Shipping Search - Archive

Transport Minister confirms charges will remain, but static.

A statement by Transport Minister Sadiq Khan today confirmed that, after March’s public inquiry, there would be no rise in toll charges for the Humber Bridge. The Minister said that he did not believe raising the charges could be justified in the current economic climate and therefore he would not accept the proposed increases.

Other measures to be implemented

WILTSHIRE - Swindon council has today deactivated the five fixed speed cameras that operate in the borough. Temporary vehicle-activated warning signs will be installed at the three sites where the cameras currently operate.

Smith Electric breaks into the States

USA - Four major US corporations and two utility companies this week took delivery of the Smith Newton, the largest road-going electric truck in North America. Coca-Cola, Staples, Frito-Lay, AT&T, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) are the first Newton customers in the USA.

Radical transport aircraft developing well

USA / CANADA - The Boeing Company and SkyHook International Inc. announced on Tuesday that the design of the SkyHook Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV), which has the potential to revolutionise heavy freight transport, has reached an important stage in its development.

New rail freight facility envisaged

UK – AV Dawson has announced the acquisition of the former base of biofuels company D1 Oils at Riverside Park in Middlesborough. The multi-modal logistics provider intends to develop the site for rail freight handling and distribution.

Many released to try again

FRANCE - The number of migrants arrested in the back of lorries attempting to illegally enter Britain from Calais has shot up by 76 per cent this year. In the first six months of this year alone 13,715 were found stowed in HGVs or vans, compared to 7,760 in the same period in 2008.

Air freight revenues down 28.1%

British Airways has suffered a pre-tax loss of £148 million in the three months to the end of June. In the same period last year the company made profits of £37 million. Though much of the loss is attributed to falling passenger numbers, the worldwide decline in airfreight has hit BA World Cargo severely, revenues being down 28.1%.

‘Hazard to themselves and to others’

UK - The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has warned that too many merchant vessels are sailing around Britain's coast with too few crewmen to operate safely. In their annual report, published yesterday, MIAB’s chief inspector Stephen Meyer said: “A large number of vessels on the short sea trade continue to trade around the UK with insufficient crew to operate safely. Many still fail to have a dedicated bridge lookout when required, and fatigued officers of the watch are a hazard to themselves and to others."

New Airport, Rail & Bahrain Causeway plans intact

QATAR - Despite all the financial trials and tribulations elsewhere Qatar continues to buck the world’s economy and forges ahead with a transport infrastructure plan that others can only stand back and admire.

Air Association calls for Government action on emissions & warns of downturn in revenues

COPENHAGEN - Giovanni Bisignani, CEO and Director General of IATA (International Air Transport Association) spoke this week on the need for control of airline emissions to be subject to the collective will of governments.

US Forwarder expands into Europe

US / EUROPE - C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., one of the largest non-asset based third party logistics companies in the world, has acquired Walker Logistics Overseas Ltd. of London.

Modec appoint new French Distributor

UK / FRANCE - Modec Commercial Electric Vehicles, the Coventry based manufacturer, have announced the appointment of ElecTruckCity, a new Paris based company dedicated to distributing practical battery powered vans and trucks.

Part of Europe-wide research

EUROPE – Revolutionary new safety features could become standard on European trucks in the near future. A research study into technologies to warn drivers of hazards in low visibility and pass information between vehicles is going well.

Vauxhall UK announce cheaper service deal to cut MOT failures

UK - The commercial vehicle division of Vauxhall UK have laid out their plans to assist British hauliers reduce the growing number of MOT failures caused by lack of routine maintenance. As usual in times of recession the first economy many smaller hauliers make is in regular vehicle maintenance. Extension of the service intervals on a vehicle which appears to be performing well despite the obvious neglect can prove a very short sighted policy.

Oz airline will add fourth US destination

SYDNEY - Qantas Freight is to add Dallas, Texas to its freighter network from the 6th of August, providing air freight services between the southern US city, China and Australia.

US delivery services report continuing trade slump

USA - The United States Parcel Service have made a formal statement on the recent report issued by the US Government Accountability Office on the continuing falls in carriage volumes.

Summer break highlights continued dangers

Once again the start of the annual school summer holidays seems to have ushered in the old spectre of railway vandalism. Aside from the ongoing graffiti “artists” who plague the tracks at night a serious incident at the Peterborough rail junction yesterday morning has again highlighted the flimsiness of rail security in Britain.

Local MP Scathing

ESSEX – Plans to upgrade the A120 between Braintree and the A12 have been scrapped by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA). A spokesman said that the assembly would recommend not to replace the existing road with a new dual-carriageway as funds for the region were limited and the £500 million price tag was dubbed “simply unaffordable” by regional transport planners.

Container market still suffering

Cosco is the latest of the shipping giants to warn of bad results for the first half of the year. The Chinese state-controlled company issued a statement on Tuesday warning that it expected its forthcoming figures to show a substantial reduction in profits.

New regs could mean boost for NIS

OSLO – According to the Norwegian daily newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv, shipping tycoon John Fredriksen is considering moving several ships into the Norwegian international shipping (NIS) register. The move is being considered in response to changes in the country's taxation policy for ship-owners.

Giant shipper may receive emergency cash

HAMBURG – Discussions are under way for Hapag-Lloyd AG, Germany’s largest container-shipping line, to get an emergency credit of €300 million, according to Bloomberg Press. In a statement to reporters, Hamburg’s Finance Senator, Michael Freytag, said: “We have a solution... I believe Hapag can breathe freely.”

Figures indicate greater efficiency

DUBLIN - Dublin Port figures released on Tuesday show that the port handled a throughput of 12.9 million tones, just 16 percent down from the same period last year. There has also been a 13 percent reduction in turnover.

New study launched

ABERDEEN – The Granite City is carrying out a study to consider the possibility of banning lorries from the city centre.

Complete consolidation of groups

COPENHAGEN – On 7 September 2009, the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group will merge its supply chain management activities branded as Maersk Logistics and its freight forwarding activities branded as Damco, under the single brand name ‘Damco’.

Hub will link current road and air network

VIETNAM - TNT officially opened its newly expanded operations centre in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday. Located next to Tan Son Nhat Airport, the 3,000sq.m facility features state-of-the-art technology for freight processing, tracking and security.

Public invited to make contribution

UK - Associated British Ports (ABP) is launching a consultation which invites the public to have its say on the future development at the C. The consultation process will inform the public and stakeholders of the Port of Southampton’s Master Plan and covers the period from now to 2030. It sets out ABP’s vision for the future growth and development of the Port of Southampton including the Port’s land holdings at Dibden.

Order for new aircraft finalised

SEATTLE - Turkish Airlines have finalised an order for seven Boeing 777-300ER aircraft valued at $1.9 billion, according to a Boeing press release.

Police warn drivers to be vigilant

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE – Police are warning truckers to be extra vigilant and to use lorry parks not lay bys after a spate of thefts on the A1. To reinforce this message Nottinghamshire Police are parking an ad van at lay bys in the region with the slogan ‘Truckers Beware! This is a load theft hotspot.’

Recovery on Horizon

Figures released on Friday by the Association of Asian Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that air cargo traffic carried by this sector are showing signs of recovery, though numbers are still down over 22 percent from last year.

Aerologic management “quite happy”

LEIPZEIG – Air cargo operator Aerologic reports that its first month of operations has been surprisingly successful. A joint venture between DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, Aerologic commenced services on the 30th of June and according to Matthias Kaup, its Director of Network Management, has had a better than anticipated response.

More tales of modern piracy

MUMBAI - Seven caught in Indian "Highwaymen" case. Seven arrests were made on Friday by the Narpoli police. The gang of armed thieves were first questioned about a series of burglaries in the vicinity but during interrogation they revealed details of a truck robbery near Ganeshpuri they undertook two months ago during which they challenged, chased and caught a vehicle and stole its payload.

New service hits the mark

USA - Pet Airways, an American airline that caters for animal travellers, has had an excellent response since it began flying at the beginning of the month. In a statement to the Handy Shipping Guide, Alyse Tognotti, the airlines Director of Communications, said that: “Our flights have been full of happy and safe pets the last few weeks. We are delighted with the response we have received by the pet community. We have requests coming in from all around the world to expand our service.

Vessel Makes Maiden Visit

NEW ZEALAND - Vroon’s brand new vessel, the Silverstone Express, made its first visit to Auckland on Friday. The vessel is part of a new ro-ro service that links New Zealand, the US west coast, Mexico, Australia and South East Asia with nine ports-of-call. The route is to cater for loads such as vehicles and agricultural machinery.

Big three all post losses

TOKYO - Japan's top three shipping companies have all reported losses for the April-June quarter, caused by weak shipping rates due to the downturn. Nippon Yusen K.K., Japan's biggest shipping company by revenue, is expected to report its first full-year net loss in 23 years after the firm posted a loss of Y18.92 billion for the fiscal first quarter. Last year Nippon Yusen posted an Y44.36 billion profit in the same period.

Freight Forwarder “mortgages” goods

UGANDA - Coronet Group has entered into partnerships with several banks to enable local business access to loans to cover their tax and freight costs. “This product was inspired by the ever-increasing number of traders who have had their goods impounded over failure to meet import tax obligations and freight charges,” said Christian Baine, the Chief Executive Officer of Coronet.

Shake up for carrier

UK - British Airways World Cargo announced last week several changes to its management team following a restructure. The appointments are effective immediately.

Recession bites hard

BRUSSELS - European new commercial vehicle registrations fell by 37.2 percent in the first six months of this year, according to European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

Chief Exec Remains Upbeat

PANAMA - The Panama Canal has seen a 5 percent drop in shipping traffic this year according to the head of the Panama Canal Authority.

Electrification “greener, cleaner, faster, more reliable”

UK – The British Government today announced its intention to invest £1.1 billion to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea. A second line running between Liverpool and Manchester will also be converted from diesel to electric. The project is scheduled to take eight years.

Hopes for improved security off Aden

BRUSSELS - The Russian Ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, proposed at Wednesday's NATO-Russia Council (NRC) meeting that the alliance and Russia conduct coordinated patrols in the Gulf of Aden.

TfL scheme to cut cyclist deaths

LONDON - Transport for London (TfL) are to hand out a thousand free safety mirrors to lorry drivers in the City of London in an attempt to halt the rising number of cyclists being killed and injured.

New £25 million contract awarded

UK - The Stobart Group this morning announced it had been awarded a new £25million-a-year contract by Tesco’s. Both companies have enjoyed close relations for several years and this deal is in combination with one last year that saw Stobart win a £15 million contract to carry Tesco goods from Grangemouth to Inverness with its rail freight division.

Now operate North America’s largest hybrid fleet

USA - FedEx Corp. yesterday announced that they were adding a further 92 hybrid-electric trucks to their delivery fleet, increasing the vehicles of this type the company operates from 172 to 264, an increase of more than 50%.

Stand & Deliver ! Vehicle Pirates strike at freight vehicles

CALAIS - A report today from a professional security site states that bandits are now attacking vehicles en route to the French port of Calais using tactics reminiscent of the unlit roads of the early 18th Century.

Preferred Route declared by Minister

NORTHERN IRELAND - In an announcement on Tuesday the Northern Irish Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy, has identified the preferred route for the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

“Ribbon-Cutting” for New Facility

FRANKFURT - DB Schenker this week unveiled its new European air freight hub at Frankfurt Airport. The € 50 million facility is due to start operations in early August and will combine the global forwarders import and export terminals, which currently operate at different locations within the airport.

Negotiations underway though “…very early days”

UK – According to a report by the Liverpool Daily Post the Eddie Stobart Group is negotiating with Network Rail over access to surplus or redundant rail lines and to land for new freight terminals so as to expand its rail freight operations.

Salford container berths win Council approval

LANCASHIRE - At a meeting of the Council plans for “Port Salford”, the £400 million pound scheme proposed to reinvigorate multimodal transport in Greater Manchester, was formally granted planning permission.

Environmentalists rage at group’s inaction

WORLDWIDE - Despite mounting pressure from environmental groups including the WWF, the International Maritime Organisation has failed to agree on a decision to increase the cost of fuel for commercial vessels.

Japanese giant retains its North East interest

SUNDERLAND - In an announcement this morning Lord Mandelson confirmed that Nissan UK would invest over £200 million to reinvigorate its main UK base and is seen as a move which increases the likelihood the the car maker will use their Sunderland plant to supply electric vehicles to the European market.

M4 plan suspended due to environmental issue

WALES - The controversy over the M4 relief road seems finally to have ended due to the increase in costs of the scheme and…………a fish.

New Vietnamese Port set to assist in expansion of trade

VIETNAM - A recently issued report detailing the potential for an increase in Vietnamese shipping traffic has just been released. The report, published by Business Monitor International analyses the potential for a predicted rise in trade of almost 7% in the next four years.

Environmental law used to convict in Cosco Busan collision

CALIFORNIA - John Joseph Cota, the licensed Californian bar pilot, who steered the Cosco Busan into the San Francisco bridge in November 2007, has been sentenced to ten months in jail for his negligence.

Ship captured in early May is freed by Pirates

SOMALIA - News that the German registered MV Victoria has finally been released by its Somali captors was obtained from an anonymous source within the German foreign ministry. In line with Government policy no further information regarding the condition of the crew or terms negotiated for the freeing of the men is being given to the media.

Mixed Reaction from the Freight Industry

UK - The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched its Low Carbon Supply Chain Steering Group which aims to get freight transport providers to reduce carbon emissions. The group will also provide a framework for government to reward industry for future cuts in greenhouse emissions through tax breaks and includes representatives from all modes of transport.

Optimism on markets

ASIA –Asian share markets ended Friday's trading strongly, with commodity and shipping stocks broadly advancing on hopes of a global economic recovery. Despite Indonesian currency tumbling due to two hotel blasts, losses were negated during the day as investors remained optimistic about the country’s economic promise.

“Not Enough” say Environmental Groups

LONDON - The United Nations Shipping Agency has agreed to proposals aimed to reduce freight and shipping cutting carbon emissions. Currently, shipping and aviation are the only industry sectors not regulated under the Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries. When the Protocol was signed, shipping and aviation sectors were absolved from the process as it could not be agreed on how emissions should be allocated.

ICC Report Highlights Hotspots

KUALA LUMPUR – A study released yesterday by the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB) reports that piracy attacks around the world more than doubled from 114 to 240 during the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2008. It states that “the rise in overall numbers is due almost entirely to increased Somali pirate activity off the Gulf of Aden and east coast of Somalia, with 86 and 44 incidents reported respectively.”

Caledonian MacBrayne Will Operate Despite Objections

UK - Caledonian MacBrayne has announced that it is to introduce Sunday ferry services from the mainland to Stornoway on Lewis in the Western Isles from Sunday 19th of July. This is despite opposition from the local authority and the Lord's Day Observance Society.

Operations to Start on 14th August.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Railways is planning to launch an Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul international freight train service from August 14th, according to the country’s Minister for Railways. Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour stated that Iran will provide transshipment facilities in Zahedan till a standard gauge line is laid between Zahedan and Mirjaveh.

Twelve talks for transport managers

UK - The transport industry is facing fundamental changes to the way vehicle testing is delivered and how transport legislation is enforced at the roadside. A series of 12 seminars by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) will arm transport managers with information helping them to deal with these changes, enlisting speakers from the enforcement authorities and regulators, as well as industry and legal experts.

Quarterly Figures Up 5 Percent from Last Year

NEW DEHLI - Indian Railways carried 213 million tonnes of freight during April-June 2009, according to the country’s Ministry of Railways.

Major Subsidies Possible for Manufacturers from UK Government

UK - Winners of the first stage of the British governments Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Program (LCVPP), being run by the Department for Transport (DfT) have been announced. The first phase of the LCVPP will see a total of three suppliers deliver a maximum of 150 electric vans to 12 public sector bodies, including the Royal Mail, HMRC, Government Car & Despatch Agency, Metropolitan Police, Environment Agency, Transport for London and six consortia of local authorities, including one for Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

Will Provide Supply Chain Support to Graco

AUSTRALIA - Kuehne + Nagel have won a five-year contract to provide Graco Inc. with integrated logistics services in Australia.

Agility to Provide Support to US Army in Afghanistan

KUWAIT - Logistics company Agility, in combination with DynCorp International Inc., has won a contract to provide logistical support to the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

Chinese Investment Considered

THAILAND - Two of China's state enterprises are considering taking a major stake in Thailand's future logistics development plan. China Railway Construction Corporation and China Railway Engineering Corporation have expressed interest in investing several hundred billion baht in a planned high-speed train and double-track rail link with southern China's train network, according to Thailand’s Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot.

Commons Transport Committee Report out Today

Today saw the publication of the report into possible advantages and problems posed by the construction of a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport. Although the MP’s reported that they envisaged advantages in the development, specifically by reducing excessive stacking, they warned against an increase in traffic worsening the problem and made mention of the negative environmental impact this would have.

Freight Movements down a Fifth

GERMANY – Figures recently released by Lufthansa show that the operator is still suffering from a slump in demand. Cargo shipments fell by 14.3 percent in June, after 10 percent in May, as the recession continues to hit this sector hard.

Government moves to assist struggling vessel owners

In a new initiative the state controlled Korea Asset Management Company said on Tuesday it would buy 62 vessels from shipping companies in South Korea through a $3.2 billion fund to assist the struggling freight groups.

The Auriga Leader partially powered by 328 solar panels

JAPAN / USA - Cargo ship, The Auriga Leader, currently docked at the Port of Long Beach, California, is part of a joint project between the Port of Long Beach, Toyota and Japanese shipping giant NYK Line. It is the first cargo ship of its kind to use solar energy to help fulfil many of the vessel's power needs, currently harnessing around 10 percent of its electricity from the panels.

New US survey proves optimistic for local trucking firms

A survey of 150 fleets conducted by Nashville consulting firm Transport Capital Partners (TCP) has found a groundswell of optimism amongst those who responded. The company, whose core business is sourcing acquisitions and capital within the road transport sector found 37% of respondents expected freight volumes to increase in 2010, compared with 21% in a survey just 60 days previously.

Echo’s of Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster

EUROPE - An investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has revealed that the roll-on, roll-off ferry Eurovoyager routinely operated with its safety doors open. The MAIB launched an investigation after an engine room fitter was badly crushed by a steel watertight door on the 3rd of November last year. His injuries were such that he was not expected to be unable to work for six months.

‘Extremely Encouraging’ – PPG Manager

The Project Professionals Group (PPG) conference, hosted this year by the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, has attracted a record number of sponsors and over 100 freight forwarding executives from 34 countries according to the organisations website.

Nigerian Separatists ‘Arrest’ Crew

NIGERIA - The Sichem Peace, a Singapore-flagged chemical / oil tanker, has been boarded and crew members seized by members a Nigerian guerrilla movement off the Niger Delta. The vessel, managed by EMS Ship Management, was attacked some 18 miles off the port of Koko and six crewmen, including the captain, were forced to leave the vessel. The remaining crew then sailed the ship to a safe location some 100 miles off the coast.

Freightliner Australia Runs New Contract

AUSTRALIA - Freightliner Australia commenced operations on June 30, with a contract from Namoi Cotton Cooperative to haul containerised processed cotton in New South Wales with leased rolling stock.

Largest Container Vessel to Date Handled

CARDIFF - The Port of Cardiff has docked the largest ever container ship to call at Queen Alexandra Dock. Arriving in the early hours of the 30th of June, the Rachel Borchard delivered its consignment of containers and reloaded before sailing on the following tide. The 134.4m long ship has a capacity of 862 TEU and is operated by Borchard Lines Ltd.

Annual Directory of Rail operators

UK - Every year the Rail Freight Group publishes a handbook of companies and organisations connected with the UK rail freight industry. The annual directory provides a listing of operators, infrastructure providers, customers and political bodies, and should be considered a must for anyone involved in the UK rail freight sector.

Aims to boost investor interest in index

LONDON - The Baltic Exchange has announced last week that it has changed the way its main sea freight index was calculated, in a shift aimed at increasing freight derivatives trading.

Greenpeace campaigner swims ahead of coal ship; shows no remorse

UK - A vessel sailing up the River Medway to deliver coal to the Kent port of Kingsnorth was targeted on Sunday evening by Greenpeace campaigners. Ten people have been arrested and released on bail.

Virgin Atlantic to reduce winter services and may cut jobs

Virgin Atlantic has recently announced that it would suspend one of two daily London to Hong Kong flights, and that its daily Heathrow to Chicago service will not operate this winter. A spokesman for the airline also announced that its total capacity would be 7% lower than in winter 2008/09.

Deal to allow access to cargo facility at Sharjah International Airport

MIDDLE EAST - Aramex, a global logistics solutions provider based in Dubai, has signed a regional agreement with Air Arabia, the regions leading low cost carrier (LCC) covering the Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent, and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), allowing it access to the low-cost carrier's cargo facility in Sharjah.

Busy month for US transportation and logistics provider

US - Amerijet International, providers of global cargo transportation services by land, sea, and air have purchased SRX Transcontinental, an American company with ground handling operations in Central Asia, and owner of Uzbekistan-based Avialeasing Aviation.

Safety Questions to be Answered

ITALY - GATX Corp. has been suspended from carry freight by Italy’s state rail authority following an accident on the night of the 29th of June in which 19 people were killed. The ban shall remain in force until GATX provides “certified information and clarification on components used” on its rolling stock.