Shipping Search - Archive

December 2013

image: UK Total Linguistics exporter language skills logistics supply chain export freight interests Sheffield

So How Do You Spend Your Lunch Hour?

UK – When Gareth Bale was recently unveiled in front of thousands of Real Madrid fans, he put his Spanish skills to the test, explaining it was ‘a dream to be here in Madrid’. Although it was undoubtedly his football skills that were of interest to fans, his efforts to communicate in Spanish certainly helped him to receive such a warm welcome, just as Gary Lineker had done at Barcelona a generation earlier. Language is the vital pathway for those who wish to sell themselves or their products and transport freight between neighbouring countries, and sadly in the UK is often the ‘missing link’ in the logistics supply chain.

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image: Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-8 freighter aircraft cargo fleet $1 billion

Lower Emissions and Better Weight to Distance Figures Prompt Latest Order

HONG KONG – US – Further to the fitting of the new GEnx-2B energy saving engines and the announcement of more performance enhancing improvements to come, Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific is to extend its all Boeing cargo fleet with a post-Christmas announcement that it has ordered an additional 747-8 Freighter plus three 777-300ER (Extended Range) passenger airplanes. The order, valued at about $1 billion at current list prices, will bolster Cathay Pacific's 747-8 Freighter fleet and 777-300ER fleet to 14 and 53, respectively.

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image: Impatex Switzerland Descartes supply chain freight forwarding IT logistics network multimodal Compudata

Extension of Multimodal and Supply Chain Management System Costs a Cool $26 Million

CANADA – US – UK – SWITZERLAND – Descartes Systems Group, the North American based company which hosts a global community of freight professionals and provides supply chain management solutions worldwide, has made two key European acquisitions which considerably extend the company’s logistics network in the region. Descartes has purchased Impatex Freight Software which provides electronic customs filing and freight forwarding solutions to UK customers and will bring over 200 customers into the system.

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image: Paraguay Uruguay FCL freight forwarding LCL consolidated cargo logistics barge

Inter-City Road Haulage Option Avoids Seasonal Barge Problems and Offers Faster Transit Times

URUGUAY – PARAGUAY – Freight forwarding and multimodal logistics company Cargas del Atlantico which has traditionally moved FCL shipments as its main business has pioneered a new transhipment service, using trucks to transfer both consolidated cargo and full loads the 1400 kilometres by road from its Montevideo headquarters to the Paraguayan commercial centres of Asuncion and Ciudad del Este.

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image: New Zealand inter island Wellington RoRo freight ferry Aratere KiwiRail Stena

Saga of Ill Fated Inter Island Service Continues on a Brighter Note

NEW ZEALAND – The problems facing KiwiRail following the breakdown of the company’s inter-island RoRo ferry in November, when the Aratere shed a propeller sailing between South Island’s Picton and the capital Wellington on North Island, appear to be largely resolved with the arrival of a replacement freight and passenger vessel.

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image: UK freight transport road haulage operator haulier association PCN road bridge tolls parking charges

FTA Speaks Out Quoting Figures for Costs and Savings

UK – Whilst many are still enjoying a prolonged Christmas holiday, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is still producing news and, after some heavy lobbying on fuel duty, has turned its attention to road tolls and what it terms excessive parking charges which affect the road haulage community throughout Britain.

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image: NordiKmaritime Spain Denmark project out of gauge cargo freight hold port inducement Scandinavia

Spare Capacity in Time and Space Means More Flexibility from Spain to Scandinavia and Beyond

SPAIN – DENMARK – WESTERN EUROPE – NordiKmaritime, a Spanish headquartered coastal freight company which currently offers a fortnightly general cargo shipping service from Bilbao to Ejsberg using flexible single hold vessels of about 4,000 dwt and under 100 metres overall, is to take advantage of opportunities along its route along the coast of Western Europe up to Scandinavia by offering port inducement calls for suitable project cargoes and heavy and out-of-gauge items.

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image: Hanjin struggling container shipping line box rates Korean Air debt dry bulk cargo passenger freight carrier Eun Young Choi

Sale of Assets Reported as Box Line Feels Pressure of Low Rates

SOUTH KOREA – According to local reports, the country’s national freight and passenger carrier Korean Air plans to raise 3.5 trillion won ($3.3 billion) by selling its stake in oil refiner S-Oil and some of its assets, in order to support its struggling sister company Hanjin Shipping. Korean Air has already provided 150 billion won ($141 million) earlier this year to help ease Hanjin Shipping’s approximate 736.4 billion won ($693 million) debt. Many of the world’s box lines have been hit hard by the industry’s overcapacity and consequent low container shipping rates.

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image: UK freight forwarding sector logistics skills and road haulage organisations SfL Ross Moloney

New Boss Outlines His Proposals to Attract and Support Properly Skilled Talent in Future

UK – The problems which constantly dog government sponsored organisations which have been put in place to encourage or oversee a particular sector are often those associated with any state initiative. Getting the message across to areas such as the freight forwarding and road haulage sectors in a country which has traditionally eschewed formal qualifications and been largely controlled by operations spawned by entrepreneurial endeavour make life doubly difficult for entities such as the Skills for Logistics (SfL) programme.

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image: Greece US Coast guard Thetis bulk shipping magic pipe environment flags of convenience

Stiffer Sentences May be the Future Following Two Similar 'Magic Pipe' Cases Which Ended This Month

US – GREECE – LIBERIA – MALTA – This month has seen the resolution of two broadly similar cases which relate to an activity which a generation ago would not have earned more than a mention, but with the environment at the top of the agenda for everyone involved in the shipping trade, now deserve a more thorough examination. Both involve bulk carriers, both involved discharge of noxious substances into the sea by way of a ‘magic pipe’ and all the guilty parties were all employed on vessels sailing under flags of convenience.

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image: US personnel freight forwarding shipping FedEx Caterpillar changes appointments

Changes at the Top for FedEx and Other US Groups Lead the Way

US – Leading the announcements this week for appointments and changes in personnel at freight forwarding and shipping groups around the world comes the news that the Board of Directors at the FedEx Corporation has elected current Kimberly Jabal as a Director and a Member of its Information Technology Oversight Committee. Jabal is currently the Chief Financial Officer and oversees the Legal and Human Resources functions at Path, a privately-held social networking company.

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image: Boeing US freighter aircraft engine GEnx-2B Cathay Pacific Cargo

Cathay Pacific Cargo Carrier Sets Standards as More Innovations Awaited

US – A 747-8 freighter from Cathay Pacific's fleet is the first aircraft to receive the performance improved GEnx-2B Boeing engines as part of the airplane's Performance Improvement Package (PIP). The engine is the first of the package's three improvements to enter service. The two other components, Flight Management Computer (FMC) software upgrades and reactivation of the horizontal tank fuel system on the 747-8 Intercontinental, are expected to enter service later this month and in early 2014, respectively.

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image: UK US Germany supply chain 3PL logistics Ceva freight forwarders

Global 3PL Carrier Retains Business and Expands Facilities

UK – US – GERMANY – The measure of a supply chain management group is not the amount of new business it can garner, something which often simply indicates the strength of the sales force, but the ability to retain existing business in the face of intense opposition from rival freight forwarders and logistics groups. December seems to have been a good month for one such 3PL as Ceva announce the retention of two contracts, each of which bear household names.

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image: Vietnam death sentence US shipping line jail term ocean freight fine Vinalines

Ultimate Sanction for Corrupt Executives Contrasts with Jail Terms and Fines in US Conspiracy Cases

VIETNAM – US – In Vietnam, the People’s Court of Hanoi has sentenced two former executives from the country’s national shipping line, Vinalines, to death after they were found guilty of embezzlement. The court passed down the steep judgement in an effort to curb corruption seen in the upper echelons of some of the country’s state owned companies. Meanwhile a US ocean freight bosses and their companies have received jail terms and heavy fines for cartel activity.

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image: Africa Somalia pirate gang cargo vessel tanker attack freight ships

As Incidents Reduce off Somalia, African West Coast sees as 30 Percent Rise

AFRICA – The latest news from the coastline of the continent further highlights the disparity between East and West as regards the crimes which occur at sea in the different regions. On Monday (16 December) a gang of ten attacked an oil tanker, the MT Althea, registered in the Marshalls Islands and with a complement of eighteen crew members. The raid was almost surgical in nature, no attempt to steal either vessel or her cargo of oil but two senior crew, the Ukrainian captain and the Greek engineer, were abducted and transferred to the criminals speedboat which then departed.

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image: Luxembourg air freight all cargo Cargolux Volga Dnepr HNCA Henan airship

As Predicted Government Stake Sold Off in Five Way Split and Airships Back on the Agenda

LUXEMBOURG – CHINA – AUSTRIA – RUSSIA – Luxembourg seems to finally be relinquishing its 35% share of all freight airline Cargolux, after the company’s Board of Directors approved an agreement with Chinese aviation investor Henan Civil Aviation Development & Investment (HNCA), a deal we predicted was on the cards a year ago when the authorities first injected the cash insisting it was only a temporary arrangement. Prior to the latest agreement, the Luxembourg Government struck a deal with Cargolux’s majority shareholder, Luxair, to purchase a further percentage on top of its current stake, in order retain its seat on the Cargolux Board of Directors.

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image: Austria CIS Georgia Germany logistics freight forwarding truck transport Gebrüder Weiss

The Future Really is Orange

AUSTRIA – GERMANY – GEORGIA – Gebrüder Weiss, the main freight forwarding and logistics subsidiary of Lauterach, Austria headquartered Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, continues to unify some existing acquisitions whilst acquiring new ones. In the past few days the group has announced that, following last year’s complete takeover of Germany’s Diehl forwarding operation it is to rebrand the acquisition as Gebrüder Weiss GmbH & Co. KG as of 1 January 2014.

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image: Norway container shipping design RoRo ferries cargo Jones Act

Danish Architects Have Designed Since the 1930's

DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – With cargo and container vessels now largely emanating from the huge yards in the Far East, and a struggle to obtain orders often a two or three way fight between South Korea, China, Japan etc. many countries stubbornly cling to the last vestiges of their shipbuilding heritage, America with its protectionist Jones Act, Japanese shipping lines often plumping for home grown product, but now along comes the chance for a detailed but leisurely study of merchant ship evolution in Europe for the best part of a century.

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image: THINK! UK road haulage freight transport association drink and drive campaign professional designated driver

THINK! Campaign Hots up for Christmas as Passengers Also Told to be Firmer with Transgressors

UK – ‘Tis the season, and all that, but drivers are being warned by an assortment of transport and safety experts to ensure they don’t become a drink drive statistic this Christmas, and whilst the Freight Transport Association implores professional road haulage drivers not to take a drink and risk their licence – or worse, Brake, the road safety charity, has joined with insurers Direct Line to ask that passengers put pressure on designated drivers not to break their pledge to remain tea total.

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image: UK fork truck Cooper materials handling container

Sales and Servicing Separated After Strategic Review

UK – After a strategic review, well known fork truck supply and service group Cooper Specialised Handling has announced a restructuring of its materials handling business, splitting the operation into three distinct business units. Cooper Handling Group Ltd is the holding company which incorporates Cooper Specialised Handling Ltd, Cooper Materials Handling Ltd and Cooper Handling Solutions Ltd. The three new businesses will operate out of Cooper's established base in Honiley, Warwickshire, and a brand new facility in Greater Manchester.

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image: UK freight road haulage operator DCPC certificate professional competence DVSA transport association

What is the True Position Regarding How Many Drivers Will Be Legal Come September?

UK – With so many imponderables remaining over the mandatory regulations on the road haulage driver Certificates of Professional Competence (DCPC), it seems some questions may go right to the wire when next September’s ruling comes into effect. Opinions are divided as to the numbers of drivers who will have fulfilled their legal obligations in time to meet the deadline. Any haulier carrying freight for reward on a vehicle of 7.5 tonnes or over needs to have completed DCPC training and be carrying a driver qualification card by the date set.

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image: IATA air freight American Airlines Cargo

IATA Analysis Presents a Confused Global Picture with Middle East the Clear Favourites

WORLDWIDE – Mixed messages from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the publication of October’s cargo statistics earlier this month showing a small increase in freight carriage, but indicating a more pessimistic view of the year overall. IATA, which represents the views and statistics for some 240 airlines comprising 84% of global air traffic, describes cargo demand as ‘largely stagnant’ predicting the carriage of 52.5 million tonnes in 2014 compared to this year’s anticipated final total at around 51.6 million tonnes.

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image: UK Allseas Global ocean shipping road haulage air freight forwarding logistics staff recruitment appointments

Pre-Christmas Flurry of Changes in Appointments, Recruitment and Departures

WORLDWIDE – Appointments and staff movements for the shipping, freight forwarding, logistics and road haulage sectors this week kick off with the news that, at the meeting for its 111th session earlier this month, The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council re-elected Jeffrey Lantz (US) as its Chairman and Dumisani Ntuli (South Africa) as its Vice-Chairman.

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image: UK military British Army project freight forwarding agent tonne port Felixstowe Malaysia Penang

Armed Forces Ride Shotgun on Trip to Port

UK – MALAYSIA – Military cargo can be more than a nuisance to a freight forwarder at the best of times with many shipping lines having restrictions or simply being unlicensed for its carriage. The sensitivity which surrounds the numerous conflicts ongoing throughout the world and the ongoing animosity or outright hostility between various states makes consular and customs procedures ever more difficult but when the equipment in question is an out of gauge piece like the tactical refuelling tanker in our photograph the physical problems alone demand the attention of a specialist project forwarding agent.

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image: London cycling safety HGV freight transport road haulage environment committee

Consultation Sought by London Councils

UK – Following our recent piece on cycling in urban areas, and London in particular, yesterday’s meeting of the London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee has been described as a ‘missed opportunity’ by the Freight Transport Association (FTA). The Committee’s decision to hold a public consultation regarding changing the conditions of the London Lorry Control Scheme to require heavy goods vehicles (HGV’s) to fit cycle safety measures such as side guards and extra mirrors, and to consider restricting HGV movements during the morning peak, are considered to be wrong headed by the road haulage representatives.

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image: Netherlands Fiji container shipping service ocean freight FCL LCL FPS Rotterdam

Two Agents Partner Up to Launch Intercontinental Consolidation

NETHERLANDS – FIJI – Setting up a full container load (FCL) ocean shipping service is a comparatively simple operation provided the line has sufficient traffic for a port call, but the arrangements required to ensure the success of a reliable groupage consolidation or less container load (LCL) routing often include a leap of faith on behalf of the arranging agent, not to say the extra risks which accompany anything that lacks the economies of scale which exist on the more popular routes.

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image: UK France SeaFrance Eurotunnel SCOP freight RoRo ferry cross Channel MyFerryLink rail group

Ghost of SeaFrance Still Hovers Around the Courts

UK – FRANCE – EUROPE – The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled, somewhat marginally, in the past week in favour of the continued operations of Eurotunnel’s RoRo cross Channel freight and passenger ferry service MyFerryLink, following a decision by the Competition Commission (CC) earlier this year in June which would have banned the French rail group from operating a ferry route on the Dover Strait. The Tribunal found that the Commission might well not have jurisdiction to investigate MyFerryLink as the acquisition of certain former SeaFrance assets might not constitute a merger.

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image: UK road haulage freight transport infrastructure fuel duty tolls logistics

Government's Autumn Statement Met with Mixed Feelings

UK – As is so often the case, two of the country’s leading logistics related Associations have been reading from the same hymn sheet in the past week when speaking out on the major road transport issues affecting the country. Both the Road Haulage (RHA) and Freight Transport (FTA) Associations issued press releases leading up to, and commenting on the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Whilst these held both positive and negative elements there was wholehearted praise for some infrastructure adjustments which were warmly welcomed.

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image: UK National Skills Academy Logistics in Liquidation Milton Keynes

National Skills Academy Logistics in Liquidation

UK – A government supported initiative to aid employers in the field of logistics closed at the end of November and has elicited a statement strongly criticising the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) which had responsibility for bankrolling the scheme. The National Skills Academy Logistics (NSAL) based in Milton Keynes and governed by way of a National Employer Board (NEB), was put into liquidation after being told funds were no longer available.

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image: GACAG Air Cargo Screening freight forwarder ICAO TIACA FIATA shippers

Detailed Position Paper Outlines Needs for the Future

WORLDWIDE – The Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG) has encouraged International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) members to use standard international codes for screening technologies and protocols. Whilst stating its support of ICAO Annex 17 and its guidance material as the baseline documents for air cargo security, a recent position paper from the industry advisory group which represents the interests of such as the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF), and The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), indicates that further work is necessary.

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image: DB Schenker freight forwarding and logistics Commonwealth Games Toronto 2015 Glasgow 2015 athletes International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

DB Schenker Wins an Athletic Double Header (and Opens New European Intermodal Service)

UK – CANADA – GERMANY – ITALY – DB Schenker has secured a sporting double in the past few days, firstly with the news that the freight forwarding group has been named as Official Logistics Provider for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and latterly came confirmation that the company is to fulfil the same role at the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games in Toronto. The company has worked with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) since 2004 and recently extended its agreement to provide logistics, freight forwarding and customs clearance services throughout Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016. The company has also announced details of a new European intermodal service.

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image: Freight Transport Group multimodal cycling accidents road haulage HGV industry

Teamwork and Cooperation is the Key to Reduce Road Deaths

UK – IRELAND – The debate on the safety of cyclists is still a topic which can elicit entrenched views, particularly from individuals and cycling bodies and those in the road haulage industry. In the case of many accidents involving the two types of transport fault can often lie on either, and indeed both sides, but more and more is being done in an attempt to reduce fatalities and serious incidents between HGV’s bearing essential freight and cyclists, particularly those travelling in urban surroundings.

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image: Norbert Dentressangle helicopter freight road haulage logistics supply chain Finmeccanica Italy AgustaWestland UK

French Operator Again Successfully Lands Helicopter Business

UK – ITALY – French headquartered road haulage and logistics group Norbert Dentressangle seems to be flying high of late after picking up several new supply chain contracts and renewals and now things seem to be really ‘taking off’ as Norbert Dentressangle announces the landing of a major freight contract renewal with Anglo-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing firm, AgustaWestland. Owned by Italy’s Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland operates globally through a number of subsidiaries, joint ventures and collaborative programmes with major aerospace and defence companies. With over 13,000 employees, AgustaWestland has revenues of €4.2 billion and has its main facilities in Italy, UK, USA and Poland.

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image: Baltic EU collaboration ocean freight shipping lanes icebreaker

Cooperative Project Studies Present and Future of Baltic Navigation and Icebreaker Technology

BALTIC SEA  As we have reported previously there is increasing interest in navigating hitherto impassable waters as the earth warms and the annual ice contracts. With the price of bunker fuel spiralling upward and the search for cleaner transport via lower carbon emissions and with demands of such as the European Commission’s SECA-directive concerning content of sulphur in fuel and the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) where maximum engine power is regulated, keeping the frozen passageways open is of premium importance for the safe carriage of ocean freight and the maintenance of economical trade.

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image: UK Dover Harbour master training freight RoRo ferry port BMT Isis

Essential Training for Managers and Others to be Held in February

UK – Dover, Britain’s busiest port for RoRo ferry traffic and responsible for the throughput of much of the country’s freight trade with Europe is to be the venue for a training course essential to many of those responsible for marine traffic wherever they may work. In partnership with the Port of Dover Consultancy, BMT Isis (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group, has announced the launch of a two day, interactive training course and workshop for Harbour Masters, Port Managers and Port Authorities. Entitled ‘Managing Port Safety and Security’, the course will provide delegates with a better understanding of what’s required to help meet the guidance contained within the Port Marine Safety Code.

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image: UK freight forwarding logistics transport road haulage everywoman awards women drivers FTA

(as long as you're a woman that is!)

UK – This week saw the details of the ever more popular FTA everywoman Transport & Logistics Awards announced. Sponsored by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) these awards aim to celebrate the successes of the most inspirational women in transport and logistics, and to provide evidence and role models for the further development of female talent throughout the industry. Founded in 1999 the everywoman community has grown continuously to a point where over 30,000 individuals are members and the shipping and logistics sectors are an ever more important part of the organisation.

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Container Shipping Lines Consider a Deal

Friday, December 6, 2013
image: Germany Hapag-Lloyd CSAV container shipping line box carrier ships merger TEU

Two of the World's Notable Carriers Consider Amalgamation

GERMANY – SOUTH AMERICA – WORLDWIDE – Shipping groups Hapag-Lloyd and Chilean based CSAV (Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores) have announced they are in discussion over a possible merger or similar commercial affiliation. The German box line was listed as the 6th largest container shipping line in 2012 whilst CSAV comes in at 20th with around a third of the German groups overall turnover in terms of TEU. With the threat of even more over capacity as ever larger ships roll off the blocks it seems that, as with the P3 and G6 alliances, many believe that size matters.

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image: Middle East freight handling port container shipping bulk crane simulator Liebherr

Interesting Technological Offshoot to Supplement Sales of Traditional Equipment

AUSTRIA – MIDDLE EAST – It seems that whilst traditionally, the Middle East/India/Africa region (MIA) has represented a very important market for Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes (LHM), an additional product which the Austrian headquartered group produces is proving an essential tool for many container and bulk port owners to keep abreast of modern freight handling techniques. In 2013 alone, Liebherr counted more than 40 mobile harbour crane sales and the company has now delivered well over 300 LHM’s to the MIA regions in total.

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image: Asia container shipping lines Maersk MSC CMA CGM P3 freight G6 global alliance

It Seems Big Three Will Have to Fight Off Alternative G6 + 1 Network as Box Rates Continue to Climb

ASIA – NORTH AMERICA – EUROPE – With the future of the P3 network, which draws together the world’s three largest container shipping lines, Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM, still to be decided by the authorities, the members of the already established G6 Alliance have announced plans to expand their cooperation to the Asia-North America West Coast and Trans-Atlantic trade lanes, a move seen by many in the freight industry as a challenge on the potential dominance of the proposed P3 Global Alliance, by providing a network comprising all East-West trade lanes deploying a total of about 240 vessels connecting 66 Asian, American and European ports.

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image: Asia product chemical tanker container ship sinking bulk vessel

Ship Reported Drifting After Fire

ASIA – Last week yet another flag of convenience vessel split in two, this time approximately 270 nautical miles south east of Vung Tau city, Vietnam, in an incident reminiscent to the foundering earlier this year of both the container ship MOL Comfort, and the bulk carrier MV Smart. The 29,995 dwt Tuvalu flagged chemical tanker Theresa Bitung, was en route from China to Singapore when, on 27 November at 10:05 local time, her crew reported a fire in the engine room and after fire-fighting efforts had failed, the 26-strong crew were forced to abandon ship.

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image: US Africa freight forwarder shipping exporters AEL American Export Lines

A Once Barely Considered Market Holds Six of the Top Ten Developing Economies

US – AFRICA – Speak to many old time freight forwarding agents about Africa and you will notice a visible shudder of apprehension or recollection of a destination that was never the easiest market for exporters to the Dark Continent, itself a name given at a time when most of the vast lands were unknown to western explorers and, in the minds of some, still a documentary and regulatory minefield when shipping goods to any one of its vastly differing countries.

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image: German Swiss freight forwarder Austrian Rail wagon hire multimodal logistics Kuehne + Nagel VTG

Joint Venture Approved by Local Antitrust Authorities

EUROPE – German based rail wagon hire and multimodal logistics company VTG Aktiengesellschaft has been granted approval from the German and Austrian antitrust authorities for its merger with certain rail transport operations of Swiss headquartered freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel which we reported back in April, clearing the way for the launch of the joint venture on January 1, 2014, with VTG as the major shareholder in the partnership. Dr. Heiko Fischer, CEO of VTG Aktiengesellschaft said:

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image: Mali Luxembourg air freight forwarding heavy lift carrier airwaybill special cargo carrier Switzerland US Russia

Expansion for Some as Paperless Airwaybills Make progress

MALI – LUXEMBOURG – US – RUSSIA – SWITZERLAND – Two airlines have announced new air freight services commencing this week whilst one specialist heavy lift carrier makes an inaugural visit with a special cargo and a well-known name in forwarding announces itself as the first completely paperless company in the general air freight sector.

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image: UK terrorism piracy theft freight shipping security exhibition conference expo

Record Attendance at London Expo Which is Unfortunately Likely to Grow Again Next Year

UK – WORLDWIDE – Unfortunately the ever present threats to the freight industry of crime, terrorism and piracy meant that this years Transport Security Expo was always destined to be a record breaking event. The London Olympia based exhibition and conference was supported by the Handy Shipping Guide and concluded recently having seen thousands of attendees pass through its doors. This year the deeply troubling issue of cyber security took centre stage. In recent times this has become a major issue for regulators given that cyberspace has become a veritable playground for state actors and criminal gangs intent on inflicting physical and financial harm. Therefore the transport world is reassessing security protocols and beefing up protective measures where appropriate.

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image: Denmark China Ro/Ro container freight truck ship building vessel

Cooperative Project sees European Design and Chinese Build

CHINA – DENMARK – A new collaboration which may be a sign of things to come sees a project incorporating innovative European design skills alongside the physical and mechanical attributes of Chinese ship building as an integrated unit for a newly ordered Ro/Pax vessel to operate freight and passenger services carrying containers and Ro/Ro trucks out of Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

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image: US drones Afghanistan Amazon road haulage air freight Zoocal

Apparently it's not a Joke as Global Distributors Try the Aerial Route for Faster Services

US – WORLDWIDE – It isn’t April the first so we have to assume the latest revelation from the world’s biggest online distributor Amazon is either another revolutionary step to reduce road haulage miles using their own miniature air freight service, or a publicity stunt. According to company CEO Jeff Bezos the multinational is testing unmanned drones to act as local delivery vehicles, and it is not the first company to do so.

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image: UK Flexi freight logistics articulated forklift truck narrow aisle racking

Articulated Fork Lifts Operate in the Narrowest of Aisles Whilst Maintaining Counterbalance Capabilities

UK – WORLDWIDE – No matter which way you cut it the articulated forklift design has a somewhat unnatural look about it, even when sitting straight its profile (as in our photograph) looks somewhat insectivorous. But the concept of the Flexi truck, developed and launched in the early 1990’s, has proved a winner with logistics companies and freight warehouses internationally with over 5000 units sold globally so far.

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