American Shipper

   SynchroNet Intermodal Services has hired John S. Walter as director international sales.    Walter will be responsible for sales of SynchroNet’s Web-based street-turn and stack-train services, and will focus those efforts on exporters, importers and non-vessel-operating common carriers.    Prior to joining SynchroNet, he was the director of marketing for Transamerica Leasing/TAL International.

One industry analyst who asked not to be identified was surprised Japan antitrust authorities were investigating the car carrier companies, noting their long-time dominance of the business and close ties to the auto industry in Japan.

   Qualified automotive and aerospace companies now have the ability to receive centralized processing of their imports at U.S. Customs’ latest Center of Excellence and Expertise.    The agency said the new integrated industry center opened in Detroit on Tuesday, four months after first being announced. An announcement on the start of a new Center of […]

   Non-vessel-operating common carrier Vanguard Logistics Services has expanded its presence in Central America through its new office in San Jose, Costa Rica.      “After consolidating our presence in South America and Mexico, the next logical step was to institute a strong and visible Vanguard presence in Costa Rica,” said Hal Donahue, Vanguard’s regional managing […]

   The Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals set a monthly tonnage record in July of 853,818 tons, besting the previous record of 852,522 tons set in April, the Maryland Port Administration announced last week.    The port handled 24 percent more cargo by weight in July than in June. Through the first seven months of […]

As cloud services began popping up in the shipping business, one concern that arose is the need to store data on a series of third-party cloud systems even if a company simply wants to share files and access specific computers on the go.

The lines are preparing shippers for the reality of the cost impacts of a potential strike by U.S. East and Gulf coast longshoremen at the end of September by implementing a major surcharge on shipments to and from U.S. ports from Oct. 1.

The liner organization said in a notice Tuesday that westbound revenues have declined considerably from levels seen earlier in the year, as demand in Asia has slowed and carriers have made concessions in their pricing.

   Canadian National Railway said it will acquire more than 2,200 new freight cars and 1,300 containers in 2012 to support traffic growth and improve customer service.    Jean-Jacques Ruest, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said the new equipment is for “a range of markets, including forest products, metals, minerals, coal, iron ore, steel, consumer […]

   Stephen Edwards has been named president and chief executive officer of GCT Global Container Terminals Inc., effective Sept. 10.    He succeeds Michael E. Moore, who left the company in June.    Edwards was president and CEO of Ports America, the largest terminal operating and stevedoring company in the United States, from 2007 to […]

   EVA Air Cargo has joined the mobile revolution to give shippers and consignees faster and easier access to real-time air freight shipment status information through its new app.    The free EVA Air Cargo App has been launched for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, and is available in four languages: English, traditional Chinese, simplified […]

   The Port of New Orleans reported Tuesday that all terminals and truck gates are operating on normal schedules following a three-day shutdown to ride out Hurricane Isaac and restore power to portions of the port.    Since the U.S. Coast Guard fully reopened the Mississippi River to commercial traffic on Sept. 1, terminal operators have […]

   North Carolina-based less-than-truckload carrier Old Dominion Freight Line said Tuesday it has opened a new service center in Parkersburg, W.Va.    The center is designed to serve seven cities in West Virginia, including Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Sistersville, New Milton, Harrisville, West Union and Ravenswood, and three in eastern Ohio (Marietta, Watertown and Athens).    The […]

   Energy management specialist Schneider Electric has signed an agreement to purchase supply chain and demand optimization software provider SolveIT Software.    SolveIT, based in Adelaide, Australia, provides software for the supply and demand chain areas with a focus on optimization and predictive modeling. Its services are currently used by large organizations like Rio Tinto, BHP […]

   The Port of Corpus Christi on Wednesday will inaugurate a repowered, cleaner-burning locomotive used to move railcars at its bulk terminal to and from the mainline.     The Texas port used a $1.02 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, plus $256,514 of its own money under the matching requirements, to replace the locomotive’s […]

The deal is noteworthy because of the contract’s length, compared to typical forwarding contracts of one to three years, or less, and the volume – 60,000 TEUs per year – placed under the exclusive control of a single logistics provider.

   Transpacific shippers who use 20-foot containers are likely overcharged on bunker fees, according to research by the maritime consultant SeaIntel.    SeaIntel noted the transpacific trade is the only one where surcharges on 20-foot containers are not 50 percent of those assessed on 40-foot containers. Instead, bunker adjustment fee (BAF) levels on the transpacific […]

   Groups representing companies in the apparel and luggage industry are calling on the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and their employers to resume labor negotiations, noting their members could face chargebacks from retailers .    Talks on a contract to replace one that expires at the end of this month ended abruptly two weeks ago. […]

  Centurion Cargo has appointed Paul Berntsen to vice president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.    Berntsen, a 20-year air cargo veteran, will be based in the company’s Amsterdam office.    Centurion Cargo, formerly Challenge Air Cargo, is based at Miami International Airport and currently operates a fleet of 10 MD-11 freighters.

As Americans celebrated Labor Day, there was still no sign of a thaw in the frozen labor negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and employers of its members. East Coast ports prepare for the worst.