ECONOMY BAD? BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS BUT.......

Exports from the US are up....how far up? RECORD LEVELS. Yes, that is what I said, RECORD LEVELS. Consider the details in this press release of FACTS from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.....April 2011, the US Exported goods and services of $175.6 Billion...the largest one month total...EVER RECORDED! Yes, thats the facts.

In addition to that..Exports are up 16% over last year. The trade deficit, (Exports to Imports) is down $47 Billion. So, that means we are exporting more and either staying constant or probably reducing our imports. Isn't that a good thing? Long Term loan guarentees on exports is up 34% so even the banks see a trend that is growing. Who is buying more from the US? Let's see, there is Turkey, South Africa, Panama, Taiwan, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia...wait...Hong Kong and Indonesia? I thought we imported a lot from them. Nice to see they are starting to return the favor!

WOW, check this out...our current President made a campaign promise of doubling our exports by 2014. Everyone, including those in this blog, had a great chuckle. BUT, the facts are that at the current annual increase rate of 16.7% we are on today, we will meet that goal since we only need to have an annual increase of 15% year over year when he took office to double it.

But, why doesn't anyone talk about this? Why doesn't that have an impact on unemployment rates in the US? Why is all of a sudden, Manufacturing is cool and upcoming? Well, you'll have to return here next month to get those answers.

TECHNOLOGY IN TRADE - YES, WE ARE BEHIND!

Technology usage in international transportation and trade is a must. One of the oldest industries is one of the slowest to ditch the paper and go "e". E-Commerce is an old term that is now be replaced by terms like "cloud", "virtual", "flash", "beam" etc etc. Moving information without even a file or just a transfer through blue tooth, beaming, place in a virtual environment.

But in international shipping, why can't we ditch the paper and go "E" in total.

Example....a Bill of Lading....still in so many places in the US, you have to present it to get cargo...why can we just show up and beam the information to you? Why can't I upload it to you from a flash drive....or why can I just send you one of these QR Code things on email or from my hand held device or smart phone?

Got a smart phone? Click on the image below and scan it with a smart phone app bar code scanner....You'll see what I mean!

I could put all the information in a Bill of Lading and store it on a little image like this....so when I scan it with my smart phone, it loads my system and WHOOSH...no data entry, no paper, nothing?

Why can't we get over it and lose the paper!

So many other industries, even RETAIL can keep inventorys with bar codes and scanners....I can use my smart phone, scan a bar code and get an instant BEST PRICE for an item with walking

distance...within seconds! Why can't the shipping industry DITCH THE PAPER and go totally "E"

At Artemus in 2011, our clients will have that option....and provide their clients with electronic transfer of shipment data, automatic upload and download to avoid data entry and state of the art communication abilities to lessen the time it takes to do the work and provide their clients with high end services in a totall web based, cost effective manner.

Artemus clients are going "E", why can't the rest of the industry go "E" in total for all transacting?

Cheers!

TECHNOLOGY IN TRADE - YES, WE ARE BEHIND!

Technology usage in international transportation and trade is a must. One of the oldest industries is one of the slowest to ditch the paper and go "e". E-Commerce is an old term that is now be replaced by terms like "cloud", "virtual", "flash", "beam" etc etc. Moving information without even a file or just a transfer through blue tooth, beaming, place in a virtual environment.

But in international shipping, why can't we ditch the paper and go "E" in total.

Example....a Bill of Lading....still in so many places in the US, you have to present it to get cargo...why can we just show up and beam the information to you? Why can't I upload it to you from a flash drive....or why can I just send you one of these QR Code things on email or from my hand held device or smart phone?

Got a smart phone? Click on the image below and scan it with a smart phone app bar code scanner....You'll see what I mean!

I could put all the information in a Bill of Lading and store it on a little image like this....so when I scan it with my smart phone, it loads my system and WHOOSH...no data entry, no paper, nothing?

Why can't we get over it and lose the paper!

So many other industries, even RETAIL can keep inventorys with bar codes and scanners....I can use my smart phone, scan a bar code and get an instant BEST PRICE for an item with walking

distance...within seconds! Why can't the shipping industry DITCH THE PAPER and go totally "E"

At Artemus in 2011, our clients will have that option....and provide their clients with electronic transfer of shipment data, automatic upload and download to avoid data entry and state of the art communication abilities to lessen the time it takes to do the work and provide their clients with high end services in a totall web based, cost effective manner.

Artemus clients are going "E", why can't the rest of the industry go "E" in total for all transacting?

Cheers!

Technology - What is the future for International Transportation and Trade?

I am sure this topic has been written about over and over. The bottom line is.....the US Transportation and Trade Industry is NOT taking advantage of all that is available. Why? simple, competition!

Let me explain, in a recent speech given at Old Dominion Propeller club, the question was, where do I see the biggest opportunities for graduating college students in the Maritime Industry? I say, technology...the ability to take a work process and automate or program a product to conduct that process electronically. Why, because it makes sense, it allows electronic transfer of data, correcting mistakes automatically, control strategies for inaccurate data or data combinations, it allows electronic checking and for the sole purpose of cutting out errors and increasing satisfaction of the client....the ultimate user. So, staff would then focus on building relationships with clients and less on data entry, double entry and manual "checking". All those last things being archaic ideas.

Example - In Australia in 1999 (yes, 11 years ago) the entire import and export process of a container or piece of cargo was ELECTRONICALLY done. Yep, starting from booking over the phone, to phone recognition link to internal systems, to bringing up history, copying and updating a shipment, transmitting that shipment to transport providers, vessel planners, export documentation, terminals, customs etc. Yep, then picking up the phone and creating an ELECTRONIC appointment to delivery cargo to the terminal, which was sent to a transponder, that was read at the gate, instructions issued, information of receipt back to the carrier, which was electronically sent to planners at the terminal and the carrier and CUSTOMS and AQIS and yep, documents were released ELECTRONICALLY with electronic signatures, incripted files with password protection and oh yeah...ELECTRONIC billing and payment to the back for the shipment.

This was 1999 in Australia. Is this happening in the US today? in some places with some providers and in a few different formats but is there a standard? NOPE. Can everyone access this type of communication? NOPE. Why? Competitive Advantage.

Why can't the US International Trade Industry set some simple standards and require everyone to follow them, from the BIG TERMINALS to the small forwarders?

We have done a great job in focussing on security of cargo and national security with CSI, CTPAT, ACE etc. So, as an industry, let's focuss on being "state of the art" as a whole and not state of the art, as long as you can afford it.

Finally, Artemus will provide electronic data exchange systems to all customers of its transportation software. Visit our website www.artemus.us or call 866-744-7101 and we will show you our approach and our products and show you how affordable they are. So, be ready, get your smart phone, Iphone, computer and electronic internet device and get ready to provide your clients with state of the art service at very, very affordable prices.

Talk to you soon

Artemus OUT!

Is Transportation and Shipping Hiring again?

Hiring, how do you know its a good time to look for a job?

Are you not happy at your current position and thinking of leaving? Let's deal with that one right now.....keep your job and make it work...at least for another 12 months!

Let's look here, in Hampton Roads Virginia. Unemployment in 2008 Feb was 3.8%. 2009 Feb, unemployment was 7.2. Now, to start the year in 2011, we have inched down to 7%. As a Nation, we are now at 8.9% but two years ago, we were at this number as a nation. If you look at port dependent states, such as New York, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Seattle, Texas and Florida, as compared to the rest of the Nation, have some of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Only New York, Texas and Virginia are UNDER the national average for unemployment. WOW. Virginia is the sixth lowest in the nation! So, maybe trade is coming back here in VA, but is sure ain't looking better in most other areas, so there is still a lot to do.

In VA, more and more people with experience in specific areas, such as logistics, warehouse and distribution are finding work that have been out of work for a while. Still the larger employers of transportation jobs in Virginia are staying firm on hiring (stingy) and pushing still on productivity increases through changes in how they do business and investment in technology.

Speaking of Technology, VA is looking for experience in IT across all disciplines. More tech jobs are coming to VA and more investment in technology through Govt incentives in investment is spurring more job demand in IT.

2011, looks better than 2009 and 2010 for jobs in Transportation but it looks as though the hiring is slow and won't pick up until probably the summer of 2011, when orders start to happen for the holiday season and consumer confidence continues to rise.

Watch those gas prices and stay smart with your demand, look to invest in technology and for those looking for work, get involved with or go get some more education in IT basics.

If you want to learn more about international transportation and trade or are seeking a job in this industry and you have past experience, give us an email at information@artemus.us

Signing out for now....come back soon to see how Technology in Shipping can transform a little company into a serious international competitor!

Until next time.......I'm OUT!

Do you need to know how to properly handle hazardous cargo?

From the NOAA Site - The aftermath of a March 2006 explosion of hazardous cargo on a container ship. The congressional research service estimates that more than 100,000 marine shipments of chemicals that could cause mass casualties passed through US Ports in 2003, the latest year for which data were available. The image to the left is courtesy of Royal Netherlands Navy.


So don't think you need hazardous cargo handling training? This accident was due to a clerical error. Someone, somewhere, probably unemployed now, did not class this cargo correctly. In turn, the stow planners did not stow it correctly. In turn BOOM! Here is the result.

So many in the shipping industry feel they do not need to take training to handle hazardous cargo. But, fork lift drivers have to get certified to handle HAZ Cargo, warehouse workers needs to know how to pack and placard boxes and your ship planners must understand the consequences of stowing hazardous cargo within a ocean vessel as the elements and/or motion and/or flashpoints of cargo and the location of that cargo on a vessel has serious repercussions...as illustrated above.

All of us in shipping oooh and awwe at pictures like this but maybe someone reading this post was one of those responsible for this.

As we take all the neccesary precautions to ensure safe travel on airplanes, trains, subways, and even our cars...these cargo vessels come into and out of the US in the hundreds and thousands EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Dont be the one to blame for this type of situation. If you handle hazardous cargo, do paperwork for hazardous shipments, help pack and stow this containers and cargos, get certified, get trained and let's try to avoid pictures like this from happening again, not to be forgotten, the cost of the mistake could run into the big bucks! There goes your insurance premiums!


Artemus signing off until next week.....oh what will we write about then? Come back and see!

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