The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

January 29, 2025

Travel Academy Class Lineup

Register Today! The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), in association with the General Services Administration (GSA), will host the 2025 GovTravels Symposium, February 24-27, 2025. Get ready for an enhanced selection of Travel Academy classes complementing the 2025 theme, “Change Management: Challenges & Solutions in Government Travel.” Travel Academy sessions are a series of interactive, one-hour educational classes led by government and industry passenger travel leaders offering attendees the chance to explore the theme in greater depth. As a GovTravels full event participant you will earn 3.2 CEUs. Register today and purchase CEU credits at checkout. […READ MORE…]

2025 NDTA Foundation Scholarships

NDTA is excited about the education and professional development of our nation’s future logistics and transportation leaders and is offering four scholarship opportunities for members and their children.

  • Program A – for currently enrolled college students
  • Program B – for soon-to-be high school graduates accepted at an accredited institution
  • Program C – for currently enrolled, distance learning college students
  • Program D – The Denny Edwards Graduate Scholarship for graduate (master’s degree) students

All scholarship winners will receive a unique opportunity to join our Industry Connect Program (ICP), which links interested students with an industry mentor to help them bridge to the future. More information can be found here.

To learn about the scholarship qualification details and how to apply, go to https://www.ndtahq.com/foundation/, call us at (703) 751-5011 or send us an email at ndtahq@ndtahq.com. Read student testimonials from previous scholarship recipients to learn about the impact it has had on their studies. […READ MORE…]

Your Source

Russian Oil Freight Rates Soar on Sanctions-driven Tanker Shortage

Freight rates for Russian ESPO Blend oil loading from the Far Eastern port of Kozmino have jumped fivefold amid a lack of vessels after fresh US sanctions cut availability of tankers. Higher freight costs cut Russian oil sellers’ revenues that are already under pressure from US sanctions and complicated logistics, while a lack of vessels in the region during the winter season may lead to loading disruptions. On Jan. 10, the US imposed the toughest sanctions yet on the Russian oil industry, targeting major oil companies and more than 180 vessels. […READ MORE…]

  C5MI Launches First Successful SAP S/4HANA (S/4) Migration for the Department of Defense (DoD)

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL – C5MI, an industry leader in digital transformation, has successfully partnered with DLA to complete the first and only S/4 migration within the DoD. This landmark project significantly advances the DoD’s digital transformation efforts, setting a new technological integration and efficiency standard. Executing this project within the largest SAP Warehouse Management System (WMS) deployment in the U.S. Federal Government is no small success. […READ MORE…]

Trump Tariffs Could Backfire on Military, Some Experts Warn

(Defense News) The Trump administration’s plans to impose tariffs on a wide swathe of products and materials — reportedly including materials critical to the nation’s defense supply chain — could drive up some military programs’ costs and cause delays.

The cascade of negative effects could become a byproduct of the intended benefits, which include pushing companies to expand domestic processing of materials, such as steel and rare earths, which are vital to specialized microelectronics, and lessening America’s dependence on foreign suppliers. […READ MORE…]

Editor’s Picks

Saying Goodbye to the Navy’s Last Aircraft Carrier “Big John” After Nearly 40 Years of Service

(Union Rayo) The USS John F. Kennedy, a huge aircraft carrier that was for decades a symbol of the US naval world, is about to bid farewell to the sea on its last voyage. Its final destination is Brownsville, Texas, where it will be decommissioned. This ship has served for almost 40 years of this country’s history and this farewell marks the end of an era.

LCS-10 to Be First Ship this Year Suited with Lethality, Survivability Upgrade

(Breaking Defense) The Littoral Combat Ship Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) will be the first in the class to receive a series of upgrades this year focused on improving the ship class’s lethality and survivability, according to the Navy officer overseeing the program.

US Navy Capt. JJ Murawski told attendees at the recent Surface Navy Association symposium that the upgrade package, formally called LCS Lethality and Survivability, will initially only be installed onboard Independence-class variants.

Army Tries Out Next-gen Hybrid Tactical Vehicle Prototype in Germany

(Defense News) The US Army is taking a hybrid next-generation tactical vehicle prototype for a spin in snowy Bavarian terrain, according to a report from the US Army Europe and Africa. The GM Defense-developed Next Generation Tactical Vehicle-Hybrid, or NGTV-H, is a diesel-powered, electric light reconnaissance vehicle that the company unveiled at the Association of the US Army’s annual conference in October 2024.

Last MC-130J Delivery Marks End of USAF’s Specialized Hercules Orders

(Aviation Week) The US Air Force in mid-January received the last Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II special operations variant of the Hercules, marking the final delivery of the service’s specialized version of the aircraft. The delivery was the 64th for the MC-130J fleet and the 134th total number of MC-130Js, AC-130Js and HC-130Js. The service still awaits deliveries of newly built C-130Js, but no additional specially modified versions are expected.

BNSF Announces $3.8 Billion Capital Plan for 2025

(Trains.com) BNSF Railway plans to spend $3.8 billion on capital projects in 2025, with the vast majority for network maintenance. The figure is nearly equal to the $3.92 billion the company set for capital spending a year ago. The 2025 plan includes $2.84 billion for maintenance, including 11,400 miles of track surfacing and/or undercutting, and replacement of 2.5 million ties and 410 miles of rail.

Please join NDTA in extending a warm welcome to our two newest University members:

Purdue University

John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Industries

AIT Worldwide Logistics Acquires St. Louis-based Krupp Trucking

AIT Worldwide Logistics, a leading provider of global supply chain solutions, has completed an agreement to purchase Krupp Trucking LLC’s (“Krupp”) business. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the St. Louis-based freight forwarder specializing in the transportation of high-value goods, transferred all its assets and teammates to AIT and commenced operations as the AIT-St. Louis office.

Boeing Partners with Norsk e-Fuel to Advance SAF Production and Reduce Aviation Emissions

The Boeing Company has become a key project development partner of Norsk e-Fuel, supporting one of Europe’s first industrial scale Power-to-Liquids (PtL) facilities. Boeing’s investment will accelerate the production and availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the Nordics and globally. It is also intended to support the commercial aviation industry’s and ICAO member states’ common goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Trailer Bridge Awarded Five-Year Global Contract by Naval Supply Systems Command

Trailer Bridge was selected by the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) for the Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract 2.0 (WEXMAC 2.0). This five-year, multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is valued at $1.425 billion and spans from January 2025 to December 2029, with a five-year extension option. Trailer Bridge is one of 86 companies worldwide awarded the contract and one of only three Jacksonville-based companies included in the award.

The Source is a free educational publication for NDTA members, conference attendees, and associates.

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