The year 2020 has been one of unexpected change for the maritime space. On Jan. 1, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) began enforcing a new regulation (IMO 2020) that caps the allowable sulfur content of all global fuel oil used in ships from its former level of 3.5% m/m (mass/mass) to 0.

The supply chain and logistics industry faces the same issues as many businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Day-to-day work has been upended since the spring, and workers have been forced to adapt to a new reality. Everyone in the industry, including third-party logistics providers, freight ag

The digital transformation of supply chains has been underway since 2010, but COVID-19 kicked it into top gear.The pandemic brutally exposed the shortcomings of a near-complete dependence on single-sourcing of raw materials and finished goods. Organizations’ supply chains were ill-prepared, an

As businesses continue their march toward digitization, companies must deploy strategies that provide the right foundation to compete. A key component of success as a true digital champion is the ability to deliver the highest customer service levels at the least landed cost. And to do that, complet

The COVID-19 pandemic has companies across the supply chain seeking efficiencies by cutting team members and increasing automation. But we can’t provide exceptional customer experiences with layoffs and more machines. We will only survive and thrive if we train our employees to serve across mu

What’s the price of business stability in Hong Kong? Does it include the suppression of human rights?Only a year ago, Hong Kong was in a state of near-chaos. Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents were hitting the streets in opposition to a proposed bill to allow extraditions to mainland

The future is always uncertain, but perhaps now more than ever. A global pandemic has simultaneously battered the supply-chain industry, re-emphasized its importance, and created entirely new goals and outlooks for years to come. Here are the trends to count on in 2021. Stronger AI. Automa

COVID-19 took the world by surprise, and has upended world economies, communities, schools, hospitals, businesses and supply chains. While the full impact of the virus is still unknown, it has had a major impact on global supply chains, from raw materials to finished products.Because supply chains a

In the early days of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 3-D printing was a star performer, grabbing headlines left and right. Seemingly everyone was printing something for their local hospital.Months later, the number of stories touting the ways that 3-D printing can be used to print personal pr

A recent dispute between an importer and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) serves as a stark reminder that the “substantial transformation” test used to determine the country of origin of imported goods is far from straightforward. As a result, gray areas abound, due in part to in

As technology advances, the opportunity for optimizing operations within the trucking industry increases.Recent technological developments in trucking including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2017 electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. Carriers of all sizes suddenly were e

If COVID-19 has taught organizations anything about their supply chains, it’s that the majority weren’t prepared for the challenges they would face during this pandemic.Many companies have experienced massive revenue losses and layoffs. They’ve had to take a deep dive into how they

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many lenders in supply chain finance to pivot their strategies to the online or digital environment. This may include payment modifications, self-service capabilities, and increased bandwidth for online transactions. The supply chain industry has been traditionally s

Innovative supply-chain strategies that seemed so perfectly attuned to current purchasing patterns have turned out to carry a lot more risk than their creators could ever have imagined.Take just-in-time delivery of parts to the factory floor. As a means of slashing standing inventory, and lightening

By now, the initial turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic has faded somewhat, and manufacturers are busy composing their action plans and accounting for all the ways their industry is reshaping. No one knows how long it will take for the pandemic-recession to run its course, nor the full scope of

Business disruptions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic — from empty shelves in grocery stores to long delays in e-commerce deliveries — have shined light on supply-chain weaknesses, and a growing opportunity for artificial intelligence.Part of the problem has been the switch to just

Recently, there has been much discussion about bringing jobs back to America, by pursuing self-sufficiency in manufacturing. The goal carries numerous benefits for the country.Manufacturing internally allows for the increased use of eco-friendly shipping materials, such as the plastic jerrican, poly

An ever-expanding set of global challenges has meant that in every year over the past several years, at least one company in 20 has suffered a supply-chain disruption costing at least $100 million, according to a recent report by McKinsey & Company.In commodity markets, the buying and selling of

In recent months, we’ve watched the world come to a standstill, forcing individuals and businesses to hit pause as the COVID-19 pandemic touches every corner of the economy. Reliance on the global market has forced international trade teams to evaluate the depth and breadth of lockdowns on the

In today's globally connected business environment, more and more businesses rely on overseas materials and labor to stay competitive and reduce the cost of their goods and services. This trend has had hugely positive effects on many companies' overall efficiency and profitability, regardles