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Day: 30 April 2025

New Port Equipment Reduces Fuel Usage

Posted on by David Priestman

Porto Itapoá in Brazil avoided the consumption of over 1.18 million litres of fuel in 2024, equivalent to more than 4,000 tons of greenhouse gases that were not released into the atmosphere. This achievement was made possible by investments of over R$ 160 million that the Terminal made in expanding and modernizing its fleet of equipment.

In 2023, Porto Itapoá invested in the acquisition of 10 hybrid RTGs, which began operating in 2024. These machines consume three times less diesel than conventional models, resulting in savings of 890,000 litres of fuel. Sergni Pessoa Rosa Jr., Director of Operations, Technology, and Environment at Porto Itapoá, emphasized the importance of this change: “The new RTGs are also remotely operated, providing greater comfort and ergonomics for the operator. We are the first Terminal in South America to have this technology,” he stated.

In 2024, the terminal expanded its sustainable fleet with the purchase of 20 electric Terminal Tractors. Since the start of their operation in August 2024, these vehicles have prevented the consumption of 290,000 litres of diesel. Since they do not use fossil fuels, the electric Terminal Tractors represent a significant advance in reducing the terminal’s carbon footprint. “Today, we have the largest fleet of electric Terminal Tractors in Brazil,” highlights Rosa Jr.

Savings in Lubricating Oil and Filters

In addition to reducing diesel consumption, Porto Itapoá also implemented practices that extended the lifespan of lubricating oils and optimized preventive maintenance. These actions, combined with fleet modernization, resulted in savings of 15,000 liters of lubricating oil and 500 filters. “Extending the life of lubricants and optimizing maintenance are examples of how small changes can have a big impact. These practices not only reduce costs but also minimize waste generation,” explains Sergni Pessoa Rosa Jr.

The used oil is sent to a company that recycles the material, which is then reintroduced into the market for other purposes. “Even with proper disposal, it is important to reduce overall consumption, making the supply chain more sustainable,” the director notes.

Environmental Leadership

In January, Porto Itapoá reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability and innovation in the port sector. At an event held at B3 in São Paulo, the Terminal’s CEO, Ricardo Arten, signed the Pact for Sustainability, a pioneering initiative by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor), led by Minister Sílvio Costa Filho. Porto Itapoá is one of the leading examples of sustainability among private ports in the country.

The Pact is part of the launch of the new Sustainability Policy for the ports, airports, and waterways sectors. The initiative establishes strict criteria for awarding recognition seals — Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond — to companies that adopt practices based on ESG pillars (environmental, social, and governance). Requirements include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing social and environmental initiatives, and aligning with global goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Porto Itapoá is already widely recognized as a benchmark for sustainability in the Brazilian port sector, with a score of 98.33 in the Environmental Development Index (IDA) by National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ). This performance earned the Terminal the Via Viva Award as the most sustainable private port in the country. It also won, for the third consecutive year, the Gold Seal from the GHG Protocol for its commitment to transparency, accuracy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, it received the international I-REC certification, confirming that 100% of the electricity used in 2023 came from renewable sources.

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USA Tariffs Make Frontline Workers Angry

Posted on by David Priestman

Changes in U.S. trade policy have contributed to a growing sentiment of unease and insecurity among frontline workers — those engaged in shift work or non-salaried employees, who typically have to be present in a specific place at an assigned time to do their job — roles which are often sensitive to market fluctuations and price increases.

More than half of workers (52%) believe they are at risk of being laid off and nearly three-quarters (74%) feel tariffs will impact their future earnings, while almost 7 in 10 expect an impact to their current earnings (68%). What’s more, 77% of frontline workers agree that tariffs hurt ‘Main Street’ more than their Wall Street counterparts.

These findings come from a new survey from UKG, a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions, which asked more than 5,000 frontline workers in what is believed to be the largest survey to date about sentiment around tariffs.

Impact on jobs

Frontline workers said that the 90-day pause has created more uncertainty because they don’t know what the future will bring (75%). Many wish they could revert to the old tariff structure (73%), as U.S. frontline workers admit to feeling nervous (65%), stressed (56%), and angry (56%) about the potential impact tariffs will have on their jobs. On top of job security and earning power fears, two-thirds of frontline employees believe pending tariffs will create unpredictability in scheduling and overtime (64%) and limit their future job prospects (66%).

Changing behaviours at work and at home

More than half of frontline workers (51%) have already experienced noticeable changes at their jobs because of tariffs, and these changes are having a trickledown effect on their behaviors at work and home. General uncertainty has caused 72% of frontline workers to change workplace behaviour in some way, including working harder to prove their value (37%), voluntarily taking on more hours in case future hours are reduced (25%), and adding a new skill or certification for job security (23%).

At home, 83% of workers are changing personal habits in some way, including saving more money (48%), paying more attention to news and economic forecasts (31%), and putting off large purchases (26%). One in 10 frontline employees (13%) have even admitted to delaying their retirement plans, and 1 in 4 are actively looking for additional income streams (24%).

Generational gap

Gen Z workers are much more worried about the impact of tariffs on their futures than Baby Boomers and are changing behaviors at more than two times the rate. Two-thirds (63%) of Gen Z workers fear that tariffs will cost them their jobs and that they will be laid off. Only one in four (28%) Baby Boomers share this same fear. Gen Z workers say they’ve experienced more noticeable changes at their jobs than Baby Boomers (63% vs. 28%) and nearly half (47%) say they are working harder to prove their worth compared with only 15% of Baby Boomers. Tariff uncertainty and the potential job impacts also are changing Gen Z spending habits. Gen Zers (58%) said they’ve had to save more money by spending less or switching to lower-cost products (vs. 37% of boomers).

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DSV Completes Acquisition of Schenker

Posted on by David Priestman

DSV A/S has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Schenker from Deutsche Bahn. This transformative event marks the largest transaction in DSV’s history, significantly enhancing its global network, expertise, and competitive edge across all three divisions.

With the acquisition, valued at approx. DKK 106.7 billion (approx. EUR 14.3 billion), DSV is doubling its size and establishing the foundation for future sustainable growth. The combined company will have a revenue of approximately DKK 310 billion (approx. EUR 41.6 billion) and a workforce of close to 160,000 employees across more than 90 countries.

Jens H. Lund, Group CEO, DSV said: “With the completion of the acquisition of Schenker, we have reached a milestone in the history of DSV. We have been looking forward to completing the transaction and I am excited to welcome our new colleagues to the DSV organisation. With this acquisition, we become a world-leading player in global transport and logistics, at a time when global supply chains are more in focus than ever before, and our customers need a reliable and agile global network of services and products. By combining the two companies we will create a unique flexible platform for long-term financial growth to the benefit of our customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders.”

Jochen Thewes, CEO, Schenker said: “We are happy to complete this important milestone, and we are looking forward to joining forces with DSV. The dialogue throughout the last months has been very positive and we are very excited about the prospects of the combined business. DSV and Schenker are a strong match with many similarities in business models and services, shared values and high operational standards, and we look forward to getting to work.”

Winning as one

The combination will strengthen DSV’s global network and competitiveness and provide access to new markets and talents at a crucial time for global trade and supply chains. Besides greater reach and better opportunities to create truly end-to-end solutions for our customers, the acquisition strengthens DSV’s platform for future growth and the development of a more sustainable, flexible and digitalised transport and logistics industry.

The combined company aims to use the strengthened market position to continue to grow through enhanced service offerings and economies of scale, achieving industry-leading margins. Now, the integration of Schenker will begin. DSV is committed to a smooth transition and will approach the integration with due respect and careful consideration for customers, employees and stakeholders. During the integration process, it is a key priority to avoid disruptions and retain a high service level for our customers.

Schenker will be included in the consolidated financial statements of DSV from 1 May 2025. Based on preliminary estimates, annual synergies are estimated in the level of DKK 9 billion at end of 2028.

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Multi-Million Savings Across Fleet Operations

Posted on by David Priestman

UK electricals retailer AO has achieved 16% annual cost savings and reduced road incidents across its 1,000+ fleet of commercial vehicles by implementing advanced AI and fleet management solutions from Samsara, provider of the Connected Operations® Platform.

AO has more than 1,000 commercial vehicles equipped with Samsara’s advanced telematics technology and AI dash cams, with visibility of the entire fleet provided through Samsara’s Connected Operations platform.

By making Samsara’s platform central to its fleet operation, AO has increased operational efficiency, saving time, reducing costs and making work better for its drivers:

• Driver time has been saved by replacing manual vehicle walkarounds carried out with paper and pen with intuitive digital walkarounds using a Driver App
• Proactive, AI-driven vehicle maintenance has delivered 31% cost savings annually and an 8% reduction in tyre spend, despite completing more miles
• Insurance premiums have reduced by 25% due to reduced accident rates — proven through Samsara’s analytics.

Shaun Carter, Regional Manager at AO, comments: “Samsara is central to our operations—saving us time, helping us keep costs down, and making life easier for our drivers. We’ve got a single source of truth to monitor driver performance, track our fleet of vehicles, and provide training to the drivers that need it most.”

The Samsara technology has had a particularly positive impact on driver performance and attitudes to safer driving. Through Samsara In-Cab Alerts and AI dash cams, drivers are warned about any risky behaviour in real time and data is used to provide targeted coaching to its drivers. The introduction of a Driver Safety Score has driven competition between the drivers to enhance their road performance — raising safety standards across the business.

Carter explains: “The safety score is now a hugely important KPI as it demonstrates the work we’ve done and encourages drivers to compete amongst each other — and by proving that score we receive a discount on insurance premiums too. It’s about much more than cost savings though. Safer drivers means fewer accidents, more reliable deliveries, and, ultimately, happier customers.”

Philip van der Wilt, SVP and GM EMEA at Samsara, comments: “Connecting physical operations can have a transformative impact, as AO is demonstrating through improved efficiency, vehicle performance and road safety. By empowering businesses with full visibility and management of their fleet, Samsara is playing a pivotal role in enhancing the driver experience and the service they deliver to customers.”

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