Freight transportation reports, projects and other news from outside North America
4/26/2023
Honduras: Puerto Cortes handles first LNG-powered vessel
On April 25, Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana, International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s (ICTSI) Honduran business unit that operates in Puerto Cortes, welcomed the inaugural call of Seaboard Blue – the first container vessel in the world to be converted from conventional diesel to liquified natural gas (LNG) propulsion, ICTSI officials said. The Seaboard Blue docked at Honduras under the North and Central America service of Seaboard Marine, an ocean transport company that provides direct service between North America, the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America. The vessel was refitted in 2017 to run on LNG.
Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group buys border control solutions developer
Maqta Gateway, AD Ports Group’s digital arm acquired TTEK Inc., a developer of border control solutions and customs systems, for $26.7 million. The aim: to leverage TTEK’s R&D hub in Vietnam and its expertise in customs and border modernization solutions across Africa, the Middle East, North America and Australia and strengthen its service offering on the unified Single Window solution while expanding it “with enhanced security, tracking and regulatory enforcement,” AD Ports officials said in an April 24 statement. TTEK’s solutions merge deductive and inductive analytics with predictive modeling to form machine learning platforms for customs, immigration, policing and border agencies.
Singapore, L.A. and Long Beach ports ink MoU to establish ‘green and digital’ shipping corridor
On April 24, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, with the support of C40 Cities, signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a green and digital shipping corridor between Singapore and the San Pedro Bay ports complex to support the decarbonization of the maritime industry and improve efficiencies through digitalization.
The signing “signals our collective will to pool our resources, technical insights, industry and research networks to deliver scalable green as well as digital corridor solutions to help the maritime industry attain the 2050 emission reduction targets expected of the International Maritime Organization and help spur the development of green growth opportunities,” said Teo Eng Dih, MPA’s chief executive.
Most shippers expect 2023 peak season to be better than 2022’s — Container xChange survey
The majority of shippers expect the 2023 peak season to be better than last year’s, according to the April Edition of the Container xChange’s container market forecast, issued April 6.
Of the 664 supply chain professionals who responded to a Container xChange survey, 48% believe the coming peak will be better than last year’s; 43% believe it won’t be better; and 9% said it might be better.
Among the other the forecaster’s other findings:
• Container xChange’s container price sentiment index indicates a "negative-turning-positive" sentiment for container price development.
• Shippers are delaying contract negotiations as contract rates are still above spot rate levels.
• In the first quarter, North America registered the biggest decline in average prices for 20-foot dry cargo containers. The Middle East and ISC region witnessed the second biggest drop in container prices, followed by Southeast Asia.
Commenting on the outlook for the rest of the year, Container xChange CEO Christian Roeloffs said: “Despite avoiding a global financial and economic recession for now, the shipping industry is experiencing a freight recession due to the postponement of inventory replenishment cycles by retailers who overstocked. As we look ahead, we anticipate a subdued rebound in demand as retailers begin to deplete their excess stock in the coming months, leading up to the peak season.”
In tests, eTrailers reduced fuel consumption up to 55%, DB Schenker says
In recent field tests in France, the use of Trailer Dynamics’ eTrailers in land transport provided fuel consumption savings of between 24% and 55%, logistics service provider DB Schenker announced on April 6.
In the tests, the diesel consumption of the semitrailer system with a conventional trailer was compared with the diesel consumption of the semitrailer system in combination with an eTrailer. The eTrailer M300 from Trailer Dynamics “dynamically supported the diesel semi-trailer truck over the entire test route and controlled the electrified axle in real time,” DB Schenker officials said. The savings varied depending on the topography or the type of route in the area of operation.
Another result from the tests: The total consumption of electrical and fossil energy, and therefore the savings in diesel requirements, can be precisely predicted, DB Schenker officials said, adding that they’ll continue to test the eTrailers over the course of the year.
Ellerman City Liners offers new Poland-to-UK express service
On April 6, Ellerman City Liners announced the launch of a weekly express shipping service that connects Poland with the United Kingdom. The Polish service offers a port rotation of Gdynia (Poland), Teesport (UK), Tilbury (UK), and back to Gdynia (Poland).
The service provides "a white glove customer experience and tailor-made end-to-end solutions," Ellerman City Liners officials said. "Customers can expect fast and reliable transhipment options to the USA, Portugal, and Spain through Ellerman City Liners’ Iberia shortsea service."
All container size types will be offered (standard and pallet-wide equipment); customers also will be able to source equipment from various inland locations in Poland.
"Through transhipment in the UK, we will offer one of the best transit times to the U.S. East Coast out of Poland,” said Ellerman City Liners Commercial Director Peter Andrews.