Container lines are having a harsh winter out on the open seas. A Maersk Line vessel lost an estimated 750 boxes overboard in the Pacific Ocean, the WSJ Logistics Report’s Costas Paris writes, the latest in a recent spate of similar incidents that have disrupted deliveries and destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of goods during transport. The Maersk Essen lost the boxes amid heavy seas on its way from China to Los Angeles last weekend, about a month after an Ocean Network Express vessel was hit by a major storm that tossed some 2,000 containers into the Pacific. That has triggered tens of millions of dollars in insurance claims and a closer look at oceangoing operations. Overboard-container incidents have been declining in recent years, but experts warn that larger container ships coupled with the push to stack vessels to capacity may make the stability of cargo a bigger concern.

Britain’s first weeks of doing business outside of the European Union have been a mixed bag, even as new tests for the border operations are looming. Big U.K. grocers have flagged only minor disruptions to food imports, the WSJ’s Alistair MacDonald reports, while the country’s ports report few problems with the container traffic that makes up 60% of U.K. trade. But many smaller U.K. companies that move goods by trucks across the English Channel are experiencing extra costs and big delays, and they worry that will become a barrier to their exports to continental Europe. And logistics operators DB Schenker and DFDS suspended cross-border deliveries for a time because of big paperwork problems. The bigger test of the U.K.’s new relationship with the EU will come as shipment volumes increase in the coming weeks and the difference between teething problems and permanent obstacles becomes more apparent.

President Biden’s nominee to run the Transportation Department faces an uphill climb in getting bipartisan approval for a big infrastructure measure. Former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg told a Senate confirmation there is “a lot of work to do to improve the infrastructure in this country.” The WSJ’s Ted Mann reports that Republicans have started expressing skepticism about federal spending under a Democratic president, and are raising questions about how to pay for Mr. Biden’s $2 trillion target. A spokesman for the nominee said after the hearing that an increase in the federal gas tax isn’t on the table. While Mr. Buttigieg awaits a confirmation vote, the administration named Lana Hurdle as acting secretary of Transportation. It also made several other agency appointments, including Meera Joshi as deputy administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Lucinda Lessley as deputy administrator at the Maritime Administration.

About 900,000 U.S. workers filed initial claims for unemployment benefits last week. (WSJ)

Union Pacific expects overall volumes to grow 4% to 6% this year, with gains across most of its markets. (Dow Jones Newswires)

CSX’s fourth-quarter operating earnings rose 5% to $1.22 billion as a 7% cut in costs outpaced a 2% decline in freight rail revenue. (Dow Jones Newswires)

President Biden directed federal regulators to require employers to develop coronavirus protocols and enforce compliance. (WSJ)

Instacart is cutting about 1,900 jobs, including 10 workers who recently formed a union. (WSJ)

Chip giant Intel’s annual revenue jumped 8.2% to $77.9 billion even as profits slipped. (WSJ)

South Korea’s LG Electronics is rethinking its commitment to smartphones as Chinese suppliers grow more dominant. (WSJ) 

British shoppers buying goods from European websites are facing post-Brexit demands of more than $135 in import duties. (The Guardian)

About 1,400 produce handlers and delivery drivers at New York’s Hunts Point Produce Market are on strike after contract talks with ownership broke down. (WSJ)

Asia’s surging demand for rice and regional logistics bottlenecks are driving up prices for the key foodstuff in Africa. (Reuters)

Ohio suspended use of one coronavirus vaccine distributor after hundreds of doses in its care were spoiled. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Airbus is increasing production of single-aisle passenger jets more slowly than expected. (Financial Times)

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD raised $3.85 billion in a stock sale. (Nikkei Asian Review)

Manufacturer Bassett Furniture Industries says tight shipping capacity is delaying its deliveries of sold merchandise. (Dow Jones Newswires)

The South American subsidiary of Navios Maritime Holdings is signaling a new share offering in New York. (Lloyd’s List)

Rio Tinto’s new chief executive expects to begin shipping more iron ore to China. (TradeWinds)

Truckload carrier U.S. Xpress is projecting slow growth early this year followed by a steadier recovery in the second half of the year. (DC Velocity)

Food-delivery firms are adding fees to cover higher costs they say arise from California’s stricter rules on independent contractors.  (Restaurant Dive)

British Airways’ cargo handlers in the U.K. are set to strike again over changes to pay and conditions. (Air Cargo News)

KLM Cargo and sister airline Martinair may suspend long-haul flights, including freighter operations, under stricter Covid-19 restrictions in the Netherlands. (The Loadstar)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Write to him at paul.page@wsj.com.

Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team: @PaulPage, @jensmithWSJ, @CostasParis. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on Twitter at @WSJLogistics.