Epicor Software Corp. has developed several new products, two of them for the automotive aftermarket.

Commercial vessels that operate beyond the internal waters of the United States, otherwise known as "beyond the boundary line," are subject to the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which requires that they be allowed to rest.

UPS has expanded its distribution network for healthcare manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region.

APL Logistics has signed an agreement to acquire all of the shares in APLL-Zhiqin Group, a Chinese joint venture partnership that has also included Legend Holdings Co., Ltd. and Beijing Willway Information Technology Co., Ltd.

The primary business of a port is serving as a hub for water-borne commerce and all of the logistics that entails, with each port competing for the business of shippers and container operators. Every investment made by a port authority, from a crane to a dredge to a security checkpoint, must be based on how this activity will not only position the port to current customers, but how it will affect the attraction of future customers.

There are clearly identifiable steps needed to enhance shipping's already very impressive record of maritime safety, says International Chamber of Shipping Secretary General Peter Hinchliffe. There should be mandatory provisions to provide a place of refuge for ships in need of assistance, plus timely and obligatory reporting of casualty investigations by Flag States to the International Maritime Organization, replicating the handling of aviation incidents. In addition, environmental protection and crew and passenger safety can be addressed better by raising the current level of guidance on providing a place of refuge to a new level of obligation, he said.

DB Schenker has introduced DB Schenkersmartbox, a new service for monitoring global freight movements.

The CoPilot GPS truck-navigation system of ALK Technologies, Inc. has been integrated into the cloud-based mobile software product line of Airclic.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have declined by more than 54 percent, leading to a softening of insurance premiums for the global shipping community but raising controversy surrounding the use of onboard private armed security contractors, according to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre.

A recent Alphaliner report suggests that the liner shipping industry is unlikely to see much consolidation in the foreseeable future despite the carriers' present financial difficulties.