Posted on Wed, Jun 23, 2010
Pack n send is posting this press release issued by the Port Authority of Houston. Pack n send ships cargo and containers through the port of Houston.
Freight shipping from Houston has a major impact on the Houston economy.
By unanimous vote, the Harris County Commissioners Court and the Houston City Council today jointly re-appointed James T. Edmonds as chairman of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. County commissioners and city council members gathered at Houston City Council Chambers for the re-appointment vote.
"I am deeply honored and grateful for the confidence Harris County Commissioners and the Houston City Council have expressed in me since I was first appointed chairman in 2000," Edmonds said. "I will work even harder over the next two years to ensure that confidence is well-placed."
Initially appointed to the port commission in October 1996 to represent Harris County, Edmonds was first appointed chairman in 2000 by the city and the county. Edmonds is also a member of the board of commissioners for the Houston Pilots Association. Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commissioners serve two-year terms without pay.
Under Edmonds' leadership as chairman, PHA has implemented some of the most innovative initiatives in environmental stewardship, security and facility operations while experiencing the most aggressive growth, capital expansion and profitability in the organization's 96-year history.
"I'm glad to see Jim Edmonds reappointed for another term as chairman of the Port of Houston Authority," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "It's in times of economic uncertainty like these that Jim's foresight and calm, steady guidance are most needed. All of us in Harris County benefit from Jim's experience and wisdom."
The port authority made history in 2002, when it became the first U.S. port facility to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) that meets the rigorous parameters of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 system. Under Edmonds' leadership, the port authority continues to set standards in environmental stewardship and security measures. In 2008, PHA became the world's first port authority to initiate a Security Management System worthy of certification for ISO 28000:2007. In 2009, the recertification of its EMS raised the bar yet higher, with the additional certification of the Bayport Container Terminal. Opened in February 2007, the Bayport terminal has added to PHA's capability to process 1.8 million in container TEUs annually.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker stated, "I am pleased to join Harris County Commissioners and Houston City Council in reappointing Jim Edmonds as chairman of the Port of Houston Authority. He is a proven leader who has guided the port through a period of unprecedented growth and environmental advances. Keeping him at the helm will help ensure this progress continues."
In addition to operating or leasing the public port facilities, the Port of Houston Authority is the sponsor of the Houston Ship Channel. In 2009, Chairman Edmonds worked closely with U.S. Rep. Gene Green and other members of the Texas congressional delegation to help the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers receive $98.8 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was the largest single allocation of federal funding for infrastructure projects the channel had ever received. The waterway's impact on the region includes about 785,000 jobs and $118 billion in economic activity. Across the U.S., 1.5 million jobs and $285 billion worth of economic activity are related to the ship channel.
Edmonds' leadership also enabled the port authority to play a major role in advancing railroad transportation efficiency by helping create the state's first Gulf Coast Rail District. The Houston Ship Channel Security District also gained state legislative approval during Edmonds' tenure. Both projects are highly regarded for setting standards of excellence in public- private partnerships.
The completion of the $700 million Houston Ship Channel deepening and widening project in 2005 is considered a testament to Edmonds' strength in building coalitions among congressional members and various local stakeholders. In addition to enhancing navigational safety for commercial vessels, the project created more than 4,200 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitats.
PHA's opportunities with small businesses also were elevated under Edmonds' leadership. In 2002, PHA created and implemented its Small Business Development program with a 35 percent participation goal and - since its inception - the program has awarded nearly $285 million in PHA eligible contracts to registered firms.
In addition to his civic service with the Port of Houston, Edmonds also serves as a board member of the Memorial Hermann Hospital System, Gulf Coast Rail District, I-69 TxDOT Advisory Committee, and the Alliance for I-69 Texas. Edmonds is president of Edmonds & Company, a business consulting firm. business consulting firm.
For more information on shipping freight through the Port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Fri, Jun 11, 2010
While pack n send has been concentrating on the effects of the oil spill in the Gulf, we need to remember how hurricanes can affect both Houston Shipping as well as general freight and cargo shipping throughout the region.
US - CARIBBEAN - With the start of the hurricane season now officially upon us lives will doubtless be lost at sea, some unnecessarily, and the advice from the Texas Coast Gurad applies equally to all at risk from a big blow. The Marine Safety Information Bulletin regarding severe weather safety planning issued by the Houston - Galveston sector this week offers sound advice to all mariners, and port side operators, likely to be at risk from the storms.
Using the experience gleaned from other catastrophic storms such as Hurricanes Rita (2005) and IKE (2008) the Guard have compiled an eight point plan which, although specific to the area of their jurisdiction, would equally serve seafarers and dock operators anywhere in the ‘at risk' zones.
A revised précis of the plan is as follows:
1) Deep Draft vessels should leave port well in advance of a threatened storm.
2) Such vessels unable to leave port should advise local authorities and issue a declaration of their intent to remain in port where necessary. These ships are generally at far greater risk whilst in port than on the open sea.
3) Commercial boat and barge tows (tugs etc.) that usually ply their trade on intra coastal waterways should leave the threatened area completely as early as possible or, if unable to do so, to head inland as far as possible and make use of any available shelter. Cargo vulnerability (hazardous goods etc) should be given special consideration and local advice sought.
4) Commercial fishing vessels should plan ahead for locations of safe shelter. During prior storms, vessels that sought sheltered moorings and kept a live watch onboard to tend lines and apply horsepower fared best. Once again when threatened by an approaching storm, commercial fishing vessels should leave port or find shelter as far inland as possible to avoid damage during a storm's passage.
5) Skippers should establish if there are plans to relocate Coast Guard offices and other responsible authorities during the severe weather and ensure communications are possible.
6) Facilities with storage tanks, missile hazards, dangerous cargoes, and container and pallet stacks are encouraged to take positive action to secure or remove these entities should they be threatened. Flying objects such as these pose a major threat to lives and property
7) Waterfront facilities are encouraged to conduct an annual survey prior to the Hurricane Season. Also, each facility should have an emergency survey at their docks as soon as possible after a hurricane passes.
8) Local authorities and those responsible should conduct inspections of all susceptible items prior to and immediately after a storm with attention paid to such items as hoses etc which should be drained and secured.
This article was reprinted from the handy shipping guide.
Pack n send will provide further hurricane preparation updates as we find are relevant to this hurricane season.
For more information about Houston shipping and freight preparation, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
www.pack-n-send.com
Posted on Wed, Jun 09, 2010
-Freight Shipping & Receiving
Tanker Cleaned Offshore with Minimal Delays
This news release is reprinted with permission of the Port of New Orleans.
Mississippi River remains open and unrestricted
Update no. 9-- A tanker heading upriver requested to be cleaned this morning after encountering oil. The tanker was cleaned by two offshore work boats outfitted with fire hoses. The cleaning process took about 30 minutes to complete, and was conducted roughly 4 miles away from the entrance to the Mississippi River at Southwest Pass around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The tanker was inspected further after it entered Southwest Pass, where two launch vessels equipped with pressure washers are stationed to conduct more detailed cleaning while the ship is slowly moving upriver. No oil was detected at the second cleaning site and the vessel proceeded upriver.
The tanker was not calling the Port of New Orleans, but was headed to another facility elsewhere on the lower Mississippi River.
A few other vessels were inspected this morning but did not require cleaning.
The Mississippi River remains open to maritime traffic, and no ship calls have been canceled because of the spill.
Pack n send has been paying attention to freight and cargo shipping out of the Port of New Orleans.
With this press release, it looks like good News for the Louisiana coast.
For information about shipping freight out of the port of Houston, or other ports throughout the world, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Tue, Jun 08, 2010
US - The use of new technology, rail computer software which analyses traffic flow information and planned schedules and then optimizing the routes that train should take has been undergoing tests on a 200 mile stretch of track in Georgia. The system, GE Rail Edge Movement Planner, was thoroughly trialed by rail giant Norfolk Southern after an approach from GE Transportation, and the results appear remarkable.
Norfolk Southern is expanding the technology's use to its entire 22-state rail network through 2012. Movement Planner will help Norfolk Southern increase the average network speed train velocity of its trains by 10-20 percent, representing a significant opportunity for cost savings and train delay reductions. The companies say that by integrating railroad logistics with traffic control systems, the technology projects expected track usage, based on train schedules, and then produces an optimized plan to get trains moving faster and more efficiently. By maximizing existing railroad resources, Rail Edge also improves railroad crew management availability.
"With railroads, it's about scale," said Wick Moorman, CEO of Norfolk Southern. "GE's Rail Edge supports incremental routing and speed improvements down to the individual train level. That will add up to sizeable efficiency gains on a 2,500-train per day, 21,000-route mile system like ours. When we make the best use of our existing transportation infrastructure, that's a competitive advantage for our customers and for the country."
Pack n send has published this article from handy shipping guide as service to our customers. Pack n send has ships cargo from Houston as well as the rest of the nation. We also ship furniture via freight and ship internationally both via cubic meters and containers.
For more information about the ways pack n send can help make your freight shipping easy, please call us at 713 266 1450.
www.pack-n-send.com
Posted on Thu, May 20, 2010
Containment and recovery (Civilian Flotilla)
May 19, 2010, 9:32PM
By pgray
May 19, 2010, 9:32PM
A large and growing chunk of the Gulf is covered with a layer of $70 per barrel oil. If you have a sea-worthy boat and maritime expertise, you can contain and recover AND SELL that oil.
Anyone with a vessel suitable for deploying booms on the open ocean can assist in the containment of the Gulf Slick. You will need to deploy a chain of booms around an area of slick. You will then need a mechanism to tighten the boom chain, reducing the enclosed area and deepening the trapped oil. One method would be to support the boomline with 3/8 cable. To close your trap, thread the free end of the cable through the first boom and reel in the cable, detaching booms as you go. As the oil deepens, it will reduce wave action, preventing emulsification, as well as splashing and wind-borne spray. The excess booms can then be used to contain another portion of the slick. Extend a tube connected to your pump and storage tank beneath the boom chain. An auxiliary fuel tank with 5000 gallon capacity will hold almost 1200 barrels or $8400 worth of crude. On the end of this tube, fit a flat piece of material heavier than oil, but lighter than water such that it will support the mouth of the tube above the waterline, but immersed in oil. As the oil is recovered, continue to tighten the boom line to maintain the flow of oil into the pipe. It may be necessary to attach floats and weights to the tube to maintain optimum position in varying conditions. As lighter fractions are recovered, the degrading oil beneath the surface can be recovered. Adjustment of the intake depth may be required. Recovery vessels must be vented to prevent buildup of volatile gases.
For those with barges, go for the mother-lode. Encircle the area where new oil surfaces. Employ multiple intakes to stop the slick.
If you are interested, or know others who might want to get in on this. pass it on. If you have questions or comments, please respond Thanks Phil 903-780-5644
Pack n send has been monitoring web sites with comments about the oil spill. While most of them are discussing blame, we found this on the City of New Orlans web site. It is one of the comments listed that not only offered a possible solution, but also suggests a call to action.
While pack n send can ship their cargo out of the port of Houston, businesses in New Orleans are directly impacted by this oil spill. Trucking of cargo to the port of Houston will cost businesses additional expenses that could have been avoided.
Phil has sent this to Horizon support - a task force put together by the government and BP. Phil is still waiting to hear if they are going to use his idea. The coast guard also puts their ideas through Horizon support. He is hoping that the government will raise the depth of the spill and then surround the spill with barges. Private industry could help in this recovery since they already have 5000 gallon auxiliary tanks.
For information on cargo shipping out of the port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Mon, May 17, 2010
Pack n send is once again publishing reports of delayed freight shipments to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.
While the winds had improved for much of Europe during the last few weeks, they have once again changed and are causing problems for both England and other parts of Europe.
This travel disruption effects both human and cargo travel.
The latest update was provided by Handy Shipping News.
Pack n send is able to prepare your freight and cargo shipments for shipping. We are watching newscasts and keeping our customers up to date on cargo delays. A the current time we are able to store your freight as it awaits departure.
UK - Another few days, or possibly weeks, of misery face UK shipping interests as warnings were issued today that the high altitude cloud of fine debris drifting in from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano after another series of eruptions poured huge quantities of fine ash into the atmosphere, may suspend all passenger and cargo flight bringing despair to British exporters and importers, their suppliers and customers
Once again our readers are referred to the websites of the relevant authorities. The current cloud is likely to start to encroach on British airspace from the North of Scotland moving rapidly to prohibit any traffic from the South East of England due to the prevailing winds. The area is likely to include all of Britain's main airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
Yesterday we reported that the cloud had fallen to around 18,000 feet at it's highest point but the latest eruptions, encouraged by local weather, meant that the settled ceiling of ash has risen to around 21,000 feet although this should remain lower than a level which would seriously disrupt transatlantic travel for those not traveling to or from the affected UK airports. Above the volcano itself heavy quantities of ash reach over 27,000 feet (around 8 kilometres).
For more information on international freight shipping, please feel free to contact pack-n-send at 713 266 1450.
www.pack-n-send.com
Posted on Wed, May 12, 2010
Pack n send receives many phone calls about our international shipping services. We are providing the list of countries that we ship to so that our customers have a handy guide to look at. We offer air, ground, cubic meter, freight and container shipping options. Once you call us and let you know what you would like to ship, we can help you by providing you with the most cost effective option for you shipping needs.
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Baruba
Belarus
Belize
Belgium
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia|
Bonaire
Botswana
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brittish Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
China
Colombia
Congo
Congo Republic of
Cook island
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curaco
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
DPR of Korea Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia |
Faeroe Islands
Falkland Islands
Faroc Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guinana
French Polynesia
Gabon
The Gambia
Germany
Georgia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Ginvea-Bissau
Ginvea-Exquatorial
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea Republic
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran-Islamic Republic of Tersey
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korpa
Kosovo
Kosrae Island
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Libyan Arab Jamahiriy
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Nive
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
|Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papa New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Phillipines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of Nevis
Reunion
Romania
Rota
Russia
Rwanda
Saba
Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somaliand
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Barthelemy
St. Croix
St. Eustatius
St. John
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Maarten
St. Thomas
St. Vincent
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tadjikistan
Tahiti
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tinian
Tonga
Tongo
Tortola
Trinidad and Tobago
Truk
Tunisia
Turkey
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands(Brittish)
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Gorda
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
For more information about international shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Mon, Apr 19, 2010
Pack n send is still waiting for definitive times for airport openings. As seen by just a few sentences from A Reuters article, governments are working together in order to open airspace. There has been no word from our freight forwarding partners as to when freight will move on schedule.
Both Fed Ex and UPS are monitoring the situations on an hourly basis, but have not yet established time timetable when freight will move on schedule.
As soon as pack n send has this information at hand, we will pass it on to our customers.
Part of an article from Reuters follows:
BRUSSELS - European officials carved up the sky Monday, creating three zones to more quickly break the flight deadlock caused by volcanic ash flowing from Iceland over Europe. Many more flights will be able to take off on Tuesday, the bloc said.
European countries can resume airline traffic in designated "zones" where the threat of ash is considered less dangerous, French officials said after a meeting of the bloc's 27 transport ministers.
Under the accord, one area - defined by the European air traffic control agency Euro control - will remain entirely off limits to flights. Another area will be open to all flights and a third area will be a caution zone in which some flights will be allowed.
If we can answer any questions about Houston packing, Houston freight, or shipping internationally, please feel free to contact us at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Fri, Apr 16, 2010
As the Icelandic volcano has stranded passengers, the impact on freight forwarding and small package moving is bound to also be felt both in the United States and throughout Europe.
Pack n send is waiting for notification from both Ups, Fed Ex, Dhl and our partners in freight forwarding in Houston in order to assess time delays for our customers. As this information becomes available, pack n send will post the information on our web site.
Until then we are posting the following article for our customers who may be using our luggage shipping to Europe.
The article is By Richard Anderson , the Business reporter, BBC News.
The fallout from the Icelandic volcano will be felt a long time after the ash has settled.
For while the majority of flights may be back in the air by the beginning of next week, it will be many more days before the airlines have got their schedules back on track.
And that means more delayed flights for thousands of passengers, many of whom may be under the false impression that, once the ash clears, planes will be free to fly as normal.
"Airlines face a logistical nightmare," explains Barry Turner-Woods, contributing editor of Airlines World.
Not only will there be a backlog of flights to clear, but planes are stranded across the world in destinations thousands of miles from where they need to be.
Domino effect
Flight schedules are intricate and complex, and the consequences of missing just one flight, let alone hundreds, can be far reaching.
For example, as John Strickland, director of the aviation consultancy JLS Consulting, explains, an Air New Zealand flight from Hong Kong to London was forced to land in Frankfurt.
As a result, it had to cancel the flight back to Hong Kong. Another of the carrier's aircraft got into London from Los Angeles before the airspace closure -but meaning it had to cancel a London to LA flight because that plane is stuck at Heathrow Airport.
The domino effect only loses momentum once the airlines can start flying again.
"This is a really big headache, especially for long-haul operators," says Mr Strickland.
"Airlines rely on a carefully-planned sequence of flights. Once the sequence is broken, it is very hard to catch up, particularly on complex routes such as the UK to Asia or Australia."
And as more airports fall under the volcanic cloud, the problem will only get worse, particularly when those airports are international hubs such as Paris and Frankfurt, both of which were closed on Friday.
Jet lag
The logistics involved in getting back on track are hard to grasp - it's not simply a question of waiting for the ash to clear and sending the planes on their way.
"In some cases, airlines won't be able to stick with the same crew,"
For updates on freight shipping in Houston and the rest of the United States, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
Posted on Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Pack n send is posting this article that was found in the Handy Shipping Guide. It emphasizes that nations are now working together in order to protect worldwide freight shipments.
SOMALIA - In a significant development the Chinese have agreed to integrate their anti-piracy patrols off of the Horn of Africa with those of the EU, NATO and the US. Up until now the Chinese had largely limited their operations to protecting their own shipping in the region and this latest move is a major step for international cooperation in combating the menace.
The Chinese will now fully join the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) alliance which defends shipping in a protected route through the waters close to Somalia where attacks are frequent.
The three Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships currently patrolling the area will now coordinate fully with other nation's convoy efforts and the Chinese will take part in the rolling chairmanship of the naval task force.
The new level of consensus is part of a plan agreed last year and a result of an increasing awareness in China of the need for their military to play a greater role in world security issues in order to protect their interests internationally.
The new agreement is also hoped to assuage the concerns of other nations in its own geo-political region, as well as the USA, who for several years have voiced concerns over China's navy turning from a modest ‘white-water', or largely coastal fleet, to one with significant power-projection potential.
It should also help quiet the increasing clamor amongst the Chinese public who become increasingly vocal about their nations need to assert itself more fully on the international scene, especially after the seizure of the bulk vessel De Xin Hai last year by Somali pirates.
Whatever the Geo-political reasons, any agreement that improves security in the waters of Somalia and Yemen will be welcome by those involved in the shipping industry. Last year saw 217 reported incidents and 47 vessels hijacked off of the coast of Somalia.
For help with your international freight or Houston shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.
www.pack-n-send.com