Shipping Search - Archive

British Company Steps Up to Assist ex Service Staff Made Redundant

UK – Whilst we are used to some of the major US transport corporations, particularly the big trucking companies and freight rail carriers, taking an active role in employing ex service personnel, the situation in the UK has never had such a high profile. Now, with much publicity around how the regular military workforce numbers are declining due to government cutbacks Hermes, the German headquartered consumer delivery specialist, has linked up with the Royal Logistics Corps and the Logistics Guild to help find employment in the supply chain sector for UK military personnel faced with redundancy.

Whether Looking to Buy and Testing Products or Simply Filling a Gap in Capacity - Flexi Investment Offers Multiple Options

UK – Enthusiasts of articulated fork lift trucks, which enable access to freight and other stock in narrow aisles, may be persuaded as to their efficacy but, as with any variation from the norm, many supply chain professionals and warehouse managers may need a little persuasion to try out the technology. An easy way to ‘taste and try’ is by taking up a short term rental, perhaps if an existing truck is ‘off the road’ or a company is looking to upgrade its fleet and wishes to explore different options.

Another Technological Product to Keep Costs Down

US – With the abundance of traffic, travel and freight related apps now available it can be confusing to say the least to know those that will be worthwhile to any particular user. Sometimes however one comes along which, provided it works correctly, can turn out to be a useful, and regularly used tool in ones armoury, and with Wright Media LLC, which claims to be the trucking industry’s largest producer of mobile apps, backing a new product to save money on fuel, truck drivers may think it worth a trial.

Besides Emissions and Ballast Water Parasites there Lurks Another Ever Present Factor

UK – CANADA – WORLDWIDE – Those associated in any way with ocean shipping in any form, be it sea freight by containers, passenger cruise liners and even commercial fishing, are usually well informed as to the dangers to the environment which the industries can present, particularly to the marine environment. Sulphur emissions, toxic antifouling the introduction of alien life forms through ballast water discharges, all have been and are being addressed to minimise their effects as the dangers are recognised. There is however one pollutant which every modern vessel produces which remains largely overlooked – sound.

Gas Ships Can Handle the Cold - Inside and Out

KOREA – GREECE – WORLDWIDE – Once again Korea has reinforced its position as the leading constructor of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers with the delivery recently of two new ice-class LNG vessels to Greek company Dynagas, the LNG shipping arm of the George Prokopiou shipping enterprises. The two ships, classed by Lloyd’s Register (LR), incorporate advanced design, containment and operational features as well as the ability to cope with the harsh operating conditions of the Arctic and similar cold environments.

Cargo at Port Could Soon Reach Record Levels as Rules Change and Panama Opening Looms Closer

US – PERU – The Port of Miami is better known for its cruise line facilities than its cargo shipping and container handling but last month during a Peru Investors Forum held in the city executives from PortMiami met with representatives from Peru to discuss options for increased ocean freight trade between the South American country and the Port. In the past, certain Peruvian products could only enter the U.S. via certain North Eastern ports, however on October 1st a new pilot programme will go into effect allowing ‘cold treated’ products to be imported directly through the Florida port.

Politicians Just Love the Big Freight and Logistics Development

UK – Today Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, was the latest politician to hitch his wagon to the ever expanding facilities at the South East’s latest, and soon to be largest, deep sea container shipping port, when he visited London Gateway on the North bank of the Thames at Stanford le Hope, Essex. Freight is due to start flowing through the new port at the end of this year and those in the trade anxiously await the news of which of the box lines will be first to book a slot at the new facility.

How Can You Calculate the Trade-Off Between Initial Cost and Future Savings?

UK – Automated storage systems are actually nothing new, the main differences now compared to their utilisation two decades or more ago are the reduced installation costs coupled with availability and optional technical specifications. Whereas previously only monolithic structures storing vast quantities of similar goods could justify the cost of installation, the current situation has allowed more penetration into the general supply chain by racking and delivery system producers, letting smaller warehousing and freight companies take up the technology.

Life it seems is Never Dull in Tasmania

AUSTRALIA – Once again a RoRo freight and passenger ferry dispute makes the news as a row develops over services across the Bass Strait which links Tasmania with the mainland. TT Line, a wholly owned government enterprise company, has stated it will resume normal cargo services between Devonport and Melbourne despite an on-going argument with unions over the dismissal of two stevedores. Meanwhile no international container shipping facilities from the island continues to grate with exporters but work has started on a new multi-million dollar, intermodal logistics hub.

Shipping through Europe's Third Largest Airport Continues to Increase

NETHERLANDS – As the third largest cargo airport in Europe the air freight figures for Amsterdam’s Schiphol hub are always interesting as they tend to reflect underlying shipping trends. The first half of this year has shown modest growth with a total of 736,608 tonnes handled showing an overall growth of 1.02% against the figure for 2012. Total exports for the first half year rose to 362,124 tonnes, which was a 49.16% share of the total whilst the proportion of imports fell slightly to 50.84%, with a total of 374,484 tonnes.

Austrian Logistics Group Manages Combined International Road/Air Heavy Lift Movement

ITALY – SWITZERLAND – US – The past week witnessed an impressive international project freight forwarding movement undertaken by Austrian based logistics group Gebrüder Weiss when the company arranged and coordinated the delivery of a steel tank weighing a total of over seventy tonnes from the manufacturers in Italy to its final destination in Houston, Texas where it will go into action in a waste incineration plant.

Billions of Dollars Lost to Highway Criminals

CANADA – With cargo thefts costing the country’s road haulage industry in excess of an estimated CA$5 billion a year, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), in partnership with CargoNet, various police agencies and the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), is launching Project Momentum, an initiative to raise awareness of the growing threat of freight crime in the high risk corridor along Highway 401 from the Ontario-Quebec border to Windsor.

FedEx Proposes to Continue Operations Despite Being Ruled Out of Public Utility Contract

PHILIPPINES – When the judiciary comes up against state in virtually any country, casual observers can often sit back and enjoy the ensuing row. After effectively being kicked out of the country this week when a Court ruled that its government-issued freight forwarding licence was invalid, FedEx has apparently vowed to continue operations whilst awaiting the final decision of the Supreme Court after two native logistics firms won a wrongful practice suit.

Case Against Government and National Carrier Prosecuted by International Unions

LUXEMBOURG - TURKEY – As one labour dispute at an air freight carrier seems to be heading for a resolution, another simply sees the relationship between a combined cargo and passenger carrier worsen. Our previous stories (1) (2) have outlined the problems besetting all cargo airline Cargolux and combination carrier Turkish Airlines, but whilst the Luxembourg based outfit has announced details of an agreement with staff, international unions have yesterday lodged another complaint with the International Labour Organization (ILO), an official UN Body, alleging unlawful behaviour by both the national carrier and the Turkish government itself.

Cloud Based System Ready for Final Appraisal After Two Years Work

UK – Having secured £1.3 million in funding from government's Technology Strategy Board and from private investors, FreightArranger®, the online brokerage and tracking system designed to promote multimodal transport, has spent two years perfecting the project and has now completed a closed trial. The intermodal freight brokerage specialist aims to simplify the logistics process to make it easy for consignors to use rail cargo operations in the UK for consignments as small as a single container.

CAD and Predictive Software Makes Designs for Tricky Cargo Movements Easier

WORLDWIDE – According to Per Thornblom, the planning of difficult freight movements using modern technology is allowing logistics providers to set new standards of value and efficiency. Thornblom, Group Project Logistics Manager for the GAC Group, will be addressing the PowerLogistics Asia 2013 conference this October where he will explain why he is embracing the new tools available to shippers with such enthusiasm.

New Customs Processing System Rolled Out for Dutiable Items

UK – Those shippers of wines and spirits, and freight forwarding agents who specialise in this sector, can now handle all their REDS (Registered Excise Dealers and Shippers) transactions through ICE (Integrated Customs for Europe), the new-generation Customs processing system from Impatex. Registered Excise Dealers and Shippers are traders who are approved and registered by HMRC under CEMA 100G to receive, and account for duty on duty-suspended excise goods from other EU Member States. Those registered as REDS must account for duty when the goods are received in the UK. Although the REDS system is intended for traders importing duty suspended excise goods, REDS may also import goods for which the duty has been paid in other Member States and in such cases, the registered user must guarantee the UK excise duty due before the goods are imported to the UK.

Manchester Based Group Achieves Record Year

UK – WORLDWIDE – Times have been tough enough for freight forwarders over the past few years, when companies lose vital employees things can deteriorate quickly, yet despite its share of problems, one UK headquartered logistics group has seen not only a 42% jump in turnover, but experienced the best year in its history. The key to success of course is simply to watch the markets, ensure one is in the right place at the right time, and select the best people for any given situation.

Maersk Triple E Series Continues Ever Larger Trend for Box Boats

CHINA – Yesterday saw the inaugural visit of the world’s largest container vessel, the 18,000 TEU Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller, to Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT), a Hutchison Port Holdings Trust facility, where 1,682 boxes were handled whilst celebrations took place. YICT has now seen virtually all of the world total of 168 ‘mega carriers’, container ships with capacities in excess of 10,000 TEU, with around 95% of the giant vessels calling at the South Eastern Chinese port. One hundred and fifty guests including Shenzhen and Yantian government officials and executives from YICT and shipping line Maersk joined in a ceremony to welcome the ship.

Industry and Authorities Sign Up to First on Scene at Road Accidents Project

UK – Occasionally someone comes up with an idea so simple, so obvious and so important that it would be ridiculous for anyone it may affect not to give it 100% support. HGV truck and bus drivers and other members of the road haulage community may have missed the unveiling of a scheme at this year’s CV (Commercial Vehicle) Show in April, designed to save lives on a daily basis by giving individuals basic instructions on what to do when confronted with a road traffic accident. The scheme, Driver First Assist (DFA), intends to train as many professional drivers as are willing, to mitigate the effect of serious road traffic accidents, something which claimed the lives of over 1,900 people in 2010-11 and which estimates show could be almost halved if immediate first aid was available.

New Report Updates How Faster Steaming and Glut of Ships Can Accommodate Problems - but at a Cost

UK – WORLDWIDE – The latest newsletter from freight forwarding group the British International Freight Association (BIFA) draws attention to the latest Container Insight report from maritime information company Drewry, highlighting the increased risk to movement of container and other shipping through the Suez Canal in the light of the recent unrest in Egypt. Much of the work to prepare the report had undoubtedly already been readied after the problems in the region over the past year or so.

All Options Must be Available to Suit Different Clients Needs

UK – WORLDWIDE - Davies Turner, part of System Alliance Europe (SAE), the grouping of independent freight forwarders which has similar expertise in the logistics required to deliver to town centre locations throughout the Continent, where there are frequently emissions limits, permit issues, and associated local regulations in addition to ‘out of hours’ requirements, has released details of what it calls a ‘complete support package’ suitable for supplying retailers with improved supply chain options.

East Yorkshire Based Company Still Expanding after almost a Century

UK – East Yorkshire headquartered freight forwarding group Neill & Brown Global Logistics has added to its list of overseas partners with the addition of four new agencies in Greece, the Netherlands, Turkey and Japan. As well as benefiting Neill & Brown’s customers exporting from the UK, it also increases import business for the Hessle-based company, which will handle shipments coming to the country on behalf of its new partners.

Short Term Project Converted into Global Commercial Operation

NETHERLANDS – WORLDWIDE – BioPortEurope, the organisation originally set up in 2010 by the Amsterdamse Innovatie Motor (AIM) to facilitate the entry of Indian life science companies into the European market, has been taken over by two of its partners and turned into a commercial enterprise offering a wide range of services including market access, reimbursement, tax, finance, banking, logistics, supply-chain, distribution, warehousing, Customs, finding strategic partners and technology transfer, all now to a global audience. Freight and logistics group IJS Global and Seijgraaf Advisory Group, healthcare financing experts, as the lead partners, have teamed up with Mazars, the global audit, accounting and consulting group, Rabobank and the Amsterdam Economic Board to promote BioPortEurope commercially.

Who's Gone Where, When (and sometimes even Why)

WORLDWIDE – Starting this week’s staff movements in the freight shipping sector is Max Sauberschwarz, Global Head of Carrier and Gateway Air Logistics at Kuehne + Nagel, who has taken over as Chairman of Cargo 2000. Sauberschwarz succeeds Mattijs ten Brink, who has stepped down after moving from his post as Senior Vice President Sales & Distribution for Air France-KLM Cargo to become CEO of the Dutch airline Transavia.

Vehicle Registration Certificate Will be Only Essential Paperwork

BELARUS – RUSSIA – KAZAKHSTAN – The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) has decided to amend certain resolutions of the Customs Union Commission that will create ‘favourable conditions’ for road haulage operators registered in the Member States of the Customs Union; Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. The decision was made after a review of the complaints and suggestions, by Customs services, associations of freight carriers, and traders from the Member States. Under the terms of the deal, carriers will be able to declare trucks used in international transport via a vehicle registration certificate.

As Usual Inter Island Links Prove as Troublesome as Ever

UK – Last Thursday (18 July) the shipping union RMT announced that the work to rule strategy which its members had employed in tandem with those from the Nautilus and Unite trades unions, was liable to escalate after its members rejected what it described as a ‘derisory’ pay offer in a secret ballot in the ongoing dispute with Orkney Ferries. The company provides RoRo freight and passenger inter-island services on nine routes between Orkney and thirteen island destinations. In what can only be described as a thinly veiled threat RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

Liebherr Adds to a Burgeoning Portfolio in Regional Cargo Ports

POLAND – We often have cause to feature Liebherr container cranes as global sales build up, but the materials handling group has a wide portfolio of equipment, and our photograph shows two LPS 600 mobile harbour cranes positioned for dedicated bulk handling, which have recently been installed on the southern Baltic coast for operation in the port of Gdansk. Bulk material handling throughout the port accounts for 25% of freight throughput and the new units will assist greatly in the shipping of various commodities. In total, Liebherr has delivered eleven mobile harbour cranes for cargo handling to Polish ports, confirming the company’s position as the market leader locally.

Crackdown Catches Numerous Rogue Drivers and Illegal Vehicles

UK – A task force comprising elements of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), West Midlands Police, Central Motorway Patrol Group and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), has carried out an investigation into suspected fraudulent activities within the West Midlands road haulage and logistics sector. The combined task force targeted drivers on the M6 and M42, earlier this month, suspected of tax evasion and criminal activity. Task forces such as this are likely to be an ongoing feature as funding has been made available through the Government’s £917 million spending review investment to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and fraud from 2011-12, which aims to raise an additional £7 billion each year by 2014-15. Bob Gaiger, an HMRC representative, said:

Self-Sharpening Structure Leads to Cleaner Cuts with Less Applied Pressure

EUROPE – Diversified technology company, 3M has introduced a range of bonded abrasive grinding wheels into the European market which are set to offer an innovative new approach to the grinding process wheels, and which the company claims will prove ideal for the shipbuilding industry. Suitable for heavy weld removal as well as numerous other grinding applications, the Cubitron II Bonded Abrasive Grinding Wheels are capable of delivering extremely high cut rates on an extensive range of metals utilising new technology.

ITF Signs Up Independent Pilots Association

US – The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) which represents over four and a half million workers in one hundred and fifty countries, has added another union to the seven hundred or so which share the alliance it forms. The addition of the US based Independent Pilots Association (IPA) which represents 2600 UPS airline pilots, is considered key by the ITF to the development of a department related to research and analysis of supply chain and logistics companies such as freight carriers UPS, FedEx, DHL, TNT, and DPD/GeoPost.

New Scheme to Deter Catalytic Converter Thieves Can be Utilised Retrospectively Free of Charge

UK – Road haulage operators, particularly parcel express carriers, are warned that with organised gangs nationwide targeting catalytic converters because of the high values of the platinum, rhodium, palladium and other precious metals it employs to clean exhaust emissions, many vans and trucks are vulnerable to this kind of theft due to their relatively high ground clearance. On several occasions police have caught suspects red-handed with batches of catalytic converters, but have been unable to bring cases to court because they had no way of proving they were stolen. Now, Mercedes-Benz van dealer Hughes of Aylesbury, has joined forces with Thames Valley Police in a crime-busting initiative designed to thwart metal thieves.

Minister Releases 'Action for Roads' Plan and Favours Electric Vehicles

UK – Yesterday the government released its blueprint for ‘Roads for the 21st Century’ stating it will implement reforms to tackle what it terms ‘decades of underinvestment’. There will be half a billion pounds made available in extra funding to promote electric vehicles plus £12 billion for road maintenance and resurfacing. There was also the launch of a Roads Command Paper ‘Action for Roads’ dealing specifically with English roads. The reforms proposed have been broadly welcomed by road haulage interests including the Freight Transport Association (FTA) as detailed in our story at the beginning of this month.

Another Rail Mounted Gantry Order for Finnish Firm

AUSTRALIA – FINLAND – Intermodal business development continues to grow in Oceania and are proving of benefit to crane manufacturers in Europe. The last few weeks have witnessed major order deliveries in New Zealand for Liebherr and now Finnish based group Konecranes has announced it has received an order for four Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) cranes from Pacific National (PN), Australia’s largest private rail freight operator. The four RMG cranes will lift containers off trains and onto trucks and vice versa. The cranes will include advanced features that further improve the ground personnel and truck driver safety as well as the productivity in the shipping terminals.

New Facility Triple Available Dock Doors

US – Despite complaints that worldwide air freight is suffering of late, some seem to be surviving better than others using a combination of supply chain service talents and Ceva Logistics has just announced it will relocate to new premises in Richmond, Virginia in late summer this year. Ceva serves virtually the entire state of Virginia from its Richmond facility, including the state’s major port in Norfolk, the city of Roanoke to the west, and south across the North Carolina border.

More Sailings on Some Routes - and Less on Others

WEST AFRICA – SPAIN – CHINA – EUROPE – Three container shipping lines have joined together to launch a second West Africa Service. The three partners Taiwan based Evergreen Line, South Korean Hanjin Shipping and Kuwaiti headquartered United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), will extend their Spanish – West African offering whilst the two former companies have agreed to a reduction of services on their mutual China to Europe cooperation from October to December.

Change of Rules Elicits Strong Reaction from Longshore Union

US – The dispute in the Pacific NorthWest ports which we featured in January and predicted a possible lock out of workers by the grain processors concerned has taken another turn as each side accuses the other of dirty tactics. As we foretold the subsequent banning of dock staff from their workplaces duly came about and now the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has denigrated a move by the United States Coastguard, saying it eliminates workers’ rights to free speech.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines Uses Mobile Phone Updates

RUSSIA – WORLDWIDE – The type of customer associated with the heavy lift cargo industry can, unsurprisingly, be the most nervous of types. With hundreds of thousands (and sometimes millions) of pounds worth of outsize and heavyweight freight in the air, all forwarders will understand that jangling nerves come with the territory. Now to try and keep their customers medical bills a little lower customers of Volga-Dnepr Airlines can now track their cargo using SMS messages.

'Efficiency Measurements are Effective'

SWITZERLAND – Once again comes the time of the year when we delve into the half-way point for financial results of companies in the freight and shipping industry. The Swiss headquartered freight forwarding and logistics group Kuehne + Nagel says it saw its second quarter results gain momentum after a positive trend in the first three months of 2013. During the first six months of 2013, turnover increased by 3.3% to CHF 10,394 million, from CH 10,062 million in 2012, and gross profit by 2.6% to CHF 3,112 million, from last year’s figure of CHF 3,032 million.

Kerry Acquires Controlling Interest in South American Network

BRAZIL – HONG KONG - Kerry Logistics, Hong Kong based freight forwarding group has cemented ties with its long term partner in Brazil, Braservice, by acquiring a majority stake in the Customs brokerage and logistics provider with whom it has worked for the past seven years. Braservice maintains a domestic network of seventeen offices throughout the country, including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. Founded in 1991, Braservice has developed into a leading provider of supply chain solutions focused on the Brazilian and Latin American markets, with a special focus on fast moving consumer goods, automotive, fashion and lifestyle.

CMA CGM Upgrades 'Panama Direct' Offering

EUROPE – US – WEST INDIES – SOUTH AMERICA –SOUTH PACIFIC – AUSTRALIA – NEW ZEALAND – PANAMA - CMA CGM, third largest of the world’s container shipping lines, has upgraded its Round the World ‘Panama Direct’ service from a fortnightly to a weekly frequency, as from 18 September 2013 with the departure of the CMA CGM Manet from Tilbury. Port rotation will be as follows:

Appeal to People of Somalia

SOMALIA – Having exhausted all other avenues the families’ of the crew of the Albedo, the vessel hijacked by pirates in November 2010 and which sank last week, have issued an appeal via the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP), to families in Somalia which may be in a position to assist in freeing their loved ones. The appeal includes a reminder to the pirates that Allah will consider how the victims are treated, with the responsibility for their well-being entirely dependent on their captors.

Russian Airline Begins Weekly Services

UK – RUSSIA – London Stansted Airport has boosted its cargo network this week with the launch of weekly flights between the UK’s third busiest cargo airport and Moscow, by Russian carrier Transaero. The new service not only provides a direct link to Moscow but also access to multiple connections across Transaero's wide-ranging network and has been specifically developed to cater for increased demand from freight forwarders. Cargo Business Development Manager, Conan Busby of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which acquired the airport in February of this year, said:

Very Narrow Aisle Technology Brings More Repeat Orders to Maintain Food Supply Chain

UK – INDIA – Very narrow aisle (VNA) forklift trucks can assist in boosting production by utilising a racking system which cuts down the amount of floor space required for an amount of items and often prove the best option for many in the supply chain. When ITC, one of India’s largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food companies needed six forklift trucks suitable for use in such an environment, it turned to its long term supplier, articulated forklift truck manufacturer, Flexi Narrow Aisle, to assist with an urgent order for air freight to India.

Azerbaijan Airline Purchases 747-8 Freighters

AZERBAIJAN - US - Silk Way Airlines, a cargo carrier based in Baku, Azerbaijan, yesterday announced an order for two Boeing 747-8 freighters valued at $704 million at current list prices. The air freight operator currently operates Boeing 747-400 and 767-300 freighters. It is considered as one of the leading cargo airlines in Central Asia providing full-fledged services to Europe and the United Kingdom and the Middle East, as well as the Far East including Korea, China and Hong Kong as well as serving numerous international destinations through a network of alliances. Zaur Akhundov, President of SW Holding, the parent company of Silk Way Airlines, commented:

Giant Rig Successfully Taken from Brazil to African Coast

NETHERLANDS – BRAZIL – CONGO –Louis Dreyfus Armateurs is probably best known to many freight operators as a company which operates RoRo ferries under the LD Lines banner but amongst the French group’s interests is the tow and salvage operation run by Fairmount Marine. Based in the Netherlands, a hub for many similar specialists, Fairmount runs a string of five modern super tugs of 205 tons bollard pull each, especially designed for long distance towing, plus a multipurpose support vessel.

Peters & May Retained Until 2017

UK – Southampton-based boat transportation specialists Peters & May, has been re-appointed as Official Shipping Supplier of The British Sailing Team, extending the partnership until at least 2017. Peters & May takes great pride in being an official supplier to the most successful Olympic sailing nation in the world and, having supported the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and the British Sailing Team logistics effort for over 15 years, the company's specialist Racing Department is prepared for the challenges of another four-year competitive cycle, in the run up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016. RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park, said:

Fourth Year of UK Youth Training Scheme Whilst Korea Sees Healthcare Market Continue to Grow

UK - SOUTH KOREA - LAOS - News from Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Schenker this week, as the freight forwarding company announces the fourth annual intake of apprentices to be schooled in logistics across the UK, whilst in Asia the group opened a new centre in South Korea to provide healthcare and pharmaceutical supply chain services and strengthened its hand in Laos.

OECD International Transport Forum Data Gives Insight on Investment Levels

WORLDWIDE – Freight and other transport lobbies are pressing for more multi modal facilities and the latest report from the OECD, Spending on Transport Infrastructure 1995-2011, has just been published giving an insight into how investment by the developed nations which comprise the organisations thirty four strong membership, has levelled out generally, whilst the transition economies are rising to meet the needs, particularly of the road capital network, by spending more of their gross domestic product (GDP) every year and some key nations are underspending due to budgetary constraints.

Whilst the MOL Comfort and Albedo Disappear Beneath the Waves the Emma Maersk is set to Sail Again

WORLDWIDE – The fore part of the MOL Comfort finally sank in the high seas near 19'56"N 65'25"E, where the water depth exceeds 3 kilometres, at 19:00 UTC on July 10. On June 17, the 90,000 dwt dry cargo carrier had split in two, en route to Colombo after loading in Saudi Arabia. Ten days later, the aft part sank. From then, things got worse for the rest of the container ship as on July 6, a fire broke out on the rear end of her fore part, further adding to the major headache for shipping insurers.

UK Group Producing Valves for an Assortment of New Generation Vessels

UK - GERMANY - JAPAN – WORLDWIDE – As the use of gas as opposed to traditional marine fuels, spreads, the need for specialised technology becomes ever more crucial. Cryogenic equipment is an essential component for a fuel such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) which is stored at −162 °C (−260 °F) during transport but must be reconverted back from its liquid form when used. Now UK-based Bestobell Valves, part of the President Engineering Group (PEGL), has won a major new contract to supply cryogenic valves to TGE (Marine Gas Engineering) in Germany for two fuel-efficient dual-fuel cruise liners.

Adapting Pallet and Stacker Trucks Could Encourage More Employers to Offer Jobs

UK - WORLDWIDE – The stigma which has traditionally been attached to disabled in the workforce has finally started to evaporate, particularly in the light of some truly outstanding achievements by those affected in various ways. The Paralympic events in London last summer opened the eyes of the world to just what was achievable by those who are in some way less able bodied, but materials handling group, Jungheinrich, has taken a positive step to transferring the undoubted, yet often wasted, skills of the disabled, into the logistics workplace.

TT Club Appoints Subcontinental Network Partner

INDIA – In a move designed to further enhance its service to its members, insurance and logistics risk management specialists TT Club, has appointed Pandi Correspondents (Mumbai) Pvt Limited, which has offices in Chennai, Kolkata and Goa in addition to its head office, as a network partner in India. TT Club specialises in the insurance of liabilities and equipment for multi modal operators and counts some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals amongst its clientele. Pandi will be integrated into TT Club's claims IT system and has been delegated claims handling authority. Phillip Emmanuel, leader of the TT Club's operations in Asia-Pacific said:

Hub Sees Specially Kitted Out Facility to Deal with Every Contingency

SPAIN – ITALY – Hazardous goods can be a profitable area for freight forwarders but always demand strict disciplines to ensure safety. This fact means either companies fight shy of dealing with them or, regrettably, sometimes rely on outdated handling procedures. Supply chain management company, Ceva Logistics has now expanded its services provided at its multiuser hub in Ontigola, Spain, by building a 240m2 specialist chemical storage facility, as part of the company’s commitment to providing best in class services. The chemical storage area is an independent fire fighting area separated from the other storage areas by a brick wall, and the zone is equipped with specialist fire fighting equipment including sprinklers and manholes placed in every door to collect any possible spill of product.

Specific Skills Lacking and Problems Exacerbated by Non Cooperation

UK – We wrote last week of the very successful United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) lunch and Awards ceremony and detailed the various winners from the freight and logistics sector. The UKWA membership controls around a million square feet of storage space and chairman, John Maguire, who took over the post two years ago, is the first in the organisation’s sixty nine year history who does not hail from a third party logistics company, being the sales director of articulated forklift truck manufacturer, Flexi Narrow Aisle Ltd. in his ‘real job’.

Cape Town will now take Responsibility for Vast Business Area

DUBAI - EGYPT - SOUTH AFRICA - Dubai headquartered international freight forwarding and logistics group GAC has relocated its Regional Office for Africa, Russia and Central Asia from Cairo, Egypt, to Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town is the hub for many oil & gas customers in Sub-Saharan Africa and the relocation of the office better places the team to support this market. The volatile situation within the Middle Eastern country may of course have been a factor in the decision. Erland Ebbersten, Group Vice President for the Region, said:

Chinese Contract Marks Out the Future for Asian Yards

CHINA – Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is in many ways the 'Great White Hope' of the shipping industry, with a market which is expected to grow exponentially whilst other sectors, such as container shipping, worry about overcapacity, last month saw Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed the classification contract for six 174,000 m3 LNG tankers to be built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd. The ships will be fitted with medium speed MAN B&W dual fuel diesel engine (DFDE) systems which will enable the ship to burn both gas and fuel oil, supplying power to twin electric motors and twin shafts. The intention would be to primarily burn gas. The LNG containment systems will be the NO96 type.

Your Chance to Recognise Those of the Fairer Sex Who Excel within Our Industry

UK – The deadline for nominations for the Women in Logistics Charity Ball and Awards Night has been extended to July 15, giving you an extra week to select those in the road haulage, freight forwarding and other logistics roles who challenge pre-conceptions and are outstanding role models in what is still a male-centric industry; and organisations demonstrating commitment and innovation in attracting, developing and retaining women. As an added bonus, road haulage charity Transaid, which does so much work improving the safety of road freight and other transport, will again benefit directly from the charity ball, following last year’s successful haul of £8000 from the Women in Logistics Summer Ball.

After Almost Three Years of Captivity Cargo Vessel Capsizes in Rough Seas

SOMALIA – After almost three years in the hands of pirates at an anchorage close to the Somali Coast, the Malaysian flagged freighter, MV Albedo, has sunk in rough seas. The whereabouts of her 15 crew members is still to be confirmed as an EU Naval Force warship and a maritime patrol aircraft have closed off the surrounding area of sea and are carrying out a search and rescue operation for any survivors from the 15,566 dwt cargo ship.

EU Commission Proposes Huge Fines and Rushes through Action on Short Sea Delays

EU – BELGIUM - Europe imports and exports 4,221 tonnes worth €6.3 million, utilising 534 Customs declarations whilst 219 counterfeit items are seized, every single minute. These facts from an EU Commission video accompany today’s announcement that the Commission has set out details to ease custom formalities for ships, reducing red tape, cutting delays in ports and making the sector more competitive. The move comes after intense lobbying by freight forwarders and exporters complaining that if they chose to send goods across Europe by short sea shipping, the heavy administrative burden at ports causes additional costs and significant delays with ships sometimes waiting days in ports for customs clearance. Meanwhile Belgium is cited over safe truck parks, road information and accident investigation delays.

Multi-Purpose Rickmers Chennai Christened as Insolvent Companies Box Feeders Join Fleet

GERMANY - MIDDLE EAST - INDIA – WORLDWIDE - Rickmers-Linie has christened one of the group’s multi-purpose vessels, the Rickmers Chennai, at a ceremony in Hamburg. The ship, formerly the Pacific Winter, was named last week in a ceremony in Hamburg, by Dr Christine Winter, daughter of owner Heino Winter, acting as sponsor of the vessel. The previous week the company announced it has contracted to buy five more feeder size, 2,200 TEU container ships at a cost of over $30 million.

NEAX Service Partners Advise of Improved Options

ASIA – AUSTRALIA – Evergreen, one of the five container shipping line partners which make up the North East Asia Australia service (NEAX), advise us there will be service adjustments commencing on the 4th August from Yokohama. Evergreen says the service adjustment will not only improve schedule integrity but will also provide a direct link from Qingdao and shorten the transit time from Shanghai and Ningbo to Australian ports.

New Rules Explained as Compulsory Registration Date Looms with 92% of Our Industry's Staff Affected

UK – Amongst the host of changes that tends to come along in partnership with a change of government there have been major changes in the way pensions will affect the average employer/employee. All over the country those employed in the transport sector, from freight forwarders through road haulage operators and port and shipping personnel, 92% of current workers will have to be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme by their employers. Currently only 44% of those employees are enrolled into a scheme.

APC Partner Installs Road Monkey to Boost Production

UK – One of the best known names on the British parcel delivery circuit will benefit from new technology now installed into the vans of one of its subsidiary companies. APC Overnight is the UK’s largest next day network and the carrier is owned and run by independent local delivery specialists. Now Lines Distribution Services, the APC Overnight road haulage member for Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Border regions, has invested in Route Monkey technology to help it further enhance its customer services, while also increasing vehicle utilisation, cutting road miles and reducing transport planning time.

Liebherr Extends its Presence throughout Oceania

IRELAND – NEW ZEALAND – Last November we pointed out that the ports of New Zealand simply couldn’t get enough of container equipment sourced from materials handling group Liebherr when the Port of Tauranga, on New Zealand’s North Island, placed an order which included a new Liebherr super post Panamax ship to shore (STS) crane, and three new straddle carriers all of which arrived recently and were centre stage in a ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new NZ$30 million, 170 metre extension to Tauranga’s Sulphur Point Wharf as the port prepares for shipping lines to serve it with ever larger vessels.

Panalpina Cements Further Relations with Arcese Espana

SWITZERLAND - SPAIN – GERMANY - EUROPE – Third party logistics and freight forwarding group Panalpina is to extend the cooperation it currently enjoys with Arcese, fellow freight agents and international road haulage outfit. The Swiss and Italian groups have seen seven of Panalpina’s German offices working together with Arcese Espana SAU for more than a year and now two more are to be included in the groupage network.

MOL Comfort and Emma Maersk Situations Managed in Different Styles as Insurers and Shipbuilders Watch Developments

JAPAN – DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – In the past few months we have witnessed two major incidents involving recently built container vessels, one with a direct affect principally on the ship’s owners, Maersk Line, and the other, the recent foundering of the MOL Comfort, which will have ramifications for so many in the supply chain, from suppliers through freight forwarding agents, insurers and not least, shipbuilders.

Illegal Consignment Intercepted en route to Malaysia as More Endangered Species Found in Philippines

KENYA – UGANDA – MALAYSIA – PHILIPPINES – Kenyan officials intercepted a shipping container at the Port of Mombasa containing 775 pieces of elephant ivory, weighing 1,300 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of KES29.5 million ($354,000). The illegal cargo, en route from Uganda to Port Klang, Malaysia, was seized by a joint team of representatives from the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Revenue Authority and Kenya Ports Authority on July 2. Paul Udoto, Corporate Communications Manager at the Kenya Wildlife Service, said:

Chapman Freeborn Extends Services Across the Continent

SOUTH AFRICA – CONGO – Air cargo charter broker, Chapman Freeborn, has launched a number of scheduled air cargo services from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Lubumbashi and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, to further unlock the continent’s potential for its international client base. Utilising a DC8-73F aircraft with a capacity of 40 tonnes, the dedicated schedule will depart every Thursday from Johannesburg, and the initial flight for the new freight service took off on June 20.

RediGroup Push Product into Middle East

UK – QATAR – Pallet racking specialists RediRack has signed a distribution agreement with Qatar-based Darwish Trading Company. The agreement will see Darwish take on responsibility for the sale, installation and on-going maintenance support of RediRack’s range of adjustable frame and beam racking as well as RediFloor’s mezzanine floor and steel structures across Qatar and elsewhere in the Gulf region. RediRack and RediFloor are part of the RediGroup of companies and the five sectors covered by the umbrella company aim to offer a single contact point for anyone wishing to develop any facet of the supply chain infrastructure when in a build environment. Andrew Forsythe, RediGroup Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Anthony Foxx Officially Sworn In together with other High Profile Hirings (don't mention the Firings)

US – This month’s logistics industry appointments began with one of the most heavyweight, and is of particular relevance to those in the North American road haulage, ocean shipping and air freight sectors as Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx was sworn in as the nation’s 17th Secretary of Transportation by Judge Nathaniel Jones in a private ceremony at US Department of Transportation headquarters on July 2.

Transaid Charity Benefits as UKWA Lunch Celebrates the Best of the Best

UK – A brass quintet in the auspicious surroundings of the Dorchester Hotel in London’s Park Lane set the mood for the annual United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) annual lunch and awards ceremony. Incredibly this was the 69th such meeting of the great and the good of Britain’s warehousing and logistics community and certainly things would have been very different at that first gathering, taking place as it did just as the tide of war, which had plagued the world for five long years, was turning, and the Battle of Normandy raged on, deciding the fate of a continent.

Container Alternative to Classic Out of Gauge Shipping Saves Time, Money and Distress

UK – UAE – The trick to any project freight forwarding job is to ensure all the planning is done prior to shipment in order to avoid those hidden difficulties which differentiate this type of export from the common or garden consignments which make up a cargo agents normal week. Sometimes a job comes along which, with a little thought can be made not just fairly simple, but, by clever use of containers, can be completed at comparatively minimal cost. Tuscor Lloyds has just managed such a shipment of a consignment of steel cable reels, some exceeding fifteen tonnes, which were required in Jebel Ali for the construction of a government project.

Panamax Vessels and Perceived Traffic Upswing Prompt Investment and Planning Proposals

IRELAND – The Port of Cork has announced an investment of €3 million in new plant equipment following an agreement with crane manufacturer, Liebherr. The investment includes a new LHM 550 Mobile Harbour Crane which will be in operation at Ringaskiddy deep-water Berth. The new crane will enhance the Port of Cork’s capabilities in handling Panamax size vessels and is critical to efficient bulk and container discharge operations in Ringaskiddy. The Swiss headquartered holding company has a long association with the region with Liebherr Container Cranes based in nearby Killarney (a town which even has a street named for the company’s patriarch, Dr Hans Liebherr).

Brockman Investigating All Possibilities to See the Export Goods Come to Market

AUSTRALIA – If the quantities of freight are large enough no development can faze the giant mining corporations when it comes to getting their product to market despite the logistics difficulties they are bound to face. The Marillana Project, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia is the flagship of Brockman Mining with over 1.6 billion tonnes of iron ore to be excavated, and now the company is making plans to export product by investing in a rail haulage link, and accompanying port infrastructure to facilitate shipping the ore in bulk.

Konecranes to Build their Biggest Ship to Shore Units Yet

FINLAND – US – BRAZIL – Materials handling equipment manufacturer, Konecranes recently announced that it has received an order worth $56 million from the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) for three Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes and four Super Post Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, the biggest Konecranes STS cranes ever built. The STS cranes will be shipped to the container port’s Barbours Cut Terminal in late 2014 and supplied during the first quarter of 2015, while the RTG’s will be delivered to Bayport Terminal in spring 2014.

Mundra Gets Third Box Facility

INDIA – SWITZERLAND – Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Ltd, part of the Adani Group, and the world’s second largest container shipping line, Swiss headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) have formed a joint venture to operate ‘Adani International Container Terminal Private Ltd’ (AICTPL), a new freight terminal in the South Basin at Mundra Port, Gujarat. The new terminal, the third container facility at Mundra Port, will have a capacity of 1.5 million TEU. Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman Adani Group, said:

Intertek Appointed as Conformity Assessment Contractors

GABON – The Central African government will launch the country’s new Conformity Assessment Programme on the 5th July and the Agence Gabonnaise de Normalisation (AGANOR) has appointed Intertek as Sole provider of Certificate Services to support the programme known as Programme Gabonais d Evaluation de la Conformité (PROGEC) which will control the import of regulated products into the country. Exporters to Gabon should ensure that goods which require certification undergo proper evaluation prior to shipping.

Slightly Sceptical Note at Treasury Chiefs Announcement as Better and More Regular Training Advised

UK – The news that the government is to invest over £28 billion between 2014 and 2020 to maintain and enhance Britain’s road network was naturally welcomed by the country’s freight and road haulage community. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) was quick to praise the acknowledgement in a speech by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander that the highway infrastructure was essential, but RHA Chief Executive, Geoff Dunning, added a cautionary note, saying that while welcoming the commitment of £10 billion in road repairs between 2015-16 and 2020-21, the RHA is concerned that for some areas, these repairs will come too late. £6 billion of that commitment has been earmarked for Local Authorities to fill the equivalent of 19 million pot holes a year. Mr Dunning said:

Polypropylene Material Offers Strength and Chemical Resistance

UK - Panel Systems, suppliers of bespoke sandwich panels, says it has seen a huge surge in demand for ThermHex, an innovative polypropylene honeycomb material which was launched into the UK market at the beginning of 2013. Manufactured in Germany, the honeycomb material has recently received official approval from Germanischer Lloyd, the independent advisory body and certification agency for the maritime industry, for use in shipbuilding, whilst it’s twin properties of strength coupled with a weight saving of over 85% on a like for like thickness of plywood, make it ideal when constructing truck and trailer bodies for commercial vehicles.

Distribution Will Span Twenty One Countries from October

EUROPE – Food distribution can prove a tricky market, especially when time and temperature sensitive groupage quantities are involved. Earlier this month at the Transport Logistics Trade Fair held in Munich, twelve leading freight operatives unveiled the ‘European Food Network’ a cooperative operation across twenty one countries. All the participants are long established, independent family enterprises and the intention is to operate services under a common and recognisable set of names no matter which partners are involved in the transport of the goods.

Eleven Years for Manslaughter Which Judge ruled as 'Utterly Foreseeable'

UK – After yet another serious prosecution of a freight company, a father and son who ran AJ Haulage, a Daventry, Northamptonshire-based road haulage firm on behalf of 99p Stores, have been sentenced to a total of 11 years after they were found guilty of the manslaughter of one of their drivers after he fell asleep at the wheel of his 39 tonne Renault truck whilst ignoring hours of service regulations. 54 year old Adrian John McMurray and 36 year old Adrian Paul McMurray also admitted to cheating the PAYE and National Insurance system of £896,050 between 2005 and 2010. 99p Stores had no part in the operation of the subcontractor’s trucks.

Vehicle Tracking and Accident Recording Also Both Possible Using Established Technology

UK – Freight and fuel theft always increase when the economy is in comparatively poor health whilst accidents, although much reduced over recent years, are an ever present danger for road haulage operator and private motorist alike. Now, using already available and proven technology, but combining various elements into one cohesive package, Cobra UK says it can, not only provide live video security, but also produce useable evidence of fault in accident situations.

Tender Process Will Source from both American and Foreign Suppliers

US – Ocean shipping company, Horizon Lines, has announced that it plans to convert the power plants on two of its steam turbine cargo vessels to modern diesel engines capable of burning conventional liquid fuels or liquefied natural gas (LNG) in order to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. The company is the only ocean cargo carrier serving all three noncontiguous domestic freight markets of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico from the continental United States utilising fourteen fully Jones Act qualified vessels. Sam Woodward, President and Chief Executive Officer said: