Newsletter – November 15, 2018

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

INTTRA urges industry-led standards for containers and logistics

lloydsloadinglist.com
US-based software firm INTTRA is spearheading a non-commercial initiative to develop standards and data sharing protocols to help improve the free flow of information between carriers, ports, freight forwarders and BCOs (beneficial cargo owners).  Read more here. 

World’s largest liners launch new container shipping association

splash247.com
A.P. Moller – Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and Ocean Network Express plan to establish a container shipping association, which they say in a release today is to pave the way for digitilisation, standardisation and interoperability in the container shipping industry. Read more here. 

Panama looks to build logistics business along the canal as transits and transhipments boom

ajot.com
Panama – Following strong year in terms of growth in vessel transits, the Panama Canal Authority is once more turning its attention to building up port capacity as well as building new zones for increased logistics activity. Read more here. 

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Vietnam ratifies trans-Pacific trade agreement

straitstimes.com
HANOI • Vietnam yesterday became the seventh country to ratify a Pacific trade pact set to take effect next month, despite US President Donald Trump’s pullout from a deal he decried as a “job killer”. Read more here. 

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Canada Post issues new offer to employees as eBay calls on Ottawa to end strikes

ca.finance.yahoo.com
OTTAWA — Canada Post has issued what it calls a “time-limited” contract offer to its employees in hopes of ending rotating strikes that have created a historic backlog of undelivered parcels.  Read more here.