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Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics News

20 Feb 2020

Fitzgerald to Rejoin Crowley as COO

Ray Fitzgerald (Photo: Crowley)

Crowley Maritime Corp. announced today that Ray Fitzgerald, who began his career with Crowley and most recently served as president and chief operating officer of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions, and chairman of American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC), will rejoin the company March 1 as chief operating officer reporting to Tom Crowley, company chairman and CEO. He will be based at the company’s headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla.Fitzgerald will lead the team of Crowley’s four senior vice presidents and general managers: Rocky Smith…

06 Mar 2019

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Joins CSA 2020

The Norwegian/Swedish shipping company, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics is the latest shipowner to join the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020), increasing the organisation’s membership to 35 shipowners operating a combined fleet of almost 2500 vessels.Roger Strevens, Vice President, Global Sustainability, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, pictured, said: “The implementation of the IMO 2020 0.5% global sulphur cap is supported by the company, but it does represent a significant challenge for the shipping industry, not least from an anticipated hike in fuel costs and potential availability and quality problems.“To mitigate the risk and costs associated with these challenges, Wallenius Wilhelmsen will use low sulphur fuels on the majority of its fleet and scrubbers on the rest of its vessels.

15 Feb 2018

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Doubles Footprint in Port of Zeebrugge

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has signed a concession agreement with the Port of Zeebrugge to develop 49 hectares of land known as the Bastenaken West property located in the inner port. With this concession, in place until 2043, the company will nearly double its terminal footprint. WWL will invest about USD 20 million during the next two to three years. “The agreement marks the next step in WWL’s long-term commitment to the Port of Zeebrugge, the largest RoRo port in the world, and positions the company for continued growth and expansion all across Northern Europe,” says Ray Fitzgerald,President & COO WWL Landbased. Since beginning its relationship with the Port of Zeebrugge in 1999…

12 Feb 2018

Several Car Shippers Face Fines for Rigging Bids

(File photo: WWL)

EU antitrust regulators are set to fine Nippon Yusen KK (NYK) and several other Japanese shippers as well as Norwegian Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA (WWL) in the coming weeks for rigging bids for shipping cars, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The EU sanctions follow a near six-year investigation which started with dawn raids by the European Commission in September 2012 in coordination with Japanese and U.S. antitrust authorities. Competition regulators around…

24 Oct 2017

Fiat Chrysler Sues Shippers over Alleged Price Fixing

(File photo: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS)

The automaker wants the Federal Maritime Commission to order payments from Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS and its sister company EUKOR Car Carriers Inc, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, Hoegh Autoliners AS and affiliated companies. Fiat Chrysler filed its complaint on Oct. 17. All but one of the shippers sued by Fiat Chrysler pleaded guilty and admitted to price fixing as part of a Justice Department investigation. The remaining firm, Hoegh, agreed last month to plead guilty and pay a $21 million criminal fine.

20 Oct 2017

Brunswick Ro/Ro Capacity Up by 50%

Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griff Lynch said the GPA increased auto processing capacity at Colonel’s Island Terminal by 50 percent over the past 12 months, all of which has been absorbed by processors and manufacturers. The Port of Brunswick now has an annual capacity of 800,000 vehicles. “Since last year, we’ve been implementing an aggressive growth plan, enabling GPA and our auto processing partners to win new customers and capture greater market share,” Lynch said. The Roll-on/Roll-off terminal has expanded from 60,000 spaces in 2016 to 90,000 spaces today, for a total capacity of 800,000 cars per year. The additional space already has been absorbed by auto processors Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, Mercedes and International Auto Processors.

21 Aug 2017

FTC Fines Global Car Shipping Firms USD 37.8mln

South Korea's antitrust watchdog Fair Trade Commission (FTC)  has imposed a combined 43 billion won (US$37.8 million) in fines on nine global auto shipping companies for bid rigging and price fixing, reported Yonhap. According to the FTC, the nine car shipping companies colluded between August 2002 and September 2012 in global biddings offered by car manufacturers that they should “respect” existing contracts of one another so as not to compete. The nine car shipping companies are Japan’s Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Nissan Motor Car Carrier and Eastern Car Liner, Norway’s Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and Hoegh Autoliners, Chile’s Compania Sudamericana de Vapores S.A. and Korea’s Eukor Car Carriers.

27 Jun 2017

Current and Former WWL Execs Accused of Price Fixing

Photo: WWL

Two former and one current executive of the shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL) have been indicted on charges of fixing the prices of some international ocean shipping, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. Former executives Arild Iversen and Anders Boman were indicted in November 2016 along with current executive Kai Kraass, the department said. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday. Iversen is a former WWL chief executive, Boman was head of the Asian business for WWL and Kraass was Head of Commercial, Region Europe, according to the complaint filed with the U.S.

06 Mar 2017

S. African Watchdog Seeks Penalty Against K-Line

South Africa’s  competition watchdog  is seeking to fine Japan’s Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line) as much as 10 percent of its annual revenue in the country for colluding on a tender for the transport of Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles, reports Reuters. The commission believes action must be taken against it for price fixing‚ market division and collusive tendering involving the transportation of Toyota vehicles from South Africa to Europe‚ North Africa (Mediterranean Coast) and the Caribbean Islands via Europe‚ West Africa‚ East Africa and Red Sea (Latin America) by sea. The Commission said K-Line rigged bids with rivals between 2002 and 2013 to fix prices and divide the market for shipping from South Africa.

09 Feb 2017

Wilhelmsen Reports Positive Results

2016 ended for Wilh. Wilhelmsen with an improvement in transported volumes, which had a positive effect on total income for the fourth quarter. Adjusted for non-recurring items, WWASA also recorded an uplift in operating profit. Rate pressure continues, but the group expects soft volume recovery in the first half of 2017. Total income for the fourth quarter was USD 450 million, up 8% from USD 418 million in the third quarter. The operating profit ended at USD 4 million due to non-recurring items, down from USD 32 million in the previous quarter. “The third quarter, which is usually negatively affected by seasonality, was impacted additionally by comprehensive strikes in Korea.

08 Feb 2017

Savannah Positioned as U.S. Gateway Port

Today the Georgia Ports Authority announced the sale of 500 acres of property for commercial development to accommodate growing customer demand for warehousing, distribution and transload facilities near the Port of Savannah. The new development, located on five parcels of land at GPA's Savannah River International Trade Park, is less than five miles from the Garden City Container Terminal and can accommodate up to 5 million square feet of logistics space. "Today's announcement will help further establish Savannah as a gateway port for the U.S. Southeast and beyond," said Executive Director Griff Lynch. The project is just one mile from I-95 and will help fill a growing need to service a larger range of customers from the Southeast to the Midwest U.S.

25 Jan 2017

FMC Commissioner Doyle Rejects Blanket Authorities for Foreign Ro/Ro Carriers

Commissioner William P. Doyle Votes to reject joint contracting authority for Ro/Ro foreign carriers to negotiate collectively for U.S.-Flag tug services. Doyle's Statement, shown below, says new rules go beyond the scope of the Shipping Act and shipping practices harmful to U.S. Today, I voted to disapprove the roll-on roll-off (Ro/Ro) WLL/Eukor/ARC/Glovis Cooperative Working Agreement amendment involving Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL), Eukor Car Carriers Inc. (Eukor), American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier LLC (ARC), and Hyundai Glovis Co. Ltd. (Glovis) (collectively Parties). This amendment filed with the Federal Maritime Commission seeks to broaden the authority of the Parties to jointly solicit bids for contracts covering the provision of tug services…

27 Dec 2016

Wilhelmsen, Wallenius One Step Closer to Merger

Wilhelmsen and Wallenius have signed an agreement leading to a new ownership structure for their jointly owned investments in Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, EUKOR Car Carriers and American Roll on Roll off Carrier. Signing the transaction agreement is an important milestone in the merger as announced in September,” says Jan Eyvin Wang, president and CEO of Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA. “The final go ahead is pending approval from competition authorities and the respective entities’ shareholders.” Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA will issue shares to Wallenius Lines in exchange for their shares of the currently joint investments. At the completion of the merger, Wilhelmsen and Wallenius will hold 37.8% and 48% of the new entity to be named Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA.

27 Oct 2016

Wärtsilä EGC Gets First Flag Approval in Asia

The Singapore flag state authorities have approved Wärtsilä's exhaust gas cleaning (EGC) systems, making it the first EGC to be approved by an Asian flag authority. The approvals relate to Wärtsilä EGC systems ordered for two new RoRo vessels owned by a Japanese shipowner and currently being operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, the privately owned Swedish/Norwegian shipping company. The ships entered into service this year. The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Marpol Annex VI regulations are aimed at reducing air pollution levels from ships by reducing the sulphur oxide (SOx) content of the vessel's engine emissions. The limits came into effect for ships operating inside Emission Control Areas with effect from January 2015.

06 Oct 2016

GPA adds 100 acres Auto Processing Space

At the annual State of the Port address hosted by the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch announced a 100-acre expansion of the Colonel's Island auto terminal, and welcomed Logistec's announcement of the completion of 221,000 square feet of wood pellet storage at GPA's East River Terminal. "The additional 100 acres will allow GPA to grow along with our existing customers, and to attract additional carmakers to the nation's second busiest auto port," Lynch said. Twenty of the 100 acres are paved and in use by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, while International Auto Processing has leased another 49 acres it will occupy by May 2017.

15 Sep 2016

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics: No Change in Long Term Ownership Structure

* The Norwegian Wilhelmsen family sees no change in the planned ownership structure in Wilh. * The current plan is that Wilh. * "I don't think their plan is to sell shares (from the planned 40 percent). There has been no indication on that. We both have good long term systems and we want to the see the effects of this in the merger and to improve the constellation", chief executive officer Thomas Wilhelmsen in Wilh.

06 Sep 2016

Wilhelmsen and Wallenius to Merge

Wilhelmsen and Wallenius have signed a letter of intent to establish a new ownership structure for their jointly owned investments. The new entity, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA, will form a more efficient management structure and enable further synergies between the joint ventures. “The markets in which the jointly owned entities operate are going through rapid change and require a more agile and efficient business model. In addition to establishing a common owner and governance structure, the proposed merger is expected to enable synergies between USD 50-100 million by combining the assets and harvesting economies of scale, including more optimal tonnage planning…

21 Jul 2016

WWL Adds MV Themis to its Fleet

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics’ (WWL) has added MV Themis, fourth Neo-Panamax class vessel, to its fleet. 50% of the company’s newbuilding order now complete. Like her sister vessels, Theben, Thalatta and Thermopylae, Themis is almost 200 metres long, 36.5 metres wide and features five liftable car decks, allowing for multiple configurations and a wide variety of customer cargo. The vessel can transport up to 8,000 car equivalent units. With the new draft, she can call ports with shallower depths, increasing her geographical scope of service. With the launch of Themis, WWL is now half way into the newbuilding order totalling eight new RoRo vessels commencing service between 2015 and 2017.

19 Jul 2016

WWL Adds Another Neo-Panamax

MV Thermis (Source: Port of Nagoya, Japan)

Themis is Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics’ (WWL) fourth Neo-Panamax class vessel, which means it is built for the expanded Panama Canal inaugurated June 26. Like her sister vessels, Theben, Thalatta and Thermopylae, Themis is almost 200 meters long, 36.5 meters wide and features five liftable car decks, allowing for multiple configurations and a wide variety of customer cargo. The vessel can transport up to 8,000 car equivalent units. With the new draft, she can call ports with shallower depths, increasing her geographical scope of service.

21 Apr 2016

Third Post Panamax RoRo Joins WWL Fleet

MV Theben (Photo: WWL)

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has introduced MV Theben, a brand new High Efficiency RoRo (HERO) class vessel, and third of eight new Post Panamax vessels to be launched from 2015-2017. Theben joins her sister vessels Thalatta and Thermopylae in the line of RoRo vessels taking advantage of the new vessel size limit based on the third set of Panama Canal locks expected to commence operation in June this year. Like her sister vessels, Theben measures almost 200 meters long…

31 Dec 2015

Obituary: Christer Olsson, Stolt-Nielsen Chairman of the Board

The Board of Directors of Stolt-Nielsen Limited announced the passing of Christer Olsson, Chairman of the Board. He was 70. Mr. Olsson had served as a Director of the Company since 1993, and as Chairman of the Board since December 15, 2009, when he succeeded Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, the company's founder. The Board of Directors will elect a new chairman at the Company's Annual General Meeting in April 2016. "For more than two decades, Christer provided constructive guidance and thoughtful insights to Board discussions, helping the Company to capitalize on opportunities as well as overcome challenges," said Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer. "Christer has been a trusted support to me since he first was elected to the Board.

28 Dec 2015

China Fines Shippers $63 mln for Price Fixing

China has fined seven shipping companies, including Japan's Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, a total of 407 million yuan ($62.85 million) for price-fixing, the country's state economic planner said in a statement on Monday. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the companies colluded to raise rates on shipments of cars, trucks, and construction machinery across five shipping routes, including between China and Europe, for at least four years, violating the country's anti-monopoly laws. The other six companies fined were Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines and Eastern Car Liner Ltd., South Korea's Eukor Car Carriers, Norway's Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS, Chile's Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, and a separate shipping subsidiary within CSAV, the NDRC said.

28 Dec 2015

China Fines 8 Global Shippers

China is going after container shipping lines for freight rate abuses. The Chinese Ministry of Transport has fined a total of $65 million on price-fixing charges. The National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement that the imposed fines are equivalent to 4% to 9% of their international shipping sales “concerning transport to and from China". The investigation lasted for more than a year, the NDRC said. Japan's Nippon Yusen KK, Mitsui OSK lines, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Eastern Car Liner, Korea's Eukor Car Carriers, Norway's Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, Chile's Cia Sud Americana de Vapores and its shipping line were the eight indicted after a year-long investigation.