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That ’ s starting to change , Friedmann said , thanks to the implementation and enforcement of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 ( ORSA-22 ), which sent a clear message to container carriers that , “ If you ’ re going to bill someone , you better have proof that it was justified .”
USDA expects ag exports to decline 4.6 % in the 12 months ending Sept . 30 , 2024 . Shutterstock . com
Customer issues involving detention and demurrage and ERDs could be alleviated if carriers and railroads would share advance shipment data with shippers , Friedmann said . The fact that the carriers are not sharing this information in a timely manner has led to a “ persistent and maddening ” inability of shippers to predict the arrival of their containers at ports and rail hubs , he said .
Swofford said the lack of advance notice of ERDs and constantly changing return dates for loaded export containers remains a major problem . “ I have seen no significant progress on ERDs ,” he said .
On a brighter note , agricultural exporters said the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after it was struck by a container ship on March 26 will not have a major impact on the routing of their shipments , as other East Coast ports are well positioned to handle cargoes diverted from Baltimore . And container supply at key inland locations has improved since the unwinding of congestion that built up during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Equipment availability is always an issue to a degree , but the pressure to get empties back to Asia is not as acute as it was ,” Steenhoek said .
email : bill . mongelluzzo @ spglobal . com
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Port Houston is investing in infrastructure now to increase capacity and improve efficiency . Our largest-ever STS cranes at Bayport Container Terminal , intermodal rail serving more than a dozen destinations available at Barbours Cut Container Terminal , and expanding the Houston Ship Channel to accommodate larger vessels are just the beginning . Get your cargo to your customers faster by choosing Port Houston .
www . porthouston . com www . joc . com May 20 , 2024 | Journal of Commerce 47