Eric Joiner's Freightdawg.com - The Logistics and Supply Chain Blog!

STS-135: Atlantis Takes the Greatest Transport System ever into the History Books

Yesterday, on July 8th, 2011, NASA launched the 135th and final space shuttle mission.   I had a lot of internal business stuff to take care of, so I worked from home.  I needed the alone time to get some stuff done, but selfishly, I also wanted to watch this lift off, which was scheduled for 11:26AM Eastern Time.    I have a small TV in my office, so I had it on in the background. I was listening to Anderson Cooper and the rest of the talking heads on CNN blather on about the Shuttle and NASA while the launch team worked through a weather delay, which stopped the countdown at about 9 minutes.

So, slogging through conference calls,  a couple of RFP's and some other business stuff, I kept peering over to see what was going on.   About the time my cell phone rang with a call from our Atlanta District Manager about some staffing issues,  NASA started the countdown again.   I had my back to the TV and was deep into the conversation, when I happened to turn around and saw the Shuttle had already launched and was screaming off into space!!!    My daughter was home at the time in another part of the house. 

Next thing she hears from me is "DAMN!, DAMN!, DAMN!!!!  I MISSED IT!!!"        

I know our local DM thought I had lost my mind. I started fussing "Dammit Rich, you made me miss the shuttle launch!!".    This guy is sitting in the office and and I am sure he thought I was sitting here in my Bunny Slippers.   The phone call ended quickly after that. 

I'm pretty attached to the Shuttles.  I grew up watching Gemini missions when folks like Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley and Eric Sevareid would announce the launches back in the 60's.   Then the Apollo missions came.   Alas, Apollo ended in the 1970's when the moon mission had fulfilled Kennedy's promise and the political juice ran out after the 1973 oil embargo.   

We waited 6 long years for the next launch system to come along.  It was the Space Shuttle.  Arguably the most complex, and most Herculean transportation system ever developed by man.    I vividly recall sitting in my parents home in 1981 when John Young and Bob Crippen took the first shuttle up from Cape Canaveral.   What an emotional event that was.    America was leading again.  Reagan was in the White House.  America was in the ascendency again.  Literally.

Then Challenger happened.   Like the Kennedy assassination and later 9/11,  I think every American remembers where they were when Challenger blew up.   I was in my office when my wife called and told me.  I felt like I had been kicked in the groin.  It hurt.  America hurt.    Two years later, the Shuttle returned, this time safer and NASA was humbled into a stronger, safer space program.    On the backs of Astronauts like Story Musgrave,  Hoot Gibson, Bruce McCandless, Sally Ride and others,  the Shuttle accomplished the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope,  its subsequent repair and ultimately the missions to build the first permanent International Space Station.   Despite the sacrifices of 14 American patriots in the astronauts who died in the Challenger and Columbia accidents,  the Space Shuttle has been an unparalleled success.

STS-135 was essentially a housekeeping mission, taking supplies to the ISS.  It wasn't even supposed to take place.  However, NASA has Atlantis ready to go as a back up shuttle for the earlier missions this year, and decided to fly one last time.  I'm delighted they did.

At some point in the future, America will have the political will to venture into space on its own again.  Whether through NASA and the Orion program, or through brilliant commercial minds who are developing private launch capacity,  America will go back to space.  I can't wait.   The sooner we get a Republican back in the White House again, the sooner that will be.

Enjoy the video above.  That's how I got to see the last mission blast off into space.  

Eric

Internet Lists...I Hate Them. (mostly)

 
I guess I am becoming Internet jaded.   I surf the web like everyone else and even am known to spend mindless minutes hitting the "stumbleupon" button on my browser.  (My wife definitely thinks this is mindless...or at least I am.)

Invariably one hits the many top 10 lists, various "must read" lists, etc.   Usually this is a semi-cheesy attempt to drive traffic without creating much in the way of original content.  I'll admit I am also not above that.   In fact, I am doing it now.   However with at least a little purpose.

50 Things Successful People Have in Common.

Stumbling through the web tonight, I did find a nugget.   Dan Waldschmidt has a very good list that frankly I know from my own experience is true.   50 Things Successful People have in Common is interesting for those who are successful and are mature enough to be self aware.  I hit a good number of these square on, but there are also a few that I could work on. 

It highlights areas for improvement.  However, I also think it has application in hiring.   I know as a successful person, I am often at a loss as to "why exactly" I am good at what I do.    This list at least does a good job of defining attributes that I can identify with and identify in others.   That becomes a basis for evaluation.

Eric

July 4th, 1776...The Logistical Tail of a Revolution

Given my heavy business travel, I read a lot.  I read mostly non-fiction and a lot of history, so when I got an email from a Freightdawg reader about an interesting "infographic" put forth by Derby Logistics on the supply chain challenges of the American Revolution, I was interested.   Most interesting of all were the challenges the British faced in fighting a war 3000 miles away by sea.

The "logistical tail" of an army is the supply chain that keeps the beans, bandages and bullets flowing to the front.   This has been a strategic element of armies from the beginning of time.  It was critical to the defeat of Napoleon and later, the Nazi's in Russia.  It was physical limiter that ultimately contained the Roman Empire.  It's also why some of the finest minds in Logistics today are in the United States military.   It's also one of the key reasons a bunch of farmers and militia folks lead by an aristocratic professional leader like Washington could challenge then eventually defeat the greatest superpower of the age.  

Check this article out on the supply chain that won the American Revolution.   Our country owes much to those who worked to move the materiel that General Washington needed but we also owe our fortunes to the Atlantic Ocean, which forced great hardship on the British.    

Eric

PS: As a guy who spent years working for a British shipping company, I find this fascinating. 

Gas Prices in Atlanta and the Nation.

This spring has been hurtful to American consumers in terms of gas prices.  See below to monitor how badly.   12 months ago, gasoline was one dollar a gallon lower.  By year end, this will be over $5.00.    My family is planning a trip to Disney World at Thanksgiving.   I shudder to think how much the gas cost will be.  Now if I was a Canadian or other seasonal traveler to Florida, I have to think this will give them pause and should impact tourism.   

I appreciate the global political uncertainty in North Africa and the Middle East that is impacting the price of crude oil.  However, when BP is routinely .05-.10 a gallon higher than everyone else, you realize that we are paying at the pump for the disaster they caused in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Hey!  maybe the lines at Space Mountain will be shorter because nobody can afford to go...maybe including me?

Fuel Price Trends for Atlanta and the US.

Atlanta Gas Prices Provided by GasBuddy.com

FYI: The chart here is actually a widget thats dynamic.  The data is real time, so it changes daily, making this short article relevant on a continuing basis.  

Click here to check out the US heat map that graphically depicts fuel prices in your area of the USA.

 

 

Japan Radiation Threat Causes Cargo Screening and altered Operations

Everyone is watching and reading the News about the terrible after effects of the earthquake and Tsunami that hit Northern Japan and the subsequent explosive impact on several Japanese nuclear power reactors.  

As the Japanese struggle with the health and safety of their own people,  foreign governments including the United States are carefully watching cargoes and people transiting or originating from Japan.   So far, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) department issued the following statement on March 16th, 2011. 

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is monitoring developments in Japan carefully and is specifically assessing the potential for radiological contamination associated with the ongoing impact of the earthquake and tsunami to Japan's nuclear facilities. Out of an abundance of caution, CBP has issued field guidance reiterating its operational protocols and directing field personnel to specifically monitor maritime and air traffic from Japan. 

No aircraft entering the United States today tested positive for radiation at harmful levels.

To address radiological and nuclear risks, CBP employs several types of radiation detection equipment in its operations at both air and sea ports, and uses this equipment, along with specific operational protocols, to resolve any security or safety risks that are identified with inbound travelers and cargo.  In the air environment, CBP frontline personnel are equipped with Personal Radiation Detectors (PRDs) that can detect the presence of radiological materials, and all airports have more sensitive Radiation Isotope Identification Devices (RIIDs) to determine both the presence and type of radiation encountered. Travelers who manifest signs of radiation sickness are referred to health authorities and provided appropriate treatment.

At seaports, and in its international mail and express consignment facilities, CBP continues to use sensitive, large-scale Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) and scans all maritime cargo and express consignment and mail arriving from Japan. CBP maintains similar protocols for identifying and resolving radiation alarms in these operations and will deny entry to contaminated cargo and mail. 

CBP will continue to evaluate the potential risks posed by radiation contamination on inbound travelers and cargo and will adjust its detection and response protocols, in coordination with its interagency partners, as developments warrant."

While the US government has discouraged citizens from visiting Japan, so far no passengers or luggage have shown signs of radioactive contamination.   Airlines are taking a wait and see attitude toward servicing Japanese airports.  Delta Airlines as an example is still servicing Narita airport but at present has ceased flights to Haneda.    Lufthansa however has not resumed flights to Narita so far.   Express carriers are continuing to serve Japan at varying levels with FedEx, DHL and UPS all making service announcements on their web sites.

Major container terminals are presently working at normal capacity, however port closures over the past weekend have caused congestion and backlogs.  It remains to be seen if the ports are impacted as days go on by lack of diesel fuel and gasoline, as well as inability of workers to get to work due to power and public transport disruptions.  Services to Sendai, Hachinohe, and Onahama have been suspended by some carriers including Maersk.   NYK Line, a leading Japanese flag carrier meanwhile has offered its services to the Japanese government not only in moving relief supplies, but in providing service vessels to serve as offshore staging platforms for helicopters and relief supplies. 

I left a week ago to go to China for business. What the heck happened with Gas Prices?

I left a week ago to go to China for business. Gas near me in the Atlanta area was $3.10 a gallon at the time. One week later, today...its $3.45 a gallon. Its enough to make one seriously pissed off. I've always suspected the oil companies of price gouging. How can the price of oil go up 1.00 a barrel on Tuesday and have it show up in the price at the pump on Wednesday?

Well, there is apparently a lot more to it that that, though the net effect is about the same. Check this good article out on how gasoline prices work.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110307/ap_on_bi_ge/us_pricing_gas

In the meantime, check out one of my favorite sites, gasbuddy.com to find the lowest prices in your area.  For those of you who like me, find Twitter only marginally useful, one of the better ways it can be used is to share immediate gas price changes amongst local peers.

Fuel prices are going to rapidly show up in transportation emergency surcharges and later in the prices of goods.  Look first for these to show in the price of food.   

Somebody settle Libya and the folks in Egypt down because its making my veggies too expensive.

 

To Each of You, A Merry Christmas 2010

Another year older, another year wiser(?)  Another year of Freightdawgedness.  I want to wish each of you a happy, healthy and safe Christmas season.   I've made many friends and learned much in the several years that this blog has existed.  It's made my work more fun.

For me, the happiest new year will be an Auburn Tiger victory in the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Az on January 10th!

Best Wishes and Happy New Year.

Eric

Incoterms 2011 - Revisions are Coming!

In January, 2011, the international commercial terms (incoterms) will be modified.  These are international trade terms used in determining where title to goods changes hands in a supply chain, amongst other things.  These are defined by the International Chamber of Commerce.  Every few years, these terms are updated to reflect changing trade practices.

Lance Scoular, The Savvy Navigator,  has produced a couple of really nice youtube videos that depict the upcoming changes.   Worth a view.

Part Two is viewable below:

Southwest Airlines: Coming to the ATL!

As a regular passenger on Delta Airlines out of Atlanta, I was super pumped to read that Southwest is purchasing Airtran.  Airtran has built a nice base of operations in Atlanta and is really the only major domestic carrier competition Delta has in this Market.   

Deltas dominance keeps airfares in our market higher than in more contested markets, especially to 2nd tier markets like Columbus Ohio,  Charleston, SC. etc.    Airtran has provided competition but not on the order, service consistency or market reach of Southwest.   For those of us who feel locked in,  now our choices are growing.  This is great news.

Operationally, it will be interesting to see how SWA integrates Airtrans fleet into its all B737 fleet.  Airtran operates both Boeing 717's as well as 737's.   The 717 fleet is relatively new, but I would not be surprised to see SWA liquidate that portion of the Airtran fleet over a near to medium term. 

This acquisition does nothing for the air freight market.  In this regard, I wish Delta had some more international competition, especially on South American routes where it pretty much owns the markets to Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.   Anything that would force Delta to upgrade it's inadequate old 767's on these routes would be a plus.

Airtran has built a competitive, quality discount air carrier.  Adding their talents and assets to the already great Southwest Airlines is a major boon to the Atlanta market and anywhere else served by Airtran. 

The Real Meaning of the Pledge

Tomorrow is America's birthday.   We live in a difficult and tumultuous world with difficult economic circumstances.  However, I am intensely proud and humbled to be an American.   I know that I and my family are lucky to live in the greatest country in the world. 

 Red Skelton I think is one of the most talented American comedians of the 20th century.  In 1969, he did following bit on his CBS television show.  It's one of the greatest renditions of the American Pledge of Allegiance ever done.  

For those who visit here who are not American, the Pledge is an oath that used to be a part of the start of every school age child's day.  It has meaning beyond the understanding of children. 

Enjoy.  

Eric