Intermodal Transportation News

Global industry leaders from North America, Asia and Europe have announced the formation of the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium (NPGCC) whose members and partners will work together to decarbonize the value chain for commodities between North America and Asia.The NPGCC will apply its collective expertise to develop a corridor for the decarbonized transportation of multiple commodities, including agricultural products, metal concentrates and steelmaking coal.The members of the NPGCC are committed to establishing the consortium as a catalyst for decarbonization efforts…

A 300-acre property along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, Missouri recently received Port District zoning making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park.Located on the shipping lanes of the Mississippi River, the site has been utilized since the 1700s as a port. With its easy access for barge loading and offloading and the site’s proximity to early lead mines in adjacent Washington County, under early French ownership the port was utilized to ship lead cannonballs and shot to Europe to support Napolean’s army.

With a fleet of nine U.S.-flag RoRo ships, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC), is the U.S.’ premier commercial RoRo carrier of U.S. government and military cargo. As the world becomes an increasingly contentious place, Eric P. Ebeling, President & CEO, ARC, discusses the vast capabilities of the ARC fleet and logistics network, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-flag ships in the international trade.By the numbers’ is a simplistic means to gauge the size and shape of any shipping company…

As zero carbon cargo efforts are progressing, it is becoming more apparent that the lowest hanging fruit is in the last few miles. This is where a large amount of carbon is expended in delivering small parcels to stores and consumers’ doors.This is particularly apparent in dense pack cities like New York City, where delivery vans clog streets and water crossings. The NYC Economic Development Commission recently issued a Request For Expression of Interest in waterborne micro cargo delivery.

Zero emission is a nice idea, but who’s going to pay for it? The U.S. EPA is readying big money for zero emission ports.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on two high-profile port initiatives that it hopes will move the needle in a big way towards U.S. ports’ zero emissions (ZE) operations and clean air goals.The first initiative started last May when EPA published a request for information and comments that would help the Agency develop Guidance it could use to evaluate funding requests for projects for zero-emission vehicles, port equipment and related infrastructure.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it has set out to identify data constraints that impede the flow of ocean cargo and add to supply chain inefficiencies as severe bottlenecks continue to hamper global supply chains.Launched at the direction of FMC Chairman Daniel B. Maffei and spearheaded by Commissioner Carl W. Bentzel, the initiative seeks to to pinpoint how data can contribute to the long-term reliability of the domestic cargo delivery system. It will also aim to propose recommendations for common data standards used by the international shipping supply chain…

The Biden Administration’s struggles to alleviate supply chain capacity issues appear to be continuing with no end in sight. Part of the issue arises from the Administration’s limited focus on ports and another part arises from Congressional stalemates. Could the much-needed beltway leadership on these issues come in the form of the newly-tapped Maritime Administrator?Biden focuses on ports to address larger issuesThroughout October the President and his Supply Chain Disruptions…

U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration Administrator, Admiral Mark Buzby formally presented a check for $20 million to Jacksonville for the International Cargo Terminal Modernization Project. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao has announced that the Trump Administration will invest $900 million in American infrastructure through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. “The Administration is targeting BUILD Transportation grants to repair…

Women make up only an estimated two percent of the global maritime industry. In the U.S., the statistics are a little better, with less than eight percent of ship and boat captain operator roles held by women.Still, for a female to have the opportunity to train up to ship captain is considered “unique.” However, as predictions are being made that there will be a shortage of more than 140,000 deck or ship officers worldwide by 2025 (BIMCO/ICS), we will see more accomplished women take the helm and lead the industry forward.

The largest intermodal transport operator in Russia FESCO Transportation Group started seasonal transportation to Anadyr and Egvekinot, the ports of the Chukotka Autonomous Region, under the Northern Supply Haul.General cargo ship “FESCO Pioner” set sail for Anadyr on June 13, 2019. FESCO vessel will deliver to Anadyr about 4 500 tons of containerized and general cargo.The approximate date of arrival of this general cargo ship to Chukotka is June, 22. Delivery of the goods on linear service "FESCO Anadyr Direct Line" (FADL) is to last until the end of October.FADL service provides transportation all kinds of cargoes, such as dry and general cargoes…

Russian shipping company FESCO Transportation Group announced that as part of the development of FESCO Fast Forward services it is optimizing the rotation and changing the names of regular shipping lines from China and the Republic of Korea to Russia.Transportation services between China and Russia will be carried out under the brand FESCO China Express, and between the Republic of Korea and Russia - under the brand FESCO Korea Express.FESCO China Express will operate on two routes: Vladivostok-Vostochny-Shekou-Yantian-Xiamen-Ningbo-Shanghai-Vladivostok and the fast route - Eastern Arrow – Vladivostok-Qingdao-Shanghai-Ningbo-Vladivostok.

Captain Louis Rhéaume has joined the team at Maritime Simulation and Resource Center (MSRC).At MSRC Captain Rhéaume will supervise the implementation of maritime expertise projects and provide his professional and administrative experience to the pilots in training. Captain Rhéaume is a graduate of the Institute maritime du Québec and holder of a Master Foreign Going Certificate. He was a pilot on the St. Lawrence River in the Quebec-Escoumins sector from 1984 to 2018, President of the Lower St.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, has called on terminal operators, shipping companies, port managers and allied stakeholders to do all they could to eradicate or at best mitigate the effects of the present congestion at the nation’s seaports.According to the Managing Director, the issue of ports congestion should be of concern to all and therefore they should look into the issue of evacuation of empty containers, increase in free days of storage, wavering of demurrage for a definite period of time, creating a window of some period to accommodate the concerns of importers, etcThe Managing Director told the Stakeholders that the meeting was convened in compliance with a directive from the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman…

Video marks Academy's 75th year and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.Alumni of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) released an inspiring video to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the institution and memorialize midshipmen who have died in service to the nation. Over the summer, the USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation (USMMA-AAF) has been executing a multi-faceted campaign to mark the federal academy's decades of service and the foundational role it plays…

Women make up only an estimated two percent of the global maritime industry. In the U.S., the statistics are a little better, with less than eight percent of ship and boat captain operator roles held by women.Still, for a female to have the opportunity to train up to ship captain is considered “unique.” However, as predictions are being made that there will be a shortage of more than 140,000 deck or ship officers worldwide by 2025 (BIMCO/ICS), we will see more accomplished women take the helm and lead the industry forward.

Ask folks unfamiliar with the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) where it’s graduates can be found and they will likely tell you on a cargo ship plying the deep oceans, or in some exotic port on the far side of the globe. And they would be, for the most part correct. However, most don’t realize that no other federal service academy offers the career options of Kings Point. Yes, many graduates become ship’s officers at sea, and some take jobs ashore in the maritime and intermodal transportation field…

As the Central Ohio River Business Association (CORBA) pushes commerce on the Ohio River, stakeholders are beginning to take notice. On January 19, in an office tower overlooking the Ohio River, Eric Thomas convened the first meeting of 2017 for a business group working in the 13th largest port in the U.S.: the Ports of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky (PCNK). Thomas serves as the Executive Director of CORBA – the Central Ohio River Business Association. PCNK’s high rank is likely a surprise to many.

A report forecasts the global container fleet market to grow at a CAGR of 3.19% during the period 2017-2021. The report says key vendors in the market are Maersk, CMA CGM & MSC. To calculate the market size, the report by Research and Markets  considers volume based on container fleet capacity for the respective region or the container type. It considers freight volume based on the freight volume shipped by the vendors operating in the market making use of the containers. The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is increasing use of fleet management system. Fleet management systems are formed by the integration of hardware, software…

CMA CGM develops its Ethiopian intermodal service by linking Djibouti to 6 inland key destinations (Addis Ababa, Mekele, Nefas Meewcha, Gibe, Shashemene and Jinga). It also adds 2 strategic calls in Djibouti, the Ethiopian market gateway, on its MEX1 and REX2 services. CMA CGM announced its Ethiopian services upgrade thanks to new strategic calls added on its Mediterranean Express (MEX) and Red Sea Express (REX) services, as well as the development of its intermodal offer between Djibouti and Ethiopia. CMA CGM links Ethiopia to Djibouti and strengthens inland transportation solutions: A large majority of cargo destined for the landlocked Ethiopian market transits through the Djibouti Dolareh Container Terminal.

Ardmore Shipping has expanded its global network with the opening of an office in Houston, to be led by Holly Cummings, who joins Ardmore Shipping as Chartering Manager (Americas). The new Houston office will be responsible for expanding Ardmore’s commercial activities in the Americas and will work with Ardmore’s chartering teams in Europe and Singapore. Cummings joins Ardmore with 11 years of experience in the maritime sector, most recently in MR Chartering for Stena Weco and prior to that in operations for StenaBulk/StenaSonangol Suezmax Pool and for Morgan Stanley as Commercial Operator.

Ingram Barge Company sees two kinds of green in their newest venture on the inland rivers. In late March, the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority and Ingram Barge Company announced plans to assess the viability of Intermodal River Transportation, utilizing the largest flat-top crane in North America and Ingram’s towboats and barges. On March 27th, that plan came to life as the Paducah Riverport Authority’s 200-ton crane lifted 54 empty containers and stacked them neatly on an Ingram-owned barge. An Ingram towboat then transported the container laden barge to the port of St. Louis and then back to Paducah for unloading. The highly successful trial run tested the logistics of moving the intermodal containers via barge in the nation’s heartland.

Gibdock's ro-ro and container ship repair work continues, following the drydocking of two con-ro vessels operated by Canadian shipowner, Oceanex. Oceanex provides intermodal transportation services to the Canadian Atlantic provinces of Labrador and Newfoundland. Gibraltar-based Gibdock was selected by St John’s, Newfoundland-based Oceanex to carry out wide-ranging work on the 2013-built, 1300 teu Oceanex Connaigra, and the 1977-built, 1125 teu capacity, Oceanex Sanderling. The 210m long…

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the following ratings for the Panama Canal Authority (ACP): Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'A' and $450 million senior unsecured notes at 'A', reflecting the ACP's solid revenue profile and low leverage levels. Fitch Ratings highlighted that the Panama Canal provides unique connectivity and time savings for world maritime trade. In addition, Fitch Ratings stated that the rating outlook is stable, noting the following ratings drivers: the Panama Canal's resilience to economic downturns…