… but there’s still time to weigh in on what matters most to shippers by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor “Rates are the golden fleece. It determines whether or not you will be awarded a piece of business,” comments one respondent in our survey on top considerations for...
What Shippers Want
What matters most to shippers when they choose an ocean carrier? By Bill Armbruster Below is a list of 10 criteria, in no particular order, that may affect a shipper’s choice of ocean carrier. I would like to know which you think are most important. So, please,...
10 Most Common Misconceptions in International Trade
People who import-export say the most surprising things By Peter Quinter, guest columnist I have been an international trade attorney for over 20 years. In that time, I have represented a few thousand companies involved in the importation, exportation, and...
Finding Your Forwarder
Prepare a checklist to make sure you ask the right questions By Bill Armbruster Picking a freight forwarder that’s right for you can be one of the most crucial decisions you make as an exporter. That applies whether you are a beginner or a veteran looking to make a...
U.S.-Flagged Vessels Carry Compliance Obligations
Maersk pays $3 million for trading with Iran and Sudan By Peter Quinter, guest columnist Maersk Line, Ltd. paid the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) $3 million to settle allegations of violations of the U.S. trade embargo with Sudan and Iran that Maersk...
Covering Your Assets
Cargo insurance can be a life preserver for shippers By Bill Armbruster There’s a big hurricane, and you learn that some containers have been blown off a ship. Suddenly you have a sinking feeling. Your container was on that ship! You share your woes with another...
No sail, no sale
Booking blues, box shortages and soaring rates plague shippers By Bill Armbruster Remember the good old days – like this time last year -- when container carriers were putting up “For Sale” signs all over the place? Well, these days shippers are more likely to see...
Closely Watched Ship
Taicang Dragon inaugurates TCC’s no-frills transpacific service Norwegian carrier The Containership Company (TCC) launched its new port-to-port service with the first of the start-up’s five vessels arriving May 2 at the Port of Los Angeles laden with cargo from...
Risky Business
Why exporting is outside many companies’ comfort zone By Bill Armbruster The results are in, and the risks have it. 37 people responded to the question in my last blog about the biggest obstacle to exporting. The results were: 4 Fear of the unknown 2 The credit crunch...
Unstop the Bottleneck
Port Authorities say freight infrastructure can’t handle doubling exports Members of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) testified yesterday at a U.S. Senate Finance subcommittee hearing that the most significant constraint faced by seaports for...