Logistics

Household confidence in the United States is closing in on its best year since before the latest recession, according to figures in the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index released Dec. 29.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., or “K” Line, filed a lawsuit against APL Logistics Ltd. in a Tokyo civil court for comments the logistics firm made after the Hanjin Shipping Co. demise on Aug. 31.

Federal railroad authorities reached an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad requiring improvements to the railroad’s inspection and safety procedures.

Consumer confidence jumped to the highest level since 2004, extending a surge in Americans’ optimism for their finances and the U.S. economy after Donald Trump’s election victory.

Schneider National Inc., which ranks No. 7 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers, filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Dec. 22 that could pave the way for the truckload giant to go public in 2017.

Hanjin Shipping Co., the South Korean ocean carrier that filed for bankruptcy protection in August, has agreed to sell its stake in Total Terminals International to Mediterranean Shipping Co., according to Bloomberg News.

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study committee has approved a list of six regional roads that it believes are worthy of the critical urban freight corridor designation in the federal government's new National Highway Freight Network.

A merger of German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd and United Arab Shipping Co. likely will take months to complete, partly due to financing issues blamed on a deep industry downturn, sources familiar with the deal say.

XPO Logistics and Sealed Air teamed up last month to announce a new product for shippers, a partnership that could reopen the discussion about how efficient packaging can boost profits for trucking companies, experts said.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is applying for a $160 million federal grant to help pay for a project that aims to clear up rail congestion around 75th Street in Chicago, cutting delays for Metra, Amtrak and freight railroads.