American Shipper

Claudio Bozzo, chief operating officer of liner carrier Mediterranean Shipping Company, joins the World Shipping Council board.

The rating agency acted negatively to the idea that the A.P. Moller – Maersk conglomerate could potentially choose to divide into separate companies, noting the split could hurt the group’s business diversification.

The London-based firm said it projects that container freight rates will rise modestly over the next 18 months from the all-time lows reached recently, but it won’t be sufficient enough to rescue the industry from substantial losses in 2016.

Richard Forson, current chief financial officer of the all-cargo airline, will succeed Dirk Reich as president and chief executive officer effective Aug. 1, according to a statement from the company.

Canadian Pacific Railway last week began the process of cutting 500 track maintenance workers, a move that has officials with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference raising concerns about safety, the union group said in a statement.

The terminal operator said all of its gate operations are running normally, with vessel schedule integrity remaining unaffected by the new verified gross mass rule, which took effect last Friday.

The American Trucking Associations has appointed former senior vice president of legislative affairs Chris Spear to succeed Bill Graves as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer, effective July 9.

With the entering into force of the World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA) on July 1, member countries of the international trade body have started eliminating tariffs on hundreds of information technology goods.

The London-based shipping consultant reported that OOCL of Japan was the most reliable container shipping carrier in May, with an on-time performance score of 81.1 percent.

The industrial conglomerate acquired Intelligrated, which will become part of its Sensing and Productivity Solutions business.

Worldwide Information Network’s new mobile application features real-time track and trace, an interactive agent directory, instant messaging, route checking, and shipment status tools, the company said in a statement.

U.S. beef producers and exporters now have access to Saudi Arabian consumers after nearly four years of being shut out of the Middle Eastern market due to the detection of an “atypical” case of “mad cow” disease in 2012.

The service is intended to add convenience and help retailers with sales, the company said.

The staffing company has acquired assets of K.A.S. Personnel Services, a provider of commercial truck drivers and other transportation personnel.

The Russian cargo airline commenced a weekly service to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from Moscow via Singapore.

Deutsche Lufthansa appoints new CFO, while Virgin Atlantic Cargo names products and partnerships manager.

The San Rafael, Calif.-based global logistics and transportation services provider is transforming its multi-use terminal at the Port of Los Angeles into a laboratory for clean energy technologies.

An American Shipper poll of shippers and forwarders revealed that nearly 90 percent believe at least some cargo will be delayed by the verified gross mass rule that went into effect globally today.

The United States Senate also confirmed the reappointment of Federal Maritime Commissioners Rebecca F. Dye and ​Michael A. Khouri, whose terms will now last until 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition is asking the Federal Maritime Commission to step forward and discourage carriers and terminals from imposing fees for verified gross mass compliance in the United States.