Logistics Network News

With a fleet of nine U.S.-flag RoRo ships, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC), is the U.S.’ premier commercial RoRo carrier of U.S. government and military cargo. As the world becomes an increasingly contentious place, Eric P. Ebeling, President & CEO, ARC, discusses the vast capabilities of the ARC fleet and logistics network, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-flag ships in the international trade.By the numbers’ is a simplistic means to gauge the size and shape of any shipping company…

Jeffersonville, Ind. based marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) announced Steve Schappell has been appointed Senior Vice President of Logistics and Network Operations after entering the role on an interim basis in September.Schappell, who joined ACBL in July 2021 as Vice President of Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement, was selected for the position over several external candidates, the company said.Reporting directly to ACBL CEO Mike Ellis, Schappell is responsible for ACBL's Fleets, Terminals, and Interchange business unit.

The Biden Administration’s struggles to alleviate supply chain capacity issues appear to be continuing with no end in sight. Part of the issue arises from the Administration’s limited focus on ports and another part arises from Congressional stalemates. Could the much-needed beltway leadership on these issues come in the form of the newly-tapped Maritime Administrator?Biden focuses on ports to address larger issuesThroughout October the President and his Supply Chain Disruptions…

Finnish marine equipment and technology company Wärtsilä said on Thursday it is working to develop an autonomous, emissions-free intra-port, inter-terminal container shuttle that would help address the emerging capacity bottleneck for internal container transportation.The project is part of an international alliance headed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, which has this month been awarded nearly €25 million in EU funding to implement projects aimed at sustainable and smart port logistics.

The 186-meter Visentini RoPax vessel Stena Livia will initially join sister vessel Stena Flavia on the Nynäshamn-Ventspils route from mid-April, Stena Line announced. Later this year the pair will replace the existing tonnage on the ferry route between Travemünde and Liepaja, adding 40% freight capacity and shorten the crossing time substantially.During 2021 Stena Line is expanding its Baltic Sea operations with modern and large RoPax vessels being added to the two ferry routes from Latvia to Sweden and Germany.

Neptune Pacific Line, the provider of ocean freight services between Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, said that it has acquired Pacific Direct Line(PDL) from its Singapore based parent holding company, Pacific International Lines (PIL).The acquisition makes Neptune the new owners of all of PDL’s regional and Fiji based companies. The combined business will seamlessly link transport, warehousing, depots and customs clearance services and fully integrate customers’ supply chains across 18 South Pacific markets, it said in a press note."This purchase supports our long-term vision of creating the strongest and best regional network of shipping and logistics services in the Pacific Islands…

The Port of Hamburg announced that in the course of the Elbe's river dredging, construction stones to improve usability for shipping, were successfully build into the "Medemrinne" and "Neufelder Sand".Specifically from March until October 2019, around 1,200,000 tons were build in the above mentioned underwater deposit areas (UDAs).Machulez KG, a member of the Cuxhaven Port Authority (HWG), coordinated the logistics requirements between the underwater construction companies, the quarry and the locally responsible institutions. Machulez provided its logistics network and portside infrastructure and acted as a base port within the framework…

Russian oil and gas company Gazprom Neft has established Gazpromneft Marine Lubricants, a new operating company with an office in Singapore.The new business will manage the sales and logistics network for the group’s marine lubricants in Southeast Asia and Europe. The group aims to achieve a 4% market share in the international marine lubricants market by 2030.The marine lubricants and oils range, available under the Gazpromneft and Gazpromneft Ocean brands, includes 43 branded high-tech products for all kinds of marine equipment, with the range including, specifically, 15 kinds of Gazpromneft Ocean engine lubricants for two- and four-stroke engines…

India's container trade growth slowed to 1 percent (9% in the same period last year) in Q2 2019 on account of various factors like growing trade tensions and slump in manufacturing sector, Maersk said."The slow down is due to a cocktail of international factors such as slowing trade growth, and growing trade tensions – coupled with domestic factors like rural consumer distress, tightening liquidity and a slow-down in key manufacturing sectors. Combined, these triggers impacted the country’s economic activity, slowing overall import-export growth," said Maersk India Trade Report Q2 2019.India’s exports to China declined by 20%, led by a reduction in demand for India-made textiles &  apparel, which were large export commodities in the corresponding period last year.

German industrial group thyssenkrupp AG. Materials Services  is investing around 70 million euros in the modernization and expansion of its European warehousing and logistics network.A state-of-the-art logistics center and new warehouses are to be built in Germany, Poland and Hungary, said thyssenkrupp Materials Services.The distribution and service provider of the thyssenkrupp Group said that the investments are an important part of thyssenkrupp Materials Services’ strategy. Under its “Materials as a Service” approach, the western world’s biggest materials distributor is focusing on expanding its portfolio of services supplementing its core business.“Expanding and modernizing our capacities are important elements of our growth…

Malaysian oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) through its subsidiary, Petronas LNG Ltd (PLL) and Vitol Asia Pte Ltd (Vitol) announced the signing of binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) for long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) sale and purchase (SPA) agreement.Under the terms of the agreement signed on 1 October 2018, the LNG supply to Vitol commencing in 2024 will be approximately up to 0.8 million tonnes per annum for a period of up to 15 years on both Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) and Free on Board (FOB) basis, said a press release from the global energy and commodity trading company, which is also one of the largest and most experienced independent traders of LNG.The primary supply to Vitol will come from LNG Canada as well as from other PLL’s global LNG supply portfolio.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that it completed the acquisition of 14.27% shares in PKT Logistics Group, a Malaysian logistics company. MOL's stake will rise from the current 20.86% to 35.13%.PKT provides end-to-end logistics solutions comprising freight forwarding, customs brokerage, contract logistics, haulage, distribution and others, to its customers from diverse market sectors.PKT owns and operates warehouses hub in Shah Alam, Selangor, offering over 55,000m2 of warehouse space in total. In 2014, PKT acquired a strategic 70-acre piece of land in Batu Kawan Industrial Park, Penang, to develop an auto hub, a landmark investment to support the logistics needs of automotive and electronics manufacturers in northern Malaysia.

Hindustan Infralog (HIPL), a joint venture between DP World and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), announced that the transaction to acquire 90% stake in Continental Warehousing Corporation (Nhava Seva) Ltd in India has now closed.CWCNSL’s founders, the Reddy family, will retain the remaining 10% shareholding and will remain involved in the business operations. It is the first investment of HIPL, the recently created investment vehicle between DP World and NIIF to invest up to US$ 3 billion in ports, logistics and related sectors.DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “We’re pleased to announce the completion of this acquisition and look forward to beginning this new growth journey, enabling India’s great commerce and trade potential.

Yilport Holding has submitted its offer for Taranto Container Terminal concession in Italy. Ionian Sea Port Authority (AdSP), the managing institution of Port of Taranto has officially received the request of Yilport Holding to operate the entire set of multi-purpose port facilities in the Port of Taranto. These terminals in Southern Italy handle container traffic, bulk cargo and serve ro-ro traffic. Well located as a relay hub for the Mediterranean Sea, the terminals are integrated to intermodal networks, connecting Southern Italy to Northern Italy and finally to the center of Europe. Yilport’s proposal covers developing and revamping the terminal facilities to attract and grow container volume…

Germany’s Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has completed the acquisition of Estonia’s largest terminal operator, Transiidikeskuse AS (TK). The last conditions that the sales contract dated 26 March 2018 was subject to were recently fulfilled, resulting in all shares in Transiidikeskuse AS being transferred to HHLA International GmbH. As a result, the transaction has now been completed. Chairwoman of HHLA’s Executive Board, Angela Titzrath, made this comment during a visit to the Estonian capital of Tallinn: “We’re delighted that the takeover has now been completed. This will allow us to successfully advance the ongoing integration of TK into the HHLA Group.

Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation has set up the new regional center in Mediterranean area named Yang Ming(Mediterranean) Marine Services Single-Member Limited Liability Company. The new company will start to provide services on 2nd April 2018 in Piraeus, Greece, and Mr. Ted Wu has officially been appointed as Managing Director for the first term. In light of the impressive economic growth in the Mediterranean region, Yang Ming sets up its owned company to serve as the regional center which will strengthen its presence and connect closer to Mediterranean, Black Sea and North Africa areas. With the…

The first of Georgia Ports Authority’s four new Neo-Panamax cranes came online this week, bringing GPA’s operating fleet to 27 — more than any other single terminal in the nation. “Georgia’s ports are dedicated to staying a step ahead of market demand,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. The super-sized crane is tall enough to lift containers 152 feet above the dock. The crane started work before dawn Wednesday on a 13,300 twenty-foot equivalent container unit Hapag Lloyd vessel. Crane operators moved an estimated 2,700 containers on and off the ship during its time at the Port of Savannah. Designed by Konecranes of Finland, these massive cranes can work the largest ships now calling the U.S. East Coast, reaching across vessels up to 22 containers wide.

Elcome International said it has completed a satellite communications retrofit program for a major fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers providing broadband data and voice services. “Our team decommissioned the existing VSAT systems and installed new SAILOR 900 antennas and below-deck systems on 40 ships within four months. Most of the installations were performed at sea, and the others were made at ports in eight different countries,” said Jimmy Grewal, executive director of Dubai-based Elcome International.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation will establish a subsidiary in Thailand - Yang Ming Line (Thailand) Co., Ltd. The new company will provide all services starting 1st January 2018. Mr. Derek Chen is officially appointed as its President. Thailand is located in a strategical position in the middle of Southeast Asia with strong links to neighboring countries, whose economy has been growing steadily over the years. It is expected to see more rapid expansion of the market in the near future. Yang Ming has upgraded vessel size for Southeast Asia services in order to optimize its service network. The inauguration of Yang Ming Line (Thailand) Co., Ltd. may serve Yang Ming’s worldwide clients with a more comprehensive and intensive logistics network by integrating regional business.

Shell Marine said it has been awarded China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company’s (COSCO SHIPPING) largest marine lubricants order in 2017. This order will include the full range of marine lubricants and technical services for seven out of COSCO SHIPPING’S 10 new generation Ultra Large Container Carriers (ULCCs) with capacities of approximately 20,000 TEUs each, ordered in 2015 and due to be in service from 2018-2019. Shell Marine has supplied marine lubricants and services to over 140 COSCO SHIPPING vessels since 2004.

Concordia Maritime has signed a contract for the chartering of two IMO2/3 class MR tankers. This a joint chartering arrangement with Stena Weco, and Concordia Maritime’s share amounts to 50 percent. The contract is for one year, and the charters run from June and July 2017. The vessels were built in 2013 and are ECO-design tankers. They will be operated by Stena Weco, which has a fully integrated global logistics network for the transportation of petroleum products, light chemical and vegetable oils. The overall fleet comprises about 60 MR vessels. “The arrangement is fully in line with our fleet and chartering strategy. We are exploiting…

Eimskip has strengthened its position in worldwide reefer logistics services by acquiring 80% of the forwarding company Mareco N.V. The company was founded in 2002 and its headquarters are located in Antwerp,Belgium. The current management team will continue to own a 20% share in the company and will manage its operations. Mareco employs 26 people in two locations, 22 in Antwerp and four in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Mareco focuses on reefer logistics services, especially export to West, Central and South Africa from all over the world. Main commodities are seafood, chicken, pork and beef. The company’s annual revenue amounts to approximately EUR 60 million, with EBITDA ratio of 5-6% and it transports about 32,000 TEU per year.

Descartes Systems Group, a leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce via the Global Logistics Network (GLN), announced that it has acquired Datamyne, a provider of cloud-based trade data content solutions for customers to analyze import and export trade activity. Datamyne, primarily operating in the U.S. and South America, collects, cleanses and commercializes logistics trade data from over 50 nations across five continents, including key markets in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the European Union. More than 100 million records are gathered each year from official filings with customs authorities and trade ministries.