The Friday Freight News Round Up - All Those Cargo and Logistics Snippets
Geneva headquartered UNCTAD plays an important role in integrating developing countries into the world economy, with maritime related research, policy analysis and data collection an integral part of this process. MarineTraffic currently records 800 million vessel positions and 18 million vessel and port related events monthly by tracking ships’ Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) through a network of terrestrial receivers and satellites. Commenting on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, Dr Jan Hoffmann, Chief of UNCTAD’s Trade Logistics Branch said:
“MarineTraffic provides accurate data on the trading patterns of the world’s commercial shipping fleet. Building their data into our research, datasets and analysis will deliver a level of both granular and big picture accuracy that will enable us to strengthen our support for developing countries and help us reach our goal of delivering a fairer globalised economy.”
Argyris Stasinakis, Partner of MarineTraffic said:
“This is a huge vote of confidence in MarineTraffic data by the world’s most respected trade body. Intelligence driven by AIS already enables the shipping industry to optimise port calls and vessel flows, minimise fuel consumption and the impact of shipping on the environment. We will be offering our sophisticated reporting and data mining services to UNCTAD and are proud to play our role in building a fairer and more efficient world.”
QATAR – INDONESIA – GAC Qatar has set up an office at the world’s largest LNG export port, Ras Laffan. The new GAC operations office is manned by a team of ten dedicated to providing full agency and complementary services for vessels calling at Ras Laffan. Being based on-site puts GAC Ras Laffan in an even better position to serve the needs of their customers with round-the-clock operations. Daniel Nordberg, General Manager of GAC Qatar said:
"The Port of Ras Laffan receives nearly 1200 port calls from LNG, LPG and hydrocarbon-carrying vessels a month. This is a huge market and being one of the first few ship agencies in the country to enter this market marks exciting times ahead for us.”
Meanwhile in Indonesia work is underway to convert part of GAC Samudera Logistics’ Cikarang distribution centre into a multi-user temperature-controlled pharmaceutical and food grade facility. The new facility, which is the first to be fully owned and operated by a third party logistics service provider in Indonesia, is expected to be operational by July 2017. Lars Bergström, GAC’s Group Vice President for Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent, said:
“Combining the experience, resources and capabilities of the two companies, GAC Samudera Logistics has revolutionised the 3PL scene in Indonesia, and brought new innovations and advanced systems and technologies into the sector. This multi-user pharmaceutical-grade distribution facility represents a new milestone in that development, using our end-to-end logistics capability to support Indonesia’s growing pharmaceutical industry.”
US – Work has begun at the Port of Oakland to heighten four massive ship-to-shore cranes by 27-feet in a 9-month project. The cranes are used to load and unload container vessels and the taller cranes will be better able to reach containers stacked high above decks on modern-day cargo ships. The cost of the project is estimated at about $14 million. John Driscoll, the Port’s Maritime Director, said:
“This is a commitment to the future of shipping in Oakland. Vessels are getting bigger and bigger and we’re providing the infrastructure to keep them coming our way.”
US – CHEP has signed a new three-year agreement with Cott Corporation, one of the world’s largest producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors. Laura Nador, President, CHEP USA, said:
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to serve Cott. We look forward to working with them to create value beyond just meeting their pallet needs, helping to make their supply chain more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable.”
US — Truck group Schneider is honouring its most elite drivers with awards that highlight career driving milestones. This spring, Schneider hosted 14 award banquets to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of its drivers who safely reached thousands of destinations across millions of miles without a single accident. The recognitions include Haul of Fame inductions, Million Mile Driver awards and Consecutive Safe Years Driving awards.
Entrance into the Schneider Haul of Fame comes as the result of drivers who have accumulated 3 million safe driving miles and/or 20 consecutive years of safe driving without an accident or safety infraction. This year, 22 drivers will be inducted, joining 251 existing members. To permanently honour the recipients, plaques with their names are installed on the Haul of Fame wall at Schneider’s headquarters in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In addition, 15 drivers who were already inducted had their plaques updated because they reached a new, higher milestone.
Drivers who have transported freight 1 million miles or more and remained accident-free while going the distance are presented with the Million Mile award. The 139 new inductees join the ranks of the more than 5,000 men and women who have done the same - equating to billions of safe miles by drivers in Schneider’s trucks.
One of these honourees, Bob Wyatt, became only the second driver in Schneider’s history to reach 5 million accident-free miles.
“Achieving this milestone came down to three things over the course of my career: the desire to be safe, avoiding unnecessary risks and patience,” said Wyatt. “There’s no secret formula - just drive smart and the safety aspect will follow.”
US – UK – Sam Williams, Thordon Bearings' Regional Manager, Eastern Asia, will join 3000 cyclists this June in an 877km bike ride across California to raise funds for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and LA LBGT Centre. To date, Sam has raised $4191 but hopes to have exceeded his $5000 goal by the 4th June, when the charity ride starts. He said:
“I have always been a keen casual cyclist, but about three years ago after moving back to the UK, I got the bug, got serious, bought a lightweight carbon road bike, and started riding with my local club.
“In 2016, I took part in the Vaetternrundan event in Sweden: 300km in one day, raising over £1500 for Medecins Sans Frontieres. This gave me the confidence to look for a bigger challenge and while visiting some friends in Chicago last year, I found out about the AIDS/Lifecycle charity ride. Combining fundraising with a something you enjoy is very satisfying and worthwhile.
UK – Chichester High School Sixth Form student Joss Edwards has been chosen to receive a GEM Award from freight and logistics firm South Link in recognition of the outstanding contribution he makes to the local community. Joss spends much of his time dedicated to helping others at the school and in the local area. He devotes a considerable amount of his free time to volunteering for PASCO, a Chichester based charity which supports children with disabilities and special educational needs, where he works as a personal assistant to young people with severe autism. Jade Reidy from South Link said:
“We pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our customers so we launched the GEM Awards to find young people in Sussex who, like us, go the extra mile. We received some fantastic nominations, but were extremely impressed with the fundraising Joss does in the school and the work he does while volunteering. Huge congratulations to him.”
UK – Specialist logistics and supply chain consultants Gideon Hillman Consulting have been appointed by the Beiersdorf Group to improve the company’s processes in the UK. Beiersdorf is the home of leading skin care brands NIVEA, Eucerin, Elastoplast and Atrixo, employing approximately 16,500 people in over 150 affiliates.
UK – The At Home Box Company, a new subscription commerce-based business started by television personality, Anthea Turner, has appointed Berkshire-based Walker Logistics to manage its UK supply chain. The contract is scheduled go live in the summer and will run from Walker’s multi-user fulfilment centre on the outskirts of Reading. Walker will receive palletised loads of the diverse range of products that will make-up each ‘box’, before picking, packing dispatching the parcels to The At Home Box Company’s subscribers.
The contract was awarded to Walker Logistics following a competitive tender process involving some of the best known names in the third party logistics (3PL) sector. William Walker, sales director of Walker Logistics, commented:
“We are very pleased to be working with Anthea Turner and The At Home Box Company. We beat off competition from a number of significant 3PL companies to win the business, which is tremendous testimony to the quality of our service.”
SPAIN – Ceva Logistics has renewed a specialist automotive supplies contract with Sogefi Filtration Spain S.A. for an additional three years. Sogefi Group design and manufacturers of filtration, air intakes, cooling systems and flexible suspension components - and Ceva first began their working relationship in 2009 and the new contract is a further extension of their existing partnership.
Under the new deal Ceva will continue managing receipt, storage, order picking activities and shipment preparation, as well as Sogefi’s spare parts delivery to customers. All these activities were previously carried out at the Ceva Logistics Center in Subirats, Barcelona, but earlier this year they were moved to Ceva's multi-user hub at Ontígola, near Madrid. Marco Galbusera, Managing Director of Ceva in Iberia said:
“The renewal of this contract highlights the excellent service Ceva has been offering to Sogefi over the past seven years. Sogefi’s trust in Ceva has been growing every year and the decision to move the operations to our multi-user hub in the centre of Spain, will allow Sogefi’s goods to be closer to their main customers in this region.”
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