Surprise Plunge in Shipping Costs
The cost of shipping between China and the U.S. took a sharp decline only weeks after hitting record highs in early September ahead of the off-season. Prior to the pandemic, shipping costs between China and the U.S. were roughly around $1,500. The cost of shipping containers soared to record highs last month, topping out at […]
Europe’s Gas Shortage May Effect Global Prices
Natural gas prices have increased approximately 35% in the past month as many countries worry there is not enough gas stored for the 2021 winter season, especially in the northern hemisphere. Natural gas is an important fuel for heating, with an estimated 40% of U.S. households alone relying on gas through the fall and winter […]
Tensions Mount for Upcoming Beijing Olympics
China is moving forward with opening its borders to the world in 2022 in celebration of its hosting the upcoming Winter Olympics. While this news comes as a shock for most of the world, considering China has one of the strictest zero-tolerance policies regarding Coronavirus, frequently shutting down busy ports and shipping terminals when even […]
Global Shipping Crisis Continues to Affect Supply Chains
Pandemic lockdowns led to a massive decrease in retail purchases, with a sharp increase in demand as economies suddenly opened their borders again. At present, container shortages continue to play a heavy part in supply and demand congestion, with hundreds of container ships in the queue at overloaded ports, mostly in China and the U.S. […]
Lightweight Plastics to Create Cleaner Future
The Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee report includes significant funding to support lower-carbon vehicles and to drive development of new technologies that use lightweight materials. According to Joshua Baca, vice president for plastics at the American Chemistry Council, “Lightweight plastics help automakers build safer, more fuel-efficient cars and are essential to creating our nation’s low-carbon […]
