Commerce Express Weekly Road Map:
October 15th, 2024
Keeping you informed on the latest news/insights in our industry.
Infrastructure Recovery Needed for States Impacted by Raging Storms
The Federal Highway Administration has approved $134 million in quick-release emergency funds for the state transportation departments in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to address infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
According to the FHWA, North Carolina will receive $100 million, South Carolina $2 million, and Tennessee $32 million, to help repair roads and bridges.
These grants are sourced from the Highway Trust Fund and authorized by Congress and will help states in repairing federal-aid highways and roads on federal lands impacted by natural disasters. This emergency funding aims to accelerate recovery efforts in the three impacted states, which are dealing with significant destruction from Hurricane Helene.
Work is scheduled to begin this week on temporary repairs to part of Interstate 40 on the Tennessee-North Carolina border that was destroyed by Hurricane Helene, Tennessee Governor said in a statement. Interstate 26 continues to be closed on both sides of the border and is expected to through the end of October. Truckers should be looking to the North Carolina DOT for guidance on different route options to avoid this impacted area.
Commerce Blog
Hurricanes. Cargo theft. Cross-border trade risks. The list can go on and on. There exists a lot of ifs in transportation—pockets of potential for things to go wrong while a shipment is in transit. Often times, things work out, but when they don’t, that’s where the value of cargo insurance shines.
The following are considerations to discuss with service providers prior to purchasing cargo insurance: product value, type/level of cargo insurance, identify exclusions in coverage, and regulatory compliance. Read more here.
Shippers should not be alone when deciding on cargo insurance coverage and, more importantly, in the event of a claims process. Commerce Express Inc.’s commitment goes beyond mere insurance provision; we actively engage in the claims process on behalf of our clients.
Weather: Hurricane Milton Aftermath
Port Tampa Bay has resumed vessel operations, and their shipping channels have re-opened due to the impacts of Hurricane Milton. Vessel movements are still restricted to daylight hours as of October 12th. Additionally, power has been restored at the port as of Friday October 11th, after experiencing power outages.
SeaPort Manatee (a large gateway for fresh fruits/vegetables) also re-opened their ship traffic with restrictions and open to limited landside operations. Open to port users for mitigation and assessment during daylight hours as of October 13th, per their website. They also dealt with power outages, which have since been resolved.
Port Panama City (FL) and JAXPORT have since resumed normal cargo operations.
[Labor]: Port of Montreal:
Dockworkers (Longshoremen’s Union Local 375, approx.1,200 members) at the Port of Montreal have initiated an overtime strike. According to a press release from the Port, the strike began last Thursday, and the workers will refrain from working any overtime for an indefinite duration.
Earlier this month, the dockworkers held a three-day strike (Sept. 30th – Oct. 2nd) at two container terminals at the port. Their previous contract expired December 31st, 2023.
Intermodal: Due to significant damage from Hurricane Helene, Norfolk Southern’s line between Asheville, North Carolina and Newport, Tennessee will be out of service until at least late January 2025, per a press release. NS was able to reopen all their main routes within 72 hours after Helene made landfall.
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