THE British International Freight Association (BIFA) has declared that the British government budget does not address its members concerns on fuel prices.
"It is disappointing that the fuel duty increase planned for August 2012 has not been scrapped in today's Budget," said BIFA director general Peter Quantrill.
"Such a move would have sent out a positive message from government to businesses in our sector, which operate on the tightest of margins and put us in a better position to both facilitate international trade and compete on a level playing field with foreign competition," he said.
But Mr Quantrill also welcomed news of the government's decision to waive backdated business rate bills for port-based companies and that the tax on heavy trucks would be frozen.
"We are also pleased to hear that the coalition government intends to double UK exports to GBP1 trillion (US$1.5 trillion) this decade which would bring additional business to BIFA members. It is also positive that the government is prepared to confront the lack of airport capacity in the south-east. We now look forward to hearing more about government initiatives which will deliver on these announcements," he said.
"We note that the government will take forward many of Alan Cook's recommendations for the roads, including developing a national roads strategy and setting a renewed focus on the level of performance expected from the Highways Agency," said Mr Quantrill.
"We also note that the government will consider whether to go further and will carry out a feasibility study into new ownership and financing models for the national road network. BIFA will now look into how we can contribute to that study," he said.
"Our members are still being hit by the high cost of fuel and we would still like to see the introduction of an essential user rebate and a review of the fuel duty increase planned for August 2012," said Mr Quantrill.
The government's recent announcements about differing means of investing in road transport infrastructure is good news for its members, but road pricing schemes could burden companies bottom lines, he added.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE US Coast Guard is preparing for demonstrations to protest oil drilling in the Chukchi Sea this summer following protests at New Zealand's Shell Oil drilling ship, said Alaska USCG chief of staff Captain Norman (Buddy) Custard.
To prevent any disruption caused by the protests likely to take place during its busiest fishing month of June, the coast guard it will deploy a small boat force from Dutch Harbor, said Capt Custard.
The presence of the USCG is to make sure port activity isn't disrupted for vessels and for food, fuel and other shipments into the city of Unalaska.
"We're not here for Shell, we're here to ensure safe commerce and transportation," he said, reported the local paper, Juneau Empire.
It also is on alert for increased air traffic between Shell's Barrow staging area, other possible shipping incidents and offshore operations which may require a coast guard response.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MEMPHIS based FedEx Corporation has posted a 126 per cent third quarter net profit increase to US$521 million, up 126 per cent year on year with revenue up nine per cent to $10.56 billion.
"FedEx results were driven by improving yields, record holiday package shipping and exceptional performance at FedEx Ground," said FedEx chairman, president and CEO Fred Smith of the quarter ending February 29.
"We expect our solid performance to continue in our fourth quarter, capping off a strong fiscal year," Mr Smith said.
The express unit's operating profit was up 96 per cent to $349 million drawn on an eight per cent increase in revenue to $6.54 billion.
FedEx Ground's operating income soared 43 per cent to $465 million, drawn on a 14 per cent revenue increase to $2.48 billion.
The FedEx Freight segment reduced its operating loss to $1 million from $110 million a year ago due to a 10 per cent increase in revenue to $1.23 billion.
Said vice president and chief financial officer Alan Graf: "We are pleased with the improved performance at FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight during our third quarter. We are evaluating actions to adjust our FedEx Express US domestic network capacity and improve efficiency."
Less-than-truckload (LTL) yield was up six per cent due to higher fuel charges and improved base yields, while the LTL average daily shipments grew two per cent because of good weather.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
HONG KONG's Dragonair, sister company to Cathay Pacific Airways, has announced that three more destinations will be added to its network, with new services to Jeju in South Korea and Chiang Mai in Thailand together with the resumption of scheduled services to Taichung in Taiwan.
When Jeju flights start on May 1 and to Chiang Mai on July 1, Dragonair will be the only airline operating non-stop services from Hong Kong, the airline said.
Dragonair also said the strengthening of the airline's network will offer more options from Hong Kong and mainland China within the Asia Pacific region.
The Jeju service will begin from May 1 with three flights a week. Chiang Mai will be a seasonal scheduled service with four flights a week operating from July 1 to the end of September. Taichung will be served by two flights a day starting from May 14. All three routes will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft.
"We believe these new and resumed services will be a significant boon in terms of developing business between Hong Kong and these three destinations," said Dragonair CEO Patrick Yeung.
"Jeju and Chiang Mai have long been popular, and through our new direct non-stop flights we will offer more choice and greater convenience to both destinations. Our service resumption to Taichung, meanwhile, demonstrates the opportunities for the development in air traffic brought by the recently signed Hong Kong - Taiwan Air Services Arrangement (ASA)," he said.
The latest network announcement follows Dragonair's resumption of services to Xian and Guilin, in April and May respectively. The airline will also boost frequencies and add capacity on a number of routes starting from the end of March. Following the above-mentioned service resumptions and the launch of new routes, Dragonair will serve a total of 38 destinations by July including 19 cities in Mainland China.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
DUBAI's Emirates SkyCargo, the air freight unit of Emirates airline, recently won the Platinum Award in the category of "Air Cargo Carrier - 800,000 or more tonnes" at the Air Cargo Excellence Awards 2012 organised by Air Cargo World.
The award recognises one of the best performers in the industry, said Emirates' divisional senior vice-president cargo Ram Menen. "We are honoured to be receiving an award in a category which also featured so many major industry players.
"With our network continually growing and fleet expanding as we take delivery of new aircraft, we look forward to offering customers even greater levels of service and providing them with more international trade opportunities."
Besides Emirates SkyCargo, other finalists for this category including Lufthansa Cathay Pacific, DHL, FedEx Express, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo has appointed Rhett Stutler as account manager, commercial for Chicago and the Midwest region of the United States, as part of preparations for the return of flights between London and Chicago in May.
Mr Stutler has joined the airline from Hermes Aviation where, as an account manager, he was the general sales agent's representative for South African Airways and Turkish Airlines. He began his career with Delta Air Lines, working in Cincinnati, Boston and Milwaukee.
In his new position he will report to Marie Epstein, regional vice president, sales Americas.
Said Ms Epstein: "The Chicago market is tremendous and is an essential gateway for freight forwarders' Midwest operations. Rhett is based in Chicago and will work closely with our local customers."
Virgin Atlantic will recommence flights between Chicago and London Heathrow on May 7 with four flights a week, increasing to daily from May 18.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
On March 25, Latvian national airline airBaltic will enter the summer season with an increased number of flights in its network spanning Europe, Middle East, and Russia/CIS and returning leisure destinations on the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caspian coast.
This summer we offer better connections by growing the number of cities where airBaltic passengers can make single day trips. Numerous destinations in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic region, are served multiple times every day. In addition to that, we improved flight frequencies to offer double daily services to Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, and Vienna. Other airports in Europe, Scandinavia and CIS will also see flights added for the convenience of our business customer, while leisure travellers will enjoy the return of popular summer destinations on the Mediterranean, Caspian and Black Sea coast.
Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic
By increasing flight frequencies, airBaltic will improve its service to both local passengers, and those travelling in transit via Riga to and from 60 destinations in Europe, Middle East, Russia/CIS. The summer schedule of airBaltic will also see a number of leisure destinations coming back from hibernation, including Venice, Athens, Budapest, Nice, Dublin, Chisinau, along with other cities on the Mediterranean, Caspian and Black Sea coast.
airBaltic will increase its Riga- Vienna service to 12 weekly flights, up from 7 last summer; the flight will be operated in cooperation with Austrian Airlines. Riga-Zurich flights will be operated daily, as a result of improving frequency from 6 to 7 weekly. airBaltic will also offer 12 weekly flights on the Riga-Munich route, up from 7 last summer. airBaltic will increase its Riga- Amsterdam service to 12 weekly flights, up from 7 last summer. Riga-Brussels flights will be operated 12 times weekly, an increase from 7 times the previous summer. airBaltic will increase its Riga- Billund service to 7 weekly flights, up from 5 last summer. airBaltic will increase its Riga- Moscow Domodedovo service to 7 weekly flights, up from 2 last summer; flights will be operated in code-share with Transaero Airlines. airBaltic offers four daily flights to Moscow Sheremetyevo in code-share cooperation with Aeroflot.
Source AS Airbaltic Corporation
Els de Groot has been appointed Schiphol Group's new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective 1 May 2012. She will succeed Pieter Verboom, who will be retiring after having served as Schiphol Group's CFO for 15 years since 1997.
Els de Groot, aged 46, holds an impressive track record in the financial sector. She studied business economics at the University of Amsterdam and worked at ABN AMRO Bank for over twenty years (1987-2008), where she held several positions in financing, capital management and risk management. Her last position at ABN AMRO was that of Executive Vice President at Group Risk Management.
Els de Groot has worked as a self-employed adviser and interim manager since 2009, including interim CFO at Van Lanschot Bankiers. She is a member of the Supervisory Board of Beter Bed Holding.
Els de Groot is married and has two children.
As CFO she will join Schiphol Group's four-member Management Board, which includes Jos Nijhuis, CEO, Ad Rutten, COO, and Maarten de Groof, CCO. "We are delighted that we have found an excellent successor for Pieter Verboom, who has strengthened our company with his vast knowledge and expertise for the past 15 years. We are pleased to warmly welcome Els de Groot to Schiphol Group", commented Jos Nijhuis.
Source Schiphol Group
Global terminal operator issues 2nd Sustainability Report
The Hague, Netherlands - APM Terminals’ 2011 Sustainability Report shows continued improvement in sustainability performance throughout the company’s global port, terminal and inland services network.
Ongoing work to achieve the highest possible safety standards, reduction of the environmental impact of expanding global operations and positive contributions to the communities in which APM Terminals operate are major highlights of the Sustainability Report – the second of its kind.
APM Terminals continued to be an industry leader in safety performance in 2011 in terms of reducing injuries, as the LTIF rate decreased by 21% compared to the 2010 figure and is at its lowest level ever. LTIF – Lost Time Injury Frequency – is recognized globally as a key indicator for a company’s safety performance. The APM Terminals goal for 2012 is a further 15% reduction in the LTIF rate.
In the report, APM Terminals outlines a detailed plan to manage risks better in four key areas of the complex port operations: Internal traffic, working at heights, falling objects and lashing. The reason behind the plan: Despite progress in the overall safety performance, APM Terminals has yet to achieve a significant reduction in fatal accidents.
“There is still much to improve. I am fully committed to the APM Terminals’ goal of zero fatalities and zero incidents,” writes APM Terminals’ CEO Kim Fejfer in his introduction to the report.
In terms of environmental performance, APM Terminals exceeded the target of a 15% decrease in CO2 emissions by 2011 against a 2009 baseline for port facilities by achieving a reduction of 16.5% per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU). Due to the continued expansion of APM Terminals’ operations and the associated need for new cargo handling equipment, there was an overall increase of 2.1% in the combined absolute CO2 emissions for the company between 2009 and 2011.
In support of the parent A.P. Moller-Maersk Group target of a 10% reduction in relative CO2 emissions, APM Terminals has established a target of a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions per TEU by 2020 for all terminal operations, as measured against a 2010 baseline.
In addition to safety and environmental performance, the report also gives details about the following elements of APM Terminals’ sustainability performance:
· Community engagement and contribution
· Employee engagement, talent development and diversity
· Socio-economic development and effect of port and inland investments
· Anti-corruption and compliance with United Nations Global Compact.
In August 2011, APM Terminals named Johan Breukelaar Head of Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Corporate Responsibility based in The Hague, Netherlands and reporting to the CEO.
Source APM Terminals
The Union of Fishermen of the North (UFN) has entered the Barents and Norwegian Seas cod and haddock fishery for full assessment for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)(1) certification. The fishery will be assessed by independent certifier Food Certification International Ltd (FCI). If successful, over 114,000 tonnes of Atlantic cod and over 50,000 tonnes of Atlantic haddock will be eligible to bear the MSC ecolabel.
The fishery comprises 31 vessels ranging from 34 meters to 94 meters, fishing year round using demersal trawl; and a further three vessels of 54 meters, using longline gear to catch cod and haddock. The fisheries take place inside the Barents and Norwegian seas at ICES Areas Ia,Ib, IIa and IIb; within coastal waters inside the Norwegian and Russian Exclusive Economic Zones, and international waters.
The main markets for the fishery’s products are Russia, the USA, Europe and China.
What the UFN says
Olga Pokrovskaya, the UFN coordinator for the certification process says: “We are happy that after a long preparation for the assessment, we are now entering the very important public Full Assessment phase. The full assessment against MSC standards is a robust test for the sustainability of our fisheries, and the Union is prepared looks forward with confidence to go through the process”.
What the MSC says
Camiel Derichs, MSC’s deputy director Europe says: “The Barents Sea cod and haddock fisheries are certified in Norway, and through Ocean Trawlers a portion of these fisheries in Russia have also been certified. It is great that now the rest of the Russian Barents Sea fleet is entering the MSC program to be assessed against MSC standards. We hope that the assessment will be successful, many markets are eagerly awaiting MSC certified cod and haddock from Russia.”
Source MSC
Finefish, a Norwegian processor offering a range of fresh and frozen seafood products, became the 2000 MSC (1) Chain of Custody certificate holder when it was assessed by independent certifier Det Norske Veritas (DNV) to have met the MSC seafood traceability standard. Finefish can now sell their Cod, Haddock and Saithe products as MSC certified, and use the blue MSC ecolabel on-pack.
Widespread adoption of MSC seafood traceability standard
The number of MSC Chain of Custody certificate holders has increased rapidly over the last years, evidence of accelerating interest, from supply chain companies, of sourcing from certified fisheries and demonstrating their commitment to sustainability. By August 2009, ten years after the launch of the MSC program, there were 1000 Chain of Custody certificates in force; less than three years years later this number has now doubled.
Camiel Derichs, Deputy Director Europe of MSC comments: “I’m delighted to welcome Finefish as the 2000th MSC Chain of Custody -certified company into the MSC program. Since the Norwegian cod and haddock fisheries were certified late 2011, we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of Chain of Custody certificate holders in Norway. They join a market for certified sustainable seafood which is of growing global significance as well as being important to the Norwegian seafood sector. ”.
Our standard for seafood traceability provides seafood buyers and consumers with assurance that products bearing the blue MSC ecolabel are sourced from a fishery that is MSC certified and sustainable. Essentially it protects buyers and consumers from mislabeling and false claims and ensures that MSC certified fisheries receive the market recognition they deserve. It also means that supply chain companies can demonstrate their commitment – of increasing importance to consumers worldwide – to putting sustainable sourcing at the heart of their business strategies.”
Robust certification
Seafood companies that wish to sell their products as MSC certified, must be MSC Chain of Custody certified. To obtain certification, processors, wholesalers and distributors must pass an independent, third-party audit that is conducted by an independent accredited certification body. Certified companies are subject to annual surveillance audits, unannounced audits, and product trace-backs. Collectively these tools assure that the MSC standard for traceability continues to be met, and that MSC certified and non-MSC certified products are not mixed at any point in the supply chain.
Robust Chain of Custody certification and labeling control are critical to the credibility of any eco-label. Apart from compulsory audits against MSC Chain of Custody standards, annual audits and unannounced audits, MSC’s product integrity program involves product tracebacks and a DNA testing program.
What Finefish says
Jan Erik Myrseth, Sales Director at Finefish says: “We started the process around the MSC-certification in the end of summer 2011 after close discussions with our most important customers. They made it clear that the MSC-approval would be essential in the upcoming Skrei season running from January to the end of April. And indeed it has been. Together with the quality focus we have on our products it has become clear that the MSC-approval has been crucial for the increasing volumes we have exported of the Skrei products this winter. With products we mean: Skrei-Head off/Head on, Skrei- fillets, Skrei-loins and other biproducts from the Skrei. FineFish is a young and dynamic company that is 100% quality focused. Not only on the products we export, but also in the way we do it. Our ambition is easy; Our clients should feel that doing business with FineFish is risk free in all aspects of the trade. The feedback we have registered is that we supply high-end quality products and high-end services. The MSC-certification most certainly is a part of this service and we are glad to present our clients the product sustainability that they require.
FineFish is MSC-Certified for Cod, Haddocks and Saithe in whole fish, fillets and industrial quality. And we produce the whole range of these products.”
Source MSC
Latvian national airline airBaltic has improved conditions, to make its services more attractive for its long-standing and loyal partners. From now on, corporate customers, which include companies, institutions, NGOs, governments, as well as travel agencies will receive better rewards for choosing airBaltic for flights to and from 60 destinations in Europe, Middle East, Russia/CIS.
Michael Grimme, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing of airBaltic: “airBaltic has an excellent product for both leisure and business travellers. The long-term partners of airBaltic, who choose us for flights more often and increase the amount of services purchased, will now enjoy better prices, conditions and incentives.”
airBaltic has improved its incentive and discount schemes, simplified dealing processes, reduced agency fees, improved group bookings, as part of the initiative to move closer to its corporate and travel agency partners in Europe, Middle East and Russia/CIS.
Furthermore, this summer airBaltic will offer better connections having increased the number of cities where passengers can make single day trips. Numerous destinations in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic region, are served multiple times every day. In addition to that, airBaltic improved flight frequencies to offer double daily services to Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, and Vienna. Other airports in Europe, Scandinavia and CIS will also see flights added for the convenience of the business customer, while leisure travellers will enjoy the return of popular summer destinations on the Mediterranean, Caspian and Black Sea coast.
airBaltic serves over 60 destinations from its home base in Riga, Latvia. From every one of these, airBaltic offers convenient connections via North Hub Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East.
Source A/S Air Baltic Corporation
2012-03-23
Capacity increase opens up prospects for more cargo
Work on extending operational areas at the Port of Kiel’s Norwegenkai Terminal has now been completed. Construction was officially brought to a close at a ceremony today involving the State of Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Economics, Science and Transport, Jost de Jager, the Mayor of the Federal State Capital of Kiel, Peter Todeskino, and Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co KG. Jost de Jager said “the extension of Norwegenkai means that the potential of the state capital’s port has been increased yet again. Urgently needed new interim stowage space is now immediately available to accommodate rising cargo traffic to and from Norway. The extension also opens up new opportunities to attract further service business”. The Norwegenkai expansion covers an area of 9,250 m², which serves as interim stowage, parking and transport space for trucks and trailers as well as containers. Dirk Claus said “the north eastern expansion meets the demands of our customers for more space and means we can further optimise cargo unit interim stowage operations”
The SEEHAFEN Kiel acquired the industrial site adjacent to the north eastern part of Norwegenkai in 2008 and took it over at the end of 2009. Work began in Spring 2011 on integrating the site into Norwegenkai and involved the demolition of old buildings, site infilling and securing as well as the fencing and illumination of the area according to ISPS regulations. Dirk Claus said “the acquisition and integration of the adjacent property was a unique opportunity to expand the Norwegenkai site in order to secure potential for an extension of cargo volumes to and from Norway”. The north eastern expansion involved an investment of about EUR 1.2 million, which does not include land purchase costs. Jost de Jager said “I’m happy that the state was able to be involved in this project within the framework of its Business Development Programme. We want to continue our successful promotional policies in the future, particularly in the port infrastructure sector”.
The SEEHAFEN KIEL operates Kiel’s commercial port on behalf of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital, of which it is a 100% subsidiary. Kiel boasts three terminals for ferry and cruise ships - all of them in inner-city locations. The ferry ships of Color Line – “Color Fantasy” and “Color Magic” - operate out of the Norwegenkai Terminal and link Kiel daily with the Norwegian capital Oslo. Last year about 1.1 million passengers and 800,000 tons of cargo were handled at Norwegenkai. In addition to passengers and their cars, 35,000 trucks as well as trailers and several thousand import/export vehicles were also loaded or unloaded at the terminal. The facility also boasts a direct rail link for cargo and has a second fully equipped ship berth available with an hydraulic RoRo ramp, suitable for handling cargo ferries of up to 200 m in length. “The extension of operational space at Norwegenkai means that port-side conditions have now been created for the handling of an additional cargo ferry”, said Dirk Claus.
Source SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG
Environmental Tectonics Corporation's ("ETC" or the "Company") Simulation Division, located in Orlando, FL, has contracted with Rosenbauer International AG ("Rosenbauer") for the delivery of two additional ADMS-HRET simulation training systems. The virtual reality systems will be delivered to Rosenbauer customers to train operating skills for the Panther Airport Rescue Fire Fighting ("ARFF") vehicles with Stinger High Reach Extendable Turrets ("HRET").
The Stinger HRET is used to fight fires inside and outside aircraft. The HRET includes a penetrator nozzle mounted on a joystick-controlled hydraulic boom arm. The penetrator nozzle is used to create a hole in an aircraft fuselage to apply agent directly to interior fires.
ETC Simulation is the sole distributor of the Stinger HRET simulation which helps vehicle operators to develop the skills necessary for hands-on operation of the HRET. The training systems are built upon the proven platform of the Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS(TM)) and consist of a turret console with a real Rosenbauer HRET joystick to train students on fuselage penetration and fire fighting. Optional steering wheel and pedals allow the trainee to drive the vehicle to the scene and practice tactical positioning. The system includes a scenario generator and an after-action review tool, which can replay an exercise from any viewable angle for optimal debriefing. Computer-based HRET training simulators are recognized as a training aid by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and can be funded under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
Sources
Hugin online
2012-03-23
INC Research, LLC (the "Company"), a therapeutically focused clinical research organization (CRO) with a Trusted Process® for delivering reliable results, will conduct a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter financial results at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 26, 2012. The fourth quarter financial results also will be available on the Company's secure website on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.
To access the financial results and dial-in information for the conference call, a party must pre-register and certify that it is eligible to do so. Access to the financial results and conference call will be available only to (1) holders of the Company's 11.5% Senior Notes due 2019, (2) hi-yield securities analysts and broker-dealers and (3) prospective investors that certify that they are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. To receive information on how to pre-register and certify eligibility, parties must send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. requesting access to the financial results and conference call information no later than April 25, 2012.
Sources
Hugin online
INC Research, LLC
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