JoC Week articles from August 2006

JoC Week archives from August 2006

Trump card.(shipping industry)
August 28, 2006... When I flick on the television late at night to catch the baseball scores, I often find myself transfixed by a group of scruffy guys sitting around a table, impassive, staring at each other through reflective sunglasses. They're poker...

The trans-Atlantic is growing, too.(Maersk Line)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Maersk Line's westbound trans-Atlantic volumes have increased 6 to 7 percent this year, and eastbound volumes are growing 4 to 5 percent. The Danish carrier expects these growth rates to continue for the rest of the year, according to Arthur...

China's banks must change, McKinsey says.(McKinsey Global Institute)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Although China's banks have come a long way, they still lend too much money to underproductive state-owned enterprises, according to a new report by McKinsey Global Institute. This practice leaves the banks vulnerable to changes in the...

Transloading aids shippers, hurts Alameda Corridor.(Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Importers in Southern California who transload merchandise from marine containers into domestic containers for shipment to the Midwest and East Coast benefit from improved supply-chain efficiency and reduced transit time. However,...

Corrections and clarifications.(RADAR SCREEN)(Correction notice)
August 28, 2006... The Aug. 14 article "By a nose" about the competition between Charleston and Savannah incorrectly reported how Charleston has reduced dwell time on containers. It imposed restrictions of seven days on export containers arriving at the port,...

Results of the JoC Pulse.
August 28, 2006... Is the Doha Round worth salvaging? Yes 64% No 36%

Moller to take stake in Cosco Ports.(THE WEEK)
August 28, 2006... MoLler To Take Stake In Cosco Ports: A.R Moller-Maersk. the parent company of Maersk Line and APM Terminals, will acquire a 33.9 percent stake in Cosco Ports (Nansha) Ltd., a wholly owned unit of Cosco Pacific Ltd. No purchase price was...

India bans Hutchison Port participation.(Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd.)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... India Bans Hutchison Port Participation: India has barred Hong Kong-based terminal operator Hutchison Port Holdings from participating in local port projects, ending for now the company's hopes of entering the burgeoning country's port...

Alliances plan Asia-Savannah service.(Grand Alliance of OOCL, NYK Line and Hapag-Lloyd. and the New World Alliance of APL, MOL and Hyundai Merchant Marine )(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Alliances Plan Asia-Savannah Service: The Grand Alliance of OOCL, NYK Line and Hapag-Lloyd. and the New World Alliance of APL, MOL and Hyundai Merchant Marine will launch a new ex press, all-water service between Asia and Savannah via the...

US investors acquire TNT Logistics.(Apollo Management L.P.)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... US Investors Acquire TNT logistics: TNT, the Dutch mail and express group, agreed to sell its logistics unit to Apollo Management, a U.S.-based private investment fund, for 1.5 billion euros ($1.9 billion). The Amsterdam-based company...

California clean-air bills in Limbo.(Long Beach Democrat Alan Lowenthal)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... California Clean-Air Bills In Limbo: Five proposed bills that would have increased the cost of terminal operations at California's ports are apparently dead. The legislation sponsored by Long Beach Democrat Alan Lowenthal is now in the...

Controversial lobbyist to lead Eller.(Joseph Muldoon appointed at Eller and Co.)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Controversial Lobbyist To Lead Eller: Joseph Muldoon, the Washington attorney and lobbyist at the center of the furor over DP World's purchase of P&O, was named acting president of Eller & Co. He will replace Art Novacek, who resigned....

Mental wars: container ship lines hope this year's slump in rates will be short-lived.(shipping)
August 28, 2006... The slew of earnings reports disgorged by publicly listed ocean container lines over the last few weeks had three things in common: Profits were down as much as 50 percent in their latest reporting periods; freight rates were down even as...

Theory of evolution: why transloading will grow faster than on-dock rail.(intermodal)
August 28, 2006... At the end of the movie "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, newspaper editor Maxwell Scott tells Ransom Stoddard, "This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." As we face a future of growing import traffic, let's...

Two views on CFIUS: Congress tries to agree on process for approval of foreign investments in U.S.(Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States)
August 28, 2006... Passions ran high last spring as politicians and commentators railed against the inclusion of U.S. port operations in the acquisition of P&O Ports by Dubai's DP World. The uproar threw a harsh spotlight on a previously obscure interagency...

Balancing act.(outsourcing)
August 28, 2006... For many manufacturers, the decision to outsource key production processes is a question of when, not if. Experts in the field of outsourcing emphasize that it is also a question of "how much." The most successful cases of transferring...

Logistics general: Genco's new COO leans on military experience to draft supply-chain strategy.(William "Gus" Pagonis )
August 28, 2006... William "Gus" Pagonis keeps a software application open on his computer that simulates a 3-inch-by-5-inch index card. At Genco--the Pittsburgh-based logistics provider that just named Pagonis chief operating officer--anyone wanting to...

A little constraint goes a long way.(intermodal)
August 28, 2006... What a difference a decade can make. Ten years ago, rail intermodal executives had an exceedingly difficult time selling capital investment projects to senior management and boards of directors. Today, intermodal projects are being started...

Not there yet: companies say application of EU customs rules isn't always uniform.
August 28, 2006... If the European Union has a uniform administration of customs laws, Veronique Holbrook hasn't seen it. Holbrook is executive vice president of logistics and customer service at Asbis, a supplier of computer components to 70 companies in...

Testing the waters: United to re-enter the all-cargo market via interline pact.(United Air Lines Inc.)
August 28, 2006... For the first time since it shut down its freighter network six years ago, United Airlines will market upper-deck freight service, this time under a trans-Atlantic interline deal with an all-cargo provider. The service with an unnamed...

Air cargo.(traffic and capacity)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... Traffic and capacity International scheduled services Percent change from same month previous year [GRAPHIC OMITTED] International freight Freight ton-kilometers Percent change by carrier, grouped by carriers' base of...

Spotlight: U.S. import partners.(BY THE NUMBERS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... SPOTLIGHT: U.S. IMPORT PARTNERS U.S. imports made up 64 percent of the $1 .4 trillion U.S. goods trade in the first half of 2006. U.S. goods imports, in billions of dollars First-half Percent...

Containerized ocean trade.(shipping industry)(Statistical table)
August 28, 2006... CONTAINERIZED OCEAN TRADE In TEUs Loaded containers only January-Current month Current Imports month 2006 2005 %...

U.S. foreign trade.(Statistical table)
August 28, 2006... U.S. FOREIGN TRADE In millions of dollars, via all modes of transportation to/from the U.S. January-June Imports 2006 2005 % change Total ...

Rail cargo.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... RAIL CARGO Weeks 1-32 ending August 12, 2006 Loadings, in Units 2006 2005 % change Intermodal--total 7,459,533 7,010,248 6.4% Trailers...

JOC-ERCI Industrial Price Index.(Journal of Commerce--Economic Cycle Research Institute )(Brief article)
August 28, 2006... The Journal of Commerce--Economic Cycle Research Institute Industrial Price Index (JoC-ECRI IPI) is a leading indicator of inflation rates. The index is based on prices of a broad assortment of raw materials used in industrial production. The...

Paulson's China opportunity.(Henry Paulson)
August 28, 2006... With new diplomatic passport in hand, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson soon will begin traveling the globe to further U.S. interests. A key stop this fall will be China, where there is an opportunity to expand the dialogue on the U.S.-China...

With John Doherty: Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority.(Interview)
August 28, 2006... John Doherty has been chief executive of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority since 2003. The corridor provides an intermodal rail link between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and mainline rail tracks. Q. Daily train...

The birth of an inland port.(intermodal hubs)
August 28, 2006... We've taken notice in this column before about the explosive U.S. growth of inland intermodal hubs and how, because of the often uninterrupted flow of containers from ship to rail to these hub locations, it's more than a gimmick to call them...

No time to start over.(Department of Homeland Security)
August 21, 2006... Two big anniversaries are coming up for the Department of Homeland Security. Sept. 11 will mark the fifth anniversary of the attacks that led to the creation of the DHS. And Aug. 29 is the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which showed...

GSP review could hurt Russia at delicate time.(Generalized System of Preferences)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says 13 countries could be dropped from the Generalized System of Preferences, a program that gives preferential treatment to emerging economies. Under proposed changes, GSP benefits could be...

Bangladesh is latest nation to raise forwarder bonds.(RADAR SCREEN)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... The Maritime Administration is seeking trade comments on new regulations in Bangladesh governing foreign freight forwarders. The Bangladesh government wants foreign companies to invest a minimum of $500,000 for 10 years, and post a $1 million...

Up the Yangtze River with a guide.("Yangtze River Ports 2006" )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... With the Chinese government focusing its priorities for economic development on west and central China, the hitherto little-known Yangtze River ports are attracting an increasing amount of investment as gateways into these regions. A new...

Correction.(RADAR SCREEN)(Correction notice)
August 21, 2006... In Jerry Peck's column, "Collateral benefits," in the Aug. 14 issue, two key numbers were rendered incorrect in the editing process. The paragraph should read: "While a relatively small number of companies were selected for the study--11...

Results of the JoC pulse.
August 21, 2006... What's your chief concern for the U.s. peak shipping season? Rail delays 58% Port capacity 19% Port labor 10% Truck delays 10% Weather delays 3%

TSA delays rule for TWIC card readers.(Transportation Security Administration, Transportation Worker Identification Credential )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... The Transportation Security Administration says facility and vessel owners and operators won't have to buy or install Transportation Worker Identification Credential card readers until after an additional comment period. In an e-mail sent to...

Castle Harlan to slash stake in Horizon.(THE WEEK)
August 21, 2006... Castle Harlan Partners IV, the private equity investment firm that owned Horizon Lines outright before an initial public offering last fall, plans to sell much of its remaining stake in the largest U.S. container carrier. The sale was...

Study plays down impact of port box fee.(container ports)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... A proposed $30-per-TEU fee to fund infrastructure, environmental and security improvements at California's largest container ports would cause negligible diversion of cargo, a new study concludes. The study, funded by the Natural Resources...

Rail service improves, shippers say.(THE WEEK)
August 21, 2006... Overall North American rail service improved in the second quarter, according to Bear Stearns's quarterly survey of 1,000 shippers. The survey respondents said CSX Transportation. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific improved the most....

Judge tosses out suit against LA port.(THE WEEK)
August 21, 2006... A federal court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Southern California activist who charged that the Port of Los Angeles misused federal money to build a container terminal for Maersk Inc. The lawsuit, filed more than four years ago by...

Mineta joins SC intermodal project.(Norman Mineta joined CaroLinks, South Carolina)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has joined the advisory board of CaroLinks, a Charleston. S.C., intermodal company that plans to set up four cross-docking and transloading centers as part of a $250 million transportation and...

How big, how fast?(container ships)
August 21, 2006... I read an article recently indicating that when shippers consider jumbo container ships, most of them "probably shrug their shoulders." That sparked my curiosity, so I read on to discover why the writer felt that way. It seems that part of...

The currency effect: weak dollar is boosting exports and producing full ships in the trans-Atlantic.(SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS-ATLANTIC CARRIERS AND PORTS)
August 21, 2006... These are the dog days of summer, and ordinarily container ships plying the trans-Atlantic would have plenty of space left for cargo. After all, "les vacances" are here and most of Europe is on vacation, so no one should be left to ship goods...

300 years and counting: Port of Baltimore marks landmark year with new container services, auto-processing deals.(SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS-ATLANTIC CARRIERS AND PORTS)
August 21, 2006... As it marks its 300th anniversary this year, the Port of Baltimore has a lot to celebrate. Several carriers have launched new container services to the port, while dredging of a key berth to 50 feet is about to begin. The port even has a new...

Remote control: should NVOs be able to work through agents? FMC to decide.(Team Ocean Services, non-vessel-operating, Federal Maritime Commission)
August 21, 2006... A Texas non-vessel-operating common carrier has asked the Federal Maritime Commission for permission to operate through agencies. That sounds unremarkable, but the petition by Team Ocean Services may clarify what kind of outside relationships...

China connection: LTL carrier partners with APL Logistics in door-to-door LCL service from Asia to U.S.(Con-way Freight )
August 21, 2006... Con-way Freight is joining the rush to China, partnering with a forwarding company in the latest bid by a domestic trucker to get closer to the starting points of international freight. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based less-than-truckload...

ILA, Evergreen reach deal.(CONTAINER SHIPPING)
August 21, 2006... Four years after the International Longshoremen's Association began trying to organize 115 clerical workers at Evergreen America Corp.'s North American headquarters, negotiators for the ILA and the company have agreed on a labor contract. ...

Can we talk? Consultants help companies navigate the minefield of supply-chain risks.(MANAGING RISK: CONSULTING)
August 21, 2006... Supply chains are stretched thin, and outsourcing is risky. Consequently, demand for consultants is booming. They're being called upon to provide everything from business intelligence on countries and suppliers to complex modeling and risk...

One platform, many uses: shippers take an 'end-to-end' approach to transportation management systems.(TECHNOLOGY)
August 21, 2006... Companies used to be thrilled if they could use software to shave a few thousand dollars from their annual trucking bill. Now they want more--and they're finding it with transportation management systems. Rising logistics costs and...

Duel over dual-use goods: industry opposes proposed rules for exports that could benefit Chinese military.(TRADE FACILITATION)
August 21, 2006... In July, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security published proposed rules intended to help U.S. exporters sell "dual-use" items to customers in China. Dual-use goods such as semiconductors could be used for kids' toys or...

Rebuilding a port: a year after Katrina, Gulfport is pulling itself back together.(Port of Gulfport, Hurricane Katrina 2005)
August 21, 2006... On Aug. 28, 2005, the Port of Gulfport had 700,000 square feet of warehouse space. After Aug. 29, it had zero. And the wrecked warehouses are just part of the destruction the Mississippi port suffered from Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural...

No 'one-stop' shop: U.K. study says shippers don't like to put all their eggs in one 3PL basket.(LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT)
August 21, 2006... Logistics companies long justified their pursuit of billion-dollar mega-mergers as the best way to satisfy shippers' desire for one-stop service for supply-chain management. But shippers say big mergers haven't delivered that one-stop...

Air cargo.(traffic and capacity)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Traffic and capacity International scheduled services Percent change from same month previous year [GRAPHIC OMITTED] International freight Freight ton-kilometers Percent change by carrier, grouped by carriers' base of...

Spotlight: U.S. export partners.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... SPOTLIGHT: U.S. EXPORT PARTNERS U.S. exports made up 36 percent of the $1.4 trillion U.S. goods trade in the first half of 2006. U.S. goods exports, in billions of dollars First-half Percent Rank...

Containerized ocean trade.(shipping industry)(Statistical table)
August 21, 2006... CONTAINERIZED OCEAN TRADE In TEUs Loaded containers only Current January-Current month Imports month 2006 2005 % change Port of Long Beach July...

U.S. foreign trade.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... U.S. FOREIGN TRADE In millions of dollars, via all modes of transportation to/from the U.S. January-June Imports 2006 2005 % change Total ...

Rail cargo.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... RAIL CARGO Weeks 1-31 ending August 5, 2006 Loadings, in Units 2006 2005 % change Intermodal--total 7,209,580 6,775,690 6.4% Trailers 1,719,801 1,702,427 ...

JoC-ECRI Industrial Price Index.(Journal of Commerce--Economic Cycle Research Institute)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... The Journal of Commerce--Economic Cycle Research Institute Industrial Price Index (JoC-ECRI IPI) is a leading indicator of inflation rates. The index is based on prices of a broad assortment of raw materials used in industrial production. The...

Soft landing.(economic growth)
August 21, 2006... U.S. economic growth is slowing as a cooling housing sector and rising gasoline prices constrain consumer spending. The rest of the global economy, however, remains very solid, with growth likely to pick up a notch this year. The slowing...

With Peter J. Gatti: National Industrial Transportation League.(Interview)
August 21, 2006... Peter Gatti is executive vice president of the NIT League, a Washington-based association that represents the interests of its 600 member companies that ship freight throughout the U.S. and overseas. Last month,. Gatti wrote a letter to the...

Take the initiative.(shipping)
August 21, 2006... It would be easy to write off Britain's recent foiling of the plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners as just one more sobering story from the terror front. I, for one, have terror fatigue. If I watched every story on CNN and read every word in...

Interesting times.(Arthur Novacek of Eller and Co.)
August 14, 2006... If you look carefully, the facades are still there--Cunard, Norton Lilly, Kerr Steamship, United States Lines. But for the most part, the days when lower Manhattan was the center of the shipping universe survive only in memory. One of...

TSA says it will consider comments on TWIC rules.(Transportation Security Administration, Transportation Workers Identification Credential)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... The Transportation Security Administration is apparently taking to heart the 1,800-odd comments it received on proposed rules for the Transportation Workers Identification Credential. Responding to written questions, the TSA said two of the...

IMO will make 'black box' standard on ships.(International Maritime Organization)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... The captain's logbook, the written record of a ship's voyage, may be on a course to the same history as wooden ships and square sails. Out with the log, in with the Voyage Data Recorder, a black box device that serves the same function as the...

Study says ports will need plenty of capacity.(RADAR SCREEN)
August 14, 2006... A new study by Ocean Shipping Consultants, a British economic consulting firm, says demand for U.S. container port facilities will continue to increase. Demand for container capacity at U.S. ports will grow by 71 percent to 85 percent over...

Services sector could be key to reviving Doha Round.(50 developing countries)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Although the Doha Round of international trade talks recently foundered largely as a result of deepening disagreement about trade in agriculture, proponents of Doha are pinning hopes for revival on the less-publicized services sector. It's a...

Results of the JoC pulse.
August 14, 2006... Results of the JoC Pulse Where are most of your peak-season shipments heading? East Coast 50% West Coast 40% Canada 5% Other 5%

Buyer resistance is high for US beef in Japan.(food safety)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... After months of international negotiations and lobbying, U.S. beef is back on the shelves in Japanese stores--but U.S. producers aren't counting their export dollars yet. Surveys have found that a majority of Japanese consumers have safety...

Beef producers say Korean embargo is delaying trade agreement.(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Trade barriers in South Korea continue to frustrate beef producers and U.S. officials. This month, 31 senators signed a letter sent to South Korean President Cheong Wa Dae urging him to give his "personal attention in resolving the prolonged...

New route sought for hazmat shipments through nation's capital.(District of Columbia contracted Parsons Brinckerhoff )(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... The District of Columbia has contracted with construction giant Parsons Brinckerhoff to find new freight railroad routes around the nation's capital. PB will consider new routes that could be used for hazardous materials. Hazmat cargo has...

Correction.(RADAR SCREEN)(Correction notice)
August 14, 2006... The Journal of Commerce incorrectly reported that the Automated Commercial Environment electronic truck manifest system had been implemented at 47 out of 75 land ports of entry. The e-truck manifest system has become operational at 47 ports....

TWIC System vulnerable, report says.(Transportation Workers Identification Credential)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... TWIC System Vulnerable, Report Says: The computer system that will support the Transportation Workers Identification Credential has "significant security vulnerabilities" from internal and external threats, according to the Department of...

Ports, rails, truckers stave off congestion.(THE WEEK)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Ports, Rails, Truckers Stave Off Congestion: U.S. retailers expect container volumes to surge this month and maintain peak levels through October. August's Port Tracker, a monthly publication of the National Retail Federation and economic...

NIT League slams liner proposal.(National Industrial Transportation League)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... NIT League Slams Liner Proposal: Revised proposals from European carriers for an information-sharing system that would replace the conference system don't go far enough, the National Industrial Transportation League said. In a letter to the...

BIS to meet on China exports.(Bureau of Industry and Security)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... BIS To Meet On China Exports: The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security will hold public meetings this week to discuss its new policy for exporting dual-use technology to China. The meetings will be held Aug. 15-22 in Boston....

DP World to invest $100 million in Argentina.(Dubai Ports World)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... DP World To Invest $100 Million In Argentina: DP World. the Dubai-based global terminal operator. is set to expand significantly in Argentina. Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World holding company Dubai World. said the terminal operator...

Bahamas Port to join CSI.(Port of Freeport, Container Security Initiative)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Bahamas Port To Join CSI: The Port of Freeport in the Bahamas, one of the largest transshipment hubs in the Caribbean-Central America region, plans to join the Container Security Initiative. Customs and Border Protection announced. Under CSI,...

VPA's bray to retire next year.(J. Robert Bray to retire from Virginia Port Authority )(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... VPA's Bray To Retire Next Year: J. Robert Bray, who has been executive director of the Virginia Port Authority for 28 years, plans to retire at the end of 2007. Bray, 67. joined the port authority as general counsel in 1967 and has served as...

Everyone in the pool: sharing of intermodal chassis continues to spread despite obstacles.(Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM )
August 14, 2006... Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM share ships and a marine terminal at the Port of Long Beach. They also share intermodal chassis in a pool managed by SSA Marine, which runs the terminal. Ed DeNike, SSA's chief operating officer, can see...

Railroads hop on the train.(Union Pacific Railroad Co. joined Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association to launch cooperative chassis pool )
August 14, 2006... Rail intermodal yards, like marine terminals, are running out of space and are forming chassis pools to squeeze more capacity from existing facilities. Union Pacific Railroad in December joined with the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management...

By a nose: Savannah appears to have edged out Charleston as the South Atlantic's busiest container port.(Port of Charleston, Port of Savannah)
August 14, 2006... Only 100 miles apart, the ports of Charleston and Savannah have waged a decades-long battle for supremacy among South Atlantic container ports. At times, the rivalry has been heated. Industry veterans still remember a lawsuit that resulted 25...

Overhaul at Oakland: port spending. $55 million to expand capacity at APL's terminal.(Port of Oakland)
August 14, 2006... Stephen Hessenauer says there is a cardinal rule in the maritime industry: The street should never meet the ship. That means trucks that haul containers on streets and highways should be kept separate from the yard tractors that move...

On the back burner: customs de-emphasizes mechanical box seals, focuses on cargo data and scanning technology.
August 14, 2006... In January 2002, Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner showed a device the size of a small padlock to an audience at the Council for Strategic and International Studies, and called it the future. It was an electronic container seal, one of...

After the disaster: Coast Guard turns to industry on plan to help supply chains recover from catastrophes.(Hurricane Katrina 2005)
August 14, 2006... No one is going to say that Hurricane Katrina had a silver lining, but reaction to the storm caused the government to focus on an overlooked aspect of supply-chain security, and that could have a positive effect: how transportation...