SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SAS Technical Operation) has prolonged its contract with Kuehne + Nagel for global external logistics services until 2020.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the announcement that the Austrian Air Travel Tax will be halved from 1 January 2018.
TOC Europe 2017 to discuss 'getting ahead in the global economy'
Quote of the week:
" You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming."
Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) - Chilean poet-diplomat, politician and Nobel prize winner.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to support the vital role aviation plays in connecting people and commerce around the globe. "Our world has grown much wealthier through trade and travel. Air travel liberates people to live better lives and makes our world a better place," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. In the US, the aviation sector contributes $680.1 billion dollars to GDP and supports 6.2 million jobs. "Aviation is the business of freedom and we must continue to work together to make it so," said de Juniac.
Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) have unveiled plans for a distance-based learning program aimed specifically at those working in the air transport sector whose responsibilities include any aspect of insurance.
Candidates will work towards the Diploma in Insurance, an internationally-recognized qualification delivered by the CII, which will be enhanced by a dedicated airline transport procurement module developed by IATA.
Available now, this learning pathway will be of significant interest to a broad range of organizations, including airlines, ground-handlers, airport authorities and all those working in air transport.
"This collaboration is about raising standards and developing career paths across the sector. Air transport is one of the world's most important industries, and insurance plays a vitally important role within it," said Guido Gianasso, IATA's Vice President, Human Capital.
For the IATA/CII initiative, three compulsory CII units will provide candidates with essential coverage of aviation insurance:
* Insurance law
* Insurance business and finance
* Aviation and space insurance.
Entrants will also select two from the following four CII units (and complete the IATA transport procurement module):
* Cargo and goods in transit insurance
* Commercial property and business interruption
* Liability insurance
* Risk management.
Upon completion, the CII will award the Diploma in Insurance while IATA will recognize the proficiency in the procurement area.
Holders of the Diploma in Insurance can progress to the CII Advanced Diploma in Insurance, using the credits acquired at Diploma level against the required total for the Advanced Diploma qualification. Those qualified at Advanced Diploma level can apply to become Chartered, the recognized mark of professional status.
Source IATA
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – On 22nd May 2012 Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) set two important new productivity benchmarks for container terminals in Vietnam.
While handling Maersk Line’s vessel, the 116,100 DWT, 9,038 TEU MV Mette Maersk, CMIT handled 2,100 containers during an 11 hour, 30 minute port stay. Gross crane productivity was 43 container moves per hour, resulting in berth productivity of 183 moves per hour.
“This is certainly the first time CMIT has crossed the important benchmark of 40 crane moves per hour, and we believe we are the first container terminal in Vietnam to have done so”, commented Steen Davidsen, CMIT’s General Director. “We also believe our berth productivity of 183 moves per hour using just 5 Ship-To-Shore cranes sets a new benchmark for Vietnam” he added.
CMIT measures berth productivity based on the total time the vessel is available for work on the berth starting from the time the gangway is secured and ending upon time of vessel sailing or half an hour after operational completion should the vessel not sail immediately upon completion. Time is never deducted from this berth productivity calculation so CMIT’s berth productivity is a true reflection of the time the vessel spends working at the terminal.
“Terminal berth productivity is a critical cost driver for all shipping lines, and high berth productivity translates directly into significant bunker cost savings for us”, commented Peter Smidt-Nielsen, General Director of Maersk Line, Vietnam. “Achieving the levels of productivity being delivered to Maersk Line by CMIT is quite remarkable – and particularly so for a terminal that has been operational for just fourteen months. We are delighted and offer our warmest congratulations to the operational team at CMIT” he added.
CMIT handled its first vessel on March 30, 2011 and since that time has welcomed 151 vessel calls, handling over 351,000 TEU of export and import containers to and from Vietnam’s major trading partners in Europe, North America and Asia.
Source APM Terminals
Finnair’s catering operations will not be sold to LSG Sky Chefs, as previously announced.
The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding about the deal March 12, 2012. The acquisition was subject to the approval of Lufthansa Board of Directors and it was expected to be closed by the end of first half of 2012. The Lufthansa Board decided not to approve LSG Sky Chef's acquisition plans due to an investment freeze at Lufthansa.
"LSG Sky Chefs has informed us that due to investment freeze the Lufthansa Board has not approved their acquisition of our catering businesses," says Anssi Komulainen, Senior Vice President of Customer Service at Finnair. "This is naturally a disappointment both to LSG Sky Chefs and to us as we had worked hard to make the co-operation work for the benefit of both parties."
“We will now focus on improving the productivity of the Finnair catering businesses," Komulainen continues. "We believe there is a lot we can do to achieve better profitability and improve the customer experience. At the same time, we will continue to evaluate other arrangement alternatives."
Finnair is a client of LSG Sky Chef in many other airports and this customer relationship will continue.
In 2011, the Finnair catering business in question had net sales of appr. 80 million euro. Today's news does not impact the company's announced cost saving targets or timing. The target of Finnair's cost saving program is to decrease the annual costs of Finnair by 140 million euros by 2014.
Source Finnair Plc
PowerTorque Magazine, one of Australia's premier truck publications, has awarded Scania's R 730 flagship one of its two annual awards, for Technology and Innovation.
The awards recognise the significant advances in safety, performance and ability made by truck manufacturers through innovative design and the introduction of new technologies in this highly competitive segment.
“The awesome performance of the Scania R 730 prime mover with its additional high focus on vehicle safety systems makes this vehicle a stand out performer in the Australian heavy truck market,” said Chris Mullett, Publisher of PowerTorque Magazine.
"This combination of a 730 hp engine and the Opticruise automated manual transmission improves efficiency while minimising fatigue levels for the driver. It enables the operator to maintain consistent journey times over our national road network but does so effortlessly. A clear advantage for driver and vehicle safety,” added Mr. Mullett.
Scania
CHINA'S Ministry of Railway and National Development and Reform Commission have announced an increase of domestic railway freight rate by CNY0.01 (US$0.0016) per tonne per kilometre, namely an average growth of 9.5 per cent, to CNY11.51, in order to relieve pressure from higher fuel and labour cost, Xinhua reports.
The increase this time covers coal, grain, fertiliser, iron ore and many other kinds of cargo. Industry opinions pointed out that the raise will pass the pressure on to the industries that are heavily reliant on railway transportation, like steel plants.
Shanghai Steel Service Trade Industry Association Secretary Ye Liming said the increase will have severe negative effect on the steel trade industry which is already gloomy. Though the industry has expected a rate increase, the timing and extent of the increase will put "unbearable" pressure on some companies, Mr Ye said.
Steel, cement, timber, coke and iron ore are the types of product that takes up the largest percentage in railway transported freight. Now the rates of these cargoes have gone up by 13 to 14 per cent. Experts from the industry said the increase of raw material transportation cost will push up the prices of final products.
But estimation shows that even after the increase, railway freight rate is still one fourth to one third of road cargo rate.
Sun Zhang, a professor of railway from Shanghai's Tongji University, said that the railway cargo capacity is still to be expanded in order to lower transportation cost. The building of more high-speed railway can release capacity from current railways for cargo transportation.
But some experts points out that railway departments should think of more ways to optimise their operating results instead of only levying rate increases.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CHINA has met a 31 per cent American tariff for the alleged dumping of solar panels by charging six US eco-tech projects in five US states are operating in violation of international trade law.
The Ministry of Commerce accused the US of illegally helping its domestic solar industry but did not release details, saying the results were preliminary, reported the Wall Street Journal. The US has said it will impose tariffs on Chinese solar panels that being sold on the US market below cost.
Four Chinese solar equipment manufacturers, Yingli Green Energy Holdings, Suntech Power Holdings, Trina Solar and Canadian Solar announced in at a joint press conference that they were forming the Solar Energy Promotion Alliance to counter US allegations.
Canadian Solar, founded by Chinese Canadian Shawn Xiaohua Qu. is based in Guelph, Ontario, but most operations take place in China.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
NORTHEAST China's Liaoning province has opened a new cargo railway for Panjin port, the nearest coastal marine outlet for northeast inland, reports Xinhua.
The five-station railway is 48.4 kilometres long and costs CNY2 billion (US$315 million), which is designed to accommodate an annual transport capacity of 20 million tonnes. It is the first railway operated by the local Panjin government.
Panjin port started to operate in September 2010, serving as the nearest port to central Liaoning and northeast area. With a throughput of over 100 million tonnes, its port area occupies 40 square kilometres and is equipped with 60 berths to handle 50,000 tonnes of cargo.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
FAST-TRACK back-to-work legislation is expected to get Canadian Pacific Railway workers on the job once it passes through parliament before the end of the week, ending rail stoppages at many of Canada's ports.
Transport Minister Denis Lebel said the strike is forcing some companies to abandon Canadian ports such as Vancouver for terminals south of the border. "Uncertainty leads to a lack of competition," he said.
But the Port of Prince Rupert, Vancouver's rival to the north, is unaffected because its Canadian National Railway workers, represented by the same union, have signed a three-year contract.
"From past precedent, we'd like CP Rail continuing to roll on Thursday," said Candian Labour Minister Lisa Raitt. "It is very clear that the Government of Canada must act now to resume rail service at CP Rail, as the prospect of ratified agreements in the short term is highly unlikely."
The CP Teamsters unit has been on strike since May 23 over pension issues and work rules, shutting down freight operations across Canada, noted Reuters. The latest round of mediated talks between the company and workers broke down at the weekend.
The CP back-to-work bill requires the federal government to appoint an arbitrator to resolve disputes within 90 days - "or any longer period that the minister may allow".
Teamsters negotiator Doug Finnson is protesting plans to reduce pension benefits, after weeks of proxy battling at the CP board level which ended with the old board being ousted by a reform-minded New York private equity firm, which holds 14 per cent of the stock.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE Greek Piraeus Port Authority, where Hong Kong-listed Cosco Pacific runs the big container terminal, posted a first quarter pre-tax profit of EUR185,400 (US$231,250) after a year on year loss of EUR2.94 million.
Revenue grew 5.3 per cent to $30 million, and there was a $652,500 profit after tax, compared with a $4.1 million loss in the first three months of 2011 with container traffic contributing the most to the upturn.
Pier I, the container terminal under the port authority, posted a 46 per cent year-on-year increase in the first quarter to 166,000 TEU. In the first four months of2012, Cosco Pacific's Pier II boosted volume 154 per cent to 679,600 TEU year on year.
As part of the privatisation plan to reduce Greek debt, the government plans to sell its 74.5 per cent stake in the Piraeus Port Authority this year.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
ORDERS for new containerships since October are down to 3.67 million TEU at a nine-year low and have now been surpassed by the tonnage being delivered as May drew to a close.
As a percentage of the existing fleet, the orderbook currently stands at 23 per cent, the lowest level since nine years ago in April 2003, based on Alphaliner records.
The orderbook could fall below three million TEU or less than 20 per cent of the fleet by the end of the year, said the Paris-based maritime consultancy and research agency.
On the plus side, low newbuilding prices have attracted owners' interest, given that the difficulty of raising funds has limited firm orders even among owners disposed to buy.
The largest newbuilding orders are for ten 13,800-TEUers atHyundai for Evergreen, but the deal hinges on the outcome of a letter of intent in April with KIAMCO (Korea Infrastructure Investments Asset Management Co) to fund the construction of the ships with a long term lease to Evergeen, said Alphaliner.
Tight money has also delayed building feeders, including Graig Shipping's series of 2,000-TEU Bangkokmaxers as well as a number of 2,400-TEU feeders, being promoted by German owners.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
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