American Shipper

   Changes in crop-growing patterns and navigational limitations on the Upper Mississippi River system have done more to fundamentally alter how barge fleets operate than low-water levels caused by a two-year drought, according to a top agricultural economist.    Water levels in the Mississippi delta have fallen three or four feet, reducing the navigable channel […]

Mathews Bridge, a major artery in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., sustained heavy damage Thursday afternoon when the Navy ship 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin struck the bridge near the center span. No injuries were reported.

The Asian Shippers’ Council said an agreement last week by the IMO on mandatory verification of gross weight of containers is unworkable and was not done with what it called “proper representation” from shippers.

   Procter & Gamble has renewed and expanded its contract for global supply chain management technology and services with the cloud-based supply chain technology provider GT Nexus, the software company said this week.    P&G has been using the GT Nexus platform since 2001 to manage its global logistics spend. Its expanded agreement gives users […]

According to terms of the 20-year agreement, WoodFuels would finance and build a $25 million export facility at Morehead City to receive, store and load wood pellets for export to Europe as a renewable energy source.

Rail Logistics says it recently added 400 53-foot refrigerated containers to its express intermodal service from Washington state to the East Coast to support demand from food producers.

   Kuehne + Nagel has teamed up with European rail logistic firm VTG Aktiengesellschaft to merge the two companies’ rail operations under the name VTG Rail Logistics.    The companies expect to start joint operations on Jan. 1, if antitrust approval is granted. When combined, VTG Rail Logistics will boast 270 employees across 12 European […]

   American Airlines has transported more than 200 pieces of artifacts and gold from Bogota, Columbia, to London’s British Museum for an upcoming exhibition.    The move required help from art logistics company Momart as well as custom packaging cases. On-bord couriers carried the gold pieces.    “This was a highly complex single cargo movement, […]

   FreightWatch International is urging truckers traveling in Mexico to use caution at the Chalco toll booth on the Mexico-Puebla Toll Road and the Tepotzotlan booth on the Mexico-Queretaro road due to teacher’s union protests in the area.    The firm, which monitors and tracks cargo thefts, said teachers are currently slowing up freight flows by asking for donations from […]

   The U.S. Transportation Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has released about $63 million in grants to 33 University Transportation Centers (UTCs) to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges facing the country.    “University transportation centers are key to helping us address today’s transportation needs, from environmental sustainability to […]

   A bill requiring the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final ruling on sleep apnea has passed through the House by a unanimous vote and will now be considered by the Senate.    If made law, the bill would “ensure that any new or revised requirement providing for the screening, testing, or treatment of […]

U.S. and Japanese officials conducted thorough on-site audits to ensure that their organic programs’ regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible.

IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu said ocean shipping is “the world’s only really reliable, global, cost-effective and energy-efficient mass transportation method for energy, materials, foods and industrial products.”

The equity firm has purchased the white-glove logistics firm from Transport Resource partners for an undisclosed amount, combining the company with another 2013 acquisition, MXD Group.

An investigation by the analyst into liner carrier and freight forwarder knowledge of index-linked ocean contracts found inconsistencies, and in some cases, insufficient knowledge, about the instruments among sales offices.

   The World Trade Organization on Wednesday adopted an Aug. 2 dispute settlement panel report in favor of the United States in a major trade dispute with China, proving the country’s imposition of duties on U.S. chicken “broiler” products violates international trade rules.    With the report now formally adopted by the WTO Dispute Settlement […]

   The bulk carrier Nordic Orion, loaded with metallurgical coal in Vancouver, British Columbia, completed a successful voyage through the Northwest Passage earlier this week.    The Norway-based Bellona Foundation said the ship is transporting 73,000 tons of met coal to a steelmaker in Finland.    While increasing numbers of ships are sailing through the […]

   Knight Transportation recently proposed an acquisition of USA Truck for $9 per share or $95 million only to be rebuffed by the carrier’s management.    Knight is now taking its offer public to communicate directly with USA Truck’s shareholders.    The total value of the proposed acquisition, which includes USA Truck’s outstanding debt, is $242 […]

   Representatives from the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Customs Organization joined together at ICAO’s 38th assembly to reinforce their partnership and collaboration.     ICAO’s head Raymond Benjamin said “we’ve recognized that focusing only on the aviation leg of a given shipment is no longer enough.”    He added ICAO will now focus […]

   The U.S. and Iraqi governments on Wednesday reaffirmed their strategic partnership during a meeting of the Services, Technology, Environment and Transportation Joint Coordination Committee (STET JCC) in Washington.    Iraqi Deputy Minister of Transportation Bangen Rekani and U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Susan Kurland co-chaired the meeting. The […]