International News Notes

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 8/1/2000

Air Freight-Air France Cargo and Delta Air Lines' cargo division are planning to launch a joint venture that will offer an integrated U.S. export product line. Shippers and forwarders will gain access through Delta to non-stop service to 33 destinations in Latin America, Europe, and Japan, and through Air France to flexible freighter capacity and connections through Paris to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. DHL Worldwide Express has agreed to take over the responsibilities as the general sales agent for Lufthansa Cargo in San Jose, Costa Rica; Panama City, Panama; and Guatemala City, Guatemala. In other DHL news, DHL Airways Inc. has launched Web Shipping, an Internet-based service designed to manage all aspects of international shipping online at one URL. Econocaribe Consolidators Inc. has launched a new airfreight division that initially will offer service from Miami to South America and Jamaica, with plans to expand throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Emery Worldwide has launched its first intra-Asia Gold Priority Express service from Singapore to Japan. Emery also has expanded its Gold Priority program to include guaranteed inbound and outbound shipments between North America and Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Saipan, and Guam. SAS Cargo North America has announced the hiring of 22 international cargo traffic agents. SAS has also developed a new in-house traffic department and entered into a partnership with WorldWide, which will serve as SAS's new warehouse handling company. Federal Express Corp. has launched three new International Priority Freight services for U.S. outbound and inbound shipments-Door to Airport, Airport to Airport, and Airport to Door. The new services, in addition to the standard Door-to-Door service, will allow international customers to choose the optimal combination of pickup, line-haul, and delivery options.

Ocean Shipping-Crowley American Transport (CAT) now sends customers a monthly e-mail message with sailing schedules for the company's South American services and is using the Internet to provide electronic delivery and release of bills of lading. Seafreight Line has launched its weekly Rapid Export Venezuela Service (REVS), which sails from Puerto Cabello to Port Everglades, Fla., every Sunday. APL will offer a direct weekly container service connecting Miami with the northern region of Central America. The service will also support Central America's business with Asia, Europe, and the rest of Latin America. Contship Containerlines' "Indamex" service now offers weekly sailings between the Indian subcontinent and ports on the U.S. East Coast. Columbia Coastal Transport LLC has announced the deployment of its 480-TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) barge, the Columbia Wilmington, into the transshipment hub port of Freeport, the Bahamas. Estes Express Lines opened a consolidation center in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Estes provides 100-percent coverage to the island, as well as to St. Thomas and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The lifting of economic sanctions on North Korea has enabled ConFlo Lines to accept most non-sensitive commercial goods for shipment from U.S. East and West Coast ports to Nampo, North Korea. Great White Fleet has introduced a new fixed-day weekly service with a five-day transit time between Long Beach, Calif., and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. CSX World Terminals has launched Terminal Management Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary specializing in maritime terminal-management consulting services.

Ports-The Port of Le Havre, France, has unveiled an investment plan totaling US $600 million over a five-year period to increase the capacity of its container, ro-ro, and bulk facilities, including the addition of four new berths. The Georgia Ports Authority has begun construction on the Port of Savannah's new James D. Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF). The 150-acre project will include on-dock rail lines and 80 acres for container storage and marshaling.

Freight Forwarders-Averitt Express has announced a new business unit, Averitt International, through which the company will provide door-to-door ground, sea, and air transportation services to 100 countries. Barthco has introduced a no-cost, no-obligation Compliance Readiness Test for importers and exporters on its Web site (www.barthco.com). Schenker's Estonian subsidiary, AS Schenker-BTL, has opened a new 10,000-square-meter logistics center near Tallinn that offers IT capabilities on par with those of Schenker's other European operations. Meanwhile, Stinnes AG, the parent company of Schenker, says it is launching new e-commerce initiatives, including making business and customer processes accessible over the Internet, adding new Internet-based services, and developing the group's own Internet businesses. Phoenix International Freight Services Ltd. has opened a branch office in Miami, Fla., to support its Latin American business. Hellman Worldwide Logistics has opened a full-service office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which will oversee operations at satellite offices throughout Brazil. BAX Global has expanded its Puerto Rican service capabilities by opening an office in Aguadilla. The new office adds 40,000 square feet of warehouse space and cuts outbound transit times by 24 hours. TPG, the British Post Office, and Singapore Post through a joint venture will form the world's largest global business mailing company, scheduled to launch in October.