CIFFA Forwarder Spring 2025

34 THE FORWARDER | SPRING 2025 Seafreight Committee – Chair Martin Schultz • CIFFA is involved in quarterly meetings of the National Supply Chain Office. Most of the group’s discussion is about capacity constraints, predominantly at the Port of Vancouver. CIFFA has recommended expanding the scope of the NSCO to discuss issues across Canada. The NSCO was established to create a Canadian supply chain strategy, which is still in development after several years. • Canadian ports receive millions of dollars in funding, but it doesn’t seem to be enhancing operations where most required. Further, infrastructure development at the ports takes a very long time, often decades. There is no deepwater port in Eastern Canada and there are low-water issues at the Port of Montreal, meaning those ports can’t accept large ships. U.S. East Coast ports are making large investments to increase capacity. Government investments are necessary to keep these ports viable and competitive. The National Trade Corridors Fund issues funds without a strategy. • A CIFFA member exported a car with the proper documentation, but at destination, it was determined that the documentation was fraudulent and the car was stolen. It appears the forwarder had done its due diligence, completing all of the steps set out by the carrier on its website. Despite that, the carrier immediately cut off business with the forwarder. CIFFA has reached out to the senior carrier representative in Canada to discuss this issue, but has not been able to make headway on behalf of the forwarder. Sustainability Committee – Chair Christina Fisker • In February, CIFFA published Ocean Carriers Sustainability Initiatives, a report that outlines the sustainability efforts of several prominent ocean carriers. The committee will add information on the sustainability initiatives of air carriers that serve the Canadian market and of Canada’s two major railways. • The committee decided to start work on the third white paper in its sustainability blueprint series. It will focus on the “G” – governance – in ESG. The first two reports in the series are available in the Resources section of CIFFA’s website: A Sustainability Blueprint – An Introductory Guide to Sustainability for CIFFA Members, published in June 2023, and Social Sustainability – A Guide for CIFFA Members, published in September 2024. • The spring 2025 issue of The Forwarder magazine will feature a number of sustainability-focused articles. Technology Committee – Chair Marc Bibeau • The committee hosted a webinar on March 12, the first in a planned series of AI-focused sessions. Presenters were Matt Motsick, CEO of Rippey AI, a Colorado-based company that offers document management, email response bot and chatbot services, and Emily Stamm, Director of Customer Growth at Washington, D.C.-based Betty, a website search tool enabled by AI. Committee member Corey Bertsch, VP, Solutions at Newage Global served as moderator. • Committee members are now considering topics and speakers for a second webinar, anticipated to take place in May. If you are interested in participating on any of the national committees, send your request to either admin@ciffa.com or the Regional Chair for your area, whose contact details can be found in the National Board of Directors listing on the CIFFA website. Your reliable shipping partner. PRINCERUPERT VANCOUVER NEW ORLEANS MOBILE MONTREAL HALIFAX SAINT JOHN DETROIT TORONTO MEMPHIS JACKSON CALGARY EDMONTON WINNIPEG MONCTON PRINCE GEORGE SASKATOON REGINA CHIPPEWA FALLS ARCADIA INDIANAPOLIS CHICAGO JOLIET As a leading transportation provider, we work closely with our valued freight forwarding partners to provide a true competitive advantage - unparalleled reach and cwapacity across North America - to support growth and access new markets. Faster. Seamless. Direct. Intermodal shipping.