Supply Chain Deployment Options by Experts on Demand

container ship orders collapse

September 22, 2008

Orders for new container ships have dried up as vessel charter rates and ocean freight rates tumble and volume growth slows on key liner trade routes.

Enquiries to shipbuilders about new tonnage have “hit the floor,” according to London-based Clarkson, the world’s biggest shipbroker “With volumes and earnings stalling, owners’ taste for newbuilds has slowed right down.”

The collapse in orders, which has affected all ship sizes, follows five straight years of historically high deliveries. Only 179 containerships were contracted in the first eight months of this year, down 49 percent on-year, Clarkson reports. This compares with a record 566 contracts in 2005, 479 in 2006 and 530 in 2007.

From The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINE
Full Story here

Maryland Agriculture- small but determined

Maryland’s Ag industry is really small, but its exports to the world grew substantially over the past several years, due to currency devaluation no doubt. In 2007, Ag exports grew only slightly but significant gains were made in Asia, where exports grew 65%. Russia is a small market for Maryland, accounting for 0.5% of the state’s Ag exports to the world.

In contrast to other markets, MD Ag exports to Russia were flat from 2004 to 2005; then fell in 2006 and 2007.

Over half of Maryland’s agricultural exports to Russia were poultry related. Sales of HS 0207 Poultry Meat And Offal (Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys And Guineas), Fresh, Chilled Or Frozen totaled only $692,575 and accounted for over 54% of the state’s Ag sales to Russia.

Pretty small on the Ag radar, but you still have to consider that some exports produced in landlocked states may be attributed to Maryland. (Only state business development staff will be able to discern the role that local Ag producers play in these numbers).

This sector is where the bulk of Maryland’s loss occurred. It remains to be seen whether this is the result of lower demand on Russia’s part or... Has Maryland lost market share to other U.S. poultry producers?

Supermarket to the World

2007 U.S. Exports of Prepared Foods - HS: 21
Rank	Name	Value %	Value
1	NAFTA	43.9%	$1,930,045,754
2	Asia	24.6%	$1,079,229,441
3	Europe	9.9%	$434,365,047
4	Americas	8.6%	$378,391,078
5	Islands	7.1%	$311,739,649
6	Middle East	4.3%	$187,963,344
7	Africa	1.6%	$70,858,923
	Total		$4,392,593,236

Economic Disruptions to the Global Economy and Trade

We have witnessed a dramatic fall in the value of the dollar, a surge in oil prices, and the worldwide financial fallout resulting from the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market. The Spring Conference of the International Trade Data Users will address these recent economic events and their impact on global trade and investment trends. Topics include:

• Mandatory Electronic Filing of Export Declaration Information – Impact on Data Collection and Statistical Outputs
• The Need for Quality Trade Information by the Growing Chinese Economy – What is Available and What is Required
• Recommendations for Standardizing Definitions of International Commodity Trade Statistics and Cargo Flows
• The Impact of Trade Shifts on Container Cargo Logistics

Co-sponsored by the Weissman Center for International Business at Baruch College.

ITDU Conference June 17
Registration 8:00. Conference begins at 8:45
Baruch College Newman Conference Center
151 E. 25 St., Fl 7, New York
Visit the ITDU website for the detailed Agenda and Registration.
www.itdu.org

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