Industry Insights

The human tragedy unfolding in the Middle East has seen hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing their country between January and September, making their way through Turkey onto Greece in the hopes of settling in Germany and other countries as Europe opened their borders and streamlined the process earlier this year. In addition, even more refugees have made their way into Europe from Iraq fleeing ISIS as well as from war-torn countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea and Sudan. This crisis has now escalated to the point that many European governments are reinstating tighter border controls, which has not only […]

The Panama Canal’s $5.25 billion expansion, scheduled to open in April 2016, is expected to have a major impact on the global trade and shipping industry, specifically in the way in which cargo is handled and transported throughout North America. The expansion is set to accommodate a new generation of larger cargo ships, with America’s ports pouring billions into upgrades in anticipation of their arrival. The larger canal will accommodate a new line of Post-Panamax vessels — supertankers, container and passenger ships. According to the Washington Post, this new generation of vessels — which can hold upwards of 18,000 20-foot-equivalent […]

On November 5, 2015, the Federal Maritime Commission published its Final Rule amending certain regulations concerning the licensing, financial responsibility requirements, and general duties of Ocean Transportation Intermediaries. The Final Rule discusses the changes to be made to 46 CFR Part 515 and the public comments submitted during the rulemaking process. Roanoke encourages each licensed OTI to review this document to become familiar with the changes it makes. The most significant change impacts the licensure of OTIs: The FMC is establishing an expiration date on the OTI license and requiring online renewal every three years. This change starts December 9, 2016, […]

We would like to take this time to extend our gratitude to those that have served our country to maintain our freedoms. This Veteran’s Day, we honor the brave men and women that have dedicated their lives to protecting ours. With profound gratitude we thank you, Veterans and your families, for your selfless service and sacrifice. To honor our Veterans, Roanoke has made a donation to the Fisher House Foundation.

Roanoke Trade has published a number of articles and white papers and held webinars on the importance of freight forwarders and property brokers obtaining certificates of insurance from their carriers. A recent Court of Appeals case in North Carolina reinforces this topic in a case holding the property broker liable for a workers’ compensation claim made by an employee of the carrier. In the case of Atiapo v. Goree Logistics, Inc. et al., a truck driver was injured in a vehicle accident while transporting goods on behalf of the motor carrier, as per an agreement between the carrier and the […]