Guest: Bart De Muynck of project44 on the drying Panama Canal; Does the freight recession foretell a wider economic recession? Finding workers gets harder

Jun 30, 2023

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Our guest on this week's episode is Bart De Muynck, chief industry officer at project44. The world continues to see the effects of climate change, and now it is affecting our transportation networks. Ongoing drought conditions in Central America have caused lower water levels in the Panama Canal, restricting the number of vessels and the amount of containers they can carry as they make the canal journey. How long will the restrictions possibly last and what will be the effects on ocean shipping as we approach peak season? Our guest shares his insights.

The slow period in trucking is expected to continue, according to industry experts gathered at the SMC3 Connections supply chain conference this week in Orlando. They expect the sluggish freight conditions will hang around for a while and that a broader economic recession is likely to follow.

One of the biggest challenges for any company in logistics right now is labor. With low unemployment rates, skills shortages, boomer retirements, and having to compete with gig work jobs, it can be hard for many transportation and warehousing companies to stay fully staffed. This week we learned about another complication in that area, which is the rising rate of positive drug tests as more states legalize the private use of marijuana. That trend makes it even harder to find good workers.

DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane. It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new eight-part series on Transportation Tech has launched. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.

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Podcast is sponsored by:Travero Logistics

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