The U.S. government expressed its irritation with Russia over the country’s new requirement that U.S. beef and pork shipments be tested and certified free of the feed additive ractopamine. “The United States is very concerned that Russia has taken these actions, which appear to be inconsistent with its obligations as a member of […]
Capes Shipping Agencies, a Norfolk, Va.-based ships agency and bulk coal freight forwarder, has expanded its operations in New Orleans, Houston and Portland, Ore., through a joint venture with Southport Agencies, a ships agency based in New Orleans. The joint venture, called Capes Southport Agencies, will focus on servicing coal, petroleum coke, and […]
Contract talks resume today between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and its employers, represented by the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), in Delray Beach, Fla. Shipper groups are urging the two sides to stay at the bargaining table to reach an agreement, with some saying Hurricane Sandy had added new urgency to the need to reach […]
A wide group of U.S. companies are urging the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and its employers to “make every attempt possible at reaching agreement on a new contract” when they begin meeting once again next week.
Third party logistics services firm UTi Worldwide reported profit of $10.5 million in the third quarter ending Oct. 31, compared to $28.5 million in the third quarter last year. Revenue was $1.13 billion in the third quarter, a decrease of 10.7 percent from $1.26 billion in the same period last year. Net revenues […]
These restrictions include the broad use of “non-transparent and discretionary import licensing requirements that have the effect of unfairly restricting U.S. exports,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said.
The Port of Seattle Authority’s commission this week approved a 25-year plan that seeks to grow traffic at the city’s port and airport and create 100,000 new jobs while reducing the port’s environmental footprint. The port authority said its “Century Agenda” seeks to grow annual container volume to more than 3.5 million TEUs. […]
The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed the 2012 Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act by a vote of 92-4, clearing the way for U.S. companies to take full advantage of Russia’s recent entrance into the World Trade Organization. Once signed by President Obama, the United States will grant Russia permanent normal trade relations […]
Four men were charged with making illegal exports of carbon fiber from the United States to Iran and China, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday. Carbon fiber has a variety of uses, including in gas centrifuges that enrich uranium and in military aircraft and strategic missiles. The four individuals charged are Hamid Reza […]
COSCO said that on Dec. 4 it signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. and an order for two VLCCs, with an option for two more. According to the agreement, COSCO and CSIC will deepen their cooperation in shipbuilding technology, logistics, and transportation. “The signing of the agreement will […]
“Puerto Rico’s economy remains in a prolonged multi-year recession, during which time domestic container volumes to the island have contracted sharply,” said Richard Rodriguez, head of the liner’s Puerto Rico service.
The line next month will offer two new services from Manzanillo, Mexico, to the west coast of Central America as part of a restructuring of its service to the region.
The U.S. Justice Department said Markos Baghdasarian, manager of Delfin Group USA LLC, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the District of South Carolina to charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by making illegal exports to Iran. In addition, he made false statements and failed to obtain the […]
An L.A. port official said the huge size of the two ports – their terminals, workforce, railroad infrastructure and large number of truckers – give them a great deal of “cargo bandwidth,” which should help quickly end the backlog.
Hyundai said it will increase all refrigerated cargo rates by $1500 per unit on Jan. 1. The rate increase will apply across the board to all commodities from the U.S. and Canada to Asia including the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Far Eastern Russia. The South Korean carrier said it “must increase […]
The Jacksonville, Fla.-based carrier made several changes to the senior management in its shipping and logistics businesses and consolidated its commercial marketing, sales, customer care and pricing activities.
The National Foreign Trade Council and the U.S.-Middle East Free Trade (MEFTA) Coalition welcomed the announcement of three new U.S.-Morocco initiatives aimed at advancing bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries. The initiatives, announced Tuesday by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro at the U.S.-Morocco Business Development Conference, include a trade […]
The U.S. Export-Import Bank on Wednesday approved its fourth supply chain finance transaction and will guarantee up to 90 percent of $450 million in liquidity offered by a JPMorgan Chase loan to suppliers of Caterpillar. In specific, the bank’s guarantee will support small business suppliers by improving their liquidity, thereby allowing them to […]
National Interstate Corp. has appointed Tony Mercurio to executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective Jan. 1. He joined National Interstate in 1997 and currently serves as chief executive officer of Vanliner Insurance Co., one of National Interstate’s insurance subsidiaries. National Interstate provides insurance to the freight transportation and storage industries.
Many American shippers are disturbed that the administration, if not President Obama himself, failed to issue even a statement about the importance of ending the now-concluded strike in the Southern California ports.
