WAN Hai Lines has held a naming ceremony, with company chairman Po Ting Chen in attendance, for the line's latest newbuilding, the Wan Hai 275, at the CSBC Corporation's Keelung shipyard in Taiwan.
The carrier said in a statement that it has ordered a total of 14 vessels from CSBC Corp, including four 1,800-TEU vessels, four 1,000-TEU ships and six 4,500-TEU ships that are slated for delivery over the next two years.
The Wan Hai 275 has a length of 172 metres, a draft of 9.5 metres and a cruising speed of 20 knots. The containership is also said to be equipped with the latest and most advanced naval technologies to ensure quality services.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CHINA posted a US$5.35 billion trade surplus in March, a reversal from the$41.48 billion deficit in February and almost entirely because of a sluggish 5.3 per cent growth in imports, reports the Wall Street Journal.
This was below the 9.3 per cent forecast and far below the 39.6 per cent growth in February prompting fears about a fall of in consumer demand.
China customs statistics chief Zheng Yuesheng expected a "relatively big" risk of a downward slide.
Said Credit Agricole economist Dariusz Kowalcyzk: "This suggests domestic demand is weakening and may revive hard landing concerns. It is also likely to convince policy makers to ease monetary policy to stimulate the domestic segment of the economy."
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is considering revising downward its projection of China's long-term current account surplus to five per cent from seven per cent, a move analysts say would bolster Beijing's argument that the yuan is valued fairly.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE Port of Algeciras posted a 28 per cent 2011 increase in container volume year on year to 3.6 million TEU, "exceeding the most optimistic forecasts", said the port authority.
The bulk of the Spanish port's container volume was in transshipments from Asia to the east coast of South America, reported London's International Freighting Weekly. There was also a 13.8 per cent increase in ferry-borne trucking across the 14-kilometre Gibraltar Strait to Morocco.
Ferry traffic is expected to increase with the opening of a Renault car manufacturing plant near Tangiers with anticipated boost in exports from the Tangier-Med container terminal for Algeciras and then into Europe. But Barcelona and Valencia also compete for this traffic.
Algeciras also hopes to develop as an important rail hub now that a 750-square metre intermodal terminal is nearing completion. The port is part of a long-term EU-backed project to create a Mediterranean rail corridor, initially linking Spain and France. Again, Barcelona and Valencia are also competing.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
VIETNAMESE producers, the new stars of the Asian export world now that Chinese labour costs have risen, are facing an 80 per cent increase in shipping costs that make it difficult to stay in business, reports VietNamNetBridge.
Rates went up US$400 per TEU in January. In February and March, terminal handling charges went up and an eight per cent bunker surcharge was added. In April, Vietnamese shippers faced another $400 per TEU rate hike, which comes to a $1,350 per TEU increase since January, and with other attendant costs, nearly $2,000.
Vietnamese exporters also have to pay a series of fees and surcharges, called local charges, which puts a heavy burden on them, said the report.
A representative of Saigon Palm, which exports bamboo products, said that the export value is low, while the shipping fee is too high. A container of souvenirs, for example, is valued at $10,000 dollars, while the shipping costs alone would cost $2000 dollars.
Import companies have suffered most, because they have to pay freight and other fees. An executive of HL Cargo, a forwarder, said that the freight to Europe has increased by 80 per cent in comparison with the same period of last year.
CMA-CGM Vietnam director Duong Quoc Chien has warned that the fees and surcharges would increase further in the time to come. Shipping firms tend to raise fees to get money to offset the loss they incurred in 2011. The higher fuel cost has also been cited to explain the fee increases.
Mr Chien said that the freight would not increase sharply, but the fees and surcharges would increase.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is extending its dues concession for all ocean going ships with a port stay of not more than 10 days and harbour craft engaged in commercial activities, for another two years effective from July 1 to June 20, 2014.
MPA introduced the concessions during the downturn, and with the shipping industry facing continued uncertainty, it will be extended as part of the phasing out of port dues to help the industry make gradual adjustments.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
INTTRA, the world's largest multi-carrier e-commerce network for ocean freight, and WCA Family of Logistic Networks have formed a strategic alliance that is intended to deliver critical ocean shipping planning, management and optimisation capabilities to WCA Family members.
Bangkok-based WCA Family is a global network of independent forwarders with 4,100 member offices located in more than 176 countries.
WCA Family can now access INTTRA's global network of over 30 major ocean carriers through the Worldwide Information Network (WIN), which is a cloud-based software platform for freight forwarders and one of the WCA Family's key technology platforms.
By integrating with INTTRA's multi-carrier network, WCA Family said in a statement that its members achieve: global standardised shipping processes, a faster and more streamlined document flow, improved data accuracy and increased visibility to ocean shipments. INTTRA delivers critical ocean freight transaction functionality that helps freight forwarders compete in today's competitive marketplace.
"We are pleased to offer our members the most advanced multi-carrier, ocean freight shipping solution via the INTTRA platform. WCA Family members will be able to reduce redundant manual processes, increase efficiencies, and improve customer satisfaction with standardised ocean freight processing. Additionally, members that manage import cargo will now have a fast and easy way to attain visibility data for their customers' import shipments by using INTTRA's standardised track and trace e-commerce tool," said WCA Family president David Yokeum.
Said INTTRA senior director Sanddep Govil: "We welcome the WCA Family to our alliance network of over 70 members and believe they will see significant benefits from a seamless connection to the INTTRA network of leading global ocean carriers and NVOCCs."
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE Port of Amsterdam's trade mission to India has resulted in the signing of an agreement with Samsara Group, a major shipping agent with 54 offices in India.
Trade representatives, including the city's mayor Eberhand van der Laan and the port of Amsterdam's CEO Dertjie Meijer, signed an agreement with Samsara president and CEO Mukesh Oza at a session to promote activities between the two cities of Amsterdam and Mumbai.
The Samsara Group, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Dubai-based Sharaf Group, offers logistics services include chartering, inland container terminal operations, heavy cargo transport and automobile logistics, shipping up to 1.2 million TEU annually on its trains.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
VANGUARD Logistics Services has announced the promotion of Collin Rozario to the position of general manager air freight, South Pacific and Southeast Asia, effective immediately.
This promotion is an expansion of his current responsibilities as the air freight GM for the South Pacific region. In this new role, Mr Rozario is charged with developing the organisation's air freight operational and sales capabilities in Southeast Asia by leveraging the company's own and agency air freight networks.
Based in Sydney, Mr Rozario showed an aptitude for building strong customer relations and advancing operational growth in the successful development of the south Pacific air freight programme, his primary focus since joining the company in 2003. These new responsibilities will allow him to apply his experience to Vanguard's Southeast Asia network with his initial focus set on Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, a company statement said.
Since beginning his career in air freight in 1983, Mr Rozario has held a variety of managerial posts, having been stationed in India, Nigeria, Dubai, Australia and New Zealand.
"We are very pleased with this development," said Jeff Lee, Vanguard's regional managing director for Southeast Asia and the Middle East. "Vanguard is ideally situated in the region and I am confident in Collin's ability to successfully extend our reach into air freight. We are counting on the support of Vanguard offices around the world to work closely with our region to pursue and develop every air freight opportunity."
Over the last few years, the neutral handling of air freight proved to be an important offering in Vanguard's service portfolio, developed to meet the growing needs of the freight forwarding community. "It is a profitable product for Vanguard as a whole," said Mr Lee. "Southeast Asia is a significant source of merchandise, machinery and a whole range of products for the rest of the world. We look forward to working with other Vanguard offices to make the most of this great opportunity."
Mr Rozario will continue to report directly to Zeljko Blazic, regional managing director, South Pacific, and work with Mr Lee on Southeast Asia.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
PHILIPPINES global port operator, International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), recently announced the appointments of Nathan Clarke and Roger Yee as civil engineering managers for ICTSI's ports worldwide.
Mr Clarke joined ICTSI in 2008 as assistant resident manager where he assisted mainly in the contract administration and design management of the Berth 6 project at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).
Before joining ICTSI, he was assistant resident manager Maunsell/AECOM Philippines Inc and with Maunsell Australia in 2004 as engineer where he handled various civil port projects in Manila and in other parts of the world. In 2002, he worked with Western Earthmoving as assistant engineer.
A Bachelor of Engineering graduate, Mr Clarke was a first class honour student at the University of Sydney, and he is also a member of the Institution of Engineers Australia.
Mr Yee was the contracts manager responsible for tender documentation of the site preparation works package for the Independent Deepwater Petroleum Terminal in Pengerang, Johor. He worked on different container terminal-related projects, and held numerous managerial posts in Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and New Zealand.
A New Zealand national, Mr Yee obtained his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Auckland. He also holds a master's degree in Business Administration from APESMA/Deakin University.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MILAHA, previously known as Qatar Navigation, is to launch an electronic data base at Doha Port in a changeover from its current paper-based system which manages 400,000 TEU movements a year.
Since Milaha took over management in February 2011, it selected Jade JMT software at a cost of QAR19 million (US$5.21 million) and plans to go live this quarter, said port services vice president Alan Middleton.
"The easy configuration and scalability of JMT supports our efforts to increase efficiencies, optimise processes and manage costs as we bring Doha Port operations to the best worldwide standards," said Mr Middleton, reported the Gulf Times.
Qatar expects cargo growth in the million tonnes resulting from multibillion dollar infrastructure projects which include new hotels, rapid rail and construction of stadiums in the lead up to the world's largest sporting event, the Dubai World Cup 2013.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
GERMAN forwarding giant DHL has been awarded three accolades in Hong Kong, the "CAPITAL Outstanding Enterprise Awards - Outstanding Express Service Provider," the "Sing Tao Excellent Services Brand Award 2011 for Delivery & Logistics" as well as the "MTR Advertising 'The Best of the Best Awards' silver medal for the best innovative campaign."
DHL's bold and innovative wall-wrap advertisement at Hong Kong MTR Station, enhanced with LED lighting effects, secured the silver in the MTR Advertising Best of the Best Awards, said a DHL press release.
Organised by CAPITAL Magazine, the Outstanding Enterprise Awards recognise the contributions and efforts of Hong Kong enterprises with outstanding business performance and achievements. The win marks the fourth time DHL has been honoured, which combines a public vote together with a panel of judges of business personalities representing diverse industries in Hong Kong.
It also received the Excellent Services Brand Award organised by Sing Tao Daily for the fourth time in six years since this award was launched in 2006. This award comes in recognition of the express delivery firm's record and commitment to service excellence.
DHL Express Asia Pacific CEO Jerry Hsu said the achievements reflect the company's investment in staff and its international network. "We have invested in our people through our Certified International Specialist (CIS) training programme. More than 100,000 employees worldwide have attended CIS training. The training encourages employees to exemplify DHL values through our four key attributes of speed, a 'can-do' attitude, passion and getting it right first time."
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
QATAR has introduced a "single window" facility for sea freight, speeding up clearance and facilitating proper tracking of consignments, which also helps stop fake products from reaching market, reports the Gulf Times.
Qatar Customs has now made it mandatory for all importers to obtain HS Code or Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System, an international system for classifying traded products and link it to their Commercial Registration (CR) and import licence, said the report.
The system exists for sea freight, and will shortly apply to air freight. "No Qatar-based importer is allowed to bring in consignments without the HS code now. Also, importers will have to register with Qatar Customs for the single window facility," a source told Gulf Times.
Importers polled liked "single window" facility, saying it had made clearance faster. Since HS code is now compulsory for sea freight to Qatar, only authorised agents can clear consignments.
This means, only "genuine" products are allowed into the market. As the whole process is tracked, counterfeit products will be seized immediately, said the report.
Also, products that do not tag the place of their manufacturer or country of origin will be "rejected outright and sent back", said a clearing agent. "The whole process is transparent and efficient. I will not be able to clear my sea freight, if I don't have the HS Code entered into my CR, which is filed with Qatar Customs, I will only be allowed to import products that are shown in my CR. It is all online and nobody can play with it. Everything is accounted for."
The HS Code is an international system of names and numbers for classifying traded products created by the World Customs Organisation and used in determining tariffs on items shipped internationally.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
INTERNATIONAL Airlines Group (IAG), the merged British Airways-Iberia carrier, announced that cargo traffic in March fell by 2.9 per cent in March as an 11.2 per cent decline at the Spanish airline outweighed a 0.9 per cent drop with its bigger UK partner.
However, the group's cargo revenue rose by 3.5 per cent on a 2.2 per cent increase in capacity that pushed up the load factor by one point to 73.7 per cent.
BA's cargo traffic grew 0.5 per cent in the first quarter, while Iberia's slumped by 11.2 per cent, mainly due to a pilots' strike and the weak Spanish economy.
"Our Spanish operation continues to be impacted by the ongoing threat of industrial action ... and further deterioration of Spanish macroeconomic prospects in the short term," IAG said.
Iberia pilots have threatened to strike every Monday and Friday until July to protest the launch of a new cost carrier Iberia Express.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo has appointed SkyXS as its first-ever general sales agent in Poland.
From Poland, the carrier has commenced daily trucking services to London to connect with its wide-body flights to the US, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Customers will now have access to Virgin Atlantic Cargo's network of 350 destinations around the world, a company statement said.
"Many of the manufacturers in Poland work with Virgin Atlantic Cargo in other regions so we have been closely monitoring the Poland market since we extended our GSA coverage to Hungary and Czech Republic in 2010," said Virgin Atlantic Cargo sales vice president Nick Jones.
Since being founded in 2002, the SkyXS Group has bolstered its presence with the acquisition of the Central and eastern European branches of the Danish group WECO in 2006, which were renamed under the ASN brand. At present, SkyXS and ASN operate in 13 countries, generating gross revenues in excess of EUR40 million (US$52.46 million).
Ger Daniels, managing director of SkyXS, said: "Adding Virgin Atlantic Cargo to our network in Poland is a perfect reinforcement of our airline portfolio in terms of carriers and their networks. It's a great honour for us to sign our first GSA contract with Virgin Atlantic Cargo. I believe the airline has made a good choice in deciding to extend its Central and Eastern European cargo network to serve Poland's growing economy."
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
SEATTLE's Alaska Airlines has joined Portland, Oregon's Banfield Pet Hospital to offer its passengers consultation for pet transport and discount on health certificates required for pets travelling as baggage or in bellyholds.
With 800 pet hospitals in 43 states, Banfield offers Alaska Airline customers a free office visit, travel consultation and a US$10 discount on compulsory health certificates.
Of the 83,000 pets transported through Alaska's system without the alternative choice of road or rail transport, the carrier is flexible allowing small animals in the cabin or as carry-on baggage if the kennel can fit under the seat at $100 each way, said Alaska spokeswoman Marianne Lindsey. Unaccompanied animals are treated as air cargo with rates varying due to distance and pet size.
It requires nut-and-bolt fasteners to hold kennel doors closed during flight in line with its codeshare carriers' American and Delta airlines. It also restricts pet travel if the weather is too hot or cold at destination or origin.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
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