Dear Readers,
Friends, it is the second Thursday of August and hopefully we’re in your inbox.
This past week has been a bit slow in the sense that people are only just starting to get back from their holidays. Here in Scandinavia most have the right to about six weeks of paid vacation a year, something that our American friends and most others around the world can only dream of.
I suppose we are lucky and we know it, although taking things for granted has become something of a speciality here too. We do, of course, have scandals in our otherwise well-regulated and highly taxed paradise; for example, one of the biggest banks in Denmark, knowingly it seems, has been used as a launderer for millions of US dollars in illicit transfers.
Unfortunately what always seems to happen is the big fish will get away or won’t be eaten, while the smaller fish will feel the law’s bite. The saying goes that a bank will lend you an umbrella in summer and when it rains they want it back.
Laundering money is nothing new, but it’s especially embarrassing when it involves ’pillars of the community’ as they like to appear to be. Anyway, it seems that sometimes it’s easier to borrow ten million for a grand project than a few thousand to fix your house.
Who can understand that? Also, when the going gets tough, the taxpayer is expected to bail them out. Still, when everyone has to jump, those in upper management have parachutes to help them avoid a rough landing. As the French say: ‘C’est la vie’, but I call it capitalism in need of repair.
In the shipping world (but still sticking around Scandinavian waters) a general cargo vessel recently went aground nearby Helsingborg and the Russian captain’s blood alcohol level was extremely high. Several of the coast guard tried to warn him that he was off-course, but clearly to no avail as the ship is currently being salvaged off the west coast of Sweden. To top it off, last week there was apparently a similar incident on the east coast. Breathalysers must be in short supply these days in Sweden.
Businesswise, we are slowly grinding back into gear as we start with a visit to Uruguay, followed by a trip to Brazil. In both cases, we speak to local proactive freight forwarders before rounding off the interviews with a conversation with a Finnish company whose innovative design you may find interesting if you are dealing with containers and supply chain.
Naturally, we provide samples of shipping news and sector news from around the world, before finishing off with the usual photo, video, quote and wise words of the week.
Last but not least, you are still welcome to claim one of our four weekly ad spots and take advantage of our nearly 57,000 strong subscriber base. You will get noticed.
Until next week, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Quantum Forwarding Projects & Logistics – Uruguay
Interview with
Mr. Santiago Rodriguez & Mr. Sebastian Agostini
Owners
What are the main activities of Quantum Forwarding today? Can you provide us with some examples of project cargoes handled?
We have a General Cargo Forwarding Division handling LCL, FCL, Air & Truck shipments from any part of the world and to any part of the world, and we also have a Project Forwarding Division from where we handle special shipments. Some of the projects we have completed from the beginning up-to-now are Oversized Transformers, Windmills, Oil & Gas Drilling Equipment (offshore & on-shore) among others, from EXW up to unloading at the final site.
Delmar Internacional Logistica SA – Brazil
Interview with
Mr. Vitor Brito
Director
I hear Customs clearance in Brazil can be tricky, how are you able to assist potential customers with customs clearance and are there any general rules of thumb to follow to clear customs quickly?
It is well known in the market that the customs in Brazil are strict and the clearance can become a distress if it’s not done properly from the beginning. The key point is information, so we make sure the foreign agent and customer are fully aware of the customs demands and procedures.
ConFoot Ltd – Finland
Interview with
Mr. Sami Seppanen
Account Manager Global Sales
Tell us about your product and Who invented it?
The ConFoot legs were invented by our founder Timo Akela in collaboration with a team of engineers and Metropolia University in Helsinki. During the development phase they went through various prototypes to get a finished product that is durable, malleable and portable. To achieve this, a special blend of 6 high-strength, high quality Finnish steels was created that meets and exceeds all the our own and our clients tough demands. The finished product also meets all the safety regulations described in the European 2006/42/EC machinery directive.
This is the Trade Impact of Rail Services Between Europe and China
A dramatic development in the 2010s has been the establishment of overland rail freight services between the EU and East Asia. Coverage of the phenomenon has tended to focus on ‘firsts’ (the first train from China to Spain, to France, to England), and the academic debate has placed the Landbridge in the context of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative as an instrument to increase Chinese influence. This emphasis ignores the underlying economic forces, and the significance of the Landbridge for understanding the nature of global value chains (GVCs) and the role of service providers.
Drunken Master Suspected in Another Ship Grounding Off Sweden
A cargo ship which ran aground Friday night off Helsingborg, Sweden has been refloated with no pollution reported, the Swedish Coast Guard said Sunday. The vessel, loaded with 5,000 tonnes of wheat, was headed for the port of Helsingborg when it grounded at 11:15 p.m. local time on Friday night, the Coast Guard reported.
Icebreaking LNG Carrier Christophe de Margerie Sets New Northern Sea Route Record
The icebreaking LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie has set a new record for the fastest crossing of the Northern Sea Route for an un-escorted ship during the month of July, according to its owner.
Rising to the Digital Challenge in Shipping
Industry experts, looking at the future for the container transport industry over the next 25 years, see the possibility of traditional supply chain service providers being significantly challenged. Increasingly digitally enabled services, which can directly control the flow of goods from factory to consumer, will become progressively more influential.
Pulp & Paper
Valmet will supply a new Advantage DCT tissue production line to Papelera San Andrés de Giles in Argentina
Valmet will supply an Advantage DCT100HS tissue production line, including an extensive automation package, to Papelera San Andrés de Giles in Argentina. The new tissue line will fulfill Papelera San Andrés de Giles’ demand of new capacity of high quality tissue products for the Argentinian market. Start-up is planned for the second half of 2018.
Renewables
Enel plans 30 MW Expansion of Cerro Pabellon Geothermal plant, Chile
As part of its $700 million investment plans for renewable energy projects in Chile, Enel is planning an expansion of the 48 MW Cerro Pabellon geothermal power plant in the North of the country.
Railway & Public Transport
Bombardier to Supply 396 MOVIA Metro Carriages to Singapore
Singapore has bought 66 new trains from Canada’s Bombardier Inc to replace an older fleet on its metro rail service in a contract worth up to S$1.2 billion ($880 million), the city-state’s Land Transport Authority said on Wednesday.
Cement Plants
Fiber Cement Maker Invests $120M in U.S. Plant Expansion
Japanese fiber cement siding producer Nichiha Corporation plans to invest $120 million in a project to expand its manufacturing facility in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, according to a press release issued Wednesday by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “Nichiha is a valued member of Georgia’s business community and an asset to our manufacturing industry.
Oil & Gas
Capstone Secures 1 MW Order for Remanufactured C1000R to Large Oil & Gas Customer in Northern Iraq
Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com) (Nasdaq: CPST), the world’s leading clean technology manufacturer of micro-turbine energy systems, announced today it secured an order for a re-manufactured C1000R to an oil and gas production site in Northern Iraq.
Severstal places order for New Coke Making Complex with Paul Wurth
Severstal and Paul Wurth have recently signed a contract for the construction of a New Coke Making Complex at Severstal’s integrated steel works at Cherepovets in the North-West of Russia.
Editor’s Note:
It can be very stormy on occasion even giant container vessels can lose containers overboard or arrive in port seriously affected by a recent storm. See this video clip from Hong Kong for a good example.
