World Trade articles from September 2008

World Trade archives from September 2008

The state of world trade and the state of the states.(INSIDE WORLD TRADE)
September 1, 2008... Geography and history have made Americans essentially an inward-looking people. The buffer of two great oceans simultaneously protected us and made discourse with other countries largely unnecessary for most of the citizenry, a vast and...

Obama or McCain: what's the difference for trade?(POLICY PERSPECTIVES)(John McCain, Barack Obama)
September 1, 2008... The story is told that George Washington, attending the 1787 Constitutional Convention, spoke little until someone suggested that the Constitution set a limit of 5000 men in the army. Washington finally spoke up, "If that be so, let the...

Lawmakers to Probe DHL deal with UPS.(AIR)
September 1, 2008... The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he plans to hold hearings in September to review an agreement between United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) and DHL Express that makes UPS the exclusive provider of air shipping for DHL's North...

Port of Oakland approves clean truck program.(OCEAN)
September 1, 2008... Port of Oakland commissioners voted last month to grant $5 million to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to help retrofit 1,000 trucks with new filters to help reduce air pollution in West Oakland. Air Quality Management District...

UP predicting weaker peak season.(RAIL)(Union Pacific Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The nation's largest rail carrier, Union Pacific, is forecasting a slightly slower peak shipping season this year with international intermodal volume expected to drop 1 to 2 percent over last year's levels. An executive with the rail...

House approves $8 billion for highway trust fund.(TRUCKING)
September 1, 2008... The U.S. House of Representatives have approved an $8 billion infusion into the highway trust fund, restoring temporary solvency to the federal account dedicated to the nation's infrastructure, reports the International Herald Tribune. By...

DOT extends Mexican truck program two more years.(TRUCKING)(United States Department of Transportation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The Bush administration has extended a test program allowing long-haul trucks from Mexico full access to U.S. highways for up to two years, despite pending legislation in Congress to shut it down. "We intend this extension to reassure...

RFID regaining interest.(SOFTWARE & IT)
September 1, 2008... IT companies say their customers are showing more interest in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, according to results of a new survey conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The worldwide survey...

Crunch Time for China's couriers: international competition squeezing private delivery companies.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
September 1, 2008... Increased competition from global express companies coupled with rising fuel costs are putting the pressure on China's private delivery companies, which are reporting declining profit margins. Costs have risen 16 percent since fuel prices...

Transportation Services Index.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
September 1, 2008... JULY 2007 - JUNE 2008 July 108.5 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...

Mexican Maquiladoras on the rebound: high-value sectors spurring growth.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
September 1, 2008... A new report from real estate developer ProLogis entitled, "Mexico's Maquiladoras--Climbing the Ladder of Success," finds that despite competition from low-cost manufacturing countries such as China, the Mexican industry has been successful at...

U.S, Canada border trade drops: traffic slows at busiest bridge.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Cross-border trade at the Ambassador Bridge--the busiest crossing between the U.S. and Canada--fell nearly 11 percent in June compared to the same month last year. The second- and third-busiest crossings, the Blue Water Bridge in Port...

Brazil wants to revive global trade talks: Lula says U.S., India differences can be resolved.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says he has initiated a series of consultations with the U.S., China, and India to salvage the recently collapsed Doha Round of global trade talks. Lula believes a deal could be reached if...

UK think tank warns of $200 oil: "era of easy oil" is over.(TRADEWINDS: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The world's oil supply chain will be stretched to breaking point and oil prices could easily rise above $200 per barrel in the next five years, warns a new report from the respected UK think tank, Chatham House. Arguing that investment in...

Mark your calendar.(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
September 1, 2008... CSCMP Annual Global Conference 2008 Denver, Colorado Oct 5, 2008-Oct 8, 2008 http://cscmp.org/events/conf_08_global/index.asp?XX=1 PARCEL Forum Chicago, Illinois Oct 6, 2008-Oct 8, 2008 http://www.parcelforum.com 4th...

NOL appoints Eng as president.(Names & News)
September 1, 2008... Neptune Orient Lines has announced the appointment of former APL executive Eng Aik Meng as the shipping line's new president. Eng succeeds Ron Widdows, the long-time chief executive of APL, who was named group president and chief executive...

Klaus-Michael Kuehne to retire.(Names & News)(Kuehne & Nagel International AG)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Kuehne & Nagel executive chairman Klaus-Michael Kuehne, 71, said he is stepping down from his position on the Swiss forwarder's board of directors October 1. He is reported to have recommended Karl Gernandt, 48, as his successor. The move...

CMA CGM taps Driscoll.(Names & News)
September 1, 2008... CMA CGM (America) LLC has tapped John C. Driscoll as senior vice president, USA Commercial. Driscoll will oversee sales, trade, and marketing for the company's U.S. operations. Most recently, Driscoll worked as vice president and...

DHL names Hickler.(Names & News)
September 1, 2008... Express carrier DHL has chosen Hans Hickler to head the company's global customer service initiative called First Choice. Hickler had been CEO of DHL Express in the United States since September 2006 when he was replaced in May by Ken Allen...

A shift in supply chain strategy: how global U.S. companies are looking 'homeward' to beat the current business climate.(SUPPLY CHAIN)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A few years ago, there was hardly any U.S. manufacturer it seemed that wasn't seriously thinking about China (if they hadn't already), as part of their sourcing or manufacturing strategy. But, how quickly things...

Experience the Nebraska advantage.(SITE SELECTION: Logistic Features in the Midwest)
September 1, 2008... Nebraska is business-friendly and ready to grow your business in the state. Nebraska's central location along key transportation routes provides businesses unmatched speed to all major markets regardless of direction. Goods shipped one day...

Will the oil crisis fuel near-sourcing? Some companies are finding that higher transportation costs are eroding the benefits of manufacturing overseas.(SUPPLY CHAIN)(Company overview)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the escalating oil crisis unfolds, companies with long, complex global supply chains are reevaluating whether their Asia-based networks still make economic sense. Pete Sinisgalli, president and CEO of...

Trade finance holds its own amidst the credit crunch: but risk is being re-priced and deals more selective as customers feel the pinch.(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For the trade finance fraternity, the Export-Import Bank's annual Washington conference is a welcome networking opportunity, a rare chance for over a thousand professionals to catch up, swap yarns, share market...

Trade finance case study: another way to source overseas.(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... Whaling Manufacturing, Inc. has been in the outerwear business for nearly forty years operating from a 120,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in Falls River, Massachusetts. During its apogee, Whaling employed 400 workers...

The hidden cost of open account: often times the internal administration efforts outweigh the perceived benefits.(Cover story)(Survey)(Column)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When I completed my 2006 Biannual Import Payment and Finance study, 62% of financial firms surveyed indicated anyone can use Open Account. I started wondering if anyone really has thought this through. I also...

U.S. ports clean up their act: undoing the 'perfect storm' of maritime transport and air pollution.(OCEAN TRANSPORTATION)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oceangoing container ships make more than 10,000 visits to ports in the United States from around the world each year. Delivery of goods to ports and from there to U.S. consumers is powered by diesel fuel each step...

Five surprises from a trade compliance application.
September 1, 2008... You have recently implemented a trade compliance application in-house or have outsourced your needs to an Application Service Provider. You and your boss are obviously elated as you have cut down on thousands of hours of manual work and reduced...

Into thin air: the growing risk of cargo theft: statistics indicate where and when thieves may attack and can assist in identifying which cargoes are most vulnerable to theft. However, there are steps that supply chain stakeholders can take to help reduce their exposure.(SECURITY)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With rising fuel and food prices and a weakened U.S. dollar, the cost of other goods and services has also risen in the past year. More economic pressures have been created by a mortgage crisis and job cuts that have...

Back to the future.(Great Moments: IN WORLD TRADE)
September 1, 2008... Sometimes conspiracy theories are true. One hundred and sixty years ago a few dozen Chicago businessmen met in secret and decided to control the future. The men were grain merchants frustrated at the current production system for corn and...