Hijackers Sneaked Aboard During the Night CAMEROON – Eight members of the crew of the MarMalaita, the 679 TEU multi-purpose cargo vessel operated by the Hamburg based company MC Schiffahrt and attacked by pirates during the night of August 14, are still being held by their captors. Four of the crew remained on board after the criminal gang sneaked aboard just before midnight and hijacked the crew whilst she was…
Computer Controlled Semi’s on US Freight Forwarding Route US – The venture capital arm of parcel and logistics giant UPS, UPS Ventures, has made a minority investment in San Diego-based autonomous driving company TuSimple. Together, both companies are testing self-driving tractor trailers on a route in Arizona to determine whether the vehicles can improve service and efficiency in the UPS network. This is an extension of the ongoing commercial relationship…
October Schedules Published AUSTRALIA – SOUTH EAST ASIA – The advent of containerisation was a revolution for many shipping lines, not least one with a history stretching back almost 150 years. Australia and New Zealand were trial markets for the new system and Hamburg Süd was one of the first to adapt to it, since when trade in Oceania has become a key element in the company’s service portfolio. Now,…
Sluggish Reaction of National Authorities Angers Association SLOVAKIA – EUROPEAN UNION – The European rail cargo sector has been involved in controversy for years, with accusations, including the exchange of funds between infrastructure interests and rolling stock management, coming from a variety of sources. States flaunt EU rules and objectors say this is both anticompetitive and harmful to consumer interests. Now a new row has erupted after the European Rail…
New Units Save on Emissions as Against Euro VI Trucks AUSTRIA – EUROPE – Freight forwarding firm Gebrüder Weiss has taken delivery of its third gas powered truck as the company continues to test the waters of new technology with regard to its search for eco-friendly drive technologies in everyday logistics work. The latest vehicle runs on compressed natural gas (CNG) and will be used to carry freight for consumer…
Next Step as Global Online Retail Market Expansion Continues SOUTH AFRICA – Tigers South Africa, part of the global e-commerce fulfilment, transportation, and supply chain solutions specialist group headquartered in Hong Kong, has officially opened a dedicated e-commerce centre at its Johannesburg, South Africa, warehouse facility, as the online retail market continues to grow globally. The facility is the first of its kind for Tigers in South Africa, and the…
Win for Trucking Lobby After Threats of Price Increases US – CHINA – The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has announced that it is pleased to have won the argument against increased US tariffs on Chinese produced 53 foot domestic intermodal shipping containers. In June, the ATA told the US Trade Representative (USTR) that the only two manufacturers of these kind of containers, used commonly in intermodal transportation, were located in…
New Money Available for Express Freight Service UK – EUROPE – The Department of Health and Social Care is strengthening its Brexit preparations with a £25 million contract to set up an express freight service to deliver medicines and medical products into the country. The so called pharma shipments have been the source of concerns with regard the maintenance of an effective import supply chain after extra Customs checks are…
Series of Communications and Physical Attacks Spawn Latest Advice US – IRAN – The US Maritime Administration has issued its latest advisory notice, 2019-012, superseding any previous documents, regarding the heightening of military activity in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and Red Sea. The document is aimed squarely at the behaviour of Iranian military forces since May 2019 and is very specific as to…
Freight Stakeholders Investigate How to Work Collectively in the Supply Chain EUROPE – After three years of research and development the Shared European Logistics Intelligent Information Space (SELIS) will be brought to a close. The principals say this is a successful outcome producing collaborative, open and cloud-based intelligence platform that encapsulates built-in industry knowledge. Given the input of such freight industry luminaries as DHL, the Port of Rotterdam and A.P….