Overview – 2018 Shipping Changes
The first and biggest shipping change for 2018 is pricing. The other major change that takes effect in 2018 is Executive Order 13777 which reduces unnecessary regulations under the Regulatory Reform Task Force (RRTF).
Changes in Pricing and Surcharges for 2018
Changes in pricing are an inevitable factor for major courier services like the U.S. Postal Service and FedEx. These price increases affect shipping fees for U.S. and International Ground Services, as well as domestic and international express shipping services.
The ripple effect of price increases is an increase in shipping surcharges. Surcharge increases rise from $3 to $300 for specified types of shipping among couriers.
The addition of technological changes may reduce dependency on human labor, but these changes will also increase efficiency. The cost of state-of-the-art equipment will be passed on to consumers.
2018 Changes to Shipping via Rail and Ship
Due to the need for greater security from port to port and rail freight destinations, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) plans to implement changes to international and domestic shipping rules and regulations relating to reducing CO2.
The ICS inclusion of MARPOL’s, (an international maritime shipping organization,) intent to prevent air pollution from ships entering and exiting harbors is a change that will be implemented before the end of December 2018.
How 2018 Shipping Changes Affect Consumers
Consumers and businesses that rely heavily on courier services and rail and ship freight to move goods should consider price increases a major factor in determining budgets before the start of 2018. In this way, additional shipping costs can be absorbed by increases in the price of goods.
For businesses that rely on shippers to manage their shipping needs, price increases will be factored into shipping management increases.
Stay Ahead of Changes in Shipping in 2018
For individuals and business owners, advanced study of changes in shipping in 2018 allows a better range of choices of shipping methods incorporated with today’s technology. For example, software applications and devices can reduce shipping costs by more direct communication from user to shipping provider.
Study the most cost-effective shipping choices used most frequently and compare prices. Consider the timeline of when shipped goods must be received. There is an opportunity to save when goods do not need to be shipped via express methods.