World Trade - August 2008 - (Page 10)

TRUCKING AIR OCEAN TECHNOLOGY TRADE FINANCE 3PL WAREHOUSING SUPPLY CHAIN OCEAN Watch quality issues at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.” The ban begins October 1, when all pre-1989 rigs are barred from operating in the port. It continues through January 1, 2012, when only trucks meeting 2007 emission standards will be allowed. Under the plan, the ports will use container fees, bond money, grants and Harbor Department revenues to heavily subsidize the replacement or retroﬁt of some 17,000 trucks hauling goods to and from the waterfront. Regulators estimate the initiative will cut diesel pollution from trucks by 80 percent. The initiative is expected to cost $2.4billion through 2012. U.S. Ocean Cargo Screening Plan too Aggressive A 2012 deadline to screen all U.S.-bound shipping cargo for radiological and nuclear materials is unrealistic, a Bush administration ofﬁcial told lawmakers recently. A law passed last summer mandates that the Homeland Security Department screen all cargo headed for the U.S. Among the major obstacles to meeting the deadline: Trained U.S. ofﬁcials would need to be deployed to more than 700 foreign ports to operate screening equipment. The beneﬁts of screening all cargo bound for the U.S. has long been challenged by the Bush administration. Jay Ahern, deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told lawmakers that the plan is not a good use of taxpayer money. About 11.5 million containers come into the U.S. each year. However, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said that knowing what is inside them could prevent a disaster. terminals and upgrading clearances along overpasses to accommodate double-stack trains. CSX, which has committed $300 million to the National Gateway, said it will work with several states and the federal government to secure additional funding. The National Gateway will enhance three rail corridors that run through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia: “More and more, the nation is becoming aware of the tremendous safety, economic and environmental beneﬁts that railroads create,” CSX President and CEO Michael Ward said, noting one train can carry the load of more than 280 trucks. “The National Gateway leverages those beneﬁts to the fullest by combining the resources and expertise of the public and private sectors.” ment, plus associated fees, and the company, called Teqflor International Logistics LLC, would pay the county $365,000 a year in years two through 10 of the 20-year lease. After that, the rent would be based on fair market value. St. Clair County also expects to get more than $200,000 in landing fees a year and 25 new jobs. The deal would generate $5 million in revenue for the county over 10 years, said County Board Chairman Mark Kern. A 50,000-square-foot, $7 million warehouse was completed at the airport three years ago, but it has stood vacant as county and airport ofﬁcials turned their focus on the air freight business. Teqﬂor would lease about 35,000 square feet of that space. 3PLS TRUCKING AIR New Business MidAmerica Airport The struggling MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah is celebrating a business deal that will bring in some new international travelers: ﬂowers, ﬁsh and other goods from South America, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Clair County Board voted in June to approve leasing the warehouse to a Miami-based venture that would ﬂy perishable items in on cargo planes. The goods would then be stored in refrigerated units at the airport until they are shipped to retailers around the country. The county would spend $2.79 million on refrigeration and specialized cargo equip- Ports of LA-LB Get Approval for Ban on Older Trucks Starting October 1 The federal government has approved a proposed ban on older trucks by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that will take effect on October 1. The ruling by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission removes a key regulatory stumbling block for port ofﬁcials attempting to clean up diesel emissions from trucks in the harbor. Specifically, the FMC stated that, “there was no basis at this time to determine that the agreement is likely to result in an unreasonable increase in transportation costs or decrease in services.” In addition, “The commission has no wish to delay unnecessarily the implementation of programs to address air- 3PLs Staying Aﬂoat During Slowing Economy A slowing economy may be taking the steam out of many U.S. industries, but a large number of companies that provide transportation capacity and warehousing services to manufacturers and retailers are holding their own, according to a report by Reuters. These companies are seeing a surge in business as firms increasingly look to cut costs by outsourcing their supply chain management. Meanwhile, shares of some leading 3PLs such as C.H. Robinson Worldwide and Expeditors International have been trading around their lifetime highs. Analysts believe speciﬁc 3PLs will remain attractive not only because they are immune to rising fuel prices, but also because they are steadily grabbing market share from companies that have their own carriers. RAIL CSX Plans Rail Link between MidAtlantic Ports and Midwest CSX Inc. has launched a $700 million public-private initiative dubbed National Gateway that will create an efficient freight transportation link between MidAtlantic ports and the Midwest. The scope of the project includes building or expanding several high-capacity intermodal 10 WORLD TRADE AUGUST 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Trade - August 2008

World Trade - August 2008 Contents Weathering the Storm Helping the World’s Poorest Nations Benefit from Global Trade Supply Chain Watch Tradewinds World Trade’s Top U.S. Trading Partners LTL Shipping ‘On the Fly’ Air Cargo Flies a New Heading Getting More from China Sourcing Why 3PLs Need a Seat at the C-TPAT Table Performance-based Supply Chains Drive Total Lifecycle Value SmartWay Navigates Sustainable Transportation Around the World in 80 Days—Hours—Minutes

World Trade - August 2008

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