SSGA to participate in Ag Transportation Coalition annual conference this week

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) will have a strong presence at the national Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) Annual Meeting this week in Tacoma, Wash.

AgTC’s annual meeting is packed with issues pertaining to current events in intermodal, global container shipping each year that draws senior leaders from the major ocean carriers, railroads, logistics companies, trucking and from all facets of agriculture industry container exporters from the U.S.

SSGA will be represented at the meeting by Bruce Abbe, SSGA shipping consultant, SSGA board members Bob Sinner of SB&B Foods and Darwin Rader of Zeeland Farm Services, several SSGA member freight forwarders and transloading firms based in the Pacific Northwest, and other member ag shippers based in the Midwest.

Among highlight sessions on the agenda are hot button issues facing shippers, including: unrelenting congestion, pending higher costs due to the low sulfur fuel global mandate for container ships, new short haul rail services into major ports, China-U.S. trade relations and what it means for ag exports to China and ocean carriage. Additionally, there will be an update from the Northwest Seaport Alliance, chassis availability challenges, trucking, export compliance with Customs & Border Protection (CBP), plus a private best practice discussions with ocean carriers and terminal operators.

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“Over the years, staff at the Midwest Shippers Association and now SSGA, have been active members in AgTC,” Abbe said. “This event is one of the best places we can learn from each other’s experience.”

Abbe encourages SSGA members attending AgTC to touch base with him this week. He will be pulling members together to provide a brief update on SSGA’s activities and to hear from members about critical issues in shipping. Competitive shipping and access to improved container shipping alternatives remains a top priority for SSGA. Email Bruce at bruce@mnshippers.com or call (612) 716-5074.