Shipping Search - Archive

Bookshop Grew to be a Major Player in Modern Air Freight

UK – KUWAIT – It seems another iconic British company, in this case the Edinburgh headquartered John Menzies plc, has found itself sold off to Arabian interests as an offer of around £571 million from logistics group Agility was it seems, somewhat grudgingly, accepted.

System Obviates Running Engines Quayside

FINLAND – NORWAY – RoPax specialist shipping group Finnlines and Yara Marine Technologies have signed a contract to install the Norwegian group's shore power solution on board three of its vessels. The turnkey solution will allow these vessels to connect to the local power grid when in port, switching to electricity rather than using auxiliary engines running on fuel.

Series of Videos to Protect the Environment

UK – WORLDWIDE – We have written many articles over the years regarding the damage, and potentially disastrous consequences, of introducing alien pests via the medium of freight movements. Mostly these have concentrated on seaborne pests, often found in cargoes or the ballast tanks of merchant ships and the like.

Should a Director Look After the Company or the Minority of Staff?

UK – The case of the dismissal of almost 800 seafaring staff by P&O Ferries unsurprisingly continues to dominate the local headlines. The issue will doubtless have ramifications for months or years to come, turning as it does normal employment procedure on its head.

Phenomenal Growth of Services in Twenty Years

UK – Succeeding in the overland freight transport sector is no easy feat. Over the years we have witnessed the rise and fall of numerous companies, often subject to takeover, insolvency and the like. What that means however is the strong, well-managed outfits grow and prosper, and such would seem to be the case with Maritime Transport.

A Change is Gonna Come - Soon

UK – Anyone in close communication with the country's freight community knows that one of the biggest frustrations with regard to the rules and regulations controlling the flow of goods can be the ignorance and intransigence of some of the appointed authorities responsible for keeping the supply chain working efficiently.

Smaller Version of National Conference Offers Dinner and Networking

NORTHERN IRELAND – Following on from the recent success of its national conference readers are reminded that the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) is holding a similar, one day only event, at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast this week on Thursday 31st March.

Ukraine Situation Will Pose Some Unique Questions

UKRAINE – The realities of war in the country has ensured ripples of confusion and delay along the supply chain and provides a perfect illustration of how the flow of goods across the world actually works, and how to disturb that rhythm.

Things You May Not Have Heard

UK – At an event held at its Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub on Wednesday 6 April the Port of Tyne will unveil a new sustainable smart port platform that will provide a blueprint for its transition to net zero. As part of the Clean Tyne Project, the Port of Tyne and Siemens have worked with Connected Places Catapult, Newcastle University and the North East LEP to deploy a real-time digital platform for scenario planning and feasibility studies that will help determine the future power needs of the Port.

Milan is First Stop as Production Looms

ITALY – Volta Trucks, the all-electric HGV outfit, has launched another tranche of its continuing familiarisation and presentation tour for its Volta Zero truck around Europe, commencing this week in Milan.

Another Pointless Casualty in Putin's Ukrainian War

UKRAINE – How many times have we written in admiration of the abilities and achievements of the biggest aircraft in the world, the AN 225 Mriya? Now, lying in ruins across the tarmac of Hostomel airport, outside Kyiv the plight of the giant plane acts as a perfect metaphor for the current situation.

Government Must Live up to Financing a UK Single Trade Window in Next Full Budget

UK – The speech delivered today on his Autumn Budget Statement by Chancellor Rishi Sunak was, by necessity, a sweeping précis of the many points covered. These ranged from taxes on alcohol to others more relevant to the logistics professions, particularly fuel duty and the tonnage tax, more of which in a later story.

Covid Swept Away as the Opportunities to Network and Stay Abreast Return

UK – There is no doubt that overall the Covid pandemic has had a deleterious effect on one of the key aspects of the supply chain, that of the loss of face to face contact and the networking opportunities such meetings have traditionally provided. It was a relief therefore when this year one of the key fundamental conferences of the industry was able to restore the personal aspect.

Cut Rate Indian Crews Reportedly Arrive Quayside as Bribes Offered to Officers

UK – Whilst the dismissal of 800 P&O Ferries workers via a Zoom call last week appears to be a spineless way to settle a commercial problem, this is hardly unexpected news on routes traditionally mainly hard to make profitable, particularly in the light of the devastation the pandemic has caused the transport industry.

Some Shorter Pieces of Transport News in the Headlines This Week

UK – British politicians seem strangely resigned to the actions of DP World's P&O Ferries subsidiary after the company gave immediate redundancy notices to its 800 seagoing staff. The argument goes that, because the ships travel in international waters between different countries, the company is not bound by UK employment law.

Manufacturers and Logistics Interests Both On Side

UK – Both the logistics and motor manufacturing sectors have warmly welcomed the news this week that the government is not only extending the electric vehicle plug-in van and truck grants, but will continue to allow drivers with car licences to drive electric goods vans at a higher weight limit, up to 4.25 tonnes (compared to a 3.5 tonne limit for diesel vans).

(and no mention of those ferry redundancies as the dust settles)

UK – A new presidential team has been confirmed for the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), with Karin Nars of Dinolift officially invested as the federation's first woman President during its 2022 AGM, held for the first time in three years as a physical meeting following the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic.

Government Blamed for Failing to Act on Employment Law

UK – Staff, passengers and truck drivers have been devastated by the news that P&O Ferries has shut down all its UK ferry services and given notice to 800 staff, the entire crew of its fleet serving the UK. The DP World owned ferry company has issued a statement saying the 'business is not viable'.

New Not for Profit Outfit to Help Set Up Supply Chain for Donors

NETHERLANDS – UK – A new online platform called logistic-aide-ukraine.org has been set up aiming to connect relief organisations wanting to transport healthcare supplies to Ukraine with specialist supply chain companies.

Exercises at Sea Guarantee Safe Passage in Dangerous Waters

MIDDLE EAST – With all the military activity in Ukraine at the moment it is easy to forget the ongoing efforts of allied nations elsewhere to ensure trouble free trade on the world's oceans.

MSC to Commence North American Port Rotation

SWEDEN – US – Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) which recently sashayed quietly into the position of the world's number one container shipping line by TEU capacity whilst Maersk wasn't looking, is starting a long awaited new service this month.

Effect on Market Compared with 9/11

RUSSIA – According to the UK based analytics group Russells, new legislation passed by the Russian authorities entitles them to seize $13 billion worth of aircraft from western holdings.

Oops! We Did It Again!

US – There have no doubt been some searching questions asked of the Evergreen Marine hierarchy after Sunday's incident which saw another of the company's fleet run aground in very public view.

Post Pandemic Yet Another Service Now Available Remotely

US – The trials and tribulations of the Covid pandemic has changed many ways of working, remote rather than on hand becoming the norm for many people and tasks. This principal now seemingly applies to operations such as equipment inspection and now the National Cargo Bureau (NCB), which is a specialist in the field, has made the option available.

Search for the Perfect Solution Continues

SWITZERLAND – WORLDWIDE – Something a little different this week from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which seems to have moved from its usual position of offering cold, hard facts to a place where it is prepared to discuss how different players are dealing with the search for Net Zero.

New Safety Report Wants All Europe to Mandate Safety Back Ups

EUROPE – Not for the first time a report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is pricking the collective consciousness of the continent as its latest figures reveal how significant weaknesses in the enforcement of road safety rules are holding back progress on reducing road deaths in Europe.

Spring Statement Assumes Greater Importance Post Covid and With Ukrainian Woes

UK – As the Chancellor's Spring Statement approaches two of the country's most influential lobby groups when it comes to commercial road transport are both cranking up the pressure with fuel prices wildly spiralling upwards day by day.

Global HR Current Report

UK – To support the return to face to face training the British International Freight Association (BIFA) has installed Linda Rose as trainer - freight and customs procedures, giving the trade association a four-strong team based in Manchester, Birmingham and Feltham, which will enable it to deliver more training days for its members during 2022.

Hacking, Stacking and Slacking News from Around the Globe

US – Having seen Maersk and MSC recently commence services to Southeast Asia, Vietnam and China and the Indian Subcontinent and Mediterranean, the Port of Baltimore has persuaded ZIM Line to begin its new Zim e-Commerce Baltimore express (ZXB), a service from China and Southeast Asia to the US East Coast.

A Year on the Road with No Problems

SWITZERLAND – Around the globe the race is on to find the most environmentally friendly power sources for the land, sea and air scape of the future, with logistics companies everywhere joining the race for the Holy Energy Grail.

A Snapshot of the Current Situation from Different Eyes Both Corporate and Personal

UKRAINE – The complexities of the supply chain are starkly revealed by the wealth of reactions from different players along its links. Here we take a glimpse at the latest developments.

Electronic Multimodal Bill of Lading Destined to be Global Standard

WORLDWIDE – The International Federation of Freight-Forwarders Associations (FIATA) which represents the profession in over 150 countries, together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), one of the 5 regional economic commissions of the United Nations, have announced the official release of the electronic FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading (eFBL) data standard.

German Universities Benefit from Norwegian Donations

GERMANY – NORWAY – Digital learning and human capital management systems provider Mintra has partnered with Hafencity University, Hamburg to provide some very specialised assets to help the careers of students.

300th LHM 550 Model Delivered

EUROPE – WORLDWIDE – Crane maker Liebherr is currently celebrating the reliability and longevity of its LHM 550 mobile harbour crane having a decade of sales under its belt, and now seeing the 300th delivery of this model.

The Logistics Professions Launch a Series of Improvement Programmes

UK – US – It seems that the importance of the industry having sunk in to both the general public and the political elite, the importance of a properly trained pool of workers within the logistics sector is now an idea, not only easier to get across, but more likely to be understood by both administrators and potential candidates.

Knowing There is Evidence of Bad Behaviour by the Public Has an Effect

UK – Just as any figure of authority, nurses, rail inspectors, even ambulance and fire crews, can find themselves under a barrage of abuse and criticism from members of the public these days, the modern scourge of personal insult and assault has seemingly taken literally to the road.

New Reveal to Demonstrate How Facility has Evolved

UK – Rolling out its new mantra 'No Ordinary Port ' at the Society to Maritime Industries 2022 Conference today the Port of Tyne says it needed a fresh identity to clearly show how much the Port has evolved and how it continues to diversify operations from solely focusing on traditional shipping activities, to become a world class hub for clean energy and maritime innovation.

Who is Doing What to balance the Supply Chain Gender Scales

WORLDWIDE – With today being International Women's Day it provides the shipping and logistics professions a chance to demonstrate how one of the most biased sectors in terms of male dominance is trying to shift the status quo and ensure female parity along the entire supply chain.

Free to Use System Identifies Which Machine and Who From

UAE – WORLDWIDE – For those who need to obtain the services of a crane, whether or not they have experience in the materials handling field, the latest free to use tool from MYCRANE may prove of interest.

Some Other Happenings in Logistics This Week

UK – As the row over container rates intensifies the British International Freight Association (BIFA) is surveying its entire membership to ascertain their views on the current practices undertaken by container shipping lines, as well as their opinions on the easements and exemptions provided to those lines under competition law.

The Latest on Who is Heading Where but Starting With a Sad Note

SINGAPORE – US – GREECE – The unfortunate passing of Mei Lin Goh, the former long-standing head of Watson, Farley & Williams (WFW) Singapore and one of Asia's leading maritime lawyers, has been announced by the company following her battle with cancer.

National Careers Week 2022 Offers a Window to Showcase What is Available

UK – With National Careers Week 2022 (NCW) running from 7 – 12 March the organisation which represents the bulk of the country's freight forwarding community is demonstrating its support with a series of events aimed at showing its commitment to promoting careers in logistics.

And For the Future? A Look at What May be Ahead for the Logistics Market

UKRAINE – WORLDWIDE – The situation with regard to the country, as well as Russia, as concerns the supply chain community is, to say the least, fluid. Here are a range of latest actions and reactions from those tasked with transporting or handling freight to and from the affected areas.

5G Testbed Operational to Save on Costs and Safety on the Quayside

UK – As detailed in our article in January the Port of Felixstowe says it has successfully installed a 5G network after receiving grant funding under the 5G Testbeds and Trials programme run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The project aims to prove 5G capabilities in a busy port environment.

New Plans in Various Modal Types Go Ahead This Year

FRANCE – WORLDWIDE – A series of news releases from CMA CGM this week once again demonstrates how formerly traditional supply chain groups which operated in one sphere of the industry, now aspire to have wider influence and interests within global logistics.

No Good News on the Horizon with Inflation, Sanctions and Continued Conflict

UKRAINE – As a company which is employed to analyse and feed some of the major global supply chain players with current shipping container information, German based Container xChange is well positioned to give up to date comments as the tragedy in Ukraine unfolds.

Captain Pleads for More Aid as Maritime Sanctions Start to Hit Home

UKRAINE – WORLDWIDE – In a video to the world when, clearly holding back his emotions, captain Oleksiy Luchyno appealed for more support for his country in the fight against Russian invaders, he speaks of his children hiding in basements. He also sums up the conundrum of this war for seafarers after refusing to take his vessel to its scheduled next port of call – in Russia.

Fly by Wire Global Control and Clean Power Systems are the Holy Grail

WORLDWIDE – If you believe you have a great idea or product history tells us back it now, to prevaricate is so often to lose the glory of the moment. One company which believes it has a niche market lined up as it develops into a major player is robotics technology group Ocean Infinity which is enlarging its fleet yet again.

Although Not the Ideal Time to Expand Russian Transport Links...

EUROPE – A bunch of news involving DP World this week with multimodal services affected across the continent and beyond. The Dubai based group has extended its logistics portfolio with particular attention paid to serving the lesser lights in its terminals and other facilities. A release however expounding advantages to Russian trade could hardly have worse timing.