Kuehne & Nagel, the global provider of logistics services, has set up a new joint venture company in the Sultanate of Oman.

On March 11, 2011, a tsunami off the coast of Japan caused human tragedy on a massive scale, killing thousands and rendering more than half a million homeless. The tsunami also wreaked havoc on business supply chains worldwide. Toyota and Honda experienced a 30-percent and 60-percent decline in profit, respectively, which both attributed to production lags caused by limited supplies of parts after the tsunami. The tsunami caused an estimated $40bn in economic losses due to interruptions in global supply chains.

Schlumberger saved millions on its inbound transportation spend once it decided to re-tool the way it paid its freight bills.

The growth of global trade, internalisation and externalisation of borders, and increased security threats to international supply chains are putting pressure on Customs organizations around the world.

Richard Bank and Lisa Harrington, directors of the Sustainable Supply Chain Foundation, bring us up to date on the group's efforts to introduce third-party verification of companies' sustainability programs.

DB Schenker Logistics has expanded its services to Ukraine.

The EU has recently announced the official launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan. The agreement would cover goods, services and investment, and would eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, and cover other trade-related issues, such as sustainable development, regulatory issues, competition and public procurement.