<div class="phx-topic abstract-wrapper">Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty.</div>

Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty.

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<div class="phx-topic">The markets based on today’s forecast are surrounded by increased volatility.Export markets are challenged by problems in Russia and in the Ukraine. We see these issues to figure more prominently than they did six months ago.Regarding West Africa, the ongoing talks about changes in the tax laws coming in January have left the auto shippers with concerns.We are also seeing lower volumes to the Mediterranean. NVOCCs as well as VOCC lines are experiencing these declining volumes. Based on JOC stats, U.S. East Coast/Gulf to the Med, from January 2014 to August 2014 dropped from 45,400 TEUs to 35,323 TEUs, a decline of 22 percent in volume.As we see declines, we are also expecting the economy to continue a gradual, but somewhat erratic, recovery. While fewer believe that the global economy is improving, the number that believe the economy is stable has doubled — which is a good sign.Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty.Bella Foss, Briz Forwarding/IFC Intl Freight </div>

The markets based on today’s forecast are surrounded by increased volatility. Export markets are challenged by problems in Russia and in the Ukraine. We see these issues to figure more prominently than they did six months ago. Regarding West Africa, the ongoing talks about changes in the tax laws coming in January have left the auto shippers with concerns. We are also seeing lower volumes to the Mediterranean. NVOCCs as well as VOCC lines are experiencing these declining volumes. Based on JOC stats, U.S. East Coast/Gulf to the Med, from January 2014 to August 2014 dropped from 45,400 TEUs to 35,323 TEUs, a decline of 22 percent in volume. As we see declines, we are also expecting the economy to continue a gradual, but somewhat erratic, recovery. While fewer believe that the global economy is improving, the number that believe the economy is stable has doubled — which is a good sign. Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty. Bella Foss, Briz Forwarding/IFC Intl Freight

<topic id="20f0e3bf-e92e-4466-ad96-a9705b71b8a4"><title>Bella Foss, Briz Forwarding/IFC Intl Freight</title><summary>Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty.</summary><body>The markets based on today’s forecast are surrounded by increased volatility.Export markets are challenged by problems in Russia and in the Ukraine. We see these issues to figure more prominently than they did six months ago.Regarding West Africa, the ongoing talks about changes in the tax laws coming in January have left the auto shippers with concerns.We are also seeing lower volumes to the Mediterranean. NVOCCs as well as VOCC lines are experiencing these declining volumes. Based on JOC stats, U.S. East Coast/Gulf to the Med, from January 2014 to August 2014 dropped from 45,400 TEUs to 35,323 TEUs, a decline of 22 percent in volume.As we see declines, we are also expecting the economy to continue a gradual, but somewhat erratic, recovery. While fewer believe that the global economy is improving, the number that believe the economy is stable has doubled — which is a good sign.Although we face plenty of challenges this year, we should stay focused on the present business and keep an eye on the long-term opportunities. The outlook for global project cargo should pick up as offshore oil fields are being developed in Africa. Let’s remember as this industry runs in cycles, we envision growth in 2015, in spite of uncertainty.Bella Foss, Briz Forwarding/IFC Intl Freight </body></topic>