The CMA CGM Group is upgrading its container-carrying offerings between Oceania and the U.S., with the March, 2014 launching of the PAD 2 service.

In the wake of the Great Recession and the still lethargic economic recovery, the importance of sound governance practices across the supply chain is more crucial than ever in building and maintaining effective, collaborative 3PL-shipper relationships. Positive news in the authoritative 18th Annual 2014 Third-Party Logistics Study: collaboration between shippers & 3PLs is up. The majority surveyed say their relationships have grown more collaborative over the past three years, "with shippers even more likely than 3PLs to say they are much more collaborative." - Kate Vitasek, faculty, University of Tennessee's Center for Executive Education and Founder, Supply Chain Visions

Many companies unintentionally have created departmental silos within their organizations. Information and products go back and forth between the different functional areas, but the customer is often missing from the process. When lean supply chain strategies, which focus on eliminating waste, are implemented, once again the customer is often times left out. Instead of focusing on the client, the company focuses internally to improve processes. Research shows that undertaking a lean supply chain journey that extends outside the four walls of the organization significantly improves the customer experience, company productivity and the bottom line. - Eric Lail, VP, Continuous Improvement and Client Services, Transportation Insight

While planning a global high-tech product launch can seem daunting, working with your company's stakeholders and outside partners from the earliest stages can help ensure success.

The shipping industry is poised to emerge from its longest downturn in three decades, buoyed by an end to years of overcapacity that have depressed freight rates since the end of a shipping boom in 2008.