American Journal of Transportation, AJOT

09/03/2026

When you think of COSCO SHIPPING, container ships probably come to mind first.

But the company's footprint across the Americas increasingly extends well beyond ocean transportation.

In a new AJOT interview, James Houghtalin of COSCO SHIPPING Lines (North America) details a logistics network that includes trucking, drayage, warehousing, customs brokerage, intermodal transportation, e-commerce fulfillment and final-mile delivery.

In the U.S. alone, COSCO operates more than 700,000 square feet of non-bonded warehouse space and an asset-based trucking network serving major logistics hubs including Los Angeles/Long Beach, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Charleston, Savannah and Atlanta.

Its inland strategy is expanding elsewhere too, including a 30-chassis investment at Puerto Cortés in Honduras designed to improve cargo movement between the port and inland destinations.

It's another example of how the role of the ocean carrier is evolving as supply chains demand more integrated services.

Read More: https://www.ajot.com/premium/ajot-cosco-shipping-north-america-invests-in-diversifying-service

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

📦 A major marine terminal and logistics acquisition is now complete. 🚢

Enstructure and LOGISTEC’s marine services division are now operating as a combined network spanning more than 3,000 waterfront acres and approximately 12.5 million square feet of industrial warehousing.

The company handles about 70 million tons of cargo annually across bulk, breakbulk, container, automotive/RoRo and project cargo operations.

Read more: https://www.ajot.com/news/enstructure-completes-acquisition-of-logistecs-marine-services-division

What could larger, more connected terminal networks mean for North American supply chains?

09/02/2026

Ethiopian Airlines may be moving closer to a major freighter order. ✈️📦

According to industry sources, the airline is nearing a deal to buy up to 10 long-haul Boeing freighters as it advances plans for a new African cargo hub.

The deal is expected to include two Boeing 777F aircraft, with the delayed 777-8F model making up much of the remaining order.

For global cargo markets, this could strengthen Africa’s position in long-haul air freight and create more competition with established Gulf carrier hubs.

Read more: https://www.ajot.com/news/ethiopian-airlines-nears-boeing-cargo-plane-order-sources-say

09/02/2026

AI agents are becoming more powerful — and that means the guardrails have to get stronger too. ⚠️

AJOT’s latest article looks at the OpenAI–Hugging Face incident and what it may signal for companies investing in autonomous AI tools.

The concern is straightforward: if agents can communicate, adapt, and act across systems, businesses need clear controls around access, monitoring, escalation, and accountability.

This is a cybersecurity story, but it is also a business-risk story.

Read more from AJOT: https://www.ajot.com/insights/full/ai-openai-agents-escape-how-humans-lost-control

What safeguards should companies require before deploying AI agents?

08/31/2026

The freight market is showing signs of recovery. But trucking has a major question to answer:

Who will drive the additional capacity? 🚛

June 2026 spot rates increased 43% year-over-year, while contract rates rose 13%. At the same time, the ATA estimates the industry is short 82,000 qualified drivers.

Carriers are looking beyond traditional recruiting pools, with initiatives designed to create more opportunities for women, veterans and justice-involved workers.

But bringing people into trucking is only half the challenge.

Excessive detention, limited safe parking and other everyday frustrations continue to affect driver retention. At large carriers, annual turnover can reach 90–95%.

That means solving the shortage isn't exclusively the responsibility of trucking companies. Shippers and receivers can influence the driver experience too—from reducing detention to providing access to basic facilities.

📖 AJOT explores what it could take to build—and keep—the trucking workforce needed as freight conditions improve.

Read More: https://www.ajot.com/premium/ajot-the-truck-driver-shortage-limits-opportunities-for-carrier-expansion

What's the bigger challenge for trucking: attracting new drivers or keeping experienced ones?

08/28/2026

What’s in a cheese name? In trade talks, quite a lot. 🧀🌎

Mexico’s new deal with the European Union would protect hundreds of regional product names, giving the EU legal recourse against violations.

The U.S. says that could make it harder for American producers to sell cheeses in Mexico under names such as parmesan and feta.

The disagreement highlights a bigger issue in food trade: when is a product name generic, and when is it tied to a specific region?

Read more from AJOT: https://www.ajot.com/news/dispute-over-cheese-names-causes-stumbling-block-in-us-mexico-trade-negotiations

08/27/2026

Canada has made a change to its counter-tariff list. 🇨🇦🇺🇸

Seafood and fish products have been removed from the list of U.S. imports facing retaliatory tariffs.

Canada’s Department of Finance said the adjustment was made after feedback and was intended to protect against economic harm.

The broader tariff package, covering about $20 billion worth of American products, is still scheduled to take effect September 8.

Read more from AJOT: https://www.ajot.com/news/canada-excludes-us-seafood-from-retaliatory-tariffs

08/27/2026

For years, one of the biggest questions surrounding intermodal was reliability.

That conversation may be changing.

Intermodal volumes are consistently running above the five-year average in 2026, and IANA expects growth to continue into 2027.

🚂 Class I railroads are investing billions in capacity and technology.
🚛 Trucking continues to face uneven capacity and rate conditions.
📦 Shippers are looking beyond price toward dependable service.
🤝 Railroads, trucking companies and logistics providers are collaborating more closely.

Even freight traditionally associated with other modes is finding its way into intermodal networks, including products serving data center construction and renewable energy projects.

The bigger story may be how transportation modes themselves are evolving: instead of competing for every shipment, providers are increasingly combining their strengths to build the most efficient solution.

📖 AJOT explores what's behind intermodal's strong 2026 performance and why the momentum could continue.

Read More: https://www.ajot.com/premium/ajot-intermodal-transportation-is-growing-a-trend-expected-to-continue

Have improvements in rail service made intermodal a more attractive option for your freight?

08/25/2026

AI is making its way into inland waterway logistics. 🚢

OpenTug, an AI-native logistics company focused on inland and coastal marine transportation, is working to help shippers and carriers manage the challenges of barge transportation.

Those challenges include aging locks, changing river levels, weather, terminal congestion, fragmented data, and limited visibility into barge movements.

The goal is not to replace marine expertise. It is to give experienced teams better tools for planning, tracking, invoicing, and responding when conditions change.

Read more from AJOT: https://www.ajot.com/insights/full/ai-navigating-inland-marine-logistics-with-ai