SSGA talks successes in D.C.

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SSGA staff and board members discussed their successes and future plans with USDA, several agricultural organizations and legislative leaders during their Washington, D.C., trip in April.

SSGA Chair Bob Sinner, board members Chuck Kunisch and Rob Prather, Executive Director Eric Wenberg and Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick met with leaders at the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, U.S. Soybean Export Council, North America Export Grain Association, Food Export-Midwest, Michigan Agribusiness Association, and the offices of Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and Reps. Brad Finstad (R-MN) and Angie Craig (D-MN).

The meetings were an opportunity to educate about SSGA’s success with market promotions abroad and its work domestically to support U.S. growers and businesses. This year, with USDA forecasting poor returns on net revenue for America’s farmers, it’s more important than ever to keep educating about opportunities for the higher returns available from quality segments like U.S. identity preserved.

“It was really incredible to talk and get feedback on our concrete achievements. No other organization has returned investments to its members like SSGA has, with new innovative national programs,” Wenberg said. “The partners we met with really responded to it, as they are looking for new solutions.”

The group explained its unique role in trade such as through the High Quality Specialty Grains program operated with USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service and how its work abroad resulted in U.S. Identity Preserved, the first national program bringing attention in international markets to a U.S. standard for identity preserved techniques and how they can be used to guarantee quality, origin and safety for soybeans or specialty grains. SSGA discussed challenges in transportation and a key role in the future of identity preserved crops in container, intermodal trade. SSGA received positive results from the visit and encouragement to continue its path for the future.

Transportation Roundup: Intermodal transport industry eyeing potential strike, SSGA watching changing sailing dates

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By Gary Williams, SSGA director of transportation and regulatory affairs

We are watching…Canada. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) Union is voting during a period beginning April 8-May 1 on a potential strike date of May 22. The union members involved count 6,000 on the Canadian National (CN), and 2,500 on the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). The collective agreement with CN and CPKC expired on Dec. 31, 2023.

Talks between the sides are continuing with a federal conciliator who can broker a deal up until May 1, when a 21-day cooling off period begins before any strike could occur. The union would then have to issue a 72-hour strike notice to the two Canadian railroads. According to CN’s website, on April 11 the railroad proposed an improved offering to the Union, focusing on wages, job security and guaranteed earnings.

Shippers in Canada are relating to SSGA that the CN has a very positive tone on being able to avoid a strike. Canadian Pacific has been more cautious. CPKC directly serves several grain elevators in North Dakota and Minnesota, which usually moves through Canada and is handed off at Kingsgate to reach U.S. export facilities. It also handles intermodal volumes to Vancouver, BC to/from inland ramps in Minneapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee.

We will continue to monitor the situation and assess potential impacts to intermodal and covered hopper grain movement.

SSGA also has its eye on changing sailing dates and the impact on members.

Our Competitive Shipping action team is spending some time collecting information and analyzing typical cases of steam ship lines (SSL) changing voyage dates abruptly even after containers have started pulling on a booking, moving the Earliest Return Date (ERD) out in the future and disallowing further containers to be pulled. While they will receive the loaded containers in, not being able to continue pulling and loading results is disrupting the trucking that has been secured, can create cash flow impacts on producers, slow or stop processing lines at the conditioning plant, result in split bookings which customers may not accept due to fixed costs and fees being spread out over fewer containers. Customers may not always be able to accept double bookings in the same week due to a lack of free time at the destination yard and limited warehouse space. Additionally, a number of other logistical issues, trade-offs and costs often occur.

Overall, not being able to smooth out these delays and disruptions create higher costs in our businesses, loss efficiencies and a number of costs not seen by the SSL.

We understand that delays in voyage arrival/sailing dates are often unavoidable, but our hope is to discuss and propose solutions that could help smooth out the disruption to mitigate the effects after we can delineate the impacts and costs that occur. Certainly, we continue to have reputable cost as the U.S. prides itself on having the highest reliability in the world – an important component that makes U.S. identity preserved field crops desired as the number one choice!

We encourage all members to let action team chair Tina Lyons or myself know your own cases, and help us quantify the outcomes when these late changing dates are experienced.

Transportation Roundup: Cargo insurance basics

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The Maersk Dali is a crisp reminder of the value of cargo insurance when you finally need it. In the news of late and conversations on some of the calls we have participated in concerning the Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore harbor is the mention of “General Average Claim.” General Average spans back to the York Antwerp Rules of 1890; American companies accepted it in 1949. However, the custom of contribution that General Average evolves from dates to the six-century A.D. Roman Law. It distributes extraordinary losses and expenditures to complete a voyage among ALL parties that have cargo aboard the vessel.

In the case of the Dali, the costs are expected to exceed 10% of the value of what was carried on board in lost goods due to containers overboard, refrigerated containers that lost product when the vessel lost power, damage/loss from damaged containers, the costs to clean-up the harbor if any, tug and tow assist and repair to vessel to make a safe harbor, salvage expense, temporary accommodation for passengers and crew on board during salvage operations, and other items as they become known and are required for the vessel to complete its voyage (reach a point of discharging freight).

The value of all the cargo and the value of the vessel are calculated into one sum. Then a weighted percentage by cargo value owned (or the value of the vessel in the owner’s case) are tabulated. The total costs and losses are portioned out to each party that has freight aboard on their weighted percentage of value they have on board. So, if $10 million of cargo is on board, and your cargo is valued at $2 million, you have 20% liability. If in turn total costs/losses to complete the voyage equal $4 million, you will owe $800,000. These claim demands for payment are for cash and can be very constraining when the payout has to be made while you are still working to get the cargo moving again toward its original or alternate destination.

For the uninsured, the cargo is seized and a deposit is required. Uninsured shippers may be required to post deposits greater than those with insurance. This deposit will also be held until the claim(s) are finally resolved. For the insured, claims of this type are reportedly swiftly responded to by the insurer to ensure little delay of regaining freedom to move the cargo. The final settlement conversely can take five years to conclude.

This would be a good time to review what coverage you have with the cargo insurance you are using, and strongly consider the costs and losses you could be subject to if you have not been utilizing insurance.

Transportation Roundup: CARB regulations could hinder ag shippers

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Of current concern for much of the agriculture industry is the request from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for authorization of regulations that would target key aspects of the operation of freight locomotives in California. The proposed regulations would 1) levy annual fees on rail carriers for deposit in accounts that can only be used to comply with the regulations; 2) require the decommission of locomotives 23 years or older beginning in 2030 and require that new switch, industrial and passenger locomotives operate in zero-emission configuration (2035 for new line haul locomotives); 3) attempt to regulate locomotive emissions by requiring railroads to shut them down while in transit in certain circumstances; and 4) impose certain reporting and “administrative payments.”

National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) describes the effects as:

“If the CARB regulations were authorized by EPA, we believe freight rail carriers would be significantly hindered financially and operationally and, in turn, shippers and their customers would be impaired. The inevitable increases in transportation costs and introduction of operational inefficiencies for agricultural shippers and receivers would result in food price inflation.

Moreover, the proposed rules would require railroads to meet regulatory goals that cannot be reached. Specifically, zero emissions locomotives would have to be purchased to replace the decommissioned locomotives, but such locomotives are not yet commercially viable and won’t be in the foreseeable future.

Presumably, battery technology would need to be utilized to meet the zero-emission requirement. While battery powered locomotives have been tested, they are not presently commercially viable primarily due to a limited operating range.”

SSGA will be engaged on the matter as it certainly would affect the pricing and timely movement on containers and covered hoppers moving through California, a vital point of discharge for our stakeholders shipping to markets in Asia. The rail network is interconnected, with about 65% of the locomotive fleet going in and out of California.

Transportation Roundup: Implications for container vessel capacity increases

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The Journal of Commerce put this graphic out last week that tells the story of just how much new capacity was gained in 2023. Already slow steaming, there are many excess containers operating on the East Coast to compensate for the slow chug around Africa (avoiding Suez), and post pandemic import slack – this doesn’t brighten the picture ahead for steamship liners (SSL).

Eventually, one expects the Suez situation to improve, creating a flip on “extra” containers back from East to West that are currently compensating for the longer run. SSLs remain determined to scale themselves to being “right-sized” based on the current economic condition they find themselves. They want full vessels and will seemingly sacrifice regular service to minimize losses in this environment. SSGA members are wary of dropped sailings/rolled bookings, inconsistent arrival for exported cans and a myriad of resultant fees for shippers and customers that are unannounced are likely to be the result.

We will be talking about how this and other dynamics will likely affect container movement of agricultural products in the next decade at Transportation Go! March 13-14 in Toledo, Ohio.

Transportation Roundup: Governments intervening to provide Red Sea shipping relief

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As Red Sea attacks continue to hamper the global shipping industry, several Asian countries are employing measures to help shippers.

The South Korea Ocean and Fisheries Ministry launched a program to provide a guaranteed 400 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of spot capacity for small and medium sized businesses on sailings leaving South Korea to Europe and the Mediterranean. Cargo owners utilizing long-term contracts will be guaranteed an extra 1,100 TEUs. Carrier HMM also agreed to use four extra loaders to help with the capacity crunch. Read more here.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Ministry of Transport asked carriers to justify the soaring freight rates to Europe and North America and increase those connections.

In the U.S., parties interested in participating in the Federal Maritime Commission’s public hearing about the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden conditions can submit their request to participate to secretary@fmc.gov. The Feb. 7 hearing will allow stakeholders to communicate with the FMC about the disruptions. Learn more about the hearing and the FMC’s advisory about surcharges here.

Other notable stories:

A story by the New York Times features infographics showing changes in shipping routes since the Houthi attacks.  View the article here.

Transportation Roundup: Nearly 6 million TEUs diverting Red Sea

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As of Jan. 5, more than 420 container ships carrying 5.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) have diverted the Red Sea and are traveling around Cape of Good Hope. These shipment delays, coupled with the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, are causing congestion in ports and increased spot rates. The next few weeks ahead of the New Year are expected to be very difficult for shippers but should subside after the holiday, according to Drewry Shipping in Journal of Commerce.

The Houthi attacks appear to be only affecting container traffic, as tanker and dry bulk vessels continue to use the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait at similar rates as before.

Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led initiative to protect international ships on the Red Sea hasn’t gained traction as expected. Tobias Borck of the Royal United Services Institute believes the lack of participation could be due to political framing of the initiative, which has public participation from fewer than half of the countries expected to join. While there is strong support for the mission, the issue lies within the way the Houthis are framed.

“What’s at issue is the framing of the Houthis, and the way they are seeking to frame it,” Borck said. “On one side, [they] are compared to Somali pirates – armed non-state actors assaulting free movement – but on the other, they claim they are doing this to engender a ceasefire in Gaza.”

Read more about the initiative here.

Transportation Roundup: Shipper revenues drop, imports return to West Coast

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CMA CGM is the latest shipper to report a significant drop in net earnings in the third quarter, down 51.8% year-over-year in its container shipping segment. However, the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) carried in the third quarter rose nearly 1% since last year. Other shippers reporting significant profit declines from the last year include Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express and HMM. Read more from the Journal of Commerce.

Despite the revenue drop, CMA CGM still sees demand in North America and is investing in physical infrastructure, replicating the development of warehouse distribution fulfillment centers in Savannah to the Ports of New York and New Jersey.

With the labor issue on the West Coast resolved and low water levels in the Panama Canal restricting container ships bound for the East and Gulf Coast, imports are returning to the West Coast ports. After 26 months of East and Gulf Coast ports outperforming West Coast ports, the import volume streak started its shift back to the West Coast in August. Import numbers for East and Gulf Coast ports dropped 13.4% year-over-year and West Coast volumes rose 16.7% in September. Read more from Freightwaves here.

Other noteworthy stories:

Crippling port strike could hit 1 month before presidential election

Water stewardship will be one of the biggest food rends in 2024

Transportation Roundup: Canadians strike, West Coast port sets record

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More than 360 Canadian workers on the St. Lawrence Seaway began striking on Sunday for higher wages to keep up with rising living costs. The bi-national St. Lawrence Seaway is an important shipping corridor for several North American industries, including agriculture, energy, steel, construction and manufacturing. The seaway has 13 locks in Canada and two in the U.S.

Currently, there are no vessels waiting to leave the seaway system but more than 100 outside of the seaway will be impacted. Read the latest on the strike here.

On the opposite side of the U.S, holiday demand and the passage of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union contract led to the busiest September ever for the Port of Long Beach. The 829,429 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) moved in September is up nearly 12% year-over-year and passes the previous record from September 2020. The Port of Los Angeles is also showing a bit of recovery in recent months including a 5% year-over-year increase in September. Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are major gateways for agriculture products to Asian markets. Even in the midst of a large U.S. grain and oilseed harvest, freight rates are expected to be low with lower-than-normal export volumes expected.  Read more here.

Hong Kong-based container line Bal Container Lines recently filed a complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) regarding nearly $9 million in congestion surcharges from SSA Marine at the Port of Long Beach. Bal Container alleges they were never told the purpose or trigger of the surcharges, how to alleviate the fee or how the fee could alleviate congestion. SSA has 25 days to file a verified response with the FMC.

Transportation Roundup: Container ag exports down, rates up

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Containerized U.S. agricultural exports dropped to the lowest first-half volume since 2016, with four West Coast ports recording the largest declines. Soybean exports suffered the largest declines in sales. Lower demand from China, as well as more competition from other exporting countries, are largely to blame for the decline.

The first half of 2023 saw a 13.6% drop from 2022 and the USDA projects overseas ag sales for the 2023 fiscal year at $177.5 billion, down 10% from 2022. Read more from the Journal of Commerce.

Both spot and contract rates for U.S. exports, however, are still up from pre-pandemic levels. The World Container Index assessed spot rates from Los Angeles to Shanghai at $838 per 40-foot equivalent unit (FEU) which is still up 66% from five years ago. Spot rates for imports are slightly down from five years ago. Read more from Freight waves here.

On the railroad, there have been several new services recently announced. Canadian National (CN) and Norfolk Southern are launching a domestic intermodal service beginning Oct. 2 to help Upper Midwest and Canadian markets reach the Southeastern U.S. The new service will use steel-wheel interchanges in Detroit and Chicago so that CN customers can reach Atlanta and Kansas City, Mo., markets via Norfolk Southern. Read more here.

On the East Coast, CSX rail and the Georgia Ports Authority recently announced an intermodal service providing direct rail between the Port of Savannah and Rocky Mount, N.C. The service will run seven days a week and includes a three-day ship-to-shore transit time. Learn more here.