Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2017)

MARITIMEPROFESSIONAL.COM “Dear President Trump”“Dear President Trump”

Ideal Intermodal Advice Ideal Intermodal Advice for President-Elect Trumpfor President-Elect Trump

Let’s ? nish 2016 by offering a simple piece of advice to our incoming President. And, if you were looking for ? reworks, I’m afraid it just isn’t all that complicated – or at least, it shouldn’t be.

Image: © panimoni Adobe Stock

Wisdom from Canada spectrum of the intermodal equation. home, we spend more time trying to Also following that Asian trade show

It is a crying shame that I had to travel Logistics, terminals, ports authorities, defeat the other mode of transportation (and my I-95 follies), I returned to all the way to Hong Kong to get this sort rail – you name it – they were all there. than we do trying to seamlessly weave bravely face the holidays with the in- of information, but you don’t have to. And they spoke eloquently in sequence, the trucks, ships, barges, railroads and laws. It is harder than it sounds. We ? red

Or, maybe you can call one of all those with one voice, about what comprises pipelines into a single, enormously ef- up the aging family SUV and roared up folks who threatened to move to Canada the ideal supply chain. ? cient supply chain. And if they can do to Cleveland where one of my wife’s during our recent elections to get the More signi? cant was what they did not it up in Prince Rupert Sound, so too can family members spoke excitedly of ‘skinny’ on what it takes to run a real in- talk about. There was no in? ghting about we. “the promise of infrastructure spending, termodal supply chain. which mode of transportation was bet- tax relief and all the rest of it, once we

But, just in case nobody really did ter, which one was greener, which one Infrastructure 101 got by the inauguration.” It all certain- ? ee the country, I’ve got the lowdown was less expensive and all the rest of it. Safely back home in the United States, ly sounds good, doesn’t it? But, we’ve right here on Maritime Logistics Profes- In other words, it was a discussion that I hit the road again. This time it was on been down that road before and indeed; sional’s web site. Chill the New Year’s you rarely hear in the lower 48. That’s that magni? cent supply chain choker we’ve spent the last eight years pouring champagne a little early – victory for the because the overriding message that all known simply as I-95. There I had the concrete to the detriment of the nation’s domestic U.S. waterfront is right around ? ve speakers brought on their 16.5 hour opportunity to spend more than two harbors, ports and waterways. Sure, the the corner. ? ight from this side of the pond was that hours stuck underneath Baltimore Har- latest WRDA language promises a more

At a logistics trade event in Hong each and every one of them was only as bor in the 1.7 mile, eight-lane Fort streamlined allocation of funding for all

Kong over Thanksgiving week (after all, good as the part of the supply chain that McHenry Tunnel. If you’ve never done the right places, but the devil is always good logistics waits for no man and if we followed them. Let me say it again: Any it, I don’t recommend it. But if you do, in the details.

expect our mariners to operate 24/7/365, mode of transportation is only as good it is a wonderful place (107 feet below then we should do the same), I listened as the one that follows it in the supply sea level) to conjure up your next ar- Simple Solutions in on as many good presentations and chain. ticle while inhaling the rich aroma of a Actually, I have a better idea. It isn’t a panel discussions as I have heard at As their cogent discussions played out, couple thousand idling vehicles. It is a new one, by any stretch of the imagina-

ANY trade show, in any place, in all the I couldn’t help but wonder what might decidedly Tier ZERO environment. And, tion. Wrapped loosely around that crazy time I’ve been covering the waterfront. happen in the United States if we fol- let me just add here – a big ‘shout out’ Canadian idea that we all ought to work

Right up there vying for ? rst prize was lowed the same sort of business plan. to the Maryland DOT for their ef? cient together, I can think of no less expen- a delegation from Canada that included Or, maybe I was just punchy from the handling of the crisis. But, I’m drifting sive, more impactful action for these ? ve stakeholders representing the full 12 hour time change. You see, back at off course. United States than the elimination of the 8 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • JANUARY 2017

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