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FINANCE

What the Apparel Industry Should Know to Navigate Some Choppy Seas

By Christian Chensvold, Associate Editor | March 8, 2024

The California Apparel News recently checked in with Robert Krieger, president of logistics company Krieger Worldwide—“a kind of travel agent for cargo,” as he puts it—to give us the outlook on shipping as it relates to the apparel industry and the challenges that lie ahead.

Port of Los Angeles, Oakland Report Record Cargo Surge

Port of Los Angeles, Oakland Report Record Cargo Surge

The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Oakland both reported a record cargo surge in March.

Traffic Congestion at Ports of L.A. and Long Beach at High Levels

Traffic Congestion at Ports of L.A. and Long Beach at High Levels

Cargo-ship congestion at California ports and those located around the United States is at some of the highest levels in years due to supply-chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To help break up the congestion, on Feb. 1 the Port of Los Angeles started an incentive program to move trucks more efficiently and at a faster pace through its terminals, said Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director.

Year in Review: U.S. Approves USMCA Treaty, China Turmoil Heats Up

Year in Review: U.S. Approves USMCA Treaty, China Turmoil Heats Up

The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement was signed into law in the United States, but the adoption of a major trade treaty did not mean smooth sailing for global trade, as U.S. trade disagreements with China increasingly dominated headlines.

Port Traffic Up, Port Officials Warn of Trade Imbalance

Port Traffic Up, Port Officials Warn of Trade Imbalance

The Port of Los Angeles announced that October ranked as the busiest month in its 114-year history. A surge of container traffic also was experienced last month in Northern California, according to a statement released by the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif.

Moving Toward Greener Freight and Logistics, Flexport Seeks to Offset Carbon

Moving Toward Greener Freight and Logistics, Flexport Seeks to Offset Carbon

For technology-focused freight forwarder Flexport, creating a more streamlined approach to global trade has been the company’s goal since the introduction of its cloud software and data-analytics platform in 2013.

AAFA and Others Petition Against Forced-Labor Bill

AAFA and Others Petition Against Forced-Labor Bill

After the United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act on Sept. 22, the American Apparel and Footwear Association and other major apparel trade groups made a joint statement urging Congress to take a different path in its efforts to protect the human rights of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China’s Xinjiang region.

AAFA’s Lamar Testified on Stopping Chinese Forced Labor

AAFA’s Lamar Testified on Stopping Chinese Forced Labor

Steve Lamar, the president and chief executive officer of the trade group American Apparel & Footwear Association, testified Sept. 17 on steps American fashion-and-apparel companies can take to stop forced labor in China’s Xinjiang province.

U.S. Apparel Trade Associations Condemn Forced Labor in China

Leading apparel trade associations in the United States made a joint statement July 23 condemning forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China. The group also stressed that it is a priority to guarantee that products made by forced labor do not appear in U.S. supply chains.

USMCA Takes Effect, Replaces NAFTA

USMCA Takes Effect, Replaces NAFTA

As a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement was implemented July 1.

Supply-Chain Executives Forecast How Technology Amid the Pandemic Can Transform Businesses

Supply-Chain Executives Forecast How Technology Amid the Pandemic Can Transform Businesses

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the fashion business upside down and is putting supply chains through a giant stress test, said Neil Soni, vice president of business development and strategy for Omnichain, a Los Angeles–headquartered supply-chain company.

Certain Tariffs to Receive 90-Day Postponement Due to Pandemic

Certain Tariffs to Receive 90-Day Postponement Due to Pandemic

Importers faced with financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic can request a 90-day deferment in payments on certain duties, taxes and fees, according to an executive order signed by President Trump on April 18.

March Volumes Decrease at Major California Ports, but Optimism Abounds

March Volumes Decrease at Major California Ports, but Optimism Abounds

Due to a weak global-trade market resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, loaded container volume declined from 2019 totals during March at the Port of Oakland.

Retail Trade Groups Say Dump Chinese Import Tariffs

On March 19, members of the retail industry’s leading trade groups joined in a letter asking President Trump to suspend U.S. tariffs in place on Chinese imports. The tariff suspension would serve as a tool to blunt the economic downturn from the coronavirus pandemic, they said.

Port of Oakland, Oakland International Airport, Deemed Essential and Will Remain Open

Port of Oakland, Oakland International Airport, Deemed Essential and Will Remain Open

As regions of Northern California, including six Bay Area counties, prepared for shelter-in-place orders in response to COVID-19, the Port of Oakland announced on March 16 that it would remain open for business.

USMCA Approved by U.S. Senate, Phase One of China Deal Signed by Trump

USMCA Approved by U.S. Senate, Phase One of China Deal Signed by Trump

In a fast-paced set of events, President Donald Trump signed Phase Oneof the trade agreement between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China on Jan. 15. The next day, the U.S. Senate approved the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, a platform upon which Trump campaigned during 2016 as a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement.