The Journal of Commerce and PIERS Sign Strategic Partnership with Shanghai Shipping Exchange

SHANGHAI, Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Journal of Commerce and PIERS, container shipping-focused units of UBM Global Trade, signed a strategic agreement this week with the Shanghai Shipping Exchange to provide greater container shipping data and analysis on trade between the United States and China and to cooperate on the JOC's Container Shipping Conference in Shanghai, to be held for the second year in June 2012.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111212/NY20839)

Under the new partnership signed Dec. 7 at the Shanghai Shipping Exchange Forum: The Journal of Commerce will publish the Shanghai Shipping Exchange indices, including the SCFI Shanghai Containerized Freight Index; both entities will collaborate on U.S./China import and export data analysis, providing further useful market intelligence for the industry; and SSE will support the development of The Journal of Commerce Container Shipping Conference in Shanghai on June 4-5, 2012.

This event will also be supported by Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and the Hongkou District government, which is developing the North Bund area of Shanghai as a shipping services cluster. The JOC Container Shipping Conference in Shanghai will attract international container shipping thought leaders to discuss shifting manufacturing trends in China and Asia, issues of interest to emerging China-based beneficial cargo owners as well as those faced by anyone operating in the China containerized import-export trade.

"The Journal of Commerce is delighted to sign this strategic agreement with the Shanghai Shipping Exchange. With the SCFI playing an increasing role in global freight rate contracts and settlement, the collaborative market intelligence we will produce for the industry, plus the support for our JOC Container Shipping Conference in Shanghai, this agreement completely intertwines with our strategy and coverage in Asia," said Greg March, Asia director for The Journal of Commerce.

At the forum, SSE also officially launched the China Coastal Bulk (Coal) Freight Index, members of which include COSCO, China Shipping, Cargill and SIPG.

Shanghai Shipping Freight Exchange Co., China's first shipping-freight centralized trading platform -- launched June 28 -- settles freight forward contracts against the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index. SSE's Jason Wang said at the forum that SSE has 35 members with around 2,000 companies trading approximately 90,000 twenty-foot equivalent units per month virtually. The total trading volume of Shanghai Shipping Freight Exchange's trading platform is estimated to be 120,000 lots (approximately 180,000 twenty-foot equivalent units per day) with a daily trading value is more than $100 million.

The Journal of Commerce is the leading container shipping and logistics focused media, publishing a weekly magazine, daily online news wire, and extensive video and webcast content. JOC Sailings, a global sailing schedule database at www.jocsailings,com, and JOC Exchange, an online spot capacity purchasing tool, at www.jocexchange.com, are additional JOC-branded container shipping services. JOC members have access to our weekly print and digital magazine and Web site, as well as a 10 percent discount on all JOC events and trade shows, UBM Global Trade Directories and select PIERS products. Authoritative editorial content in the form of daily news, weekly analysis and regular features ensure our members have the information and data necessary to understand the issues facing trucking, rail and maritime transportation. Members enjoy access to "By the Numbers," an exclusive weekly compilation of key industry statistics that provides detailed views of current market trends across all modes. Regular market intelligence reports -- utilizing PIERS trade data -- include Top 100 Imports and Exporters, quarterly Top 40 Container lines, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Maritime Forecasts and Top Container Ports and Terminals. Market-sector supplements, including Breakbulk, Cool Cargoes, 3PL, JOC Guide to Trucking and others, ensure all modes are comprehensively covered. 

About PIERS -- PIERS is the most comprehensive database of U.S. waterborne trade activity in the world providing information services to thousands of subscribers globally. Launched more than 35 years ago, PIERS was the first venture in digital global trade intelligence and quickly became the industry standard for accuracy, reliability and insight. Our unique infrastructure and proprietary technology allow us to not only publish import data but also complete coverage of U.S. export transactional data. PIERS is a division of UBM Global Trade, and a sister company of The Journal of Commerce.  For more information, visit www.piers.com, or call 800-952-3839 (+1-973-776-8660).

About UBM Global Trade -- UBM Global Trade is the leading provider of proprietary data, news, business intelligence and analytical content supporting commercial maritime, rail, trucking, warehousing and logistics industries worldwide. The company's portfolio of more than 100 online, print and interactive workflow business solutions includes The Journal of Commerce, Breakbulk, RailResource, PIERS and an array of international trade and transportation databases and directories. UBM Global Trade, a subsidiary of UBM plc, is headquartered in Newark, NJ, with offices throughout the United States. For more information, explore www.ubmglobaltrade.com or call 800-223-0243 (+1-973-848-7250 outside the U.S. or Canada).  

SOURCE The Journal of Commerce & PIERS