Outsourced Logistics

RALEIGH, NC, February 12, 2009 — Air freight transportation utilization is expected to fall by as much as 15% within the next five years, according to the Supply Chain Consortium’s International Transportation Report: Navigating Air and Water.            

The report notes that transportation methods are in flux. There will be fewer air freight options available, and more companies will be consolidating their shipments.  

“The smartest shippers are on top of this growing trend,” says Chris Ferrell, Associate Director of the Supply Chain Consortium and author of the report. “To make sure shipments arrive at their destinations on time, plans need to be made now to accommodate for the upcoming upheaval in the transportation industry.”

While the decline is bad news for the air carrier industry, the report also notes that other transportation modes – rail or intermodal, ocean, truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL) and parcel –will benefit (Figure 1).   

To withstand these times of economic stress, the report notes five opportunities for freight shippers to implement:

1. Take advantage of excess steamship capacity in the form of increased sailings and expanded service offerings for destination ports to optimize inland distribution networks.

2. Use more consistent steamship performance to further reduce air freight utilization.

3. Outsource newer, smaller, complex, or dynamic components of the international supply chain to experienced, well-qualified logistics service providers (LSPs).

4. Review the financial health of existing air service providers and develop a contingency plan that may include new relationships with alternative carriers.

5. Ensure that performance expectations are clearly defined and being met by existing air carriers, as some airlines have allowed service levels to drop in response to a difficult and volatile globally economy. 

The report provides an overview of the data collected from the 2008 International Transportation survey of top retail and manufacturing companies. In addition to analysis of ocean and air modes, the report covers sourcing best practices, order control, third-party services, and cargo security. 

About the Supply Chain ConsortiumThe Supply Chain Consortium is the premier source for supply chain benchmarking and best practices knowledge. With 200 participating retail, manufacturing and wholesale/distribution companies, the Consortium sponsors a comprehensive repository of 17,000-plus benchmarks complemented by search capabilities, online analysis tools, topic forums and peer networking for supply chain executives and practitioners. The Consortium is led by the needs of its membership and an Advisory Board that includes executives from Campbell Soup Company, Hallmark Cards, Hewlett Packard, Ingram Micro, Kraft Foods, Miller-Coors, The Coca-Cola Company, Target, and True Value Hardware. To learn more about how your company can become a member of the Supply Chain Consortium, contact John Foley, 919-855-5461 or visit www.supplychainconsortium.com.   

###

Norfolk, Virginia – February 9, 2009 - CMA CGM (America) LLC announced today that Caroline Brown has joined the company as Manager, Audit and Cost Control. In her position, Caroline will be responsible for monitoring and controlling the company’s operational costs throughout the United States. Prior to joining CMA CGM, Caroline worked in various finance positions with Bourbon, an international leader in marine services based in Marseilles, France. She earned her graduate degree in finance and cost control from Institut d’Administration des Entreprises, and holds an undergraduate degree in accountancy and finance from Ecole Supérieure des Affaires. She will be based in the company’s Norfolk, Virginia office, and will report to Laurent Olmeta, Director, Internal Audit and Cost Control.

The company is also pleased to announce the promotion of Russell Chidester to Manager, Credit and Collections. As such, he will be responsible for all aspects of the collections process for account holders in the following regions: Florida & Abroad, Midwest, and West Coast & Canada. Prior to joining CMA CGM, Russell worked in Shanghai, China for the U.S. Commercial Service, and also served with the U.S. Army in Iraq. A 2007 graduate of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Russell holds an MBA and obtained his Bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Utah. He will be based in the company’s Norfolk, Virginia office, and will report to Gregg Gendron, Director, Credit and Collections.

CMA CGM (America) LLC is also pleased to welcome Pamela Purdy to the company as Manager, Credit and Collections. Pamela brings extensive collections experience to her role, having previously worked for Huff, Poole, & Mahoney, P.C. as Collections Manager, where she managed the court and civil collections team functions. In her new role, she will be responsible for all collections for Trucker, Northeast, Gulf, and South region accounts. Pamela will be based in the company’s Norfolk, Virginia office, and will report to Gregg Gendron, Director, Credit and Collections.

About CMA CGM (America) LLC

Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, CMA CGM (America) LLC is the U.S. agent of France-based container shipping giant CMA CGM. The company provides 23 services in and out of North America, and offers a global network to over 150 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cma-cgm.com/usa.

About CMA CGM

Led by its founder Jacques R. Saadé, CMA CGM is currently the world’s third largest container shipping Group and is ranked number one in France. Operating a fleet of 400 vessels, including 100 company-owned, the Group serves over 400 ports around the world. In 2008, it carried more than nine million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). With a presence on all continents and in 150 countries through its network of 650 agencies, the Group employs 17,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.cma-cgm.com.

For more information, please contact:

Veronica Gerken

Manager, Marketing and Communications

(757) 961-2117

usa.vgerken@cma-cgm.com

Madison, NJ February 5th 2009 - Maersk Logistics has joined the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) Supply Chain Exchange, bringing together the expertise of two leaders in the area of supply chain management.

In addition to enjoying the benefits of Supply Chain Exchange membership, Maersk Logistics will collaborate with MIT CTL researchers on enhancing carbon footprint methodologies, which Maersk Logistics will use in the enhancement of its SupplyChain CarbonCheckTM service. The partnership will also contribute to the effective measurement of carbon emissions in global supply chains and the advancement of carbon emission reduction to achieve certified global supply chain methodology standards.

We are very excited to start this partnership with MIT CTL, who are widely respected for their contributions to the supply chain field. Maersk Logistics joining the CTL Supply Chain Exchange is a perfect match of strategic and practical expertise that will drive innovation in multiple areas of supply chain management,” said Jeremy T. Haycock, President of Maersk Logistics, North America. The Maersk Logistics SupplyChain CarbonCheck™ is a consulting service aimed at identifying carbon reduction potential in global supply chains. In a 4-step, proven methodology, Maersk Logistics identifies carbon emission reduction opportunities lowering overall logistics costs and maintaining or improving service levels – a win-win situation for global shippers and the environment.

Maersk Logistics provides responsive supply chain solutions customised to your integrated supply chain, warehousing and distribution, or multi-mode transport needs. As a recognised leader in the international logistics market, Maersk Logistics has over 4,000 dedicated employees who are always available to support your business from over 200 offices in more than 90 countries.