In the News:

As the United States continues to improve cargo security procedures new regulations and procedures often confuse importers and exporters.

Air Cargo
For air cargo shippers, recent TSA regulations are particularly frustrating because they can not find out what TSA is expecting of them. The TSA issued air-cargo security regulations in May, 2006 after a prolonged process of notice and public comment. In January, the TSA’s “regulated parties” – carriers and intermediaries – received “standard security programs” stating what they must do to improve security, with 60 days to implement them. While the regulations are in the public record, the directives are “sensitive security information”, SSI is accessible only to those who need to know. Shippers need not inquire.

No wonder air cargo shippers are frustrated.

Ocean Cargo
CPB is pushing ahead with it’s 10+2 initiative to use importer data in container threat assessments. However, implementation of the program will not happen quickly. CPB has told industry associations there will be a proposed rule making in August of this year, followed by a 90-day comment period. For more information, please follow this link –
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/carriers/security_filing_faq.xml

Our Recent Projects Include:

■ Reynolds International, LP
15 Agricultural Scrapers on 40 foot flat racks destined for Germany.

■ DZSP21
A 75-ton mobile hydraulic crane to be used in support of the U. S. Naval Station, Guam

■ Dagas, S. A.
10 LPG tank trucks destined for Guatemala.

The Breakbulk Conference & Exhibition

The 18th Annual Breakbulk Conference & Exhibition will be held October 28 – 30, 2007 at The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in New Orleans, LA

Speakers and topics will be announced in the near future.

Melford, Nova Scotia

A consortium of Canadian and U. S. investors is funding Melford International Terminal, Inc., in the building of a 1.5 million-TEU terminal in the port of Melford, Nova Scotia. The first phase is due to be complete by the year 2010 on 14,000 acres in Guysborough County facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Involved in the project are SSA Marine who will operate the terminal, CenterPoint Properties will provide the capital and has partnered with Melford to develop a 1,500 acre logistics center adjacent to the terminal; and the short line railroad Rail America will construct the 20-mile long spur from Linwood Junction to the development at a cost of approximately $25 million dollars.

In the long term, studies show that cargo growth at Canada's east coast ports by 2010-2015 will support the additional capacity. That cargo, bound for eastern and central Canada, the U. S. Midwest, the Ohio Valley and New England will come from Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent via the Suez Canal. intermodal containers shipped from Hong Kong to Chicago through Melford would take 17 hours less time than those shipped via New York-New Jersey.

Houston, Texas

Now the real work begins. CEVA has completed their acquisition of Eagle Global Logistics, which is based in Houston, Texas. The integration is expected to take a year to eighteen months to accomplish.

The acquisition seems to be a good fit - CEVA has more than 550 warehouses and distribution centers in twenty-six countries, while Eagle has extensive expertise in all aspects of international transportation and forwarding.

After all is said and done CEVA-EGL will become the fifth largest 3PL behind DHL Logistics, Kuehne & Nagel, Schenker-BAX and UPS Supply Chain Solutions.