IHSA Shippers Association

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Ocean Contract Negotiations

Ocean contract negotiations covering cargo moving from Asia to the United States are nearing completion. The negotiation process has become very cumbersome for shippers due to the lack of communication provided by the carriers. A large part of the lack of communication can be blamed on the recent wave of acquisitions that have taken place in the containership industry. Fewer…

Optimize Shipping Advantages for Your Business

IHA continues successful partnership with International Housewares Shippers Association (IHSA). The International Housewares Shippers Association (IHSA) is the not-for-profit shippers’ association formed by IHA to lower supply chain costs for its members at the highest quality service levels. Through combined leverage of members, IHSA negotiates freight contracts with more…

Truck Power Shortage

The U.S. market is facing a serious shortage of qualified truck drivers. The driver shortage is impacting the carriers’ ability to deliver containers in a timely manner. The shortage is so severe in some U.S. regions that some carriers are refusing to quote new cargo opportunities where door delivery is being requested. There are several factors that have contributed to the…

Detention and Demurrage Charges

Shippers may finally have some recourse when it comes to detention and demurrage charges. Shippers have been complaining for years that detention and demurrage charges are being charged even when it is no fault of the shipper. For example, everyone remembers the 2014-15 West Coast congestion and the gridlocked that brought the ports to a standstill. Shippers did their part…

New Carrier Environment and Uncertainty Emerges for 2018

IHSA will begin ocean contract negotiations in February. Industry analysts have differing opinions on which side, shippers or carriers, will have the upper hand during the 2018 negotiations. There are some analysts that believe excess capacity will again be a major deterrent preventing carriers from securing any sustained rate increases during 2018. On the contrary, other…

Carriers Struggle to Maintain Rate Stability

After collectively losing $5 billion in 2016, the carriers are collectively poised to return to profitability for 2017. The anxiety that shippers experienced in 2016 regarding bankruptcies and acquisitions is no longer dominating the headlines. While stability is welcome news for the industry, there are concerns about whether the carriers will be able to sustain stability.…

IHSA Declares Rebate Dividend

IHSA has declared a rebate dividend of $173,572 for the period June 1, 2016 through May 31, 2017, which coincides with IHSA’s fiscal year. IHSA is pleased to report that the declared rebate amount is 20.5% larger than last year. The rebate will be distributed among eligible association members during the month of November 2017. IHSA is proud of the fact that they continue to…

Ocean Carriers Return to Profitability

The average operating margins for the top 13 ocean carriers finally returned to the black for the first half of 2017. This is first time since the second quarter of 2015 where the average operating margin is positive. These results have eased some, but not all, of the concern shippers have regarding the financial stability of the containership industry. Out of the 13…

ILWU Extends Labor Contract

Shippers remember all too well the chaos and congestion that engulfed US West Coast during the 2014-2015 labor contract negotiations between the ILWU (International Longshore Warehouse Union) and the representatives for the steamship lines. It took the threat of getting Washington DC involved before the parties agreed to a contract. By the time the contract was finally signed,…