Dear Readers,
It is week 43, Thursday the 28th of October and we are here again.
Before I become too long-winded about last week’s events, let me just quickly remind you of the weeks that we will take a break here in PCW due to excessive, upcoming traveling. The first 3 weeks of November I shall be off the PCW grid, starting again on November 25th again with a fresh perspective on things after some overseas travel that includes Scandinavia, Europe and the Middle East.
I was briefly in Denmark last week, and whilst walking to the tram to go to the local Stockholm airport of Bromma, I passed a police officer that was standing guard nearby some blue and white tape. You know the kind of tape you see in the movies in various colours depending on the country but basically “Police Line – Do Not Cross”. It turned out that just a 2 minute walk from my home, yet another, what seems to be gang-related, shooting had taken place that very evening before 11pm.
Sweden is again at the top of the European league when it comes to shootings and gang-related crime. I mentioned in my editorial once before about these shootings (that now number about 8 per week), and about how it is NOT only in the bigger cities, it is also the smaller ones around this large and beautiful country. How did my home country end up so deep in this downward spiral?
To me, it is a combination of an inability to call a spade a spade, and continuing a penal system that hardcore criminals laugh at. Sweden is now looking to Denmark where both the left and right wings in government came together in order to fight this problem that affects the whole society. The problem in Sweden is due to an old style ideology and a risk-averse attitude that is clearly ingrained in the powers-that-be which makes it a very dangerous cocktail for the country.
In so many ways Sweden has taken care of everyone and generally has a good reputation for fairness and order around the world but now the country is on a slide that some people here believe is next to irreversible. The local politicians are always on TV exclaiming that their thoughts are with the victims — but we also need to be clear about one fact, where are the parents? Are they all absent? I’ve have six children of my own, of which, three are already grown-up. I wouldn’t leave a stone unturned to find out what they were up to, who they were “hanging with” and so on. Parents also need to look inward in-order to help eradicate this problem.
I am actually leaving for Finland shortly and again in a month’s time to check on schools and property there as they have Swedish-speaking schools and are mostly work from home anyway. What does it matter whether we live in Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, Malta, KL or even the UAE, they are all in play, so let’s see…. Safety is paramount and if you cannot offer your children safety in growing-up or the mere feeling of it, then what is the point of living in a “fancy and better neighbourhood”? The jury is out on the culprits in the shooting but the “investigations” are on-going. We are also making it to the news. See this clip from YouTube.
The shipping world is still, as mentioned earlier, upside down, and after I attended a conference this week, I learned that some of the major carriers still believe this situation will not abate and will hold at least until the middle of 2022. So there are certainly hefty profits for the people with the right ships in the right place currently — that is if you can find any tonnage….. Rail freight has come into its own after years of “talking about it”, and there will be some interesting sea and rail shipping expos such as Antwerp XL and European Silk Road Summit taking place early December in Antwerp and Amsterdam respectively.
Before I take my 3-week travel break, let me also remind you that Project Cargo Weekly is indeed part of the CLC Projects Group which was established in Hong Kong in 2012. It comprises 2 networks, linking project freight forwarders with each other and with project related service providers, as well as this newsletter that reaches many thousands worldwide every Thursday.
If you are interested to know more about PCW, what we can offer you, and more about our two networks, (www.clcprojects.com and www.cross-ocean.com), then do take a look at this recently compiled group video that we made.
With these words, let me turn to what I have in store for you today. From the archives, I have found 3 interesting interviews that cover different countries, we start off in Germany, then we proceed to Italy before finishing off in Argentina. Do take a look and read up a bit on what they all have to offer.
Before signing off, I, of course, provide you with shipping news, trade intel and very wise words once again.
Until Nov 25, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Hansa Meyer Global Transport GmbH & Co. KG – Germany
Interview with
Mr. Henrique Wohltmann
Managing Director
Could you provide our readers with a few examples of projects that you have handled and that you are proud of having been part of?
Well first, there’s the AN-225 project from Chile to Bolivia, for which we just received the award Best Airfreight Solution of the Year award from…
Energy International Logistics SRL – Milan, Italy
Interview with
Mr. Trevor Norrish
Co-Founder & Partner
Trevor, firstly can you please tell us about the history of Energy International? When was the company established, who owns it and what kind of logistics business are you mainly involved in?
Personally, I am British and my family came to live in Genoa after World War II, taking over a shipping agency. I was involved very early on in first hand port activity, as agents for Delmas to West Africa and Rickmers with their conventional service to China (before HL took over). Fast forward to today and I have lived in Milan for over thirty-five years.
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 logistics solutions to various customers of Ultramar. In 2001, Ulog started operations in Argentina and that was the beginning of its international expansion.
In 2007, the leadership and presence of Ulog were consolidated by expanding its network of international agents on a worldwide scale. Currently, the logistics division of Ultramar has consolidated its regional presence with offices in eleven countries within the Americas.
Maersk: Supply Chain Situation Is An American ‘Growth Story’
Editor’s Note:
The latest here from Big Blue and our friends at gCaptain on the supply chain situation. Indeed, it does seem to highlight a problem overall in the US with the lack of infrastructure investment for years…at least as part of the reason. And how about buying less as well?
In its latest update addressing supply chain disruptions, the world’s top shipping company Maersk said the challenges the United States is facing with its supply chain is a byproduct of its growth and that more needs to be done to keep pace with increasing consumer demand.
Russia’s First Arctic Wind Farm Rises Outside Murmansk
Editor’s Note:
Renewable energy is also being used in Russia’s far north. An interesting article about this very thing here – important for those of you in project cargo shipping using the NSR route….
The Kolskaya Wind Farm will be one of Russia’s biggest when it starts production in mid-2022. Construction has proceeded quickly through the year since a first ship loaded with turbines made port call in Murmansk in late April.
According to regional authorities, 20 of the projected 57 turbines are already standing on the windy stretches northeast of Murmansk City. Blasting works were conducted through October in order to prepare for the building of the remaining installations.
Bolloré: Is a Sell-Off on the Cards for Historic Port Operator?
Editor’s Note:
Africa, the continent known as the last frontier, has, in parts, been in the grip of the French Group Bollore. But now it seems they are exiting or cashing in by putting their organisation up for sale.
The possible withdrawal of Bolloré from its port activities on the continent, which has been on the table since 2020, bears witness to the profound reconfiguration of the sector underway, in a context of post-pandemic recovery of traffic.
Luka Koper News from the Port of Koper, Slovenia
Editor’s Note:
Europe’s soft underbelly represented by ports in Italy and even more in the Adriatic countries of Croatia and Slovenia may be a solution if you wish to cut transit time to Northern Europe. Latest here from Port of Koper which, of course, is self-serving but still tells what’s “cooking” in the Adriatic!
The Ministry of Infrastructure, the Municipality of Ankaran and Luka Koper have signed a tripartite agreement, which is the basis for further development of the port in its northeastern part. The agreement is important because it enables the implementation of the regulation of the border area of the port, which is a precondition for the start of investments in the expansion of storage areas, in accordance with the National spatial plan.
Tesla Battery Supplier CATL to Acquire Canada-based Millennial Lithium for $298 Million
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd bolstered its lithium supply in a series of deals that help the battery giant secure key resources for its long-term development of new energy vehicles.
Canada’s Millennial Lithium Corp said on Tuesday that CATL will acquire Millennial at 3.85 Canadian dollars per share, CATL outbid the 3.60-Canadian-dollar-per-share offer made in July by Ganfeng, one of the world’s biggest producers of lithium.
Egypt and Japan Plan to Jointly Produce Blue Ammonia
In Japan, a group of investors interested in ammonia said last year that the fuel can meet 1.5% of electricity demand in 2030 and 10% in 2040.
Last week, the Egyptian state-owned gas company (EGAS) and the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding signed a memorandum of understanding with Toyota Tsusho, the trading arm of Japanese automaker Toyota to develop blue ammonia projects.
Msikaba Bridge Construction Project Underway
Msikaba bridge construction project is now underway in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the project is set to create 36 000 jobs and produce R4 billion in income for local companies.
The 580-meter-long Msikaba bridge construction project, which 127-meter-high pylons will support, is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Iraq’s Al Faw Port to Become Largest in Middle East
The Grand Port of Al Faw, a serious mission in Iraq initially introduced in 2010, has accomplished its first stage with the development of 5 principal piers, setting the stage for it to turn out to be the Center East’s greatest port when full.
The Biggest Nuclear Icebreaker – 75,000 Horse Power
Editor’s Note:
The Northern Sea Route is on and increasingly so. There is some footage to be found on the internet but this one (along with the well-chosen music) is one of my favourites. Enjoy and see you in 3 week’s time.
Editor’s Note:
Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia is a favourite place of mine. It has it all: jungle, shipping, sunsets, and wonderful food. I recommend that you pay the state of Sabah a visit starting off in Kota Kinabalu (KK). Enjoy this featured photo, comprised of 2 pictures that I took when I was there last.
