|
|
|
|
ONE gets the nod to acquire terminals in California and Rotterdam
SINGAPORE-HEADQUARTERED Japanese liner Ocean Network Express (ONE) has obtained all necessary regulatory approvals and completed its acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in each of TraPac and Yusen Terminals on the US west coast, and a 20 per cent stake in Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG).
TraPac and Yusen Terminals are container terminal operators and vessel stevedores that provide container terminal services in Los Angeles and Oakland, California. They have a combined capacity of 4.3 million TEU annually while RWG in Europe has an annual capacity of 2.6 million TEU.
In a statement, the carrier said that "in addition to strengthening ONE's presence in the global supply chain, these acquisitions safeguard its access to terminal capacity in key and strategic gateways, support its growth ambitions, and enhance its service offerings to customers".
Hiroki Tsujii, managing director of ONE's product and network division, said: "Container terminals are a critical link in the supply chain with the unique ability to cushion the impact of operating disruptions. ONE will leverage these terminals to help customers manage supply chain disruptions and improve service quality."
TraPac and YTI are container terminal operators and vessel stevedores that provide container terminal services in Los Angeles and Oakland, California. Both terminals are equipped with the latest technology and have been serving liners at the Port of Los Angeles since 1987 and 1991, respectively. With a combined capacity of 4.3 million TEU annually, the acquisition of these two terminals further strengthens ONE's position on the US West Coast.
RWG operates a highly automated container terminal in the Port of Rotterdam with an annual capacity of 2.6 million TEU. A stake in RWG gives ONE long-term capacity and strengthens ONE's position as a key hub in the region.
With the completion of these three acquisitions, ONE has established a strong presence in three key strategic locations: the US West Coast (Trapac, YTI), North Europe (RWG), and South East Asia (Magenta Singapore Terminal).
|
|
Idle box ship fleet hits million TEU mark: Alphaliner
PARIS container consultant Alphaliner reports the inactive containership fleet has once again surpassed one million TEU.
The global fleet of inactive containerships has experienced significant growth in recent weeks, with a rise in both the number of commercially idled vessels and ships entering repair yards, according to the latest survey by Alphaliner.
The survey reveals that the capacity marked as inactive reached 315 ships, totaling 1.18 million TEU as of October 9. This marks the first time the inactive fleet has surpassed the one million TEU mark since late May.
Most in the inactive fleet, 186 units or 60 per cent, are marked as being in repair yards, whereas 129 units are considered idled.
Compared to the previous survey conducted on September 25, there has been a net addition of 44 ships representing 233,504 TEU.
As a result, the proportion of inactive capacity rose to 4.3 per cent of the total containership fleet as of October 9, up from 3.4 per cent two weeks earlier.
The rise in the inactive container fleet has coincided with a period of very low cargo demand in the first quarter. The inactive fleet reached its peak in February at 1.68 million TEU, representing 6.4 per cent of the fleet at that time.
|
|
MSC's Santana service calls Manzanillo port
MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company (MSC) has introduced the Port of Manzanillo to its Santana service, marking a strategic shift in its Mexican operations, reports Manila's Port Calls.
The decision involves discontinuing the westbound call at Lazaro Cardenas and designating Manzanillo as the preferred eastbound port.
The change commenced with the recent inaugural visit of the 13,102-TEU MSC Vega to Manzanillo.
Contecon Manzanillo SA (CMSA), the operator of Specialized Container Terminal 2 at the Port of Manzanillo, highlights that this adjustment underscores Manzanillo's position as the preferred gateway for Mexican trade with the Far East.
The modified Santana service, which connects the Far East with the East Coast of the United States, also adjusts the port rotation.
Notably, key US ports such as New York and Norfolk have been included, while Port Everglades and Baltimore have been replaced.
MSC vessels will now return from Norfolk to Thailand via the Suez Canal, signifying the end of westbound calls at Lazaro Cardenas.
However, the Santana service will continue to make regular eastbound calls at the Port of Manzanillo.
The updated port rotation is as follows: Laem Chabang, Cai Mep, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Manzanillo, Cristobal, Caucedo, New York, Norfolk, Laem Chabang.
|
|
Many wonder if International Shipping will be net zero by 2050
FOLLOWING COP26, the global shipping industry has been under increased pressure to accelerate its efforts in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reports Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide.
The recently approved 2023 International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Strategy on GHG Emissions Reduction signifies an ambitious commitment to attaining net-zero emissions within the sector by 2050.
However, the attainability of this goal remains a subject of inquiry, prompting many to examine the necessary changes in the latest report, "IMO2050: Navigating Toward Decarbonization."
The previous IMO strategy, established during MEPC 72 in April 2018, already presented a formidable challenge for the industry.
It outlined key objectives, including a 50 per cent reduction in total GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050 and a 70 per cent reduction in carbon intensity, compared to a 2008 baseline.
An interim target of at least a 40 per cent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 was also agreed upon.
During MEPC 76 in June 2021, the IMO introduced the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), which became effective at the beginning of the current year.
Alongside this, an operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) was implemented, linking carbon emissions to the amount of cargo carried over the distance traveled.
In conjunction with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for newly constructed vessels, these measures set the industry on a path to meet the 2030 and 2050 carbon intensity targets.
However, as global maritime trade is projected to surge 17 per cent between now and 2030, achieving an overall reduction in emissions poses a far more substantial challenge.
|
|
Russian ship damaged by Ukrainian missile strike in Crimea
THE Russian military said a Ukrainian missile strike on a shipyard in annexed Crimea had damaged a Russian ship, according to The Associated Press.
The Russian Defence Ministry said late Saturday that Ukrainian forces fired 15 cruise missiles at the Zaliv shipyard in Kerch, a city in the east of the Crimean Peninsula. Air defenses shot down thirteen missiles, but others hit the shipyard and damaged a vessel, a statement from the ministry said.
The ministry didn't give details about the ship or the extent of the damage.
The Ukrainian air force commander, Mykola Oleshchuk, said in a statement that at the time of the attack carried out by Ukrainian tactical aviation, "one of the most modern ships of Russia's Black Sea fleet was at the shipyard - carrier of the Kalibr cruise missiles". He didn't say directly, however, that this particular ship was damaged by the strike.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted naval facilities in Crimea in recent months. In September, a Ukrainian missile strike on a strategic shipyard in the port city of Sevastopol damaged two Russian ships and wounded twenty-four people. Later that same month, a missile strike blasted the Crimean headquarters of Russia's navy in Sevastopol.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military said a Russian missile strike killed troops and injured civilians in the Zaporizhzhia area late Friday. Details about the attack, reportedly carried out by an Iskander ballistic missile, have not been made public.
A deadly missile strike on a Ukrainian village on October 5 killed 59 civilians attending the wake for a local soldier who died fighting Russian troops.
|
|
World's first ammonia-powered boxship set to debut in 2026
YARA Eyde, which has been described as the world's first containership to be powered by pure ammonia as fuel, is scheduled to enter the market in 2026, according to its developers.
The vessel is being developed by ammonia producer and shipowner Yara Clean Ammonia and the Norwegian container operator NorthSea Container Line. The two companies plan to set up a joint venture, named NCL Oslofjord AS, to operate the ammonia-powered ship.
Upon establishment, the joint venture aims to become the world's first line operator to focus exclusively on ammonia-powered container ships, according to Rotterdam's Offshore Energy.
Yara Eyde has been awarded around NOK40 million (US$3.6 million) by Norwegian government enterprise Enova for the project implementation.
The containership is also planned to be fitted with a battery pack of 250 kWh and the option to connect to shore power.
Establishment of the joint venture and ordering of the ship is conditional on the completion of binding agreements and the necessary approvals from the authorities.
Yara Eyde is intended to operate between Norway and Germany, making the route the first emission-free sea route to the continent. The vessel design is optimized for the trade corridor between Norway and Europe linking Oslo, Brevik, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven.
Yara Clean Ammonia estimates that the ship will be ready to start operations from 2026.
"The world is in the middle of a climate crisis and all good forces must now come together to quickly cut emissions. We are happy to be able to collaborate across sectors and show that decisive emission cuts are possible. The green journey started with the Yara Birkeland, the world's first self-driving electric container ship, and now we continue it with the Yara Eyde, which will be the world's first container ship on pure ammonia," says Svein Tore Holsether, CEO of Yara International.
Yara Clean Ammonia plans to provide Yara Eyde with fossil-free or nearly carbon-free ammonia. In collaboration with Azane Fuel Solutions, a bunkering network is in the works to make pure ammonia accessible in Norwegian and eventually Scandinavian ports. This network aligns with Norway's emissions reduction targets for the offshore sector.
|
|
Asiana okays sale of cargo unit, removing a hurdle to Korean Air merger
SOUTH Korea's Asiana Airlines says its board has approved the sale of the company's cargo business - an important step towards allaying EU competition concerns about a proposed takeover by Korean Air Lines, according to Reuters,
Korean Air, the country's biggest carrier, said in a statement following the decision that it had submitted a package of remedies to the European Commission - remedies that also include it divesting routes to some European Union cities.
Analysts said, however, that Asiana's greenlighting of the cargo unit sale did not necessarily ensure smooth sailing ahead for the deal.
They noted the desired valuation for the air cargo unit of some KRW700 billion (US$520 million) including debt, as reported by local media, was probably too high. That could become a new stumbling block for the sale and hence regulatory approval.
"The price seems to be way too expensive, and there aren't that many players at home with the means to spend that much money on Asiana's debt-ridden cargo unit, there are lingering uncertainties," said Bae Se-ho, an analyst at Hi Investment & Securities.
And even if the deal gets the nod from the European Union, it still needs approval from the United States and Japan, analysts also noted.
Korean Air said in a statement that while it was continuing with "its efforts to secure the approval from the European Commission, the airline will also communicate closely with the remaining regulatory bodies to finalize the approval process as quickly as possible."
Korean Air also said it will buy KRW300 billion of convertible bonds issued by Asiana, part of fresh financial support to the smaller airline.
Any takeover of Asiana by Korean Air would come amid a wave of consolidation in the industry, with Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) acquiring a 41 per cent stake in Italy's ITA Airways and British Airways and Iberia owner IAG (ICAG L) buying the remaining 80 per cent of Spanish carrier Air Europa it does not already own.
|
|
Multimodal freight forwarder DSV Q3 air cargo volumes fall 14pc yoy
DSV reported a decrease in cargo volumes, dropping from 375,990 tonnes in the third quarter of 2022 to 324,436 tonnes in the same period this year, reports London's Air Cargo News.
In line with its previous assessment of the first quarter, DSV characterized the air and sea freight market in the third quarter as having reduced volumes and notably lower freight rates, particularly in the realm of air freight.
The Air & Sea division's revenue in the third quarter declined 48.7 per cent year-on-year, reaching DKK21,912 million.
The gross profit for the three-month period fell 27.7 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2022, totaling DKK 6,210 million.
Air freight experienced a more pronounced decline than sea freight due to reduced volumes and lower yields, as per DSV's evaluation.
Airfreight revenue amounted to DKK 11,691 million (compared to DKK 22,499 million in the third quarter of the previous year), and quarterly airfreight gross profits decreased from DKK 4,793 million to DKK 3,089 million year on year.
Over the first nine months of 2023, DSV observed a decline in demand for air and sea freight, attributed to broader macroeconomic deceleration, a shift in consumer preferences from goods to services, and a tendency to reduce inventory levels.
Air cargo volumes saw a 19 per cent decline, totalling 968,604 tonnes during the nine-month reporting period. The weakest performance was noted in exports from the Asia Pacific region, particularly within the retail, high-tech, and industrial sectors.
A statement noted that as more passenger planes have returned to the market, more belly-space cargo capacity has become available.
In combination with weak demand, this has led to overcapacity and declining airfreight rates. During Q3, this was partly offset by higher fuel prices.
DSV's airfreight volume development for the January-October period lagged behind the general market level. The company attributed this to its pricing discipline and focus on high-yield cargo.
While DSV acknowledged a gradual improvement in air and sea volume growth in the third quarter compared to the first half of 2023, the forwarder clarified that this was primarily due to the lower comparative figures from Q3 2022 and did not reflect an inherent increase in demand in 2023.
|
|
Lufthansa's cargo profits crash in Q3
LUFTHANSA's logistics business was unable to make an operating profit in the third quarter of the year as the market normalized following the Covid pandemic.
The logistics division, which includes Lufthansa Cargo, time:matters, Jettainer, HeyWorld and a 50 per cent stake in AeroLogic, saw third-quarter earnings before interest and tax (ebit) fall to zero Euro compared with a profit of EUR330 million a year earlier.
It is the first time since the first quarter of 2020 that the carrier has failed to report an EBIT profit, although the third quarter does tend to be one of the weaker times of year for the air cargo industry, according to London's Air Cargo News.
For comparison, in the third quarter of pre-covid 2019, the carrier reported a cargo EBIT loss of EUR49 million.
Meanwhile, third-quarter cargo traffic was up 5 per cent to 1.9 billion revenue tonne kms, revenues declined 41 per cent to EUR675 million and the cargo load factor slipped 0.8 percentage points to 55.6 per cent.
Like many carriers with a passenger fleet, the airline has seen cargo revenues decline in line with a drop off in rates this year while volumes have increased as passenger operations - and therefore bellyhold operations - have been getting back underway.
Cargo capacity for the period was up 7 per cent in the third quarter to 3.4 billion available cargo tonne kms.
The airline group said that its cargo business was impacted by weak demand in the global air cargo market in a seasonally weak quarter.
It added that the stabilization of cargo yields and volumes indicates a bottoming out of the market.
The airline said of performance over the first nine months: "The operating performance in the logistics business segment returned to normal in the reporting period compared with the record levels seen in the previous year."
It added: "Yields fell in all of Lufthansa Cargo's traffic areas and were 41 per cent down on the previous year, although they were 45.6 per cent above the 2019 pre-crisis level."
"Operating expenses decreased by 9 per cent to EUR2.1 billion (previous year: EUR2.3billion); reduced charter expenses, lower fuel expenses and efficiency-boosting and cost reduction measures largely compensated for inflation effects."
Lufthansa is not the only airline to have seen its cargo performance come under pressure this year due to lower rates.
Air Canada and IAG have also reported declining cargo revenues in the third quarter of the year, although they do not provide operating profit figures for cargo.
|
|
Kansas City appoints first female aviation director
MELISSA Cooper has been named the Director of Aviation for the City of Kansas City.
With a career of more than 25 years, Ms Cooper worked her way up through her field and the aviation department. She is the first woman to fill this role in the history of the city's aviation department.
In December 2021, Ms Cooper was promoted to deputy director of aviation over properties & commercial development, a position where she helped launch Kansas City's US$1.5 billion new airport terminal at Kansas City International Airport.
"The opening of our brand-new Kansas City International Airport terminal was a transformational project for our community which took the strong leadership of many, with Melissa Cooper playing an integral role," Mayor Lucas said pointing out that Kansas City month-over-month breaks passenger traveller records and secures more flights to more places both domestically and internationally.
"30 years ago, I experienced my first pilot introductory flight at the Downtown Airport, sparking my love of aviation. I have been very fortunate to foster this passion with a variety of jobs, training, and experiences within the aviation field, preparing me for the roles and responsibilities of the director of aviation. I am truly honoured, as a lifetime Kansas City resident, to serve our community and to lead the men and women of the Aviation Department, in pursuit of a first-class airport experience for our business and leisure travellers arriving to and departing from Kansas City," Ms Cooper said.
|
|
‧ Logistics Yellow page
