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Freight rail reports, projects and other news from outside North America

7/11/2021

M&A:

On July 8, Dubai-based DP World announced a $890 million bid to acquire J Imperial Logistics, an integrated logistics and market access company with operations mainly across the African continent and in Europe. The acquisition would “enhance DP World’s capabilities, particularly in Africa, building on its extensive infrastructure of ports, terminals and economic zones” and “significantly accelerate DP World’s transformation into an advanced logistics company offering end to end supply chain services to the owners of cargo,” DP World officials said. Imperial is an integrated logistics and market access solutions provider with a presence across 25 countries, including a significant footprint in the high growth Africa market. … On July 1, DP World announced it had acquired Auburn Hills, Michigan-based syncreon NewCo B.V., a global logistics provider specializing in the design and operation of supply chains for the automotive and technology industries, for $1.2 billion. DP World officials said. … On July 8, Hapag-Lloyd closed the acquisition of Dutch container shipping company Nile Dutch Investments B.V. (NileDutch). The companies had signed a sales and purchase agreement in March. Headquartered in Rotterdam, NileDutch is present in 85 locations across the world and has 16 offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Singapore, China, Angola, Congo and Cameroon. “We are very excited about closing the deal and look forward to working with our new colleagues to unlock the enormous potential that Africa has to offer,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd. … Shipping and logistics company CMA CGM Group acquired Spanish rail operator Continental Rail, via CCIS, its global inland logistics arm, the company announced July 1. The transaction, which is expected to close early in the third quarter, is valued at EUR 25 million. … Infracapital, the infrastructure equity investment arm of U.K.-based M&G Plc, acquired BCTN, an inland container terminal operator in the Benelux, from Alinda Capital Partners LLC, Infracaptial announced on June 21. BCTN is the largest inland terminal operator in the Benelux. 

MoU: 

The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and the International Union of Railways (UIC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to “reinforce the longstanding collaboration between the two organizations,” the organizations announced July 8 during the UIC General Assembly in Paris. The identified areas for collaboration in the MoU include stakeholder engagement in safety and security-related topics, digitalization, sustainability and Eurasian corridor developments. Both organizations also are “committed to collaboration on the implementation of harmonized multimodal transport documentation,” such as the FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading, and the international legal framework to support it, officials said.

LoE

On July 9, officials from India and Nepal signed letters of exchange (LoE) to authorize “all cargo train operators to utilize the Indian railway network to carry all containers bound for Nepal,” Indian Railways officials said. Cargo train operators include public and private container train operators, automobile freight train operators, special freight train operators. Wagons owned by the Nepal Railway Co. also will also able to carry Nepal-bound freight over the Indian Railways network, Indian Railways officials said.

LCL:

On June 25, DACHSER Mexico announced a new less-than-container (LCL) service between the port of Altamira, Mexico, and the port of Santos, Brazil. The new weekly shipping solution is designed to offer customers greater access to the Americas region and specifically to Latin America. Said Edgardo Hamon, Managing Director of DACHSER Mexico: “DACHSER's broad portfolio of LCL services, which includes this new route between Altamira and Santos, offers our clients predictable shipping options, allowing them to plan safely and operate efficiently.”

OOCL:

For the quarter ended June 30, total volumes for Hong Kong container line Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) increased 15.4% compared with the same 2020 period, and total revenues increased 119%, to $3.5 billion, the company announced on July 7. Overall average revenue per twenty-foot equivalent unit increased by 73.8% compared with second-quarter 2020’s average.