Shipping industry experiencing heavy layoffs during peak season
Good morning! TGIF! ⚡️Let’s get it going.
“Nothing works better than just improving your product.” — Joel Spolsky, co-founder of Stack Overflow
The tech industry has been experiencing sweeping layoffs recently. The shipping industry is now in the crosshairs after global uncertainty forced logistics giants like Amazon and FedEx to send some of their workforces heading for the hills. Cutting costs amidst a dwindling demand seem to be the culprit.
Check out today’s featured article from More Than Shipping to read about the layoffs occurring in the shipping and logistics industry in a historically busy time of year… peak season. ☕️
Featured Article:
Layoffs Now Effect the Shipping Industry | More Than Shipping
“While we’ve seen layoffs in the tech industry skyrocket over the past few months, we’re now observing them in the shipping industry – in the middle of Peak Season.”
Ports & Disruptions 🚢
2022 cargo volume has declined at the Port of LA
Port of Los Angeles cargo volume has dropped 6% over the four of 2022. Port Executive Director Gene Seroka explained that cargo is being shifted away from the west coast due to potential labor disruptions and the ports and railroads. In October alone, LA handled 678,429 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) which was a whopping 25% decrease compared to October 2021.
Seroka reminded the public in a press conference that the quickest route between Asia and the United States is the Port of Los Angeles by way of the Pacific Ocean.
Safety & Driver Issues 🚛
Truckers Against Trafficking says drivers can assist law enforcement with spotting human trafficking
Human trafficking is a stain upon the world and humanity. Nonprofit Truckers Against Trafficking is hoping to encourage drivers to be an extra pair of eyes on the road to catch these crimes against humanity. Truckers Against Trafficking representative Laura Cyrus spoke at the Women In Trucking Association’s conference this week about several sex trafficking incidents and how truckers played a part in saving victims’ lives.
In an ugly and disheartening report, it’s estimated that 6.3 million people across the globe are in forced commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking situations. Drivers can submit tips directly to the National Human Trafficking Hotline through Trucker Against Trafficking’s free educational tool for electronic logging devices - released in partnership with Zonar, a tech company.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
Homer Simpson Field GIF via GIPHY
🌽 Global gas issues threaten the world’s food supply. Food industry manufacturers are refocusing on cutting-edge, artificial intelligence (AI)-based, predictive technology solutions that optimize operations and machine performance despite the geopolitical issues threatening the industry. While the United States, Russia, and Iran are the world’s largest producers of natural gas - according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration - limited access to natural gas and oil will affect everyone. The food industry’s problems only begin with the cost of fertilizer production going through the roof.
♟️ The next five years may be dicey: geopolitical issues and inflation abound. In a recent survey from DP World surveying dozens of freight forwarders in October, 10% of the respondents said they had changed the markets they do business in due to uncertainty. The causes are split down the middle - 63% said inflation is the main concern, while 56% stated geopolitical tensions as another major worry. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, and Chair of the World Logistics Passport (WLP) Global Steering Group showcased the survey’s findings at the Global Freight Summit.
iLevel With You
More topics for the average American household to consider…
♻️ Recycled apparel fibers are all the rage in the retail world. Some of the world’s largest retail brands such as H&M and Zara are refocusing on garments made with "alternative" fibers that they would use to make textiles and packaging. This comes as a result of most used or unwanted apparel winding up in a landfill - a little over 11 tons of textile waste per year. And currently… less than 1% of used clothing gets recycled into new garments.
🤳 Ohio drivers can now be penalized for driving and holding a cell phone in their hand. Republican-led Ohio House passed the legislation on Nov. 16. to prohibit drivers from “using, holding, or physically supporting” a cellular device while on the road. The law does allow some exceptions - such as being stopped at a red light, using a speakerphone function without holding the phone, or holding a phone to their ears for a call but not using texting or typing functions. Ohio law already prohibits texting while driving.
🇺🇸 Senior Senate Democrats press for transportation safety improvements. One year ago, the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was enacted by the White House. Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have called on the Department of Transportation to pursue more improvements and safety initiatives. This comes on the heels of recent federal data estimating nearly 43,000 traffic fatalities in 2021, marking a 10.5% increase from the prior year.
GET SMART
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🤖 $71.7 million was raised for a new DC-oriented automated fulfillment system. Calgary, Alberta-based startup Attabotics has been working hard to secure venture capital funding while creating its inventory storage and retrieval system via a “three-dimensional” robotics warehousing solution. This warehouse solution should reduce warehouse space requirements by 85%, due to the quick location of fulfillment centers closer to cities for seamless deliveries.
👩🦳 Women now hold approximately 40% of procurement officer positions. Accounting for 41% of that workforce in 2021 - up from 35% in 2016 - women are becoming more integral to the supply chain. Dawn Andre, chief product officer of Jaggaer, suggests that women look for a sponsor. A sponsor is not just a mentor in the procurement world, but also a person who is actively taking an interest in your career progression.
🍌 Cut food waste with cold chain tech investment. That’s the key takeaway from the Danish engineering company Danfoss, which is calling for improved cold chain technology to eliminate food waste and potentially reduce emissions. the company made this call to action on Agriculture Day at COP27 and claimed that 13% of all food produced globally is lost due to a lack of cold chains.
Peak Season 🎄
The 2022 Holiday Logistics Guide | Logistics Viewpoints
In this article, Logistics Viewpoints contributor Chris Cunnane writes about the upcoming 2022 peak season holiday and what logistics firms can expect.
Electric Vehicles 🔋
Fleet Considerations for Building an EV Charging Strategy | Trucking Info
Trucking Info contributor Vesna Brajkovic writes about fleet managers preparing for delivery and implementation into their operations for electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles are less reliable because of newer technologies, Consumer Reports finds | CNBC
Contributors Michael Wayland and Lora Kolodny write about electric vehicles being among the least reliable cars and trucks in the automotive industry today.
Driver Issues 🚛
How to become a “driver-centric” carrier | Truck News
In this article, contributor Michael Zelek and company culture shifts that can bring driver satisfaction to the forefront.
FMCSA leadership hears drivers’ perspective from OOIDA Board | Land Line Media
In this article, Mark Schremmer writes about the OOIDA Board of Directors meeting with the FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson.
Ports 🚢
Amid strike fears, cargo diversion a key fixture in 2022’s supply chain playbook | Supply Chain Dive
In this article, reporter Max Garland writes about the U.S. railroads and West Coast ports forcing cargo diversion to the Gulf and East coasts.
New Quantum System will create “untappable” communications for the Port of Rotterdam | AJOT
In this article, Stas Margaronis writes about the Port of Rotterdam’s quantum communications system - a collaboration between the Delft University of Technology and TNO
Diversity 👩🦳
Opportunities Abound for Women in Trucking, Observers Say | TT News
TT News Staff Reporter Noël Fletcher writes about career opportunities in trucking for women that allow successful paths forward.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.