Southern California traffic is over! At sea, that is…
Good morning! Happy Thursday. Let’s get moving.
Once upon a time, during the dark and early days of the pandemic, as many as 109 container ships sat in a queue off the coast of Southern California, all waiting for a turn to dock and dump all of those containers off to be shipped across the country. The now infamous bottlenecks at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles triggered daunting media headlines and shipping delays across various industries.
The good news? Those days now seem to be behind us.
Check out today’s featured article from G Captain to read about the mostly cleared-up traffic jam of containerships on Southern California’s coastline and if this means “pre-pandemic times” are on the horizon for oceanic shippers. ☕️
Featured Article:
Southern California’s Containership Backup at Lowest Level Since Logjam Began | G Captain
“The number of container ships headed for the California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — a traffic jam that once symbolized American consumer vigor during the pandemic — declined to the lowest level since the bottleneck started to build two years ago.”
Owner-Operators & Regulations 🚛
CTA set to challenge AB5 rule despite Supreme Court ruling
Trucking isn’t giving up on fighting AB5 ((California Assembly Bill 5) in California, the controversial bill that bars owner-operators from in-state hauls. The California Trucking Association is planning on challenging the enforcement of AB5, despite the preliminary injunction being lifted after the Supreme Court refused to review the case in California Trucking Association v. Bonta.
The law, which restricts hiring independent contractors if those contractors also are in the same business, has led to many protests - including one that shut down the Port of Oakland in late July.
Fuel Tech ⛽️
Natural gas competition is creating a crisis spilling into the U.S.
Countries in the European Union are scrambling for better alternatives to Russian fuel, creating a fever pitch and an energy crisis that is starting to bleed into the American grid. The recently passes Inflation Reduction Act attempts to ease some of the pressure placed upon natural gas resources, but it seems that the regulatory process may take too long.
Asia is also starting to feel the strain of the energy crisis tearing through Europe and The United States, The continent is closely monitoring its reserves, focusing on getting through the upcoming winter months.
Leadership in the Supply Chain 🏆
🏢 Time to optimize! Bengt Turner, CEO of Locanis, spoke with Logistics Technologies in an exclusive interview - diving into the Germany-based company’s plans to optimize its offices and warehouses internationally. The technology available today has the ability to provide insights unavailable only a short while ago. (Logistics Viewpoints)
🤖 Make the decision for me! Well, that’s what AI plans to do as it becomes more implemented across the supply chain, both in the workplace and at home. Human and artificial intelligence collaboration is key for the future, and a number of those in the supply chain industry are focusing on integrating as soon as possible. (All Things Supply Chain)
📦 That’s supply and demand, baby. The United States warehouse scene has been red-hot for months, leaving many smaller companies in the dust while larger companies snag up every available square foot. Unfortunately for the little guy, it doesn’t look like this warehouse wildfire is going to cool off any time soon. (Supply Chain Digest)
More to consider…
Did someone say, “It’s on clearance”? Expect some big price cuts and deals at your favorite retailer. There is a mad scramble to rid the floors of excess inventory In preparation for Black Friday and peak season, which is right around the corner. Major retailers such as Nordstrom and Gap are prioritizing markdowns and clearance areas to make room for an influx of new products. (Supply Chain Dive)
Consumers don’t trust speedy delivery when it comes to medical devices. That’s at least what the data is telling us. A “Mission Critical Deliveries Report” conducted by YouGov shows that American consumers don’t trust these critical products to be delivered with safe hands. Most forgo home delivery and go pick them up at the nearest location themselves. (Supply Chain Brain)
Your kitchen is about to struggle to get more Williams-Sonoma products. The high-end home goods retailer is stressing over sourcing high-quality vendors outside of its current reliance on Chinese manufacturers of furniture and other goods. The current United States tariff on furniture from China sits as high as 25%. (Supply Chain Dive)
Regulations ⚖️
Presidential Emergency Board issues recommendations focused on rail carriers-unions labor issues | Logistics Management
Logistics Management contributor, Jeff Berman, writes about the PEB’s influence over mitigation between the rail based unions in the United States and the Class I rail carriers, who have been at odds for months.
Maersk abandons $1B sale of container business after DOJ investigation | Supply Chain Dive
Supply Chain Dive Associate Editor, Alejandra Salgado, writes about Maersk’s abandonment of the merger with China International Marine Containers after the United States Department of Justice investigated the deal under the light of antitrust regulations.
Unelected Bureaucrats Unilaterally Impose the Green New Deal | American Thinker
American Thinker contributor, David Lanza, writes about the Green New Deal and the circumstances under which it was passed and adapted.
Safety 🦺
Truck Spills 150,000 Tomatoes Causing California Crash | Supply Chain Brain
Supply Chain Brain summarizes the harrowing situation that occurred on California’s Interstate 80 on August 29th after a vehicle crash brought a truckload of 150,000 tomatoes spilling across the roadway.
FMCSA application reignites hair-testing debate | Fleet Owner
Fleet Owner contributor, Scott Achelpohl, explains the revamped complicated debate regarding hair testing and whether it should be used in the trucking sector.
Ports 🚢
White House Port Envoy and Port of Oakland meet to discuss supply chain solutions | AJOT
AJOT’s article explains the reasoning behind the recent meeting between General Stephen R. Lyons, the White House Port and Supply Chain Envoy, and Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan and Maritime Director Bryan Brandes.
Port of Port Arthur Plans for $20 Million Expansion in 2023-24 | Transport Topics
Transport Topic’s Senior Reporter, Dan Ronan, writes about the Port of Port Arthur in Texas and its plans to expand over the next two years with a $20 million infusion.
Artificial Intelligence 🤖
Supply chain tech 'stronger on resilience than on ESG | Supply Chain Digital
Supply Chain Digital contributor, Sean Ashcroft, writes about developing technologies that seem to be modeling evolutionary practices within machine learning and artificial intelligence.
TMS 💻
TMS providers add tools for a stormy market | DC Velocity
DC Velocity contributor, Ben Arnes, writes about the growing need for transportation management software in the broker and shipper world.
Factors for improved master data management | Supply Chain Management Review
Supply Chain Management Review contributor, APQC, writes about data management in the supply chain and how they can ultimately make-or-break a firm’s process for profit.
Industry Forecast 📊
Global Supply Chain News: Container Spot Rates Continue Rapid Fall, causing Some Shippers to Renegotiate Contact Rates | SC Digest
SC Digest Editorial Staff dive into the container spot rates declination at a global scale and what it could mean for shippers.
Struggles ahead for truckers as the market softens, pricing power swings back to shippers | DC Velocity
DC Velocity contributor, Gary Frantz, shares the looming struggles for truck drivers as the industry’s power begins to shift back into the hands of shippers.
Moderating Freight Markets; Adding Solar Power; Natural Gas Squeezed | The Wall Street Journal Logistics Report
Wall Street Journal’s contributor, Paul Page, writes about peak season projections this year and whether the supply and demand shifts can ease the economy back into a normal state.
Inflation 💸
Consumer Confidence Improved in August | Material Handling & Logistics
MH&L shares the findings from the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index as it spells out the surprising improvement in consumer spending confidence during the month of April.
What freight & fuel have to do with inflation | Fleet Maintenance
Fleet Maintenance' contributor, Robert Dieli, writes about how freight and fuel effect inflation across the board.
Network Association 🤝
Autonomous delivery company Gatik wins new pilot program with Pitney Bowes in Dallas | CNBC
CNBC contributor, Jack Stebbins, writes about Pitney Bowes new partnerships with the autonomous delivery company Gatik, which will supply trucks for a handful of route in Texas.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.