Truckers who are being challenged on multiple fronts by bankrupt Hanjin Shipping’s stranded cargo that they already have are facing additional obstacles as U.S. ports take a variety of approaches to accepting or releasing the Korean carrier’s goods that are on the docks or afloat nearby.

WASHINGTON — Teamsters leadership candidates who squared off in the only debate before the fall union election blended their focus on key issues such as retiree pensions with exchanges about their past deeds and frequent name-calling.

Recent reports that track freight rates could be showing initial signs of improvement in truckload pricing, which has been under intensified pressure this year.

The New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund later this month plans to seek federal approval to cut retiree pension benefits by 31%, becoming the second trucking union planning to announce that step as a way of preserving future benefits.

Intermodal freight shipments fell 6.1% in the second quarter from a year earlier, ending a string of 25 consecutive quarterly increases, hurt by fewer international and trailer shipments, the Intermodal Association of North America reported.

Initial containership traffic through the expanded Panama Canal is averaging about one larger vessel per day during a ramp-up period that should be followed by exponential growth in the months and years ahead.

UPS Inc. boosted net income in the second quarter by 3.2% to $1.27 billion, or $1.43 per share, helped by internal company improvements as well as stronger international and domestic package profitability.