Shipping CEOs to Accelerate Maritime Decarbonization

The CEOs of leading global shipping lines have issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds and urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global regulator, to create the regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels and maritime decarbonization.

Global temperatures are breaching critical levels, creating more frequent and devasting results. Therefore the importance of shipping achieving IMO’s 2030, 2040, and net-zero 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) targets is very clear. The only realistic way to meet those targets for an industry that accounts for 2-3% of global GHG emissions is to transition from fossil to green fuels at scale and at pace.

Being at the forefront of introducing lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emission ships underscores the CEOs’ commitment to the IMO GHG reduction objectives for 2030, 2040, and 2050. As frontrunners, the CEOs are convinced that even closer collaboration with IMO regulators will produce the effective and concrete policy measures needed to underpin the investment within maritime shipping and its ancillary industries that will enable decarbonisation to occur at the pace required.

Their joint declaration calls for the establishment of four regulatory ‘cornerstones’:

An end date for new building of fossil fuel-only vessels and a clear GHG Intensity Standard timeline to inspire investment confidence, both for new ships and the fuel supply infrastructure needed to accelerate the energy transition.

An effective GHG pricing mechanism to make green fuel competitive with black fuel during the transition phase when both are used. This can be done by distributing the premium for the green fuels across all the fossil fuel used. With low initial volumes of green fuels any inflationary effects are minimised. The mechanism must also feature an increasing regulatory incentive to achieve deeper emissions reductions. Furthermore, beyond covering the ‘green balance fee’, revenue generated by the mechanism should go to an RD&D fund and to investments in developing countries to ensure a just transition that leaves no one behind.

A vessel pooling option for GHG regulatory compliance where the performance of a group of vessels could count instead of only that of individual ships, ensuring investments are made where they achieve the greatest GHG reduction and thereby accelerating decarbonisation across the global fleet.

A Well-to-Wake or lifecycle GHG regulatory basis to align investment decisions with climate interests and mitigate the risk of stranded assets.
In a unprecedent action, major players of the shipping industry express their shared conviction that regulation can play a key role in mitigating the cost of the green transition as well as the risk of extreme weather events. Given the cost of climate change is far greater than the cost of the green transition they look forward to being joined by other companies.

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, said, “Climate change is a general concern not a matter of competition. The CMA CGM Group is extremely pleased to join this unique Coalition, which brings together leading shipping companies to urge to the adoption of the upper targets of the IMO trajectory. This sets an ambitious milestone for the decarbonization of our industry. By collaborating with others, we each take a new step in our energy transition, while ensuring a collective level playing field and access to greener fuels for the industry.

“This new commitment is fully in line with the CMA CGM Group’s ambition to be Net Zero by 2050. We have already invested close to $15 billion in decarbonizing our fleet, which will enable us to have almost 120 vessels capable of being powered by decarbonized fuels by 2028. Pioneer in LNG as a transition energy, our Group has also launched several large industrial partnerships to diversify our sourcing with even more decarbonized fuels. In 2023, the CMA CGM Group will reduce its CO2 emissions by around -1 million tons.

“Alongside the members of this coalition and all those who will join us afterwards, the CMA CGM Group pursues its decarbonization journey and renews its commitment to a shared and sustainable future.”

Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller – Maersk, said, “A.P. Moller – Maersk wants to accelerate the green transition in shipping and logistics and a crucial next step is to introduce regulatory conditions which ensure that we create the most greenhouse gas emission reductions per invested dollar. This includes an efficient pricing mechanism to close the gap between fossil and green fuels and ensuring that the green choice is easier to make for our customers and consumers globally. The momentum for green fuel is building and we are pleased to see strong partnerships across the industry as we continue our joint efforts of making decarbonisation in shipping successful.”

Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd, commented, “Our collective responsibility for a sustainable future and clean practices is paramount. At Hapag-Lloyd, we reaffirm our commitment to advance the decarbonization of the maritime industry and strive to be at the forefront of the energy transition. We believe that a regulatory framework and clear targets are crucial to accelerating the introduction of alternative fuels and reducing our carbon footprint. This commitment is in line with Hapag-Lloyd‘s goal of achieving a net-zero carbon fleet by 2045 and reflects our industry’s unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility.”

Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, added, “Shipping is at the forefront of technological innovation when it comes to decarbonization and at MSC our fleet renewal strategy includes 100 dual fuel vessels. We are proud to be part of this unprecedented collaboration with our peers and it is only right that together we follow this path towards net zero that we must achieve by 2050. The support of Governments across the world will be an essential element to reach our common goal and among those efforts we want to see an end to delivery of ships that can only run on fossil fuels. MSC has fully supported and committed to net decarbonization by 2050 but without the full support from other stakeholders particularly energy providers it will be extremely difficult to meet those objectives – no one can do this alone. Today it feels like we are one step closer in this regard, but concrete supply of alternative fuels and globally recognised GHG pricing are essential to achieve our goals.”

Lasse Kristoffersen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said, “At Wallenius Wilhelmsen we have decided to be a shaper of the journey to net-zero and focus our investments in supporting this ambition. Our customers want to partner with us on the voyage. Now, we need a global regulatory framework matching this ambition to drive the investments needed at a global scale.”

China-UK Air Cargo Route Trial

Global integrated logistics company A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has chosen Bournemouth Airport (BOH) as its UK gateway for a trial of a new route from China.

Carrier Maersk Air Cargo has started the weekly service from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in Zhejiang province to Bournemouth using a 45-tonne capacity Boeing 767-300 freighter, working with BOH’s in-house air freight business Cargo First.

It is the latest coup for Bournemouth’s fast-growing cargo operation which continues to establish itself as an alternative gateway outside London.

For Copenhagen-based Maersk, the route is part of its growing air freighter network between mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. In March it launched a service from Hangzhou to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark, and from Hangzhou to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in the US in April.

The Bournemouth route will initially operate until the end of the year, helping to meet peak demand, with potential to continue thereafter.

Gary Jeffreys, Managing Director of Maersk Area UK & Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to see Maersk Air Cargo landing in the UK. This represents our integrator strategy and demonstrates our product offering and capabilities across all modes of transport. Whether it be time critical, capacity challenges or product launches we have the capabilities to meet our customers’ demands.”

Steve Gill, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “We’re delighted that Maersk has chosen Bournemouth for this new route as we grow our ambition to become the UK’s number one entry and exit point for time critical cargo. We now have 500 tonnes of weekly import capacity operating between China and Bournemouth as more customers take advantage of our location, lack of slot constraints and ‘One Team’ integrated approach across all airport and cargo handling operations.”

Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns the neighbouring Cargo First Logistics Park at Bournemouth Airport, with over one million square feet of warehousing development potential.

Robotics and AI Deployed in Bucharest DC

Dexory has announced today that their global partnership with Maersk is expanding into the Maersk and iB Cargo managed site in Romania, a distribution centre for a top home furnishing brand globally. The Bucharest deployment is the first of many outside of the UK to go live with the innovative technology, as part of the company’s expansion across Europe.

A. P. Moller – Maersk & iB Cargo operate a major distribution and logistics centre in Romania, serving one of the largest global furniture and interior decoration companies. For the first time in Romania, the two partners announce the deployment of Dexory’s technology and robots, in order to maximise and streamline the use of the centre, optimise its resources and shelf space.

The warehouse operated by A.P. Moller – Maersk & iB Cargo opened in September 2021 with 76,000 sqm, and less than 2 years later, it expanded to 100,000 sqm, offering customised logistics solutions and serving 8 countries in Europe and the Balkans. The unit is located in the CTPark Bucharest West industrial park and is BREEAM certified.

The robot called ‘NEO’ operates daily at the site in Bolintin-Deal, Romania, scanning over 100,000 pallet locations – allowing operations to move from 150 locations/h, with the current processes, to 10,000 locations/h via automation. It covers wide, narrow and hard to navigate aisles, reserve and picking locations – which is a time-consuming and prone to human error process, integrating into the day-to-day warehouse operations, working alongside the warehouse teams 24/7.

Dexory, the logistics start-up founded by Andrei Danescu, Oana Jinga and Adrian Negoita in London, is already working with Maersk in the UK and Ireland. This expansion into new territories is a great enabler of Maersk’s commitment to integrating new technologies as well as to sustainability.

Dexory’s unique solution combines hardware and software to provide instant visibility into inventory and operations at the click of a button. Using 12-metre-tall autonomous robots to capture warehouse data and images in real-time, the revolutionary digital twin technology enables instant analysis of stock, occupancy and stock movement.

The digital twin then offers instant access to the data captured, highlighting any discrepancies with other warehouse systems in an intuitive, easy-to-access digital format. The analytics extracted address operational bottlenecks, increase efficiencies (allowing for faster put-away and picking) and unlock powerful insights into site operations (for real-time occupancy fluctuation, route planning) – all of which used to be manually done before. Using AI it then provides companies with information to forecast and plan more accurately across their warehouse estate and have smarter management of their workforce.

Andrei Danescu, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder of Dexory comments: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Maersk and iB Cargo and bring the power of real-time data and insights to this impressive site in Romania, supporting a powerful company in interior decorations. Teams across the board have already embraced the Dexory technology and are constantly using our digital twin to make more informed decisions and drive efficiency.”

“Our business model is about long-term partnerships. We build them through quality, integrity and bringing added value to our clients’ businesses through innovative solutions at every level.”, shared Cătălin Putineanu, Founder and Managing Partner of iB Cargo.

Dragos Dumitrescu Country Manager Maersk Romania, “Maersk remains steadfast in its unwavering commitment to implementing cutting-edge technology across its operations, reinforcing its position as an industry leader at the forefront of innovation. Embracing the latest advancements, Maersk continues to drive efficiency, enhance sustainability, and deliver exceptional value to its customers while shaping the future of global trade”.

CMA CGM and Maersk Pledge Shipping Decarbonization

A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S (Maersk) and CMA CGM have decided to join forces on several areas relating to decarbonization, in full compliance with all laws and regulations. As frontrunners of the energy transition in shipping, both companies are convinced that joint action will help accelerating the green transition in shipping, learning from each other to go further and faster.

CMA CGM and Maersk have set a net-zero target for their shipping business, have identified scalable solutions that can create impact in this decade, and have already individually taken ambitious paths on promoting decarbonization for shipping.

Maersk has been ordering vessels that can be operated on bio/e-methanol. CMA CGM has been ordering LNG-propelled vessels, that can also be operated on bio/e-methane, the new green equivalent of current LNG, and has also placed orders for vessels that can be operated on bio/e-methanol. While these two fuel streams appear now as the most mature among existing solutions, both companies expect the future fuel mix of shipping will include other streams that should be developed in the coming years.

An ambitious collaboration to develop the future of fuels for the shipping industry

Specifically, both shipping lines will work more together to develop the use of alternative greener fuels for container vessel propulsion, namely:

1. Developing high standards for alternative sustainable, green fuels – including the analysis of full lifecycle and related greenhouse gasses – and helping to setting the framework of mass production of green methane and green methanol.
2. Developing and maintaining standards for operation of green methanol vessels with regards to safety and bunkering, as well as accelerating port readiness for bunkering and supply of bio/e-methanol at key ports around the world.
3. Continuing to explore jointly R+D on other components of the net zero solution as new alternative fuels, like ammonia, or innovation technology for our ships.

Two leading shipping companies to push advocacy together for the energy transition of the industry

Moreover, Maersk and CMA-CGM both agree to the fundamental role of regulation in securing the decarbonization of the sector. Both companies warmly welcome the outcome of the recent Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization during which the IMO’s 2023 Strategy for Reducing GHG Emissions from Ships was adopted, with reinforced targets to tackle harmful emissions.

Maersk and CMA CGM remain committed to jointly advocating for and encouraging IMO Member States to adopt ambitious measures in their pursuit of the highest attainable goals. Regional measures such as the EU Fit for 55 and the Inflation Reduction Act in the US are welcomed by both companies to help stimulate demand for green shipping solutions.

CMA CGM and Maersk affirm their readiness to collaboratively engage with regulatory stakeholders in establishing a robust and sustainable international regulatory GHG framework and invite other international shipping lines who so wish to join them in this cooperation with the regulatory institutions. Such a framework is in both our companies’ perspective a prerequisite to reducing carbon emissions for the shipping industry and securing a level-playing field for a global business environment.

“This partnership is a milestone for the decarbonization of our industry. By combining the know-how and the expertise of two shipping leaders, we will accelerate the development of new solutions and technologies, enabling our industry to reach its CO2 reduction targets. We are looking forward to being joined by other companies.” says Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group.

“A.P. Moller – Maersk wants to accelerate the green transition in shipping and logistics and to do so, we need strong involvement from partners across the industry. We are pleased to have an ally in CMA CGM and it’s a testament that when we unite through determined efforts and partnerships, a tangible and optimistic path toward a sustainable future emerges,” says Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer at A.P. Moller – Maersk.

Dexory Raises $19M for Warehouse Visibility

Dexory has secured $19 million in Series A funding led by leading European VC firm Atomico, with participation from existing investors Lakestar, Kindred, Capnamic, and Maersk Growth, the investment arm of the global logistics and container shipping company, Maersk. As part of this investment Atomico Partner Ben Blume will join Dexory’s board of directors.

Addressing the urgent need for improved space utilisation and increased efficiencies in warehouses around the world, Dexory combines powerful analytics with autonomous robots capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse. This powerful combination provides comprehensive visibility across warehouses of any size, as well as connecting warehouses across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

In the last few years, the combination of a boom in e-commerce, the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine has sent unprecedented shocks through global supply chains. While the foundational systems that underpin cross-border production and trade have many interconnected moving parts – procurement, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, energy, tracking and distribution – this has been felt particularly acutely in warehouses, the ‘core’ of the supply chain, where goods are stored, sorted, and distributed.

“For those operating warehouses, ensuring 100% fulfilment ‘in time, all the time’ is crucial to meeting the demands of the modern consumer. A critical component to achieving this is high stock accuracy, but staff shortages, manual processes, and the speed demanded by customers means that critical decisions across the supply chain are currently being taken blindly,” said Dexory CEO and co-founder Andrei Danescu. “Technology that is autonomous, real-time, intuitive, and integrated can have a transformative effect on the everyday efficiency, productivity, and accuracy of a warehouse – and form an integral part of revamping businesses supply chain strategies”.

Rising costs, low supply of warehouse units combined with huge demand for goods, and a shortage of labour is putting extreme pressure on the sector to improve space utilisation and increase efficiencies.

Dexory, which is already integrated in leading distribution companies such as Maersk and Menzies Aviation, provides a platform which offers 360 degree visibility into customers’ warehouses, the beating heart of the supply chain. Manual processes often still dominate in these operations and global companies can have up to as many as 500 different warehouse management systems (WMS) running across thousands of their globally distributed warehouses at any one time. This means that expensive manual audits often take place on an infrequent basis, finding lost inventory takes days due to a lack of interoperability between WMS’, and a unified global view is impossible to achieve.

Dexory’s platform, DexoryView, can perform a full warehouse scan in just a matter of hours, around 100x faster than humans, giving customers an immediate view of the core hub in their supply chain. This gives customers enhanced inventory visibility, with DexoryView’s dashboard tracking detailed location of goods, allowing for the quick identification and location of items, accurate information on stock levels and locations, and better decision-making in warehouse operations.

And customers can also use DexoryView as a ‘digital twin’ replica of their warehouse to help not only manage, but get the most out of warehouse performance – allowing for the software to optimise, simulate and predict future scenarios. All of this frees up human workers to focus on more complex activities, leading to improved productivity, better resource allocation, and the ability to handle higher order volumes efficiently.

“For an operation as complex and sophisticated as running a modern warehouse, the current lack of an automated way to capture data about the physical space is a major pain point”, said Atomico Partner Ben Blume, “We’re hugely excited by the promise, and market traction, of Dexory’s technology with leading global logistics companies like Maersk and Menzies Aviation. Through creating a digital replica of the warehouse with their advanced robotic data capture technology, they are able to deploy a platform that is not only seamless and intuitive, but provides powerful and actionable insights too.”

This Series A funding round will be used for international expansion in key markets such as the US, and Central and Northern Europe, with aims to double Dexory’s workforce by the end of the year to support unit deployment functions and increased production. The funding will also be used to continue developing Dexory’s forecasting and simulation technology; as well as accelerating the production of its automated robots in its facility in the U.K.

In doing so, Dexory hopes to continue to embed accurate and real-time data into its customers’ supply chains, making it the new standard for the warehouse of the future.

Dexory was founded in 2015 by three founders, Andrei, Oana and Adrian (pictured), and is based in the UK. The founders are school friends from Romania, who moved to the UK a decade ago with experience accumulated across engineering and tech roles at Formula 1, Google, and IBM. Combining commercial nous with deep technical expertise, the three founders are now working together to help transform warehouse management practices worldwide.

Maersk Expands DexoryView Partnership

As a result of a successful deployment at its Kettering site in England, Maersk UK&I is expanding the use of Dexory technology across all its warehouse operations in the area over the next few months, it was announced today.

The partnership began with a successful deployment of the first Dexory robot and integrated data platform into the Kettering site in January. The platform and robot helped Maersk save dozens of hours per week in tracking and solving inventory issues, giving continuous visibility across the site that supports identifying and achieving improvements across the operation. Due to its ongoing success, the solution will be deployed into another Maersk facility in Tamworth early June and across the UK&I afterwards, in line with Maersk’s expansion plans in the region.

Attendees of the Multimodal event in Birmingham, UK, from the 13th to 15th June will be able to see a demonstration of how Maersk maximises data and provides unprecedented insights into operations for its customers via Dexory’s solution. Dexory will be present on the Maersk stand numbered 2040/2041 and on Dexory’s own stand 7022.

Oana Jinga, Dexory’s Chief Commercial Officer, commented, “We’re thrilled to continue supporting Maersk on their journey to being the efficient and sustainable Global Integrator they intend to be. The extension of our partnership underlines the growing trust in our technologies and the value we are bringing to their organisation.”

Using the DexoryView platform allows Maersk and its customers to automate data collection and build real-time digital twin technology that unlocks insights across all levels of warehouse operations. Dexory’s technology will allow Maersk to gather full visibility of stock across the various UK&I sites, and achieve greater operational efficiency, thus bringing resilience as well as flexibility to their supply chains.

The deepening partnership with Dexory is also a great enabler of Maersk’s commitment to sustainability, as it allows them and their customers to optimise existing resources within warehouses and racks, maximising utilisation, and reducing wastage across stock.

Fergus Whinham, Maersk’s UK&I Commercial Lead, says “As a customer-centric organisation, it is vital for Maersk to stay at the forefront of innovation within the supply chain and be able to offer their customers the opportunity to test the latest and greatest solutions as they are developed. We’re confident that continuing and expanding our work with Dexory will continue to drive that innovation on behalf of our customers”.

Dexory provides the only system on the market that combines inventory-scanning robots with powerful warehouse analytics, all built and maintained in-house. Dexory captures real-time insights into warehouse operations using fully autonomous robots and Artificial Intelligence. Instant access to real-time data helps optimise the present, de-risk the future and discover the intractable in each location and at every stage of the product journey through the warehouse and onto dispatch. Founded in 2015, Dexory aims to transform the data-gathering operations of warehouse environments.

Logistics in Ukraine: Still Going

Ukraine’s ports, where the lion’s share of freight traffic was carried out, are still closed, writes Alex Horbenko, Editor of Logistics in Ukraine. Airports are not working. Neither air passenger nor freight transport is possible. Ukrainian logistics has switched exclusively to rail and road transport. However, businesses operate 7 days a week: you can receive a parcel ‘the same day’, resolve issues online and make payments in any form. What challenges does the transport and logistics sector face, how does it overcome obstacles, and are there opportunities?

Maersk believes there are. In early March, the company issued an official release on direct bookings to Ukraine, which was suspended a year ago. For this purpose, a new weekly barge was launched from the port of Constanta, Romania, to the port of Reni, Ukraine. The service is now fully operational on two routes – via the Constanta/Danube Canal and the Black Sea. Transit time is approximately 1.5 days.

You can make a reservation and you will need to register in the system. Why is it important for the country’s logistics? The ‘Grain Corridor’ is only about grain, and not all of it. For other products from Ukraine, we need railways, road transport and ports like the Port of Reni. By the way, the port of Reni did not stop working for a single day last year, moreover, it dredged the water area and showed the best result in all the years of independence. The volume of cargo handled in 2022 was 6.5 times higher than in the previous year.

This means that the risks have been taken into account and the opportunities have been assessed. And they are. An interactive map of investment and business opportunities has been launched in Ukraine.

How is it useful and to whom? Potential investors. To find business partners, the map has an intuitive interface. Select a region, go to the region’s page in the lower right corner, look at project options, and send a request. The map contains 81 projects and covers 14 industries: agriculture, construction, transport and logistics, processing, food, fuel, light/heavy industry, tourism, education/development, mining, waste management, healthcare, administrative and support services.

Despite the war, investors are coming in. They are probably guided by Warren Buffett’s opinion: “Don’t hold on to money during a war. For the next 50 years, it is much better to have working production assets than pieces of paper.” Investors are building. Right now. In a time of war. Under rocket fire, they invest in development.

For example, Nestle Ukraine is launching a production hub in the Lutsk district of Volyn region. 40 million Swiss francs will be invested in expanding production by 1,500 jobs. The company plans to make this hub a food and culinary centre that will supply products to European markets.

What technologies are trending?

Prefabricated modular buildings. The Sklad Service company, which provides integrated logistics solutions, comments on this: “Prefabricated buildings can be installed in a couple of months and have a lifespan of 50 years, requiring less initial investment. They can be deployed on almost any hard site. This is an advantage for companies. For example, we recently installed a warehouse for Agromat company in less than a quarter, a 75-metre-long warehouse on a site with a height difference of 700 mm, with no complex foundation work.”

Companies in Ukraine are highly digitalised. Money transfers are made minute by minute, managers work through all social networks and messengers, and clients receive answers in a couple of minutes. Of course, there are companies that have left the market. But there are also those who have spotted an empty niche from competitors and have made a bet on winning.

 

Fit-out Project Equips Giant Maersk Warehouse

Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that it has been appointed by Maersk, the Danish shipping and logistics company to undertake comprehensive fit-out works at Mammoth 602, a 602,000 sq.ft warehouse development situated at GLP’s G-Park Doncaster, South Yorkshire development that it has recently occupied.

The £12M project will comprise of the fit out of the existing office areas to category A standard, warehouse high level services and minor external works alterations. Warehouse area fit-out includes lighting, sprinklers including works associated, frost protection, fire alarm and small power.

Works started at the beginning of February are expected to be complete at end of the September 2023. G-Park Doncaster is situated in the logistics capital of the North, just 6 miles from the centre of Doncaster, providing easy access to all parts of the UK and mainland Europe via its central position, along with a vast skilled workforce.

Commenting on the appointment Tom Kersley, Glencar Commercial Director said: “Mammoth 602 is an incredible development and the largest such fit-out project Glencar have been awarded to date since establishing our new special projects division so we are suitably delighted. The specialist knowledge and expertise we have built our name on within the Industrial & Logistics lends itself perfectly to support the needs of a growing number of occupiers requiring specialist fit-out and enabling works. We look forward to expanding our offering in the face of increasing demand. We also look forward to working with the team at Maersk and delivering to their exacting needs”.

The unit which totals 602,000 sq ft was built by leading logistics developer GLP and is the largest and most sustainable logistics building in the North of England.

Mammoth 602 is a strong example of GLP’s commitment to sustainability across its developments. It is GLP’s third building to be net zero carbon for construction, in line with the UKGBC framework, and is part of the Planet Mark accreditation scheme which helps to further reduce the carbon footprint for the occupier.

The development benefits from best-in-class specification that is built for logistics, including two 50m service yards, 20m clear internal height, 60 dock levellers, 16 large dock levellers, 24 level access and 4 van level access doors with visibility from the M18. There is also 28,762 SQ FT of office space within the building, 217 HGV parking spaces, and 372 car park spaces.

Glencar Construction was established in 2015 with the aim of providing high quality, agile and efficient construction services, primarily to the industrial, logistics, distribution manufacturing, life science and pharmaceutical sectors. Glencar’s co-founders are industry experts, and they are supported by a dedicated team who have gained a wealth of specialist experience over many years in the sector.

New Logistics Park: East Midlands Gateway

SEGRO has completed a pre-let deal with Maersk, which will see the Danish shipping and logistics company establish a new centre of excellence at SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway (SLPEMG).

Maersk will occupy a new 685,000 sq ft warehouse, designed specifically for them, which will complete in June 2023. In alignment with SEGRO’s net-zero 2030 and Maersk’s net-zero 2040 commitments, the unit is being constructed to be net-zero for both embodied and operational carbon. It will incorporate a full roof mounted PV array and extensive use of recycled construction materials. Provisions will also be made for the operation of a fully electric fleet of HGV vehicles in the future. The development expands Maersk’s offering of end-to-end logistics in the UK significantly and is the first bespoke pre-let logistics unit that the company will operate in the country.

SLPEMG is SEGRO’s flagship national big box scheme, a 700-acre development that has delivered over 4.5 million sq.ft. of sustainable logistics workspace. As part of the UK’s only inland freeport, the site incorporates a 50-acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI). Maersk selected SLPEMG as the site most capable of delivering operational excellence for their customers’ needs, with its central strategic location and on-site rail freight terminal providing a direct link to the seaports of Felixstowe, London Gateway and Southampton, amongst others, in order to minimise logistics emissions and significantly reduce on-road freight mileage. The benefits afforded to Maersk’s operation by the East Midlands Freeport further helped the case for choosing SLPEMG.

SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway started construction in 2017. The site was initially anticipated to be a 10-year programme, however, occupier demand and leasing success has exceeded expectations, as the last big box plot now been leased.

Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics, SEGRO, said: “SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway is especially attractive to customers like Maersk due to the development’s scale, connectivity and our determination to develop to the highest quality and sustainability standards. The extraordinary pace at which we have delivered this scheme illustrates this. We are very excited to welcome Maersk to SLPEMG and as a new customer. We also welcome the additional employment and economic activity it will bring to the East Midlands, building on the 6,000 jobs already created at SLPEMG.”

Paul Woolass, Head of Logistics and Services Products UK & Ireland, Maersk said: “SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway is very much the perfect blueprint for optimising connectivity and flexibility within supply chains. Not only is it ideally positioned in the UK, but the vast infrastructure and cutting-edge technology across the site means operations on UK shores can be done from one place in the most sustainable way possible. It is the epitome of two of Maersk’s key visions for the future: integrating logistics and reaching net-zero emissions by 2040.”

In November, SEGRO launched its Community Investment Plan in the East Midlands, supporting local people with skills, employment, environment and economic investment. The plan is being delivered with its construction partner, customers, suppliers and four local charity partners to undertake a range of projects with the aim of achieving the following outcomes by the end of 2025:

• 5,250 young people will be engaged through a Schools Work Programme
• 300 unemployed people will participate in bespoke skills, and training programmes
• 6 outdoor spaces will be reinvigorated to improve biodiversity and support community wellbeing

The East Midlands Community Investment Plan is a key element of the company’s commitments to boost skills, training and employment in the communities where it operates across the UK and Continental Europe. Already home to a diverse range of customers including Kuehne+Nagel, ShopDirect, Games Workshop, Arvato and DHL, SLPEMG is in proximity to the major cities of Leicester, Derby and Nottingham and other local towns ensuring the park’s customers have access to a strong labour pool.

Maersk’s Autonomous Robots Proof of Concept

A.P. Moller – Maersk the integrated logistics company operating in 130 countries, has signed up for a trial with Dexory, and now has autonomous robots operating in a warehouse facility in Kettering, UK. Maersk is a global leader in containerized logistics and is working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. The proof-of-concept trial deploys Dexory’s robots and integrated data platform into the Maersk facility, with room for expansion into other facilities.

This PoC is launched in continuation of Maersk Growth’s, the venture arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk, investment in Dexory in their most recent funding round, and serves as a proof point of the evolving partnership between the two companies. With the vision to connect, protect and simplify their customers’ supply chains – bringing profound opportunities to harness the power of new technologies, testing and scaling innovations is pivotal to Maersk.

The organisation recognises that for the future of warehousing there are many ways in which processes can be optimised. In this regard, the use of new technology, removing the need for repetitive tasks and enabling staff to focus on key operations, using space wisely and more profitably, whilst attracting and retaining employees is central. As a customer-centric organisation, it is vital for Maersk to stay at the forefront of innovation within the supply chain and be able to offer their customers the opportunity to test the latest and greatest solutions as they are developed, especially as global demand and the complexity of supply chains increases.

Autonomous Robots

As Maersk’s logistics operations expand alongside their warehouse footprint across the world, including in the UK and Ireland, the project brings an exciting opportunity for a multi-disciplinary Maersk team to partner with Dexory to expand their capabilities and improve customer outcomes. Maersk partnered with Dexory for its ability to help address the issues they were facing in one autonomous solution. Robots and data visualisation platform will work together to help Maersk measure, track and locate goods across every logistics step, from inbound to storage to outbound.
Andrei Danescu, Dexory’s CEO, says “It’s reassuring to see such trust placed in Dexory from globally recognised logistics leaders like Maersk. We’re looking forward to bringing Maersk valuable data insights and expanding into other Maersk facilities”.

Dexory captures real-time insights into warehouse operations using fully autonomous robots and Artificial Intelligence. Using autonomous technology to unlock data and drive insights through all levels of business operations, helping companies boost their performance and unlock their full potential. Dexory’s fully autonomous mobile and modular robots measure, track, and find goods across warehouses without workflow disruption. The data is fed in real-time into digital twins, allowing logistics and warehouses to quickly respond to operational challenges they face on a daily basis.
Instant access to real-time data helps optimise the present, de-risk the future and discover the intractable in each location and at every stage of the product journey through the warehouse and onto dispatch. Founded in 2015, Dexory aims to transform the data-gathering operations of warehouse environments.

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