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Tag: freight

  • Panalpina airfreight profits and volumes continue to rise

    Panalpina airfreight profits and volumes continue to rise

    During the first nine months of 2017, Panalpina grew volumes in air freight and ocean freight compared to the same period last year. As the year progressed, group gross profit as well as EBIT increased with every quarter. Year-on-year, Panalpina’s reported EBIT increased from CHF 67.5 million (adjusted YTD 2016: CHF 93.6 million) to CHF 72.1 million and the reported consolidated profit increased from CHF 46.5 million (adjusted YTD 2016: CHF 72.6 million) to CHF 48.4 million.

    Panalpina’s air freight volumes increased 8% in the first nine months of 2017. From January to September, gross profit, unit profitability and EBIT in air freight increased with every quarter. Compared to the same period last year, gross profit per ton decreased 7% to CHF 632 (YTD 2016: CHF 678), resulting in a gross profit of CHF 456.0 million (YTD 2016: CHF 453.4 million). Reported EBIT in Air Freight increased from CHF 60.0 million (adjusted YTD 2016: CHF 72.6 million) to CHF 69.4 million. The EBIT-to-gross-profit margin for the first nine months of 2017 came in at 15.2% compared to 13.2% (adjusted YTD 2016: 16.0%) a year before.

    “Nine months into the year, Air Freight and Logistics are well under way and showing continued solid performance,” says Panalpina CEO Stefan Karlen. “We are well-prepared for another strong peak season in Air Freight, however it remains to be seen how dynamic the carrier market will be this year.”

    In Logistics, gross profit decreased 16% to CHF 245.4 million year-on-year (YTD 2016: CHF 293.3 million), but has stabilized throughout 2017. Logistics is now sustainably profitable,  posting an EBIT of CHF 8.1 million for the first nine months of 2017, compared to CHF 1.2 million (adjusted YTD 2016: CHF 5.0 million) for the same period last year.

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  • U-Freight gains further accreditation for e-commerce capabilities

    U-Freight gains further accreditation for e-commerce capabilities

    The U-Freight Group (UFL) has seen its North American E-commerce Fulfillment Centre (EFC) being named as one of the most valuable by the China Cross Border Electronic Commerce Professional Committee. Diana Peng, vice president of the Hong Kong-based freight forwarding and logistics company UFL received the award at the recent Global E-Commerce Conference held during the China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen.

    CEO, Simon Wong, commented, “U-Freight has been a pioneer in developing logistics services for the e-commerce market, which resulted in us being early-qualified by China Customs and CIQ as a licensed Cross-border E-Commerce Enterprise, as well as a Cross-border E-Commerce Logistics Service Provider. With an extremely strong e-commerce logistics set-up in China, U-Freight has committed to investing in redevelopments at a number of its warehouses around the world to better equip them to handle the logistics associated with the ever-growing global e-commerce business.”

    Wong added, “As part of that we have invested in developing enhanced facilities at our EFC in USA, which has been rewarded by our being named as one of the most valuable North America EFC by the China Cross Border Electronic Commerce Professional Committee. We have a system that can connect e-commerce/e-shop platforms with relevant customs authorities and, which delivers data transparency. This is something that is on offer at all of our facilities around the world that offer e-commerce logistics services.

    “The e-commerce industry, led by China, is a new engine of growth for the global economy, and the value of global e-commerce transactions will only rise with increasing internet penetration and recognition. China is leading the way and e-commerce trading in China reached 26.1 trillion yuan (USD3.8 trillion) in 2016. Cross-border e-commerce surpassed five trillion yuan, up 28.2 per cent, statistics from the 2016-17 Chinese E-commerce Development Report show. The report also said that by June this year, the number of online shopping customers in China reached 514 million, 10.2 per cent higher than in December 2016.”

    According to Wong, in the future, cross-border e-commerce will become a new growth point, thanks to the business environment fostered by China’s Belt and Road Initiative and structural supply side reform in the country. The coming years will also see the integration of online and offline services, as well as more intelligent and innovative online retail sales models.

    “IT technology, including cloud computing, big data, internet of things, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, will play a more important part in the whole e-commerce industry and U-Freight is positioning itself to play its part by developing e-commerce fulfilment centres that deliver cost-effective and efficient logistics services,” said Wong.

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  • DHL launches Service Logistics final mile solution to the Life Sciences Medical Device sector

    DHL launches Service Logistics final mile solution to the Life Sciences Medical Device sector

    DHL Supply Chain has launched a new service logistics solution for the medical device sector which consolidates field inventory into single locations and uses quality management systems to provide better control and traceability of valuable products.

    This solution comes in response to a number of growing industry challenges, including greater demand from an ageing and more active population through to increasing cost pressure from healthcare providers. These factors have led to an ever-increasing need to better manage inventory, both in the field and in hospital. The final mile solution focuses on the need for companies in the medical device sector to address the compromises between cost and availability and drive efficiencies in field inventory.

    Tim Slater, CEO, DHL Supply Chain, Life Sciences said, “This solution draws on our Life Sciences expertise in managing critical lifesaving products and our global capability to organise mission critical deliveries into complex environments. It is replicable, provides high visibility of inventory both inside and outside the hospital and is fully compliant globally with the rigorous standards required. It facilitates a reduction of capital commitment for inventory through just-in-time availability to hospitals, removing the requirement for just-in-case storage of medical devices.”

    In addition to better managing consigned inventory, the solution will free up medical device sales rep resource from actively manage, check and locate stock to enable more time on interacting with customers.

    John Farrell, president, DHL Supply Chain, Service Logistics Solutions commented, “We have built our expertise through successfully deploying a similar solution in the technology sector. It is ideally suited to the medical device market, where critical products are required just-in-time. We provide full stock visibility and control through pooling of consignment stocks outside of hospitals; while providing mission critical availability of inventory on a same day basis.”

    The solution utilises an established global supply chain infrastructure that is certified to the required standards for each market. The solution is already deployed for a major global provider of medical devices in multiple countries across the world.

    In addition to better managing consigned inventory and improving sales force efficiency, it also provides a platform to standardised service and quality systems; whilst at the same time enabling product returns, customer segmentation activities such as kitting and value-added services to meet local market and customer needs.

  • FedEx to double size of air cargo facilities at Incheon airport

    FedEx to double size of air cargo facilities at Incheon airport

    FedEx Express has revealed it will double the size of its air cargo handling facility at Incheon International Airport as it looks to cater for rising volumes in South Korea.

    Establishing a new cargo facility at Incheon International Airport is a strategic move for FedEx — the airport has seen the volume of international shipments increase by 10.4% in 2016 from 2012 to 2.7m tons.

    When it is completed in 2021, the express giant’s FedEx Cargo Terminal will cover an area of 23,425sq m, more than twice the size of its existing facility.

    The terminal will feature warehouse, office and a canopy space and will offer an automated cargo sorting system to meet the fast-growing demand of express cargo.

    Once completed the new facility will have the capacity to sort up to 18,000 packages per hour.

    ”As one of the largest economies in Asia, Korea continues to build its trade connections internationally. FedEx is investing to support the robust demand in Korean imports and exports to better serve our customers in this important market.” said Eun-Mi Chae, managing director, FedEx Express Korea.

    “With the expansion of our FedEx facility at Korea’s main gateway, we will improve our operational capabilities and create greater access to the global market supported through our integrated network.”

    The express firm signed an agreement with Incheon International Airport Corporation to confirm the construction of the terminal last week.

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  • DHL shows how smart glasses can help improve warehouse operations

    DHL shows how smart glasses can help improve warehouse operations

    Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly finding its way into the enterprise. For instance, DHL Supply Chain completed its AR pilots earlier this year in a bid to improve efficiency and productivity in its warehouses, Keya Chaturvedi, Trend Research Manager at DHL, told delegates at the recent Tech Summit 2017 in Singapore.

    Since the wearable provided visual displays of order picking instructions along with information on where the items are located and where they need to be placed on a cart, pickers no longer needed to rely on paper instructions. This enabled higher accuracy rates, and productivity to improve by an average of 15 percent, said Chaturvedi.

    In addition, the pickers were pleased with how the smart glasses has made the now hands-free picking process more comfortable and efficient , she added.

    Driven by the positive outcome, DHL has expanded the use of smart glasses to more warehouses around the world.

    Chaturvedi also anticipates that smart glasses will be of greater use in other areas of her business such as being used to scan and identify delivery vans. With smart glasses, it will be easier to record critical information, such as cargo temperature and security threats on the road which may affect delivery conditions, she explained.

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  • Payload Asia magazine honours excellence in the air cargo supply chain

    Payload Asia magazine honours excellence in the air cargo supply chain

    The Payload Asia Awards 2017 returned for its sixth edition, with more than 90 nominations vying for the 20 awards categories and more than 25,000 online votes received in the Customer Choice Awards. All results – from both Customer Choice and Industry Choice – were audited by an independent auditing firm, Alpes Assurance. The awards seek to honour the very best in the industry and took place over a spectacular gala dinner and awards ceremony, held at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, Singapore. Gracing the event was the guest of honour, Glyn Hughes, global head of cargo, International Air Transport Association (IATA).

    Confronting and overcoming the manifold challenges in the air cargo sector by creating innovative products and services, and delivering real value to customers is the hallmark of the companies excelling in this industry. The Payload Asia Awards 2017 looked to celebrate these traits and the perseverance, innovative strategies and many other successes of the air cargo community in the face of unprecedented market conditions and ongoing economic uncertainty.

    For the highly coveted title of Overall Carrier of the Year, Qatar Airways Cargo and Turkish Cargo walked away with the Industry Choice Award and Customer Choice Award respectively. This year marked the second consecutive year that Qatar had walked away with the Industry Choice Award title for the Overall Carrier of the Year.

    This year, Ethiopian Airlines snagged both Industry and Customer Choice Award for the Rising Star Carrier of the Year, a testament to its standing in the industry. Other carriers picking up awards included: All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines Cargo, Swiss WorldCargo, United Cargo, VietJet Air Cargo, AirAsia Cargo, Atlas Air and Volga-Dnepr Airlines.

    Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport were awarded the Industry Choice and Customer Choice for the Asia Pacific Airport of the Year respectively. Ground handling awards saw the same trend of Singapore and Hong Kong dominating the category, with Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) and SATS taking home the top prize in this category. Meanwhile, Leipzig/Halle Airport and Liege Airport were the winners in the European Airport of the Year category.

    Chapman Freeborn Airchartering and Air Charter Service again emerged victorious in the Charter Broker of the Year category this year, whereas ECS and Air Logistics Group championed the GSA/GSSA of the Year category this year. Other highlights saw All Nippon Airways (ANA) and flydubai Cargo both winning X-Factor Awards for their unique and highly successful business strategies. Lufthansa Cargo and Thai Airways snagged the Corporate Social Responsibility Award, and DHL Express and Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) took home the Green Award. IBS Software and Unisys were awarded IT Provider of the Year.

    In the express provider categories, DHL Express and FedEx Express took home the award for Global Express Provider of the Year, and SF Express and Kerry Express took home the award for Regional Express Provider of the Year. Kerry Logistics and Crane Worldwide Logistics were awarded Global Logistics Provider of the Year, and Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services (Hacis) made a clean sweep for the Regional Logistics Provider of the Year.

    Among the 23 awards given were three special Editor’s Choice Awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours an industry veteran who has made an extensive and invaluable contribution to the air cargo industry over many years, went to Tony Tyler. Before he retired in June 2016, he was Director General and Chief Executive Officer at The International Air Transport Association (IATA). Preceding the five-year tenure at IATA, Tony was Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong.

    Also under the Editor’s Choice Award category, Emirates SkyCargo was awarded Marketing Award of the Year, and Lufthansa Cargo took home Media Award of the Year.

    Dual tracks

    Payload Asia, a respected voice of the air cargo industry which has now been publishing for over 30 years, continued its unique awards approach. Kicked off three years ago, the approach features two, parallel sets of awards for each category: The Customer Choice Awards and the Industry Choice Awards – highlighting two equally important but slightly different views of excellence, one based on popular votes and the other on a detailed assessment by senior industry executives.

    The Customer Choice Awards carry on the previous years online voting system by customers and Payload Asia readers, with all results officially audited by an independent auditing firm. The Industry Choice Awards on the other hand, are determined by a senior level industry panel of 16 judges drawn from across the industry and assessed via a points system based on the published criteria, with the process and results also audited. A full list of awards and winners can be found below.

    The awards were presented during a gala dinner attended by more than 200 members of the air cargo fraternity from around the globe, and hosted by Payload Asia, part of the Contineo Media group.

    The Gala Awards Dinner was preceded by a two-day conference programme and both will return again next year. It is anticipated this event will continue to be an important highlight on the air cargo industry’s calendar.

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  • DHL gears up for logistics boost from Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor

    DHL gears up for logistics boost from Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor

    The development of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is set to boost the country’s contract logistics sector.

    On Tuesday, Thailand’s ruling junta approved a plan to accelerate investment for the EEC project, which will see the region developed into a $45bn special economic zone by 2021.

    According to Kevin Burrell, chief executive of DHL Supply Chain’s Thailand Cluster, the EEC will attract a whole range of new investors to the country.

    He told that the next-generation automotive, smart electronics, affluent medical and wellness tourism, agriculture and biotechnology, food innovation, industrial and lifestyle robotics, aerospace, logistics and aviation, biofuel and biochemical, and medical services and healthcare were all industries set to see increased levels of activity.

    “I believe that the automotive, industrial, technology and healthcare and life sciences sectors will further drive contract logistics growth under the EEC program,” he added.

    According to the Thailand Board of Investment, the EEC spans 13,285 sq km across three provinces in eastern Thailand, Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong.

    The plan is to turn the region into a key investment, technology and transportation hub via infrastructure improvements and by designating the area as special economic zone to attract foreign direct investment.

    “With the EEC, the Thai government is prioritising the creation of faster and more comprehensive routes between airports, ports, industrial clusters and urban centres throughout Thailand by developing high-speed and double-track railways,” explained Mr Burrell.

    High-speed rail will link the three main international airports, Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao, while double-track railways will connect key industrial zones such as Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut and Sattahip Commercial Port. A new motorway will connect Bangkok to Rayong.

    Mr Burrell said the project would enhance South-east Asia’s broader logistics connectivity, so long as cross-border trade was allowed to flow smoothly.

    “The new rail network, when connected to neighbouring countries and deployed with efficiency and cost-effectiveness, should provide significant enhancements to logistics efficiency across the region. Coupled with the development of highways across Asia, it will provide a perfect platform for the efficient flow of goods.

    “What is still to be seen is border crossing harmonisation. What really needs to be developed is an efficient manner to allow vehicles to drive across borders with limited delays from customs processes.”

    DHL Supply Chain is to invest more than €70m to grow its regional footprint in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar by 2020. It plans new facilities, expanding its fleet of trucks and new technology to create an additional 5,000 jobs in the four countries.

    DHL recently completed a move to new premises in Bangkok’s business area. From there it has a nationwide network of 70 facilities, with combined warehouse space of 650,000sq metres and 10,000 employees.

    However, Mr Burrell added, finding suitable labour was becoming increasingly challenging, and as a result, greater warehouse automation would be deployed to fill the gap.

    “It becomes more and more difficult to find workers. That’s why we have opened our labour force to foreign labour. However, the regulations around foreign labour are understandably detailed and complicated. As a result, we have looked at alternatives to derive greater operational efficiencies and have started to deploy automation systems in some facilities.

    “Looking ahead, we see an ever-widening shortage of drivers for heavy goods vehicles. We feel it is essential to address this issue; one option is to allow foreign drivers to drive in Thailand, and an alternative is a government initiative to encourage development in this important space,” he said.

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  • X2 Logistics Network member handles transport for project cargo of oversized equipment

    X2 Logistics Network member handles transport for project cargo of oversized equipment

    X2 Logistics Network member Centauro was nominated to handle Integrated Multimodal Logistics by Sea and Land of an Autoclaved Cellular Concrete Plant (HCA) from Shanghai, China to the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. After participating in a competitive bid along with locals and multinational freight forwarders, Centauro was honoured by client’s nomination due to the proven experience and trajectory of the company in the development of projects in Argentina.

    Centauro arranged the overall negotiation and vessel contract, as well as port operations and road transportation upon arrival at Port of Buenos Aires to client’s plant. A fluid and permanent contact was maintained with all parties involved including a European technologist, the Chinese manufacturer and the Argentine importer with the aim of complying times and logistical restrictions presented in the project.

    The shipment of the three largest pieces, 35 metres long and 74 tonnes each, together with the rest of the components, was shipped on vessel BBC Oregon, taking 55 days transit time from Shanghai to Buenos Aires. The unloading operations in Buenos Aires port were also supervised and controlled by Centauro staff as well as the conditioning and road transportation of the big pieces to the customer’s premises using three multi axle trailers, flat bed carts and support equipment in convoy with special road permits and police custody.

    The multimodal service from Shanghai to Santa Fe was performed in 62 days, delivering the cargo at final destination with full customer satisfaction. This first stage of the project will be completed soon with the shipment of more than 80 containers from Northern Europe ports using Port of Rosario, Argentina as local entrance port.

    X2 founder & CEO Richard Overton commented, “It makes me extremely happy to see the kind of work fellow X2 Members are doing. I have no doubt in my mind that we are going to be seeing a lot more amazing projects before our 5th Anniversary Conference which is coming up in February 2018.”

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  • DHL to create, manage European distribution centres for Eaton’s electrical business

    DHL to create, manage European distribution centres for Eaton’s electrical business

    DHL Supply Chain has signed a long-term agreement with the global power management company Eaton to create and manage three distribution centres for their Electrical business in Europe.

    Over the next few years, the contract logistics specialist within Deutsche Post DHL Group will consolidate Eaton’s major standalone distribution centre capabilities throughout Europe into three high-performing and integrated primary distribution centres. These will be located in Germany, UK and Czech Republic, where the current DHL managed distribution centre will be expanded.

    “Eaton has been a valued partner for years and we are delighted to further intensify our collaboration. Based on DHL Supply Chain’s broad expertise in devising integrated supply chain solutions, we developed the Rheinbach concept for a full warehouse consolidation, starting with planning, construction, fit out and full automation to the initial setup and operation,” said Oscar de Bok, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Mainland Europe, Middle East & Africa.

    In Rheinbach, Germany, a new building is being planned which will serve Eaton’s customers in Western Europe. The green field construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter 2017, with DHL storing and distributing different electric components such as switch cabinets, fuses and control devices in the new warehouse after its completion in 2018. The goal is to create a more efficient warehousing concept enabled by a fully automated solution and thereby reducing overall run times to meet increased customer demand.

    “Providing tailored contract logistics solutions is one of our globally proven strengths and the newly to-be-constructed warehousing solution will help Eaton to prepare its business for a successful future,” Karsten Schwarz, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Germany and Alps said. “The new facility will not only provide a significant increase in productivity due to its innovative set up but also demonstrates DHL’s commitment to the wider Bonn region.”

    As both DHL and Eaton have a strong commitment for sustainability with corresponding goals, the new warehousing site is to comply with the standards of the German Society for Sustainable Construction (DGNB) and will be built to achieve the silver certificate of the association.

    “DHL is very experienced in warehousing and distribution as well as supply chain solutions and we can help with their environmental focus and drive energy efficiency by applying Eaton’s power management technologies to their facilities. It’s a very interesting partnership where we support each other’s growth while we keep focused on our core businesses,” said Klaus Gaeb, vice president, Supply Chain and Operational Excellence, Eaton EMEA.

    As DHL already has a significant footprint in Europe, this revised distribution approach would also provide strong future prospects to the majority of distribution centre employees from Eaton covered by this agreement, who have been given the opportunity to join DHL following the completion process.

    With these new agreements, Deutsche Post DHL Group and Eaton are taking the next step in extending their strategic partnership. Since 2008, DHL has been supporting Eaton in the review and improvement of its supply chains across the globe, winning the company’s Best Supplier Award in 2016.

  • UPS-SF Holding joint venture receives regulatory approval in China

    UPS-SF Holding joint venture receives regulatory approval in China

    UPS and SF Holding, the parent company of SF Express, have announced the approval of their planned joint venture by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). The JV enables UPS and SF to collaborate on development and provision of international delivery services from, initially, China to the US and, in the future, to other trade lanes. The JV approval is a positive development for international trade and allows the two leading companies to leverage their complementary networks, service portfolios, technologies and logistics expertise.

    UPS is one of the world’s largest express delivery companies and a leading global supply chain integrator. SF is a market leader in express delivery in China, with extensive China-wide network coverage, comprehensive service capabilities, and the highest brand recognition in the Chinese small package industry. The newly approved joint venture is a continuation of UPS and SF’s collaboration that began in 2015, when UPS Worldwide Express service was made available at SF’s Heike retail stores in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    “We’re delighted to help the many customers in China who will now be in a position to trade more easily across borders and better compete on the global stage thanks to product offerings from the UPS and SF joint venture,” said Ross McCullough, president of UPS Asia Pacific. “UPS has an aggressive multi-year growth plan in China. Aligning our two networks will increase our market presence by connecting China’s consumers and manufacturers to the US and around the world with logistics solutions that strengthen cross-border B2B and B2C capabilities. This JV is highly symbolic of UPS’s confidence in long-term growth opportunities in China.”

    “The establishment of this joint venture boosts global expansion of Chinese enterprises beyond local borders,” said Alan Wong, group vice president of SF. “SF and UPS are able to maximise the strengths of both companies to continuously innovate and create more competitive products that deliver strong value for customers.”

    The alignment of UPS’ and SF’s transportation networks provides customers with greater coverage, additional routing options, increased capacity, and more choice in transit times and service options.

    With the joint venture approved, customers seeking an economical solution for less urgent shipments can opt for Global Reach Plus, the new joint venture deferred express product that features the full visibility and reliability of a premium express service. Customers are expected to gain:

    • Time-in-Transit Reliability with 5-7 business days deliveries jointly powered by UPS & SF’s combined networks.
    • End-to-End Visibility: Visibility from door-to-door using SF’s tracking tool, integrated with UPS’s industry-leading technologies.
    • Single Point of Contact for customer service via SF; shipment pick-up by SF at the origin & delivery by UPS at the destination.
    • Flexibility: Late order cut-off time for shipment pick-ups, and multiple delivery options including the use of UPS My Choice and UPS Access Point network.

    The joint venture supports these highly competitive joint service offerings on the China-to-US lane, with planned expansion to markets in the rest of the world. Both companies can now utilize their own assets to boost operational effectiveness and efficiency for businesses while aligning business processes in order to provide seamless customer care for all parties shipping out of China.

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  • Bolloré Logistics inaugurates multimodal hub in Le Havre

    Bolloré Logistics inaugurates multimodal hub in Le Havre

    Bolloré Logistics inaugurated its new multimodal hub on September 19, 2017, on the Logistics Park of Pont de Normandie 2 (PLPN2), in the heart of France’s leading foreign trade port. With this new site located near the multimodal terminal, Bolloré Logistics offers all the solutions to manage logistics flows throughout the Seine Valley.

    BLX new multimodal hub in Le Havre.

    Bolloré Logistics plays a key role in the logistical development of the Seine axis, where the company has four branches and runs a network of more than 700 employees. The location of the hub allows Bolloré Logistics to position itself as a leader in the organisation of multimodal transport. The 24,000 square metres warehouse built near the multimodal terminal reinforces Le Havre as a major port logistics hub. Thanks to the opening of this second logistics site in the Logistics Park area of the Pont de Normandie 2, Bolloré Logistics now has in Normandy a total of 110,000 square metres of warehouses, of which 39,000 square metres in Le Havre.

    “As a partner of HAROPA, Bolloré Logistics benefits from exceptional visibility on the three ports on the seine trade – Le Havre Rouen Paris – and an attractive and diversified offer in the treatment of international flows. Our platforms connected to all modes of transport – sea, air, road, rail, barges are designed to support the growth and sustainable development of our clients in the Port of Le Havre and the Normandy region,” said Laurent Foloppe, director of the Normandy Region.

    With a comprehensive range of services, combining its sector expertise, Bolloré Logistics meets the needs of its various customers by offering them multi-country expertise, its services of consolidation and full containers, logistics, road, customs integrating a range of services to added values. Bolloré Logistics’ strategy is to invest in the Hubs by positioning itself on the world’s major trading hubs, Singapore, Dubai, Miami … A position that allows Bolloré Logistics Le Havre to draw more flows and manage global logistics activities and supply chain of its customers.

    “Beyond being a maritime platform where we operate more than 10,000 consolidations per year or a warehouse offering all the services of storage, repackaging and value-added services, this new hub is indeed a multimodal platform intended to supply all the Greater Paris in which we wished to invest,” said Henri Le Gouis, CEO Europe of Bolloré Logistics.

    A Multimodal Green Hub

    Also known as “Green Hub”, the multimodal hub is fully in line with the Group’s CSR approach and is in perfect harmony with the environmental values of Bolloré Transport & Logistics.

    For this operation, Bolloré Logistics is committed to respecting the most demanding environmental standards in terms of responsible construction and to take action on essential points: installations that enable cost and CO2 control solutions, energy management, the preservation of water resources and the natural spaces of fauna and flora, adaptation of means of transport, quality of life at work … A CSR and QHSE approach hailed by the award of several environmental certifications: NF HQE , LEED 4 Silver, Ecocert and BiodiverCity.

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  • Decline in traditional ship finance, lack of provision from regional banks threaten ME shipping

    Decline in traditional ship finance, lack of provision from regional banks threaten ME shipping

    Delegates at Seatrade Offshore Marine & Workboats Middle East (SOMWME), opening at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 25-27 September 2017, will hear how shipping faces a capital shortfall of tens of billions of dollars, this year alone, as European banks restructure products and scale back ship financing operations.

    According to reports verified by Reuters, the substantial decline in finance from European banks, compounded by a lack of shipping finance provisions from regional banks, has caused liquidity in the shipping industry to tighten, forcing marine operators to seek alternative finance in order to continue operations.

    The discussion will be tackled during the SOMWME Finance Update, in a session titled “Taking stock – how to make the most of your company assets,” which concludes the first day of the conference programme.

    The session will analyse the viable financial options and trends shaping the offshore marine and workboat industries. The panel features renowned industry experts such as David Manuel, Senior Marine Specialist — Petrodata, IHS Markit; Knut Mathiassen, Managing Partner, NorthCape DMCC; Bora Bariman, Head of Energy & Marine, Corporate & Institutional Banking Group, National Bank of Fujairah and Tien Tai, Partner, HFW.

    Calling for the Middle East shipping industry to urgently reassess how it secures liquidity, Tien Tai commented: “The traditional European banks with ship finance desks are no longer lending the historic amounts they once did and this is compounded by a number of European banks retreating from the ship finance sector altogether.

    “In the Middle East, we see some new lenders coming into the shipping industry but this does not replace the capital shortfall left by the exiting banks. There has been an ascendancy of alternative capital providers in the last 18 months, offering liquidity at a higher pricing, although these are more suited to one or two ship projects and not a substantial refinancing.”

    The industry has weathered many storms since the global credit crunch impacted operations in 2009, however, there is hope on the horizon.

    Islamic finance is widely regarded as a positive means by which to generate equity and maintain health in the sector, although growth is hampered currently by muted enthusiasm from major local banks to operate active shipping desks.

    Recognising that liquidity was tightening, earlier this year Dubai Maritime City Authority was examining the possibility of creating a US$1 billion shipping fund to support the emirate’s maritime sector during this time. According to ship valuation company VesselsValue, the UAE’s shipping fleet is estimated to be worth up to US$10 billion.

    Tai added: “In terms of what it takes to get financing these days, you really have to be a top tier owner with a strong credit rating – but not everyone is a strong owner. The owners in the Middle East dominate the small and mid-tier space and it is these owners feeling the squeeze in the decline of traditional ship finance.

    “The companies we see receiving finance from banks all demonstrate a strong track record of previous borrowing, contributions from owner and shareholder equity, and a transparent structure and a young fleet.”

    Commenting on the importance of the finance session at SOMWME, Emma Howell, Group Marketing Manager, Seatrade Portfolio, UBM EMEA commented: “The finance update is always an essential element of every SOMWME event we organise and the 2017 version will no doubt contribute vital insight to a very timely conversation. The issues that face the global industry are amplified in this region by the fast pace of growth and the economic importance of shipping and trade

    “The ability for the regional banking industry to identify and react to the gap in the market will be vital to the health and agility of the sector in future as countries across the region realise their developmental ambitions.”

    Moving away from the conference – new to the exhibition floor this year will be ‘Drone Zone’ in partnership with ABS and Drone Pro. With three live demonstrations shown daily, this exciting Zone will showcase new tools such as wearable technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles /drones, and remotely operated vehicles.

    “These live demonstrations reflect the growing use of advanced inspection technologies across the shipping and offshore sectors as the increasing complexity of assets and operations shifts how classifi­cation services are delivered,” added Howell.

    ABS, which is bringing the presentations to SOMWME with Drone Pro, is currently conducting field studies to evaluate how the current capabilities of wearable technology, particularly eyewear, are best applied to enhance asset-inspection practices. The pilot programs, which include a range of vessel and offshore asset types, are focused on improving the efficiency of class opera­tions, streamlining the capture and visual display of information and creating a more collaborative environment for remote interaction.

    Seatrade Offshore Marine & Workboats is the largest workboat and offshore marine event outside of the USA, attracting more than 100 offshore marine and workboat companies.

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  • FedEx Singapore named best employer by Aon for the sixth time

    FedEx Singapore named best employer by Aon for the sixth time

    FedEx Express has been named a Best Employer by Aon in Singapore. This year, FedEx is also awarded the Best Employer in Asia Pacific after it was named the Best Employer in three out of seven Asia Pacific markets that have announced the results – Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

    Representatives from FedEx Express receive the awards for Aon Best Employers Singapore 2017 and the Aon Regional Best Employers in Asia Pacific 2017. Pictured from left: Jeremy Andrulis, Chief Executive Officer, Southeast Asia, Aon Hewitt; Audrey Cheong, Managing Director, FedEx Express Singapore; Mohamed Gani Bin Salleh, Operations Coordinator, FedEx Express Singapore; and Amy Leung, Managing Director, Human Resources Services, South Pacific Region, FedEx Express.

    “We are extremely honoured to be recognised as an employer of choice in Singapore by Aon. Ensuring that our employees are engaged and feel valued is one of our core focus areas, and this recognition further reinforces our commitment to continue moving in the right direction,” said Audrey Cheong, managing director, FedEx Express Singapore. “Credit goes to our employees who manifest their high level of engagement by consistently fulfilling our Purple Promise to deliver an outstanding experience to customers.”

    The Best Employers accreditation program evaluates organisations based on four critical areas: employee engagement, effective leadership, compelling employer brand and high performance culture.

    “The rapidly evolving business environment needs organisations to accelerate organic growth, digitise their business, reduce risk exposure and embrace change,” said Jeremy Andrulis, CEO of Aon Hewitt, Southeast Asia. “These themes demonstrate the importance of having a highly engaged, agile and productive workforce. Best Employer organisations like FedEx are able to identify the capabilities they need from their employees and create an environment conducive to their employees’ growth and productivity not just now, but in the years to come. As a result, they outperform the market in employee engagement while continuing to retain the exceptional talent they already have.”

    Prior to this year, FedEx Singapore was also in Aon’s Best Employers list in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011. In 2016, the company received a Special Recognition for Commitment to Engagement by the Aon Best Employers – Singapore program.

  • Tigers Linking Rail Freight Destinations

    Tigers Linking Rail Freight Destinations

    Tigers has launched a new rail freight service, called Tiger Rail, offering customers a 16-day transit time both east and westbound, between Duisburg, Germany, and Hefei, Chongqing, and Chengdu, China.

    Tiger Rail customers can charter a train, or book Full Container Load (FCL) or Less than Container Load (LCL) shipments on weekly scheduled services to and from over 15 origin stations in China.

    The Hong Kong-headquartered supply chain specialist is also planning to offer

    e-commerce customers shipping parcels from Europe to China a cost-effective service along the new Silk Road.

    “We have seized the opportunity to provide integrated logistics for our customers, who increasingly require shorter transit times than ocean freight, and lower costs than airfreight, making Tiger Rail the perfect solution,” said Paul Huang, Managing Director, Tigers China.

    “Our customers benefit from lower shipping costs by empty container return in Switzerland for westbound services, and Shipper’s Own Container (SOC) for eastbound services, for both FCL and LCL.

    “Tigers has already supported customers to transport over 500 TEUs as FCL, and 1500 cubic meters (CBMs) as LCL along the new Silk Road.”

    Tiger Rail’s inaugural shipment took place over the summer, on behalf of one of one of the largest manufacturers of exhaust and suspension systems, which chartered a train to transport construction materials, auto parts, and electronics.

    “We are currently preparing test shipments for European Union (EU) Business to Consumer (B2C) parcels importing to China with Tiger Rail, and look forward to expanding our rail freight capabilities even further,” said Andrew Jillings, Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director, Tigers.

    Tiger Rail customers can track and trace their freight shipments using the Tiger Trax platform.

    The launch of Tiger Rail comes only weeks after Tigers achieved Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certification in the UK, expanded its footprint with a new office in Leeds, and launched a post-Brexit solution to combat any disruption caused by Brexit.

  • Kerry Logistics Records 10% Growth in 1H Core Operating Profit to HKD1,019 Million

    Kerry Logistics Records 10% Growth in 1H Core Operating Profit to HKD1,019 Million

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’ or together with its subsidiaries, the ‘Group’; Stock Code 636) today announced the Group’s interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2017.

    The Group’s Financial Highlights

    • Turnover surged by 31% to HKD13,705 million (2016 1H: HKD10,461 million)
    • Core operating profit increased by 10% to HKD1,019 million (2016 1H: HKD928 million)
    • Core net profit went up by 5% to HKD576 million (2016 1H: HKD548 million)
    • Profit attributable to the Shareholders rose by 11% to HKD788 million (2016 1H: HKD709 million)
    • Integrated Logistics (‘IL’) business recorded a segment profit of HKD884 million (2016 1H: HKD799 million), which represents a lift of 11%
    • International Freight Forwarding (‘IFF’) business achieved a 7% increase in segment profit to HKD222 million (2016 1H: HKD208 million)
    • Interim dividend of 8 HK cents per share recommended

    William Ma, Group Managing Director of Kerry Logistics, said, “2017 1H has been another challenging period. Global demand stalled in Q1 and our cargo volume was at a low level in January and February. Nevertheless, the temporary slowdown in Q1 reversed as the world economy gradually stabilised with cyclical recovery starting from Q2. Supported by strong logistics volume growth in Asia and sound performance in the Americas, the Group’s performance and earnings have shown considerable improvements since Q2. Against this backdrop, for 2017 1H, Kerry Logistics recorded a 31% growth in turnover and a 10% growth in core operating profit. However, core net profit only reported a 5% growth due to the unsatisfactory performance of our investments in associates, which reported a 52% year-on-year decrease in contribution.”

    Strongest Network in Asia

    In 2017 1H, Kerry Logistics continued to adhere to the global development strategy of capturing opportunities brought forth by China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The new subsidiary Globalink Logistics, with operations spanning across Commonwealth of Independent States countries, added nine countries to Kerry Logistics’ global network. They include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Meanwhile, another new member, Lanzhou Pacific Logistics, allows Kerry Logistics to offer multimodal solutions to customers within its global network.

    The development of an integral overland transportation network with land-bridge connectivity demonstrates Kerry Logistics’ commitment to providing new options and cost-efficient solutions to customers.

    IL Maintains Stable Growth

    The IL division delivered an 11% growth in segment profit in 2017 1H. The overall performance in Greater China remained flat. In Hong Kong, the logistics business delivered continued growth as it benefitted from contribution through new business and customer wins, while the warehousing business maintained growth after a change in client mix despite rental pressure. Weak performance of some of the key accounts in Mainland China adversely affected the Group’s business performance. Although the increased operating cost under the new labour law added pressure on 1H earnings, Taiwan’s performance is expected to improve in 2017.

    The overall IL business in Asia remained strong in 2017 1H, driven by the enhancement of the Group’s service capabilities in ASEAN.

    IFF Sustains Significant Growth

    The IFF division continued to achieve significant growth in 2017 1H, fuelled by the substantial contribution by APEX in the US. As a result of the alliance shuffle, carrier consolidation and reduction in capacity, freight rates increased in 2017 1H, causing the profit margin of the IFF business to narrow, despite an increase in volume. In Europe, the acquisition of Tuvia Italia S.p.A and the launch of the new sales office in Poland further strengthened the Group’s global IFF sales and operations network.

     

    Asset Portfolio Expansion

    All projects in the pipeline progressed as planned. In Thailand, phase four expansion of Kerry Siam Seaport is expected to complete in 2018. Construction of three logistics facilities in Shanghai and Wuxi, Mainland China, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia were completed in 2017 1H. Inland ports in Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar, together with three other facilities in Changsha and Wuhan, Mainland China, and Guanyin, Taiwan are under construction.

    Asset Optimisation

    In March 2017, the Group entered into a share purchase agreement to divest its entire 15% interest in Asia Airfreight Terminal Company Limited to Holistic Capital Investment Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong Airlines Limited.  The completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions precedent which, the Directors believe, will be satisfied in 2017 Q3. Going forward, the Group will continue to consider divesting non-core assets and businesses.

    George Yeo, Chairman of Kerry Logistics, concluded, “The Group continues to see China’s Belt and Road initiative as a major opportunity to expand our network and to drive growth in long-term profitability across Asia. The new acquisitions made in 2017 1H added important components to our strategic plan to become the pre-eminent logistics service provider for the new overland and maritime Silk Roads. We are increasing our capabilities in e-commerce and cross-border logistics in Asia.  In 2017 Q2, we formed a joint venture with a local express operator in Indonesia to tap into the booming market there.  Singapore will be our next target for expansion.  With Q2 performance much better than Q1, we expect the momentum of recovery for the rest of 2017 to be positive.”

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