That was the year that was! One could not think of any phrase more fitting to describe 2002. 

The year started slowly and began to heat up as a rumoured slowdown strike/walkout of the I.L.W.U. on the West Coast began to circulate. Many shippers began the switch to airfreight as the rumours inten- sified; and then became reality. 

This debacle led to rate increases by the air carriers, diversions of vessels by the ocean carriers, huge back- ups at the port facilities, tie up of containers, and mass confusion throughout. All of this was exacerbated by a soft economy, major Chapter 11 filings by airlines and shippers alike. Then, there was political turmoil on a global basis. 

As if this wasn’t bad enough, we then witnessed the accounting debacle of the millennium which destroyed companies, peoples lives, savings, pensions, livelihoods and respect for honesty which hurt so many by the damage caused by a few. 

This resulted in an immediate call for reform by the Sarbanes-Oxley initiative mandating honesty and 

