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TradePoint software helps National Instruments

TradePoint Systems has announced that the National Instruments Corporation, a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation, has implemented and integrated TradePoint's Export Compliance Solution (ECS) and Export Document Production System (SPEX) with their Oracle 11i system.

One of the key factors that led National Instruments to collaborate with TradePoint was their solution's flexible architecture, which resulted in a shorter integration effort with the Oracle E-Business Suite. Since going live with TradePoint's ECS in January 2005, users at National Instruments are excited about working export reviews through the Oracle Export Compliance interface instead of a separate system.

By implementing TradePoint's SPEX documentation production system, shipment processing time has been significantly reduced. Export documents are now automatically generated and emailed to customers at ship time. Required export documents, such as SEDs and SLIs, are generated and emailed to appropriate parties only as needed. The manual processes used with the old system have been replaced with TradePoint's automated solution. TradePoint's integrated and hands-free system, coupled with fast processing times, has accounted for increased quality and a 200% gain in efficiency.

As Kelly O'Rourke (NI IT Section Manager) stated, "Our ability to quickly integrate TradePoint's software with Oracle 11i has resulted in significant efficiency and quality gains, which will directly benefit our customers and the bottom line. In addition, our business users are very happy with the improved system capabilities and ease of use. TradePoint has been a great integration collaborator, and we look forward to continued innovation and success."

Ken Halle, COO at TradePoint Systems added, "TradePoint's unique relationship with Oracle allows us to provide these benefits to National Instruments. The success established through this joint project continues the tradition of leadership by National Instruments not only in their area of expertise, but also at the forefront of automated export compliance."

Forwarder Casa China connects to INTTRA-Link

INTTRA announces a new integration with leading cargo agent and freight forwarder Casa China, headquartered in Hong Kong. INTTRA-Link connects Casa China's seventeen offices, located in Hong Kong, South China and the Greater China region, to INTTRA's multi-carrier network increasing the speed, reliability, and security of the processing of their ocean shipping documentation.

Eric Wu, Vice President, Casa China said, "Since integrating with INTTRA our shipment processes are better. We see improvements in the turnaround time and data quality of our documentation. Fewer revisions are necessary now, and that saves us time and money." Today, Casa China's offices, from Shenzhen to Xiamen, Ningbo to Shanghai, and north to Qingdao submit electronic shipping instructions with INTTRA-Link. In the near future, Booking, Bill of Lading and Track and Trace will be implemented.

"We believe that INTTRA's e-commerce expertise and expanded local presence in China will advance the adoption of e-commerce solutions in this fast growing market," said Tony Wines, Managing Director, Asia - Pacific Region, INTTRA. Tony continued, "INTTRA's dedicated integration teams, from our local INTTRA offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, completed the integration of INTTRA-Link with Casa China in three short months."

INTTRA's e-commerce platform offers a comprehensive range of e-commerce tools, including: Tender, Sailing Schedules, Booking, Shipping Instructions, Bill of Lading, Track & Trace, and Reports. Accessing the INTTRA platform is simple, using any combination of their channel solutions; INTTRA-Link (EDI-based, system-to-system connection), INTTRA-Desktop (off-line PC application), or INTTRA-Act (web-based application).

INTTRA's carrier network includes, Aliança, ANL, CMA CGM, DAL Deutsche Afrika-Linien, FESCO, Hamburg Süd, Hapag-Lloyd, "K" Line, Maersk Sealand, MCC Transport Pte Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., NYK Line, P&O Nedlloyd, Safmarine, Senator Lines, and United Arab Shipping Company. The INTTRA carrier network represents over 55% of the world's ocean container capacity.

Global hunger walk supported by TNT

More than 200,000 people on June 12 took part in a round the clock, round the world event in 267 cities and towns and 88 countries, raising both awareness and funds to fight child hunger around the globe.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) – together with its
partner TNT, the global express, logistics and mail company – teamed up
with an array of celebrities, dignitaries, employees, partners, family and
friends to literally walk the world through a 24 hour period in each of the
planet's 24 time zones. Globally, walkers covered a distance of more than
a million kilometers or the equivalent of 25 times around the globe.

This year's Fight Hunger: Walk the World events enlisted the help and
support of over more than 200,000 people who collectively generated enough
funds to feed at least 50.000 hungry children, moving one step closer to
eradicating child hunger.

International capitals, rural communities, neighborhoods and
historical landmarks served as the backdrop to walks that varied in size
and style. In Rome, where WFP is headquartered, walkers strode through the
ancient ruins of the Fori Imperiali and the Colosseum. New Yorkers began
their walk at the Irish Hunger Memorial in Battery Park City with the
Statue of Liberty in the distance. The Great Wall of China and the Pyramids
of Egypt set the stage for the walks there. While in Malawi, 100,000
children who are direct beneficiaries of WFP's school feeding programs
walked through their villages with family and friends.

Artists, intellectuals, political leaders and sports champions turned
out to call attention to the horrifying fact that hunger kills a child
every five seconds in a world that produces enough food for everyone. Some
noted figures included Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, British
writer Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the President of Honduras Ricardo Maduro and
Kenyan marathon champion and former WFP school feeding beneficiary Paul
Tergat.

"The money raised through Fight Hunger: Walk the World will go
directly to WFP's global school feeding program. This initiative links
together food and education by offering free meals at school to some of the
world's most vulnerable children," said James Morris, WFP Executive
Director.

"The walks held around the globe were a great success and a
tremendous first step forward in eradicating child hunger, but the struggle
continues. Few people know that it only takes 19 US cents a day, to feed a
hungry child at school. It proves that even the smallest contribution can
help make a huge difference," said Peter Bakker, TNT CEO.

The goal for this year’s walk was to raise $2.6 million. Actual
figures on monies raised by this event will be announced later this month
after collections are complete.

To download photos and see walk results, visit www.fighthunger.org

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, giving
food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional
needs, including 56 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's
poorest countries.

WFP Global School Feeding Campaign -- For just 19 US cents a day, you
can help WFP give children in poor countries a healthy meal at school - a
gift of hope for a brighter future. Visit our website: www.wfp.org.

Trade & Tech mission seeks out China opportunities

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and PBB Global Logistics have
once again partnered to co-lead the Trade & Technology Mission to the Asian
powerhouse this October. Fostering new business relationships will be the
focus of the five-city tour that will run from October 12-26 and co-led by
Perrin Beatty, President & CEO, CME and Robert (Bob) Armstrong, Senior Vice
President, Government Affairs, PBB Global Logistics & Director, I.E.Canada.

"During Manufacturing 20/20, the largest consultation in history on the
future of Canadian industry, manufacturers told us that China is affecting
their business and their bottom line," said CME President & CEO, Perrin
Beatty. "If you want to be here tomorrow, you better have a China strategy
today. We must start to focus on the opportunities available in the Asian
Tiger. With a population of 1.3 billion people, there is unprecedented
market potential."

Building on the success of last year’s mission, participants will have the
opportunity to develop new business and relationships, as well as gain
practical insights on doing business in China. Items on the agenda include
factory tours of Chinese manufacturing plants, one-on-one meetings with
potential business partners, meetings with key government and industry
stakeholders and VIP passes to China's largest trade fair - the Canton
Fair. This cost-effective mission includes deluxe travel, accommodations
and leisure, bringing a high value-add to participants.

"The trade mission was very well organized and the experience of traveling
in China combined with the business contacts made it a very worthwhile
expenditure of time and money. Being a part of a high profile trade
mission like this opened doors that one could never open without a great
deal of work and time investment in advance." Larsen & Shaw, 2004 Mission
Participant.

"Trade Missions are a great way to break into emerging markets," says Bob
Armstrong, PBB's Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Director,
I.E.Canada. "Especially in China, the key to success is developing the
right relationships and missions, such as the CME/PBB China Trade &
Technology Mission 2005, allowing delegates the ability to leverage
contacts. Our particular mission gives participants access to a vast and
credible network that has been developed during our 20 years of doing
business in China."

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is run by business, for your business.
Its members account for 75% of Canada's industrial output and 90% of its
exports. Over the past eight years, CME’s members have been responsible for
over 45% of the new jobs created in the Canadian economy.

Hanjin named 2004 Carrier of the Year by Rayonier

Hanjin Shipping (www.hanjin.com) was named 2004 Carrier of the Year by Rayonier of America.

Hanjin was proudly presented with the honor, defeating other 9 renowned global shipping lines including Maersk Sealand, APL, Zim, MOL and Hapag Lloyd in service quality summarized by on time departure, adequate container supply, timeliness of bills of lading and excellence in customer service.

Established in 1926, Rayonier is one of the largest paper producers in the states with 2,100 employees; its product transport volume tops 31,700 TEU each year, proving its status as one of the 30 largest export companies in the US.

At the award ceremony held at Hanjin’s Branch Office in Atlanta, Mr. Terry Bunch, the Director of Transportation of Rayonier quoted: “We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to Hanjin Shipping for its superb service quality that satisfies all customers. We wish to continue to maintain our business as great partners.”

Upon receiving the award on behalf of Hanjin Shipping, Senior Vice President Jong-Sun Lee in charge of Hanjin’s North America Regional Headquarters replied, “We would like to take this honor as a further encouragement to establish our reputation as the world’s premier logistics company.”

Apart from Rayonier, Owens Corning, Red Meyer of Kroger Group and Samsung Electronics in China previously accredited Hanjin for its efforts to be recognized, respected and trusted as the premier logistics company.###

Southwest Airlines wins Pilot Air Freight prize

Pilot Air Freight, a leading provider of transportation and logistics services, announced the winners of the first annual Distinguished Domestic Air Carrier Awards. Pilot established these prestigious awards to recognize outstanding air carriers who help Pilot consistently exceed its customers’ expectations by reliably and affordably delivering more than 400 million pounds of freight every year.

Pilot’s Distinguished Domestic Air Carrier Awards recognize air carriers in four categories: ‘Number One Domestic Commercial Air Carrier’, ‘Best On-Time Performance’, ‘Number One Domestic Air Carrier’, and overall ‘Best Overall Air Carrier’. This year’s award winners include: Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines and Kitty Hawk Cargo.

• 2004 Best Overall Air Carrier and 2004 Best On-Time Performance: Southwest Airlines. Southwest was recognized for outstanding service overall. The carrier had an impressive 99.78% on-time performance for 2004, “We’re honored to receive this award, which validates Southwest’s commitment to on-time performance and outstanding customer service,” says Wally Devereaux, National Account Sales Manager of Southwest Airlines. “We’re very proud of our successful long-standing freight forwarding partnership with Pilot.” John Sullivan, Area Sales Manager for Southwest, joined Wally to accept this prestigious honor.

• 2004 Number One Commercial Air Carrier: Delta Airlines. Delta took the category for domestic commercial carriers by handling a large volume of Pilot freight through their system. Barry Lien, corporate general manager of Delta was on hand to receive the award.

• 2004 Number One Domestic Air Carrier: Kitty Hawk Cargo. Kitty Hawk prides itself in its unique ability to handle oversize overnight products, and its reliable network sustains that. Accepting the award for Kitty Hawk was Raymond Robinson, National Account Sales Manager.

Pilot committee members Lou Cortese, Executive Vice President of Operations and Transportation, and Wil Vergara, Director of Air Transportation, evaluated 12 of the company’s domestic airline partners to choose the top performers in each of the four categories. Winners were selected based on data submitted by the individual Pilot stations, which was collected and scrutinized every month. The most distinguished of the awards is that for the ‘Most On-Time.” The committee and Pilot Air Freight consider the following to be paramount in selecting winners for this annual award: flexibility on rates and system operation, availability of managers and sales people to discuss ongoing issues, as well as immediate response to issues and challenges.

“We provide excellent service for our customers because we partner with the finest air carriers in the industry,” says Richard G. Phillips, Chairman, President, and CEO of Pilot Air Freight. “The Distinguished Domestic Air Carrier Awards are one way we recognize and thank the companies that help our customers succeed every day. I congratulate all of our partners, and especially the outstanding award winners.”

Oceanwide offers ACI Phase 2 formats

Oceanwide Inc. (http://www.oceanwide.com), a leading provider of on-demand software for international trade, announced the availability of sophisticated data translation services to help companies meet the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) UN/EDIFACT requirement for Advance Commercial Information (ACI) Phase 2 reporting.

The service enables reporting companies to submit Commercial Information in any electronic format (XML, X12, Cargo IMP, Web Form) for translation to EDIFACT and submission to CBSA. Oceanwide currently manages platform-to-platform integration for over 500 clients, including SITA integration for Air AMS (US Customs and Border Protection), importers, freight forwarders and customs brokers.

Unlike CBP's Air AMS program, Air ACI will not initially support industry-standard Cargo IMP messaging. Participants will either need to develop EDIFACT messaging in-house or turn to third party providers like Oceanwide. Additional and updated information on ACI requirements is available at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/advance/menu-e.html.

Oceanwide has become one of the world's largest providers of automated manifest solutions to the air cargo industry. Oceanwide's software allows user to access a single interface for North American manifest compliance, completing and transmitting manifest data to US Customs for AMS or Canadian Customs for ACI.

Oceanwide has been providing Air AMS application for more than 10 years as EDITRADE and today it is the first company to actively and successfully test third party Truck AMS software with US Customs, receiving a certificate of appreciation from CBP this February and becoming one of the first software companies to be approved third party vendors of Truck AMS solutions in May 2005.

U.S. poultry industry donates chicken to Vietnam

Two shipping containers filled with U.S. chicken are sailing aboard ships bound for Vietnam as part of a humanitarian gesture by U.S. poultry companies to help their Vietnamese counterparts fight a raging battle against bird flu that has devastated their industry.

The containers, which together hold nearly 100,000 pounds (44,652 kilograms) of frozen chicken leg quarters, will be sold at auction to the trade this week. Funds generated by the sale are earmarked to help the Vietnam Poultry Association (VIPA) mount an educational campaign among poultry farmers in the countryside aimed at curbing the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, widely known as “bird flu,” and to help farmers whose flocks have been destroyed by the disease.

The governments of both countries applaud the idea, which arose during a trade mission to Vietnam by U.S. poultry exporters earlier this year.

“We saw first hand the dramatic impact that avian influenza has had on the Vietnam’s poultry industry,” said James H. Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), which organized the trade mission. Since late 2003, the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has killed millions of fowl in Southeast Asia and more than 50 people, at least 28 in Vietnam alone.

Sumner and representatives of several USAPEEC member companies spent a week in Vietnam earlier this year, meeting with government and industry officials in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They came away profoundly affected by the experience and recognized that both industries should be working together toward controlling the AI virus before it worsens as well as supporting the importation of AI-free poultry from the United States.

Because AI has become endemic in the countryside, the risk of bird-to-human transmission is growing, Sumner said. Health officials worldwide worry that this vicious cycle of viral infection could lead to a mutated strain of the current virus, which could spiral into an internal influenza pandemic that could threaten millions of people.

Fear has already taken root in Vietnam. “From a purely trade standpoint, the Vietnamese industry not only is forbidden from exporting their poultry and eggs, but faces severe restrictions in selling it domestically,” Sumner said. “Our concern is that consumers in Vietnam and Southeast Asia may eliminate poultry from their diets. This would be a major catastrophe that could affect future generations. We need to convey that U.S. poultry is safe to consume, and that all poultry is safe if cooked properly.”

USAPEEC hatched the idea of a donation of leg quarters during meetings with VIPA leaders, who saw the need for support and jumped at the opportunity of promoting the safety and wholesomeness of poultry. The Vietnamese government has even agreed to waive the import duties on the donated product so that all proceeds can benefit the Vietnamese poultry industry.

Upon returning to the U.S., the council enlisted the support of both the U.S. poultry industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which also nodded its approval. USAPEEC solicited donations of product and financial support from its member companies. “This is the first time we have done anything like this, and we weren’t sure if our members would share our enthusiasm,” Sumner said. “But they did. They really came through for us.”

John Wilson, the U.S. agricultural attaché assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, enthusiastically supports the donation. “I think that the U.S. poultry industry, with this donation, exemplifies the best in American values and traditions,” said Wilson, who will retire the day after the final auction. “I commend USAPEEC for its quick action in making this happen.”

Wilson said that he believes the gesture by USAPEEC and the industry will help in Vietnam’s fight against the AI epidemic and “will create a strong and lasting bond between the U.S. and Vietnamese poultry sectors. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to cap off a career in the Foreign Service than to be involved in something like this.”

The first container of chicken will be sold at auction in Hanoi on May 25, followed by an auction in Ho Chi Min City on May 27. The auctions are expected to generate considerable funds for VIPA to aid in its efforts to control and eliminate avian influenza.

“Our industry recognizes the potential impact of high-path AI on worldwide poultry markets,” said Sumner. “We suffered through some export bans of our own last year, even for mild strains of the virus, and we are sensitive to how public perceptions can have a negative impact on poultry and egg consumption.”

Sumner said that the U.S. poultry and egg industry also recognizes the potential for increased exports to Vietnam, which has a population of 85 million and a rising standard of living. It was only within the last few years that the U.S. and Vietnam normalized trade relations, which has led to growing exports of U.S. agricultural products.

Twenty-two U.S. poultry processors, trading companies, and other companies contributed product, services or funding to the Vietnam donation. The companies are Tyson Foods, Springdale, Ark.; Case Farms, Morganton, N.C.; Claxton Poultry, Claxton, Ga.; Mar-Jac Poultry, Gainesville, Ga.; Simmons Foods, Siloam Springs, Ark.; O.K. Foods, Fort Smith, Ark.; Pilgrim’s Pride, Pittsburg, Texas; Perdue Farms, Salisbury, Md.; Gold Kist Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; Wayne Farms, Gainesville, Ga.; Primera Foods, Cameron, Wis.; AJC International, Atlanta, Ga.; Boston Agrex, Boston, Mass.; Lamex Foods, Minneapolis, Minn.; MetaFoods, Atlanta, Ga.; Shivtex International, Dallas, Texas; Lincoln International, Columbia, S.C.; Sellari Enterprises, Roanoke, Va., NOCS, New Orleans, La., Pacific Coast Container, Oakland, Calif., the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board, Bloomington, Ill.; and Parker International, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kaba Mas offers e-locking solution for shipments

Kaba Mas, the world's foremost manufacturer of high-security locking solutions, announced the availability of the Gitcon G150® electro-mechanical cargo lock which combines RFID sealing with a dependable and secure locking system for trailers and cargo containers.

Designed to anticipate and defeat both internal and external security threats, the G150 utilizes Gitcon Access Management® software which allows users to design trailer access parameters and audit access events. It is constructed from Series 316 stainless steel and is available with a choice of the most common handle types for either new or replacement applications on containers utilizing either swinging or roll-up doors.

Kaba Mas, part of the worldwide Kaba Group, is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of high-security electronic locking solutions. Its complete line of self-powered, battery and mechanical locks meets virtually every container lock requirement. Kaba Mas products have saved users billions of dollars in the government, retail and banking sectors. From sophisticated locks safeguarding classified information or the cash supply stored in automated teller machines (ATMs), to the mechanical lock on a residential safe, Kaba Mas products are world renowned for its proven ability to greatly reduce incidence of theft.

"Our success as a company is derived from a three dimensional approach to assets protection" stated Carl Sideranko, general manager at Kaba Mas. "You must first secure the container, then control access to it, and finally, hold people accountable for their actions. "This approach has been proven in the banking, retail and government sectors and will now provide the transportation industry with locking solutions that ensure the safe and theft-free delivery of cargo."

New outsourcing solutions book by Tompkins

Outsourcing is one of today’s top business challenges. To help logistics and manufacturing executives meet this challenge, Tompkins Associates, an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., has published the new book Logistics and Manufacturing Outsourcing: Harness Your Core Competencies.

This book release comes at a time when outsourcing is gaining momentum as a way to reduce costs, improve services and streamline operations. According to a recent global study on outsourcing, initiatives need to deliver comprehensive solutions that create value for users and their supply chains. Logistics and Manufacturing Outsourcing: Harness Your Core Competencies demonstrates how to create and maintain a successful outsourcing relationship that benefits your entire supply chain.

“Outsourcing can open up a world of opportunity, but it can also create major setbacks if not approached as a core competency,” said James A Tompkins, Ph.D., one of the main authors. “This is why I joined with other outsourcing experts to write a solutions book specifically designed for logistics and manufacturing executives.”

Altogether, the four authors of this book have nearly 100 years of experience in logistics and manufacturing outsourcing—either as providers, consultants, clients, attorneys or expert witnesses. “In other words, we’ve seen outsourcing from all angles, and it isn’t always a pretty picture,” noted Steve Simonson, another author of the new book. “This makes us uniquely qualified to share the secret to harnessing the power behind outsourcing with others.”

The book includes:

Real-life case studies of successful and not so successful outsourcing.
An “Elevator Speech” summary of the entire book in the appendix. This is the perfect remedy for the “I’ve got a captive audience and need to state my case in five minutes or less” panic.
A list of key risks associated with outsourcing and how to avoid them.
Logistics and Manufacturing Outsourcing: Harness Your Core Competencies is a resource that will allow business leaders to follow a robust outsourcing process and add value to their supply chains for years to come.

MetaFil solves ballast water problem

Norwegian company MetaFil AS presents a new breaking technology for treatment of ballast water from ships.

OceanSaver® meets the Marine industry’s demand for a reliable and cost efficient system for Ballast Water Treatment (BWT). Market potential is estimated to be in the in the range of $1 billion annually.

OceanSaver® will be commercially available within 2006. The development is supported by Innovation Norway, Statoil, major ship-owners, research institutions and key industrial companies from Norway and abroad.

The technology will be commercialized by OceanSaver AS – a fully owned subsidiary of MetaFil AS.

Introduction of non-native-, aquatic organisms to an area through ships ballast water represents the shipping industry with its greatest environmental challenge ever. The consequence of unwanted biological invasions can be much more serious and more complicated than any oil disaster.

Damage to ships’ structure and ballast tanks as a consequence of corrosion, is recognized as the most critical cause of loss of ships.

OceanSaver® solves the environmental challenges efficiently – in combination with a substantial reduction of corrosion rates in ballast tanks – through a 3-step process:

Separation of ”larger” organisms by filtration
Supersaturation with nitrogen – and thereby reduction of oxygen level.
Hydrodynamic cavitation by manipulation of the water characteristics
After filtration, the separated organisms are instantly flushed back to the sea – to the water they originate in.

Laboratory tests carried out by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and larger land-based tests, confirm that supersaturation with nitrogen reduces the oxygen level efficiently by 90-95 percent. The organisms are exposed to gas-bubble disease - ”divers bends” – as nitrogen is taken up in the breathing system instead of oxygen.

An advanced Hydro Dynamic Cavitation process exposes the organisms to extreme physical impact by the rupture of cell membranes. Preliminary tests of this treatment process confirm the theory and support the likelihood that OceanSaver® will meet the requirements of the new convention.

The development of OceanSaver® is carried out in an Industral Research & Development (IRD) project within the frames of Innovation Norway and Statoil’s Suppliers Development Program (SDP). The Norwegian ship-owner Leif Höegh & Co AS and the Canadian ship-owner Fednav Limited are IRD partners.

The EU Commission also supports the development through a CRAFT project where OceanSaver AS cooperates with The National Institute of Technology and key suppliers within the EU.

As well as the founders, Fednav Limited and the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation are shareholders of MetaFil AS. The innovation companies Campus Kjeller AS and Kongsberg Innovasjon AS have – further to being shareholders of MetaFil AS – contributed with financing, industrial-/market network and business development; supported by Innovation Norway and The Research Council of Norway’s FORNY- program (research based new development).

Launch Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute

The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) and the University of Wisconsin-Superior (UW-S) on June 4 launched the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI).

At the ceremony the Great Lakes Region Director of the U.S. Maritime Administration formally presented letters from John Jamian, the Acting Maritime Administrator, which designate the GLMRI as a National Maritime Enhancement Institute for the Great Lakes. Under the U.S. Secretary of Transportation select institutions throughout the U.S. have been designated as National Maritime Enhancement Institutes (NMEIs). The purpose of the NMEIs is to create a research-oriented atmosphere that lends itself to providing effective input for addressing maritime issues. Jamian challenges the GLMRI to continue to expand its program and expertise in the pursuit of solutions to critical issues that are needed for our transportation systems to become more productive and environmentally friendly.

“Our objective is to improve our maritime transportation system for tomorrow. Research and educational opportunities are particularly important to excite and inspire the youth of today to help advance marine transportation systems to achieve greater levels of efficiency, safety, security and environmental responsibility,” he said.

The institutes selected as NMEIs are capable of researching inter-disciplinary, intermodal problems, and have access to a broad spectrum of resources enabling them to address national concerns within their individual program areas. The GLMRI joins the University of California at Berkley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Louisiana State University, Texas Transportation Institute, and Marshall University as NMEIs.

GLMRI is a joint project between the two universities established to pursue research efforts in marine transportation, logistics, economics, engineering, environmental planning and port management. Representatives James L. Oberstar (D-MN) and David R. Obey (D-WI) announced in December 2004 an initial $750,000 federal grant to fund startup of the institute, which will allow for this first-ever institute dedicated to the comprehensive study of Great Lakes maritime commerce.

“This funding will be very useful in furthering research about the unique characteristics of the Great Lakes maritime industry and trade through the region’s waterways,” said Oberstar. “With the expertise offered by UMD-UW-S’ Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute, we can enhance the nation’s maritime infrastructure,” he said.

“I’m pleased that we have been able to secure funding for this initiative,” Obey added. “Conducting a study of a Lake Superior cross-border marine transportation system with the ability to transport commerce and passengers safely and economically will lay the groundwork for future economic development for the Twin Ports and the region. The joint effort by UMD and UW-S will also serve as a model for future university, industry and government partnerships,” he said.

In addition to bringing the strengths of the two universities’ transportation programs, the consortium will host relevant research affiliates from other Great Lakes universities to serve as project researchers. The Great Lakes Maritime Academy is a research affiliate university of the GLMRI. An advisory board of Great Lakes maritime and shipping experts is being established to provide input into the annual research agenda. Members of the board include the Maritime Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, the Lake Carriers Association, the Great Lakes Commission, American Association of Great Lakes Ports, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and the Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Research will be coordinated with the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for promoting the development of a merchant marine sufficient to meet the needs of national defense and the domestic and foreign commerce of the United States.

The co-directors of GLMRI are Richard Stewart, Ph.D., director of UW-Superior's Transportation and Logistics Research Center, and Jim Riehl, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at UMD. Dr. Stewart has extensive maritime experience as a master of vessels and an executive, professor and researcher in marine transportation for more than 30 years. Dr. Riehl was recently distinguished as a McKnight Presidential Leadership Chair award recipient recognizing his extraordinary scholarship achievements and his role as a leader and mentor throughout his career.

Link Philly seaport with PA DOD facilities

The importance of the Port of Philadelphia to Pennsylvania's large military and commercial markets was dramatically underscored when the Department of Defense's base closure recommendations did not include four army depots that play critical roles in the ongoing war against terrorism.

In fact, the Commonwealth is expected to gain nearly 1,000 jobs.

Letterkenny Army Depot, a 17,500-acre complex located in Franklin County; Tobyhanna Army Depot, a full-service communications-electronics command situated in Monroe County; Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, the defense department's largest warehouse in the world; and Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, which orders all food, fuel, medicine and spare parts for our warfighters are key players in the Port's continuing effort to support the rapid movement of personnel and equipment to theaters of war around the globe.

The winning strategy to designate the Port of Philadelphia as just one of 14 Strategic Military Seaports in the nation is already paying dividends not only in our ability to provide much needed supplies for the men and women in combat, but as a viable partner to these defense facilities located in a state historically hit hard by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) process.

Since Pennsylvania is home to a number of critical logistics and supply facilities, it has a natural ally in the Port, which has repeatedly demonstrated its remarkable ability to move military cargo in a quick, efficient and secure manner. This winning combination has produced dramatic results, and against the backdrop of 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Pennsylvania's military facilities are successfully meeting the urgent demands of the war. Additionally, our handling of military cargo enhances our capacity to handle commercial cargo as well.

The events of 9/11-and the resulting war on terrorism-turned traditional military thinking on its head. The ongoing global conflicts require unprecedented transportation and logistics support systems. Warfighters must be moved to and from war theaters, all the while, of course, sustained by everything from food, water and medicine to spare parts for tanks, trucks and airplanes. The urgency to reduce downtime for damaged equipment is dramatic; therefore, a quick response for supplies is required.

The Commonwealth has not always fared well in the BRAC process. In fact, according to Gov. Rendell, Pennsylvania has suffered a "disproportionate share" of BRAC cuts. During the previous four rounds, the state lost more than 3,000 military and 13,000 civilian jobs statewide. Clearly, we needed a new strategy to stave off future closings.

The initial success came three years ago when the Port was selected by the defense department as a Strategic Military Seaport-the first one following the attacks on 9/11. Thanks to the determination and coordinating efforts of the Delaware River Maritime Enterprise Council (DRMEC), a non-profit group funded by state and federal governments, as well as the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and a dedicated contingent of elected officials, the Port is currently on the cutting edge as a national model for military cargo deployments.

In 2003, the Port hosted a national demonstration of their new strategy when DRMEC's Regional Agile Port Intermodel Distribution System (RAPID) was employed. Through RAPID, four Paladin Howitzers were shipped by truck from Alabama to the Port of Charleston, then over water to the Port of Philadelphia, and finally by rail to Letterkenny Army Depot. Defense officials hailed this new technology and the capability to move cargo quickly and securely.

Last year, the Port was one of the five busiest in the nation at shipping military cargo, largely due to a new strategic port system that dramatically reduces deployment time, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of labor. Time and time again, the Port of Philadelphia has shown it can do the job efficiently.

A critical partner in this success story is Letterkenny Army Depot, which will not only keep its 2,500 civilian jobs, but also gain more than 400 positions as missions relocate there from bases targeted for realignment or closure. Four years ago, a representative group from the Philadelphia Port community visited the sprawling military complex located southwest of Harrisburg. Their mission was to convince defense officials that by designating the Port as a Strategic Military Seaport, we would be able to create and foster a mutually beneficial relationship that would spur new business and investments. Again, thanks to many people, the mission was successful.

The same is true of Tobyhanna Army Depot, which has an outstanding record of performance at providing repair service for the electronics equipment used by our troops in battle. They have partnered with the Port of Philadelphia to provide unparalleled service to ensure the readiness of our Armed Forces.

The development of a new strategy, and the fostering of new partnerships, laid a strong foundation for both the Port of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania's military infrastructure. What we have accomplished together gives us a clear advantage as we compete for jobs and investment that comes with defense spending. The Port is a hotbed for development, which makes all the more critical the immediate need to deepen our shipping channel to 45 feet. If we are to continue the momentum of 2004, when cargo levels were well ahead of the previous year, we must act today.

Channel deepening makes sense on every level; all the economic and environmental challenges have been successfully met. We will add cargo and jobs, and the local economy will benefit. Moreover, today's modern vessels require deeper drafts. Our current 40-foot draft (a product of 1942!) simply can't meet the need. If we continue to idly sit by, our business will move to competing ports both north and south of us.

The Port of Philadelphia is not only a viable economic engine for the City of Philadelphia, but for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well. The defense department's decision May 13 was a resounding affirmation of our continuing efforts to shape this region for both future military and commercial investments.

Brian Preski is chairman of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and vice chairman of the Delaware River Maritime Enterprise Council.

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