American Shipper

   Ainsworth Pet Nutrition has selected third party logistics services and software provider Transplace to handle transportation management for all its outbound shipments, Transplace said Tuesday.    The deal will see Transplace implement its transportation management system (TMS) to enhance process automation and achieve greater visibility to reduce transportation costs and improve operational efficiency for Ainsworth, which […]

   The Panama Canal Authority has advertised that the massive project underway to expand the man-made shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans will enable transits by 12,500-TEU vessels, but a top official now says the facility’s operating capacity could bump up to accommodate even larger ships.    Rodolfo Sabonge, executive vice president for planning and […]

   The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Tuesday signaled its intent to begin negotiating an international services agreement (ISA) with 20 other nations.    In a letter to Congress, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the negotiations would be aimed at promoting international trade in services and supporting increased U.S. service exports and jobs. The […]

   The cloud-based logistics software provider Trade Tech said Tuesday it has been authorized by Nippon Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System (NACCS) for filing according to Japan’s Advance Filing Rules due to go into effect March 2014.    NACCS is the Japanese government entity responsible for import/export and customs clearance services. Since Japan’s Advance […]

“I’ve been here for 34 years and it is time,” Joseph Dorto said. “You always hear, ‘leave on a high note’ and we just completed the second best year in our history, so I think this is the right time.”

TNT Express has been plagued by managerial and operational issues, and with the latest blow coming in the form of a dead merger with UPS, the company will continue to lose market share, analysts say.

   Saying it has made significant progress in its quest to emerge as an industry leader, American Airlines reported that it generated $24.9 billion in consolidated revenue last year, the highest in company history.    Net profits in the fourth quarter of 2012 were an estimated $142 million less than expected due to the impact […]

   Non-vessel-operating common carrier CaroTrans has started a direct, weekly less-than-containerload export service from San Francisco to Japan.    The service offers overall transits from San Francisco to Tokyo of 12 days; Yokohama, 13 days; and Osaka, Nagoya and Kobe, 17 days. There is no transshipment via Busan, South Korea, or additional handling via Los […]

   Seaspan Corp. said Wednesday it signed contracts for the construction of five 14,000-TEU class containerships at Hyundai Heavy Industries.    The vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2015 and will be constructed using Seaspan’s fuel efficient SAVER design.    Concurrently with executing the newbuilding contracts, Seaspan signed 10-year, fixed-rate time charters for the vessels […]

   A day after news broke that the UPS and TNT Express merger was dead in the water, DHL announced it had secured a contract with Panasonic for warehousing and logistics services worth $159.9 million.    DHL will take over Panasonic’s U.K. supply chain, managing a shared warehouse, working to enhance the shipper’s domestic transport […]

The port is scheduled to start work this Wednesday on a new intermodal rail yard attached to its Berth 200. The new $137 million yard, in Wilmington, is designed to improve a critical link in the nation’s freight network.

Chris Dombalis has more than 30 years of executive experience in the maritime and logistics industries. Most recently, he served as executive vice president of Maher Terminals, one the largest container terminal operators.

Henry Maier has been promoted to president and CEO of FedEx Ground, replacing retiring David Rebholz, who had been at the company for 37 years. Maier previously served as FedEx Ground’s executive vice president.

Purolator International, which specializes in U.S.-Canadian logistics, will add locations in Columbus, Ohio; Newark, N.J.; and Phoenix during the first quarter of the year, after opening seven U.S. locations in 2012.

   New York-based Atlas Air Worldwide, a provider of global aviation services, has seen diluted earnings for 2012 top $4.65 per share, a more than 13 percent growth over 2011’s numbers.    Preliminary totals for 2012, as well as an initial look at the company in 2013, were released in anticipation of an investor presentation […]

   The North American Millers’ Association (NAMA), a trade group representing the country’s largest flour shippers, said its vice chairman Jim Meyer has become chairman.    The announcement was made as the immediate past chairman, Greg Schlafer, moves to a position in the potato business with ConAgra Foods and departs the milling business.    Meyer was elected […]

   Canadian Pacific railroad on Monday opened a new intermodal facility at Saskatchewan’s Global Transportation Hub (GTH) in Regina.    The 300-acre intermodal yard is adjacent to CP’s mainline between Regina and Moose Jaw.    “The actual concept and development of the GTH began over five years ago and was predicated on CP relocating its […]

   Optical character recognition (OCR) is becoming more widely used in ports around the world to automate operations, according to a report released by the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA).    The report, OCR in Ports and Terminals, is the fourth information paper to be published by PEMA, and the third such to be issued […]

   Tonnage moving on the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 2012 navigation season totaled 38.9 million tonnes, 4 percent more than the prior year.    Canada’s St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. (SLSMC), which manages the seaway in conjunction with the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., said demand for low-sulphur coal in Europe led to a […]

   Vigor Industrial has entered an agreement with Daoda Marine Heavy Industry Co. (DDHI) to buy a new floating drydock for $40 million.    At 960 feet long, with an inside width of 186 feet and a lifting capacity of 80,000 long tons, it will be the largest floating drydock in the United States.    […]