Pack n Send Blog

Once again Houston is welcoming both domestic and international travelers at the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo.

While the rodeo offers world class rodeo entertainment,there is also plenty of shopping to do at the rodeo itself. Since the rodeo runs from February 25 to March 17 2013, many out of town guests will stay for all or part of the rodeo. We suggest eating as you shop to keep up your energy.  The food tents offer a variety of healthy options. There is also healthy food sold in the shopping areas.

Some visitors purchase items such as cowboy boots, cowboy hats and jeans. Jewelry, chocolates, and custom signs are also big sellers at rodeo booths. Others prefer to shop and purchase western furniture or rugs. 

When making your purchases make sure that you have a way to get them delivered either domestically or internationally.

Rodeo customers in Houston contact pack n send to arrange their rodeo shipping. Pick up service is available, and we also pick up at local hotels, motels, rented apartments and homes. Pack n send can ship anything from jewelry to 40 foot containers of purchases worldwide.

We recommend contacting us before your purchase has been completed so that we can give you a price quote. International shippers will want us to accumulate all of their purchases in our warehouse, so that at the end of their stay, we can ship everything at one time.

When purchasing food that is going as an international shipment, please make sure ahead of time that this type of food is permitted to be shipped to your destination country.  This also goes for seeds and many other items.  Jewelry is not permitted to be shipped to some countries.  Please check before you make a purchase.

 Domestic shippers may choose to have their items shipped to various cities throughout the United States. All we need are addresses and phone numbers –and payment of course- in order to complete shipping.

We suggest purchasing the items that you are going to carry around and take back to your hotel at the very end of the day.  This lets you continue to shop without carrying around your purchases. For assistance with your purchases please feel free to call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

We have listed below some of the countries that we can ship to on your behalf.

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Barbados
Baruba
Belarus
Belize
Belgium
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia|
Bonaire
Botswana
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brittish Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
|Chile
China
Colombia
Congo
Congo Republic of
Cook island
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curaco
Cyprus
Czech Republic
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
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
Korpa
Kosovo
Kosrae Island
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Libyan Arab Jamahiriy
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Nive
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papa New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Phillipines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar Reunion
Romania
Rota
Russia
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
Tahiti
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tinian
Tonga
Tongo
Tortola
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America

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
Zimbabwe

Once again, we have found an article about alternative uses for a shipping containers. We found this article online and have reprinted most of the article for our readers to enjoy.  After a container that moved up and down in a building being built and containers used as housing, we decided to try and find as many alternate uses as possible.

 This use seems very unique and innovative. While pack n send packs containers for overseas shipping, we are always excited to see alternative  uses for a usually mundane item.

 by eddie on December 20, 2011 

Although not the first to use recycled shipping containers to create a shopping center, Boxpark is London’s and the “world’s first” pop-up mall. The Boxpark Shoreditch Mall is made of 60 recycled shipping containers and is home to numerous independent brands.

The 60 containers at Boxpark are painted black and white to give it a contemporary feel and look. The recycled shipping containers are stacked two-story high and five containers wide. The shops on the first floor are home to designer brands, footwear, and casual wear clothing. The upper floor of Boxpark is more spread out and features restaurants and coffee shops with outdoor benches and tables for visitors to eat and relax.

 Boxpark’s founder, Roger Wade, wants to give a leasing opportunity to small businesses which could not afford the high rental costs at traditional malls inLondon. With that being said, visitors will still find known name brands such as Levi’s, Puma, Nike, and Calvin Klein with shops in this mall. And to make things fair, none of the shops are allowed to display any products on the outside of the store besides the name of their company.  Most of the shops in the mall use the space of shipping container but there are a few which are two or three containers wide. Depending on the success of Boxpark Shoreditch Mall, the developer may adopt the same concept in other parts of town.

While pack n send is not located inside a shipping container, we do load containers inHoustonfor our domestic and international customers.

Below, we have posted a list of the countries that pack n send ships to. If you have any questions about either container shipping, or international shipping, feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 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
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
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
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
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
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
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

 Pack n send is addressing computer shipping separately from electronics shipping in this blog.  Customers call us with questions frequently about how to pack computers.

When looking for a company that can pack and  ship your computers ,make sure that they offer  shipping options.  They should be able to ship boxes, pallets, truckloads or containers of electronics.

Be sure to ask questions about packing. Does the company you choose have experience packing and shipping high value computers.

The computers should be packed as follows:

 Individual computers should be  prepared for shipping using antistatic plastic or bubble wrap. Once the computer is wrapped, it should put into a double wall box with a minimum of 3" of Styrofoam peanuts or solid Styrofoam pieces protecting the electronics equipment.

Large quantities of computers should be boxed and then placed on pallets framed with 1x4’s, Styrofoam and thick cardboard.  Protective wrap should  then put  around the entire pallet.  

Ask if the company you choose to use offers onsite packing, crating and shipping.

As an alternative, ask if the company has the capability to pick up your computers.

Does the company you choose offer full value coverage in case of loss or damage during the pick up, packing and shipping process?

There are other areas that need to be addressed when shipping high value computers.

For more information about shipping electronics, please fell free to contact pack n send at  713 266 1450.

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.

 When loading and shipping containers, there are a few items to look for:

 Does the company you are considering using ship from any US port to any free world port?  Do they offer full service to the Middle East, Africa,  Asia, Latin America including Mexico andthe Caribbean, Europe and Australia and New Zealand?

 Does the company you are consider using have experience loading both commercial and residential items into a container?

For the individuals on a shopping spree, can the company you choose accumulate your items as you shop?  Will the company then professionally prepare your purchases for shipping?

 Can they professionally wrap, pack and strap your household items?  Will the company you choose prepare the inventory list for customs, and make sure that no hazardous goods are loaded into your container.

Make sure that the company you choose will provide you with you bill of lading and contact numbers when your shipment is delivered to your destination port.

Request that the company you choose quote packing, loading and ocean freight charges before they pick up your shipment.

 Can the company you choose ship your belongings as well as your automobile? Some of the various reasons to ship a car are as follows:

• Corporate relocation
• Private or dealer auto sales
• Death of a family member 
• An  international move

 For more advice on international freight, and container shipping, feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

AP report:  Nick Perry has reported that a cargo shipped that was wrecked off the coast of New Zea land has split in two.

This cargo ship contained powered milk. Scavengers have been seen trying to pick up these containers of milk from the beach.  Once the seawater touches the milk, it probably unsafe to consume the milk.

With AP reporting that most of the oil has been removed from the ship, it appears that containment and minimizing damage has been the main concern since the vessel split into two pieces.

Instead of placing the blame game, it looks as if everything is being done to minimize environmental impact.

By placing tracking devices or buoys on the containers still left on the ship, it should be easier to locate containers if the parts of the ship sink or head towards the beach.

Pack n send monitors environmentally friendly efforts throughout the world. Even in an environmental disaster, it is heartening to see companies attempting to reduce damage to the environment. .  It has been our  experience, that clean up efforts are often stalled while the blame for an accident is assigned.

For information on shipping out of the port of Houston either via container or by the cubic meter, please feel free to contact pack n send in Houston,TX 713 266 1450.

JAPAN – 2011 may well be remembered as an annus horribilis by those in the freight and passenger industries with the unsettled situation in North Africa now breaking out into an international conflict to add to the earthquakes which have rocked New Zealand and Japan in recent days. Good logistics are essential when one is faced by a disaster of the scale faced currently in Japan where the tsunami has devastated large areas and caused a major nuclear alert as well as disrupting container and bulk freight shipping schedules.

According to the latest information available from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, international flight and maritime operations can continue normally into and out of Japan’s major airports, including both Haneda and Narita, and all sea ports excluding those directly damaged by the tsunami.

Other conflicting reports say that services at the main airports are being restricted due to a limited fuel supply. Japan produces 3-4% of global jet fuel supply, some of which is exported to Asia. Some of this refinery capacity has been lost due to damage caused by the earthquake and ensuing water damage. This supply restriction, coupled to the current Middle East situation could lead to higher jet fuel prices.

Already reports are coming in from Malaysia to the effect that intra Asian air cargo rates are up between 50 and 60% and ‘emergency’ surcharges are being imposed on ocean freight containers within the week. It is said that emergency bunker charges will be imposed on all air freight cargo unless destined for Japan itself.

Currently available information indicates that increased levels of radiation have been detected at some airports, but these do not represent any health risk. In the meantime US import officials are increasing the levels of scanning inward containers for radiation. This is routinely done anyway but the authorities are insisting on extra vigilance.

The US Coast Guard have issued a notice to all shipping en route to America to avoid passing within 50 miles of the damaged nuclear reactors. Ships which pass within the radiation buffer zone must report for inspection before sailing to within 100 miles of the US coastline (details HERE). The U.S. Coast Guard site will provide an updated notice as additional guidance becomes available but ship owners and operators should keep abreast of information being provided by the Japanese Government relating to any further developments.

Container sailing schedules are being adapted as the situation unfolds, the ports at Hachinohe, Hitachi, Hitachinaka, Ishinomaki, Kamaishi, Kashima, Ofunato, Onahama, Sendai-Shiogama and Soma have all suffered serious damage and shippers are advised to check with their carriers directly for updates and news of re-routings. It is likely that the difficulty of maintaining fuel supplies, plus the need to utilise all available port facilities for the urgent import of emergency aid will continue to impact on the ocean freight sector for some time.

Meanwhile Mitsui OSK Line (MOL) who we reported on last week, have issued more details of both the aid they have so far provided plus news on how they will continue efforts to try and mitigate the problems afflicting their home country. MOL Ferry Company Ltd., a Mitsui subsidiary, transported about 2,700 Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) personnel and about 930 emergency vehicles from Tomakomai in Hokkaido to Aomori, the capital of Aomori prefecture, on the main island of Honshu. The transport support was accomplished with four ferries, which made eight trips in total as part of MOL’s ongoing effort to provide aid to the quake- and tsunami stricken areas.

The group is to provide containers for relief supplies to container yards at their normal available loading ports before the end of May 2011. As shipping capacity is limited, transport of those supplies will be on a first-come first-shipped basis. This offer covers grant aid supplies from public institutions such as governmental institutions and municipalities, or government-approved aid organizations to be shipped to disaster areas like the earthquake affected Tohoku district. However, some of the items such as dangerous articles, animals, and other regulated items may not be accepted.

Portions of this article were taken from the Handy Shipping  Guide.

 As improvements are made in Japanese freight, we will post these improvements on our website.  For information about freight, cargo and container shipping from Houston and the Untied States, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 JAPAN

At the request of the Japanese government, a subsidiary company, MOL Ferry has cooperated to transport members of the Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) who were assigned to rescue operations in northeast Japan. This afternoon, four ‘Sunflower’ ferries, Sapporo, Furano, Shiretoko and Sunflower Daisetsu, started taking on the task of transporting vehicles and members of the JSDF from Tomakomai in Hokkaido to Aomori, which is close to the quake-stricken area.

Regarding the status of MOL vessels the company tell us the only vessel directly affected from their fleet was the MOL-chartered C.S. Victory (Flag: Panama, 20,212 Gross Tonnes),which was swept toward the breakwater by the tsunami and now rests on the bottom of the shallow harbour at Ishinomaki (Miyagi prefecture). All the crew members left the vessel on orders of the harbour master, and none were injured. None of the cargo of kaolin or fuel oil has spilled from the vessel so far.

MOL will announce further developments regarding the aid program as they unfold and we shall publish them as they happen. Together with MOL we at the Handy Shipping Guide of course express our heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones in the earthquake.

 Pack n send has reprinted the portion of the article describing sea assistance from Handy Shipping News.

For further  updates on assistance offered by freight and cargo companies, pack n send in Houston will try and keep our blogs updated for our customers.

 For other assistance in shipping, freight and cargo preparation in Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Exports from Houston and Galveston increased to $95billion last year from $75 billion in 2009, and that's higher than the $90 billion exported from the region in 2008. Oil led the exports, bolstered by stable, relatively high prices. Crude ended the year at $91.38 a barrel, up about $10 from the start of 2010.

Last year's imports of $117

billion, while up from $92 billion in 2009, were below the $151 billion recorded in 2008. Oil also led the gains on the import side.

Rise in drilling equipment

Higher oil prices helped drive more demand for drilling equipment and cargo that crossed the Port of Houston's docks last year.

Houston's Palletized Trucking has moved more oil field equipment, containers and other cargo lately, and now it's hiring truck drivers again.

It's also planning to increase rates 5 percent to 7 percent this year as prices have increased for fuel, trucks and labor, said Michael Rex King, Palletized Trucking's president and CEO.

His sales were up 20 percent to 25 percent in January compared with the same month in 2010.

For the full year of 2009, sales dropped by 40 percent.

Joachim said World Trade Distribution's business has picked up 15 percent since last October, but it is still 15 percent less than 18 months ago.

"That's still a significant hit," Joachim said.

As trade rebounds, companies must react to find equipment and space on vessels after shippers reduced capacity in the last 18 months.

Pack n send has republished portions of this article written by Houston Chronicle journalist Jenalia Moreno.  We look for positive upswings in the Houston and US economy for both freight and cargo.

 For more information about packing, crating, cargo and freight shipping from Houston, Texas please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Ships are full, containers are picked over and truck drivers are in demand.

 Houston's trading community is moving more cargo these days as higher oil prices and a rebounding economy have driven up  exports  and  imports.

We're definitely seeing the wheels of the economic engine starting to turn," said Jeff Joachim, president of World Trade Distribution, a Houston company that provides warehousing, trucking and container storage, among other services. "You're starting to see people stock inventory again."

Houston's trade with the world rebounded by 26 percent last year compared with the doldrums of 2009, according to a recent report by WorldCity, which tracks trade data.

But it still hasn't reached the levels of 2008, a banner year for many in the local shipping business.

Last year, Houston traded $211.5 billion in goods with the rest of the world, up from $167.5 billion in 2009, WorldCity reported. That's still less than the record $240.8 billionthe Bayou City traded with world markets in 2008.

Nationwide, trade increased to $3.2 trillion in 2010 from $2.6 trillion in 2009. Last year's numbers were still below the $3.4 trillion in trade during 2008.

Like much of the rest of the U. S..Houston imports more than it exports and had a trade deficit of about $22  billion in 2010.

Pack n send has republished portions of this article written by Houston Chronicle journalist Jenalia Moreno.  We look for positive upswings in the Houston and US economy for both freight and cargo.

 For more information about packing, crating, cargo and freight shipping from Houston, Texas please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

The company aims to replace most of its 14 747 freighters over the next three years with 747-400s. The carrier also operates two 777Fs with four more on order.

Southern Air has committed to leasing five 747-400SFs, with two to be delivered this year and three next year. The carrier is also looking at a potential third aircraft for 2011 and a fourth for 2012.

 Once again, pack n send is able to report more good news in the freight, air cargo and shipping industries for the United States.

 With the purchase of airplanes it shows that companies are now planning on increasing fleets and are anticipating more robust business in the near future.

 We think that infrastructure purchases along with the last few months reports of increase in domestic freight shipping bodes well for both the United States and world wide economy.  While we are optimistic, we are constantly watching fuel price increases to see how they affect the shipping industry as a whole. Air Cargo New originally printed the article above.

 For more information about air cargo, crating and packing and sea freight please cotact pack n   send at 713 266 1450.

freight forwarding houston texas  

 If we had not seen the attached picture, I  am not sure that we would have even read the attached article. In the United States companies are diligent and meticulous about weighing containers more than once to make sure that ships are weighed correctly. We are reprinting portions of this article and the picture from Handy Shipping Guide so that our customers can see what happens in other areas of the world. 

Shipping Container Weights-A Freight Fraud that Can Cost Lives

UK – WORLDWIDE – Once upon a time it was cube cutting that was the fraud of choice for the world’s freight forwarders but with the burgeoning trade in full load containers (FCL’s) over the past few decades, often stuffed with consolidated cargo from different consignors, a new and potentially much more dangerous, problem has arisen.

Under declared tonnage in shipping containers, deliberate or not, has the potential to put lives at risk. Gantries, fork lift trucks and other handling equipment may not be up to the strain and, in worst case scenarios, ships can be incorrectly loaded leading to instability.

 “On the 1st December, the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) announced that they were urging the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to establish an international legal requirement that all loaded containers be weighed at the marine port facility before they are stowed aboard a vessel for export. This has major ramifications for ship owners and terminals alike as the IMO is unlikely to ignore these two powerful bodies.

“Implementation of any legislation on this subject is clearly some years away but terminal operators would do well not to leave everything until the last minute. As the WSC/ICS announcement makes clear, this information should be made available to ship planners and will mean modifying the data links between the machine weighing the containers and the terminal’s operating system.”

The organisers of the conference have expressed a belief that because this is recognised as an important safety issue, some carriers may be prepared to pre-empt any IMO legislation by voluntarily introducing weighing at certain terminals. The general consensus at the conference was that those carriers who operate their own terminals would be best placed to do this, followed closely by those terminal operators with particularly strong links to specific carriers.

One point stressed by several delegates was that it is important to weigh ALL containers, including empties. Apparently there have been a number of cases where ‘empty’ containers have been found to be loaded with waste products and to put these on board a vessel in a stack containing genuine empties could easily initiate a stack collapse. It was also pointed out that there was a strong case for weighing unaccompanied trailers before they are loaded on freight RoRo vessels. This is already mandatory on RoPax vessels carrying 12 or more passengers.

Security experts also point out that an explosive device placed in an empty container would stand a better chance of being detected if empties had to be weighed. So far, the WSC and ICS have only shown concern regarding overweight containers. They should expect representations from various quarters demanding that all containers should be weighed. The real issue here is actually the misdeclaration of container weights, not just under declaration of cargo.

The UK P&I Club’s Communications Director, Nick Whitear says he feels stakeholders should start to consider their options immediately commenting:

“Any new legislation will require carriers to change their systems so that they can accept this new data and be ready to act when inaccurate weights are detected. Also, if they are not doing so already, ship owners need to start educating their customers about the importance of making accurate weight declarations so as to avoid any problems in the ports.”

For assistance with freight forwarding houston texas , please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

This article posted on the KTRK website highlights the diffuculites that ships are having with the temporary closure of the Houston Ship Channel.  Pack n send will try and post daily updates for our customers until the Port of Houston is fully operational once again.

 HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Coast Guard is working to reopen the Houston Ship Channel after a barge collided with a highline tower. Due to the accident, the Ship Channel is closed to marine traffic and it will remain closed until at least Tuesday or possibly Wednesday.

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The accident basically shut down the entire Ship Channel from mile marker 105 to124. So unless you are in a local vessel that is conducting business between those two markers or if you are outside of those two markers, you are basically out of luck. This could be the case until Tuesday or even early Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard.

That's a big problem because there are 18 inbound vessels waiting at the Ship Channel and 14 outbound. The longer this repair takes, the more that number will grow.

On Sunday at around 6am, a tug boat owned by American Electric Power was pushing three barges carrying scrap metal when it collided with an electrical tower that was fortunately under repair, so the lines were not live at the time.

Nineteen miles of waterway are affected by the Ship Channel closure. The Port of Houston says $322 million are lost each day it's closed. The Coast Guard has two cranes performing the work to try to clear the Channel as fast as possible. One of them is called 'Big John.'

"We have the crane, Big John, on scene and the Big John is going to connect to the tower to take the tension off the tower. Right now the tower is sitting partially on the barge and is probably being supported a little bit by the power lines that are there between the other towers," said Captain Markus Woodrings with the U.S. Coast Guard. "Once the Big John hooks up and takes the load on the tower, then CenterPoint energy can get up there, disconnect the line and reel them in and then we can cut the base of the tower, pick the tower up and put it over on the bank and get the Ship Channel open."

According to the Coast Guard, the six tug boat crew members were not injured in this accident. They have been tested for drugs and alcohol. However, those results have not yet been released. The incident is still under investigation. The tug boat's owner will be responsible for repairs.

 There are 30 yachts that are stuck in downtown Houston, members of the Houston Yacht Club who can't get out because of the closure.

The channel is the lifeline to the Port of Houston, the nation's leader in foreign waterborne tonnage and imports and runner-up in U.S. export tonnage and total tonnage.

For more information on shipping cargo out of the Port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

  Pack n send is reprinting this article from today’s Houston Chronicle. Since this will directly impact both incoming and out going ships, it is important to note that there will be cargo delays at the Port of Houston this week.

 By ZAIN SHAUK
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

A set of barges crashed into an electrical tower Sunday in the Port of Houston, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to shut down most of the nation’s second-largest maritime shipping complex, possibly until Wednesday.

A towing vessel pushing three barges of scrap metal through the Houston Ship Channel about 6 a.m. hit a 300-foot-tall electrical tower, which carries lines across the artery, said Petty Officer Richard Brahm, a spokesman for the Coast Guard. No injuries were reported.

The crash happened at the narrowest point in the waterway, leaving three-fourths of the port’s terminals inaccessible.

“Maybe if it was wider we could have got boats around it, but it’s not, so it’s a logistical problem,” Brahm said. “It’s a bad place for it to happen.”

There was no risk of electricity-related injuries or effects to the power grid, which is owned by Houston-based CenterPoint Energy, because lines in the area were deactivated prior to the crash for maintenance work, said Penny Todd, a spokeswoman for the company.

CenterPoint was in the process Sunday of moving equipment needed to clear the steel tower and cables from the waterway — work the company expects will be completed Wednesday, she said.

The 25-mile-long port complex is a major economic engine for the region and in 2009 handled more waterborne tonnage than any port in the country, according to the Port of Houston Authority.

About 60 ships carrying $322 million in goods and resources — ranging from crude oil to finished products in containers — move through the port each day, said Chief Warrant Officer Lionel Bryant, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

19 miles closed

Items shipped through the Port of Houston move to and from destinations in every state, which could mean delays for companies with vessels in the water.

Those ships will have to drop anchor and wait until the steel electrical tower, which was propped up by the barges after the accident, is removed.

At least eight ships were waiting in an anchoring area outside the port after the crash. Five others were waiting to leave.

The Coast Guard closed 19 miles out of the 54-mile-long ship channel, leaving more than 100 terminals — including those for oil giants Shell and Valero — cut off from the sea.

Further delays possible

The few accessible terminals are mostly for container ships and will not be usable by most companies that would need other infrastructure for loading and unloading or that had planned to arrive at terminals north of the crash site, said Tom Pace, presiding officer of Houston Ship Pilots, a labor association.

Three days of backups could result in further delays, even as traffic begins moving through the port again, Pace said.
“It’s going to take probably three days to get everything back to normal after that,” he said.

Crew members from the towing vessel, the T/V Safety Quest, were removed from the boat and tested for drugs and alcohol.

It was unclear how the accident occurred, but the tower’s location has long been known to ship pilots who work in the port, Pace said.

It was one of six towers in the channel, but was the closest to the preferred waterway for traffic.
“The one problem is the tower’s really close to the navigable channel,” Pace said. “That’s probably one of the reasons it had happened.”

For more information about shipping cargo and freight receiving through the Port of Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

SOMALIA – In yet  another  pirate attack, the most southerly reported this year so far in the region, a UAE owned tanker was seized around 100 miles South of Dar es Salaam after unloading its cargo of bitumen at Mombasa in Kenya. The attack follows three previous attacks this week on freight vessels off the Tanzanian coastline.

The vessel was once again Panamanian flagged and was manned by an all Indian crew of 15 according to local reports. We have had no word so far from the vessels owners Bitumen Invest. The ship is the MT Asphalt Venture an asphalt carrier en route to Durban when radar observation showed her turn suddenly and set a course for Xaradheere, about 300 miles north of Mogadishu on the Somali coast.

We have no reports of any contact with the vessel at this time since she altered course early this afternoon. With the seasonal increase in pirate raids, vessel owners and operators are warned by the  authorities to be extra vigilant and take all possible precautions against attack.

Pack n send found this article in the Handy Shipping  Guide. Since we ship worldwide freight and cargo, we constantly monitor the shipping lines throughout the world.  With ships being detained on a regular basis, we look for lines that offer the best possible routes.

For more information on cargo and freight shipping from the United States, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 Pack n send is publishing this article taken from the Handy   Shipping News to show that weather and natural delays in freight do not only occur in the Untied States.

NEW ZEALAND – After our story  earlier this month  on the hardships endured in South Island in the wake of the earthquakes there were immediate disruptions the following day (15th September) when landslips on North Island in the Manawatu Gorge closed State Highway 3 to all traffic, including freight trucks. At that time the road was swiftly cleared and reopened within a few hours.

NEW ZEALAND – After our story earlier this month on the hardships endured in South Island in the wake of the earthquakes there were immediate disruptions the following day (15th September) when landslips on North Island in the Manawatu Gorge closed State Highway 3 to all traffic, including freight trucks. At that time the road was swiftly cleared and reopened within a few hours.

Now however the Gorge is closed to rail freight for the next two days at least after a further slip caused a train carrying a cargo of 400,000 litres of milk to derail yesterday (Saturday). The freight train was heading for Palmerston North from Hawkes Bay when upon rounding a bend the driver saw the blocked track. Despite efforts to stop in time the KiwiRail train ran into the earth slip, fortunately with no injuries to the crew. Another train also hit a slip at Taumarunui on Saturday morning, fortunately again with no injuries and no reports of major delays.

Further interruptions to cargo have occurred due to the persistent bad weather which closed State Highway 73 to high sided lorries and caravans when high winds threatened to overbalance tall vehicles and heavy snowfalls occurred in some mountain areas. The outlook however is good for the next few days with dire weather warnings lifted. Meanwhile the stricken milk locomotive remains stranded after the wagons were removed and towed via an alternative line to their destination and efforts to clear the earth fall using other trains continue whilst the main line at Kaikoura is due to open later today after almost two weeks following the massive landslip there.

Now however the Gorge is closed to rail freight for the next two days at least after a further slip caused a train carrying a cargo of 400,000 liters of milk to derail yesterday (Saturday). The freight train was heading for Palmerston North from Hawkes Bay when upon rounding a bend the driver saw the blocked track. Despite efforts to stop in time the KiwiRail train ran into the earth slip, fortunately with no injuries to the crew. Another train also hit a slip at Taumarunui on Saturday morning, fortunately again with no injuries and no reports of major delays.

Further interruptions to cargo have occurred due to the persistent bad weather which closed State Highway 73 to high sided lorries and caravans when high winds threatened to overbalance tall vehicles and heavy snowfalls occurred in some mountain areas. The out look however is good for the next few days with dire weather warnings lifted. Meanwhile the stricken milk locomotive remains stranded after the wagons were removed and towed via an alternative line to their destination and efforts to clear the earth fall using other trains continue whilst the main line at Kaikoura is due to open later today after almost two weeks following the massive landslip there.

For information on freight and cargo shipping, please contact  pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 While US consumers have opened their pocket books, other countries such as Japan and China are still slow to import as freight and cargo US goods.   Imports of foreign made goods are coming into the United States at a faster rate than last  year. While the President envisions increasing US exports, there is no evidence that this is occurring at a rapid pace.

 Part of the problem appears to be the undervaluation of Chinese currency.  Once their currency is allowed to rise to a more realistic level, the Chinese will have the ability to purchase more goods. This will also of course  increase the cost to US  consumers of Chinese goods.

 While pack n send exports goods for businesses and inviduals, it also monitors currency flucuations around the world. As United States goods become  more reasonably priced in comparison to other countries goods, exports of US made goods will defiantly rise.

 This will be good for US workers and their families.

 For more information on exporting goods made in the United States, please contact pack n send at  713 266 1450.

The 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are being held in Vancouver, British Columbia from February 12 -28. You should be aware of several UPS service changes that will be in effect February 1 - 28.

Due to imposed security requirements and access restrictions related to the Games, the following service changes will apply in Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, British Columbia:

All shipments originating outside of Canada to the affected postal codes will have an end-of-day delivery commitment for the time period noted above. Delivery guarantees for international origin shipments of UPS Worldwide Express Plus^TM and UPS Worldwide Express^TM services will not apply.

UPS Worldwide Express Plus, UPS Worldwide Express, and UPS Worldwide Express Saver^TM shipments originating outside of Canada will require one additional day for delivery to Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.

• Service will be affected in postal codes beginning with the following three characters: Vancouver, British Columbia V6B, V6C, V6E, V6G, V6Z, V7G, V7H, V7J, V7K, V7L, V7M, V7N, V7P, V7R, V7S, V7T, V7V, V7W, V7X and V7Y Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, British Columbia V0N and V8B

If  you are going to the Olympics and need your audio visual equipment or computers delivered ahead of time, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 We can ship it for you via freight and arrange to have it returned to you.