Harold J. Daggett, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, will meet with members of the union Monday evening. ILA members rejected the local contract by a vote of 520 to 483 on Aug. 12.
Teamster officials tie their decision to drop pursuit of the airline’s mechanics to the Department of Justice’s recent announcement that it will not approve the proposed merger between American and US Airways.
Less than three weeks after stepping aside as chairman of the Virginia Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners, William Fralin has resigned as a director, VPA announced Friday. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell the same day named Fralin to serve on the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The CTB sets administrative policies for Virginia’s transportation system, and allocates […]
Shipping industry analysts at the brokerage firm Jefferies wrote in a new research note that they “see risk of new shipbuilding orders delaying the recovery of the shipping industry as much as they did during the last extended downcycle for shipping between the 70s and 90s.” “Container shipping has seen the most new […]
Air freight volume at Damco, the logistics services arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk, was up significantly in the first half of the year, rising to 51,066 tons, 14 percent over the same period in 2012. This notable performance in a sluggish air freight market helped the company generate $1.53 billion in revenues during the first half of […]
XPO Logistics has completed its $365 million previously announced acquisition of 3PD. “Our acquisition of 3PD gives us immediate leadership in the heavy goods, last-mile space – an underpenetrated market for logistics with an exciting growth trajectory,” XPO’s chief executive officer, Brad Jacobs, said in a statement. “We welcome 3PD’s customers, carriers and […]
C.H. Robinson Worldwide has appointed Ivo Aris to director of global forwarding for its European operations. A 20-year industry veteran, Aris has held responsibilities in sales, operations, and management at Road Air, which was acquired by the Rhenus Group in 2007. Aris became the country manager for air and ocean freight for the […]
Detlef Trefzger has been promoted to chief executive officer of global freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel International after having joined the company just five months ago as executive vice president of contract logistics, the company announced Thursday. Trefzger immediately takes over from Chairman Karl Gernandt, who has served as acting chief executive since […]
Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are proposing to replace the tax with the “Maritime Goods Movement User Fee,” which would apply to all entry points for U.S.-bound cargo, with proceeds going toward port upkeep.
Express company DPD will outfit 12,000 drivers in Europe with Honeywell Scanning & Mobility’s Dolphin 99EX mobile computers running the firm’s Remote Mastermind management software. According to DPD, the company delivers 2.5 million parcels each day. “Our requirements for this significant technology investment were clear: We needed a user-friendly mobile computer, smooth […]
The formation of a WTO panel to look into the anti-dumping duties will be discussed at the organization’s meeting on August 30. Chinese officials are allowed to block the request at the meeting, but the EU can bring up the issue again.
A.P. Moller-Maersk reported a profit of $856 million in the second quarter ending June 30, 11 percent less than the $965 million earned in the second quarter of 2012. Nils Andersen, the chief executive of the group, said the performance of Maersk Line, the world’s largest container line, was a “bright spot” in […]
The Suez Canal Authority said 68 ships crossed the canal with a record total load of 4.8 million tons on August 9, but concerns are rising about the impact of the Egyptian unrest.
Freight volumes in July rose by 0.5 percent compared to the previous month, something not seen since 1996. Historically, the month-to-month freight result has averaged a 20-percent decline.
U.S. Customs authorities at several ports have stopped in recent months dozens of Land Rover Defender off-road utility vehicles that violated federal highway safety standards, including the requirement for airbags. Customs and Border Protection said some of these illegal shipments require destruction at salvage yards because their Vehicle Identification Number was intentionally altered […]
Total domestic rail traffic rose during the week ending August 10 by 2.7 percent when compared to the same week last year. The increase was due in part to a 6.1-percent rise in intermodal units, according to the Association of American Railroads. Total carloads, which ended the week at 288,803 units and was […]
Total throughput in the Port of Hamburg in the first six months of 2013 increased 3.5 percent from the prior-year period to 68.1 million tons, while container volumes were up 2.1 percent to 4.5 million TEUs. According to the port authority, other northern European ports on average lost about 0.4 percent in volume […]
Keyera Corp. and Kinder Morgan, a large energy distribution and storage company based in Houston, have formed a joint venture to build a $98-million crude oil rail loading facility in Edmonton, Alberta, that will be able to accept product from the Kinder Morgan tank farm in Edmonton for export to refineries in North America. […]
The USPS has added day-specific delivery to its Priority Mail service along with features like free insurance and improved tracking. The postal service is also seeking to ship alcoholic beverages, which is currently forbidden by law.
The energy distribution giant will charge a security fee of $2,500 per tanker that ties up at its Galena Park and Pasadena terminals in Houston, effective Sept. 1.
CEVA will pilot the process in Atlanta, New York, London and Frankfurt before expanding the service across its entire network in 2015.
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK ), the Japanese classification society, said Wednesday that its analysis of the break-up and subsequent sinking of the containership MOL Comfort “is proceeding rapidly, and ClassNK expects to consolidate its preliminary findings by early September 2013.” “Based on the current findings of the ongoing investigation and analysis, the ClassNK […]
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics said it will expand its ocean transportation service from Veracruz starting Sept. 13 to two to three sailings per month to the U.S. East Coast as auto manufacturers increase production in Mexico. Service calls include the ports of Veracruz, Galveston, Texas; Brunswick, Ga.; Charleston, S.C.; and Baltimore. Vessels will proceed […]
The National Industrial Transportation League has requested assistance from the U.S. Government in obtaining clarifications on a value-added tax being imposed by the Chinese government.
The Surface Transportation Board has decided to require railroads to differentiate between positive train control (PTC) expenses and other capital investments when reporting their annual financial statements. On August 14, the board adopted the new rule, which applies to Class I railroads and will help the board so they can better judge what […]
U.S. import prices increased by 0.2 percent in July compared to June, while export prices dropped down by 0.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The slight increase in import prices is the first positive increase in pricing since February. Over the past four months, import prices have declined by 1.8 […]
A showdown could be in the works next month over who has the right to repair chassis used to move containers to and from marine terminals. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the management group that bargains with them, the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), sent a joint letter dated August 6 to […]
Wednesday’s newswire about the Port of Jacksonville should have said the large breakbulk shipment of aluminum ingots being offloaded a vessel was 11,000 tons, not 1,000 tons.
Seaspan Corp., which builds containerships and charters them to liner companies, said it will build and charter 10 additional 14,000-TEU ships to Yang Ming. In January, Seaspan said it had signed deals to have Hyundai Heavy Industries build five similar ships, three of which it will own and two of which it will […]
The Diamond State Port Corp., which operates the Port of Wilmington, Del., and Dole Food Co. said they have reached a deal for Dole to continue to use the port for the next 15 years.
Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in the Port of Hampton Roads voted 520 to 483 on Monday to reject the terms and conditions of a new local agreement. The Virginia Maritime Association said in a notice posted on its site that “there will be no immediate impact to port operations. The […]
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident occurred at 6 a.m half a mile north of the runway at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. The two crew members aboard the plane died.
The global economy has weakened slightly in the third quarter, mainly due to deceleration in Asia and Latin America, while North America shows signs of continuing recovery, according to a survey of more than 1,000 economists.
Mazda will begin in September importing automobiles for the Northeast market through Baltimore after signing a five-year contract with auto processor AMPORTS, according to the Maryland Port Administration. The Japanese automaker expects to move about 65,000 vehicles a year through AMPORTS’ Chesapeake Auto Terminal, which is privately owned and technically is not part […]
Cathay Pacific Airways will launch daily Boeing 777-300ER service between Hong Kong and Newark Liberty International Airport on March 1, 2014. The new offering is subject to government approval. “The introduction of Cathay Pacific’s Newark to Hong Kong service demonstrates our commitment to the New York Metropolitan area, which has been instrumental in […]
Despite Tuesday’s decision by the Department of Justice to challenge the proposed $11-billion merger of American Airlines and US Airways, officials are still optimistic they will close the deal by the end of 2013.
CSAV, the Chilean container shipping company, said that its board on Tuesday approved plans to sell, then lease back, two 6,500-TEU containerships. It said “the transaction is in line with the company’s strategy of having larger and more efficient ships.” The two ships, built in 2006 by Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), […]
Stevedores at the Port of Jacksonville are unloading 11,000 tons of aluminum ingots from a vessel. It is the largest shipment of aluminum ingots at the port in five years, the port authority said. The breakbulk shipment from South America is more than twice the tonnage the port has seen in the past. […]
The Surface Transportation Board will hold a hearing Oct. 22 to discuss modifying its standards for mandatory competitive switching as previously proposed by the National Industrial Transportation League. Parties that would like to participate in the 9:30 a.m. meeting must file a notice with the STB by Sept. 23. The NITL said […]
UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, has electronically published the latest edition of its liner shipping connectivity index. The agency notes that a country’s access to world markets depends largely on its transport connectivity, “especially as regards regular shipping services for the import and export of manufactured goods.” The […]
Oxbow Carbon, a global recycler and distributor of refinery byproducts, said this week it has increased its restricted party screening productivity by 82 percent using the export solution of Amber Road, a provider of on-demand global trade management (GTM) solutions. Oxbow said it has been able to centralize and automate its export compliance […]
The U.S. Justice Department and attorneys general for six states, including the District of Columbia, said the combined airlines would result in higher airfares and lower service levels for passengers.
The express carrier’s 47,000-square-foot Chengdu facility is located near the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, while the 70,000-square-foot Shanghai development is close to the Shanghai Pudong Airport.
Global shippers need to understand these regulatory changes stay compliant, avoid costly delays and mitigate supply chain disruptions. To help keep pace with these complex demands, our expert panelists will highlight today’s best practices in global trade management. Key discussion points will include: Overview on CBP’s Centers of Excellence strategy. Update on ISF enforcement and […]
IAG Cargo will launch a thrice-weekly Airbus 340-600 route between Quito and Iberia’s Madrid hub on Oct. 26. The carrier already flies a Madrid-Quito-Guayaquil-Madrid routing, but a new facility in Madrid that recently opened will allow it to fly the large A340 into the airport. The current routing will switch from seven times a week […]
Germany helps U.S. Customs stop illegal pharma shipment. U.S. and German customs authorities recently teamed up to stop a large shipment of smuggled prescription drugs from entering the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Acting on a tip from the German Customs Investigation Bureau, Zollkriminalamt, CBP officers at San Francisco International Airport’s mail […]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sent a price-fixing lawsuit against four Class 1 railroads back to the lower court, vacating its class-action status due, in part, to a recent Supreme Court ruling.
The multimodal transportation and compliance software provider Kewill said over the weekend it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Four Soft, a software company based in Hyderabad, India.
Precision Conversions will convert four, 15-position Boeing 757-200PCFs for Air China Cargo to be used for express package transportation in the country. Work on the first plane began in late July, and officials will start on the second plane in November. The last two conversions are set for 2014. “We are honored to […]
The Fairview Container Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia is adding a fourth container crane, even as a member of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission questioned whether growth in U.S.-bound cargo moving through the facility might be flattening. A new container handling gantry crane arrived at the Port of Prince […]
China’s first merchant ship to sail from Asia to Europe via the Arctic Sea departed Dalian last week. The Website SinoShip News reports COSCO’s multi-purpose ship Yong Sheng, is scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam port on Sept. 11. The wire service AFP reported that according to Rosatomflot, a Russian operator of icebreakers, […]
DAT has unveiled a program that shows carriers’ shipper-paid market rates and spot rates throughout the United States and Canada. DAT RateView will also suggest backhauls and tri-hauls to carriers based on lanes on which they will receive the highest rate. “Instead of cheap freight, backhauls become important revenue generating opportunities that also […]
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has unveiled the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program, a $19 million project to encourage the purchase of energy-efficient Class 3 to Class 8 trucks operating within the state’s biggest city.
The London-based consultancy reported even though some cargo booked from Asia to Europe was rolled at the beginning of July “some ships still sailed light due to last-minute booking cancellations.”
The Miami-based logistics and transportation provider said its dedicated contract carriage, transportation management, fleet leasing and rental services are well-suited to meet the energy sector’s requirements.
By October, China’s net oil imports will surpass the United States’ own imports on a monthly basis, and next year, the Asian country become the world’s top oil importer on a yearly basis, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Short-Term Energy Outlook. EIA officials attribute increased Chinese imports to an uptick in U.S. oil production […]
Maersk Line has taken delivery of Majestic Maersk, the second of 20 18,270-TEU containerships being built for it by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. Mikkel Elbek Linnet, a spokesman for Maersk, said the ship should start rotation today, Aug. 12, but was unable to confirm a report that the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, […]
Chainalytics, a provider of supply chain consulting, analytics, and intelligence, said last week it has acquired ROCE Partners, a European supply chain management consultancy. Chainalytics said the acquisition will increase its geographic coverage and deepen its experience and capabilities in the areas of sales and operations planning (S&OP) and demand-supply planning. Janne Salmi, […]
Voluntary self-disclosures of violations are given “great weight” by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security relative to other mitigating factors in determining what administrative actions, if any, to seek.
Kerry Logistics has purchased a majority stake in Mexico-based freight forwarder Cargo Master’s Group (CMG) for an undisclosed amount. CMG, which has six offices in the country, is Kerry’s second investment in Latin America this year. Through the purchase, Kerry officials will strive to strengthen trade ties between Mexico and Asia. “With […]
Due to severe cuts in services and worker pay, the U.S. Postal Service achieved a net loss of $740 million in the third quarter of its fiscal year, a sharp drop compared to the $5.19 billion loss experienced in the same period last year. In the first nine months of the fiscal year, […]
Non-vessel-operating common carrier CaroTrans will offer a new direct, weekly less-than-containerload (LCL) and full containerload (FCL) export service from Houston to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first sailing from Houston is Aug. 20 with arrival in Rio de Janeiro Sept. 14, a 25-day transit. This new offering compliments the NVO’s existing direct Houston-to-Santos […]
MOL said it has completed measures to reinforce the hulls of three sister ships of the MOL Comfort, the 2008-built containership that suffered a hull fracture in the Indian Ocean in mid-June and eventually sank Work strengthening the MOL Celebration, MOL Courage, and MOL Creation was recently completed, and the ships began to return […]
“K” Line Zhenhua Logistics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. has opened a new warehouse in a Logistics Park of Shanghai Lingang New Town. The two-story, 43,890-square-meter warehouse is located on the Shanghai side of the bridge connecting Shanghai City and the Yanshang deep-water port. The facility is designed to handle a wide variety of […]
The United States and an economic bloc of five East African countries have agreed to launch formal negotiations on a trade facilitation agreement, announced U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on Monday. The move is part of President Obama’s Trade Africa initiative following a U.S.-East African Community (EAC) Trade Ministerial Meeting. The EAC is […]
American shippers are juggling more responsibility as they source from and sell to a growing number of geographic regions. What they may not realize is that their exposure to compliance risk might be growing as quickly as their supply chains expand. The greatest vulnerabilities to risk often lie in emerging markets, according to benchmark indices […]
When Emirates SkyCargo announced this week it was changing the way cargo surcharges are calculated — moving from a system that charges for actual weight to the new plan of applying chargable weight to the calculation — on Sept. 1, it joined a growing list of airlines who are also experimenting with new rates. […]
Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced plans for a major expansion of its tanker fleet, saying it has entered agreements to have Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. (APSI) build up to eight product tankers for delivery between 2015 and the end of 2017. JacksonvilleFla.-based Crowley said it had signed contracts for the first four 50,000-deadweight-ton (330,000-barrel) tankers to […]
Rubin McDougal, CEVA’s CFO, told American Shipper he’s pleased with the results — he sees them in line with competitors such as DHL, Panalpina and UPS Supply Chain — especially since they were achieved in a down market.
The Korean liner carrier reported a loss of 80.4 billion won ($72.4 million) in the second quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of 1.2 billion won in the same quarter of 2012. Total sales in the second quarter were 2.67 trillion won.
The firm said its analysis “shows that only Ambarli and Constanta currently have the operational capabilities to handle 10,000-TEU vessels, while Odessa will get the ability in the future, if the vessels can dock at two consecutive quays.”
Arkansas Best Corp. turned in a second quarter profit of $4.9 million, but still ended the first six months of 2013 with a net loss of $8.5 million. Officials pointed to wages and benefits for drivers at ABF Freight System as a big reason for the loss, despite improving revenue and freight tonnage […]
CSX Corp. said Wednesday that it purchased a phosphate export terminal in Tampa, Fla., from the Ingram Barge Co. The Eastern Associated Terminal is adjacent to CSX’s Rockport terminal on Tampa Bay and the two facilities will be merged into one operation. The terminals are used to ship phosphate from Central Florida’s Bone […]
U.S. merchandise exports for the first half of 2013 totaled a record $781 billion, up $8 billion from the same period last year. Although exports continue to reach new highs, the pace of growth is slowing down.
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners this week approved a new Port Master Plan that updates the port’s development policies and procedures for the first time since its original plan took effect more than three decades ago. The plan sets forth development policies for the port to promote commerce, navigation, fisheries, recreation […]
Virgin Atlantic Cargo is now allowing shippers to place OnAsset Intelligence’s SENTRY FlightSafe tracker on cargo aboard its aircraft. The tracker, which is placed in with the shipment and transmits temperature, humidity and other readings wirelessly to the shipper during the flight, was approved for use on Virgin flights after extensive testing. […]
Shipments of coal on the Great Lakes reached 2.9 million tons in July, an increase of 2.5 percent over June, and a jump of 7.3 percent compared to a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1.8 million tons, an increase of 16.1 percent compared to a year […]
The Port of Pittsburgh Commission this week deployed the first wireless broadband network for inland waterways in the country, a network that will link previously siloed systems and provide Wi-Fi access to barge operators. The program, developed by PPC and CONSOL Energy, establishes a network of physical devices and applications useful in river commerce […]
The retirement of Al Gina, assistant commissioner for international trade, was among several personnel moves announced Thursday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Thomas Winkowski at COAC.
The change in the agency’s rules mirrors the result of a court opinion passed down on Aug. 2, which said drivers who operate within a 150-mile radius of their reporting location do not have to abide by the rest requirement.
Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. (OOIL), parent company of container liner company OOCL, said it had a loss of $15 million in the first half of 2013 compared to a profit of $117 million in the first half of 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has set up a toll-free number to make it easier for importers and customs brokers to contact one of its new Centers of Excellence and Expertise, Thomas Winkowski, the de facto acting commissioner, said Thursday at a public meeting in Washington. In the past two years, CBP has opened […]
The banana shipper, which operates Great White Fleet, reported in its second quarter results that reconfiguration of its European shipping system, initiated in the third quarter of 2011, provided more than $12 million in savings.
President Obama talked about the importance of infrastructure development, including ports, during an appearance Tuesday on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The comedian asked the president why infrastructure has become a partisan issue in Washington. Obama told Leno he wants to agree on a financing mechanism to fix roads and bridges. “The Panama Canal is […]
U.S. containerized import volume in July was the highest for any month since July 2007, according to the latest data from trade intelligence firm Zepol Corp. Total import volume rose to nearly 1.7 million TEUs for the month, 2 percent higher than July 2012 and 13 percent higher than in June of this […]
Shipments in North America dropped by 2.3 percent from June to July, but freight expenditures rose by nearly 1 percent, according to the Cass Freight Index Report. Compared to July 2012, shipments fell by 3.1 percent, but expenditures showed a 3.8 percent gain. June and July shipment volumes have been lower than volumes […]
Matson, the leading container carrier between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii, reported a profit of 20.1 million in the second quarter compared to $7.8 million in the same 2012 period. Operating revenue was $416.6 million in the quarter, up from $394.2 million in the same 2012 period. “We had another solid quarter, […]
Cargloux Airlines has signed an agreement with its two unions, extending its Collective Work Agreement through December 2014. In the new deal, employees have agreed to optimize their time on the job with the carrier’s activity levels, according to the carrier. The parties will establish joint working groups to look for other efficiencies. […]
Cargo Airport Services has acquired the ground handler Integrated Airline Services for an undisclosed amount. IAS, which is the largest cargo handler at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, boasts 41 locations throughout the country and a customer list that includes Lufthansa Cargo, DHL, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. “We look forward to […]
Dennis Ilin has taken over as executive vice president of Russian cargo carrier AirBridgeCargo Airlines. Tatyana Arslanova was appointed to the position in January 2010. Ilin officially took over on Aug. 1 after working in a variety of positions at ABC and the carrier’s parent company, Volga-Dnepr. “Despite the challenging market […]
Maersk Inc. of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group said Wednesday it had agreed to sell substantially all the assets of its trucking subsidiary Bridge Terminal Transport (BTT) to an affiliate of Platinum Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. BTT performs container drayage services at ports and inland locations. The transaction is expected […]
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s annual Trade Symposium is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 24-25 in Washington, D.C., agency officials said Thursday during the quarterly meeting of the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee. Details will be announced when planning has been finalized. Hundreds of trade professionals who regularly deal with customs issues attend the gathering each […]
The liner carrier MOL saw on-time arrival improvements on its North America services in the second quarter of 2013, while performance fell off on its Asia-Europe services, according to quarterly data provided by the line. On-time performance on Asia-U.S. West Coast services from April through June was 92 percent, up from 87 percent […]
Freight forwarder Laufer Group International has opened a JFK International Airport office. The office will service customers for both ocean and air and report to Martin Karczewski, director of operations. The New York air freight team, formerly at the company’s headquarters in downtown Manhattan, will now be located in the JFK facility. The […]
AIT Worldwide Logistics has opened an office in Toronto, Canada. This first Canadian location in AIT’s network is headed by independent contractor Branko Burazin. “The establishment of this location in the commercial and financial center of the United States’ largest trading partner is an integral step in our expansion strategy,” said Ray […]
Swift Transportation Co. has purchased Utah-based Central Refrigerated Transportation for $225 million. With the acquisition of the No. 5 temperature-controlled truckload company in the United States, Swift will become the second largest refrigerated truck provider. Central generated $50 million in earnings and $504 million in revenue during the fiscal year ending June […]
Starting Aug. 19, trucks entering the secure area of a marine terminal in the Port of New York and New Jersey, must be registered in the port’s drayage truck registry (DTR) and authorized to conduct business at port authority terminals.
Hamburg-based Hapag-Lloyd said it had a group profit of 20.9 million euros ($27.8 million) in the second quarter of 2013, while NOL of Singapore, parent of APL, had a loss of $35 million in the second quarter of this year.
In the second quarter, the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based logistics services provider saw total revenues shoot up 11.3 percent, year over year, finishing the period at $3.29 billion. For the year, revenues are up 14.1 percent.
YRC Worldwide saw a $4.6 million rise in before-tax earnings during the second quarter when compared to the same period in 2012, but the company’s freight division still experienced difficulties in the quarter. Operating revenue dropped 0.7 percent, year over year, in the second quarter to $1.24 billion, with operating income falling $1.2 […]
