Logistics

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it neared landfall along Florida’s southwest coast Sept. 28, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state, and the heavily populated Naples to Sarasota region was at highest risk of a devastating storm surge.

OMAHA, Neb. — A union that rejected its deal with the nation’s freight railroads earlier this month now has a new tentative agreement, but officials cautioned that the contract dispute won’t be fully settled until all 12 rail unions approve their agreements this fall.

North Dakota is joining a handful of states that are merging their long-term freight and rail plans into a single document to maximize multimodal synergies and streamline federal reporting requirements.

For at least one month, August, the Port of New York and New Jersey was the busiest container port in the U.S. as it nudged ahead of longtime leader Port of Los Angeles in total 20-foot-equivalent units processed.

GXO Logistics Inc. celebrated the opening of a new warehouse with Bayer in Kearney, Neb., the companies announced Sept. 27.

Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world’s largest container line, will expand into air cargo using four leased Boeing Co. wide-body freighters after missing out in a bid for Italy’s flag-carrier airline.

It’ll cost more to mail letters and packages this holiday season. Starting Oct. 2, the U.S. Postal Service is increasing its rates for both commercial and retail products.

Amazon said Sept. 26 that in October it will hold a second Prime Day-like shopping event, making it the latest major retailer to offer holiday deals earlier this year to entice cautious consumers struggling with tighter budgets.

The U.S. is running low on gasoline on the West Coast and in the Midwest, where prices are surging on the street, defying falling futures markets.

Fleet telematics provider Isaac Instruments announced it has completed a technology integration with McLeod Software to help joint customers streamline their operations.