Join WSSA at the CONECT Trade and Transportation Conference!

Alison Leavitt, Managing Director of WSSA, will present a trade lane workshop at the upcoming Coalition of New England Companies for Northeast Trade and Transportation Conference. Ms. Leavitt is a long time board member of CONECT and joins other high level speakers covering the most pertinent issues in today's logistics landscape, including:

Mario Moreno, Chief Economist for the Journal of Commerce, will address the Global Economy in Turmoil –  what does the future look like? China's economy is slowing and Europe is even slower. Retail is strong but manufacturing weak. Is US employment really improving? Are wages improving? Will interest rates stay so low? Why is demand for ocean carriage so soft, freight rates at all-time lows, and ocean carriers merging? Will this continue or will demand, rates and ocean capacity strengthen? We clamor for some insight into the future, what can we expect in the coming year as importers and carriers begin ocean contract negotiations and supply chain decisions must be made. No one is in a better position to look into this crystal ball of international economics than Mario Moreno.

Hun Quach is recognized in Washington DC as one of the most powerful of insiders when it comes to Congressional and Presidential trade action and policy. As the trusted advisor to the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, and as Assistant US Trade Representative, Ms. Quach has been instrumental in determining whether trade agreements and legislation advance or not, whether the President's nominees for Commissioner of CBP will be confirmed, or not. She has impacted Miscellaneous Trade Bills, import duty reduction, Harbor Maintenance Fee, antidumping policy, and whether and when the TransPacific Partnership agreement will advance in Congress. Now, as Vice President for International Trade of the Retail international Leaders Association, Ms. Quach speaks on behalf of the nation's largest retailers, the largest customers of the ocean carriers and the largest international and domestic cargo interests in the international supply chain. Ms. Quach articulates the private sector positions on all critical trade matters – an influential voice respected throughout Washington DC trade circles.

So much is changing at the marine terminals and ocean carriage, all under the jurisdiction of Mario Cordero, Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission. The ever-changing ocean carrier alliances are subject to review by international regulatory bodies such as the FMC, the European Commission and China Maritime Authority. Some proposed ocean carrier alliances have been rejected by these bodies, others accepted. As major ocean carriers now acquire other major ocean carriers, the FMC must determine whether those mergers are in the interests of US economy and ocean commerce. When marine terminals develop programs such as PierPass in Los Angeles and Long Beach, or similar programs at other ports around the country, the FMC reviews them. Chairman Cordero has strong views on PierPass, benefiting by his prior tenure as Commissioner of the Port of Long Beach. His intervention in ocean carrier intentions to impose congestion surcharges during the West Coast port meltdown, his support for expanded license processes for NVOCC's, his acceptance of the Alliances, are of great interest to all engaged in international commerce and ocean shipping.

Responsible for 59,000 Customs agents and inspectors, Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, the largest Bureau within the Department of Homeland Security, has his hands full. As Commissioner, Gil Kerlikowske answers to the President for import security, terrorist screening, passenger processing at US airports and has been at the forefront of enforcement of our immigration laws, a very hot topic during this presidential election season. Mr. Kerlikowske, formerly head of the Office of Drug Control Policy, has been in the news regularly, as this CBP was responsible for preventing Ebola from entering the US, and for dealing with train loads of children attempting to enter the US along the southern border. All this in addition to determining if the import duties are being properly paid and compliance and security inspections are properly conducted for the $73 billion in imports entering the US each year. All eyes on CBP as it seeks to modernize the entire import and export processing system through ACE, a "single window" for importer/exporter interaction with CBP and 47 other federal agencies. Meeting Commissioner Kerlikowske firsthand and having the opportunity to share your views and questions with him is a unique opportunity, rarely available and never before possible in New England.

Should you want to register for this event, you can do so at www.conect.org. Otherwise, WSSA will fill you in on the latest news that comes out of the conference and will be your resource for any questions you may have on the international logistics landscape.