Americans concerned over personal hygiene following the start of the port strike have reportedly panic-bought toilet rolls, again. Several Costco stores reportedly sold out of the much-used commodity in Brooklyn, New York; Clifton, New Jersey; Norwalk, Connecticut; and Gilbert, Arizona, while Walmart stores in Lindale, Texas, and Boonton, New Jersey,...

The supply chain ripples from the US east and Gulf coast port strike have largely still to make themselves felt in global spot freight rates, according to this week’s indices. Despite predictions that the transpacific eastbound headhaul trade might see a surge of demand into US west coast ports, the major spot rate indices saw freight rates decline...

Chinese stock markets have been enjoying their biggest bounce for 16 years since 24 September, when Beijing unveiled its new economic stimulus plan to try and get the country out of its current economic slump. The reaction from financial markets was as if Christmas had suddenly turned up announced midway through Autumn – although in a sense, it kinda...

News that the US port strike has ended for now will bring much relief to shippers – but requests for air charters have soared this week, for a variety of reasons. And that demand has not been limited to strike-affected shippers, fearful of having their cargo in the wrong place in the run-up to Christmas, charter brokers are also dealing with humanitarian...

Despite ending today, the lingering costs of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike could leave uninsured US east and Gulf coast shippers with a hefty bill – and even those with cover could be caught out by unforeseen risks.   Patrizia Kern, chief insurance officer at embedded insurance platform Breeze, told The Loadstar the effect...

US logistics providers are beefing up their capabilities to serve Mexico and the surging flows between the two neighbours. However, there are considerable challenges, despite improvements, as discussions over routing US-bound freight through Mexico during the port strike highlighted. Not surprisingly, much of the action has been in surface transport....