China's regulators have blocked the P3 mega-alliance between Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM on the grounds that it infringes the country's competition laws between Asia and Europe, particularly with respect to the lines' combined market share of 46.7 percent. The law enforcers appear to believe that the cost reductions gained by the P3 carriers would either have been offset by this unacceptably high risk of market concentration, or would not have been passed back to shippers satisfactorily. Where to now?

The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) launched what it calls the most comprehensive supply chain security standards in TAPA's 17-year history to combat increasingly sophisticated thefts.

Total U.S. business logistics costs in 2013 rose to $1.39tr, a 2.3 percent increase from the previous year, according to the 25th Annual "State of Logistics Report" released by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and presented by Penske Logistics, at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Logistics as a percent of U.S. gross domestic product declined for the second year in a row, indicating that the logistics sector is not keeping pace with the growth in the overall economy.

Freight trains, carrying critical business supplies into major cities in the UK, may start rolling again for the first time in over 20 years, following a test train from Rugby to London's Euston Station on June 5, which the operator claims delivers a faster service, and potentially saves thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions compared to that of road haulage.

BNSF will spend $5bn on infrastructure this year, topping its record $4bn investment last year, says Steve Bobb, chief marketing officer. In addition to maintaining and improving service and capacity, BNSF will invest in logistics hubs and other future-focused infrastructure.

When Jim Bowes established the National Logistics & Distribution Conference 10 years ago his aim was to provide a small, non-sales oriented conference for senior supply chain executives. Bowes discusses how NLDC has evolved and what he thinks the future holds.