b'JANUARY 2024Editors 24 for 2024 15(STOREcontinued fromin the US and the question ofthe hydrogen economy finallyTrucks): How far away is aomy in 2024?page 14) Free Passage.lift offpractical ZET?Consumerspendinghas manufacturing slowdown. The10.OffshoreHeadwinds:ThehydrogeneconomyZeroEmissionsTrucksbeen attributed to preventing US produces around 19% ofDownturn in offshore windhas long been talked about as(ZETs) are already in produc- theUSeconomyfromslip-the worlds chips while 75%power. freshening breezethe clean fuel that can solvetion but how close are they topingintorecession,despite producedinEastAsia.Thein the forecast? the energy problem. But greenbeing practical for long haulindicators to the contrary. CHIPS and Science Act wasOffshore wind power hithydrogen is a challenge. Doestrucking? 22.LaborTheNextBig passedtobringchipmanu- some headwinds in 2023 withthe Hydrogen economy finally19. Is there another YellowDisruptionfacturingtotheUS.Willitinflationandotherfactors.lift off in 2024? Freight collapse out there? WiththeILA-water-beenoughandfastenoughWill 2024 be a better year for15. Is the heralded demiseYellowFreightscollapsefrontmanagementcontract tokeeppacewithautomo- offshore wind power? of King Coal premature? wasashocker.Itlikeothernegotiationsstalled,isthere tive manufacturing as it shifts11. The Nuclear OptionWith the number of coalmega-corporations had an auraanother supply chain disrup-gears to EVs? Withtheneedtogener- firedplantsbeingbuiltinof being too big to fail. Is theretion looming?6. Houthis and the Red Sea:ate more clean energy, is theChina and India, is the reportsanotherYellowFreightout23.DamageControl:Dis-Free passage now and thennuclearpoweroptionbeingofthedemiseofKingCoalthere in the logistics sector? ruptions from natural causesTheHouthismissileandreconsidered? premature? 20. Freight RatesWhichHurricanes and other natu-drone attacks (like the usage12. The Road to Baku (COP16. Send In the Drones: DaaSway are they headed? ral disasters seem to be hitting intheUkraine-Russiawar)29):Carbonmarketspave Drone Deliveries Plus TruckingFreightratesharder and more often. Is the show just how exposed oceanthe way Drones are becoming bighavebeenbottomingoutinsupply chain preparing itself routes are to long range strikes.CarbonmarketscouldbusinessandDaaS[Drones2023 with falling demand. Willwell enough for the worst?Opening up a question of freepave the way to transitioningasaService]mightbethethey rebound in 2024? Ocean24.Global Growth Projected passage vulnerability. to cleaner energy. launch of new logistics sector. freight rates have soared withto Fall7. Enter the Dragon: China,13.HereComestheSun:17. Autonomous Trucks: Isthe disruptions in the Red SeaThe IMF says global growth the US, decoupling the globalSolar power boom in 2024an autonomous truck comingand Panama Canal. Will theyis projected to fall three per-economy and its alrightto a highway near you? continue to rise or will freightcentin2024.Willtheslow ThedecouplingoftheSolarpowerisexpectedAutonomoustrucksareratesmoderateinrelationtogrowth lead to lower volumes worldstwolargestecono- to be the big renewable inalready being tested. How farovercapacity?in international trade or to the mies is an ongoing story thatthe US in 2024. away is large scale deployment? 21. Consumer Spending: Cancontrary,willtradeliftthen will continue to make head- 14. Lighter Than Air: Does18.ZET(ZeroEmissionsconsumers power the econ- global economy in 2024?lines in 2024.8. Tale of Two Canals: Suez and PanamaThe Panama Canals low water has slashed transits by 36%: When will it rain?Asnotedabovethe Houthis have effectively cut theSuezCanaloutofthe supplychain.Whatarethe alternative routes?9. South China Sea Clash: Dots, dashes & slow passage The dispute between the Philippines and China in the SouthChinaSeaispulling (PORTScontinued from page 12)sias crude oil exports. Prior to 2022, OECD Europe had beenthelargestregional importerofRussiascrude oil, receiving 2.3 million b/d from Russia in 2021.Forthesereasons,there isapredominanceofGulf ports in the tonnage list. The Port of South Louisiana, Port ofCorpusChristi,Portof Greater Baton Rouge, Port of Beaumont, and Port of Hous-ton are all big tonnage ports. The boom in both petro-leum and agricultural exports has benefited the Gulf ports. ArecentreportbythePort of the Port of Corpus Christi, issimilartowhathasbeen experiencedthroughoutthe Gulfportregion.Corpus Christireportedsettinga newtonnagemarkin2023, statingthe203milliontons moved in 2023 was an 8.1% increase from the prior year. The result was because of a jump in crude oil exports to 126.1milliontonsin2023, a 12.5%. increase compared to2022alongwith13.5% increase in agricultural com-moditiestoalittleover2.2 million tons. Withheavydemandfor agriculturalandpetroleum products, the bulk tonnage ports are likely to be setting more new records in the year to come.'