Exports

The acquisition train keeps rolling on for Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings. The company recently announced it has acquired Rockville, Md.-based OCR Services Inc, a provider of global trade compliance solutions and content, for roughly $90 million. This represents the 30th acquisition Descartes has made going back to 2015.

Company officials said that this new facility is a full-service operation where the company processes shipments and directly serves customers at its new retail ServicePoint counter. And they added that the $7.3 million facility also increases shipment capacity and also enables faster processing, which results in faster pickup cutoff times for Eastern Virginia-based shippers.

Company officials explained that the driver for this new office is focused on meeting increased demand in cross-border services, in tandem with February U.S. Census Bureau data indicating Mexico has moved past China as the leading exporter to the U.S. for the first time since 2002.

POLA volume came in at 855,652 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), for an 18% annual increase, and POLB reported that January volume, at 674,015 TEU, increased 17.5% annually.

The Port of Los Angele reported that total November volume, at 763,262 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), posted a 19% annual gain, and the Port of Long Beach reported that total November volume, at 731,033 TEU, saw a 24.2% annual increase.

Years of geopolitical uncertainty and high US tariffs are driving manufacturing out of China and into new destinations.

POLA reported that total October volume, at 725,775 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), was up 7% annually. The Port of Long Beach reported that total October volume, at 755,150 TEU, was up 14% annually.

The Port of Los Angeles reported that total September volume, at 748,440 TEU, was up 5% annually, marking its second consecutive month of annual growth. The Port of Long Beach reported that September marked its highest-volume September on record, with volume at 829,429 TEU, increasing 11.8% annually, and topping the previous September high in 2020 by 78,849 TEU.

Total POLA volume, at 684,291 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), saw a 26.85% annual decline compared to the record-setting July 2022, at 935,423 TEU. The Port of Long Beach reported that total volume came in at 578,249 TEU, down 26.4% annually, compared to July 2022, which POLB said was its highest-volume July in its history.

Total POLA volume, at 833,045 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), was down 4.97% annually, but, despite the decline, this marked the highest-volume month going back to July 2022, which was an all-time record month for POLA. The Port of Long Beach reported that total volume came in at 597,076, down 28.5% compared to June 2022, its highest-volume June on record.

POLA reported that total May volume came in at 779,140 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), representing a 19.5% annual decline. And the Port of Long Beach reported that May volume fell 14.9% annually, coming in at 758,225 TEU.

Research from consultancy Kearney has found that 96% of CEOs are evaluating reshoring their operations, have already done so, or are considering it. That is up from 78% in 2022. That same report also found that American imports of Mexico-manufactured goods have increased from $320 billion pre-pandemic to $402 billion today.

Total POLA volume—at 688,110 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) fell 22% compared to April 2022, which marked the second highest-volume month on record for POLA. And he Port of Long Beach reported that total April volume—at 656,049 TEU—was down 20.1% compared to April 2022, the port’s highest-volume April on record.

A theme within freight transportation, supply chain, and logistics circles, which is always among the key “top of mind” themes, is the state of the economy, from various perspectives, whether it be, in our case, a freight or macroeconomic perspective.

Total March volume—at 623,233 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—came in just over the port’s initial expectations for the month. While this marked a 35% annual decline, POLA Executive Director Gene Seroka said that it was up against the highest-volume March on record for POLA.