This week's round up of news from the world of heavy lift and project forwarding.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) marked down its global growth projection for 2014 from 3.7 percent in April to 3.4 percent in July.

The dip in confidence seems to have been fuelled by disappointing growth in some emerging economies, as well as a particularly weak first quarter for the USA.

However, with somewhat stronger growth expected in some advanced economies next year, the IMF's global growth projection for 2015 remains at 4 percent.

The eurozone is still a worry, however. Despite the IMF expecting growth in the area to strengthen to 1 percent in 2014, economies across the region look likely to remain uneven.

Furthermore, the region's economy failed to grow in the second quarter of 2014, and it has been suggested that the European Central Bank be called on to take aggressive measures to bolster growth and avoid approaching deflation.

NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers (NBPC) sponsors this week's Friday Flyer. Created via the merger of NYK-Hinode Line and NYK Global Bulk Corporation, NBPC combines one of the world's largest specialists in handy bulk carriers, with a specialist in the transport of a variety of heavy and OOG cargo.


In business

Reports suggest that Al Jaber Group is preparing to sell its transport and lifting subsidiary, Al Jaber Heavy Lift.

DB Schenker acquired the outstanding 49 percent of the shares in its joint venture with Germadept Logistics, making it the whole owner of Schenker Germadept Logistics.

Agility strengthened its East China ocean freight service capabilities through a strategic partnership agreement with Shanghai International Port Group Logistics (SIPGL), whilst posting a net profit of USD45.5 million for the second quarter of 2014.

Boskalis posted a net profit of EUR253 million (USD338.4 million) for the first half of 2014, compared with EUR123 million (USD164.8 million) in the same period last year.


Capacity developments

Brodosplit appears to have patched up its contractual differences with Jumbo and Jumbo Kinetic looks set to be delivered to the shipping line after all.

Coscol received the 28,000 dwt newbuild heavy lift vessel DA DE.

L-3 SAM Electronics installed drive equipment, navigation, automation and positioning systems onboard Hochtief Infrastructure's heavy-lift jack-up vessel, Vidar.

Neptune Maritime Security delivered crisis management training to bolster defences at major ports in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, amid increasing instability in the region.

Air Products took delivery of two Shuttlelift DB 70 double-beam mobile gantry cranes for its facilities in Pennsylvania and Florida.

UK based Select Plant Hire took delivery of a 200-tonne capacity Liebherr LTM 1200 all-terrain crane.

Crane Rental Corporation ordered three new Peterbilt four-axle heavy haul tractors with sleepers to add to its growing fleet.

The Freight Co. was appointed general sales agent for a barge service between Rangong, Thailand and Yangon, Myanmar.


Shipments of the week

ZPMC's heavy lift vessel Zhen Hua 24 arrived in Scotland's Port of Rosyth loaded with 36 large steel deck sections for use in the construction of the new Queenferry Crossing (pictured top right).

Roll-Lift Uruguay began the transport of the first heavy load (pictured second right), destined for the Punta del Tigre combined cycle power plant, from the port of Nueva Palmira.

ALE's latest innovation, the Mega Jack 800, made its debut during the load out, transport and installation of the new 1,570-tonne Loenerslootse bridge in the Netherlands.

JSC Transafe Logistics chartered a vessel to deliver ten adsorbers and tail gas drums, as well as spare parts, with an overall weight of 426 tonnes, from Lubeck to Ust-Luga port .

Other notable projects reported by HLPFI this week can be seen on the archive news area of our website.

Got some shipment news of your own? Send it in to editorial@heavyliftpfi.com


Capital projects and contracts

VSMC was awarded a EUR90 million contract by Sandbank Offshore Windfarm for cable supply, CPS, installation, post lay burial and termination and testing of 76 infield cables.

PennEast Pipeline Company revealed a USD1 billion plan to construct a 100-mile gas pipeline between the Marcellus Shale region, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

For a fuller round up of capital projects and contracts announced this week please visit the HLPFI website or contact David Kershaw.


On the move

Volga-Dnepr Group appointed Anton Khodakovsky as vice president for Japan and South Korea. Allport Cargo Services appointed its human resources director, Debbie Webley (pictured right), to the company's executive board.


Network news

The WCA Projects network added Latvia's Danir 19 SIA to its roster, while the XLProjects (XLP) network welcomed Hermes as a new member representing Poland. The Global Project Logistics Network (GPLN) added two new members to its group: Tanzania's Magellan Logistics and AMI Middle East representing the UAE.


All about Evie

This week, Evie wishes a very happy birthday to the chief designer of the AN-124 and AN-225 freighter aircraft, Victor Tolmachev, who is 80 years old this month.

She also wishes happy birthday to the Panama Canal, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of its official opening today.

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