Dear Readers,
It is Thursday the 29th of April, and we are back.
It is also the last newsletter of April, and in a couple of days, we will have “International Workers Day” on May 1st, and I am sure it will be celebrated with marches and red flags in many countries around the world. [note: This day is not observed in every country.]Workers of the world should unite because if anything, the inequality has indeed grown in recent years. As I reported earlier, we are seeing poverty not only in “the usual suspects” countries, but also in what we label “1st world” countries such as the UK and the US. It is embarrassing, to say the least, and we should have a system whereby you at least have a wage that you could reasonably live on. Having said that, I know also of persons who no matter how much money you give them, actually never have a penny to spend, so yes, certainly our own choices do play a role. Yet, for the majority, I believe they share the same vision and dream: taking care of and bringing up our family and children well.
There is an old saying that goes: “The water tastes good but who dug the well”. I have been fortunate in life to have received help during my career. I believe I have been instrumental in helping others in the same way by not being arrogant or proud, by respecting that the world DOES keep turning even if you are not there, and that you alone are not the only one to be credited with success.
I have, however, also met people who have shown a propensity for being “legends in their own mind” and for quickly forgetting who gave them the chance in the first place, who helped them out when times were tough, and who lent them a dollar when it was needed. I think we all know that one of the most embarrassing things is when you have to ask for something back that you originally lent out. A good saying that I recall I formulated in my previous company was: ” Be proud but not arrogant, be humble but not crawling”. Many a bank or businessman in the world—as well as politicians of all persuasions—could do well by heeding this wise (in my view) saying.
I travelled with the Trans-Siberian railway several times, and some of the friendliest people I ever met were ordinary Russians. Although they had next to nothing, they still shared whatever they had with me on the train. That is the real soul of a country and not the trumped up and pumped up nomenclature that nowadays officially “represents” Russia abroad. It is only when you get out and about, get outside the bubble of the big cities that you often meet people for REAL.
I say this also to the green parties of the world: Don’t forget to leave your electric bicycle and cafe latte behind once in a while to visit the countryside that has to live with the immense wind turbines that you place in their backyard and where you tax to death the owner of a car unless its electric or painted green. Even you don’t have the monopoly on wisdom. If you want clear air and clean water, visit countries where it makes sense. Don’t howl in greater parts of Western Europe or the US.
On the shipping front today, I’ve got 3 video interviews in store for you.
We start off in a country famous for hundreds of thousands of lakes, a country where the man doesn’t say much but when he finally does you can trust what he does say—i.e., Finland and. Steveco Oy in Kotka, a famous and versatile port operator, stevedore and project freight handling company gives us food for thought.
We then visit a German native who moved to South Africa years ago and who, with tenacity and German work ethic, has visited more than 1/3 of all the countries on the continent. A2Z (Africa) Logistics Advisory in Jo’burg tells us more.
Finally, we speak to one of the shipowners with the longest history in Sweden, i.e., Ahlmark Lines, and they tell us a story about their timber trade, their inland port, flexible fleet handling—in particular Sweden to UK (and vice versa) traffic, and their ability to transport high & heavy.
We let you off the hook with the usual shipping news, trade intel, featured video and picture of the week and wise words and after reminding you to download the PCW app for free.
I wish you all a Very Happy May 1st, and see you next week.
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Video Interview
Steveco Oy – Kotka, Finland
Heikki Renlund, Sales Director at Steveco Oy & Tapio Mattila, Senior Vice President at Steveco Oy interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at Project Cargo Weekly. https://www.steveco.fi/fi/
A2Z (Africa) Logistics Advisory Interviewed by PCW
Alfred Thamm, Owner of A2Z (Africa) Logistics Advisory was interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at Project Cargo Weekly. https://aawthamm.wixsite.com/a2zlogisticsadvisory
Ahlmark Lines AB Interviewed by PCW
Peter Anderson, CEO at Ahlmark Lines AB was interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at Project Cargo Weekly. https://www.ahlmarklines.se/
China-Europe Cargo Trains Set Record in 2020
Editor’s Note:
With container shipping being full to the brim, even booking a month in advance may not help, let alone paying through the nose for the oceanfreight. Perhaps it is time to look for alternatives. The railway has developed after decades of talk, talk and talk…so see here a short video featuring record train dispatches from Asia to Europe during 2020.
The volume of China’s railway cargo to Europe has set records last year. China State Railway Group said 12,400 China-Europe freight train trips were made in 2020, up 50 per cent compared to the previous year. The train service is also used to transport medical supplies from China to Europe amid the Covid-19 pandemic when container shipping and cargo by air were adversely affected.
Watch the AAL Dalian Transporting 410t Barge for French Polynesia
Editor’s Note:
It is not every day that project cargo is shipped to Papeete. It is a place where most of us would like to take our holidays, of course, but still shipping even exists there. See here a recent impressive project load out video from China to Papeete, performed by renowned global carrier AAL.
AAL demonstrated the lifting capability of its mega-size A-Class fleet with the transport of a heavy lift barge from Taicang, China to Papeete, Tahiti. The barge weighed-in on hook at 410t and measured over 53m in length and 3,657 cbm, and was stowed on the 31,000 dwt AAL Dalian.
DSV Panalpina to Acquire Agility’s Global Integrated Logistics Business
Editor’s Note:
DSV, which has a knack for merging companies efficiently and with their coffers full, make yet another purchase. If DSV can continue to be approachable and service minded and not let size influence their customer service level, then for sure they will succeed also in the future.
Agility and DSV Panalpina A/S (“DSV”) have today signed an agreement for DSV to acquire Agility’s Global Integrated Logistics (GIL) business. The combination is expected to create a top-three global freight forwarder based on revenues. The acquisition will be an all-share transaction and closing is expected in the third quarter of 2021. Agility will become the second largest shareholder in DSV with an approximate 8% stake in the combined company.
A New Intermodal Solution to Reach Bavaria’s Capital
Editor’s Note:
Europe’s soft underbelly continues to develop also on the port side with the Port of Koper expanding their intermodal reach further into Central Europe including Germany.
Salzburger EisenbahnTransportLogistik GmbH – SETG will from April 2021 update their intermodal connections from Germany and Austria to Koper Container Terminal. The services are now optimized and expanded, offering more departures, flexibility and reliability. In addition, a new service for München Container Depot will be launched, increasing the possibilities for servicing the Bavarian industry.
Duty Straightener in Operation at Topy, Japan
Topy Industries Limited, Japan, is operating its new off-line straightener for long products, installed at the Toyohashi plant where it is already running the first spooler line in Japan, supplied by Danieli in 2018.
With a weight of 60 tons the new machine is working separately from the rolling line, straightening profiles and sections including equal, unequal and inverted angles, grating beams, deformed flats and mast rails.
SP Group Builds First Large-Scale Underground Substation in Southeast Asia
SP Group is constructing the first large-scale underground substation in Southeast Asia. Located at Labrador, SP will build its 230-kV electrical substation underground to optimize space in land-scarce Singapore for urban growth and development. Electrical transmission substations range between 66 kV to 400 kV. When running at full capacity, one 230-kV substation can power up to eight towns, each the size of Toa Payoh.
Phase 1 of B5 Plus Steel Plant in Ghana Opens
Ghana’s President Mr Akufo-Addo has inaugurated phase one of the B5 Plus Steel Plant, an enterprise under the government’s One District One Factory 1D1F initiative. The state of art steel manufacturing plant in Larkpleku Village in Prampram in Ghan, is estimated to have cost USD 100 million and the expanded B5 Plus has the potential to help bridge the gap between the production and demand for steel locally.
Gränges to Increase Aluminium Casting Capacity in US
Gränges will invest USD 33 million to expand its aluminium casting operations in Huntingdon, Tennessee, to meet the growing demand from North American customers. This investment follows the previous and successful investments in new rolling capacity at the sites in Huntingdon and Newport in Arkansas in US. The expansion includes investment in buildings and a new casting line. When completed, the casting capacity in Huntingdon will increase by about 25 ktonnes per year and will enable higher capacity utilization in the downstream rolling and slitting operations.
Breakbulk Vessel mv Symphomy Spirit Arriving Port of Harnosand Loaded with Wind Turbine Blades
Editor’s Note:
I visited the Port of Harnosand where https://tsaagency.se/ was handling the BB vessel mv Symphomy Spirit’s arrival with blades. Enjoy the editor’s footage from close-up.
Editor’s Note:
I have always been told that the length doesn’t matter ? but it certainly does in shipping. You have to see it to believe it, but apparently, it IS possible to have extendable trailers the length of 60-70 meters as I witnessed close up here at the Port of Harnosand where these Silvasti-operated trailers were waiting for blades arriving (see featured video).
