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Tag: Shipping

Shypple forms green partnership with Value Maritime

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Digital freight forwarding platform Shypple has formed a partnership with Value Maritime as a part of its sustainability mission: a clean future for the shipping industry. The initiative with Value Maritime supports Shypple’s clients in reducing their ecological footprint with a Filtree and Carbon Capture system. These services are available to Shypple users by September 2022.

There are 60,000 power-driven vessels around the world right now. It’s impossible to change all of these to battery power overnight. Together with Value Maritime, Shypple offers an immediate option for cleaner shipping with the ambition to have a Filtree and Carbon Capture system installed on hundreds of vessels by 2025.

Value Maritime’s Filtree System filters sulfur, fine dust, and CO₂ from the exhaust gasses of vessels. The CO₂ is stored on the vessels in CO₂ batteries. These batteries are discharged at ports afterwards to be transported to the greenhouses that re-use the CO₂, to grow their crops, which is particularly relevant to Shypple’s perishable customers.

“The industry needs solutions now, not in the future. That is what we can provide at Value Maritime today, retrofitting vessels to be greener and much more sustainable. Our solution is available for installation on most  ship types immediately. It’s great to see a growing interest in sustainable solutions as carriers increase their efforts to contribute to a better environment,” says Maarten Lodewijks, Director and Co-founder of Value Maritime.

The shipping industry emits around 940 million tonnes of CO₂ every year. About 80% of the world’s trade comes by sea. As an innovative digital freight platform, Shypple takes the lead to reduce the footprint of the sector and  make a positive impact. Additional solutions and insights help the platform’s clients to simplify their logistics and reduce their environmental pollution.

Shypple believes it is important to improve the accessibility of cleaner shipping options. Shypple already provides users with accurate CO₂ numbers for every shipment and encourages their clients to join a reforestation programme to offset carbon emissions, or ship their goods with biofuel.

“We’re happy to announce this partnership as part of our commitment to a more equitable shipping industry,” says Jarell Habets, CEO and founder of Shypple. “We cannot ignore the social and environmental impact of global transportation. At Shypple, we stimulate our customers to reduce their ecological footprint, and thanks to this initiative with Value Maritime we tackle the problem right at the core. We share their ambition as a young, innovative, and sustainable-minded organisation that wants to innovate the industry with positive impact.”

The digital platform provides more transparency and green solutions to its users. Whether it is digital sustainability insights or additional instalments that make cargo journeys more environmentally friendly.

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London Gateway sets volume record

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DP World has, for the first time, handled more than one million TEU in six months at London Gateway, a record for the port as the provider of smart logistics solutions continues to make major investments in the UK’s infrastructure.

Between January and June, London Gateway saw throughput of 1,013,000 TEU, a 10% increase on the previous best half-yearly performance set in the second half of last year. This performance contributed to a record volume of cargo for DP World’s ports in the UK, with a combined total of 1,937,000 TEU when factoring in throughput at Southampton, Britain’s second largest container terminal.

DP World – which operates ports, terminals and logistics businesses on six continents – announced last year a further £300m investment in a new fourth berth at London Gateway, which will lift capacity by a third when it opens in 2024. Globally, the company reported a strong volume performance for the first six months of the year, with throughput growing by 2.7%.

Group Chairman and Chief Executive of DP World, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “Over the last 10 years, £2bn has been invested in the UK. London Gateway is one of the UK’s largest privately funded investment projects of the last 30 years and is set to grow further as part of Thames Freeport. Over the next 10 years around £1bn of further investment has been earmarked for the UK, making it our largest investment outside the Middle East.”

Ernst Schulze, UK Chief Executive of DP World, said: “This record performance illustrates our capacity to expand customer choice by introducing new sailings while continually improving our capability to deliver first-class services for all existing customers. We expect our UK business to continue to grow, fuelled by our rapidly expanding port-centric logistics park at London Gateway, one of the biggest facilities of its kind in Europe.”

“Operating two ports means we offer unrivalled flexibility and choice to customers. Volumes can be switched quickly and easily between locations, giving customers more control over their supply chains and increasing security of supply for critical goods coming into the UK. No other logistics business can offer this level of flexibility and certainty,” Schulze added.

The performance in the first half of the year was driven by a new international service, in addition to strong throughput from existing customers. Goods imported and exported – which saw strong growth in the first half of the year – included coffee, tea and clothing.

New Rail Service Connecting Scotland Globally

Posted on by Keith McKinley

MSC UK is delighted to announce a new rail service connecting Mossend in Scotland via Hams Hall, to Felixstowe and London Gateway. The new Mossend rail service builds upon MSC UK’s commitment to the Scottish market, customers, and ports, by complementing two existing weekly calls into the ports of Grangemouth and Greenock.

Jonathan Burke, Operations Director at MSC UK commented: “We are very pleased to announce that, together with our partners GB Railfreight (GBRf) and Maritime, the new service launched last week will add greater flexibility for our customers to move cargo to and from anywhere in Scotland and connect to global trade routes via the ports of Felixstowe and London Gateway.

This latest enhancement to MSC UK’s long established and market-leading intermodal network offers great value to our UK customers by seamlessly connecting their cargo across road, rail and sea; delivering an efficient and cost-effective solution that helps contribute to our customers’ sustainability goals.”

Intermodal transportation is a core focus for MSC, and the company continues to make significant investments in this area to strengthen its inland solutions offering. Its fast-growing road, rail and barge network offers customers all over the world a flexible and effective way of moving cargo inland and contributes to the decarbonisation of global supply chains.

John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight added “GBRf is delighted to begin this exciting new venture with MSC. We are committed to working with partners to ensure that we provide a first-class service. One that demonstrates the commercial value of collaborating with GBRf, delivers wider sustainability benefits for every region across the UK and grows the rail freight industry.”

The train service will run 6 days a week and enhance rail and road capacity for MSC UK’s customers, complemented by the company’s door-to-door haulage services designed to provide support at all stages across customer supply chains.
John Bailey, Managing Director – Intermodal and Terminals, for Maritime Transport Ltd said: ‘We are pleased that MSC UK have decided to utilise both of our terminals at Mossend and Hams Hall to launch this service. Our continued investment in intermodal services and infrastructure means the two sites, which form part of our growing network of seven fully open access terminals, offer excellent coverage and rail connectivity throughout the UK.

Jonathan continued: “This exciting enhancement to our intermodal offering ensures we can collect or deliver customers’ cargo from anywhere in Scotland and connect seamlessly to the ports of Felixstowe and London Gateway and mainline services to destinations around the globe.”

As a national leader in shipping and logistics, with knowledgeable support from local teams in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and the UK Head Office in Ipswich, MSC UK is confident that the new rail service will deliver success for all parties involved.

Imperial Logistics celebrates 50 years at Fürth

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Imperial Logistics, owned by DP World, has marked 50 years of logistics services and transport operations at the port of Fürth in Germany. The port is a handling centre for construction materials and agricultural goods for well-known companies in the region. Imperial is set to continue its role that started with the arrival of the first goods via the Main-Danube canal, north-west of Fürth, 50 years ago, on 15 July 1972.

The port of Fürth is mainly a handling centre for construction materials and agricultural goods such as granite, sheet metal, timber and fertilisers.

Mohammed Akoojee, Group Chief Operating Officer, Logistics at DP World and Group CEO at Imperial, said: “I would like to congratulate the Imperial team at the port of Fürth on this significant milestone anniversary. The port and our business location have been a reliable partner for 50 years when it comes to handling bulk commodities and steel products on inland waterway vessels, railway wagons and trucks.”

Rashid Abdulla, CEO of DP World Europe, said: “With 50 years of experience in the logistics industry in Europe, it’s clear that Imperial Logistics not only has the skills but also the tenure and track record of being a supply chain leader. As a key part of the DP World Logistics business, Imperial provides comprehensive infrastructure that helps us to create the supply chain solutions that make it faster, cheaper and easier for businesses to get their products to their customers. I congratulate the business and all my colleagues on reaching 50 years at Fürth, and look forward to the next 50 together.”

The business site in Fürth is part of the industrial business, in which Imperial, an integrated provider of logistics and market access services, has combined its services for sectors such as the steel and construction industries as well as engineering and plant construction.

Imperial handled some 160,000 tonnes of different bulk commodities at the port of Fürth last year. Inland waterway services accounted for about 46,000 tonnes of this figure, trucks for more than 95,500 tonnes and the warehouse building, which measures 8,000 sq m, handled more than 18,000 tonnes.

Nissan renews partnership with Port Of Tyne

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Port of Tyne has extended its commercial partnership with Nissan to facilitate the import and export of new vehicles for a further five years.

As one of the port’s largest customers and of economic importance to the region, this agreement marks the dawn of a new era for both parties as the move to net zero transportation accelerates.

The Port of Tyne handles 600,000 vehicles per year, making it the country’s second largest car handling port.

Nissan first began producing cars in Sunderland in 1986. Since 1994, the Port of Tyne has played an integral part in transporting Sunderland-built models to over 130 worldwide markets.

The new deal follows Nissan’s EV36Zero announcement last year. Nissan EV36Zero will supercharge Nissan’s drive to carbon neutrality and establish a new 360° solution for zero-emission motoring. The transformational project is comprised of three interconnected initiatives, electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production with Nissan’s battery partner Envision AESC.

This development is closely aligned with the Port of Tyne’s sustainability vision to be net zero by 2030 and all-electric by 2040.

“The Port of Tyne has been an integral part of our supply chain for many years. As it continues to grow as a clean energy and green distribution hub it will continue to play a vital role in Nissan’s vision for a carbon neutral future,” says Michael Simpson, Vice President of Supply Chain Management, Nissan.

“We are incredibly proud to be supporting one of the UK’s biggest car manufacturer and having the opportunity to make a major contribution to the adoption of electric vehicles globally,” commented Matt Beeton, CEO at the Port of Tyne. “This agreement demonstrates Nissan’s long-term commitment to the port and its importance to the wider region.”

 

GEFCO opens centre in Algeciras

Posted on by Keith McKinley

GEFCO, a global expert in supply chain and one of the top suppliers in automation logistics in Europe, has launched its new centre in Algeciras, which is already operating, as part of its goal of stablishing a strategy oriented towards strengthening its logistics chains.

GEFCO Group has opened the new centre in Algeciras as part of its global strategy to facilitate its customers’ access to Europe and Morocco. The company hopes to settle in one of the key locations for the transit of goods between Europe and Africa, by offering all the services of a port structure, among which a completely operational control tower can be included.

The centre has been marked as a key strategic location by the company due to the Strait of Gibraltar´s geographic relevance as an essential part of the Europe-Africa-Europe crossing. The company seeks to achieve two essential goals: to widen its position, becoming the main operator in Morocco´s corridor, and to create a hub in Algeciras, through a reception and distribution platform for goods that allows for a fast-paced service even in times of high volume of shipments.

Thanks to this new centre, GEFCO can offer its customers all the services of a port structure, including transit and customs mediation, a documents control unit, monitoring and escort of goods from the port circuit to their shipment point and the use of train transport from Algeciras port to the rest of Europe.

Michael Koundri, GEFCO Director for Morocco´s Corridor, said: “The new centre will be available 24 hours a day and it will include high-level security with the objective of ensuring the safe transit of goods. In GEFCO we trust we can adapt to our customers´ specific needs and guarantee an exceptional logistics experience.”

 

TT Club calls for more container inspections

Posted on by David Priestman

Revised Guidelines for the Implementation of the Inspection of Cargo Transport Units (CTUs) issued in June 2022 by the IMO are aimed at helping governments to implement a uniform and safe inspection programme. The IMO Circular (MSC.1/Circ.1649) seeks to broaden the inspections undertaken and align fully with safety guidance developed during the last decade (previous guidelines date from 2012).

Specifically, governments are now requested to select from all cargo types, rather than simply declared dangerous goods, for inspection. Further the guidance takes account of the issuance of the CTU Code, revisions of container safety regulations and the need to minimise the movement of invasive pests. The Circular additionally notes the continuing low rate submission of inspection reports and encourages an increase in such inspections.

Peregrine Storrs-Fox, TT Club’s Risk Management Director, says: “With the string of container ship fire casualties and fatal incidents at storage facilities, most recently at Chittagong (Chattogram), in our minds, our current concerns are manifest. They constantly remind us of the importance of adequate safety procedures in packing, handling and transporting the array of cargoes that have the potential to cause catastrophic incidents.

“With only five of the 179 governments affiliated with IMO submitting reports on inspections at the last Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) sub-committee meeting in September 2021, the industry urgently seeks more collaborative support from governments in combatting the potential circumstances and cargo packing practices that cause dangerous incidents. It would be much appreciated if more national reports undertaken during 2021 can still be reported for consideration at the next CCC this September.

“However, TT Club calls for a viable sample of inspections in future based on the new guidelines. In this regard, TT would urge strongly that governments enter dialogue with industry to understand how the latter can work with enforcement agencies to improve safety.”

TT Club itself has long campaigned for an increased awareness of the issues surrounding the transport of dangerous goods, and all potentially hazardous cargoes. It is dedicated to improving standards for the safe and secure packing of all cargoes in cargo transport units.

There is a plethora of industry generated guidance on best practice relating to packing and handling of cargoes, including the Quick Guide to the CTU Code, along with a Checklist of actions required of those packing cargo in freight containers, published by the Cargo Integrity Group and available in several languages.

Such work by industry groups can only be strengthened by a partnership with governments. Their action on inspections, with the help of the new revisions to the IMO guidelines and use of that body’s reporting system is crucial.

Storrs-Fox concludes: “The international supply chains that service the trade in a myriad of commodities are complex and notoriously susceptible to disruption. Congestion and delays increase the challenges involved in maintaining safety levels in an environment where the demand for reliable delivery of goods is high. Such circumstances require an even higher level of attention to safe practices. The collection of information on the effective use and/or mis-use of these practices needs to be enhanced by a much higher level of rigorous inspections and report submissions from governments, but working from the understanding that this is a shared problem.”

Volumes recovering at Chinese ports

Posted on by David Priestman

FourKites, a leading real-time supply chain visibility platform, has seen a recovery in import and export ocean shipment volume at Chinese ports over the past weeks as COVID-19 lockdowns have eased.

Volume at the Port of Shanghai has increased since mid-May, with the 14-day average ocean shipment volume now up 2% compared to 12 March (the day before lockdowns went into effect) for shipments tracked by FourKites. This is up from mid-May, where shipment volume was down as much as 25% over the same period. For other Chinese ports, volume tracked by FourKites has remained strong, with volume at the Port of Shenzhen up 37% and volume at the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan up 32% compared to 12 March.

FourKites has continued to see strong recovery in volume traveling from China to the United States. The 14-day average shipment volume for loads traveling from China to the United States is now up 8% compared to levels seen on 12 March. Volume along this lane had previously reached a low of 43% lower in mid to late April. Delays have decreased correspondingly, with the 14-day average percentage of shipments delayed along this lane at 27% compared to the high of 39% seen in mid to late April.

Average transit times for loads arriving in the United States from Shanghai remain elevated but show some signs of recovery. The 28-day average transit time for shipments traveling from Shanghai to the United States is now at 69.2 days, up 24% from 12 March. This is down from the peak of 75 days seen in mid-May.

Dwell times for export shipments for Chinese ports has shown some signs of recovery over the past weeks. The 14-day average ocean dwell time for export shipments tracked by FourKites is now at 7.5 days, an increase of 11% compared to 12 March. This is down 17% from the high seen earlier in June. Import dwell time at Chinese ports remains above levels seen before the lockdown, with the 14-day average ocean dwell time now at 4.5 days. This is a 12% increase compared to 12 March.

FourKites has also continued to see a recovery in over-the-road and rail/intermodal shipment volume in the city of Shanghai. The 14-day average shipment volume for loads being delivered to Shanghai is now up 3% compared to 12 March. Volume being picked up from Shanghai continues to climb, but is still down 74% compared to 12 March.

 

Experts see silver lining beyond container chaos

Posted on by David Priestman

Congestion of container ships on the North Sea, expensive drayage transport, container shortage: the German economy has been groaning under these conditions for some time. There is no relief in sight in the short term, but in the long run. Although the supply chain experts of the Bochum-based software company Setlog assume that the effects of the current crisis will last well into 2023, they forecast decreasing ocean freight rates in the fourth quarter of 2022.

An analysis of 80 Setlog customers and brands from June 22 also shows: Importers of fast-moving consumer goods learned from their misery and now order their desired products on average one week earlier than they did in 2020 and before the coronavirus pandemic, thus reducing delays. Another outcome of the analysis: they are not shifting their production from the Far East to Europe.

The aftermath of the Shanghai lockdown, cancelled departures of container ships and the strikes in some German ports are causing serious problems for the economy: According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), container ships with a capacity of around 150,000 standard containers are waiting to call at Bremerhaven and Hamburg in the German Bay alone. The situation is even more dramatic off the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.

“The consequences are not only delays but also a shortage of containers. Switching to smaller ports is problematic because they lack space and a strong infrastructure for transports to the hinterland. If rail is not an alternative, expensive direct transport by truck remains the only option,” reports Ralf Duester, member of the Setlog board.

Logistics service providers also face the problem of not being able to ramp up their capacities due to the lack of staff. Duester does not expect an improvement in ocean freight rates in the short term – but in the long term from the fourth quarter of this year if the ship owners also play along.

Patrick Merkel, managing director of Prologue Solutions, agrees: “Inflation, the shift in interest rates and high prices in various sectors suggest that rates will fall.” Due to the geopolitical situation and the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic, logistics service providers tend to expect less business in the coming half-year. Shippers are also benefiting from ship owners that have built up more capacity.

Due to this tense situation, according to the Setlog analysis, the transit time of ocean freight from the Far East to the western ports took an average of 42.5 days. For comparison: in 2021 it was 41.6 days, in 2020 around 35. Before the pandemic (2019), the transit time was 31 days. In the past two years, up to 30% of goods were late due to lockdowns, production delays and long transit times, according to Setlog. However, buyers of fast-moving consumer goods managed to push the proportion of goods arriving late down to three to five per cent compared to the pre-Covid period in bringing orders forward by an average of one week.

While some industries are considering dual production for sensitive goods and components, as well as re-shoring and near-shoring, the analysis shows that specialists for fast-moving consumer goods did not relocate production to Europe or Germany. Only one to two percent of their total volume of apparel is produced in Eastern Europe or North Africa – this has not changed since the beginning of the pandemic. Turkey’s share is also constant at about 11.5%, China’s at 11.0%. However, suppliers in Bangladesh and Vietnam were able to get more business. Bangladesh’s share rose from 28.0% to 32.0% during the pandemic, Vietnam’s from 4.5% to 7.3%.

The consequences of Covid-19 apparently led to a change in some companies. They are investing in strategies and systems to increase the availability of goods and to be able to react more flexibly overall to unplanned changes in the supply chain. “More and more companies are coming to us to learn how to use software to get more transparency in the supply chain and to inform all partners about changes in almost real time,” Duester reports.

“For these managers availability and resilience now count more than cost savings.” He knows companies that make a point of ensuring that products or components must be available in dual sourcing – at every location. “Companies will soon no longer evaluate buyers according to cost savings, but intensify other criteria,” the Setlog manager predicts.

 

GateHouse and leogistics form visibility collaboration

Posted on by David Priestman

GateHouse Maritime, a leading provider of ocean supply chain visibility and predictability services, has announced a collaboration with leogistics GmbH, an innovation leader in operational logistics and supply chain management, to integrate its OceanIO data services with the myleo / dsc cloud logistics platform for greater visibility of goods in transit.

Michael Rölli, Co-Head of Product and Solution Management, myleo / dsc, said: “Today, digitisation and changes in communication offer a huge opportunity for more integrated services and greater customer satisfaction. However, to achieve this means we have to rethink collaboration in the business and logistics world. Working together with GateHouse Maritime, we can advance the capabilities of myleo / dsc and move closer to our goal of delivering an easy-to-use, efficient and future-proof logistics execution and collaboration platform for all industries and modes of transport.”

Martin Dommerby Kristiansen, CEO at GateHouse Maritime, said: “There has never been more value placed on alliances and partnerships, as users look increasingly to manufacturers and service providers to solve the challenges of integration, reducing the complexity and increasing the efficiency everyday tasks companies and individuals face daily. This exciting new collaboration with leogistics will add the power of OceanIO – the industry’s most comprehensive and robust ocean data foundation – to myleo / dsc, helping it supply higher levels of visibility and more predictable delivery of goods in transit across the world.”

Under the terms of the agreement between the two companies, GateHouse Maritime will provide Ocean Visibility and Ocean Prediction Services including Container tracking, Vessel tracking and Arrival Prediction to leogistics. OceanIO provides a foundation to enable predictive services such as the position and movements of shipping containers and freight, where it is in the customs clearance cycle and time of arrival. Myleo / dsc customers can use the data provided to streamline their incoming and outgoing goods processes, automate complex yard and port processes as well as improve communication with supply chain partners regarding the status of containers in transit.

The two businesses are collaborating with the joint objective of delivering a connected API during Q2 2022, a designed backend including the preparation of data structures with integrated container data and data visualisation. This will be further augmented by connecting container numbers to business documents (e.g., SAP documents, Bill of Lading numbers), the addition of Multimodal Transport Stages, map-based data visualisation and port congestion information.

myleo / dsc is a unique cloud platform for site and transport logistics. Utilising real-time data, the cloud software simplifies yard, supply and transport management in a single user-centric Process-as-a-Service solution, connecting producers, suppliers, warehouses, freight forwarders, and stores to create a holistic supply chain network.

myleo / dsc provides transparency and visibility services with a wide variety of data such as alerts, maps, inventory or status are consolidated and flexibly displayed on a launchpad. Moreover, myleo / dsc includes a powerful status and event management, allowing the user to model and control both the planned and unplanned events which influence logistics processes every day in a granular way. A Connectivity Service integrates customer data sources and formats as well as upstream and downstream system such as warehouse or transportation management systems to create the appropriate database.

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