Freight volume continues to vary depending on the sector and trucking's outlook will be cloudy in coming months, American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello said. The trucking economy is “pretty mixed right now,” he said on an Oct. 9 panel at a management conference. Some groups, such as tank trucks and flatbeds, are doing well, while others, like dry vans, are underperforming, he said. Capacity “remains relatively in balance to demand,” but if the overall economy grows, “we would not have enough trucks to handle the corresponding increase in freight,” he said. The biggest risk to trucking would be a return to recession either because of the collapse of the euro or, more likely, uncertainty related to the “fiscal cliff” at year's end, he said. Another area of concern is the sharp decline in manufacturing orders, which will limit manufacturing output and put a damper on truck volumes in the next few months, he said.
Dugie Standeford
Dugie Standeford, European Correspondent, Communications Daily and Privacy Daily, is a former lawyer. She joined Warren Communications News in 2000 to report on internet policy and regulation. In 2003 she moved to the U.K. and since then has covered European telecommunications issues. She previously covered the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and intellectual property law matters. She has a degree in psychology from Duke University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.
Crowley Maritime's freight-forwarding, export-packing and logistics company, Jarvis International Freight will transition into the company as a new branch of Crowley Logistics, it said Oct. 10. The move will allow Crowley to offer project logistics and global freight management services to a wider array of industries and in more geographic locations, it said. Adding Jarvis boosts the company's position in the petroleum and energy industries, allowing it to take on more complex projects for those customers, it said.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. authorized $117.5 million loan guarantee supporting exports of Boeing 737-800 aircraft to flydubai, a low-cost airline owed by the government of Dubai. Ex-Im will guarantee a 12-year loan from the Private Export Funding Corp., its first authorization supporting aircraft exports to flydubai, it said.
Federal Maritime Commission said the following have filed applications for a license as a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVO) and/or Ocean Freight Forwarder (OFF)-Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) pursuant to section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984. Interested persons may contact the Office of Transportation Intermediaries, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, D.C. 20573, at 202-523-5843 or at OTI@fmc.gov.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. is opening a 25-day comment period on several applications for final commitment for a long-term loan or financial guarantee in excess of $100 million, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. Comments are due by Nov. 5 to WWW.REGULATIONS.GOV.
The U.S. Trade Representative requested World Trade Organization dispute settlement consultations with China about China's antidumping and countervailing duties on automobiles from the U.S., it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. The U.S. believes that certain measures imposing antidumping and countervailing duties on the autos are inconsistent with China's obligations under the WTO Agreement, it said. The U.S. sought consultations with China on July 5, but the talks, held Aug. 23, didn't resolve the issue, it said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative wants input on a Sept. 17 request by China for a World Trade Organization dispute settlement proceeding concerning Public Law 112-99, “Application of Countervailing Duty Provisions to Nonmarket Countries” and Section 2 of P.L. 112-99, “Adjustment of Antidumping Duty in Certain Proceedings Relating to Imports from Nonmarket Economy Countries,” it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. China also challenges the concurrent application of antidumping and countervailing duties under the nonmarket economy methodology with respect to several investigations and reviews initiated between Nov. 20, 2006, and March 13, 2012, on imports from China. China alleges inconsistencies with provisions of the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade; the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; and the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on whether Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Turks and Caicos Islands should be designated eligible to receive benefits under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act as amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) (19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.); and whether Aruba, the Bahamas, Domenica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines should be designated to receive benefits under CBTPA, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. Written comments are due Nov. 9 and should be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov. Further information: Donald Eiss, 202-395-3475.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) published a first provisional list of proposals for amendment of Appendices I and II for consideration at meetings of the Conference of the Parties scheduled for March 3-14, 2013, in Thailand. The list (here) will be reviewed further and amended as necessary prior to release of the official list of proposals.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. earned over $803 million for taxpayers above the cost of all operations in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, it said Oct. 5. The funds have been transferred to the U.S. Treasury General Fund, it said. Although the books haven't yet been fully closed on FY 2012, “it looks like we'll again have another record-setting year,” said Chairman Fred Hochberg. From fiscal years 2008-2012 the bank sent a net amount of $1.6 billion to the Treasury, it said.