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Transportation Providers News

26 Mar 2024

Automakers Reroute Shipments After Baltimore Bridge Collapse

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

U.S. automakers General Motors and Ford will reroute affected shipments after a bridge collapse in the U.S. shuttered the Port of Baltimore, but the companies said on Tuesday the impact will be minimal."We expect the situation to have minimal impact to our operations. We are working to re-route any vehicle shipments to other ports," GM said in a statement.The Port of Baltimore is the busiest U.S. port for car shipments, handling at least 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.

25 Oct 2023

SEACOR Sells Its Inland River Business to Ingram

© Danita Delimont / Adobe Stock

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. based SEACOR Holdings Inc. announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its inland river transportation and logistics business to Ingram Barge Company LLC, a division of Nashville-based Ingram Marine Group.Part of the SEACOR family of businesses for over two decades, Inland River Transport Holdings LLC (SCF) includes more than 1,000 covered dry cargo hopper barges, eight 6,000-plus horsepower towboats and a network of terminal and fleeting infrastructure along the Mississippi River.“I am extremely pleased to enter this transaction with Ingram


16 Aug 2023

Norden and Teck Announce Emission Reduction Freight Contract

(Photo: Norden)

Danish shipping company Norden and Canadian mining company Teck Resources announced an agreement to reduce CO² emissions in Teck’s steelmaking coal supply chain.The agreement is expected to reduce annual emissions from Teck shipments handled by Norden by 25%, or up to 6,700 tonnes of CO², equivalent to removing over 1,400 passenger vehicles from the road.Norden said it will achieve emission reductions by utilizing a range of solutions, including the use of fuel-efficient ships


31 Oct 2022

The Case for an Inland River Transportation Caucus Within US Congress

© doganmesut / Adobe Stock

An Inland River Transportation Caucus could help inland river transportation interests that are often misunderstood and greatly undervalued.For anyone doing business on the inland river transportation system, the goal is to keep the rivers open for business, the barges moving and the landside facilities efficient in order to keep America’s supply chain strong.To accomplish this, it takes the federal agencies that are charged with operating and maintaining inland rivers to have the support of congress, the funding congress allocates and legislation passed by congress.

24 Feb 2021

Future Prospects of Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines by Sea

The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks


10 Apr 2020

Coronavirus: Cargo Loss Prevention Measures

© Suriyapong / Adobe Stock

The pandemic has brought about sudden changes for cargo transportation, impacting shippers and transport companies around the world and potentially increasing the risk environment, particularly for high-value and temperature-sensitive goods. In a new risk bulletin AGCS highlights steps for cargo owners to consider when developing contingency plans.While in most cases initial government directives have established cargo transportation as an essential activity, permitted during any quarantine period


02 Jun 2019

Maersk, DB Schenker to Fight Ocean Pollution

Danish shipping  conglomerate A.P. Møller – Maersk A/S and German logistics company DB Schenker have partnered to establish a CO2 target to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% per container transported from 2014-2020 for DB Schenker’s business with Maersk.As a result of Maersk’s fuel efficiency efforts, the companies met this target in 2018, 2 years ahead of schedule, said a press release from the largest container ship and supply vessel operator.“We’re on the same page with our carriers and the transportation providers who are striving for higher levels of environmental sustainability and less pollution,” says Andrea Schön, DB Schenker’s Corporate Climate Protection Manager.“We work together to hold the flag


02 Apr 2019

Franco out as Harley Marine Services CEO

The Board of Directors of Harley Marine Services announced via press release that Harley Franco will no longer be serving as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Matt Godden will remain as President of the Company. “Since the beginning of 2019, Harley Marine has made significant progress in ensuring its long-term stability as one of the nation’s leading marine transportation providers” said Godden. “Harley Marine is renowned for its track record in safety and operational capabilities and we intend to continue with this unparalleled commitment to quality.” According to Jon Foster, the successor Chairman of the Board of Directors, “we believe that Matt


08 Jul 2018

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Acquires Syngin Technology

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the global finished vehicle logistics provider, has signed an agreement to acquire 70% of the membership interest in Syngin Technology  for an initial purchase price of USD 22 million on a cash and debt free basis. "The future of logistics lies in combining digital services, physical assets and a deep understanding of logistics flows. With Syngin we boost our digital capabilities, setting us up to better support the changes we see in our customers' needs for the future", says Craig Jasienski, President and CEO of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen group. Syngin is a leading provider of automated logistics solutions for disposition of used vehicles through an electronic marketplace currently operating in the US and Canadian market.

20 Apr 2017

Pat Folan Weighs in on All Things 'Tugboat'

Photo: Pat Folan

Pat Folan is a partner in Daphne, Ala.-based Tug & Barge Solutions, a safety and compliance company that focuses on Subchapter M compliance for towing companies. The company also performs surveys of towing vessels and barges, manages safety management systems for towing companies and trains people on towing vessels and in offices. A professional mariner, for 27 years, he also operated towing vessels from Maine to Corpus Christi, Texas, including the Alabama Rivers, Lower Mississippi, Great Lakes and Erie Canal. A graduate of St.

27 Mar 2017

ABS' Howard Fireman Weighs in on the US Brown Water Sector

Howard Fireman (Photo: ABS)

Howard Fireman, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, joined the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in 2013. Fireman is responsible for leveraging the latest advancements in technology to drive the development of innovative products and services that promote safety and improve the delivery of class services in the marine and offshore industries. Since joining ABS, Fireman has also served as President of the ABS Nautical Systems Fleet Management Software product line where he has overseen significant advancements in the software and achieved growth in every sector.

29 Apr 2016

New Shipping Firm Sets up in Vancouver

A new shipping company has established itself in Vancouver as the Vancouver International Maritime Centre (VIMC) completes its Asia tour, launching in Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong. Greystoke Marine Management Ltd. is the latest company to choose Vancouver for its base of operations. The company focuses on assisting global shipping investors and international owners with optimally managing their portfolio of assets. Greystoke’s founders Robert Hedley, Mads Meldgaard and Roy Spires are all former shipping executives with one of the world's largest energy transportation providers, Teekay Corp. “Greystoke is a great supporter of the Vancouver International Maritime Centre initiative and Vancouver was an obvious location to start our new company,” said Co-CEO Robert Hedley.

19 Apr 2016

FMC Chairman Seeks Direct Engagement on Container Weight Issue

File photo: Port of Los Angeles

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero issued a statement regarding the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) amendments implementation, calling for negotiation between shippers and carriers. "I applaud Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Garamendi for including SOLAS VGM amendments implementation as a topic of yesterday’s hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation. "Although the FMC does not have a role in promulgating and implementing the SOLAS VGM amendment


01 Dec 2015

Barge-Rail Service on Upper Columbia, Snake Rivers

Container barge service is back on the upper Columbia and Snake rivers.The Up river Container Barge-Rail Shuttle will help importers and exporters in eastern Washington, Oregon and Idaho move containerized agricultural products to markets in Asia. An informal partnership including Northwest Container Service, Tidewater Barge and the ports of Morrow, Lewiston and Portland helped facilitate the return of this service. The first barge is currently loading at the Port of Lewiston this week and expected to get underway Thursday. The new service would address key issues driving up the cost of transportation in the wake of losing direct carrier service at Terminal 6 in Portland earlier this year— loss of barge service, container availability and cost of trucking to Puget Sound ports.

12 Nov 2014

MARAD Releases Port Planning and Investment Toolkit

New Toolkit Will Assist U.S. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today released the first module of the Port Planning and Investment Toolkit, a manual designed to aid U.S. port authorities with planning and funding for crucial port infrastructure improvements. Titled Funding Strategy Guide, this module provides guidelines, analytic tools, and resources to help port authorities develop comprehensive business plans and the financial structures needed to implement them. The release of this product supports the Build America Investment Initiative, which aims to expand public-private collaboration on infrastructure development and financing in the United States.

18 Jul 2014

Port of Long Beach Uses Education to Boost its Competitiveness

Photo: Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach said it has not lost sight of the significance of professional development in supporting the Port‘s decade-long, $4 billion investment in upgrades and efficiency improvements. The port’s commitment to boosting its competitiveness in the long term extends beyond rebuilding and replacing outdated facilities and infrastructure, to ensuring its human resources are prepared to help build the port of the future. “Having a full understanding of all the operations


12 Sep 2013

Supply Chains Need to Adapt as Power Shifts to Emerging Markets

Over 80% of the world’s population resides in what is known as “emerging markets.” This group of countries represents a diverse collection of economies from China to Peru and Ethiopia to Kazakhstan. Combined, emerging markets have witnessed impressive economic growth over the past few years in comparison to developed economies such as the European Union and the U.S. and present great opportunities for logistics and transportation providers. As a percentage of global import and export value, emerging markets have expanded their share over the past four years. From 26.1% of total global import value in 2009, emerging markets now comprises almost a third of global import value at 30.8%.

17 Jun 2013

Cargo Morphs in New Directions

After a decline during the recession years, U.S. exporters today are pleased with the record-breaking value of overseas shipments. At the same time, they are learning to cope with shipping cargo that can be far different than the types of goods sold in the past. Looking back just a few years, exporters could often count on freight that was neatly contained and relatively impervious to long journeys. Today, they may be faced with goods that require special handling, or cargo with distinctive characteristics that must be taken into account during transit. Getting cargo from ‘Point A to Point B’s has never been more challenging – and shippers who are caught unprepared may see loss claims soar and their business reputation damaged.

26 Sep 2012

C.H. Robinson Worldwide to Acquire Phoenix International

C.H. Robinson Worldwide to acquire Phoenix International for $571.5 million in cash & about $63.5 million in newly-issued C.H. Robinson stock. Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., is a global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions, serving over 37,000 customers through a network of 234 offices in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. Phoenix,  headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a privately-held international freight forwarder. In its most recently completed fiscal year, as of June 30, 2012, Phoenix generated gross revenues of approximately $807 million, net revenues of approximately $161 million and adjusted operating income of approximately $48 million.

10 Sep 2012

US Logistics Giant Takes Over Polish Company

C.H. Robinson Worldwide has agreed to acquire Apreo Logistics S.A. (“Apreo”), a leading freight forwarder based in Warsaw, Poland. Founded in June of 2007, Apreo provides truckload services including dry van and temperature controlled and liquid and dry bulk capabilities. To complement their truckload offering, the company also offers additional warehouse, air and ocean services. Apreo has shown significant growth over the past several years, with current gross revenues over $100 million while servicing more than 2,000 customers. The company has over 300 employees in 21 offices in Poland and one office in Germany. “This acquisition expands C.H.

05 Apr 2012

Container Shipping Line Wins Service & Reliability Award

Photo courtesy of Horizon Lines

Horizon Lines, Inc., one of the nation's leading domestic ocean shipping companies, has been awarded the "2011 Platinum Carrier Award" by home improvement retailer Lowe's Companies Inc. Horizon Lines is the only Jones Act ocean carrier to receive a 2011 award from Lowe's for domestic ocean transportation service. The 2011 award marks the sixth consecutive year that Horizon Lines has received Lowe's Platinum Carrier Award, and the 11th consecutive year that Horizon Lines has been honored with a Lowe's award for providing consistently superior service.

10 Nov 2011

WL Ross Invests in Navigator Holdings LTD

WL Ross & Co. and Navigator Holdings Ltd. have entered into a definitive agreement for WL Ross to acquire up to 19.4% of Navigator's common stock for a total of US$62.5 million in order to provide additional capital resources for the company's growth program. Up to two designees of WL Ross & Co., including Wilbur Ross, Jr., Chairman of WL Ross & Co., will join the company’s board of directors. “We see very substantial opportunities in the global transportation industry, particularly rail and marine shipping,” said Mr. Ross. “Navigator is a leader in the handy-sized shipping segment, which has excellent fundamentals and a positive outlook as global shifts in demand for liquefied petroleum gas and other petrochemicals increase opportunities for efficient


24 Jun 2011

Online Registration Open: Waterways Symposium, WCI Meeting

Online registration is open for the Eighth Annual Waterways Symposium and WCI Annual Meeting, sponsored by Waterways Council, Inc., Informa Econ omics and The Waterways Journal. The Symposium will take place October 20-21, 2011 and will be preceded by WCI’s Annual Meeting on October 19, 2011, at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Symposium will explore the array of obstacles and opportunities facing the inland waterways, ports, and inland waterways transportation and is themed, “The Fourth “R”:  Why Rivers Matter to America.”  Among the topics will be World Economic Trends, Transportation Forecast for Commodities