Container Traffic Increase at Port of LA –

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Obama’s Blueprint for U.S. Economy – President Barack Obama recently stated in his State of the Union Address that increasing U.S. exports is an essential part of his “blueprint to an economy built to last.” Obama’s “blueprint” outlines four pillars to be used as a foundation for creating a stronger economy. These pillars include: a commitment to homegrown and alternative energy sources, equipping workers with proper skills for a 21^st century economy, a renewal of American values, and supporting the manufacturing sector.

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East Coast Ports Compete for Funding – During this election year, it is difficult for ports to obtain federal funds for expansion projects. President Obama has sent the FY2013 budget to the US Congress for approval this week which includes Charleston, Savannah and the Delaware River project; however, it is doubtful much of the budget will be approved due to the political environment.

Read more from Eye For Transport

Trucking Limits Challenged – The American Trucking Associations, one of the largest U.S. trucking groups, has filed a petition challenging the Transportation Department driver-fatigue rules. The group claims that the regulations maintaining an 11-hour limit on a driver’s trucking day and a 34-hour rest period focus on the wrong aspects of driver safety. They assert that speeding causes more injuries and fatalities than fatigue; therefore, the group proposes the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks instead.

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Check out the above video shot from the roof of our headquarters.  It is set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Winter.

Los Angeles Water-Quality Restoration Plan Approved –

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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.

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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.

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Definition – a customs document permitting the temporary importation of certain goods to foreign countries without paying customs duty.  A carnet acts as a passport for cargo.

How is carnet pronounced?  

History – Carnet originated in 1895 as the French term quernet meaning notebook, or book of tickets.

Intermodal Facility Approved at Port Everglades– 

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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.

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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

Wealthy Chinese are Spending Luxuriously –

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NY-NJ Port Authority Shows No Tolerance for Discrimination – The newest executive director of the Port Authority for New York and New Jersey, Patrick Foye, is making diversity on the waterfront a priority. According to Waterfront Commission’s statistics of longshore workers in New York, about 85% are white and about 90% are male. This statistic contrasts with the diversity of the population in communities surrounding the ports. Foye plans to end “deliberate discrimination” by leveraging leases, and creating a solid, enforceable diversity hiring plan.

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Obama Seeks Supply Chain Security – Department of State and Homeland Security officials have been directed by President Obama to work together with state, federal, and international government agencies and private industries to discuss a national supply chain security strategy. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and criminal activity have all negatively impacted U.S. economic growth and productivity through disturbances in the international supply chain within the last decade. President Obama wishes to address these supply chain disruptions by strengthening our national and international policies accordingly.

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Cooperation Between Port of Philadelphia and Port of Klaipeda – The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Lithuania in hopes of revitalizing the Port of Philadelphia and expanding trade opportunities. The Port of Klaipeda is an ice-free port on the eastern coast of Lithuania that serves as a main shipping line to ports in Western Europe and Southeast Asia. The MoU opens up the Philadelphia gateway to European and Asian trade through Klaipeda.

Read more from Eye for Transport

How is drayage pronounced?  

History – The word drayage originally stems from the term dray, a low cart without fixed sides that is used for carrying heavy loads a short distance. Although a dray is defined as a cart historically, a dray may be any vehicle used to transport heavy loads a short distance, such as a truck or sled.

Record Traffic at Port of Singapore –

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Panama Canal Workers Make Demands – Expansion of the Panama Canal is at a standstill due to union worker protests. Worker demands include payment of back wages, a raise in minimum wage, and better working conditions. The canal is set to double capacity by the end of 2014.

 Read more from Journal of Commerce.

Shippers Plan Ahead for Chinese New Year – Monday, January 23^rd marks the beginning of the 2012 Chinese (Lunar) New Year. Most factories in China close for at least ten days during the holiday. It’s important for shippers to plan ahead for the holiday to ensure their orders are fulfilled before the shutdown.  This results in an annual export spike for China in the weeks before the New Year.

Read more from Inc.com.

Make Way for East Delhi Monorail – In an effort to decongest the city and encourage public transportation, the Delhi government has approved a new monorail system. The monorail will include 12 stations and three interchangeable metro lines along its 10.8km route from Shastri Park Metro station to Trilokpuri. The monorail is expected to be in operation by 2017 and transport about 150,000 people daily.

 Read more from The Times of India.

Port of Seattle Seeks to Avoid Cargo Diversion

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Research Group Sees Reasons for Optimism in 2012 – According to a report by Transport Intelligence, some positive year end trends should carry into the new year, despite a difficult 2011. Europe’s economic concerns remain the biggest wildcard; however, record port volumes at Rotterdam and Antwerp bode well for 2012. Additionally, China’s plan to stimulate domestic consumption should support exports from the U.S. as well as other markets.

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Singapore’s New Export Rules – Singapore is launching a new advanced declaration program on April 1^st, 2013. The Advance Export Declaration (AED) will require cargo data to be sent to customs prior to departure for risk assessment. Currently, only controlled goods require such a declaration while information for un-controlled goods must be submitted within three days of departure. The AED is part of a growing trend in supply chain security initiatives like the U.S.’s Importers Security Filing (ISF) and Europe’s Entry Summary Declaration (ENS).

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Wind Causes Trans-Atlantic Flight Delays – Recent high winds are forcing more westbound trans-Atlantic flights to make unscheduled fueling stops. Last month, winds typically ranged from 47-60 knots while they only averaged 30 knots a mere decade ago. This is causing flight diversions and cargo delays in westbound traffic; however, in the opposite direction, tail winds are leading to fuel saving in Europe bound flights.

Read more from CNN Money

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Clean Truck Program (CTP) Update – In 2006, the Clean Truck Program (CTP) was adopted by the Port of Los Angeles. This program enforces strict clean-air standards to reduce harmful emissions in and around the port. This year, the final part of the program was implemented by retiring about 13% of the port’s drayage fleet.

Read more from the Eye for Transport

Port of Shanghai Reaches Milestone – In 2011, Shanghai became the first port in the world to handle annual container traffic of 30 million TEUs. Since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, Shanghai has gone from ranking fifth to first in total volume. Interesting factoid: The 30 million TEUs handled by Shanghai in 2011 amounted to the total 2001 activity of Hong Kong and Singapore combined.

Read more from The Wall Street Journal

Afghanistan’s First Rail Line – In December 2011, Afghanistan sent a train down the tracks of its first major rail line. The project aims to increase trade through its rocky, northern border, running from Hairatan where the bulk of cargo enters the country, to the northern hub city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Read more from the Digital Supply Chain