Intermodal

The collision in northern Texas left one injured and three missing Tuesday morning.

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The agriculture shipper advocate praised container weighing methods recently outlined by the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association and G6 Alliance carriers, saying terminals nationwide should adopt similar methods.

The Panama Canal’s third lane opened for business, following Sunday’s transit of the 9,472-TEU COSCO Shipping Panama.

The 9,742-TEU containership COSCO Shipping Panama began its historic passage through the expanded waterway, construction of which began back in 2007, Sunday morning.

The two Class I railroads will spend $28 million to make improvements along a 320-mile rail line between Meridian, Miss. and Shreveport, La., with work scheduled to start next week.

Year-over-year pricing dropped for the 17th consecutive month in May 2016, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index, and analysts with Avondale Partners expect this trend to continue through the rest of 2016.

Shipment volumes in May 2016 grew 1.3 percent compared with the previous month, but expenditures slipped 0.4 percent, and both remained well below 2015 levels, according to the latest Cass Freight Index Report.

The transportation management software provider completed an integration partnership with Thoroughbred Direct Intermodal Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railroad.

The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association indicated it is close to finalizing a common approach for U.S. port terminals to weigh containers, allowing exporters to meet a new requirement designed to prevent accidents at sea or on wharves.

The beginning of the month brought little relief to freight railroads as business in many commodity lines continued to fall in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The retail logistics specialist signed a lease for bigger facility near the Port of Savannah, according to a statement from the company.

AAGEX Freight Group President and CEO Mike Williams said the new company is inspired by his vision to advance a business model for logistics entrepreneurs to keep pace in a fast evolving market.

Goods coming from the Balkans will arrive by ship at the Port of Venice, where they will be loaded on a direct train to the Port of Rostock for departure by vessel to Scandinavian countries.

PECO names chief executive officer, Union Pacific appoints chief legal officer and CenterPoint annouces senior vice president of development.

The container and railcar leasing company has acquired Hybrid Logistics, Inc. and its General Transportation Services, Inc affiliate, which are asset-light truck brokers with a focus on flatbed truck and over-dimensional shipments.

Combined United States carload and intermodal cargo volumes fell 6.8 percent in May compared with May 2015 and 7.6 percent for the first five months of 2016, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.

Drivers are striking four companies doing business in and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, claiming they are being misclassified as independent contractors instead of employees.

The Gulf Coast port’s Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal transported 99,568 TEUs in March and April combined, which is more than it has transported during any two months in the port’s history.

The bi-state port complex saw throughput of both loaded imports and exports decline both on a monthly and year-over-year basis, according to recent data from the port authority.

Peter Friedmann accused container lines of bungling the International Maritime Organization’s new container weight verification requirement, and said some now realize they face high internal costs unless they offer a more flexible approach.

South Korean ocean carrier Hanjin asked Seaspan and others for a reduction in existing charter rates for a period of three and a half years in exchange for securities in a restructured Hanjin.

Is the emperor naked on that horse? Transportation policies and investment that helps manufacturers. Correction.

The European port saw container volumes fall 3.4 percent year-over-year for the first quarter of 2016 to 2.2 million TEUs, primarily due to the slow start in container traffic with China and Russia early in the year.

In order to transport goods beyond its borders, Iowa relies on a network of 10,000 miles of highways, 3,825 miles of tracks used by 18 large and small railroads, and 491 miles of navigable inland waterways bordering the state.

Iowa uses sophisticated supply chain modeling to map future freight transportation infrastructure.

A sense of what the container shipping industry may look like a year from now has started to emerge as ocean carriers seek to avoid a financial wreck from overcapacity and low freight rates.

Shipment volumes and expenditures in April 2016 grew 0.6 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, compared with March, but both remained well below 2015 levels, according to the latest Cass Freight Index Report.

The asset-light transportation and logistics provider began offering expedited less-than-truckload freight service from Chicago to the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas.

Class I railroad Union Pacific and third-party logistics services provider Katoen Natie will set up a new transload service in Dallas for plastic pellet producers to export overseas.

Ports that insist on “no doc/no gate” policies with regard to verified container weights could lose business, the company’s export manager says.

The 10 STS cranes will be the tallest in service at any port in the United States, capable of handling ultra-large containerships with capacities of up to 20,000 TEUs, according to port terminal operator APM Terminals.

Rates fell another 3.4 percent for the month compared to April of last year, the 16th consecutive month prices have decreased, and analysts with Avondale Partners expect this trend to continue through the rest of 2016.

Direct ChassisLink, Inc., which was established in 2012 by its current owner Littlejohn & Co., has grown its equipment fleet to 120,000 marine chassis and 92,000 rail intermodal containers.

The intermodal third-party logistics service provider, itself a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway-owned Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC, launched BNSF Railway Servicios de Logistica based in Monterrey, Mexico.

The third-party logistics provider said it will triple the office space for its fast-growing freight brokerage operations in downtown Reno, Nev.

“Orphan carriers” excluded from the 2M Alliance and the proposed OCEAN Alliance are scheduled to brief the Federal Maritime Commission Wednesday.

The new mobile supply chain solutions provider unveiled its free platform for inputting container weight verification data that integrates with INTTRA’s eVGM solution.

The Omaha, Neb.-based truckload carrier and logistics services provider has named former President and Chief Operating Officer Derek J. Leathers as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately.

Domestic container loads recorded a 6.4 percent increase for the quarter, while international volumes grew 3.8 percent compared with the same 2015 period, according to data from the Intermodal Association of North America.

Thanks to limited competition and favorable regulations, all major North American railroads were able to enact rate increases earlier this year even as freight volumes fell the most since 2009.

Combined United States carload and intermodal cargo volumes fell 11.8 percent in April compared with April 2015 and 7.8 percent for the first four months of 2016, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.

The Florida East Coast Railway delivered the first shipment ordered through its new EZ Buy web portal on behalf of freight broker Addison Transportation.

Asset-light trucking and third-party logistics provider Roadrunner Transportation Systems has expanded its less-than-truckload service to include outbound service from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Scales currently used to comply with federal and state laws are acceptable for complying with the new International Maritime Organization container weight regulations due to go into effect July 1, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The South Carolina Ports Authority and Class I railroad CSX are collaborating to develop an intermodal terminal in Dillon, to supplement the existing intermodal station in Greer and draw more container cargo to the Port of Charleston.

The S.C. Ports Authority banks on profit-making strategy to finance infrastructure at Charleston and elsewhere.

The South Carolina Port Authority’s inland port 212 miles west of Charleston has been successful generating cargo business.

Container terminals improve thanks to better processes, land use and IT.

Ports gain DOT respect

The relevance of rail    Almost everything that affects domestic freight flows has been changing. U.S. imports have continued to grow, but some of their sources have shifted away from China to Western Asia and they are arriving on larger vessels that can be accommodated by the Suez Canal and soon the Panama Canal. Environmental regulations […]

Gary LaGrange, president and chief executive officer at the Port of New Orleans, announced plans to retire in April 2017, at the time his current contract expires.

Rates fell another 3 percent for the month compared to March of last year, the 15th consecutive month prices have decreased, and analysts with Avondale Partners expect this trend to continue through the rest of 2016.

The Eden Prairie, Minn.-based third-party logistics provider posted a net income of $119 million on revenues of $3.1 billion for the first quarter of 2016.

Canadian National Railway increased net income 13 percent year-over-year to C$792 million (U.S. $627.53 million) in the first quarter of 2016 earnings on revenues that fell 4 percent to C$2.96 billion compared to the same 2015 period.

Shipment volumes grew 1.4 percent during the month, but expenditures declined 1 percent from February, according to the latest Cass Freight Index Report.

The produce third-party logistics specialist is soliciting an additional partner to help support its geographic and service expansion.

Number four U.S. railway Norfolk Southern reported net income of $387 million for the first quarter compared with $310 million during the same 2015 period, according to the company’s most recent financial statements.

Shippers should think about supplying container weight data to ocean carriers ahead of the July 1 start date if they ship cargo that transfers to a second vessel in another port.

The intermodal and trucking provider posted net earnings of $100.1 million for the first quarter of 2016, along with earnings per share of $0.88 cents, which surpassed analyst projections of $0.85 per share.

House lawmakers brushed aside calls at a hearing to slow implementation of the Verified Gross Mass rule, while other shippers said compliance should be straightforward.

Door manufacturer Door-Stop International has selected XPO Logistics to deliver products from its manufacturing plant in Nottingham to customers across the United Kingdom.

AAPA elects Port of Pascaguola director incoming chairman, while UPS appoints chief sustainability officer and Flagler Global Logistics names new president.

JaxPort and the Port of New Orleans have new truck-rail transfer facilities that are expected to make more attractive shipping options.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based railway posted net earnings of $356 million on revenues of $2.6 billion for the first quarter of 2016, year-over-year declines of 19 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

The Dubai-based terminal operator will charge $245 Canadian for boxes arriving at the West Coast ports by truck or rail without verified gross mass data after the new International Maritime Organization rule goes into effect July 1.

The status of BNSF Railway’s Southern California International Gateway project, a proposed intermodal rail facility near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, is “uncertain” following a recent court ruling, the company said.

The “K” Line container terminal will have its berth rebuilt and four cranes added so that it will be capable of working two ultra-large 18,000-TEU containerships simultaneously.

Combined United States carload and intermodal cargo volumes fell 11 percent in March compared with March 2015, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.

Applications for U.S. Department of Transportation FASTLane and TIGER grants are due soon, as are comments on the first draft of its National Freight Strategic Plan.

United States port authorities and private companies plan to invest six times more in ports through 2020 than the federal government, according to a recent survey from the American Association of Port Authorities.

In a research note, analyst Michael Webber of Wells Fargo cited both internal company sources and the Oil Price Information Service, who say Kinder Morgan may sell a half interest in the 16-ship fleet.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed a new law that boosts the annual floor in appropriations for port infrastructure by two thirds.

The Lake Oswego, Ore.-based railroad transportation equipment manufacture posted net earnings of $44.9 million on revenues of $669.1 million for the second quarter of its fiscal year 2016, which ended Feb. 29, 2016.

The new International Maritime Organization container weight rule was just one of many concerns raised during the Port of Long Beach’s annual Pulse of the Ports Peak Season Forecast on Wednesday.

Acquisition heavy 3PL XPO Logistics is designing an intermodal logistics solution that will inject large shipment volumes into the inner suburbs of Paris to minimize truck traffic for final delivery to retailers.

The bi-state port also saw a big boost in automotive traffic and handled a record number of containers with its on-dock rail system, according to data from the port authority.

The decision is a victory for the City of Long Beach, which said in a statement it believes more should be done to mitigate the project’s impact on local residents.

The non-asset based freight brokerage and transportation management service provider signed a 224,678-square-foot lease at 600 West Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Ill.

Developers at Logistics Park Kansas City are building a fulfillment center for Amazon and two new warehouses on a speculative basis.

The intermodal equipment leasing company may look for an individual buyer or try to go public, and ocean carrier United Arab Shipping Co. has selected TRAC as its sole chassis supplier in the United States.

The e-commerce giant said the planned 822,104-square-foot facility in Edgerton, Kan. will create 1,000 full-time hourly positions, as well as opportunities for management and support roles.

“You want the volume to come, you want big ships to come, but you just don’t have the infrastructure to handle them,” Seaspan Corp. Chief Executive Gerry Wang said of the larger vessels that will soon be able to transit the expanded Panama Canal.

APL expects to benefit from CMA CGM’s decision to maintain its longtime brand.

Keith Andrey, VP of global freight forwarding for UPS, says carriers are also more interested in offering intermodal pricing this year in order to secure cargo volumes in a historically low rate environment.

The Saint Lawrence Seaway officially opened yesterday, along with the Welland Canal, which connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, while the Montreal/Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open tomorrow.

Global terminal operator APM Terminals said it’s moving forward with development of its new semi-automated Lázaro Cárdenas Terminal 2 (TEC2) project on the West Coast of Mexico, representing an overall investment of $900 million.

Rates fell another 3.8 percent for the month compared to February of last year, the 14th consecutive month prices have decreased, according to the latest Cass Intermodal Price Index.

Brookfield Infrastructure and Qube Holdings have ended their bidding war for Asciano Ltd., partnering with several global funds to purchase the Australian rail and port operator in a deal worth $6.7 billion.

The Tokyo-based third-party logistics provider broke ground on a new logistics center in Mexico’s Bajio region, which has become a hub for the automotive industry.

The Florida legislature has bumped up port funding this year to $153 million and opened the door for greater amounts in the future.

Norfolk Southern’s new rail route offers a faster option for importers and exporters with intermodal cargo interested in utilizing the Port of Charleston, according to a statement from the South Carolina Ports Authority.

The containership lessor is looking at opportunities for sale-leasebacks with liner companies, buying ships from private equity firms that are now look to exit the container shipping sector, and investing in other assets like containers themselves.

Total shipments for third-party logistics providers grew 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter, but total revenues fell 4.7 percent compared to the same 2014 period, according to a recent benchmarking report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 18 ocean transportation intermediary license applications and changes for review.

   The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 18 ocean transportation intermediary license applications and changes for review.    The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Bruzzone Shipping, Freeport, N.Y. (victor J. Bruzzone, president); E.T.H. Cargo Services, Carolina, Puerto Rico (Wolfgang Herzig, president); Redline USA, Miami (Carlos Zilli, president); Route 809 Freight Forward, Miami (Eduardo Pichardo, […]

The shipping company’s Container and Terminal Division, which consists of intermodal shipping line Eucon and two container terminals in Ireland, posted revenues of 118.2 million euros for 2015, a 10.5 percent increase from 2014.

The increase in freight tonnage over the next 30 years will require adding capacity to marine, highway, rail, air and pipeline modes, according to the United States Department of Transportation.

The less-than-truckload division of FedEx Corp. said in a letter to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board a merger between Canadian Pacific Railway and Norfolk Southern Corp. would “lead to diminished service as well as higher shipping costs.”

Carload volumes dropped 10.1 percent in February, but intermodal shipments grew 12.9 percent compared with February 2015, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.