Imagine if you could use one simple swipe pass to pay for everything. No, I’m not talking about a credit card. Think of it more like a bus pass. Now integrate this pass into a whole infrastructure of travel. Behold ’s octopus card! In Hong Kong, 90% of all traveling is done by mass transit: 7 million daily riders have access to an “octopus card,” used by 95% of Hong Kong’s population (16-65), which is accepted as currency not only for the various forms of mass transit but also at parking meters, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants. Hong Kong is widely regarded as having the best blueprint of a successful mass transit system. Could this spread elsewhere?
globalEDGE Blog - Page 298
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The recently unveiled a new plan to revamp its inter-city rail system, awarding Hitachi a contract to develop new, more efficient and lightweight trains, called the "Super-Express". The 7.5 billion-pound upgrade comes in the midst of the worst global recession in decades, but transport secretary Geoff Hoon is confident that investing now will pay off, both in the short term job creation and the long term infrastructure boost.
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The world is still in a financial crisis and it is highly unlikely that it will be over soon. Many nations still blame the problem on CEOs in the . After the government bailed many banks out, people ask what is happening to that money. Is it really put into good use or do banks keep on lending more? Everyone knows that the problem is that consumers and businesses are facing huge debts, but it doesn’t seem that CEOs are taking any responsibility.
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with Diane Jones, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy, Tripoli, Libya. She talks about opportunities in Libya and what it means for American exporters. She also discusses the size and scope of vaious projects and challenges of this growing market. Finally, she explains how the U.S. Commercial Service can help U.S. companies succeed in .
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Oversized ships crowd the high seas while global trade is at its lowest. These jumbo vessels, many longer than three football fields and able to carry over 13,000 containers, can provide tremendous economies of scale if the shippers can fill their holds. Meanwhile, a ship capable of carrying 22,000 containers has been designed by a South Korean shipbuilding company.
With overcapacity and a drop in global trade, shipping rates per container have fallen 90% from a year ago. In fact, some ships will take containers for free and only charge for fuel and transit fees. Yet, shipping companies aren't cancelling orders for new ships, allowing global fleet to increase by 12%, including 200 ultralarge ships in service by 2013.
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The terms depression and recession were not even around until after the Great Depression. However, they have been used plenty of times lately. It has been months since the American government has declared the economy to be in a recession and it seems that the world thinks that a depression for the
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Check out this video about the new, global future of the internet. It's interesting to speculate on what this could mean for international business. I think it's a step towards a more inclusive model of global exhange, a trend I see continuing. Check out our section on the industry to find more information.
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Around a week ago, the World Economic Forum took place in Davos, . The Forum primarily addressed the global financial crisis. One person who attended the Forum was Airbus CEO Tom Enders. Enders argues that in order to successfully finance expenditures on their products, a global financial system is needed.
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A while back I wrote a on the recent upsurge in piracy. At the time, a Saudi supertanker carrying $100 million in crude oil had just been commandeered, and the global shipping industry was unwillingly thrust into news headlines worldwide. In the end, the tanker was released for an undisclosed ransom, but the incident served as a catalyst for discussions on how to deal with the threat of piracy.
Navies from around the world have responded by sending ships to the coast of Africa to stave off attacks and hunt down the buccaneers. Even sent forces to the region in a rare, post-WWII military action. The pirates are operating in an area larger than 1 million square miles however, making it nearly impossible for these forces to ensure the safety of shipping vessels. Shipping companies, consequently, must address the question of how they will manage the risk of piracy.
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CNN's World Report on Climate Change - a 3 part series. A synthesis of incredible information on the issue, with numerous global business implications.