American Shipper

Chris Gillis Monday, April 28, 2014

U.S. continues labor dispute against Guatemala

   The United States on Friday said the dispute settlement process in the 2011 labor enforcement case brought under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement will not be terminated and will remain suspended for another four months as the United States seeks further progress by Guatemala on its labor obligations under the trade […]

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Chris Gillis Monday, April 28, 2014

U.S. readies for West African trade mission

   Twenty U.S. firms will join Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on a trade mission to West Africa, which will visit Ghana and Nigeria from May 18-23, 2014.    The trip will promote U.S. exports and expand U.S. companies’ presence in Africa by helping American firms launch or increase their business in the energy sector. The […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, April 28, 2014

Canada focuses on improvements during rail safety week

   To kick off Canadian rail safety week, which runs through May 4, Transport Canada announced that it will provide more than $9.2 million to improve 600 railway crossings across the country.    The Grade Crossing Improvement Program upgrades crossings that see high traffic volume or have a significant accident history with flashing lights, new […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, April 28, 2014

TNT Express sees revenues decline in 1Q

   TNT Express saw first-quarter operating revenues decline year-over-year by 6.6 percent to 1.61 billion euros and operating income plummeted 92.2 percent to 17 million euros, but officials said the company’s turnaround plan was on track, as TNT Express realized 30 million euros in savings during the quarter.    Officials also said they saw good […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, April 28, 2014

Finnair Cargo has big first quarter

   Finnair Cargo handled nearly 10 percent more cargo in the first quarter than in the same period in 2013, seeing 35,220 tons of cargo during the first three months of 2014.    Capacity increased by 2.2 percent, as freight revenue ton kilometers increased by 6.9 percent.    “We had very strong demand on our […]

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FreightWaves Staff Monday, April 28, 2014

Infrastructure needs at odds with trust-fund realities

   The American Road and Transportation Builders Association on Thursday released a report about the poor condition of the nation’s bridges, seemingly with the intent of putting pressure on Congress to address a looming fiscal shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund. Without Congressional help, the fund is expected to run out of money by late […]

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Chris Dupin Monday, April 28, 2014

Neovia sale being explored

   Reuters is reporting that Neovia Logistics, formerly Caterpillar Logistic Services, is exploring a sale “that could value the company at more than $1 billion.”    Reuters cites “people familiar with the matter,” saying that the sale of Neovia would come just two years after the private equity firm Platinum Equity acquired 65 percent of […]

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Chris Dupin Monday, April 28, 2014

Drewry: Panamax containership surplus a growing problem

   A surplus of Panamax-sized containerships, already a creating problems for liner companies in the North-South trades where they are helping drive down rates, is likely to get worse when the larger Panama Canal locks are opened at the end of 2015, says the London-based consulting firm Drewry in the latest issue of its Container […]

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FreightWaves Staff Friday, April 25, 2014

NAFTA truck trading rises in February

   Truck transportation among the United States, Mexico and Canada — the NAFTA countries — grew 2.6 percent in February, year-over-year, the most of any mode, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.    Those trucking moves in February accounted for 59.8 percent of the $89.6 billion in trade among the countries. Rail carried 14.7 […]

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FreightWaves Staff Friday, April 25, 2014

Con-way opens Texas facility

   Con-way Freight has opened a $3.7-million service center in Robinson, Texas, to replace its 25-year-old Waco facility.    Officials said the 18,870-square-foot Robinson center will serve Robinson, Waco and the rest of Central Texas. The facility will add 15 new jobs to the area, according to a company press release.    “The Central Texas […]

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Chris Dupin Friday, April 25, 2014

COSCO scraps 16 ships

   COSCO said it is scrapping 12 container ships and four bulk carriers to the breakers as part of a fleet decommissioning plan.    According to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the vessels, with the aggregate capacity of 803,087 deadweight tons, were sold as scrap at a total consideration of approximately 466.49 million Chinese […]

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Chris Dupin Friday, April 25, 2014

Singapore shippers voice support for massive new terminal

   Shippers in Singapore said they support development of a massive new container terminal in the western part of the country.    In an audacious move, Singapore, home to the world’s second-largest container port, is simultaneously undertaking a huge expansion of its Pasir Panjang Terminal while making plans to eventually relocate container operations to Tuas […]

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FreightWaves Staff Friday, April 25, 2014

Former DOT chief: New forces impact NAFTA trade

   The North American Free Trade Agreement has achieved its goal of increasing trade, lowering tariffs and making transportation more efficient during its first 20 years in force, but several trends impacting freight flows were not anticipated by policymakers who crafted the deal in the early 1990s, former transportation secretary Samuel Skinner said Thursday in […]

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