Shipping

Requires Ships to Report Crimes Committed on Board and Adopt Crucial Security Measures

17 November 2009 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell today applauded passage of the Cruise Vessel Safety Act of 2009 by the House of Representatives. Mitchell voted for the bill which passed by a vote of 416 to 4.

The legislation, H.R. 3360, would close a major loophole in federal law by beginning to require cruise ships to report crimes committed on board to proper authorities. In addition, the bill would require cruise ships to adopt additional security measures such as latches and peep holes for guest rooms, video surveillance to document criminal activity, as well as be equipped to provide emergency assistance to victims of sexual assaults.    » read more »

Washington, DC, November 12, 2009 -- During a visit to Washington, D.C., a delegation from the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) met today with Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Thomas M. Countryman, and Robert W. Maggi, the Department’s Coordinator for Counter-Piracy, to discuss the threat to international shipping posed by pirates operating of the coast of Somalia and up to 1000 miles beyond its territorial waters.    » read more »

Airplane begins preparations for flight test

EVERETT, Wash., Nov. 12 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA), on Thursday afternoon, towed the first 747-8 Freighter out of the factory in Everett, Wash. The airplane, ultimately destined for Cargolux, will be painted and begin preparations for flight test.

"It is very rewarding to see this airplane transition to the flight test phase," said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president and general manager. "Our employees, suppliers and customers have put a lot of work into making the 747-8 Freighter a reality."    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- Ship captains and pleasure boaters can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the lower Mississippi River from a new NOAA ocean observing system that makes piloting a ship safer and more efficient.

The NOAA Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) on the lower Mississippi River provides observations of tides, currents, water and air temperature, barometric pressure, winds and bridge clearance. Collected from a variety of sensors in and around the port, the data is available online and by phone: 888-817-7767 (toll-free).    » read more »

Statewide freight summit attracted many federal and state officials to discuss a long-term vision for freight in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 14, 2009) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the release of Maryland’s first Statewide Freight Plan. The Plan was unveiled at the Maryland Department of Transportation’s second Statewide Freight Summit at the BWI Airport Hilton.    » read more »

Bill To Reduce Congestion On Roads By Encouraging More Freight To Be Carried By Barges and Ships; Would Create 'Maritime Highway', Help States Improve Ports

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today introduced a bill to reduce congestion on the nation’s roads by encouraging more freight to be carried by barges and ships. The legislation would create a grant program for ‘America’s Marine Highways’ to encourage shipping by sea or inland waterway and establish a new program to modernize port facilities to make freight movement more efficient.    » read more »

NWF and NRDC Help Notch a Win with Implications Throughout the Great Lakes

(June 1, 2009) -- A New York State Supreme Court Justice dismissed a challenge brought by shipping interests against the state’s tough new ballast water requirements, which are designed to limit the introduction of more invasive species into the Great Lakes.

Legal experts at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Wildlife Federation (NWF) hail the win as a huge victory for states in the region that have taken an aggressive stand to limit dumping of water containing biological pollution from ocean going vessels. Alien species have already cost the Great Lakes economy billions of dollars.    » read more »

Geneva, Switzerland, 12 February 2009 – In the first research effort of its kind, the World Economic Forum’s Logistics & Transport Community, with the support of Accenture, has quantified and ranked opportunities to reduce supply chain carbon intensity in a report released today.

Supply Chain Decarbonization examines the role the logistics and transport sector plays in reducing emissions in its own operations and by influencing shippers and buyers to undertake broader supply chain improvements. According to the report, logistic activities contribute annually approximately 5% of the 50,000 mega-tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions generated by all human activity.    » read more »

January 22, 2009 -- SAVANNAH — Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the opening of the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at the Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal. The new facility features three working tracks at 2,145 ft. each and a total of 12,406 ft. of storage tracks. The Port of Savannah is the only single facility on the U.S. East Coast with two on-terminal ICTFs. Today, Governor Perdue drove the ceremonial last spike into the Chatham ICTF rail.

“A thriving business climate requires a transportation network that can support commerce and act as a catalyst to propel our economy forward,” said Governor Perdue. “The completion of the Chatham ICTF will help achieve this goal.”    » read more »

Aug. 26, 2008 -- WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced today the beginning of enforcement of the requirements for owners and operators of large cargo vessels, known as nontank vessels, to prepare and submit plans for responding to a worst case oil spill from their vessels.

Should a nontank vessel be found operating in a U.S. port or waterway without a properly submitted response plan, the cognizant Coast Guard Captain of the Port will exercise authority under the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972 and impose operational controls, as necessary, on the vessel to safeguard the port.    » read more »

Statement of Lena Pons, Policy Analyst, Public Citizen

In announcing that it would extend its cross-border trucking pilot project for two more years, the Bush administration continues to flout Congress at the expense of highway safety. This is the latest of many moves by the administration to give Mexico-domiciled carriers operating authority in the United States beyond a limited border zone despite lawmakers’ clear instructions to the contrary.    » read more »

Job Action Affects About 1,250 Workers at 24 Terminals Across the Country

June 9, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamster carhaul members employed at Performance Transportation Services Inc. went on strike against the company at 9 a.m. EDT today to enforce the union’s bargaining table demands.

The nationwide strike affects 24 terminals and about 1,250 Teamster employees at the PTS’ companies: Leaseway Motorcar Transport Company, E. and L. Transport Company, Hadley Auto Transport and Transportation Releasing.

“We are on strike to enforce our bargaining table demands,” said Fred Zuckerman, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division.

PTS employees haul vehicles for Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other manufacturers.    » read more »

Risks, Costs Far Outweigh Claimed Productivity Gains; Statement of Joan Claybrook, President of Public Citizen

May 14, 2008 -- This statement was given at a news conference.

Thank you for joining us this morning. Today, we are here to make the case against allowing bigger, heavier and longer trucks onto our highways.

Truck crash: Photo by Daniel Gasienica (CC)

I’m joined by several people who have lost loved ones in crashes involving large trucks and a state trooper who was injured in a serious truck crash while protecting the public. They will share their stories with you.    » read more »

Hoffa Says Congress Shouldn’t Consider ‘Crazy’ Plan

May 14, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Wednesday urged Congress to ignore trucking industry lobbyists who want to let dangerous large trucks on our highways.

Container trucks on a US highway: Photo by futureatlas.com (CC)

A trucking industry group called “Americans for Safe and Efficient Transportation” is lobbying Congress this week for a pilot program to let bigger trucks on the road in five, possibly six states.

The states are Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Georgia and possibly Texas.    » read more »

State Department of Transportation to Develop New Regulations and Enforcement Policy; Plan Would Improve Quality of Life in Affected Areas

May 12, 2008 -- In response to the dangers posed by scores of trucks hauling non-local solid waste across local rural roads in the Finger Lakes and Central New York, Governor David A. Paterson and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) will institute a new policy intended to keep large trucks, with the exception of local pick-up and delivery vehicles, on the National Interstate Highway System.    » read more »