American Shipper

   A U.K.-based provider of maritime research, Dryad Maritime Intelligence, is renewing calls for heightened vigilance by ships traveling near Somalia following the recent attack on two ships, including the British-managed Island Splendor, stating that “just one successful hijack and holding to ransom of a large merchant vessel could revive Somalia’s maritime criminal infrastructure.”    […]

   Self-employed truck drivers who own their own equipment and contract with trucking companies and shippers to move freight are a dying breed and can’t be counted on as an additional source of truckload capacity if the economy picks up steam and large fleets are too busy to take on extra business, analysts say.    Owner-operators aren’t going […]

“It makes no sense for rates to be at current levels, and it threatens the ability of individual carriers to maintain service levels heading into 2014,” said Brian Conrad, the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement’s executive administrator.

John F. Reinhart, the long-time head of the Norfolk, Na.-based U.S.-flag vessel arm of Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, will continue to lead the company until his departure at the end of January 2014.

According to a William Blair analysis, Wednesday’s stock price valued the 32 million shares at $3.84 billion, making each share worth $120. FedEx reported $5.1 billion in cash at the end of its fiscal first quarter.

   CSX gained net earnings of $463 million in the third quarter, generating $8 million more than the same period in 2012.    Revenues of $3 billion, when combined with an operating ratio of 71.5 percent, led officials to estimate earnings-per-share to rise from 2012 levels. By 2015, officials expect to achieve an operating ratio […]

   The Port of Los Angeles said it handled 710,892 TEUs, including empty containers, in September, 4.57 percent fewer than in the same 2012 period.    Combined total loaded imports and exports for September decreased 6.55 percent from 557,683 TEUs last September to 521,165 TEUs this September. Empties increased 1.33 percent year over year.    […]

   Earnings during the third quarter for J.B. Hunt rose to $89.5 million from $78.2 million during the same period in 2012, as operating revenue topped $1.44 billion, an increase from $1.3 billion, year over year.    Intermodal experienced a load growth of 11.6 percent, which propelled a segment revenue increase of 12 percent. Revenue […]

   The domestic transportation industry experienced “tepid” growth for the first half of the year, and only modest improvements are expected for the rest of the year, according to a study by Fitch Ratings.    In Global Infrastructure & Project Finance U.S. Transportation Trends, Fall 2013, the agency noted the industry is still exposed to […]

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday it has postponed its annual Trade Symposium, scheduled to take place Oct. 24-25 in Washington, because of the two-week long government shutdown.

   The effect of the mooted P3 alliance between liner carriers Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co., and CMA CGM could be more aggressive pricing behavior, according to Tan Hua Joo, executive consultant for Alphaliner.    Speaking Wednesday at the TPM Asia conference in Shenzhen, organized by the Journal of Commerce, Tan argued the alliance would […]

   FESCO Integrated Transport North America has launched a new regular container service from North America to the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Sochi where the 2014 Winter Olympic games will be held Feb. 7-23.    FESCO will offer service as a non-vessel-operating common carrier every nine days from the ports of New York; […]

   In September, domestic intermodal costs fell 0.5 percent, year over year, and declined 1.2 percent month-to-month, according to Cass Information Systems.    Rates have stayed extremely competitive despite a rise in volumes brought on by a shift away from long-haul truckload, it said.    Linehaul rates rose 1.7 percent, year over year, and 2.7 percent […]

   The Port of Savannah used its new barge crane for the first time last month to unload a 100-ton, 92-foot-long yacht from a Zim liner vessel, the Georgia Ports Authority said Monday.    The Savannah Giant, which entered service in August, has a capacity of 500 short tons.    The crane was stationed alongside the […]

   Non-vessel-operating common carrier CaroTrans has started a direct Los Angeles-to-Suva, Fiji less-than-containerload service.    The NVO said the typical transit time to this market has been reduced from 32-36 days to 12 days via this new service.    Expedited and bonded on forwarding from Suva to markets Nadi and Lautoka are offered, CaroTrans said. […]

   The third party logistics provider Load Delivered Logistics has opened a Los Angeles-based office to tap into growing demand from West Coast shippers like customers Mary Ann’s Baking Co. and popchips.    Load Delivered said over the past year it has experienced a 28 percent increase in its western U.S. business.    “Part of our core philosophy is […]

For exports to the Far East moving through U.S. West Coast ports, the general rate increase is $80 for 20-foot dry boxes and $100 for other size dry boxes, including 40-footers, 40-foot high cubes, and 45-foot high cubes.

For the first nine months of the year, the Swiss forwarder saw earnings before taxes increase by 6 percent to CHF$561 million ($612.83 million) over the same period last year, despite reduced volume in its sea freight business.

The airline holding company said its subsidiaries are making serious efforts to improve cargo service despite the recent announcement that Air France and KLM will phase out their four Boeing 747 all-cargo planes by 2015.

   TNT Express has added 900 European locations to its 12:00 Express and 12:00 Economy Express programs, offering customers more guaranteed morning delivery services across the continent.    Customers can now receive packages before noon on the next business day in 26 European countries and 63 countries worldwide. The Economy Express service is used for […]