Supply chain

Danish trucker and freight forwarder DSV posted a better-than-expected increase in second-quarter earnings, driven by sharply higher air and ocean container profits, leading it to upgrade its full-year earnings forecast.

The port-based logistics provider said it has acquired 48 acres adjacent to the Krishnapatnam port, near Chennai, for the construction of a new container freight station a month after the company kicked off a plan to build an inland container depot center at Viramgam, near Ahmedabad in Gujarat State.

Japanese international freight forwarder Yusen Logistics Co. returned to profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2015, which started April 1, thanks to robust revenue growth and the end of heavy losses caused by an antitrust lawsuit in the United States.

Transport Corporation of India posted a 17.4 percent jump in net profit in the first fiscal quarter, primarily on the back of strong gains from its freight division.

FedEx and TNT Express said they still expect to merge in the first half of 2016 despite the European Commission’s decision to launch an in-depth investigation of the US firm’s 4.4 billion euro ($4.8 billion) acquisition of its smaller Dutch rival.

London Gateway wants shippers to use its new common-user facility as a testbed for trying out innovative logistics solutions, said it implementation director Graeme Clarke.

Cargo thieves in the U.S. target food shipments above all other cargoes. Although some shipments aren’t particularly high-value, others such as temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, seafood, beef and alcohol can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And reselling these commodities on the gray market puts consumers at risk.

“It is a historic day – a day for removing barriers,” proclaimed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on July 20, as Cuba and America reopened their embassies and ended a 54-year diplomatic stalemate.

The European Union has opened an investigation into FedEx’s efforts to acquire TNT Express on the grounds that there would be insufficient competition in the market.

Tasked with regulating products originating in more than 150 countries, the Food and Drug Administration is becoming more global in its approach rather than U.S.-centric and is boosting its foreign presence.

The $1.8 billion acquisition of Coyote Logistics adds truckload brokerage to UPS's transportation portfolio, giving it new inroads to shippers and freight, and promises greater efficiency for its package network.

Gati Ltd., India’s leading express distribution and supply chain solutions provider, reported its group net income fell 33.3 percent in the first fiscal quarter from a year earlier to Rs. 10 crore (about $1.56 million) despite healthy revenue growth.

U.S. lawmakers have cornered themselves into another stopgap measure to fund the nation’s crumbling transportation infrastructure.

China’s HNA Group has agreed to acquire Swissport International, the world’s largest airport ground and cargo handling company, from PAI Partners, a Paris-based private equity firm, for 2.73 billion Swiss francs ($2.8 billion).

C.H. Robinson reported higher net revenues on land and sea as shippers apparently turned to the largest U.S. logistics company to secure capacity in the second quarter. The acquisition of Freightquote last year contributed to higher net revenue and higher truckload and LTL volumes.

Singapore-listed logistics property developer GLP has made its second multi-billion dollar investment this month, acquiring a $4.55 billion U.S. logistics portfolio from Industrial Income Trust a week after leading a consortium of investors in establishing a $7 billion China-focused infrastructure fund.

Strong cross-border business in Europe and the highest demand for deferred package service in the U.S. in a decade helped UPS increase second quarter profits, despite falling revenue.

Labor and port opposition to legislation that would require U.S. ports to provide monthly productivity reports have stripped out what is the arguably the crux of the bill: productivity reports during negotiations with unionized port labor.

Trucking in the U.S. was deregulated, in economic terms, in the 1980s and 1990s. When it comes to safety, however, trucking is more regulated now than it has ever been. Truck safety rules are reshaping how trucking companies operate and serve shippers, and carriers, drivers and shippers alike will face more regulation soon.

Panalpina’s earnings dipped two percent in the second quarter on sluggish growth in ocean container traffic and a decline in air freight volumes.

UPS reportedly is in talks to acquire fast-growing Coyote Logistics, as round after round of logistics acquisitions this year increase speculation about potential mergers.

Congressional proposals to clamp down on longshore unions in reaction to West Coast port slowdowns could backfire, warned the chief attorney for waterfront employers on the East and Gulf coasts.

A new era of cooperation between Seattle and Tacoma will dawn Thursday when the Northwest Seaport Alliance becomes effective following approval of the agreement by the Federal Maritime Commission.

FedEx Express is re-engineering its global network by replacing older, higher capacity planes with more efficient, technically advanced aircraft that have lighter payloads. The result should be a more efficient, higher yield operation in an era of slower air cargo trade.

Logistics property developer GLP and a consortium of investors have established a $7 billion China-focused logistics infrastructure fund aimed at developing modern warehouse facilities across the mainland.

The U.S. Maritime Administration expects by late summer or early fall to seek public comments for its proposed national maritime strategy, which has been a top goal of Marad Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen.

The U.S. Senate Tuesday failed to move forward with legislation that would have authorized funding for American roads and infrastructure for another six years, after Democrats said they hadn’t had enough time to review the bill.

Strong demand for outsourced services will help U.S. logistics suppliers expand and encourage more mergers and acquisitions, a consultant told Stifel investors.

Descartes, which operates the Global Logistics Network, recently purchased MK Data Service for $76.3 million in cash, giving shippers who use the network one more way to protect themselves from doing business with denied parties.

The Teamsters are deploying a bi-coastal strategy to challenge what the union charges is misclassification of drayage truck drivers as independent contractors, an indication of how the issue has expanded far beyond the San Pedro Bay area.

China’s taste for U.S.-made products purchased online has been driven by concerns over fake products offered at home and developed by new and efficient cross-border e-commerce solutions.

The European Shippers’ Council adamantly opposed UPS’ proposed takeover TNT Express, but the group has no qualms with FedEx buying the ailing parcel provider for $4.8 billion.

A recently-launched Federal Maritime Commission Section 15 investigation of a terminal operators discussion agreement could have a chilling effect on the mandatory inspection of chassis by International Longshore and Warehouse Union mechanics at West Coast ports.

India’s major public ports, whose stagnant productivity, which is causing them to lose market share to their smaller private rivals, may soon be up for grabs as the Indian government pushes for a corporatization policy as part of its efforts to jumpstart the Indian economy.

China’s annual economic growth will continue to slow over the next 15 years as its population ages and growth shifts from being driven by exports to a full-fledged consumer market.

India’s merchandise exports to the rest of the world fell for the seventh successive month in June, representing a serious setback for New Delhi’s long-term goal of doubling its global outbound trade over the next five years.

UPS expanded the insurance and logistics services it offers shippers of high-value cargo such as jewelry by acquiring Insured Parcel Services from G4S, a global integrated security company.

European shippers needing industrial spare parts to prevent the stalling of production lines will be able to take advantage of a new global distribution hub.