The derailment of a Union Pacific freight train on Friday, which burst into flames and spilled crude oil into the Columbia River near Mosier, Ore., was likely caused by track failure, UP spokesperson Raquel Espinoza said Sunday.
Executive Moves: Port of Seattle, Port of Brownsville, K+N and IATA
Port of Seattle picks head of environment and the Port of Brownsville elects chairman, while K+N names global head of air freight and IATA appoints chairman.
FWI: Central Mexico remains at high risk for cargo theft
Rail theft has emerged as a more prevalent problem in Mexico, primarily in the states of Guanajuato and Querétaro, while fuel theft across the nation has also increased.
FMC praises West Coast terminal effort to ease VGM compliance
Announcements by terminal operators in Oakland and Los Angeles/Long Beach are “positive steps toward achieving the flexibility of compliance” with the new SOLAS verified gross mass rule, says Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero.
FTR: Class 8 orders stabilize after fourth-month decline
Net orders for North American Class 8 trucks in May grew 4 percent from April, but were still down 30 percent compared with May 2015, according to preliminary data from freight forecaster FTR Transportation Intelligence.
AAR: U.S. freight rail traffic slide continues in May
Combined United States carload and intermodal cargo volumes fell 6.8 percent in May compared with May 2015 and 7.6 percent for the first five months of 2016, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
Bezos: Amazon looking to supplement parcel carriers, not replace them
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos said in an interview at Recode’s 2016 Code Conference traditional parcel couriers like the U.S. Postal Service and UPS simply can’t provide all the last mile capacity the company needs, especially during peak shipping times.
UASC: Owners ‘generally supportive’ of merger discussions with Hapag-Lloyd
A combination of businesses between United Arab Shipping Co., which is jointly owned by the governments of six wealthy Middle Eastern nations, and Hapag-Lloyd of Germany has “strategic value,” and talks will continue, the ocean carrier said in a statem…
HMM reduces ownership stake of affiliates
As a result of a 7-to-1 share reduction for Hyundai Elevator, Hyundai Global and Hyundai Group Chairman Hyun Jeon-Eun, the Korea Development Bank will become the largest shareholder of struggling South Korean ocean carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine.
Commentary: Windmills, world trade and the environment
Given the tremendous environmental challenges the world faces, we need to develop a range of innovative environmental technologies, and break down barriers to trading them worldwide, according to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.