Exports

To kick off 2014, I’m going to reinforce a rather bold suggestion that Group News Editor Jeff Berman made in his first blog post of the new year: Let’s cut out the use of the adjective “cautious” before we use the noun “optimism” when referring to the state of the U.S. economy.

Houston is the tenth-largest port in the world by volume, and is playing an increasingly important role in America’s rebirth as a producer of energy-related exports

In keeping with emerging market forecasts posted here by leading trade analysts, port authorities estimate that 30,000 Ford vehicles will be exported through Portland to China for the first time.

The American Farm Bureau Federation and the Port of Oakland called for much needed improvements in port infrastructure.

Ocean cargo carriers comprising the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement Westbound section contend that there is an “urgent need” to begin rate restoration efforts in anticipation of fourth quarter cargo growth.

While it may seem “counter-intuitive,” California's merchandise export trade with Europe has been up nearly 13% over the latest three months while the state's exports to the Far East declined by 3.2% during the same period. Further complicating this picture is that this occurred despite a 16.9% jump in the value of shipments to China.

Amid growing concern that U.S. exports may be lagging, comes news that inbound shipments are sluggish, too.

Weakening economic conditions in several key foreign markets and outright recessions in others led to mixed results for California exporters during October, according to an analysis by Beacon Economics of foreign trade data released this morning by the U.S. Commerce Department.

The UPS annual “Change in the (Supply) Chain” survey, conducted by IDC Manufacturing Insights and targeting U.S.-based senior-level supply chain decision makers in the high-tech/electronics industry, suggests renewed confidence in the nation’s exporting potential.

As explained in a previous Boston Consulting Group report, when the many risks and hidden costs of managing extended global supply chains are taken into account, it will be just as economical to manufacture many products in the U.S. if those goods are sold in the U.S.

Even as the global recession has forced cutbacks in government spending, other countries continue to invest significantly more than the U.S. to expand and update their transportation networks

Beacon Economics is reporting some encouraging news for Golden State shippers…especially on the job front

As the Agricultural Transportation Coalition prepares to convene in San Francisco for their annual convention next week, comes news that California ag exports are in decline

Container shipping lines in the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement are recommending a further round of incremental rate increases to dry and selected refrigerated commodities

Trade with China, Japan, and South Korea also helped California firms establish a new record high for merchandise exports in 2011