Manufacturing Stays Sluggish
Manufacturing Stays Sluggish The manufacturing sector remained stuck in contraction mode in July, according to ISM’s latest data, with the PMI at 48.0—marking five consecutive months below growth territory. Seven industries managed to expand, but major sectors like machinery, transportation equipment, and electronics continued to decline. Tariffs and economic uncertainty weighed heavily on production planning […]
Freight Market Reset – TLC’s Joe Hassenfratz On The View From Jamestown
Freight Market Reset – TLC’s Joe Hassenfratz On The View From Jamestown In his discussion with The Chemical Company’s team, Joe Hassenfratz painted a clear picture of the current freight market. After a strong Q1, Q2 softened, and now Q3 is balancing out with a softer-than-usual peak season. Factors such as tariffs, shifting import volumes, […]
Coast-To-Coast Rail Shakeup
Coast-To-Coast Rail Shakeup Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have unveiled a $72 billion megamerger that, if approved, will create the nation’s first true transcontinental freight railroad. The deal, the largest in rail history, comes amid decades of consolidation and promises to link East and West seamlessly. The combined network could boost efficiency for coast-to-coast shipments, […]
US – Japan Trade Deal
US – Japan Trade Deal The U.S. has secured a new trade pact with Japan that realigns key tariff rates and expands bilateral market access. President Trump announced a 15% import tariff on Japanese goods, including vehicles and parts, replacing a previously proposed 25% rate. In return, Japan will ease restrictions on U.S.-made cars, trucks, […]
Port Of Los Angeles Sets June Record
Port of Los Angeles Sets June Record June traffic at the Port of Los Angeles surged to a record 892,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), up 32% from May. That boost pushed first-half volume about 5% above the same period in 2024. Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director, said the record high spotlights a ‘tariff whipsaw’ effect. […]
Tariffs Delayed For Now
Tariffs Delayed For Now President Trump announced on July 7 that he will extend the 90-day pause on ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs until August 1. He also issued letters to 14 countries notifying them of new tariff rates between 25% and 40%. These new duties apply to imports from nations like Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, Laos, […]
New Trucking Agenda
New Trucking Agenda At the recent Samsara conference, ATA President Chris Spear celebrated policy wins that delayed California’s Advanced Clean Trucks Low NOx rules and paused the EPA’s Phase 3 greenhouse gas standards. He argued that these steps free the industry to phase in electric trucks where they make sense—like drayage, garbage, step vans, and […]
Tanker Rates Surge
Tanker Rates Surge Spot rates for VLCCs from the Persian Gulf to China shot up 50% last week. The jump came after the US struck Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 21. Then Tehran’s parliament backed plans to seal the Strait of Hormuz. Owners now earn over $57,000 per day, up from about $21,000 on June […]
Tariffs Slam LA Imports
Tariffs Slam LA Imports Port of Los Angeles imports sank 19% in May, dragging the U.S.’s busiest trade hub into a freight funk driven by tariff chaos and seasonal softness. Executive Director Gene Seroka warned that the steep drop, compounded by up to 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, is already impacting retailers’ seasonal planning. With […]
Rising Risk: Cargo Fraud
Rising Risk: Cargo Fraud Cargo theft is becoming more complex and lucrative, with Q1 2025 data from CargoNet revealing a 42% increase in the average loss per incident, even as overall thefts declined. Traditional straight thefts are giving way to strategic and fraud-based crimes, including contact scams and identity theft. Key theft categories now include […]
