Shipping Optimization Blog

Monthly News Round-Up: May 2021

Written by Vivian Vy Lam | May 25, 2021 5:06:26 PM

It's busy during this time to prepare for the peak holiday shipping season later this year. So, what did you miss out on in May? Transportation delays, health care supply chain updates, and SAP financial announcements are just a few highlights of this month.

 

What's New in Transportation & Freight?

Amazon Expands Air Cargo Network to Pittsburgh International Airport

Amazon Air now available at more than 40 U.S. airports with its expansion to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). The major retailer leases 50,000 square feet of space that will include a package sorting area which will support more than 50 jobs. Read on to find out what the PIT CEO has to say about Amazon Air's expansion.

Interstate 40 Bridge Closure Interrupts Trucking Industry

The I-40, or the Hernando de Soto Bridge, stretches across the Mississippi River to connect Memphis, Tenn., and West Memphis, Ark. After discovering a mechanical fracture during a routine inspection, authorities closed the bridge for repairs on May 11. The restrictions for waterway vehicles were lifted, but truckers crossing the bridge will have to wait longer. Dive into the details of the 1-40 bridge closure on Transport Topics.

 

What's New in Global Trade & Logistics?

Health Care Supply Chain Prepares to Shift into Post-Pandemic Operations

In 2020, many health care companies scaled up activities to directly respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, but they scaled down other aspects of healthcare as a result. With COVID-19 cases declining, companies in the health care supply chain will switch to post-pandemic mode. Read more about the supply chain challenges the health care industry faces on Freight Waves.

U.S. West Coast Ports Rushes to Clear Ship Backlog

The west coast ports in the U.S. aims to clear the ship congestion before peak season begins in about three months. The bottleneck that started back in November which peaked in early February is largely due to imports in the trade with Asia. Discover the west coast ports' plans to reduce cargo backlogs from Supply Chain Brain.

China Suspends Economic Discussions with Australia

China announces an indefinite suspension of all activity for high-level economic dialogue with Australia, one of its largest sources of imports. Tensions between the two countries picked up in 2018 with Australia's network ban on Chinese telecommunications company. Relations worsened as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe. Learn about Australia's response to China's announcement at CNBC.

 

What's New in the SAP Industry?

SAP Doubles Efforts Against COVID-19

Last April, SAP established a COVID-19 Emergency Fund of 3 million euros to support organizations like the CDC and World Health Organization. Now, SAP adds another 3 million euros to the fund for the development of COVID-19 vaccines and the equitable access for every country. In addition, the funds will support India-based employees and communities. See the specific distributions of this fund in the press release from the SAP Press Room.

Gartner Recognizes SAP S/4HANA Cloud as a Leader

In Gartner's 2021 “Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large and Global Enterprises” report, SAP S/4HANA is listed in the leader's quadrant. For these reports, Gartner evaluates vendors like SAP on their ability to execute their vision. Read about SAP's achievements in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant report in the SAP Press Room.

 

What's New with ShipERP?

Easily Navigate HAZMAT Compliance with a Cheat Sheet

Government regulation places high importance on shipping labels for your HAZMAT products. Check out this cheat sheet to discover:

  • Which products are considered HAZMAT and why they're considered hazardous
  • The Class Category and UN numbers of some HAZMAT products

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