UK – Howard Tenens, one of the country’s largest privately-owned logistics companies is continuing to reinvest in its core fleet with the acquisition of five new Euro 6 Mercedes tractor units. The new vehicles are now the safest within the Howard Tenens fleet and boast such features as Active Brake Assist 4, driver airbags and JOST coupling sensed fifth wheels. Howard Tenens has continued to invest in its fleet in recent years, with a number of dedicated gas vehicles that are currently in operation following the government backed trial for low emissions.
GERMANY – Imperial Logistics International has acquired 3 new heavy-duty tractor units and 7 heavy-duty trailers to support its on-site logistics contract for a major steel producer at its Bochum plant. The contract involves moving 3 million tonnes of steel coil per annum and the vehicles carry up to 5 steel coils at a time, individually weighing up to 31 tonnes at a maximum speed of just 12 kilometres per hour.
The new 4 wheel drive tractors, Terberg RT223 models powered by 6-cylinder 160 kW Volvo engines, feature 9-speed gearboxes (6 forward, 3 reverse) whilst the 9.5 metre long trailers, custom-built for Imperial Logistics by Seacom Trailer Systems, are replacements for the current eighteen-year-old units and carry payloads up to 80 tonnes.
GERMANY – POLAND – Lübcke Marine Assekuranzmakler, a specialist insurance broker for the marine sector, has changed its name to Regent Marine Assekuranzmakler. The name change reflects the company’s majority ownership by Regent Insurance Brokers (Europe) since 2012.
The Regent Group is active in maritime and inland waterway insurance, transport insurance, insurance planning for employees, private pensions, employer‘s liability insurance, as well as property and liability insurance. Staff, management, contracts and agreements remain unaffected by the change of name.
DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – BIMCO has revised and updated its two standard ship repair contracts: REPAIRCON, which is for major work at a repair yard; and MINREPCON, which is for minor repair work that can be done by contractors when a ship is in port. Both contracts were approved at BIMCO’s Documentary Committee in Copenhagen on 13 November. Modifications and improvements have been made to the REPAIRCON contract, while MINREPCON has undergone a full review.
US – WORLDWIDE – Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Dematic, which supplies integrated automated technology, software and services to optimise the supply chain, has introduced Dematic iQ InSights, a cloud-based Asset Performance Management (APM) system that unites order fulfilment and facility lifecycle management data. The system integrates facility-wide intelligence across warehouse and distribution systems, processes, and equipment.
This new tool enables users to minimise downtime and accelerate incident resolutions whilst enhancing cross-function intelligence and lowering costs. The makers say it combines enterprise asset management software with real-time operational data and the power of cross-functional analysis and advanced analytics reducing overall warehouse costs.
US – WORLDWIDE – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. has announced it has exercised its options to purchase 15 additional exhaust gas cleaning systems, or scrubbers, which are to be retrofitted on vessels within its fleet. This follows the prior announcement that it had entered into a series of agreements for the purchase of up to 37 scrubbers, 18 already agreed.
Eagle intends to complete the 34 scrubber installations by 1 January 2020, the implementation date of the new IMO sulphur emission cap regulation. Eagle Bulk, in partnership with a global engineering firm, has developed a scrubber installation programme whereby a significant amount of the required retrofit work will be carried out on board the vessels while at sea and trading, thereby reducing off-hire time as compared with a typical shipyard installation.
US – A second trucking firm at the Port of Oakland has turned to battery-powered big rigs. Impact Transportation says it has purchased a $275,000 all-electric truck for yard operations. It’s the latest step in the Port’s quest to phase out diesel-powered freight hauling. Impact said the twin-axle tractor, known as a yard hostler, would shuttle cargo through its Port depot. The truck’s performance will be closely watched by Port officials.
SWEDEN – DENMARK – EUROPE – Greencarrier Freight Services and Hecksher, which claims to be the oldest shipping company in Denmark, have formed a joint venture to maximise the services of the former’s existing footprint in the global logistics market with own offices in the Nordic and Baltic countries, UK, Poland and China and the vast experience and the 221 year long history of Hecksher in particular in the Danish market.
PANAMA – From 1600 hours on Monday, November 26 until 0400 hours on Tuesday, November 27 the West lane of Gatun Locks on the Panama Canal will be out of service for unscheduled hydraulic cylinder maintenance on Miter Gate 15. In accordance with the rules governing the Transit Reservation System (OP’s Notice to Shipping No. N-7-2018), Condition 1.a for the Panamax locks will be in effect for Tuesday, November 27, 2018.
Applications for reserved transits while the Condition is in effect will be received beginning at 0900 hours on Saturday, November 24. The Just-In-Time (JIT) transit slots available for supers will be reduced during this date to one for each direction, whereas the JIT slots for regular vessels transiting without restrictions will remain at one for each direction. The booking slot available through the auction process, as well as the slots available for regular vessels less than 300 feet in LOA, and the slots for Neopanamax vessels, will continue to be offered during this period.
NORWAY – The Norwegian Government has ruled against the reflagging of Color Line vessels under the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) flag. The International Transport workers’ Federation (ITF) says this is a significant and hard fought victory for Norwegian seafarers and the ongoing ITF cabotage campaign.
ITF affiliate, the Norwegian Seafarers Union (NSU), won the fight to keep the vessels under the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register (NOR), securing the jobs and maintaining the wages and conditions of 700 Norwegian seafarers.
EUROPE – Union Tank Eckstein GmbH & Co. KG (UTA), a provider of multi-brand fuel cards and subsidiary of the Paris-based Edenred Group, has acquired the customer portfolio of the billing specialist Road Account of AirPlus International, a Lufthansa subsidiary. Up to now, AirPlus offered invoicing solutions for HGV tolls under the Road Account brand and is planning to focus on its core business, business travel management, in the future. UTA says the acquisition will enable it to expand its customer portfolio in the growing European toll market and open up new sales opportunities for additional services.
Photo: The Gatun Locks on the Panama Canal which will be partially closed next week.
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