Dear Readers,
It is Thursday the 6th of August, 2020 and we are back—hopefully to be read frequently after the summer holidays.
As the COVID-19 situation is still developing both up and down and even with regional outbreaks again after shutdown, traveling is still very difficult to plan. I did, however, take a road trip with the family to Grenaa, Denmark where my parents have been residing for 20 years. It is a beautiful city by the Kattegat Sea, and you will even find an interview with the port director further below as it is indeed a greatly located, deepwater port with beautiful beaches, too.
The road trip took 11 hours by car, including 2 stops, and we crossed three main bridges. First was the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, then The Great Belt and the Little Belt Bridges in Denmark itself.
Until last Saturday, Swedes were NOT allowed to enter Denmark, but since I am Danish—and the children are, too—we had no problems entering the kingdom of Denmark…although I did have to double check before we left with the police as my wife is a Chinese citizen, but they told me that as long as I brought proof of our relationship (I suppose the three kids in the car was proof and noise enough), then it would be ok.
A few shared pictures for you here.
Weather-wise, the summer has been great. The temperature has been hovering between 18-26 degrees celsius (64 – 79 Fahrenheit) which I suppose for us Northern Europeans is close to ideal. I am now back at our Stockholm, Sweden residence and starting today after the long holiday, I must admit that it does take some effort to get back in gear completely.
It has missed no one that the rhetoric between the two great nations of the world, i.e., the USA and China has been intensified, and I am beginning to wonder who is TIK and who is TOK if you get my meaning. They seem to be accusing each other of exactly what they are doing themselves. I just saw the movie Citizenfour by Laura Poitras about Edward Snowden (after reading the books) and learning what the NSA and combined intelligence community of the US are able to do and ARE doing. Then, I listen to the tirades by President Trump about Tik Tok and Huawei that we are supposed to be scared of due to what they can do.
Isn’t the problem rather that someone else that the US is now capable of producing both the equipment and software that the U.S. government would want and that an internet controlled by the US is not a foregone conclusion anymore?
While it remains to be seen, frankly speaking, it is time that the two bullies in the sandbox start to outgrow it. By comparison, the EU almost seems to be more balanced, well-considered, and more “normal” nowadays, and although they make little in the way of hard decisions ever, it does seem that the European continent is now getting to grips with the pandemic without the noise and Hollywood show that we are witness to daily, especially from the US.
The only thing is, of course, that the children of Europe will be saddled with an enormous debt due to the recent agreement among EU leaders to give large handouts of funds to specific EU countries, notably in the southern borders. Yet, the question remains as to whether they will be able—or more apt, willing—to reform and clean up their economic excesses of the past. And let us see if the French finally will give in and lessen their pride, and STOP the ridiculous travel circus between Strasbourg and Brussels at the everlasting cost of EUR 100 million a year. The fact that Britain as a net contributor to the EU has left doesn’t bother anyone it seems; we just increase the budget nevertheless. I wish I could run my business like that – don’t we all?
The pandemic has left many capable people in search of a job because many employers take the safe course before the unsafe. Whilst many companies, of course, also use the excuse of the pandemic to rid themselves of unwanted luggage, still I have a few likeable, and in my experience, competent friends that are out there.
One person comes to mind and that is Mr. Peter Schou who is out and about looking for employment. He is one of the few, original experts in the renewable and wind energy transportation business who has not become arrogant and “know-it-all” from the rapid rise of this very industry. You can read the interview and his story here. Further down in today’s newsletter, you will also learn about another shipping profile of the week: Nikolaj Gryndahl who is very competent in chartering. So, although the crisis is here and doors are closing for those of you who are ready to move, some doors are indeed opening, too.
On the shipping and interview front, we have today three great interviews in store for you. We start off as mentioned above in the port of Grenaa, Denmark where the CEO tells us about what they have done, can do, and why Grenaa is a good option for you as both shipowner and/or cargo owner. We then travel to another great port and a bit warmer location, known for Bob Marley, fast runners and a superior location in the Caribbean: Kingston, Jamaica. I was in Kingston in 1967 at 4 years old on the MV Thyra Torm although I have no recollection of it. I am sure that the rum even then was great. We speak to LTN Logistics in Kingston, and they provide us with an interesting insight into logistics to and from this great island.
Finally, we visit a country of many people (5th most populous country in the world) and the gateway to Afghanistan, i.e., the country of Pakistan. MSL Karachi provides impressive feedback to questions about their capability, and as you know, competition in the country of Pakistan in logistics is nothing but fierce, but MSL does seem to be a good choice.
Apart from the formal interviews and two shipping profiles, I also provide you with our usual shipping news, trade intelligence, featured video and photo, and wise words, so I hope that you still stick with us also in the 2nd half of this year! Finally before bidding you all goodbye for now, I remind you all about the link to our first ever PROJECT CARGO WEEKLY YEARBOOK which we published on 2/7. Feel free to download, distribute, and read at your leisure.
Until next Thursday, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Port of Grenaa – Denmark
Interview with
Mr. Henrik Carstensen
CEO
Give us details about the port itself such as draught (draft), crane capacity, etc. I also understand from a recent visit that you even store giant, jack up oil rigs?
We have 1,450,000 square meters of land at the port and approximately 4 kilometers of quay area. Our max draught (draft) is 11 meters which we have in more or less 50% of the port. We have different sizes of mobile cranes and the two biggest can lift 110 and 120 tons and in a twin lift approximately 200 tons. We have shore power in most of the port and have also invested in a mobile shore power unit. Our unique shore power setup is one of the reasons why Maersk Drilling and a lot of other rig and ship owners are calling at the Port of Grenaa for stacking.
LTN Logistic International – Jamaica
Interview with
Ms. Lorraine Thomas Harris
CEO/President
First of all, Lorraine, can you tell us about the history of LTN Logistics and who owns it?
LTN Logistics International was formed in August 2007 with the following directors: Lorraine Thomas Harris (CEO/President), Coy Harris (Managing Director), and Marsha Thomas (Director and Company Secretary).
Allow me to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about our company. I’ve personally had the privilege to serve as the president of LTN Logistics International since 2007. Everyone within the LTN family has a commitment to the continued success of our company. In turn, we have become one of Jamaica’s top privately-owned logistics service providers.
MSL – Pakistan
Interview with
Mr. Mohammad Azhar
Managing Director
Tell us about the history of MSL in Pakistan: when was it established and who owns it? Please also tell us about your strong point in the logistics business.
With industry experience of over 20 years, MSL was founded by me in 2000 as a proprietorship company and later established/registered as a private, limited company. I am the majority shareholder and owner of MSL. Our head office is based in Karachi with Pakistani branch offices in Lahore – Islamabad – Peshawar – Sialkot & Faisalabad— all major commercial cities of Pakistan.
MSL’s strong service points are Project/Break Bulk Cargo, Government & Defense Logistics, Afghanistan Transit Cargo, Humanitarian Aid /Relief Cargo & Global Freight Forwarding (complete Integrated Logistics services & solutions). MSL has its own global footprint with registered/licensed offices in UAE & Afghanistan as well.
Our slogan is Putting the Customer 1st & Always, and this has been our motto and success story.
Nikolaj Gryndahl
Can you tell us more about working for the breakbulk ship owner, Thorco?
As Deputy Head of Chartering Europe and Africa, I was responsible for all Thorco offices and commercial activities within Europe, i.e., Denmark, Germany, UK, Spain, and Turkey.
My main tasks were to coordinate within the various offices concerning cargo booking, tonnage procurement, strategy planning (and execution), negotiation of long- (and short-) term time charter, etc.
I was closely involved in negotiating Pool Contracts and Commercial Management agreements. During the last few years I also got more involved in the day-to-day business, like booking cargos, chartering in vessels for time charter trips, etc., mainly from Europe to Asia.
Vietnam – Dynamic Trading Partner for the Port of Hamburg
Editor’s Note:
EU has signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam and it should mean that we will see increased trade – let us hope so! This is the latest on this from the port of Hamburg.
The free trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam, which was ratified by the European Parliament and the Vietnamese National Assembly in the first half of 2020, promises to create new market incentives that result in increased transport volumes between those markets. Customs barriers are to be dismantled for this. This applies in particular to deliveries of goods from Europe, for which 99 percent of all customs duties are to be reduced within ten years. The EU, in turn, will reduce tariffs to 84 percent of Vietnamese products to 0 percent when the free trade agreement comes into force. After seven years, this is to be the case for 99 percent of the tariffs.
Grounding of the Wakashio: It’s Foaming on the Beach
Editor’s Note:
It is not everyday that Mauritius is in the news. However what I would call a bulker in paradise happened there recently. See here the video about the stranded bulker and also the local comments from the minister of transport & environment.
Port of Vancouver USA Receives Longest Wind Blades
Editor’s Note:
Goldwind is active with a large export. Although they recently were nominated in a lawsuit together with DSV and BBC Chartering for having implemented another project into Cuba where, as you know, the Americans (again and again) have some claims and dislike of a political system that is not their way of “democracy”.
The Port of Vancouver USA received a shipment of wind turbine components on July 22 that included the longest wind turbine blades ever to enter the West Coast of the U.S. and transported across North America, to-date. The delivery is a joint effort between the turbine manufacturer Goldwind Americas and the wind project owner Potentia Renewables.
Enjoy Two Short Videos of Recent AAL Project Cargo Operations
Editor’s Note:
AAL” taking over” the much coveted Europe/Middle East/Far East breakbulk route from the demise of Rickmers Line and Zeamarine are in the news again this time with some more impressive project cargoes being handled by their modern vessels.
Electric Car Supplier Purchases Continuous CAB Line from SECO/WARWICK
SECO/WARWICK will deliver a controlled-atmosphere brazing (CAB) line to a global manufacturer of cooling systems for electric-car batteries. This is the second CAB line ordered by the company, which is based in Asia, but it’s the first that will be used for its battery cooling systems. The system will be designed for soldering large battery coolers.
ACM Research Starts Construction of New Facility in Shanghai
ACM Research, a supplier of wafer cleaning technologies for semiconductor devices, says that its operating subsidiary ACM Research (Shanghai), has begun construction of its new development and production facility in the Lingang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
Carnival Corporation Add Digesters for New Ship
BioHiTech Global, Inc. announced it has received an additional purchase order for its Revolution Series Digesters from Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, bringing the total value of orders received in July to approximately $1 million.
Maritime News/Poor Monitoring and Ship handling Led to Lost and Damaged Containers
Editor’s Note:
mv “Uni Florida” lost some containers overboard during heavy weather as you can see from this video footage. It comes on the heels of a recent occurrence in Australia with mv” APL England” leading the AMSA of Australia to implement stringent checks on all containerships now entering Australia. Recently also an MSC vessel was involved near South Africa having lost numerous containers overboard. Still, compared to the volume of containers actually on the seas at any given time a minuscule amount is ever lost. No-one can control the weather, not even the maritime authorities of Australia.
Editor’s Note:
I was invited by the local COSCO office and port of Sodertalje to attend the arrival of mv Tian You to Sweden with pre-fabricated housing modules in late July. It was a beautiful day in port!
