The ocean shipping industry demands customer-focused transformation, according to a top carrier executive speaking today [Monday, April 9] at the Cargo Connections Conference in New Orleans.

Responding to persistent congestion issues for truckers at Montreal’s marine terminals since early this year, leading stakeholders at Canada’s second biggest port have agreed to participate in a study into the cost of extending gate hours at the Port of Montreal.

Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), told AJOT that if President Trump imposes tariffs against China for intellectual property violations, “the impact on agricultural and forest product exports could be substantial [and] this will also adversely impact the shipment of exports going out on ships from U.S. ports.”

Hefty tariffs on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum have executives of Gulf ports gripped with wide-ranging concerns and uncertainty.

At a press conference staged at Deltaport, Canada’s largest container terminal located at the Port of Vancouver, federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced a formal review of Canada Port Authorities to optimize their role in the transportation system as strategic assets that support inclusive and sustainable growth and trade.

Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told AJOT that collaboration with General Electric on a new digital information system will help boost productivity in 2018 after a record 2017 in which the Port continued to be number one in the United States.

Governors Phil Murphy (New Jersey) and Andrew Cuomo (New York) share equal blame with President Trump for failure to fund the $29 billion Gateway Tunnel.

Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports are gaining ground against the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as other US West Coast ports, according to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) West Coast Trade Report.

With a commercial truck driver shortage looming, a high school in Patterson, California decided to take a proactive approach by creating a truck driving school program dedicated to bring new drivers into the industry.

Logistec Corporation, the Montreal-based provider of marine and environmental services, has expanded its North American network of terminals through the strategic acquisition of Texas-based Gulf Stream Marine for US$65.7 million.