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Laura Robb

Laura Robb, Associate EditormailLinkedin

Laura Robb is an associate editor, covering container freight market fundamentals and related topics, including supply chain diversification, vessel supply and consumer demand. Before joining the Journal of Commerce in 2024, Laura covered container markets as a senior price reporter for two years at Platt’s, a sister company within S&P Global.

Read Laura's Latest Coverage

Panama Canal chief offers land bridge option to transship containers across isthmus

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Developing an over-the-road network to handle containers carried on ships too large to traverse the waterway could increase the canal’s annual throughput by over 60%, officials say, although funding concerns exist.
Container Shipping NewsPort NewsTransport, Trade and Regulation News

Freight rates supported by bullish fundamentals to persist through Q4: Matson

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
While conventional retailers were decreasing their orders, the growth of e-commence shipments from Asia was more consistent as elevated air cargo rates pushed more shippers to move goods via ocean transport, the carrier’s CEO said.
Trans-PacificPort NewsContainer linesNorth American portsLongshore laborContainer Shipping News

US export market navigating ‘disruptive’ peak season amid ag shipment growth

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Shippers and forwarders are reporting slowdowns at several inland gateways that are linked to seasonality, equipment placement, labor disruption and carrier behavior.
Container Shipping NewsPort NewsRail NewsContainer linesTrans-PacificNorth American ports

North-South trade facing schedule woes, congestion in wake of ILA strike

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Market sources say cargo leaving ports in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay is being delayed because ships bound for those ports are arriving from the US with disrupted schedules following the Oct. 1-3 strike.
Container Shipping NewsMaritimePort News

Ripple effects playing out globally from ILA strike: analyst

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Despite its brevity, shippers can expect to see ongoing impacts on tonnage supply on some trade lanes from the Oct. 1-3 strike, Lars Jensen told the South Carolina International Trade Conference.
MaritimePort NewsSupply chainContainer Shipping News

LA-LB rail dwells spike to two-year high amid record imports in September

Laura Robb, Associate Editor and Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor, Trans-Pacific |
Forwarders say their containers are sitting at some terminals for 10 days or longer before they can be retrieved, although some relief in import volumes and dwell times is expected next month.
MaritimePort NewsTrans-PacificNorth American portsMarine terminalsContainer Shipping News

Port Tampa Bay reopens after power restored following hurricane closure

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
The port reopened on Saturday after engineering firm Woolpert performed a survey to check for storm debris in shipping channels.
Port NewsNorth American portsContainer Shipping News

Strike surcharges disappear as spot rates for US West, East coasts near parity

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Carriers began pulling the charges shortly after the end of the strike was announced last week, while pressure to do so came even earlier from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
MaritimeContainer linesTrans-PacificLongshore laborContainer Shipping News

Port Tampa Bay effectively shut due to power outage in aftermath of Milton

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Port officials say their facilities did not experience widespread flooding but are still being affected by power issues, adding that port tenants will make independent decisions on when to resume their operations.
MaritimePort NewsNorth American portsMarine terminalsContainer Shipping News

US East, Gulf coast ports confident of smooth post-strike reopening

Laura Robb, Associate Editor, Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, and Michael Angell, Senior Editor, East Coast Ports |
Ports on the US East and Gulf coasts say they have spare capacity and expect minor disruptions as they process more than 60 ships backlogged by a three-day strike
North American portsPort NewsDrayageMarine terminalsLongshore laborContainer Shipping News

ILA strike leaves US reefer importers few options, more risks

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Refrigerated container shippers using US East and Gulf coast ports are tapping some non-unionized terminals, but they fear produce stuck on ships and in ports will spoil, and equipment will become scarcer if the strike lasts longer than a week.
Cool Cargo NewsMaritimePort NewsSupply chainNorth American portsMarine terminalsLongshore laborContainer Shipping News

House Republicans, shippers up pressure on Biden to stop US port strike

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
Several groups are calling on the White House to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to stop the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike that began on Tuesday at midnight.
Longshore laborMaritimePort NewsTransport, Trade and Regulation NewsContainer linesSupply chainNorth American portsMarine terminalsContainer Shipping News

Weeklong ILA strike would tie up about 2% of global shipping capacity: HSBC

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
The global bank also said in a report that West Coast ports would only be able to handle less than 20% of cargo diverted from the East and Gulf coasts, while Mexico and Canada would offer almost no relief.
MaritimeContainer linesNorth American portsMarine terminalsLongshore laborContainer Shipping News

More US ports reveal contingency plans as ILA strike deadline inches closer

Laura Robb, Associate Editor |
The plans come amid the increasing likelihood that the International Longshoremen’s Association will not reach an agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance on a new master contract covering East and Gulf coast dockworkers.
MaritimePort NewsNorth American portsMarine terminalsLongshore laborContainer Shipping News