14% decline in truck fatalities
New preliminary data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows a noticeable drop in large-truck crash injuries and fatalities, a positive development as the agency considers new rules designed to prevent such crashes and mitigate their effects.
Fatalities resulting from crashes involving large trucks (weighing over 10,000 pounds) fell 14.4% — from 1,175 to 1,006 — in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, according to the latest statistics published by FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), dropping below the 10-year trend.
Tracker: Maritime cargo trends
Maritime gateways handled 40% of international freight value in 2022, according to the Department of Transportation. As a result, keeping track of seaport volumes can be a good barometer for establishing years- and months-long trade trends nationwide.
So far in 2023, volumes have normalized to pre-pandemic levels — but how far above or below 2019 will containerized trade end up?
Read More Here Supply Chain Dive
China limits graphite exports
China, the world’s top producer and exporter of graphite, announced October 20 it will soon require export permits for some graphite products in an effort to protect national security. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that the new requirements will not target any specific countries, according to Reuters.
Under the rule, which will be enforced starting December 1, exporters will have to apply for permits to ship two different types of graphite, including natural flake graphite and its products as well as high-purity, high-hardness and high-intensity synthetic graphite.
Read More Here Supply Chain Brain