CEVA Logistics has renewed Ecuadorian state-owned oil company Petroamazonas contract under which it will provide import and export services, expand breakbulk, ocean freight and air freight for drilling operations.
The contract renewal comes as Petroamazonas has opened a new drilling block and taken over fields from another government drilling entity, Petroproduccion.
Said Petroamazonas supply chain chief Augusto Gortaire Cordovez: "We need a partner that can support our expansion opportunities while still maintaining our current operations without letting anything slip."
CEVA has been working for Petroamazonas for nearly three years, providing logistics support for drilling operations as well as services, arranging pickup at origin and managing the freight through to final destination.
Said CEVA account executive Geary Evans: "This renewal signifies our commitment to Petroamazonas and the oil and gas industry."
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
LOGISTICS company, Gefco Romania, has announced its revenue was up 30 per cent to EUR43.3 million (US$56.6 million), reports the newsportal romania-insider.com .
"We continued to conclude successful partnerships, to make investments on the Romanian market, and despite the unstable economic situation, we managed to exceed the objectives set at the beginning of the year," said Christophe De Korver, managing director Gefco Romania.
In 2011 Gefco Romania operated over 20,000 trucks, up from 8,600 trucks in 2010, according to the company. About 1,760 TEU were transported by sea last year, while 545 containers were transported by air.
Last year, the company increased the number of employees by 12, reaching a total of 94.
Gefco Group, which posted a turnover of EUR 3.7 billion in 2011, currently operates in 150 countries around the world with more than 10,000 employees.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
HONG KONG's premier cargo handler, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has set up the first IATA-Authorised Training Centre (ATC) for cargo in Hong Kong to increase the level of competence and the qualification of air cargo workers.
The IATA Training and Development Institute (ITDI), a leading source of international training and professional development programmes serving all sectors of the aviation industry, has developed the IATA International Cargo Training Programme which incorporates distance learning for students wishing to upgrade their professional competence or start a career in the industry. These courses are delivered in hundreds of classrooms worldwide leading to internationally recognised certificates or diplomas through IATA's network of ATCs.
The ATC operators abide by a comprehensive procedure manual, training staff must meet strict criteria regarding experience and qualifications, and the ATC premises and instructors are regularly audited to maintain consistent teaching quality.
The Hactl ATC will start in the second half of 2012 and will provide a wide range of IATA training courses covering subjects such as dangerous goods, live animals, infectious substances and perishables. The centre will use Hactl's large existing training centre which has recently been used to train Hactl staff and its customers in the use of the new COSAC+ IT system introduced by Hactl in late 2011.
The ATC centre will be headed by Simon Yap, in his new position as manager of operation training services.
"Hactl has a long and solid reputation for training. We have trained thousands of airline and forwarding staff in the use of the community IT system which we introduced in the late 70s, and have also conducted airline staff training at various customer locations around the world," said Mr Yap.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
EUROPE seeks a single comprehensive air cargo security standards with the United States to streamline the flow of trade in the first step of accepting Europe's robust standards "as equal to their own", said the Association of European Airlines (AEA).
The adoption of an EU-wide deal will "simplify the process for airlines and remove unnecessary duplication" on both sides of the Atlantic, said AEA secretary-general Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, of its network of 34 carriers.
A number of bilateral agreements with the US and Finland, France, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom are a "concrete foundation" towards a wider agreement and "highest possible security levels."
"Once we have a critical build-up of US approvals, an EU-wide deal will be a simple next step. These audits should give the US confirmation, if it is really needed, that European regulators take air cargo security extremely seriously," said Mr Schulte-Strathaus.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
LUFTHANSA Cargo Charter Agency has extended the contract it signed almost a year ago with general sales agent, Platinum Air Cargo, to cover additionally California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, according to Heavy Lift magazine.
The initial agreement covered Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma and mainly dealt with the oil and gas industry. Now a further focus will be put on aerospace, high-tech and other industries on the US west coast, said a statement by the air charter services company.
"Platinum Air Cargo was our first try with the GSA model," said Andrew Morch, general manager the Americas for Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency, "and it has proven to be a success. It brings additional business without having to take the risk of taking on own staff. So whatever the economical ups and downs, you stay flexible."
Timothy Pfeil, vice president sales and airline relations, Platinum Air Cargo, said: "Adding our know-how and customer relations to the Lufthansa Cargo Charter expertise makes us a great team. We've done some very good jobs together and will do a lot more now with the extended reach."
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
SWISSPORT International has been awarded ground handling licences for international airports in Morocco to become operational in July.
The award of the licences by the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA, Office National Des Aeroports) Tender Commission follows an open tender process.
Swissport will now engage with stakeholders to ensure a smooth and efficient start-up and is committed to selecting and deploying qualified, motivated handling staff from existing providers. An experienced management team will be put in place shortly for the start-up preparation.
"The market entry in Morocco is an important milestone in Swissport's geographical expansion in Africa," said company vice president Juan Jose Andres Alvez of the tender win.
Besides its provision of ground services, Swissport wants to add value and support to Morocco's aviation industry and the wider national economy. Alongside existing operations in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Algeria, the award of the Morocco licences will strengthen Swissport's position in North Africa, said Mr Alvez.
Zurich-based Swissport International moves 3.2 million tonnes of cargo a year using 98 warehouses covering 350,000 square metres for 650 client companies. It employs 35,000 people and is active at 177 stations in 36 countries. It generated US$1.86 billion in revenue in 2011.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
In response to the announcement by the PSVOA that they will re-enter the Alaska salmon fishery into assessment toward MSC certification, Kerry Coughlin, MSC Regional Director, Americas, said:
“The Marine Stewardship Council welcomes continuing partnership with Alaska salmon fishermen and processing companies and appreciates the willingness of the Purse Seine Vessel Owner’s Association to serve as the client organization for the whole of the Alaska fishery.
“The Alaska salmon fishery has been a long-standing model of sustainable fishery management, and has been part of the MSC program since 2000. Over the last twelve years buyers in seafood markets around the world increasingly have made commitments to adopt the MSC standard as part of their seafood sourcing policies. Our many commercial partners who appreciate providing MSC certified Alaska salmon to their customers will be pleased at this decision to re-activate the assessment with the intention of continuing MSC certification of the Alaska salmon fishery.
“Under the MSC program, a fishery is formally recognized as entering assessment when an accredited, independent, third-party certifier files documents with the MSC. We look forward to officially announcing the re-activated re-assessment of Alaska salmon when those documents are received, which is anticipated in the next few days.”
MSC
Back in the world's top 5
At this year's Passenger Terminal Expo in Vienna, passengers have awarded Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 'Europe's best airport'. Although Schiphol had already won the award of 'Western Europe's best airport' several times, this is the first time it is recognised as 'Europe's best airport'. Additionally, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is back among the world's top 5 airports, ranking fourth (compared with sixth on last year's list).
We are particularly proud of this award because it are the passengers who have voted us Europe's best airport. This award is not only a sign of recognition, it also provides an added impetus for us to fulfil and continue to fulfil our ambition to be Europe's preferred airport,' says Maarten de Groof, Executive Vice President & CCO of Schiphol Group.
Among the top 5 best airports in the world
The top 5 list of best airports in the world is headed by Incheon International Airport (South Korea), followed by Singapore Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Beijing Capital International Airport.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is renowned not only because it so easy for transfer passengers to find their way around, but also on account of its many excellent recreational and leisure facilities. For these reasons Amsterdam Airport Schiphol now also ranks as the world's third-best transfer airport, after Singapore Changi Airport and Incheon International Airport.
The awards were presented to Senior Design and Review Manager Jan van der Linden at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Vienna yesterday.
Skytrax
The World Airport Awards, also known in the travel industry as the Passenger's Choice Awards, are considered the most significant benchmark for measuring the quality of airports worldwide. For the 2012 edition, Skytrax carried out a survey among more than 12 million travellers from over a hundred different countries on the quality of 388 airports around the world. This independent survey has been conducted since 1999.
Skytrax, a British consultancy, conducts research into the quality of various aspects of civil aviation, such as airlines and airports.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
HONG KONG's Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has posted a 5.4 per cent increase in container volume to 1.24 million TEU year on year, but suffered a 0.9 per cent decrease in revenue to US$1.32 billion.
Loadable capacity increased 12.6 per cent in the first three months of the year, but the overall load factor was five per cent lower year on year. Overall average revenue per TEU also shrank six per cent from the same period last year.
For individual trade lanes, revenue was up more than 11 per cent in the transatlantic and intra-Asia/Australasian trades, but down in the company's larger transpacific and Asia-Europe trades. All four major trade lanes experienced growth in cargo volume, said the OOCL statement.
Transpacific volume increased 3.4 per cent to 306,571 TEU year on year yet revenue fell 4.4 per cent to $452.3 million. Meanwhile Asia-Europe volumes increased 3.2 per cent year on year to 202,452 TEU, despite a revenue decline of 21.2 per cent to $219 million.
Transatlantic volume increased 18.2 per cent to 107,516 TEU with revenue rising 11.3 per cent to $174.3 million.
Intra-Asia/Australasia volume was also up 5.2 per cent to 628,100 TEU as was revenue, which increased 11.7 per cent to $471.3 million year on year.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
DANISH shipping giant, Maersk Line, is looking to develop its "Daily Maersk" Asia-Europe service into other trades after it achieved a 99 per cent on-time reliability in February, according to London's Containerisation International.
"We would like to take this concept to other places as well. Our ambition in 2012 is to achieve a rate of 95 per cent of on time delivery on the major east-west trade lanes and also in some Oceania and Latin America markets," Maersk chief commercial officer Lucas Vos told delegates at Containerisation International's 14th Global Liner Shipping Conference in London earlier this week.
"In some markets we won't be able to do this, such as in Africa and Russia due to infrastructure problems, but even in these areas we want to have a substantially higher on-time rate then competitors," he said.
Mr Vos said "Daily Maersk" in Europe had helped increase the carrier's market share from 21 per cent to 25 per cent. As the same time, he stressed that the company was "adamant" that it would keep this market share but had no intention of increasing it.
He also spoke of cutting administrative costs by 70 per cent. "Invoicing is a complete nightmare," he said adding that this was because of all the different charges such as surcharges. "We need simple rate structures - let's rely on companies like INTTRA."
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
THE ports of Singapore and Shanghai are again neck and neck for the world's top container port title with the latest first quarter figures putting them each at 7.5 million TEU.
Singapore had the title until 2010 when its container throughput was eclipsed by Shanghai's. But in March alone, Singapore's box volumes reached 2.6 million TEU, compared with 2.5 million TEU in the corresponding month last year.
Shanghai container volume in the first quarter was slower year on year, according to the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), which did not divulge comparative growth figures.
Chinese shipping industry officials have warned of slowing box throughput at Shanghai port this year, forecasting that turnover in the world's largest container port will be hurt by sluggish trade because of the European debt crisis and weak overseas demand.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
SINGAPORE's PSA International has split from its joint venture partner, India's ABG Ports, delaying the start of Mumbai's fourth container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) for reasons unexplained by the parties involved.
The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) International and India's ABG Ports were awarded the INR67 billion (US$1.2 billion) project last August. PSA says it is prepared to build alone if the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust approves, which is expected to be decided after consultations with the Indian Shipping Ministry, reports the Hindu daily.
An official told the Hindu that there is no legal obstacle in PSA being the sole operator. The contract was awarded to the pair because of PSA's financial strength.
Earlier this year, the signing ceremony for the contract was cancelled at the eleventh hour following PSA's refusal to pay a INR500 million stamp duty to the state government, with the Singaporean company insisting that JNPT pay instead. This dispute has since been referred to adjudication.
At full-build out, the terminal, India's biggest, would more than double JN Port's capacity, adding 4.8 million TEU. All-India port container volume hit 9.7 million TEU in 2011, a figure that is expected to reach 14 million TEU within two years.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
MANILA's International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) may spend up to US$150 million to acquire Karachi's Pakistan International Container Terminal Ltd (PICT), reports the Philippines Business Mirror.
ICTSI disclosed that it had signed an agreement to acquire 35 per cent of PICT without disclosing the price. The Karachi-listed port operator set a market value of $178 million, according to recent filings with the Karachi Stock Exchange.
"The cost of acquiring 51 per cent is between $120 million and $150 million," ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon told reporters on the sidelines of the company's annual stockholders' meeting. "Their terminal is reaching capacity so our plan is to expand it. The market is growing very fast there."
PICT has an annual capacity of 750,000 TEU, having handled 669,806 TEU in fiscal year 2011, representing an 11 per cent growth over 2010. ICTSI extended its holdings to 23 terminals in 17 countries at the end of 2011.
ICTSI is increasing its capital spending budget more than two times this year to $550 million, with $345 million of that amount to be spent on greenfield projects in Argentina, Mexico and Columbia, said the report.
Mr Razon said he is also looking to Africa, the Middle East and Latin America as potential expansion sites. ICTSI last year reported a 33 per cent increase in its net profit to $130.5 million, up from $98.3 million in 2010, including non-recurring gains from an asset sale.
Revenues from port operations for the year increased 26 per cent to $664.8 million from the $527.1 million in 2010, the company said earlier.
Based on ICTSI share value, the company's market value is US$3.09 billion, said the report.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
JAPAN's Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has commenced a six-week safety campaign that runs until the end of May and targets all types of vessels it operates within its fleet, including containerships, dry bulkers, tankers, LNG carriers and car carriers.
During the safety programme president Muto, company executives, and other personnel will visit vessels to exchange information and opinions with on-board employees.
The safety campaign is intended to achieve the goal of "Four Zeroes". The objects are to "never allow (1) serious marine accidents, (2) oil pollution, (3) fatal accidents, or (4) serious cargo damage", a company statement said.
These goals are set out in the transportation company's midterm management plan "GEAR UP! MOL," which began in April 2010.
Proposals and ideas gained through discussions with seafarers will be shared throughout the group, in a bid to further enhance a safe operational structure.
Particular focus will be paid to recent cases of collisions and grounding accidents, work-related injuries, and engine trouble disabling a vessel.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
CHONGQING is to start building five port projects this year, including Foeryan terminal phase 2, Wanzhou Xintian port area logistics park phase 1, Fuling port area Longtoushan terminal phase 1, Shizhu port area Jiangjiacao terminal phase 1, Yongchuan port area Zhutuo operation area phase 1
Foeryan terminal phase 2, Wanzhou Xintian port area logistics park phase 1 and Fuling port area Longtoushan terminal phase 1 will start construction within this year, according to Xinhua's report.
Wanzhou Xintian port area is one of a container and bulk transit hub on the upper Yangtze River and offers rail-river or road-river intermodal service. The first phase of the port area includes building five multi-use berths, bringing a 475,000 TEU or 6.6 million tonnes' capacity to the port.
The Foeryan terminal phase 2 project includes two 3,000-tonne bulk berths with a capacity of 1.74 million tonnes. Fuling port area' Longtoushan terminal phase 1 project includes five 5,000-tonne bulk berths with a capacity of six million tonnes.
Shizhu port area phase 1 terminal, which has a capacity of three million tonnes, and the Yongchuan port area Zhutuo operation area phase 1, which has a capacity of 1.8 million tonnes, will finish the feasibility report and apply for approval this year.
Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
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