The Panama Canal's new locks will probably not be ready for their scheduled opening in October 2014, but will be ready for a trial run by a vessel in December, said Jorge Quijano, the engineer in charge of building the canal's third set of locks.
Ten ships were hijacked by Somali pirates in March, making this the most attacks in one month since December 2010. Four of the seized ships were used to make more attacks, rather than the usual holding for ransom acts. Maritime security experts believe that pirate groups will be encouraged by the latest hijackings and will be moved on organizing more attacks over the next several weeks.
Despite greatly improved safety records in the century since Titanic, the maritime industry faces new challenges driven by the continued growth of worldwide shipping, according to specialist marine insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.
Properly planning for the unplanned - a supply chain disruption of any kind and for whatever reason - means optimizing your distribution center network, having the right modes lined up to transport your goods to market, and ensuring that you choose the best ocean port, says John A. Moseley, general manager, trade development, at the Port of Houston Authority. It also means having a backup port just in case.
The logistics group of Crowley Maritime Corp. has added less-than-containerload (LCL) cargo service to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, via Crowley's Miami distribution center. The latter will now serve as a cargo arrival and departure service point.
The year 2014 will see the debut of the Triple E, first of a series of at least 20 containerships to be operated by Denmark's Maersk Line, each with a capacity of 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Few could have imagined this behemoth at the dawn of containerization in the mid-1950s. (Malcom McLean's Ideal X carried only 58 boxes.) In the ensuing decades, containerships grew steadily in size, as operators sought to squeeze the most out of their investments. When ships became too wide to fit through the Panama Canal, builders doubled down. Between 2008 and 2015, average ship size will have risen from 6,000 TEUs to more than 11,000 TEUs, according to Lars Jensen, chief executive officer and partner with SeaIntel Maritime Analysis. Maersk's Triple Es will dwarf them all.
As enterprises look to minimize complexity, improve inbound supply chain efficiency and reduce costs, there is a growing need for intelligent solutions that provide the visibility, optimization and integration required to ensure that every part, component and package is shipped using the most effective service level.
Hubspan Inc., a vendor of business-integration software based in the cloud, has released six new business-to-business applications, built using the NetSuite SuiteCloud Computing Platform.
Encompass Global Logistics LLC, a third-party logistics provider specializing in the trans-Pacific trade, has launched a mobile application for cargo management, compatible with all Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod products.
The latest news, analysis, services and systems regarding ocean transportation and its impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are transporting and delivering container shipments in a more efficient manner than ever before using new services and technologies that provide information en route - allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As ocean cargo services continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies are using ocean shipping solutions to power their supply chains.
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