Dear Readers,
It’s Thursday 7th November and we are here again. This week, I have been preparing my suitcase for yet another trip to Asia. The trip will last fourteen days, and I will pay visits to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Cebu, Philippines. I am chairing conferences for Cross Ocean in Bangkok and CLC Projects in Cebu, and I am expecting to meet with up with the representatives of about ninety project freight forwarders coming from sixty-or-so countries worldwide. Travelling is living of course, and in the age of the internet, one thing that I feel we can be sure of is that meeting face to face can never be replaced by any technology, no matter if it’s the internet, A.I, or a robot.
Although travel requires investments in time and expenses for hotels and flight tickets, I have always found it to be a temporary cost, as it is usually reimbursed later through more business coming your way thanks to your travel. In the past, I’ve usually flown in the back of the plane, although occasionally I’ll pay that little extra for extra comfort and leg room. These days, I sometimes even splash out for business class, now that I have cut down on the pre, during and after-dinner drinks.
Entertainment has become so much better on most flights. Remember the days when we all looked at a big screen on board? I even recall the time when there was a smoking section, although remembering that only reminds me of my age. As for airlines, Finnair is not a bad choice and from northern Europe, they do have some of the best connections, via Helsinki, to some fifteen cities across Asia. I am leaving my wife here at home with the three kids and departing/returning has, for years, been very much a way of life.
Still, whenever I feel sorry for myself, I can recall having spoken to the crew on board the most recent container ship cruise I took. They are out for nine months in one go, without any access to their family. So, in all aspects of life, we must face the fact that there’s always someone better off than us, but also plenty who have it worse. When my father went to sea in 1958, communication was possible only by letter and with at least nine to twelve months abroad, he told me that he would often receive ten letters in one go when they finally arrived at a port.
Going straight on to business, today we have two new interviews from Sweden, where I reside. We speak first to a company called Scanlink, whose main offices are in the west of the country, near Gothenburg. They are quite international in their way of doing business. We then speak to Almroths on the east coast, by the city of Norrköping. Almroths have some of the most impressive storage facilities for VIP clients, located on a former airfield. We then revisit a regional shipowner in Asia called Mitsui Osk Kinkai, and whilst Mitsui Osk is mostly known from way back by the alligator logo on their containers (now part of One), their regional breakbulk division is rather less known in the market but is still an interesting product.
We, of course, provide you with trade intel, shipping news, featured port, video, photo and wise words and we will be back again next week.
Until then, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Scanlink Transport & Logistics AB – Gothenburg, Sweden
Interview with
Mr. Bo Börjesson
Owner
First, Bo, can you tell us about your career and how you ended up in shipping and logistics?
I started back in 1970 as a messenger boy. Back then, I used to deliver documents between the customs administrations in Gothenburg to the shipping lines and freight…
Almroths – Norrköping, Sweden
Interview with
Mr. Robert Myhre
Forwarding Manager
Do you have much experience with handling project cargo? Can you provide us with a few examples?
Well yes, over the years I have handled all sorts of transportation undertakings, including projects. Today, we have a separate department handling projects, which, from time to time…
Mitsui O.S.K. Kinkai – Asia / Middle East
Interview with
Mr. Kristian Korsvik
Singapore Representative
What is the meaning of Kinkai? Introduce the services offered by Mitsui O.S.K. Kinkai, tell us about your strong points, your ships and your regular ports of call.
Kinkai in Japanese language means near-seas/coastal waters. Historically, Mitsui O.S.K. Kinkai covered shipments within coastal waters before they expanded to short sea trade around the Far East. Mitsui O.S.K. Kinkai’s involvement in heavy cargo…
Martin Bencher Expands in Spain
Editor’s Note:
Having worked before with the Martin Bencher group for fifteen years, I am happy to see that the company is expanding now also in southern Europe. Read more below.
Martin Bencher group, the project logistics experts, expands in Southern Europe. We have been active in Spain for many years in terms of operations and sales. Therefore, we are proud to announce that MARTIN BENCHER Group is now opening an office in Bilbao, Spain so we can continue serving our project customers.
GRS Starts Partnership with COLI Schiffahrt & Transport GmbH & Co. KG in Japan
Editor’s Note:
A new cooperation between Coli and GRS which sounds interesting. Read more here.
Global Renewables Shipbrokers (GRS) from Hamburg is celebrating the start of the strategic partnership with COLI Schiffahrt & Transport GmbH & Co. KG in the offshore renewables market in Japan.
IRENA – International Renewable Energy Agency
Editor’s Note:
We all must do what we can to save our planet. I am in full agreement with that, but we need to be level-headed and push changes through gradually at all levels. We shouldn’t take green policy as a new religion if they serve someone’s agenda, or perhaps cover up other problems that our politicians don’t wish to deal with. I found this interesting website that I would like to share with you. It’s got lots to do with the maritime community as well.
IRENA plays a leading role in the energy transformation as a centre of excellence for knowledge and innovation, a global voice for renewables, a network hub and a source of advice and support for countries.
Cosco Shipping Specialized Carriers Tie-Up with Dongbang to Bid on Large-Scale Projects
Editor’s Note:
China and South Korea are cooperating well now in the field of logistics. See the latest here from the announcement of COSCO and Dongbang cooperating in the field of securing major project work around the world.
China’s Cosco Shipping Specialized Carriers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Korea’s Dongbang Transport Logistics for bids on large-scale projects. The two will establish strategic partner relationship to jointly work on the bids for large-scale projects. The agreement will be valid until 31 December 2022.
Company Profile – ST Macchine S.P.A.
The ST trademark distinguishes a highly advanced manufacturer of machinery and plants for the paper-making, chemical and food industries. In more than three decades of operations, ST has achieved enviable success, exploiting the competence and professional skill of its technicians and staff to provide clients with superb quality and product reliability.
Capstone Turbine Secures Order – Six C65 Microturbines for Glare-gas Pilot Project in France
Capstone Turbine Corporation (NASDAQ:CPST) announced Friday it secured an initial order for six of its C65 microturbines for a critical flare-gas pilot project in France.
Microturbine Power (MTP), one of Capstone’s exclusive European distributors, secured the initial project, which is set to be commissioned by January 2020, according to a statement.
China’s Leju Robots Eyes Expansion to Serbian Market
Chinese humanoid robots producer Leju Robots is interested in entering the Serbian market, technical director Wang Song has said.
“We are looking for partners in Serbia, in order to sell our products, our robots, our software and hardware in Serbia,” Song said in a video file posted on the website of Serbian news agency Tanjug on Tuesday.
Rio Tinto Awards Pindan $90m Construction Contract
Rio Tinto has contracted integrated property and construction group Pindan to construct an operations village for its Koodaideri iron ore project in the Pilbara.
Koodaideri, which is in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, will be Rio Tinto’s most technologically advanced mine and will have a capacity of 43 million tonnes of iron ore annually.
Port of Antwerp
Editor’s Note:
A Port of Antwerp is impressive. Not only do they have great shipping there but they also have great food, wine and beer. What else would anyone want? See for yourself and I recommend you to visit the Antwerp XL expo that takes place between 21st-23rd April 2020, focusing on breakbulk shipping and projects.
Salvage of MV Benita
Editor’s Note:
Accidents happen but salvage is sometimes possible. This video from a couple of years ago provides an interesting insight into the salvage of a vessel that ran aground in Mauritius.
Editor’s Note:
A giant Maersk M-class vessel, anchored, viewed from a Stena ferry to Gothenburg.
