Shipping Search - Archive

Interlink Express Invest in Laser Powered Cargo Volume Sensors

UK – If you ever wondered how a company like Interlink Express manage to calculate the cube for all those little packages and parcels, in their case 27,000 parcels per hour, to ensure shipping and delivery consignments fitted into delivery trucks, the answer is now - laser technology. Vitronic has supplied five VIPAC D2 volume-measuring units to Interlink Express. Used in the company’s Smethwick distribution centre, they allow operators to optimise valuable transport space in outgoing vehicles.

AFN are first Transport Company to Sign Up

US - AFN formerly known as Advantage Freight Network, providers of freight brokerage, third party logistics, and transportation management services is the latest company to join the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) becoming the first such supply chain provider to do so and emphasising the NICB’s avowed intent to concentrate more on cargo theft and commercial operations. Previously most NICB investigations have involved private vehicle fraud and theft rather than truck and shipping related crimes.

American Airlines Launches First Direct Link From Chicago

US – CHINA – American Airlines Cargo this week launched its first ever direct services between Chicago and the Chinese Capital, Beijing. Operating with a wide-bodied B777 aircraft, AA Cargo will be able to offer 150 metric tonnes of cargo capacity per week between the two cities.

Jet Fuel From Chinese Plants to Power First Test Flight

CHINA - A press release this week from the Boeing Corporation and PetroChina announcing their joint programme to evaluate establishing a sustainable aviation bio fuels industry in China demonstrates just how seriously the major players in the aircraft industry are taking the potential shortage of traditional sources of carbon based jet fuel with its associated cost and the implications for both freight and passenger transport in the future. Importantly potential plant sources being considered are only ones that don't distort the global food-chain, compete with fresh water resources or lead to unintended land use change.

V International Rail Business Forum Produces Results

RUSSIA - This week saw the V International Rail Business Forum “1520 Strategic Partnership” take place in Sochi. The two day event was opened by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov who justified continued Government financial support for Russian Railways (RZD) saying the decline in freight transport throughout 2009 meant such assistance was in fact support for the whole country. He said that in helping Russian Railways to implement its investment programme, the government is also helping national industries that produce train cars, metals, locomotives and many other products.

Traction License Means Expansion of Services

BULGARIA - DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria EOOD, founded at the start of this year, celebrated its grand opening yesterday in Pirdop, Bulgaria. DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria EOOD is headquartered there and has multiple shunting sites throughout Bulgaria. By expanding its network, DB Schenker Rail now has its own national company in the growing Southeast Europe region. Founded in 2002 as a subsidiary of Logistic Services Danubius SRL, it currently has around 150 employees and its own electric and diesel shunting and main-line locomotives.

Maersk Take a Stand on Fishy Business - or does it?

NEW ZEALAND – Mystery surrounds press reports last night that after prolonged appeals from Green interests Maersk, the largest container shipping line in the world, apparently announced yesterday it would not carry certain cargoes of at risk marine species particularly the curiously named Orange Roughy, a staple catch for many deep sea trawlers and the first ever fish to appear on neighbouring Australia’s endangered species list.

Second Union Agree to Terms for Return to Work

SOUTH AFRICA - Robert Mashego, Deputy President of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu ) confirmed today that his members would begin to return to work tomorrow (Friday) after the majority agreed to accept revised pay terms from Transnet , the parastatal running the country’s port and rail freight interests.

Please Sir, Can We Have Some More?

UK – As detailed in our recent articles the professional associations responsible for the country’s shipping and freight transport interests are gathering their wits and rattling their sabres to try to ensure their members needs will be met by an incoming coalition government elected on manifesto’s primarily aimed at reducing public spending and decreasing the economic deficit.

New Safety of Life at Sea Standards will be Enforced

WORLDWIDE – The International Maritime Organization (IMO) have announced some details of the new standards they will demand for the construction of oil tankers and bulk cargo carriers over 150 metres in length. The revolutionary move, the first time the IMO have set construction standards for these, or any other vessel types, follows a prolonged period of pressure to tighten new build regulations.

Highway and Interstate Problems can be Identified by Users

US – By measuring operating speeds for trucks at any given place and point in time along 25 interstate highways that are considered significant freight routes, the Freight Performance Measures web-based tool, FPMweb, can identify problems for trucking companies and their drivers on their proposed routes.

GlobalTranz Award Winner Announced

US – The best people to judge the performance of a less than truckload(LTL) carrier like Con-way Freight are third party logistics providers who, owning no equipment of their own, are totally reliant on their subcontractors to enhance their reputation. GlobalTranz, based in Phoenix, Arizona, are a typical example and this week the company, which started trading only in 2003, announced their 2009 National LTL Carrier of the Year award had gone to Con-way Freight.

Decentralization could prove a Pothole for Truck Industry

UK – Generally the promises of the new coalition government to disburse more power to the regions and decentralize control giving local bodies more say in the running of their own affairs seems to have been welcomed by the public. The liberalisation may however hide problems which come to the surface over the coming months, and the humble freight driver and his or her commercial transport employer may pay the price.

Swiss Multi Modal Centre will act as Hub

EUROPE – DB Schenker are reviving the name of Hangartner, their wholly owned Swiss subsidiary to promote their intermodal European services. The German group took over the family owned company in 2002 and now the new DB SCHENKERhangartner service will aim at fulfilling the company’s long held desire to utilise rail freight for more long haul European traffic.

Union Holds out as Exporters Turn to Air Freight

SOUTH AFRICA – The strike at logistics giant Transnet, the parastatal charged with managing the country’s port and rail freight operations, has caused immense damage particularly to agricultural sector workers according to industry observers.

ABFS Face an Uncertain Future as Teamsters Members Turn Them Down

US - The spectre of over supply in the less than truckload (LTL) market still hangs above a sector of the freight industry as evidenced by the refusal of unionised staff employed by LTL carrier Arkansas Best Freight System (ABFS) of the company’s revised employment terms, designed to preserve jobs. This, despite support from the Teamsters Union National Freight Division, which actively encouraged acceptance of the deal by its members.

Supply Chain Data Portal GT Nexus Users Honour Carrier

US – Container carrier Hapag Lloyd received the 2009 partner data quality award at the annual conference of GT Nexus ‘Bridges 2010’ for ensuring their customers get clean, simple data interactions in tracking their ocean cargo business transactions. Hapag Lloyd was given the award by the GT Nexus Shipper Council as users of the company’s supply chain management portal. Fifty portal users formed the Council in 2006 and it has been successful in raising data accuracy levels to nearly 100% for key shipment visibility events, which drives decision-making across the supply chain. All portal customers share a common platform, so a data quality improvement for any one member benefits the entire community.

Company sees Hydrnol as the Fuel of the Future for Freight Vehicles

US – The Vision Industries Corporation have signed a revolutionary agreement with Asemblon Incorporated, of Redmond, Washington State to gain an exclusive license to sell Hydrnol for fleet fueling. Vision, makers of the zero emission electric/hydrogen hybrid TyranoT truck, intend to distribute the new fuel to centralised fuel centres for heavy duty, Class 8 commercial vehicles equipped with fuel cells as the primary power source within the continental United States. Fuel cells require very pure hydrogen, the specification calling for 99.999% purity (so-called 5 nine purity). A further requirement is that compounds that could damage the fuel cell must be at extremely low levels ( 4 parts per billion for sulphur for instance), Hydrogen released from Hydronol meets these criteria.

MTS Select Logistics Supplier

RUSSIA - Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (MTS), the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS and one of the two official distributors of Blackberry devices in the region, have awarded a contract for their airfreight import and export as well as road transport services to Kuehne & Nagel. MTS made history in 2008 when it became the first and only Russian company to enter “BRANDZ™ Top 100 Most Powerful Brands as listed in the Financial Times.

Top Lawyer Appointed as Counsel

US – The World Shipping Council (WSC) which represents companies responsible for transporting around 90% of global sea freight, some 130 million TEU per annum, plus dry bulk and tanker interests, have announced the appointment of a General Legal Counsel who specialises in maritime and regulatory law.

Weekly Call for Direct Route plus new Busan Transhipment Service

JAPAN – RUSSIA – Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) one of the worlds leading multi modal company’s, have announced a further strengthening of their partnership with FESCO, the Far Eastern Shipping Company by announcing that their joint container service between the two countries will now sail weekly, as opposed to the previous bi-weekly timetable. The routing, Japan Trans Siberian Line (JTSL), is the only direct service between Japan and Russia and has operated since 1972.

Specialist Moves Power Units for New Build Vessels

JAPAN – BULGARIA - Heavy lift and project forwarding specialist Advance International Transport is half way to completing the 4,000 tonne movement from Mitsubishi in Japan to the Bulyard, Varna, Bulgaria shipyard. The total consignment consists of ships engines, at 235 tonnes each, plus all deck cranes and accessories for eight 56,000 dead weight tonnes multipurpose ships.

AMI South African HQ relocates

SOUTH AFRICA – AMI, who took over the operations of MMA in 2008 is relocating its Johannesburg headquarters to new, larger premises in early June. AMI have blazed a trail as the world’s foremost trade only wholesale airfreight agency. The parent company now has twenty international shipping bases plus an agency network covering 120 countries world wide.

Lloyds Register to Assist with Certification

US - Roymar Ship Management Incorporated, a New York based wholly owned subsidiary of the TBS Group, has enlisted the help of Lloyds Register North America Inc., to provide the necessary services to enable them to prepare for certification for the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) new Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006 which is expected to come into force in early 2012. MLC2006 sets minimum requirements for decent living and working conditions for seafarers on board ships, so enhancing safety and helping create conditions for fair competition among ship owners.

Australian Trucking Association Weigh up the Options

AUSTRALIA – With the UK election done and dusted and the public, and politicians, starting to get used to the first coalition government in over 60 years, the situation in Australia gives an observer a distinct feeling of déjà vu. With a resident Labor administration advocating public spending, an election due by next April at the latest, and the opposition a sometimes uncomfortable alliance of two centre right parties (Liberal and National), shipping and commercial transport interests are studying manifesto’s anxiously.

Agency Cooperation Produces Results

ZAMBIA – Barloworld Logistics have been signed up by joint developers BLB Project Development Consultants and Hightower Properties for the logistics requirements in the development of two shopping mall developments in the country, Coppercity Mall and the Manda Hill Centre, already one of the two largest such developments in Zambia.

Figures Don't Bear Out Protestors Claims

UK – Today saw a protest by six members of the ‘Plane Stupid’ group who cut through the perimeter fence at Manchester Airport before chaining themselves to the undercarriage of a Monarch Airlines plane in a remote part of the field. Others in the group are reported to have demonstrated in front of the freight terminal, adjacent to the M56, scheduled for expansion next year.

Addition to Gulf to East Africa Service plus Nigerian and Benin Changes

SOUTH AFRICA – EAST AFRICA - WEST AFRICA - UAE - Container shipping line Safmarine has announced an enhancement to its Masiika Express service between the Arabian Persian Gulf and East Africa with the addition of a direct call at the UAE port of Sharjah. The call provides direct access to the East African ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa.

New Memo Follows Last Years Order for Smaller Vehicles

US – Much lobbying from freight trucking interests culminated in a White House meeting on Friday when President Obama signed a presidential memorandum before industry leaders including carriers, engine manufacturers and truck builders, directing the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop national standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions for heavy- and medium-duty trucks. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), who recommended the benchmarks be adopted in their Sustainability Task Force (STF) recommendation two years ago, was well represented at the ceremony.

Coalition Governments Revue Viewed Favourably

UK – Both of the leading associations representing the interests of British freight hauliers have greeted the new coalition government’s intentions with regard to overseas drivers shipping cargo in and out of the country with considerable enthusiasm.

Broad Opposition Support but Labour Say Trucks are Better Served

NEW ZEALAND – Many financial pundits say much could be learned by European and US governments about controlling their debt crises by observing the model provided by New Zealand over recent years. Programmes to eliminate public debt, innovate and privatise have caused a revitalisation of the economy despite much opposition but, where suitable, the authorities have not been averse to renationalisation when considered appropriate. Kiwi Rail was brought back into public ownership in a deal with Toll Holdings in 2008 with the government already owning the track.

Con - way Incorporated to Raise $140 million

US – Con – way Inc., which owns numerous trucking, freight, shipping and logistics interests, announced yesterday the completion of its previously announced offering of 4,300,000 shares of its common stock to the public at a public offering price of $35.00 per share. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes including, but not limited to, working capital requirements and capital expenditures.

1st June Sees Increases Across the Board

WORLD WIDE – French container shipping giant CMA CGM, who have spoken recently on the strength of their recovery in the light of a disastrous recent trading period, have announced full details of their rate restoration programmes and surcharges. The past few months have seen the group fail to extract state aid from the French government and in discussion with their bankers over outstanding debts with some restructuring of management.

No Major Disruption Reported Despite Rioting

THAILAND – During the recent troubles which have been so widely reported in the national press our office in Suphan Buri have kept us apprised of the situation throughout the country. This is not the place to entertain the reasons and origins of the dispute, such matters are better left to those who live and work in Thailand, many of whose blogs provide a better insight into the thoughts and customs of the people. Suffice it to say that prominent figures like red shirt icon, ex premier Thaksin, are hated by many in the deep South as much as they are loved in the northern provinces.

Recent Meeting Aims to Promote Growth in All Areas

UZBEKISTAN - KAZAKHSTAN - TURKMENISTAN - KYRGYSTAN – TAJIKISTAN – A forum designed to promote growth in the Central Asian region, the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), met earlier this month in Tashkent to attempt to develop the commitments made at the previous meeting in Washington in October. The Uzbekistan capital is particularly suitable as the country shares borders with all the other states, as well as Afghanistan.

Sales Tax will pay for Development Grant

US – Controversy always surrounds the development of large scale intermodal transit projects wherever in the world they are proposed as many of our previous stories can testify. For more than four years developers have tried to persuade local residents and the authorities of Topeka, Kansas of the benefits of a multi modal rail freight and logistics park covering over 1000 acres which they wished to construct alongside I-35 in Johnson County.

Cargill Extend Sugar Crop Contract

BRAZIL – Swiss based shipping group Panalpina received a fillip this week with the news that Cargill, international agricultural suppliers, were to extend the supply chain contract for 2010’s sugar crop. During last season, after a successful harvest Panalpina moved containers, approximately 5000 TEU, from Santos to numerous destinations mainly on the Indian subcontinent, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

All Sides and Groups Unite Against a Common Enemy

WORLD WIDE – No one in the shipping industry can be unaware of the growth area over the past few years. Piracy, particularly in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, has risen to hitherto unseen levels. Periods of austerity have always led to piratical acts going back as far as history itself and this recent trend is not a phenomenon, other than the scale of the modern targets. No vessel, container ship, bulk carrier, tanker or private yacht is safe when travelling some of the worlds shipping lanes.

Government Urged to Confer Before Changes Initiated

UK – The new coalition government have made clear the necessity and intention to reduce the country’s deficit by all means available – much to the concern of representatives across the spectrum of the shipping industry, particularly those with air freight and haulage interests.

Grain Rates Down While War Breaks Out in Queensland

AUSTRALIA – Some good news as GrainCorp, the privately owned agricultural supply chain provider, announce that rail rates for this seasons harvest will be reduced by an average 6% for more than 100 sites nationally. The overall reduction for all 197 sites is around 2%. GrainCorp, who also handle in excess of 1 million tonnes of road freight annually, say they will continue the practice, initiated last year, of offering site-based rather than at-port prices to growers. The company point out that road rates are likely to vary as these are based on the company’s estimates of forward fuel prices and are influenced by demand for trucks at peak periods.

DASH7 Viewed as the Technology of Future Shipping

US – Damco, the logistics arm of shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk, last week committed to join the DASH7 Alliance™, to work with over forty other organisations in the development of new wireless sensor networks to better enable users to establish the whereabouts and condition of its people, assets and freight and container cargoes.

Vision Intend to Infiltrate Military Market

US – This week saw the California based Vision Industries Corporation, established producers of zero emission electric/hydrogen hybrid trucks and freight terminal tractors, sign a letter of intent with Burtek Incorporated of Chesterfield, Michigan, to work jointly on penetration of the US defence market. The Vision products under consideration for this teaming agreement include Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks; its mobile synthetic hydrogen fuel generation system; and platform, trailer and other vehicle platforms with hydrogen fuel cell power trains as they are made commercially available by Vision.

Singapore to Act as Regional Centre

SINGAPORE – This week saw the opening of a new office for vessel classification society the International Register of Shipping (IRS) which will act as the organisations regional centre. Established since 1993 IRS already have a network of surveyors working in over 100 countries, and serve over 1300 vessels of all types.

Lord Bates Praised for 'An Outbreak of Common Sense' by BIFA

UK – The news comes that Lord Bates, formerly Shadow Minister for Communities and opposition spokesman has confirmed in the media that he intends to push through the abolition of back dated port rate bills. Although the news will be welcomed by those with port side freight handling and storage facilities, the scandalous situation outlined in our article in March, with landlords charging excessive increases they have not paid and others paying up demands that now would be shelved if outstanding, will leave a bad taste in the mouths of many who have paid up, or worse still, gone under.

230 Tonnes of Fuel Extracted from Wreck

WEST INDIES – TITAN Salvage, a Crowley logistics group company operating out of the US, UK and Singapore, have successfully removed 230 tons of fuel from a submerged vessel off the southern coast of Saint Lucia. The 6,704-gross-ton fully cellular containership (657-TEU capacity), which was en route to Guyana in late February, capsized and sank in 105 feet of water about two miles from the port Vieux-Fort. No lives were lost in the incident. TITAN was contracted by vessel owners to remove the hydrocarbons and other hazardous materials onboard.

Meeting of International Panel to Discuss Texting and Cell Phone Problem

US – There will be a meeting at the North Lawn Building, UN Headquarters, New York tomorrow the 19th May to investigate the problems posed by in cab and in car communications. Senior representatives from various fields will take part including United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, United States Ambassador Susan Rice, United States Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin and Jennifer Smith, President of Focus Driven.

ATA Recognise Police and Freight Hauliers Achievements

US – The Supply Chain Security & Loss Prevention Council (SCS&LPC) of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) have presented their 2010 Excellence in Security Award to Schneider National, Inc. of Green Bay, Wisconsin and its Leadership Award to Richard Martin, Corporate Director of Security at Knight Transportation Incorporated in Phoenix, Arizona. The SCS&LPC also awarded Cargo Theft Prevention Distinguished Service Awards to Lt. Cmdr. John Antillon of the California Highway Patrol and Det. William Morales of the Miami-Dade Police Department at the CouncilÂ’s recent Supply Chain Security 2010 conference and exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Cabotage To Be Strictly Monitored in Future

UK – It is a widely held belief in the British haulage community that foreign drivers engage in many illegal operations whilst working in the UK. Rightly or wrongly many drivers and fleet owners take the view that safety standards, drivers hours of service and operational restrictions are often flouted or ignored by their continental cousins whilst they themselves are shackled by VOSA inspectors and traffic police officers who find it easier to pursue a native speaker than someone who has limited English and documents which are almost exclusively foreign.

La Hood Pursues Train Crews Over Distractions

US - Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has expanded his campaign to eliminate distracted driving to include those responsible for freight and passenger trains. The campaigning executive has proposed a rule to prohibit the improper use of distracting electronic devices by on-duty railroad operating employees. If adopted, the rules would explicitly restrict and in some cases prohibit the use of cell phones and other hand held devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) by safety critical employees, including locomotive engineers, conductors, switchmen, and other train employees.

US Trucking Firms Only Have a Few Days Left to Apply

US – CANADA - Volvo trucks remind all companies that entries for their prestigious Safety Award must be lodged by the 30th May. The high-profile award, which recognizes the safest fleets in the two countries, recognises the two fleets with the safest driving records and top safety programs and each will receive $25,000 prizes to be used on their safety activities.

Port Klang is NVOCC's Seventh Office

MALAYSIA – CargoGulf, the cargo consolidator and NVOCC, have opened a branch in Port Klang intended to enhance the carriers shipping services in the area. The group say CargoGulf Malaysia was opened in direct response to client demand for direct services in the country, and is intended to help clients achieve economies when moving cargo in the region.

Safety and Economy are the Targets for the Mark Group

UK - TTC Automotive, a national driver training agency, have been awarded the contract to instruct the employees of the Mark Group, energy saving specialists who employ 1400 staff countrywide, in a programme designed to improve vehicle handling and road safety techniques leading to a cut in fuel costs for the company.

US Military Presence Promotes Growth of Shipping Routes

NEW ZEALAND – PACIFIC ISLANDS – Famous Pacific Shipping (FPS), a grouping of seventy or so freight agencies based in fifty four countries world wide, tell us they have intensified their coverage in the region with the launch of a new regular direct ocean freight consolidation service to a range of Micronesian destinations, as well as Guam and the Marshall Islands.

Volcanic Cloud Returns to British Skies Once Again

UK – Another few days, or possibly weeks, of misery face UK shipping interests as warnings were issued today that the high altitude cloud of fine debris drifting in from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano after another series of eruptions poured huge quantities of fine ash into the atmosphere, may suspend all passenger and cargo flights bringing despair to British exporters and importers, their suppliers and customers.

Train in Tunnel Causes Disruption

UK – FRANCE – A train is reported as stranded in one of the Channel Tunnels causing emergency procedures to be activated. At this time there is no clear indication of what has caused the problem but a Eurotunnel Freight spokesman told the Handy Shipping Guide:

Essex Based Logistics Group Continues Growth

UK – Belgium – The Kestrel Group of freight companies has opened Kestrel Liner Agencies (Belgium) BVBA in Antwerp where the company will represent the various Kestrel brands including Tropical Global Logistics throughout Europe. The office was formerly managed as Niche Container Line and continues to be run by Jannic Frederiksen.

Company Becomes Interliner Logistics with Immediate Effect

UK - Europe - Escombe Lambert Holdings, who manage all the groups subsidiary affairs, have announced that Jupiter Shipping & Logistics Limited will change its name to Interliner Logistics Limited with effect from Monday 17th May 2010. The new company logo is displayed alongside.

French Asia Line and Asia - Mexican Gulf Services Affected

GLOBAL – French container shipping giant CMA CGM have announced two route changes to their regular container shipping services this week. The FAL 5 network, operated 50/50 with Maersk Line is to commence with CMA CGM supplying 5 of the 10 vessels deployed on the route, each capable of carrying around 13,000 TEU, starting with a sailing by the company’s largest ship, the Christophe Colomb.

Rates May be Affected if Problems Continue

EUROPE – With a continuation of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and advice from the Icelandic Meteorological Office that no end is in sight, we hear today that the ash cloud persists reaching heights of around 18,000 feet. Latest weather reports indicate North and North East winds which mean the continuing stream of detritus will probably stay over the Atlantic Ocean close to the western shores of the UK.

Third MD11 extends Italian Routes

ITALY – All cargo Italian specialist airline Cargoitalia will take delivery of its third MD11 freighter aircraft in June having leased the new front loading, 90 tonne payload conversion from Boeing Capital. Cargoitalia plans to deploy its latest aircraft on a twice-weekly service from its Milan hub to Shanghai Pudong. In October, the service will increase to three times weekly and until the routes inception in September the new aircraft is expected to operate a programme of charter flights and then provide operational cover for Cargoitalia’s other aircraft when they receive C-checks in August.

UK Group Honoured by Award of Official Status

JAPAN – In a ceremony held yesterday representatives from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, celebrating their 250th anniversary this year as a registry, accepted their official certificate of registration as the first foreign class society authorised by the Japanese government. Lloyds have been registering vessels built to their standards in Japan since 1888 and Chris Walters, Lloyd's Register’s Marine Operations Director was plainly delighted as he accepted the status of Recognised Organisation by the Japanese government meaning Lloyd’s are granted delegated responsibility for statutory surveys and permission to issue statutory certificates. Prior to the authorisation of Lloyd’s Register, only Class NK, the domestic classification society and fellow IACS member, has held such recognition.

$ 790 Million Additional Funds Slated

US – As we predicted in December the ambitious plans which the Department of Homeland Security had for screening every freight consignment and shipping container due to enter the United States have been further criticised with this weeks announcement of around $790 million in funding to beef up security in port and inter modal facilities around the country described as “insufficient”.

Government Moves to Commence Construction in Nassau

BAHAMAS – In what appears to be a local power struggle Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has seemingly ensured that his plans to create a new container port facility at Arawak Cay will come to fruition by setting terms for the new construction that will make it extremely difficult for opponents to cancel the scheme at any point in the foreseeable future.

Tire Retread and Repair Bureau Make an Offer to Hauliers

US – CANADA – The Tire (Tyre to UK readers) Retread and Repair Bureau are an organisation devoted entirely to improving the somewhat dubious image of re-vulcanised casings. In the past retreaded truck tires have been blamed for every sort of mishap from blow outs on the motorway to those jagged black strips known in the trade as “road alligators”. Now the Bureau has undertaken to redefine the retread and to pay for the privilege if they can’t convince any truckers who take an interest !

Twelfth Regional Office for Dubai Group

NORWAY – GAC tell us today that they have opened their newest logistics office at Oslo International Airport viewing this as an ideal location to continue the expansion of the company’s warehousing, logistics and air freight interests in the region. GAC already have eleven other sites strategically located from Oslo northwards to Spitsbergen in the Arctic Circle.

Stronger Penalties Required to Prevent Abuse

UK – Two simple facts of life. Firstly most people are resistant to change and secondly, bring in new protection or surveillance technology and someone will find a way to beat it. Both points are relevant to the Road Haulage Association’s (RHA) statement today regarding the abuse of current Hours of Service regulations by commercial vehicle drivers delivering and collecting freight shipments throughout the country.

New Systems Improve Location and Distribution of Shipments

UK - US – News this week, from both sides of the Atlantic, of developments in the world of stock control, which may be of interest to any supply chain professionals, shipping and forwarding groups and indeed anyone who operates a transit warehouse. Firstly ATMS, producers of warehouse management control systems for over 25 years and recently to be seen at Multimodal 2010, have announced a Warehouse Management Systems Workshop in Birmingham, West Midlands on the 26th May.

Air Link between California, Florida and Liege for Heavier Shipments

US - EUROPE – Two giants of the shipping industry have confirmed the inception of a new cooperative service between the South East and South Western US states and Europe. TNT and Con-way Freight are expanding their existing connections to open new gateways for heavier (over 70kgs) shipments to include Los Angeles and Miami to Liege. The service was previously only available from New York’s JFK airport.

Hutchison Port Group Company wins Accolade from HKAEE

CHINA – Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT), the largest shipping container handling terminal in the region, has won one of the nine sector Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE), namely the Transport and Logistics Gold Award, as part of the programme organised by the Environmental Campaign Committee to ensure a cleaner local environment.

Governments Under Fire on Both Sides of the Atlantic

US – UK – It is the responsibility of those associations who represent the interests of the shipping industry to pressure Governments when they see problems arising for their members. This past week has seen a plethora of comments from such groups in the light of recent events. In the UK we have seen pleas from both major road haulage representatives, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association, and from the British International Freight Association for the newly elected coalition government to ensure the needs and aspirations of their members are recognised.

Deal signed with Deutsche Transport-Compagnie

UK – GERMANY - Davies Turner & Co Ltd, freight forwarder and multimodal transport provider have signed a cooperation agreement with Deutsche Transport-Compagnie for a twice weekly trailer groupage service between its various UK hubs and Deutsche Transport's headquarters in Nuremberg.

Con-Way Subsidiary Focus on the Orient

CHINA - Menlo Worldwide Logistics (China) Ltd., the Eastern branch of the US based freight transport and logistics giant Con-Way Incorporated, has announced the appointment of Leong Choong Cheng as their senior director of business development responsible for Greater China. The appointment further demonstrates the group’s intention to enlarge its Eastern operations.

Temperature Controlled Services for Major Supplier

EASTERN EUROPE - Kuehne + Nagel have been awarded the management of temperature-controlled road transportation shipping thermolabile medical products to the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Greece and Croatia for pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma Ltd.

Miserable 2009 Haunts Major Shippers whilst New Southern Europe - Asia Service Starts

WORLDWIDE – A brief look at statements this week from two of the world’s largest shipping lines reveals much about the state of the freight industry and what the future may hold. Industry watchers have for some time been studying moves made by CMA-CGM who have been attempting to restructure debts seemingly forever. A statement last week from the group claimed $800 million in savings after ‘drastic cost reductions’.

Penske go for Green Option to meet Emission Criteria

US – Pennsylvania based Penske Truck Leasing, a joint venture of Penske Corporation, Penske Automotive Group and General Electric, has chosen Volvo VN670 tractors with EPA2010-certified Volvo D13 engines and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) when ordering 600 new rigs for their commercial rental fleet. The company claim to have selected the cleanest-running diesel trucks available today that can deliver 5% better fuel economy than previous engines and a smaller carbon footprint for its customers.

BAE and AgustaWestland Both Appoint Supply Chain Specialist

UK – Wincanton has secured two five-year contracts to provide logistics services to armoured vehicle builder BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Vehicles and helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland.

Concerns That Importance of Freight Not Be Overlooked

UK – The news that the UK election has resulted in a hung parliament, where no party has a clear mandate to govern and an extremely rare occurrence in British politics, has not diminished the call from the country’s freight associations to rectify what they see as some of the inadequacies and failings in the British establishment’s policies on the freight industry.

More Asian Success For Cargo Airline

USA / MALAYSIA – Southern Air and Malaysia Airlines Cargo (MASkargo) have announced that they have entered into a multi-year, multi-aircraft wet lease agreement. The new deal comes as air freight volumes recover in the Asia-Pacific and Americas which is, according to MASkargo management, the areas that the new aircraft will be used in.

Additional Aircraft Will Expand Capacity to Asia and Europe

USA - FedEx Express has announced agreements to purchase six additional B777F air freighters for its fleet. The largest all-cargo airline in the world will purchase four B777Fs directly from Boeing and two from additional sources.

Web-based Monitoring For Improved Efficiency

GLOBAL - GAC Solutions, part of the GAC logistics and maritime service group, and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) have released details of their new GAC-SMHI Weather Solutions’ application, VisPer (Visualise Performance data).

All Crew Safe

CHINA - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announce that one of the bulk vessels, the 178,739 DWT Bright Century, has sunk after colliding with another ship off the coast of China.

Research Highlights Global Healthcare Supply Chain Improvements

GLOBAL – A leading supply chain consultancy firm, Bisham, has recently completed a major research project to address some of the problems increasingly associated with the cold chain distribution of modern vaccines.

Company Looks Forward to Faster US Customs Clearance

UK / USA - Woodland International Transport Co Inc, whose operations are headquartered at Lake Success, New York, has completed a year-long process to achieve C-TPAT security clearance.

Wants Industry's Help to Get Dedicated Training

AUSTRALIA - The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has thrown its support behind a proposal to establish a national trailer and chassis maintenance apprenticeship, saying the plan will bring a new level of professionalism to the job and enhance the safety of the industry.

Neutrality Designed to Reassure Forwarders

UK / IRELAND / SCANDINAVIA - Global logistics and transportation provider Aramex have launched a specialist road freight service to and from Scandinavia. Designed to appeal to freight forwarders throughout the UK and Ireland, the door-to-door service offers twice-weekly, guaranteed departures to not only all the major cities across Scandinavia and Finland but also to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

New Route Begins With Discount Rates

SPAIN / USA - American Airlines (AA) has introduced direct services between New York’s JFK and Madrid’s Barajas airport. AA states that the new route will complement the carrier's existing flights between Miami and Madrid and Dallas/Fort Worth and Madrid as well as their service between Barcelona and New York.

Caribbean Specialist Continues Aid Drive

USA – Jacksonville-based liner shipping and logistics service provider Crowley Maritime Corporation and its employees have this week donated $80,000 to the American Red Cross in support of Haiti relief efforts with the company’s management presented a check to Jack Morgan, CEO of the Northeast Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross.

First Major Carrier to Join Network

USA – Schneider National has joined a new, national towing group aimed at bringing greater collaboration and fairer pricing to the towing services available to motor carriers. One of the United States largest truckload providers and a premier supplier of transportation, logistics and intermodal services, Schneider is the biggest member to date to join The Towing Network.

Another Major Construction Project Goes Up The River

UK – The Blackfriars Station Project is the latest major London development to grasp the potential of using barge traffic on the Thames for material shipments. Network Rail, the UK’s rail infrastructure operator, state that they will take more than two thousand lorry journeys off central London streets over the next two years by using barges on the River Thames to deliver and remove materials from the site.

Marines Storm Captured Vessel

SOMALIA – Russian marines have stormed an oil tanker that was seized by Somali pirates yesterday some 350 miles east of the Gulf of Aden. According to reports none of the 23-strong crew, who apparently had locked themselves in the ships engine room, nor the marines were hurt in the operation.

300 Percent Increase in Information Requests

IRELAND – The recent resurgence in problems for air travel to and from the Emerald Isle has seen ferry operator Irish Ferries experience a dramatic increase in information requests.

Further Update Expected Tonight

SCOTLAND / IRELAND – Airports across Ireland and Scotland have once again had to be closed as the danger of volcanic ash ingestion in aircraft engines is considered to high to allow safe operations.

State-of-the-Art Facility Opens

BULGARIA – Intermodal logistics specialist DB Schenker has begun full operations at its brand new freight facility in Bulgaria. One of the most modern logistics hubs in the country, the ten million euro terminal is situated in Bozhuriste, close to the international road link between Sofia and Belgrade, 20 minutes from the centre of the capital.

New Arm for Global Shipping Firm

HOUSTON / USA – Dubai-headquartered GAC, who provide a range of shipping, logistics and marine services around the world, has launched its latest division in the maritime and energy hub of Houston, Texas.

Ambitious Plans for Expansion Announced

INDIA – The Managing Director of India’s state-owned rail freight operator, Container Corp. of India (Concor), has revealed plans to invest some USD$670 million over the next five years to boost the Indian railways container capacity by fifty percent.

Recognition for Efforts Made in Employing Former Soldiers

USA – Freight and logistics service provider Con-way Freight has won an award as one of the ‘2010 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military’ from Civilianjobs.com.

Busy Week for Logistics Arm

UK – Damco, the logistics arm of the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, has had a flurry of success this week with the awarding of full Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to the company as well as Damco Reefer South Africa winning the ‘Best Clearing Agent of the Year 2010’ Award at the first annual International Produce Limited (IPL) Logistics Conference in Leeds, UK.

New Facilities and Contracts For Swiss Giant

Colombia / Chile – Kuehne + Nagel has recently expanded its logistics operations in South America with the opening of new, state-of-the-art facilities near Bogota and the awarding of a new logistics management contract from Ripley, one of Chile’s top retailers of apparel, accessories and home products.

Ash Levels Not Risk To Aircraft

IRELAND – Irish airports are to resume operations at 1300 local time, the Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed.

Shipping Line Very Positive on First Quarter Results

FRANCE – Marseille-based shipping line CMA CGM has stated that the improvement in its first quarter results over last year means that the group is certain that it will turn a profit in 2010 after last year’s disastrous results.

New Cloud Threatens More Problems

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has informed Irish-based airlines that it is imposing restrictions on airports in Ireland from 0700 tomorrow until at least 1300 due to a fresh ash cloud that is expected to pass over the country.

Exhibitors and Visitors Positive On Future of Industry

UK – Once again this year’s Multimodal expo, held at the NEC in Birmingham last week, has proven a great success with both those attending as visitors and exhibitors, with many of the latter expressing their satisfaction at the numbers and interest they were receiving.

Stricken Coal Ship to be Discharged in Queensland's Great Sandy Marine Park

AUSTRALIA – The unfortunate case of the Shen Neng 1, grounded on the Great Barrier Reef a month ago, continues with yet a further twist. Somehow the two tonnes of oil spilled when she grounded on the Douglas Shoal has paled into insignificance given the horrendous pollution emanating from the fractured well head deep beneath the ocean in the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy.

Agricultural and Bulk Transport Methods Under the Microscope

US - The findings of a study released last week make interesting reading for anyone concerned with supply chain efficiency in the field of bulk carriage of products, particularly perishables. The report, commissioned in 2008 by Congress, reviews transportation and its effect on rural communities, with an emphasis on agricultural requirements. It looks in depth into each of the four major modes of transportation commonly used by agriculture in the United States: trucking, railroads, barges, and ocean vessels, examining each in the light of its ability to meet rural America’s transportation needs now and in the future. It identifies some broad issues that merit attention from policy makers and was ordered in response to Section 6206 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (PL 110-246), which directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Transportation jointly to conduct a study of rural transportation issues.

Crew Assistance Website now in Chinese, Russian and Spanish

UK – WORLDWIDE – The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF),which represents over four and a half million workers in the transport, shipping and logistics sectors, tell us they have now translated their seafarers website into Chinese (Simplified Mandarin), Russian and Spanish. The site was launched two years ago, to ensure access to the organisations support and advice services was readily available to anyone at sea who had access to the internet.