This week's round up of news from the world of heavy lift and project forwarding.
Hot on the heels of the news reported in HLPFI's Wednesday Wire that Clipper Group ceo Kristian Morch had decided to step down from the Thorco Shipping board due to a differing views about the company's strategic direction, we have learnt that Thorco chief financial officer and joint ceo, Kent Hedegaard, has also stepped away from the Danish shipping company.
Following the resignation of Henrik Ramskov as ceo in May 2014, chartered accountant Hedegaard was appointed, along with Thomas Mikkelsen, to jointly manage Thorco's operations. However, just over six months after his appointment, Hedegaard has made his move.
Thor Stadil, chairman of Thorco and owner of its parent company Thornico, who now sits on the board with his son, Christian Stadil, and remaining ceo Mikkelsen, commented: "Kent has only been with Thorco for about six months and we found that having two equal level ceos did not work."
Stadil emphasised that there was "nothing dramatic" in Hedegaard's leaving, just as there was nothing dramatic in the step-down of Morch after a strategy discussion - a sentiment echoed by Clipper.
"We mutually agreed that it was easier to move on just having the owners as board members," said Stadil, adding that Thorco was still on friendly terms with both Hedegaard and Morch despite their decisions to step down.
In business
Minister checks Able energy park progress
A UK government minister has visited the Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP) development on the east coast of the UK to witness its progress.
President Barack Obama has vetoed a bill from Congress that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline.
ASCO has been awarded a supply base management contract by BP, as well as two oilfield services contracts from Statoil (UK).
Capacity developments
IMC launches equipment tracking tool
The UK's IMC Group has launched a new product, Tracker, which monitors the condition of and pinpoints damage to high-risk equipment during transport.
Videotel launches project cargo programme
Videotel has produced a new training programme, which focuses on the complex handling issues involved in the loading and unloading of project and heavy lift cargoes.
Faymonville gets US patent rights
Faymonville has acquired the complete US patent rights for dual-lane multi-axle transport vehicles, also known as the 897 patent.
Teichmann Plant Hire has taken delivery of a custom-made RGN 55 lowbed trailer with an HD 50 single-axle dolly from Martin Trailer Company.
Another Hercules for Asian Lift
Asian Lift has taken delivery of the new floating sheerleg Asian Hercules III in Singapore.
Shipment of the week
Specialised transportation and installation company SWTrans used a Manitowoc 18000 crawler crane to lift ten large absorbers, weighing up to 230 tonnes, at a gas processing plant in southwest Russia.
On the move
The Long Beach Board of Harbour Commissioners has appointed industry veterans Michael Christensen and Glenn Farren to newly created management positions at the port.
LS International Cargo has announced that Dirk Röthig, the founder and ceo of LS Cargo Logistics in Ratingen, Germany, has joined LS International Cargo's executive team.
Martin Bencher Sweden is relocating to a new office in the centre of Stockholm, effective March 2, 2015.
Network and association developments
The XLProjects (XLP) gained Economic Society "Birlesen Ulag Ulgamy" as a new representative in Turkmenistan.
Brazil's Custom Comercio Internacional joined the Global Project Logistics Network (GPLN).
The Project Partners network welcomed MS Global Freight Solution as a new member in Malaysia.
All about Evie
This week Evie's thoughts go out to the two crew members who were injured during an accident onboard BigLift Shipping's heavy lift vessel Happy Buccaneer as it unloaded cargo at Port Hedland in Australia.
It has been reported that one of the two workers crushed by a falling spreader beam has undergone a leg amputation. The incident is under investigation by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
On a lighter note, congratulations are in order to Air Charter Service (ACS), which raised almost GBP50,000 (USD77,000) for charity in 2014 by holding a variety of events, including a pie-eating contest and an outrageous suits competition at the company's Christmas party.
