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Tag: ports

New Hybrid Ferry Docks at Limassol

Posted on by Keith McKinley

P&O Ferries’ newly commissioned Fusion Class vessel ‘P&O Pioneer’ has docked at DP World Limassol port on its journey from Guangzhou, China to Dover, United Kingdom.

The industry-leading P&O Pioneer arrived on Wednesday for bunkering, as it makes its way towards Dover, where it is expected to become fully operational on the English Channel route to Calais in May 2023.

The vessel’s first trip to its new home has been aided by DP World’s vast global network of terminals allowing it to dock in one of its own terminals where it will be fully serviced by various specialist teams from within the global firm’s group of companies.

DP World’s integrated services will provide berthing, bunkering, and marine services while the vessel is docked at Limassol. Unifeeder and P&O Maritime Cyprus will be responsible for bunkering and marine operations, while DP World Limassol terminal operators will be in charge of berthing the vessel while it remains at the port.

The Pioneer is set to be the world’s largest double-ended hybrid ferry with two bridges meaning there is no need for it to turn around in ports, saving fuel on every roundtrip. Forecasts anticipate that P&O Pioneer will deliver a 40% reduction in carbon emissions on the Dover-Calais route from its first day in service, making it the most sustainable ferry ever to sail between Britain and the Continent and a true leader in advancing the UK maritime sector’s journey towards net zero.

Important step

Peter Hebblethwaite, CEO of P&O Ferries, said: “The delivery of P&O Pioneer is an important step for P&O Ferries, and one that will bring advanced sustainable technology to the Dover-Calais crossing. We are excited to offer our passengers and freight customers the chance to experience this state-of-the-art new ferry on our busiest route, which is also one of the UK’s most important connections with the continent of Europe.

“Last summer we carried more than one million passengers on this route and are looking forward to an exciting summer ahead with the first of our two new ships.”

Nawaf Abdulla, CEO of DP World Limassol, said: “I am delighted to be inaugurating this state-of-the-art hybrid ferry at DP World Limassol Terminal, in the presence of key government officials and stakeholders of the maritime sector.

“The fact that leading companies such as Unifeeder and P&O Ferries, which are both part of the DP World Group, choose to register their vessels in Cyprus is a testament to the country’s favourable Tonnage Tax System (TTS) and the government’s efforts to make the Cyprus flag more competitive. Our global range of products and solutions, from ports and technology to marine services and logistics, enables us to create end-to-end, sustainable supply chain solutions that can reshape the way the world trades.”

The Fusion Class vessel allows P&O Ferries to cut fuel use on each crossing, as it is propelled by a combination of fuel and battery power. Reductions in fuel usage and emissions are delivered by the hybrid system by allowing the Pioneer to operate from its Energy Storage System while manoeuvring or in port and is designed to have the capacity to become fully carbon neutral in the future. The modular design of the ship allows for modifications to welcome developing technology and as more charging stations are brought in at ports, current generators on the vessel can be removed and replaced with batteries.

The P&O Pioneer is the first of two identical purpose-built “Fusion Class” sister-ships ordered for the Dover – Calais route, both of which have been registered in Cyprus. The second ship, P&O Liberte, is expected to join in service towards the end of 2023.

 

AD Ports’ Uzbekistan Logistics JV

Posted on by David Priestman

AD Ports Group, a leading facilitator of global trade, logistics, and industry, and SEG ENERA Group, one of the largest multisectoral holding companies in Uzbekistan, today announced the formation of a new joint venture, ADL-Ulanish, that will provide end-to-end global logistics services across the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Through the new joint venture enterprise, AD Ports Group will bring its cutting-edge expertise in global supply chain logistics and advanced technology to the new company with the goal of addressing some of the logistics challenges faced by enterprises in Uzbekistan, which is a double-landlocked nation, surrounded by five additional landlocked nations. SEG ENERA Group will, in turn, contribute its regional expertise, best practices, and industrial assets, including warehousing capacity, alongside rail and trucking fleets. Through the joint venture, the two entities will serve not only SEG ENERA’s business needs, but also those of other clients within the nation’s market representing a spectrum of industry sectors including, industrial project logistics, oil & gas, e-commerce, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

ADL-Ulanish will offer a variety of advanced services, including: freight forwarding – air and land logistics; warehousing and storage; customs clearance services; and, the development of inland container depots and dry ports. In addition, the company will provide a range of digital solutions to boost service integration and efficiency, as well as bring expertise in food security and supply chains to support the creation of a food hub in Uzbekistan. Strategically located at the cross-roads between the Asian and European markets, Uzbekistan and the broader Central Asian region, is a vital global land logistics hub, whose regional GDP according to the World Bank is forecasted to grow from 3.9% in 2023 to 4.3% in 2024.

Farook Al Zeer, Chairman, Logistics Cluster, AD Ports Group, said: “The launch of ADL-Ulanish provides us with a platform to extend our extensive portfolio of logistics services and expertise to the key market of Uzbekistan, which is located within a region that is primed for future growth. There is significant demand for freight forwarding and warehousing services in Uzbekistan, which has seen major economic expansion in the recent years, driven by important reforms and modernisation efforts. By leveraging our global expertise, we are positioned to make a transformational impact across key industries, facilitated by advanced digital services and supported by a world-class team.”

Timofey Smirnov, Chief Executive Officer, SEG ENERA Group said: “We are proud to enter this important partnership with AD Ports Group, whose logistics capabilities and expertise have served a number of strategic industry sectors in the MENA region, and which thanks to its recent growth, is now reaching out to support partners in nations around the world. Uzbekistan is a major producer of key exports, including oil, natural gas, gold, copper, cotton, food and other strategic commodities and products needed by the global economy. Further development of our logistics sector will create an exciting range of economic opportunities to support our nation’s growing role as a hub for trade between East Asia and Europe.”

In June 2022, the UAE and Uzbekistan signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support cooperation in 27 sectors, involving initiatives in government modernisation to benefit from the UAE’s experience and promote the relations between the two nations.

Established in 2006, AD Ports Group serves as one of the world’s premier facilitators of logistics, industry, and trade, as well as a bridge linking Abu Dhabi to the world. Listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX: ADPORTS), AD Ports Group’s vertically integrated business approach has proven instrumental in driving the emirate’s economic development over the past decade. Operating several clusters covering Ports, Economic Cities & Free Zones, Maritime, Logistics, and Digital, AD Ports Group’s portfolio comprises 10 ports and terminals, and more than 550 square kilometres of economic zones under KEZAD Group, the largest integrated trade, logistics, and industrial business grouping in the Middle East.

Automated Terminal Tractors in Series Production

Posted on by David Priestman

Today, Fernride, provider of autonomous trucking and Terberg, a leader in terminal tractors, announced their collaboration to develop an automated terminal tractor CE certified for commercial production. This solution offers both teleoperated and autonomous driving capabilities to ensure a smooth and gradual transition to full autonomy with human-in-the-loop. The partnership started in 2021 and the series-production of these trucks will start in 2024, ready for gradual autonomy. The first 100 trucks will be rolled out to customers in container terminals, production plants, and distribution centres to lower logistics costs, boost efficiency, and guarantee safety.

Fernride provides its customers with an end-to-end management software suite, to integrate these automated terminal tractors seamlessly into existing yard and terminal operating systems in real-world environments. The partnership also leverages Terberg’s maintenance and service network across the globe to secure the customers’ needs for the highest available uptime during their operations.

Terberg manufactures fully electric and diesel-powered terminal tractors with a drive-by-wire interface, and will integrate Fernride’s hardware kit, consisting of computing, connectivity, and sensor-suite, in their assembly line. With Fernride’s software for autonomous and teleoperated driving, the automated terminal tractors will be ready for driverless deployment on the customers’ sites.

“We are delighted to bring our autonomous technology to the market with the European leader for terminal tractors,” said Hendrik Kramer, CEO of Fernride. “This collaboration means we can deliver an industrial-grade solution to maximize our customers’ productivity, efficiency and safety in their operations on private yards.”

Rob van Hove, CEO Terberg Special Vehicles division, said: “We look forward bringing the collaboration with Fernride to the next level, integrating state-of-the-art software and hardware kit with Terberg’s advanced Drive-By-Wire tractor and implementing the combined solution successfully at customers.”

As market leaders developing autonomous yard operations and the terminal tractor space, the two companies are well-positioned to deliver the technology and services to customers in container terminal, production, and distribution operations to accelerate the transition to autonomy.

TERBERG develops, produces and modifies special transport vehicles and systems for logistics and waste collection. We provide a wide range of complementary services worldwide for these vehicles, directly or via our global service network. These include maintenance, spare parts supply, retrofit, repair, rental and telematics. In this way we help customers to optimise the reliability and cost-effectiveness of their equipment. As a family-owned business we focus on sustainable growth and innovation based on our core values, which has made us successful for more than 150 years.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges Stable in 2022

Posted on by David Priestman

2022 was a year of challenges for Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Geopolitical tensions, the energy crisis and ongoing disruptions in supply chains made their presence felt and, in addition to shifts within the various commodity flows, put sustained pressure on the container segment. This affected throughput, which was down 0.7% year-on-year to 286.9 million tons of cargo. However, the flood of new investments and projects confirms the attractiveness of the unified port and the added value of the complementarity of the two port platforms.

The challenges were most palpable in container traffic. Global disruptions within container shipping, and the resulting congestion with peak call sizes and delays, put pressure on volumes throughout the year. In addition, the conflict in Ukraine caused a decrease in Russia-related traffic by 59%. And while operational challenges at container terminals and congestion have been slowly easing since the third quarter, high energy prices and economic uncertainty have caused a slowdown in demand for container traffic. As a result, container throughput fell 8.6% in tons and 5.2% in TEUs in 2022, compared with a strong 2021, back to pre-pandemic levels.

The war in Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia and the energy crisis greatly changed the energy landscape and flows in Europe, which translated into strong growth in bulk cargo. Dry bulk throughput increased by 13.8% in 2022. Coal throughput, in particular, experienced a sharp increase (+210%) due to the substantial rise in demand for coal powered generation. Fertilisers, however, declined by 18.3% due in part to sanctions on Russia and significantly higher fertiliser prices.

The liquid bulk segment grew 10%, mainly due to a 61.3% increase in demand for LNG as an alternative to natural gas via pipelines from Russia. There was also growth for LPG (+30%), gasoline (+7%), diesel/fuel oil (+9.9%) and naphtha (+7.5%). Chemicals throughput, which had its best year ever in 2021, began to decline in mid-2022 due to increased energy prices that put pressure on the European chemicals sector; volumes ended up by just 1% compared with 2021.

After record figures in 2021, conventional breakbulk (+1.1%) held up well in the first half of the year due to growth in the throughput of steel, the main commodity group within this segment. Starting in the third quarter, steel volumes declined as a result of the slowing economy.

Total roll-on/roll-off traffic saw an increase of 6.5%. More than 3.26 million new cars were handled in 2022, an annualised growth of 10.5%. Throughput of ‘high & heavy’ rolling stock increased by 9.6%, while throughput of used cars and trucks decreased by 13.2% and 17%. respectively. Unaccompanied cargo (excluding containers) grew 10.0%, a significant portion of which was related to the United Kingdom (+4.9%) and Ireland (+35%).

In 2022, Zeebrugge welcomed 144 cruise ships with 547,374 passenger movements, a firm increase compared to the 23 ships and 75,854 passenger movements from last year when cruise shipping was largely at a standstill due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, calls have already been booked up to 2026 and beyond.

Strong as a unified port

The flood of new investments and projects since the merger of the Antwerp and Zeebrugge port platforms confirms the attractiveness and added value of the unified port. The resilience of both port platforms has allowed important steps to be taken in projects that contribute to the port’s sustainable growth and pioneering role in the energy transition. The projects are ready to be further rolled out in 2023 through unified efforts with partners. The hydrogen strategy to make the port a European hydrogen hub for the import, local production and throughput of green hydrogen and hydrogen carriers will be further refined.

The completion of the first part of the NextGen District, the future hotspot for the circular economy, is almost complete and the first spade will go into the ground in 2023. As part of the Port Authority’s ‘greening’ of its fleet, the Hydrotug and Methatug, the world’s first hydrogen and methanol-fuelled tugs, are making an appearance. And the Digital Twin, the digital copy of the port area with real-time info via sensors, drones and smart cameras, will be deployed on both platforms in 2023 to further build a smart, safe and smoothly-operated port.

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp-Bruges: “2022 was, once again, an eventful year, with many logistical and geopolitical challenges. As a world port, we are at the centre of this drama and are holding up well. Thanks to the complementarity of both platforms, we can already see the added value of the merger and, as a unified port, we are much stronger in the face of future challenges. Moreover, with our strong international position, we can make a difference in challenges such as the energy transition. Together with our partners and thanks to financial support, such as the important European funding of 500 million euros for the Antwerp and Kairois@C projects, we can live up to our pioneering role and realise climate impact that reaches far beyond the port’s borders.”

Annick De Ridder, Vice-Mayor of the City of Antwerp and President of the board of directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges: “Despite several significant challenges, together with our partners we have demonstrated our determination and resilience. We remained true to our long-term mission of building a sustainable port. After all, we must fully cherish and strengthen our port as a strategic asset. We are therefore putting our shoulders to the wheel on issues such as the nitrogen dossier, PFAS pollution and the increasingly urgent need for additional container capacity so that our port can continue to fulfil its role as the economic engine of Flanders and we can be a sustainable port that reconciles economy, people and climate.”

Dirk De fauw, Mayor of the City of Bruges and Vice President of Port of Antwerp-Bruges: “The fact that, despite the challenges, we also achieved so many successes in 2022 makes me very proud. First, of course, 2022 was the year of the merger and therefore a historic year. We have also seen important breakthroughs in the field of energy transition with, among other things, the hydrogen plant HyOffWind in Zeebrugge and the Warmtenet Antwerpen Noord. As a world port, however, we would like to do more than create prosperity and jobs. Therefore, we are fully committed to a sustainable future with our environment. The ‘side by side’ environmental communication campaign, the Connection Bridge, the transformation of Fort Filips and the Tall Ships Races are a few great examples of this.”

Wilhelmshaven Connects to South Germany

Posted on by Keith McKinley

EUROGATE Intermodal GmbH (EGIM), Hamburg-based provider of combined transport, will include EUROGATE Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven (CTW) in its network of rail connections starting mid-January 2023.

Beginning 16th January 2023, EGIM will add Wilhelmshaven, Germany’s only deep-water port, to its portfolio of connections. In Q1, EGIM will offer direct services between CTW and Duisburg, Munich, Nuremberg and Kornwestheim. Shortly after, connections to Ulm, Mannheim and Frankfurt/Main will be added to the offering in Q2. By June 2023, EGIM plans to increase its frequency of connections to 13 roundtrips per week.

Sustainable rail transport is important for the future development of Wilhelmshaven, and the direct connections now available to the JadeWeserPort (JWP) by electric locomotive are a key part of the port’s sustainable growth. As part of its own strategy, EGIM is committed to strengthening its range of climate-friendly transport solutions to destinations across both southern Germany and western Germany. Here, new corridors are being consistently opened, and in the future, these areas will have new connections to Wilhelmshaven. The expansion of rail infrastructure between Wilhelmshaven and regions along the Rhine will further accelerate this development and change the flow of cargo, as trains will be able to travel directly and efficiently to the quayside in Lower Saxony.

All new Wilhelmshaven connections can also be booked via railMybox, the fully digital booking platform launched in early May 2022. This user-friendly system, which offers guaranteed capacity at fixed price, is recording a steady increase in registrations and bookings.

As the shipping sector sees a new generation of super-sized container vessels, JWP’s 18-metre water depths allow the huge new ships to dock fully loaded, independent of the tide at any time of night or day. Eight shipping lines have already included JWP in their schedules and are benefitting from the port’s advantageous positioning. As a result of the port’s increasing importance, CTW is experiencing high growth rates and achieved a record-breaking throughput of 712,953 TEU in 2021.

EUROGATE Intermodal GmbH (EGIM) is an international service provider for container transport headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. Part of the EUROGATE Group, EGIM is one of Germany’s leading neutral providers of combined transport for containers by rail and road.
EGIM is a founding member of the private rail service company boxXpress.de GmbH, and with this product, connects the German North Sea ports and Rotterdam with eleven terminals in southern Germany and Hungary. Alongside its rail services, EGIM offers services for the first and last mile via truck.
Through its sister company Hannibal, which belongs to the Italian Contship Group, EGIM offers connections to Italy via its central hub Munich, thereby also connecting the southern ports to the network.

Saudi Ports Record 13% Rise in Freight

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Kingdom’s maritime Saudi ports trade hubs have seen a yearly increase of 13% in cargo throughput during the year 2022, handling an estimated 237 million tons compared to 210 million tons in the preceding year.

The annual results mirror the mission of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) to transform the nation’s ports into an operationally-efficient and robustly-regulated industry thriving on streamlined processes, high-impact partnerships, world-class infrastructure, global connectivity, digital transformation, and top-tier customer experience while fulfilling the Kingdom’s logistics hub ambitions set by the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).

The year-end statistics for 2022 highlight a 3.2% surge in container volumes at 10.3 million TEUs in contrast to 10.04 million TEUs a year earlier. A further look at the sub-categories reveal a 5% boom in imported and exported boxes to 4.8 million TEUs from 4.6 million TEUs in the previous period. Similarly, trans-shipments inched up by 2% to hit 5.5 million tons in comparison to 2021’s tally of 5.4 million TEUs.

On the commodities front, Saudi ports unloaded around 3.93 million cattle heads across 2022, up 9% year-on-year over the prior year’s total of 3.62 million. Likewise, 973,000 cars rolled off incoming vessels at a 25% growth rate versus 778,000 units previously.

The Kingdom’s trade gateways also welcomed 933,000 passengers over the course of 2022, a 36% spike from 2021 when 688,000 pax landed on the country’s shores.

About the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani)

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) was established in 1976 to oversee the operations of the Saudi ports. Since its inception, Mawani has been keen on transforming the Saudi ports into investment platforms and facilitating the Kingdom’s trade with the rest of the world. The Authority seeks to achieve an effective regulatory and commercial environment supported by an operating model that enables growth and innovation in the Kingdom’s maritime industry. It also envisions developing a sustainable and prosperous ports sector to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a leading global logistics hub. Mawani strives to realize Saudi Arabia’s economic and social ambitions by ensuring reliable and efficient logistics operations, as well as creating a safe and sustainable maritime environment. Developing the Kingdom’s industrial capabilities to fulfill the objectives of the National Transport Strategy in line with Saudi Vision 2030, has and will always be one of Mawani’s main objectives, thus contributing to making Saudi Arabia a pioneer in the ports sector.

 

Liebherr Delivers Harbour Crane to Esbjerg

Posted on by Keith McKinley

After a Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbour crane could not be delivered due to an incident during transport in the Kiel Canal at the end of last year, Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH delivered a replacement unit at short notice. With the new LHM 800 High Rise, Port Esbjerg in Denmark now has two of the strongest mobile harbour cranes in the world.

The delivery took place only a short time after an incident in the Kiel Canal, in which an LHM 600 ordered by Port Esbjerg was damaged while passing under the Holtenau High Bridge. Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH sent service engineers and technical specialists to assess the situation on site and to assist with the recovery immediately after the incident. In addition, every effort was made to deliver a
replacement unit to Port Esbjerg as quickly as possible.

A partnership based on trust

“We have a long and cooperative relationship with the Port of Esbjerg. So it goes without saying that one of our top priorities after the incident was to deliver a new machine as quickly as possible. With a lot of commitment, the trust of our customer and a strong team, we succeeded,” says Roman Chopyk, Area Manager for Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes. With the early delivery of the LHM 800 High Rise, Liebherr is fulfilling its customer promise despite the circumstances and is helping the Port of Esbjerg to achieve its ambitious goals. A new LHM 600 will also be delivered as soon as possible.

“Liebherr’s strength and commitment to solve urgent and complex problems is of real value to Port Esbjerg, albeit it is the robustness and operability of these advanced cranes we treasure most,” says Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO Port Esbjerg.

Third port worldwide

The first LHM 800 for Port Esbjerg was delivered in 2019. It is the largest and most powerful mobile harbour crane in the Liebherr portfolio. The high-rise-version allows the customer to lift project cargo up to a height of 92 metres. The LHM 800 meets the ever-increasing demand for mobile heavy-duty cranes in the maritime sector.

A major driver of this development is the wind industry. In a special heavy-lift version, the LHM 800 can lift loads of up to 308 tonnes. With the delivery of the second LHM 800, the Port of Esbjerg today already has the seventh Liebherr mobile harbour crane in operation. It will thus be the third port in the world to count two LHM 800s among its fleet. With this equipment, tandem lifts of up to 616 tonnes are possible. This means that even components of the next generation of offshore wind turbines can be handled quickly and safely.

The Port of Esbjerg is a European leader in handling wind energy components and plays a key role in the Danish offshore wind industry: 80% of the offshore wind capacity installed in Europe was shipped from the Port of Esbjerg.

About Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH

Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH is one of the leading European manufacturers of maritime handling solutions. The product range includes ship, mobile harbour and offshore cranes. Reach stackers and components for container cranes are also included in the product portfolio.

About the Liebherr Group

The Liebherr Group is a family-run technology company with a broadly diversified product range. The company is one of the largest construction machinery manufacturers in the world. However, it also offers high-quality, user-oriented products and services in many other areas. Today, the group comprises more than 140 companies on all continents. In 2021, it employed more than 49,000 people and generated a total consolidated turnover of over 11.6 billion euros. Liebherr was founded in 1949 in Kirchdorf an der Iller in southern Germany. Since then, the employees have pursued the goal of convincing their customers with sophisticated solutions and contributing to technological progress.

Felixstowe deploys first autonomous trucks

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe is believed to be the first port in Europe to introduce autonomous terminal tractor units (ATs) into mixed traffic container terminal operations. The first two battery-powered units to enter service at the UK’s largest container port have been supplied by manufacturer Westwell.

Commenting on the new equipment, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer at the Port of Felixstowe, said: “These new autonomous trucks represent a significant technological step forward for the Port of Felixstowe. The tools underpinning port operations have evolved continuously and we already have a range of very advanced systems and equipment in place but this is the first time we will have wholly driverless vehicles.

“Safety is our No.1 priority. This applies equally to technological developments and especially when introducing new equipment into live terminal operations. The ATs have a range of built-in safety features which will allow them to navigate effectively and safely within our container terminals.”

Felixstowe has long record of innovation

The autonomous trucks use a digital map which is loaded to a fleet management system that controls the navigation around the port. The AT then combines that map with its on-board GPS navigation to track its real-time position.

Project Director, and Hutchison Ports UK Chief Information Officer, Karen Poulter explained: “The Port of Felixstowe has a long record of innovation and we are very excited by this latest development at the port. The ATs use LiDAR – a light sensing technology that creates a 3D map of an AT’s surroundings using a laser and receiver, which, when combined with its on-board 360° cameras, provide real-time, all-round ‘vision’.  This enables it to ‘see’ everything instantaneously in its vicinity to allow safe and accurate navigation.

“With the support of Extreme Precise Position (EPP) system, it can achieve positioning accuracy of 2cm and a steering angle accuracy of 0.5°.”

The ATs have been through a thorough commissioning and testing programme. They are to be used initially to transport containers between the port’s Trinity and North Rail terminals.

Redkik forms partnership with ERGO

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Redkik is set to overhaul how cargo insurance is transacted in Singapore as it announces a strategic partnership with insurer ERGO.

Buying insurance has historically been tedious and time consuming. Lack of flexibility, inefficient technology, and waiting on underwriters for annual policies does not need to be the customer experience any longer.

Redkik’s innovative insurance software now allows transport intermediaries, TMS systems and anyone in the transportation & supply chain in Singapore to offer insurance coverage underwritten by ERGO with a single click.

“Use of an API integration at the point of sale seamlessly adds coverage without unnecessary redirects to external websites and without disrupting the sales flow. This is a game-changer for the industry and we are beyond excited to have achieved this together with Redkik,” said Tony Betteridge, Head of Marine of Munich Re.

By offering this InsurTech/SaaS solution, this new partnership enables anyone in Singapore to purchase insurance when they want it (even day of), how they want (transactional on computer or any mobile device) and for what they want (affordable) – resulting in instant premium quotations at the time of freight being booked.

This expedited process is coupled with competitive pricing and clear policy wording for customers’ specific needs.

Redkik expands across Asia

“Redkik has enjoyed expanding to the Asian market with ERGO; they have been nothing but knowledgeable in supporting this partnership and imminent launch across Asia. Redkik’s technology and ERGO’s well established insurance capabilities has led to a transformative partnership that will change the way we think of cargo insurance,” said Chris Kalinski, CEO and founder of Redkik.

“ERGO is excited to partner with Redkik. We want to transform the way Marine Cargo business is done in our region and offer instant quotes and issuance of the certificate of insurance to our customers in seconds,” said Karl-Heinz Jung, Chief Executive of ERGO Singapore.

This SaaS solution for cargo insurance is now available for transport intermediaries to distribute in Singapore and will soon expand through the rest of Asia. This follows a successful launch in the US in 2021 and Europe and Brazil in 2022.

 

Predicting 2023 supply chain innovations

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Mike Bhaskaran, Group COO of Digital Technology at DP World, shares his predictions on technology innovations that will impact the supply chain logistics industry in 2023.

Fixing global supply chains requires trust and transparency; digital technologies and platforms deliver this through the ability and opportunity to share real-time data. Whether that’s blockchain solutions that boost information security or digital portals that enhance freight visibility, we see a proliferation in technology that can make supply chains more transparent and better understood.

Innovation will enable us to adapt and evolve. We cannot go as we did before – the environment is different; the climate is different. In 2023, businesses must embrace the opportunities offered by technology to streamline processes and boost visibility throughout the supply chain.

Boosting supply chain visibility

Whether it is a purchase from an online retailer or a local food order, new technologies have raised consumer expectations for businesses to provide full visibility of purchased goods right through to the point of delivery. We are seeing business customers develop the same expectations; however, the level of visibility available to them when tracking cargo through the supply chain by far lacks the sophistication available to consumers. The journey from A to B features numerous blind spots, with businesses often unable to account for their cargo at any given moment while it moves across the sea or land.

We need to make it easier for cargo owners to be able to locate and find their cargo at any one point – there should be no ‘blackouts’. Real-time visibility is key. The big question is, how can companies obtain better visibility into the movement and condition of their shipments? The answer is straightforward: by using modern technology. The latest developments in the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data have an immense potential to enhance every supply chain process, from inventory forecasting to demand and sustainable supply chain management.

Secure track-and-trace technology has a crucial role to play in strengthening and unifying regulatory control, fiscal sustainability and ensuring secure supply chains. Many of the components for an integrated solution are already available today. If governments worldwide are to fully leverage the potential benefits to be had from a secure track-and-trace framework, they need to act now. If we are up to the challenge this really can be a win-win.

Using trade initiatives to evolve trade routes

Boosting trade is one of the most powerful tools to lift people out of poverty. Countries that are open to international trade tend to grow faster, innovate, improve productivity, and provide higher incomes and more opportunities to their people. The international community recognises the importance of trade for development through initiatives, such as Aid for Trade, Financing for Development and, most importantly, the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

2023 presents opportunities for new trading routes to open up as many markets are shifting from their traditional ones. Supply chains are also reshaping, as new deals are struck along political lines, and companies prioritise contracting with known, trusted suppliers. This new version of globalisation places greater value on political certainty.

Initiatives like the World Logistics Passport can help governments collaborate more closely on trade and kickstart their economies by making it easier for exporters and importers to reap the benefits of international trade. By working together across borders towards a common goal, governments and businesses can build a more robust global trading community that is both agile and resilient.

Supply chain finance for SMEs

Access to trade finance is critical to the survival and growth of exporters, importers and logistics companies which are the drivers of the global economy. The gap in international trade credit amounts to $3tn and is widening, according to the World Bank.

We need to work closely with financial institutions so that they can start releasing liquid credit – especially for SMEs. But the provision of finance to smaller businesses is lagging – a problem exacerbated by the global financial crisis in 2008, which made large banks pull back from lending more broadly.

Providing financing to these companies has a multiplier effect on trade, income and employment generation. A report by consultants Accenture, commissioned by Stenn, estimates the demand for trade finance will hit $6.1tn in the next four years. In 2023, we expect to see a rise in banking solutions for exporters that smooth and speed up the process when businesses apply for trade finance. Although banks offer trade finance, their approval processes tend to take a long time which can be off-putting.

A new era of global trade

We will witness a new era of global trade next year. Now is the time to invest in defending logistics networks against risk, expand digitalisation and provide the incentives that make global trade work for everyone. The tools we develop are important to leverage digital technology and the solutions are of course what we are aiming to find.

Track and trace technology and electronic bills of lading will remain extremely important in 2023 as we focus our efforts on digitising the supply chain and becoming closer to economies. At DP World, we see technology as the enabler. We need to reduce the siloes and paperwork and create digital solutions to streamline and make efficiencies. Taken together, these initiatives will ensure that we do not simply react to shocks but are well-prepared to navigate them effectively.

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