Articles

Legislation, Public Policy, Regulations

Global Logistics-June 2015

Global Logistics-June 2015

GCC States Warm to Regional Collaboration Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states —Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain—have long been hamstrung by independent-minded sovereigns who prefer to think and act unilaterally. Despite the formation of the trade bloc in 1981, collaboration, especially around transportation and logistics, often goes wanting. It’s why […]

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Trends—June 2015

Trends—June 2015

Highway Trust Funding: Déjà vu All Over Again? News that U.S. Congress and President Obama are about to finalize a two-month extension to the lame duck Highway Trust Fund has elicited mixed reaction from industry. Some are optimistic because legislators were able to push through a bill without undue delay, especially as summer construction work […]

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Kathryn C. Thomas

How Amtrak’s Supreme Court Case Affects Freight Shippers

Track-sharing among railroads has long been a complicated issue. The U.S. Supreme Court recently reviewed a case determining whether Amtrak has the authority to regulate privately owned freight railroads with which it shares rail. The Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 was supposed to reinvigorate a national passenger rail system. The legislation created Amtrak to […]

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Fany Flores-Pastor

Taking Steps to Embrace ACE

With other countries transitioning to a single-window-to-government paradigm, all eyes are on the United States as the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) brings a modernized, integrated approach to government. The initiative, which allows shippers to electronically transport import and export data to the government through a single window, can be considered a mature program with well-defined, […]

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Gary Barraco

Three Supply Chain Risks and How to Address Them

Companies face three main sourcing supply chain risks: regulatory, brand erosion, and social compliance. Any one of these issues could lead to lost profits, product recalls, and customer erosion. At the same time, the longer the supply chain—with more levels of suppliers, disparate geographies, and other middle men, the more complex and challenging compliance becomes. […]

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Rick Erickson

Choosing to Be a Shipper of Choice

Q: In the face of increasing capacity issues, rising equipment costs, and new regulations, carriers prefer to work with shippers that will support their business needs. How can companies become "Shippers of Choice"? A: In a word, it’s about partnerships. Q: Are there best practices for achieving this goal? A: Yes. Pre-planning helps carriers anticipate […]

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Bill Ansley

Five Customs Compliance Tips for Aerospace Companies

Aerospace manufacturers and distributors who move shipments across international borders face an often-complicated, high-stakes process as they navigate export rules and local customs regulations. Fines for non-compliance can amount to millions of dollars. That makes understanding guidelines a vital business priority. For some companies, the hassles associated with customs can dissuade them from expanding into […]

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Trends—February 2015

Trends—February 2015

The Jones Act: Time to Change Course? Debate over the Keystone XL Pipeline Act has raised a new regulatory specter. The U.S. maritime industry fears that an amendment recently introduced by U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) will counter the pro-jobs pipeline bill by gutting the Jones Act and existing cabotage regs. The senator’s amendment seeks […]

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James Min

Customs Compliance: Small Mistakes Can Lead to Big Problems

Diverse, evolving global trade regulations require companies to implement systems and procedures that ensure strict adherence. Large businesses have in-house compliance staff, but those responsibilities might hold a more vague spot in small enterprises. With stiff penalties at stake—penalties that could put some organizations out of business—small companies must take an aggressive stance on compliance. […]

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Trends—December 2014

Trends—December 2014

10 Best Practices Of SmartWay Shippers Since 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership has given organizations that ship freight a set of tools to measure their supply chain’s carbon footprint and make better decisions about how to reduce it. To mark SmartWay’s 10th anniversary, several shipper partners share their best tactics […]

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Karl Swensen

Four Reasons Retailers Should Pay Attention to Reverse Logistics

Many retailers have long emphasized agility and cost-efficient movement of freight to stores or customers. However, they often neglect reverse logistics, resulting in missed opportunities for the entire consumer goods supply chain. The multi-channel model—which enables consumers to buy anytime, anywhere—has significantly impacted the retail industry and given rise to the following reasons why retailers […]

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Trends—November 2014

Trends—November 2014

Competitive Switching: Between a Rock and a Railroad Competitive switching—a directive that would require railroads to switch a customer’s freight to a competitor’s line within a reasonable distance—has been a "third rail" conversation among captive shippers and railroads ever since the threat of re-regulation started ringing through Congressional hallways. More pressing safety and security concerns […]

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Global Logistics—November 2014

Global Logistics—November 2014

Middle East Airfreight Ascent: Mecca or Mirage? It wasn’t long ago that media and markets alike were ready to anoint the Middle East as the world’s next airfreight hub. Gulf carriers and airports, once the exclusive backdrop for oil business, have experienced their own boom over the past several years thanks to continued investment in […]

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