American Shipper

Horizon Lines completes refinancing

   The American Salvage Association has elected Tim Beaver, chief executive officer of Global Diving & Salvage, Inc., to president.      Beaver succeeds Mauricio Garrido, who served as president from 2009-2011.    Paul Hankins at Donjon-SMIT was elected vice president of the association, while Todd Schauer of Resolve Marine Group will be secretary/treasurer.    […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank is supporting its first transaction in the Central Asian nation of Tajikistan, which includes the purchase of Boeing 737-900ER plane by Somon Air, an airline based in Dushanbe.    This is Boeing’s first sale to Somon Air and the first export of its 737-900ER and “Sky Interior” aircraft to Central […]

Keep working

U.S. trade negotiators on Thursday submitted information to the World Trade Organization identifying nearly 200 subsidy programs that China has failed to present as required under WTO rules.

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it is shining its enforcement spotlight on imports of conversion kits for high-intensity discharge lamps, replacement light sources and ballasts that violate federal safety standards.    Shipments of non-compliant merchandise are being identified at the agency’s Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) for Import Safety with the help […]

   Globe Express Services has appointed Gregory Tampas to president for its Americas region.    Tampas began his logistics career in 1992 with CP Ships in Montréal, Canada. In 1997, he joined Hapag-Lloyd’s sales team in Canada, and two years later was appointed to corporate sales and marketing manager in Hong Kong, responsible for all […]

Press reports say the Port of Los Angeles has decided not to challenge a court decision last month that voided its requirement for container dray truck drivers to be employees.

   Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has introduced a bill that would create a grant program devoted to preserving “working waterfronts” across the country.    “Maintaining working waterfronts preserves and creates coastal jobs, but also jobs beyond the water’s edge,” she said. “Waterfront and waterway businesses support entire economies that depend on the American tradition of […]

Going Global With Regulatory Reform

The FMC’s decision to study disparities that may be causing U.S.-bound cargo to be pushed to Canadian and Mexican ports draws sharp reaction from Canadian business.

   The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to issue a proposed rule aimed at making it easier for ocean carriers and shippers to use service contracts with rates linked to freight rate indexes.    Under the commission’s current rules, service contracts can only reference outside terms, such as a rate in a […]

CMA CGM raises rates, peak season fees

   The liner carrier CMA CGM said Wednesday it plans to raise rates and assess peak season surcharges on a handful of trades this month.    The rate increases, which went into effect Oct. 1, are:    •From Northern Europe to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, $100 per 20-foot container and $150 per 40-foot […]

   TNT Express said Thursday it expects muted growth for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business and “continuing negative performance” in the Americas.    In its third quarter business update, TNT said trading was “relatively resilient” in its EMEA region, with cost controls helping to “mitigate revenue pressure.”    In the Americas region, […]

   Swiss freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel has opened a new distribution center in Cartagena.    The new facility has 10,000 square meters of warehouse space and 11,000 pallet positions at the Contecar complex at Cartagena, a key transshipment in northern South America. The site can be expanded to 20,000 square meters and is intended […]

Downward spiral?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has created an internal version of the Trade Support Network to better pulse frontline employees about what functions they expect from the Automated Commercial Environment.

   The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday advanced implementing legislation for free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama.    “For too long, America has sat on the sidelines, losing ground to foreign competitors in nations that have already implemented trade agreements with these countries,” the committee said in a statement. […]

   Commerce Department’s Undersecretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez will lead a U.S. trade delegation to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Oct. 30-Nov. 3 to promote U.S. goods, services, and technologies in the multi-modal transportation and energy infrastructure sectors.    Representatives from 14 U.S.-based companies, including Boeing, Dais Analytic Corp., DBi Services, Herzog […]