FreightWaves NOW

President Trump has announced a doubling of tariffs on imported steel from 25% to 50% to protect domestic jobs and strengthen the industry. This move follows a previous tariff announcement and aims to ensure America's future is built with U.S.-produced steel rather than "shoddy steel from Shanghai". You can read more about the tariff increase here. We also discuss the ongoing labor dispute involving Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). Canada Post has requested government intervention to hold a vote among unionized employees on its latest contract offer, highlighting the impasse in negotiations over wages and structural changes. The situation is a continuation of a conflict that included a nearly five-week strike last year. For more details on the Canada Post situation, see the article here. Additionally, we highlight executive changes and potential IPO plans at the autonomous freight technology company Einride. Founder Robert Falck is transitioning from CEO to executive chairman, while CFO Roozbeh Charll is taking over the CEO role with an eye toward a potential IPO in the U.S.. This leadership pivot is intended to capitalize on a favorable regulatory environment for autonomous vehicles and support future expansion and investment opportunities. Learn more about the changes at Einride by reading the article here. The episode also announced upcoming FreightWaves virtual events: the Enterprise Fleet Summit on July 23rd and the Supply Chain AI Symposium on July 30th in Washington D.C.. Information and registration for these events can be found at live.freightwaves.com. Please note that details about these specific event announcements are derived solely from the audio file and not from the provided article sources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal appeals court has temporarily paused a ruling by the Court of International Trade that blocked tariffs enacted by President Trump. This decision follows the Trump administration's plans to seek intervention from the Supreme Court, arguing presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  In other news, Sport LA Inc., a California freight forwarding company, has been charged in a smuggling operation alleged to be worth billions of dollars. Executives Ralph Olarte and Humberto Lopez Belmonte face a 22-count indictment for an elaborate scheme exporting illegal goods from the U.S. to Mexico, allegedly employing fraudulent documentation, shell companies, bribes, and involvement with cartels since 2013. Meanwhile, Americold is strategically expanding into Canada with the groundbreaking of its first import-export hub in New Brunswick. This venture involves a substantial investment of $75 million to $80 million and is set to transform cold storage facilities at Port Saint John, partnering with DP World and Canadian Pacific Kansas City to streamline food flows across various regions and create up to 100 permanent jobs by 2029.  Looking ahead, be sure to catch FreightWaves TV shows like What the Truck?!? and Running on Ice today. Also, mark your calendars for upcoming events such as the Enterprise Fleet Summit and the Supply Chain AI symposium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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There was a landmark decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) striking down President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. This ruling unanimously deemed the sweeping tariffs unconstitutional, including significant levies on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada. Retail diesel prices have resumed their downward trend, with the Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration benchmark price falling by 4.9 cents. The average weekly retail diesel price is now $3.487 per gallon. In container shipping, rates from Asia to the United States have surged. This increase is occurring as shippers navigate the aftermath of a temporary easing in US-China tariffs, with "fear and uncertainty" driving prices up. Tune in for a new episode of The Long Haul and check out the Enterprise Fleet Summit and the Supply Chain AI Symposium. Get registered for events at live.freightwaves.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing 18 rule changes aimed at simplifying regulatory compliance for truck drivers and motor carriers. These proposed rules, set for formal release on Friday with 60-day comment periods, include changes like removing CDL self-reporting requirements and adding new rules for railroad grade crossings. Crowdsourced delivery technology company Veho has initiated a pilot program in Austin, Texas, to test wheeled-legged parcel delivery robots for potentially boosting productivity in urban environments. Partnering with Rivr, the company backed by investors including Jeff Bezos, these robots are designed to handle diverse terrain, including stairs, for last-mile e-commerce deliveries. Carrier CMA CGM is partnering with Saigon Newport Corporation to build a new deepwater container terminal in Haiphong, northern Vietnam. This significant project, set to open in 2028, will add 1.9 million TEUs of capacity to help handle the sharp increase in container volumes in the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supply chain software provider E2open is being acquired by Australian tech company WiseTech Global for $2.1 billion. This transaction, the result of a strategic review pushed by an activist investor, values E2open at $3.30 per share, a 28.4% premium over its closing price last Friday. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers implemented a nationwide overtime stoppage last Friday, averting a full strike after receiving a late contract offer from Canada Post. However, the threat of a strike has already damaged Canada Post’s parcel business, leading to anticipated delays and a sharp drop in volumes as customers seek alternative carriers. Aurora Innovation has decided to keep a person in the driver’s seat of its autonomous trucks temporarily at the request of OEM partner Paccar, due to certain prototype parts in the base vehicle platform. This observer will not operate the vehicle but will assist with timely recovery if needed, such as pulling over for events like a tire blowout or bad weather. Don’t forget about our upcoming FreightWaves events, including the Enterprise Fleet Summit on July 23rd and the Supply Chain AI Symposium on July 30th. You can register for these events, which are highlighted as opportunities not to miss, by visiting the live.freightwaves.com website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcos Galperin is stepping down as CEO of Mercado Libre, the online marketplace often described as the Amazon of South America, after 26 years, transitioning to executive chairman while Ariel Szarfsztejn takes over as CEO starting January 1st. This leadership change occurs as the e-commerce giant continues its impressive growth, having handled 1.8 billion orders in 2024. (See article information in sources). The Port of Savannah saw a record-breaking April, handling over 515,000 TEUs, a 17% increase compared to April 2024. This marks the third consecutive month of record container volumes for the port and is attributed to importers accelerating shipments in anticipation of potential tariff changes. (See article information in sources). Learn about Werner Enterprises temporarily suspending its 401k matching contributions as part of a $40 million cost-saving initiative for 2025. This decision follows the company's first quarter operating loss and aims to streamline operations and position Werner for long-term growth. (See article information in sources). Also preview upcoming Freight Waves content, including new episodes of What the Truck? and Running on Ice, and virtual events like the Enterprise Fleet Summit and the Supply Chain AI Symposium. You can register for these events by going to live.frightwaves.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal authorities arrested 13 alleged members of two rival groups engaged in a violent power struggle in the San Fernando Valley for three years. These groups faced charges including attempted murder and illegal firearm possession, and specifically targeted Amazon, posing as carriers on the platform to steal shipments. Market conditions have led to the bankruptcy filing of a Wisconsin carrier, Elite Carriers, and its associated brokerage, ECI, Inc.. Three other businesses owned by the same person also filed for Chapter 11 protection, with both Elite Carriers and ECI reporting between $1 million and $10 million in assets and liabilities. Additionally, US law enforcement has obtained a temporary restraining order against two logistics companies, YDH Express Inc. and YDH International, stopping them from using the US Postal Service with counterfeit postage labels. The companies are accused of shipping thousands of parcels for Chinese customers with fake labels, and the complaint seeks to immediately stop the companies and collect money for financial losses incurred by the postal service. Looking ahead, tune into FreightWaves TV for new episodes of Freightonomics and The Long Haul today. You can also find recaps of the recent Domestic Supply Chain Summit on the YouTube channel and register for the Freight AI Symposium in Washington DC on July 30th, with a ticket special available through Memorial Day weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omnichannel fulfillment provider Stored has acquired Ware2Go from UPS. This deal significantly expands Stored's network by adding 21 new e-commerce warehouses with a combined capacity of 2.5 million square feet of storage space. In manufacturing news, International Paper Company is restructuring its cross-border operations by closing two facilities in Edinburg, Texas. These plants were responsible for manufacturing containers and paper sheets, with the sheet plant slated for conversion into a warehouse. On the trade front, US trade representatives held a second round of hearings to discuss imposing punitive fees on Chinese-built, -owned, and -operated ships calling at American ports. The stated goals of these fees are to reduce China's maritime dominance and potentially incentivize American shipbuilding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In freight technology news, load board provider DAT announced its acquisition of payments platform Outgo last week. This strategic move aims to integrate the entire freight transaction process into the DAT One ecosystem, with a key benefit being that carriers can now potentially get paid much faster, sometimes within just 15 minutes. Outgo, founded in 2022 by former Uber and Convoy technologists, focused on bundling banking, factoring, and payment services, including a "fractional factoring" model giving carriers more control. This acquisition is seen as positioning DAT to become the freight industry's central exchange platform, competing with others like Triumph Financial who are also building their ecosystems. Turning to maritime trade, the Port of Long Beach recorded its strongest April on record last month. The port handled 867,493 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), representing a 15.6% year-over-year increase attributed to importers frontloading tariff-affected cargo. Imports saw a significant 15.1% year-over-year rise, while exports slightly declined. Even with this record, the port anticipates a more than 10% drop-off in imports in May, with effects expected beyond the docks. In Washington D.C., lawmakers are processing a large volume of input from the trucking sector. The Department of Transportation (DOT) received over 900 recommendations for regulatory removal as part of implementing executive orders to cut bureaucracy. Approximately 30% of these recommendations came directly from the trucking industry and addressed regulations affecting drivers and carriers. Finally, mark your calendars for upcoming Freight Waves TV programming, including The Stockout and What the Truck?!?. You can also find details on the Fraud Fighters Award winners and information on the upcoming Domestic Supply Chain Summit this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices