Today’s Pickup: Government shutdown, e-truck market report

Good day,

It’s day seven of the government shutdown — and if the standoff continues into the New Year, the freight industry will feel the impacts, Freightwaves reported yesterday. The biggest effects will be congestion on land and along the nation’s waterfronts due to lack of customs clearance personnel. Unpredictability will also take a toll. The toughest part of a shutdown, Jason Craig, director of government affairs for C.H. Robinson (CHRW), told Freightwaves, is not always knowing how and where the supply chain will be disrupted. The types of clearances vary depending on the requirement, Craig said, so it’s difficult to know what sectors will be affected.

Did you know?

The logistics automation market was valued at $35.958 billion in 2017, and is expected to reach $72.920 billion by 2023.  (ResearchandMarkets)

Quotable:

“Railroading is like having a factory outdoors without a roof.”

— D.J. Mitchell, BNSF vice president of passenger operations. Mitchell spoke to Freightwaves last week about shared passenger and freight rail routes.

In other news:

Brexit: The latest

British ferry and freight operator P&O changed the flags on two vessels to keep European Union tax arrangements ahead of Britain’s departure. (Maritime Professional)

Cannabis on wheels

New pot delivery rules will be unveiled in Massachusetts next year. (The Boston Herald)

Maersk eyes trucking

The world’s largest container shipping company considers investing in the trucking and warehouse biz. (American Shipper)

The race is on

Korean, Taiwanese optical communications supply chain firms have started shipments to telecom carriers building 5G infrastructure. (Digitimes)

Bridges to somewhere

Infrastructure issues are expected to dominate the 98th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board next month. (TransportTopics)

Final Thoughts:

A December Business Insider Intelligence report examines the rush on electric trucks and how manufacturers can keep the momentum going. The numbers are impressive: The e-truck market is expected to jump from 31,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold annually to 332,000 by 2026.  Emissions regulations, total ownership costs and better e-truck infrastructure are driving adoption rates. Yet a lot more work is needed in the area of charging infrastructure and technology. The report suggests manufacturers and logistics companies collaborate to develop e-trucks for specific use cases, and partner with charging startups to speed up charging infrastructure.

Hammer down everyone!

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