United Parcel Service Inc. jacked up fees by 30 percent to $650 for the largest items it delivers to discourage shippers from putting kayaks, refrigerators and other oversize items into a network meant for smaller parcels.

A.P. Moller-Maersk said it would cut back on capacity to combat falling freight rates and rising fuel costs, after the Danish shipping giant reported a weak first quarter that sent its shares down about 8 percent.

Companies are paying more for supply-chain skills in a hunt for buyers, planners and transportation managers who can help offset growing freight and raw materials costs.

Target Corp. is testing a new distribution strategy aimed at speeding up its restocking and making the retailer more nimble at stores and online as it competes with rivals like Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc.

Some ship operators are still looking for ways to skirt an international ban on the release of oily waste into ocean waters, in some cases using a tool known as a “magic pipe” to bypass cleaning devices, despite a crackdown on the practice.

The U.S.-China trade spat is cutting into the flow of soybeans, pork and other commodities from U.S. farms to one of the world’s biggest markets.

Established U.S. logistics firms say digital-friendly freight startups that are drawing growing interest in Silicon Valley still lack the scale and customer relationships to threaten their share of the market.

One of the shipping industry’s hottest markets is cold boxes.