Education/Training

Thursday, May 16, 2013

   Governments in Belize, Central America and the Dominican Republic should create an environment that embraces an integrated, intermodal sea-land network, according to a recent report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).    A stronger supply-chain network would help push global trade forward and would also encourage trade exchanges between the countries in the region.    The two authors of the study, Amar Ramudhin and Don Ratliff, posit that a number of initiative...

Thursday, May 09, 2013

   The U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration has released a Spanish language version of its Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters .    The guide was created specifically to help U.S. small and midsized businesses overcome one of their major export challenges, how to get paid from export sales, thereby helping turn their export opportunities into actual sales, the department said.    “Since the publication of its first edition in 20...

Monday, April 29, 2013

   Massive changes to the U.S. export control regime are beginning to be made by the Obama administration, but the automatic budget cuts that kicked in March 1 are limiting the Bureau of Industry and Security's ability to educate shippers about the new rules and how to follow them, Eric Hirschhorn, undersecretary for industry and security at the Department of Commerce, said.    Speaking last week during a webinar produced by American Shipper, the head of BIS said the agency has ...

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

   Pacer International/Ocean World Lines has appointed Al Benki to senior vice president of international logistics in the United States and Europe.    He formerly served as the company’s senior vice president of international logistics for Asia and Europe.    Taking Benki’s place in Asia is Danny Yang, who will serve as managing director for Asia.    Benson Chua has become Pacer International/OWL’s managing director in China, while Andrew Luk continues to manage t...

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

   Geoff Turner, president and chief executive officer of Choptank Transport, was elected chairman of the Transportation Intermediaries Association.    “TIA will continue to be the premier organization providing superior leadership in Washington, quality educational programs and a long list of services to support our members both small and large. I look forward to working with all of our members," Turner said in a statement.    Globe Express Services has appointed Regina Cro...

Friday, April 19, 2013

   In the introduction to the Air Logistics Handbook , a university-level guide to the air cargo industry due out next month, Virgin Group head Richard Branson wrote an introduction aimed at convincing people to pursue air freight logistics as a career.    The "outshining" industry, he said, is an important part of world commerce that is in need of new recruits.    “Air logistics is a phenomenal industry and has become even more important not only to the success of airl...

Thursday, April 18, 2013

   The U.S. Commerce Department has launched a $113 million manufacturing investment initiative outlined in President Obama’s 2014 budget proposal.    The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership will provide money for between five and six communities that have an economic development plan aimed at attracting investment. The winners will receive small grants to jumpstart projects in 2013, and communities selected for support in 2014 will get up to $25 million each.&nbs...

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

   In May, Florida Coastal School of Law will start a number of programs in logistics and transportation law, including a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree, as well as graduate certificates for lawyers and non-lawyers interested in transportation law.    The programs are offered online and can be completed on the student’s schedule any time. The first term for all programs starts May 6.    “Our goal is to train ‘solution brokers,’ well-rounded transportation and logistics profes...

Thursday, March 21, 2013

   The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) said last October’s Superstorm Sandy, which ravaged the U.S. Northeast, has shown the network’s strength, as well a highlighted areas for improvement.    “A particular strength of ALAN’s network is that its members tend to be problem solvers,” said ALAN President Jock Menzies, in a statement. “Supply chain management, by its very nature, requires working with others and finding the best and most efficient alternatives. These traits are ext...

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

   Hiab, part of Cargotec corporation, has received 1.4 million euros ($1.8 million) in funding from the European Union for a three-year research project with three universities in Poland and Sweden to develop sustainable load-handling equipment.    Specifically, the project will focus on a new approach to control systems to improve operational safety and the efficiency of load-handling equipment. The project will also involve new design strategies for advanced light materials applie...

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

   The Institute for Supply Management has expanded the eligibility requirements for its Certified Professional in Supply Management program to allow interested parties without a college degree.    Applicants without a degree must have years of work experience to qualify for certification; degree-holders only need three years of experience. Both types of applicants must pass a series of CPSM exams or the bridge test for current certified purchasing managers.    If an applic...

Friday, March 08, 2013

   The European Shippers’ Council and the Union of African Shippers’ Councils have signed a framework agreement to enhance cooperation and communication between the two entities.    The councils held their first meeting in Brussels on March 6.    The organizations will talk about international trade and transport, discuss regulatory developments in Africa and Europe, and share training, consultancy and research programs. During the inaugural meeting, officials from the organ...

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

   The federal government says that people who used to make Twinkies, Ho Hos and Wonder Bread lost their jobs in part due to foreign competition and qualify for training subsidized by the government.    In November, Hostess Brands Inc. shut down and filed for bankruptcy liquidation, saying it was unable to keep up with medical and pension obligations, competition and difficult economic conditions.     Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that about 18,000 ...

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

   The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) has appointed James Wilkinson to vice president for strategy and growth, effective April 15.    Wilkinson previously served as executive director of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) since 2003.    In his new role at NFTC, Wilkinson will lead business development efforts, including marketing, communications and membership growth, as well as coordination with the board and organizing the NFTC Foundation’s annual...

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

   BIMCO, a trade association representing many of the world’s shipowners, has picked Angus R. Frew to succeed retiring Torben C. Skaanild as secretary general and chief executive officer later this year.    Frew is currently chief executive of the U.K. Chamber of Shipping. It’s expected Frew, who will relocate to Denmark, will start his appointment on Oct. 1. Skaanild will continue in a support role to the new secretary general, and the incoming president of BIMCO, for six months th...

Friday, February 01, 2013

   The Institute of International Container Lessors’ (IICL) elected Jeremy Matthew, group chief executive officer of Seaco, to chairman for 2013.    He succeeds Brian Sondey of TAL International Group.    IICL’s board also elected Celine Wei, president of Florens Container Services Co., as first vice president; Philip Brewer, president and CEO of Textainer Group Holdings Ltd., as second vice president; and George Elkas, president of Flexi-Van Leasing, as treasurer. Keith Lov...

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

   The Seamen’s Church Institute of New York and New Jersey (SCI) has launched a new mobile app aimed at providing seafarers a way to brief themselves on U.S. environmental laws.    The app, available at enviroguides.us, was developed in conjunction with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and is accessible via the Web browser on any device (mobile phone, tablet or computer) to inquire about and search a constructive summary of the laws ...

Friday, January 18, 2013

   Insurer TT Club is highlighting the dangers to dockworkers from accidents involving heavy equipment in a recent publication.    For example, it said lift trucks were involved in 30 percent of the bodily injury claims analyzed, mainly the result of trucks reversing into people. The installation of anti-collision devices could potentially have saved $30 million and prevented 51 workers from being killed or suffering serious injury over the last six years.    The insurer no...

Friday, January 11, 2013

   Airports Council International, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association have established the Young Aviation Professionals Program, which will allow young aviation professionals to work at each of the organizations for four months.    Applicants will work in the safety, security, environmental and regulatory fields.    “The global aviation business is becoming more complex,” ACI’s Angela Gittens said in a statement. “Fo...

Friday, January 04, 2013

   A new report from the Security for Business Innovation Council has highlighted the growing threats to critical information from what it dubbed “disruptive innovations” like cloud computing, social media technologies, enterprise mobility and big data analytics.    The report “ Information Security Shake-Up: Disruptive Innovations to Test Security's Mettle in 2013 ," drew from opinions of the security chiefs at 19 major multinational firms on how to tackle the security concerns ...

Friday, December 21, 2012

   Recommended safety standards for container yard equipment have been published in a white paper by the insurer TT Club, the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) and the International Cargo Handling Cooperation Association (ICHCA).    The groups have identified additional safety devices that can be implemented on yard equipment, along with other operational changes in order to reduce injuries and fatalities as well as cargo, property and equipment damage.    ...

Thursday, December 06, 2012

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday announced the dates for its annual Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism conference. The event will be held in Washington, D.C., Jan. 8-10, at a location to be determined.     Registration for the C-TPAT conference is now open and individuals interested in attending are encouraged to register as soon as possible due to the popularity of the event.    The event is typically open to representatives of companies that ...

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

   Classification society ABS has awarded Stevens Institute of Technology $3 million to create a new civil, mechanical and naval engineering laboratory complex in the Davidson Laboratory.    The new complex will bear the ABS name.    "Without question, this laboratory complex will be a proving ground where enterprising students can develop the skills they need to take on the many technical challenges ahead," said ABS Chairman Robert D. Somerville in a statement.   ...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

U.S. freight volume remains steady    The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 0.2 percent in September from August, continuing a pattern of little fluctuation since January even as other indicators, such as Gross Domestic Product and employment, showed an uptick in economic growth, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported last week.    The September level (109.2) in the bureau's Freight Transportation Services Index (FTSI) is 15.8 percent abo...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

   The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has named Frederick G. "Bud" Wright to executive director.    Wright succeeds John Horsley, who has served as executive director since 1999 and retires Feb. 1.    Wright served as executive director of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2008, assisting the administrator in establishing policies, programs, and priorities for the $40 billion annual federal-aid highway program. As FH...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

   Third-party logistics providers and shippers are placing increased emphasis on developing and retaining leadership talent to help them steer through supply chain disruptions and spur innovation that will deepen a company's ties to its customers, according to the 17 th  annual "2013 Third-Party Logistics Study" and industry officials.    Companies are more interested now in having executives who are quick learners and can adapt to changes in a complex business environment ...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

   The Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) has appointed Capt. Andrew Clifton to general manager.    Established in 1979, SIGTTO promotes industry best practices and safety standards in the storage, handling and ocean transport of liquefied gases.    Clifton succeeds Bill Wayne who served as SIGTTO general manager for the past five and a half years.    Clifton has more than 30 years in the liquefied gas shipping industry. T...

Thursday, November 15, 2012

   The U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commision on Wednesday released a long-awaited guidance on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act regulation that makes it illegal for certain individuals to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business.    The 130-page guidance was unveiled a day before the American Conference Institute’s National Conference on the FCPA, which is being held today in Washington, and a year since Ju...

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

   R. Keith Michel, chairman of the Herbert Engineering Group of Cos., has been appointed president of the  Webb Institute .    Michel, an alumnus of the school, will succeed Robert C. Olsen Jr., who will retire after eight year as the school's president. Michel, who has been serving as chairman of the board at Webb, will be succeeded by George Campbell Jr., a physicist who was president of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art from 2000-2011.    “Much...

Thursday, November 08, 2012

   The Anchorage Economic Development Corp. (AEDC) has promoted Jon Bittner to vice president.    In his new position at AEDC, Bittner will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization as well as developing new projects and initiatives to drive the organization forward. Since joining AEDC in 2011, he has developed national and international outreach programs to attract new businesses and industries to Alaska.    AEDC is a private, nonprofit organization devel...

Monday, October 29, 2012

   Freightwatch International said a group of armed men stole $1.75 million in consumer electronics from the TAM Cargo warehouse facility in the Viracopos International Airport in Brazil on Oct. 23.    The group of five men subdued eight security officials by locking them up in a room. They then made their way into the warehouse and were able to steal the electronic products.    Freightwatch said "with the holiday shipping season beginning, cargo theft activity is on the ri...

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Alemán Zubieta    Alberto Alemán Zubieta, the former administrator of the Panama Canal, will be presented with the Container and Intermodal Institute's "Connie Award" on Dec. 10 during a luncheon in Newark, N.J.    The $5.25 billion canal expansion project, which began under Alemán Zubieta's leadership, will double the waterway's capacity and involves  construction of a new set of locks to allow the transit of longer and wider ships. The canal's entrances at the Atlant...

Monday, October 15, 2012

   The U.S. Transportation Department’s Maritime Administration said it will award $2.36 million to six state maritime schools.    MarAd awarded $392,913 each to the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, Calif.; Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Mich.; Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine; Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Mass.; SUNY Maritime College in Fort Schuyler, N.Y.; and Texas Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas.    The agency&...

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

   RedLine Solutions, a provider of fresh produce track and tracing technology, has launched a new Website (http://www.redlineforproduce.com), which features a blog by RedLine’s leadership, education Webcasts, how-to videos, and information on Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) solutions offered by the firm.    “Our new Website is extremely user friendly and packed with information,” said Todd Baggett, RedLine’s chief executive officer. “We provide extensive information on PTI to ...

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

   The U.S. Council for International Business has appointed Barbara Wanner to vice president for information, communications and technology.    Wanner comes to USCIB from the Coalition of Services Industries where she was director of the Global Services Summit and played a role on information and technology policy.    “She brings over 30 years of experience in trade and economic policy, as well as strong relationships with policy makers and a deep understanding of the...

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank is scheduled to hold a series of trade finance seminars in cities throughout Vietnam, one of the bank's nine key markets, from Oct. 10-16 as part of a "roadshow" designed to boost U.S. exports to the region.    The half-day seminars, organized in conjunction with the American Chambers of Commerce of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, will introduce Vietnamese participants to Ex-Im Bank's menu of products by way of outreach, training, and market sounding.  ...

Friday, October 05, 2012

   UK Club is warning of increasing numbers of main engine failure related incidents and accidents following blackouts and says some may be caused by ships switching to low-sulfur fuel as they enter Emission Control Areas.    The protection and indemnity insurer said "a significant number of these claims for third party property damage, many of which were enormously expensive and in some cases amounted to millions of dollars could be attributed, directly or indirectly, to ma...

Monday, October 01, 2012

   Researchers are warning that millions of pounds of unexploded bombs and other military ordnance that were dumped decades ago in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as off the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, could now pose serious threats to shipping lanes and the 4,000 oil and gas rigs in the Gulf.    William Bryant and Neil Slowey, professors of oceanography at Texas A&M University, and researcher Mike Kemp in Washington, say millions of pounds of bombs are s...

Friday, September 28, 2012

   The American Institute of Marine Insurance will offer presentations on a wide variety of topics at its annual Marine Insurance Day seminar next month, and is offering the ability for the first time to view the presentations remotely.    The Oct. 5 event will be held in New York and will include a half dozen presentations on topics such as container sweat and condensation, trends in cargo theft, wind turbines, mega container disasters, application of the Medicare Secondary Payer Act...

Friday, September 21, 2012

   The two hottest buttons when it comes to trade with China both have to do with cold hard cash: currency valuation and wage increases.    The first seems to be forever on the backburner of American politics, brought to the forefront during political elections, only to retreat to the back again in odd-numbered years.    The second has been an issue in recent years as China’s working class gradually ascends to the middle class.    But on Thursday, a delegation from...

Thursday, September 20, 2012

   Supply chain specialist Virtualized Logistics has announced a series of vendor workshops to help customers manage their suppliers.    The company aims to alleviate the worry around the complexity of managing supplier relationships and negotiations.    Anna Warren, supply chain solutions manager for Virtualized Logistics, said many companies are interested in sourcing more products or components from lower cost countries but are intimidated by the process of beginning tho...

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

   North American transportation service provider U.S. Xpress Enterprises has expanded its Web presence to include a new industry education service to help shippers resolve issues and answer common questions.    Called “Ask the Experts,” the Web service is aimed at being a forum and resource for shippers and drivers to ask questions about their operations as well as seek insights on larger industry issues.    “Ask the Experts” can be found here .    “Our new ‘Ask ...

Monday, September 17, 2012

   The U.S. government on Friday entered a memorandum of understanding with Brazil’s Micro and Small Business Support Service, the U.S. Association of Small Business Development Centers, and the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Institute for Economic Development to promote greater cooperation among small businesses in the two countries.    In specific, the MOU links the organizations’ online trade platforms for small businesses their networks serve. Under the U.S.–Brazil Agreement...

Thursday, September 13, 2012

   Logistics industry knowledge provider Transport Intelligence (Ti) and executive search consultancy Hanover Fox International (HFI) have formed a strategic alliance for recruitment in the logistics sector.    The partnership will combine HFI’s recruitment expertise with Ti’s 10 years’ of experience in the logistics industry, as well as its rolodex of senior level logistics and transport contacts.    Ti Chief Executive Officer John Manners-Bell called the partners...

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

   Intermodal pioneer Donald C. Orris will be honored Oct. 2 at the Containerization and Intermodal Institute's Connie Awards event in Long Beach, Calif.    Orris, who helped build stacktrains into the driving force of intermodalism, will be honored in addition to Matson Navigation Co.'s Chief Executive Officer and President Matthew Cox, who is receiving the Connie award.    Orris retired in 2001 as chairman and CEO of Pacer International, which he founded in 1997. He&n...

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

   The number of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement actions by the U.S. Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission in the first half of 2012 stayed flat compared to levels in the first half of 2011, according to a report by the law firm Venable.    Venable’s FCPA and Anti-Corruption Practice Group noted in a report released Monday there were 13 such actions in the first half, on par with the same period in 2011, but significantly down from the first half of 2010,...

Thursday, August 16, 2012

   IBM has opened a new Supply Chain Analytics Center of Competency (CoC) in Singapore.    The goal of these CoCs is to create analytics-based solutions that improve supply chain efficiencies.    The Singapore site will follow the model of an IBM living lab, allowing the company to develop and test new analytics tools. The work will also cover risk management, alert systems, and responses to supply or location volatility.    This is the companies th...

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it's indefinitely postponing its C-TPAT conference that had been scheduled for the fourth week of September because of scheduling and logistics challenges.    The agency previously moved its popular Trade Symposium from late September to Oct. 29-30. Registration for the East Coast version of the Trade Symposium is supposed to be begin sometime this week. 

Monday, August 06, 2012

   Trucking companies eyeing a potential driver shortage will also have to account for the cost of keeping up with more onerous federal truck safety regulations.    According to a recent survey of over-the-road carriers by the advisory firm Transport Capital Partners, three quarters of trucking companies believe their costs per driver to adhere to new Carrier Safety Administration (CSA) standards will be more than $500.    More than a third of respondents saw the costs as li...

Friday, August 03, 2012

   The board of the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (ASTL) has elected Michael Segal as its 2012-2013 chairman.    Segal is director of logistics and operations planning at Sappi Fine Paper North America. In addition, he is responsible for the Cloquet Terminal Railroad, a short-line located in Cloquet, Minn.

Monday, July 30, 2012

   U.S. Customs and Border Protection will hold its annual Trade Symposium for an East Coast audience Sept. 27-28 in Washington, the agency announced Friday.    In the spring, CBP held a West Coast Trade Symposium in Long Beach, Calif.    It is the first time since its inception almost a decade ago that CBP has hosted bi-coastal events. Previously, CBP held the Trade Symposium every year in Washington. Officials said they wanted to give trade professionals on the West Coast...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

   A Texas A&M University-Galveston professor called on Houston-Galveston leaders to better prepare the region for the opening of a wider set of Panama Canal locks in early 2015.    “Everyone needs to be on the same page because it’s a case of ready or not – the ships are coming,” said William Merrell, a professor of ocean and coastal policy, with a speciality in coastal sustainability. “There is no doubt the Panama Canal upgrade will produce substantially increased shipping traff...

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

   The number of attacks by Somali pirates on vessels from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean declined in the first half of the year to 69 from 163 during the same period in 2011, the International Maritime Bureau reported Monday.    The organization, part of the International Chamber of Commerce, said a big reason for the number of failed attempted hijackings is the strong international naval presence in the region. It also said the use of armed private security forces riding on c...

Friday, July 13, 2012

Scholnick    Bruce N. Scholnick, who led the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) as its president and chief executive officer for 12 years, died of cancer at his home in Alexandria, Va., on July 9.    Scholnick was well known for speaking out on regulatory and legislative issues that impact the wood pallet and packaging industry, both at the national and state levels.    “His task-focused approach was at first misinterpreted as impersonal, but members s...

Thursday, July 12, 2012

   The Produce Marketing Association’s Supply Chain Efficiencies Committee has developed a new guide specifically for fresh produce companies around how to implement electronic data exchange (EDI).    EDIs are systems used to share and send electronic data and documents between companies and are often used for providing documents to customs brokerage firms and for customs filings.    The “Implementation Guide for Fresh Produce Data Standards and Synchronization” sets up glo...

Thursday, July 05, 2012

   The International Trade Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department is in the process of giving the Export.gov Website a makeover to make it more user-friendly and interactive, Michael Masserman, the executive director for export policy, promotion and strategy, said last week in Chicago.     Export.gov  is a portal loaded with news, advice, tutorials and information about programs across the federal government designed to help companies get started exporting or ex...

Thursday, July 05, 2012

   The global logistics services company Panalpina said Wednesday it has opened four logistics competence centers to provide support to its branch offices throughout the world.    The centers, in Prague, Singapore, Buenos Aires, and New Jersey, are intended to support local teams from pre-sales through implementation to continuous improvement. The centers focus on best practices and standardization throughout Panalpina’s network in the areas of tender and bid management, logistics so...

Friday, June 29, 2012

   FedEx Express is expanding its eco-drive campaign around improving fuel efficiency and driving habits of its couriers in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.    The expansion of the driving program and instructions aims to change the daily driving habits of thousands of FedEx Express couriers around issues like idling.    The EMEA launch follows a successful first launch two years ago at FedEx Express in Japan. The expansion will be promoted by...

Friday, June 22, 2012

   Members of the Supply Chain Council, a global management organization whose goals revolve around creating improvements in supply chain processes, have elected an eight-member board to serve for three years.    The council said its new board reflects its practitioner-driven leadership model.    New board members are: Matt Davis, principal research analyst at Gartner’s AMR Supply Chain Research. Lars Magnusson, manager of supply chain development at Ericsson AB.&...

Thursday, June 21, 2012

   A meeting to discuss compliance with new international treaty requirements for large ship operators to significantly reduce emissions from their vessels is scheduled for June 28 in Tacoma, Wash.    The event, being held by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, and Sustainable Shipping, will focus on the new rule adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set to take effect from Aug. 1.    The rule requi...