Dear Readers,
It is Thursday 31st October so indeed the last Thursday of the month. Ten months have passed and yet two months remain until 2020. What is in store for 2020 remains to be seen and, as a wise man said, no one can predict the future and what it has in store for all of us.
I am currently in Grenaa, Denmark, visiting my parents and, although they are in good health overall, I can see that they have become smaller and frailer in the few months since I was last here. It reminds me about the importance of spending our time wisely and, frankly speaking, it’s not the years in your life but the life in your years that count. Families don’t always agree on everything and sometimes we clash, but we never know what’s around the corner and if we don’t do our best to keep in touch with our families, children and friends, we will surely live to regret it. The last shirt you wear has no pockets and words are empty, especially when those we love are no longer around to hear them.
Personally, I dislike some of the double standards that prevail when many people pay their final respects at the church. Where were they when the person was alive? Do their unheard words matter more when presented along with a huge bouquet? When the person was alive, perhaps that would have been the right time to give them just a flower or make a phone call to say hello and ask how they are. Naturally, of course, we all grieve and handle sad things in life differently, but I believe in making gestures when people are around, not when they no longer are. Failing to do when someone is still with us and then overdoing it when it’s too late of that is often just for show.
Someone once remarked that the only safe bets in life are death and taxes. Still, I would like to add to those, ‘governmental, local or federal mismanagement of public projects’. It’s almost certain that these will be completed late, way over budget and no heads will roll for it. It’s become the survival of the most unfit, rather than the fittest, in many ways and instead of being punished they are rewarded with a hefty golden parachute, much as what we often see when incompetent bankers finally get the boot.
Business-wise this week, we start in the great country of steaks, red wine and pampas, also known as Argentina. Although the country is currently in a crisis, something that they are used to down there, the mood is upbeat and positive, not least with the experienced project freight forwarder ULog whom we interview. We then proceed to the country that has the best french food, best beer and best chocolate, which – surprise surprise – is Belgium. We interview one of the most versatile and modern terminals available in Antwerp and they convincingly argue for why they should be consulted regarding your next project in/out of Europe.
Lastly, we revisit a place that was, once upon a time, called the Paris of the East, at least I think it was. The place is Beirut, Lebanon. Many a Lebanese businessman has done well abroad and although the country is small and has had a vast array of problems, many of them homegrown, there is a positive atmosphere around when talking to Henry Heald & Co., shipping agency and more, in Lebanon. Finally, as usual, we provide you with shipping news and trade intelligence as well as a featured video, photo and wise words.
Wishing you a happy entry into November (with the 1st being a Friday) and until next week, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Ulog – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Interview with
Mr. Dardo Van Megroot
Head of International Logistics & Project Cargo
First, can you tell us about the history of Ulog?
Ulog is part of Ultramar, an enterprise group with three business lanes; agency services and integral solutions (DAIS), industrial logistics (KAPTAN) and ports (NELTUME PORTS).
Ulog began operations in Chile in 1999 to provide…
Katoen Natie Terminals – Antwerp, Belgium
Interview with
Mr. Albert-Jan Ars
Commercial Manager
Tell us about the history of Katoen Natie?
Katoen Natie was founded in 1854 by four working partners, whose first activity consisted of cotton reception. A ship was discharged in…
Henry Heald & Co. S.R.L – Beirut, Lebanon
Interview with
Mr. Sami Khoury
Business Development Manager
What is your main shipping activity in Beirut these days? Besides Beirut, which ports are generally used in Lebanon for project cargo import and export?
The main activities into Beirut are containers and RoRo traffic, although we do also have some bulk cargo, notably steel and SBO, as well as project cargo. The recent appointment of a new government…
Lodestar and Swire Shipping Team Up in Breakbulk Service
Lodestar and Swire Shipping have teamed up to offer customers a joint breakbulk shipping service between New Zealand and North Asia. Lodestar is the logistics and shipping division of Oji Fibre Solutions, while Swire Shipping is the liner shipping division of The China Navigation Company.
This new service offers a monthly frequency carrying pulp, timber and forest product related cargo for key customers. The two New Zealand ports are Napier and Tauranga, whilst the key Asia ports are Incheon, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Onsan, Tomakomai and Kaohsiung; thereby preserving the existing Lodestar service network and further expanding the port scope.
Oil Refinery Exported to Pakistan from Pembroke Port
Editor’s Note:
A second hand plant being exported from UK to Pakistan means a lot of shipping. In the mid-eighties I was involved in relocating several second hand plants as a agent of COSCO from Sweden to China among them two steel plants for SSAB, a tyre factory to Dalian and a piano factory to Yingkou, where they later on started exporting pianos back to us.
The final parts of a decommissioned oil refinery have been successfully exported to Pakistan from Pembroke Port in a six-week operation.
The former Murco refinery in Pembrokeshire closed in 2014 and during the past three years over 13,000 tonnes of cargo has been transported over the quay in seven exports to southern Asia.
Heavy Lift Ship Delivers New STS Cranes to Charleston
Editor’s Note:
Again another impressive delivery from China of STS cranes by ZPMC this time to Charleston, US. Seems no trade war in the port crane area of business between the two superpowers.
On Thursday, the port of Charleston, South Carolina received a shipment of three new STS cranes from Chinese manufacturer ZPMC, part of the port’s effort to accommodate larger post-Panamax container ships.
After a two-month journey from China, the heavy lift ship Zhen Hua 28 arrived with the oversize consignment to the port’s Columbus Street Terminal. This weekend, the ship will shift to the Wando Welch Terminal, where the cranes will be offloaded.
MOU to Establish Acetic Acid Plant at Zhoushan
BP has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (ZPCC) to explore possibilities of establishing a new equally owned joint venture.
BP Global Acetyls business chief executive Nigel Dunn and ZPCC executive director Luo Wei signed the MoU at the third International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC 2019) in Zhoushan.
Capstone Secures First-Ever Offshore Oil and Gas Order in India
Capstone Turbine Corporation the world’s leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, announced today it secured its first-ever offshore oil and gas order in India.
Brio Energy Private Limited, Capstone’s exclusive distributor for India, secured the order for two C65 microturbines on…
Austal to Build Biggest Ferry for Molslinjen
Western Australia-based Austal has won an order to build a 115-meter high-speed catamaran for Danish ferry operator Molslinjen.
The vessel will be the largest ferry ever built by Austal. The vessel comes at a price tag of 83.65 million euros (~USD$92 million).
Huawei and Phanes Group to Deliver 25.8MW Solar Project
Huawei and Phanes Group have announced a partnership to deliver a 25.8MW solar project to port operator DP World.
The project will be the largest distributed rooftop scheme in the UAE, and will comprise more than 88,000 solar panels across more than 60 rooftops.
Port of Duqm: Endeavoring to Be the Best
Editor’s Note:
The Port of Duqm, Oman, is an impressive and relatively new gateway for trade to/from the Middle East. Oman is a nice country and the people of the country are generally regarded as very friendly.
Editor’s Note:
Today’s view across the sea of Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden.
