Shapiro Launches Regularly Scheduled Direct - Less than Container Load
Service from Italy to Baltimore

Avoid the delays and congestion in New York.  Shapiro ocean consolidations
provide faster delivery time of goods to Mid-Atlantic region.

Baltimore Corporate (December 7, 2004) - In a continuing effort to turn
Baltimore into an alternative hub for LCL cargo, Samuel Shapiro and
Company, Inc. announced another regularly scheduled direct - less than
container load (LCL) service. Shapiro is now offering LCL service from
Italy to Baltimore. Following the footsteps of Shapiro's successful
inaugural Hong Kong consolidation, Shapiro, along with its Italian partner
M.P. International, have managed to reduce transit times once again.

"The concept is pretty simple; all cargo is received weekly in Milan and
sails from La Spezia to Baltimore on Mediterranean Shipping Company
vessels," said Marco Mazzanti, Director of M.P. International's Operations
in Milan. "This is the only direct LCL service into Baltimore from Italy.
Most consolidations from Italy arrive in New York where LCL containers are
broken down and then moved by truck, in-bond to Baltimore, Philadelphia,
and Boston. Cargo can take up to seven to fourteen days to travel from New
York to Baltimore," said Mazzanti.   Bypassing the bottleneck in New York
by using the Port of Baltimore has enabled customers to realize an actual
reduction in transit to the Mid-Atlantic.

As Shapiro's services continue to grow based on customer demand, other
regularly scheduled consolidations will be inaugurated in 2005, with a goal
of providing weekly services from Germany, Shanghai, and Taiwan as
well.  "Our consolidations are becoming more popular because of our
competitive pricing and the fact that we can meet the needs of customer
transit times," stated James Shapiro, Vice President of Transportation and
Director Regional Sales for Samuel Shapiro & Company, Inc. "We did the
analysis and found an alternative service on which we can deliver.  No
importer wants to wait an additional seven to fourteen days for cargo to
travel from New York to Baltimore," said Shapiro. "We can serve a large
market by using Baltimore.  Our local charges for stripping and truck
loading are 40-50% lower than New York," Shapiro added.

Shapiro hopes that both LCL consolidation services from Italy and Hong Kong
will help accelerate the arrival of direct LCL cargo into the Mid-Atlantic
region. Typically, LCL cargo into Baltimore arrives in-bond from New York.
However, due to congestion and customs delays in New York, cargo can take
one week or more to arrive into Baltimore by truck. Shapiro's consolidated
cargo is usually available at the warehouse within one to two days of
arrival at the port. The Port of Baltimore is one of the few main ports in
the United States that is not congested.

If you would like more information regarding our new consol service from
Italy, please email us directly to
<mailto:transportation@shapiro.com>transportation@shapiro.com or call
410-539-0540 ext. 221.


Denice Ziolkowski
Sales Assistant
Samuel Shapiro & Co., Inc.
World Trade Center
401 East Pratt Street, Suite 500
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone   (410) 539-0540
Fax     (410) 547-6935
E Mail  denice@shapiro.com
http://www.shapiro.com