Inttra, an electronic commerce network for linking ocean carriers and shippers, is expanding its service to include members and customers of the WorldWide Alliance.

The newest versions of Epicor Software Corp.'s enterprise resource planning (ERP) application and business software sold under the Epicor iScala brand will both support Microsoft Corp.'s SQL Server 2012.

The U.S. arm of Air Menzies International (AMI) has launched click2ship Imports, the import version of its online, door-to-door express wholesale service for air freight.

Avnet Inc., a distributor of electronic components, computer products and related technology, has opened a full-service technology integration center in Joinville, Brazil.

Mike Cleland, vice president of NorthHighland, discusses what biotech and pharma companies need to do to comply with new regulations for tracking products throughout the supply chain.

Zepol Corporation, a trade intelligence company, reports that U.S. import shipment volume for June, measured in TEUs, was down 3.7 percent from May, but is up 4.4 percent from June 2011. Similarly, Q2 of 2012 has topped last year at this time by 4.7 percent. Although there was a drop from last month, June had the second-highest TEU imports so far this year, outdoing January by a slight 1 percent. Last year saw a comparable trend in the summer months with a moderate dip in June, but spikes in July and August.

Cities have long been the world's economic dynamos, but today the speed and scale of their expansion are unprecedented. Through a combination of consumption and investment in physical capital, growing cities could inject up to $30tr a year into the world economy by 2025. Understanding cities and their shifting demographics is critical to reaching urban consumers and to preparing for the challenges that will arise from increasing demand for natural resources (such as water and energy) and for capital to invest in new housing, office buildings, and port capacity.

In a letter sent today, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) urged the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance Ltd. to reach a contract agreement well in advance of the September 30 deadline in order to prevent a disruption to the flow of goods and the lasting economic affects that would result.

As with most government agencies, the U.S. Department of Defense faces intense pressure to be more efficient in how it spends tax dollars. Building greater trust with defense contractors might be the solution, according to a new study sponsored by the U.S. Air Force and co-authored by professors from the University of Tennessee, Auburn University and the University of Alabama.