Region Europe News

Opening this week’s International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) annual conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, President Frédéric Denèfle explained the conference theme of “strength and stability in turbulent seas” saying it is essentially “business as usual” for marine underwriters.“As marine underwriters, we are used to managing an array of casualties and losses onboard a variety of vessels and in ports and other shoreside facilities. Dealing with the fall-out from natural catastrophes such as earthquakes and weather events are also workaday issues.

The airline industry has been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and seaborne jet fuel cargo volumes suffered along with it. In comparison to pre-pandemic levels, available seat kilometers dropped nearly 90% in early 2020. Initially, air cargo volumes fell as well but saw volumes climb 5-10% above pre-pandemic levels in 2021. During 2022, the surge in cargo volumes slowed along with global economic growth prospects whereas passenger traffic continued to recover. Now, the relaxation…

Hamburg Süd is now exclusively represented by its own offices in Italy and Spain after business was previously partially handled by agents and joint-venture organizations. Furthermore, in Egypt the company has taken full management of Hamburg Süd Egypt.“We are thereby investing in the Mediterranean markets that have traditionally been of strategic importance to Hamburg Süd,” says Poul Hestbaek, General Manager of Hamburg Süd’s Region Europe. “By having owned organizations, we…

After 26 years with Volvo and 7 as President of Volvo Penta Americas, Ron Huibers has decided to retire from his current role and move to another role within Volvo Penta. Succeeding Ron will be Martin Bjuve, currently CFO and SVP Business Office Volvo Penta. Planned transition date will be January 1, 2020. Bjorn Ingemanson, President and CEO Volvo Penta, today announced that Ron Huibers, President Volvo Penta Americas, has decided to retire from his current role and take up a new role within the company. "The team, customers and industries we serve here have been exciting and rewarding.

German cargo container shipping line, Hapag-Lloyd AG, officially opened its headquarter for the new region.CEO Rolf Habben Jansen presented the keys of the office complex in Genoa (Italy) to the new Senior Managing Director Juan Pablo Richards.During the opening event, Habben Jansen explained the motivation to create a new region: “After our merger with UASC in 2017 the Mediterranean region has gained more importance for us. That's why we are eager to bolster our competitive position in this attractive and growing market and exploit further opportunities.”The new region was created by splitting the former Region Europe into northern and southern parts.

The global autonomous ships industry is expected to generate $134.9 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 4.4% from 2020 to 2030.This projection is premised on an increase in demand for cargo transportation from marines and surge in operational safety of ships drive the growth of the global autonomous ships industry, according to a report published by Allied Market Research.Based on region, Europe is expected to register the largest growth rate with a CAGR of 4.9% from 2020 to 2030. North American region is estimated to grow at the second-highest growth rate in the market, registering a CAGR of 4.4% during the study period.Asia-Pacific will account for nearly half of the total market share in 2020…

German-based  cargo container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd AG is splitting its Region Europe into northern and southern parts. In doing so, the world’s fifth-largest liner shipping company will remain close to global markets and serve customers from a total of six regions effective immediately.The new Region South Europe, which will have its headquarters in the Italian port city of Genoa, aims to bolster Hapag-Lloyd’s competitive position in the Mediterranean region. It will include Area Italy, Area Iberia, Area Turkey, Area Egypt and Area Med Agents, which manages the company’s 15 agents in the region.The new head and senior managing director of Region South Europe will be Juan Pablo Richards…

Peter Granqvist will take up the position of Senior Vice President for Product Development, Planning and Purchasing, replacing Johan Inden, effective September 1.Granqvist is joining Volvo Penta from DENSO Corporation where he currently is the President and Managing Director for Sweden. He brings to the role a background in industrial engineering, business management and higher education.As of July 1, Inden took up the role of President Region Europe, replacing Stefan Carlsson.

Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) adds another ship management office in Southampton, England, to increase their global footprint in the region. “Southampton is a city with one of the longest histories in the maritime industry. It has an established maritime cluster of infrastructure and human resources that we can tap into immediately to support growth,” said Carl Schou, President of WSM. WSM’s Southampton office has an initial staff of five and 11 vessels in management for now. “With a local presence in the UK, we look forward to strengthening our position in the UK tonnage fleet both flagged and owned. We believe this is a geographical location that has great potential in the future,” said Haakon Lenz, Vice President for WSM Region Europe & Americas.

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.

Volvo Penta of the Americas has appointed Martin Bjuve as vice president for customer support and training. In this position, he will provide strategic direction and management for support and product training for dealers and customers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Bjuve has served as vice president and chief financial officer at Volvo Penta of the Americas since 2013. In addition to his responsibilities in the finance department, Bjuve has led key manufacturing investment projects in the Americas.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven Giordano visited Naval Station Rota, March 27 and 28. During their time in Rota, Richardson and Giordono visited the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Ross (DDG 71), ate lunch with the 2016 Sailors of the Year, viewed a display of Commander, Task Force 68 expeditionary equipment and held an "all-hands call" with installation Sailors, civilians and family members. While meeting Sailors around the installation, Richardson said it was clear Naval Station Rota Sailors are mission-focused and very well led. "I am incredibly proud and humbled to be your chief of naval operations," said Richardson.

Container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said it has intensified its focus special cargo for container vessels. In order to be able to transport more cargo which does not fit into standard containers due to oversize or overweight, Hapag-Lloyd has strengthened its team of specialists. In addition to its Special Cargo Division at its headquarters in Hamburg, Special Cargo Teams have been established for the major markets in Asia and South and North America. Thus more than 50 sales and technical specialists for out of gauge (OOG) transports are available to support our customers worldwide.

Paul C. Jensen, CEO of HALO Maritime Defense Systems (HMDS), announced the appointment of Captain Brendan Gray USN (ret) as President. Gray, a graduate of the US Naval Academy, served with distinction for thirty years as a Naval Aviator, spending his last five years as the Deputy Commander and Chief Operating Officer for Navy Region Europe. Captain Gray was responsible for the day-to-day operations, security, and force protection of nine Navy bases across five countries in Europe, including the operation of seven ports and six airfields.

Standalone West Africa Express service (WAX) offers improved transit times, connection to Hapag-Lloyds global service network. Effective August 10, Hapag-Lloyd will offer its customers an improved service between West Africa and Northern Europe, the company announced today. The new West Africa Express service (WAX) provides transits to and from key markets, for instance 13 days from Antwerp to Dakar, and from Abidjan to Antwerp in only 11 days. The improved service will be the only direct full container service from Hamburg and neighboring countries to West Africa.

After manufacturing its first test engine in September, Volvo Penta’s new Quickline production line is set to help Marine Commercial reduce lead times and address end users’ breakdowns more quickly than ever. To reduce manufacturing times, Volvo Penta has installed the Quickline, a production line that cuts lead times to as little as a week, in its Volvo Penta Production (VPP) facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Quickline celebrated its first successful run in September, when a custom-built engine — a D16-MH for propulsion — was produced for a Belgian Volvo Penta dealer in just four days.

After 18 years on the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd, Joachim A Konrad, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, is to retire at the end of April, 2012. The Advisory Board of Hamburg Süd has appointed Peter Frederiksen and Frank Smet to succeed him. They will be joining the Executive Board  May 1, 2012. The scale and importance of the duties performed by Joachim A Konrad in past years prompted the Advisory Board to split the scope of responsibilities in the future. Joachim A Konrad’s career in shipping began in 1963 with a traineeship at Norddeutscher Lloyd. Following the amalgamation of Norddeutscher Lloyd and Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft in 1970 to form Hapag-Lloyd…

Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (CNREURAFSWA) established Naval Support Facility (NSF) Deveselu Friday, Oct. 10, during an establishment and assumption of command ceremony on base. NSF Deveselu, formerly a disused Romanian airfield, is the first Navy base to be established since Naval Station (NS) Everett in Washington, whose official groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 9, 1987. The installation, scheduled to be operational in 2015, will be part of a NATO's overall ballistic missile defense (BMD) system. Rear Adm. John Scorby, commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia, hosted the ceremony. "This is a historic occasion because ballistic missile threats to the U.S. and our allies are real and growing," Scorby said.

Whenever a Hapag-Lloyd vessel reaches a port, a certain number of containers are usually loaded or discharged before the ship continues along its voyage to the next port. But how do you stow these containers on the ship in the safest and most efficient way possible? Jan Böttjer, the stowage planner, at Hapag-Lloyd says: “Imagine you’d like to unload a container in a port and you realize it’s located all the way at the bottom of the ship’s hold, covered by an entire stack of other containers that don’t need to leave the ship in this port. To get to the container you want, you’d first have to restow the container tiers above it. Of course…

Atlas has announced a new partnership agreement with Thunderbird business school to become their first global partner in the UK. The Aberdeen-headquartered firm has joined forces with Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, globally accredited by AACSB and NCA. This takes Atlas into a new area of Continuing Professional Development with a reputable business school that is well immersed within the global energy sector. Atlas is currently experiencing an unprecedented period of international growth as the demand increases for an effective means of learning and training…

Inchcape Shipping Services has announced its new regional team for Europe and North Africa following the creation of its new operations division. Reflecting ISS’ transition from eight regional profit centers within two hemispheres to four world regions and Japan, the new operations division is charged with delivering operational excellence, providing the very best products and quality of service, standardising work processes and optimising resources and capabilities. The Europe and North Africa operations team is the first of the four regional teams to be announced. Simon Edsall has been appointed as Executive Vice President of Operations Region Europe and North Africa.

Hamburg Süd has been honored with the “Electrolux Supplier Award 2014” in the category “Global Logistics”. Presentation of the prize was held at Electrolux AB’s headquarters in Stockholm in mid-November. Dr Ottmar Gast, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd, and Philip Oetker, General Manager Commercial Region Europe, accepted the award on behalf of Hamburg Süd. Hamburg Süd was awarded top marks in quality of service, on-time delivery, performance, cost competitiveness and sustainability practices.

DP World Limited handled 60 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) across its global portfolio of container terminals during 2014, with gross container volumes growing by 8.9% on reported basis and 8.0% on a like-for-like1 basis. New volume at London Gateway (UK) and Embraport (Brazil) contributed to the increase in reported volumes. Growth in 2014 was largely driven by the Asia Pacific and India Subcontinent region, Europe and UAE terminals. The UAE delivered an impressive performance handling 15.2 million TEU, representing growth of 11.8% for the year. Europe showed a solid return to volume growth in 2014. At a consolidated level, our terminals handled 28.3 million TEU during 2014, a 9.5% improvement in like-for-like3 performance.