The Friday Flyer - September 26th 2014

According to the latest shipping confidence survey from Moore Stephens, the overall confidence levels in the shipping industry fell slightly during the three months to August 2014.

In August 2014, the average confidence level expressed by respondents in the markets in which they operate was 6.1 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), down from the 6.3 recorded in May 2014. This compares to the 5.9 recorded in August 2013, and to the record high of 6.8 when the survey was launched in May 2008.

But, the international accountant and shipping adviser says that those levels are still higher than at the same period twelve months ago, with confidence within the chartering sector reaching a six-year high.

Over the three-month period, anticipation of significant new investment over the forthcoming year was down, as were levels of expectation with regard to improved freight rates in the dry bulk and container ship sectors.

Excess tonnage and its effect on the market once again dominated concerns among respondents, which will no doubt be on the minds of many at next week's Breakbulk Americas event. HLPFI's Luke King, Ian Matheson and Peter Edwards will be looking forward to seeing friends old and new in Houston.

Port of Rotterdam sponsors this week's Friday Flyer. More than 400 companies, employing some 20,000 people, continuously deliver added value to Rotterdam's breakbulk sector. The port is proud of innovations like the unique ship-to-shore magnet cranes, the all-weather terminal and Europe's largest fleet of floating cranes that can lift up to 1800 tonnes. All of these contribute to its ambition to be a full service port with a complete cluster of activities.


In business

Thorco Shipping and Comarco joined forces to form Houston, Texas based Instant Ports Incorporated.

Norwegian-controlled Siem Industries is taking control of the German Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) shipyard.

The Port of Esbjerg is inviting parties from the private sector to express interest in running and developing its new combi terminal.

Daewon Logipia obtained Korea Logistics Consulting & Service.

OIA Global obtained the majority shareholding in its TriMAX joint venture and formed OIA Global Vietnam.

BDP International integrated the operations of its Indian partner Unique Global Logistics (UGL).

Saudia Cargo appointed ECS Global Air Cargo India as its exclusive GSSA in India.


Capacity developments

The WINNDOT portal, which allows travel permits to be obtained from Wisconsin and Minnesota at the same time, was launched.

Sommer Kranverleih added a six-axle Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 mobile crane to its fleet, as Manitowoc Cranes delivered its 400th 2250 crawler crane to Bay Shipbuilding.

Portside, Terex Port Solutions received an order from Hans Lehmann for a second GHMK 5506 variant of its Model 5 mobile harbour crane, while the Port of Everett is also purchasing a 150-tonne capacity Terex GHMK 7608 mobile harbour crane.

Scheuerle delivered a shipyard transporter to Hyundai Heavy Industries.

CMA CGM is to add a call at Miami to its Amerigo Service, while Sofrana is adding a second ship on the service it operates between New Zealand and Fiji.

Abu Dhabi Ports Company launched a new mobile application - ADPC Port Pass - to help accelerate approved access to its ports.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines' first ever flight to Switzerland touched down in Basel.


Shipment of the week

South African heavy transport specialist Vanguard transported, offloaded and installed power generation equipment, including two sets of 191-tonne gas turbines, 231-tonne generators and 140-tonne transformers, for the Dedisa Peaking power plant in Port Elizabeth.

The cargo was transported from Coega port by road to the project site on Goldhofer trailers. Vanguard's 500-tonne hydraulic gantry lift system was then used to position the heavy cargoes on their foundations at the jobsite.


On the move

This week it emerged that Niels Stolberg (pictured), the former head of Beluga Shipping, is now the chairman of the supervisory board of Hamburg based company Green Sailing GmbH. It also emerged that the former ceo of now defunct shipping line, Beluga, is facing a further prosecution charge in Bremen for fraud and breach of trust. Elsewhere, Mohamed Ebrahim Al Qassimi was appointed the new ceo of Abu Dhabi based Maximus Air.


Network and association developments

The XLProjects (XLP) network, which held its AGM in Budapest this week, added Philco International in France and Samatra Logistics in Ethiopia to its roster. The network also added its smallest member to the group this week, as XLP business manager Daniel Bateman, and his wife Silvia, welcomed a new daughter - Izzy - into their home. The Project Partners network welcomed GP Cargo as a new member in Sao Paolo, Brazil, while the Pacific Power Logistics (PPL) network gained Switzerland's Tremail Logistics and Chad based Havener Logistics.


Capital projects and contracts

Have you got your subscription to HLPFI's Capital Projects & Contracts yet?

HLPFI has officially launched HLPFI's Capital Projects & Contracts e-newsletter.

It is now published on a weekly basis, providing an overview of contract awards to EPCs, oil majors, mining and civil engineering companies, energy groups and OEMs, as well as relevant information to the project freight forwarding community.

If you have not subscribed and would like to receive our Capital Projects & Contracts newsletter, please contact David Kershaw - dk@heavyliftpfi.com - to set up a subscription, which will cost you USD825, GBP500 or EUR650 per annum.


All about Evie

This week, Evie has been planning her trip to LEGOLAND in Denmark, after hearing that the park was launching a Wild about Wind exhibition, where children and adults can learn about the offshore wind energy industry LEGO brick-style.

She is also excited to catch sight of one of the four special postage stamps which have been created to commemorate Gebrüder Weiss' historic service in the logistics sector.

HLPFI staff writer Annie Roberts spent the beginning of this week at the XLProjects network's second AGM in Budapest, and after hearing about all the interesting industry professionals she met and five courses she ate on a Hungarian restaurant boat, Evie is crossing her fingers that she will also be invited next year.

She was also envious of a colleague who was taken up the Gherkin in London for a most interesting, thought-provoking and frank media briefing by Hamburg-based shipping line, Hansa Heavy Lift. More on that next week.