The 2013 Great Lakes shipping season began on March 2 with the sailing of the tug/barge unit Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Conquest. The vessel, operated by Port City Marine Services, departed its winter lay-up berth in Milwaukee and sailed for Charlevoix, Mich., where it loaded 9,200 tons of cement for delivery to Chicago, according […]
Houck Anderson, a Miami-based maritime and admiralty law firm, has merged with The Chartwell Law Offices, one of the fastest growing law firms on the East Coast. Houck Anderson was founded in 1992 by Mark Houck and Andy Anderson. The firm, with offices in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, expanded its practice areas to […]
The U.S. Export-Import Bank has approved a final commitment of $1.1 billion to finance the export of Boeing 737-900ER planes to Lion Air, the largest privately owned airline in Indonesia. The aircraft will be delivered to Lion Air, Malindo Airways (Malaysia) and Batik Air (Indonesia). Ex-Im Bank estimates the transaction will support […]
A U.S. Export-Import Bank direct loan in the amount of $28.6 million will allow Gamesa Wind US, based in Trevose, Pa., to assemble 12 wind turbines for export to a Honduran power company. The transaction helps to expand a project first supported by the bank in 2010, when its long-term financing of 51 […]
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this week has decided to liberalize the designation of the existing Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZs) in Egypt to make all production facilities, present and future, located in these zones potentially eligible to export goods duty-free to the United States. Liberalizing the current designation will increase opportunities […]
The U.S. Commerce Department and Mexican tomato growers and exporters have finalized a new agreement that suspends the antidumping duty investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. “This agreement meets the requirements of U.S. antidumping law and provides an effective remedy for the U.S. domestic industry that protects American jobs,” said Paul Piquado, U.S. […]
Three Philippine nationals were convicted Monday in Los Angeles of illegally importing military grade weapons into the United States after being caught in a sting operation that was conducted in the Philippines, the Justice Department said. Sergio Syjuco, 26; Cesar Ubaldo, 27; and Arjyl Revereza, 26, were convicted after a four-week trial by […]
Soren Skou, chief executive officer of Maersk Line, outlined plans to improve service to customers on Monday during a keynote speech at the Journal of Commerce‘s 13th annual TPM conference in Long Beach, Calif. Skou said the company is taking steps to improve revenue and reduce costs, telling the audience he expects freight […]
Supply Chain Solutions, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based logistics services firm, will lease 38,500 square feet at a warehouse in Lafayette, Ind., near Interstate 65, as part of its ongoing Midwest expansion. The five-year lease comes with expansion opportunities up to 147,000 square feet. Supply Chain Solutions is relocating its Chicago warehouse to Lafayette […]
Auto dealers and wholesalers who buy used vehicles via Ally Financial’s SmartAuction online now have the option to transport them via ShipCarsNow. ShipCarsNow, a Union Pacific subsidiary, provides auto transport throughout the United States via door-to-door rail and direct truck service. It’s connected with other Class I railroads and more than 7,000 trucks […]
The trade association, which represents many of the world’s shipowners, has picked Angus R. Frew to succeed retiring Torben C. Skaanild as secretary general and chief executive officer later this year.
A congressional watchdog agency found that agriculture inspection fees collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service continue to come up short. Specifically, the Government Accountability Office’s analysis discovered a more than $325 million gap between fee revenues and total program costs in fiscal year 2011, […]
Classification society ABS said its chairman Robert D. Somerville will retire, effective April 30. Current President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher J. Wiernicki will become chairman of ABS subject to final election by the board during its next meeting on April 22. Somerville has been with the society for 43 years, and […]
The Commerce Department has determined the Chinese government subsidizes hardwood and decorative plywood production which is then exported to the United States. Specifically, the department determined on Feb. 27 that producers/exporters from China have received countervailable subsidies ranging from 0.22 percent (de minimis) to 27.16 percent. Linyi City Dongfang Jinxin Economic & Trade Co., Linyi […]
The National Industrial Transportation League said Friday it estimates shippers could save more than $900 million if the U.S. Surface Transportation Board would increase competition by giving shippers greater ability to have freight switched between railroads. During a telephone press conference, NIT League President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce Carlton discussed a comprehensive study […]
UGC continued to unload a barge and load a ship with non-union employees on Thursday, despite its ILWU lockout. The facility normally employs between eight and 22 ILWU workers on each of its two shifts.
The rating agency Standard and Poor’s said CMA CGM’s liquidity has improved since it closed on a financial restructuring and equity deal. S&P on Thursday raised its corporate credt rating on the French container carrier to B- from CCC+ and the issue rating on the company’s senior unsecured notes to CCC from CCC-. “The rating […]
“We expect freight rate volatility to continue as carriers grapple with increasing overcapacity and resort to their preferred short-term measures of sailing suspensions and frequent GRIs,” the London-based firm said.
The American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) said steel imports increased 4.6 percent in January 2013 compared to December 2012, according to preliminary government data. “Import levels improved in January in a normal seasonal rebound from end-of-the-year declines as many consumers and distributors delay purchases to January due to inventory tax costs at […]
The Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) has added its voice to those asking the Suez Canal Authority(SCA) to rescind plans to raise tolls on May 1. In a letter sent to the canal authority this week, JSA said it expressed “deep disappointment at the unilateral toll increase without any dialogue between the SCA and […]
