MSC Rolls Out Electronic Bill of Lading Globally
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is introducing the electronic bill of lading (eBL) for its customers globally following a successful pilot phase of the independent blockchain platform.The eBL enables shippers and other supply chain stakeholders to receive and transmit the bill of lading document electronically, without any change or disruption to day-to-day business operations, potentially saving the industry billions of dollars, the Swiss-headquartered container shipping giant…
China Launches South China Sea Cruise Ship Tour
A new Chinese cruise ship has embarked on its maiden voyage to the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday, the latest effort by Beijing to bolster its claims in the strategic waterway. The Changle Princess sailed from Sanya on the southern Chinese island province of Hainan on Thursday afternoon with 308 passengers on a four-day voyage, Xinhua said. The new ship can carry 499 people and has 82 guest rooms with dining, entertainment, shopping, medical and postal services on board, it added. Tourists will be able to visit the three islands in the Crescent group of the Paracels, Xinhua said.
Cuba, US Sign Oil Spill Deal before Trump Inauguration
Cuba and the United States agreed on Monday to jointly prevent, contain and clean up oil and other toxic spills in the Gulf of Mexico, as they rush to conclude deals before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. U.S. Charge d'Affaires Jeffrey DeLaurentis, upon signing the agreement, said it was one of a series of deals to protect the shared marine environment of the two neighboring countries separated by just 90 miles (145 km) of water. Trump has threatened to scrap a still-fragile detente between the two countries unless Cuba makes further political and economic concessions. U.S.
Port Logistics Seminar Opens in Antwerp Port
The Port Logistics seminar was officially opened on Wednesday this week by Alexander De Croo, Belgian deputy prime minister and minister of Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda, Telecom and Postal Services. The seminar is organised by APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center, the training institute of the port of Antwerp. It is being attended by 33 participants from 21 different countries including Indonesia, Ukraine and Vietnam. Such seminars and courses enable the port of Antwerp to make its know-how, expertise and other advantages known around the world. However they would not be possible without input from port companies and the financial support of the Flemish government and the development aid provided by the Belgian national government.
Hapag-Lloyd Celebrates East Asia to Australia Milestone
In 1886, the up-and-coming German economy needed regular liner services connecting it with the new growth markets, in addition to efficient postal services around the world. To this end, the German Reich provided subsidies for the first Reichspost steamship liner services to East Asia and Australia totalling five million German mark annually with the aim of quite literally flying the flag in regions important for future growth. The contractually required standards that the shipping companies had to satisfy were thus correspondingly high: first-rate vessels…
Navy’s Green Procurement Program
The new Department of the Navy Green Procurement Program Implementation Guide is harnessing the fleet's purchasing power in support environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies and products. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment BJ Penn and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Sean J. Stackley signed the Department of the Navy Green Procurement Program Implementation Guide Feb. The Guide, written jointly by Naval Supply Systems Command's (NAVSUP) Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) and Marine Corps Headquarters, makes it easy to set up a Green Procurement Program (GPP) for an installation or activity…
USS Indiana Presentation Silver Heads Home
U.S. Navy presentation silver that once traveled aboard the USS Indiana (BB 58), a World War II battleship that supported training preparedness in Pearl Harbor, after the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, will reside indefinitely at the USS Indianapolis Museum inside the Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis, Ind. Under an official agreement with the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), the silver set is now on loan to the museum. The 39-piece set, which includes 22 main items, among them a fish platter, water pitcher, vegetable dish, and tea urn, was originally donated by the state of Indiana in 1896 to the Navy. The set is appraised at $1.5 million, which includes two candelabras valued at $450,000.
