompassing” while addressing all tiers of business.

Whether you’re interested in learning about the latest and greatest in intermodal solutions or seeking the expertise from an industry expert on strategic planning, IANA’s Intermodal Expo undoubtedly provides a clear view of where the industry stands while navigating the current landscape.

Among leading companies in attendance discussing the latest and greatest topics, business strategies, trends, and solutions in intermodal and supply chain include Loadsmart, Armstrong & Associates, SeaIntelligence Consulting, Canadian National Railway (CN), United Parcel Service, BNSF Railway, and many more.

Technology and automation continue leading trends as more companies continue to report increasing demand for the capabilities, efficiencies, and opportunities enabled through innovation

“There’s always a force in this space right now that changes everything and one needs to be cognizant of that force,” explained Jeffrey Leppert, Senior Vice President, Capacity Solutions, Redwood Logistics during the “Growth Strategies for Non-Asset 3PLs session.

Maintaining an advantageous position against competitors in an evergreen business landscape can be tricky. Hunter Yaw, Vice President of Product Management and Business Development, at Loadsmart addressed this topic head-on, leaving all apprehensions aside.

“We focus on what systems our customers are currently using and we integrate a lot with major TMS systems. We could ask folks to come  to us one way or another but, the reality is… we’re much better off partnering with the existing players in the industry and teaming with them to add more value within the current system’s framework rather than try to reinvent the wheel across the board.”

As the final day quickly approaches, Intermodal Expo will resume at 8 a.m. sharp on Wednesday with the Intermodal Safety Committee Meeting followed by the Operations Committee Meeting.

Global Trade Magazine will continue participating throughout the remainder of the conference at booth 812 ready to discuss your business goals for growth and expansion. Come by and see us for the final day of Intermodal Expo 2019!