Dear Readers,
Week 42, Thursday has arrived and it means our newsletter is in your inbox and also marks the week of the Chinese Communist Party congress in Beijing, presided by their current leader Mr. Xi Jinping. No doubt some visions will be forthcoming about the development of China and China’s place in the world. China’s impact is being felt globally in terms of business and investment but also increasingly as a “soft power”.
A property bubble seems to be around the corner from my seat here in Stockholm. According to a recent UBS real estate bubble index we are no. 2 after Toronto. Let us see, doomsday predictions seem to be falling on deaf ears, perhaps because many of us are saturated with news and in particular bad news. Ideally there should be a Good News Network (GNN) insteadof or in addition to CNN.
In this issue we have an interview with an interesting shipping guy based in Hamburg. He gives some insight into the recent demise of Hanjin, which was the 7th largest container ship-owner in the world. Who would have thought such a large entity would default? So, yes, too big to fail is no longer a fact – even big “ships” can go under.
We also have a video documentary about the moving of an entire Swedish town due to their iron ore mine.
I want to draw your attention to some food for thought from World Mental Health Day. Most of us in business are busy trying to make ends meet and above all strike a life/work balance. Its not easy and no one goes through life without scars. It serves as a reminder for all of us to stop, relax and contemplate our next move before we become speed-blind.
Yours sincerely,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
Mr. Hans-Peter Becker – a German Shipping Man in Hamburg
Tell us a bit about your experience in shipping and the various posts you have held from the beginning.
After a three year apprenticeship – as with most German young men – I had to complete my military draft service. I chose the Navy for that and signed on for four years. The next stop was Hamburg, doing services for a small agent with a RoRo Liner service to the UK. Then I changed, first to the agent for the then newcomer “CMA”, then to the agency for COSCO, In 1990 I joined Hanjin, at that time they moved their Europe office to Hamburg and upgraded it to a regional headquarter. I never thought that this employment would last for 27 years.
Moving a City in the North of Sweden – a Major Logistics Undertaking
Editor’s Note:
As you may know dear reader I am located and writing this newsletter from the capital of Sweden, Stockholm. However, in the north of our country in Kiruna they are right now busy undertaking the moving of a whole city due to the location of the iron ore mine that has been active for more than 100 years. See this interesting video clip now that is indeed project cargo.
Customs Clearance in China Being Made Even More Efficient
Reforms include changes to tariff payment methods and enhanced flexibility on the movement of goods before they are taxed.
ASEAN to Boost Land, Sea, Air Links in Region
ASEAN countries are meeting and agreeing to free up the movement of goods across borders even further.
Featured Event
Latin American Congress of Ports – November 6th – 9th, 2017
In Punta Del Este, Uruguay
Along with a technical tour of the Port of Montevideo and an exciting social agenda, new speakers -from Europe and the Americas- have joined the academic program of the year’s main port event. With the Minister of Transport of Uruguay, Victor Rossi, opening the Congress and detailing his vision for the country’s logistical potential, the summit’s themes are focused on trade and transport within the dilemma of a new world order hanging between globalization and protectionism, and include outlooks for the regional maritime industry as well as analyses of digital revolution impacts, waterways development and the optimization and sustainability of port operations.
Learn more about the event: View event PDF
Register online: http://www.aapalatinoamerica.com/
Health & Wellness
Editor’s Note:
being happy and healthy is paramount for us all, recently it was World Mental Health Day. The article below is indeed food for thought, especially for the busy shipping executive or the exhausted and over-travelled business person trying to achieve a work / life balance.
Shipyards & Ship-Building
Brødrene Aa Wins Order for Catamaran Trio
Norwegian ferry builder Brødrene Aa, Hyen, has received an order for three high-speed carbon fiber catamaran ferries intended for the Chinese market. Read more…
Abu Dhabi Ports Orders Three New Tug Boats
Abu Dhabi Ports has ordered three new tug boats during the Sea Trade Offshore Marine & Workboats Middle East 2017 (SOMWE). The new tug boats – with a bollard pull of 30 tonnes – will service both Musaffah and Zayed Ports and will be built by Sanmar Shipyards and Damen. Read more…
Ports & Harbours
Chittagong Port Buying Six Cranes From ZPMC
Last year, the CPA decided to buy 51 pieces of machinery, including 10 gantry cranes, at about Tk 1,200 crore. The port received the delivery of 12 pieces of machinery in the last few months while the tender evaluation for another 12 is underway, said CPA Secretary Omar Faruq. Read more…
Renewables
Sunray Power Gets Govt. Nod for 100-MW Solar Park in the Philippines
PV developer Sunray Power (SPI), majority owned by MRC Allied subsidiary Menlo Renewable Energy Corporation, has signed a service contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a 100MW solar PV project at Clark Green City in Tarlac, the Philippines. Read more…
German Firm Starts Construction of Solar Power Plant in Iran
Pasargad Solar Projects Ltd, a German-Iranian Company, in collaboration with Kronos Solar Projects GmbH, international players in large-scale solar energies, announced today the launch of the construction of first phase of a new 100 MW solar power plant in Meybod. Read more…
Array Technologies to Supply Another 586MW of Solar Trackers to Australian Projects
The company will provide its DuraTrack HZ v3 trackers to the projects, which are scheduled for commercial operation in 2018. The projects in Queensland include Ross River (148MW), Whitsunday (69MW), Hamilton (69MW), Daydream (180MW) and Hayman (60MW). Array is also supplying to Gannawarra (60MW) in Victoria. Read more…
Construction
UK Group Wins US$260 Million Project in Miami
UK-based infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has been awarded a US$260 million contract to build a residential and retail development in Miami, US. Read more…
Driverless Container Trucks at the Port of Rotterdam
It may surprise some people to know that these have been in use for quite some time.
