PO Shipping survived a tough 2011 on the transpacific when other small carriers didn’t. By Eric Johnson To say 2011 was a tumultuous year on the transpacific would be an understatement. According to American Shipper liner research affiliate ComPair Data, of the 29 vessel operators in the trade at the start […]
In mid-February, Maersk Line announced it was pulling 9 percent of its Asia-Mediterranean capacity from the end of March through a reshuffling of its joint Asia-Med service network with CMA CGM. That announcement, coming as it did on the heels of Maersk’s confirmation that it would be pulling one of its seven Asia-Northern […]
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to soon release a draft strategic plan for taking its Air Cargo Advanced Screening system from a limited pilot program to a mandatory requirement that carriers pre-file information on all air shipments bound for the United States, according to industry representatives and government officials involved in the project. […]
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration in February expanded its TSA PreCheck pilot program to Salt Lake City International Airport and New York’s JFK International Airport. TSA PreCheck began last October as a limited trial for expedited screening of pre-approved passengers who provide advance information about themselves and verify their identity at airport checkpoints. Pre-screening […]
U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a notice of proposed rulemaking on Feb. 22 that would make substantial changes to the way imported merchandise is transported inland under a bond, enabling the cargo owner to defer payment of duties until it reaches the destination port or is exported. The primary fixes involve making […]
Extending the re-validation cycle for companies in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism by a year will not adversely impact supply chain security, according to Shawn Beddows, the U.S. Customs official directly in charge of the program. The Obama administration’s budget plan for fiscal year 2013 calls for a $5 million reduction in […]
By Geoff Whiting International and domestic logistics operations are often managed by separate departments using different logistics management technology. This antiquated approach creates a critical disconnect in the supply chain between product sources and stores. Forward-thinking companies – led by the retail and consumer goods industries – are now seeking solutions to […]
The new, merged service dubbed ISE operates with eight vessels averaging 5,136 TEUs. Five vessels are operated by MSC and three are operated by partner Shipping Corp. of India.
Walmart Canada DC is model for energy conservation. By Eric Kulisch In November 2010, Walmart Canada opened a 400,000-square foot fresh food distribution center in Balzac, Alberta, that sets industry standards for sustainability. The company says the $115 million facility, which services all 104 Walmart stores in Western Canada, is 60-percent […]
Buried within the archives of the World Trade Organization’s Website is a hefty list of case numbers documenting the trade disputes between member countries. The list is organized by country and the longest subset belongs to the United States, which is no accident. The United States is the most vigorous pursuer of WTO rules […]
The liner carrier CSAV said this week its container volume in February was the lowest of any month since September 2009. CSAV handled 161,300 TEUs in February, a 40.8 percent year-on-year drop. In the last four-plus years, only the first nine months of 2009 saw lower volume than in February. The line […]
The addition of Rickmers-Linie and TOTE Inc. boosts the council’s membership to 29 companies. However, these newest members are somewhat unusual as the council’s roster is dominated by international container shipping companies.
Maersk Line has continued its focus on the backhaul of the Asia-Europe trade with another measure aimed at improving revenue on European exports. The line said Thursday it will assess a $300-per-TEU rate increase on shipments from Northern Europe (including Russia and Scandinavia) to Asia (including Japan) from May 1. In the […]
ShipmentOptimizer allows shippers to account for variables in complex supply chains. By Eric Johnson In mid-February, Singapore-based APL Logistics unveiled a new product aimed at revamping the way large shippers handle their overall supply chain planning. The product, which APL Logistics dubs ShipmentOptimizer, is notable not just for what it does, but […]
Sustainability efforts benefit bottom line, community. By Eric Kulisch Minimizing the environmental impact of operations and products involves reducing waste — and waste reduction is the core principle behind Walmart’s low cost and low-price strategy. Cutting waste saves money and protects the planet, Walmart officials like to say. In 2011, Walmart continued […]
Last year saw a number of small containership lines drop out of the transpacific trade amid flat demand growth and intense competition. The drop-off was notably sharp in the second half, with American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data estimating a 15-percent withdrawal of eastbound transpacific capacity was withdrawn from July. In late February, American Shipper spoke to Brian Conrad, executive […]
Mitigating freight rate volatility. By Eric Johnson Up, down, up, down. That’s been the theme on the transpacific in recent years, and those swings don’t just apply to annual periods, but rather quarters, or even months. In response to the swings that have frankly been a feature of liner shipping […]
“This is the first time a settlement addresses Clean Air Act violations in the marine engine manufacturing and ship building industries,” said Ignacia S. Moreno of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Exports to Asia are healthy, but they’re not enough for carriers to structure service networks around the westbound transpacific trade. By Eric Johnson Westbound transpacific trade grew a robust 10 percent in 2011, while eastbound transpacific trade actually receded by 1 percent. What’s more, over the past four years, U.S. export […]
Fuel savings help support retailer’s everyday low prices. By Eric Kulisch Walmart is well on its way toward its goal of doubling the efficiency of its truck fleet by 2015, but reaching that milestone involves more than boosting the miles per gallon of its vehicles. It takes a network-centric approach, says […]
