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#Inland25 Agenda is now live! View the newly published agenda for a three-day lineup of sessions, including the return of Inland Academy and regional think tanks, focusing specifically on issues impacting the #intermodal #rail, #trucking and #aircargo legs of wholly domestic and international supply chains that start or terminate in North America. https://okt.to/XAMDbR

Reminder to register: Two weeks to go until Breakbulk25! How can ports, carriers, and breakbulk professionals communicate more effectively in today’s fast-moving, high-stakes world? Join us for a guided focus session at the Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference. We’ll dive into best practices for sharing good news, managing crises, and engaging with the public and media. Learn more: https://okt.to/BnOrJ9

While the world’s sights are trained on US trade policy, the US truckload segment remains mired in a yearslong malaise. The Q2 TD Cowen/AFS Logistics Truckload Freight Index dropped 0.4 points to 5.5%, with soft demand colliding with tariffs and a weak macro outlook. Spot rates fell 6 cents in March to $2.18/mi. Truckload shippers are likely to retain pricing power into 2025 - but it’s built on economic weakness, not strength. Inland25 is the place to discuss how these trends evolve ahead of the 2026 bid season. Data must be at the heart of the conversation. Early Bird rates available now, register today: https://okt.to/2xYt0O

This summer what has been called the biggest change in LTL pricing since deregulation in 1980 will hit the US trucking market: The "reimagination" of the classification system used to help price less-than-truckload freight. The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) is proposing more than 90 changes to the National Motor Freight Classification or NMFC, dramatically increasing its reliance on density to determine a shipment's or product's classification. Shippers will need to more accurately measure the dimensions and weight of every pallet, which for some will mean big changes to the procedures they use to build pallets and move freight. The proposed changes are scheduled to be finalized by July, so the time to review LTL shipping practices and procedures to avoid costly reclassification is now. Join us for this webcast that will look at the proposed NMFC changes and what shippers are doing to get ready for them. Register now: https://okt.to/uL85zF

A cloud of uncertainty is hovering over global trade thanks to new and proposed tariffs and all the knock-on effects these may entail. The Journal of Commerce Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference is focused on all the key issues affecting breakbulk transport and logistics right now. Attend our conference April 23-25 for the latest updates from our journalism- and analysis-driven programming, hear from subject matter experts used to navigating shipping’s trickiest waters, and network with high-level industry members. Register now: https://okt.to/GFo2la

Air cargo rates on the trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic were up again last week as shippers took to the air ahead of the April 2 rollout of US import tariffs on China and Europe. While there is little clarity on whether underlying demand is enough to prop up spot rates once the tariffs have been implemented, airlines and forwarders are benefiting from an unseasonal jump in rates and volume. The average Shanghai-North America rate of $5.40 per kilogram was up from the previous week, and the second consecutive week the price has topped $5/kg, according to the Baltic Air Index (BAI). Learn more: https://okt.to/T1iyqZ

Attention #Breakbulk25 attendees: If you have not already booked your hotel, we encourage you to secure your room at the conference property by Sunday, April 13 for special conference rates. Booking at the Hilton ensures ease of access to the event. Don't miss the chance to stay in the heart of the action! If you need help with your dates or are looking to book a group block, please reach out to us. Book here: https://okt.to/Etyf3U

Demand for new infrastructure, power generation, and industrial capacity—both in traditional and cleantech sectors—continues, but will momentum hold steady in 2025? Logistics leaders are keeping a close eye on near-shoring and tariff complications in Mexico, Canada, and beyond. Moving breakbulk cargo within the US comes with its own hurdles. Limited infrastructure capacity, complex local regulations, permitting delays, and workforce shortages all pose challenges for heavy transport. While barge and rail offer alternatives, they don’t eliminate these obstacles. Uncertainty remains a key theme as we enter the new year. Join our panel of industry experts as they unpack expectations and realities for US inland transport in 2025. Learn more: https://okt.to/J7NLWl

Inland Academy is a series of 45-minute educational sessions held on Monday, Sept. 29, to launch Inland25. Led by seasoned professionals with deep industry expertise, these sessions will provide logistics, transportation, and supply chain professionals with both conceptual and practical knowledge to navigate key industry challenges. Topics include: Fighting Cargo Theft and Fraud Adjusting to the New LTL Classification Era Vetting Drayage Carriers Ensuring Hazmat Regulatory Compliance Drafting a Supply Chain Disaster Plan Navigating the AI Craze Tackling Transportation’s Legal Issues Take advantage of early bird registration to secure your spot and gain access to these insightful Academy sessions. Register today: https://okt.to/ovBMnK

While the largest US retailers are signing their 2025–26 service contracts in the eastbound trans-Pacific at rates that are about 15% to 20% higher than the current service year, some shippers have resisted signing yet because they believe the market will continue to soften in the second half of the year. That resistance appears to be well-founded, with average spot rates from Asia to the US last week falling to a 15-month low. Rates to the West Coast fell to $1,600 per FEU, down almost 70% from the first week of January and almost 50% lower year over year, according to Platts, a sister company of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. Gold subscribers can track spot rates in the busiest US trade lane on #Gateway, the continuously updating shipping dashboard on JOC.com. Learn more: https://okt.to/LhpkSR