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Law Offices of Countryman & McDaniel
THE CARGO LETTER [493]
Air & Ocean Logistics - Customs Broker News
31 January 2013
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Good Thursday Evening from our Observation Deck......overlooking the officially designated "
Cargo City" area and...... Runway 25-Right, at Los Angeles International Airport, voted "Best Cargo Airport in North America."

        
The Cargo Letter is now perfectly designed to be enjoyed on your iPad.  Access all our internet links directly from your device.

       Here is what happened in our industry during the Month of January 2013. 

       To help you find what you need -- 
FAST -- there's now a transport search engine installed at our www.CargoLaw.com website!

       Contribute your knowledge, stories & company information.......by e-mail to 
The Cargo Letter.  We strive to bring you useful information which is timely & topical.  Be sure to visit our website.......http://cargolaw.com
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The Cargo Letter ....... www.cargolaw.com/cl-archives.php
       Michael S. 
McDaniel, Editor, Countryman & McDaniel, forwarder/broker, hull & machinery attorneys at LAX.

INDEX to 
The Cargo Letter:
OUR "A" Section: Trade, Financial & Inland News***
1. 
Freight Forwarder Trade Briefs ______________                            
2. 
The Cargo Letter Financial Page ______________                               
OUR "B" Section:  FF World Air News***
3. 
Freight Forwarder World Air Briefs ____________                         
OUR "C" Section:  FF World Ocean News***
4. 
FF World Ocean Briefs _____________________                                            
5. 
The Cargo Letter Cargo Damage Dispatches _____        
       **Back By Popular Demand**
OUR "D" Section:  FF in Cyberspace***
6. 
The Cargo Letter "Cyber Ports of Call" _________             
OUR "E" Section:  The Forwarder/Broker World***
7. New
U.S. Transport Related Legal Cases ________            
========================================
*****************************************************

OUR "A" Section: Trade, Financial & Inland News***
  1. 
Freight Forwarder Trade Briefs _____________  

    ***UPS Calls Off TNT Acquisition...... as roughly 10 months after a deal was first announced that Dutch express delivery company TNT express had agreed to be acquired by parcel delivery giant UPS for US$6.8Bn, a long litany of objections by the European Commission has led UPS to just call the whole thing off. Believing that the EC plans to prohibit the acquisition, UPS has announced it will withdraw its offer to purchase TNT. In the process, UPS will pay a US$267M termination fee. UPS had submitted an initial remedies proposal back in November 2012, and then revised the proposal twice, ultimately to no avail. According to Joel Ray, head consultant at Transport Intelligence, "It is hard to see what the EC sought to achieve through the negative stance they took to this deal. Their decision-making process looks flawed, caused by a fundamental lack of understanding of the industry. It seems to have been driven by a desire to engineer a market structure through political motivations. European shippers would have gained from the acquisition through a strong new road- and air-based player. This decision has set the market back many years, and risks reducing competition, not increasing it." The combined UPS/TNT would have been a global US$60Bn company.
www.transportintelligence.com/

    ***The EU View ..... as the European Shippers' Council (ESC) has voiced full support of the European Commission's decision to block the proposed US$6.8Bn takeover of TNT Express by UPS, forcing the U.S. multinational to withdraw its bid. The ESC said it was seeking "a properly-functioning European market in which competition is encouraged" and had "expressed its concerns in relation to competition within the European express market and views UPS' decision in that competitive context". Joost Van Doesburg, policy manager, Air Transport Council (ATC) and representative of the ESC said: "UPS' proposed takeover of TNT Express would have reduced the number of European express companies from 3 to only 2, with DHL Express alone still able to compete with the proposed TNT-UPS combination. A few years ago, a similar reduction in the number of express companies in the
U.S. resulted in significant price increases." The council represents the freight transport interests (import, export and intra-continental by all modes of transport) of businesses in Europe.

   ***Breaking Barriers ...... as the U.S. Trade Representative Office is to enter into negotiations for a new trade deal on int'l services with 20 countries, not including
Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). Participants include Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the EU, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan & Turkey. "We need to surmount a range of barriers that lock out, constrain, or disrupt the int'l supply of services," said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. Mr Kirk said that the potential of service exports is huge with every US$1Bn estimated to support 4,200 American jobs and has the chance to increase U.S. exports by as much as US$800Bn. Its focus is to break down barriers to trade & investment in finance, insurance, telecommunication, computer services and express delivery. The aim is for the talks to centre on the Internatioerl Service Agreement which is forecast to increase annual services exports by US$78Bn to 16 core members, according to a report from the Peterson Institute for International Economics. According to the report, U.S. and the 27-nation EU are to gain the most at US$14Bn and US$21Bn, respectively.
www.ustr.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_the_United_States_Trade_Representative


    ***Chinese Lunar New Year ....... as most factories & offices in mainland China will be closed from Feb. 9 to Feb. 15, 2013 and in Hong Kong from Feb. 10 to Feb. 13, 2013. 

   ***Increased Informal U.S. Entry Limit Now In Force ....... as the value limit for informal entries (see 77 FR 72715), from US$2,000 to US$2,500, for which commercial importations of merchandise may qualify for an informal entry came effect on Jan. 7, 2013.

   ***U.S. Exports Up ...... as goods and services in 2012 totaled US$2.2 trillion, 38.7% higher than the level of exports in 2009, with exports growing an average of 11.9% annually in that time, according to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis.
www.bea.gov/

    ***Europe Cites Steel Dump ...... as it's trade regulatory body has decided China illegally subsidises steel manufacturers of organic coated steel used in household appliances at below-market prices. The European Commission did not cite this in its Sept. provisional anti-dumping increases of 13.2% to 57.8% on prices of imported products, but says duties need to be as much as 59% to counter Chinese subsidies, Reuters reports. According to a European Commission (EC) study,
China's steel imports share of the EU increased to 13.6% accounting for US$752.50 since it began investigations Oct. 1, 2010. EU steel makers made 4.3 million tons of organic coated steel during 2011. The EC is investigating up to 21 cases of dumping cases against China, its biggest trading partner other than the U.S.

   ***
Sweden Joins Sanctions ..... as it is prosecuting for the first time an alleged violation of EU economic sanctions against Iran. This month, a Swedish citizen of Iranian-descent appeared in the District Court of Lund on an export control charge for exporting dual-use items without a license. In 2011, the Swedish Customs Authority ('SCA') made a sample inspection of a large package officially destined for Dubai, but the tags on the boxes specified Tehran as the final destination. In the boxes, the SCA discovered high-tech non-corrosive vacuum pumps and valves included on the EU's list of dual-use items as they can be used both in the oil and gas industry and for uranium enrichment. The equipment is so advanced that it is unlikely they would be used for anything but uranium enrichment. If convicted for exporting the items without a license, the man will be fined or imprisoned for a period not exceeding 6 years.
www.isp.se/sa/node.asp?node=410

    ***Walmart Ups American Buy ...... as it is to bump up its spend on domestically produced goods to US$50Bn and add to its 66% U.S.-sourced or grown inshore goods. It aims to buy more US-made sporting goods, fashion basics, storage products, games and paper products in Walmart
U.S. and Sam's Club warehouse chain. Over half of its sales are in the food and drinks, health and beauty, household goods and pet supplies. The U.S. retailer, the largest private employer in the country, generates US$444Bn in annual revenue, but has been criticised for its low salaries and sourcing of Asia-made goods, particularly from China. Although Walmart U.S. has withheld details of its pay and benefits, it claims they pay above the retail industry average, with its highest earning store manager earning US$250,000 a year and employees earning between US$50,000 to US$170,000. It has pledged to jump-start the U.S. economy by promising to employ every veteran honourably discharged in the last 12 months to improve their chances. Veterans who served in Iraq & Afghanistan has reached unemployment levels 3% worse than the 10.8% national rate. The move comes at a time of rising labour costs in China and fuel to ship foreign goods so it is expected to be a net benefit to the world's largest retailer's bottom line, reports the American Journal of Transportation of Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

    ***U.S. Postal Service Opportunity ...... as it can generate nearly US$35M in revenues over 2 years by increasing its viability as a federal contract recipient, according to a new report. USPS' inspector general's office found by adapting to the needs of federal agencies -- by broadening price flexibility, for example, and guaranteeing two and three-day express delivery -- the agency could generate US$17.4M in revenue in both fiscal years 2013 & 2014. The General Services Administration awarded about US$340M annually in 2011 & 2012, but only US$1.2M and US$4.8M to USPS, respectively. Contracts went overwhelmingly to FedEx & UPS. The report found the Postal Service faced a handicap in acquiring federal business because GSA began awarding contracts in 2001, but USPS did not begin participating until 2009. While nothing can be done about the timing -- except for "enhancing…visibility and accessibility" -- the OIG said the Postal Service can eliminate other disadvantages its faces against private-sector competition. "Unlike competitors," the inspector general wrote, "the Postal Service cannot sell products below cost and make up the loss with other products or services to penetrate a market, attract new customers, or match competitors' prices." This hindrance has allowed UPS & FedEx to consistently undercut the Postal Service's prices. However, USPS remains competitive for lightweight packages and the inspector general recommended the Postal Service focus on increasing federal business in that area by mitigating price rigidity. The report also recommended the Postal Service develop a better understanding of agencies' needs, including which most commonly ship lightweight packages. Still, USPS had a record deficit of US$15.9Bn in 2012.

    ***U.S. Burger Aid ...... as fastfood giant McDonald's believes recession-hit
Italy will be one of its higher-growth areas in the coming decade and is opening more than 100 new restaurants to convert pizza-lovers to its burgers. In a country where foreign investment has fallen by almost 30% since 2007, McDonald's Italian arm plans to spend $457M and hire a further 3,000 people by 2015 to boost its market share.

   ***Dachser Expands Spain ...... as the German forwarder has acquired a major Spanish air & ocean forwarder Transunion, subject to approval by the antitrust authorities. The global logistics provider is to gain a company with offices in
Spain, Turkey, Argentina, Peru & Mexico with expected annual revenues of US$126.5M in 2012, providing Dachser better access to Latin America, Spain & Turkey. The purchase is the latest move in Dachser's global growth program and follows on from a long-standing partnership with Transunion of more than 15 years. 
www.dachser.us/

    ***DHL
UK Score ...... as it has secured a contract with Panasonic for warehousing & logistics services worth US$159.9M. DHL will manage Panasonic's U.K.supply chain, managing a shared warehouse, working to enhance the shipper's domestic transport options, and carrying out order fulfillment.

    ***Kerry Logistics Trucking & Forwarding Buy ......as the
Hong Kong forwarder has expanded its network in Vietnam by acquiring a majority stake in Tin Thanh Express. The new company, Kerry TTC Express, will combine the int'l freight network of Kerry Logistics with the local competence of TTC Express. Customers in Vietnam will have access to one-stop-shop logistics solutions and a globally integrated network, Kerry says. 

    ***Purolator International Spreads U.S. Base ...... as it plans to add 3 more branches during the first quarter. The int'l division of
Canada Post-owned parcels & freight logistics firm Purolator, which opened 7 new branches in 2012, said it was responding to a surge in demand for transporting goods between the U.S. and Canada. In the next few months, new offices will open in Columbus, Newark & Phoenix. The network expansion will leave Purolator Int'l with 33 branches in the U.S. Purolator, Inc., is 91% owned by Canada Post, and entered the U.S. market as Purolator USA in 1998.

   ***The West Struggles To Fill Pot Holes ...... as Chinas building program in 2012 resulted in a total of 4.1 million kilometers of road & highways being built, reports Xinhua. Transport Minister Yang Chuantang said at a recent transportation conference that a record-breaking sum of 87,000 kilometers' new roads were built last year, 15,000 kilometers more than in 2011. New expressways took up 11,000 kilometers. New and upgraded rural roads totaled 194,000 kilometers. 

    ***Heihe - Who Knew? ...... as the little checkpoint on the Sino-Russian border in north eastern China's Heilongjiang province, posted a year-on-year 168.87% increase in 2012 by exporting 4,716 automobiles to Russia, setting a record high. The value of these vehicles, mostly dump trucks, also recorded a steep growth of 164.8% to nearly US$2Bn, according to Xinhua. Analysts said the rapid growth was stimulated by the strong domestic demand in
Russia. Besides, higher cost efficiency of the Chinese automobile products also attracted Russian buyers. Hehei is separated by the Heilongjiang River from Blagoveschensk, the 3rd largest city in Russian Far East. The two border checkpoints are the closest & biggest with the most comprehensive services on the Sino-Russian border among their counterparts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heihe

   ***Stinking Swedish Smuggling ...... as prosecutors have issued international arrest warrants for two Britons suspected of masterminding a smuggling ring involving Chinese garlic.The men first shipped the garlic to Norway by boat, where it entered the country duty-free since it was considered to be in transit, prosecutor Thomas Ahlstrand said Jan. 9. They then drove large shipments of garlic across the Norwegian-Swedish border, avoiding customs checks and thus Swedish import duties. Ahlstrand said the men avoided paying some US$13.1M in Swedish taxes with the scheme, which took place in 2009 & 2010. A lengthy police investigation led to the identification of the two Britons. Ahlstrand initially said they smuggled in 1.2 tons of garlic, but later said the exact amount was unclear. It was not the first time smugglers have shown a preference for garlic from
China, which accounts for nearly 80% of world output and is often significantly cheaper than local varieties. In 2010, Polish authorities seized 6 containers with 144 tons of Chinese garlic that had been smuggled into the country via the Netherlands. It was not immediately clear whether the Polish smuggling was linked to the Swedish case.

    ***Grilled Cheese Tunnel ...... as road tunnel in northern
Norway will be shut for several weeks after a 27-ton truckload of sweet goat's milk cheese caught fire on Jan. 23. Regional traffic department chief Geir Joergensen says flames engulfed the tunnel last week and gases from the melting, brown load hindered firefighters. It took 4 days to put it out. The driver was not hurt and no other vehicles were in the 2.2-mile tunnel at the time. Joergensen said the tunnel near the small Arctic municipality of Tysfjord, some 840 miles north of the capital, Oslo, likely will be closed for 2 more weeks. Goat's milk cheese, a sweet delicacy with a high sugar & fat content, is an essential part of many Norwegians' daily diet.

    ***Express Mail ...... as a
California detective has reunited a family with a stolen 1938 heirloom telegram. The Western Union telegram is described as the opening page of the love story of now-deceased Minnie and Fred Ciolino, who sent the message 74 years ago after their Reno wedding on Christmas Eve. The telegram sent to San Francisco area relatives read: "ARRIVED SAFELY, NO SNOW BUT REAL COLD NICE TRIP BE BACK MONDAY MERRY XMAS TO ALL (equals) MINNIE & FRED." The San Jose Mercury News reports a cousin found the telegram in November and mailed it to one of six Ciolino daughters. But it never arrived. It was found last month by Daly City police detective Joe Bocci, who is investigating a postal worker charged with stealing letters to finance his drug habit.
http://bit.ly/S8TXss
========================================                           
  2. 
The Cargo Letter Financial Page ____________   
**Canadian National Railway.
 UP as 2012 full-year profit was C$2.68Bn, up from C$2.4Bn. 
  **J.B. Hunt Transport. 
UP as 4th-quarter net income rose to US$84M, or 70 cents per share, from US$72.6M, or 61 cents, a year ago.
  **Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) 
UP revenues increased 5.6% to US$1.4Bn, as volume grew 3.7% to 5.22 million TEU.
**Swift Transportation Co. 
UP as 4th-quarter net income rose to US$46.8M, or 34 cents per share, from US$36.8M, or 26 cents, a year ago. 
  **United Continental Holdings (UAL). 
DOWN with a net loss of US$723M for 2012, which included US$1.3Bn in special charges.  
  **Union Pacific Corp. 
UP as 4th-quarter net income rose to US$1.04Bn, or $2.19 per share, from US$964M, or $1.99, a year earlier   
**US Airways. 
UP as 4th quarter net profit excluding special items was US$46M, or $0.26 per diluted share, compared to US$21M, or $0.13 per diluted share in 2011.                        
========================================
*****************************************************

OUR "B" Section: FF World Air News***
  3. 
Freight Forwarder World Air Briefs __________   

    ***The Grounding of Code Name
Yellowstone ....... as the 787 Dreamliner was begun at an aviation crossroads. It was 2003 and Boeing - the company that defined modern air travel - had just lost its title as the world's largest plane manufacturer to European rival Airbus. Its CEO had resigned in a defense-contract scandal, and its stock had plunged to the lowest price in a decade. Two years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, financially troubled airlines were reluctant to buy new planes. Boeing needed something revolutionary to win back customers. Salvation had a code name: Yellowstone. It was a plane that promised to be lighter and more technologically advanced than any other. Half of it would be built with new plastics instead of aluminum. The cabin would be more comfortable for passengers, and airlines could cut their fuel bills by 20%. But once production started, the gap between vision and reality quickly widened. The jet that was eventually dubbed the Dreamliner became plagued with manufacturing delays, cost overruns and sinking worker morale. In interviews with The Associated Press, a dozen former Boeing engineers, designers and managers recounted the pressure to meet tight deadlines. Adding to the chaos was the company's never-before-tried plan to build a plane from parts made around the globe. The former Boeing workers still stand behind the jetliner - and are proud to have worked on it. But many question whether the rush contributed to a series of problems that led the Federal Aviation Administration this month to take the extraordinary step of grounding the 787. Other countries did the same. The FAA's order to stop flying the Dreamliner came after a battery fire aboard a 787 in Boston and another battery incident during a flight in Japan. It was the first time the FAA had grounded a whole fleet of planes since 1979, when it ordered the DC-10 out of the sky following a series of fatal crashes. Inspectors have focused on the plane's lithium-ion batteries and its complicated electrical system, which were developed by subcontractors in Japan, France, Arizona and North Carolina. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah Hersman said Jan. 24, that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery which caught fire earlier this month in Boston shows evidence of short-circuiting and a chemical reaction known as "thermal runaway." Thermal runaway is an increase in temperature that causes progressively hotter temperatures, federal accident investigators say. It's not clear to investigators what came first: the short-circuiting or the thermal runaway. Nor is it clear yet what caused either of them. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said flight recorder data from the Japan Airlines 787 indicates the APU battery did not exceed its designed voltage of 32 volts. The agency examined the lithium-ion battery which powered the APU, in the NTSB materials laboratory in Washington, where it underwent x-rays and CT scans. The team disassembled the APU battery into its 8 individual cells for examination. It will now further examine 3 of these cells. They will also examine components such as wire bundles and battery management circuit boards. Forget about whether Boeing was correct when designing  how lithium ion batteries should work in a B-787; the big question is, now that more than 50 of the aircraft sit on hardstands around the world and the production line in Seattle has stopped, how fast can a modification be brought to the fore? It's worth noting that earlier this month ICAO ramped up new rules for carriage of lithium ion batteries as air cargo after fire incidents were reported aboard two B-747 freighters and a DC-8.
www.aircargonews.com/1212/FT121210.html#dangersoflithiumbatteries  
787 Battery Blew Up In '06 Lab Test, Burned Down Building
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020199686_787batterysafetyxml.html

   ***Boeing Ended 2012 On A High Note ..... as for the first time in a decade, the Seattle-based company ended the year as the world's No. 1 airplane manufacturer, outselling and delivering more jets than its closest competitor, the French company Airbus. Boeing achieved a net total of orders for 1,203 commercial aircraft in 2012, the second-largest annual number in the company's history. The manufacturer also delivered 601 commercial jets, the most since 1999. Boeing's unfilled commercial aircraft orders at the end of the year stood at 4,373, the most in its history. No one would be surprised to learn that Boeing's worst-performing commercial jet for net orders in 2012 was the 787 Dreamliner.

   ***
China's Express Delivery To Triple In 10 Years ..... as it has grown 32% a year over the last decade, according to China State Post Bureau director Ma Shangjun. Mr Ma told a recent national postal business administration meeting that if the sector manages to maintain double-digit growth for the next 8 years, then tripling its business volume will be well within reach. Statistics from international consulting firms, quoted by Xinhua, show that if the express sector takes up 0.17% of GDP or less, the market tends disorganised. When the percentage is between 0.17% and 0.6%, the market will be more orderly and enjoy rapid growth. In 2012, China handled a total of 5.7 billion express parcels with a strong year-on-year growth of 55%. Revenue of the industry increased 40% to US$17.05Bn. The China State Post Bureau has set a target where postal business revenue doubles the sum in 2010 by year 2020, and its percentage in GDP will rise above 0.6%, while express business revenue will triple 2010's figure. In 2013, China aims to raise the express package volume to eight billion with a growth of 40% and revenue growth of 33%. 

   ***Sleepy Cargo Pilots? ...... as
U.S. congressional legislation introduced earlier this month is calling for stricter rest requirements for air cargo pilots. Entitled the Safe Skies Act of 2013, the bill requires the Secretary of Transportation to modify the final rule relating to flight crew member duty and rest requirements for passenger operations of air carriers to apply to all-cargo operations of air carriers. FAA officials said the estimated cost of this rule to the aviation industry is US$297M, with the benefits estimated to be between US$247M to US$470M. Highlights of the rule are:
*varying flight & duty requirements based on what time the pilot's day begins;
*adjusting allowable length of a duty period based on when the pilot's day begins, and the number flight segmentsflown, ranging from 9-14 hours for single crew operations;
*limiting flight time when the plane is moving under its own power before, during or after flight to 8 or 9 hours depending on the start time of the entire flight duty rest period; and
*a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to the flight duty period, which is two hours more than the previous rule, and mandates that a pilot must have an opportunity for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep within the 10-hour rest period.
The fact that air cargo carriers are not currently required to abide by these rules was not well received by the Allied Pilots Assn. (APA), the certified collective bargaining agent for the 10,000 pilots of American Airlines. "We strongly object to exempting cargo carriers from the new rules," said APA President Captain Dave Bates in a Dec. 2011 statement. "A fatigued pilot is a fatigued pilot, whether their aircraft contains passengers or cargo." But Washington, D.C.-based Airforwarders Assn. (AfA) Executive Director Brandon Fried said "One size does not fit all. Cargo pilots for the most part fly about half of the amount of time as passenger pilots do. FedEx, UPS, or TNT might lift off at
11 p.m. and fly into a regional hub and get some break time and then return by 3 or 4 a.m., which is not the same as a passenger pilot flying across the country…and not being cognizant of what is going on due to a lack of sleep. I don't see the comparison there." 

   ***New Qantas Airways Cargo Focus ...... as it has agreed to purchase a 100% stake in Australian Air Express from joint-venture partner Australia Post, as well as sell its 50% stake of road-freight business StarTrack to Australia Post. The deal, which will boost Qantas' airfreight operations, is slated to close in the 4th quarter.In a press release, Qantas said it expects to receive Aus$408 million, plus an additional Aus$5 million in completion adjustments, from the deal. The lump sum signals good news for the Australian carrier, which has recently made headlines for its financial woes. Less than 2 months ago, Qantas scrapped its order for 35 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners after posting an Aus$244 million net loss for fiscal-year 2011-2012, which ended June 30.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_air_Express

   ***Southern Airlines Adds Class ...... as it recently started providing freight with different classes of service. The service is separated into 3 classes, the First Class (Class A), High-end Class (Class B) and Ordinary Class (Class C). Class A space will be open for booking 3 days before departure. Compared to Class B & C, Class A shipments can enjoy priority in loading following rescue materials, diplomatic bag, aviation materials and government authorised emergency goods. Class A can also enjoy priority in space booking & safety check. Are there meals in First Class? 

    ***Volumes 
>>> Belgium's Liege Airport suffered a 14.5% fall in air freight volumes in 2012 after handling 576,664 tons, compared to the previous year.  >>> Franfurt-Hahn Airport cargo traffic dropped by 28% to 207,520 ton in 2012. >>> Frankfurt's Airport's Fraport air cargo declined 6.7% year on year to 2.1 million tons in 2012 with Dec. slowing the rate of decline. >>> Hong Kong's Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT), the airport's No 2 ground handler, has posted a 3% year-on-year increase in air cargo throughput to 719,068 tons in 2012, breaking the AAT record set in 2010. >>> Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Dragonair posted a 3.4% year-on-year increase in combined cargo and mail to 146,897 tons in Dec., but the full-year tonnage dropped 5.3% as capacity shrank 3.1%. >>> Moscow's Domodedovo Airport in 2012 moved 4.3% more cargo year on year to 196,984 tons, making it the biggest airport in Russia and one of three with Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports serving the Russian capital, while cargo traffic in Dec. was up 6.5% on year to 19,719 tons. >>> Northern China's Zhengzhou airport, serving the capital of Henan province, a city of 8.6 million, posted a 288% increase in 2012 int'l air freight year on year to 49,568 tons. >>> United Continental Holdings (UAL) slumps as year-to-date, cargo revenue ton miles was down 7% to 2.46 billion ton miles. 

   ***Heavily Editing The In-Flight Movie ...... as a contract has been awarded for the world's shortest scheduled flight - as short as 47 seconds - following a bidding war between three rivals, says the UK's Daily Mail. Scottish airline Loganair triumphed in the battle for the route, between Westray and Papa Westray,
Scotland. With a distance of approximately 2.8 kilometers between the airports, the flight duration usually lasts less than two minutes, but depending on the wind direction can be much quicker. The route, which will transport passengers and freight, was among those in the Orkney area offered as a bundle of the islands' air services in a contract worth around US$6M. See the map:
www.news.com.au/travel/news/blink-and-youll-miss-it-worlds-shortest-flight/story-e6frfq80-1226551821933

    ***German Air Efficiency ...... as for a country that prides itself on efficiency & punctuality, the saga of Berlin's new airport, whose opening was delayed for a fourth time on Jan. 7, has become something of a national joke and source of embarrassment for Germany. The mayor of the capital city, Klaus Wowereit, said managers for the new Willy Brandt airport have determined that it's no longer possible to open on Oct. 27. He insisted it wasn't yet possible to give a new date, but the delay means the capital's airport won't be opened until 2014 at the earliest - about 3 years later than originally planned. The airport, one of the country's biggest infrastructure projects, is supposed to replace the city's two aging and increasingly cramped airports, Tegel and Schoenefeld, which served West and East Berlin respectively during Germany's Cold War division. It was first scheduled to open in late 2011, then delayed to June 2012. That date was abandoned only a few weeks before the airport was due to open; the inauguration was put back to March 2013, and then postponed again to Oct. Costs have already more than doubled to US$5.8Bn. Postponing the opening again will lead to additional costs, the Transport Ministry's Rudolph acknowledged.

    ***
U.S. Customs at Miami Int'l Airport Ramps Up ..... as they seized 181,000 counterfeit Viagra pills in two cargo shipments in Sept. & Dec. The airline's cargo manifest described the shipment as "pharmaceutical products," but it was determined they were not legitimately produced, reported American Shipper. The domestic value of the shipments was set at US$3.2M. 

   ***Holding On ...... as stunned Qantas Airways passengers watched out their windows as a large python clung to a plane's wing during a 2-hour flight from
Australia's northeastern city of Cairns to Papua New Guinea on Jan. 10. The 10-foot python fought to stay on the wing, pulling itself forward only to be pushed back by the frigid wind. Passenger Robert Weber videotaped the struggle and told Australia's Fairfax Media that the wind whipping the snake against the side of the plane left a bloody smear. The python managed to hang on until the plane landed in Port Moresby, but a Qantas spokesman said the creature was dead on arrival. It was reminiscent of the 2006 Hollywood thriller "Snakes on a Plane."

   ***Tick, Tick, Tick !!! ...... as the ominous sound of a bag alarmed employees at the world's busiest airport on Jan. 3, but it has turned out to be nothing more than a passenger's toothbrush. The battery-powered toothbrush was responsible for the sound that gave rise to fears of a bomb at
Atlanta's airport Friday morning. It led police to cordon off a section of the north terminal while a bomb squad responded. Airport spokeswoman Myrna White says AirTran employees heard the ticking sound after the bag was dropped off shortly before 7:30 a.m. at the airline's kiosk, near the curbs where cars and buses pull up to the north terminal. White said some travelers were diverted to the south terminal and normal operations in the area resumed by 8:10 a.m.                
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OUR "C" Section: FF World Ocean News***
  4. 
FF World Ocean Briefs                                                     

    ***Stike Again Looms ...... as even though negotiations between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), an alliance of container carriers, direct employers, and port associations serving U.S.-based East and Gulf Coasts, and the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), the largest union of maritime workers in North America, are continuing, details of what is discussed remain scant. A major sticking point in the negotiations between the ILA and USMX has to do with how the ILA has to negotiate all Master Contract issues with the ILA Wage Scale Committee, which ILA President Harold Daggett said in an August letter to USMX Chairman and CEO James Capo is a democratically-elected committee that Capo has declined to address despite Daggett's overtures to do so. And in late Dec., Daggett said ILA made major gains on the Container Royalty issue that will protect its members as well as agreeing to extend the ILA Master Contract by 30 days, beyond the original Dec. 29 deadline to Feb. 6. Another issue has to do with technology. USMX' Capo maintains the ILA is demanding that management guarantee a job for any worker even if new technologies eliminate a need for that position. Both the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Retail Industry Leaders Assn. (RILA) have expressed their concerns to the ILA and USMX over what a potential labor strike could do. RILA officials said the ongoing labor negotiations affect 14
East & Gulf Coast ports, which together account for 95% of all containerized shipments to the Eastern seaboard.
www.usmx.com/html/about/USMX/Usmx.htm
www.ilaunion.org/


   ***
Egypt Crisis Deepens ....... as Suez cities burn, canal shipping sails on, for now. Egypt's army has stepped forward from its new place in the shadows of the fledgling democracy and pledged to defend the state after a week of bloody street violence in cities along the Suez Canal. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi explained Jan. 30, the military deployment ordered by President Mohamed Mursi in terms primarily of protecting a waterway he called a "vital strategic interest" - it handles about a tenth of all global trade by sea. The U.S., sponsor of the armed forces, sounded an alarm, but the Egyptian admiral who heads the state's Suez Canal Authority was completing a symbolic sail along its120 miles between Port Said on the Mediterranean and Suez on the Red Sea. "Traffic," he said, "is 100% safe". Built by French engineers and opened in 1869, the canal brings in over US$5Bn a year in hard-currency tolls - more than 2% of national income. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal

    ***Fruits of Arming The Vessels ...... as international piracy hit a 5-year low of 297 attacks in 2012 with the biggest reduction off the Somali coast, but attacks off West Africa increased, according to the Int'l Maritime Bureau (IBM). Over the 5 year period the level of violence reduced worldwide with 174 ships boarded by pirates, 28 hijacked and 28 fired upon, according to the latest figures from the
IMB Piracy Reporting Center. Globally the number of people held hostage reduced from 585 in 2012 to 802 in 2011. During the year, 6 crewmen were killed and 32 injured or assaulted showing a welcome reduction in piracy, said Int'l Maritime Bureau director Pottengal Mukundan. "Crews must remain vigilant, particularly in highly dangerous waters," he said. There were 58 incidents recorded in the Gulf of Guinea alone which included 10 hijacking and 207 crew members taken hostage. Piracy has been seen in the Gulf of Oman, southern Red Sea and the Somali basin, with a number of attacks close to the Straits of Hormuz and the energy routes out of the Arabian Gulf. The presence of int'l navies is still essential to deal with Somali pirates and withdrawal would see a return to form, added Capt. Mukundan. Of most concern are the high levels of violence used against crew members in the Gulf of Guinea with guns reported in at least 37 of the 58 incidents reported, except for Benin whose incident rate dropped from 20 in 2011 to two in 2012. In Nigeria, 13 vessels were boarded, eight fired upon and two attempted attacks from 10 reported attacks in 2011. Togo increased from five in 2011 to 15 in 2012 of which four were hijackings. The Ivory Coast reported its first hijacking of a panamax tanker by Nigerian pirates in the final quarter of 2012 highlighting the geographical range these pirates will go to, said the report.

    ***State of The Fleet ...... as 5% of the global container fleet was idle at the end of 2012, or 297 vessels totaling 810,000 TEU, reported Alphaliner. According to Alphaliner, the number of vessels of 3,000 to 5,000-TEU capacity to be idled increased to total 83 vessels, of which 27 were carrier-controled. Chartering activity fell, leading to increased re-lets and impacting the number of vessels of average capacity 3,000 TEU being scrapped to 33 in total for the year, with eight in December alone, and more expected in 2013. Scrapping reached record highs of 2009, said Alphaliner. Cellular containership capacity has increased by 6% to 16.3 million TEU, according to Alphaliner data. Maersk leads with its 8,200-8,600 TEU S-class vessels to its postpanamax ships in the 9,600 TEU range. Alphaliner noted the transpacific tradelane saw the biggest increase in 2012 by 10% from 2.4 million TEU to 2.7 million TEU.
www.alphaliner.com/top100/index.php

   ***The
Panama Canal Expansion 50% Complete ....... as "the program continues to progress and reach milestones while we focus the next phases on building the locks," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. Beginning 2013, the Expansion Program has completed several projects. Dredging of the navigational channels has been completed. This included both Canal entrances, on the Pacific and Atlantic sides, as well as Gaillard Cut. The remaining dredging work to be done in Gatun Lake is expected to be completed this year.The excavations of the Pacific lock access channel are 70% complete. This project calls for the excavation of more than 50 million cubic meters of materials along a 6.1 km span and is executed in four phases. Three of the four phases have been completed and the fourth phase is 69% complete. In addition, the first shipment of 47 valves, to be used for the operation of the third set of locks, arrived during the last couple of weeks. These valves are part of the Post-Panamax locks electromechanical system that will regulate water flow between the chambers, the culverts and water-saving basin conduit. A second shipment is scheduled to arrive at the end of January. By the end of 2013, a total of 158 valves (culvert, equalization & conduit), 84 bulkheads and 328 trash racks will have arrived for the project. The valves where built in South Korea by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. Construction of the new locks has a 37% progress. The new lock complexes in the Pacific and Atlantic sides will feature three chambers, three water-saving basins per chamber, a lateral filling and emptying system and rolling gates. "We estimate based on the progress that we can begin commercial transits mid-2015," said the Panama Canal Administrator. The Panama Canal Authority is closely monitoring progress on every component of the Expansion Program to guarantee contractors comply with the quality required by each contract. The Panama Canal Expansion Program will be the largest project at the Canal since its original construction and will double its capacity to allow more traffic. 
Details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_expansion_project
On 10 March 2013, the 
Countryman & McDaniel law firm will deliver a presentation on effects of the Panama Canal Expansion at the AirCargo 2013 at the Red Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas 
www.aircargoconference.com/

   ***Slaves On A Freighter ....... as the International Transport Workers' Federation is calling on Panama to join the effort to help the recently released crew of the 
M/V Iceberg 1 to recover from their hostage ordeal. The crew of the Panama-flagged vessel were held for nearly 3 years by Somali pirates – who subjected them to torture, starvation and even mutilation – before being released last month. The 22 hostages, from 7 nationalities (the chief officer is still missing and another seafarer committed suicide during his captivity), were helped home by the UNPOS and UNODC* Hostage Support Program. Twenty-two crew members were freed during gun battles in December: 8 Yemenis, 5 Indians, 4 Ghanaians, 2 Pakistanis, 2 Sudanese and one Filipino. Oneseafarer, Wagdi Akdram, a Yemeni, was driven to suicide by his ordeal. The fate of the Indian chief officer, Dhiraj Tiwari, is unknown. He is known to have been tortured & separated from the other crew. Another hostage had his ears mutilated. All the crew were subjected to torture and starvation. The Iceberg 1 had been held since March 2010. The shipowner, Azal Shipping of Dubai, had left the vessel uninsured when it was captured. The company paid no wages throughout either to the seafarers or their families. 
www.itfglobal.org/seafarers/index.cfm

   ***The Price of Pollution ...... as Pacific International Lines Ltd., a Singapore-based freighter company, agreed to plead guilty to failing to track oily waste from a ship and to other pollution- related charges. The closely held carrier was accused of giving
U.S. authorities a false accounting of bilge-waste discharges and of lacking proper pollution control equipment aboard a container ship during an inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard in American Samoa, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court in Washington. The company agreed to pay a criminal penalty of US$2.2M, including a US$2M fine and community service payments of US$100,000 each to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for projects in or near American Samoa, according to a joint sentencing recommendation that is subject to court approval.
www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/sg~pil.html

    ***Cool Rates Higher ....... as shippers of chilled and frozen produce face hefty rate increases from the start of 2013 as container lines target refrigerated cargoes.Following Maersk Line's announcement a few months ago that it planned to raise reefer rates... The largest shipping line in the world, Maersk Line has announced rate increase to refrigerated container (reefer). The significant freight rate rise will be felt worldwide and in 
Fiji by Jan. 1, 2013. The increase will be added to the freight component of the cost of shipping a container, and will be US$750 per 20 foot reefer and US$1500 per 40 foot reefer container.

    ***What Do The Teachers Know? ...... as the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan says it plans to acquire 100% SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd., one of the world's largest container leasing companies. No overall value on the deal was disclosed by Teachers, but it said SeaCube (NYSE:BOX) shareholders will receive US$23 in cash per common share. The company has just under 20.3 million shares.
www.seacubecontainers.com/

    ***French Liner CMA CGM Sells
China Stake ..... as it has sold a 49% stake in its terminal operating subsidiary Terminal Link to China Merchants Holdings, the largest public port operator in China for a payment of US$538M.

    ***Peru In High Tech Move ....... as APM Terminals Callao, Peru has become the world's first port facility to install Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology as a new safety measure for use with container handling equipment such as reach stackers and forklifts, after an extensive testing period. Known as the "ZoneSafe Proximity Warning System", heavy equipment operators will receive automatic alerts if pedestrians or other personnel are close to the machinery and at risk. The RFID technology was developed by UK-based Avonwood Developments Ltd., which provides innovative electronic solutions for a wide range of industrial environments. This is the first adaptation of RFID tags and transponders for use at a port facility. With the ZoneSafe System, all yard personnel will wear a small RFID tag which constantly transmits location signals that are picked up by antennae installed in the reach stackers, the large wheeled vehicles which lift and transport empty and loaded containers in the container yard. These terminal workhorse vehicles are known to have certain "blind spots" in which the operators cannot easily see nearby activity. If tag-equipped personnel approach a reach stacker (or similarly equipped fork lift) within the designated "safe zone" perimeter an alarm will be activated in the operator's cab alerting to potential danger.
www.avonwood.co.uk/

    ***Yangtze River Highway Plunge ....... as the Three Gorges ship locks recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.37% in 2012 in its cargo throughput to 91.49 million tons attributed to a weak economy and high water level in flood season, Xinhua reports. In 2012, 44,263 vessels passed the ship locks, which are staircase locks built for the river traffic to bypass the Three Gorges Dam. Upward cargo volume remained at the same level as in 2011, taking up 62% of the total. Downward shipments plunged nearly 30% to 34.7 million tons from 48.48 million tons. Minerals, ores and construction materials bound for
Sichuan and Chongqing were the fastest growing category of cargo. Minerals & construction materials surged nearly 800% to 19.26 million tons from 2.16 million tons in 2009. Ores grew to 17.68 million tons from 9.78 million tons in 2009 at an annual rate of 21.8%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges

    ***Shippers Losers In Deployment of Slow Steaming? ...... as it increases inventory costs, according to analysis of four complete rotations in a paper from
Rotterdam's Erasmus University. Not so, say carriers, who insist slow-steaming benefits all, generating fuel savings. One can run a 10,000 TEU containership at its 20-25 knots cruising speed and burn 350 tons of fuel or burn 175 tons by steaming at 18-20 knots, according to London's Containerization International. But Martijn Streng's university study of roundtrip routes, says ocean carriers stand to gain - not shippers. Benefits to carriers far outweigh those for shippers, said Mr Streng, though UK-based Walmart's Asda and Boots the Chemist chain has said the improvement in schedule reliability has been noted, and that affects supply chain costs and cash-flow. Slowing below 20 knots leads to additional supply chain costs, but savings for carriers, said the university study. For example, carriers save 175 tons of bunker by sailing a 10,000-TEU ship between 18-20 knots rather than 20-25 knots. Super-slow steaming - 15-18 knots - saves 100 tons a day at US$600 a ton.
www.eur.nl/english/
www.eur.nl/ese/nieuws/detail/article/44480-martijn-streng-slow-steaming-kost-meer-dan-het-oplevert/
www.ci-online.co.uk/


    ***Ships Are A Nuisance? ...... as a lawsuit against Charleston's cruise industry should be allowed to go forward because plaintiffs may be able to show ships are public nuisances that create soot, traffic and noise, according to a state judge. However, Circuit Judge Clifton Newman said in his report late Jan. 4, the ships don't violate city zoning or state pollution rules. Newman was appointed as a special referee in the lawsuit filed by environmental and preservation groups and city residents, but whether the lawsuit moves forward is ultimately up to the state Supreme Court. Lawyers for both sides have 15 days to file objections before the justices decide on the recommendations. If the nuisance claims go forward, the matter would return to the lower courts for a trial. Carnival Cruise Lines permanently based its M/V Fantasy in
Charleston 3 years ago, prompting the lawsuit. The plaintiffs want to block cruise operations and have the court declare it illegal for the Ports Authority to create a new US$35M terminal near the existing cruise facility.

    ***This Month In
U.S. Navy History
1813 -
U.S. frigate Chesapeake captures British brig Hero.
1815 - 
HMS Endymion, Tenedos and Pomone capture USS President.
1944 - Top Marine ace Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington captured after shooting down 28 aircraft. Boyington went on to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions.
1847 - U.S. Naval forces occupy
Los Angeles during the Mexican-American War for the first time.
1861 - Union steamer 
Star of the West is fired on by the Confederates in Charleston Harbor.
1863 - Navy General Order 4, Emancipation Proclamation issued.
1863 - CSS Alabama sinks 
USS Hatteras off Galveston.
1922 - Cruiser 
USS Galveston (CL 19) lands her Marine Corps detachment at Corinto, Nicaragua, to reinforce the Managua legation guard during a period of political tension.
1943 - In the first ever submarine resupply mission, 
USS Gudgeon lands 6 men, 2,000 pounds of equipment & supplies on Negros Island, the Philippines.
1945 - Navy surface forces bombard Japanese positions at
Iwo Jima.

   ***Civil War 3-D Fly Over ..... as the remains of the only U.S. Navy ship sunk in the
Gulf of Mexico during Civil War combat now can be seen in 3-D sonar images from the Gulf's murky depths, revealing details such as a shell hole that may have been among the ship's fatal wounds. You can fly through the wreck, you're getting a view no diver can get. The high-resolution images of the 210-foot, iron-hulled USS Hatteras are being released this month to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the battle where the ship was lost. Besides the shell hole, they also show previously unknown details like a paddle wheel and the ship's stern and rudder emerging from the shifting undersea sands about 20 miles off the coast of Galveston. The 1,126-ton Hatteras was built in 1861 in Wilmington, Del., as a civilian steamship, according to the Navy Historical Center. It was purchased by the Navy, commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and assigned to join the blockade of the Florida coast to keep vessels from delivering supplies, war weapons and ammunition to the Confederacy. On Jan. 11, the Hatteras spotted & tracked down a 3-masted ship that identified itself as British, then opened fire from 25 to 200 yards away and revealed it actually was the CSS Alabama, a notorious Confederate raider credited with some 60 kills. Forty-three minutes later, the Hatteras was burning & taking on water. Cmdr. Homer Blake surrendered and he and his crew were taken aboard the Alabama as prisoners, eventually winding up in Jamaica. Of the 126-man crew, 2 were lost and are believed entombed in the wreck. Fly Over video:
www.exploreocean.org/hatteras-2012-video.html
Gallery
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/press/2013/pr011113.html#photo
========================================
   5. 
The Cargo Letter Cargo Damage Dispatches                        
            **Back By Popular Demand**

We're sorry, but there were so many sinkings, explosions, pirate attacks, fires, cargo mishaps, battles on the water & other disasters at sea that we do not have room to print even the highlights this month. Many people lost their lives at sea this month!! 

But you can read all this month's disaster news at our special Internet web feature which provides full details of each event -- our Vessel Casualties & Pirate Activity Database.  Bookmark the site and visit every day! Updated twice daily.
www.cargolaw.com/presentations_casualties.html

SPECIAL NOTE:  Please view the dramatic new pictures at our special "Gallery of Cargo Loss" website feature. 
www.cargolaw.com/gallery.html

See our new feature for Jan.. 2013: "New Year - Old Risk" the Butterfield Stage
www.cargolaw.com/2000nightmare_singles.only.html#stage

See our newest photo feature "Singles Only" - Transportation Disasters Told In A Single Photo!
www.cargolaw.com/2000nightmare_singles.only.html

Daily Vessel Casualties ...... as we don't want you to miss the excitement of our 24 hour reports of the dramatic events at sea each day -- stories of casualties & pirates --- almost none of which are carried on your local news.  Edited daily by Christoph Wahner, Esq. of Countryman & McDaniel. 
www.cargolaw.com/presentations_casualties.php

NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real.  Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker.  It's dangerous out there.
========================================
*****************************************************

OUR "D" Section:  FF in Cyberspace***
  6. 
The Cargo Letter "Cyber Ports Of Call"                      
Here are our suggested world wide web sites of the week for your business, your information and your amusement..............

Cargo & Trade>>>>>>

2013 National C-TPAT Conference Presentation Materials
www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/cargo_security/ctpat/2013_ctpat_conf/

Apostleship of The Sea First Directory of Port Chaplains Around The World
www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk/

Canada's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) With The European Union
www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/eu-ue/can-eu.aspx?view=d

EU Communication on Customs Risk Management
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-7_en.htm

Eye For Transport  - Where North American 3PL Headquarters Are Located
http://events.eyefortransport.com/3pl/pdf/Location-of-North-American-3PL-Headquarters-Version-2b.pdf

First Edition of IATA ULD Regulations
www.iataonline.com/Store/Products/Product+Detail.htm?cs_id=9103-01&cs_catalog=Publications
www.iata.org/publications/tracker/jan-2013/Pages/ULDR.aspx


Golden Myanmar Airlines ....... the new start-up
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Myanmar_Airlines

IATA Sees 100% e-AWB By End of 2015
www.iata.org/publications/tracker/jan-2013/Pages/GACAG.aspx

Initiatives For Cargo Transport By Inland Waterways
www.maritimeprofessional.com/Blogs/Initiatives-for-cargo-transport-by-waterways/January-2013/Initiatives-for-cargo-transport-by-waterways.aspx

Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs) Participants in the Sea Automated Manifest System (AMS) 
www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/cargo_security/carriers/ams_ports/nvocc_sea_ams.ctt/nvocc_sea_ams.xls

Proposed U.S. Regulations of All Agenicies ...... search, comment or object
www.regulations.gov/

U.S. Customs ACE Resource Contact Guide (New)
www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace/ace_resource_guide.ctt/ace_resource_guide.pdf

U.S. Customs Quota Book Transmittals Jan. 2012 To Present
www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/

U.S. Customs Importer Self-Assessment 
www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/cargo_security/ctpat/2013_ctpat_conf/ctpat_isa.ctt/ctpat_isa.pdf

Video: Antonov An-225 Rules the Skies, Largest Plane in the World
www.globallogisticsmedia.com/video/view/ckX43CHD

Video: Largest Container Ship in the World: CMA CGM Marco Polo 
www.globallogisticsmedia.com/video/view/P28ufkJr

Women in Aviation International
www.wai.org/

PRODUCTS>>>>>>>>>

Armed Piracy Defence
www.armedpiracydefence.com/

The Dictionary of Shipping Terms, 5th Edition
www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/3kj60m/the_dictionary_of_shipping_terms_5th_edition  

Pollution at Sea. Law & Liability
www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/v7taxk/pollution_at_sea_law_and_liability 

EVENTS>>>>>>>>>

Transport Events

www.transportevents.com/

Trade Shows, Exhibitions, Conferences & Business Events Worldwide
www.eventseye.com/

World Trade Organization Events
www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.pdf

6th World Routes Development Forum ........ 10-12 Feb. 2012, Cartagena de Indias, Columbia
www.routesonline.com/

7th World Cargo Symposium .......12-14 March 2013, Doha, Qatar
www.iata.org/events/wcs/Pages/index.aspx

9th Int'l Freight Forwarders Conference ......... 15-17 March 2013, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
http://fnc-group.com/Fnc-Kul-Conference-Welcome

11th 3PL Summit ........18-20 June, Chicago
http://events.eyefortransport.com/3pl/

26th IGHC Ground Handling Conference ........ 5 - 8 March 2013, Vancouver, Canada
www.iata.org/events/Pages/ighc.aspx

2013 IATA Secure Freight Forum.......... 6-7 Feb., Geneva, Switzerland
www.iata.org/events/Pages/secure-freight-forum.aspx

AirCargo 2013 ......... 10-13 March 2013, Red Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas 
.www.aircargoconference.com/

Air Cargo Africa 2013 ........ 20-23 Feb. 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa
www.stattimes.com/aca2013/


Air Cargo & Logistics Asia Conference and Exhibition ......... 16-18 Oct. 2013, Singapore
http://atwonline.com/events/air-cargo-logistics-asia-conference-exhibition-1212

Asia Pacific Rail 2013 ......... 12-14 March Ritz Carlton, Kowloon, Hong Kong
www.terrapinn.com/template/live/documents.aspx?e=5452

FIATA World Congress 2013 in Singapore ....... 16-19 October 2013
www.fiata2013.org/site/

Int'l Air Transport Assn. Legal Symposium 2013 ........ 17-19 Feb. 2013, Radisson Blu Hotel, Berlin, Germany
https://ems.resrunner.com/IATALegalSymposium

IATA Legal Symposium 2013 .......17-19 Feb. , 2013, Berlin, Germany
www.iata.org/events/Pages/legal-symposium.aspx

JAXPORT 2013 Logistics & Intermodal Conference ......18-20 March 2013, Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Amelia Island, Florida

www.jaxportconference.com/


Sustainable Ocean Summit ........ 22-24 April 2013, Washomgtpn, D.C.
www.oceancouncil.org/site/summit_2013/index.php?page=program

TOC Container Supply Chain Asia Conference ........12-16 March, Hong Kong
www.tocevents-asia.com/page.cfm/EMSLinkClick=7754_2750_1316_86241_30246_3122

World Cargo Symposium 2013 ......12-14 March 2013, Doha, Qatar
www.iata.org/events/wcs/pages/index.aspx


Apps For That - iPhones>>>>>>>>>

Smartphone App Keeps Boat Anchor Watch 
http://boatmonitor.com/#!1

General Interest>>>>>>>>>

17 Things Your Flight Attendant Won't Tell You
www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/01/02/17-things-your-flight-attendant-wont-tell/?intcmp=features

Car Show Game - 1950s - American Torque ......... average score 70%
www.americantorque.com/game/car-show-50s/

Driving An Aircraft To Barrett-Jackson 2013
www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUPZYDbWbo6U2xl9OKL2TZ-Q&v=C_MWpzC-mNA&feature=player_embedded

Driving Reaction Test
www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/reaction_version5.swf

Fateful B-52 Flight Revealed Deadly Weakness
http://news.yahoo.com/fateful-b-52-flight-revealed-deadly-weakness-223142705.html

Latest Wrecked Exotic Cars
www.wreckedexotics.com/newphotos/exotics2013jan21/

Mast Stepping: A Mariner's Tradition
http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2013/01/25/mast-stepping-a-mariners-tradition/

Proposed U.S. Regulations of All Agenicies ...... search, comment or object
www.regulations.gov/

Two Dogs In A Restaurant
www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EVwlMVYqMu4&vq=medium#t=125

Video: Life As An Airline Pilot
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I712YXdJ6_0
========================================
*****************************************************

OUR "E" Section:  The Forwarder/Broker World***
  7. New U.S. Transport Related Legal Cases _______   

American Trucking Associations vs. City of Los Angeles
U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a trucking industry challenge to rules that Los Angeles adopted 5 years ago designed to curb truck emissions at the nation's busiest port. The case will determine the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Clean Truck Program at the
Port of Los Angeles. Similar rules are also in force at the nearby Port of Long Beach. The question centers on whether cities and states have authority to limit pollution from trucks moving long-haul cargo. The answer to that question would seem obvious, especially in environmental circles, but the ATA contends that the local clean truck regulations run afoul of a federal law that deregulated motor carriers. It gets complicated. 
www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/american-trucking-associations-inc-v-city-of-los-angeles/ 

Estes Express Lines v. U.S.
2013 U.S. Claims LEXIS 10 (
1/15/2013).
Uncle Sam avoids double payment of freight charges after its intermediary absconded...as the United States Court of Federal Claims found the suing Carmack carrier had no privity of contract with the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX).  The MCX was the shipper and/or consignee under the carrier's bills of lading, and the carrier invoiced MCX, "care of" MCX's intermediary.  The Court found the carrier had a relationship only with the intermediary and could not pursue the MCX directly. Carriers beware of intermediaries on your big accounts!       
========================================
Written from wire stories, the Associated Press, Reuters, Hong Kong Shipping News Lloyds & other world sources.
******************************************************
The Cargo Letter Correspondents:
Michael S. 
McDaniel, Esq. Editor (Countryman & McDaniel)
Christoph M. Wahner, Esq. (Countryman & McDaniel) 
Daily Vessel Casualties
Bruce Lindsay, Esq. (Countryman & McDaniel)
Maria Payne (Countryman & McDaniel)
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                      _
The Cargo Letter_
                    (
since 1978)

    A world news service for Air/Ocean Freight Forwarders, NVOCC's, Consolidators, Indirect Air Carriers, Surveyors, Intermodal Shipper's Agents, Inland Carriers, Customs Brokers and Liability& Marine Underwriters world-wide .............a free service to more than 8,000 industry subscribers & readers on 6 continents.
          Michael S. 
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The Cargo Letter_ is published by The Law Offices of Countryman & McDaniel:  Legal, Business, Marine Insurance and Claims representation of Air/Ocean Freight Forwarders, NVOCC's, Indirect Air Carriers, Shipper's Agents, Inland Carriers and Customs Brokers......and Liability & Marine insurance Underwriters since 1978 in the United States & world-wide via The Cargo Law Network.  Member, Maritime Law Association of the United States, FIATA and others.

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