World Trade articles from January 2005

World Trade archives from January 2005

Reflections on year one.(Inside)(International trade)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... This issue marks the start of Year 2 for me as Editorial Director of World Trade, an appropriate moment to reflect a bit on what I've been learning so far. The Big Truth is that, whatever your opinion about the current pace and scope of...

Foreign exchange strategies for coping with currency volatility.(Policy Perspectives)
January 1, 2005... On an average business day nearly U.S. $2 trillion trade in the foreign exchange market, where currency volatility has become the norm. Due to this inherent volatility, the value in the U.S. dollar fluctuates constantly against other...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Trade winds: the latest trends in the world of trade)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 0.8 percent in August--the largest monthly decline since February 2003--reported the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The TSI, which combines freight and...

Mexico raises concern over imports of U.S. hybrid corn.(The Americas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A study on the effects of genetically modified corn on native species has prompted Mexico to try and limit the amount of GMO corn it imports from the United States, even though U.S. officials have said such a move is unnecessary. Mexico...

Brazil's economic discipline helping to boost exports.(The Americas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Brazil's President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva is gaining approval at home and abroad for his adherence to a pragmatic economic program that includes boosting the country's exports. Commodities--especially beef, chicken, soybeans, wood,...

American food exports appeal to Burmuda's tastes, says USDA.(The Americas)(United States. Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Agriculture says American food and beverage exporters have a lucrative foreign market within close reach, even though it's often overlooked--Bermuda. With a GDP per capita of $35,200, Bermuda enjoys one of the highest...

LA-LB to introduce day-use fee to reduce port congestion.(The Americas)(Los Angeles-Long Beach)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Beginning in early 2005, marine terminal operators at the port complex of Los Angeles-Long Beach will start charging importers and exporters a fee to use the terminals during the day, in hopes that more terminal traffic will shift to night and...

Germany urges G20 finance leaders to take action against the falling dollar.(Europe)(Hans Eichel)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... During a recent meeting of finance officials in Berlin, German finance minister Hans Eichel called the falling U.S. dollar a "brutal development" and urged other nations to come up with a plan to avoid a potential currency crisis. "It will...

EU trade chief warns China, other countries to crack down on counterfeiters.(European Union)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy has identified China, Ukraine and Russia as the worst offenders for producing pirated copies of goods ranging from handbags to faucets to cars, and urged them to crack down on counterfeiters or face...

Eastern Europe is a healthy market for drug makers.(Europe)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Eastern Europeans are living longer and better, and sales of pharmaceuticals are rising with the increases in living standards and healthcare, reports the Economist Intelligence Unit. Yet, pharmaceutical companies are up against stiff...

EU complains to WTO about U.S., Canada sanctions over beef.(European Union)(World Trade Organization)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The EU has lodged a complaint with the WTO against the U.S. and Canada, in protest against their continued use of sanctions to combat a European import ban on hormone-treated beef. In its defense, the EU says its ban on imports of...

Setting up shop in Russia.(Europe)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Russia is on retailers' maps, say real estate agents, and in a big way; around 1.2 million square meters of new shopping centers are due to be completed by the end of 2005. The country is one of Europe's fastest-growing markets for retail...

Capacity crunch for cargo out of India could get worse.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Tight capacity for air cargo out of India could get even tighter following the elimination of textile quotas on January 1, 2005. Although textiles make up most of the export shipments, automotive and pharmaceutical goods are also...

China's trade disputes rising along with trade volumes.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... While China's trade volumes have surged, so too have the number of trade disputes the country has been involved in. The Ministry of Commerce said that during the first three quarters of 2004, China has been the target of 46 different...

Letters to the Editor.(Trade winds)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Regarding Jeremy N. Smith's column on "The Fax Machine" [World Trade, December 2004], I spent WWII with my mother, living in the house of her sister, Aunt Vaile, and brother-in-law (Uncle Hap) in the Forest Hills section of Newark, in one of...

U.S., Australia trade pact effective January 1.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The U.S. Trade Representative's office reports that the U.S. and Australia intend to implement the U.S.-Australia free trade agreement on January 1,2005. Nonetheless, there are still aspects of the pact, such as IPR provisions, that are...

Taiwan set to fully automate customs clearances.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Taiwanese government says it will fully automate its customs clearances in 2005, resulting in a lowering of costs and time. Revisions by Taiwan's legislature were made to the country's customs law to bring about better and faster...

GM on track to meet China's new fuel standards.(Asia-Pacific)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... General Motors appears to be on track towards meeting China's new fuel-economy standards, which become effective in 2005. Although a previous report by a U.S. environmental group predicted that less than half of GM's cars would be compliant...

Japan sets sights on more FTAs.(Asia-Pacific)(free trade agreements)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Japan is on tire fast-track towards creation of free trade pacts with several of its trade partners. The Japanese press reports that the government is in the midst of formulating a long-term plan that involves economic partnership...

African free trade pact not being utilized completely, says U.S. industry exec.(Middle East & Africa)(executive)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... An executive with the American Apparel and Footwear Association says retailers aren't taking full advantage of trade preference programs such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA),...

Middle East opens its doors to U.S. retailers.(Middle East & Africa)(Kenneth Cole., united states)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... American retailers are continuing to set up shop in Middle Eastern countries. Late last year, U.S.-based retailer Kenneth Cole opened its first Middle East outlet with a store in Dubai's BurJuman Center, according to the Economist...

Zimbabwe ready to fly again.(Middle East & Africa)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The government of Zimbabwe has announced its plans to establish a cargo airline in 2005 as a means to boost horticultural exports and foreign currency earnings According to the country's finance minister, passenger plans may also be...

IBM goes supply chain-centric in a big way: Big Blue is re-engineering its own global supply chain with a strategy to sell customers computing power to do the same.(International Business Machines Corp.)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... For decades, International Business Machines was known as the bluest of American blue chips, a somewhat stodgy company that stuck to its tried-and-true methods. IBM focused on long-term R&D. It captured the market for servers, continually...

Robert Moffat leads IBM's supply chain re-organization into 'on demand' computing: company's first-ever Senior Vice President for Integrated Supply Chain talks with World Trade Magazine about how logistics fits into the new business model.(Driving The Integrated Global Supply Chain From The Top)(Interview)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... INTERVIEW: Robert W. Moffat, Jr. Senior Vice President Integrated Supply Chain IBM In 2002, IBM moved to bring its 30 existing supply chains into an integrated whole. IBM chairman and CEO Sam Palmisano appointed longtime...

Elimination of global textile quotas will accelerate retail shake out: end of protective tariffs January 1 to unleash worldwide competition as prices of imports expected to drop 15%.(Multi-fiber Agreement )
January 1, 2005... One of the biggest cliches of the recently concluded election season was that Sen. John Edwards is the son of a textile worker. Stranding in front of countless shuttered mills, Edwards repeatedly used his biography as a base for attacking...

Innovative Air Force data warehouse integrates millions of parts into one-stop supply chain visibility: state-of-the-art approach offers inspiration for the next generation of civilian logistics systems.
January 1, 2005... A pilot gets in a supersonic fighter in a far corner of the globe, the plane loaded with more computer power than a lot of countries possess and enough high explosive weaponry to wipe out a small town. Strapping in, the pilot takes a leap of...

Are DHS security initiatives living up to their promises? U.S. companies are attracted to the prospect of expedited clearances, but there are still some bugs to be worked out.(Transportation & Logistics)(Department of Homeland Security)
January 1, 2005... If you ask the trade community about the effects of the U.S. government's security measures on their business in the past few years, you'll get any number of replies, which is not surprising given that the government itself has at times been...

China's changed everything for consumer goods makers: companies are rethinking their business models in the face of blurring relationships between manufacturers and retailers.(Industry focus: consumer goods)(Ed Clark)
January 1, 2005... As manufacturing continues to move en masse to China, many companies are being forced to change the way they operate their business. Although some of these operational adjustments have been relatively minor, others have been much more...

Think it's a breeze moving goods between the U.S. and Mexico? Think again--regulatory regimes are the hidden pitfalls in NAFTA and other free trade agreements.(Geographical Focus)(North American Free Trade Agreement )
January 1, 2005... Rules that allow Mexico's dominant carrier to negotiate international interconnection rates are inconsistent with international obligations, according to a WTO dispute panel. The U.S. Department of Transportation does not need to conduct a...

Uncle Sam lends a financial hand: letter of interest financial package in place to help land emerging market business.(Finance)
January 1, 2005... That old greeting, "I'm from the federal government, and I'm here to help you," used to bring peels of laughter to the entrepreneurial world. But some things have really changed. Bard, they recently got better for small- and mid-sized U.S....

Technology that aims to make trade a little less risky: as the dangers grow, so does the ability to manage risk.(Technology)
January 1, 2005... We live in a world full of global opportunities and global risks. Terrorists or geopolitical disputes can upturn shipments of everything from sneakers to computer chips and lingerie. No matter the product, there are always worries about lost...

Swiss WorldCargo division: logistics.(Corporate Profiles)
January 1, 2005... Punctuality, reliability and commitment As the airfreight division of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd., Zurich-based Swiss WorldCargo markets the belly capacity of its parent company and manages truck transportation between various...

Port of Long Beach.(Corporate Profiles)
January 1, 2005... On a mid-October morning, the mammoth MSC Texas sailed into the Port of Long Beach for the first time. The vessel is not quite as big as its namesake. But as container cargo vessels go, the Texas is among the world's very largest. As tall...

Schneider Logistics.(Corporate Profiles)(Company Profile)
January 1, 2005... Schneider Logistics leverages years of transportation industry experience to provide integrated supply chain solutions for customers with complex transportation challenges. Providing services that customers can implement and realize a quick...

Capacity crunch? Xpress Direct has all the right answers!(Corporate Profiles)(Company Profile)
January 1, 2005... Xpress Direct has rapidly built a highly-respected reputation by continually opening new windows in the world of expedited transportation solutions. Xpress Direct has established a track record of success in working with time-sensitive...

AIT Worldwide Logistics--www.AITworldwide.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... AIT Worldwide Logistics is a transportation company of excellence. Mastering its commitment to deliver exceptional value, AIT produces customized technology solutions for its customers. AIT has built a solid foundation over the past 25 years by...

Euler Hermes ACI--www.eulerhermes.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Euler Hermes ACI is North America's oldest and largest provider of accounts receivable insurance. Euler Hermes ACI offers both domestic and global credit insurance policies, which insure clients against commercial and political risk in more...

FedEx Freight--www.fedex.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... FedEx Freight is a leading provider of LTL (less-than-truck-load) freight services, providing regional and interregional delivery throughout the U.S., with extended international service. Using a comprehensive network of service centers and...

Export-Import Bank of the United States--www.exim.gov.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) assists U.S. companies compete in today's challenging global marketplace. This government agency assumes the credit and country risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to...

FedExTrade Networks--www.worldtariff.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... FedEx Trade Networks WorldTariff[SM] publishes customs duty and tax information for all customs areas worldwide. The WorldTariff team of editorial professionals continuously collects data from the world's customs authorities, then simplifies,...

Yang Ming Line (YML)--www.yml.com.tw.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Yang Ming Line (YML) is an independent all water and intermodal worldwide carrier, with a customer-driven staff supporting YML's state-of-the-art, fully integrated global network. Whether cargo is containerized, oversized or refrigerated...

Roadway Express--www.roadway.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Roadway Express is a leading transporter of industrial, commercial, and retail goods, offering innovative services to meet customer needs, including Time-Critical, Time-Advantage[R] and Exhibit Transportation Services. Roadway offers...

Swiss WorldCargo--www.swissworldcargo.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Swiss WorldCargo is the air cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. With its global network of more than 150 destinations in over 80 countries and its broad range of airfreight products and services, Swiss WorldCargo generates...

Litco International--www.litco.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Litco's Inca presswood pallets meet the new ISPM 15 International Standards for Wooden Packaging. Inca pallets do not require additional costly treatment for infestation. Don't risk costly delays at foreign ports! Inca pallets are priced for...

A.N. Deringer Inc.--www.anderinger.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Founded in 1919, Deringer has grown to become one of the leading providers of international logistics services. With over 30 offices coast to coast in the U.S. and a global agency network we provide supply chain solutions for companies moving...

Port Freeport--www.portfreeport.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Port Freeport offers three important advantages: Easy Access--Transportation via highway, railroad, Intercoastal Canal, and our 400-foot-wide, 45-foot-deep channel that is just three miles from open water. Space to Grow--7,500 acres available...

Meridian IQ--www.meridianiq.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... As a global logistics management company, Meridian IQ helps customers make better use of global transportation resources. Our approach allows customers to choose the level of service that best fits their needs. All levels are quick and easy to...

Port Everglasses--www.broward.org/port.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Port Everglades is one of South Florida's strongest economic engines with annual operating revenues of more than $89 million and total waterborne commerce exceeding 22 million tons in liquid, break bulk and containerized cargoes. More than...

Union Bank of California--www.uboc.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... When cost-effective international trade is integral to your company's success, choosing the right bank is critical. At Union Bank of California, we make it our business to provide our clients with the tools and expertise they need to navigate...

Supply chain wins series.(Great Moments In World Trade)
January 1, 2005... Friday, October 15, 2004, Boston Red Sox fans opened their morning paper to more bad news. Winless in the first two games of the American League Championship Series, the franchise now announced that the injured right ankle of pitcher Curt...