Topic: Logistics

?The Rotterdam Rules may soon replace the existing cargo liability regimes such as the Hamburg and Hague/Visby Rules.

According to a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, trade flows are ramping up.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke met late last week with representatives from key U.S. apparel importers and retailers, including J.C. Penney, VF Americas and Polo Ralph Lauren, at the Commerce Department to discuss trade benefits created by recently passed legislation designed to help U.S. companies increase their apparel sourcing from earthquake-stricken Haiti.

Last week, IBM announced that it plans to acquire AT&T subsidiary Sterling Commerce, a provider of business-to-business integration and cross-channel solutions for $1.4 billion. The transaction is expected to close later this year.

Is the line between the top third-party logistics providers blurring? Analysts we recently spoke with think so. Richard Armstrong, chairman of Stoughton, Wisc.-based Armstrong & Associates, noted that the industry mirrors what has occurred in the ocean carrier sector over the years.

Despite economic indicators—and anecdotal reports—indicating to a large degree that the economy is showing signs of a rebound, the most recent results of the Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI) indicate the green economic shoots may not be as advertised.

In another sign that the United States economy is gradually recovering, the Commerce Department reported today that new orders for manufactured durable goods in April were up 2.9 percent from March to $193.9 billion and were up 16.8 percent year-over-year. This marks the fourth time in the last five months new orders were up.

Supply chain consultancy Armstrong & Associates this week released updated figures for 2009 U.S. third-party logistics market revenues.

Entitled Managed Transportation Services (MTS), company officials said this offering provides shippers with superior visibility from pickup through delivery, coupled with centralized technology to monitor and improve supply chain operations.

WASHINGTON, D.C.Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) introduced their long-awaited legislation, which, they said, will change the nations energy policy from a national weakness into a national strength. Entitled, The American Power Act, the bill vows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 17 percentcompared to 2005 levelsby 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, matching am objective put forth by the White House last year.

According to our 2010 Software User Survey, nearly half of all logistics operations using a WMS are looking to upgrade over the next 12 months. Our technology correspondent explains why and then introduces us to a shipper that’s on the brink of revolutionizing its warehouse operations.

Research into the sourcing potential and practices in Africa, Eastern/Central Europe, and Asia/China reveal big differences—and big opportunities—for supply chain management professionals.

Retail giant sets the course for massive greenhouse gas reduction; supply chain analysts applaud the effort.

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