DHL Global Forwarding will offer a new ocean freight service for "customers shipping sensitive or high value cargo," the company said in a press release. The new service, called Ocean Secure" is designed for cargo from the healthcare, technology, automotive and consumer goods industries, it said. The company and Ocean Secure customers are able to access, "real time tracking and temperature data at any given point and take remedial action if necessary," it said. "In case of irregularities, a DHL team will intervene. Intervention points are all over the world, ensuring customers that their goods are taken care of quickly."

Inadequate immigration policy in the U.S. has left American farmers without enough workers to expand production and compete with produce importers, said the Partnership for a New American Economy and the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform in a study released March 18 (here). An increasing percentage of fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. are imported and "labor challenges faced by U.S. farmers and the inadequacies of the H-2A visa program are a key reason why American farmers have been unable to maintain their share of the domestic market," they said.

Trade volumes over the next six months in and out of the U.S. are expected to grow as economic conditions improve and global demand increases, said HSBC in a trade forecast report. HSBC's Trade Confidence Index went up a point compared to six months ago, to the highest level in the survey's five year history, the company said. Technology imports are expected to dominate in the U.S. and continued investment in research and development (R&D) will be important for the U.S. to maintain it place as a top technology exporter, the report said.

Baker & McKenzie recently opened an office in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), said the law firm on Feb. 18. “The Yangon office will help companies navigate opportunities in the country with a particular focus on energy, mining and infrastructure; information technology and telecommunications; consumer goods, corporate transactions and IP,” it said.

The Airforwarders Association's regular membership grew by nearly 25 percent over the past year, much of which coming in recent weeks, the group said in a press release. The AfA now represents 230 freight forwarding companies focused on cargo and over 120 other businesses and organizations, it said. "As they contemplate increased business in an improving economy, forwarders are likely realizing that the regulatory framework for air freight and other commonly used modes is now more extensive and complex than ever," said AfA Executive Director Brandon Fried. "So they want to make certain their voice is heard in Washington and that they have a way to keep current on regulatory and industry developments."

A group of trade associations are working together to create the Conflict Minerals Resource Center, a website meant to "provide education to help companies in the supply chain comply" with Securities and Exchange Commission rules requiring companies to publicly disclose their use of conflict minerals that originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country, they said in a press release. "The goal of the joint initiative is to deploy easy-to-use Conflict Minerals compliance tools across the seven industry associations," they said. "By providing the member companies and their vendors and contractors with the information and resources needed to meet the compliance requirements, all players along the supply chain can spend less time navigating policy, and more time producing the products and services that generate economic growth and jobs."

The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), the US Agency for International Development and the African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation signed on to a memorandum of understanding to "expand trade and investment linkages between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa in the cotton textile and apparel sectors," the AAFA said in a press release. The group will "promote Africa as a reliable sourcing destination for international buyers and explore opportunities to promote U.S. trade and investment in Africa," the release said. The effort will include "the exchange of market and import/export policy information, guidance on requirements and best practices, and the promotion of joint solutions to address market constraints," said the AAFA.

The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) sent out a warning that its hotel block for its annual conference has been caught up in a housing scam. The conference is scheduled for April 6-9 at the Red Rock Resort and Casino in Nevada. "You may receive a phone, fax or e-mail transmission that offers a 'deal' on housing," the warning said. "The author's apparent intent is to mislead you their offer is made on behalf of NCBFAA. It is not." The scammers "have a boiler room operation that calls all conference attendees nationwide from their office in California," the NCBFAA said. "In the event that you book rooms through any such organization, please be advised that we will not be able to assist you in any way should rooms be unavailable upon your arrival at the hotel," it said.

Cargo volume at the Port of Long Beach increased by 2.5 percent in November compared to the same month in 2012, it said in a press release. Imports increased 6.5 percent to 296,638 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) and exports rose 9.9 percent to 151,950 TEUs, it said. August through October are typically the peak for ocean-borne imports, "as retailers prepare for a rise in buying as the end-of-the-year holidays approach," the port said. "The November imports are among the first products that are destined for store shelves in the New Year. "

The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) will create a "communal platform to map the automotive supply chain" following an agreement with General Motors, Chrysler and Toyota, the group said in a press release. The agreement marks a " first big step toward creating a centralized supplier data platform for greater visibility into the global supply chain," said J. Scot Sharland, AIAG executive director. "Led by these three early adopters, we're launching with a system that puts command and control of the data into the suppliers' hands and is driven by a federal border security initiative."