On March 11, 2011, a tsunami off the coast of Japan caused human tragedy on a massive scale, killing thousands and rendering more than half a million homeless. The tsunami also wreaked havoc on business supply chains worldwide. Toyota and Honda experienced a 30-percent and 60-percent decline in profit, respectively, which both attributed to production lags caused by limited supplies of parts after the tsunami. The tsunami caused an estimated $40bn in economic losses due to interruptions in global supply chains.

An expanded Panama Canal will result in a smaller number of North American air cargo centers, according to the recently released North American Port Analysis by commercial real estate firm Colliers International. The report, titled "CapEx or Capsize," says air cargo's role in global trade will be defined by the tug-of-war between energy/infrastructure costs and e-commerce growth in the first post-Panamax decade, from 2015 through 2025.

United Airlines has set a goal to save 85 million gallons of fuel in 2013. The airline says this savings will equal 828,750 metric tons of CO2 or about $275m at current fuel prices.

When it comes to high demand volatility and difficulty in forecasting, few industries match the world of consumer electronics. And Monster Products, the maker of high-quality cables and other accessories for computer, video and sound systems, faces a challenge that's especially daunting. For much of its product line, the company depends on the ever-changing nature of big-ticket items like PCs and flatscreen televisions, not to mention the fickle tastes of consumers. Now add thousands of SKUs to that mix, and you have a forecasting effort that can be brutally complex. In this interview, conducted at eyefortransport's Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain Summit in San Francisco, director of materials Jennifer Hochstatter spoke with managing editor Robert J. Bowman about how Monster Products approaches the problem of prioritizing supply for its extensive product line, and ensuring forecast accuracy for the most critical customers.

The EU has recently announced the official launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan. The agreement would cover goods, services and investment, and would eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, and cover other trade-related issues, such as sustainable development, regulatory issues, competition and public procurement.

The freight-forwarding division of Norbert Dentressangle has set up a representative office in Vietnam.