News

MARKET UPDATE – JANUARY 2023 As the world unpacks a fresh calendar to begin the new year, businesses, and hence supply chain professionals, find themselves still burdened with the same pressures from the second half of the previous year. With the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, China’s exit from the ‘Zero-Covid’ policy, and fears of a global recession everRead more

Century unveils new Century Supply Chain Solutions brand identity [Jan 10, 2023] Century, the tech-focused global logistics service provider powering the supply chains of the world’s companies today unveils its new brand identity, including a new name and logo. Century’s updated website has also been relocated to www.centurysc.com. The new branding highlights Century’s unique role in bringing people and technologyRead more

MARKET UPDATE – December 2022 The easing of supply chain pressures, attributable to many factors such as global inflation, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the majority of the world, including China, entering a post-Covid new normal, has led to container freight rates returning almost to pre-pandemic levels. This suggests that ocean carrier profits in 2023 may be a lotRead more

MARKET UPDATE – November 2022 The downward trajectory of ocean freight rates, beginning in the third quarter of 2022, seemed like they would perpetually decline until finally settling back down to pre-pandemic levels. However, recent data suggest a minor stabilization of ocean freight rates, from weeks 43 to 48, prior to reaching pre-pandemic levels despite the continuing trend of economicRead more

Your Distribution Centers (DCs) are critical supply chain management assets. However, they can also become inefficient when holding too much inventory, or also a costly and time-consuming touchpoint in your supply chain. This becomes a particular issue for goods with short lifecycles such as seasonal, fashion, fragile, and promotional products. At Century, we strive to provide our customers with greaterRead more

MARKET UPDATE – October 2022 As mounting inflation and rising energy costs continue to weigh on consumer appetite for spending, the uncertain economic outlook is leading to further downward pressure in the ocean freight market. The widened imbalance between low consumer demand and surplus carrier capacity has led to the steepest decline in ocean freight rates since the start ofRead more

MARKET UPDATE – September 2022 As the China Golden Week holiday nears, the traditional peak shipping period, where many importers rush to ensure adequate inventory ahead of the year-end holiday season, does not seem to have made its arrival this year. With the uncertainty around the global economy continuing to dampen consumers’ appetite for spending, many fear the weakened demandsRead more

MARKET UPDATE – August 2022 At this time of the year, the shipping industry would typically be seeing a surge in orders as importers worldwide stock up and prepare for the year-end holiday sales. However, as shoppers grapple with inflationary pressures, the uncertainties around rising retail prices are clouding the outlook of a buoyant consumer spending ahead of Thanksgiving andRead more

MARKET UPDATE – July 2022 As the shipping industry enters the busiest time of the year, the sharp decline in ocean freight rates in recent months coupled with multiple reports on the high level of inventory in retailers’ warehouses, are signaling a peak season that may not be as strong as many expect. While the talks around the unsustainable consumerRead more

MARKET UPDATE – June 2022 The global economy is fluctuating rapidly in response to the government regulations influencing the financial market. Much of the world is back to normal after more than two years of a pandemic. The global effect on the world economy, especially in commodity markets, manufacturing industries and supply chain have contributed to perceptions of a slowdownRead more