Dear Readers,
It is Week 47 and after a couple of weeks break, I am now baaaack (as Schwarzenegger said with a heavy accent in one movie I recall). It is the last Thursday of November, and we’ve got about a month left before Xmas.
I took the break because I had planned some heavy travel to the Middle East and Southern Europe. Unfortunately, however, I had to cancel that mainly because my father was ultimately diagnosed with terminal cancer which had spread and from which there is now no recovery possible. I opted then, of course, to fly to Denmark, and I am now spending every afternoon here with my parents to enjoy the time left, reminisce about times past, and to enjoy (whenever he is up to it) a small whisky on the rocks (Tullamore Dew for me and Famous Grouse for him) whilst sitting in what you certainly may call a maritime living room. I did do a piece 4 years ago about my father as he was the “culprit” who got me into this lovely racket called shipping, you may find it here.
When someone passes (or is facing their final voyage) that is close to you, it does put a lot of things into perspective. Live a little every day, save for a rainy day but it won’t rain for 3 months… and sentences like these come to mind. Neither my parents nor I were ever fans of large bouquets of flowers at anyone’s demise. Instead, time and money should be spent on people when they are STILL HERE. So give a thought as to whom you didn’t visit for a long while. Did you postpone visiting someone you should have long ago or are you hiding behind the excuses of being so busy? I certainly have been a master at keeping myself busy at length over the years, but I have in later years, reversed my thinking. Now I make sure and treasure the moments I can with the people I like to be with when they are here, NOT when they are not here.
Here in Grenaa, Denmark, I spend time in the morning working out of my house, but I also managed to drive across to the West Coast to the origins of my father’s family. I took some pictures from there that I would like to share with you. Father was very pleased to see them as he will no longer be able to go. The nature on the West Coast of Denmark is very special. It’s raw, rough, but clean and beautiful in all kinds of weather, and last but not least, it’s very often windy. So for that, take a look at the featured video of this week. Here are some of the photos from my visit.
On the shipping front, the pandemic is indeed still playing havoc with supply chains, and it is now more profitable to be a shipowner than an Apple owner it seems. There was an interesting video from CBS 60 Minutes on YouTube about that very thing but also a scary reminder of the shortsightedness of US planning when it comes to logistics and infrastructure. Our democracies do have a problem thinking farther ahead than 4 years until the next election, and that is to the detriment of us all, right? See the video here.
On the political front these last few weeks, I must admit I haven’t really paid much attention to it, so without further ado I will move on to the “program” I have in store for you
With regards to interviews we start off in RUSSIA in a city that I would like to visit one day. It’s called SAMARA and it is located by the mighty Volga River. We speak to FORMAG who are logistics providers and project freight forwarders. They’ve even handled projects from Europe via Russia to Kamchatka which perhaps is the ultimate last frontier to visit.
We then pay a visit to the small but by no means insignificant country of SLOVENIA and here COMARK, a local company in LJUBLJANA tells us a compelling story about what they can do in seaworthy packing, inland transport, and overseas projects worldwide.
Finally we continue our way north from Europe’s “soft underbelly” to the Baltic city of ROSTOCK where we remind you about an interview we had with STINNES LINE, owners and providers of reliable breakbulk services in a triangular service between Europe/USG and South Africa.
We of course provide you with shipping news, trade intel and wise words. As always, don’t forget to download our free PCW app here.
Finally, I remind you that our last issue of the year will be December 16. We will start again in a hopefully “soon COVID-free” new year of 2022 on January 13.
Until next week, we remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Video Interview
Formag Logistics – Samara, Russia
Tatyana Alekseeva (Selezneva), Representative of Formag Logistics Samara was interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW.
Video Interview
Comark Project Logistics – Ljubljana, Slovenia
Benjamin Herman, Project Cargo & Quality Manager at Comark Project Logistics Slovenia was interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW.
Video Interview
Hugo Stinnes Schiffahrt – Rostock, Germany
Steffen Wiegratz – Line Manager SanMex Service and MPP Transatlantic at Hugo Stinnes Schiffahrt is interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen – Editor in Chief of PCW.
Greenland Strips Chinese Mining Firm Of License For Iron Ore Deposit
Editor’s Note:
Shipping is also a type of control over minerals and resources. Greenland has not succumbed to the lure of money and investments and just recently cancelled an agreement with China for harvesting their iron deposits. I think this may only be the beginning as many see that such mineral and resource deposits should NOT be controlled by others.
Greenland said on Monday it has stripped a Chinese mining company of its license to an iron ore deposit near the capital Nuuk, dealing a blow to attempts by Chinese companies to gain a foothold on the resource-rich Arctic island.
General Nice, a Chinese coal and iron ore importer, took control of the Isua mine project in 2015, replacing previous owner London Mining, which went bankrupt.
Uncertain Tonnage Situation for Wind Power Projects
Editor’s Note:
Toepfer Transport does solid market research, and it seems with the current upside down logistics situation worldwide that even renewable cargo producers are facing huge difficulties and are unable nowadays to shop around like they could in the past. Freight is increasing hugely as part of the overall production cost.
While the overall Wind Power-driven demand for MPP tonnage space is steadily rising, the fleet gets smaller and older. The size of the Wind Power components is rapidly increasing and only a small portion of ships can accommodate the new Wind power Blades with a length in excess of 115 m and Nacelles close to 600 mt unit weight. The high rise of freight rates in the past months puts significant pressure on the sector. Many companies calculated their transport budgets for ongoing projects at the much lower rate levels of the past and now struggle to mitigate the losses.
Western Bulk Chartering AS – Opening Office in Dubai
Editor’s Note:
Norwegian owners, Western Bulk, now enters the Middle East by opening a regional office there. They do take project cargoes regularly.
To extend our geographical presence and come closer to our customers in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, Western Bulk has decided to open an office in Dubai. The office is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2022.
CMA CGM Sails to Top of Carrier Earnings List with Q3 Results
Editor’s Note:
CMA CGM are on a roll along with most if not all of the container lines. It would seem that shipping is now more profitable than high tech and one thing for us who are in the industry we no longer need to explain what we actually do for a living in logistics…
CMA CGM has shot to the top of the Q3 carrier earnings league table, posting a record net profit for the period and it said there would be an “even stronger” result to come for the final quarter.
EDPR invests in 2.2GW Singaporean Floating Solar Firm
EDPR is investing at a time when Sunseap is expanding its footprint in the region, in particular with a 2.2GW project to build a floating photovoltaic farm and an energy storage system in Indonesia’s Batam island.
Akobo Minerals Unveils Favorable Terms of its Partnership with Ethiopia on the Segele Gold Project
For months, the Ethiopian government has been trying to boost a new dynamic in the local mining sector. Addis Ababa first withdrew several mining permits from companies that were in breach of their obligations and has just offered unprecedented benefits to Akobo Minerals.
Metso Outotec Wins Major Order for Iron Ore Pellet Plant Capacity Expansion in Ukraine
Metso Outotec has signed an agreement for the delivery of key equipment for the expansion of an existing production line at the Ferrexpo Poltava Mining iron ore grate-kiln pellet plant, which is located in the mining
city of Horishni Plavni in central Ukraine.
FS Plans Third Biofuels Plant in Brazil
FS announces construction of third plant in Primavera do Leste (MT) and substantial progress towards producing a negative carbon biofuel. The Primavera do Leste project will receive an investment of R$ 2.3 billion (US$ 420 million) and the plant, when completed, will produce over 150 million gallons of ethanol per year
The Seaside on the West Coast of Denmark
Editor’s Note:
The West Coast of Denmark is long and there is a special nature out there. The place where my father’s family have their origins near Nymindegab, Denmark is often sought out by tourists in all kinds of weather. Looking at the ocean is related to shipping too, right?
Editor’s Note:
At the Port of Grenå I saw a Pacific Basin bulk vessel called Jervis Bay alongside the quay loading scrap iron destined for Turkey. The agent of the vessel while in the Port of Grenå is www.oestship.dk
