Thursday, April 14, 2011

Although California exports continue to surge, the news is not all good, say economists. In the case of the latest figures, foreign buyers were banking on continued weakness in the U.S. dollar by snapping up a wide range of relatively inexpensive American products from soybeans to aircraft.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

While U.S. federal government lawmakers continue to focus on the nation’s budgetary woes, The American Association of Port Authorities is convening a special meeting in San Francisco to examine financial challenges of its own.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

Lately when I think of NAFTA, I tend to think of the U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking program and all of the starts and stops and related drama associated with it over the years. But a recently-released report from the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) got me thinking about NAFTA in a different way.

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

The person selected to replace Richard Steinke as executive director at the Port of Long Beach will have tremendous shoes to fill

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

As this nation struggles back from the Great Recession, one must wonder what really is behind Big Labor’s agenda. It certainly can't be job creation.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

One must wonder why The European Commission would welcome last week’s World Trade Organization’s final case ruling on subsidies, as it clearly favors Boeing over Airbus. Still, a proud face was put up by the EU members, who maintain that Boeing has received subsidies in the past and continues to receive them today.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

While looking at mainstream media news sites today, an item in The New York Times caught quickly caught my attention. Maybe it caught your attention, too. Here is the headline: “Obama to Set Goal of One-Third Cut in Oil Imports.”

It is unfortunate indeed, that a populist movement seems necessary now to advance a trade agenda that should be led by the Obama Administration.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The International Air Transport Association today announced scheduled international traffic for February 2011 showing increases of 2.3 percent for cargo demand compared to February 2010.

Monday, March 28, 2011

While many of the major Western nations are presently united in a military effort to wipe out terrorism in the Middle East and East Africa, there’s been an ongoing “lack of will” to enforce the same vigilance when it comes to ocean piracy.

Friday, March 25, 2011

New market intelligence on Japan is being made available to shippers this week.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A few weeks ago, Congress signed off on extending funding for federal highway and transit funding through September 30, the end of the fiscal year. This multiple month extension was the seventh of its kind, albeit the lengths have differed for each one.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Words cannot describe the human and emotional impacts of the devastating Japan earthquake, tsunami, and the still-unfolding nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Nearly half a million people have been displaced, forced to find shelter from the snow and freezing temperatures, and the death toll—currently estimated to be 6,911—continues to climb with more than 10,000 people still missing.

As President Obama completes his trip to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador, U.S. manufacturers are urging his administration to move forward on a the pending free trade agreement with Colombia.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

In the previous Oil & Fuel column, I explained that throughout 2010 and early 2011 tight diesel markets had been pressuring the price of crude in much the same way that they did during the 2008 price run. My intention was to write a follow-up article this month that compared the factors underpinning tight diesel markets then and now. However, the rising turmoil in the oil-rich Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has taken the markets by surprise, and thus deserves attention.