Dear Readers,
With my best regards on this Thursday the 6th of October I am writing to you on the final day of the AntwerpXL expo.
Although not the biggest breakbulk expo out there, coming back to the city of Antwerp with friendly people, wonderful food and wine it has been overall a great and high quality experience. I am sure that AntwerpXL has made its mark again after the Corona times and is slated to return, November 2023. So do get your bookings in there early. I arrived in Antwerp on 4th October and joined a port tour where the highlight was visiting both the Wijngaard Natie terminal (www.wijngaardnatie.com), (pic: w.vanbeirendonck@wijngaardnatie.be) and we also visited the Deufol terminal where seaworthy packing to worldwide destinations is their bread and butter AND they are good at it. Here are a few pictures from our booth and also the port tour day.
As you know, I skipped out on Houston as my colleague Cody was going there and instead I spent a week with my parents in Grenaa, Denmark enjoying every day as you no doubt could find from my LinkedIn postings. Lots to talk about these days on the political side here in Europe and with the abhorrent and apparent sabotage of the Nordstream pipelines it may seem that Europe is in for a rough and cold winter. Besides that, interest rates are going up and costs are skyrocketing, and even though you work hard and sometimes even keep 2 jobs it can be difficult to make ends meet. Now no-doubt there are many in each generation that have gotten used to low interest rates when taking out a mortgage, but surely if economics is not taught early in school that what goes down can go up and vice versa, then its about time – it is NOT enough to talk about sustainability if you cannot afford it as much as its stupid to talk about the cost of having a Ferrari because if you ask that, then NO you cannot afford it. I am sure you know what I mean. My parents always taught me to earn what I spend but never spend what I earn! which I have kind of inherited from them and now try to teach all of my kids in the same way.
Mobilisation is now underway in Russia and it seems that a kind of exodus is taking place with men in the military age trying to get out before the borders are sealed up – pretty awful scenes and a reminder that a new iron curtain is being lowered from the Great Empire to the rest of Europe and long are the days since we saw German Chancellor Schroeder and Putin hug each other at the opening of Nordstream 1. Living in Sweden, a country that for decades has been neutral, will soon be joining NATO with Finland alone due to the fact of Putin’s Ukrainian invasion, suddenly makes one realise that you need all the friends you can get and WHO will come to your aid really when the shit hits the fan? What’s worse in Sweden’s case in particular is that there is NO excuse for being unable or too gullable and naive to defend themselves against exterior as well as interior enemies – but perhaps it is not too late to learn. It is not that some people in Sweden have no shooting practice, in case being attacked…. we are currently no. 1 in Europe concerning shootings and gang violence, a tribute to a policy that for years has been just that, gullible, naive and blue-eyed. A fantastic country to live in and with chances for everyone. Why must the “still” minority dictate the daily lives of the majority is beyond understanding, it goes for many situations including that of the country to the east that I just referred to.
Right, on the eve of this Thursday and before I take yet another 2 week break with Project Cargo Weekly because of my travel to Thailand, Australia, Malaysia and Qatar I wish to direct your attention to an excellent array of new video interviews we have in this weeks edition.
1. The country of Jordan, a country that I regrettably never visited is interviewed and we start off with talking to Gargour Shipping, headquartered in Amman with a branch in Aqaba, a port that truly is developing.
2. The Swedish Port of Umeå, located in the North of the Baltic and a hub for timber, project cargoes, paper/pulp including machines, we talk with as well
3. FREJA one of the mythical names of the Nordic gods (I think it was) is interviewed and with offices in China and Denmark and trucks Europe-wide they are capable in many areas.
I do hope you will enjoy this newsletter. In fact I received a comment or several today at AntwerpXL that they liked the newsletter, especially the editorial. I also, although seldom, receive messages that they want to avoid receiving this spam, or simply that they are not interested. Can’t please all, of course, but I mostly meet people who appreciate a bit of the personal touch in the newsletter, so if it ain’t broke I won’t fix it…
Our featured photo of the week can be seen here:
Editors note: PCW is among one of the many publications supporting the AntwerpXL event as it has indeed been a resounding success to get back to the home of breakbulk, Antwerp, and we will see you again 18-20 November, 2023 for sure!
Our featured video of the week can be seen here:
Editors note: Project Cargo can apparently, also on a smaller scale, be moved everywhere and here seen live at the floor of the main expo building at AntwerpXL where delivery of blades for the renewable industry is taking place ?.
We finally, of course, provide you with shipping news, trade intel and wise words.
See you again (virtually) on the 27th of October when I shall be writing to you from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia.
Until then, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Video Interview
Gargour Shipping Company – Jordan
Mohammad Hammoudeh & AbdulRahman Taleb Ali of Gargour Shipping Company were interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW
Video Interview
Port of Umeå – Sweden
Patrick Mattsson, Site Manager, Kvarken Ports Umeå, Sweden and Christer Nederstedt, Sales & Marketing Manager, Kvarken Ports, Umeå, Sweden were interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW
Video Interview
Freja Group – Denmark
Hongyi Niu, Director Global Forwarding at Freja Denmark was interviewed by Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW
Another Week of Tumbling Spot Rates – Here Come the ‘Carrot Danglers’
Editor’s Note:
Spot rates are now tumbling and it may be that owners will need to pick from the war chest they built up during the last 2 years…
Container spot rate indices have recorded another week of double-digit declines for Asia-Europe and transpacific headhaul container rates.
And the market is expecting further contractions in the coming weeks, before a bounce-back later in the year.
Storskog is Now Only Land Border to Europe Open for Russian Tourists
Editor’s Note:
Although not directly “shipping news” still the security situation around the world and recently with pipeline sabotage in the Baltic Sea means we all need to be on our toes. Now only one border crossing exists that is open according to Barents Observer here.
From midnight to Friday, Russians can no longer travel to, or transit through, Finland if the main purpose is tourism.
“The restriction will be valid until further notice,” Pekka Havvisto said at the press conference.
Algeria: Tebboune Relaunches Cevital Megaproject Blocked by Bouteflika Clan
Editor’s Note:
Algeria seems to become more important now also in light of the Russian gas situation and supply to Europe. The country is developing both with gas, ports and other industrial development as this article from Africa Insight tells you.
In Algeria, a word or a hint is enough to unblock an industrial project that has been on hold for ages. Until 24 September 2022, the Cevital group, which is owned by the Rebrab family, was struggling to get its oilseed crushing plant in Béjaïa, Kabylia, off the ground.
Fraud Risk Posed by Fake Emails
Editor’s Note:
Emails are fantastic, easy to use, answer and send messages with but in the heat or speed of the moment you may also overlook the senders email address which may be fake. Latest news from Hapag Lloyd here on this subject – so better watch out…
Fraudsters are issuing e-mails pretending to be a Hapag-Lloyd employees informing customers about a change of payment details (e.g. changed bank account number) and asking for a transfer of outstanding payments to these alleged new bank details. The fraudsters often use a copy of the Hapag-Lloyd signature in order to appear credible.
Vergnet Wins Contract ror 489 Human-Powered Drinking Water Pumps
The government of Chad and the French company Vergnet Hydro have signed an agreement to supply 489 human-powered pumps in three provinces. The future boreholes will be installed in partnership with Batifor Mem, Sotcham and Hydrobat Mem.
Oz Minerals to Build ‘World’s Largest’ Off-Grid Hybrid Project
Sydney-listed miner Oz Minerals confirmed it will initially source 80% of the energy needs for its West Musgrave Project through an off-grid hybrid renewable power solution, after announcing it had given its final investment approval to develop the massive copper-nickel project in Western Australia.
ProSlide Involved with Major El Dorado Water Park Project
Earmarked to become the largest of its type in the Caribbean, El Dorado Water Park is located in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, within a short drive from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). “The Water Park is poised to become the must of the country and surrounding markets,” says ProSlide Technology, which notes it will be the most advanced in the region.
Fischer Automotive to Establish an Automotive Manufacturing Facility in Ludhiana
The letter was signed at Automechanika Frankfurt 2022 in Germany. Bhagwant Singh Maan, the chief minister of Punjab, attended this major trade show for the automobile service sector. It is a one-stop exhibition for global leaders in the automotive industry to demonstrate their proficiency and knowledge in the field.
