TradePoint expands restricted party screening

July 7 -- TradePoint Systems has announced the expansion of international restricted party screening content lists within its ECS application to include the “Bank of England Consolidated List”. The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom. The Bank works to ensure that the UK financial system provides effective support to the rest of the UK economy. In doing so, the Bank of England provides a consolidated list of targets that have been listed by the UN, EU and UK under legislation relating to Afghanistan (Taliban, Usama Bin Laden and Al-Qa'ida), Burma/Myanmar, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia & Serbia, Iraq, Terrorism and Zimbabwe.

TradePoint’s ECS product is an online solution that provides real-time exception-based compliance screening service to public and private organizations to ensure proactive due diligence of international business transactions. Specifically, ECS performs mandated government compliance screening for Restricted Parties, Embargoed Countries, and Export License Determination. In addition, ECS also checks for "red flag" indicators to screen "end use", as well as "end users". ECS can be accessed manually through an Internet browser for low volume users or it can be integrated with legacy or ERP systems for high volume users.

“Our ECS product automates the process associated with collecting, loading and managing global commerce rules, content and regulations that impact global trade compliance, including license screening”, said Ken Halle, Chief Operating Officer at TradePoint Systems. "TradePoint will continue to deliver the efficient international trade solutions required for our customers to effectively compete and comply globally.”

MOL, NYK in Guangzhou car agreement

TOKYO, July 7 -- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Akimitsu Ashida) today announced that MOL and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) have signed a contract to share their technological expertise on car carrier terminal operations with Guangzhou Port Group Co., Ltd. The companies will help Guangzhou Port Group develop car carrier terminals at the port of Xinsha, where many overseas car carriers will call in the future.

On hand for the July 6 signing ceremony in Guangzhou city were Guangzhou Port Group Chairman & CEO Chen Hongxian , MOL Executive Officer Toshitaka Shishido, and NYK Managing Director and Representative for China Koichi Aoki.

Guangzhou Port Group plans to construct a motor pool with a storage capacity of 1,700 completed cars at the port of Xinsha by the end of October. MOL and NYK will provide technological expertise related to operational management of the motor pool, operations to move completed cars to the wharf, loading them onto the ships, and on-board cargo handling.

With China’s automobile market showing tremendous growth, full-scale shipment of completed cars from Guangzhou is slated to start next year. Advanced technology from MOL and NYK will contribute to higher loading efficiency and improved quality of completed car exports from Guangzhou.

Schneider National earns NYK Logistics award

GREEN BAY, Wis., July 7 -- Schneider National Inc., a premier provider of transportation, logistics and related services, announced that NYK Logistics has named the company Truckload Carrier of the Year for 2003. This is the first time NYK Logistics presented the award recognizing truckload carriers. Donna Rich, national account manager for Schneider National, accepted the award during a ceremony held in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Schneider National was one of 12 nominees for the Truckload Carrier of the Year award. In determining the winner for 2003, NYK Logistics considered the performance of each carrier by measuring such factors as adherence to trailer pool needs and overall load turn time. NYK Logistics also considered communications, flexibility, responsiveness and customer service.

"It is our pleasure to recognize Schneider National with this award," said Charles Kerr, equipment control manager for NYK Logistics. "They demonstrated outstanding service excellence and commitment to our business success in 2003."

"Being named the first recipient of the NYK Logistics Truckload Carrier of the Year award is a testament to our associates' commitment to exceeding customer expectations," said Scott Arves, president, transportation, Schneider National Inc. "Schneider National provides a broad portfolio of services to meet our customers' freight needs and we are pleased to be recognized for the value this brings to them."

Schneider National is in its second year of service with NYK Logistics and provides the company with intermodal and one-way shipments.

Crowley's MTC to manage two new vessels

NEWARK, N.J., July 6 -- Marine Transport Corporation (MTC), a subsidiary
of Crowley Maritime Corporation, announces that it has taken over as the
ship management company for the Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake Bay.

The first of the two vessels, the Delaware Bay entered into MTC hands
through its ship management company, Marine Transport Management, Inc. (MTM)
at midnight on Thursday, July 1. Its sister vessel, the Chesapeake Bay will
follow on July 22. Both vessels will be turned over to MTM at Pier 59 in
Newark, New Jersey.

The vessels are owned by First American Bulk Carriers Corporation and are on
time charter to Royal P&O Nedlloyd. Each of the U.S. Flag container vessels
has a 2,400 TEU capacity and is enrolled in the Maritime Security Program
(MSP).

Both call U.S ports in Newark, New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia and Charleston,
South Carolina and Eastern Mediterranean ports in Italy, Israel, Turkey and
Egypt.

"Marine Transport Corporation through its management company Marine
Transport Management, Inc., is aggressively seeking additional ship
management opportunities both commercial and government, in particular with
respect to those that are U.S. Flag," said Nick Orfanidis, Director of Fleet
Operations.

MTM currently operates five other U.S. Flag container vessels on behalf of
Lykes Lines (CP Ships). Four of these have a 3200 TEU capacity with a
deadweight of 45,000 tons and the fifth has a 3000 TEU capacity with a
deadweight of 44,000 tons.

In addition to the commercially managed ships in MTC's care, the company and
its subsidiaries also manage 14 U.S. Government Ready Reserve Fleet Roll
On/Roll Off ships.

Over the past two years, vessels under MTC's commercial management have been
available to meet the owners schedule requirements over 98% of the time and
have operated under budget.

Crowley's Marine Transport Corporation, which got its start in 1816, is a
U.S.-based supplier of marine transportation services, with one of the
largest fleets of ocean-going vessels in the United States. It is part of
Crowley's Oil and Chemical Distribution and Transportation Services. The
company's core businesses include industrial shipping with leading chemical
and energy customers, and ship management for government and commercial
companies.

BAX Global promotes customer ops chief

IRVINE, Calif., July 6 -- BAX Global Inc.
announced the promotion of Dan Craghead to vice president of
Centralized Customer Operations today. Craghead is based in Phoenix at
the Global Service Center, and was formerly the director of sales,
Eastern Division in Cincinnati. Responsibilities under the newly
created area of Centralized Customer Operations include customer
service, product and service support, and central sales and marketing.

"I'm pleased that Dan is spearheading this new department for BAX.
He is leading our strategy to expand the Global Service Center into a
true international shared services operation," commented Dante
Fornari, vice president, Global Sales Support in Irvine.

With over 22 years in the logistics industry, Craghead started at
BAX as a general manager. He also served as Ohio Valley regional sales
manager, then its director. Additionally, he was director of sales for
both the Northern and Eastern Divisions prior to his recent promotion.

Before joining BAX he worked at other companies within the
transportation and logistics industry. Craghead attended Indiana State
University in Terre Haute. where he received a bachelor of science in
marketing.

"The opportunity to strategically build the Global Service Center
into a multifunctional facility is exciting. Operationally, it will be
the nerve center for servicing internally and externally. I'm excited
that we will support a multitude of broad-based customers," said
Craghead.

Schneider National earns Lowe's award

GREEN BAY, Wisc., June 29 -- Schneider National Inc., a premier provider of transportation, logistics and related services, announced that it recently earned the Lowe's Regional Distribution Center Inbound Carrier of the Year Award for 2003.

"Schneider National has done a great job of supporting Lowe's business needs by providing an exceptional combination of increased capacity, outstanding customer service, competitive pricing, and overall ease of doing business," said Kevin Perry, director of truckload transportation at Lowe's Companies.

"We are honored that Lowe's, the world's second largest home improvement retailer, has recognized Schneider National for our excellent service," said Scott Arves, president, transportation sector, Schneider National Inc.

Schneider National has a long-standing relationship with Lowe's and provides the company with One-Way Van, TruckRail®, OptiModal® and Brokerage services.

Dan Van Alstine, sales vice president at Schneider National, accepted the award during Lowe's annual carrier conference in Wilkesboro, N.C., earlier this year.

Alcoa sells Boeing 757 cargo conversion prototype

PITTSBURGH, June 28 -- Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management LLC (BBAM) for the conversion and sale of the initial prototype of its 14Plus Boeing 757 passenger to cargo conversion. Alcoa said the BBAM agreement includes options for six additional passenger-to-freighter conversions. In 2003, Alcoa formed a partnership with Structural Integrity Engineering to engineer, manufacture, certify, install and support Boeing 757-200 ASF cargo conversions.

"All the resources are now in place to create the most affordable, cost-efficient and reliable freighter for owner-operators around the world," according to Gary Batey, president of Alcoa-SIE Cargo Conversions (ASCC). "Our 14Plus conversion package offers a simpler design that allows us to retain more of the aircraft's original structure and systems. We believe that this approach will significantly reduce costs and accelerate our conversion time."

A key element in creating Alcoa's conversion resource base was the selection of Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, Canada, as ASCC's modification center of excellence. "Cascade's exceptional people and facilities, their modification experience and reputation for quality services give us the confidence that the newly-inducted 757-200 will be fully converted and have an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by May, 2005," Batey added.

"The combination of Alcoa's support and strength and Cascade's 34 years in aircraft modification and certification creates an integrated, capable, long-term team," according to David Schellenberg, Cascade's President.

Another critical factor in the launch of ASCC focused on finding the right partner to supply the initial prototype aircraft. "We were confident that BBAM had the resources and market knowledge to support the induction of the initial 757, not to mention to deliver additional aircraft to ASCC in the future," Batey noted.

MSN 24235 will be the first aircraft converted by ASCC. "The 757-200 has been a work horse as a passenger aircraft and we believe it will be the preferred intermediate-sized freighter going forward," said BBAM's Managing Director Steve Zissis. "This conversion program will bring added value to the 757-200 by extending its useful economic life."

When converted to a dedicated freighter, the twin-engine 757-200ASF features a basic takeoff weight of 220,000 to 250,000 pounds with approximately 6,600 cubic feet of cargo space on its main deck. The ASCC conversion package will accommodate 14.5 pallets on its main deck with additional freight carried in the lower holds located fore and aft of the wing. It will retain existing jump seats and also offer the opportunity to add four additional seats off the flight deck. With a maximum load, the 757-200 freighter will have a range of approximately 3,000 nautical miles.

Through its two-person crew and the fuel economy of its two high-bypass engines, the B757-200 offers significant operational savings over many older freight-carrying aircraft. In addition, the FAA has granted a common type rating which enables pilots to fly the 757 and 767 with minimal additional training. This allows operators to grow from the narrow body into a medium wide body capability with minimal cost and effort.

Cascade Aerospace Inc. is one of the top MRO providers in North America. A privately-owned company, Cascade's family of 500 people specialize in the maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification of narrow-body transport aircraft, including all models of the Boeing 737 and 757. The Abbottsford, British Columbia, company operates a modern, eight-bay facility and provides services to Southwest and other North American airlines.

Structural Integrity Engineering (SIE) was formed in 1981 to provide engineering, project development and technical consulting services to the aviation industry. SIE specializes in projects related to aircraft and aircraft component design, analysis and certification and has received 23 STCs.

BBAM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock & Brown specializing in commercial aircraft leasing and asset management. BBAM's aircraft portfolio currently stands at 140 aircraft on lease to 50 airlines located in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Central America. BBAM's portfolio is made up of Boeing 737 Classics and NGs, Airbus A319s, 320s and 321s, Boeing 757s, 767s, 747s and 777s. It is valued at approximately US $3.4 billion.

Port Everglades advertising agency wins awards

FORT LAUDERDALE, June 28 -- InterMedia, a local advertising agency that represents two of Broward County’s leading economic engines, was recognized this week for its award-winning creative work during the Broward County Board of County Commission meeting.

Broward County Mayor Ilene Lieberman commended InterMedia, a Mad 4 Marketing Company, for developing creative and strategic advertising and marketing materials that help to garner positive attention for Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

"This marketing effort has raised the operating synergy of the Broward County Airport and Port Everglades to a new level of excellence. We are honored by this significant award, which contributes to a growing visibility of Broward County in the international marketplace. Congratulations to those involved in this award winning effort," said Mayor Lieberman.

Christine Madsen, founder and president of InterMedia, said the collaborative efforts of the agency, Port Everglades and the Airport have resulted in numerous awards for the agency and increased recognition of Broward County’s Port Everglades and the Airport.

“Our account and creative teams are honored to be recognized by the Commission for our award-winning efforts. Working in combination with the staff at both the Port and Airport has truly been a pleasure, in addition to appreciating the support of the Commission. We look forward to continuing such a successful partnership,” Madsen said.

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