Maritime

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 27 ocean transportation intermediary license applications and changes for review.

FMC reviews 27 OTI license applications

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 27 ocean transportation intermediary license applications and changes for review.

   Hansa Heavy Lift has purchased two additional F-class vessels from another shipping company, increasing its fleet size to 22 ships.    The two vessels will sail under the names HHL Elbe and HHL Tyne.    “We are pleased with the purchase of two further F-types to extend our fleet and to react to increasing […]

   Clariant has introduced a new desiccant technology for containers transporting grain shipments.    Clariant’s Container Dri II protects bulk grain for the length of the shipment to its final destination. The company’s desiccant bags absorb up to three-times their weight in moisture in a no-spill gel.    “As the desiccant absorbs moisture, it reduces […]

Hochberg    The Senate has confirmed Fred P. Hochberg to a second term as chairman and president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.    “Over the past four years, Ex-Im Bank’s financing has supported nearly 1 million American jobs and helped thousands of small businesses expand their reach into international markets,” Hochberg said in a statement. “The […]

   The U.S. Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has updated the certification process for the transport of consumer fireworks, also known as 1.4G fireworks, making approvals more efficient while continuing to meet strict safety requirements.    The new Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) consumer fireworks certification amendment will allow DOT-approved fireworks certification […]

   U.S. grain shipments from the U.S. and Canadian heartland through the St. Lawrence Seaway have made a “decisive comeback, posting a nearly 50 percent jump” in June from the same period last year, reported the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. on Tuesday.    “U.S. grain continues to rebound strongly from last season’s disappointing performance with […]

The Oakland Tribune said the deal would end maritime operations at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square, which is used by Matson, and where a new baseball stadum for the Oakland Athletics could be built.

   CEVA Logistics will expand to a new location in Richmond, Va., later this summer.    Located at the Richmond Airport distribution center, the new facility is a multi-use site which will manage the logistics needs of several global brands, with room to expand, the third-party logistics firm said on Tuesday. Additionally, the new facility […]

   Non-vessel-operating common carrier Shipco Transport has started direct less-than containerload services from New York to Rio de Janeiro and Itajai (Navegantes), Brazil, with its WorldWide Alliance partner Allink Transportes Internacionais.    The NVO said the new services will “significantly improve transit times from U.S. North East, Midwest and Pacific Northwest origins feeding into the […]

   French liner carrier CMA CGM said it will upgrade its round-the-world “Panama Direct” service from fortnightly to a weekly frequency, starting with the departure of CMA CGM Manet from Tilbury on Sept. 18.    The service will call these ports in the following rotation: Tilbury, Rotterdam, Dunkirk, Le Havre, New York, Savannah, Kingston, Cartagena, Papeete, […]

   The United States on Friday said it has fully implemented the recommendations and rulings of the World Trade Organization in a dispute brought by Mexico on the U.S. dolphin-safe labeling program.    The United States informed the WTO of its compliance in a communication to be circulated to WTO members.    “I am pleased […]

   The ship classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) said it will expedite its investigation of the break-up of the containership MOL Comfort, but said the inquiry will be complicated by the fact that both halves of the ship have now sunk.     The ship broke in half on June 17, and the stern sank […]

   The outlook for trade from China is weak, but surprisingly some shippers have reported difficulty obtaining space on eastbound transpacific container services out of North China ports.    Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that China’s economy “might be cooling even more sharply than expected,” citing data from the country’s General Administration of […]

   Last year, Houston ranked No. 1 with total exports of $110 billion, an increase of 5.6 percent over 2011, while New York clinched the No. 2 spot with $102 billion in exports.

   The United States was the world’s largest services market and the world’s top exporter and importer of services in 2011, the U.S. International Trade Commission said in its Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade, 2013 Annual Report.    ITC, an independent fact-finding federal agency, compiles the report annually. Each year’s report presents a qualitative […]

   MOL said the fore section of its containership MOL Comfort sank Wednesday evening in the Arabian Sea.    The company said the remaining section of the ship “sank in the high seas” near 19’56″N 65’25″E (water depth about 3,000 meters) at 7 p.m. on July 10.     The Japanese liner company said “about 2,400 containers on board the fore […]

The department said the past four years represent the strongest period for U.S. agricultural exports in the history of the country. Farm exports in fiscal year 2012 reached $135.8 billion and supported 1 million American jobs.

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank will back comprehensive guarantees for two HSBC loans totaling $55.6 million to support the export of American aircraft and agricultural machinery to China.    The authorizations mark the 19th and 20th transactions, respectively, registered under the 2005 Framework between Ex-Im Bank and China’s Ministry of Finance to promote U.S. exports […]