Trade Links

TRADE LINKS

Transportation News and Information

Air Cargo World - an on-line publication of the Journal of Commerce, with a focus on air cargo.

Journal of Commerce Online - the online site for the Journal of Commerce, "the daily journal of trade logistics." Aside from the headlines, this is a pay site.

LLP Limited - the LLP web site provides free-access and subscriber news and information concerning shipping, maritime, trade, insurance, energy and legal business intelligence.

Piers Trade Data - PIERS describes itself as the most comprehensive statistics on global cargo movements transiting seaports in the U.S. and Latin America.

The Cargo Letter Home Page at Interpool - the Cargo Letter is a news service for air/ocean freight forwarders, NVOCC's, consolidators, indirect air carriers, surveyors, intermodal shipper's agents, inland carriers, customs brokers and liability & marine underwriters.

Traffic World - this is the web site for Traffic World Weekly. The publication "covers the gamut of freight transportation and logistics news."

Transport News - this is a comprehensive of transportation related news--mostly press release types of news.

Governmental Agencies

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - the FAA is responsible for enforcing regulations concerning air safety.

Federal Maritime Administration (FMC) - the FMC is responsible for promulgating and enforcing regulations under the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA).

Surface Transportation Board (STB) - the STB, an independent adjudicatory body within the Department of Transportation, is responsible for the economic regulation of interstate surface transportation, primarily railroads, within the United States.

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) - the mission of the FRA is to promote "safe, environmentally sound, successful railroad transportation to meet current and future needs of all customers."

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) - the FHWA has a number of transportation related responsibilities related to highways. This site is most valuable for the links it provides to pending legislation and regulations.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - the FMCSA is responsible for the issuance, administration, and enforcement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Hazardous Materials Regulations.

Department of Transportation Docket Management System (DMS) - the DMS is an on-line system which includes official public records (organized by "docket") about proposed and final regulations, copies of public comments on proposed rules, and related information.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) - DOT is the parent department for several agencies which have transportation-related responsibilities, most of which are listed above.

DOT Cargo Liability Study - the U.S. Department of Transportation was directed to conduct this study in order to come up with proposals for a cargo liability regime for motor carriers. The study compares and contrasts the existing, unregulated regime with the regime in other modes of transport and other countries.

U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) - MARAD's job is to promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced, United States merchant marine. MARAD also seeks to ensure that the United States enjoys adequate marine assets in time of national emergency.

United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G.) - the USCG is responsible for adopting and enforcing regulations concerning commercial vessel safety, port safety and security, as well as marine safety and environmental protection.

U.S. Customs and Border Proection - U.S. Customs is responsible for the collection of duties on import and serves as the enforcement agency for regulations promulgated by other agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Transportation, with respect to imports and exports.

Federal Trade Commission - the FTC is responsible for enforcing 37 separate laws concerning competition and consumer protection.

Bureau of Industry and Security - the BIS, an agency of the Department of Commerce (DOC), is responsible for controlling exports for national security, foreign policy, and short supply reasons.

U.S. Census/Foreign Trade Statistics - the U.S. Census collects and distributes information about U.S. exports. This site includes information concerning the export requirements, including the filing of Shipper's Export Declarations (SED's).

Directorate of Defense Trade Controls - the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (part of the U.S. Department of State) licenses the export of munitions and defense services.

Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) - OFAC (part of the U.S. Department of Treasury) administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries, terrorism sponsoring organizations and international narcotics traffickers based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.

National Nuclear Security Administration - this office (part of the U.S. Department of Energy) licenses the export of nuclear technology and technical data.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Affairs - this office controls the export of endangered fish and wildlife species.

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure - this is the committee in the house which considers transportation-related legislation.

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation - this is the committee in the Senate which considers transportation-related legislation.

Air Transport

Airlines of the World - this site provides links to airline home pages throughout the world.

Airforwarders Association - this site includes articles and news which is of interest to the air forwarding community.

United States Air Transport Association (ATA) - the ATA is the trade organization for the principal U.S. airlines. This site provides historical and current information about the industry and a page for ordering publications authored by the ATA.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) - IATA is the trade organization for the international air transport industry. You can purchase IATA publications at this site.

The International Air Cargo Association - TIACA is a worldwide organization for all persons in the air logistics industry, including air and surface carriers, forwarders, shippers, vendors, manufacturers, airports, countries, financial institutions and consultants.

Marine Transport

Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA) - IMUA is the national association for the inland marine insurance industry.

Oceanwide Marine Network, Inc. - OceanWide uses internet technology to provide services and applications to facilitate business transactions for intermodal transportation companies. You can use this site to purchase cargo insurance online, through Eastern Marine Underwriters, a division of CNA.

Society of Maritime Arbitrators - the Society of Maritime Arbitrators, Inc. (SMA), is a professional, non-profit organization of individuals who frequently conduct maritime arbitrations. SMA's rules and code of ethics for arbitrators can be found on this site.

Surface Transport

American Trucking Associations - the American Trucking Associations is the national trade association of the trucking industry.

Association of American Railroads - the Association of American Railroads represents North America's major freight railroads and Amtrak.

National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) - under 49 U.S.C. 13703(g), participation in NMFTA is required of any carrier who uses or references any provision that is contained in the National Motor Freight Classification, including its commodity descriptions, ratings (classes), rules, packages or bills of lading.

SMC3 (formerly Southern Motor Carriers) - SMC3 provides data software modules and other products to shippers, carriers and logistics companies.

Intermediary Associations

International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) - the web site for the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations.

National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) - the NCBFAA is a trade association for approximately 700 freight forwarders, customs
brokers, NVOCCs and air cargo agents.

Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) - the TIA bills itself as "the leading education and policy organization organization for transportation intermediaries in North America."

Transportation Associations

American Association of Port Authorities - The American Association of Port Authorities includes members from 150 public port authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA) - the TLA is an independent, international bar association whose members assist providers and users of logistics and transportation services, regardless of mode.

Hazardous Materials Handling and Transport

OHMS Hazardous Materials Link Page - this is a page of links to private and governmental organizations which have to do with the transportation and handling of hazardous materials.

Transportation Insurance

Lex Mecatoria on Insurance - this page includes text of the standard Institute Marine Cargo clauses for terms for marine cargo insurance, including "All Risks," "intermediate cover," and "minimum cover" insurance.

Insurance Brokers:

International Bond & Marine Brokerage, Ltd.

Jordan Harrison Insurance Brokers, Inc.

Roanoke Trade Services

Avalon Risk Management, Inc.

Miscellaneous International Commerce Sites

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - the web site for the International Chamber of Commerce. Use this site to find out about Incoterms 2000 and other important developments.

Exchange Rate Converter (Current ) - use this site to convert among thirty-five world currencies on a current basis. The site provides average buy and sell prices.

Exchange Rate Converter (Historical) - use this site to convert among world currencies on a current or historical basis. However, the site provides interbank prices, not retail prices.

CIA World Factbook - this is a sort of encyclopedia of the countries of the world. It provides basic information about each of the countries listed.

Haneda International Airport Terminal (Tokyo)