Le tunnel du Mont-Blanc sera fermé pour au moins quatre mois Le ministre italien des Travaux publics, Enrico Michelli, a annoncé mardi que le tunnel sous le Mont-Blanc demeurera fermé à toute circulation pendant quatre ou cinq mois au moins. C'est beaucoup plus que ce qu'on disait jusqu'ici, puisqu'on s'attendait à ce qu'il puisse être rouvert dans un mois environ. Jusqu'alors, la circulation devra se faire par d'autres itinéraires, et en particulier par le tunnel du Fréjus. La réglementation a été adaptée par décret pour y faire face.
Bruxelles-National aura une nouvelle jetée A fin 2001 La première pierre de la nouvelle jetée A de l'aéroport de Bruxelles-National, qui doit être opérationnelle fin 2001, a été dévoilée mercredi dernier. Ce fut surtout l'occasion pour Pierre Klees, administrateur délégué et CEO de BIAC, de préparer le monde politique à la mise en bourse de l'aéroport dès 2001.
La sidérurgie européenne devrait sortir de la crise à la fin de cette année La sidérurgie européenne devrait théoriquement sortir d'une période de crise vers la fin du deuxième semestre de cette année. L'année 98 a connu une fin de parcours difficile pour les entreprises, suite à la dévaluation du yen, à la crise asiatique en général qui a eu des répercussisons sur l'Europe et l'Amérique du Sud. Les marchés s'en sont trouvés destabilisés.
La SGAN lance un service Marseille/Turquie en ro/ro La compagnie française Société Générale d'Armement & de Navigation (SGAN), du groupe Cie d'Affrètement & Transport (CAT, Paris-Boulogne), vient de lancer un service roll-on/roll-off entre la France et la Turquie. Le trafic de base est assuré par des automobiles Renault et l'extension à l'Espagne est sérieusement envisagée.
The newest major player on the LTL regional landscape is Vitran Express, the $165 million-a-year carrier that was formed by the combination of Overland and Quast Transfer in the Midwest and newly named this week. Vitran is already the second-largest nonunion company operating in the Central States. To differentiate itself, the company is boldly offering an unconditional 100 percent guarantee of total customer satisfaction - previously unheard of in freight transportation.
Remedial measures to prevent a repeat of last month's Illinois truck-train accident that claimed 11 lives are promised by the two House Republicans controlling the flow of most rail and truck legislation. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bud Shuster, R-Pa., and Ground Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri, R-Wis., also are insisting the Department of Transportation provide a timetable for introduction of new rules curbing unsafe truck drivers, making crossings safer and improving rail-passenger survivability in crashes.
It wasn't a slugfest, but there were a few sharp jabs nonetheless when Brain McWilliams, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, took the podium alongside Jack E. Suite of the Pacific Maritime Association at the Pacific Transportation Association in San Francisco March 24. Suite's comments about productivity and technology didn't sit well with McWilliams, who pointed out that there were "significant" problems with the way the PMA measures productivity. The current contract between the two parties is expected to expire July 1.
Roadway Express, the nation's largest LTL carrier, is exploring what CEO Michael W. Wickham calls promising merger or acquisition opportunities to leverage the value of its large national network franchise of 393 terminals. Wickham did not rule out buying another major carrier such as Consolidated Freightways or Yellow Freight System. He also predicted some sort of consolidation with the LTL industry, noting an apparent takeover attempt by Yellow last year.
Agricultural products shippers hope that ocean shipping deregulation will dampen the feast-or-famine freight rate cycles that can have a wilting affect on their export business. Smaller shippers may be particularly affected by the new environment; the Southern U.S. Trade Association in New Orleans is concerned about the cost of ocean shipping service for small, specialized foods producers. To address the situation, SUSTA is working to eliminate expensive middlemen, and also is considering setting up a shippers co-operative.
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association president Frank Turner is optimistic that the Railroad Industry Agreement forged between the ASLRRA and the Association of American Railroads will eventually help its members get on a more even footing with the Class Is. ASLRRA's members hope so, too; however there still exists a disconnect between the shortline association and its membership on regulatory issues such as open access - something that ASLRRA's grassroots campaign hopes to address.
The long road to turnaround just seems to be getting longer for Fritz Cos. The San Francisco-based forwarder turned a disappointing third quarter with a loss of $3 million. The problems kept piling up, from higher-than-expected medical expenses to escalating Y2K costs. Staff reduction of its sales force is imminent to help save costs but how much, how soon should be answered shortly.
The devastating March 15 crash between an Amtrak train and a tractor-trailer has put a spotlight on highway-rail grade crossing safety and raised fears that crossing accidents could become more common with the introduction of high-speed passenger rail later this year. Several different barrier methods are being studied by the Transportation Research Board, part of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Perhaps the method which has garnered the most interest is four-quadrant gate systems, which block off both entrance and exit to prevent vehicles from driving around gate arms. But how do you prevent a vehicle from getting stuck in the crossing? Providence, R.I.-based Nestor Traffic Systems is developing a video surveillance product that utilizes artificial intelligence to automatically detect, and potentially act upon, activity at a crossing.
Brazil is taking steps to comply with an agreement reached with U.S. officials in February to avoid fines on Brazilian ships entering U.S. ports. The Brazilian Department of the Merchant Marine has sent changes in its Registro Especial Brasieiro, or REB, the so-called second flag registry, to the country's External Relations Ministry. After ministry approval, the changes will be sent to the Brazilian congress, according to the department. The changes are the cornerstone of an agreement reached between the Brazilian merchant marine department and the U.S. Maritime Administration.
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