Moves by China to collectively conclude this round of Doha trade talks could remove more of the exisiting trade barriers between East and West. A further increase in trade between the two is an opportunity for Atlantica becasue East Coast ports could pick up some of the increase through the Suez Canal.
US farm subsidies have been a major bone of contention in previous rounds of trade talks. A move by the US to reduce subsidies could spur further reductions in trade barriers worldwide with positive implications for regions like Atlantica, which are well posed to handle increases in traffic.
The move by the EU to reduce farm tariffs could be an important move in sparking reciprocal tariff reductions in other sectors amongst other countries increasing trade flow worldwide. That could be good news for Atlantica if it captures the increase in trade between North America and global markets.
The recent cancellation of plans to increase taxes in Argentina on grain exports will make it easier for global buyers to purchase Argentine grains. Trade flows between Atlantica and Latin America are already growing and the region is well positioned to attract further increases in trade between the Americas.
A last ditch effort to successfully complete the Doha round of trade talks has serious implications for growth in world trade volumes. A solution could mean even greater flows of world trade with big opportunities for regions, like Atlantica, that are well positioned to aborb some of the increase in volumes.
The twinning of remaining sections of the Trans-Canada Highway in Quebec is an important component in making Atlantica a success. With high fuel prices generating increasing interest in Long Combination Vehicles to improve efficiency, extra lanes are a must-have investment along an effective transportation corridor.
Billed as its first ever International Transportation Summit, the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association plans a conference in October that will be of particular interest to the Atlantica concept.
A US congresswoman is eyeing a container terminal in Canso as Ohio's gateway to the world.
Growing energy demand combined with high fossil fuel prices and the quest for alternative, greener, sources of energy have raised interest in northern Maine's wind power potential, especially by out-of state investors. Proposed investments would tie this part of the state to the wider New England power grid by late 2010 providing a stimilus to a distressed region at the same time as reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and diversifying the wider power grid region wide.
There was a lot of interest in what James Foote, CN's executive VP, had to say about the rail business in Eastern Canada at a luncheon hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. CN is the only rail line connecting the Port of Halifax with the rest of North America's rail grid; a crucial mode of transportation in making any port and corridor a success. His talk highlighted some of the challenges the region faces at a time when future trade flows through the Suez Canal from Asia are likely to put additional pressure along East Coast ports and connecting rail services.