Executive Order Aims to Protect US Networks, Merchant Marine History, and more
National Transportation Week & National Defense Transportation Day
The capability to move and travel freely and efficiently by land, air, and sea is critical to our economic strength, vital to our national defense, and essential to the American way of life. On National Defense Transportation Day and during National Transportation Week, we recognize the dedicated professionals who ensure our transportation infrastructure system is safe, convenient, reliable, and fully prepared to support our national defense.
Read more of President Trump’s proclamation on National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week, 2019.
In Case You Missed It
The deadline to file this year’s scholarship application is 1 June 2019. Check out more details in the NDTA News section below.
Government & Military News
Trump Issues Executive Order to Protect US Networks Amid China Spying Concerns
(Washington Examiner) President Trump has declared a national emergency, signing an executive order that bans US companies from using foreign telecom services that could pose a national security threat. READ MORE
Defense Agency Surmounts ‘Big’ Security Challenge for Robotic Process Automation
(Fedscoop) The Defense Logistics Agency has finished a robotic process automation proof of concept that’s the first of its kind in government, allowing unattended bots to operate around the clock. READ MORE
Navy Secretary Says Maritime Logistical Force is Inadequate to Support the New National Defense Strategy
(Seapower Magazine) The Navy’s current and planned maritime logistical force “is inadequate” to support the new National Defense Strategy and major military operations against China or Russia, and failure to correct that deficiency “could cause the United States to lose a war,” an in-depth study by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment has warned. READ MORE
House Appropriations Committee Floats $700B Defense Budget in Rebuke to Trump
(Federal News Network) The House Appropriations Committee issued a large rebuke to the Trump administration’s plans for the Defense Department in 2020, with a proposal to cut a substantial chunk from DOD’s budget request. READ MORE
Defense Firm’s ‘Excess Profits’ Land in Congress’s Crosshairs
(Defense News) The House Oversight and Government Reform memo released is set to probe what it called one federal contractor’s “extreme profit margins” at a hearing Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to use the hearing to explore the potential need for greater transparency and stronger regulations on defense industry profits. READ MORE
Industry News
Op-Ed: The Merchant Marine, America’s Fourth Arm of Defense
(Navy Times) Throughout the nation’s history, the Navy and merchant marine served as complementary forces. READ MORE
Blockchain and Edge Computing: Supercharging the Supply Chain
(Supply Chain Brain) Emerging technologies like predictive analytics, augmented reality and blockchain have the potential to transform supply-chain operations. Leading the charge for businesses in the digital age: edge computing. READ MORE
The Logistics Last Mile: How Sellers Can Make it a Strength and not a Setback
(Inbound Logistics) The last mile is often the most challenging, costly, and technologically deficient portion of the delivery process. But as more and more consumers use e-commerce to order and ship everything from medicine to artwork, the shipping and logistics sector has to move to making last mile a strength and not a setback. READ MORE
After Years of Arguing, This Is Likely the Year You Begin Paying More to Use US Airports
(Forbes) Americans complain about fees added to their airline fares. But they also complain about old and inadequate airport facilities. How much more in fees are they willing to pay for better facilities? READ MORE
Opinion: Change the Trucking Culture to Attract and Retain New Talent
(Supply Chain Management Review) It’s well known the trucking industry faces a growing shortage of drivers. Perhaps the industry could learn from the engagement and workplace culture strategies from high-tech industries to attract and retain talent. READ MORE
Member Highlights
Maersk Doubles Down on Logistics with Integration of Inland Services
(Supply Chain Dive) A.P. Moller – Maersk has said it will integrate APM Terminals’ Inland Services division into Maersk’s Logistics and Services division beginning Aug. 1—a move the Danish carrier called “a next step” in its strategy to offer customers end-to-end solutions. READ MORE
White Paper: China 301 Tariffs
(Crane Worldwide Logistics) On May 13, 2019, the Trump Administration announced its proposal to impose Section 301 tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese originating goods imported into the United States. Find out what’s next in this downloadable white paper. READ MORE
Bennett Heavy Haul Trucking Services Shine in Atlanta Airport Canopy Project
(Bennett International Group) With 1,938 illuminated panels spanning the length of three football fields, the recently completed south canopy of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a sight to behold. But the real story might be how little attention the massive canopy gained during construction, thanks largely to Bennett’s deft delivery of the 39 steel trusses—each in five pieces—without interrupting airport operations, which amazingly remained open throughout construction. READ MORE
Amtrak and NJ Transit Continue Partnership With $31 Million Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Investment
(Amtrak) Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT have announced a joint $31 million investment to improve railroad infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in New Jersey and to conduct renewal work throughout spring and summer 2019 as part of their ongoing partnership. READ MORE
APL Adds Honolulu To Eagle Express X Service
(APL) APL has announced the addition of Honolulu as a port of call to its Eagle Express X (EXX) service. Directly connecting Central China, Korea and Japan to Hawaii, the fortnightly call to Honolulu on the EXX service marks APL’s commitment to the Hawaiian market where its APL-owned office will render strong local expertise and dedicated customer support. READ MORE
NDTA News & Events
2019 NDTA National Scholarship Program
The deadline for our 2019 NDTA National Scholarship Program submissions is quickly approaching. The purpose of the program is to provide financial aid to rising high school seniors, undergraduate college students, and undergraduate distance learning students in transportation and logistics related fields. It is a popular and important benefit afforded to NDTA members and their family members. The deadline to file this year’s scholarship application is 1 June 2019 via email to the NDTA Scholarship Committee, attention Leah Ashe at leah@ndtahq.com. To learn more about the scholarship program, please go to www.ndtahq.com/about-us/education/. As a reminder, even if you were awarded a scholarship in previous years, you are still eligible to apply again this year. Please help us spread the word!
Find NDTA chapter events on the NDTA CALENDAR.
The NDTAGram is produced weekly by NDTA, a non-profit, non-political educational association, for informational purposes only. We want to hear from you! For questions or comments please email sharon@ndtahq.com. To change your subscription, email leah@ndtahq.com.