Recently a very clever hacker, probably from Russia, tricked a user of the DAT Freight & Analytics load board into giving away log-in information that put the hacker in charge of a critical shipment. The shipment was redirected and the freight was stolen. The carrier never got paid.
This was the result of a lookalike domain attack, as the National Motor Freight Traffic Association reports:
A lookalike domain is a domain that’s so similar to the one it’s pretending to be, you can hardly notice the difference. Sometimes they will substitute a .org for a .com. Other times they might add a letter or make a sneaky substitution—such as a numeral 1 for a lower-case I.
The objective is to convince an e-mail recipient that they have received a message from a legitimate sender, and that it’s OK to do what the sender is telling them to do.
In this case, the hacker had created a fake website that perfectly mirrored the real one associated with the domain it was mimicking. The email recipient was told to go to the site and enter log-in credentials. Everything looked normal—from the sender email address to the website that popped up after the click.
Once the user entered the log-in information, the hacker was in complete control of the shipment.
Two things to know: First, we are very cognizant of threats like these and we watch carefully for them. Second, this is one of the reasons personal attention to what’s happening with shipments is so important. We value technology and we use it, but never rely completely on it to the exclusion of our people’s personal communication with drivers and with shippers.
As east coast and gulf coast port operators begin negotiations with dockworkers’ unions, they are hoping to head off a strike by employees who want to build on gains other transportation unions have won in recent years. The International Longshoreman’s Association is threatening to strike if they can’t get a multiyear deal to their liking by the time their current contract expires on September 30.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Harold Daggett, the ILA’s combative president, told dockworkers at a protest in January outside the Manhattan offices of wind energy giant Orsted, that the forthcoming contract would be the best the union ever had. “Just remember, when we shut down, this whole f—ing world shuts down,” Daggett said. “They don’t realize how f—ing strong we are.”
The head of the union that represents more than 45,000 workers at ports from Maine to Texas has told local chapters to resolve local work issues with employers by May 17 so that a coast-wide deal can be negotiated before the current contract expires. Formal negotiations would be scheduled once the local agreements are reached.
If a strike occurs in the fall, it will directly affect the busiest part of the shipping season, and ships would likely not have success diverting to the west coast because the unions there would boycott them.
While there is a lot of time left for negotiations, it’s not too early to consider the impact of a potential port strike. For our clients who rely on drayage carriers, we will be thinking through the best strategies in the event of a port strike.
Industry experts suggest that market trends are becoming more favorable for carriers, which means it might make sense for shippers who have ongoing contracts with carriers to lock in lower rates now.
Carriers are beginning to signal improving market trends, and that may mean higher costs in the future for supply chain managers to move freight. Already, inventories are showing signs of normalizing and executives at some major trucking firms have said a return to normal could be around the corner.
“While customers still find themselves in a heightened state of uncertainty heading into 2024, virtually no one believes the current demand and capacity cycle is a new normal, or even that it’s durable,” Mark Rourke, president and CEO at Schneider National, said during the company’s Q4 earnings call. “The consistent question is, when does it change?”
We see several hard-to-determine factors that make it hard to say with certainty that carrier rates will change. The carrier market has been oversaturated for several years, and that overcapacity has led to favorable rates for shippers. But even if some carriers exit the market, an increase in demand from shippers could prevent rates from dropping significantly.
Our priority at Fello is always to maintain solid relationships with carriers so we can negotiate the fairest rates and ensure that your freight is delivered when and where it’s supposed to be. We will continue to do that as we watch these market trends with interest.
To learn more about how we can help you with everything happening in the market, email operations@fellologistics.com or call 952.960.8817.
Fello Logistics is known for integrity, reliability, industry-leading customer service and genuine care for it’s clients. Learn more about our freight shipping services.
