OLT Express plans to introduce 17 new international flights from Warsaw starting October this year. Tickets can already be purchased online.
OLT Express, which has only been operating since April, took the Polish market by storm. Currently, the airline offers 27 domestic services to 10 Polish cities. As from the beginning of the 2012/13 Winter Season, the carrier also plans to add new international flights to its network, with as many as 17 operated from Warsaw.
OLT Express will offer daily flights to London Gatwick, Cologne/Bonn, Brussels, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Memmingen. Three times a week passengers travelling from Warsaw will be able to fly to Paris Orly, Milan, Frankfurt Hahn (on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday), Lyon (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday), Rome Fumicino (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and Gothenburg (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).
Twice a week OLT Express will fly to Venice and Saarbrucken (on Monday and Friday), as well as Verona and Munster/Osnabruck (Wednesday and Sunday).
Scheduled international services from Warsaw will be operated using Airbus320 aircraft accommodating up to 180 passengers
Source Warsaw Chopin Airport
DANISH shipping giant, Maersk Line, remains the world's most reliable carrier with Germany's Hamburg Sud and Singapore's APL placing second and third, according to the latest SeaIntel Maritime Analysis.
The monthly survey measures the containership arrivals at destinations within a day of schedule. Measurements are based on SeaIntel's database containing more than 68,000 arrivals across 2,200 vessels, 29 trade lanes and 52 carriers since July 2011.
Overall global carrier reliability enhanced one percentage point to 79 per cent in March from 78 per cent in February, reported London's International Freighting Weekly. This implies that most carriers were able to improve performance on individual trade lanes.
Among the top 20 carriers, MSC, the world's second largest carrier, recorded the lowest level of reliability with 64 per cent compared to Maersk's 93 per cent.
In individual trade lanes, other carriers had outstanding records. SeaIntel CEO Lars Jensen said: "MOL is the top performer from North America to South America at 96 per cent, Deutsche Afrika Linien is the top performer from North Europe to Africa at 75 per cent and Matson is the top performer on the westbound transpacific at 100 per cent."
SeaIntel said the southbound trade from North America to east coast South America achieved the most remarkable improvement, where 80 per cent of ships were on time in March against 70 per cent in February.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CHINA Shipping Container Line (CSCL) has announced a new Far East-north Europe service with nine weekly sailings on top the services it has going with Evergreen, reports the Paris-based container shipping analysts Alphaliner.
CSCL has slots on five CKYH alliance loops and also joins Evergreen and Zim in its recommencement of AEX 2/CES 2 services, starting in May.
Korea's Hanjin Shipping has developed East Mediterranean and Black Sea coverage by taking slots on the Asia-Black Sea Express (ABX) run by CSCL, "K" Line, Yang Ming, PIL and Wan Hai and will soon join an intra-Med string on the Turkey-Levant Service, operated by Arkas Line and Turkon Line (TLS).
Hanjin will take slots on the ABX, starting May 18 with the sailing from Shanghai of the Xin Luan Yun Gang. Part of the CKYH alliance, Hanjin together with Cosco, "K" Line and Yang Ming participate in the ABX with "K" Line and Yang Ming, providing ships and Cosco acting as slot buyer.
Hanjin joins TLS this week, bringing a third ship into the loop, the 3,017-TEU Ibn Sina, thus transforming it into a fortnightly service instead of the three-week frequency it had before. This will also provide additional calls at Piraeus and Gemlik. The Hanjin ship joins two 1,878-TEU vessels run by Arkas and Turkon. Hanjin will use Port Said and Piraeus as transshipment hubs to cover major Turkish Lebanese and Egyptian ports.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MARSEILLE-based CMA CGM, the world's third largest carrier, and Safmarine, a Maersk division, will offer two joint services connecting the Far East to South Africa, Mozambique, Reunion and Madagascar.
CMA CGM will join the existing Maersk-Safmarine "Safari 1" loop as a ship provider, reported maritime analyst Alpahliner. With a transit time of eight weeks and a deployment of eight 6,500-TEU vessels, this service calls at Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Shenzhen-Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Louis, Durban, Ngqura, Cape Town, Port Louis, Singapore, Guangzhou-Nansha and back to Shanghai.
Another joint service is MOZEX 2/Safari 2, which will succeed for CMA CGM to the MOZEX. Deploying seven ships of 2,200-2,500 TEU with a transit time of seven weeks, this loop will call at Tanjung Pelepas, Port Kelang, Reunion, Toamasina, Maputo, Beira, Nacala, Port Louis and back to Port Kelang. The first sailing is scheduled on May 8 from Tanjung Pelepas where the Safmarine Nimba departs.
For Maersk Line, the "Safari 2" loop replaces a transshipment service based at Port Louis (Port Louis-Reunion-Madag-East Africa relay service), which was a substitute to a Tanjung Pelepas-based relay service that was closed in January 2012 (Safari Loop 2).
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
SINGAPORE's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), the parent company of its container unit APL, has issued S$400 million (US$320 million) in five-year bonds under its $1.5 billion medium-term debt programme after the failure of issuing a proposed perpetual-bond a few weeks ago due to poor subscription.
The bond, with an interest rate of 4.25 per cent per annum, is the third tranche of the debt programme, which is expected to be issued on April 26. Temasek is Singapore's state-owned investment company and holds 67 per cent of NOL.
NOL raised S$580 million in two previous tranches with a longer 10-year term. NOL reportedly plans to use some of the money to repay its $422 million debt due in 2012. The company experienced a net loss of $478 million in 2011 and is likely to have significant net loss and negative operating profits in the first quarter.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MEGA shipping alliances are not breaching antitrust rules, according to Aitken Spence Maritime and Logistics chairman Parakrama Dissanayake, who sought to allay shippers' feats that such blocs pose a threat, reports Sri Lanka's Sunday Observer.
Dr Dissanayake pointed out that four mega shipping alliances MSC and CGM, Maersk Line, Grand Alliance and New World Alliance and CKYHA - Evergreen from Asia to Europe control a shipboard capacity of 13.4 million TEU and a market share of 85.8 per cent. From January to April this year the four shipping alliances increased freight rates 60 per cent compared to last year.
Notwithstanding rate increases, the global fleet in the 8,000-TEU category will grow by 25 per cent this year posing a threat to freight rates and profitability of shipping lines.
In this backdrop, Maersk Line expects losses again this year as announced by its chairman of its parent group recently at its annual general meeting.
Dr Dissanayake said that under the current European Union regulations, each consortium within major east and west trade lanes can have a maximum market share of 30 per cent. Maersk Line controls 19.3 per cent as against MSC/CGM-CMA's 29.9 per cent on the Asia-Europe route. Grand Alliance and New World Alliance have 17.3 per cent while CKYH and Evergreen have 18.4 per cent.
"Therefore, it is evident that the mega shipping alliance recorded so far does not appear to break any antitrust rules. However, in the short term, shippers would not be able to do much as the regulations come up for renewal again only in 2013," Dr Dissanayake said.
He said mega consortia will provide shippers with better service frequencies and port coverage. Also further membership in lines will be better placed to compete against "daily Maersk service from Asia to North Europe."
Dr Dissanayake said that a question is being posed: "Will all this lead to fewer transshipments since ocean carriers will gain economies of scale to call at secondary ports?"
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
GERMANY's global liner shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd, has signed an agreement with the Dubai global shipping and logistics provider GAC to handle their vessels calling at ports in Nigeria and Ghana.
GAC will act as full liner agents for Hapag-Lloyd, actively selling its liner services in the region, as well as providing a range of shipping agency and complementary services for its fleet, the company said.
The deal comes as part of Hapag-Lloyd's strategy to develop and expand its presence in sub-Sahara Africa. Currently, the company operates a fleet of 150 container vessels with 300 offices in 114 countries.
GAC Nigeria managing director Neale Proctor, to lead the business, said: "GAC and Hapag-Lloyd share the same sound, ethical values and approach to business, evident in a commitment to looking after people, going the extra mile to surpass customer expectations, operating in an environmentally-aware way and having active social responsibility programmes. Both companies also combine global presence with strong local knowledge.
"In Africa, we have similar strategic ambitions, including the desire to take advantage of the opportunities in the region's largely untapped markets. Together, GAC and Hapag-Lloyd will last the course," Mr Proctor said.
GAC has operated in Nigeria since 1978. The company has been building its reputation in its chosen markets since 1956 and employs over 9,000 people in more than 300 offices worldwide.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
WUHAN, the big city in the middle reaches of the Yangtze, plans to invest CNY114.8 billion (US$18.2 billion) in logistics infrastructure, including 173 construction projects over the next four years, reports Xinhua.
The municipal government will boost logistics sector development in industries of business trades, manufacturing, ports and bonded area. It will build around its downtown six complex logistics park and eight specialty logistics centres covering medicine, bonded area, dangerous chemicals, cold chain, automobiles, steel, home appliances and production materials, and build about 100 distribution depots at business congestion areas, key industry areas and large communities.
Wuhan's logistics sector revenue stood at CNY1.5 trillion in 2010, accounting for 10 per cent of municipal GDP.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MALAYSIA's Northport has appointed a new chief executive officer, Abi Sofian Abdul Hamid, 50, who says his first task will be to improve customer retention and ensure container capacity development schemes stay on track as well as making sure new quay cranes and rubber tyred gantries (RTG) arrive and are put to work.
"The main priority now is to ensure no disruption to business operations. Necessary enhancements and improvements which can add value will be implemented as the need arises," he told the Malaysia Star.
Mr Hamid replaced Hassan Abdul Kader, 59, who retired after 19 years at Northport, after his contract expired on March 31.
"I would like to thank Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, the chairman of NCB Holdings or the opportunity to take Northport to the next level of excellence," he said.
"I will also ensure Northport is the port of choice in nation building. Human capital development to complement capital infrastructure development will be the way forward to enhance the values and spirits of our team at Northport," said the new chief executive.
Northport and Kontena Nasional are wholly owned by NCB Holdings, which in turn is 55.9 per cent owned by Permodalan Nasional and 15.7 per cent by the regional container line MISC.
Northport hopes to lift 3.2 million TEU this year and is expected to increase its capacity to 5.5 million TEU from the current five million a year once it completes the development of wharf 8A that would eventually be operated as CT4.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CANADA's largest railway, the Canadian National (CN), has posted a 16 per cent increase in first quarter net profit to C$775 million (US$782 million) year on year drawn on revenues C$2.3 billion, which went up 13 per cent.
Revenue increases were also attributed to higher freight volumes, robust pricing and fuel surcharges. Carloads went up 5 per cent during the quarter year on year.
Metals and minerals brought in 31 per cent more revenue, coal, 18 per cent; intermodal, 17 per cent; petro-chemicals, 15 per cent; automotive, 13 per cent and forest products, 10 per cent.
Operating income surged 23 per cent to C$793 million, while the operating ratio was 66.2 per cent, a 2.8-point improvement over last year's first-quarter performance of 69 per cent.
Operating expenses for the first quarter increased by eight per cent to C$1.6 billion, mainly due to higher fuel costs as well as labour and fringe benefits expense. These factors were partly offset by lower casualty and other expenses.
Said CEO Claude Mongeau: "While CN benefited from a milder winter and improving economic conditions, our very solid first-quarter results underscore that our strategy is working. The CN team did well on all key fronts, delivering high-quality service while handling solid volume growth at low incremental cost."
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
INDIA's Transglobal Inland Container Services in Thrissur, Kerala, has sent the first consignment of food products to the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT), Vallarpadam, reports the Hindu daily of Chennai.
The export consignment belonging to Global Exporter was loaded on to the vessel, Rajiv Gandhi at ICTT.
Announcing the opening of the ICD (inland container depot), Transglobal chairman MA Nazer said that the new facility would offer excellent services for handling and temporary storage of import and export containers.
Its 4,645-square feet warehouse is equipped with modern handling system of forklifts and reach stackers, while providing electronic data interchange (EDI) networks on site, he said.
Mr Nazer also said that they had established a single window system that includes all customs formalities inside ICD which ensure smooth transition at ICTT Vallarpadam. The International Container Terminal will get further strength and support from this ICD facility, making trade and transport fast and safe.
Transglobal chief executive NS Ramachandran said the INR550 million (US$10.7 million) depot is being promoted as a total logistics operator hub. The ICD has specialised in transport, warehousing and network operations, providing top class and comprehensive services under one roof.
The ICD operations of the group is being supported by a full-fledged skilled team of dedicated people with the latest infrastructure facilities, said the Hindu report. With the commencement of ICTT operations at Vallarpadam, the group has already received invitations from various international companies to join hands for international shipping and logistics support, Mr Ramachandran said.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CONTAINER volume through state-run harbours of the Philippines Ports Authority (PPA) increased six per cent to 417,842 TEU in January year on year with domestic box movement up 20 per cent to 162,539 TEU while foreign boxes fell one per cent to 255,303 TEU.
Import containers increased by three per cent to 129,510 TEU, while exports decreased five per cent to 125,793 TEU, reported the Philippines Business Mirror.
According to PPA data, its more than 100 ports nationwide handled 12.67 million tonnes for the first month of the year, about one per cent more than the 12.53 million tonnes it handled last year. Foreign cargo increased two per cent to 6.93 million tonnes.
Data showed import cargo slowed two per cent to 4.59 million tonnes with export cargo up four per cent to 2.34 million tonnes. Domestic cargo increased two per cent to 5.73 million tonnes.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
DEUTSCHE POST-DHL has acquired the 24 per cent stake held by the Lemuir Group in its joint venture, DHL Lemuir Logistics, in India for an undisclosed figure, Transport Intelligence of UK reported.
Through the share acquisition, Deutsche Post DHL now owns a 100 per cent stake in the joint venture in the subcontinent. Following the purchase, the company has been renamed DHL Logistics Private Ltd.
Oscar de Bok, CEO, South and Southeast Asia, DHL Supply Chain, said, "Our partnership with Lemuir has substantially reinforced our foothold in the Indian domestic logistics industry. It has helped to put us on the road of accelerated growth."
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is expected to give its approval for the launch of Ningxia Cargo Airlines, the first cargo carrier based in western China.
The new cargo entity, based in the Ningxia Autonomous Region, has a registered capital of CNY120 million (US$18.98 million). Shanghai Chongda International Freight Co, which has a 40 per cent holding, is the major stakeholder, while Shanxi Tongyang Investment Management has a 25 per cent stake. The remaining shareholders are Shanxi Xiangyu Logistics Co, Xian Huijie Logistics Co, and Shanxi International Air Freight.
The new venture has a Boeing fleet of 737 and 747 freighters and it plans to use pilots and MRO professionals from Turkish Orex Orbit Express Airlines, reports the Maryland's Air Transport World.
Industry analysts said it will be difficult for Ningxia Cargo to make a profit initially because of the downturn in the air cargo industry and weak competitive position of domestic cargo carriers. FedEx, UPS and DHL, mainly in economically stronger eastern China, dominate China's air cargo market.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CHINA Cargo Airlines, the joint venture of Eastern Airlines and Cosco, has inaugurated a new cargo service connecting Shanghai and Chongqing to Amsterdam, Xinhua reports.
The new service offers two flights per week using Boeing 777 aircrafts, bringing an extra capacity of 100 tonnes weekly to Chongqing.
China Cargo Airlines is the fourth air cargo carrier that launches European service at Chongqing. Shanghai-Chongqing-Amsterdam service is its third international cargo service launched at the city.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
The magazine SEA has been published since 1935
International business magazine JŪRA MOPE SEA has been published since 1999
The first magazine in Eurasia in the four languages: English, Chinese, Russian and Lithuanian
|
|