Industry Insights

As most of you are aware, on November 4, 2015 the Federal Maritime Commission issued a Final Rule involving various aspects of its regulations affecting Ocean Transportation Intermediaries (OTIs). As part of the Final Rule, the Commission now requires for the first time that OTIs renew their license every three (3) years. 46 C.F.R. §515.14(c). The Commission has begun the first round of alerting OTIs of their obligation to renew, sending notice to the email address the Commission has on file for a given OTI. The renewal application process is to be completed by the OTI at least sixty (60) […]

Freight transportation costs in the United States amount to about 6% of the GDP, according to the Department of Transportation, contributing significantly to the cost of the supply chain for companies. When companies look to manage and reduce their overall supply chain costs, the appropriate use of transportation is key in doing so. Transportation management enables a firm’s transportation strategy to support its competitive strategy and its ability to deliver a level of responsiveness to customers. Without proper transportation management, companies lose out on savings and opportunities. For instance, when freight costs are high, minor oversights can result in unnecessary […]

Carnets: What Are They? How Do I Use One? We invite you to join us for an ATA Carnet Workshop at the Holiday Inn in Torrance, CA on February 23, 2017 from 8:30a – 11a. An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that provides duty-free customs clearance for temporary imports and exports into over 100 countries. ATA Carnet simplifies temporary entry by eliminating the need to post a temporary import bond or file a duty drawback. Virtually all goods, whether hand carried or cargo-shipped, may be covered by ATA Carnets. This informative workshop, led by Amanda Barlow, Vice President, […]

  Transportation intermediaries should carefully consider all costs involved in the pursuit of unpaid freight charges. These difficult situations are often further complicated when the transportation intermediary is presented with a counterclaim alleging delays in delivery and/or loss or damage to cargo to offset the freight amount due. Although those counterclaims can trigger insurance coverage, that counterclaim can ultimately make the cost of litigation prohibitive. Therefore, transportation intermediaries need to consider not only the cost to litigate a freight claim against the amount that can be recovered but also any potential cargo claims that may be raised and the complexity […]

In the latest edition of Roanoke Trade’s “Cargo Insurance in Action” series where our goal is to provide you with insight as to the type of exposures and incidents that can result in substantial losses and to underscore the importance of carrying Cargo insurance, we’re sharing the details of a recent claim involving the shipment of wind turbine blades. As businesses continue to search for alternative energy sources bringing significant opportunities for wind power firms, the transportation of wind turbine blades into the United States can be an oversized and complex logistical challenge. Single blades can exceed 200 feet in […]

A recent podcast featuring Aaron Michel, senior engineer at AIR Worldwide, a provider of catastrophe risk modeling software and consulting services, discussed what we should be expecting when it comes to global supply chain disruptions in 2017. In order to portend what lies ahead, Michel says it’s wise to look back at the type of risks the global supply chain previously faced. Some of these very events we’ve covered in previous articles. While the frequency and severity may change, a review of the past provides the best indication of what’s to come. There are three categories of global risks: natural, […]