The Friday Flyer - November 15th 2013

It is not known whether MOL Caledon was carrying any containerised project cargo, but the potential of the port for boxes filled with such cargoes looks good.

The USD2.4 billion facility, some 32 km down the River Thames from Central London, is aiming to handle 3.5 million containers a year, which leads to a natural question. Unless the total volume of containers into, out of, or transhipped through the UK grows by some 3.5 million containers annually, which port is going to have to give up its box traffic?

Given the very long lead time in the planning and completion of ports, it is clear that the plans for this port were set in motion before the 2008 crisis. Let's hope that its opening might help the ailing UK economy on its road to recovery.

This week's Friday Flyer is sponsored by Broekman Project Services, located in the Port of Rotterdam, which offers a total solution for handling and assembly of project cargoes - www.broekman-group.com/bps
        
        
In the corporate world

A survey of key players in the international shipping industry has revealed that vessel operating costs are set to rise by 3 percent in 2013 and 3.2 percent in 2014, with crew wages and P&I insurance set to increase most significantly as the global economic environment shows signs of recovery.

Toll Group has negotiated its second issuance of US Private Placement (USPP) notes for the equivalent of USD250 million, anticipated to be drawn down in December 2014 while LOC Group has secured a minority external investment from Bridgepoint Development Capital (BDC).

In the upcoming Christmas and New Year period, curfews are being implemented in Queensland and Western Australia, limiting oversized vehicles on state roads.

Terex Cranes is tracking recent reports of counterfeit Terex crawler models originating from China, with the CC 2500-1 lattice boom crawler crane (pictured top right) the model of choice for copycat manufacturers. "If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is," the company warns.

XPO Logistics has rebranded its international freight forwarding division, Concert Group Logistics (CGL), to XPO Global Logistics.

Tiong Woon Corporation has released strong results for the quarter ended September 2013 (Q1 2014), with turnover rising 3 percent year-on-year over Q1 2013 to USD35.9 million and gross profit jumping 30 percent to USD11.91 million over the same period. Turnover from the group's Heavy Lift and Haulage division rose by 6 percent year-on-year to USD36 million.

Reduced volumes of high and heavy cargo and seasonally lower demand for maritime services negatively affected Wilh Wilhelmsen Holding ASA's (WWH) total income and result for Q3 2013 as operating profit stood at USD96 million, down from USD260 million 12 months previously. Revenue for Q3 2013 fell by 18.7 percent year-on-year to USD873 million.

        
Capacity developments

ASCO has invested GBP2.6 million (USD4.16 million) in two new Sennebogen 6130 mobile harbour cranes (MHC) at its offshore supply base in Peterhead, UK while Terex Port Solutions (TPS) has received an order for a Terex Gottwald G HMK 5506 mobile harbour crane and three Terex CS 45 KS reach stackers from Hans Lehmann KG.

        
Notable shipments

Volga-Dnepr Airlines is helping to keep the lights on in Jamaica after transporting a 28-tonne turbine rotor from Houston, USA to Montego Bay, Jamaica for air charter broker Chapman Freeborn to supply power to homes, hospitals and government facilities in the northern part of the country. The airline also used one of its IL-76TD-90VD aircraft to deliver an aircraft engine cowling from Germany to Switzerland.

The Freight Company was on track when it transported five rail track laying machines (pictured top right) from the Saphli railway station in Chumphon, southern Thailand, to the port of Laem Chabang.

Wasa Logistics recently completed a complex multimodal project shipment, successfully delivering three over-dimensional gas tanks (pictured second right) from Decin in the Czech Republic to Kokkola, Finland.

Almajdouie Logistics transported an oil quench tower, a water quench tower and a C3 splitter (pictured bottom right) from Jubail Industrial Port to the Sadara project site in Saudi Arabia.

        
Network News

AT Logistics has become the latest member of Pacific Power Logistics (PPL) Networks.

It's a hat trick for the Project Cargo Network (PCN) as it appoints BNM Freight Forwarders Co Ltd as its third and final representative in Tanzania.

Brisbane headquartered International Project Logistics has become the newest member of the Global Project Logistics Network (GPLN), representing Australia.

In the November 1, edition of the Friday Flyer, HLPFI published a picture of the Heavy Lift Group (HLG) executive committe in error. The picture should have shown the six new members that were appointed at its 53rd conference.

        
People and places

John Reinhart (picture top right) has been named the new executive director and chief executive officer of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) after stepping down from Maersk Line.

Nikola Hagleitner (picture second right) has been confirmed as the head of DHL Industrial Projects, as previously reported by HLPFI.

Air Charter Service (ACS) has promoted Justin Bowman to vice chairman of the group. Bowman has worked with ACS since its inception in 1990.

Thorco Shipping has opened a new office in Santiago, Chile, trading as Thorco Shipping Chile.

All about Evie

Two elements of the opening of the DP World's London Gateway struck Evie this week. There was no escape from the mainstream media about the event. The BBC sent adventurous reporters all over the port. Brave souls climbed the gantry cranes to observe the goings-on at the new Essex gateway. Evie did wonder at the purpose in sending a radio reporter up a gantry higher than the London Eye to interview the operator. Without a view to look at, this was as entertaining as watching a ballet on the radio. The second point had to be that the inaugural cargo included wine from South Africa. Frankly, if that is all the cargo that moves across the port, she'd be a happy gal!