The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

June 22, 2021

 

 

Hail & Farewell

NDTA would like to formally welcome Pamelyn Lindsey as our new Educational Coordinator!  In this role, Pam will spearhead NDTA’s educational initiatives, including leading the efforts for the Fall Meeting Transportation Academy and GovTravels Travel Academy. She is the President and Co-Founder of L4 Services LLC, a consulting, advisory and educational services firm, and is an experienced integrated business planning, Sales & Operations Planning and supply chain management professional. Pam formerly served as the Director of Global Supply Chain Operations and global leader of Executive S&OP for Ciena Corporation, a telecommunications and network strategy company. For much of her 25+ year career, she worked for the DuPont Company as an internal consultant and continuous improvement leader. Pam holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Project Management from the Graves School of Business, Morgan State University. We are very excited to have you on board Pam! 

NDTA also bids farewell to Irvin Varkonyi our previous Educational Coordinator, who is retiring. Irv has been a long-time—and truly involved—member of NDTA.  He has served as the President of the NDTA Washington DC Chapter, worked on the mentor protégé program, and wrote the Professional Development column for the Defense Transportation Journal. As the Educational Coordinator for the past eight years, Irv was instrumental in building NDTA’s educational program including the Transportation and Travel Academies. Though Irv is retiring, Irv will be staying busy. He plans to continue teaching a few online classes for the universities he represents, will do volunteer work for several organizations, and he still plans to attend NDTA events when he can. Irv, congratulations on your retirement and thank you for the many ways you have helped to enrich NDTA’s educational platform.

 

Small Unmanned Boat Can Deliver Parts at High Speed

By Edward Lundquist

For critical parts deliveries or personnel transfers for ships on the high sea, a small, fast manned or unmanned craft may be the answer.

In 2016, an anchor handling supply tug (AHST) towing a major oil and gas cargo at slow speed across the Indian Ocean was in need of a critical engine part that it did not have onboard.  The part was not particularly big, or expensive, but for this slow-moving ship with tow it was desperately needed as soon as possible.  Delivery by helicopter was not possible because of the distance.  Waiting until the AHTS arrived at its destination was not an acceptable option. […READ MORE…]

 

Your Source

Building Resilient Supply Chains, Revitalizing American Manufacturing, and Fostering Broad-Based Growth

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic dislocation revealed long-standing vulnerabilities in our supply chains. The pandemic’s drastic impacts on demand patterns for a range of medical products including essential medicines wreaked havoc on the US healthcare system. As the world shifted to work and learn from home, it created a global semiconductor chip shortage impacting automotive, industrial, and communications products, among others. In February, extreme weather events—exacerbated by climate change—further exacerbated these shortages. In recent months the strong US economic rebound and shifting demand patterns have strained supply chains in other key products, such as lumber, and increased strain on US transportation and shipping networks. […READ MORE…]

 

Nation’s Shipyards Support $42.4 Billion in Gross Domestic Product
New Maritime Administration report also finds private shipyards provide more than 107,000 direct jobs.

The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has released a new report finding that the Nation’s private shipyards support $42.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP). MARAD’s new report—The Economic Importance of the US Private Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry—measures the economic importance of the shipbuilding and repairing industry at the national and State levels for calendar year 2019. […READ MORE…]

 

Editor’s Picks

Labor, Driver Shortages Delay Commercial, Military Moves
(Transport Topics) The moving industry is facing mammoth labor and truck driver shortages during the peak military moving season and an explosion of moving demands in the commercial market, possibly delaying unscheduled summer moves until August or September, according to American Trucking Associations’ Moving and Storage Conference.

Robert C. O’Brien: The Jones Act Is Essential for U.S. National Security
(The National Interest) The world is a dangerous place and the original purpose of the Jones Act is still relevant. Just imagine a future without the Jones Act, where Chinese-flagged vessels all controlled, in whole or in part, by the Chinese Communist Party—were able to freely dock at our domestic ports, cruise our coastlines, and travel up and down our inland waterways…

Biden-Putin Summit: Key Takeaways From an ‘All Business’ Meeting in Geneva
(NBC News) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he made it clear in his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. will act against Russia if it continues with behavior that harms America’s interests—even as Washington keeps trying to find areas of common ground.

Defeat Is Possible
(War on the Rocks) If the United States is to have a reasonable hope of winning a war, it needs to think very seriously about what it would be like to lose. For years, analysts have warned the US and its allies might not prevail in a high-level conflict with a near-peer adversary. While Russia and China fall short of the US in overall military power, they enjoy local overmatch in key theaters that might allow them to defeat US forces.

Austin Signs Internal Directive to Unify Department’s China Efforts
(US Department of Defense) Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has issued an internal directive to laser-focus Department of Defense efforts to address China as the nation’s number one pacing challenge.

Senate Commerce Committee’s Bipartisan $78B Surface Transportation Bill Advances
(Railway Age) The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has passed its five-year surface transportation bill authorizing $78 billion for rail, freight, safety, and research programs.

 

Echo Global Logistics CEO Waggoner Assesses Market Conditions and Trends
(Logistics Management) Logistics Management recently spoke with Doug Waggoner, CEO of Echo Global Logistics about various topics, including: the state of the freight economy, Peak Season, and the trucking market, among others.

ARC Selected as Prime Contractor for U.S. Navy Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract
[American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC)] ARC has been selected as a prime contractor for the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC). Which will enable the Navy and other Military Services to contract for global logistics support services such as supplies and services, material handling, lodging, force protection, communications, provisions, clothing, fuel, and medical supplies.

You Don’t Have to Fly Solo
(SAP Concur) In our post-pandemic business world, where the return to travel is in a brighter spotlight than you’ve ever known, and where CFOs and road-warriors alike are watching your every move, travel management companies are collaborating with travel managers in new and impactful ways.

DHL Expands in Kansas City to Accommodate Growth in International E-Commerce Shipping
(DHL Express) DHL has relocated its Kansas City operation to a newly constructed, state-of-the-art building that’s more than double the size of the previous location. The $5M investment in the DHL Express service center increases shipment capacity and enables faster shipment processing, resulting in earlier deliveries for local customers.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Continues Strong Momentum in Economy, Midscale Extended-Stay and Upper Midscale New Construction
(Wyndham Hotels & Resorts) Wyndham has continued strong momentum in new construction for its newly introduced prototypes and dual-branded hotels. In the 12 months from April 2020 to March 2021, Wyndham has executed nearly 100 new construction deals across the US, achieving approximately 90 percent of the previous 12 months’ pre-pandemic levels.

 

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

 

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