California is at the epicenter of some of the most fundamental changes Donald Trump has proposed for the national economy, in trade and immigration. About 40 percent of all goods arriving in the United States by sea come through the state's ports. And more than a quarter of all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. live in California, many of them working in agriculture, hospitality and manufacturing.

Governor Tom Wolf has announced a comprehensive capital investment program at the Port of Philadelphia that will result in more than $300m in investment in the Port's infrastructure, warehousing and equipment. The initiative will start next year and continue through 2020.

E-commerce has been the dominant force for change in the air cargo logistics business for the last several years, but online retailers, forwarders, carriers and integrators say they are still struggling with ways to keep up with the intense demand from international customers to deliver them the world instantly. This was the main theme of the plenary session, "Cross-border E-Commerce: Who Will Rule the Game?", at last week's Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC) in Hong Kong.

Sometimes all it takes is a shift in strategy from a single carrier to make an impact on airport freight traffic. Qatar Airways Cargo, for instance, has been ramping up its airfreight routes for the last couple of years, seeking more high-value cargo, such as pharmaceuticals, and forming joint ventures with other airlines, such as IAG. Qatar achieved such growth via "fleet and network expansion, innovation in our technology, creative interline agreements and by deploying capacity on expanding or untapped markets," said Ulrich Ogiermann, the carrier's chief cargo officer.

CaroTrans, a global non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) and ocean freight consolidator, has announced a new Northern Europe service connection with the addition of a direct Atlanta-Gothenburg LCL service. The service has a 21-day transit time, and a Gothenburg-to-Atlanta service will soon follow.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has unveiled a new recognition program for clean operators that will help them to get ahead of the pack for transit bookings. The ACP calls the new system "environmental premium ranking."

An in-depth analysis of Q3 container shipping costs revealed positive trends for the container carrier segment, according to Xeneta, a market intelligence company for containerized ocean freight. However, the market remains unpredictable, with the 'Hanjin Effect' ebbing away, Xeneta says.

In hopes of offering shippers a more comprehensive service on Asia-Australia trade, Evergreen Line has announced a new joint North East Asia-Australia Express (NEAX) service. The Taiwanese container transportation and shipping company is teaming up with Orient Overseas Container Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, "K" Line and YangMing Marine Transport Corp.