I Fly Nonstop » Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:35:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Flying the Good Flight: Part 11 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-11/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-11/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:31:56 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2160 May 27, 2010

Presently riding the high speed train between Tianjin and Beijing.  As you can see by the attached photo, we’re going 321 kilometers per hour or, almost 200 miles per hour. The trains are quite nice and clean, all in all a very civilized way to travel.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Port of Portland

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-11/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 10 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-10/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-10/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:10:40 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2137 May 27, 2010

A delegation from the Port of Portland visited the Port of Tianjin in Northern China today. We are working with them to develop an executive exchange program. The Port of Tianjin is on reclaimed land (that’s what the Dutch call it…we would just say landfill) and it is enormous. 300 million cubic meters of fill were used to create the Port area which has marine terminals, warehouse and distribution facilities, a cruise terminal, housing and recreation facilities.

The port itself employs approximately 20,000 people and it is the principal economic region of the area. Tianjin is of particular interest because Northern Chinese ports like Qingdao, Dalian and Tianjin produce cargoes which are particularly well suited for Pacific Northwest (USA) routings.

Executives of the Tianjin Port have indicated an interest in visiting Portland this fall.

Photo credits: Courtesy of Port of Portland

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-10/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 9 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-9/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-9/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:01:30 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2151 May 26, 2010

We visited the Chinese car maker BYD. They are rapidly becoming a leader in electric vehicle technology and production. They are also the fastest growing auto brand in China. BYD began as a maker of cell phone batteries and has expanded into cars (including electric vehicles), solar panels and related technology, smart energy, net energy homes and most recently, electric buses. The Port first visited BYD about 3 years ago and was visited by BYD at about that same time.

They contemplate their electric vehicles into the US in 2012 and have asked that we be prepared to compete for their auto import business which, of course, we will happily do.

This definitely is a company to watch.

Photo credits: Courtesy of the Port of Portland

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-9/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 8 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-8/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-8/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:59:51 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2146
May 26, 2010
I had the chance to visit the flagship Nike store in Shanghai today. Aside from being quite large, I was struck by the unique to China product line, and not one, but two Nike iD studios where customers can select shoes from the Nike product line and then pick custom colors and other amenities to their own taste. The customized shoes are shipped directly to the customer.

It’s particularly fun to see the number of shoes with air soles still being produced by Nike. Those air bags are being produced in Hillsboro and air freighted to factories throughout Asia. We’re working hard to restore direct air freight service to Asia, in part, so that this cargo doesn’t have to be trucked up and down the Pacific coast to find its way on an airplane. As the air cargo business improves with the economy, I like our chances.

Photo credits: Courtesy of the Port of Portland

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-8/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 7 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-7/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-7/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:54:58 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2143
May 25, 2010
The delegates on the Governor’s Asia Trade mission were treated to a water-side tour of the port area of Hong Kong harbor, one of the busiest in the world. That was followed by a visit to the Hutchison International Terminals’ logistic center, an enormous building with 5 million square feet of space devoted to stuffing containers with manufactured goods from Hong Kong and southern China. Many, many household and electronic items that you and I purchase everyday pass through this facility. Finally, we were able to see the computerized brains of the container terminal operations along with an actual terminal tour.

Our own Rivergate Industrial District and Terminal 6 are very similar…..only about 70 times smaller in terms of volume!

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-7/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Parts 5-6 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-parts-5-6/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-parts-5-6/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 16:28:49 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2115 Asia Trade Mission Blog #5 (05/19/10): The Governor’s Asia Trade Mission delegation has arrived in South Korea on the very day that the South Korean government will announce the findings of an international investigation into the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel which has concluded that North Korea bears responsibility. In South Korea the proximity of the North and the hostilities between North and South are never very far from any conversation.

Asia Trade Mission Blog #6 (05/20/10): The Korea Free Trade Agreement with the US awaits congressional approval. It is largely an agreement favoring US exports because Koreans have long had easy access to US markets. The attaché of the US Embassy has reported that Oregon exporters are being hurt by restrictions and tariffs which would be eliminated by this agreement. In particular he mentioned fresh and frozen seafood as an export which would grow significantly.

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-parts-5-6/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 4 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-4/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-4/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 18:12:21 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2096 Here are two different perspectives on Japanese bullet trains. One on the outside and one from the inside looking out. These trains connect all the major cities of Japan and travel at speeds of approximately 180 miles per hour.

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-4/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 3 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-3/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-3/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 17:51:25 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2086 Asia Trade Mission Blog #3 (05/17/10): The attached video shows members of the Governor’s Asia trade delegation test driving the Mitsubishi I-miev, their plug-in electric auto. Mitsubishi intends to introduce this vehicle to the US in 2012. The Governor is hoping that Mitsubishi will choose Portland as the launch site for North American sales of the I-meiv which goes over 100 miles per charge. Each charge costs roughly $2.00 in electricity costs.

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-3/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: Part 2 http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-2/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-2/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 18:25:28 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2080 Asia Trade Mission Blog #2 (05/16/10): While traveling, I pay attention to what other airports and marine terminals are doing. Below is a picture of a variable speed moving walkway which stops when no one is riding it…a big energy saver. These are common throughout Asia and Europe but not in the US. In fact, the very first installation in the US is at PDX in the tunnel to the new garage, inspired by walkways like this one at Narita airport in Tokyo.

Electronic walkway

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Port of Portland



]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-part-2/feed/ 0 Flying the Good Flight: The Governor’s 2010 Asia Trade Mission http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-the-governors-2010-asia-trade-mission/ http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-the-governors-2010-asia-trade-mission/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 00:13:26 +0000 Bill Wyatt http://iflynonstop.com/?p=2054 While attending the Governor’s 2010 Asia Trade Mission in Japan, China and South Korea, Port of Portland’s Executive Director Bill Wyatt will be documenting his travels and sharing valuable observations from the Mission. This is the first post of his blog series.

Saturday, May 17:

I’m on board Delta Flight #91 on the way to Osaka for the first leg of the Governor’s 2010 Asia Trade Mission. I’m seated next to a professor from Oregon State who is involved with the recruiting of foreign students to OSU (this is an export, if you think about it). On the other side is a senior executive with Great Western Malting in Vancouver who ships hops to the beer producers in Japan. Next to him is an American who lives in Seoul and sells medical devices. Also on board are lots of Nike employees and a fairly large number of Asian nationals. The flight is completely full…a good omen.

]]> http://iflynonstop.com/voices/flying-the-good-flight-the-governors-2010-asia-trade-mission/feed/ 0