STB weighs arguments for competitive switching between railroads. At the end of March, an anticipated public hearing by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board brought more than eight hours of testimony from many shippers who are trying to convince federal regulators to inject more competition into the domestic freight rail industry through a process known […]
By Biju Kewalram I’ve heard this dilemma expressed in many ways over the last 25 years: “Should we buy off-the-shelf software or should we build our own?” Typically, this question is asked of software and systems that are core operational for logistics…
By Walter Kemmsies, chief economist, Moffatt & Nichol Last month this column focused on the impact of rising interest rates on freight movement. The focus this month is on how rising interest rates will shape freight movement infrastructure investment…
EDF’s Green Freight initiative helps companies lower their emissions while building a business case for sustainability.EDF’s Green Freight initiative helps companies lower their emissions while building a business case for sustainability. If it feels like the time for environmental sustainability in the supply chain has passed, there is some harrowing evidence that suggests sustainability […]
Research finds companies lack confidence in ERPs to deliver supply chain visibility. The concept of an enterprise resource planning system (ERP) is so ensconced in the business world, it seems hard to believe that it was less than 25 years ago that the term was actually coined. Today, most organizations rely on ERPs […]
The Practising Law Institute has published the Maritime Law Answer Book, written by Charlie Papavizas and H. Allen Black. Both are partners at the Washington office of the law firm Winston & Strawn. In their preface, the authors say their aim was to write a book that would be handy for both lawyers […]
Fednav in late March said it had become the first shipping company to use drones to check ice conditions on the water during a commercial voyage. The Umiak I, one of Fednav’s icebreakers, used a variety of video-equipped drones to scout ahead of the vessel in the ice-covered waters off the Labrador Coast. […]
Last month I wrote about Tiger Cool Express and several other providers of temperature-controlled transport (“Refrigerated rail heats up,” pages 34-42). Buried in the story is a brief mention of Tom Shurstad’s role as chief commercial officer of the Tiger Cool Express startup and his previous experience as head of Pacer Stacktrain and then […]
In the March issue article, “Tampa port’s name change,” you state that Miami is the closest U.S. port to the Panama Canal. That is true if you are talking about “airports” and measure distance by air miles over Florida and over Cuba. By the water route, Port Manatee is closer to the Panama Canal […]
Amazon has paid a $91,000 fine for shipping a flammable liquid adhesive by air via FedEx, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The shipment violated Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.
DHL Global Forwarding has unveiled Ocean Secure, a tracking and temperature-controlled product targeted at shippers moving sensitive, high-value cargo.
The neutral, non-vessel-operating common carrier Vanguard Logistics Services said this week its Vanguard Visibility+ application has been deployed at a number of its facilities in China, India and Southeast Asia.
About $487 million will be spent modernizing the Saint Lawrence Seaway over the next five years, some on a new mooring system that will use vacuum pads instead of ropes to secure ships as they transit locks on the canal.
A.P. Moller-Maersk said it has agreed to sell to NorSea Group the core business activities of its Danbor unit, involved in logistics and services for the wind and oil and gas industries. The sale is expected to be completed by the end of April. Another Danbor’s subsidiary, Maersk H2S Safety Services […]
The supply chain design software provider LLamasoft said Thursday that the home furnishings Internet retailer Wayfair has selected LLamasoft’s Transportation Guru product for supply chain network design and transportation route optimization throughout the company’s global enterprise. Boston-based Wayfair offers more than 12,000 brands, with nearly $1 billion in revenue in 2013, and has […]
Foxx U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Friday appointed 10 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council. Established in 2010, MTSNAC is comprised of 29 leaders from commercial transportation firms, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, and academic and environmental groups that advise the secretary on policies […]
UPS has opened a 78,000-square-foot healthcare facility in Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico, with plans to open more facilities in Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Santiago in the coming months. “The opening of these facilities are a part of UPS’ ongoing strategy to expand its footprint in vital markets and continued investment in technology to […]
New Orleans-based Dupuy Storage and Forwarding opened a new, 100,000-square-feet coffee warehouse and distribution facility this week in North Charleston to serve the rising levels of imported coffee beans through the Port of Charleston, the South Carolina Ports Authority said. Coffee volumes at the Port of Charleston are up 60 percent during the […]
The U.S. Commerce Department on Thursday reported that the country’s exports of goods and services in February fell slightly to $190.4 billion from $192.5 billion in January. However, service exports hit record levels, driven by royalties, license fees and other private services, the department said. In addition, Commerce found about 298,000 U.S. […]
