Retail News CRM

Tag: Logistics

  • Gold Star Line Enhances Asia Chennai Service

    Gold Star Line Enhances Asia Chennai Service

    Gold Star Line has upgraded its Asia Chennai Service connecting East Asia with the East Coast of India.

    According to the company, the enhanced ACS will be operated in conjunction with Hyundai Merchant Marine and will begin on January 21, 2017.

    The port rotation will be: Busan – Shanghai – Hong Kong – Yantian – Singapore – Port Kelang – Chennai – Kattupalli – Port Kelang – Singapore – Manila – Busan.

    The service will offer a mid-week window for Central China and a weekend window for South Korea, according to Gold Star Line.

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  • Keppel Logistics aims to stay relevant with e-commerce

    Keppel Logistics aims to stay relevant with e-commerce

    Staying relevant in a fast-changing sector is a key strategy for Keppel Logistics, said chief executive Desmond Gay.

    This is why the company – a wholly-owned unit of Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation – embarked on a $4.6 million acquisition of a majority stake in e-commerce logistics company Courex in October.

    Mr Gay told us recently: “We are constantly striving to innovate and evolve, and the Courex acquisition has allowed us to structure ourselves in a way that we become more relevant to the market and the new economy. It is just the first step of things to come.”

    Courex is a third-party logistics service provider that supports the needs of retailers, from last-mile delivery to international shipping and warehousing. It counts Singapore Airlines and Hachi.Tech among its clients.

    Keppel Logistics holds a 59.6 per cent stake in Courex, while the remaining 40.4 per cent is held by founder Joe Chua, who continues to lead the company.

    Mr Gay noted that the acquisition came as a “natural progression” for Keppel Logistics, as it moved to expand from its traditional B2B (business to business) business into the B2C (business to consumer) space, or the e-commerce market.

    “As companies, including our customers, begin to re-look and evolve their supply chains against the backdrop of an e-commerce dominated landscape, we likewise have to adapt and grow new muscle, and develop new capabilities and competencies,” he said, noting that doing so will ensure the company remains competitive.

    Incorporating Courex’s capabilities into Keppel Logistics’ business also allows the firm to better cater to its customers, he said. This is key as more brick-and-mortar retailers turn to online platforms to complement their sales channels.

    The growth prospects for e-commerce in South-east Asia are significant, Mr Gay noted.

    He cited a recent study by Google and Temasek Holdings, which says e-commerce in the region is expected to soar from US$5.5 billion (S$7.8 billion) last year to about US$88 billion over the next decade, and possibly up to US$128 billion even. Singapore’s e-commerce market is forecast to grow from US$1 billion to US$5.4 billion over the same period.

    “Being in the middle of a region like South-east Asia, with more than 600 million people – there we have a huge market opportunity,” said Mr Gay. “With the acquisition, we’re only just starting, and we’re ready to have a bite of the e-commerce pie.”

    Mr Gay expects Keppel Logistics, which has a presence in Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, to grow its e-commerce logistics business by at least 15 per cent in annual revenue over the next few years.

    He singled out Indonesia and Vietnam as “bright spots”, noting that Indonesia, in particular, is expected to make up over half the South-east Asian e-commerce market by 2025. The firm will explore opportunities to enter new markets such as Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar.

    Amid a hyper-competitive market – reports last month said the US-based Amazon is set to enter South-east Asia next year – Mr Gay is positive Keppel Logistics will be able to maintain its edge.

    “A market that is US$88 billion and possibly US$128 billion is big enough, I think, for the various players,” Mr Gay, said.

    “If you look at South-east Asia, it’s still very fragmented. This means you have specialists that provide only last-mile services, for example, or parts of the supply chain, but not quite the entire supply chain.”

    He added: “Our synergies with Courex will also help us move towards being an omni-channel logistics service provider, while retaining our core strengths in providing best-in-class third-party logistics solutions.”

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  • WCA launches e-commerce logistics network

    WCA launches e-commerce logistics network

    WCA Ltd has launched the world’s first dedicated eCommerce logistics network in response to the changing global economy and a marked shift towards online consumerism. The network is open to all players in the cross-border eCommerce supply chain, according to WCA.

    “By 2020 it is projected that freight forwarding will be 20 per cent eCommerce driven,” said David Yokeum, founder and chairman of WCA. “Our decision to become involved in eCommerce is a direct result of these projections. Our utmost concern is that network members are supported, and provided with the tools and opportunities necessary for them to become leaders in eCommerce logistics.”

    Launched in mid-October, the network has already seen over 100 logistics companies apply for membership and has attracted the interest of a wide range of companies within the supply chain. “The response has been phenomenal,” said Dan March, WCA chief executive officer. “We have been approached by a number of the world’s largest internet retailers and online marketplaces, all wishing to employ the network to meet their ambitious international expansion plans for B2B, B2C, and C2C business.”

    The WCA eCommerce network is open to all independent freight forwarders regardless of their knowledge or experience in the sector. Companies first join at the eMember level where valuable resources – such as webinars, training sessions and expert consulting – can be utilised to help them become proficient in eCommerce logistics. Once accomplished, eMembers may apply for certified eVendor status, allowing them to trade directly and build volumes and business with fellow eCommerce partners and eTailers.

    “To become a certified eVendor a member must undergo a comprehensive eCommerce capabilities audit,” said Alex Allen, WCA eCommerce’s managing director. “As an eVendor, the company is free to offer logistics services back to the network. The beauty for eVendors is that they are also fully covered by WCA’s industry-leading financial protection programme.”

    WCA eCommerce is the world’s only neutral platform; promoting product development, new partnerships, and business growth in the eCommerce sector. In 2017 WCA eCommerce plans to launch a range of additional benefits, including comprehensive eCommerce shipment insurance, a range of innovative eCommerce-specific IT solutions, preferred rates on global and domestic last-mile and courier deliveries, and regional eCommerce consolidation programmes.

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  • Amazon Go aims to change retail by eliminating check-out lines

    Amazon Go aims to change retail by eliminating check-out lines

    Amazon.com is using machine learning to try to change the shopping experience and the retail industry in general. Amazon employees are testing a new brick-and-mortar store, called Amazon Go, in Seattle that lets customers using an app bypass the checkout line.

    Using a combination of machine learning, computer vision, sensors and deep learning, the smart store is designed to keep track of what users take off and return to shelves so it can track their purchases in a virtual cart. When they’re done, customers can just leave the store with their purchases; Amazon will charge their account and send them a receipt.

    “We created the world’s most advanced shopping technology so you never have to wait in line,” the company said on its site. “With our Just Walk Out Shopping experience, simply use the Amazon Go app to enter the store, take the products you want, and go! No lines, no checkout. (No, seriously.)”

    The 1,800-square-foot store, located at 2131 7th Ave. in Seattle, is in beta testing now so only Amazon employees are able to use it. The company expects it to be open to the general public in early 2017.

    The store sells pre-made meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks made by on-site chefs and local bakeries. It also stocks milk and bread, along with meal kits, local chocolates and artisan cheese.

    Customers only need an Amazon account, a smartphone and the Amazon Go app.

    “Four years ago we asked ourselves: what if we could create a shopping experience with no lines and no checkout?,” Amazon said in its statement. “Could we push the boundaries of computer vision and machine learning to create a store where customers could simply take what they want and go? Our answer to those questions is Amazon Go and Just Walk Out Shopping.”

    Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, said he’s intrigued by the concept and a bit surprised that a major retail brand already ensconced in brick-and-mortar stores didn’t come up with it first.

    “Automatic checkout is absolutely a characteristic of the store of the future,” said Moorhead. “But I can see Amazon doing this to drive even more growth by going brick-and-mortar. The only way to be successful in brick-and-mortar is to change the game, and in this case, changing the game with checkout.”

    He also noted that this is a good use of smart technology.

    “This is the ultimate way to use this technology in retail,” said Moorhead. “The challenge with all technology like this is accuracy. What if the system charges you for something you didn’t take? That could be the big challenge to the system.”

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  • Boeing has announced the end of its programme to turn Boeing 747-400 into cargo planes

    Boeing has announced the end of its programme to turn Boeing 747-400 into cargo planes

    Boeing has announced the end of its programme to turn Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft into cargo planes. In October, the plane manufacturer formally announced that management had decided to cancel the programme.

    To some industry executives, Boeing’s decision merely seals the inevitable. One executive from a freighter conversion specialist likened the 747 conversion scene to a graveyard.

     

    Faced with relentless downward pressure on yields owing to abundant capacity chasing too little cargo in nearly every market around the globe, airlines have been pushed to shrink their all-cargo capacity. Recent years have seen a steady exodus not only of 747-400BCFs but also newer 747-400 production freighters. Cathay Pacific retired its last two 747-400Fs this summer, leaving it with a freighter fleet composed entirely of 747-8 and 747-400ER freighters, plus a lone 747-400BCF.

    Low oil prices may have alleviated the pain of operating older 747 freighters and rendered them more attractive versus the high acquisition cost of 747-8Fs, but the need to maximize load factors through capacity reduction has hastened their exit.

    As converted – as well as production – 747-400 freighters are headed for the shadows, a large question mark looms over their successor, the 747-8. The passenger version of the type never gained much traction, and the freighter programme has been struggling. In April, Boeing announced that with effect from September it would throttle down production of the aircraft from 12 a year to just six – a single freighter every two months.

    In 2013, Boeing was still producing two 747-8Fs a month, but sluggish demand forced it to slow down its output. In the summer the manufacturer went one step further, signalling the possible end of the 747-8 altogether. In its filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission towards the end of that month Boeing stated that without sufficient new orders and/or an inability to mitigate market, production or other risks, “it is reasonably possible that we could decide to end production of the 747.”

    The demise of the 747-8 would mark the end of an era that began in 1969, when the first 747-100 entered the market. It would leave a gap in the market, with no aircraft other than the Antonov 124 in a similar bracket in terms of payload capability. The next largest freighter in commercial service is the 777-200F, which can carry 105 tons, significantly less than the 140 tons that the 747-8 can lift.

    Arguably a bigger loss would be the disappearance of large freighters with nose-loading capabilities, but most operators have shrugged off that issue, pointing to the presence of 747-8 freighters for decades to come.

    In late October, UPS placed an order for 14 747-8 freighters, plus 14 options. This prompted speculation in some quarters about a longer run for the type. However, with only 109 747-8 passenger and freighter aircraft delivered to date, an order for 14, or even 28, planes still appears a long shot to justify an extended production run.

    Many Asian carriers like EVA Air or China Southern, which used to operate 747-400 cargo aircraft, have decided to renew their freighter fleets with 777Fs instead and are phasing out their 747 contingents both in the passenger and cargo sectors. Of the large all-cargo airlines that are using 747-8Fs, Cargolux recently announced a major review of its business, indicating that without significant change it may not survive as a cargo carrier, which hardly indicates an appetite for more large freighters with price tags north of the US$300 million mark. Nippon Cargo Airlines is not showing appetite for growth, and AirBridge should have more than enough 747-8s to find markets for.

    In its 20-year market forecast released at the Air Cargo Forum in Paris in October, Boeing predicted stronger growth in the narrowbody freighter segment, driven by e-commerce. “The growth of the standard-body share of the fleet will result in a decline in the large- and medium-widebody shares of the total fleet over the forecast period, from 31% and 33% to 28% and 31%, respectively,” it declared.

     

    Rival Airbus, which has no freighter larger than the A330-200F in the market, is even less sanguine on the outlook for large freighters. Its recently published long-term industry forecast projections that bellyhold capacity will boost its share of the global freight market from 52% in 2015 to 62% by 2035.

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  • New technologies to enable greater supply chain efficiencies in Singapore

    New technologies to enable greater supply chain efficiencies in Singapore

     

    Singapore is set to enjoy greater supply chain efficiencies in near future, thanks to the Urban Logistics technology roadmap for 2020 that was unveiled by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on 28 November 2016.

    The roadmap includes the testing and implementation of new technologies in 12 additional retail malls in Singapore next year.

    The Urban Logistics programme is dedicated to analysing challenges in the logistics sector, identify technologies that can significantly improve Singapore’s supply chain processes, and improve efficiencies.

    2020’s gameplan will address different stages of the urban logistics process, outlining requirements that ensure the Urban Logistics solutions, systems and processes are interoperable, and remain open for interested industry players to adopt and/or adapt.

    This will also help optimise resources, as well as improve turnaround times and process efficiencies.

    Dynamic scheduling

    IMDA’s technology roadmap also includes steps that enable dynamic scheduling to accommodate early or late arrivals as well as complex algorithms to manage increasingly larger volumes of deliveries.

    A unique In-Mall Distribution model of delivery management establishes an in-mall operator to receive goods at the mall unloading bay. This model is designed to improve current delivery/acceptance processes and reduce congestion of delivery vehicles leading to the unloading bay.

    Moreover, this model also enables Singapore’s malls to have extended hours of delivery/acceptance operations, and foster greater automation, professionalism and security of such services.

    “Since the implementation of the In-Mall Distribution solution at Tampines Mall and Bedok Mall in June and September respectively, we have noticed an easing of road congestion around our malls as the queuing time for delivery trucks reduces,” said Teresa Teow, head of Retail Management, Singapore, CapitaLand Mall Asia. “This has resulted in greater efficiency for the different parties along the delivery chain and a better experience for all visitors who drive to our malls, including shoppers.”

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  • DHL Express launches On Demand Delivery

    DHL Express launches On Demand Delivery

    DHL Express has launched a new “On Demand Delivery”, which it says has been developed in response to significant growth in premium cross-border e-commerce volumes.

    With On Demand Delivery, shippers can choose to activate specific delivery options and have DHL Express notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipment’s progress. The customers can then select the delivery option that best suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website.

    DHL said that the service is “specifically tailored” to the demands of international e-commerce deliveries, where the majority of shipments are addressed to residential addresses and customers crave flexibility and convenience.

    “We have seen the share of e-commerce deliveries grow from about 10% in 2013 to more than 20% of the international volumes of DHL Express in 2016,” said John Pearson, CEO Europe and Global Head of Commercial, DHL Express Europe.

    “This has primarily been driven by the strong demand for high-value and premium goods in the global marketplace, as well as the emergence of start-up retailers who are expanding opportunistically to new overseas markets and therefore require a worldwide door-to-door delivery service. In response to the dynamic growth and to ensure that our services continue to exceed customer expectations, we have launched On Demand Delivery.”

    Charlie Dobbie, Executive Vice President, Network Operations, Aviation and IT, DHL Express, said: “On Demand Delivery isn’t just a new customer interface – it also represents an enhancement of our worldwide network, as we have tailored our last-mile operations to meet the specific demands of cross-border e-commerce deliveries.

    “Thanks to On Demand Delivery, we can support the service offering of online shippers and improve the delivery experience for their customers, while improving our own efficiency, particularly for last-mile deliveries.”

    The  On Demand Delivery site can be accessed from smartphones, tablets and PCs, and offers receivers up to six delivery options. Shippers can incorporate their own branding into customer notifications.

    Receivers can schedule a delivery, arrange delivery to a nearby DHL Service Point or their own alternate address, and request that a shipment is put on hold during a vacation.

    DHL Express plans to roll out the On Demand Delivery to more than 100 countries through 2016 and 2017.

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  • Asia’s Largest Logistics and Maritime Conference Opens

    Asia’s Largest Logistics and Maritime Conference Opens

    The sixth Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC) today (22 November) launched its two-day run at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 70 leaders from the logistics and maritime industries are speaking at the conference. Today’s activities included the plenary session “China’s Grand Initiatives: Where are the Opportunities?” The ALMC is the largest event of its kind in Asia, welcoming industry elites from some 30 countries and regions. The conference is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Carrie Lam, Acting Chief Executive of the HKSAR, said, “Strategically located at the heart of Asia, Hong Kong has long been the gateway to southern China, and the bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world. Our infrastructure is world-class, rated first in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. Our robust economy, trade freedom, regulatory efficiency, and excellent logistics services have made Hong Kong one of the world’s busiest logistics hubs.”

    In her welcoming remarks, Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “The ALMC aims to help the industry navigate choppy economic waters and chart a course towards new business opportunities. The three main themes of ALMC 2016 are the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s 13th Five-Year Plan and cross-border e-commerce. In each case, the logistics and maritime industries are front and centre. In just a few short years, the Belt and Road Initiative has moved from the drawing board into reality, with new ports, roads and railways linking markets along the Belt and Road routes from Asia to Europe via the Middle East and North Africa. In addition to infrastructure, world-class shipping and logistics services and know-how are required to fully realise the potential of the Initiative.”

    China’s grand initiatives

    A highlight of this year’s ALMC was this morning’s plenary session “China’s Grand Initiatives: Where are the Opportunities?” Three high-profile speakers examined key strategies of the Chinese mainland – the Belt and Road Initiative, “Internet Plus” and “Made in China 2025”. The three speakers were HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DP World; Zhao Huxiang, Vice Chairman, China Merchants Group; and Joseph Phi, President, LF Logistics.

    Addressing various topics, seven forums were also held today focusing on the Supply-chain Management, Logistics, Air Freight and Shipping sectors. As well as helping the logistics industry analyse the latest market trends, the forums also shed light on how the manufacturing and trading industries can capitalise on the latest logistics solutions to grow their business, lower costs and increase competitiveness.

    The first Supply-chain Management & Logistics Forum “Relocating Your Manufacturing Base – the Pros and Cons”, heard from speakers about the risks and opportunities from a supply-chain management perspective. Speakers included Dr Qu Jian, Vice President, China Development Institute; Dr John Cheh, Vice Chairman and CEO, Esquel Group; Takeshi Kondo, General Director, Yusen Logistics (Vietnam) Co, Ltd; and Tommy Lui, Director & Group Chief Representative – Southern China, Li & Fung Development (China) Ltd.

    Other forums today included “Changing Landscape of Asian Air Cargo”, “Expert Panel: What’s on the Horizon for Liner Shipping?”, “Staying Ahead in Temperature-controlled Cargo Handling”, “Expert Panel: Tanker and Gas Trade Outlook”, “Sustainability – Greening the Supply Chain” and “Expert Panel: Dry Bulk Market Outlook”.

    Cross-border E-commerce

    Tomorrow’s plenary session will be on the topic of “Cross-border E-commerce: Who Will Rule the Game?” The HKTDC has invited Dr Guo Dongbai, CTO, AliExpress; Zheng Changqing, Senior Director, eBay Inc; Andrey Zatsepin, Head of International Logistics, Ozon.ru; and Haruko Takachi, CEO, Japan Post International Logistics Co, Ltd. to discuss the latest developments in cross-border e-commerce.

    The rapid development of digital technology is disrupting the retail industry, prompting the HKTDC to enrich this year’s ALMC programme for supply chain management and logistics. Tomorrow’s forums include “Omni-channel Strategy: Navigating the Future of Retail”, which will showcase outstanding examples of multi-channel retailing and examine online-to-offline (O2O) integration and ways to improve the customer experience. Expert speakers include Pieter Paul Wittgen, Co-Founder and COO, Grana.com; Filippo Gori, Business Development Director, International Brands, Vip.com; and Malcolm Monteiro, CEO, Asia-Pacific, DHL eCommerce. The trio will discuss the impact of omni-channel retailing on supply chain management and logistics.

    Other forums tomorrow include “New Opportunities for Modern Logistics Industry in the PRD Region and Zhuhai from the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge”, “Big Data, the Cloud and Your Business”, “Dalian Development Area – Core of Liaoning FTA, uprising International Financing, Logistics and Shipping Centre of Northeast Asia” and “Linking North America and Asia: Transpacific Trade back on Track”.

    Exhibition and business matching sessions

    To help industry professionals gather the latest market intelligence and services, and promote Hong Kong’s advantages in logistics, the HKTDC is once again organising an exhibition alongside the conference. Nearly 100 exhibitors are showcasing their e-logistics solutions and logistics, maritime and related services. The HKTDC is also arranging more than 150 one-on-one business matching sessions to help participants foster new business partnerships.

    This year’s ALMC is supported by the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council (LOGSCOUNCIL) and the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board. It is also a flagship event of the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Week.

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  • Bolloré Logistics USA Has Opened a New Office in Charleston

    Bolloré Logistics USA Has Opened a New Office in Charleston

    The US Southeast continues to expand in both population and manufacturing infrastructure, and the Port of Charleston serves as the international ocean gateway to support this region.

    Planned port expansions and deepening projects are poised to push the Port of Charleston into the top three USA container volume ports (along with New York and L.A.) by 2020.

    Bolloré Logistics Charleston will focus on the heavy east/west ocean traffic flows with North Europe as well as China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The new office will focus on a number of industries in the Carolina’s, including Aerospace, Automotive, Manufacturing, and Retail to name a few.

    Mr. Tyler Smith, in addition to being the Branch Manager, is a Licensed Customs Broker. Bolloré Logistics USA now has an active corporate license with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the 16th Customs District covering all Customs ports in the State of South Carolina.

    Ms. Candice Kurent will be responsible for the sales development.

    “Opening our newest office in Charleston demonstrates our commitment to grow in the United States and a specific focus on the dynamic and growing economy in the Southeast,” mentions Mr. Seth Brown, Regional Manager for the Southeast. “With our new office, we show our commitment to being close to our customers, unlike many of our competitors who are choosing to centralize or off-shore their operations. We are already a Top10 logistics and transportation player globally and our aim is further profitable growth in the coming years,” he adds.

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  • Amazon Prime is launching in China

    Amazon Prime is launching in China

    Amazon announced it’s bringing a version of its Prime membership program to customers in China, which will include free, cross-border shipping from the Amazon Global Store as well as no minimum free domestic shipping, the company says. The service, which will compete with local rivals like Alibaba and JD.com, will cost 388 yuan ($57.23) per year after the first year, a discounted rate.

    Unlike the U.S. version of Prime, there aren’t a host of perks for Chinese customers outside of the shipping deals – instead, the main focus here is on increasing Amazon’s footprint in China by making it more affordable to buy foreign products from its site.

    Amazon today doesn’t have a significant footprint in China – less than 1.5 percent of the market, according to iResearch. It even launched a store on Alibaba’s Tmall site last year in order to reach Chinese consumers.

    Cross-border e-commerce is a growing trend in China, thanks to rising incomes and increased demand for foreign products. According to a McKinsey study from earlier this year, cross-border consumer e-commerce amounted to an estimated $40 billion (U.S.) in 2015, more than 6 percent of China’s total consumer e-commerce. The report also said it’s growing upwards of 50 percent annually.

    Chinese Prime members will be able to shop over 4 million international products from the Amazon Global Store – a storefront the company launched in November 2014 to cater to an international audience. The localized store’s millions of products are organized across 30 product categories, including those that appeal to Chinese consumers like apparel, shoes, baby, toys, home, kitchen and beauty.

    These international orders are delivered by Amazon fulfillment centers in the U.S. through its global logistics capabilities, says Amazon, and Prime members will receive those packages in an estimated 5-9 days in 82 cities.

    screen-shot-2016-10-28-at-9-58-38-am

    In some cases, orders may take longer. Single orders of over ¥2,000 or total orders for a citizen in a year totaling more than ¥20,000 will be routed through a customs channel which requires additional processing time, the retailer notes.

    Meanwhile, Amazon Prime members can also take unlimited free shipping with no minimum purchase on more than 9 million domestic products.

    “Launching a unique program designed for our Chinese customers shows our obsession with Chinese customer needs, and demonstrates our long-term commitment to growing our business in China,” said Russ Grandinetti, Senior Vice President of Amazon, in a statement about the launch. “We will continue to innovate for customers in China to deliver more value over time.”

    To kick off the launch, Amazon is discounting the Prime membership to encourage signups. Instead of ¥388, it will be ¥188 for the entire first year. A free, 30-day trial is also available from z.cn/prime.

    The launch coincides with Amazon’s third Global Shopping Festival, which runs until December 2, 2016, and will include deals on over 70,000 international brands as well as Black Friday deals on the Amazon Global Store.

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  • Walmart Invests $50M In JD.Com’s O2O Logistics Services App New Dada

    Walmart Invests $50M In JD.Com’s O2O Logistics Services App New Dada

    Walmart has made a US$50 million strategic investment in New Dada, formerly known as Dada and controlled by JD.com Inc., in another step deepening an existing partnership between the global retail giant and China’s second largest e-commerce firm.

    New Dada was created in April from a merger between JD.com’s O2O (online-to-offline) unit and Dada Nexus Ltd., a venture-backed Uber-like mobile app that focuses on providing last mile logistics services.

    “Our alliance with JD and cooperation with New Dada will enable seamless shopping to millions of customers across China,” says Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon.

    The O2O logistics services provider New Dada currently has more than 25 million registered users, and provides local on-demand delivery capabilities with 2.5 million crowd-sourced deliverers across more than 300 cities in China.

    New Dada currently offers customers two-hour delivery on groceries ordered from Walmart stores to customers within a 3-kilometer radius of more than 20 Walmart stores in China. The number of Walmart stores offering two-hour delivery is expected to double by the end of the year.

    Officially launched in 2014, Dada operates through Imdada.cn and last completed a US$300 million series D round of financing from DST Global, Sequoia Capital and others in January.

    It previously raised three rounds of venture funding from DST Global, Sequoia Capital, Greenwoods Investment Management and other undisclosed investors.

    In April, JD.com paid US$200 million in cash and injected JD Daojia assets into Dada in exchange for a 47.4% stake in the newly merged Dada.

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  • Halal certification for DB Schenker’s Kuala Lumpur Logistics Centre

    Halal certification for DB Schenker’s Kuala Lumpur Logistics Centre

    Schenker Logistics (Malaysia) announced that the Kuala Lumpur Logistics Centre 9 (KLC9) warehouse located in Shah Alam is officially accredited for their halal logistics operations under the international halal standard for logistics IHIAS 0100:2010. The accreditation covers both storage and transportation.

    The certificate was presented by IHI Alliance executive director Hj Rafek Saleh to Schenker Malaysia Logistics director Claus Kuhnert in Shah Alam.

    According to Kuhnert, this recognition is timely as halal supply chain management is an emerging requirement for FMCG brands. It is a new milestone for DB Schenker to be the first accredited multinational third party logistics service provider to receive this international halal logistics recognition.

    “Schenker Malaysia understands the importance of a halal value chain, and an unbroken halal supply chain for big brand owners serving Muslim markets in Southeast Asia. We feel that this need is not well served by the logistics industry and we at Schenker Malaysia see this as an opportunity to become one of the first fully certified international logistics service provider in Asia. We are gearing towards full compliance to serve the halal industry as the innovative integrated logistics service provider of choice,” he added.

    DB Schenker expects the halal logistics solutions offered by the company will allow their clients to achieve a total halal supply chains for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies, and strengthening its position in the FMCG business.

    The accreditation will also enable DB Schenker to actively participate as the MNC logistics player in strengthening Malaysia’s position as a global halal hub.

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  • Arvato opens bonded warehouse in China

    Arvato opens bonded warehouse in China

    Arvato SCM Solutions is expanding its presence in China with a new bonded warehouse that will serve clients in the high-tech and entertainment and consumer products industries. The new 2,000 m² facility is located in the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone.

    “The launch of our third distribution center in China is necessary as we meet an increasing demand for logistics services in the region,” said Raoul Kuetemeier, Head of Arvato SCM Solutions Asia.

    The Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone is unique for its government incentives and preferential tax policies; a strategic location for the distribution of goods into mainland China and trade between Asia and rest of the world. “This new bonded warehouse enhances our logistics network in the Chinese market and underscores our commitment to provide the most flexible and competitive supply chain solutions for our clients.” said Kuetemeier. Arvato is already represented by five distribution centers across Asia.

    Arvato will provide end-to-end logistics services in the new multi-user facility. This includes the processing of imports and exports as well as warehousing, multi-channel distribution, returns management, and other value-added services. The access-controlled location is also equipped with a monitoring system and has more than five loading bays. In the licensed bonded warehouse, goods can be stored duty-free indefinitely.

    The new logistics center in Shanghai’s Pudong district offers outstanding structural conditions for efficient distribution. It is within close proximity to the Waigaoqiao harbor and Yangshan deep-water port. The airport, central highways and container freight station within Shanghai are also easily accessible.

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  • Germany To Help Iran’s Port Infrastructure

    Germany To Help Iran’s Port Infrastructure

    Germany, which has been aggressively pushing for closer economic ties with Iran following the lifting of international sanctions against the latter, wants to play a pivotal role in the modernizing and upgrading of Iran’s dilapidated infrastructure and transport system. Germany signed six memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting transport cooperation following a late October meeting between Abbas Akhoundi, Iran’s minister of roads and urban development, and Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s minister of transport and digital infrastructure, who led a delegation of major German shipping, port and marine companies.

    Iranian and German sources said that a German company is participating in a tender for completing two terminals at Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran, which was recently in the news because India is keen to develop it for strategic and trade reasons. German multinational Siemens is holding talks with Iran for developing suburb transport in Tehran and Tabriz, as well as the rail lines between Tehran and Tabriz.

    The lifting of sanctions against Iran has led German business executives and the shipping industry to tap what they describe as “huge business potential.” Hamburg Port, for example, has been trying to identify areas and ways to establish and upgrade ties with that country’s port facilities.

    Since the imposition of sanctions, Iran has struggled to have a normal trading relationship with the outside world. While the German industry has been euphoric – and this applies particularly to Hamburg, whose port prides itself as the “gateway to Asia” – the realities are different; indeed, access to Iran’s lucrative market is not an easy undertaking.

    Strategically located at the crossroads between the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia, with ports in the Caspian Sea and the Gulf region, Iran is interesting for shipping lines. Iran also offers opportunities for foreign investment in important sectors such as oil and gas, electricity production, air, sea and road infrastructure, telecommunications, etc.

    Described as part of the “Axis of Evil” in 2002, Iran’s breakthrough came on January 16, 2016, when the first of the multiple layers of trade sanctions were removed, breaking the shackles that badly inhibited that country’s shipping and trade, and giving it access to huge sums of money that had been frozen under the sanctions regime.

    However, experts at a special event in Hamburg a few months back told shippers and others that only part of the sanctions had been lifted on January 16. While the ban on imports of Iranian oil and gas products, and against the country’s ship-building and shipping sectors, had been lifted along with restrictions on bank remittances, the situation remains complex in the sector of so-called “dual use” goods, which can be used both for civilian and military purposes.

    One of the first to take advantage of the lifting of sanctions was European aerospace company Airbus, which has bagged aircraft orders from Iran Air to replace its outdated A340 aircraft. The city of Hamburg, experts say, could flank trade with Iran by providing expertise in several areas, including modernization of Iran’s fleet of mercantile ships.

    US companies are not, yet, permitted to have dealings with Iran, although their associate companies in Europe can do so. However, weapons and certain police equipment are still prohibited. Also prohibited are deals with companies that are controlled by Iran’s revolutionary guards or those that have supported Iran’s atomic programme.

    Iran has been trying to recruit German companies to set up operations, particularly in the seven free trade zones in Iran for which the government has been dangling carrots in the form of incentives, including a 20-year tax holiday. Since Iran is keen to join the World Trade Organization, it has been trying to highlight the fact that many of its old agreements on trade and legal protection are in force. However, new companies to be established in Iran will be governed by certain religious laws and, as such, are required to have a Persian name or title, as Iranian legal experts have been saying during meetings with German companies. “Such a requirement can be a deterrent because many German companies are unsure what the implications would be on their business. I would suggest that companies do their homework before moving large-scale investments to Iran,” one German-Iranian told on the condition of anonymity.

    Meanwhile, Iran is in a rush to catch up with the rest of the world by modernizing its infrastructure and its economy.

    Hamburg and its port stand to benefit immensely from Iran’s opening. In 2014, German exports to Iran amounted to some €2.4 billion (approximately US$3.1 billion, in 2014 dollars), while imports from Iran were about €300 million, according to numbers from the German Statistics Bureau. Hamburg’s two-way trade with Iran amounted to roughly €214 million in the same year. International trade experts at Hamburg’s Chamber of Commerce are optimistic that German trade with Iran would double from its present level after all sanctions are lifted.

    Some 353 companies based in Hamburg already have business connections with Iran. Despite sanctions, some of these companies maintained business ties with Iran even during the embargo period. Hamburg, which is by far the world’s leading trading hub for Iranian products, including carpets, has the largest concentration – about 20,000 – of Iranian nationals or people of Iranian origin in Germany; the city hopes to resume its once flourishing trade and shipping through the Iranian diaspora.

    Another important German state interested in trade with Iran after the lifting of sanctions is Hesse, which recently sent a 40-member delegation led by Hesse minister for economics, energy and transport Tarek Al-Wazir to Iran. The trade volume between Hesse and Iran was around €212 million in 2015 (US$230 million), according to the state’s economics ministry.

    “The reputation of products and services offered by Hesse is traditionally good in Iran,” Al-Wazir said. There is huge potential in the expansion of the processing industry, the transport infrastructure and in urban development.

    During German minister for economic affairs and energy Sigmar Gabriel’s visit to Iran in early October, Gabriel’s second visit to Iran within 14 months, Iran’s oil minister had said that German banks were becoming a hindrance. “We have billions (of dollars) with which we could do good business with the Germans,” Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, the oil minister, was quoted as saying after his meeting with Gabriel in Tehran.

    The money cannot be transferred due to problems with the banks. Iran’s minister told journalists that that “is bad for us, but also bad for the Germans.”

    Germans say that although the sanctions against Iran were lifted in January, trade has not made much headway. A precluding factor is that part of the punitive measures – the so-called secondary sanctions – imposed by the United States are still in force. German and European banks are, consequently, dissuaded from financing Iran deals. In 2015, for example, Germany’s Commerzbank paid a hefty US$1.45 billion fine to US authorities because of violating American sanctions in deals with Iran. France’s large bank BNP Paris also had to pay a billion-dollar penalty.

    Iran’s economy has not done badly, with the International Monetary Fund forecasting an average growth rate of 4% for the next five years. Official Iranian projections suggest a GDP growth rate of 5% for 2016.

    Iran’s neighbour Turkey is also eyeing the opportunities unfolding in Iran; Turkey offers itself as an ideal transit point for German and other western companies wanting to enter Iran. Turkey trumpets its “manifold advantages,” particularly, for SMEs which can enjoy customs duty benefits. Turkish experts, who say that all the machinery and production tools in Iran are outdated, believe that German companies, with their past trade relationship with Iran, can look forward to a welcoming market with huge investment needs.

    Some German companies are looking at using Turkey to tap Iran’s huge business potential. Since 2014, Turkey has a preferential trade agreement with Iran. This agreement eliminates many customs duties. German companies can save customs duty twice because Turkey, a member of the European Customs Union, exempts German products from customs duty on exports to Turkey. All products shipped from Turkey to Iran are treated as Turkish products and thus spared the customs duties.

  • Matheson Flight Extenders has signed an agreement with Cathay Pacific

    Matheson Flight Extenders has signed an agreement with Cathay Pacific

    Matheson Flight Extenders, Inc. has signed an agreement with Cathay Pacific to act as a freight consolidation agent to provide export and import services at Portland International Airport.

    Matheson Flight Extenders, Inc., a subsidiary of Matheson Trucking Inc., recently added eight employees to support Cathay’s new twice-weekly Boeing 747-8F flight to Hong Kong via Anchorage which was launched on November 3.

    “This is an exciting opportunity for Matheson to once again expand into the international freight arena,” said Charles Mellor, chief operating officer for Matheson. “We handled similar services for Asiana Airlines and are proud to be a key facilitator in the partnership between the Port of Portland and Cathay Pacific. Providing consolidation for import/export goods benefits the economy of Portland and businesses in the region.”

    According to Mellor, Cathay first contacted Matheson about providing consolidation services at Portland.

    “We quickly presented a bid and began negotiations,” he said. “The referral was a result of our previous partnership with Asiana. We have the ramp space to park a 747 close to our hangar, making it more convenient to load and unload the aircraft.”

    Cathay expects the flight to carry 40 to 60 tonnes of cargo from Portland every month, including semi-finished footwear and apparel, electronics and perishables such as blueberries, cherries, Dungeness crabs and oysters.

    The Portland flight operates every Thursday and Saturday and is routed via Anchorage and Los Angeles from Hong Kong, and via Anchorage on the way back.

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