Shipping Search - Archive

Some Smaller Stories from the World of Shipping

UK – Concerned by damage to containers when collected by road haulage operators DP World Southampton has issued a useful information sheet to instruct companies on the correct use of equipment fitted with two or four prong guides which are prone to puncturing the floors of the boxes when they are loaded onto the trailers by straddle carriers.

New System Delayed but Inevitable as CHIEF Phased Out

UK – As Parliament swans about without resolving the Brexit crisis many companies still have not apparently familiarised themselves with HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) new Customs Declaration Service (CDS). This despite harsh warnings from the likes of the British International Freight Association (BIFA) and others that firms need to prepare themselves for changes to import and export procedures with CDS replacing the existing Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system.

Two Logistics Sectors Look Reducing Environmental Pollution

UK – Two bodies from different sectors of the logistics industry have commented on reducing harmful Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions from their specific roles in the supply chain this week, with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) publishing its 'NOx Emission Assessment' and container terminal operator DP World Southampton continuing to invest big money in cleaner hybrid straddle carriers.

Freight Forwarding Group Redeploys Recently Redundant Industry Staff

UK – Automotive logistics specialist GEFCO UK has welcomed 41 experienced automotive employees to support a significant new customer project at its Luton site, as part of a move to help redeploy talented industry professionals impacted by recent redundancy. The French owned freight forwarding and supply chain outfit will deploy the new staff alongside others fulfilling roles including machine operators, forklift truck drivers, material planners, quality assessors and a management team.

Handling Option Can Avoid Problems and Expense

US – Doubtless nobody would dispute the revolutionary effect the invention and distribution of the ubiquitous shipping container has had upon the transfer of freight around the planet. Within a few decades of their arrival on the scene the holds of ships, where men (and they were almost entirely men) sweated for days to unload the broad spectrum of cargoes, had become the location for the real life video game now played by crane drivers around the world.

Q1 Figures Come with a Side of Restructuring Plans

FRANCE – WORLDWIDE – It is common knowledge that CEVA Logistics was not in the best state of health financially when French container line CMA CGM opted to expand its logistical operations by acquiring the Swiss listed freight forwarding group. Now, with the release of its first quarter figures, CMA CGM has published restructuring plans to implement a group wide cost reduction program.

Penalties Relate to Offences Stretching Back Sixteen Years

AUSTRALIA – INDONESIA – The Federal Court of Australia has ordered PT Garuda Indonesia to pay A$19 million in penalties after legal action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), accusing the airline of taking part in a global air cargo cartel. The Court found that between 2003 and 2006, Garuda made and gave effect to agreements that fixed the price of security and fuel surcharges on freight traffic, as well as a customs fee from Indonesia.

Communal Action to Provide Environmentally Safe Electricity and Water

PHILIPPINES – Whilst port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has stood accused in the past of a variety of unscrupulous tactics around the world by union organisations such as the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), it has been working diligently both abroad, where it has won environmental plaudits, and on home turf to improve the group's public image.

After 14 Years Tender Process Sees Prestigious Express Delivery Deal Go Elsewhere

UK – Parcel freight and logistics group, DX, has lost its bid to continue the secure delivery of UK passports, having held the contract for the last 14 years. Accordingly, the Company's contract with Her Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO) is expected to expire in January 2020, after a transition period. Silence reigns supreme at the time of writing with no indication which logistics group is likely to pick up the prestigious contract.

Port and Shipping Group Take a Long Term View

UK – FRANCE – Casting aside any doubts over Brexit, European ferry operator Brittany Ferries has strengthened its relationship with Portsmouth International Port with the extension, by an additional five years, to a joint long-term agreement. The French group utilises the Hampshire port for services to and from Portsmouth to Caen, St Malo, Le Havre and Cherbourg. Whilst Cherbourg is served only by the fast ferry the other three are all popular freight routes for drivers heading to France and Spain.

Multi-Million Dollar Investment to Support Hundreds of Jobs

CANADA – The Québec Port Authority (QPA) has signed a long-term commercial agreement with global port operator, Hutchison Ports and North American transportation and supply chain company Canadian National Railway (CN), to build and operate the new deep-water container terminal, known as project Laurentia (previously Beauport 2020).

Pension Specialists Illustrate the Need for Savings

UK – Earlier this month Spinnaker Global, which deals in marine sector recruitment, hosted the 13th Maritime HR Conference in London and attended by MP Nusrat Ghani. One of the key sponsors of the event was Ensign, which claims the title of Britain's only maritime pension specialist, and some interesting facts arose when the not-for-profit outfit questioned the audience on what is required to provide today's logistics professionals with an acceptable sum when their working days were over.

New Technologies Mean Nobody Wants to Get Left Behind

FRANCE – DENMARK — WORLDWIDE – Maersk has announced that it will be joining CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) as a key shareholder and customer of Traxens, a French start-up company providing high-value data and services for the supply chain industry. Separately, CMA CGM and MSC have announced that they will join TradeLens, a blockchain-enabled digital shipping platform, jointly developed by Maersk and IBM. The three shipping lines are the biggest container freight carriers in the world by a stretch.

ISO Standard Achieved in Four Different Disciplines

FRANCE – In an age when evidence of quality is everything, few standards are as highly rated as the ISO mark which guarantees the standards of an organisation's processes and practices. Now, in a previously unprecedented achievement, Port Boulogne Calais has just obtained simultaneous certification of its management systems covering quadruple certification of all its multimodal activities, the first time this has ever been granted to a European port. After a lengthy audit, the DNV-GL certification body has validated the standards.

Bulk and Container Freight Next to RoRo Ferry Terminal

UK – With some of us old enough to remember the original construction of the branch dock at Tilbury back in the early 1960's prompted by the closure of the Royal Docks in the heart of London, the latest iteration, Tilbury2, the multimillion pound investment by owners Forth Ports, is the next exciting development in the history of a key component in Britain's maritime history which began with the opening of the original Port of Tilbury in the steamship era of the 1880's.

Congo the Latest Country to Receive Assistance

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – International development organisation and favoured charity in the world of freight and logistics, Transaid, has commenced a project to review legislation and training related to the use of motorcycles and three-wheelers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of research to look at their role in providing vital rural access.

Investigation Under Way as Ship Heels Over in Port

UK – Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced that early morning on May 24, the container ship MSC Matilde was found to be listing in dock at the Port of Liverpool, UK. The general cargo vessel was reported to have 2,184 containers on board, the majority of which were empty.

In-House or cloud? Companies Face an Increasing Dilemma Regarding Data Storage

UK – The salad days of computer technology for freight forwarding and other logistics companies have now long gone. Following the initial adoption of computers within the industry by the brave and the biggest came a technology gold rush which provided users with cheap efficient systems of data storage. Sadly those days are no more. Meanwhile, out in the global hinterlands there be data gobbling dragons waiting to steal business information.

Staff Moves Announced This Week

UK – As the week closes with the news that Brexit takes yet another turn after Theresa May announce she is to step down as the Prime Minister as soon as a new Conservative party leader is chosen, elsewhere in the world of transport Commodore Barry Bryant CVO RN is to step down after 17 years as Director General of the Seafarers UK maritime welfare charity in July. While most opt for a nice get-together with friends, family, and colleagues, Commodore Bryant has decided to go down a different and more vertical path, choosing instead to abseil 100 metres down the iconic Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, on June 30, as his final fundraising challenge.

Thanks to Donations Education Again Becomes a Reality for Hundreds of Kids

PHILIPPINES – The world of freight and logistics literally spans the globe, affecting and supporting the lives of every single person on the planet. One of the results of this complexity is the miscellaneous range of beneficial things which arise from the close association between the industry and ordinary people. The range of charity works undertaken by those in the profession is manifold and this week we saw a project which will have tangible effect on the lives of hundreds of children.

Drivers can be Assessed as Never Before

UK – Simulation may be a dirty word in the world of professional football, but it seems that logistics is taking it ever more to its heart, as new technology allows practitioners to use the most up to date equipment to assist in training and assessing staff more efficiently than at any point in the past. The same week we saw the country's most sophisticated maritime simulator introduced, so the rail freight industry was showing off its latest wares.

Snippets of Multimodal Trade News from Around the Globe This Week

UK – iPort Rail the a new, 30-acre multimodal rail freight facility in Doncaster, South Yorkshire and part of Verdion's iPort logistics hub, now has a new intermodal rail connection with the Port of Felixstowe operated by GB Railfreight. The iPort Rail facility sits next to Junction 3 of the M18 motorway and is already host to some big name importers and occupiers including Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes and Lidl.

Freight Group Demands Promises are Kept Over Truck Stops as Situation Worsens

UK – A year after the (now former) roads minister Jesse Norman MP made a commitment to increase the provision of lorry parking places on the strategic road network, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is calling on the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver on this promise after a new survey indicated that road haulage truck drivers believe the situation has actually worsened in the past 12 months.

e-learning Can be a Cheap and Effective Method to Grasp the Basics

UK – With the shortage of qualified and suitably trained staff in virtually every part of the logistics industry, from HGV drivers to freight forwarders, the national bodies responsible for their own particular sectors are all trying to provide suitable tools to assist those wishing to enter the profession. Now the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) has provided an easy to use, low cost, introductory, on line course of its own.

Almost Half a Million Pounds Donated to Good Causes Since 2007

UK – With mental health still topping the agenda this month the Port of Tyne has stepped up to support local charity Anxious Minds a volunteer-led organisation that provides in-house and online support for people with mental health conditions. Anxious Minds operates from two centres in North Tyneside incorporating a counselling centre in Wallsend and a recovery centre in Meadow Well. Edward Dean, Chief Officer from Anxious Minds, said:

Federal Fuel Tax Rise Suggestion Surfaces Again as Infrastructure Ignored Once More

US – This week was supposed to mark the latest 'Infrastructure Week' in the US, an initiative bought forth under the Trump presidency to encourage bipartisan talks to rebuild the country's roads, bridges, and other infrastructure needs. None of that came to fruition as Trump apparently ended a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to discuss funding a $2 trillion infrastructure bill after just three minutes.

German Company Firmly in the Sights of Transport Union Federation

GERMANY – LIBERIA – WORLDWIDE – Last month we told how the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) had gone to war with the Hamburg based ship operator Johann M. K. Blumenthal after several instances of poor treatment of crew and the company's refusal to acknowledge its workers employment rights.

Biggest and Best Maritime Simulation Centre Opens in UK

UK – This week saw the much vaunted maritime simulation centre, situated at Solent University's main campus in Southampton, opened by Sir Michael Bibby Bt., DL, President of the UK Chamber of Shipping. The centre, the largest and most sophisticated in the country is an important part of the £43 million investment that the University is putting into maritime education and training at Solent.

BIFA Youngsters Get to Talk Together and Decide Future Policy

UK – Whilst just about every sector of the logistics industry, from road haulage operators to pick and pack operations, are desperately seeking ways to address the skills shortage, the outfit which represents the country's freight forwarding community, the British International Freight Association (BIFA), is getting on with finding a way to encourage youngsters to excel in their chosen profession.

Drone Delivery Services Gain a Foothold in China

CHINA – International delivery service provider, DHL Express, and the intelligent autonomous aerial vehicle company, EHang, have entered into a strategic partnership to jointly launch a fully automated and intelligent smart drone delivery solution to tackle one particular customer's last-mile delivery challenges in the urban areas of China.

Public Accounts Committee Dissatisfied with Apprenticeship Levy So Far

UK – The Public Accounts Committee has been looking into the Department for Education reforms to the apprenticeships programme, something dear to the hearts of all in the logistics and road transport arena given the paucity of suitable talent and the uncertain surrounding Brexit, and has produced a scathing report criticising both the history, and the future potential of the system and saying the 'programme is evolving is out of kilter with the Department's objectives'.

Cheaper Overseas Product Benefits Port Operator

UK – On a day when the troubles of British Steel are very much to the fore port operator PD Ports has announced a multi-million-pound investment at Groveport in partnership with international steel traders and long-standing customer, All Steels Trading. This new long-term contract represents the largest single investment in the last decade at Groveport and signifies the next step in PD Ports' growth strategy as the Port gears up for further expansion.

Misadventure Deaths and Suicides Get Campaign to Help and Advise

UK – In a week when mental health issues are top of the agenda, HRH The Duke of Cambridge took to the Thames in central London to back a new campaign #saferthames enlisting the public's help in preventing accidents and self-harm incidents on the tidal river. The campaign seeks to reduce the estimated 700 incidents that occur each year on the river, where people's lives are at risk, either by misadventure, or as the result of suicide attempts. Annually there are around 30 fatalities, the majority of which are linked to mental health issues.

Freight and Logistics Companies Who Make a Difference Honoured

MALTA – WORLDWIDE – The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), a non-government organisation which lobbies on behalf of the cargo handling industry and is dedicated to improving freight handling throughout international supply chains, has launched the 3rd TT Club Innovation in Safety Award.

Electric Articulated Fork Lift Technology Increases Warehouse Storage Capacity

UK – When operating a logistics facility which has a client base so diverse it includes leading clothing manufacturers, food suppliers and a Premier League football club, storage has to be fast, efficient and, most of all, optimise every cubic inch of storage space. When Daygard Logistics took on its latest addition to the group's property portfolio, it turned to very narrow aisle racking served by Flexi articulated VNA reach truck technology from Narrow Aisle Ltd.

New Euro Standard HGV Diesel Engines Deemed as Worse Polluters in Some Respects

UK – The British Safety Council (BSC), an organisation dedicated to protecting workers from accidents, hazards and unsafe conditions since 1957, has launched a report on the 'Impact of air pollution on the health of outdoor workers' which it says provides compelling evidence to recognise ambient air pollution as an occupational health hazard in Britain. The report is particularly relevant to the logistics sector given the amount of airborne pollution from vehicles, including HGVs and others involved in urban road haulage activities.

Latvia Connected in Latest Expansion of Network

RUSSIA – CHINA – LATVIA – Volga-Dnepr Group subsidiary Atran Airlines, the Russian air freight express carrier has been extending connections with China once again. Shortly after introducing a new service to Xi'an, Atran has announced a new route into its network between Hangzhou (China), an emerging technology hub, and home to the e-commerce industry in China, and Riga (Latvia).

Multimodal 2019 to Host Summer Meeting of Track Borne Cargo Interests

UK – The ever expanding drive to reduce emissions produced by the logistics industry has touched every sector, none more so than road haulage which has seen track borne cargo levels steadily rise with an increased number of trains double stacking containers, whilst bulk goods favour the method. Now, at next month's Multimodal Exhibition, the Rail Freight Group will hold its RFG Summer Meeting.

Eight Reefer Box Vessels Deployed on New Route

EUROPE – CARIBBEAN – CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA & German container line Hamburg Süd says it has strengthened its ocean freight portfolio on the Europe-Central America, Caribbean and South America West Coast trade with its latest collaboration with Maersk Line with the pair opening a joint, standalone set of service offerings.

Some Miscellaneous Items from Around the World

GERMANY &ndash This week's round-up of freight and shipping news starts with Imperial Logistics which has formally opened the new Volkswagen Group Packaging Centre which it is managing and operating at JadeWeserPort, Wilhelmshaven. The 40,000 m² facility took 9 months to complete. The new Centre comprises four halls which will receive around 7,000 different Audi, VW and VW Commercial Vehicles parts lines from plants throughout Europe; these will then be stored, picked, packed and containerised for shipment.

Customs Funding Window Closes This Month

UK – Even mentioning Brexit may have now become so irritating to anyone in the country that they might well 'switch off' when the word is mentioned, but today comes a timely reminder from the British International Freight Association (BIFA) that a deadline looms which many involved in the shipping of goods may need to be reminded of.

London International Shipping Week Will Hail Heroes of 2019

UK – WORLDWIDE – Nominations have opened for the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Awards 2019 offering a chance to recognise incredible people, new innovations and technologies that make saving lives at sea possible, even in the most difficult and demanding circumstances.

Threat of Ballistic Missiles Prompts Deployment of Carrier Strike Group

PERSIAN GULF – US – IRAN – Tension had been escalating between the US and its traditional adversaries with an advisory notice last week to commercial shipping that there may imminently be attacks on vessels with a view to damage the oil production lines. The warning came just days after the US moved an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers into the area after intelligence reports said that Iran was moving short range ballistic missiles into the Gulf.

Restructuring at Danish Giant Continues

DENMARK – APM Terminals Inland Services will be integrated into Maersk Logistics & Services from August 1, 2019, in the hope of providing customers with seamless access to a wider range of logistics and services offerings. This is the latest step in AP Moller-Maersk's restructuring plan to simplify its business operations and focus solely on the transport and logistics business where Maersk Line still holds the title of the world's largest container freight company.

New Report Confirms Little Has Changed When it Comes to Legal Disputes

UK – A report 'The Maritime Arbitration Universe In Numbers One Year On', from global, sector-focused law firm HFW has found that London continues to dominate the market for maritime arbitration, despite suggestions that Brexit would see activity shift to emerging disputes hubs around the world. According to HFW London accounts for more than 80% of such global maritime activity, according to HFW's analysis of data from 13 major maritime institutions around the world.

Control Period 6 Means Increased Workload for Local Distribution Centre Manager

UK – GB Railfreight (GBRf) has signed final contracts with Network Rail for the new Control Period 6 (CP6) which the company says will mean a 25% hike in GBRf's market share with what is its single largest customer. CP6 means GBRf will continue to run Whitemoor Local Distribution Centre (LDC), which it claims is one of the best performing LDCs in the country, along with two new sites in Bescot and Eastleigh.

International Support for IMO to Cut Greenhouse Gas from Ocean Transport

WORLDWIDE – NORWAY – A major global project to support the International Maritime Organization (IMO) initial strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping has been launched. Entitled GreenVoyage-2050, the project will look to initiate and promote worldwide efforts to demonstrate and test technical solutions for reducing such emissions, as well as enhancing knowledge and information sharing to support the container, bulk and cruise sectors in an effort to clean up ocean transport.

Push for Gender Equality Continues in London Next Month

UK – 46 individuals from the UK's Transport & Logistics industry have been announced as finalists in the 2019 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards programme. From freight and rail to retail and architecture, they showcase the range of opportunities that redefine an industry traditionally seen to offer manual, male-dominated jobs.

Scottish Government Funds Move from Road Haulage

UK – The Scottish Government has announced it has allocated £25 million to strengthen the country's rail freight industry over the next five years. The fund is open to rail freight industry partners, including Network Rail and Transport Scotland, to table proposals for improvements which meet freight modal shift objectives, particularly that of moving goods away from road haulage.

EU Consortium to Fund Innovative Research in Bid to Replace Biodiesel

EUROPE – The European Union (EU) has awarded €5 Million to the European innovation project Flagships, to support deploying two commercially operated zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vessels in France and Norway. Hydrogen is one of the fuels which many believe have a future in powering a range of merchant vessels in the future.

Chinese Volumes Up as Tariff Hikes Cloud the Picture for US Ports

US – Shipping analysts are keeping low profiles at the moment in the face of uncertainty as the President's latest pronouncements cause more confusion. The Trump factor is cited in the latest set of figures from the Port of Oakland which reported on Friday last that its container import freight volume jumped 7% last month compared to April 2018, making it the busiest April in the Port's 92-year history.

Giant Aircraft Delivers Vital Humanitarian Aid to Disaster Victims

FRANCE – MOZAMBIQUE – Once again the logistics sector stepped up the plate to assist with humanitarian efforts in the region in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. Antonov Airlines has recently flown from Chalons Vatry Airport (XCR) in France, to Beira (BEW) in Mozambique with a 65 tonne payload of relief supplies and logistics staff from aid organisations to support disaster relief initiatives in the region.

Oslo Hub Built of Shipping Containers and Aimed at Future Logistics Requirements

NORWAY – Global freight and logistics service provider DB Schenker has opened its first low-carbon city distribution centre in Oslo, Norway, christened the new 'Oslo City Hub'. The centrally-located new terminal will aim to reduce CO₂ emissions of city goods distribution by 80%, using electric cars and e-bikes. Oslo City Hub is part of Electric City, the Oslo district's focus on activities associated with its status as European Green Capital 2019.

Who is Heading Where in the Transport and Shipping Sectors

THE NETHERLANDS – Freight group Kerry Logistics has appointed Martin Stoekenbroek as its new Managing Director - Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), effective immediately. Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Stoekenbroek will lead Kerry Logistics’ international freight forwarding business in the EMEA region and be in charge of its strategic development, focusing particularly on strengthening Kerry Logistics’ foothold and business portfolio.

A Few Stories From Around the Globe

US – To the surprise of no one President Donald Trump continued political support of the Jones Act when he met with Congressional leaders from the Senate and House to discuss US Maritime Policy recently. The President confirmed no changes are in the offing for the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, a regulation which protects all domestic water borne trade by mandating US built vessels, owned and flagged in America and crewed only by US citizens and permanent residents. William P. Doyle, CEO & Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America said:

Larger Freight Units Can Substantially Cut Pollutants

EUROPE – As part of wider efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions from road haulage, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) is calling for a policy framework that supports an EU-wide high-capacity transport system, suggesting that introducing vehicles of 32 metres length will lead to a decrease of emissions by up to an estimated 27%.

Coast Guard Foundation Honours Those in the Merchant Marine and Beyond

US – During April, in a ceremony postponed from December due to the partial government shutdown, the Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organisation committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, recognised the bravery and unselfishness of those who have gone above and beyond expectations in the service of others.

HSBC Offers an Insight Into Overcoming Staffing Crisis

UK – Those attending the 'Labour Crisis' session on day one of this year's Multimodal Exhibition at the NEC Birmingham will be addressed by Hamish Nisbet, Global Head of Resourcing and Onboarding at HSBC offering his thoughts on tackling the labour issues currently blighting the logistics industry.

Three Extra Ships Deployed to Service Five Year Cargo Contract

SWEDEN – BELGIUM – Danish shipping and logistics group, DFDS and renewable materials company, Stora Enso have entered into a 5-year agreement to annually carry circa 700,000 tonnes of paper and board products between Gothenburg and Zeebrugge using a new RoRo freight ferry service. Stora Enso has options to extend the agreement for a further three years.

Future of Short Sea Freight as 22 Hour Voyage Proves Concept

UK – BELGIUM – The payload of the fully autonomous SEA-KIT may be two and a half tonnes, but only a fraction of that was utilised in a 22 hour voyage which the 12 metre long un-crewed surface vessel (USV)made between West Mersea in Essex and the Belgian port of Oostende earlier this week.

Last Surviving Ship of its Type Protected by High Tech Gasket

FINLAND – IN 1957, after 70 years of service, the four masted steel merchant barque Pommern was retired from the sea to take pride of place at the Mariehamn Maritime Museum in the Åland Islands. Now the only vessel left in the world of its type, its refurbishment demanded some special attention and the first consideration was to commission a purpose built dry dock which required some bespoke engineering.

Record Number of Exhibitors Already Lined Up

UK – It may be over four months until IMHX 2019, the country's longest running materials handling exhibition takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, in September, but already the organisers can boast that the event has attracted a record number of exhibitors, including many organisations who are attending for the very first time.

Proposed Charges Slashed as Dock Technology Manages Tolls

UK – Whilst battle lines have been drawn and arguments rage over the patchwork imposition of air quality schemes and Low Emission Zones (LEZs) it seems that, in the south of England at least, sanity reigns as local freight container terminal operator DP World announces a cooperative agreement with Southampton City Council after the public body undertook a consultation on proposals to improve the air quality in the city.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Customs Freight Simplified Procedures

UK – EUROPE – WORLDWIDE – In common with fellow shipping and forwarding agents staff at John Good Shipping have been concerned that many traders in the UK are still not conversant with what will be required when the Brexit conundrum finally turns up its toes, particularly if a 'no deal' scenario is the result.

Capacity Outstrips Demand Yet Again

WORLDWIDE – Having published an analysis of ocean container freight trends yesterday we come to the way air cargo has performed in March 2019 with the statistics released as usual by IATA this week. Despite an overall growth of just 0.1% in the month compared to 2018, and therefore a significant improvement on the 4.9% contraction in February, in seasonally adjusted terms, demand is still down 1.5% over the past year.

Smaller Companies May Want to Investigate What is Out There for Them

WORLDWIDE – We have written several times on the advance of blockchain, including how some of the biggest players in the container freight market have trialled it as what they claims is a neutral platform available to all. However for the bulk of the shipping and logistics community the technology remains shrouded in mystery and subject to concerns.

Latest Figures Indicate Overcapacity and China Trade War Effect Hitting Hard

NORWAY – WORLDWIDE – Oslo-based Xeneta, the ocean freight rate benchmarking and market analytics platform, has produced its latest XSI® Public Indices report which it says shows that, after two months of steady increases in long-term contracted rates for containership operators, there has now been a reversal of fortunes, with rates falling by 4.2% across the spectrum.

Authorities Respond in Force

EQUATORIAL GUINEA – The Royal Boskalis Westminster NV (Boskalis) the 76,000 dwt heavy transport vessel Blue Marlin was hijacked on May 5, approximately 80 nautical miles offshore Equatorial Guinea. The massive ship is designed to transport semi-submersible drilling rigs to site. Thanks to a well drilled crew, and the coordinated support from the navy of Equatorial Guinea and Spain, the violent hijacking was ended without any casualties and the crew was safely freed.

Some High Level Appointments and the Demise of an Old Soldier

DENMARK – With regard to current announcements of appointments and departures in the freight, shipping and logistics sectors, we start with the news that Henriette Thygesen has been appointed new Chair of the Board of Directors of Maersk Supply Service as of June 1. Current Chair of Maersk Supply Service and Vice CEO of AP Moller - Maersk Claus Hemmingsen will leave AP Moller - Maersk at the end of June having concluded on the separation of the oil and oil related companies.

Smaller Stories From the Week Which You May Have Missed

WORLDWIDE – The 'no door' secure CakeBoxx container outfit has extended its range adding a 20' CoilBoxx container which takes advantage of the same 'deck and lid' design as other CakeBoxx models. A specially designed floor in the container deck houses adjustable cradles onto which coiled cargos can be easily loaded, secured, transported and stored. This allows coils to remain secured in the same box while being shipped globally to destination without having to be handled or transhipped.

One in Ten British Workers Rely on LCVs for Their Job

UK – The CV Show, the one place all sectors of the commercial vehicle sector, whether manufacturer, road haulage operator or ancillary supplier can meet and network, closed its doors in Birmingham this week after another successful expo. Claiming visitor numbers exceeding 20,000 makes this an essential call for those in the road transport industry.

Remembering the Berlin Airlift - a Guest Article by Ed Nash

GERMANY –THE COLD WAR – 12 May marks the 70-year anniversary of the end of the Berlin Blockade, when the Soviet Union attempted to cut off Allied-controlled West Berlin, a lonely bastion for the Western powers behind the Iron Curtain, by preventing all overland logistic routes from supplying the city. The crisis, which saw communist forces attempting to starve the beleaguered city into submission, was alleviated by what was the most concentrated air freight operation that had been engaged in at that time. The event showed just how capable air transportation had become and the techniques developed laid the groundwork for the approach to modern logistics in use today.

Exhaust Gas Cleaning Technology Still Requires Audited Disposal of Waste

WORLDWIDE – In what many will consider a controversial release the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020), a consortium of 36 ocean carriers, many from the tanker sector, says it has received written approvals and no-objection letters from several Port Authorities around the world indicating they have no intention of banning the use of open-loop type scrubbers, exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) in their waters.

UKWA Lunch and Awards to See Special Guest as Transaid Charity Patron

UK – The United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) 75th Anniversary Lunch and Awards being held at London's Dorchester on June 27 was always going to be a rather special event but the news that the event is to be graced with the presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, in her role as Patron of the UKWA's official charity, Transaid, will add an undoubted gloss to what is always a very special occasion.

Environmental Groups Threaten Appeal

UK – The argument put by London Mayor Sadiq Khan plus five councils and a variety of residents, environmental groups etc. that development of the third runway at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) was equivalent to building another major airport, was summarily dismissed by the High Court in London yesterday with support coming immediately for the decision from the UK freight forwarding community.

Speakers for LISW 2019 Event Announced

UK – London International Shipping Week 2019 (LISW19) is creeping up on us and expecting the great and the good from the world of ocean freight transport to descend on the capital for the 200 or more industry functions and unique networking opportunities, this year between 9th and 13th September. Now a full set of suitably qualified speakers for the headline conference at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane, on Thursday 12th has been announced.

Litany of Expensive Disaster as Another Lawsuit Looms

UK – The Department of Transport has cancelled the contingency ferry contracts that had been introduced at the end of last year in case of no-deal Brexit. The cancellation of the controversial contracts is estimated to cost taxpayers more than £50 million and has led to more calls for Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to resign as he faces yet another black mark on his already tarnished record which reads like the world's worst school report.

Importers and Exporters Advised to Register Now

NETHERLANDS – UK – As Europe's busiest port management at the Port of Rotterdam has expressed concern this week that the delay to Britain's exit from the European Union has made those who trade between or via the two countries a little too laid back when it comes to ensuring all is in place as regards exports and imports of freight when the outcome is finally known.

Freight Groups and Manufacturers Look for Narrow Aisle Performance at Reduced Cost

UK – With pressure on all warehouse operators as space becomes ever more precious, articulated fork lift trucks which can function in the narrowest of racking systems have become de rigueur over the past few years and, coupled with the correct storage platform, provide a useful tool to ensure any freight handling or manufacturing company gets the most from available properties.

Definition Goes Beyond the Obvious

WORLDWIDE – A piece written by Robert Shearer for the P&I insurance group the Shipowners' Club this month gives both an interesting insight, and a sharp reminder, of the manifold factors which can see a vessel defined as 'unseaworthy'. The item centres on the case in which, almost exactly eight years ago, the container ship CMA CGM Libra grounded whilst leaving the Port of Xiamen in China after leaving the designated fairway.

If Ocean Shipping is to Meet its Climate Change Commitments Mandatory Rules Are Needed

WORLDWIDE – 'Slow Steaming' has become a familiar term, particularly to those in the ocean container freight sector, and now over 110 shipping companies along with 9 environmental groups have joined together to call on the Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to support mandatory speed measures to reduce emissions from the shipping industry.

ATA Hopes to Convince the President It's Time for a Rise in Gas Taxes

US – The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports optimism following this week's meeting of President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders, however one wonders, having seen the subject, whether this might be little early in the process to start getting excited. That's right folks, the ATA wants a gas tax to pay for infrastructure repairs. A road haulage lobby looking to raise fuel prices, never been known!