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New members are going on to join Freight Forwarders Family. Today it is our pleasure to share with you that MCOCEAN LOGISTICS LIMITED is our new beginner level member from SRI LANKA.

Let’s welcome our new member on board of the Freight Forwarders Family! Have a great cooperation together!

MCOCEAN LOGISTICS LIMITED_SRI LANKA
ADDRESS: No 284, Vauxhall Street, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka
CONTACTS: Basheer Bongso / General Manager & Minnaz Riyal / Head of Logistics & NVOCC
TEL: +94 114 708708
FAX: +94 114 621481     
WEB: www.mclarensgroup.lk

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Original news was published 02 March, 2018

Just a day prior to the beginning of Charleston Harbor Deepening Project construction, the South Carolina Ports Authority welcomed two new ship-to-shore cranes at the Wando Welch Terminal to further enhance the handling of neo-Panamax vessels.

“The cranes are an integral part of the port’s plans to modernize existing terminals in order to more efficiently handle big ships. Along with the Wando Terminal wharf strengthening project, bigger cranes enable the port to continue to meet the needs of our customers and deliver the operational reliability and productivity we are known for in the U.S. port industry,“ Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO, said.

Produced by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. (ZPMC) in China, the new cranes can lift containers 155 feet (47.2 meters) above the dock.

The Wando Welch Terminal received its first two neo-Panamax cranes in August 2016, and an additional crane is on order for delivery in August 2019.

The arrival of the cranes marks the final stage of a USD 48.4 million project to strengthen and upgrade the Wando Terminal wharf and infrastructure required for handling larger vessels. Upon commissioning of the new cranes in June, the Wando will return to a three-berth facility, the port said.

In addition to the new cranes, SCPA is raising four existing cranes from 115 feet lift height to 155 feet. By the fall of 2019, the Wando Terminal’s fleet of 13 cranes will include 9 that are neo-Panamax in size.

SCPA currently handles 20 of 27 weekly calls of vessels too large to transit the Panama Canal prior to its expansion. Beginning in April, at least two weekly services will consist of 13,000 TEU vessels, the port added.

Upon completion of harbor deepening project in 2020, Charleston will offer channels with a depth of 52 feet in the Inner Harbor and 54 feet in the Entrance Channel.

*NEWS SOURCE

Original news was published 02 March, 2018

Ethiopia has signed an agreement with Dubai-based port operator DP World and the Somaliland Port Authority to acquire a 19% stake in the Port of Berbera.

Following the deal, which was signed in Dubai on March 1, DP World will hold a 51% stake in the project, Somaliland 30% and Ethiopia the remaining 19%.

The government of Ethiopia will invest in infrastructure to develop the Berbera Corridor as a trade gateway for the inland country, and there are also plans to construct an additional berth at the Port of Berbera.

The berth would be built in line with the Berbera master plan, which DP World has already started implementing, while adding new equipment to further improve efficiencies and productivity. The first cranes are scheduled to arrive later this year.

“After a year of serious negotiations, Ethiopia has concluded an agreement with the Somaliland Ports Authority and DP World that will give the Government of Ethiopia 19% stake in the joint venture developing the Port of Berbera,” Ahmed Shide, Ethiopian Transport Minister, said.

The Minister explained that the agreement will help Ethiopia secure an additional logistical gateway for its import and export trade.

Ethiopia will continue to further invest in and develop the Djibouti corridor and further consolidate the use of existing ports in Djibouti. According to Shide, it will also look for other opportunities to develop additional ports and logistics corridors in the region.

“The ports of Berbera and Doraleh will provide significant capacity to the region. Both these ports and more capacity will be needed to serve the region’s growth potential in the future,” Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, said.

*NEWS SOURCE

Original news was published 28 February, 2018

Airfreight tonnages at Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports grew 4.8% and 2.1% respectively in December according to regional airport body ACI Asia-Pacific.

Growth continued to be driven by "buoyant demand on exports, improved business confidence and growing e-commerce activities" in the Asia-Pacific region.

The top airports for cargo throughput increases were: Hong Kong (HKG) up 6.2%, Shanghai Pudong (PVG) at 1.7% and Seoul Incheon (ICN) with a 6.3% rise. However Dubai (DXB) in the Middle East reported a "minor contraction" of 0.5%.

For the full year 2017, airfreight in Asia-Pacific and Middle East grew by 8.5% and and 6.0% respectively.

Added ACI Asia-Pacific: "Among the top ten freight hubs in Asia-Pacific and Middle East combined, eight recorded growth of 7% or above for the year. 

"With broad improvement in world trade conditions and improved business confidence, airfreight volume growth has been robust in 2017, though showing signs of moderation in the fourth quarter.

"Looking ahead, positive factors such as increasing cross-border e-commerce activities and the growing pharmaceuticals sector should provide optimism for airfreight going into the new year."

*NEWS SOURCE

New members are going on to join Freight Forwarders Family.

3F valued member WEPORT SA DE CV, Mexico referred one of its strong, active and well-known partners STRATEGIC PARTNER INTERNATONAL ASESORES SL, Spain.

Today it is our pleasure to share with you that STRATEGIC PARTNER INTERNATONAL ASESORES SL is our new beginner level member from SPAIN.

Let’s welcome our new member on board of the Freight Forwarders Family! Have a great cooperation together!
 
STRATEGIC PARTNER INTERNATONAL ASESORES SL_SPAIN
ADDRESS: Avda. de la Industria, 10 Parque Empresarial La Cantueña, Fuenlabrada, Madrid - 28947, Spain
CONTACTS: Miguel Angel Morales & Francisco Velasco
TEL: +34 91 279 0056
WEB: www.spiforwarding.com

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New members are going on to join Freight Forwarders Family. Today it is our pleasure to share with you that UAB "EASTING AIR & OCEAN" is our new beginner level member from LITHUANIA.

Let’s welcome our new member on board of the Freight Forwarders Family! Have a great cooperation together!
 
UAB "EASTING AIR & OCEAN"_LITHUANIA
ADDRESS: Kirtimu str. 41, LT-02244 Vilnius, Lithuania
CONTACT: Ignas Rauktys / Air & Ocean Operations
TEL: +37052596116
WEB: www.easting.lt

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Original news was published 23 February, 2018

In December 2017, Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo reached 6.2 million containers for the first time in the port’s history.

The port recorded a 16.4% year-over-year increase in its total container throughput as it handled 564,155 TEUs in January 2018, compared to 484,866 TEUs seen in the corresponding month a year earlier.

In addition, container volumes at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) controlled terminals rose by 24.8% to 194,688 TEUs in January 2018.

Transshipment operations at the Port of Colombo also showed a 20.4% YOY increase. Together with the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) and the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT), the Port of Colombo recorded 436,303 transshipment TEU operations in January this year, against 362,451 TEUs reported in the same month of 2017.

The number of containerships, conventional cargo vessels, other cargo vessels and ships for repairs and bunkering also increased to 388 vessels in January 2018 from 339 in the same period of 2017.

The port’s January figures show that a total of 332 contained vessels called at the Port of Colombo, against 304 boxships a year earlier.

SLPA has prepared a three-year development plan in an effort to further increase container volumes. These developments are aimed at making Colombo the maritime center in Asia, according to the port authority.

*NEWS SOURCE

Original news was published 22 February, 2018

THE second phase of Manila's International Container Terminal Services' (ICTSI) investment in its Iraqi Basra Gateway Terminal has increased its stake in the Port of Umm Qasr to US$250 million.

'We continue to receive strong and most encouraging assistance from the General Company for Ports in Iraq and other government bodies,' said ICTSI vice president Hans-Ole Madsen.

'We are confident that we can continue to build on this productive partnership to the benefit of port users and the country as a whole,' said Mr Madsen.

Global terminal operator ICTSI has confirmed that investment in new container terminal infrastructure is now underway at the terminal that opened last year.

Current investment will focus on building a new berth and supporting container yard area, as well as acquiring additional container handling equipment, reported Dubai's Maritime Standard.

The BGT expansion project, scheduled to be completed in phases by the third quarter of 2019, will deliver 400 metres of new quay with a draft of 14 metres alongside, as well a new 30-hectare yard and a 15-hectare secure parking area for trucks.

Three post-panamax ship-to-shore cranes will also be installed along the quay, and seven new RTGs will be brought in to undertake container stacking and handling in the yard.

The latest round of development also includes the acquisition of a cutter suction dredger with the twin objective of ensuring strict adherence to the construction schedule and maintaining the draft alongside the terminal's new and existing berths.

The design of the expanded facility will allow BGT to handle vessels up to 9,000 TEU. Upon completion of the second phase the terminal will have an annual handling capacity of more than 1 million TEU.

According to ICTSI, the second phase development was triggered by strong levels of demand at the terminal. The first phase of BGT was completed in early 2017 and included the construction of a 250-metre berth and a 15-hectare yard area on a greenfield site.

In addition ICTST started operations at Basra's Berth 21 in January this year. This includes a dedicated roll-on/roll-off facility to cater for growth in car traffic and wheeled cargo shipments into Iraq.

*NEWS SOURCE

Original news was published 20 February, 2018

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is planning further expansion this year, in terms of both network coverage and service support.

Established in 1992, Kiev Boryspil-hubbed UIA now provides connections to 38 countries across Europe, Asia, America, Africa and the Middle East.

This year, it intends to further expand its aircraft fleet in order to “optimally serve routes to the US, Canada, the Middle East and major Asian destinations”, a statement revealed.

The carrier also intends this year to implement state-of-the-art e-business and digitalisation strategies.

“Currently, we are significantly expanding our capacities: in 2018, we will add four new B777-200ER aircraft to our fleet, which will operate the route to Israel and replace the B767-300 on routes to the US, China, and Thailand,” explains UIA’s director cargo & mail Peter Kukharchuk.

“There will also be new, additional services to India, Egypt, and Canada. And the available space for cargo and mail on our PAX [passenger] services will increase by 39% compared to 2017.”

UIA Cargo has sought to carve a place in the market as a premium air cargo operator. “Looking back at 25 years of Ukraine International Airlines, I am particularly proud of our extraordinary quality standards and proven flexibility in adapting to new market requirements,” Kukharchuk continued.

And that quality of service is perhaps encouraging UIA to prepare for a digital future. The carrier said in a statement: “UIA’s agenda for the next few years not only comprises the ongoing synchronisation of business processes and partnerships within the airline’s extended supplier network, but also new e-commerce concepts to provide an easy and customer-friendly access to its entire range of logistics products.”

UIA’s first service was flown on November 25 1992 with a passenger flight that routed from Kiev to London.

Then, on November 13 1994, UIA also began offering cargo capacity on routes to London and Amsterdam.

Since then, UIA has significantly expanded its route network as well as its aircraft fleet. It currently operates approximately 1,100 international and domestic flights a week.

*NEWS SOURCE

Original news was published 19 February, 2018

The Fourth Container Terminal (FCT) of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust has been inaugurated in Mumbai following the completion of the first construction phase.

Shri Narenda Modi, India’s Prime Minister, inaugurated the terminal on February 18, 2018.

As informed, the addition of FCT will double the capacity of JNPort by 2022 when the port is expected to handle 10 million TEUs.

Described as India’s largest container terminal, FCT will add a capacity of 2.4 million TEUs per year in the first phase and 2.4 million TEUs in the second.

FCT has been developed on Design, Built, Fund, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a concession period of 30 years at an estimated cost of INR 79.15 billion (USD 1.23 billion). The foundation stone for the project was laid in October 2015.

Once completed, the terminal will be able to handle the biggest containerships utilizing a quay length of 1 km, and cranes that can reach 22 rows wide or greater. It will be able to handle three containerships simultaneously.

The terminal will be also linked to the rail freight corridor and will be able to receive about 350 containers per rake.

The construction of the terminal is part of the country’s Sagarmala program aimed at developing ports in India. Under Sagarmala, 101 projects have been planned in Maharashtra. Out of these, 5 projects have already been completed and 58 projects are under various stages of development.

On the occasion of the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister said globalization is a reality of our times and to keep pace with globalisation, top quality infrastructure is needed.

“Sagarmala project is ushering not only development of ports but also port-led development,” he stressed.

*NEWS SOURCE