News

   The National Industrial Transportation League, the largest shipper organization in the country, is asking the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to closely examine the planned P3 Network that Maersk, MSC […]

   Port officials will be meeting with Hanjin and terminal operator ICTSI Oregon in coming weeks. It said Hanjin will continue with weekly direct calls at Terminal 6 for the […]

   MSC said export cargo from the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada to North Europe (including Scandinavia and the Baltic region), the western Mediterranean and Israel will be […]

   The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) said that on last Friday, Oct. 18,  the first-ever bulk shipment of U.S. sorghum to China berthed and began unloading at the Guangzhou Port […]

   Shippers are a diverse group, and they can’t be expected to agree on everything.    Still, we are surprised by the reception a proposal by the International Maritime Organization […]

   Bailey Shipping acquired the drybulk carrier Max on Aug. 16, 2007 from Wave Navigation, an entity which owned the vessel since 2000. (Wave was not a party to this […]

DP World says London Gateway’s proximity to population can reduce costs.    London Gateway, DP World’s new terminal, is scheduled to start regular operations Nov. 7 when the Southern Africa Europe […]

Proximity to transportation hubs prime criteria for CenterPoint.    Paul Fisher, chief executive officer of real estate development company CenterPoint Properties, recalls traditionally his peers would look at a new 33-foot […]

Intemodal firm sees growing demand for drayage services from shippers.    RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, formed earlier this year through the purchase of the former RoadLink transportation division, sees increased demand for drayage […]

By Tom Nightingale    The great management scholar Peter F. Drucker wisely stated, “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” There are two equally important sides […]

   Ports worldwide — including those in the developing markets with their vast mineral resources to export — have a need to accommodate larger ships. However, the cost to build […]

Canadian airport is a heavy-lift magnet, but seeks more mainstream freight.    In Western Canada, Calgary may be the top airport for heavy-lift cargoes, but it still plays second fiddle to […]

   The United States Maritime Alliance’s Dave Adam said the return of work pertains to master contract work. That includes the handling of containers and large roll-on, roll-off cargo, though […]

   The Port of Baltimore said arbitration was expected to begin Friday morning in an effort to end a strike by members of International Longshoremen’s Association. The strike began Wednesday […]

   Maersk Line has advised that a labor action in Rotterdam is causing it to divert ships to Amsterdam.    The carrier said that due to current collective labor agreement […]

   Construction officially kicked off Thursday on the Port of Savannah’s “last mile” Jimmy Deloach (Parkway) Connector project.    “Today, we take another step toward making sure companies can get […]

   Freight railroad CSX said Thursday it will invest $50 million to build a new intermodal facility near Pittsburgh to serve shippers in the area and enhance the efficiency of its truck-like service. […]

   A group of large U.S. retail trade associations have asked the country’s lawmakers to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act for at least 15 years “to ensure the […]

   BNSF Railway has unveiled a 433-acre intermodal facility at the Logistics Park Kansas City.    The facility has six tracks spanning 8,000 feet each; 4,300 container-stacking spots; and five […]

   Legislation signed earlier this week by President Obama to reopen and fund the federal government through January 15, 2014, also contains a provision to fund the Maritime Security Program […]

   Wells Fargo said today that it expects Matson will order ships or give a “material update” on new building plans by the end of the year,    In an […]

   Deep Water Now has been launched to encourage business and community leaders in the Northeast part of the state to support efforts to deepen the St. Johns River shipping […]

   Third party logistics provider ASF Logistics recently entered an agreement with Australia-based A&A Industries to oversee the transportation management of Airstream travel trailers from the Port of Baltimore to Australia’s Port Kembla. […]

   Ships at the port’s public marine terminals were not being worked. Work on five ships was idled on Wednesday. Private terminals that handle commodities such as coal, sugar and […]

   Green Marine, a voluntary marine industry environmental improvement initiative, and the American Association of Port Authorities signed a memorandum of understanding underscoring a new collaboration to advance the environmental […]

   A U.K.-based provider of maritime research, Dryad Maritime Intelligence, is renewing calls for heightened vigilance by ships traveling near Somalia following the recent attack on two ships, including the […]

“It makes no sense for rates to be at current levels, and it threatens the ability of individual carriers to maintain service levels heading into 2014,” said Brian Conrad, the […]

John F. Reinhart, the long-time head of the Norfolk, Na.-based U.S.-flag vessel arm of Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, will continue to lead the company until his departure at the end of […]

   CSX gained net earnings of $463 million in the third quarter, generating $8 million more than the same period in 2012.    Revenues of $3 billion, when combined with […]

   The Port of Los Angeles said it handled 710,892 TEUs, including empty containers, in September, 4.57 percent fewer than in the same 2012 period.    Combined total loaded imports […]

   Earnings during the third quarter for J.B. Hunt rose to $89.5 million from $78.2 million during the same period in 2012, as operating revenue topped $1.44 billion, an increase […]

   FESCO Integrated Transport North America has launched a new regular container service from North America to the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Sochi where the 2014 Winter […]

   In September, domestic intermodal costs fell 0.5 percent, year over year, and declined 1.2 percent month-to-month, according to Cass Information Systems.    Rates have stayed extremely competitive despite a rise […]

   Non-vessel-operating common carrier CaroTrans has started a direct Los Angeles-to-Suva, Fiji less-than-containerload service.    The NVO said the typical transit time to this market has been reduced from 32-36 […]

For exports to the Far East moving through U.S. West Coast ports, the general rate increase is $80 for 20-foot dry boxes and $100 for other size dry boxes, including […]

   Clarkson Securities, which helped pioneer container freight swaps, is getting out of the business because of a lack of volume.    In late April, a joint venture by ACM […]

   Peel Ports said work has begun on constructing the quay wall at the new Liverpool 2 Container Terminal.    The terminal, being built at a cost of 300 million […]

   The story “Cold train transload” in the October issue (pages 14-18) of American Shipper profiles a new company named Green Express that intends to sell wholesale transport of refrigerated boxcars. […]

The Copenhagen-based consulting firm said a comparison of freight forwarders and carriers between 2008 and 2012 found the volume of cargo arranged by large forwarders was more volatile than that […]

Palmetto Railways last week announced the $10 million purchase of the remaining 50 acres of what is known as the Noisette property on the former Navy Base in North Charleston, […]

   Liner carrier APL has put its newest containership, the 9,200-TEU APL Savannah, into service in the transpacific.    The vessel, the fifth of a series of 12 on order, […]

While intermodal growth has remained steady at a rate of between 3 percent and 5 percent year over year, Nate Brochmann of William Blair & Co. said bringing midsized shippers […]

   IAG Cargo has opened a pharmaceutical facility at London Heathrow Airport, expanding further its Constant Climate service.    The warehouse can store goods at ranges between 2 degrees Celsius […]

   Damco, the forwarding arm of the A.P. Moller Maersk, has appointed Tommy Mølgaard as its global chief financial officer.    Mølgaard was previously head of corporate finance at another […]

Molasses was released in early September into Honolulu Harbor from a pipeline system operated by a Matson subsidiary, and the company said it is fully cooperating with regulators involved in responding […]

   APM Terminals on Friday held a formal contract signing with the Van Oord-BAM consortium for the construction of the new Moin Container Terminal in Costa Rica.    The conortium […]

“Shippers are rightly worried about the potential of the P3 to eliminate effective competition in the world’s main liner trades,” said Chris Welsh, head of the Global Shippers’ Forum. “We […]

   CEVA Logistics has signed a three-year agreement to manage Michelin’s 25,000-square-meter tire warehouse in Valladolid, Spain.    The firm will provide picking and loading services, inventory management, and other […]

    Freight railroad CSX could begin double-stack intermodal service between the Port of Virginia and the Midwest by the end of 2015 under some scenarios for the second phase of […]

The companies have joined forces to establish Global Reefers NV, which they say will offer “the most efficient service on specialized reefers and container lines from Chile, Peru and Colombia […]

MOL has announced changes on New World Alliance services in the transpacific. Sailing days and transit times are being changed on the PCX service and PNW/PS1 services are being combined […]

Logistics property investor and developer Verdion has entered into an agreement with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) to fund and develop logistics parks in Europe valued at over 1 […]

   Unifeeder, a major European feeder and short-sea operator, will consolidate its short-sea transport operations through the Eurogate terminal in the Waltershof section of Hamburg, Germany.    “Many of Unifeeder’s customers, […]

   Johnson & Johnson Medical China has awarded Kuehne + Nagel a contract to manage the warehouse for its medical devices in China.    Kuehne + Nagel said the warehouse […]

   Carrier Transicold said Tuesday it’s making commercially available a refrigeration unit for ocean containers it calls NaturaLINE, which uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as a refrigerant instead of fluorocarbons.    “Throughout all […]

Liner carrier members of the alliance have announced the withdrawal of eight Asia-Europe sailings from late October 2013 to February 2014 in response to expected low demand over the winter season.

   American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC) said it is expanding its Atlantic Service through the addition of a fifth U.S.-flag ro-ro vessel, Freedom.    ARC said it will add regular […]

   Florida last week took the first step towards making a $50 million allocation to seaports for fiscal year 2014/15.    Under Florida law, each year the state must fund […]

   The Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) has published an information paper on container weighing technologies.    The paper’s release follows the International Maritime Organization’s recent decision to press forward […]

   Globe Tracker International and SensorClip ApS have joined forces to deliver wireless tracking, remote management of refrigerated units and generators, and power condition monitoring for intermodal transport.    SensorClip will […]

   MANP inland terminal, which is located near Moscow, has started intermodal service to the Urals, Siberia and the Russian Far East.    Investment in the terminal since MANP’s acquisition by […]

   The NVOCC CaroTrans said that it will start offering an expedited LCL import service from Hong Kong to Atlanta with a 22-day transit time.    CaroTrans said the service, […]

   An influx of additional containership carrying capacity is hurting freight rates, especially the dynamics of the North-South trades, according to the London-based shipping consultants Drewry.

   SeaIntel says an analysis of container traffic at North American seaports between 2006 and 2012 shows the share of the market handled by ports on the East Coast of […]

Drewry said the decision by ocean carriers to dump unwanted vessel capacity from their East-West schedules into North-South trade lanes “is now seriously hemorrhaging freight rate levels in North-South services.”

   Container Trade Statistics says an aggregated volume data survey shows the container shipping industry “may be finally pulling out of one of its longest recessions in history.”    “Overall, […]

“2013 has been a significant year for Safmarine MPV which started with the AP Moller-Maersk Group’s decision to establish the Safmarine MPV business as a separate and independent business unit […]

   DNV-GL, the classification society formed last month through the merger of Det Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd, said its FutureShip has collaborated with Hyundai Heavy Industry to optimize the […]

“After 42 years of dedicated service to the maritime industry here in San Pedro Bay, I have decided to retire as executive director of the Port of Los Angeles and […]

A team of shipping, offshore and finance professionals have announced plans to establish Maritime & Merchant Bank (M&M), a niche financial institution, based in Norway, that will serve the shipping […]

   Menlo Worldwide Logistics has opened a 1,692-square-meter warehouse in Brisbane, Australia, and promoted Greg Brown to manager of operations for Australia.    The operation will provide warehousing, supply chain engineering, transportation […]

The Chilean carrier said an agreement with six banks will finance 60 percent of the cost for seven 9,300-TEU ships and the other 40 percent will come from a capital increase of $330 […]

National Shipping of America, which in May started a fortnightly service between Houston and Puerto Rico, said it will add a southbound call to the Florida port, enabling it to […]

   Container carriers are revising upward planned increases in freight rates from the Far East to Europe.    Maersk announced on Sept. 17 a general rate increase of $600 per TEU […]

   The cloud-based software provider Logistical Labs on Wednesday released a new freight pricing and modal selection tool that leverages big data and social collaboration for quicker and more accurate […]

Digitimes said in the past Apple products had to be first shipped to Hong Kong or Shenzhen, China, to complete the export procedures and then imported back before they could […]

   The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) is preparing for its second conference in Singapore, Jan. 22-24.    The event, Effective Strategies for Managing Supply Chain Risk: Assuring […]

   ContainerPort Group has moved to a larger and more centrally located facility in Indianapolis.    The new facility is located near Interstates 65, 70 and 465 and a short […]

   The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received three ocean transportation intermediary license applications and a change for review.    The FMC received a non-vessel-operating common carrier license application from Zhejiang Sunmarr […]

FMC reviews 3 OTI license applications

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

   Seaspan Corp. said it has exercised options to build five 10,000-TEU containerships at Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.    The ships […]

   Japanese ocean carrier MOL announced an agreement with Kansai Electric Power Co. for joint ownership of two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will sail under long-term charter […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank will support for a “seven-figure purchase” of two new American agricultural aircraft by Jose Antonio Goncalves Viana, a soybean and corn agribusiness in Brazil.    […]

   Under the multi-year contract, American Worldwide Agencies will serve as sales agent for AAL’s direct port calls to and from Long Beach and Los Angeles; Vancouver and Everett, Wash.; […]

   The London-based industry consultancy Drewry predicts that more ocean carriers will cancel sailings instead of withdrawing whole services during the winter and this practice will continue until the P3 […]

   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing a rule that will restrict imports of potentially harmful perfluorinated chemicals that could be used in carpets.    The regulation will require […]

   The Georgia Ports Authority said it handled 2.5 million tons of cargo in August, 8.5 percent more than in August 2012. Container volume amounted to 280,873 TEU, 3.8 percent […]

   The Florida East Coast Railway will begin hauling cargo from the Port of Miami next month after completing the first phase of an on-dock facility for ship-to-rail transfer of intermodal boxes, setting […]

The Indian firm said Econocaribe is the third largest non-vessel-operating common carrier in the United States. Based in Miami, Econocaribe has nine U.S. offices and 22 receiving terminals throughout North America.

   U.S. steel imports increased in August compared to July by 13.8 percent, according to preliminary government data reviewed by the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS).    “Improved market conditions […]

   Delamode, a U.K.-based logistics and freight forwarding company, said Friday it has acquired John Shirley Ltd., a specialist freight forwarder in the West Balkans region.     John Shirley has more […]

The Asian Shippers’ Council said an agreement last week by the IMO on mandatory verification of gross weight of containers is unworkable and was not done with what it called “proper […]

Rail Logistics says it recently added 400 53-foot refrigerated containers to its express intermodal service from Washington state to the East Coast to support demand from food producers.

   Kuehne + Nagel has teamed up with European rail logistic firm VTG Aktiengesellschaft to merge the two companies’ rail operations under the name VTG Rail Logistics.    The companies […]

   The U.S. Transportation Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has released about $63 million in grants to 33 University Transportation Centers (UTCs) to advance research and education programs […]

U.S. and Japanese officials conducted thorough on-site audits to ensure that their organic programs’ regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible.

IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu said ocean shipping is “the world’s only really reliable, global, cost-effective and energy-efficient mass transportation method for energy, materials, foods and industrial products.”

   The bulk carrier Nordic Orion, loaded with metallurgical coal in Vancouver, British Columbia, completed a successful voyage through the Northwest Passage earlier this week.    The Norway-based Bellona Foundation […]

   The U.S. and Iraqi governments on Wednesday reaffirmed their strategic partnership during a meeting of the Services, Technology, Environment and Transportation Joint Coordination Committee (STET JCC) in Washington.    […]