Shipping Search - Archive

Practicalities for Small Hauliers Ignored as Cyclists and Pedestrians Protected

UK – In the eyes of the road haulage community in the capital the new London mayor, Sadiq Khan. Is not covering himself in glory with his latest pronouncement which decrees that 35,000 or so trucks which he deems have ‘insufficient visibility’ from the cab will be banned from travelling on the roads of the metropolis by 2020. The mayor’s plans do not stop there, under the new ‘star system’ proposed, five stars being those with excellent visibility, only lorries rated as three stars (good) or above will be allowed access to London’s roads by 2024.

Various Alleged Frauds and Irregularities Net the FMC More Cash

US – The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has recovered a total of $338,000 in civil penalties after completing several compromise agreements with various ocean freight companies. The agreed penalties resulted from investigations conducted by the Commission’s Area Representatives from around the country, and settlements with the parties involved, namely six ocean transportation intermediaries (both non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs) and freight forwarders). As so often happens with these cases the parties settled and agreed to penalties, but did not admit to violations of the Shipping Act or Commission regulations. FMC Chairman Mario Cordero said:

Chinese Influence in Middle East Expands with Joint Venture

UAE – CHINA – Abu Dhabi Ports (AD Ports) has signed a container terminal concession agreement with COSCO Shipping Ports Limited (CSPL SPV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Ports, which will see the Chinese firm operate the new Khalifa Port Container Terminal which offers a draft depth of 18 metres for box vessels, with 1200 metres of quay wall and adjacent land which might have a variety of freight and logistics related uses.

Kitack Lim Speaks to Shippers Around the Globe

WORLDWIDE – Today is World Maritime Day and a forum is being held at IMO Headquarters in London this afternoon to discuss and celebrate the occasion. An eminent panel will discuss global shipping's future challenges with opportunity for questions. The event will be live-streamed to media and the wider public. Live stream participants will be invited to take part via Twitter using the following handle and hashtag: @IMOHQ #WMDforum. Additionally a video message is available in which the Secretary General, Kitack Lim, speaks of the importance of the shipping industry.

US Authorities Lambasted After Hanjin Employees Detained Onboard

US – SOUTH KOREA – WORLDWIDE – One of our previous stories on the fate of the container shipping line Hanjin illustrated some of the human tragedy facing the crews of ships which are in limbo, some apparently still awaiting a destination port which will accept them with previous harbour dues etc. remaining unpaid. Delay of the freight carried on the vessels is one thing but now the global labour organisation, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) informs us that the situation for some Hanjin employees remains unresolved.

World's Largest Container Companies Suspected

SOUTH AFRICA – The South African Competition Commission is conducting search and seizure operations at the premises of six cargo shipping companies operating in the Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal provinces. The Commission initiated the search and seizure operation as part of an ongoing investigation, after receiving information from a member of the public alleging that the ocean freight firms contravened the Competition Act by colluding in anti-competitive activities and the Commission is warning of dire consequences should evidence of cartel activity be discovered which might harm the interests of freight forwarders and other shippers.

Forwarders and Logistics Outfits Invited to Apply as Deadline Extended

UK – The British International Freight Association (BIFA), has extended the deadline for its annual Freight Service Awards competition, which are open to all members of the trade association. The deadline for entry registration has been extended by one week to September 30th, with written award entry submissions due by October 14th.

New Narrow Aisle Model Added to Range

UK – Narrow Aisle Ltd, makers of the Flexi range of articulated trucks, has introduced a new model, the Flexi AC NANO TW/FW pedestrian operated VNA truck. This addition to the portfolio is offered as a low-cost alternative to companies in the warehouse and retail logistics sectors who want to achieve the space saving and storage efficiencies associated with Narrow Aisle’s top-selling Flexi articulated truck range but for whom a pedestrian-operated Flexi is the ideal solution.

Global Leader Launches New Cargo Product

WORLDWIDE – DHL Global Forwarding has launched a new air freight service offering forwarding customers a mission critical solution for emergency shipments. The new DHL SameDay Speedline covers urgent delivery of spare parts, critical medical supplies or newly launched products, with benefits such as 24/7/365 pickup and delivery, collection within 120 minutes and quotations within 60 minutes.

India and China Are Stepping Up Their Games

INDIA – CHINA – A quick look at the latest advances in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and its relevance to the logistics industry sees serious advances in India with the first ever GPS monitored road haulage movement between India and Bangladesh. The initial trial of the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement whereby vehicles can enter any of the four nations’ territory without the need to tranship goods from one country’s truck to another, has now been successfully undertaken.

Maersk Revamp Means Major Reshuffle

DENMARK – Plenty of staff changes in the world of freight and logistics which this week begins with the major reshuffle at the top of the Danish shipping conglomerate AP Møller –Mærsk. Following the recent announcement of the group splitting its activities into two divisions, Søren Skou will be the CEO of the new Transport & Logistics division, which includes container and port sectors, as well as continuing as Group CEO of Mærsk. Claus Hemmingsen will be appointed Group Vice CEO of Mærsk effective October 1 and CEO for the Energy division.

The Shift in the Cab May Not be the Only One to Worry About

AUSTRALIA – WORLDWIDE – In an interesting piece in the New York Times last week Michelle Innis pointed out one of those little known geological facts that might have a major bearing on future deliveries of freight, particularly in the light of current and future developments in sectors such as home deliveries of goods, or autonomous trucks. With these technological developments relying ever more on precise locations derived from GPS information, it appears we may have more than rogue sunspots knocking out satellite communications to worry about.

New Equipment and Route Enhancements for Box Lines

FRANCE – GERMANY – SPAIN – UK – News concerning a couple of freight and logistics companies under the CMA CGM banner with subsidiaries OPDR of Hamburg and Manchester based MacAndrews & Company due to take delivery of 4,000 new 40 foot pallet wide high cube containers. With the advantage of offering floor space for up to 5 more europallets these boxes will appeal to customers looking to stow up to 30 pallets of cargo, whilst the extra 30 centimetres in height provides even more useable capacity. The two companies are sourcing the containers from their French parent group.

Despite the Syrian Aid Convoy Murders the Industry Keeps Giving

UK – WORLDWIDE –Nothing can express the horror of seeing the aid convoy destroyed in Syria this week with trucks of stores burnt out, their drivers coldly murdered. Once again those trying to help their fellow man have been killed for a political end and one can only hope that the long arm of justice one day reaches out to claim the guilty. As usual through all this mayhem the freight and logistics community continues to punch above its weight when it comes to supporting those who are less fortunate. Three lighter stories this week stood out as, a world away from such inhumanity, people in the world of transport once again stepped up.

Cooperation Between Carriers Essential to Maintain Country's Services

US – VENEZUELA – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has filed a request for antitrust immunity with the US Department of Transportation (DoT) to allow freight and passenger airlines to discuss options to maintain connectivity to Venezuela in light of the Venezuelan government’s continuing refusal to release US$3.8 billion in airline funds. Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO observed:

Carriers Really Do Prove to be the Volga Boatmen

RUSSIA – Every freight forwarder worth their salt knows that project forwarding contracts always demand that bit extra, and when Volga-Dnepr Airlines was asked to deliver four Mangust patrol boats to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Far East of Russia the job didn’t stop when the consignment rolled out of the bellies of the two An-124-100 ‘Ruslan’ aircraft upon landing; additional logistics services included the launching of the boats at the port of Korsakov!

Mission to Seafarers Offers Help Wherever Possible

SOUTH KOREA – WORLDWIDE – Following its application to the Court to file for bankruptcy most attention which the Hanjin container line saga has drawn has been for the fate of the cargoes and the situation for shippers and consignees which are being asked to pay, at least in part, for the debacle. Our article on September 13 listed some of the fees being asked for release of goods and naturally companies are concerned about the fate of their shipments. Now however, amongst others, global maritime welfare charity, The Mission to Seafarers, has pointed out the potential for human tragedy which the situation brings.

AP Moller Maersk Announces Differing Policies and Growth by Acquisition Intention

DENMARK – WORLDWIDE – Danish maritime behemoth AP Møller Maersk, owner of the world’s largest container fleet, has announced one of the biggest changes to its operations in its 112 year history, with plans to split its businesses into two separate divisions: Transport & Logistics and Energy. AP Møller Maersk will focus on becoming an integrated transport and logistics company at its core, and the Energy related business will be spun off into its own division. Explaining the decision to split the group, Chairman of the Board, Michael Pram Rasmussen said:

A Quick Look at Some Other Global News Items This Week

GERMANY – ITALY – PHILIPPINES – Hamburg based shipping company Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG and Genoa headquartered crew management group Sirius Ship Management have formed an alliance for the recruitment, training and career development of Filipino seafarers in Manila. The partnership evolved from the long relationship between Roy Machart, General Manager of Döhle Group and Filippo Guadagna, CEO of Sirius Ship Management and who say they will use one facility to recruit and train several thousands of Filipino crewmembers.

Simple Idea for Customers Not in Attendance

UK – EUROPE – US – CANADA – The rise of ecommerce has meant that the problems which express parcel carriers face when dealing with home deliveries are manifold and so therefore are the solutions. Earlier this month it was robots tasked with bringing the goods to the door and now a start-up company based in Winchester, Hampshire has arrived at an ingenious but much lower tech idea for customers who are away when the courier’s driver calls which avoids the need for the annoyingly omnipresent ‘Sorry We Missed You’ card.

Expansion at Southampton Facility with More Space Plus New Cranes and Straddle Carriers

UK – Of the two container freight facilities run by DP World in Britain, London Gateway, the new deep water port and logistics park which is currently under development along the Essex bank of the River Thames naturally gets most of the headlines. The importance however of the group’s Southampton terminal should not be underestimated, it currently serves 34 ports globally, and the site is under development all the better to cope with the new generation of ultra large box vessels with more land, container handling equipment and quayside cranes being made available.

Autonomous and Other Advanced Technologies are Relevant to Road Haulage and Logistics

US – As time passes so the speed of change instigated by evolving technologies intrinsically linked to the freight and logistics sectors seems to move ever faster. In a world where drones and airships are mooted as the next big thing the reality is that the changing nature of power trains and the growth of the self driving vehicle are the real stories. We have covered in some detail the coming of autonomous trucks and their future in the road haulage industry and now the US Department of Transportation is issuing Federal policy for automated vehicles, intending to lay a path for the safe testing and deployment of new auto technologies, in vehicles both large and small, and which have enormous potential for improving safety and mobility for American citizens on the road.

Now the StreetScooter Concept Stretches to Larger Vans

GERMANY – Having started with the concept of an electrified bicycle capable of carrying loads up to 50 kilogrammes around a town or city, StreetScooter GmbH, a subsidiary of freight and logistics giant DHL, has progressed through electric tricycles to its ‘Work’ series which are basically small delivery vans, still reliant on electrical power rather than conventional road fuels.

Meanwhile in Canada Future Work and Conditions for All Maritime Staff are Discussed

UK – CANADA – WORLDWIDE – Two major pieces of news this week concerning workers within the maritime sector. One hundred and thirty maritime workers from across 56 countries are meeting in Montreal, Canada to discuss and help shape the future of trade union campaigning in the industry, whilst in Scotland tempers flared over the rewards which ferry workers on some vital freight and passenger routes are to receive after a successful campaign to support the existing management at RoRo outfit CalMac.

IATA Quality Control for Freight Supply Through Cold Chain Airports

US – WORLDWIDE – The demand for temperature management services within the logistics sector continues to grow at a rapid pace due to increasing demand for both foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, and where these are concerned the air freight carriers are often the first port of call. With the increase in regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical logistics, coupled with the constant call for vital supplies, comes the industrywide need to ensure quality handing from all stakeholders. Now American Airlines Cargo has signed with The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) to obtain certification for the handling of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products targeted at supply chain participants.

Environmentally Inclusive Project Will Also Facilitate Training for Staff

UK – Mention Grimsby to most people of a certain age and they still conjure up an image of one of Britain’s most important fishing ports. Sadly those days are mostly gone and the town has declined in many ways since that golden age of the mid twentieth century. Despite having seen its boundaries moved like a tennis rally between Lincolnshire and Humberside, the Port of Grimsby has continued to work under the management of Associated British Ports (ABP) shipping mainly freight such as cars and wind farm equipment, and now comes news of further investment with the development of a £5 million state-of-the-art Marine Control Centre.

DP World UK Facility Getting Busy as Group Concentrates on Staff Development and the Environment

UK – DUBAI – AUSTRALIA – MEDITERRANEAN – A busy week for DP World, the port management group with the announcement that its London Gateway operation on the banks of the River Thames has secured another ocean freight service, this time from French container shipping line CMA CGM which is to operate its NEMO (North European Mediterranean Oceania) together with Hapag Lloyd’s EAX (Europe, Australia Express) combined operation beginning in January 2017. In addition to four port calls at cities in Australia, the service will provide the Port with more direct links between Singapore, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Malta and Italy.

Who Has Taken Up New Posts Within the Industry

UK – Stewart Oades has been appointed to the Board of John Good and Sons Limited, one of the country’s oldest established shipping industry groups, as a Non-Executive Director. John Good says this appointment is a statement of its determination to achieve the long term goal of developing logistics, corporate travel and shipping activities. During his career, Stewart has gained an unrivalled knowledge of the industries in which John Good operates. He has held senior management positions in companies such as Argyll Stores plc, Christian Salveson plc and Exel plc.

Logistics Sector Snippets Today from Around the World

UK – FRANCE – Despite all the ongoing problems with migrants in and around the Calais area, and a slight dip in its passenger traffic, the Channel Tunnel continues to see rising tonnages as road haulage trucks take to the ‘Pipe’. Eurotunnel reports that August 2016 saw record-breaking monthly Truck Shuttle freight traffic for the tenth consecutive month, compared to the corresponding period in previous years. Traffic saw a 24% increase compared to the month of August 2015, with 126,769 vehicles transported. For the period January-August 2016, there has been a 12% increase in traffic compared with the same period of 2015 with over a million units using the service.

New Problems Face Everyone from Pedestrians to Road Haulage Outfits in Future

EUROPE – It had to happen, the dangers presented by autonomous vehicles have been well documented but some of the solutions might, at first glance, appear to be even more off the wall than the original concept itself once did. The latest proposal concerns the car, however the solution, if indeed it proves to be one, is equally, if not more applicable, to delivery vans, freight trucks indeed any road vehicle, haulage or otherwise, which has control independent of its driver. Hence the ‘Smiling Car’ concept.

From IT to Truck Driving - Instruction is Essential for All Aspirants

AUSTRIA – EUROPE – At the beginning of this month 60 young people began their careers at Gebrüder Weiss in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Their chosen careers included freight forwarding agent, operational logistics specialist, IT specialist and truck driver. Some 200 instructors specialising in youth training are in action at Gebrüder Weiss, coaching the trainees during their three and four year training periods.

Demonstrator Aims at Halving Tonne per Mile Consumption

US – Volvo Trucks North America this week showed off its SuperTruck demonstrator, a vehicle designed to slash fuel consumption when laden with freight. The truck draws on all the obvious areas where savings are possible, advanced aerodynamics, vehicle and powertrain technologies, resulting in a freight efficiency improvement of 88%, exceeding the 50% improvement goal set by the original US Department of Energy (DOE) programme.

Emergency Medical Equipment Rushed to Disaster Zone

RUSSIA - Cargo Express, a member of the ACEX Alliance, the Russian global logistics alliance which unites freight forwarders in Russia and the CIS with other agencies worldwide, has recently arranged delivery of humanitarian aid for those suffering from an outbreak of Anthrax. The disease, the first such outbreak for over 70 years in the country had killed at least one child and hospitalised over 100 people by early last month.

Half a Dozen Items from Around the Globe

WORLDWIDE – CHINA – Driven by China's expanding e-commerce business, which already has grown to be the largest in the world, air cargo is expected to become a key driver for the continuous growth of aviation in China, with the need for 180 new freighters and 410 aircraft converted to carry freight only. Today, Boeing jets are the mainstay of China's air travel and cargo system with more than 50% of all the commercial jetliners operating in China being Boeing airplanes. Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes commented:

Report Sets Out Case to Support Track Borne Operations

UK – The release of a new Rail Freight Strategy report by the Department for Transport has been welcomed unreservedly by the country’s rail freight lobby which recognises the importance, both now and in the future, that intermodal transport and bulk carriage has in the logistics sector. Both industry associations, such as the Rail Freight Group, and individual operators were quick to sing the strategy’s praises.

Cooperation Between Heavy Lift Group and Logistics Operator

CHINA – AUSTRALIA – Last month saw a giant Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) module delivered to one of the world’s largest primary lead smelting facilities at Port Pirie in Southern Australia having travelled from the Yanda Module Yard in Jiangsu China. This huge project freight movement was a cooperation between forwarding group Geodis and breakbulk, project cargo and heavy lift shipping operators AAL. The 41 metre long and 21 metre high module weighed 530 tonnes and is the largest component to be shipped for Pirie’s ongoing redevelopment project which will convert the aged smelter into a modern multi metals processing and recovery facility.

Confused Global Situation with Cargo Held as Some Money Arrives

SOUTH KOREA – WORLDWIDE – The collapse of the container shipping line Hanjin has caused immense problems for shippers worldwide. Full details of the company’s demise has been detailed on previous stories but the fallout from the failure of the group continues. Hanjin owns 89 box ships and about half of them were on the water at the point the company asked the Court for protection from bankruptcy. Samsung alone are reported to have had almost $40 million worth of electronic goods in the care of Hanjin.

New Report Shows Electrification of HGVs Unlikely any Time Soon

UK – By 2020, renewable energy must account for 15% of all electricity, heat and transport fuels in the UK and at least 10% of transport fuels must be renewable. On September 9 the parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee released its latest report ‘2020 renewable heat and transport targets’, a document of some importance to the road haulage and shipping sectors, and comments from the logistics community, led by the Freight Transport Association (FTA), were quick to point out governmental responsibilities.

What the Global Supply Chain Providers are up to at the Moment

GERMANY - Six hundred eighty-two trainees and students all across Germany have begun their training at freight forwarder and logistics provider Dachser, more than ever before. Dachser has also set a new record for professional drivers, 87 young drivers decided to train with Dachser this year. In total, the family-owned company is training 1,511 new recruits in 76 locations nationwide with another 255 trainees outside of the family run company’s home nation. 639 new recruits have launched their careers in freight forwarding and logistics, office management, IT, warehousing, warehouse logistics, and professional driving with another 43 beginning logistics targeted coursework in business management.

European Teams Able to Ship Rally Motorcycles to Mexico

UK – MEXICO – This month saw a cooperation between Northampton based road haulage and logistics group Knights of Old, freight forwarding outfit John Good Shipping and container shipping group MSC, when preparations began for one of the most spectacular sporting events in the global calendar, the 4th annual Baja Rally Mexico, which sees contestants race against the heat and the desert on off road motorcycles for six days across the Baja region, which lies in the north west of the country, less than 100 kilometres from Tijuana and the US border.

International Maritime Organization Rules on Ballast Water Will Bite from 2017

WORLDWIDE – Accession by Finland has triggered the entry into force of a key international measure for environmental protection that aims to stop the spread of potentially invasive aquatic species in ships’ ballast water. The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), which was adopted in 2004 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will enter into force on 8 September 2017, marking a landmark step towards halting the spread of invasive aquatic species, which can cause havoc for local ecosystems, affect biodiversity and lead to substantial economic loss.

An Appeal to the Freight, Logistics and Shipping Communities and Beyond

UK – One of Britain’s most iconic vessels, the HMS President, the last surviving World War One ‘Q’ ship, has been refused Lottery funding of £330,000 intended to secure its future. The Q ships were the secret German U Boat submarine hunters which shadowed the Atlantic convoys with their weaponry concealed, only revealing their true nature when under attack. During WWll the ship was moored on the Thames and she was used to protect St Paul's Cathedral from the Luftwaffe and as a base for the French Resistance. Now a petition seeks to raise 10,000 signatures from the freight, logistics and shipping communities and beyond to try and save this unique vessel.

More On the Human Resources Merry Go Round

WORLDWIDE – Leading the week’s appointments in the freight forwarding, shipping and logistics sectors this week come the news that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Alexandre de Juniac has officially taken on the role of Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation. He succeeds Tony Tyler, who served as IATA DG and CEO since 2011 and had announced his retirement.

It Seems Size Does Matter to the Long Distance Lorry Driver with a Semi

UK – The ten year trial launched by the government in 2012 permitting up to 1,800 longer semi-trailers to operate under Vehicle Special Orders (VSOs) granted by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has seen the publication of its annual report studying the conclusions so far. Two of the bodies linked to road borne logistics in the country, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA), have expressed their views that the report only confirms that the longer vehicles could make a significant contribution to the efficiency of the industry if made more widely available.

Transport Company Assists Those Disenfranchised by Terrorist Radicals

IRAQI KURDISTAN – Once again we hear a tale of a freight and logistics provider assisting those unfortunates whose lives have been devastated by forces beyond their control. This time it is human ignorance rather than natural disaster with a swathe of displaced, disenfranchised people having to flee the ISIS movement and take shelter, often with little more than the clothes they stood up in. Move One, the supply chain group headquartered in Dubai, is committed to supporting the SEED (Social, Education and Economic Development) Foundation with its mission to promote humanitarian assistance in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Road Haulage Home Delivery Firms Might See Drastic Time Savings in the Right Areas

WORLDWIDE – OK. It has to be said that we have in the past taken a slightly cynical view of the potential usefulness of some proposed delivery technologies, drones, airships etc. It may be however that the latest innovation, a partnership between a recent start-up business Starship Technologies and Mercedes Benz, has a little more going for it than some previously mooted methods. ‘Robovans’ are a new addition to the road haulage operators’ armoury of freight delivery methods and one well worth more experimentation.

Climate Change May Mean Major Changes in Logistics and Supply Chain Operations

FINLAND – WORLDWIDE – Helsinki headquartered marine and energy technology solutions group Wärtsilä, has set out its visions for the future of the shipping industry, presenting different scenarios that could shape the way that shipping companies might operate in the future. This predictive work has been prompted by the inevitable effect that growing global energy demand and increasingly stringent environmental legislation to combat climate change is both having, and will have, on the logistics sector, particularly the ocean freight carriers.

Some Transport Related Items Revealed of Late

UK – First in our round up of the smaller freight and logistics related news stories and announcements that haven’t made the main headlines, is that supply chain management company Ceva Logistics has been awarded a three year extension to its contract with bread-maker Hovis Limited. Hovis is one of the largest bakery brands in the UK and sits amongst the best known food brands in the country.

Emergency Team Can React Before Company's Traditional Role Becomes Necessary

US – An unusual partnership has come to fruition due to an original voyage for a cruise vessel the size of the 250 metre long Crystal Serenity which is undertaking the first trip for such a ship along the Northwest Passage. Ardent, the company formed when US based Titan Salvage and Danish Svitzer Salvage joined forces last year, is supplying the vessels operator, Crystal Cruises, with support as the liner carries its record-breaking 1070 passengers, and 655 crew members on a voyage from Anchorage to New York City.

Global Warehouses Redeveloped to Enable Upsurge in Cargo Throughput

CHINA – WORLDWIDE – One thing which remains a constant in the field of global logistics is the somewhat ironic fact that the sector is constantly changing as demand for products differs both in the form of cargo on offer, the geography of where it is both sourced and required, and the technologies used to pick, pack and shift it. One group which anticipates the changes in the current market is Hong Kong headquartered U-Freight (UFL) which has committed to investing in redevelopments at a number of its warehouses around the world to better equip them to handle the logistics associated with by far the fastest current facet of change, the ever-growing global e-commerce business.

Stiff Sentences Expected for Polluters After Guilty Verdict

US – In yet another ‘Magic Pipe’ case whereby a ship dumps toxic matter directly into the sea in breach of all regulations, a federal jury in Greenville, North Carolina, has found Oceanic Illsabe Limited, Oceanfleet Shipping Limited and two of their employees, guilty of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), obstruction of justice, false statements, witness tampering and conspiracy. The case revolves around the 29,513 DWT cargo vessel, the Ocean Hope, owned by Oceanic Illsabe and managed by Oceanfleet Shipping, which was responsible for dumping tonnes of oily waste into the Pacific Ocean last year.

Consolidation Designed to Produce Efficiency

NORWAY – SWEDEN – US – Following last week’s collapse of major container line Hanjin, two of the oldest merchant shipping groups, Norwegian maritime group Wilhelmsen and Swedish shipping line Wallenius, have taken their already close relationship to the next level and announced plans to merge the two companies to establish a new ownership structure for already jointly owned investments. Wallenius is comparative newcomer to the freight trade having been founded in 1934, some 70 or so years after its partner. The new entity, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA, is designed to consolidate the partnership, which dates back to 1999, forming a more efficient management structure and enabling further synergies between various joint ventures.

Migrant Situation Prompts Walking Motorway Blockades Toward Calais

FRANCE – Two of the UK’s logistics industry bodies have expressed their concern regarding the blockade of the Nord Pas de Calais by French hauliers supported by the regions farmers. Both the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA) have raised points which illustrate the dangers and inconveniences an ongoing protest is likely to have. Dozens of trucks supported by as many as 100 agricultural vehicles were gathered to drive in two slow, converging convoys, one northward from Boulogne, the other southerly from Dunkirk to blockade the Port of Calais and the Eurotunnel terminal at Coquelles.

DP World and Summa Sign a Memorandum of Understanding

DUBAI – RUSSIA – There are few places in the world where port logistics specialist DP World does not have a sphere of influence and the group’s latest move should make expanding its presence in the Russian freight market considerably easier. The Dubai based ‘global trade enabler’ has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Summa Group, a diversified business with significant infrastructure investments in Russia, to explore investment opportunities in ports, special economic zones and inland logistics facilities in the Russian Federation.

John Good Achieves London Heathrow Badge Code Status

UK – Having expanded its freight forwarding base at its new headquarters in Hull with the addition of a dedicated four person export department, John Good has added to its portfolio of four existing customs badge codes (Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Liverpool airports) with the news John Good Air has been granted its own customs badge code for London Heathrow Airport.

New Online Tool Gives Overview of American Transport

US – Say what you like about the American public service sector, it rarely does anything by halves as the latest project from the US Department of Transportation’s (DoT) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) goes to underline. Whilst of most use to statisticians concerned with the movement of passengers the just released National Transit Map is certainly not short on air freight and road haulage information and all of it, by definition, concerned with the business of logistics as a whole.

Long Standing International Partners Join Together

AUSTRALIA – NEW ZEALAND – US – Worldwide logistics provider CH Robinson has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Australian based freight forwarder and customs broker, APC Logistics, for approximately A$300 million, subject to customary closing conditions. The two companies have had a long-standing exclusive agent relationship for business in Australia and New Zealand and once the deal closes, CH Robinson will integrate APC Logistics into its Global Forwarding division and single global technology platform, Navisphere®. Tony Considine, Chief Executive Officer of APC Logistics, said:

Appointments, Retirements and New Jobs in This Round Up of Who is Heading Where and When

WORLDWIDE – A veritable host of changes at the top of the GAC freight and logistics group starting with Erland Ebbersten, formerly Group Vice President for the Africa, Russia, and Central Asia regions has assumed responsibility as Group Vice President – Marine, heading the newly established Marine region covering Abu Dhabi, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. He will be based in Abu Dhabi.