NACA expects growth in U.S. export cargoes for 2005

NACA expects growth in U.S. export cargoes for 2005    The NACA group of non-vessel-operating common carriers expects to raise its less-than-containerload and full containerload traffic in export trades from the United States in 2005, partly thanks to the weak U.S. dollar.
   NACA, which comprises Brennan International Transport, Direct Container Line, Conterm Consolidation Services and Vanguard Logistics Services, said its U.S. operations will increase export FCL volume 5 percent in 2005 to 72,492 TEUs. Freight All Kinds volume from the United States is projected to be 34,651 TEUs for 2005.
   The decline of the dollar is expected to stimulate export growth, NACA said in a statement.
   However, the NVOCC group added: “The flip side of a weak dollar is that it will slow imports from countries that do not have their currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar.” NACA did not disclose the percentage of growth that it is budgeting for its U.S. imports for 2005, although it is believed to be higher than for U.S. exports.
   To support its international network, NACA will focus on the continued development of its import services to the U.S.
   “Even with the weak dollar, NACA USA is expecting its sales efforts to result in a 13.5 percent increase in LCL volume and 24.9 percent increase in FCL,” said Michael Sinclair, chief executive officer of Americas, Europe and Africa.
   In Asia, NACA said it plans to develop hubs in Singapore and Hong Kong, while it is reviewing the markets of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
   The group’s Vanguard Logistics Services subsidiary expects to increase LCL volume to Latin America by 13.5 percent in 2005, reflecting the strength of the local economies and a continued increase in destination sales, NACA said. FCL traffic to Latin America is budgeted to increase by 18 percent.
      Vanguard’s LCL volume from Brazil to the U.S. is budgeted to grow 25.5 percent in 2005, while trade Vanguard Argentina’s weekly service to New York is budgeted to increase volume 34 percent.
   NACA has offices in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America.
   In a separate announcement, NACA subsidiary Brennan International Transport Singapore has appointed General Export, an Italian NVOCC, as its agent for Italy. NACA said Brennan’s partnership with Genex will allow both sides to develop the eastbound and westbound trade lanes between Italy and Southeast Asia.