Businesses need and want predictability - particularly when it comes to government regulations. So the fact that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) updates its Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods every two years is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because industry knows the changes that are coming, and a curse because there are changes coming.

Imports at the nation's major retail container ports saw an unexpected increase during the industry's busy holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released this week by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Retailers prepare for months for the all-important holiday season. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the holiday season can account for as much as 30 percent of an individual retailer's total sales. The NRF also notes that the holiday returns process accounts for about 24 percent of returns for the entire year.

SATO, a global provider of Auto-ID tools, has announced it will launch two new group companies in the Philippines. By establishing SATO Philippines AIDC Solutions Inc. and SATO Philippines Auto-ID SP Inc., the SATO Group says it seeks to better serve customers in the country.

Dutch market research firm WorldACD has released strong monthly results for late 2016, calling the most recent peak season the most robust since 2009. November U.S.-dollar yields improved by 3.9 percent over the previous month while volumes increased by 6.9 percent, year-over-year (y-o-y), WorldACD reported.

The first freight train has set off from China to the U.K. on the reintroduced historic Silk Road trade route.