IDS Building Container Ship Data Center
January 9th, 2008
According to a news report, IDS (International Data Security), a startup company in the San Francisco Bay area, is planning to build as many as 50 data centers on decommissioned container ships, up to 22 of those in the U.S. First space will be at Pier 50 in San Francisco.
These ships will live in port in their designated cities, and will rely on standard connectivity for power and network. Using cargo ships allows for flexibility and the ability to expand based on the availability of ships and port space, rather than real estate.
Datacenters in a shipping container were reported here before when we wrote about Sun Microsystem’s Project Blackbox. The idea is to put all of the computer servers and support equipment into a standard 40 foot shipping container. The IDA project, takes the idea to the next logical step and puts the containers on board a ship, avoiding high real estate prices in congested cities. Biodiesel generators will be used for power and heat from the equipment will be used to help stabilize temperature on the ship.
Link: Data Center Knowledge via SlashDot
APL Introduces 53 Foot Ocean Containers
November 2nd, 2007APL is taking delivery of the first 53 foot ocean capable containers November 7th and will deploy them as a weekly service on APL’s premier South China to Los Angeles service. 53 foot containers have been in use for intermodal transportation in the U.S. but have not been strong enough for ocean shipments, however, the new reinforced containers were designed specifically for that purpose.
From the APL press release:
The creator of outsize containers in the 1980s, APL said its latest innovation – premium big-box service on a regular, weekly basis - has the potential to make a significant difference to the economics of Transpacific trade.
“Our objective is to move big-box economics farther back in the supply chain to the point where products are manufactured in Asia,” said Ron Widdows, CEO of APL. “We’re responding to customers who want new levels of efficiency in their containerized trade.”
Deployment of the new-generation, larger container for Transpacific trade is a logical next step for APL, which introduced the industry’s first 45-foot container in 1980, the 48-footer in 1986, and the domestic 53-foot box in 1989.
The 53-foot container has become fundamental to domestic intermodal transportation in the U.S. But to date, other than for occasional cargo lifts when repositioning new containers from Asia to the U.S., 53-foot boxes haven’t been strong enough to endure the rigors of ocean transport. Instead, importers ship cargo to the U.S. West Coast in 20, 40 or 45-foot boxes, then trans-load – or transfer – their shipments to 53-foot containers at U.S. ports for truck or rail transport to the final destination. Read the rest of this entry »
Exports to Iraq Encouraged at Gulf Iraqi Expo
October 31st, 2007If your company is considering doing business in Iraq, the Gulf Iraqi Expo, is running November 1-3, 2007 in Manama, Bahrain.
The Gulf Iraqi Expo will be the first trade show held by the Government of Iraq outside of Iraq. This exciting event will be held under the patronage of the Iraqi Ministry of Trade State Company of Iraqi Fairs, organizer of the renowned Baghdad Fair, and the Bahraini Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It is no accident that Bahrain was chosen as the venue for this historic event: there is abundant capital in the Gulf awaiting opportunities in Iraq. In addition to the exhibition, GIX will incorporate matchmaking sessions and a conference program focused on developments in Iraq. Representatives of regional and multinational corporations are expected to attend, and decision makers from all levels of several Iraqi Ministries will be present.
Though the U.S. government encourages exports to Iraq, precautions must be taken to ensure compliance with any export restrictions governing dual use products.
Link: GIX 2007
Posted in International Shipping, Trade Agreements, U.S. export regulations
Top Of Page | Leave a Comment »Illegal Export of Military Night Vision Goggles and Aviation Helmets
October 30th, 2007The U.S. Department of Justice reports a conspiracy related to the sale of military night vision goggles, aviation helmets, and other equipment:
On Sept. 28, 2007, Jerri Stringer pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Florida to several violations in connection with a conspiracy with her son, former U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Leonard Allen Schenk, to steal restricted military night vision goggles, aviation helmets, and other equipment from the Air Force and sell them to overseas buyers. Schenk pleaded guilty on Sept. 20 to a 21-count indictment alleging the sale of stolen military equipment overseas and attempting to hire an undercover agent to kill a potential government witness.
Though this was a case of intentionally exporting restricted items, exporters must be sure that all items being sold overseas are not in violation of restrictions on dual use commodities, software, and technology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security
Eric Shen New Transportation Planning Director for Port of Long Beach
October 30th, 2007Eric Shen, a transportation planning official for the city of Pasadena, has been hired by the Board of Harbor Commissioners as the Director of Transportation Planning for the Port of Long Beach.
Shen has 15 years of experience in the field, including the last seven years as Transportation Planning and Development Manager for Pasadena.
At the Port of Long Beach, Shen will oversee the planning, design and development of future transportation strategies, as well as the evaluation of the current transportation system. He will help implement Green Port Policy programs to reduce air pollution from goods movement, and represent the Port to regional, state and federal transportation agencies.
The creation of the Transportation Planning Division is part of an ongoing reorganization of the Port’s administrative structure. The new division is part of the Environmental Affairs and Planning Bureau, along with Environmental Planning and Master Planning. The bureau is led by Managing Director Dr. Robert Kanter.
Shen earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of California, Irvine. He regularly lectures at transportation engineering and planning courses at UC Irvine, USC and UCLA. He serves on several technical committees of the Transportation Research Board, a division of the National Academies of Science. He is a registered Professional Engineer in California and Alameda and a certified Professional Transportation Planner.
Link: Port of Long Beach
