Dear Readers,
It is Thursday the 15th of June, and I have been in recovery mode since arriving back from a week’s trip in Europe.
I attended the Breakbulk Expo in Europe which officially was on from 6-8th of June. Due to this, I arranged to arrive on the 4th of June. For this Rotterdam stay, I again booked the wonderful houseboat that I booked before.
Already on the 4th of June, I began ‘working’. I had dinner with Cosco Specialized Carriers HQ for Europe. On the 5th of June, I had several meetings on the houseboat, including Deugro who wanted to introduce their soon to be built new and specialized vessels for moving renewable equipment (blades, etc.).Then, on the 6th of June, I hosted a wonderful cocktail party onboard the houseboat with some 40 visitors. Space was as tight as the shipowners had it during Corona, however in my case, no one was offloaded and no one was treated arrogantly ?.
On both 7th & 8th of June, it was the Breakbulk Expo proper with subsequent parties, and I attended the Steinweg party which was a success. I have chosen a few pictures here which you may take a look at.
I flew to Budapest, Hungary on the 9th of June where I was poised to chair the joint www.clcprojects.com & www.cross-ocean.com network meeting with 140 attendants from 75+ countries. Many of them had certainly attended Breakbulk, but many others flew in just to meet network members.
Budapest is a beautiful city, and although Hungary as a country does not belong to the politically correct segment in the EU with woke politicians, it was a pleasure being in Eastern Europe again. In many ways, it seems like the Eastern part of Europe is on the way up whilst the Western part is on the way down. Less crime for sure…
The conference was a resounding success at the Kempinski Budapest, and the dinner party was held on mv Budapest sailing along the Danube River. See a few photos here.
I decided NOT to have a single glass of wine or a beer during my last week, but I have to admit that it was an impossible promise. When you are in the midst of both a breakbulk expo and a network conference (meeting some 250 people in total all involved in the same business as you have been a part of since 1980) it is impossible to focus on only still or sparkling water. I took refuge in the fact that there is water in beer and that a cold, good quality white wine during a warm day generally keeps you out of the hangover scourge.
However, the lack of sleep was indeed the main problem, and I think I share this with many other visitors. Meeting so many people in such a short time makes you tired, but it’s more of a mental rather than a physical thing. Finding time to rest the brain is, at least for me, sometimes a problem. We all know what a good night’s sleep does. It is pure and simple; always just what the doctor ordered.
Yet, all said and done, June 4-11 was a fantastic week, and one for the memory bank.
Now I will head to Southeast Asia & Oceania for a month which will include visits to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu, Singapore & Perth, so there is indeed no peace for the wicked. Luckily, as I am traveling with one of my sons, the entertainment is thus greatly reduced, and still or sparkling (water…) is back on the menu.
BTW… I have already booked the same houseboat for 20-24 of May, 2024 to attend Breakbulk again. On 21st of May, I will again host the ‘annual cocktail party’ at Wijnkade 2G — the Project Cargo Weekly houseboat. Contact me for “tickets” ?.
One final note — when I flew back from Budapest to Stockholm, I bought an issue of the Spectator. [ed. note: a weekly British newsmagazine] Inside was a wonderful depiction of the new WOKE society we are living in and which I heard many lament about during my trip. Take a look at this one: WOKE film awards 2023…?
Of course, the world did not only revolve around Rotterdam or Budapest last week, far from it, so I did manage to arrange some interviews which you will find listed here below:
1. LOGIMAR, an Italian freight forwarder also involved with ALN – Africa Logistics Network (and ALNA & EPN) is interviewed below.
2. ARANUI CRUISES runs one of the most spectacular cargo/cruise combined operators in the Pacific, in and around Tahiti & French Polynesia; enjoy their video and you are likely going to book a ticket soon!
3. LAKEWAY LINK is a ‘coming soon’ joint venture between Greencarrier & Wilhelmsen Wallenius; we interviewed them about their new feeder service
We, of course, provide you with shipping news, trade intelligence, featured video and picture of the week and wise words.
Our final issue before the summer break in July is coming on the 29th of June. Then we will start publishing again on August 10th.
Until then, we remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Logimar SRL – Italy
Interview with
Mr. Marcello Saponaro
CEO of Logimar Srl in Italy & Founder of some Freight Forwarder Networks
Your company Logimar, what can you tell our readers about it?
It is part of a group of SMEs owned by my family with some other partners. There are different partners in every company. The group numbers a hundred employees. They are the real value of our group because they have the ability to evolve together (with each other) and together with the companies over the years. More than 10 years ago, Logimar started to focus on project cargo and more recently, on industrial relocation. This was undoubtedly our strength together with the team of Logimar.
Video Interview
Aranui Cruises – Tahiti, French Polynesia
Romina Wong, Director of cruises at Aranui Cruises, Tahiti, French Polynesia interview with Bo H. Drewsen, Editor in Chief at PCW
Lakeway Link Ltd.
Interview with
Fredrik Hermansson
Managing Director
I understand Fredrik that Lakeway Link is a newly established company, right? Who is behind this new venture and what is the business idea?
It’s the two companies Wallenius and Greencarrier who stand behind the establishment of Lakeway Link. It’s a joint ownership of 50/50.
The business idea is aimed at reducing heavy traffic by offering extended waterway transport. Lakeway Link will offer more sustainable traffic for Roll-on/Roll-off and High and Heavy between Lake Mälaren and Poland. The link is expected to reduce the climate footprint compared to traditional trailer transport between the Mälar region and the continent.
There will be weekly transports between the Polish city of Gdynia or Gdansk up to Södertälje and further into lake Mälaren to reach Västerås.
The focus will be on transporting only the trailers and not the truck.
Container Freight Rates: ‘Collapse’ is the Word, says Xeneta
Editor’s Note:
What goes up must come down – arrogant attitudes of the lines too…
June is bearing few surprises for container shipping, with demand continuing its inexorable downward correction.
In its latest XSI report, Xeneta’s index of rates is down by 42% year on year, May marking the ninth consecutive month of dropping rates.
Massive Investment in the North
Editor’s Note:
Again news from the High North an interesting area also geopolitically although due to Russian aggression noone except themselves most likely are willing to use the Northern Sea Route. But from a shipping perspective a good idea to read High North News..
The Armed Forces and civil society is to be strengthened in Northern Norway. This week, the Norwegian Chief of Defense presented his military advice as the government announced extraordinary economic measures in the region. At the same time, the world’s largest warship visited the north. In Russia, intensive work is done to secure the economy despite the sanctions from the West. Here is the week as seen from the north.
This week, both the Norwegian Chief of Defense’s military advice and a major investment in Norway’s northernmost county were presented.
Visualizing the World’s Largest Lithium Producers in 2022
Editor’s Note:
Lithium used for batteries to power electrical vehicles is becoming very important. All roro ships worldwide are fully booked currently at exorbitant rates due to the massive export of EV around the world due to the green craze so perhaps interesting to see which countries are the producers…, speaking of RORO Cosco Car Carriers just placed an order for around 22 new roro ships…so who knows if a crash in store there too.
Lithium has become essential in recent years, primarily due to the boom in electric vehicles and other clean technologies that rely on lithium batteries.
Where Are All the Containers? Container xChange Global Forecaster – June 2023
Editor’s Note:
Interesting insights from the neutral container logistics platform, Asia forecaster…
According to Container xChange’s June Forecaster, the persistent decline in container prices is being accompanied by resurging supply chain disruptions such as the Panama Canal drought, labor strikes on the US West Coast, and a technical recession in the Eurozone.
Vestas Confirms 161-MW Wind Turbine Order in Finland
The wind turbine manufacturer Vestas is to deliver 161 MW to the two Finnish wind farms Lumivaara and Storbötet.
The Storbötet wind farm will have a capacity of 105 MW and will be built in Uusikaarlepyy, which lies off the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. It will consist of 17 V162-6.2 MW wind turbines.
Mantsinen Group Celebrates Its 60Th Anniversary With The Largest Order In The Company’s History
Many large modern Pulp Mills in Latin America have put their trust in Mantsinen material handling machines when optimizing operations and utilizing best practices in their wood yards and mill feeding operations. Brazilian Pulp manufacturer Suzano Papel e Celulose, one of the largest pulp manufacturers in the world, has relied on Mantsinen’s material handling expertise since 2018. The partnership is continuing with the largest machine order in Mantsinen’s history.
Kalmar Secures Hybrid Straddle Carrier Order from Port of Tauranga
The order was booked in Cargotec’s Q2 2023 order intake, with delivery scheduled for Q4 of 2023. The Port of Tauranga, located on New Zealand’s North Island, is the country’s largest container terminal and its premier freight gateway.
China’s LONGi to Supply Modules for the 200 MWp Kom Ombo Solar Power Plant
Good news for LONGi Green Energy Technology. The company based in the Chinese city of Xi’an has just signed an agreement with Zhejiang Thermal Power Construction for the construction of the Kom Ombo photovoltaic solar power plant in Egypt. Under the terms of the recently concluded contract, LONGi will equip the solar power plant with “high-efficiency bifacial mono PERC modules”.
Onboard mv Bright Sky in March 2023
Editor’s Note:
Whilst being exhausted after attending both Breakbulk Rotterdam, own cocktail parties and networking and joint network conferences it is refreshing to look at this video, shot by me in March when onboard mv Bright Sky of MACS (www.macship.com) as passenger from Leixoes to Walvis Bay…how I want to go back!
Editor’s Note:
Had a fantastic week in Rotterdam onboard the houseboat that I stayed at least year, booked for this year (and for 2024). Had a networking cocktail the day of the opening of Breakbulk Rotterdam – after that grand event flew to Budapest to chair the joint network meeting of CLC Projects / Cross Ocean as can be seen…
