Dear Readers,
Today it is Thursday the 1st of June, and PCW is back again.
We are now almost half way through the year of 2023, and once again, I find myself asking in amazement: ’Where did the first 6 months go?’ I am reminded by the saying that the older you get, the quicker the time passes, and that is certainly a true statement.
In my recent editorial, I commented on the availability (even in small cities) of drugs, pills, and whatnot. Continuing on this note, I can tell you that last week in a gigantic find in the port of Helsingborg, a huge quantity of cocaine was found in a secret compartment inside a reefer container. The Port of Helsingborg, Sweden has been criticized for lax security (as most of Sweden generally) but on 2nd thought, what can security do to stop the importation of illicit drugs when there is apparently a huge demand? The market forces in play are so forceful with the profits derived from the drug trade in the billions of US dollars. There is small wonder then that this scourge also is hitting our calm (until now) Scandinavian streets.
However, the side effects are horrific, with violent crime in its wake and a society that used to be built on trust slowly finds that trust being eroded if not already disappeared. In Europe, we have a naive idea to become like the US, borderless like the 50 states. Yet, with Schengen here, the drugs, guns (particularly from Balkan region), and little, if any, control at all makes it a piece of cake also for weapons smugglers to do their trade.
Sweden compared to Finland is particularly susceptible to this as the country has been naive for years both with regards to border control and to enforcing a much tougher set of rules and jail sentences that should have been in place a lot earlier. See also this from the Through Transport Club.
I honestly feel that the snowball is now rolling, and it can no longer be stopped. Not a week goes by without deadly shootings. Already this week, 2 persons have been shot dead… so far. Of course, depending on whom you compare yourself to, we live in paradise. In South Africa, for example, I read that there are nearly 3 murders an hour (source). Where does all this violence come from? Poverty only? Corruption? Mismanagement? Food for thought indeed.
Speaking of drugs, I am travelling to Holland next week to attend Breakbulk Rotterdam. Holland is well known for tax evasion company structures, lax drug laws, and a laissez faire attitude whilst the country is, in many ways, a hub not only for general trade but also for elicits. There should be a mentality change taking place in the continent overall and Holland in particular. There was an interesting documentary recently about Amsterdam (parts of) see here.
After Breakbulk in Rotterdam, one of the world’s great ports, I shall attend our CLC Projects / Cross Ocean (www.clcprojects.com) (www.cross-ocean.com) conference in Budapest, Hungary. Then on September 1st, I shall be in the great continent of South America visiting Chile. We will have a regional conference there. In order to warm up to this continent, I here share an interview I just had with a reliable project freight forwarder located in Ecuador.
Tradinter Group – Guayaquil, Ecuador
Interview with
Ms. Gabriela Vasquez
Sales Manager
It has been years since I visited Chile. I even had the pleasure of visiting the Isla De Pascua (Easter Island) which is a Chilean territory (see here) very very far away in the Pacific, in fact, it’s a 5 hour flight due west from Chile… and is well worth a visit. Whilst on the subject of Chile, I would like to see the Atacama desert, too. Perhaps it will be possible in the near future when travelling there on a regular basis to develop Latin America as a market for Project Cargo Weekly. I also have plans to visit the Juan Fernandez Islands, see here, but as the saying goes: ’So much to do and so little time’… and the more one travels, the bigger the world seems to become!
In today’s issue, besides the interview link above in this editorial, we’ve got another 3 great interviews in store for you.
1. Panama – we speak to a RORO operator active in all of Latin America.
2. Israel – we speak to a project freight forwarder active worldwide.
3. Paraguay – we speak to a Latin America based project freight forwarder with an impressive network.
So, yes, although I don’t speak a word of Spanish (or Portuguese for that matter), this issue is for sure influenced by samba rhythms etc.. ?
We, of course, provide you with our featured video, photo of the week, shipping news, trade intel and wise words. Last but not least, don’t forget to download our APP.
Until June 15, I remain,
Until next week, we remain,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
RORO Shipping Company – Panama
Interview with
Mr. Gabriel Kaklouk
CEO
Can you elaborate to our readers about your route, schedule, and ports of call?
RSC was created with the intention of offering a multipurpose service (mainly ro-ro) to all the Caribbean islands, using as hub ports: Cristobal (Panamá) and Cartagena (Colombia). Our main ports are; Cartagena, Cristobal, Mariel, Santo Tomas de Castilla, Puerto Cortes, Puerto Limon, Kingston, Puerto Cabello, Willemstad, Oranjestad, Port Spain, Georgetown and Paramaribo. We also connect with ports on the East Coast of South America; Santos, Paranagua, Zarate, Montevideo. We have 2 frequencies per month connecting the above mentioned ports.
Ultimate Business Logistics (UBL) – Ashdod, Israel
Interview with
Mr. Avi Bochbot
CEO
First of all Avi, what can you tell us about the company UBL? When was it inaugurated, who owns it, and where do you have offices currently?
Ultimate Business Logistics Ltd. (UBL) was established in 2004 as a member of the Krief Group.
Our company specializes in providing logistics services for commercial cargo businesses in the international delivery sector and uses a ONE STOP SHOP business model. The Group is among the country’s top five leading companies in this field. The company provides a full array of import and export services whether by air or ocean as well as handling customs clearance and logistics.
Masterline Logistics Group – Asunción, Paraguay
Interview with
Mr. Antonio Acosta
Business Development Manager
First of all Antonio, please tell our readers about the company Masterline. Where are you present in South America? Who are the owners of Masterline?
Masterline Logistics Group is a family-owned business, founded in 2003 by Mr. Jean Armand Dessenoix and Mrs. Isabel Bedregal. At the moment, our company has a staff of 500 employees, 28 offices in 13 countries in LATAM (Latin America), Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Costa Rica.
Mapped: European Colonial Shipping Lanes (1700‒1850)
Editor’s Note:
European countries or rather some of them were active in shall we say pillaging foreign countries decades ago. Here is an interesting illustration of the shipping line routes that existed back then from visual capitalist. History in shipping indeed!
Every year, thousands of ships ferry passengers and transport goods across the world’s oceans and seas.
200 years ago, the ships navigating these waters looked very different. Explorers and traders sailed from coast to coast to expand colonial empires, find personal riches, or both.
Largest container ship in the world calls on Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Editor’s Note:
MSC is on a roll and buys not only market share but also old, new and any kind of container ships available. They are indeed preparing for their Maersk divorce. Here again/again another new “largest” container vessel in the world this time alongside in Antwerp Bruges.
The container ship MSC Loreto arrived at the port of Antwerp last night to load and unload containers at the MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) at the Deurganckdock. It is the newest largest container ship in the world.
Latest Episode from the Shipping Podcast
Editor’s Note:
Lena Gothberg in Gothenburg has an excellent podcast on shipping. Met her a couple of years ago and she focuses on areas that we dont always look at in our newsletter. Hear her latest podcast here….
What do you stand for? What are your values? What is your purpose? What is your goal? Those are the things the next generation is looking for. They will only choose to work for you if you have the answer.
Listen to Eman Abdalla, Global Operations Director for Cargill Ocean Transportation, describing what an attractive employer looks like.
India Growth News from Samsara Group
Editor’s Note:
India is growing and with a huge and young population they have if not already soon surpassed China whose abolishing of the restriction of children allowed probably happened too late and will mean trouble in the near future…latest here from Samsara news on India.
Spain-Based Cosentino Group Plans Jacksonville, Florida, Manufacturing Plant
Cosentino Group, the Spain-based global leader in the production and distribution of innovative and sustainable surfaces, plans to establish its U.S. manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Florida.
Sungrow Signed 250MW+50MWh Distribution Agreement with Raystech Group During Smart Energy Expo 2023
Sungrow announced it signed a distribution contract with Raystech Group to supply 250MW PV inverters and 50MWh energy storage systems (ESS), strengthening their distribution cooperation in the Australian market.
Howden Supplies Energy Efficient Aeration Solution to Athlone WWTP
Howden has been awarded a contract to supply four high speed single stage integrally geared blowers and a control system for the new Athlone Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) located in Cape Town, South Africa.
New Plant for Hamilton to Produce ‘Thermally Efficient’ Building Products
In another win for Hamilton’s central location and good transport links, international building products group Metecno is expanding further into New Zealand with the establishment of a facility in Te Rapa for producing “thermally efficient” construction materials.
COSCO Shipping MPP Vessel at Port of Stockholm to Discharge Housing Modules
Editor’s Note:
Shipping also exists in downtown Stockholm, the beautiful capital city of Sweden. Here is the latest return visit of a COSCO Shipping MPP vessel to discharge housing modules that were loaded in Malaysia for the Swedish market. It is big business indeed as the housing demand is never-ending here. It is a smart way to expedite construction times, building the houses in prefab modules with high quality. COSCO has been in town and in ports around Sweden almost monthly for the last year…
Special credit to Frontlog, TSA Shipping Agency, COSCO Shipping and of course Ports of Stockholm for allowing me onboard to take this footage.
Editor’s Note:
A good friend of mine Mr. Tyler Godoff who used to work at Sinotrans Beijing now lives in Miami. He was kind enough to send me this photo of what you can call a downtown Miami shipping view from a modern day condo. Not the worst view to have with a cold Mojito in hand on a lazy afternoon.
