International News Notes

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 5/1/1998

Ocean Freight--Maersk and Sea-Land Service have added new port calls and reduced transit times on several joint services to Asia, the Middle East, and North America. Direct Container Line has launched weekly LCL export service from Puerto Rico to worldwide destinations. Roll-on/roll-off specialist HUAL now offers scheduled intermodal service to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Airfreight--Martinair will become a wholly owned subsidiary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines when KLM completes the purchase of Royal Nedlloyd NV's 50-percent stake in Martinair. Both airlines will retain their separate identities and responsibilities for operations and business activities. Virgin Atlantic Cargo's new "Virgin Wings" program guarantees that cargo will fly as booked between the United States and the United Kingdom or it will fly free (some conditions apply). Nippon Cargo Airlines has launched twice-weekly freighter service between Portland, Ore., and Tokyo and Osaka, and Northwest Airlines has inaugurated non-stop service between Detroit and Nagoya.

Freight Forwarders-- PBB Global Logistics has added new features to its Web site (www.pbb.com), including daily industry news updates and on-line shipment tracking. The site also offers a customs-regulations search engine and ProDoc, a trade-document software program developed in-house by PBB. AEI has opened an office in Beirut, Lebanon, offering a full range of air and ocean services to multinational companies that now are returning to the formerly war-torn region.