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Dock Workers Treatment Prompts Union Demonstrations Around the Globe

MADAGASCAR – The seemingly eternal struggle between employers and workers will doubtless continue well into the foreseeable future and there are currently few places where the arguments rage more fiercely than the so called third world countries. The dock working environment is an especially battle scarred industry in terms of historical industrial disputes and, although the simple business of shifting freight is the lifeblood in the arteries of the whole of society, the rapid evolution of new intermodal transport methods have left a gulf between the modern, technologically advanced deep water ports in some countries and the more traditional methods pursued elsewhere.

Heavy Penalties for Hauliers Could Mean Specialist Feed May Be the Solution

UK – EUROPE – Even though the closing of 'the Jungle' migrant camp outside of Calais in France has helped improve security for freight vehicle drivers on the UK – Continental routes, the issue of illegal stowaways sneaking onto vehicles is still very much a serious problem for drivers and freight companies who face the prospect of strict fines if they are found to have brought migrants into the country. Indeed, one driver was fined £19,500 by UK border force in 2015, despite the fact that he was the one who alerted police after finding 13 people in his vehicle. Such punishments can bankrupt an owner driver or a small road haulage operator. Now one technology company is offering a possible solution to help in securing lorries and vans from being infiltrated by illegal stowaways.

Volvo Says Trial Vehicle Offers Even Better Economies

SWEDEN – Volvo Trucks has announced that continued developments on their first long haul hybrid freight vehicle mean that it is showing even greater economies in terms of fuel use and emissions standards. First unveiled in May 2016, the Volvo Concept Truck has now had improvements made to its aerodynamics and rolling resistance with a reduced weight and has been converted to a hybrid powertrain, one of the first of its kind for heavy-duty trucks in long haul applications.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo Starting Heathrow to Seattle Service

UK – US – Virgin Atlantic Cargo is giving customers in the UK a wider choice of services in 2017 with the launch of a new daily service from London to Seattle and extra flights from Manchester to the US. The Seattle service will start on March 26 and the company has high hopes that the air freight market will be quick to take up the opportunity to use it. John Lloyd, Senior Vice President, Cargo at Virgin Atlantic said:

Transition Training Fund Looks to Recruit Truckers and Ancillary Staff

UK - Last year the Scottish Government announced a 12 million pound Transition Training Fund (TTF) via Skills Development Scotland (SDS), to help individuals affected retrain for other sectors. With the average age of a lorry driver in the country at 56, and a paucity of young recruits right across the UK, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has estimated that the UK is 45,000 drivers short and that unless urgently addressed, this figure could rise alarmingly to as much as 60,000.

Security Forces Accuse PKK of Attack

TURKEY - A freight train has been derailed in the south eastern province of Diyarbakir by what Turkish security forces say was a bomb planted by Kurdish rebels of the PKK group. There were no casualties. The attack is the latest in what appears to be part of a strategy to disrupt Turkey's passenger and freight rail infrastructure as several bombs were used last year to derail trains in the country.

Technology Complements Tachograph Software

UK - THE Road Haulage Association (RHA), which represents the interests of the British road freight drayage industry, has launched a new app for truck drivers to help them complete vehicle safety checks before setting off for the day. The RHAs new Daily Defect App is the digital answer to essential, mandatory daily walk-around checks and includes basic vehicle roadworthiness checks such as brakes, tyres, lights and indicators, load and coupling security. Any issues that are picked up can be sent directly to the traffic office, minimising downtime and enabling quicker vehicle repairs, thus meaning that vehicles can get back on the road without delay.

Oily Waste Water Pipes are Magic of the Literally Black Variety

US – A federal jury in Charleston, South Carolina, convicted two chief engineers of the chemical tanker, Green Sky, sailing under a flag of convenience, of falsifying documents in order to conceal illegal discharges of oily bilge waste, so called 'magic pipe incidents', and obstruction charges. Herbert Julian, who served as Chief Engineer between August 3 and September 4, 2015, was convicted of two felony counts under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and for obstruction of justice. Panagiotis Koutoukakis, Chief Engineer from February 1 to August 3, 2015, was convicted of two felony counts, one for APPS and another for falsifying records.

Round Up of Smaller Items in the Sectors

AUSTRALIA - Authorities in New South Wales are launching an app which they hope will encourage freight truck drivers to take a break. The 'Free Cuppa for the Driver' scheme encourages drivers to stop and take a break at participating businesses while travelling in Western and South Western NSW. Local participating businesses in the scheme donate a free tea or coffee to a driver that has driven 100 kilometres from their home postcode as indicated on their current driver's licence.

Who Goes Where in the Logistics Sector This Week

US - CSX, the corporation which includes rail, container shipping, intermodal, trucking and contract logistics services within its operations, has announced the retirements of Michael Ward from his role as Chairman and CEO, and Clarence Gooden from his position as President, effective May 31. Frederik Eliasson, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and a 22-year veteran of the company, has been named President, effective since February 15, replacing Gooden, who will assume the role of Vice Chairman until his retirement. Eliasson will also maintain his current responsibilities in his new position.

WFS to Manage China Airlines Chicago to Taipei Services

US - China Airlines has extended its 19-year working relationship with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in North America with a new cargo handling contract at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The new contract takes to five the number of locations in the US where WFS provides services for the airline. WFS won its first contract with China Airlines in North America in 1998 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, where it continues to handle some 47 thousand tonnes of cargo a year for the airline. In addition to providing further freight handling services in Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston, WFS also manages passenger and ramp operations for China Airlines in Honolulu.

Freight Transport Group Supports Move to Spread the Load

UK – This month London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the intention of expanding the emissions charges, currently only levied on larger commercial vehicles, to cars and vans. The new toxicity charge, known as T-charge, is to be introduced from 23 October 2017 and will apply to diesel and petrol-powered vehicles that do not meet the Euro 4 standard on emissions introduced 11 years ago. This means vehicles manufactured before January 2005 will generally be subject to a further £10 levy on top of the £11.50 congestion charge already in force.

Indian Sailors Homeward Bound

UK - INDIA - We are informed by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) that justice has finally been served in the case of the Malaviya Twenty, one of the two Indian owned and flagged offshore supply vessels that were effectively abandoned by their owners after they were detained in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth, and which we touched upon in our story of November 2016. It was ITF inspections which led to the discovery that there were serious problems with the ships and the fact that the crews had not been paid.

Ultimate Punishments Handed Out by Hanoi Court

VIETNAM - The Hanoi People Court has, once again, sentenced two former senior official from the bankrupt state-owned shipping line, Vinashin Ocean Shipping (Vinalines), to death after they were found guilty of embezzlement, with a third sentenced to life in prison and another given 12 years in prison for money laundering. After a four-day trail, the executives were found to have taken part in the huge corruption scandal with several senior staff from Vinalines, along with other interested parties from Vietnam's maritime industry, to the detriment of the state which estimated its losses at around VND910.2billion (around $40 million).

Predictions of Great Boosts to Economy Once Implemented

WORLDWIDE – The ratification by 110 member states of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA) has been met with praise by trade bodies representing the international freight and logistics industry. The TFA is designed to facilitate trade globally by implementing measures such as simplifying paperwork, modernising procedures and harmonising customs requirements and is expected to substantially slash the costs and time needed to export and import goods.

ULCS Will Operate from Port Elizabeth

US – APM Terminals has significantly increased its previously announced $70 million investment plans for the APM Terminals Port Elizabeth facility, and now plans an investment total of $200 million. This figure includes ordering four next-generation Ship-To-Shore (STS) cranes to handle ultra-large container ships (ULCS) at the port complex. The vessels are expected to start calling the port after the heightening of the Bayonne Bridge is completed later this year. The heightening of the Bayonne Bridge, combined with the widened Panama Canal allows these ULCS liner services to call and be operated efficiently at the advanced APM Terminals facility.

KN Eurasia Express Offers Container Shippers New Options

EUROPE – ASIA – Following the hullabaloo concerning the first freight train to pull into London one forwarder has been swift to act in offering new services that exploit the new link. With the launch of its KN Eurasia Express, Kuehne + Nagel now offers less than container load (LCL) shipments between China and Europe. The new service complements the company's existing full container load (FCL) rail offering for import and export shipments.

Rivers See Another Futuristic Vessel with ORC's Less Lord of the Rings More Tracy Island

UK - Estuary Services Limited (ESL), a joint venture between the Port of London Authority (PLA) and Peel Ports London Medway, is continuing its fleet replacement plan and buying another new boat for its pilot transfer operations serving the ports of London and Medway. ESL currently has a fleet of six vessels including two 17.1 metre ORC class vessels that carry marine pilots from the Kent coast to board ships in the Thames Estuary.

Government of Djibouti Must Pay Costs of Failed Prosecution

UK – DUBAI – DJIBOUTI – The London Court of Arbitration has cleared global port operator DP World of charges of misconduct in connection with the award of a 50-year concession to operate the Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT) in Djibouti.

Konecranes and Liebherr Sign New Deals

PARAGUAY – DENMARK – Konecranes has signed an agreement with Terport S.A. in Paraguay, South America, for the delivery of two Boxhunter Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes. The cranes will be delivered in early 2018. The new RTGs will be delivered to Terport S.A.’s container terminal located in Villeta i.o San Antonio, on the outskirts of Asunción, and will now be the first terminal in Paraguay to operate RTG cranes. The terminal handles container traffic on the Paraguay River, providing a wide range of services to importers, exporters, feeder vessels, line operators and special cargo carriers.

Misogynists Learn Sexist Behaviour Has Consequences

UK – We’ve covered on many occasions, tragically, the issue of cyclist’s being killed in London by freight vehicles, emphasising the disproportionate numbers of these casualties who are women. Now this video, which has gone viral, is showing that one woman at least is a threat to commercial vehicles in the capital! The video, captured by a following motorcyclist’s helmet cam, shows a van pulling across the woman at traffic lights before the men on board start to hassle her, asking for her phone number and mocking her when she swears at them.

GateHouse Demonstrates New Service for Maritime Logistics

DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – GateHouse Logistics, who have made their name from developing freight vehicle and shipment tracking systems, has launched a new cloud service to provide valuable real-time tracking of loads port-to-port. Destined for manufacturers, cargo owners, logistic service providers, container owners and other players in the supply chain, the cloud service called ghVessel collects vessel AIS (Automatic Identification System) broadcast signals from satellite and land-based systems to calculate estimated time of vessel arrivals.

China Adopts Western Methods of Discouragement

CHINA – WORLDWIDE – China's Ministry of Transport has fined 14 container shipping lines a total of 239 million RMB (approx. $347,000) following allegations that the shippers violated the country's competition laws over inconsistencies in the publishing and reporting of freight rates. The fines may be small in relation to some recent cases further west but represent an intention by the PRC to continue to harden attitudes to the way business in the country is conducted, particularly by foreign entities, with antitrust and anti-competition issues in mind.

Long Delayed Plan Given Go Ahead

UK – The decision by planning authorities to give permission to the development of the Howbury Park rail freight interchange in Dartford, South East London* has unsurprisingly been warmly welcomed by the Freight on Rail group, a partnership consisting of various rail freight operators, the Rail Freight Group, Network Rail, the transport trade unions and the Campaign for Better Transport, and which states that the new development will help the capital by reducing air pollution, congestion, traffic incidents and carbon emissions. Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Manager said:

Police App to Have Public Catch Offenders Thrives

UAE – WORLDWIDE – Policing traffic offences in the United Arab Emirates took a singular step in early 2001 when the ‘We Are All Police’ campaign got under way and now it would seem the practice of ‘grassing’ on your fellow motorists is getting ever more popular as smart phone technology evolves and makes evidencing of offences ever easier.

Recovering Economy and Cheap Pound Boosts Trade

UK – Freight carried on UK ferries rose by 3.5% in 2016 as an indicator of a recovering economy in the UK and Ireland according to a survey conducted by a ferry industry body, Discover Ferries, confirming some of our previous articles on tonnages at French, Belgian and Irish ports. Some 4.57 million freight vehicles were carried on ferries in 2016 with increases on three main sectors surveyed between the UK and Ireland or continental Europe. Traffic has grown for the last five years and has risen by 19.6 % since 2011.

Criticises Local Authorities for Failing in Responsibilities

UK – The body that represents the interests of road hauliers has fiercely criticised local government authorities for failing to maintain British roads to a decent standard and instead blaming the erosion of road surfaces on heavy use by trucks carrying freight. In a statement the Road Haulage Association (RHA) said that road freight had been made the scape goat of ‘decades of under-investment in road maintenance by infrastructure providers.’ The RHA’s chief executive Richard Burnett said:

Fight Breaks Out in Race to the Bottom

UKRAINE – It seems that the country’s troubles are not only caused by exterior forces, with the revelation that a small coalition of Ukrainian trade unions have gone against the wage structures negotiated for seafarers by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and recognised as a monthly minimum, which for AB’s stands at $1,806, and for which the consortium are offering to provide labour for approximately $801 less per month.

Ex Partners Are Now Cargo Rivals

UK – UKRAINE – SOUTH EAST ASIA – RUSSIA – Having successfully divorced each other following the difficult political situation between their respective countries it would seem that both Antonov Airlines and former collaborators Volga Dnepr are surviving under their own steam. The two companies separated from their mutual heavy lift specialist air freight partnership, Ruslan, in December and now trade as separate cargo entities.

Growth of South East Impacts Construction and Container Cargo

UK – The Port of Tilbury hosted the Minister of State for Housing, Gavin Barwell MP, at the port last week to discuss the impacts of the significant investment programme that the Port authorities are undertaking and how the facility will assist in the plans that the government has for alleviating the housing crisis in the UK. Tilbury is currently the UK’s number one port for construction materials, handling over 40 million bricks last year destined for the housing market and is also the leading handler for aggregates, construction materials and timber volumes in support of the house building and wider construction programmes in the country.

Tales of Who is Going Where This Week

SINGAPORE – The week’s appointments and departures include a cross section from the human resources departments of the freight and logistics sectors. However all announcements are not necessarily good tidings and start with the news that, after a rocky end of 2016 for First Ship Lease Trust, which owns a fleet of vessels across major shipping sub-sectors, the start of 2017 continues in the same vein, with the Trust announcing the resignation of Director and CEO, Alan Hatton. This means Roger Woods, the deputy CEO, who has been in post for only 3 months, has been promoted to CEO in the interim.

Bits and Pieces About the Industry That Never Made the Major Headlines

SOUTH AFRICA – This week’s snippets of smaller freight and logistics stories begins with the news that the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has taken delivery of the fifth of its nine new tugs. The project is now 81% complete and still on track to deliver the ninth and final tug early in 2018, on time and within budget. Five tugs are under construction at any given time at the premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards. Four are already delivered and at work in Port Elizabeth and Saldanha.

Hanjin Liquidation Instructed by Seoul Court

SOUTH KOREA – WORLDWIDE – Today the final bubbles will rise from the wreck of the Hanjin Shipping Company after the Court finalised plans for the liquidation of the container line, formed forty years ago and which thereafter rose to achieve the rank of the seventh largest of the world’s box carrying corporations. The Seoul Court has undertaken to declare the group bankrupt after stating its case for doing so on February 9.

Prompt Action by Disaster Team Save Vessel

SOUTH AFRICA – A fire on the vessel APL Austria has been extinguished with minimal disruption to operations at the Port of Ngqura, according to port officials. Crew aboard the container vessel had reported the fire on board on the evening of Sunday, 12 February 2017, while the ship was about 30 nautical miles South-West of Cape St Francis.

25 Tonne Vehicle Series Production Expected for 2020

GERMANY – EUROPE – Mercedes-Benz, part of the Daimler Truck group, says it is to produce the world’s first all-electric heavy-duty freight truck in a limited production run to allow selected customers to trial the vehicle prior to planned market release in in 2020. The Urban eTruck is a 25 tonne gross vehicle weight, carries a payload of 12.8 tonnes and has a range of up to 200 kilometres that is aimed at customers such as road haulage operators who serve high density urban markets and don’t require high mileage distance runs from their vehicles.

Whether Container Freight Vessel or Cruise Liner, Move Toward Gas Propulsion Builds

WORLDWIDE – Following on from our recent piece about a new ISO standard for bunkering Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) comes news that the not for profit, multi-sector industry coalition SEA/LNG, whose aim is to accelerate the widespread adoption of the gas as a marine fuel, has added three notable new members to a coalition which already includes such industry names as Shell, Qatargas and Total together with freight interests including the container line NYK and the Port of Rotterdam.

Maersk Boss Hints at Changes to Come After Troubled Year

DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – Having this month reported a financially difficult 2016 and the departure of its longstanding Chairman, AP Moller Maersk has announced plans to secure the future of the 113 year old business which will see the McKinney-Moller family take a greater interest in the Danish conglomerate. There has been much activity within the group of late with the divesting of container specialist group Pentalver by Maersk’s APM Terminal subsidiary and the splitting of logistics and energy sectors last September.

Government Caves In and Accepts It Has Broken Its Own Rules

CANADA – Commencing next week, the Federal Court had been set to hear arguments in dozens of lawsuits filed by the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIUC) against the Government of Canada. However, the case has now been resolved with the SIUC accepting a last-minute settlement offer put forward by the Government of Canada in a landmark case highlighting the union arguments against flags of convenience crews and overseas workers being paid substantially below national wages.

IMO Must Act Swiftly to Avoid Political Legislation

EUROPE – Members of the European Parliament voted to include the shipping sector in the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) as part of the EU's plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions and meet its obligations of the Paris Agreement, prompting some strong responses from industry stakeholders.

Latest News on LNG includes a New ISO Standard and Specialist Exhibition

WORLDWIDE – JAPAN – Lots happening regarding Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel for merchant shipping with the news that bunkering such gas is now subject to a new standard, ISO 20519, aimed at ensuring freight and passenger vessels take on the potentially dangerous fuel from a reliable source. With the practice of switching to LNG from conventional fuel oil growing rapidly, more and more ports across a range of countries are equipping themselves to accommodate the bunkering of gas powered vessels.

Pair Discuss Developments at Summit in Dubai

DUBAI – Chairman and CEO of port logistics group DP World, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have recently discussed potential uses of Tesla technology for DP World’s global freight operations in a meeting at the World Government Summit in Dubai. They discussed the potential use of Tesla battery solutions for renewable energy storage in the port and terminal operator’s global network, especially in the fast growing markets of Africa, India and Latin America.

Mercy Ships Enrols a Major New Sponsor

WORLDWIDE – The humanitarian NGO Mercy Ships has joined with Stena Line, the world’s largest privately owned passenger and freight ferry company, in a long-term partnership. The goal is to raise general awareness about the charity, and to promote volunteering and charitable giving, both within Stena Line itself as well as amongst its travellers and partners. Mercy Ships owns and operates the largest civilian hospital-ship in the world to deliver free, world-class health care services to the poorest nations in the developing world. Since 1978 the NGO has helped more than 2.5 million people.

Pair Say They Will Control 5 Per Cent of Target Market in the Region

UK – BALTIC – Freight forwarding and specialist fashion logistics services group Delamode has expanded its integrated online delivery service ‘EshopWedrop’ with the acquisition of Lithuanian based company PirkAnglijoje. The group states that the combining of its current services with the PirkAnglijoje existing customer base will allow users in the Baltic States to benefit from additional access to e-commerce markets in Germany, Italy and Poland as well as access to EshopWedrop’s sophisticated user IT platform and services.

Prize Steeds Arrive in Prime Order for Longines Masters

HONG KONG – Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl) has once again handled 60 horses competing in this year’s Longines Masters of Hong Kong. It is the event’s fifth year, and Hactl has handled the valuable equine competitors in every year of the competition. The Longines Masters first came to Hong Kong in 2013, and is now recognised as one of Asia’s largest and most prestigious equestrian event. The transportation of the horses from Liege to Hong Kong, and their return journeys after the event, are being coordinated by European Horse Services (EHS), one of the world’s leading equestrian transport specialists. This year’s chosen carrier is Etihad Airways, and forwarding being performed by DB Schenker. EHS Founder and President Filip Vande Cappelle said:

Successful Swiss Trials Provide Proof of Concept

DUBAI – US – SWITZERLAND – There has been considerable interest over the last few years into the potential use of autonomous drones, flying or otherwise, being used in the field of logistics, with some companies already delivering critical medical supplies to remote areas and even experiments currently ongoing with a robot system that will deliver goods direct to your door from a van. Now one developer of air freight delivery drones has been recognised for its work by being shortlisted as a finalist for a prestigious award that will see the winner walk away with a $1 million prize.

A Few Stories That Didn't Quite Make the Headlines Last Week

UAE – Hamburg Süd has opened its first proprietary agency in the Middle East. The company-owned agency coordinates Hamburg Süd’s business in the Persian Gulf and has taken over all the tasks and activities for commercial operations as well as container logistics from the long-standing local agency partner Inchcape Shipping Services LLC. Vessel and customs clearance in the Ports of Jebel Ali and Khor Fakkan will continue to be handled by Inchcape Shipping Services.

Who is Going Where in the Sector This Week

DENMARK – The opening staff announcement this week is that, in a major development for the shipping sector, Michael Pram Rasmussen has informed the Board of Directors of AP Møller – Mærsk, which has amongst its subsidiaries the largest container freight line in the world, that he will step down as Chairman of the Board effective at the AGM on March 28, after 14 years in the role.

Old Dry Dock Refurbed for Bulk Shipping

UK – In the wake of the successful reestablishment of the historic Manchester Ship Canal as a freight carrying artery into the heart of the city another developer has just seen their investment in docking facilities start to pay off. After being closed for ten years the Trafford Park Docks has seen its first delivery following a £250,000 investment when the RMS Duisburg docked with two silos made in Germany that are to be fitted at a Manchester factory

Freight Vehicles Show Major Increase in Mileage Travelled

UK – Figures from the UK’s Department of Transport have shown that traffic on the country’s roads reached record highs, something which should alarm the country’s road haulage operators and sparking concern from a road safety charity on the sustainability of the road network. The figures show that 320.5 billion vehicle miles were travelled on Great Britain’s roads in the year ending December 2016, which was 1.2% higher than the previous year. This is a record level, 2% higher than the pre-recession peak in the year ending September 2007. Rolling annual motor vehicle traffic has now increased each quarter in succession for over three years.

ABP Sees Growth Bulk and Project Cargoes

UK – Associated British Ports (ABPs) network of five ports in South Wales handled more than 12 million tonnes of freight in 2016 as ABP continued to invest in port warehousing and equipment. The cargo that passed through included a variety for both the traditional and emerging sectors. Notable year-on-year growth was seen in several commodities including the timber, aggregate, project cargo, animal feed and fertiliser, and steel sectors.

Waitrose and CNG Fuel Introduce Biomethane Fuelled Lorries to the Roads

UK – The Handy Shipping Guide has covered before the efforts that supermarket chain Waitrose has made to reduce its carbon and emissions from its road transportation. Now the retailer has marked another first by taking on ten new biomethane-powered trucks that they, and their partners in the project, hope will prove the concept to other fleet operators and encourage greater adoption of a fuel source that is claimed to be the ‘most cost-effective and lowest carbon alternative to diesel for heavy goods vehicles’.

Cases Ongoing Against BA and Air Canada

CANADA – Courts in Canada have approved of a protocol for the distribution of settlement funds in the Canadian Air Cargo Shipping Services Class Action, which saw several airlines pay a total of C$29.6 million in fines so far with the class action continuing against Air Canada and British Airways. The case alleges price-fixing in the market for air cargo shipping services on shipments to/from Canada (excluding to/from the United States) between January 2000 and September 2006.

Record Deliveries in 2016

ITALY – Last year Liebherr Maritime Cranes celebrated the delivery of nine mobile harbour cranes, four reachstackers, three rail mounted gantry cranes and one ship-to-shore container crane to various Italian ports. Since Liebherr has been engaged in the manufacturing of maritime cargo handling equipment, ports in Italy proved to be reliable and valuable partners to the German company, with the first mobile harbour crane being delivered in 1974.

Direct Fourteen Day Service Offered by Consolidator

ITALY – US – Non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) CaroTrans has announced they are instituting a new, direct weekly LCL service from Milan to Miami. The consolidators state that Miami serves as an ideal hub for Italian goods bound for Central American and Caribbean destinations and that the new service will entail a 14-day transit. It is CaroTrans fourth direct service from Milan to the US, with other container freight services also offered to Chicago, Charleston and New York.

Fine for Box Line for Following Usual Practice on Tariff Hikes

RUSSIA – DENMARK – Maersk Line has reached an agreement with the Russian Federal Anti-monopoly Service (FAS) to settle allegations that it, along with several competitors, breached the country’s competition law by publically announcing the freight rates for the Russian market. While the practice of publishing rates is common, it is has also drawn concern from the European Commission, which last year collaborated with some of the biggest names in container shipping to set out a series of commitments to alleviate any anti-competition concerns.

Cool Chain Felixstowe Branch is First Centre in UK with High Standards Award

UK – Pentalver, the shipping container specialist which deals in all aspects of the box trade, from handling and transport to bespoke conversions, tell us that its reefer department at Felixstowe has been awarded the Carrier Transicold CareMAX award for refrigerant management excellence. Pentalver becomes only the 6th cool chain service centre in Europe and the first centre in the UK to achieve the certification, which aims to help raise the standard of service and quality in refrigerant-handling operations for the container shipping industry.

Expected to Increase Further in 2017 as New Facilities Come Up to Speed

WORLDWIDE – Global port operator DP World has released figures for freight handled in their facilities in 2016 that show that the company has enjoyed an increase in the amount of cargo that has passed through their ports following the trend we have previously reported as global tonnages of freight carried by water have shown an upswing in the past year.

New Locks Make an Impact on World Trade

PANAMA – Driven by the increased cargo capacity offered by the new locks, the Panama Canal set a new monthly tonnage record in January 2017, having only set the record the month prior. The canal recorded 36.1 million Panama Canal tonnes (PC/UMS) through the recently expanded waterway, with the transit of 1,260 ships through both the new and original locks.

Box Companies Seek Continuing Viability

DENMARK – GERMANY – WORLDWIDE – Maersk Line and Hamburg Süd have announced a slot purchase agreement for Hamburg Süd’s volumes on the East–West trades to be shipped on vessels in the 2M network, between Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The agreement comes as Hamburg Süd is expected to end its current slot purchase arrangements on the East–West trades at the end of March, as the recent and major changes in the global container shipping market sees box freight lines worldwide agreeing to mergers and collaborations in an attempt to stay viable in a volatile time. Frank Smet, Member of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd, said:

Contracts, Facilities and Kudos for Environmental Works for Local Operators

INDIA – CHINA – TAIWAN – US – Global logistics provider Agility has opened the first temperature-controlled life sciences storage and handling facility in the Hyderabad Airport Zone. The 6,000-square-foot Life Sciences Excellence Centre (LSEC) at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is placed to serve pharma manufacturers in Hyderabad, Goa, Pune, Vishakhapatnam and Bangalore. The centre will provide conditioning, preparation and storage of pharmaceutical goods and operate as a control tower for Agility life sciences freight customers in India. Detlev Janik, CEO of Agility South Asia, said:

Extra Week to Nominate Female Talent

UK – The deadline for this year’s FTA everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards nomination deadline has been extended until Monday 13 February. The awards are intended to highlight the very best female talent working within the industry and in past years have showcased a succession of highly talented women who have excelled in their chosen careers.

Military Tensions Rising Rapidly with Strike on Riyadh

SAUDI ARABIA – IRAN – YEMEN – The ongoing conflict between the Gulf Arabs and Iran via the latter’s Yemeni Houthi tribesmen proxy has shown a marked escalation recently that shipping lines and oil companies will be watching with great trepidation. We reported in October how the Houthis have used sophisticated weaponry to attack naval vessels belonging to the UAE and the United States Navy. This week has seen two events that mark a new standard in both the Houthi’s determination to attack vessels at sea and an alarming increase in the levels of technology that they can now bring to bear.

(cos Lettuce Shortage May Just be Tip of the Iceberg)

UK – The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has sounded a warning note saying that the government needs to be on good form in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations in order to maintain the existing food supply chain which has recently seen problems with shortages of lettuces and courgettes leading to some supermarkets rationing the product. The necessity to maintain free trade, particularly with regard to foodstuffs, will be one of the main points of discussion in the ongoing talks with Britain’s ex partners. RHA chief executive Richard Burnett summed up the situation thus:

More Container and Temperature Controlled Freight Planned For Future

US – The Port of Oakland has highlighted some of its plans to continue the Port’s growth with increased investment in cool storage facilities for meat exports and expanding terminals to handle more containerised freight. Speaking at an American Association of Port Authorities conference the Port’s Maritime Director John Driscoll outlined a $600 million spending plan to grow the facility.

Predicted to create 7000 Jobs Once Complete

UK – Builders have started construction on a new rail freight interchange near East Midlands Airport that will, according to developer Roxhill, create 7,250 jobs. The East Midlands Gateway near Castle Donington is planned to be constructed in six phases with this first stage due for completion in October this year. The facility is expected to fully complete in late 2019. The development is in line with the policy document released in 2011 by the then coalition government.

All Sectors Moving More Tonnage as Deep Water Port Expands

UK – It has been many a long day since the Port of London was the world’s premier trading centre, with ranks of ships queuing in the Thames estuary waiting for a berth. A decade or so ago it seemed those glory days had gone forever but business has ticked over with the principal tonnages arising from the oil cargoes travelling to Essex and Kent refineries, as opposed to produce, timber and machinery formerly carried as freight. Now it seems things are steadily improving commercially for London’s River as 2016 saw a throughput of over 50 million tonnes, up 10% and the highest in this decade.

Who has Moved and Where

US – Beginning the staff changes this week in those positions which have a direct effect on the supply chain and those working in the freight and logistics sector, comes news that Elaine Chao has been sworn in the 18th Secretary of Transportation in what has been seen by many as one of the more sensible and least controversial appointments to come out of the Trump Presidency so far. Chao, a veteran Cabinet Secretary, has previously served as Labor Secretary under George W Bush between 2001 and 2009 and as Deputy Transport Secretary under the George H W Bush administration. Her experience will come in handy as she plays a central role in Trump’s promise to overhaul America’s infrastructure, though the question remains, how exactly is the current administration going to raise the $1 trillion Trump promised.

Huge Prop Built for 300,000 Tonne Greek Owned VLCC

SOUTH KOREA – Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has achieved a major milestone with the production of the 5,000th propeller at its Ulsan factory. Measuring 10.6 metres in diameter and 77 tonnes in weight, the propeller is scheduled to be installed on a 300,000 DWT VLCC ordered from Athens-based Thenamaris by the end of this month.

A Round Up of Industry Events This Week

US – Amazon is to invest $1.5 billion in building its own air hub in Kentucky. The investment will see Amazon growing its fleet of Prime Air cargo aircraft and a dedicated international logistics handling facility. Once open the company expects to have created more than 2,000 new jobs. Dave Clark, Amazon Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, said:

As the World Grows, So Must the Supply Chain

AUSTRIA – WORLDWIDE – As the world’s population continues to grow it is inevitable that the global logistics industry must also expand to cope with increased demand. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than the case of an international freight forwarding group, and figures just released by Lauterach headquartered Gebrüder Weiss offer a good illustration of this.

Ever Increasing Demands on Carriers Prompts New Standards

WORLDWIDE – Kuehne + Nagel says it has become the first logistics provider to achieve full the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) CEIV in Pharmaceutical Logistics certification to cover its entire global KN PharmaChain air network, which currently includes 86 locations worldwide. As supply chains on land or by sea and air become more regulated it is ever more important for freight carriers to attain the growing list of credentials necessary to compete when major shipments are involved.

Finnish Group Powers Taiwanese Vessel

TAIWAN – FINLAND – WORLDWIDE – It would seem that, as from this moment, diesel and similar heavy oils have their days as a source of motive power, well and truly numbered. Much of the pollution in the world’s major cities can be put down to diesel cars, trucks and buses whilst on the high seas major shipping groups look to cleaner alternatives such as LNG. Now Finnish group Visedo has retrofitted the popular Kaohsiung to Cijin Island passenger ferry with a hybrid electric power unit which the company claims could revolutionise marine passenger and freight transport across the region.

Logistics Professionals Asked to Comment Very Urgently

UK – Time is fast running out for those who wish to express an opinion regarding the idea that a specific Apprenticeship Standard for an International Freight Forwarding Operative is made available. The standard is one of a package of such under consideration for a wide range of industries and the International Freight Association (BIFA) has been encouraging the employer group behind the idea. Freight forwarders and other logistics professionals are now being asked to urgently provide the broader support necessary to encourage the authorities to accept the initiative as worthwhile.

Portland Company Continues to Expand Through Purchases

US – News out this week that OIA Global, the supply chain management company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, has acquired New Jersey based logistics group American Cargo Express (ACE). No financial details of the purchase have been revealed. ACE, formed in 1988, specialises in freight forwarding, warehousing and trade management, with over 200 employees and 11 offices.

IATA Releases News of Upturn

WORLDWIDE – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for global air freight markets showing that 2016 ended on a more positive note than previous years with demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTKs) growing by 3.8% in 2016 compared to 2015, nearly double the industry’s average growth rate of 2% over the last five years. Additionally, all regions, with the exception of Latin America, experienced positive freight growth in 2016, with carriers in Europe accounting for almost half of the total annual increase in demand.