Robots speeding the flow of goods … supply chains prioritize security, impacting Asia … BIMCO’s chief shipping analyst speaks on COVID, the rise of China, and the future of ocean shipping … peak season in a pandemic … warehouse worker scarcity limits US transloading capacity … and 5G to foster new levels of efficiency and collaboration … all offer a sneak peek of this week’s international freight updates. Short on time? Check out our summary of the latest shipping industry news.
Week 34 Freight Updates
August 21st, 2020
Companies Step Up Distribution Automation Under Pandemic Strains
Robots are helping speed the flow of goods while workers maintain social distance in warehousing and fulfillment operations.
What it means for Asia as supply chains make security the top priority
As states and companies build redundancies and diversify to lower risks, China’s dominance as a global supplier will weaken in the longer term, while manufacturers in Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia stand to benefit the most.
Q&A: COVID, the rise of China, and the future of ocean shipping
It’s getting really weird out there in the ocean shipping markets. Global oil demand collapses yet oil tanker rates spike. Tanker profits soar yet stock investors flee. Unemployment surges and businesses fold yet imports flood into ports and container rates skyrocket.
Peak season in a pandemic: What happens to freight rates and capacity?
Metrics and economic factors can help shippers gauge capacity and rates for air, ocean, trucking and rail heading into freight’s busy season.
Warehouse worker scarcity crimping US transloading capacity
The worker scarcity, created by elevated unemployment benefits reducing the incentive to work, coupled with workers’ fears of contracting COVID-19, is most sharply felt by facilities that deconsolidate the ocean containers.
5G Is on the Way: What Will It Mean for Supply Chains?
5G will soon become the new technology standard for cellular networks, and the benefits for business in general, and the supply chain specifically, are immense. In this conversation with SupplyChainBrain Editor-in-Chief Bob Bowman, Andrew Stevens, Senior Director Analyst with Gartner, discusses the long-term potential for 5G to foster new levels of efficiency and collaboration.
