World Trade articles from October 2008

World Trade archives from October 2008

Tune up your supply chain.(INSIDE WORLD TRADE)
October 1, 2008... The news coming from U.S. ports is not particularly uplifting. True, 'glass half full' types can take solace in the growth in exports. The nation's two busiest container ports (LA and Long Beach) have seen a year-on-year gain of more than...

Globalization: the real competitive threat.(POLICY PERSPECTIVES)
October 1, 2008... The use of "international trade" and "globalization" interchangeably often results in international trade being blamed for competitive threats, when globalization actually is the root cause. Globalization results from increased international...

Controversy continues over DHL deal.(AIR)
October 1, 2008... A proposed plan by DHL to hire UPS to handle domestic air cargo and sorting prompted Ohio lawmakers to try and block the deal based on charges of antitrust violations and efforts to save thousands of jobs that would be affected at DHL's freight...

American Airlines seeks to delay launch of China service.(AIR)
October 1, 2008... American Airlines has become the latest airline to ask the federal government to delay the start of a new service between the U.S. and China, in particular the carrier's Chicago to Beijing route, by one year, to April 2010. Although U.S....

October 15 deadline set for ocean container seals.(OCEAN)
October 1, 2008... Starting October 15, a new rule mandated by Customs and Border Protection will require all ocean containers bound for the U.S. to have seals that meet the ISO/PAS 17712 standards for unique numbering, strength, durability, and resistance to...

BNSF offers expedited intermodal service.(RAIL)
October 1, 2008... BNSF Railway has begun carrying intermodal containers on its "expedited" trains, which for an extra fee, offer faster delivery times than the railroad's "premium" service. The railroad will offer the new service between the Pacific...

Shippers fear 24-hour rule could apply to trucks.(TRUCKING)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Canadian manufacturers are worried that U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) so-called 24-hour rule will eventually be applied to cross-border truck shipments. Under the 24-hour rule, foreign shippers must provide details of...

UPS unveils financing plan for importers.(TRADE FINANCE)
October 1, 2008... United Parcel Service Inc.'s financial arm UPS Capital has started a bridge loan program for small U.S. businesses to help them finance trade transactions with international suppliers. The new program, available through UPS Capital Cargo...

Middle East to drive global logistics expansion: Dubai one of world's fastest-growing airports.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Middle East region will continue to experience high growth in contract logistics despite worries that a worldwide economic slowdown would have a serious impact on volumes and revenues, say industry analysts. With an anticipated growth of...

Progress on Mexico's Port of Punta Colonet: bidding opens to foreign firms.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... Mexican President Felipe Calderon has opened bidding on Punta Colonet--a $4 billion seaport project that could compete with major seaports in Southern California. Punta Colonet is located approximately 150 miles south of Tijuana and is...

U.S. customs reverses course on first-sale rule: importers spared from higher duty rates.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(United States. Customs and Border Protection)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reversed a decision that would have eliminated the first-sale rule, which provides a favorable methodology for valuation of U.S. imports. The proposal to revoke the first-sale rule would have led...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... AUGUST 2007--JULY 2008 August 108.9 September 108.1 October 109.5 November 110.2 December 108.8 January 111.5 February 111.5 March 109.4 April 109.4 May 111.4 June 111.5...

Philippine software exports on the rise: sector to hit $1 billion by 2010.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... The Philippine Software Industry Association says software exports are expected to hit nearly $1 billion by 2010. Driving the growth will be U.S. firms that are just beginning to outsource their software development to foreign firms, said...

South Korea, Australia launch free trade talks: first substantial step since 2006.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... Officials from South Korea and Australia have agreed to start "preparatory talks" on a free trade agreement while also calling for greater cooperation in energy and resources. Both countries have expressed their willingness to hold...

Britain's largest retailer to open shop in India: Tesco prepared to invest $114 million over two years.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... Britain's largest retailer, Tesco, says it plans to open wholesale grocery stores in India that will supply goods to hypermarkets owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Group. "It complements our entries into China and the United States, giving...

EU's high-tech duties under investigation: WTO review prompted by U.S. Japan, and Taiwan.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... The European Union's duties on certain high-tech imports may be subject to an investigation by the WTO following a complaint by the U.S., Japan, and Taiwan. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said the products affected by the duties...

Mark your calendar.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... Supply Chain Risk Management 2008 Rotterdam, the Netherlands Nov 3-4, 2008 http://www.scrmevent.com CSCMP Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management Chicago, Illinois Nov 13-14, 2008 http://cscmp.org/events/fundamentals/index.asp ...

Crowley hires Roberts.(Names & News)
October 1, 2008... Crowley Maritime Corporation has hired Michael Roberts as senior vice president and general counsel. Roberts, who formerly served as Crowley's vice president of government relations, most recently worked as an attorney in Washington, D.C.,...

Melford International Terminal taps Uberoi.(Names & News)(appointment of Mike Uberoi)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Melford International Terminal Inc., the organization that is planning to build a new container terminal at Melford on the Canso Strait in Nova Scotia, has hired Mike Uberoi as its chief financial and chief operating officer. The company...

Telman appointed by Ports America Group.(Names & News)
October 1, 2008... Ports America Group has appointed Deborah H. Telman general counsel at the company's Iselin, N.J., headquarters. Previously, she served as chief counsel for mergers and acquisitions at Boeing Co. in Chicago since 2002.

Jensen Promoted by KCS.(Names & News)
October 1, 2008... Kansas City Southern announced the promotion of Brett C. Jensen from general director to assistant vice president of intermodal sales and marketing. Jensen is responsible for the sale and marketing of domestic and cross-border intermodal...

Truck hijackings up sharply in South Africa: shippers taking steps to avoid transshipments.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A report by eyefortransport states that South Africa has experienced a sharp rise in truck hijackings, which has forced shippers to avoid transshipments in the country. According to the Institute for Security Studies, 1,245 trucks were...

Demand for rail freight in the UK to double by 2030: international trade driving growth.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2008... A new study by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and the Rail Freight Group estimates that demand for rail freight in the UK will double by 2030. According to the analysts, there will also be a 30 percent increase in ton/kilometer by...

By the numbers.(TRADE WINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief article)(List)
October 1, 2008... America's Best-Performing Cities Rank City 1 Provo-Orem, Utah 2 Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina 3 Salt Lake City, Utah 4 Austin-Round Rock, Texas 5 Huntsville, Alabama 6 Wilmington, North Carolina...

Shippers and providers collaborate to take on a challenging economy: changing demand patterns, rising costs and more complex solutions are giving rise to a new model of partnership.(SUPPLY CHAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Company overview)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 'r' word (as in 'recession') is rearing its ugly head as businesses and service providers alike struggle with the challenges being thrown at them by the economy. The ever-deepening credit crunch, low consumer...

Tweaking the supply chain to optimize value and minimize cost: the next stage in logstics outsourcing is to maximize the full range services of 3PLs.(SUPPLY CHAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Company overview)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Toys "R" Us had to recall thousands of toys after learning Chinese manufacturers had violated U.S. lead paint regulations, the company faced a supply chain nightmare. Quickly, the retailer had to pull millions...

Supply chain software morphs into enterprise management: dedicated best-of-breed versions are giving way to broader networked models.(SUPPLY CHAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Company overview)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In many ways, i2 Technologies is the poster child of stand-alone dedicated supply chain management technology. Founded in 1988 with the vision of "helping businesses make more intelligent decisions by using...

Can warehousing really, truly be strategic? You bet. Innovations and value-added DC services are helping shippers leverage their supply chains to compensate for a weak economy.(SUPPLY CHAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE)(Company overview)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Warehousing has come a long way from a place to store product. Value-added services combined with some savvy upgrades are making them strategic players in shippers' quest to do more with less. During the past...

Everybody is global: regardless of size, few U.S. companies are not engaged in world trade. Woe be to 'little guys' who don't yet know it!(SMALL AND MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISE)(Company overview)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Five years back, Joe Zawacki noted the Asian points of production on the gifts being unwrapped that Christmas. Zawacki lived near Tacoma, a West Coast port deep in the land of Internet startups. He considered the...

Between the devil and the deep. Freight volumes are down, fees are up, yet West Coast shippers and ports see hope on the horizon.(LOGISTICS)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This year's peak shipping season will likely go down as one of the most lackluster in recent years. Not surprisingly, the nation's retailers have reported dismal back-to-school sales and holiday sales aren't expected...

Community profile: Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.(SITE SELECTION: Logistic Features in the Midwest)
October 1, 2008... "The ease of access to South Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, and a capable, motivated workforce made Tangipahoa Parish an ideal place for us to do business." -- Chris Ryan, Boh Bros. Labeled the "Crossroads of the...

The hidden costs of 'free' translation: why using overseas distributors to translate marketing and product materials can sometimes send the wrong message.(GLOBAL STRATEGIES)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the global marketplace, companies need to reach customers in many nations who speak different languages. One solution to this problem has been for foreign distributors--entities that sell client products--to...

Blowing smoke.(Great Moments: IN WORLD TRADE)
October 1, 2008... President John F. Kennedy gave his press secretary Pierre Salinger a simple shopping list on the evening of February 6, 1962: 1,000 H. Upmann brand petit corona Cuban cigars. Knowing the request urgent, Salinger delivered the order the next...