Ocean Freight, Air Freight, and Logistics Services for Importers and Exporters Worldwide
Definition – Slow steaming refers to the deliberate reduction of vessel cruising speed in order to cut fuel costs.
Environmental Impact – When a ship’s speed is reduced by 10%, its engine power is reduced by 27%. This results in less fuel consumption and in effect, the emissions released in line with the vessel’s fuel consumption are reduced.
EcoCradle Wine Shipper
Growing Mushroom Packaging – Ecovative Design LLC’s newest EcoCradle Mushroom Packaging is made from agricultural crop waste that is bonded together into a rigid material with mycelium, also known as “mushroom roots.” This new eco-friendly material is made to replace petrochemical-based foam and can grow in 4 to 10 days. Sealed Air and Ecovative Design have struck a deal to work together in order to accelerate the production, sales, and distribution of the new product.
Read more from DC Velocity
World’s Largest Cargo Airport to be Built in China – Beginning this year, China will start to build a nine-runway airport 30 miles south of Beijing. This $4.8 billion project will be built on a 6,600 acre site and will have the capacity of more than 130 million passengers and 5 million metric tons of cargo. The airport is slated to be completed by late 2017.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
U.S. Signs Customs Agreement with Mexico – Janet Napolitano, Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security, signed a customs agreement with the Secretary of Treasury and Public Credit of Mexico this week. Both governments are hoping that the customs agreement will strengthen customs cooperation and aid in the joint struggle against arms trafficking. In the last five years, more than 63,000 rifles and 10 million rounds of ammunition have been confiscated by federal forces.
Read more from Acercando Naciones
Operations at India’s Port Nehru Disrupted by Strike – Earlier this week unionized dock workers at Port of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s largest container gateway, joined a 24-hour nationwide general strike in protest of the central government’s labor policies. Workers walked off the job at major state-owned ports such as Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin and Kolkata as well. The Trade Union Coordination Committee launched this strike as an attempt to put pressure on the government to review its proposed changes in public-sector organizations.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
Los Angeles Water-Quality Restoration Plan Approved – The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are planning to reduce pollution in the ports and in the Dominguez Channel by cleaning up toxic “hot spots” over the next 20 years. The accumulation of various pollutants and sediments have contaminated the water and made some fish toxic to eat. State regulation includes limits on 70 water contaminating pollutants, regular monitoring and testing of the harbor and harbor animals, and requires neighboring citizens to refrain from releasing dirty storm water into the port complex.
Read more from LA Times
Mega Logistics Park at Port of Busan – A 22 million-square-foot distribution park is being built within Busan New Port in South Korea and is due for completion by 2020. The distripark offers logistical activities outside of cargo handling and will allow the port to better meet the demand for manufacturing, packaging, and assembly. As part of the Busan Jinhae Free Trade Zone, a variety of incentives will be offered to companies operating there.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
New Intermodal Terminal at Chippewa Falls – A new intermodal terminal has opened at Canadian National’s 8.5 acre Chippewa Falls Yard, providing proficient single-rail-line access to North American and global markets. The terminal features a 2,500 foot long intermodal loading and unloading track as well as an onsite grain transfer facility. Just a 100 miles east of Minneapolis, this new terminal provides customers in Wisconsin and Minnesota with new supply chain options for inbound and outbound container shipping.
Read more from Eye for Transport
Beijing Bans Airlines from Compliance with EU Emissions Trading Scheme – The European Union implemented a new Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) on January 1, 2012. The new plan charges airlines for carbon emissions on flights to and from Europe; however, the ETS calculates emission fees for the entire flight rather than limiting fees to carbon emissions in European airspace. In protest, Beijing has banned Chinese airlines from complying with the charge. The ETS has concurrently angered the EU’s other major trading partners and tensions over the topic are very high.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
Intermodal Facility Approved at Port Everglades– The Broward County Board of Commissioners has approved an intermodal rail container transfer facility (ICTF) at Port Everglades in order to eliminate drayage to and from off-port rail terminals. The ICTF will be opened by 2014 and is expected to reduce road congestion and harmful air emissions by diverting up to 180,000 trucks by 2027. The first leg of development should be completed by late 2013.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
Surge in Indonesian Exports – In the last few years, manufacturers have shifted production away from disaster stricken areas such as Thailand and Japan. Since Indonesia has such a strong domestic market and is rich with raw materials, some global giants have built new production facilities there. This shift in production contributed to a 29% surge in Indonesian exports during 2011.
Read more from Journal of Commerce
An Innovative Concept for Sustaining the Future of Shipping – Eco Marine Power Co. Ltd. has developed a sustainable shipping concept called the Aquarius Eco Ship. The design incorporates ways to utilize sun and wind power by using their Aquarius Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) System, a fuel saving and emission reduction technology with features including solar panels, energy storage modules, a computer control system, and an advanced rigid sail design. The Aquarius MRE System is applicable to many different types and sizes of ocean going ships including bulk carriers, oil tankers, and passenger ferries.
Read more from The Maritime Executive
Pirates Beware of Impending Military Vessel – The French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) is conducting a 12-million-euro project that will equip the Partisan, a French military training vessel, with a series of anti-pirate security features and non-lethal defense weapons. Security features will include radar systems and infrared cameras for early detection of pirate activity. If there is threat of an attack, the crews will have access to non-lethal weaponry such as long range acoustic devices, beams of blinding light, and remote controlled water cannons. These anti-pirate defense mechanisms are expected to enter the market by 2014.
Read more from Discovery News
Oakland Officials Reject New Tactics to Combat Protests – Council members rejected calls for stronger tactics to prevent protests from shutting down the Port of Oakland. In November, and then again in December, protestors from the Occupy movement were able to shut down port operations in Oakland. The second action was part of a broader push to close all West Coast ports. Partially due to a much smaller police presence than other ports, Oakland was among the hardest hit by the protests. Port officials estimated that the December shutdown alone cost the local economy $4 million. Council members are looking for more specific information on the cost of additional police presence before voting again on the matter.
Read more from the JOC.
EU Courts Uphold Airline Carbon Rules – Europe’s highest court dismissed a lawsuit by North American airlines that challenged the European Union’s (EU) new cap-and-trade program. The program begins on January 1st and is designed to reduce the industry’s carbon emissions. Under the plan, each airline is issued pollution credits at a rate lower than their historical output. If an airline exceeds their allotment, they must purchase additional credits; providers that operate under their allowance can sell their excess credits. According to experts, air traffic is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions.
Read more from the Huffington Post.
Kim Jong-il Death Prompts Questions for Isolated North Korea – The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and transition of power is being watched closely by the world. The former leader’s youngest son is set to be the successor of one of the most isolated countries in the world. Neighboring South Korea and China will perhaps be keeping closest tabs on leadership transition. Most international trade to North Korea passes through China.
Read more from the New York Times.
NORAD Continues 50+ Year Tradition of Tracking Santa – What began as a misprinted telephone number for Santa Claus in a 1955 Sears advertisement has turned into a 56 year tradition of tracking Mr. Claus. The original mistake directed children to call a number that was actually an operations hotline for the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD). Then Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to update kids on Santa’s progress throughout the night and the tradition stuck. Today, the program’s successor, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint US/Canadian organization that provides air defense support for the two countries. The Santa tracking program now boasts Facebook and Twitter pages as well as a mobile app.
Read more from NORAD Tracks Santa.
Port of Montreal Will Now Accommodate Larger Ships – The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has authorized the passage of larger vessels, making it possible for post-Panamax vessels to reach Montreal. … READ MORE
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