Enhancements to the connectivity and security of the nation’s supply chain are proposed in legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The shipper community continues to increase its use of third-party logistics providers in the aftermath of the pandemic and major technological changes.

Global supply chains have returned to normal, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said, almost three years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

The pandemic-era surge in shipping costs was a “smoking gun” that foretold the global inflation spike, and the sharp drop in maritime-freight expenses since peaking last year will contribute to an easing in price pressures.

Additional funding is available for officials seeking to modernize operations at small shipyard facilities around the country, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced.

Shippers are in the driver’s seat as spot and contract rates continue to soften, but industry analysts said rates likely will stabilize throughout 2023.

New digitized trade documents and unfair competition from shipping lines infringing on turf for inland cargo are top priorities during a gathering of transportation leaders and government officials convened by the world’s largest freight forwarding association.

U.K. battery company Britishvolt Ltd. received an investment from shipping firm Scorpio Group as it looks to develop technologies to help decarbonize the maritime sector.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. agreed to buy the African transport and logistics business of Bollore SA for 5.7 billion euros ($6.3 billion) including debt.

President Joe Biden is taking on the concentrated market power of ocean shipping companies, although officials at the agency overseeing the industry indicated they lack both the jurisdiction and, for now, any evidence of wrongdoing.