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| FMC reviews 6 OTI license applications |
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received six license applications and changes for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier/ocean freight forwarder license applications from NC Freight & Logistics, Miami (Lorenzo J. Colina, member); and Rockin Boxes Global, Valencia, Calif. (Omar Cantos, vice president). The agency also received license change requests for qualified individuals from Data Freight, Inglewood, Calif. (Edison Chen, manag...
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| Ex-Im Bank to boost U.S. aircraft exports |
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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The U.S. Export-Import Bank announced Monday that U.S. business aircraft and helicopters manufacturers will benefit from a new process to assess credit risks and expedite foreign-buyer financing. The bank hopes the new process will further facilitate the country’s exports of U.S.-made business aircraft. “Ex-Im Bank understands that business-aircraft transactions require specialized knowledge and experience but has limited resources to meet the growing demand for ex...
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| EU forces hit Somali pirates ashore |
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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The European Union Naval Force has attacked pirate bases in Somalia for the first time. In a press release, EU Navfor said it "conducted an operation to destroy pirate equipment on the Somali coastline." Broadcaster BBC said EU forces were transported by helicopter to the pirate bases near the port of Haradhere and destroyed several boats. The attack followed a March 23 decision by the Council of the European Union to allow the EU Naval Force to take disruption act...
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| Washington Notebook: Calling on Hercules to rescue transport |
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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Rep. Hahn wants more policy focus on ports. Members of the congressional PORTS Caucus are scheduled to meet with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood next month to press the connection between port investment and economic growth, Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., told a pro-freight audience last week at the annual conference of the Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors on Capitol Hill. The PORTS Caucus, founded by Hahn last fall, has about 65 members. "We re...
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| MSC ship suffers explosion off Puerto Rico |
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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The U.S. Coast Guard said it's monitoring salvage efforts on the 900-foot container ship MSC Idil after an explosion that occurred on Friday. The ship was about 60 miles north of Puerto Rico, in transit to Barcelona, Spain when the explosion happened. The Coast Guard said it has not been on the ship, but was told the likely cause involved welding. The Coast Guard cutter Key Largo is on scene with the MSC Idil ready to provide any rescue assistance, while monitoring...
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| DHS waives deadline for 100% box scans |
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Friday, May 11, 2012
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Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano has formally notified Congress that her department will postpone by two years the mandate that all inbound ocean containers be scanned for hidden nuclear weapons or other terror-related contraband at foreign ports by July 2012. The 9/11 Recommendations Act that required the 100-percent inspections included authority for the secretary to waive the deadline under certain conditions. In a May 2 letter to the House and Senate Homelan...
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| U.S. eases positive train control rules |
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Friday, May 11, 2012
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The federal government is easing rules requiring railroads to install positive train control (PTC) equipment, saving the industry hundreds of millions of dollars. The Department of Transportation said under the revisions announced Thursday railroads will no longer have to conduct risk analyses to obtain approval to not install PTC or take other costly risk mitigation measures on an estimated 10,000 miles of track that will not carry passenger trains or toxic-by-inhalation (TIH) ...
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| House panel passes port security bill |
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Thursday, May 10, 2012
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The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that directs the Department of Homeland Security to study and report to Congress on gaps in port security and how to address them. The "Gauging American Port Security Act" was introduced by Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., who has taken an active interest in port issues since winning a seat in a special election last year. She is the founder of the PORTS Caucus on Capitol Hill.
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| FMC reviews 11 OTI license applications |
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Thursday, May 10, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 11 license applications for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Four Points Ocean, Woodbridge, N.J. (Joseph Felitto, president); Senderex Cargo, Los Angeles (Roger C. Anderson, chief executive officer); and Worldwide Cargo Services, Lawrence, N.Y. (Scott Halfon, treasurer). The agency received NVO-ocean freight forwarder license applications from DTS World Carg...
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| FIATA concerned over EU air freight security |
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Wednesday, May 09, 2012
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The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) has voiced concern over a pending EU regulation that requires independent validation of agents involved in air cargo shipments to Europe. The law is an amendment to the EU security regime for air cargo and mail and went into effect Feb 1. It requires an airline to validate agents in third-party countries on all shipments into Europe. “Simply put, there seems to be a gap between the expected cap...
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| MarAd posts guidance on Ex-Im Bank financing |
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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The Maritime Administration has posted guidance for shipments financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, as the House of Representatives is expected to take up Wednesday a bipartisan proposal for continued bank funding. MarAd describes its standard procedures for facilitating Ex-Im Bank cargo on U.S.-flag vessels, certification of U.S.-flag vessel non-availability, and reconsideration of the agency's determinations. In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2011,...
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| Washington Notebook: DOT shuts down unsafe log carrier |
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday shutdown Judson Mobley Logging, a small Georgia-based motor carrier that hauled logs, because of unsafe operating practices. The agency said investigators found multiple violations of drug and alcohol testing procedures, driver qualifications and vehicle maintenance rules, and declared the company "an imminent hazard to public safety." The enforcement action followed the discovery that Judson Mobley...
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| Safety at Sea Seminar set for May 21 |
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) will hold a seminar on safety at sea in Washington May 21. The seminar, titled “Environmental Intelligence in Maritime: Safety at Sea” will feature discussions of shipboard safety, piracy, and an update on issues for seafarers and will begin at 3 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington. Panelists will include Coast Guard Vice Adm. Brian Salerno; Michael Bohlman of Horizon Lines; Benjamin St...
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| Civil War ship removal in Savannah channel |
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Monday, May 07, 2012
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to remove the remains of a Civil War-era vessel that remains an obstacle to a major harbor deepening project for the Port of Savannah. The Corps of Engineers will spend an estimated $14 million to remove the Confederate ironclad warship Georgia and its ordinance, which was reportedly scuttled in December 1864 just before Union General Sherman’s arrival in the port city. The vessel never fired a shot during the war and essentially ser...
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| EU fine turns 3PL's operating profit into loss |
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Friday, May 04, 2012
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The Swiss forwarding and logistics company Panalpina said it had a 40.4 million Swiss franc ($44.1 million) loss in the first quarter because of provisions for antitrust fines from Switzerland and European Union, compared to a 34.9 millon Swiss franc (CHF) profit in the first quarter of 2011. Panalpina has decided to appeal the European Commission’s decision to the European General Court. “We believe the amount is not justified, which is why we are going to appea...
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| FMC reviews 15 OTI license applications |
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Wednesday, May 02, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 15 license applications and changes for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Falcon Maritime and Aviation, Jamaica, N.Y. (Richard A. Shelala, president); Lorden International, West Covina, Calif. (Larry Lee, treasurer); Schooner Lines Co., Leola, Pa. (James Madden, chief operating manager); and Webgistix Corp., Las Vegas (Joseph Aldo Disorbo, president). The agency r...
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| Washington Notebook: The economy, a transport bill and Twitter |
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Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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By Eric Kulisch U.S. GDP slows to 2.2% The U.S. economy grew 2.2 percent in the first quarter, down from the 3 percent output of goods and services in the fourth quarter, according to preliminary figures from the Commerce Department. Personal consumption and exports were the strongest contributors to Gross Domestic Product. Exports of goods and services increased 5.4 percent in first quarter, compared with an increase of 2.7 percent in the fourth quarter. &nbs...
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| Shipping groups say they never acted improperly |
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Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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Two key trade associations representing domestic shipping companies, labeled in a civil antitrust lawsuit last month as "co-conspirators," say they have not been accused of any wrongdoing and were mentioned in the lawsuit only because some of their members were named as defendants. The complaint against Sea Star Line, Crowley and related companies operating in the U.S. mainland-Puerto Rico trade, was filed last month by Kraft Foods Group and The Kellogg Co. &nbs...
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| Shippers file additional lawsuits in Puerto Rico trade |
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Monday, April 30, 2012
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Dozens of shippers, including some of the largest and best known companies in the United States, filed five new antitrust lawsuits in April seeking damages from carriers Sea Star Line and Crowley over a price-fixing conspiracy in the trade between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico. The latest suits are by shippers that have opted out of earlier class action settlements. The complaints also contain allegations about not only Sea Star and Crowley, but also Horizon Lin...
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| Baltimore mayor pushes CSX on intermodal site |
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Monday, April 30, 2012
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Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, worried that planning for a rail intermodal center to support more port-related cargo and economic growth is taking longer than anticipated, on Friday asked CSX Transportation to consider a site within city limits instead of suburban locations that face political opposition or excessive development costs. The freight railroad wants to build an intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF) south of the city to combine international ...
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| Concern voiced over low sulfur fuel |
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Monday, April 30, 2012
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Both support and concerns about looming requirements for the use of ultra-low sulfur fuel by ships were aired Thursday during a meeting of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Chris Koch, president and chief executive officer of the World Shipping Council, told the subcommittee his organization supported amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, as adopted by the International Maritime Organization, which he said “will result in significant impr...
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| Miami settlement removes port dredge obstacles |
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Friday, April 27, 2012
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Opponents of dredging the Port of Miami's main shipping channel to 50 feet will withdraw petitions seeking to block the project after Miami-Dade County officials agreed to contribute $2.3 million to support environmental programs aimed at protecting and restoring Biscayne Bay, the county announced Thursday. The deal, which must still be approved by the Board of County Commissioners at its May 1 meeting, will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to move ahead with c...
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| UPS pilots angered by FAA rest regs |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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UPS pilots on Tuesday filed a petitioner's brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the Federal Aviation Administration's exclusion of cargo operations from new rules governing pilot duty and rest requirements. "The FAA acted contrary to Congress' mandate when the agency published new pilot duty and rest rules in December excluding a vast and growing segment of U.S. commercial aviation – cargo,” said William Trent, general counsel for the Independe...
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| Air Force laments IT crash |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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The U.S. Air Force has spent roughly $1 billion over seven years for a logistics management system which has gone belly up, according to recent statements from officials. The Air Force is now trying to parse out systems that can be salvaged and develop a lesson plan for future investments to prevent repeat failures. It said its investment in the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS), which provides a range of logistics and management services for its operations, will be ex...
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| FMC reviews 8 OTI license applications |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received eight license applications and changes for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Chartwell Navigation, Belle Mead, N.J. (Kenneth T. Carr, president); and USA Tomcargo Corp., Miami (Hector A. Parra, president). The agency received NVO-ocean freight forwarder license applications from Choiceone Logistics, Medley, Fla. (Trina M. Gomez, president); and Yuexin Global Logis...
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| U.S. supports Colombian river port study |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded a $550,000 grant to Terminal Fluvial Andalucía, S.A. (Andalucia River Terminal or "TFA") for a feasibility study to determine the technical and financial viability of a new inland river port along Colombia’s Magdalena River. The feasibility study will also include the preparation of preliminary design documents for the river port. TFA, a subsidiary of Grupo Puerto de Cartagena (GPC), plans to build and operate an inland riv...
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| 'Key moment' for regulating NVOs, forwarders |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission will take steps to begin the process of modernizing regulations for non-vessel-operating common carrier and ocean freight forwarder licensing, registration, and proof of financial responsibility when it meets next month, FMC Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. said Tuesday at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's conference in Hollywood, Fla. “I want to hear from you because right now we...
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| Crowley's Titan to salvage Costa Concordia |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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Crowley said its Titan Salvage unit has been awarded a contract to remove the Costa Concordia wreck from Giglio Island in partnership with the Italian firm Micoperi. The work will begin in early May, subject to final approval from the Italian authorities. The job is expected to take about 12 months. Removal of fuel from the ship was completed on March 24, more than two months after the Jan. 13 disaster which killed 32 people and injured scores of ot...
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| iCargo launches EU-funded framework |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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iCargo, a pan-European cargo and logistics project partly funded by the European Union, has officially launched its three-and-a-half-year framework program with the first focus on reducing emissions and facilitating load combining. The “Intelligent Cargo in Efficient and Sustainable Global Logistics Operations” project has a goal of improving real-world logistics operations and problem resolution with a focus on the EU, though systems and recommendations can be easily applied el...
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| Agility fires back with suit against DLA |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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Kuwait-based logistics company Agility said on Tuesday it has filed a $225 million breach of claims suit against the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, adding the agency breached the terms of a contract, according to a Reuters report. The logistics company, which built its reputation on the back of a number of contracts with DLA before being indicted by the U.S. Justice Department for fraud in November 2009, said in a statement U.S. government officials employed by DLA and the...
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| DOT adds Gerald Desmond Bridge to loan program |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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The Port of Long Beach has been selected to apply for a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan to replace the highly congested Gerald Desmond Bridge. The bridge lacks capacity for current and projected traffic, including trucks that serve the Southern California port, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday. The Port of Long Beach project was one of five picked to submit a loan application, which the Transporta...
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| EPA offers $20 million to combat diesel emissions |
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
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States, local governments and non-profit organizations can apply for up to $20 million worth of grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help programs aimed at replacing older diesel engines with cleaner alternatives. The EPA on Friday opened the fiscal year 2012 application process for the Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA). Another $9 million in funding will be available through state environmental programs, it said. Late-model diesel en...
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| Washington Notebook: Political maneuvering stalls transportation bill |
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed another 90-day extension of the surface transportation bill last week, which would provide funding for road building and transportation programs through the end of the fiscal year. The current three-month extension lasts through June. So why move on another extension before the existing one nears expiration? Well, for one thing, it provides a little bit of certainty to state transportation planners that money will ...
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| US Airways moves to merge with American |
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Friday, April 20, 2012
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US Airways announced Friday that it has reached agreement with the three unions representing American Airlines workers on what a collective bargaining agreement would like if the company took over American. American is currently operating under bankruptcy protection and lost $1.2 billion in the first quarter. It is trying to force its unions to agree to a cost-cutting deal, including layoffs, outsourcing maintenance work, hiring more regional airlines to handle flights and chan...
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| Truck replacement incentive, volumes rise in Charleston |
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
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The South Carolina Ports Authority said it is doubling, to $10,000, the financial incentive for local truck drivers who shuttle containers in and out of the Port of Charleston to replace old, polluting trucks with ones made since 2004. The port launched its voluntary truck-replacement program last fall, offering $5,000 towards the purchase of a newer truck to frequent port users driving pre-1994 vehicles. Removing the old trucks is a priority for many ports around the nati...
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| Two House bills could help ports |
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
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One way or another U.S. harbors may get more money for maintaining shipping channels this year. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 293 to 127 in favor of H.R. 4348, the 2012 Surface Transportation Extension Act. The bill will extend by three months past June 30 funding for transportation and transit projects and includes a provision that would result in additional funding for harbor maintenance. Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr., R-La., said...
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| Parcel handlers try hydraulic hybrids |
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
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The first set of hydraulic hybrid package delivery vans produced for regular service have made their way to FedEx, Purolator, and UPS for trial runs. The parcel companies are members of the Hybrid, Electric and Advanced Truck Users Forum (HTUF) Parcel Delivery Working Group. Each purchased a vehicle with assistance from CALSTART through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. CALSTART is an organization dedicated to reducing emissions across the transportation industry...
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| HK cargo handler adds IATA training center |
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
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Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. (Hactl), the biggest air cargo handler at the world’s largest air cargo hub, said Wednesday it has set up the first International Air Transport Association (IATA) Authorised Training Center (ATC) for cargo in Hong Kong. The goal of the center is to increase competency levels for air cargo practitioners in the industry. The training institute will provide distance learning and e-learning modules for those wanting to upgrade their know...
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| Antitrust fine hits K+N's bottom line |
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Monday, April 16, 2012
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Swiss freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel Group said it had a profit of 133 million Swiss frances ($144 million) in the first quarter, compared to 155 million Swiss francs in the same 2011 period. The company said its result reflected cost increases, lower margins in the forwarding business and an antitrust fine of 65 million Swiss francs imposed by the European Commission. Revenues were 4.83 billion Swiss francs in the first quarter of 2012, compared to 4.8...
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| Digital CargoHandbook goes live |
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Monday, April 16, 2012
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A newly launched Website, CargoHandbook.com , provides transportation details related to more than 750 commodities. The Website also offers definitions and restrictions related to the products, with the goal of reducing cargo-related incidents and claims. In addition, it provides an alphabetical list of cargo items and is built on the same structure as sites like Wikipedia for easy searches. Users can also submit information which ...
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| Maher files complaint against NY/NJ Port Authority |
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Friday, April 13, 2012
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Maher Terminals has filed a complaint against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission, claiming the agency gave a sweetheart deal to a competing terminal after it won the business of its largest customer. In October 2009, Mediterranean Shipping Co. transferred its business from Maher to the neighboring Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT). Maher said the port authority knew that the transfer would harm...
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| Savannah study recommends 47-foot depth |
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a report Wednesday recommending the Savannah River be deepened from 42 to 47 feet. The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project study, which consists of a General Re-evaluation Report and an Environmental Impact Statement, looked at options ranging from keeping the harbor at its current depth to deepening it to 48 feet. It concluded that deepening the harbor from its current depth of 42 feet to 47 feet is "economically viable, environment...
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| U.S., Brazil enter aviation partnership |
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
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The United States and Brazil this week entered a public-private partnership to enhance bilateral aviation cooperation in areas such as airport expansion, airspace management, safety and security. “These programs will support Brazil's aviation infrastructure development priorities, while connecting U.S. companies to the growing business opportunities in the sector,” said the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. As a result of rapidly increasing air traffic due to...
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| FMC reviews 18 OTI license applications |
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Wednesday, April 11, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 18 ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) license applications and changes for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Clover Internacional, Houston (Juan C. Castillo, special secretary); Icon Logistics Services, Laurel, Md. (Doreen Oloo-Dale, general counsel); and North American Cargo Solutions, Ontario, Canada (Stephen R. Halder, vice president). The agency also rece...
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| IES gets Ocean AMS users on ACE |
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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IES, which provides a suite of import and export services, announced that its entire Ocean AMS customer base will be moved from the Automated Commercial System (ACS) to the new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), a commercial trade processing system developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ACE is an attempt to create a single window approach for the United States where international traders electronically provide all information needed by federal agen...
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| Washington Notebook: Regulatory nuggets |
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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DOT bans motor carrier The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday ordered J&A Transportation of New Jersey to shut down operations because it posed a threat to public safety. The agency, part of the Department of Transportation, placed J&A out of service after multiple hours-of-service, driver and vehicle maintenance violations were discovered during roadside inspections. FMCSA found the trucking company continued to operate without an ...
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| DEA searches Walgreens’ DC |
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Monday, April 09, 2012
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Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration searched a Walgreens distribution center in Jupiter, Fla., and six of its drug stores in central Florida to see if the company or its employees had sold or distributed an excessive numbers of pain pills, authorities said Friday. Walgreens is the latest to come under scrutiny over the sale of prescription drugs as DEA named Florida the biggest source of narcotic pain pills in the Southeast. ...
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| GAO reviews port recovery plans |
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Monday, April 09, 2012
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A review of Area Maritime Security (AMS) plans for some of the nation's largest ports by the Government Accountability Office found they have incorporated key recovery and salvage response planning elements as called for by legislation and the Coast Guard. GAO reviewed the plans, which are supposed to help ports and waterways recover in the event of a disaster such as a terrorist incident or natural disaster like a hurricane, at the request of Congress. &nbs...
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| Singapore, Dutch strike up anti-piracy deal |
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Monday, April 09, 2012
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The Singapore Armed Forces has agreed to a deal to allow the Dutch military to store small arms and ammunition at its outpost, according to a report in Singapore’s Straits Times . “The arms will be used by Dutch military teams who sail on board Dutch-flagged merchant vessels, which pass through the piracy-infested waters off the Somali Coast and the Gulf of Aden,” the report said. “These military teams - known as vessel protection detachments (VPD) - are deployed on b...
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| Gonzalez forms new law firm |
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Monday, April 09, 2012
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Henry P. Gonzalez has opened a new law firm, Gonzalez del Valle Law. Prior to forming the firm, Gonzalez was a partner with Washington-based Rodriguez O’Donnell Gonzalez & Williams. Last week his former partner Carlos Rodriguez said he and three other employees joined the firm Husch Blackwell. Gonzalez, who worked earlier in his career in the Office of the General Counsel at the Federal Maritime Commission, said he will continue to represent clients in...
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| LaHood: 20 requests for every TIGER grant dollar |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said overwhelming requests for so-called TIGER grants reflect the need for increased infrastructure funding. "It's clear that communities across America can't afford to wait any longer to get started," LaHood said. "At a time when gas prices are high, it's more important than ever that we invest in projects that will relieve congestion, improve the safety of our transportation systems, and provide Americans with affordable, efficient optio...
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| FMC atwitter about Website redesign |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has launched a redesigned Website in an effort to improve the quality, clarity, and accessibility of information it provides to the shipping public. The agency is also posting news on Twitter . It said the upgrade supports the goals of the 2010 Plain Writing Act and President Obama’s directive that government should be transparent, participatory, and collaborative. It is also designed to better inform and educate the public on issu...
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| FMC reviews 17 OTI license applications |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has received 17 license applications and changes for review. The FMC received non-vessel-operating common carrier license applications from Armada USA, North Bergen, N.J. (Mustafa Oytun Cakir, vice president); E and M International Transport, Jacksonville, Fla. (Mary Brown, managing member); Embarque Tenares Corp., Bronx, N.Y. (Juan A. Luna, president); FJ Cargo Corp., Medley, Fla. (Francisco J. Matos, president); Meest-America, Elizabeth, N.J...
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| Attorneys move to Husch Blackwell |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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Four employees of the transportation and trade law firm Rodriguez O'Donnell Gonzalez & Williams are joining the Washington office of Husch Blackwell. Attorney Carlos Rodriguez, who entered private practice in 1977, is a well known expert in the field of ocean freight transportation. He successfully gave his boutique law firm a national presence. Rodriguez said being part of Husch Blackwell will give his clients access to a firm with a broader group of ex...
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| Italy fines shipping cartel 4 million euro |
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Tuesday, April 03, 2012
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Italian authorities have fined 15 companies and two trade associations more than 4 million euros ($5.3 million) for what it called a "secret cartel of shipping agents at the Port of Genoa" that operated a price fixing agreement for more than five years. The Italian competition authority -- Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato -- said the agreement lasted from February 2004 through December 2009, if not longer. It involved the fixing of prices for agency ...
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| USDA eyes alternative energy at airports |
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Friday, March 30, 2012
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently completed a study which highlights the potential for alternative energy production at airports. "Some available grasslands at airports have the potential to spur the type of innovation we need to build American-made, homegrown biofuels and bio-based products that will help to break our dependence on foreign oil and move our nation toward a clean energy economy," said Agriculture Secretary T...
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| Group points up tank barge capabilities |
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Friday, March 30, 2012
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A trade association for the U.S. domestic shipping industry is expressing concern that a recent government report severely underestimates the size of the Jones Act's tank vessel fleet and its ability to transport petroleum products from the U.S. Gulf to the East Coast to make up for lost production as a result of East Coast refineries shutting down. The Jones Act requires products moving between two points in the United States to be transported on vessels built and registe...
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| Congress passes transport bill extension |
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Friday, March 30, 2012
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Both the House and Senate passed 90-day extensions of the nation's major surface transportation bill on Thursday after the House failed to agree on longer term legislation. The House approved H.R. 4281, the ninth extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, by a vote of 266 to 158. The Senate approved the bill by voice vote a few hours later. House Republicans issued a press release trumpeti...
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| Coltec, NASSCO pay pollution penalties |
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
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Coltec Industries Inc. and National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO) have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $280,000 and spend about $500,000 on an environmental project to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and federal marine diesel engine air rules, the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Wednesday. The project will significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from a testing stack at Coltec’s Beloit, Wis., engine manufa...
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| Four cartels at core of EU price-fixing fines |
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
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The $225 million in air freight price-fixing fines handed out Wednesday by the European Commission to 14 air forwarders has dwarfed previous penalties or settlements for related cases in other jurisdictions. The European Union antitrust division’s case for the penalties – including more than $140 million against Kuehne + Nagel, Panalpina, and UPS alone – amounted to “four distinct cartels aimed at fixing prices and other trading conditions for international air freight forw...
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