Not in a generation has it been such a good time to become an exporter in the United States. The dollar has weakened and American shippers still know how to make high quality, specialized products sought after by many overseas consumers and businesses. And despite all the political turmoil in Washington, both Republicans […]
On Second Though…
Gina In the last issue, and online in my weekly “Washington Notebook” commentary, I wrote about some jokes delivered by Al Gina, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s assistant commissioner for trade, during an address to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America conference in Washington. Digging through my notebook turned up […]
John Raven, a long-time unabashed spokesman and commentator on global customs modernization and trade facilitation, died on Nov. 6. He was 91 years old. The cause of death was not disclosed, but he had been in declining health in recent months. Raven, a graduate of Cambridge University, sharpened his penmanship while convalescing […]
I enjoyed reading your recent article online (AS Daily, “Canadian Minister Defends Port Investment,” Oct. 18) regarding the West Coast unions and political interests attempting to use the Federal Maritime Commission to promote their protectionism agenda. Newsflash: Canada is a different country and your political influence ends at the border. I believe that […]
With the shipping industry in a downturn, there has been intense interest in a ruling handed down from the bench by Judge James M. Peck of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. (Marco Polo Seatrade, No. 11-13634, SDNY, Oct. 21) Marco Polo is one of four related companies […]
The second week of November was significant for the aviation industry and its future energy requirements. On Nov. 7, Continental Airlines flew the first-ever commercial domestic flight using a blend of biofuel and traditional jet fuel. The Boeing 737-800 flight from Houston to Chicago was powered by a 40 percent biofuel mix […]
The air cargo market has tapered off substantially this year after a strong rebound in 2010. September was the fifth straight month that freight volumes contracted. Air freight was down 2.7 percent compared to September 2010, after declining 2.4 percent in August, according to the International Air Transport Association.
On Sept. 23 Lambert-St. Louis International Airport celebrated the first of what officials hoped would be a continuous stream of weekly, direct all-cargo flights operated by China Cargo Airlines. The inaugural Boeing 747-400 flight carried between 80 to 100 tons of high-value manufactured goods and left for Shanghai with outbound cargo. The […]
Earlier this fall a well placed supply chain technology executive emphatically told me that “everyone is for sale right now — absolutely everyone” in this space. I had suspected it for some time but had not been able to substantiate it with inside information until that point. Since that time, the same idea has […]
Here’s a crazy idea from the out-of-the-box desk (or an out-of-the-box idea from the crazy desk): subsidize U.S. export ocean freight rates. I know, we need less government interference, not more. But it’s time to face a real problem. Liner carriers are less inclined to go out of their way to serve hard-to-reach […]
2012 Outlook – Happy New Year
Pearl River Delta terminals bank on intermodal traffic, coastal shipping to fill capacity. By Eric Johnson In 2007, American Shipper examined the container shipping landscape of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), as the Nansha deepwater port complex added a new dimension to the world’s largest manufacturing region. Four years later, it’s clear container terminals in […]
The Air Transport Association on Wednesday changed its name to Airlines for America (A4A), along with a new logo and redesigned Website. The focus shift is to international markets.
Developing an airport information webpage, increasing participation of smaller airports in strategic planning teleconferences, and better coordinating air traffic control equipment outages were among the recommendations made by aviation sector representatives at a workshop Wednesday convened to improve decision-making about flights diverted because of bad weather. The meeting at Department of Transportation headquarters […]
Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM, the second and third largest container lines in the world, on Thursday announced an operational alliance spanning a number of global trades. The alliance will see the two carriers partner on the Asia-Northern Europe, Asia-Southern Africa, and South America trades. “The agreement, which is designed to […]
APL took delivery today of the 10,000-TEU APL Chongqing and tomorrow will receive the sister ship APL Gwangyang, its first two of 32 large vessels on order. “Today marks a milestone,” said NOL Group CEO Ng Yat Chung.
Hamburg Sud said Thursday it will expand a cooperative agreement with Seago Line between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. “Both lines had responded to unfavorable market developments in this trade in August 2011 by combining their services,” the German line said in a statement. “Starting in January 2012, the currently existing four services […]
The liner carrier Mediterranean Shipping Co. said Thursday it plans to raise eastbound transpacific rates in line with recent recommendations from the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement. The line will raise rates by $320 per 20-foot container, $400 per 40-foot container, and $450 per 40-foot high-cube container as of Jan. 1. The TSA, of […]
The liner carrier Mediterranean Shipping Co. said Wednesday it plans to raise rates from Southeast Asia to Australia from Jan. 1. The proposed increase is $200 per TEU and applies to orgins in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
