Weekly Logistics Update

With the rise of fuel costs and the continued lack of equipment at ports around the globe, the logistics crisis is far from over. We have your weekly review of areas that are being hit especially hard: 

MSC Boston Update: As mentioned in a past update, MSC has adjusted its service portfolio for the port of Boston. There will no longer be direct service from North Europe, and any Boston-bound cargo will be directed to the INDRUS 2 service and channeled Mediterranean ports, primarily Sines. The new service will start with a sailing on April 4th. We are still getting more information on expected feeder vessel schedules and will send further updates when available.

Spain: Strike activity continues in Spain and the impact levels vary. Some areas such as Galicia, Andalucia, Madrid and Valencia are suffering from a high rate of impact, while in Barcelona we have still been able to cover some services. However, incidents on the roads between the strikers and the active trucks are still occurring. The Government and the National Trucking Companies Association have reopened their negotiations, but it is uncertain whether the potential agreements reached will help end the strike. In short, we cannot expect the conflict to be resolved soon. Furthermore, last week the ports of Valencia and Barcelona stopped their vessel operations due to bad weather conditions, which extended through the weekend. This delayed many vessels and even caused some carriers to omit these ports to try to stay on schedule. 

Europe/South America/Oceania: All areas remain congested for cargo traveling to the USA and into Europe from South America and Oceania. The US West Coast remains the most challenging area, but equipment is scarce in many areas, and all vessels remain at full capacity. No relief in sight as of yet!

Fuel Increases: We are seeing increases in fuel in the USA and Europe, affecting both trucking and intermodal costs as well as the monthly BAF figure on ocean freight. Please plan for higher fuel levels in the months to come.

Evergreen Ship Stuck in Chesapeake Bay:  Once again, and one year later,  an Evergreen vessel has run aground, this time in the Chesapeake Bay. The “Ever Forward” ran aground while exiting the harbor, but fortunately, is not blocking any ship traffic or disrupting trade. However, it is severely stuck in the mud and engineers have been working on how to get it unstuck for the last few days. It is expected to take another ten days to get the ship moving.