Industry Resources

Learn about IHA’s cost-saving programs, including the International Housewares Shippers Association, designed to help members grow their business!

Demurrage and Detention

Shippers have been complaining for years that the rules governing demurrage and detention are unfair. Shippers are required to pick up and return ocean containers to the terminal within a specified number of days. Failure to do so will result in fees to the shipper known in the industry as demurrage and detention. Marine terminals and carriers say the potential to be…

Spot Rates Remain Volatile

Ocean container spot rates from Asia to US West Coast ports increased 25.6% for the week ending August 30th. This is welcome news for the carriers who have been battling declining spot rates for much of the peak shipping season. The good news may not last long for the carriers. Industry experts believe this sharp increase in spot rates will quickly fade away unless…

Carriers Expected to Fabricate Strong Peak Season

Analysts are now predicting that the peak shipping period from Asia to the US will be mild. This prediction is in stark contrast to last year’s peak when available space on ships was tough to secure. Many shippers were forced to pay hefty rate premiums to move cargo during their preferred shipping windows. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the prediction of a mild peak…

IMO 2020 Will Impact Multiple Stakeholders

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed several mandates to reduce marine pollution. Effective January 1, 2020, container vessels will only be allowed to use fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.5%. The current regulation allows for fuel with a sulfur cap of 3.5%. The cost of this new mandate is going to impact multiple stakeholders in the shipping…

IHA Encourages Member Action on Latest Proposed Tariffs

With the most recent list of proposed tariffs affecting the housewares industry, the International Housewares Association is encouraging members to contact their congressional representatives or provide comment to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the tariffs’ effect on their business. The List 4 China 301 tariffs proposes up to a 25 percent tariff rate on…

Ocean Contract Negotiations Moving Forward

The 2019-20 ocean contract negotiations have officially begun for cargo moving from Asia to the United States. Based on the initial proposals from the ocean carriers, it is clear they are trying to capitalize on last year’s space crisis. Carriers stated earlier this year that shippers should expect to pay higher rates in the 2019-20 ocean contracts. Further, they stated that…

IHSA to Introduce “Core Carrier” Program

The carrier landscape has changed dramatically over the last five years. Carrier consolidation has been a game changer. With fewer entities, the carriers now have a much greater ability to manage capacity in their favor. We believe the carriers will continue to manage capacity for the foreseeable future. To help combat this serious issue, IHSA will be nominating four carriers…

Contract Negotiations Bring Many Questions for Shippers

The 2018 peak season in the Eastbound Transpacific market has thankfully come to an end. Carrier capacity constraints and an unprecedented increase in volume caused rates to skyrocket and created a space crisis that crippled US supply chains. Shippers are hoping that 2019 will offer some stability leading up to the 2019-20 ocean contract negotiations. Unfortunately, the one…

A Tariff Update: Initial Implications of the “90-Day Hold”

China and the United States held high-level trade talks at the G20 in Argentina and although many of the details are unknown or being debated, the decision to halt additional tariffs is a welcome development to housewares manufacturers and retailers. The planned increase to “List 3” tariffs from the current 10% level to 25% on January 1, 2019 was going to be painful to the…