August 30, 2022
While West Coast labor talks stall, German ports and workers end strike
Labor discussions between West Coast dockworkers and their employers appear to be going nowhere, threatening the imminent unloading of late-year cargoes from the Far East. The big issue appears to be the handling of equipment maintenance at the Port of Seattle, which is affecting all 29 West Coast ports. No date of resolution is available.
In Germany, ports and workers agree to end some three months of strikes. According to the Maritime Executive, “Our most important goal was real inflation compensation so that employees were not left alone with the consequences of galloping price increases.”
Severe California drought forces more produce trucking from Midwest
According to an article written by Dean Croke for the current Cargo Business News, California’s Central Valley accounts for a quarter of all US food production, and trucking volumes from that region are down approximately 36 percent over 2021.
With much of California’s food production affected by the state’s extreme drought, food production is surging in the Midwest and other parts of the country, permitting truckers who source loads on the spot market to shift emphasis to these regions.
Due to the overall shortage of truck drivers and higher fuel costs, we can expect spot market rates to increase overall.
Comments