<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles is already holding twice its normal inventory of rail containers and is draying some of the boxes to a near-dock storage yard to prevent the backlog from interfering with cargo handling operations.</div>

Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles is already holding twice its normal inventory of rail containers and is draying some of the boxes to a near-dock storage yard to prevent the backlog from interfering with cargo handling operations.

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<div>Rail container backlogs are mounting at some marine terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach amid a surge in imports from Asia that is driving a sharp increase in eastbound intermodal train movements and exacerbating a chronic deficit of railcars returning westbound. Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles is already holding twice its normal inventory of rail containers and is draying some of the boxes to a near-dock storage yard to prevent the backlog from interfering with cargo handling operations. “The eastbound dwell has built up to the point that we have to use near-dock storage space —...

Rail container backlogs are mounting at some marine terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach amid a surge in imports from Asia that is driving a sharp increase in eastbound intermodal train movements and exacerbating a chronic deficit of railcars returning westbound. Yusen Terminals in Los Angeles is already holding twice its normal inventory of rail containers and is draying some of the boxes to a near-dock storage yard to prevent the backlog from interfering with cargo handling operations. “The eastbound dwell has built up to the point that we have to use near-dock storage space — at an extra expense to us,” said Alan McCorkle, Yusen’s president and CEO. Some terminal operators at the largest US port complex say while the railroads are providing sufficient rail cars to handle current eastbound intermodal traffic to the US interior, terminals are bumping up against their storage capacity and fear the facilities could become congested quickly if imports strengthen further in May and June. “We’re getting sufficient railcars, but we’re right on the bubble,” said a terminal operator in Los Angeles who did not want to be identified. The Journal of Commerce spoke to six terminal operators that operate eight of the 12 container terminals in the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex. Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) experienced a “blip” last week but was able to accommodate the increase in inland point intermodal (IPI) cargo moving eastbound because its eastbound/westbound volumes have been in balance, said Anthony Otto, LBCT’s president. For IPI shipments to be handled efficiently by terminals, “the program has to be balanced,” Otto said. UP, BNSF stay prepared to handle rising volumes Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF railroads say they are not experiencing higher dwell times and that they will increase railcar supplies in Southern California in anticipation of the peak shipping season in the eastbound trans-Pacific that begins in August. “We have successfully supported record first quarter volumes at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and look forward to continuing to do so,” a BNSF spokesperson said. A UP spokesperson said the railroad has been repositioning additional well cars to the West Coast to support demand. “Our network is operating well,” the spokesperson said. Rail container dwell times on the Los Angeles-Long Beach terminals have increased steadily this year, from 4.2 days in January to 6.26 days in February and 7.02 days in March, according to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA). PMSA will release its data on April’s rail container dwell times later this month. Numbers posted by the ports, meanwhile, show a wide variation in dwell times at individual terminals. Generally, they reveal that the number of containers with nine-day-plus dwells was relatively low during the first three weeks of April, then accelerated in the final week of the month. The higher dwells come as imports from Asia landing at Los Angeles-Long Beach increased 29.7% in the first quarter year over year to 1.96 million TEUs, according to PIERS, a Journal of Commerce sister company within S&P Global. Cargo surges lead to rail car shortages Larry Gross, president and founder of Gross Transportation Consulting, said in an April 3 column for the Journal of Commerce that rail car deficits in Los Angeles-Long Beach often occur during cargo surges. A similar development occurred last August and September when import volumes spiked. Citing data from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), Gross said about 190 more double-stack well cars with loaded eastbound containers moved out of the Pacific Southwest each day in January than came back to the region with loaded or empty containers. During the previous cargo spike last August–September, the daily deficit of intermodal well cars was even higher, at 430. Gross told the Journal of Commerce that during cargo surges, ocean carriers have the choice of meeting the demand in Asia by deploying extra-loader vessels or rolling the containers to subsequent voyages. However, Gross said when the inland point intermodal (IPI) shipments that were booked with carriers reach the West Coast, the liners simply dump the volume at the ports and tell the terminals and railroads, “deal with it.” “They [the liners] don’t give the railroads a lot of advance notice,” he said. Some terminals can handle the volatility in imports and IPI bookings, to a degree, depending on their size and configuration. But other terminals can become congested quickly as rail container dwells mount to five days or longer from the desired three or four days. When rail container dwell times spike to nine days or longer, terminals struggle because they must shift the containers around within their facilities to accommodate the thousands of import boxes being discharged from the vessels they handle each week. That’s why those terminal operators in Los Angeles-Long Beach that are reaching their storage capacity are apprehensive about the projection of US retailers calling for sizable year-over-year increases in import volumes in the coming months. The National Retail Federation, in its April 9 Global Port Tracker (GPT) , forecast that US imports will continue to increase year over year each month at least through August, the end of its latest forecast period. The GPT forecasted that imports will increase 5.5% in May, 8.9% in June, 6.6% in July and 6.9% in August from the year-earlier period. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Rail News

North American ports

Marine terminals

Surface

Import surge boosting rail container dwells at some LA-LB marine terminals

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The more cooperative approach recommended by a committee of the South Coast Air Quality Management District means the ports and their stakeholders would not need to limit cargo volumes each year to achieve emission reductions goals.</div>

The more cooperative approach recommended by a committee of the South Coast Air Quality Management District means the ports and their stakeholders would not need to limit cargo volumes each year to achieve emission reductions goals.

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<div class="phx-topic">The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) should work with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on developing a joint plan to reduce emissions at the ports rather than unilaterally imposing its own solution, a committee within Southern California’s clean air regulator has recommended. AQMD’s so-called “mobile source committee” informed the ports of its position during a call on Friday, a move seemingly made in response to years-long pushback from the ports and its users to having the regulator attempt to implement its own emissions <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/la-lb-port-interests-spar-with-agency-over-emissions-rule-under-development-5223229">plan known as the Indirect Source Rule (ISR).</a>An updated draft cooperative agreement will be presented to AQMD’s governing board for final approval in November, the agency told the Journal of Commerce. “Should the governing board approve the draft cooperative agreement in November, industry will have the ability to provide comment on infrastructure plans developed by the ports,” an AQMD spokesperson said. “We remain committed to this collaboration as the public reviews the agreement and we look forward to taking a final agreement forward for approval by our respective boards before the end of the year,” the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach said in a joint statement. The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), which represents carriers and terminal operators, said the pause in AQMD’s rulemaking efforts until a permanent agreement is reached will give the ports and its stakeholders what they want — to prevent what would have ultimately been <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/la-lb-port-stakeholders-urge-mayors-to-act-against-proposed-emissions-rules-5730302">a need to “cap” container volumes in the largest US port complex</a> in order to meet the “burdensome” pollution requirements in the original port ISR. “That’s the biggest win out of this for everybody,” PMSA President Mike Jacob told the Journal of Commerce. The AQMD initially issued the port ISR in 2021. The rule was scheduled to take effect last year, but after resistance by the ports, their respective cities and stakeholders, including terminal operators, ocean carriers and truckers, AQMD paused implementation of the ISR until a detailed cooperative agreement could be developed. <h3>Agreement suggests key strategies to reduce emissions </h3>According to the mobile source committee’s position paper published on the AQMD website, the new proposal clearly defines the respective roles of the AQMD and the ports. The key points include a mutual focus on a zero-emission infrastructure plan, detailed planning targets and projected milestones for development of that infrastructure, and the implementation of triggers that would flag violations of the plan and create penalties, including financial consequences. The key to the proposed cooperative agreement is that it will give the ports, carriers, terminal operators, truckers and railroads time to develop the necessary charging and fueling infrastructure and to introduce zero-emission cargo-handling equipment and commercially viable zero-emission trucks, PMSA’s Jacob said. Los Angeles and Long Beach each year release studies that detail air emissions, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and diesel particulate matter, from port-related sources compared with the baseline year of 2005. Those reports show the ports in 2019 had already <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/la-lb-already-ahead-of-2023-emission-reduction-goals-5194967">achieved their 2023 goals set in the joint Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).</a>“We’ve done all of the easy lifts on air quality to reduce emissions,” Jacob said. Given the current state of zero-emission technology and infrastructure development, meeting the time frames suggested in the ISR would have meant telling port users at some point each year, “We can’t take the next truck or train,” he said. To prevent that from happening, Los Angeles and Long Beach in July submitted to AQMD a voluntary “CAAP-plus” program in which the ports and their transportation providers would address a half-dozen areas where they believe further emissions reductions could be achieved if sufficient time is provided. <a href="mailto:bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com">Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com</a>.</div>

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) should work with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on developing a joint plan to reduce emissions at the ports rather than unilaterally imposing its own solution, a committee within Southern California’s clean air regulator has recommended. AQMD’s so-called “mobile source committee” informed the ports of its position during a call on Friday, a move seemingly made in response to years-long pushback from the ports and its users to having the regulator attempt to implement its own emissions plan known as the Indirect Source Rule (ISR). An updated draft cooperative agreement will be presented to AQMD’s governing board for final approval in November, the agency told the Journal of Commerce. “Should the governing board approve the draft cooperative agreement in November, industry will have the ability to provide comment on infrastructure plans developed by the ports,” an AQMD spokesperson said. “We remain committed to this collaboration as the public reviews the agreement and we look forward to taking a final agreement forward for approval by our respective boards before the end of the year,” the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach said in a joint statement. The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), which represents carriers and terminal operators, said the pause in AQMD’s rulemaking efforts until a permanent agreement is reached will give the ports and its stakeholders what they want — to prevent what would have ultimately been a need to “cap” container volumes in the largest US port complex in order to meet the “burdensome” pollution requirements in the original port ISR. “That’s the biggest win out of this for everybody,” PMSA President Mike Jacob told the Journal of Commerce. The AQMD initially issued the port ISR in 2021. The rule was scheduled to take effect last year, but after resistance by the ports, their respective cities and stakeholders, including terminal operators, ocean carriers and truckers, AQMD paused implementation of the ISR until a detailed cooperative agreement could be developed. Agreement suggests key strategies to reduce emissions According to the mobile source committee’s position paper published on the AQMD website, the new proposal clearly defines the respective roles of the AQMD and the ports. The key points include a mutual focus on a zero-emission infrastructure plan, detailed planning targets and projected milestones for development of that infrastructure, and the implementation of triggers that would flag violations of the plan and create penalties, including financial consequences. The key to the proposed cooperative agreement is that it will give the ports, carriers, terminal operators, truckers and railroads time to develop the necessary charging and fueling infrastructure and to introduce zero-emission cargo-handling equipment and commercially viable zero-emission trucks, PMSA’s Jacob said. Los Angeles and Long Beach each year release studies that detail air emissions, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and diesel particulate matter, from port-related sources compared with the baseline year of 2005. Those reports show the ports in 2019 had already achieved their 2023 goals set in the joint Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP). “We’ve done all of the easy lifts on air quality to reduce emissions,” Jacob said. Given the current state of zero-emission technology and infrastructure development, meeting the time frames suggested in the ISR would have meant telling port users at some point each year, “We can’t take the next truck or train,” he said. To prevent that from happening, Los Angeles and Long Beach in July submitted to AQMD a voluntary “CAAP-plus” program in which the ports and their transportation providers would address a half-dozen areas where they believe further emissions reductions could be achieved if sufficient time is provided. Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bill.mongelluzzo@spglobal.com .

Port News

Port infrastructure

Maritime

LA-LB likely to work with regulator on emissions-cutting plan for ports

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Supply chain control, not just cost, is the priority for shippers that have built up in-house truck fleets and increasingly are using them for more than outbound deliveries. </div>

Supply chain control, not just cost, is the priority for shippers that have built up in-house truck fleets and increasingly are using them for more than outbound deliveries.

<div class="phx-topic">US shippers are expanding their use of private, in-house truck fleets, hauling more goods in their own trucks despite favorable for-hire spot market and contract rates. Growth in private fleets is slowing compared with a peak experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped, industry experts told the Journal of Commerce. Shipments handled by private fleets increased 11.7% year over year in 2024, according to data released last week by the National Private Truck Council (NPTC). The need for more precise supply chain control and truck capacity is the reason given for greater reliance by shippers on in-house assets, and it is being enabled by technology. “The importance of the private fleet has become more elevated as shippers take greater control of supply chains,” especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tom Moore, NPTC’s executive vice president. The change has been noted by industry analysts and for-hire carriers. Schneider National, a major truckload carrier and provider of dedicated fleet services, has seen the growth of private, shipper-owned fleets outpace the for-hire carrier market, Mark Rourke, CEO and president, told a Morgan Stanley investor conference Sept. 11. “For a number of years, we’ve kind of assessed the full truckload market to be about 50% for-hire, 50% private fleet,” Rourke said at the event. Coming out of COVID-19, “there’s been a shift” to 55% private fleet, 45% for-hire, Rourke said. “That’s a pretty big movement,” he said, although he thinks there are opportunities “to move the needle back toward 50-50” as truck fleet operating costs rise. “We’ve seen private fleets grow to the point where last year there were more employee truck drivers in private fleets than in for-hire truck transportation,” Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR Transport Intelligence, said at an FTR conference Sept. 9. The total number of US private fleets, both interstate and intrastate, rose 15.9% from December 2019 through August 2025, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data, reaching 776,588, according to data published last month. Rising fleet operating costs and continuing low rates will probably shift more freight toward for-hire carriers, “but that will certainly be an incremental thing,” Vise said. “It’s not that some of these private fleets will just shut down.” The choice of whether to use for-hire or in-house trucking isn’t about choosing either one or the other, and it’s not only about costs, experts told the Journal of Commerce. “Most of our customers, especially our larger ones, use all their options — private fleets, outsourced capacity, dedicated and for-hire trucking,” said Jim Lager, executive vice president of Penske Truck Leasing, an equipment and logistics supplier. “Technology is having a huge impact” on shippers’ decisions, Lager said. “The ability to track vehicles and product in route is at people’s fingertips now.” The common factor among Penske’s private fleet customers is “they want control,” he said. “They want their product to end up in their customers’ hands the way they want it to.” <h3>An inbound shift </h3>Traditionally, private fleets have been used more to haul outbound freight to customers. Now, shippers are working more closely with vendors and suppliers on the inbound side of transportation and distribution to find ways to move more freight in their in-house fleets. The shift is evident in data NPTC collected from a diverse group of more than 100 shippers with private fleets in its most recent annual benchmarking survey report, released Monday. Those shippers moved 43% of their inbound freight by private fleet last year. That compares with 35% the previous year and 31% in 2022, according to NPTC. The last time shippers relied as heavily on private fleets for inbound transportation was in 2021, when COVID-19 supply chain disruption hit its peak, NPTC’s data indicated. Greater use of private fleets for inbound transportation requires more sophisticated collaboration between shippers and their vendors and suppliers, Moore said. “Often they both will have private fleets,” as well as brokers and for-hire carriers, he said. When a vendor uses a customer’s private fleet to deliver to that customer’s warehouse, “that shows they’ve increased their understanding of the inbound logistics side.” Contact William B. Cassidy at <a href="mailto:bill.cassidy@spglobal.com">bill.cassidy@spglobal.com</a>.Senior Editor Ari Ashe contributed to this report. </div>

US shippers are expanding their use of private, in-house truck fleets, hauling more goods in their own trucks despite favorable for-hire spot market and contract rates. Growth in private fleets is slowing compared with a peak experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped, industry experts told the Journal of Commerce. Shipments handled by private fleets increased 11.7% year over year in 2024, according to data released last week by the National Private Truck Council (NPTC). The need for more precise supply chain control and truck capacity is the reason given for greater reliance by shippers on in-house assets, and it is being enabled by technology. “The importance of the private fleet has become more elevated as shippers take greater control of supply chains,” especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tom Moore, NPTC’s executive vice president. The change has been noted by industry analysts and for-hire carriers. Schneider National, a major truckload carrier and provider of dedicated fleet services, has seen the growth of private, shipper-owned fleets outpace the for-hire carrier market, Mark Rourke, CEO and president, told a Morgan Stanley investor conference Sept. 11. “For a number of years, we’ve kind of assessed the full truckload market to be about 50% for-hire, 50% private fleet,” Rourke said at the event. Coming out of COVID-19, “there’s been a shift” to 55% private fleet, 45% for-hire, Rourke said. “That’s a pretty big movement,” he said, although he thinks there are opportunities “to move the needle back toward 50-50” as truck fleet operating costs rise. “We’ve seen private fleets grow to the point where last year there were more employee truck drivers in private fleets than in for-hire truck transportation,” Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR Transport Intelligence, said at an FTR conference Sept. 9. The total number of US private fleets, both interstate and intrastate, rose 15.9% from December 2019 through August 2025, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data, reaching 776,588, according to data published last month. Rising fleet operating costs and continuing low rates will probably shift more freight toward for-hire carriers, “but that will certainly be an incremental thing,” Vise said. “It’s not that some of these private fleets will just shut down.” The choice of whether to use for-hire or in-house trucking isn’t about choosing either one or the other, and it’s not only about costs, experts told the Journal of Commerce. “Most of our customers, especially our larger ones, use all their options — private fleets, outsourced capacity, dedicated and for-hire trucking,” said Jim Lager, executive vice president of Penske Truck Leasing, an equipment and logistics supplier. “Technology is having a huge impact” on shippers’ decisions, Lager said. “The ability to track vehicles and product in route is at people’s fingertips now.” The common factor among Penske’s private fleet customers is “they want control,” he said. “They want their product to end up in their customers’ hands the way they want it to.” An inbound shift Traditionally, private fleets have been used more to haul outbound freight to customers. Now, shippers are working more closely with vendors and suppliers on the inbound side of transportation and distribution to find ways to move more freight in their in-house fleets. The shift is evident in data NPTC collected from a diverse group of more than 100 shippers with private fleets in its most recent annual benchmarking survey report, released Monday. Those shippers moved 43% of their inbound freight by private fleet last year. That compares with 35% the previous year and 31% in 2022, according to NPTC. The last time shippers relied as heavily on private fleets for inbound transportation was in 2021, when COVID-19 supply chain disruption hit its peak, NPTC’s data indicated. Greater use of private fleets for inbound transportation requires more sophisticated collaboration between shippers and their vendors and suppliers, Moore said. “Often they both will have private fleets,” as well as brokers and for-hire carriers, he said. When a vendor uses a customer’s private fleet to deliver to that customer’s warehouse, “that shows they’ve increased their understanding of the inbound logistics side.” Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@spglobal.com .Senior Editor Ari Ashe contributed to this report.

Trucking News

Truck brokers

US shippers expand use of private fleets despite low truck rates

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The about-face from SMART-TD, which had initially opposed the $85 billion transaction over fears of job losses, makes regulatory approval of the merger far more likely.</div>

The about-face from SMART-TD, which had initially opposed the $85 billion transaction over fears of job losses, makes regulatory approval of the merger far more likely.

<div class="phx-topic">Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) said Monday they have reached a job-protection deal with the largest rail union in the US in exchange for its support of the proposed merger between the two Class I railroads. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) had previously voiced opposition to the $85 billion deal, which would create the first transcontinental railroad in the US and is now before the Surface Transportation Board for a regulatory review that could take over a year to complete. The about-face from the union makes eventual approval of the deal far more likely. “For generations, railroaders have worried about what mergers might mean for their jobs and whether or not they would be given the opportunity to reach retirement on the rail,” Jeremy Ferguson, president of SMART-TD, said in a statement. “Today, we can say with confidence that the biggest railroad and the biggest rail union in America are breaking new ground. We are protecting jobs, protecting families, and protecting the future of the U.S. supply chain.” The deal with SMART-TD is significant as it has more than 125,000 active and retired members, mostly working in railroading, and wields significant influence among rank-and-file workers. The union represents a broad range of front-line positions, including conductors, brakemen, switchmen, engineers and ground crews such as trainmasters and yardmasters who oversee terminal operations. The deal reached between UP, NS and SMART-TD, at its core, pledges that no active union member at either railroad will face merger-related furloughs. The assurance provides a layer of security in markets such as Chicago and Memphis, where employees might otherwise have feared losing jobs if overlapping intermodal terminals were consolidated. “When we announced our intent to create the first transcontinental railroad in America, I made a promise to protect the jobs of all unionized employees,” UP CEO Jim Vena said in a statement. “Those who have a job when the merger is approved will continue to have one.” <h3>Another deal to come? </h3>While the SMART-TD endorsement is expected to strengthen the merger’s regulatory prospects, Union Pacific may also look to strike a deal with the second-largest rail union in the US, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents about 57,000 workers. US President Donald Trump signaled his support for the deal after meeting with Vena at the White House on Sept. 9. The deal seemingly takes some steam out of the argument Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) made when he voiced his opposition to the UP-NS merger on the Senate floor on July 31. “They also promise no union jobs will be cut, but we’ve heard that before, from the same executives who’ve laid off thousands of workers while raking in record profits,” Schumer said at the time. Contact Ari Ashe at <a href="mailto:ari.ashe@spglobal.com">ari.ashe@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) said Monday they have reached a job-protection deal with the largest rail union in the US in exchange for its support of the proposed merger between the two Class I railroads. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) had previously voiced opposition to the $85 billion deal, which would create the first transcontinental railroad in the US and is now before the Surface Transportation Board for a regulatory review that could take over a year to complete. The about-face from the union makes eventual approval of the deal far more likely. “For generations, railroaders have worried about what mergers might mean for their jobs and whether or not they would be given the opportunity to reach retirement on the rail,” Jeremy Ferguson, president of SMART-TD, said in a statement. “Today, we can say with confidence that the biggest railroad and the biggest rail union in America are breaking new ground. We are protecting jobs, protecting families, and protecting the future of the U.S. supply chain.” The deal with SMART-TD is significant as it has more than 125,000 active and retired members, mostly working in railroading, and wields significant influence among rank-and-file workers. The union represents a broad range of front-line positions, including conductors, brakemen, switchmen, engineers and ground crews such as trainmasters and yardmasters who oversee terminal operations. The deal reached between UP, NS and SMART-TD, at its core, pledges that no active union member at either railroad will face merger-related furloughs. The assurance provides a layer of security in markets such as Chicago and Memphis, where employees might otherwise have feared losing jobs if overlapping intermodal terminals were consolidated. “When we announced our intent to create the first transcontinental railroad in America, I made a promise to protect the jobs of all unionized employees,” UP CEO Jim Vena said in a statement. “Those who have a job when the merger is approved will continue to have one.” Another deal to come? While the SMART-TD endorsement is expected to strengthen the merger’s regulatory prospects, Union Pacific may also look to strike a deal with the second-largest rail union in the US, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents about 57,000 workers. US President Donald Trump signaled his support for the deal after meeting with Vena at the White House on Sept. 9. The deal seemingly takes some steam out of the argument Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) made when he voiced his opposition to the UP-NS merger on the Senate floor on July 31. “They also promise no union jobs will be cut, but we’ve heard that before, from the same executives who’ve laid off thousands of workers while raking in record profits,” Schumer said at the time. Contact Ari Ashe at ari.ashe@spglobal.com .

North-American rail

Intermodal providers

Major rail union backs UP-NS merger after job-protection deal

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Super typhoon Ragasa is the 19th named storm to hit the region this year, with container terminals shutting down and airlines preparing to ground flights from Tuesday night. </div>

Super typhoon Ragasa is the 19th named storm to hit the region this year, with container terminals shutting down and airlines preparing to ground flights from Tuesday night.

<div class="phx-topic">Air and ocean networks in South China will face significant disruption this week as the strongest typhoon of the year bears down on the region. Super typhoon Ragasa is generating sustained winds of 230 km/h (137 mph) on a track that will take it just south of Hong Kong late Tuesday, with landfall in Guangdong Province on Wednesday. Container terminals in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Guangzhou were taking no chances, closing on Monday as the ports prepared for the 19th typhoon to hit South China this year. Yantian International Container Terminal, Shenzhen’s busiest terminal operator that handles about a quarter of China’s total containerized exports to the US, confirmed it suspended operations at midnight Monday. Hongkong International Terminals said gate operations there ceased early Monday. A Kuehne + Nagel advisory said container terminals in South China, including Nansha, Chiwan, Shekou and Da Chan Bay in western Shenzhen, have shut down, with operations not expected to resume until Sept. 25 or 26. Rail operations are expected to stop on Sept. 24, the forwarder added. This would be the longest closure of South China’s container terminals for several years and will cause shipment delays of four to five days, the freight forwarder said in the advisory. Hapag-Lloyd said the typhoon will affect terminal operations in South China this entire week, coming on top of current berthing delays of up to three days at Nansha and Yantian caused by tropical storm Mitag, which made landfall east of Yantian on Friday. <h3>Hong Kong flights suspended </h3>While Hong Kong airport will remain open throughout the storm, Cathay Pacific has announced a 36-hour suspension of all inbound and outbound Hong Kong flights from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Thursday. Overseas airlines are also canceling inbound flights. Once the typhoon has passed, it will take time to clear the bottlenecks at the world’s busiest air cargo airport, said Dmitry Kulish, director of air cargo Asia-Pacific for ACN Group, an end-to-end air freight service provider. “Time-sensitive shipments such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and perishables are particularly vulnerable, as flight cancellations and port congestion create bottlenecks,” Kulish told the Journal of Commerce Monday. “Our teams in Hong Kong and Shanghai are actively coordinating with airlines, forwarders, and customers to reroute freight where possible and to secure capacity once conditions stabilize,” he added. Cathay Pacific said in a customer advisory that flights at Hong Kong airport are expected to gradually resume through Thursday as the typhoon moves into Guangdong Province. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. Contact Keith Wallis at <a href="mailto:keithwallis@hotmail.com">keithwallis@hotmail.com</a>. </div>

Air and ocean networks in South China will face significant disruption this week as the strongest typhoon of the year bears down on the region. Super typhoon Ragasa is generating sustained winds of 230 km/h (137 mph) on a track that will take it just south of Hong Kong late Tuesday, with landfall in Guangdong Province on Wednesday. Container terminals in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Guangzhou were taking no chances, closing on Monday as the ports prepared for the 19th typhoon to hit South China this year. Yantian International Container Terminal, Shenzhen’s busiest terminal operator that handles about a quarter of China’s total containerized exports to the US, confirmed it suspended operations at midnight Monday. Hongkong International Terminals said gate operations there ceased early Monday. A Kuehne + Nagel advisory said container terminals in South China, including Nansha, Chiwan, Shekou and Da Chan Bay in western Shenzhen, have shut down, with operations not expected to resume until Sept. 25 or 26. Rail operations are expected to stop on Sept. 24, the forwarder added. This would be the longest closure of South China’s container terminals for several years and will cause shipment delays of four to five days, the freight forwarder said in the advisory. Hapag-Lloyd said the typhoon will affect terminal operations in South China this entire week, coming on top of current berthing delays of up to three days at Nansha and Yantian caused by tropical storm Mitag, which made landfall east of Yantian on Friday. Hong Kong flights suspended While Hong Kong airport will remain open throughout the storm, Cathay Pacific has announced a 36-hour suspension of all inbound and outbound Hong Kong flights from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Thursday. Overseas airlines are also canceling inbound flights. Once the typhoon has passed, it will take time to clear the bottlenecks at the world’s busiest air cargo airport, said Dmitry Kulish, director of air cargo Asia-Pacific for ACN Group, an end-to-end air freight service provider. “Time-sensitive shipments such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and perishables are particularly vulnerable, as flight cancellations and port congestion create bottlenecks,” Kulish told the Journal of Commerce Monday. “Our teams in Hong Kong and Shanghai are actively coordinating with airlines, forwarders, and customers to reroute freight where possible and to secure capacity once conditions stabilize,” he added. Cathay Pacific said in a customer advisory that flights at Hong Kong airport are expected to gradually resume through Thursday as the typhoon moves into Guangdong Province. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com . Contact Keith Wallis at keithwallis@hotmail.com .

Air Cargo

International ports

South China supply chains brace for year’s strongest typhoon

<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">The takeover will add the UK’s largest maritime intermodal service provider to the carrier’s rapidly expanding logistics portfolio.</div>

The takeover will add the UK’s largest maritime intermodal service provider to the carrier’s rapidly expanding logistics portfolio.

<div class="phx-topic">CMA CGM Monday said it acquired Freightliner UK Intermodal Logistics, the latest move by the carrier to extend its supply chain reach deeper into container logistics. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition of Freightliner’s intermodal division will bring on board the UK’s largest maritime intermodal service provider that has extensive road and rail operations in the country and three inland terminals. The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, subject to the required regulatory approvals. Freightliner’s other businesses — Heavy Haul, Rotterdam Rail Feeding and Freightliner Poland/Germany — will remain under existing ownership. Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said the acquisition of Freightliner UK would strengthen the carrier’s intermodal presence in the strategic UK market. “It enables us to connect sea, rail and road more efficiently, delivering better solutions for our customers,” Saadé said in a statement. “It is also a concrete step in expanding lower-carbon transport options, supporting both their needs and the decarbonization of global trade.” CMA CGM believes the addition of Freightliner UK to its portfolio will pave the way to developing intermodal offerings that combine maritime, rail and road, while improving connectivity between Europe’s major ports and the UK hinterland through its strategically located inland terminals. “By adding a long-standing name in UK rail freight, the group reaffirms its commitment to supporting the modal shift from road to rail — a cornerstone of decarbonizing global supply chains,” the CMA CGM statement noted. Despite the intermodal synergies, Freightliner will retain its multi-user and multi-customer approach and will be run independently with existing teams, according to Tim Shoveller, CEO of Freightliner Group. “The intermodal business will become a standalone business within CMA CGM’s portfolio, with opportunities to collaborate with other arm’s-length CMA CGM companies,” Shoveller said in the statement announcing the takeover. <h3>A string of deals </h3>CMA CGM has made significant investments over the past few years in air cargo, terminals and logistics as it moves to diversify revenue and exert greater control over its supply chains. In August, <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cma-cgm-accelerates-232-million-syrian-med-port-expansion-project-6066188">the carrier committed €200 million (US$232 million)</a> to the development of Syria’s largest container port of Latakia, just after it announced in July <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/hmm-cma-cgm-to-expand-key-mediterranean-transshipment-hub-6036824">a €150 million ($177 million) investment in TTI Algeciras</a>, in which CMA CGM holds a 49.9% stake. In April, the carrier announced both <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cma-cgm-expands-air-cargo-fleet-with-air-belgium-takeover-5994360">the acquisition of cargo operations at longtime partner Air Belgium</a>, and subsidiary CEVA Logistics’ <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/ceva-expands-reach-in-turkey-with-440-million-acquisition-5992136">$440 million takeover of Turkish forwarder Borusan Tedarik</a>. Exactly one year ago, CMA CGM <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/cma-cgm-moves-to-take-over-top-brazilian-terminal-operator-5732689">acquired a controlling share of Brazil’s largest terminal operator</a> Santos Brasil. Contact Greg Knowler at <a href="mailto:greg.knowler@spglobal.com">greg.knowler@spglobal.com</a>. </div>

CMA CGM Monday said it acquired Freightliner UK Intermodal Logistics, the latest move by the carrier to extend its supply chain reach deeper into container logistics. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition of Freightliner’s intermodal division will bring on board the UK’s largest maritime intermodal service provider that has extensive road and rail operations in the country and three inland terminals. The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, subject to the required regulatory approvals. Freightliner’s other businesses — Heavy Haul, Rotterdam Rail Feeding and Freightliner Poland/Germany — will remain under existing ownership. Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said the acquisition of Freightliner UK would strengthen the carrier’s intermodal presence in the strategic UK market. “It enables us to connect sea, rail and road more efficiently, delivering better solutions for our customers,” Saadé said in a statement. “It is also a concrete step in expanding lower-carbon transport options, supporting both their needs and the decarbonization of global trade.” CMA CGM believes the addition of Freightliner UK to its portfolio will pave the way to developing intermodal offerings that combine maritime, rail and road, while improving connectivity between Europe’s major ports and the UK hinterland through its strategically located inland terminals. “By adding a long-standing name in UK rail freight, the group reaffirms its commitment to supporting the modal shift from road to rail — a cornerstone of decarbonizing global supply chains,” the CMA CGM statement noted. Despite the intermodal synergies, Freightliner will retain its multi-user and multi-customer approach and will be run independently with existing teams, according to Tim Shoveller, CEO of Freightliner Group. “The intermodal business will become a standalone business within CMA CGM’s portfolio, with opportunities to collaborate with other arm’s-length CMA CGM companies,” Shoveller said in the statement announcing the takeover. A string of deals CMA CGM has made significant investments over the past few years in air cargo, terminals and logistics as it moves to diversify revenue and exert greater control over its supply chains. In August, the carrier committed €200 million (US$232 million) to the development of Syria’s largest container port of Latakia, just after it announced in July a €150 million ($177 million) investment in TTI Algeciras , in which CMA CGM holds a 49.9% stake. In April, the carrier announced both the acquisition of cargo operations at longtime partner Air Belgium , and subsidiary CEVA Logistics’ $440 million takeover of Turkish forwarder Borusan Tedarik . Exactly one year ago, CMA CGM acquired a controlling share of Brazil’s largest terminal operator Santos Brasil. Contact Greg Knowler at greg.knowler@spglobal.com .

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CMA CGM acquires UK intermodal specialist Freightliner

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In today’s competitive logistical landscape, efficiency is an absolute necessity for smooth operations. Yet, in the barge sector, many operators still rely on fragmented systems, delayed updates, and manual tracking methods that slow decision-making and increase operational risk. OpenTug’s new eBook, How Enhanced Visibility Transforms Barge Operations, reveals how unified, real-time data can become your competitive advantage leading to improved voyage management and more actionable insights. Drawing on industry best practices and real-world examples, it explores how operational transparency empowers teams to: ●	Reduce delays with accurate ETAs and proactive scheduling decisions ●	Improve asset utilization by identifying underused equipment and optimizing cargos ●	Strengthen safety and compliance through consistent, accessible documentation and reporting ●	Boost customer satisfaction with transparent status updates and faster response time You’ll learn how visibility can connect every part of your operation into a single, actionable view. The ability to see and act on real-time information transforms the way you plan, execute, and deliver. From managing a small regional fleet to running a large, national operation, this eBook will help you understand the measurable benefits of enhanced visibility and how technology like BargeOS is transforming the way barge logistics is managed. Get your copy today and see how clear insights lead to stronger performance, smarter decisions, and more profitable operations. <a href="https://9315820.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9315820/eBook/Nav-theFuture-AJW-08.19.25.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">Click here</a><span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-16_9 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-small" data-figure-size="small" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="16:9"><img src="/content-assets/1756152344211_Opentug%20logo.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">

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At SSA Marine Mexico, we firmly believe that business development must go hand in hand with social and environmental well-being. Our vision is not solely focused on operating efficiently, but also on creating a meaningful and positive impact in the communities where we are present. Since 1995, we have reaffirmed this commitment through tangible actions that reflect our core values of responsibility, solidarity, and sustainability. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584535914_Photo%201.jpg" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit"> A Year of Major Achievements Over the past year, we allocated more than $107,000 USD to the implementation of 60 social and environmental projects, positively impacting over 7,800 people across various regions of Mexico. Each initiative was designed with a holistic approach, addressing key areas that contribute to long-term community development. Education: Laying the Foundation for the Future Education is one of the most powerful tools to promote social mobility and equitable development. At SSA Marine Mexico, we support academic initiatives that inspire and empower the next generation of leaders. One of our most impactful partnerships was with the University of Colima, where we sponsored the “Reto Camp” program. This initiative encourages university students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of sustainability, logistics, and port operations, offering them mentorship, tools, and real-world challenges to solve. In addition, we donated microscopes, school supplies, and educational materials to institutions in underserved communities, helping to improve the learning environment and provide students with the resources they need to succeed. Health and Sports: Promoting Wellness We believe that healthy communities are strong communities. We have supported several local sporting events and provided direct assistance to talented athletes, enabling them to pursue their passions and represent their regions with pride. Beyond sports, we also strengthened our collaboration with critical emergency response organizations such as the Mexican Red Cross and Civil Protection. Our contributions helped enhance their readiness and capabilities in times of crisis, ensuring better outcomes for those affected by emergencies. Supporting Vulnerable Groups: Reaching Those Who Need It Most A core part of our social responsibility efforts is directed toward supporting vulnerable populations. We have contributed to a range of initiatives focused on children, migrants, and at-risk families. These efforts included donations to orphanages and shelters, as well as support for the National Institute of Migration and grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting and empowering people facing adversity. By standing with those in need, we reinforce our commitment to inclusion and social justice, values that are central to our identity as a responsible company. <span class="joc_admin__inline-image joc_admin__inline-image-aspect-ratio-3_2 joc_admin__inline-image-position-left joc_admin__inline-image-size-medium" data-figure-size="medium" data-figure-position="left" data-figure-aspect-ratio="3:2"><img src="/content-assets/1752584944645_Photo%202.png" alt="" class="joc_admin__inline-image-inherit">Culture: Strengthening Community Identity Cultural identity is a key element in building resilient and united communities. At SSA Marine Mexico, we actively participate in the organization and sponsorship of cultural events that celebrate local traditions and foster civic pride. Working alongside port authorities and municipal governments, we helped bring music, art, and heritage to the forefront, creating spaces for community engagement and intercultural dialogue. Environment: Investing in the Planet Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond operations—it’s a philosophy that drives every decision we make. We have partnered with environmental institutions to carry out reforestation campaigns, beach cleanups, and conservation efforts. In collaboration with the Institute for the Environment, we supported initiatives aimed at decarbonization, biodiversity protection, and environmental education. By involving our employees and local volunteers in these actions, we also foster a culture of environmental stewardship throughout our organization and our surrounding communities. Innovation for a Sustainable Future Sustainability is not just about doing good—it’s also about doing things better. In 2024, we invested $22 million USD in the acquisition of 11 state-of-the-art E-RTG cranes. These electric rubber-tired gantry cranes represent a significant technological advancement in port equipment. Seven of them are already operating on clean electric energy, resulting in a reduction of nearly 4,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and improving operational efficiency by 7%. The remaining four cranes are fully compatible with future electrification, underscoring our long-term strategy to modernize our operations in an environmentally responsible way. This investment is part of a broader innovation roadmap that includes digitalization, automation, and cleaner energy sources—all designed to ensure that our ports continue to grow without compromising the health of our planet. Building a Better Tomorrow, Together At SSA Marine Mexico, we understand that sustainability is a shared and ongoing responsibility. True impact requires collaboration across sectors, long-term vision, and unwavering commitment. That is why we continue to work hand-in-hand with local authorities, non-profit organizations, universities, and our own employees to create solutions that are both scalable and sustainable. Our journey is far from over. In the years ahead, we will continue to deepen our community engagement, explore cleaner technologies, and strengthen the social fabric of the regions where we operate. Each initiative, no matter the size, is a step toward building a future where business success goes hand-in-hand with human and environmental prosperity. We are proud of what we have achieved in 2024, but we are even more excited about what lies ahead. SSA Marine Mexico — Moving the World, Caring for People and Planet. LINK: <a href="https://www.ssamarine.mx/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">https://www.ssamarine.mx/</a>

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The world of LTL is slow to embrace change. Business anachronisms permeate current supply chain processes. These vestiges of the way things used to work define the LTL freight transportation procurement process of many modern shippers.David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have modernized the RFP process, automating the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution. But when prompted, he can still recall what once was.In his previous job, a large part of his duties were consumed by creating an intermodal bid package for carriers. In a spreadsheet, Knuth detailed the company’s volumes lane by lane, taking care to delete any errant keystrokes or misleading data. He would then email out the information to each carrier, taking time to respond to detailed technical questions about the spreadsheet data. Finally, he had to compile all the results, create an algorithm that would compare the carriers on each lane, and award the business.“It was a huge undertaking. It took about four months to do,” Knuth said of the old process. “It was almost a full-time job for that part of the year, every year.”In his new job at IEWC, he sat down with Bid$ense on day one and was amazed at the capabilities. Knuth had never before used a bid tool. SMC³’s latest versions of Bid$ense automate the process even further, taking truckload and LTL RFPs entirely online. The tool draws on RFP best-practices protocols to streamline the bidding communication process, enabling bidding carriers to respond accurately and promptly to shipper requests. The solution also does all the distribution work automatically, electronically submitting shipper bid data to carriers based on their actual service capabilities and performance records. Carriers are alerted with timely prompts for RFP deliverables, so shippers aren’t waiting by the phone for responses.Another benefit of automating the process is the data-cleansing assistance. When Knuth sent spreadsheets to carriers, data errors might cloud the bidding process; he might have to resend data or simply accept a price that did not truly reflect the costs of doing business. Data cleansing is incredibly beneficial, he said.The spreadsheet technique also made bidding analysis an onerous task. Since Bid$ense automates and streamlines the entire RFP process, intensive examination is now simple. SMC³ knows that each bid has more than one best outcome. With uniform responses from each carrier, shippers can quickly rank results and create an unlimited quantity of what-if scenarios to make the optimal procurement decision.Jesse Burnett of Central Garden &amp; Pet experiences many of the same benefits. Founded in 1980, Central Garden &amp; Pet has spent the last three decades growing from a small garden supply company to a provider of a range of products from dog chews and bird seed to soil supplements and natural insecticides. For much of its life, the company shipped these disparate goods via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers. This arrangement worked fairly well for a small company, but as Central Garden &amp; Pet expanded, leadership decided to consolidate decision making.Burnett helped centralize the transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before Bid$ense, every business unit operated independently as far as negotiating with carriers.“There were a lot of different things just floating around,” he said. “We didn’t have master agreements in place; no national pricing at all. The pricing from carriers was just all over the place, depending on where you were.”The transformations he saw with Bid$ense were immediate. Burnett has been using the tool about every other year since its implementation at the company. Central Garden and Pet’s $19.6 million 2019 LTL bid saved the company just more than 9 percent when compared to its historical average. For Burnett, though, bid automation extends far beyond savings.“We knew that we weren’t getting the best pricing offer from our carriers just because nothing was centralized,” he continued. “We knew that if we combined everything from all these business units and paired it with one corporate offering, then it would drive some cost benefit with it.”When the company initially decided to centralize bid procurement, executives researched a number of different methodologies and technologies. In the end, though, Burnett found that Bid$ense was both widespread and well known, and that his carrier partners already knew how to use the application. Burnett also highlighted the data-cleansing process as a major benefit, saying the rigorous process ensures that carriers always return the best price.“It definitely has helped drive savings,” he said. “Any time you go out there and you drive that competitiveness with the carriers and they know they’re in a bid environment, it seems to sharpen their pencils.”Transportation procurement is an integral part of the modern supply chain. With Bid$ense, shippers can develop a strategic implementation plan that saves them time and money, but also helps them create strong relationships with their carrier partners. These carriers appreciate the solution’s data-cleansing process; when carriers receive a complete shipment history and future volume forecast, they don’t have to guess on pricing. Carriers that receive more data from shippers get a complete picture of that shipper’s freight, allowing them to accurately plan instead of simply preparing for the worst-case scenario. Clean data presented through an automated system can lead to both bigger shipment savings and a lasting partnership between carrier and customer.Whether customers are looking to streamline over-the-road transportation bidding by automating the RFP process or create an entirely new, centralized sourcing process, Bid$ense has the analytical horsepower to get the job done.SMC³ 2020 Customer Case Study

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Shippers save money, time with automated transportation bidding tools

If there’s one immutable truth in the world of logistics, it’s this: LTL is an inherently complex form of transportation. Tariffs, rates, DIM weights, transit times — it’s enough to confuse even seasoned logistics professionals. The solution to this knowledge gap has historically been on-the-job training or university supply chain education, but for a variety of reasons there is now a pressing need for third-party, remote LTL training that prepares logistics workers for transportation success. Global Scope Can Overlook Local Intricacies In the past, professionals looking to move into a supply chain career learned about the basics of supply chain from universities. However, many of these college supply chain programs are now global in scope, focusing on worldwide supply chain management instead of the intricacies of specialized domestic transportation. And even these programs, which used to be widespread, are becoming less common. LTL is not an industry of broad-brush strokes; supply chain professionals really need a pointillistic understanding of the logistics of LTL in order to excel in the industry. Accelerating Need for Dedicated LTL Education This lack of specified training put the onus on employers to prepare new hires with the LTL knowledge needed to do their jobs. Dedicated LTL study is a necessity, not a luxury. At the same time, changes in LTL and the broader supply chain world are accelerating. The reliance on e-commerce has ballooned since the start of the pandemic, and last-mile LTL shipments and related e-commerce strains on the supply chain won’t diminish once social distancing abates. That genie isn’t going back into the bottle. So supply chain employers need logistics workers that are fully versed in all aspects of the industry, ready to solve unique shipping and delivery problems based on their extensive supply chain knowledge But why care about LTL? It’s been reported that some shippers in today’s world are no longer concerned with what mode is used to ship their goods. A Multimodal Approach Ensures On-Time Delivery This mode agnosticism means supply chain stakeholders have to be well versed in all modes of transportation. As unforeseen weather events and other disruptions, such as protests, become more common, savvy logistics employees will need to be armed with familiarity of all modes, not just the most popular, to ensure that freight is delivered on time, without damage, and in the most financially expedient way possible. Offerings like SMC³’s LTL online education courses cover a wide range of topics from LTL basics and operations to more advanced concepts like pricing analytics and transportation law. The company also has plans to continually refresh content, adding new expert presenters and taking the feedback of students to make the courses even better as time goes on. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://logisticstrainingcenter.com/smc3-courses/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">SMC³’s LTL Online Education program</a>&nbsp;and view the 2021 hybrid schedule, featuring live industry experts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smc3.com/onlinelearning2021/" rel="noreferrer" class="joc_admin__link">here.</a>

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