Pack n send, which specials in international freight shipping Houston Texas, is always looking for articles about using shipping containers for uses other than shipping. Sounds interesting? Well it is.

We have written blogs about a mall in England made from shipping containers.  And then there was the shipping container made into a Subway Restaurant. That container moved up floor by floor with construction workers who are building the new World Trade Center in New York City.

Now, we have found that there are shipping containers being used in Houston to build affordable housing.  These one story homes are fully insulated and are built on piers, just like Houston homes.  Shipping containers cost between two thousand to five thousand five hundred dollars.  While shipping containers come in twenty and forty foot sizes, it is the forty foot containers that are being used to build these homes.

We have seen pre fabricated homes built before, but I do not believe that any of these homes have been built from re purposed materials. Taking an existing structure and using it for a brand new purpose is quite exciting to a shipping company.

There are actually other uses for container, in the more traditional sense.  Think shipping of cars, equipment, clothing, medical equipment and household goods.

Since pack n send, which specializes in international freight shipping Houston is located in beautiful Houston, Texas we are ever mindful of being located close to one of the largest ports in the United States…The Port of Houston.

The Port of Houston is a major shipping port for the United States. While other ports have experienced work stoppages in recent years, or the threat of strikes by dock workers, The Port of Houston, has been a constant port for both shipping and receiving of international goods.

The Port of Houston posts amazing trade statistics. It is ranked first in the United States in foreign tonnage, second in the United States in total tonnage, and seventh in 2012 in container port in total TEU’s.

The port of Houston is the largest Texas port with 46 per cent of tonnage in 2012, largest Texas container port in 2012, largest Gulf Coast container port in 2012, and second ranked United States Port in terms of the value of the cargo that goes through the port.

The Port Authority has an attitude that nothing is too difficult for them to handle. On their website they list freight of everything from grain to auto parts.

Not only is the Port of Houston currently one of the most progressive ports in the United States, the update on their website reprinted below demonstrates that they are planning for a busy future. 

“Demonstrating continued investment in infrastructure improvements to better serve customers, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority today selected Konecranes Finland Corporation to supply four dockside electric container cranes for Wharf No. 1 at Barbours Cut Container Terminal.

The Port Commission authorized negotiation of a contract with Konecranes for the equipment, which is part of a significant renovation under way at Barbours Cut, the Port Authority’s first container terminal. handling facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico  A planned $700 million project to modernize this critical facility will include new cranes, lights and dock improvements to provide customers more efficient cargo handling with expanded capability to handle larger ships.

Two Foreign Trade Zone matters were also approved, one for an expansion of FTZ 84, of which the Port Authority is the grantee, and one to create a new subzone. FTZ 84 is one of the largest zones in the U.S. and according to the latest report to Congress, more value passes through it than any other FTZ in the nation, exporting more than $5 billion worth of goods annually.” 

With alternative uses for containers and the busy Port of Houston, container usage will only increase in the future. Freight companies in Houston Texas look forward to a very vibrant future.

Pack n send is reprinting this article from Time.com as a service to our customers.  While this article states that the idle barges along the Mississippi, does not directly effect consumers, this shut down does affect businesses on the Gulf Coast.  The crop going for overseas shipping, are not leaving the Gulf Coast Ports. This does effect the jobs and livelihoods of companies and individuals along the Gulf Coast.

Time.com 

Barges and their towboats accumulate alongside the Mississippi banks of the Mississippi River near Greenville, Miss., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012. Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say low water levels …more  that are restricting shipping traffic, forcing harbor closures and causing towboats and barges to run aground on the Mississippi River are expected to continue into October. 

Close to 100 tows sit motionless in the shriveled  Mississippi River along an 11-mile stretch outside of Greenville, Miss. For every day a single towboat sits idle, it costs about $10,000. So when you’ve got at least 97 of them stranded, those costs start piling up quickly.

As the Midwest experiences its worst drought in 50 years, the Mississippi Riveris hitting water levels not seen since 1988, a year viewed by those in the industry as a benchmark of hard times. Back then, hundreds of barges sat idle near the same location that they’re sitting today: Greenville.

Until now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had successfully kept river traffic moving by dredging the river, keeping it at a depth of at least nine feet along its 2,300-mile length all summer, only closing ports here and there temporarily.

But barges and towboats have now piled up nea rGreenville, forcing the Coast Guard to close an 11-mile stretch to shipping this week. That closure will really start to pinch shipping operators who use the country’s inland waterways to deliver a host of commodities, goods and products across theU.S.

It’s difficult to determine exactly how much is being lost due to stopped river traffic. For one, many of the companies along the river are not publicly traded and don’t release financial information.

“Everybody is making guesstimates,” says Dr. Donald Sweeney of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. “But it all depends on how long the drought lasts.”

The point of reference is often 1988 when the shipping industry lost an estimated $1 billion. Currently, 100 tows sitting idle at $10,000 a piece is costing operators $1 million daily. And that’s not factoring in the lighter loads that cargo companies have been forced to carry to stay afloat, as well as the smaller number of barges being towed because the river has become narrower. And while the Coast Guard has reported 97 tows backed up along the river, that number’s growing.

“More tows are joining the queue by the hour or have just decided to hold where they are now,” says Lynn Muench of the American Waterways Operators via e-mail Tuesday afternoon. “Most tows will wait further upstream or downstream for the sake of safety, so there are a lot more waiting that we are unable to count.”

Muench says the best-case scenario for opening up the 11-mile stretch for safe passage could take at least several more days as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues dredging the area. Bloomberg News reported that the Coast Guard expected to open up northbound traffic Tuesday, but it will likely take days to get all of the stalled barges moving again.

CEO of the Port of New Orleans Gary La Grangehas estimated that closing the river to shipping altogether would cost the industry $300 million a day. Even with the low water levels, it doesn’t appear that the situation will get as bad as it did in 1988. But for the $180 billion industry, which transports 20% of the country’s coal and 60% ofU.S.grain exports (much of it along the Mississippi), the costs are beginning to mount.

Fortunately, U.S .consumers aren’t likely to see much change in prices for farm products like corn, which is widely transported along the river. That’s because most crops shipped on the inland waterways are export-bound, says Sweeney. But shipping operators are initially going to be squeezed, and depending on what products they ship – which can be anything from petroleum to heating oil to chemicals – those costs could eventually be felt by consumers later in the year.

“There won’t be hardly any impact to U.S .consumers for products like corn or soybeans,” says Sweeney. “Who it’s really bad for right now are the barge companies. They are without a doubt incurring greater costs.” And those costs will get worse every day there’s a stoppage.

“The daily costs increase as more and more vessels are delayed and it takes longer and longer to ultimately return to normal operating conditions,” says Sweeney. We’re unlikely to know how much until the drought has ended and barge operators return to business as usual, which at this point doesn’t seem likely for months.

Pack n send does not ship on the Mississippi, but does pack, crate and freight furniture and office equipment from Houston, Texas. To contact pack n send, please feel free to call 713 266 1450.

With the economy picking up, retail companies are looking for ways to save money on storage facilities for their products. Pack n send has noticed an up tick in companies using just in time shipping to our ware house.

 While most companies choose to ship via freight, some are using moving trucks to move merchandise. This is often used for furniture shipments, or custom made items.

We see retailers who  are  arranging for  shipments to be sent to a receiving company’s ware house. The ware house company then unloads, and sorts the boxes for delivery. The retailer then provides delivery dates and time at retail locations. This saves the retailer both on personnel costs and storage costs.

Other companies are shipping directly to warehouses and asking the warehouse to ship out small orders via Fed Ex orUPS. Once again, the seller is saving on warehousing costs. They are also saving on their personnel’s time by having experts take care of common carrier shipping.  Another example of just in time operations.

Pack n send receives freight  and retail items for both furniture manufactures and individuals. Trucks pull up to our warehouse, unload and then go on to their next destination.

For more information about freight shipping and receiving, or just in time inventory management, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

See more photos by Matthew Hull at PBase.
See my portfolio at Since some freight can be delicate or time sensitive, it is important to look for a company that has been in business for many years, has a good reputation, and has a brick and mortar location. 

The need to be able to freight anything you need shipped. From car engines and household goods, to automobiles and furniture, the company that you  choose will Look for a company that offers personalize service. Each shipment should be    handled individually to serve the customer's unique needs. The company should offer both palletized shipping as well as containerized loading and shipping for larger shipments.  Be sure to see if containers are necessary for your shipping, or if the company can quote you by the cubic meter.

Small loads like, car doors, auto parts and furniture all can be  placed on pallets, surrounded by cardboard, and then strapped with metal banding for shipping.

Computers should be  packed in boxes, shrink wrapped and send out on skids. Small amounts of household goods should be  packed in boxes, loaded onto pallets and then shrink wrapped. Household and business furniture are safely put on pallets as well. Once again, for international shipping, make sure the company has experience both loading and processing international paperwork.

Car engines are strapped to pallets. Large and small households are boxed and loaded into containers for overseas shipping.

  Look for a company that can accept your inbound freight into their warehouse on your behalf.  Make sure they can then deliver the freight to you. 

These are just some freight shipping and receiving advice. For more advice, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

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

The electronics should be packed as follows:

 Individual computers and electronic equipment should be  prepared for shipping using antistatic plastic or bubble wrap. Once the piece 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 and electronics 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 offers onsite packing, crating and shipping.

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

Does the company you choose offer full value coverage in case of loss or damage during the pick up, packing and shipping process? Can the company move your electronics via moving if the situation dicates this.

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

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.

Have you ever had to move small amounts of furniture, household items, or office equipment cross-country? Have you ever considered Less-Than-Load freight?

Most major moving companies require a large amount of furniture and a large dollar amount for moving furniture across throughout the United States.

There are other ways to send small amounts furniture. LTL (less than load) shipment consolidates freight from other customers on the same truck. Small amounts of freight from various customers are shipped at a savings all over the country.

When requesting LTL it is good idea to ask for the days when discounts are provided. Companies that book your shipment should pass these savings on to you, their customer.

Another factor to consider is the length of time it will take your shipment to reach its final destination. Most carriers provide an expedited service at an additional cost.

You can take out coverage for the value of your shipment due to loss or damage by the carrier.

The process for freighting your furniture is relatively simple. Your furniture is packed carefully on a pallet, surrounded by 1 x 4’s shrink wrapped and sent out as freight.

The freight company will call the day before to set a delivery time that fits in with your schedule.

When your furniture is delivered, you can request an "inside delivery" for a few dollars more.

Furniture freighting is the best way for you to ship small quantity of furniture.

For more information about freighting furniture or for a free price quote, call Pack n Send at 713 266 1450.

As reported by  Elaine Kurtenbach with the Associate Press, China is now assessing duties on car and sport utility vehicles made in the United States.

 These duties come a time when US auto makers are trying to pull out of the recession.

 At this point, the duration of the duties set  by the Chinese government are set to last  for two years.

 Not only does this tax effect the car manufacturers, it also effects the bottom line of both shipping companies and  ocean shipping lines.

 The maritime industry ships cars over seas, and shipping companies ship the spare parts for repairs and accidents.

 In this global economy, excessive duties and taxes hurt more than one industry.

 The United States was already at a disadvantge since the Chinese gonvernment already offers subsidies to Chinese manufactured vehicles.

 In some ways the Chinese governemnt is doing what US consurmers have asked their government to do. They appear to be protecting Chinese jobs.  Vehicles made in the United States can be considered outsourcing of manufacturing..something the Chinese are attempting to avoid.  

Pack n send has international shipping and does not face these obstacles in many of the over 200 countries where we ship for our customers.

 For information on packing, freight,  crating, cargo and international shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at  713 266 1450.

Look for a company that can custom build a  custom crate for moving or shipping your marble.  If you are asking for an estimate, measure the length, width and height two times to make sure that your measurements are correct.

 If the company building your crate cannot crate on site, be sure to have professionals deliver the marble piece to the crate builder.

 This is for both marble sculptures as well as marble counter tops and table tops.

 Ask if the company you choose can double or triple bubble the marble piece. This adds extra cushioning during the moving or shipping process. Check to see if the company will use two to three inches of Styrofoam on all sides on the inside of the crate. This means top, bottom and all sides are to be lined with Styrofoam.

 Ask that the crate be built with screws on the top. This will allow for easy opening at your crates final destination.  The bottom of the crate should be secured with staples.

 After your crate is closed, stapled and had screws put on the top, make sure that metal banding will be wrapped around the crate as an extra security measure.

 For more information on shipping marble, please feel free to call pack n send at  713 266 1450.

If you do not have much furniture to ship from city to city, why not freight your furniture? There are no minimum amounts of furniture. All you need to do is give us a list of the items that you would like to ship and we can give you a quote.

 You do not pay for a full truckload of furniture.  We even can drop the furniture off at the curbside, and you can unload it if you like, in order to save yourself money. 

 Using freight, you can ship new furniture, used furniture, antiques and even grandfather clocks. Why not ship boxes of household goods with your furniture? We recommend that you ship everything at one time, rather than breaking up you move into a few smaller shipments.

 Need to ship a bike?  Add it to your freight shipment.  Need time specific pick up? We can arrange that also. 

 If you have any questions about freighting your furniture, please feel free to call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

The holidays are now getting quite close, and getting all those gifts to family world wide is becoming slightly more tedious. No one enjoys spending a fortune to get the gifts to their families, which is why the hunt for inexpensive shipping costs is beginning.

If you are one of the many wanting to find less expensive  shipping costs, you will be happy to know that it's actually possible and there are many ways you can minimize the amounts you spend this holiday season. 

One of the best ways you can greatly diminish the amount you spend for shipping is combining packages. If you have several family members in one local area that you're shipping gifts to ship them all to one location. By doing this you are reducing  the amount of packages being sent out, meaning less postal shipping costs. This is also a great way to ensure that your family is spending a little quality time together. 

Houston Company recommends that you should consider is shipping early.

By shipping early you won't have to pay the added costs for expedited shipping to ensure the packages get there in time. Most people are known to wait until the last minute, but the holidays is the worst time that you could do this. 

The holiday season is a time of year you want to enjoy as much as possible. The last thing you want to worry about is your family not receiving their gifts.

Look for a company that  dedicates themselves to cutting costs for you and also making sure that your family receives their gifts on time. It can be quite saddening to find out that they did not, so don't deal with this feeling this year. 

Make this a holiday season you enjoy to the fullest and have a reliable company  help you relieve all that gift shipping stress. Ask for a tracking number so that you can track your packages. While Christmas is a few months away, now is the time to get organized and select your shipping alternatives.

For more information about holiday shipping, holiday moving or freight shipping, please feel free to call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

The Houston Chronicle article in this mornings paper updates information about the port expansion at the Port of Houston.

 Since the Panama Canal is increasing the size of the ships that pass though it, the Port of Houston is remodeling so that it too can accommodate the larger ships. The Panama Canal anticipates finishing the improvements in 2014.

 The total expansion of the Port of Houston will take about 10 years to complete, but the first phase  of completion  should coincide with the completion of the Panama Canal.

 The Port of Houston is looking at storing containers five high. They will need to reinforce storage areas with stronger concrete. 

 Pack n send tries to keep our customers updated on improvements in the shipping industry as well as events at the Port of Houston.

 For more information on shipping and freight from Houston,TX, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

When looking for someone to  ship your car,  make sure that they can ship for dealers, companies, and individuals.

Individuals taking vacations during summer may want to ship their vehicle to the destination as well as have it returned at the end of the stay.  This helps teenagers learning to drive continue to practice on the car that they will drive when going back to school in the fall.

If you are shipping overseas, make sure the auto shipper researches both containerized shipping as well as roll on roll off service.  Need the car shipped back to the states? Make sure your shipper has this capability as well.

Some other reasons for vehicle shipping may include:

• Corporate relocation
• Private or dealer auto sales
• Death of a family member 
• A cross-country or international move

No matter what the reason for your car shipping needs you need to locate someone with experience. If the price you are offered is too low, you may want to consider doing research on the company offering this low price.

Door to Door Vehicle Shipping

Convenience and customer satisfaction  should be the companies highest priorities.

Make sure to get an auto shipping quote before you ship your car.  If you request that the car be placed inside a container, make sure the company you are using has experience shipping cars.  The company you are contacting should always ask for make, model and year of the car.  They also need to let you know that the modifications to the vehicle must be taken off before loading.

No personal goods may be placed inside the car for shipping. 
The gas tank must contain less than 1/8 a tank of gas.

Pick up and delivery times should be scheduled by the shipping company.

1. Make sure that when shipping domestically, you are offered both door to door and  terminal to terminal service.

For more information about auto shipping both within the United Statesand internationally, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

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US – Across the world supporters of its undoubted advantages view rail freight as a magic bullet which will take huge swathes of trucks from their nation’s roads and reduce energy consumption and pollution simultaneously. Whilst reality may never reach the giddy heights of expectation, certainly in smaller countries like the UK, sending bulk cargo by rail is preferable, and more practical for the greater part of larger journeys.

In India and Eastern Europe for example the development of rail infrastructure makes sound financial and ecological sense, and a favorable commercial environment may be sensible route to future success. But what of those countries which have been shipping long haul cargo for decades? There appears to be a growing lobby in the US to take a hard look at this method of shipping goods, primarily because of pricing policy.

When Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway group swept in for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad last November it came as a surprise to many. Mr Buffet however would not go ‘all in’ on a deal for the country’s second largest rail freight company unless he saw a future profit, and uppermost in his mind may well have been the way the freight rail tariffs are arrived at.

We have seen the anti trust authorities sweeping through other parts of the shipping world relentlessly of late, funded principally by the fines they extract from the guilty parties but two sectors have remained above it all, container shipping through permissible ‘stabilisation agreements’ and rail freight.

Much of the health of cargo carrying railways is due to Harley O Staggers senior who saw his bill to deregulate the rail carriers pass into law just three months before he left office in 1981. The Staggers Act opened up what had been an ailing system by allowing the free negotiation of freight tariffs without state interference or approval as long as a monopoly did not exist.

Now it seems that a hearing on federal rail policy before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is about to reconsider the Act. Chair of the committee which convened on Wednesday, John D Rockefeller, has already commented on a report named “The Current Financial State of the Class I Freight Rail Industry,” and his views are transparent.

Senator Rockefeller states that whilst the rail operators plead poverty, they are in fact statistically one of the richest industries in the country. Operators still seek large sums from the federal authorities to fund infrastructure improvements, usually with favorable results. Expect sparks to fly as the truck lobby faces up to the rail contingent yet, as anyone who understands the complexities of freight understands, these two need each other in what will become an increasingly intermodal world.

The rail freight report prompted a stern response from the Association of American Railroads but there is of course no right and wrong in this situation in that the rail groups need money for considerable maintenance and improvement costs but opponents argue that these are very long term investments and the rates currently charged to customers are way above the level needed to produce a reasonable return. It is unlikely messrs Buffet and Rockefeller will be dining together for a while.

Pack n send has taken this article from the Handy Shipping    Guide.  Watching the changes in the freight industry always interesting to pack n send. 

As old as this industry is, it always exciting to see new developments in freight shipping in the United States.

For more information about freight shipping in the United States please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

By Jeremy van Loon -

A chunk of ice four times the size of Manhattan broke away from Greenland and may drift toward shipping lanes in the North Atlantic and off the Canadian coast, researchers said.

The 100-square mile ice island, with enough stored water to keep the Hudson River flowing for more than two years, split off from the Petermann Glacier last week, according to Andreas Muenchow, an associate professor of ocean science and engineering at the University of Delaware.

The ice is the largest to detach from an Arctic glacier since 1962 and follows the six warmest months on record. Glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica are melting faster than predicted, accelerating their march to the sea and adding to the rising ocean levels that threaten coastal communities worldwide, according to many scientific studies.

“So far, 2010 has been the hottest year on record, and scientists agree Arctic ice is a canary in a coal mine that provides clear warnings on climate,” said U.S. Representative Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts and chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, on the panel’s website.

The ice island has been drifting in the sea lane between Canada andGreenland since Aug. 5, Muenchow said on the university’s website. It may block the channel, break into smaller pieces or hit land, he added.

Real Islands

The ice will encounter real islands in the Nares Strait and may drift along the coast of Canada’s Baffin Island toward Labrador, eventually reaching the Atlantic in about two years, Muenchow said.

The Petermann Glacier covers about 500 square miles. Researchers at the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University are monitoring a rift in the ice, according to NASA. Over a two-week period last summer, the glacier lost 11 square miles, NASA said.

Pack n send  has republished portions of  this article by Jeremy van Loon. We try and keep out customers up to date on worldwide shipping. During the past few months, the  pirate activity seems to have decreased while glacier activity has been on the increase.

For information about Houston shipping, moving, packing or freight, please feel free to call pack n send at  713 266 1450.

For those summer moves , pack n send  have a few handy moving  tips.

You can either use a traditional mover for in city moves, or use a freight company to load your items on a pallet and deliver to your curb. For small amounts of furniture, this may help you keep your price low.

Here are a few packing tips.

Start to pack early.  Do not wait until the day of the move to begin your packing.

When possible, pack one room from start to finish. Mark each box clearly with the room your box will be delivered to, as well as the items in each box.

Pack heavier items on the bottom of the box. Be sure to use lots of packing materials.  Peanuts, bubble and newsprint are a good start.  Newsprint is better than a used newspaper, as there is no ink to damage your goods.

If you have just a few items to ship, pack n send can freight your furniture.  We can even send your furniture via cargo over seas. We ship via cubic meters as well as containers.

For any moving, furniture freighting, or cargo shipping questions, please call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

We are continually looking for ways to save our customers money.  With our furniture freighting service, we can  pick up anywhere in the United States, put your furniture on a truck, and have your furniture delivered to your home or office. We have many repetitive customers, but if you are a one time shipper, that is fine too.

There is not a minimum weight requirement as there is with more traditional moving services. We offer both curbside delivery, and inside delivery.  The curbside delivery saves the most amount of money. If you need a lift gate truck at either the pick up or delivery, we will provide it.

We make sure of your items will be items being shipped are properly and securely packaged.

The freight shipment will be packaged, crated, or stacked and secured onto a palletpallets with metal  banding. Labels will be placed on every freight piece of freight.

We will provide you with your bill of lading number.  We offer full value coverage for your shipment for both loss and damage.

We deliver to homes, business, apartments, estates, farms, and construction sites.  All we need is an address and phone number. We call ahead of time to arrange delivery.  Once the pallet arrives, all you need to do is inspect all of your items, sign for the shipment, and you are done.

The unpacking of the freight can be accomplished on your own time schedule.

All you need to do is let us know the pick up, delivery address, items that you need to ship and value, and we will handle your freight shipment.

We freight office furniture, home furnishings, purchases made for designers and just about anything else.  Of course for individuals or businesses requiring white glove service, we offer our moving services.

If you would like to freight your furniture, please feel free to call us at 713 266 1450.

www.pack-n-send.com

 
See more photos by Matthew Hull at PBase.
See my portfolio at

Pack n send feels that this article is relevant because it once again demonstrates that air carriers both for freight and cargo are doing business in a world wide economy. One country or airline no longer effects the entire industry.

Air Carriers Threatened By Union Intervention

WORLDWIDE – Air freight and passenger services have seen major disruptions to services in the past few years caused by bad feelings between the management and staff over terms and conditions of employment and such perks as free or reduced rates when traveling. The situation has been exacerbated of late where carriers have joined to form alliances with differing employment conditions applicable to their individual employees, despite similar routes and services.

Now a new body representing workers in the Oneworld alliance of airlines has made an offer on problem-solving and labour negotiations for what it terms a ‘constructive partnership’ between trade unions and management. The  letter, signed by the Council’s coordinator, John M Conley, says:

“I am writing to you to introduce the One World of Labour Council, a global group that comprises trade unions representing workers across the Oneworld alliance member airlines.

 “At present, industrial relations are clearly strained in a number of airlines within the Oneworld group and our unions have pledged to support each other during these challenging times. Nevertheless, we wish to express our commitment to problem-solving and negotiating in good faith with those among our management counterparts who are wiling to do the same. To this end, the Labour Council would like to invite you and your fellow leaders within Oneworld to open channels of communication with us as soon as possible, both at the national and global levels.”

Given the disparate nature of the airlines involved, the carriers will argue that an alliance of this type is a straightforward commercial agreement covering a part of their collective business, a marriage of convenience, not a deep seated and irrevocable amalgamation, nor a ‘de facto merger’ which should be reflected in changed terms of contract for the likes of cabin crew, pilots, ground staff, baggage and cargo handlers.

We have published portions of the article above from the Handy Shipping Guide because of our interest in world wide freight shipping. For information about freight and cargo shipping fromHouston, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

US-Started in 2nd Quarter of 2008, the Transport Capital Partners’ (TCP) quarterly Business Expectation Survey acts as an indicator of the state of the American freight trucking market by canvassing industry executives across the country. The company’s most recent study, for the second quarter of this year, found the carriers’ responses have essentially remained unchanged for the last four quarters on capacity plans. The carriers were generally reserved about increasing haulage capacity via acquisition or truck purchases, and the survey attempts to highlight the reasons.

When carriers were asked if they had been able to find reasonable credit, over 80% indicated they had.TCPPartner Richard Mikes, founder of the survey feels this indicates that the credit constraint issue is behind most truckers compared to the first quarter of 2009 when only half the carriers reported reasonable credit and points out most new truck orders are for replacement vehicles.

“TCPexpects the second half of 2011 to likely show a greater capacity gap as freight volumes expand and carriers remain conservative on additions” remarked Lana Batts,TCPPartner and the survey concludes that larger carriers (over $25 million in revenue) are more conservative with 32% not adding any capacity compared to 24% reported by smaller carriers. Thirty-nine percent of carriers intend to add some capacity with one quarter acquiring contractors.

Batts and Mikes note that this level of additions indicated in the survey result in truck supply conditions forecast in an earlier TCPwhite paper and are generally still on target favouring carriers. Both partners with extensive experience in transportation directed the survey and analyzed the findings. TCPcouples the survey results with conversations they hold with carriers and others in the industry to present an insightful dialogue on key issues. Interested parties can see more details on the TCP website.

Pack n send has taken this article from the Handy Shipping Guide. We are constantly following trends in the freight industry.  With thirty- nine per cent of carriers expecting to add some capacity during the second half of 2011, this indicates an upbeat attitude for freight shipping in theUnited States.  This  follows the outlook forEuropeas well.

For information about freightFreight HoustonMoving Houston, moving, cargo shipping and container loading fromHouston, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send in Houston, TX. has a recommendation to businesses and individuals with small amounts of furniture or office equipment.

Instead of using a traditional mover, it may be cost effective to look for a company that is willing to build a custom pallet and freight your furniture. The furniture or office equipment can be sent via freight to its destination. Your items can be valued for loss or damage during shipping. This is usually a money saver, because it involves less manpower.

When you receive your freight shipment, inspect it before the driver leaves. Make sure as you would in a move that everything has arrived in good condition.

If you do not want to use freight, then you should look for a mover that puts more than one individuals belongings on a truck and does multiple multi city moves at one time. The truck driver will pick up and deliver your goods either inside your home or business. Your items can be valued for loss or damage during shipping.

This is an alternative to using a large mover that requires a minimum dollar amount be spent, or a minimum number of pounds be shipped.

For more information on freighting furniture or moving small amounts of furniture in a truck,  please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

HONG Kong International Airport (HKIA), the world’s biggest hub for cargo, is evaluating the need for a third runway to accommodate the rise in freight traffic.

During the first quarter of 2011 cargo volume rose to 944,000 tonnes.

National airline Cathay Pacific also became the world’s largest international air cargo carrier. Cathay chief executive John Slosar says Hong Kong has become a victim of its own success as the two runways are likely to be insufficient to meet demand by 2020, rather than 10 or 20 years after that, as previously thought.

An increase in passengers and a new one-day record of 1,003 flights are putting on the pressure for a third runway. Cargo airlines say that in order to stay competitive the third runway must be built.

Every development is not without its controversy. To build a third runway would involve reclamation of 6.5km². This means the runway would be built on areas currently in the sea, which could have a negative impact on the endangered white dolphin.

The new runway is expected to cost about 80 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$10.3 billion). A public consultation period has just begun.

HKIA overtook Memphis (US) as the world’s biggest air cargo hub in 2010 due to exports from southern China’s Pearl River Delta.

Air Cargo News reported this on June 2^nd. This is good news for the worldwide freight economy.

 For information about shipping air freight from Houston, Texas, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 Con-way Truckload, the U.S. road freight subsidiary of international logistics operator Con-Way Inc., has announced that due to expanding demand they are to reopen their driver orientation site in Phoenix, Arizona.

The site closed in 2009 as a retrenchment measure, but now Con-way intends to recruit 30-50 experienced drivers a month from Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico.

Drivers joining Con-way undergo a five-day program where they complete the required paperwork and road test, learn about policies and procedures and take the Department of Transportation-mandated physical exam, among other activities.

Prior to the reopening, drivers in the Western states had to conduct this at Con-way’s Lancaster, Texas facility. Now the Phoenix site will allow drivers from the Western states joining Con-way to conduct their orientation closer to home.

"The Phoenix site offers area drivers the opportunity to attend our orientation program in their own backyards before hitting the road with a company recognized for superior service, rewarding career opportunities and strong commitment to safety," said Bert Johnson, senior director of human resources, Con-way Truckload.

"With a growing customer base, competitive pay package and new equipment, there has never been a better time to join Con-way Truckload."

This article was taken directly from the Handy Shipping Guide.

Pack n send monitors both freight industry news as well as environmental improvements in the shipping industry.

For more information about shipping freight, packing and moving in the United States and Houston, Texas, please feel free to call pack n send at  713 266 1450.

More Upbeat News from the Freight Industry

ETHIOPIAN Airlines is adding to its fast-growing freighter fleet by dry leasing two 777Fs from GE Capital Aviation Services.

The 10-year lease agreement for the new aircraft will begin when they arrive from Boeing Manufacturing in Seattle (US), at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) in September and October 2012.

Ethiopian has also ordered five 777s, two of which have already arrived; a third is expected in June. The airline is still waiting for its 10 787s.

In March Ethiopian announced plans to double capacity at its Bole International Airport cargo hub. The airline is also gearing up for the opening of a new hub in Zambia. From 1 May the carrier began flights with cargo capacity to the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Over the last five years the amount of cargo handled by Ethiopian Airlines has more than doubled from 42,000 tonnes to 110,000.

 CHINA Southern Airlines is giving Boeing's order book a boost with an agreement to buy six 777Fs.

The aircraft, to be delivered between 2013 and 2015, have a list price of US$1.58 billion with the purchase being funded by bank loans and China Southern’s operating fund.

The 777Fs will boost the airline’s cargo capacity, measured in available tonne kilometres, by 8.4 per cent.

China Southern is not a new customer for Boeing. Earlier in May the Chinese firm announced that its Xiamen Airlines subsidiary would buy six 787 Dreamliners costing $1.1 billion. The aircraft are due to be delivered between 2014 and 2015.

In November 2010 China Southern had agreed to buy 36 aircraft from Airbus for $3.78 billion. Rival Air China said in March this year it would buy five 747-8 passenger aircraft with a combined list price of $1.54 billion.

 Pack n send has reprinted these articles from Air Cargo News.  They show that the world wide economy is improving.

 For information about cargo, moving and freight shipping, please contact pack n send at 743 266 1450.

1. You will need to give your shipping company the following information:  City, country and closest airport.

2. You will need to give your shipping company the following information: City, country and closest airport.

3. Date of Travel: Does your pet have a set or flexible travel date?

4. Do you have an approved airplane crate?

5. Does your pet need transportation service to and from the airport? Does your pet need overnight boarding?

6 Some airlines allow you to take small animals inside the cabin. Some only allow your pet to be shipped as cargo.

7. Remember, your pet will need customs clearance if traveling outside the United States.

8. Make sure that shot records are up to date, both in the United States and for the country your pet is traveling to.

For more information on pet shipping please contact pack-n-send at 713 266 1450.

www.pack-n-send.com

 EUROPE – Volvo trucks has announced it has just launched their new Volvo FM MethaneDiesel truck. The new vehicle is powered by a combination of diesel and methane gas which according to Volvo could potentially reduce CO2 emissions from heavy and long-distance freight and logistics operations by a considerable amount.

The new trucks have already undergone field-testing with a number of companies in Sweden and the positive reactions to this has encouraged Volvo to commit to the new fuel, the first major European truck manufacturer to do so.

“The sales start of our methane-diesel model creates new conditions for the gas truck market. By using liquefied gas in an efficient diesel engine, we make it possible to use gas-powered trucks in heavier and longer-distance transport operations, making us the first manufacturer in Europe to do so,” says Claes Nilsson, President Europe Division at Volvo Trucks.

According to Volvo, the use of natural gas fuel results in a 10 percent reduction on CO2 emissions over a conventional diesel engine. However, compared with conventional gas-powered spark-plug engines, Volvo’s gas technology offers 30 to 40 percent higher efficiency, and this in turn cuts fuel consumption by 25 percent. This means that if a Volvo gas-powered truck is run on biogas, emissions of carbon dioxide would be able to be cut by up to 70 percent compared with a conventional diesel engine.

Powered by up to 75% natural gas or biogas the new Volvo’s engine is based on a conventional diesel equipped with a special fuel tank that keeps the gas liquefied and chilled to -140 degrees Celsius, and a catalytic converter. By using liquefied gas, more fuel can be stored in the tanks compared to if the fuel is compressed. This gives the methane-diesel truck a far greater range than that of traditional gas-powered trucks that utilise spark-plug technology. In a truck with a gross weight of 40 tonnes, the fuel tank holds enough gas for a range of up to 500 kilometres in normal driving.

The new Volvo FM MethaneDiesel is offered with a 13-litre engine producing 460 horsepower and 2300 Nm of torque. The fuel consists of up to 75 percent liquefied gas and the rest diesel, but the proportions can vary depending on how the vehicle is used.

In addition, should one fuel run out then the engine simply switches to the alternative, the driver only being made aware of this by lights on his instrument panel.

Though the initial sales of the new truck will be limited to Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands due to those countries more extensive network of natural gas refuelling stations, Volvo firmly believe that the potential savings for hauliers through greater fuel economy and the significantly lower prices of natural gas will soon the new technology much more widely accepted.

“Natural gas is attracting considerable interest in many countries and regions the world over. This interest is being largely driven by environmental considerations as well as by concerns over the secure supply of energy. In the USA and parts of Asia, Europe and South America, gas power is either already in use or decisions have been taken to invest in this power source. Thailand, for instance, is well to the fore with an established infrastructure and good availability,” says Lars Mårtensson, Director Environmental Affairs at Volvo Trucks.

Pack n send found this article in the Handy Shipping Guide. We are constantly on the look out for environmentally friendly business practices. For information about shipping, freight, moving, and containers from Houston, Texas feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send found this information on the Port of Houston website and have reprinted it for our customers to read.  With the expansion of the Panama Canal, it is expected that the Port of Houston will see even more use. This is second in our series of blogs about the Port of Houston.

• Containerization was born when the world’s first container ship, M/V Ideal X, sailed with 58 containers from New York/New Jersey and unloaded at the Port of Houston in April 1956.

 • Developed by the Port of Houston Authority, the Houston World Trade Building was the first facility of its kind in the U.S. The $3.5 million building opened January 29, 1962, and was designed as a central location for international trade interests including consular offices, transportation companies, importers and exporters. 

• In 1962, Houston became the first choice of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the site of its new headquarters. 

Houston was selected for the manned space program partially because of the fact that our ship channel and port facilities provided an excellent means for transporting bulky space vehicles.

 • Use of the double-stack train was introduced at the Port of Houston in 1981. By placing one container on top of another, transportation costs were greatly reduced. 

• In July, 1983 the Houston Foreign Trade Zone became the first multi-site zone approved by the U. S. Foreign Trade Board in Washington, D.C. 

• In 1990, the fast-loading Sprialveyors were installed at Jacintoport, making it the first facility of its kind in the country. 

• Also in 1990, the Beneficial Uses Group – affectionally called the BUG was formed to address ways dredge material from the Houston Ship

Channel could be put to an environmentally friendly use. A 250-acre

demonstration marsh was built, which surpassed anything ever attempted in marsh restoration. Over the 50-year life of the deepening and widening project, an unprecedented 4,250 acres of marsh, a six-acre bird island, the 3,000-foot long Goat Island and Redfish Island will be built. Redfish Island was the first marsh island to be completed; it was dedicated in March 2003.  

 For information about freight and  shipping from the Port of Houston, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Pack n send found this information on the Port of Houston website and have reprinted it for our customers to read.  With the expansion of the Panama Canal, it is expected that the Port of Houston will see even more use. 

The Port of Houston Delivers

First and Foremost from the Very Beginning The Port of Houston and the Houston Ship Channel have an impressive list of “first” accomplishments.

 • The Houston Ship Channel was the first project to have a local match component. In 1909, Houston Mayor Horace Baldwin Rice and Congressman Tom Ball presented the “Houston Plan” to the U.S. House of Representatives Rivers and Harbors Committee. Congress approved it, and every port constructed in the U.S. since 1910 has followed this concept, which guarantees local financial support.

 • The first direct shipment of cotton to Europe was 23,719 bales that left the Port of Houston in November 1919 on the M/V Merry Mount.

 • By 1930, the Port of Houston had surpassed all its Texas rivals and ranked third in the U.S. for foreign exports. 

• In 1937, the Port of Houston reached the status of second only to New York in tonnage and importance, according to Fortune Magazine. Its position slipped slightly during World War II, but by 1948, the Port of Houston was once again No. 2 in overall tonnage.

 • Synthetic rubber was mass produced for the first time in 1943 by two new Houston area plants and shipped for use in World War II through the Port of Houston.

 • After World War II, development of the petrochemical industry along the Houston Ship Channel accelerated, resulting in the Port of Houston becoming home to the nation’s largest petrochemical production complex and one of the largest in the world.

 For information about freight and  Port of Houston, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Ocean Freight Vessels May Have Armed Escorts Through Pirate Waters.

 Wheels of Power Slowly Turn Toward Private Security Option

 SOMALIA – UK – WORLDWIDE – The scourge of piracy, particularly in the Gulf of Aden and the waters beyond, would seem to be facing a threat of its own as the powers that be tire of the continual attacks on merchant shipping and their inability to respond effectively. Privately armed security detachments accompanying container, general cargo and bulk freight vessels travelling through the danger zone seem to have been given tacit acceptance, if not approval, after long discussions at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in past weeks.

The IMO met between the 11th and 20th May and interim guidance on the employment of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships transiting the high-risk piracy area off the coast of Somalia and adjacent waters was approved by the 89th session of the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). Two documents were produced, one aimed at ship owners, ship operators, and ships masters, the other at flag states, both aimed at addressing the complex issue of the employment of private, armed security on board ships.

Despite a note of caution regarding the possibility vessels may also come under the jurisdiction of port and coastal states’ law, ship owners are advised that flag state laws and regulations apply when private security is employed aboard. Flag states in turn are reminded that they should have a clear policy on the employment of privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) aboard their vessels. They should also take into account the possible escalation of violence which could result from the use of firearms and carriage of armed personnel on board ships when deciding on their policies.

The IMO is at pains to point out that its interim advice should not be considered as an alternative to the Best Management Practices and other protective measures to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Arabian Sea area. The organization is openly worried about an escalation of violence if the use of armed guards increases but, as most attacks occur from fast skiffs attacking with machine gun and rocket propelled grenades being fired into the targets superstructure, many may consider the pirate gangs fair game. Certainly a reciprocal volley of tracer fire from the deck of a tanker into a light skiff is likely to be more frightening, and effective, than the assault on the larger vessel.

The IMO are also keen to avoid these advices as an endorsement of the use of violence against the pirates and point out the potential legal ramifications of such tactics, however they have been forced to act in an attempt to impose some sense of order to what promises to otherwise be a free for all with different nations, and indeed shipping lines, adopting ad hoc policies in their response to the threat. More statements on the subject can be expected at the IMO’s September meeting.

Pack n send has reposted portions of this article taken from the Handy Shipping Guide. We still find articles about pirates amazing in this time and age.

For information about freight and cargo shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

 The Houston Chronicle in an article written by Holbrook Mohr and Allan Sayre  is reporting that the Mississippi river was reopened on Tuesday  north of New Orleans on Tuesday.  This  allows cargo vessels to pass through slowly. 

 The  river was closed at Natchez, Miss on Tuesday  delaying ships going towards the Golf of Mexico. It also blocked vessels heading north. 
Since this is one of the nation’s busiest waterways, this closure has the monetary  of millions of dollars every day that this water way is closed. 

 The Coast Guard is monitoring the river and advising that all vessels steer along the middle of the river.

Traffic is advised to proceed slowly to decrease the strain on levees.  At this time, some of the barges can not proceed on the river because the water has submerged some docks and other docks are at the level of the river.

 Pack n send will continue to monitor the water level on the Mississippi River and it effects on freight and cargo shipping  in the coming weeks. We will post updates on our blog.

 For information about freight and cargo shipping both domestically and internationally, please feel free to call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

MOL Shipping Employees and Partners Raise Money for Tsunami Victims   JAPAN –

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines today reported that it has donated a total of about ¥55 million (US$680,000) to the Japan Red Cross Society and Central Community Chest for the Great East Japan Earthquake relief efforts.

MOL raised the donation among MOL Group executives and employees through a massive, group-wide effort to support victim relief and reconstruction of quake-stricken areas, in which many of them participated.

Immediately after the earthquake, MOL donated ¥50 million as a company and then launched the fundraising drive within the group. The donation initiative started in Japan, but soon MOL Group subsidiaries and affiliates, ship management companies, business partners, and others around the world threw their support behind the effort, with eventually a total of 88 companies took part.

Pack n send has reprinted this article from Handy Shipping Guide as a service to our customers.

 Pack n send continually look for freight and cargo companies worldwide who go above and beyond normal freight service.

 For information about shipping freight and cargo from Houston, Texas, feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

When you are in the process of  moving a home office, you may discover the process can be more complicated then moving your entire home. Packing an office requires some tedious preparation and organization.

Your home office probably has a lot of items that you may or may not need throughout the moving process. You never want to find yourself searching through many different boxes in search of one thing.

  Organizing yourself before you begin the packing process is key to having a smooth move.

 The first thing you will want to do is write out a list of items you know you'll need throughout the move. These are going to be the very last things you pack. Then you will want to develop a list of non essential items that you can pack up and not need throughout the process. 

It may seem like no items are non essential, but you'd be amazed on the numerous items you'll pack up. Usually the items that are not generally needed at all times are such things as printers, writing tools, paper (leave some out just in case), files and various items that generally sit and grow dust. 

Another thing you'll want to consider when doing a small home office move is going through and getting rid of the things you no longer need or use. This will help minimize the number of things you are moving.

When you are moving to a new location this could mean you have the opportunity to do many upgrades to your office equipment and supplies. Take this as an advantage point for you and your business. 

Keeping yourself organized with a small home office move can seem like a very difficult process, but it can be done. If you're worried that the process may be overwhelming for you, consider hiring us to  help you move.

  Pack n send  can easily get you packed up, moved and unpacked quickly. The entire process can be managed for you, making your move worry-free.

We know how hard it can be moving an office, a home and any other space requiring a move. This is why we've dedicated ourselves to helping people nationwide with their moving needs. We will take all the hard work out of it for you. You have the option to utilize our packaging services or purchase discounted   packing and moving supplies. Your move will become much less complicated with Pack n Send helping you through each step of the process. 

Organization is key to a smooth move and we will do exactly this for you and your   small home office move.

For more tips on moving your office, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Moving furniture can be a true trial for some, especially if they do not have the strength or vehicle to do it. This can pose some complications and leave you unable to move your furniture on your own. 

There are options available that could help you with furniture shipping more easily, which is a much better and stress free option for you. 

Shipping your Furniture Easily 

 Furniture Shipping has become a lot easier with the help of many shipping companies nationwide, but many of them require you to hit a certain freight load to ship. This isn't the case with Pack-n-Send. You can still utilize their shipping services with a less than load freight without being presented with an un-sightly fee. 

If you are worried that your furniture may get damaged consider having the items placed into crates or protected with various blanket protectors, Styrofoam for smaller pieces and any other packaging protection that Pack-n-Send offers. 

Crating is a beneficial option for those delicate pieces such as glass items, antique items, stemware, paintings and any other damageable item. 

Options for Moving Furniture Long Distances

If you are planning a move consider having Pack-n-Send assist with the process. They offer many different moving options, whether it is a small move, local move or international move they could assist with international shipping to get your furniture at the new location easily. 

You won't have to deal with the worry that the items will not get there or will be damaged with the protection and security behind the crating, packing and shipping abilities that Pack-n-Send has been offering since 1981.  For more information, please call us at 713 266 1450.

When looking for a custom built crate, you will need to ask many questions.

First, ask if they can supply the wood for both domestic and international shipping.

Can they build reusable crates?

Do they have experience with both large and small items.

Have they crated delicate or valuable items in the past? Be sure and ask for examples of these items.

Do they know the proper amount of padding to add inside the crate for different types of items. High value painting with glass require different preparation and padding from artistic statutes.

How do they bind the crate? Do they nail it or use screws to close the crate? Do they secure the crate with metal banding?

Is a full wood crate really what you need for the shipment?  If the item is something like an engine, you can probably strap it to a pallet and not incur the cost of a full wood crate.

Make sure that the crater has many options available so that  you can analyze your choices and pick the best one for your shipment.

For an experienced  crate builder and   freight shipper with  over 25 years experience, contact pack n send at 713 266 1450 for your next freight or shipping job.

Houston Freight Company Sees More Environmentally Correct Freight Practices in the Future. 

 In Europe a firm with nine partners and assistance from the European Union are analyzing a new generation of electric vehicles. The next generation of batteries will be used for freight deliveries.  These batteries are expected to be placed in cars, vans and small delivery trucks.

With reduced vehicle weight and reduced charges for the cost of the batteries, a win situation is expected for the environment. 

 They anticipate a twenty kWh battery pack that will have twenty five percent more power than the standard batteries currently to be found in electric vehicles.  They also anticipate a reduced size and weight of these more powerful batteries. 

While the distance for the batteries is 140 miles per charge, this is still better than the current batteries.

The information above was found on Handy Shipping Guide website.

Pack n send is currently monitoring. information on both trends in the freight industry.  We look at both new purchases equipment as well as going green initiatives. Since freight and cargo are a precursor to economic activity world wide, we feel that these articles will help other companies plan for future freight shipments. Pack n send has been environmentally conscious since we opened almost thirty years age.

 For more information about freight and cargo shipping from Houston, feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Environmentally sound choices being made by freight and cargo industry.

 Port of Los Angeles signs contract with Vision Motor

The Port of Los Angeles has signed a $1.4m contract with Vision Motor of El Segundo, California, a manufacturer of advanced zero emission hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric commercial heavy-duty trucks to retrofit 15 Port owned electric trucks.

The company said that the retrofits would upgrade the Port's electric truck's battery only system with its range extending, hydrogen fuel cell electric hybrid system.

The Port will initially issue a purchase order for six retrofits and the remaining retrofit orders are contingent on the availability of other grant funding.

The intent of the retrofits with the company's hydrogen fuel cell system is to extend the driving and operating range of the Port owned fleet of battery only electric trucks.

Thus alleviating operating down-time caused by range limitations of battery only trucks pulling heavier cargo loads.

Vision CEO Martin Schuermann said the company's technology combines the superior power of an electric drive train with the extended range of a hydrogen fuel cell system and it allows for zero emission operations without sacrificing driving range.

Vision Motor vice-president of business development Rudy Tapia said the company is pleased to provide a solution that enables the Port of Los Angeles investment in zero emission trucks to meet the demanding needs of the commercial market place as well as furthering the Ports commitment to improving air quality by reducing emissions.

 Pack n send has republished this article taken from the Los Angeles Times as another in our series of articles on the freight industry’s concerns with improving the environment.

For information about freight and cargo shipping and packing and unpacking, 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.

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.

 While this article taken from the Handy  Shipping Guide pertains to the UK, it is another indicator that worldwide freight shipping is once again on the upswing.

UK – Shipping and Forwarding is still the industry for those with the right qualifications according to one of the country’s leading operators. Despite the economic doom and gloom Davies Turner group chairman Philip Stephenson says school leavers and graduates looking to take their first career moves in the logistics industry have again been attracted to his company. Despite the influx of well qualified, fresh faced youngsters however other supply chain specialists still seek the right candidates for more senior jobs. Stephenson says:

"Summer and autumn are the best times to recruit graduates and high-flying school leavers to our organization and the 2010 candidates were particularly strong - we were surprised both by the number and the standard of the many applications. The most recent trainees have joined us at an exciting time as global recovery powers the freight industry and we are preparing to expand further our portfolio of services for UK exporters and importers."

The trainee scheme is in operation nationwide at Davies Turner's main hubs. The successful applicants are between 18 and 24 and have been recruited from appropriate websites, as well as training and educational establishments. The full programme lasts two years, and participants spend time in all operating divisions as well as Davies Turner Air Cargo and group accounts.

Whilst Davies Turner say they offer the promise of a rapid rise into management for the right candidates it seems middle management and senior staff are harder to come by. DHL are still seeking suitable staff to develop their expanding road freight network (APPLY HERE) and indeed even the Handy Shipping Guide is struggling to find suitable sales staff in several countries, including the UK (we shall be including a Job Board within the Directory in the very near future with opportunities for those who have recruitment requirements).

Meanwhile Mr Stephenson is more than happy that the way to ensure high quality senior staff is to train them yourself wherever practical whilst ensuring those already in place are encouraged by ongoing in house training. He concludes:

"To me, the success of our scheme will be the number of trainees who remain with us after their two years induction is complete. We have an enviable track record here - on a recent visit to our Dartford terminal, I recognised several members of staff in key positions who joined us as trainees over ten years ago. In the past we have had traditional apprenticeships but have now made our training more professional with in-depth courses based both on our in-house resources and those accredited by BIFA. We are in no way neglecting our current staff and have increased training at all levels in the company. Customer service quality depends on the expertise and professionalism of all our personnel."

Pack n send has re published this article as a service to our customers. For information about freight shipping Houston, and packing and unpacking services in Houston, please contact us at 713 266 1450.

With the economy showing signs of improvement, now is the time to look at outsourcing. Pack n send offers professional packing services for artwork, and antiques.  We also provide packing and unpacking service for companies and individuals that are moving.

We have posted this information taken from mfrtech.com as a service to our customers.

By outsourcing, many businesses have been able to slash their business expenses, boost their bottom line and enhance shareholder value.

Still, not every company considers outsourcing as a viable alternative. During down times, some try to save money by completing all tasks in-house, even those outside their core function. In some cases, skilled workers are required to perform menial tasks or handle assignments beyond their knowledge or skill level.

But that is not an efficient way to operate. Every minute that skilled employees spend on such activities is wasted effort. Their employer is not capitalizing on their knowledge, experience or skill in order to add value to the organization. Employees could spend their time more wisely and efficiently by streamlining processes, improving product quality or developing creative solutions that enhance overall customer satisfaction.

For more information about outsourcing your custom packing Houstonand crating needs in Houston, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450. Remember, pack n send offers crating and packing in Houston, Texas.  Pack n send specializes in freight shipping.

With weather presenting difficulties for freight movement throughout the US, and Europe, and Australia, the southern part of Texas is a shining light for freight movement at this time.

The article below from the Handy Shipping   Guide highlights some of the difficulties that Australia is now facing.

 AUSTRALIA – The first estimates of damages caused by the continuing flooding have started to appear in press reports as heavy rain spreading from Queensland into New South Wales is predicted. Rail freight carrier QR National say they cannot yet estimate the cost to the company as mines resume some activity after strenuous efforts to pump water from the coal workings, but logistics industry analysts are estimating the cost to the company will be around A$45 million, assuming the waters start to recede this week.

Logistics in the region have been devastated as 4,000 people have needed evacuating from the hundreds of kilometres of countryside inundated so far. Since we reported some companies trading under force majeure many more have had to declare the same terms as exports of coal fell by around half a billion Australian dollars each week. Politicians are estimating the overall cost of the disaster as up to A$5 billion considering the loss of production of crops as well as coal.

The effect of the cessation of exports via the Blackwater freight rail service to Gladstone Docks has meant bulk carrying vessels lying offshore awaiting loads whilst QR’s other three rail freight coal carrying lines, the Newlands system through to the Abbot Point Terminal near Bowen, the Goonyella rail system through Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point coal terminals, near Mackay and the Moura coal rail system to domestic customers and to Gladstone port are still operating.

In the general freight business, Queensland’s North Coast Line remains closed from Brisbane to Cair

For information about shipping freight and cargo from Houston, TX, feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

As reported on news stations in Houston, Texas, the port of Houston had a spoill of beef fat.  The spill of 15,000 gallons came from a ruptured storage tank according to the United States Coast Guard.  The beef fat spilled into a water way. Due to the location of of the spill, there will be minimum interruptions to the flow of ships.

There has been no notificationas to when the  northern  end of the Houston Ship  Channel will re open.  The  affected sections is less than a mile in length.  No reports of delays have been reported at this time. The beef fat is expected to be cleaned up quickly and without much delay.

 We are providing information below about the Port of Houston. This information is taken directly from their website and is helpful when planning shipments out of the port.

The Port of Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. The port is ranked first in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage (14 consecutive years); first in U.S. imports (19 consecutive years); second in U.S. export tonnage and second in the U.S. in total tonnage (19 consecutive years).

The Port of Houston is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and the 150-plus private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel. All together, the port authority and its neighbors along the ship channel are a large and vibrant component of the regional economy.

More than 220 million tons of cargo moved through the Port of Houston in 2009. More than 7,700 vessel calls were recorded at the Port of Houston during the year 2009. The Houston Pilots navigate each vessel through the Houston Ship Channel.

The Port of Houston has an impressive listing of firsts, from unloading the world's first container ship to becoming the country's first port to receive ISO 14001 compliance.

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

RFID technology is being tested and implemented for both freight and cargo shipping. Both location monitoring and temperature monitoring of shipments are being tested. Pack n send is supplying this article from Handy Shipping  Guide as a service to our customers.

 WORLDWIDE – Many freight forwarders and shipping lines are familiar by now with the relatively new technology known as RFID, radio-frequency identification. There are three systems employed in the identification of tags carrying chips loaded with whatever information is required; passive, active and battery assisted passive. Up to now their use has been limited to such things as identifying cargo to upload information such as current position etc. into freight tracking systems using mostly passive chips, but now the potential uses of these systems is being explored more thoroughly.

At the cutting edge of RFID is German company Siemens who are investigating in several different fields, all relevant to the freight and haulage industries. Since 2008 scientists at Siemens Corporate Technology have been exploring a research project known as SKRIBT — (German acronym for “Protection of Critical Bridges and Tunnels on Roads”) in which ten partners from government agencies, industry, and research institutes are participating in a three year scheme funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research.

Put simply when a truck hits a bridge, or ignites in a tunnel, the damage can be almost incalculable; when a truck caught fire in the Eurotunnel under the English Channel in November 1996 temperatures reached 1,000 °Celsius, causing immense structural damage and suspending full operations for six months. The problem is being addressed by using thermal imaging technology but the situation is greatly compounded when hazardous goods are involved.

By using new RFID transponders developed by Siemens, sensors can analyse the information on a trucks Hazchem plate which carries the relevant chip. This can be done several kilometres before the tunnel entrance and the information sent instantly to the tunnel control centre which is then equipped to respond in exactly the right way should an incident occur or to prevent the truck entering if other unsuitable goods are already transiting the tunnel.

The new system is ‘active’ and can transmit its signal to the unit’s reading device over a distance of around 50 metres as opposed to a conventional ‘passive’ system, with a six metre range, as is used in many cargo monitoring systems. The hazardous plate’s chip has a built-in battery and transmits in the high-frequency range of 2.45 gigahertz. To ensure the battery lasts as long as possible, the transmitter in the transponder sleeps until it’s woken by a radio pulse issued by the reading device at the checkpoint.

Siemens use a cryptochip employing an encryption technique they previously developed for passive RFID chips which ensures the RFID data cannot be intercepted or falsified. This is not the only way RFID is finding its way into the supply chain however.

In a separate project and in cooperation with other partners Siemens are pioneering an RFID system that provides continuous monitoring of sensitive consignments. The technology is already used by DB Schenker to monitor the condition of extremely delicate air freight cargo. Temperature of some items is the vital factor and the new chips react if this varies beyond predefined limits. The chips are currently being used in several German hospitals to monitor arriving blood supplies to ensure they have been maintained at a tolerable temperature and that they are within the usable dates.

It seems that RFID technology is only just starting to make itself felt within society and, once again, the freight and supply chain industry is liable to be at the cutting edge as it develops as was the case with other advances such as popularising facsimile machines, bar coding etc.

For more information about freight and cargo shipping in Houston and the US, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

                    With freight costs rising in England, inflationary fuel prices will affect freight deliveries throughout Europe.  The cost of fuel is a major component of the cost of freight deliveries. As companies worldwide try to recover from the Recession, increased costs will only help to raise cost of goods world wide.

 UK – Costs for British road hauliers rose by 4.9% in the 12 months to October 1, according to the Road Haulage Association’s annual cost movement survey, even discounting fuel, costs rose by 1.7% and rising diesel commodity prices and duty increased costs by a further 3.2 percentage points. The Road Haulage Association warns that its survey of what members are paying for diesel shows an increased in this core cost of 4% in just a fortnight. The price has risen by 3.88 pence a litre to 104.78 pence (before VAT) from an already high level. The RHA cost movement survey is based on the costs of operating a 44 tonne articulated truck.

RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple commented on the hike and warned the Government that the continual rises would have a detrimental effect on truck freight in the country saying:

“The issue for government is to consider whether it can afford to go on adding to the economy’s business taxes with further diesel duty increases planned in the New Year and then again in April. The UK already has much the highest diesel duty rate in the EU. The RHA’s message to the Chancellor is, it is time to stop adding to the tax burden.

“ These increases further threaten the viability of firms who have been caught in a ‘perfect storm’ of rising prices, reduced credit terms and a credit squeeze, often made worse by customers taking longer to pay their bills. On top of all that, in the past couple of weeks, many hauliers have faced an additional business risk; the greatly reduced productivity and increased costs resulting from the appalling problems on the roads has hit many firms’ profitability and cash flow.

“Diesel is around 32% of operating costs. With fuel prices rising and becoming increasingly volatile, we strongly recommend those companies that have not already done so, to implement a mechanism that links diesel prices to rates. Customers can be reluctant to agree to such terms but we would urge them to recognise the importance such mechanisms can have for the sustainability of their haulage suppliers.

“Operating costs though are not simply about diesel. It is clear from our survey that other costs have also risen and this should be acknowledged. Overhead costs can be a particularly important area for customers to recognise. In looking ahead to the coming year, it seems that the only way haulage costs are going to move is upwards, with fuel, truck, driver and insurance costs all under pressure."

Pack n send  has published this article found in the Handy  Shipping Guide as a service to our customers.  As companies prepare budgets for 2011 fuel inflation will help in determing cost of goods sold.

For information about freight, cargo and general shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Freight is one of the figures that is an leading economic indicator of economic recovery.  With improvement showing in the freight statistics, this bodes well for the US economy.

We have reprinted the article first published in the Handy   Shipping  Guide as a service to our customers.

US – Yesterday saw the release of the monthly Freight Transportation Services Index (FTSI) figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation's  Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The Index provides a good long term insight into the output of logistics services provided by the for-hire freight transportation industries but, as with most statistics, predictions based on them depend on one’s own interpretation of them.

The FTSI is a seasonally adjusted index that measures changes from the monthly average of the base year of 2000. It includes historic data from 1990 to the present and included in the figures are such transportation methods as for-hire trucking, railroad freight services (including rail based intermodal shipments such as shipping containers on flat cars), movements by inland waterways, pipeline transportation and airfreight. The index does not include international or coastal waterborne movements, private trucking, courier services, or the US Postal Service.

Yesterdays report shows a 0.2% rise in traffic during October from its September level, rising for the second consecutive month. The FTSI has risen 5.7 percent over the last 17 months, starting in June 2009, after declining 15.3 percent in the previous 10 months beginning in August 2008 with the Index increasing in 13 of the last 17 months. Overall however the first ten months of this year witnessed a fall of 0.7% after that 2008 crash and although the index rose 3.2 percent from October 2009 to October 2010, it remains below the level of every other October since 2001.

Used in conjunction with other economic indicators and observations the movements of the FTSI can be a useful tool in analysing the relationship of changes in the US transportation output to changes in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Release of the November index is scheduled for the 12th January and with numerous factors such as the mid term results and seasonal variations to consider observers will be keen to see if the slight upward trend of the FTSI is sustained.

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

Pack n send is posting the important ship dates for your holiday gifts for the gifts you are shipping with in the United States and for international destinations.

At the current time we have we are able to provide Fed Ex and UPS holiday deadlines. As soon as DHL releases their shipping deadlines either by region or country we will post them on our blog.

While overnight shipping is always an alternative, we suggest that whenever possible that you bring in your holiday shipment early. This will help save you money and avoid the holiday shipping lines.

Any UPS Next day air packages picked up on December 24 will be delivered on December 28.

UPS packages shipped December 24 will have normal delivery service of air, international and ground packages.

UPS has suspended the Ups Ground and Ups Standard package guaranteed delivery for picked up or scheduled for delivery December 13-December 25.

 Packages delivered on December 24 are guaranteed as transit day only for UPS air and International packages only.

There will be no UPS ground pick up service on December 24.

Federal Express Guarantees are as follows:

Last day for guaranteed delivery of overnight packages- 12/23 ship date

Last day for shipping fed Ex 2 Day- 12/22 ship date Last day guarantee for shipping Fed Ex Express saver 12/21 ship date

Last day for guaranteed shipping Fed Ex ground or Fed Ex home delivery 12/17

We have listed only ground and air carriers.

 For information about freight, cargo, or container shipping deadlines, please feel free to email us at sales@pack-n-send.com  or use our phone number provided below.

For more information about holiday shipping or holiday shipping deadlines, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450 or use the email address provided above.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security  has taken action to increase airline security fall all inbound aircraft coming to the United States.

 There is a complete embargo  for  all cargo that begins or passes through the countries of Somalia and Yemen.

 These embargoes are much more extensive  than the prohibition issued last week for toner and cartridges.

 While the coordination of these security measures are implemented, there may be delays in air cargo shipping into the United States.

For more information about cargo shipping to the United States, Houston cargo shipping, and worldwide cargo shipping, please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

Shipping of toner and ink cartridges will now be banned  if they weigh over one pound. This new rule will apply to cargo that is shipped on passenger flights.

Cargo shipped from and coming from the countries of Somalia and Yemen will also be banned. Germany and England have also instituted a ban on cargo from Somalia.

Cargo considered high risk will also be prohibited from US passenger planes. At this point, the US government has not stated what is considered high risk cargo. The high risk cargo can be opened or screened with x rays, although the specified details of exactly what needs to be screened and the method of screening has not yet been determined.

For information about cargo shipping from Houston, TX and the United States, please feel free to 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.

Pack n send builds custom crates for both commercial and residential customers.  While we crate art work and sculptures, we can also crate your delicate machinery.  We are posting this quick video of a very simple crate for artwork. 

 Since we have been in business since 1981  we can offer advice on how to prepare items to be placed inside a crate, and the best way to build a crate.

 There are some very basic questions you need to ask before you contract someone to build a crate.

You need to  ask if they can supply the wood for both domestic and international shipping.

Can they build reusable crates?

Do they have experience with both large and small items?.

Have they crated delicate or valuable items in the past? Be sure and ask for examples of these items.

Do they know the proper amount of padding to add inside the crate for different types of items. High value painting with glass require different preparation and padding from artistic statutes.

How do they bind the crate? Do they nail it or use screws to close the crate? Do they secure the crate with metal banding?

If you would like to  use and experienced  crate builder and  freight shipper  with over 25 years experience,  contact pack n send  at 713 266 1450 for your next freight or shipping job.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLsuPd4aVik

China– The North Eastern port of Dalian which had been closed to freight traffic has just reopened.  Friday there was  after a huge explosion and fire left the oil terminal there in flames. The explosion was caused by a pipe from the tanker caught fire.  The pipe exploded  and then burst  an adjacent pipeline which also ignited.

 There is a cleanup underway with about 800 vessels. It is reported that they hope to have the clean up completed by July 24^th. At this point in time, due to heavy winds and rains, the 800 vessels have exited the area until the weather improves.

 Both Chinas oil and grain markets are affected by the closure of this port.

 Pack n send monitors ports throughout the world.  When we ship cargo and freight, we watch water ways and ports that are affected by both closures and personnel strikes.

 For information on packing, crating shipping and freighting, please contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.  We offer both domestic and international shipping.

 Pack n send is posting this article form Handy   Shipping  News.  As new ideas in freight appear on the market pack n send tracks their success.  As a company that recycles we are constantly tracking ways to save on fuel and improve freight shipping.

Con-way Invests in New Trade Marked Double Stacking System

US – Fitting a system of racking within a box or tilt trailer isn’t new but, as usual, they do things big in America, and they don’t come much bigger in the full truckload market. Conway Truck load a full truckload carrier and subsidiary of Con-way Inc. This week the company announced they have initially converted 100 of its standard 53-foot truckload trailers to their DoubleStack™ system, with additional unit conversions planned for later this year, based on customer demand. The racking system allows for loading of cargoes on two separate, adjustable levels throughout the length of the trailer, accommodating shipments of different dimensions while more fully utilizing the trailer.

The advanced cargo loading and capacity management system which allows shippers to more fully and efficiently utilize space in trailers whilst a custom-designed strapping mechanisms unique to the DoubleStack system enable shipments to be securely tied down to prevent movement during transit and provide added protection against damage.

"We are continually exploring ways to bring our customers advantages that enable them to obtain the highest value for the transportation dollar," said Herb Schmidt, president, Con-way Truckload. "With DoubleStack trailers, we're maximizing the available capacity customers can use and adding better protection systems to reduce claims, while driving benefits to our operations through more effective asset utilization."

Con-way Truckload's DoubleStack trailers feature thick aluminum tracks attached to supporting vertical posts every 16 inches along the trailer walls, with adjustable bars, or cross beams, that clamp securely into each track. The metal cross beams are height-adjustable and can be set in a variety of horizontal track positions to accommodate freight pallets of different sizes, while maximizing the stability of loaded freight at any point in the trailer and ensuring optimum capacity use. The DoubleStack system is ideal for a wide variety of customer goods, including fragile products that must be segregated and traditionally cannot be double-stacked, or pallets with products of varying height dimensions and stability.

Is Manufacturing Coming Back to the U.S.?

Why is pack n send posting this article on our website?  If it costs us more to do business with China, it will be more expensive to import Chinese goods. If the US can pick up on this, we should be able to manufacture more in the US. This should enable the US to not only to manufacture more goods, but also export more goods to other countries! This will be good for not only pack n send, but other companies that prepare freight, and ship freight to other countries.

If you haven't been paying attention to the news lately, you might have missed some interesting developments: the Chinese government has started allowing the value of its currency to fluctuate, and Chinese workers have begun striking in efforts to increase their wages. Both of those developments are likely to increase the cost of manufacturing in China, and here's another newsflash: the costs of shipping containers are also going up. Fast.

Steve Crowder, the president of GuildMaster, an SRC affiliate that manufacturers and sells accent furniture, told me that the costs of overseas shipping containers have increased by 30 percent since the beginning of May - increasing from $4,000 a container to $5,200. And that doesn't fully account for the fuel surcharges that logistics and shipping companies have begun tacking on to take advantage of all the goods needed for an expected surge in demand for the upcoming holiday shopping season. The reason I point out these stories is that I'm seeing an emerging trend: the increasing cost of doing business in China.

The upside of such a trend, of course, is that more and more companies like GuildMaster are taking a second look at United States manufacturers, something that's being called "near-sourcing."

Personally, I've always seen off-shore manufacturing as a significant risk to a company's cash flow, something not enough people pay attention to. It used to be cheap and easy to borrow the money to finance off-shore manufacturing, but that's changed. Consider this example: Let's say you want to order a batch of widgets from a manufacturer in China that's charging 50 percent less than a manufacturer here in the United States. The price may be good, but you have to wire the money up front to pay for your order. Then you wait - up to 90 days while your product is produced and shipped across the ocean.

When you finally get the product to your customer - let's say it's a big-box retailer - you then have to wait up to 90 days before you get your money. Think about that. The time between when you lay out your money to your manufacturer and when you finally receive a payment from your customer can be as long as 180 days. So, you might wait up to 225 days before you get your money back. That's a long time and a serious drain on cash flow. And that's assuming everything goes well. It's also possible that your product won't sell and your big-box client will return it. If that happens, you're stuck holding more inventory and waiting to get paid for it, possibly until the following season.

But let's look at this scenario from a different angle. Suppose you choose to hire a domestic manufacturer instead of one in China. Now, rather than paying up front, you may well be able to negotiate terms where you pay your supplier 60 days after you receive your product - which amounts to a 60-day, interest-free loan. Ideally, you end up paying your supplier at just about the same time you receive your payment from your customer.

The shorter supply chain also comes into play in a big way if you run into a quality problem or a shipping delay or if you have the happy problem of needing more product to meet customer demand. Several big-box retailers will penalize you if they sell out of your product and you can't resupply them immediately - what's known as a "stockout."

When you source your product from China, and need to wait up to 90 days for each order, you have to carry extra inventory as stock-out protection - another big hit to your cash flow. When you use a domestic supplier, you can turn to FedEx or UPS to solve your problem overnight. That means you don't have to carry as much extra inventory.

With a long supply chain, an entrepreneur faces tough choices because the company's cash is tied up with suppliers and customers. With credit still tight, companies can end up struggling to cover the inevitable cash shortfalls that come from growth. Some companies resort to doing things like factoring - borrowing off their accounts receivable at interest rates that can top 20 percent - or bringing in outside investors and private equity money, decisions that cut into either net income or equity.

Then there are companies like Springfield Spring in Springfield, Mass., an open-book company founded in 1942 that makes precision-engineered springs and clips. Norman Rodrigues, the company's chief executive, says that domestic small businesses have long underestimated the true cost of manufacturing overseas, but he believes those costs are now becoming clearer.

"Six years ago, everyone was falling over themselves to get into China to save money and maximize what they called their ‘shareholder value,'" Mr. Rodrigues told me. "But, when you begin to add up the cost of freight, the aggravation of delays, the lack of quality control, and the money you need to invest relative to cash flow, you're starting to see people in the boardrooms of the big corporations reconsider that decision."

Of course, we don't have the same manufacturing base here that we used to. And, for certain products, off-shoring might still make sense. But, given the advantages that a domestic manufacturer can give its customers, like just-in-time delivery and better quality controls, maybe we'll see more opportunities for new businesses to take root in the United States in the near future.

Pack n send already makes our custom crates for shipping in our  ware house. That way, each crate is specifically prepared to fit the individual order.

For freight and cargo shipping please visit our website at http://www.pack-n-send.com/.  We have listed the countries that we ship to. Or, you can call us at 713 266 1450

US - The Motor Carrier Protection Act just put forward by two Senators is causing ripples amongst the trucking and shipping industries. The bill proposed by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Olympia Snowe from Maine is designed to toughen up the criteria needed by companies wishing to take responsibility for cargo in their care and applicable to all freight brokers and freight forwarders.

Industry critics say that this legislation merely increases the power of the larger carriers

The draft outline of the proposed regulations are as follows; each licensee must lodge a broker bond for $100,000 (currently $10,000), the  FMCSA) to lay out specific guidelines for applicants plus tougher regulations overall. Licenses to be reviewed annually or be automatically revoked with costs of licenses set to cover the FMCSA's enforcement budget. The are proposing stricter penalties for defaulters, including an unlimited liability for freight costs against any unlicensed broker or freight forwarder.

In addition each registration will be exclusive to each regulatory authority and documents for every transaction must show the license number and the authority which granted it plus the bond providers and their administration procedures will also be strictly controlled.

Motor carriers will doubtless be divided on the issue. To some it will mean more cost and more administration, with one slip potentially costing them serious money, to others, it will remove completely the rogue elements that plague the industries lower end and feed off smaller haulers made desperate by difficult times.

Pack n send has reprinted part of the article listed in the Handy Shipping Guide.  We closely monitor proposed legislation that will affect both  cargo shipping and the freight industry.

For assistance in shipping both freight and cargo containers, please call pack n send at 713 266 1450.

www.pack-n-send.com

This article  from Business Week  highlights some of the dangers now associated with  freight shipping.  It discusses the measures being taken to protect both cargo and lives.

 The U.S. says it wants to find cheaper options to battle pirates off the coast of Somalia, as an international naval force has pushed the seaborne brigands from the 1 million square miles of the Gulf of Aden into an area twice that size in the Indian Ocean.

"The locus of pirate activity has shifted and we are trying to deal with it," Tom Countryman, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for political   military   affairs, said in Washington today. "It's expensive, and that's why we feel strongly the need to pursue the lowest-cost options to deter piracy."

Warships from more than 20 nations have kept a shipping corridor open and nearly free of attacks for the 30,000 cargo ships that pass through it annually, Countryman said. There were 198 attacks last year, 50 of them successful, and seven vessels with 160 crew members are known to be held by pirates, the State Department said in an e-mailed statement. There's been only one successful hijacking of a ship in the Gulf of Aden since last summer, Countryman said.

Aerial drones, manned aircraft and satellite  surveillance  could help track shipping and pirate activity off the coast of East Africa, Countryman said.

Defensive Measures

Defensive measures taken by ship owners and crews are "the lowest-cost and most-effective way to deter pirate attacks," Countryman said. Measures can include using firehoses to fend off pirate skiffs, erecting barbed wire at entry points to the ship and   teaching   the crew to take evasive action when potential pirates are in sight.

Rebuilding Somalia's economy, shattered by two decades of civil war, and going after the organized crime syndicates that finance the attacks are the best ways to halt piracy, said Countryman.

"The economic situation in Somalia has led to a situation in which people will take these kinds of very high-risk efforts -- very high-risk criminal activities -- in order to feed their family," Countryman said.

"The people deriving the primary benefit are not the poor Somali fishermen," he said. "They are the capitalists who have financed the acquisition of boats  and put these young men into the risky position of endangering their own lives in search of some money."

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

www.pack-n-send.com

Due to the winter storm in various parts  of the United States, UPS and Fed Ex have adjusted their pick up and delivery guarantees and schedules. Houston Freight Company can answer questions about shipping.

For your specific shipment, please feel free to contact pack n send for information. Our number is  713 266 1450.

 www.pack-n-send.com 

US - The fourth quarter results for the two American rail freight giants were no better than anticipated. It is still likely that the sector will slowly recover, and indeed take a larger slice of business from the trucking community, but such events cannot happen overnight. North America still has a lot more investment to make in its rail freight and inter modal infrastructure before shipping via rail cars becomes preferable to trucks.

For truck moving, you might want to look at furniture shipping via truck or on pallets using freight companies.  For small moves, there are companies that have no minimum weight or dollar amount.

For more information please feel free to contact pack n send at 713 266 1450.

The earthquake in Haiti is a tragedy beyond proportion. We are happy to hear of the UPS donation of a million dollars in free freight services offered to Haiti. UPS is offering these freight services through the Red Cross, UNICEF, and CARE in order to help deliver aid and supplies. Twitter rumors started popping up that UPS was offering the services for free to individuals to ship to Haiti, but this is not true. Be sure to give what you can to help the people of Haiti. We hope and pray for them.

Read full article. 

Have you been someone following all the hype behind online stores and want to get involved with it? Now the opportunity is even easier then before with the sell and ship options available from Pack n Send.

Ebay is one of the largest online auction websites world-wide with millions of sellers and buyers. Becoming a seller doesn't have to be the most complicated thing anymore. Many people look into starting an Ebay business each day, and many more don't know where to begin or how to get started. 

Make Ebay Shipping Easy

With Pack n Send we'll take all the hard work out for you. We will take the time to research the items you want to sell, get photographs of the items, list the items, get you top dollar for the items and lastly, ship the items to their buyer for you. We will help you get your Ebay listing seen and sold at an astounding amount. 

Houston Ebay Shipping Services

For those located in Houston, Texas you can now take advantage of Pack n Send's Houston Ebay shipping. Our shipping services have been designed to help you get exactly what you need at a price you'll be able to afford. 

If you don't actually have anywhere to store your Ebay listings while you are waiting for them to sell consider making you of Pack n Send's inventory storage options. Pack n Send can store your inventory within their local warehouse until the Ebay listings are sold.

We want to make the overall process for you uncomplicated. It can be hard keeping things organized and on time, especially if you have large amounts of sales occuring each and everyday. Let Pack n Send make the process easier for you so you can enjoy your Ebay business even more and get all those Ebay listings selling. 

Time is everything when it comes to Ebay. You want to ensure your items are shipped quickly and the price is affordable. This is possible when you have Pack n Send assisting you with the overall process. 

Today we have the pleasure of shipping 50 boxes of truffles for Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland!

We wish we could eat all of these chocolates ourselves, they smell so tasty. Teuscher Chocolates was founded over 70 years ago by one of the world's greatest chocolatiers, Dolf Teuscher. He searched the world for the finest cocoa, marzipan, fruits, nuts, and other ingredients. After years of experimenting, he skillfully blended them into his now famous recipes.

Pack n Send can ship, move, and freight any item anywhere in the world. If you need a chocolate fix, visit the Teuscher Las Vegas website. If you need a shipping fix, call us at 713-266-1450 or request a shipping quote.

The holidays are now getting quite close, and getting all those gifts to family world wide is becoming slightly more tedious. No one enjoys spending a fortune to get the gifts to their families, which is why the hunt for cheap shipping costs is beginning.

If you are one of the many wanting to find cheap shipping costs, you will be happy to know that it's actually possible and there are many ways you can minimize the amounts you spend this holiday season. 

One of the best ways you can greatly diminish the amount you spend for shipping is combining packages. If you have several family members in one local area that you're shipping gifts to ship them all to one location. By doing this you are diminishing the amount of packages being sent out, meaning less postal fees. This is also a great way to ensure that your family is spending a little quality time together. 

Houston Company recommeds that you should consider is shipping early.

By shipping early you won't have to pay the added costs for expedited shipping to ensure the packages get there in time. Most people are known to wait until the last minute, but the holidays is the worst time that you could do this. 

The holiday season is a time of year you want to enjoy as much as possible. The last thing you want to worry about is your family not receiving their gifts. Don't have this worry this year and do all your holiday shipping with Pack n Send. 

Pack n Send dedicates themselves to cutting costs for you and also making sure that your family receives their gifts on time. It can be quite saddening to find out that they did not, so don't deal with this feeling this year. 

Make this a holiday season you enjoy to the fullest and have Pack n Send help you relieve all that gift shipping stress. We will do everything we can to get your packages arrive on time and do it at a better price then your usual postal services. Christmas is right around the corner, so it is time to get those gifts out now before it is too late and we are working our way into New Years.

Having family all over the globe can pose a problem during the holiday season. There are many ways you can cut the costs and ensure that you get everything to its destination on time.

For those that are not overly familiar with international shipping, be aware that packages can take 2-3 weeks to arrive at their destination, so shipping ahead of time is key. When you give yourself the needed time to get things there in time, you'll be a lot less worried. 

Another thing that you'll want to consider is the weight of the items you are shipping. A lot of postage is done by weight and distances. If you are shipping multiple items over seas try shipping everything together if possible. 

Getting your gifts to arrive on time is important and with Christmas only a few weeks away you really should consider getting everything sent out very soon. Most items going internationally will have to go through customs as well so do not go above and beyond on wrapping just in case things have to be opened. 

Also, you want to have your packages labeled displaying exactly what is in your packages. This will diminish the need to open up your packages and won't destroy any custom packing.

If you need international shipping this year, consider having Pack n Send assist you with the process. We offer several options to get your packages shipped on time, safely and securely at an affordable price you will love. Make sure to check our list of Countries we ship to, to ensure that we can ship to the location you need.