A Look at the Week's Smaller Freight and Logistics News Stories From Around the Globe

UK – The government announcement which we reported this week regarding £35 million in funding for key European trade routes during the pandemic was generally favourably received, with the British International Freight Association (BIFA) Director General Robert Keen saying it provided a measure of reassurance for his membership of forwarding agents.

Seafarers union the RMT was less impressed, General Secretary Mick Cash saying the Holyhead-Dublin route had been missed out and there were no conditions attached to preserve British jobs when demand returns as opposed to employing cheap foreign crew, and with P&O Ferries Dubai owners using public funds to pursue mass redundancies in Dover and Hull. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash added:

“The UK Government has just given millions to Condor’s new owner, Brittany Ferries and the very next day Condor is sizing up local seafarers for the chop and replacing them with cheaper foreign seafarers further down the line when Covid-19 recedes and passengers return. We urge Brittany Ferries and Condor to get round the negotiating table with RMT so that we can work measures to protect jobs and support lifeline Channel Island services.”

UK – To assist Londoners get around the City, Myron Edwards Books has published a series of seven easy walking maps designed to help avoid crowded tubes and buses. Successfully used and endorsed by TFL for congestion at Victoria Station, these Tubewalking maps show you how to get from mainline stations or tube stations using a taxi driver’s knowledge of London streets. They can be downloaded for free HERE.

US – UK – CHINA – This week CakeBoxx Technologies, maker of the unique ‘skid and lid’ two piece container range, has been running an inventory sale of stock in three continents. A list of the available boxes (some even have doors) is viewable here and features a range of new, unused CakeBoxx models ready to ship or pick up at various global locations.

All pricing and payment options are available on enquiry which can be made directly from the website or from Michael J.Stolarczyk who is contactable directly at michael@cakeboxx-technologies.com and telephone +1 (843) 480-3199

UK – TAIWAN – Longitude Engineering, an LOC Group company, has provided concept and basic design services, as well as construction specification for yard engagement and procurement activities, for a new DP2 cable laying ship for Woen Jinn Harbor Engineering, in Taiwan. The DP2 oceangoing vessel design, with a focus on cable operations in Taiwan’s specific environmental conditions, has received approval-in-principal by ABS and CR Class. The back deck was specifically designed to be suitable for export cable, array cable and cable repair work.

The intended use of the cable lay ship is to support Taiwan’s offshore renewables wind industry, which is gaining momentum post the completion of Taiwan’s first commercial scale offshore wind project. This also follows LOC Group’s already active participation in the local offshore wind market having provided marine warranty survey or marine engineering consulting on at least 7 offshore wind farms in the Taiwan region.

UK – WORLDWIDE – A new study led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) finds that the Covid-19 global lockdown has had an ‘extreme’ effect on daily carbon emissions. The analysis, conducted by an international team of scientists, is published in the journal Nature Climate Change this week. It shows that daily emissions decreased by 17%, or 17 million tonnes of CO₂ globally during the peak of the confinement measures in early April compared to mean daily levels in 2019, dropping to levels last observed in 2006.

The estimated total change in emissions from the pandemic amounts to 1048 million tonnes of CO₂ (MtCO₂) until the end of April. Of this, the changes are largest in China where the confinement started, with a decrease of 242 MtCO₂, then, by the same measurement, in the US 207, Europe 123 and India 98.

UK – WORLDWIDE – Despite the fact that the threat of piracy has been reduced over the past few years, much of the credit must go to better security aboard ships, and now ARX Mouldings, a Crompton Group company, has announced it has added the Evictor Anti-Piracy Water Canon, based upon the Knowsley SK Oscillating Fire Fighting Monitor, to its range of products.

ARX says the cannon compliments its catalogue of commercial ship hardening products which includes the only Anti-Piracy Barrier that allows access to the vessels mooring eyes and fairleads. The company says its range currently protects around $35 billion of assets.

UK – John Good Logistics, the freight forwarding and ships agency, has retained the group’s full AEO Accreditation, valid until April 2023 following recent HMRC re-assessment audits. The Certification GB AEO 00043/10, includes the company’s warehousing and forwarding activities in Hull, Felixstowe and London Heathrow alongside its forwarding activities at London Gateway, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth, Bradford & Immingham.

In the light of Britain’s exit from the EU, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status has become an essential qualification for those charged with managing the administration of consignments post-Brexit in particular with the predicted potential delays in clearing ports.

UK – Anyone working in the maritime sector who is confused about their situation with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic may find assistance in a Q&A document published by the United Kingdom’s Association of Port Health Authorities earlier this month which can be read in full HERE.

SOUTH AFRICA – Whilst in some parts of the world the construction industry has taken advantage of the lockdown to proceed apace with works largely unhindered by normal restrictions, work on current infrastructure projects within South Africa’s ports will not resume under Level 4 of the country’s Covid-19 lockdown according to the latest list provided by Government.

There is no indication of when the lockdown on general construction will be lifted, but Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) says it will communicate updates as amendments to relevant government regulations are issued. The government’s Level 4 regulations refer to reactivation only of the construction activities such as critical maintenance, civil engineering for public works projects including water, energy and sanitation, road and bridge projects and repairs etc.

SPAIN – WORLDWIDE - With the May launch of the updated websites www.noatum.com and www.noatumlogistics.com, multimodal logistics operator Noatum says it is introducing a new digital strategy for the companies which are part of its maritime services, logistics and port operations. The main group site provides information about the general services that Noatum offers in its three business areas: Noatum Maritime, Noatum Logistics and Noatum Terminals.

The launch of the Noatum Logistics global website is the first phase in the digital strategy for this business area. The second phase will involve additional launches of region-specific websites. The company says expansion of the digital strategy will continue with the gradual updating and launching of the websites of each of the group's business areas, divisions and comprehensive solutions.

Photo: Inset the Evictor water cannon from ARX mouldings.