Seasonally adjusted Irish goods exports increased by 10% to E7.77bn in August and imports increased by 6% to €4.07bn, resulting in a 15% increase in the trade surplus to E3.70bn. The Central Statistics Office said that on an unadjusted basis, the value of exports in August 2011 (E7.01bn) was up 5% when compared with August 2010 and the value of imports (E3.76bn) up 8%. The trade surplus of E3.25bn in August 2011 remained relatively unchanged from the 2010 figure of E3.22bn.

The figures for the first seven months of 2011 compared with the same period of 2010 show:

• Exports increased by 4% to €54.26bn
• Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products by mainly US-owned firms, increased by 11% or €1,599m
• Organic chemicals by 8% or €925m and Petroleum by 69% or €333m
• Exports of Computer equipment fell by 10% or €261m and Telecommunications and sound equipment by 25% or €124m
• Exports to the USA increased by 9% or €1,064m, to France by 11% and Germany by 8%

In the first seven months of 2011, over half (52%) of Ireland’s exports went to the USA, Belgium and Great Britain
Imports increased by 7% to €28.52bn:

• Imports of Petroleum increased by 28% or €657m
• Medical and pharmaceutical products by 23% or €465m
• Organic chemicals imports increased by 25% or €309m
• Goods from Great Britain rose by 18% or €1,360m and from Germany by 14% or €275m

In the first seven months of 2011, 53% of Ireland’s imports came from Great Britain, the USA and Germany. The nominal value of Irish exports rebounded in August to €7.8bn from €7.0bn in July; Volumes data, which lag by one month, indicate that goods export volumes fell by 12.4% in July; But the nominal data suggest that export volumes will bounce back sharply in August. The goods trade balance was €3.7bn in August, up from €3.2bn in July.

European Road Freight Still Below 2008 Peak

The European road freight sector saw growth of 3.6% in 2010 and, according to the latest forecasts by Transport Intelligence, will expand at the same rate in 2011. However, despite the two year’s consistent growth, this will still leave the market more than 10% lower than at its peak in 2008, prior to the economic slowdown.

The figures are contained in Ti’s latest report, European Road Transport and Logistics 2011, which includes analysis, market sizing and profiles of all the main European markets.

Europe’s road freight market has suffered a slow recovery, held back by troubled southern economies; including Greece, Spain and Portugal. However, Germany saw higher than average growth driven by strong domestic demand, as well as a rebound in manufacturing and exports – although largely from outside Europe. The other major economies saw much more muted growth.

Growing in the high single digits, the international road freight sector performed much better than its domestic counterpart, and this trend is likely to be repeated in 2011. Central and Eastern European countries, in particular the Baltic States, saw healthy growth as supply chains continued to develop on a European region-wide basis. The market was driven not least by a high level of trade with thriving Russia and Sweden.

Employee of Irish Firm Wins Int’l Freight Forwarder of the Year

Ms. Silvia Valles Barrera, who achieved a distinction in the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding two years ago has gone on to win the overall winner award of the Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year competition for 2011. The prize was presented to Silvia at the international congress of FIATA in Cairo last week.

Earlier this year, she was announced the winner of the European sector of the award and was one of four finalists in competition for the ultimate award when she competed against the winners from the Africa & Middle East, Americas and Asia & Pacific regions.

Ms. Barrera, who is a native of Spain, is an employee of Hawthorn Logistics and is responsible for managing its clients’ international forwarding arrangements.

The awards competition, run by the International Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), is open to candidates representing the countries and national freight associations in four geographical regions of the world.

Ms. Barrera achieved distinction level in the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding in 2010. The internationally recognized diploma course is validated by FIATA and delivered by the Irish International Freight Association.

Target Express Wins Irish Haulier of the Year

Target Express, the Dublin based pallet and parcel services provider was announced as the Irish Haulier of the Year 2012 (sponsored by TOTAL) at the fifth annual Fleet Transport Awards.

With 526 vehicles and trailers and over 510 employees, Target Express is the largest Irish owned provider of pallet and parcel services to and from the UK and within Ireland. The company has 1.25 million square feet of warehouse space in twenty eight locations in Ireland and the UK. In winning the prestigious Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year 2012 award, the company impressed judges with its advanced information systems and flexible transport and logistics soulutions.

Target Express was also the winner of the National Haulier of the Year award presented earlier in the evening. The firm will now go forward to represent Ireland in the European Transport Company of the Year finals in 2013.

Air Freight Traffic Falls – Low Rates Temp Hi-Tech Industry

Traffic statistics from major freight airports point to a sharp downturn in freight volume last month. Hong Kong International Airport reported a 6.1% fall in cargo tonnage, as compared to September 2010, to 325,000 tonnes. This was despite a 5.4% rise in passenger traffic over the same period. The fall in cargo volumes was driven by a 10% fall in exports. The airport commented that “Europe, North America and Taiwan experienced double-digit declines in overall cargo traffic”.

This fall was reflected in Europe’s largest air cargo facility, Frankfurt airport (see Ti Dashboard – Air Cargo: Airports). It saw a 5.3% fall year-on-year in September, with the airport’s management suggesting that overall figures for the year would be less than for those of 2010. Like Hong Kong, Frankfurt saw a 5% growth in passenger numbers for the month.

The falls in cargo volumes are all the more notable in that September marks the start of the period running-up to Christmas; normally the busiest time of the year. However in absolute terms, compared to the previous month, both airports have seen only marginal falls in volume.

There may be some hope for the air cargo sector however, as the chip maker Intel is reporting that inventories of micro-processors are being run at what it calls “lean” levels. Discussing the state of the electronics sector after its recent quarterly results, the company’s senior management observed that the falling cost of air freight was giving the sector options. Paul S. Otellini, Intel’s CEO commented that “it’s now cheaper to ship by air than it was in prior quarters. So our customers have more flexibility than we’ve seen in a couple of quarters. And so I think what you’ve got is them just staging to be cautious and not getting caught on the downside with inventory, but to be ready to pounce on any upside opportunity.”

In other words, the falling prices in air freight are tempting customers to drive-down inventories, whilst potentially increasing their demand for moving cargo by air.

DSV Report Revenue Increase in 2011

DSV has announced its results for the first nine months of 2011 with a 4.2% increase in revenue from DKK 31,451m in 2010 to DKK 32,787m in 2011. Gross profit amounted to DKK 7,322m, a 5.4% increase compared to 2010. This resulted in a gross profit margin of 22.3%.

Operating profit before special items (EBITA) came to DKK 1,837m, compared to DKK 1,638m in the corresponding period of 2010. This resulted in an EBITA margin of 5.6%. Profit before tax was reported to be DKK 1,530m.

A company statement said: “The results for the first nine months of 2011 are deemed satisfactory.”
The performance remains in line with DSV’s expectations for the full year as the company has maintained its outlook moving into the fourth quarter. Revenue is expected to be in the range of DKK 44,000m – 47,000m, while gross profit is expected to be in the range of DKK 9,800m – 10,200m and operating profit (EBITA) is expected to be in the range of DKK 2,400m – 2,550m

Aramex Reports 3rd Quarter Revenue Up 19%

Aramex, the global logistics and transportation solutions provider with its Irish operations in North Dublin, announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2011, reflecting a healthy increase in revenues and net profits, in the face of continued instability in a number of its markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Aramex’s revenues for the third quarter of 2011 rose to AED 651 million, up % 19 from AED 545 million in the corresponding period of 2010. In the same period, the company’s net profits rose to AED 48 million, up from AED 46.7 million, representing an increase of 3 %.

The company’s operations witnessed healthy levels of growth across all product lines in key markets including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Europe and Southeast Asia.

A number of factors are behind the modest growth in net profits including high fuel prices resulting in regional and global inflationary pressures on operating costs, increase in overheads, and the increasing cost of doing business in the Middle East in light of the wave of political uncertainties. In addition, they have already started a number of Greenfield operations in Africa, all of which will be announced soon, which involved opening offices and building infrastructure, and thus creating an additional burden on their operating costs in this period, before they start seeing some substantial revenue generation.

The management team in Aramex has been working diligently on finalizing a number of strategic acquisitions and joint ventures in key emerging markets in Central Asia and Africa, with expected announcements of new acquisitions by the first quarter of 2012.

Norbert Dentressangle Revenues Up 25%

French logistics operator Norbert Dentressangle (ND) has seen revenue rocket by almost 25% this year. ND reported consolidated revenue of €2.64 billion (US$3.74bn) in the first nine months of 2011, up 24.9% on the same period last year. The operator, which last year bought UK & Ireland logistics firm TDG, attributed the majority of the increase to organic growth.

Haulage revenue for the nine-month period was up 19.9%, and ND said it had increased its market share by some 5%, without passing on the diesel fuel impact.

A statement issued yesterday said logistics revenue had grown 25.8%, thanks to the integration of TDG, which continued to increase its contribution.

Freight forwarding revenue for the company, which employes 13,000 people in the UK, reached €55 million in the first nine months, continuing a strong upward growth trend, despite an unfavourable change in freight rates.

US cargo group Lynx has agreed a deal to start developing a global air freight hub at Ireland’s Shannon Airport. The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has signed a heads of agreement that could see Lynx constructing a new temperature-controlled freight logistics facility at Shannon with infrastructural support from the DAA. The deal is designed to bring in new freight opportunities to Shannon from transport and logistics companies both in Ireland and abroad.

The new state-of-the-art facility will be marketed to both freight and logistics companies already at Shannon and to potential new customers, domestic and international. It will include chilled, frozen and ambient areas for perishable cargo, which would enable Shannon to bid for more high-value high-volume freight business. If the development goes ahead, it could create hundreds of new jobs in the area.

The DAA said the new cargo hub would provide significantly improved facilities for Shannon’s air cargo businesses and would radically reposition the airport’s cargo capabilities.

Chairman of Shannon Airport Authority Brian O’Connell said the agreement would give Shannon an opportunity to exploit its central location between the major economies of the US, Europe and Asia, and to develop as a significant global cargo destination.

Nightline Plans Massive Expansion in Belfast

Ireland’s largest independent express operator, Nightline,has announced plans for a massive expansion of its operation in Northern Ireland. The multi-million pound move will treble the size of its Belfast depot and follows the news of a €5.5 million redevelopment of its Dublin headquarters. CEO John Tuohy, said the expansion of the Belfast depot was likely to lead to 20 new jobs in its first year.

He said: “The scale of the increased size we need in Belfast is an immediate indication of the rise in volumes of parcel traffic we are seeing pass through our existing Northern Ireland hub.” Tuohy said that Nightline’s initial investment to convert its existing 5,000sq metre warehouse and office unit was likely to cost €5 million.

Nightline, formed in 1992, opened a UK regional office at Altham, Lancashire last July to capitalise on the firm’s growing share of Irish Sea parcel traffic.

Aramex Ireland Achieves AEO Certification

Aramex Irelands’ application has been successful, and the company is proudly carrying its AEO Certification to remain a safe and reliable partner. Aramex’ certification is inclusive of three elements: Customs Simplification, Security and Safety.

“One hundred percent of our customers would like to speed up their shipping process, we are constantly looking to find opportunities to enable such requests”, says Frank Kilbride, Country Manager of Aramex Ireland. “It is for this specific reason that we make a huge effort to ensure that our operations are functioning as efficiently as possible, enabling us to work within the highest compliance standards throughout the EU”.

AEO certification requires a rigorous vetting by Revenue over an extended period and as a result clients of Authorised Economic Operators can be assured that those companies become safe market participants.
“We want to ensure augmented Customs activities do not add time to our customers’ shipment process. Stricter security measures that have been applied after the 9/11 attacks enforce Customs to shift their focus more and more to securing the international trade flow. We want to make sure we do everything we can to ensure smooth deliveries, within this regulatory framework”. – Kilbride

Lloyds List Award CMA CGM “Company of the Year”

CMA CGM Group has been recognised “Company of the Year” by Lloyd’s List during the ceremony held on 20 September in London. CMA CGM received the award based on its ability and willingness to innovate and adapt to the rapidly changing nature of the shipping markets over the past 12 months.

According to Richard Meade, editor of Lloyd’s List, said: “CMA CGM impressed the panel with its capability to overcome the odds and an impressive display of resilience. CMA CGM confounded expectations by swinging back into the black with such vigor that it has outpaced rivals in terms of operating margins during the first half of this year. It was one of only four container lines that could claim to in the black during the period. Amid challenging market conditions, poor economic prospects and rampant overcapacity, this company has become well known for its ability to innovative and challenge expectations”.

CMA CGM is honored by this award, which highlight the dedication and expertise of its 17,200 staff members worlwide. A mobilization that enables the Group to react quickly to meet every one of its customers’ needs and provide the best service possible in every aspect of our activity. The Group appreciates the massive support from our customers, who keep entrusting CMA CGM and chose not only a shipping supplier but a partner.

The internationally acclaimed Lloyd’s List Awards have been running since 1998 and give the industry the opportunity to recognise and reward excellence and achievement within its ranks and in an ever changing maritime industry.

ACP Worldwide Appoint New Ireland GM

Leading global GSSA company, ACP Worldwide, has appointed James Gidlow to the position of General Manager UK and Ireland. Gidlow, who has spent his entire career in the airline and GSA business, joined the company in 2004 as Sales Development Manager. He will report to Director, Rod Entwistle and continue to be based from the company’s international headquarters at London Heathrow.

“We are delighted to promote James to this vital role,” comments Rod Entwistle. “He has contributed a tremendous amount to the current success of our cargo division and his ability to manage and motivate the UK and Ireland team made him a natural choice for the position,” concludes Entwistle.

ACP Worldwide is one of the world’s leading international airline management companies. It was founded in 1995 to coordinate all the cargo interests of international airlines. Today it has offices in London (Heathrow), Manchester, Prestwick (Scotland), Dublin, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and Auckland and represents many major carriers around the world. It is an IATA accredited GSSA.

DHL Delivers Ireland RWC 2011 Team Kit

DHL, Official Logistics Partner of Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011), has delivered to New Zealand more than 1,200 kgs of team equipment and personal baggage needed by the Irish Rugby team in their quest for RWC 2011 glory.

The freight arrived in New Zealand ahead of the Ireland team’s first RWC 2011 match against USA on September 11th in New Plymouth.

During the Tournament, the Irish national team will initially play four pool matches at up to four different locations, with the top eight teams overall then moving forward to play in knock-out matches in Auckland and Wellington. DHL will be working behind the scenes to ensure all of the team’s equipment is delivered on time for each match.

Commenting, Maurice Meade, Managing Director, DHL Global Forwarding in Ireland said: “We are delivering equipment for all 19 teams heading to New Zealand, from places as far away as Tbilisi, Dublin, Buenos Aires and Tokyo. It’s a complex logistics challenge to ensure everything is where it needs to be, exactly when it is needed and we are delighted to do our bit to support the Irish team.”

During the Tournament, teams from five continents will play 48 matches at 12 venues. There will be at least 130 domestic team freight moves including those for the local New Zealand team, and at least 200 operational freight moves, with DHL’s dedicated vehicles travelling 30,000 kilometers throughout New Zealand during RWC 2011.

In addition to the team equipment, DHL will store and deliver uniforms and other official Tournament equipment from training grounds to playing venues around New Zealand.

The Irish operation, which provides a range of services to Irish companies and multinationals, produced a pre-tax profit of €4.1m, up from €2.9m in the previous year. Sales rose to €110m, from €86.3m, with the vast majority of the revenues coming via local Irish operations. The results cover 2010. Revenues from Ireland went from €69m to €89m, with the company employing 175 people in the Irish operation.

Kuehne & Nagel Ireland operates at eight locations across the country, offering national and international clients a range of services. The global company employs over 50,000 people and trades heavily in its use of IT in freight forwarding and shipping. Exports have been identified as the key driver of the Irish economy over the next few years as domestic demand contracts even further. Ireland has one of the largest export sectors (as a percentage of GDP) in Europe, with much of this driven by chemicals, IT and pharmaceuticals.

Profits Rise 30% for Ceva
Ceva Logistics has posted a 30 per cent rise in first half EBITDA to 152 million euros, after winning new business worth one billion euros. First half sales were up five per cent to 3.4bn euros. In line with market trends, the group saw some softening of the global freight market, driven mainly by lower airfreight volumes predominantly in the Americas and Asia Pacific regions.

Sales in the Contract Logistics business were up nine per cent year-on-year at constant exchange rates. This growth was experienced in all regions, driven by new contract wins and the continued expansion of services offered to existing customers.

John Pattullo, chief executive said: “Despite the industry-wide softening of freight volumes, we have increased freight management business with our global customers and we have experienced growth in our contract logistics business in all regions. Our new business performance in the period has been excellent with significant wins and contract extensions.”

In the second quarter, the group also limited its net working capital and which is now 19m euros compared to 57m euros at the end of quarter two 2010. The group’s future plans are to continue growth, specifically investing for growth in China.

Irish trucks being seized in UK ports
Irish lorries are being impounded in west coast UK ports by the government, which claims Irish hauliers are operating illegal cabotage. A number of Irish companies send unaccompanied trailers to Liverpool, Fishguard, Pembroke and Holyhead, where they are collected by Irish drivers who have stayed overnight near the ports. The UK government claims the trailers should be collected by British hauliers.

“Irish drivers often take a load across the Irish sea and then stay in Britain to collect more Irish trailers,” explained Eoin Gavin, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA). ”It doesn’t make sense for them to keep going back and forth when they know they will have more loads for Britain. The stay in the UK also acts as an official break from working hours.”
The IRHA is lobbying the Irish government to persuade Westminster to classify the four relevant ports as international, so that existing cabotage rules will not apply. At the moment, an Irish haulier is allowed to make three journeys in the UK – but any trip involving a UK port is considered one of those three trips. If the ports were classified as international, they wouldn’t count, so collection from, and drop-off at, a port would not be seen as domestic movements.
“Our members do not want to take UK business away. We are only collecting Irish loads which we would be carrying anyway, added Gavin. ”We believe the UK government is being protectionist.”

£1m aluminium contract for P&O Ferrymasters
Aluminium rolling firm Novelis has awarded contract worth £1 million a year to P&O Ferrymasters to transport goods from its factories in Göttingen, Nachterstedt, and Neuss in Germany. The operator will handle 1,000 loads per year. Its volumes to the UK and Ireland are increasing, and it now also handles distribution to Belgium and France.

The pilot project consolidates loads in Germany into payloads of up to 28 tonnes ahead of shipment, to make use of the greater vehicle weight limits in the UK and Ireland compared Germany. This scheme is expected to produce save £1 million based on volumes of 1300-1800 tonnes per month.

Novelis produces foil and flat rolled aluminium products for industries such as automotive, transport, packaging, construction and printing. The contract represents a four-fold increase in business with the company for P&O Ferrymasters.

Rhenus Acquire Wincantons mainland Europe operation
The sale comprises Wincanton’s German intermodal and contract logistic activities, which operate from 38 locations, and its businesses in France, which provide contract logistics and transport services and operate from 30 locations.

These businesses employ approximately 3,000 people, who will transfer to Rhenus upon completion of the sale, which is subject to anti-trust clearance and the approval of shareholders.

Wincanton CEO Eric Born said: “The sale of our remaining businesses in mainland Europe to Rhenus will enable us to focus on developing our leading position in the UK market, where we have greater scale and see significant potential for profitable growth.

“Over the next few weeks, we will work together to ensure that service levels to our customers are maintained during the transition period.” Investment bank JP Morgan Cazenove said it viewed the sale as a positive step for Wincanton in terms of simplifying the business and reducing the debt levels with the proceeds. “The exit from the loss-making French operations is particularly encouraging, in our view,” it said. “Overall, longer-term, we believe the group has an opportunity to grow its core UK and Ireland operations as well as deliver on the targeted 10% annual profit growth target for the newer businesses, excluding its Foodservice business. “With management’s focus on paying down debt, increased financial flexibility should allow for investment in these areas in the medium term.”

In the 12 months to 31 March 2011, the sold businesses generated revenues of €558 million and operating profit of €4.1 million on gross assets worth €181 million, with the French business loss-making in that period. Wincanton’s Foodservice business in the UK is now the only remaining underperforming business.

The deal follows the sale in June of Wincanton’s German road network and businesses in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia to Raben Group, and its logistics operations in the Netherlands to JCL.

It said it had decided to sell these businesses to focus on strengthening its leading position in markets where it has significant scale and infrastructure, and to develop areas with higher profit growth potential.

Containerships Restructure Services
Over the next few weeks short sea carrier Containerships will implement some significant changes to their services. Improvements on the services to and from Finland, The Baltic States and Russia will be counterbalanced by termination of the North Europe / Mediterranean Service.

An improved 9-vessel system is being introduced in North Europe. It will be operational as from beginning of September. The schedules will provide for improved frequency and transit time on Containerships’ key trades in the area. One of the major changes relates to the increased frequency of services linking the UK and the Benelux to Finland and Russia with up to 4 weekly connections and more direct links than previously.

Due to overall difficult economic climate which has resulted in reduced trade between the North European and Mediterranean economies, Containerships has taken the decision to stop its North Europe / Mediterranean service. The schedule of the last southbound vessel (into Med ports) will be MV Nordic Stani with ETS from Sheerness (22/08), Teesport (24/08) and Rotterdam (25/08), whilst the last northbound vessel (from Med ports): MV Nordic Stani with ETS from Piraeus (03/09), Istanbul (05/09), Izmir (06/09)

The termination of the North Europe / East Med link will not affect the Intra Med service that Containerships provide. This will continue to link Turkey, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. In the coming months, further develop its Intra Med coverage will be introduced.

The volume of shipping and port traffic on the majority of the principal sectors grew during the first quarter of 2011, this is according to the latest figures released today by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).

The first quarter data shows moderate trade volume growth in four of the five principal freight segments;

• Total lift-on/ lift-off (lo/lo) trades volumes grew by 3%.
• Roll-on/Roll-off export traffic was also up 2% per cent on an all island basis.
• Dry bulk volumes through ROI ports increased by 21%
• Breakbulk volumes were also up 25%
• The tanker/liquid market was the only sector to record a decline, down by -12% compared to the same period last year.

Roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) traffic on an all-Island basis continued to make a steady recovery increasing, by 2%, with 390,334 ro/ro units being shipped in the 1st quarter. The ro/ro segment is largely weighted towards services to and from the UK which remains our largest trading partner. Exports units in this sector were up 3% while imports declined by -1%.

Shipping Lines Get Tough Over EU Cargo Information Rules

The shipping industry has warned its customers that failure to comply with new EU regulations will mean fines and their cargo will not be loaded. The new regulations, requiring cargo information 24 hours before shipment, came into force on 1 January, but for the first six months, compliance was not strictly enforced, to allow companies time to get used to them.

However, from 1 July, the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) regulation will be fully enforced, meaning carriers will refuse to load cargo if the requirements are not met.

The new regulation allows EU Customs to perform a security risk assessment before goods enter the EU. It requires that shipping companies receive an ENS – which includes information such as the bill of lading number and shipper and consignee name and address – 24 hours before loading the cargo on a vessel that will call at an EU port, or, for shortsea traffic, two hours before entry at its first EU port.

It applies to all goods brought into EU customs territory, cargo transhipped via an EU port – even if it has a non-EU final destination – or cargo remaining on board a vessel calling en-route at an EU port.

Maersk Line warned customers: “The European Customs Advanced Manifest rule will be strictly enforced from 1 July and failure to comply may lead to penalties and/or fines.

Container Volumes Continue to Grow

Moderate growth in container volumes across Europe seen in the beginning of the year have continued in March, according to Hackett Associates and the Bremen Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics.

The latest Global Port Tracker: North Europe Trade Outlook said low volumes in February led to a relatively weak quarter, with a total of 5.52 million teu. This represents a 2.1% increase over the previous quarter and an 8.9% year on year gain. In February it predicted imports in the first quarter of 2011 to increase 7.3% year on year.

Import volumes for March were up 8.6% year on year and 6% month on month. Export volumes for March were, at 1 million teu, 16.1% up on the previous month and 7.8% higher than March 2010. Meanwhile, Ben Hackett, Founder of Hackett Associates, predicts trade to grow only in single digits this year, despite capacity increasing in double digits.

“The carriers will be under considerable pressure as freight rates remain weak. One can certainly expect to see a return to laying up ships in the coming months.”

The Global Port Tracker monitors six North European ports: Le Havre, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Bremen/Bremerhaven and Hamburg.

The ports of Zeebrugge and Hamburg were the only ports to see a decrease in incoming volumes in March, while Antwerp was the only port to experience double-digit increases.

Analyst Alphaliner has reported that the total volumes of containership deliveries in 2013 could hit 2 million teu, reigniting concerns that overcapacity could once again become an issue.

It forecasts that total capacity in 2013 would increase by at least 8.9% and as much as 11.3% if all options and letters of intent are exercised.

Drogheda Port Pushes Ahead with Plan

Drogheda Port Company has sought tenders from engineering firms to carry out investigations off Bremore Head in Dublin, as it bids to advance plans for a major deepwater port in the area. The partners in the project, Drogheda Port and Treasury Holdings, are looking at two possible sites for the €350 million facility, Bremore in north Dublin and further north at Gormanston in Meath.

The firms are working with Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa on plans for a port with initial freight capacity of ten million tons a year. The port company is seeking tenders from engineering firms to drill up to 20 offshore boreholes at Bremore and carry out laboratory testing on the location, despite concerns about the possible impact of a port on archeological sites in the area.

Treasury has said it wants to avoid developing the facility at a location that could interfere with a historical site. The port project received a boost earlier this month when Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said he supported the bid to develop a new facility at Bremore.

The port company would require the minister’s permission to operate a facility outside a restricted zone around the current Drogheda Port. The Department of Transport said it would not grant ministerial approval to extend the port until the project had gone through the planning process.

The project has not gone to the planning board yet and discussions on the outline of the plans will not be held until after the pre-planning consultation process with An Bord Pleanála.

CityPost Announces 180 New Jobs

Independent postal services company CityPost has announced the creation of
180 new jobs over the next 18 months. CityPost – Group currently employs 188
staff in Ireland The jobs will be based primarily at its headquarters in Ballymount
in Dublin, but also at its 32 regional handling centres nationwide.

The new jobs will be mainly mail sorting, delivery and collection, operations and administration roles. The group currently employs 188 staff in Ireland.

The announcement by the company to effectively double its workforce in 18 months comes following recent expansion and a number of high profile contract wins in the last six months.

Irish Meat Distribution Contract for Culina

Meat producer Feldhues has appointed Culina Logistics Ireland to manage the distribution of its products to grocery retailers throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland. The contract includes all storage, order picking and distribution of products including Billy Bear through Culina’s shared user network.

Culina Logistics Ireland will manage the operation from its 173,000 sq ft chilled, ambient and temperature controlled warehouse at Rathcoole, County Dublin. It is one of nine facilities in its UK and Ireland network.

Schenker Signs Three Year Contract with William Grant & Sons

Global premium spirits business William Grant & Sons has signed a three year deal with Schenker – the UK arm of the global logistics company – to provide domestic and international freight services for its world-famous products using air, ocean and land services. In addition to exports from Scotland, Schenker has also been awarded significant business from Clonmel in Ireland to Europe, the Middle East, North America and Russia.

The majority of shipments are destined for Europe, the Middle East and Africa plus a number of major South American destinations and will move ex-UK by ocean, but DB Schenker’s unique service offering of being able to provide a four modes option means that the spirits producer can use a variety of flexible services to precisely match its needs.

Among the premium brands which form the William Grant portfolio are Glenfiddich®, the Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and, Grant’s® and one of Ireland’s finest Irish Whiskeys, Tullamore Dew®.

Export growth was boosted by merchandise sales, which increased by almost €2.19 billion (10.5%) in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year. Services exports also rose, by €1.33 billion, in the same period. In a statement, IEA chief executive john Whelan said that growth in merchandise exports was driven by 19% growth in the pharmaceutical sector and 17% growth in the agri-food sector.

He said that severe weather in competitor countries, diversion of agri-crops to bio-fuels and ‘the extraordinary growth in Asia’ all contributed to the agri-food growth. Mr Whelan also pointed out that merger and acquisition activity last year led to rapid growth in output from the sector.

The IEA expects Irish exports growth to exceed the global average this year. Mr Whelan warned that the euro’s exchange rate with sterling and the US dollar was very important for Irish exporters. Any further significant weakening of either of those currencies could make life difficult for a large number of Irish exporters, he said.

Phoenix International Awarded AEO Status

Phoenix International Freight Services Ltd has been awarded Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status in Ireland. This EU accreditation enables Phoenix to give its customers the satisfaction of knowing that their business is being handled by an organisation trusted by Irish Revenue & Customs (Dublin and Shannon offices) and HM Revenue & Customs (Belfast office).

AEO status is an internationally recognised quality mark indicating that a firm’s role in the international supply chain is secure and that its customs controls are efficient and compliant. Authorized Economic Operator shipments are subject to fewer physical and documentary examinations. In those instances where shipments are called for control the process will be prioritised in relation to the examination and clearance of the goods.

Phoenix achieved the highest possible status – AEOF – which includes customs simplifications and security. For further information on AEO follow the below URL link: htttp://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/businesses/economic/aeo-faq.html

Kuehne + Nagel Airfreight Soars

In the first three months of 2011 Kuehne + Nagel’s airfreight business saw a 21 per cent increase in volume, outpacing a market expansion of between six and seven per cent. Volumes were given a boost following acquisitions in South America. The company is raising its guidance for airfreight shipping volume for this year to 18 per cent from 12 per
cent, due in part to the January acquisition of Translogo, a Colombia based shipper of perishables.

Double-digit growth was also achieved in the first quarter in worldwide exports for the automotive industry. Due to the above-market average volume growth and increased productivity revenue-to-gross profit margin improved from 28.7 to 32.3 per cent. The operational result rose by 28.6 per cent to CHF 63 million (US$70 million).

Hapag-Lloyd sails into the red in Q1

Hapag-Lloyd dropped into the red in the first quarter and warned it will pursue rate increases. Over the first three months of the year, the German-carrier saw revenue jump by 16.5% year on year to reach €1.4 billion (US$1.9bn), but after deduction of interest payments and taxes, it reported a loss €22.1 million.

Earnings before interest and taxes totalled €12.3 million, compared with €18.4 million in the first three months of 2009. It said the jump in revenue was down to increased freight rates, which were 10% higher than in the first quarter of 2010, at an average of $1,563 per teu. The loss was caused by increased fuel costs – the average bunker price in the first quarter rose from $454 per tonne to $509 per tonne – and more competition.

Chairman Michael Behrendt said: “Given the prevailing conditions, we achieved a good result in the first quarter. “Nevertheless, the rise in the oil price, the weak US-dollar and growing competition are making business more difficult. “Our aim must be to see that the additional external challenges are covered by appropriate rate increases.”

Hapag-Lloyd also revealed it had rejected some contracts on Far East trade lanes as it felt they were of “lower price quality”. As a result, volumes on these trade lanes dropped from 284,000teu in the first three months of 2009 to 260,000teu during the same period of 2010.

Overall, volumes during the period increased by 2% to hit 1.2 million teu. Its Atlantic volumes more or less reached the previous year’s level with a volume of 273,000, in the trades with Latin America, volumes increased by 6.5% to reach 265,000teu, its transpacific services reported a positive trend, with volume during the period rising from 238,000teu to 266,000teu and Australasia saw volume increase by 6.1% to 134,000teu.

Strong start to 2011 for DFDS

DFDS’s transport and logistics activities “greatly improved” in the first quarter of the year, which helped the ferry operator post strong results for the period. The company recorded revenue growth of 67% to Dkr2.6 billion (US$494 million), driven by the acquisition of Norfolkline and growth on Baltic Sea and North Sea services.

CEO Niels Smedegaard said: “We have seen a mixed picture, with strong growth in the Baltics and lower growth on the North Sea. Results in the transport and logistics area have greatly improved.”

“Overall, the first quarter has got us off to a good start for the rest of the year.”

Operating profit for the quarter increased 76% to Dkr183 million, while pre-tax profit in the first quarter improved by Dkr69 million year on year to Dkr7 million. DFDS is aiming for a pre-tax profit of Dkr550 million for the full year.

Good start to the year by Ceva

Ceva Logistics reported continuing strong revenues in the first quarter, following record turnover last year, and has announced the launch of a new division, Supply Chain Solutions. The operator recorded Q1 revenue of €1.68 billion (US$2.42bn), up 13.3% year on year, with ebitda continuing to show improvement, at €71 million for the quarter – up 36.5% year on year.

CEO John Pattullo said: “I’m delighted with our strong performance. “These results prove the benefits of the structural changes we made in 2010 and position us well for continued growth and development.”

Ceva saw strong results in both air and sea freight, with increased volumes, particularly on transatlantic lanes, and margins improved year on year. Upbeat results came from Ceva’s operations around the world, particularly in Asia-Pacific. The region was driven by strong performance in automotive, consumer and technology, said Ceva. During Q1, it achieved more than €528 million of new business, with a record performance in March.

Ceva also announced the launch of its new division, Supply Chain Solutions, and its latest service, Smart End to End. The company said the Supply Chain Solutions team would use the experience and expertise within the group to strengthen its global team and upgrade Ceva’s end-to-end solutions.

‘Warehouse Training Solutions’ Move To New Facility

Warehouse Training Solutions, the RTITB accredited training provider specialising in Lift Trucks, Manual Handling, Health and Safety and Logistics has recently relocated its training centre to Finglas, in North Dublin.

Martin Buckley, one of the three Business Partners, explained that the move coincides with the launch of the company’s new website, as well as the addition of new specialties in the training curriculum. Martin believes the new training centre will enable Warehouse Training Solutions to further reinforce the company’s reputation as the leading specialist in Lift Trucks, Health and Safety and Logistics training for both the public and private sector.

The company – which prides itself on the high quality training standards and customer service excellence – has now expanded its training portfolio to include the CILT accredited Logistics programme. For a full list of courses available please see www.warehousetraining.ie

The report shows that unitised traffic on the main Roll-on/Roll-off routes to the UK recovered by 4% in 2010, with a decline in the Lift-on/Lift-off container sector easing substantially compared to the 2009 with a fall of just 3%.

The strongest volume recovery occurred in the dry bulk segments which were up 18% Part of the return to growth in this sector is attributed to strong global demand for ore and mineral products such as alumina, while domestic demand in the agricultural sector led to a rise in the imports of grains, feeds and fertilizers. Although the overall picture is positive; the main volume gains in this segment were not evenly distributed among the ports with some of the smaller regional ports still in negative territory for the year. Tanker and liquid bulk volumes were up 2%, while ferry passenger volumes also increased for the full year by 4%.

The report also highlights the continued resilient performance of export trades with estimates that export volumes on the principle routes to the UK, Asia and US were up overall by 7%. The underlying performance of multinational sectors, principally in chemical and pharmaceutical industries, led the export recovery while established indigenous Irish exporting companies, particularly in the food, drink and agri-business segments , also contributed to the strong performance. The report remarks however that imports in the principle segments linked to consumer and household demand remained subdued last year with no noticeable growth.

The report concluded that outlook for 2011 looks likely to be testing for the domestic ports and shipping sectors with less growth forecast across the majority of the shipping segments. The rise of bunker/fuel prices by 136% over the past 12 months will put further pressure on operators to increase freight rates and bunker surcharges.

Nightline Unveils Expansion Plans
Irish delivery firm Nightline has unveiled plans for a multi-million pound expansion of its Dublin headquarters, which will create 50 new jobs. The firm announced that it has been given planning permission to increase its facility at Mygan Park by 40% to handle expected volume growth.

Planning permission for the expansion was given by Fingal County Council in the last week, but so far no date has been set for the six-month construction to begin on the 4,700sq metre project. Nightline’s CEO, John Tuohy, revealed that the development will cost £5 million (US$8.2m) and would take the number of office staff and drivers employed by Nightline above 650.

Tuohy said: “We are performing very strongly, especially given the current economic climate in Ireland, in particular. “That we are able to press on with our physical and business growth illustrates our confidence.” Last May, the firm launched a subsidiary – Eirpost – to capitalise on postal liberalisation in Ireland which swiftly struck up a partnership with one of world’s biggest mail operators, Swiss Post.

Bridgestone Ireland expand their logistics service with IGL
Bridgestone Ireland has announced an expansion of their existing freight agreement with Dublin logistics provider, Irish Global Logistics (IGL). Brian Faherty, Transport Manager of Bridgestone Ireland said: “Bridgestone Ireland was keen to source a transport provider that offered the most operationally and cost effective method of distribution within Ireland whilst keeping the service levels at the highest possible standard. Irish Global have managed to provide us with very high delivery success, whilst dramatically reducing mileage covered and the numbers of trucks on the road by sharing the service with other automotive suppliers. Combined with our own vehicle fleet this allows Bridgestone to provide the best tyre delivery service available in Ireland.”

Robert Dickinson, Managing Director of Irish Global Logistics in Dublin stated: “In co-operation with Bridgestone Ireland, our proposal was to provide a first class service to the customer and maintain the high levels of service expected by Bridgestone Ireland’s customers. To that end we have developed a unique national supply chain based on ‘shared user and staged trunking’. This spreads the overall cost of running trucks across several customers, thereby reducing the cost for each customer but also increasing efficiency by reducing running mileage and avoiding long and expensive journeys.”

Irish Global now handles the distribution for Bridgestone to all 32 counties of Ireland from their main hubs in Dublin and Belfast as well as via IGL’s 12 satellite depots across the country. In addition, Irish Global also provides Bridgestone Ireland with European delivery services from Dublin and now operates vehicles on contract distribution for Bridgestone Ireland.

Brian Faherty continues: “Irish Global offers a very high level of customer care to us, which reflects the levels of attention we afford to our own customers. Information is available immediately from the IGL online systems and any enquiries are dealt with immediately by the Contract Manager in Swords. We have found that Irish Global have been very flexible in dealing with seasonal peaks and coped admirably with the pressures of the heavy snow in December.”

Ireland okays Stena takeover of DFDS Irish Sea services

Stena Line is celebrating after the Irish Competition Authority (ICA) gave the green light to its takeover of DFDS Seaway’s Irish Sea services. The ICA concluded that Stena’s takeover of vessels, related assets, inventory, employees and contracts relating to passenger and freight ferry services operated by DFDS would not substantially lessen competition in markets for goods or services in the Republic of Ireland.

However, the takeover is also being investigated by the UK’s Competition Commission. Stena said: “As the Irish and UK competition processes are separate, we now await the decision of the UK Competition Commission, which is expected by 25 July. “Stena Line has provided an undertaking to the Competition Commission that the acquired business will operate as an autonomous entity until its decision is made.”

Both competition authorities launched a full investigation into Stena’s €50 million (US$62.2m) bid for the Belfast-Birkenhead and Belfast-Heysham services after initial investigations were unable to conclude that the deal would not lessen competition.

In January, three routes on the Irish Sea were closed, sparking fears among hauliers that this, combined with the merger, could drive prices up. Closed were DFDS’s services between Dublin and Birkenhead and Heysham and Stena’s service between Larne and Fleetwood – leaving four ferry firms operating 14 freight-carrying routes.

If the acquisition is given the green light by the UK’s Competition Commission, Stena will operate six. In January, a spokesman for Stena Line said there would still be enough operators on the Irish Sea to ensure that prices would continue to be governed by market forces.

The deal will also see Stena take over port operations at terminals in Belfast, Birkenhead and Heysham and four ships: the chartered Lagan Seaways and Mersey Seaways, on the Liverpool-Belfast route; and the freight carriers Scotia Seaways and Hibernia Seaways.

New logistics trade association for Ireland
The United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) has announced the formation of the All Ireland Warehousing Association (AIWA). AIWA will embrace all companies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that provide warehousing and other logistics support services in the supply chain.

Like UKWA, it is also open to retailers and manufacturers who operate their own warehousing and distribution functions. Operating from an office in Claremorris, County Mayo, AIWA will be directly affiliated to UKWA.
UKWA’s CEO Roger Williams commented that the new organisation will be able to properly serve the needs of the entire Irish warehousing and logistics sector. A dedicated website – www.warehousingireland.ie – is under construction, and an executive steering group will be formed to take the new association forward.

AIWA’s membership categories have been structured to allow companies whose distribution sites are less than 50,000 sq.ft in size to those with facilities of more than 1,000,000 sq.ft to join AIWA cost effectively.

Record Year for Container Movements
Global container traffic reached an all-time high of 560 million teu last year, largely as a result of volume increases through Chinese ports. According to figures released by Paris-based analyst Alphaliner, volumes in 2010 also saw a record year-on-year increase of 14.5% – a dramatic recovery from the losses recorded in 2009 when global port throughput fell 8.9%, the first annual decline ever recorded.

Chinese ports posted a 17.9% increase in throughput to 169 million teu, or 30.1% of last year’s global total, up from 29.3% the year before. China now has nine of the world’s busiest 20 container ports, according to the World Shipping Council, with most recording faster growth than ports in other regions. South American ports came second. with its ports growing 17.6% in 2010.

Alphaliner said: “2011 growth is expected to moderate to 8.4% as volumes return to more sustainable levels with Chinese ports again expected to lead the gains this year.” Hong Kong’s Hutchison Port Holdings regained the top spot as the busiest port operator, with total volumes handles up by 14.9% to 75 million teu last year.

Second-ranked APM Terminals posted growth of only 2%, around 70 million teu, mainly as a result of quitting operations in six locations: Oakland and Savannah in the US, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, Yantian in China, Genoa in Italy and Dunkirk in France. Alphaliner figures recently showed that the world’s idle container fleet had fallen to its lowest level in over two years, despite being under pressure from declining rates. In fact, the analyst has suggested that the number of idle vessels could be reduced further as carriers re-introduce ships to prepare for volume increases during the summer peak season.

DBSchenker Report Good Year Results
All freight operator Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) divisions are now back in the black, following double digit increases in profits last year. Group revenue increased by E5.1 billion (US$7.23bn) to E34.4 billion in 2010, while ebit totalled nearly €1.9 billion, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2009.

DB said it was able to record substantially higher volumes in all its markets last year. This was especially noticeable in rail freight and global logistics activities. Both sectors had suffered significant declines in volumes in 2009. DB Schenker Rail saw volumes surge 21.8% to 415.4 million tonnes, last year, with utilisation rates up 3.8%.

And DB Schenker Logistics’ substantially higher revenues and profits were mainly driven by strong economic growth in Germany and Asian markets. The number of shipments in European land transport increased 15.4%, while air freight volumes rose 18.7% and ocean freight by 15.7%.

Sales at logistics firm Masterlink fell by 11% last year after the economic downturn squeezed the haulage and distribution sectors, however the company has said that new business ventures are expected to improve profitability in the current financial period.

Accounts recently posted by Masterville Ltd, the parent company of the Masterlink Logistics operation, show sales of €18.3 million for the year to March 31, 2010, down from €20.6 million for the previous 12-month period.

With the cost of sales reducing by 13%, the company’s gross margin improved by one percentage point (to 35%), however relatively static operating expenses meant that operating profits tumbled by a factor of three (from €775k to €214k), with pre-tax profits of €40k (€124k in 2008/9).

Headquartered in Blarney but with significant operations in Mallow and Dublin, Masterlink is one of the bigger logistics providers in Ireland, with particular expertise in alcohol/bonded warehouse logistics.

Last August, it took on the distribution contracts previously held by Thurles-based haulier Liam Carroll when the company ceased trading, a move which further increased its presence in the FMCG sector.

In a note to the accounts, the company directors said that the economic downturn had ‘obviously impacted’ on activity levels and customer demand.

“However the continuing development programme undertaken by management helped to minimise reductions in turnover and profitability and also led to expansion into new business sectors by means of acquisition and organic growth. The directors are confident that these new business streams will lead to further trading opportunities through contracts with major market operators and heightened awareness of the company brand and the quality of services provided by it,” the directors said.

Swiss Post Partners with Nightline in Ireland

Swiss Post International and Nightline have announced a partnership that will create a simpler, faster, cost-effective and more customer-focused international mail operation for customers in Ireland.

The new venture will see Nightline will become a Preferred Partner of Swiss Post International, which will enable Nightline to offer customers Swiss Post International’s extensive range of products and access to a global distribution network spanning Europe, Asia and the US.

In May last year, Nightline, which handles 20% of all parcels on Irish roads, moved from being solely a domestic parcel carrier with the opening of a UK regional office. In December, it set up an additional division, Eirpost, to manage a new postal service for Irish businesses following the liberalisation of the country’s domestic mail market.

Eirpost will handle ongoing detailed operations with Swiss Post International now the partnership is in place.

Geodis Ireland Recieves a Wet Bond Licence

Geodis Irelands Dublin Excise Warehouse Facility located in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, just off the M3 has received a Wet Bond License from the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland.

Geodis is now offering their wine, beer and spirit customers the benefits of their logistics and value added services, which includes global import/export services via air, sea and road, national distribution including hotels, bars and restaurants, customs clearance, inventory control and visibility, high level secure facility, pick and pack, repack, labeling and fulfillment and container stuffing and destuffing.

Geodis Ireland is part of the Geodis Group, leaders in providing Wine and Spirits Logistics. Our customers are delighted that all their logistical requirements are being dealt with under one roof.

European Box Traffic Up

A strong increase in container traffic across Europe was seen in January, according to Hackett Associates and the Bremen Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics. The latest Global Port Tracker: North Europe Trade Outlook shows a total of almost 2 million teu imported in January, a 16% increase on the same month last year, and
6.7% up on December 2010.

Imports over the first quarter of 2011 are on track to post a 7.3% increase over the same period last year. While export volumes for January were, at 1.2 million teu, 7.4% down on December’s total, they were 11.5% higher than January 2009.

Meanwhile exports are anticipated to see single-digit, year-on-year increases in four of the coming six months, and month-on-month declines are projected in two.

The Global Port Tracker monitors six North European ports: Le Havre, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Bremen/Bremerhaven and Hamburg.

Le Havre was the only one of the six ports to see decreases in both imports and exports in January, due to strikes. The total plummeted by 53,000teu to 120,000teu, down 30.5% on the previous month and 27.6% year on year. However volumes are anticipated to rebound this year.

Ben Hackett, founder of Hackett Associates, said the challenges that 18,000teu ships coming onto the market present will include the logistics required for the terminals to shift the boxes in and out of the gate without ending up with congestion, and the pressure on the inland sector with railroads and inland waterways to absorb the surge in weekly volumes.

Strong Sales Help CEVA Push Up Profits

Ceva has reported a 25 per cent rise in sales and operating profit for 2010 after a strong performance in the last quarter. EBITDA for the year rose from 233m euros in 2009 to 292m euros, while revenue rose from 5.5bn euros to 6.8bn euros

In the fourth quarter EBITDA was up 35 per cent on sales up 22 per cent. This follows a strong performance in the third quarter, leading chief executive John Pattullo to describe 2010 as a year of two halves.

“I’m delighted with the progress made across the group in 2010. After a challenging start to the year, we have focused relentlessly on business basics and on driving a series of transformational projects,” he said.
Key to the second half improvement was a move to greater centralisation of buying in the freight management business which enabled it to address the issue of rising freight rates and margin compression seen in the first half.

The business is still only three years old and has been working on a number of large transformational projects. A key initiative in the Freight Management business is Project Uno which is designed to spread a consistent best practice across the business globally.

The Contract Logistics business has been focusing on continuous improvement (kaizen) along with lean processes. Pattullo said each operating unit was now set targets to come up with improvements each year. As a result, Ceva had developed a database of 7,000 “kaizens” which could be used to spread best practice across the group.

Pattullo said: “We have a well defined operating model, a clear plan for future growth and have established good momentum as we enter 2011. We are confident that we will continue to grow both revenue and profit in the coming months.”

Kuehne + Nagel buys RH Freight

Kuehne + Nagel is to buy RH Freight, the Nottingham-based groupage operator as part of its strategy to expand its European overland network. K+N has also reported a 13.4 per cent rise in operating profit (EBITDA) to CHF 1bn for 2010 on sales up 16.4 per cent CHF 20.2bn.

RH Freight handles 425,000 shipments per year and operates to 32 European destinations daily. Besides its core activities, RH Freight is also active in sea- and airfreight as well as contract logistics, with 30,000 sqm of handling space under management.

K+N is acquiring the shares of RH’s parent company, Rennies Investment Ltd, RH employs 630 staff across 17 locations in the United Kingdom including hubs at Nottingham and South East London, along with two sites in Finland.

Dirk Reich, Executive Kuehne + Nagel’s vice president for Road & Rail Logistics, said: “RH Freight fits ideally Kuehne + Nagel’s strategy to expand its European overland network and to offer its customers high quality overland products.”

Looking ahead, group chief executive Reinhard Lange said: “In 2011 again, our goal is to achieve profitable growth above market average in sea- and airfreight. In contract logistics we also target growth above market average while keeping margins stable. A combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions will result in further progress in European overland transport.”

Panalpina sets out growth plans

Panalpina is targeting China, India and Brazil to drive growth in the future after a year in which it saw sales rise by 20 per cent. Gross profit rose 7.5 per cent at Panalpina last year to CHF 1.48bn (£983m) while sales were up 20 per cent to CHF 7.2bn (£4.8bn).

However, non-recurring charges meant that it made a consolidated loss of CHF 26m (£17m) for the year.
Chief executive Monika Ribar said: “We succeeded in taking full advantage of strong global economic growth, raising our core activity business volumes at rates that outperformed market averages. With our gains in market share and robust growth in the adjusted margins, we have solidified our position in the industry.

“The various measures initiated at the start of the year have clearly come to fruition, and the completion of investigations by the US Department of Justice is a relief for the organisation.” Growth in the air freight market reached 19 per cent, and ocean freight rose by 11 per cent.

“While these developments were driven primarily by China and other emerging-market economies, North America and Europe also rebuilt momentum.”

Looking ahead Ribar said: “We anticipate single digit market growth for both air and ocean freight this year, and seek to win further shares of the market. To this end, we will further expand our global sales organisation and continue to invest in growth markets such as China, India and Brazil, as well as in selected industries.”

MSC Announce Improved European Transit Times

With effect in April 2011, MSC will reshuffle the Silk, Lion, Dragon and Tiger services to offer more competitive transit time. From Asia to Europe (westbound) transit time improvements of up to 7 days will be achieved to the base ports and improved connectivity which complements the feeder service schedule.
Rotation of port calls are as follows:

• Silk Service : Effective Vessel/Port call/Date: MSC Daniella S1114R – Ningbo – 30th March 2011 Ningbo – Shanghai – Xiamen – Hong Kong – Chiwan – Yantian – Singapore – Antwerp – Felixstowe – Hamburg – Bremenhaven – Rotterdam
• Lion Service : Effective Vessel/Port call/Date: MSC Bruxelles L1114R – Dalian – 27th March 2011
  Dalian – Xingang – Pusan – Qingdao – Ningbo – Shanghai – Nansha – Hong Kong – Chiwan – Yantian – Le Havre – Hamburg – Bremenhaven
• Dragon Service : Effective Vessel/Port call/Date: MSC Fabiola D1114R – Dalian – 1st April 2011
  Dalian – Xingang – Pusan – Qingdao – Ningbo – Shanghai – Yantian – Hong Kong
  - Chiwan – Singapore – Gioia Tauro – Valencia – Barcelona – La Spezia – Fos-sur-mer
• Tiger Service : Effective Vessel/Port call/Date: MSC Ivana T1115R – Qingdao – 1st April 2011
  Qingdao – Pusan – Shanghai – Ningbo – Hong Kong – Chiwan – Singapore – Port Said – Beirut – Piraeus – Istanbul

For more information, please contact your local MSC office.

CMA CGM turnaround leads to a record year

CMA CGM has announced record financial results after a desperate search for new investment to reduce its debt. The world’s third largest container shipping group reported revenue of US$14.3 billion for 2010,36% up on 2009 – the result of gaining investment, higher volumes and improved freight rates.

Just over nine million teu was carried during the year, up 15% on 2009, while capacity increased 17.7%, representing 8.6% of the global fleet. The company recorded a net profit of $1.62 billion, up from $1.4 billion in 2009, while ebitda was $2.51 billion for the year. “All of the markets saw strong growth during the year,” said the company.

“Asia-Europe and intra-Asia lines enjoyed record business, while the Asia-US lines have now returned to pre-recession levels after having been severely impacted by the fall-off in world trade.” Rodolphe Saadé, Executive Officer of CMA CGM Group, said: “The excellent results were driven by the strategy introduced in 2009 and pursued in 2010.

“They effectively demonstrate the strength of our business model, as the group successfully capitalised on the upturn in world trade during the year.” He added: “The group will continue to expand during 2011. The issue of $500 million in redeemable bonds to the Yildirim Group, being now finalised, CMA CGM enjoys a stronger financial position that it intends to consolidate, in particular by diversifying its sources of financing”.

The Yildirim Group investment and the company’s return to profitability has decreased its net debt from $5.5 billion in 2009 to $4.5 billion.

The company which operates Dublin Port says the volume of trade going through the post rose by 6.1% last year.

Dublin Port Company said the total volume of goods for the year was 28.1 million tonnes. It said this was less than 10% down from the port’s record performance in 2007 at the height of the boom. Export traffic was particularly strong with 12.6% growth in the year. Imports were up 2.4%.

The volume of roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) freight units increased by 12.8% to 725,665 which is less than 1% down from the peak. Growth in Lo-Lo container volumes was 1.1%.

Imports of fuel oil products dropped 6.5% in the year to 3.8 million tonnes. In the bulk solid category, there was a 7.9% decline to 1.5 million tonnes in the year due to the continued decline in demand for construction materials.

Trade cars imported through Dublin Port doubled to 47,249 in the year and there was also a strong performance in the ferry passenger business with numbers up 17.6% to 1.8 million.

Dublin Port Company chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly said the company was expecting continued growth this year, but at a lower level than in 2010.

Aramex Acquires Aquaship Agencies

Aramex, the global logistics and transportation solutions provider, today announced the acquisition of Ireland-headquartered Aquaship Agencies, a well-established liner agent and freight forwarder, underlining Aramex’s commitment to further strengthen its presence in the Irish market and expand its ocean freight capabilities in Europe.

Tommy Kelly, Aramex CEO for Europe and North America, said that the alignment with Aquaship will further reinforce the company’s reputation for customer service excellence in Ireland and the wider European market. He added that the acquisition signals Aramex’s intention to invest in strategic expansion opportunities that will support its existing European infrastructure.

In addition to its Dublin operation, Aquaship also operates out of the port city of Cork. Aquaship staff have already relocated to the Aramex facilities in both locations.

Aramex’s existing customers active in Ireland will have immediate access to the company’s new ocean freight capabilities. Aramex further believes that there will be a range of cross-selling opportunities, especially in areas of Aquaship specialization, such as food products, pharmaceuticals and high-end art movements.

“This is an exciting moment in the development of Aquaship, and we are thrilled to become part of such a well-respected and forward-looking company as Aramex,” said Humphries, who will become Manager for the Ocean Freight Product in Ireland. “Our combined product offering will provide us with a competitive advantage, which will further enhance our prospects for future growth.”

This acquisition in Ireland is the latest in a series of recently formalized international partnerships and acquisitions, including in Turkey, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Kenya. Through this strategic expansion strategy, Aramex is building a more geographically robust network capable of providing comprehensive logistics and transportation services.

Irish Hauliers Threaten Fuel Surcharge

Road hauliers in Ireland say they can no longer guarantee reliable services without introducing a surcharge to offset rising fuel costs. The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), which represents more than 1,000 Irish haulage companies, has written to the Irish Exporters Association, Irish International Freight Association, Irish Business and Employers Confederation and Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association calling on their members to support their transport providers on the question of introducing a fuel surcharge.

IRHA President Vincent Caulfield said: “Our members are finding it increasingly difficult to offset the high cost of fuel and cannot afford to wait for consignors to come round to accepting the seriousness of this issue. They need action now.

The IRHA claimed the majority of its members were struggling to survive with fuel now accounting for up to 50% of their annual operating costs.

2010 A Bumper Year for Air Freight Volumes

Airlines reported “exceptional” freight volume increases in 2010, but there are still questions over predicted growth levels this year. According to the latest International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures, volumes, measured in air freight tonne kilometres (FTKs), were up by 20.6% last year, compared with 2009.

December volumes were up 6.7%, year-on-year, beating the growth rate of 5.8% recorded in November and 1% above the pre-recession peak level of early 2008. IATA said capacity increases had lagged “far behind” volume increases and, as a result, there was a significant improvement in the freight load factor, which grew by 5.2% points to 53.8%.

However, the association said there were some concerns over the strength of consumer demand and not just in the developed world where fundamental demand remained an issue. It added: “Underlying production data still suggests a phase of expansion for emerging economies that will provide support for further growth in freight markets, although at closer to 5-6% historical trend levels than the faster rates seen post-recession so far.

Hanjin Sails into the Black

Hanjin Shipping’s container business returned to the black in 2010, but the line has backed warnings to the industry of overcapacity. The South Korean shipping giant’s container business generated revenue of US$6.7 billion in 2010, an increase of 52.4% on 2009.

Meanwhile,operating profit was transformed from a loss of $461 million in 2009 to a profit of $826 million last year. It said this was due to “cargo volume rise and rate recovery in the transpacific and Asia-Europe trades”, together with cost-cutting measures, such as vessel-idling and slow-steaming.

Hanjin’s container volumes reached 3.7 million teu last year, an increase of 15.1% on 2009. But it warned business this year could be affected by an oversupply of containerships.

“We expect oversupply to be the biggest challenge, considering the continuous uncertainty of the world’s major economies and the deployment of mega-sized vessels scheduled throughout the year,” Hanjin said. “We will focus on efficient fleet/service operations and innovative cost-cutting measures to enhance the profitability of all trades. We are also planning to expand our presence in emerging markets to secure steady profits.”

Including its bulk business, Hanjin saw total revenues hit $8.1 billion, a 44.9% increase year on year. Net profit reached $229 million, following a deficit of more than $1 billion in 2009. However, Hanjin said the operating profit reported last year only covered 70% of the loss it made in 2009,

Ace Express Secure 10 Year Pall-Ex Contract

Ace Express Freight has secured a 10 year contract with Pall-ex the UK’s number one overnight pallet distribution network worth in excess of 3 million a year. Commenting on the winning of this prestigious contract, Philip Tracey Managing Director of Ace Express Freight commented, The signing of this long term contract with Pall- Ex is very much In line with the Ace Express Freights long term strategic objectives to develop mutually beneficial relationships with best in class companies.

Pall- Ex is one of the few privately owned overnight pallet distribution networks in the UK, their operation consists of a hub and spoke distribution network with 96 depots across all parts of the UK including England, Scotland and Wales. Each depot operates an overnight service to and from a centrally based hub located in Leicestershire where goods are consolidated for each depot. Ace Express Freight as well, as taken advantage of this extremely effective collection and distribution network, also provide the daily collection and distributions services for the Island of Ireland, operating multiple daily double deck trailers to depots in Dublin, Belfast and Cork for onward distribution.

The key benefit to both Pall- Ex and Ace Express Freight is the service levels that is achieved on both the Irish and UK market, in the current economic climate it has become crucial to a companies survival to be able to provide the highest levels of service, while maintaining the lowest possible costs, this allows both you and your customers to prosper and grow. We believe that this partnership between Ace Express and Pall-Ex is a great benefit to any companies importing or export between Ireland and the UK and allows them to be extremely competitive while offering best levels of service. Additional advantages are achieved by the state of art communications structure between the two companies which allow for full online track and trace.

Ace Express have recently launched one of the most advanced systems in Europe which allows for goods to be scanned at point of collection and delivery, and the information is then uploaded instantly onto both their web sites and if required onto their customers systems, thereby providing exact information on status of goods.

Incoterms is internationally recognised terminology, published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and reviewed every ten years, to help regulate shipping and simplify the complexities of foreign trading. According to the ICC, the changes to Incoterms are necessary for many reasons, including “the importance of cargo security, the resulting new obligations on traders, developments in container transport, and the 2004 revision of the US Uniform Commercial Code, which resulted in a deletion of the former US shipment and delivery terms”.

In the latest Incoterms review, the ICC has removed four standards that were not widely used in contracts: DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid), DAF (Delivered At Frontier), DES (Delivered Ex-ship) and DEQ (Delivered Ex-quay). Two new Incoterms have been introduced: DAP (Delivered At Place) and DAT (Delivered At Terminal).

DAP establishes that the seller has delivered the goods only when they are placed at the disposal of the buyer and are ready for unloading at the named place of destination. Parties are advised to specify as clearly as possible the point within the agreed place of destination, because risk transfers at this point from seller to buyer.

DAT establishes that the seller has delivered the goods, once they are unloaded and are placed at the disposal of the buyer at a named terminal at the named port or place of destination. “Terminal” includes quays, warehouses, container yard or road, rail or air terminal. For further information please see http://www.iccwbo.org/incoterms/

Kuehne + Nagel Expands with KN Euro-Line
Kuehne + Nagel is expanding its European overland network with 200 more scheduled international lines and a doubled frequency of 2,000 departures per week by 2014 with its KN Euro-Line. The increased services and a centralised network management approach will provide the platform for its growth strategy.

Dirk Reich, member of the management board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, said: “We will add one new international direct connection each week during the next four years, with the objective to offer 500 scheduled connections throughout Europe by 2014.”

The introduction of KN Euro-Line, a unified product portfolio across Europe, complemented by the KN Parcel product is the basis for the growth of the overland network.

The standard product KN Euro-Line features structured tariffs and set time tables. It is being supplemented by KN Euro-Line Time-Definite, which guarantees on-time delivery within an agreed timeframe. It also offers KN Euro-Line Express with shorter transit times than the standard product and KN Euro-Line Express12 with shorter transit times and delivery before 12noon.

CMA CGM Awarded AEO Status
CMA CGM Shipping Ireland Ltd is pleased to announce that it has completed all the requirements for Authorised Economic Operator and has been awarded the AEO certification.

Thanks to the dedication and co-operation of the whole Irish team in the preparation for the AEO we have achieved this within 8 months. To achieve the award the local management had to construct a full process manual for the whole shipping operation on the island of Ireland. This took many man-hours to construct and is credit to the Irish team.

The AEO process will involve continued adherence to the AEO standards which incorporate internal audits on the whole company’s work processes and outside audits and controls on the company’s suppliers. The AEO Audit Team from the Irish revenue Authorities will also make external audits of the company on an annual basis to ensure standards are being upheld.

Containerships To Develop Enviromentaly Friendly Vessels
Containerships and Finnish company Wärtsilä signed a turnkey contract concerning a pioneering technology in the maritime sector aimed at reducing emissions from sea going vessels. This new technology will be installed on Motor Vessel Containerships VII and be operational during last quarter of 2011.

Developed by Wärtsilä the “scrubber technology” will place Containerships in a leading role towards matching the emission requirements set in the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA). Currently and as per Marpol regulations all ships operating in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea have to use fuels with a sulphur content not exceeding 1,0% per mass. As from 1.1.2015 the sulphur content allowed will be set at 0,1% per mass. M/V Containerships VII will meet the strict regulations already in 2011.

Wärtsilä is the first manufacturer to have been awarded a marine scrubber certificate by the classification societies Det Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd. The scrubber installation consists of a scrubbing unit including control and monitoring systems and ancillary equipment which cleans the exhaust gas from the vessel’s main engine. Scrubbers efficiently reduce exhaust gas emissions such as sulphur oxides and particulates, and slightly also nitrogen oxides.

The Scrubber works with fresh water in a closed-loop system in which sulphur oxides are neutralized with caustic soda. A small amount of scrubbing water is constantly extracted and fed into treatment units onboard where the contaminants are removed and pumped into vessels existing sludge tank. Contaminants are always disposed of at reception facilities in port. Clean effluents are discharged overboard, in accordance with IMO rules. The scrubber can also be operated in so-called zero discharge mode where clean effluents are fed into a holding tank.

DHL Launches New LCL Routes From China to Germany
DHL has launched two new direct LCL services connection Dalian and Shanghai in China with Hamburg in Germany. Both services are operated by DHL’s in-house carrier, Danmar Lines. The new direct service from Shanghai to Hamburg operates twice a week.

The new service from Dalian reduces transit time by six days, and from Hamburg shipments can be further delivered to an additional seven destinations in Germany (including Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart) through DHL’s inland network.

The Chinese ports of Dalian and Shanghai are both ranked in the world’s ten largest ports. In the past year, Shanghai port handled 29.07 million TEU and Dalian handled 5.24 million TEU, an increase of 16.3% and 15% respectively.

Germany is China’s largest trade partner in the EU and vice versa. Bilateral trade volume between the two countries totalled US$128.56 billion in 2009. DHL currently operates the world’s largest LCL network, handling almost two million cubic metres of LCL freight every year.

Safmarine Website Goes Mobile
Safmarine has introduced a mobile website that can be accessed by all major mobile devices and smartphones.  The new mobile functionality gives Safmarine customers on-the-go instant access to functionalities, enabling them to search for and track cargo via a booking, bill of lading or container number.

Mobile users can also retrieve shipping schedules (by location), as well as Safmarine agency/office details. The mobile service can be accessed by all major mobile systems and smartphones, including but not limited to BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile and Android.

FedEx Announce Deep Frozen Shipping Solution
FedEx have announced they are launching ‘Deep Frozen Shipping Solution’, a distribution service targeted at delivering temperature-sensitive healthcare products around the world. The solution utilises liquid nitrogen dry vapour technology which can maintain a temperature of -150 degrees Celsius for up to ten days.

FedEx HealthCare Solutions are proud to add this latest technology to their growing portfolio of services targeting the sciences and biopharma industries. The technology is non-hazardous, eliminating the difficulties associated with dangerous goods making the overall shipping process much more simple than say dry ice.

The logistics giant are targeting customers involved in clinical trials, diagnostics, biotechnology and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.

Hapag-Lloyd has also agreed that six newbuildings ordered at the beginning of 2008 should be upgraded from 8,750teu to 13,200teu. The 10 vessels are scheduled for delivery between mid-2012 and the end of 2013. The CSAV vessels are scheduled for handover between June and July 2012. The contract is reported to be worth US$180 million and contains options for more similar vessels. The line has now placed orders for 13 new vessels, including five 8,000teu containerships.

According to reports, Hapag-Lloyd’s Grand Alliance partner, OOCL, is also in negotiations for ships of the same size and there have been suggestions that Maersk Line is to place orders for 18,000teu vessels that would be the biggest containerships ever built. Hapag-Lloyd returned to the black in the third quarter and reported record profits over the first nine months of the year. Over the first nine months of the year, revenue hit €4.6 billion (US$6.1bn) and the group achieved an operating profit of €506 million.

New EU Customs Regulations Sparks More Surcharges

Shipping lines have unveiled a number of surcharges related to new EU Customs’ regulations. As a result of new EU regulations requiring cargo information 24 hours before shipment, CMA CGM is introducing a Customs Documentation Charge of US$25 per bill of lading for containerised traffic, while Maersk Line will introduce a $25 per bill of lading Cargo Data Declaration Fee. European feeder operator Unifeeder said it would add a charge of €23 ($30) per bill of lading.

The charges will be effective from 1 January 2011 and apply to all shipments with a discharge port in a country implementing EU customs rules.

The new regulation allows EU Customs to perform a security risk assessment before goods enter the EU.
It requires shipping companies to submit an ENS – which includes information such as the bill of lading number and shipper and consignee name and address – 24 hours before loading onboard a vessel that will call at an EU port, or two hours before entry at its first EU port for shortsea traffic.

It applies to all goods brought into the customs territory of the EU, cargo that is transhipped via an EU port, even with a non-EU final destination, or remaining on board the vessel calling en-route at an EU port. CMA CGM is requesting that all relevant data is submitted 72 hours prior to loading date.

Norbert Dentressangle buys TDG

Norbert Dentressangle (ND) has acquired 100% of the shares of Laxey Logistics, the holding company that owns UK transport and logistics operator TDG, in a deal worth £196 million (US$306m). The deal is subject to the agreement of the European competition authorities and is expected to close around 10 January.

ND said the consolidation of the Manchester-based TDG businesses would “create a new group, with annual revenues of €3.6 billion (US$4.77bn), with a stronger position in transport and logistics.” The acquisition was made in conjunction with investment fund Douglas Bay Capital. TDG’s 2009 revenue was £662 million, with ebita of £26 million. It estimates its 2010 revenues will reach £700 million. The operator makes 74% of its revenues in the UK, 12% in the Benelux countries, 8.5% in Spain, 4% in Ireland and 1.5% in Germany. TDG also operates in Hungary.

François Bertreau, CEO of ND, said: “TDG is a leading player in the market and we are very happy and proud. “While retaining our financial flexibility, this transaction consolidates our presence in each of our three sectors and considerably strengthens our freight forwarding business, allowing us to better meet the needs of our clients at international level. “I am confident in our ability to integrate TDG quickly and effectively, improving our services to clients and making the most of best practice on both sides.”

DFDS Sells Two Irish Sea Services

DFDS has sold half its unprofitable Irish Sea services to rival ferry operator Stena Line for almost €50 million (US$62.2m). The deal will see Stena take over DFDS Seaways’ services between Belfast and Birkenhead and Belfast and Heysham.

Stena will also take over port operations at terminals in Belfast, Birkenhead and Heysham and four ships: the chartered Lagan Seaways and Mersey Seaways, on the Liverpool-Belfast route; and the freight carriers Scotia Seaways (pictured above) and Hibernia Seaways.

In its third-quarter results, DFDS said it was expecting tough trading conditions on the Irish Sea over the coming year because capacity had not been reduced to meet a decline in demand that began in 2008. DFDS took over the two routes when it completed the purchase of Norfolkline from AP Møller Maersk earlier this year.

Stena said the acquisition would allow it to improve its service on the Irish Sea by offering several alternatives. DFDS said the routes from Dublin to Birkenhead and Heysham, plus agency and port activities, would continue as normal. The overall deal, on a debt-free basis, is worth Dkr354 million. As a result, DFDS has upgraded its pre-tax profit expectation for the year of Dkr250 million to Dkr435 million. In a separate announcement, Stena Line revealed that, following a decision made some time ago, it is to close its Fleetwood to Larne ferry operations due to losses on the route.

Samskip and DFDS Share The Load

DFDS Container Line and Samskip MCL Ireland have launched a vessel-sharing agreement (VSA) between Ireland and mainland Europe. The VSA came into effect on 1 December and will have a rotation of Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Cork, Belfast, Dublin and Waterford, using four vessels, with two vessels from each partner.

It will focus on the door-to-door and quay-to-quay sectors and will not call at any deepsea feeder terminals, which, Port of Cork said, would significantly enhance schedule reliability. The Commercial Manager of Port of Cork, Michael McCarthy, said: “This arrangement between Samskip MCL Ireland and DFDS Container Line will service both the import and export client requirements, greatly increasing port coverage on the continent and in Ireland.

DB Schenker Launches Shipment Tracking App for iPhone

DB Schenker Logistics customers can now track their shipments via an iPhone app. Developed specifically for the purpose, the app provides mobile access to shipment tracking information, enabling customers to retrieve the status of shipments being moved by land transportation, air and sea freight worldwide.

“We realise that innovation, particularly in the field of information technology, has become a decisive factor in the marketplace,” says Schenker’s chief information officer, Peter Scvhumann. “For this reason, we are currently making significant investments in our global information systems. Transparency, data security, user friendliness and easy availability of data are vitally important for our customers.”

The free app is available in the App Store under “DB Schenker” in English and German. More languages, such as Chinese, Czech, Spanish, Turkish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Swedish will follow. A solution for mobile shipment tracking is also being prepared for other operating systems.

Kuehne + Nagel Ireland named “Logistics Company of the Year 2010″

Global Logistics Provider Kuehne + Nagel has been awarded the title of “Logistics Company of the Year” at the Irish Export Industry Awards 2010. The award, which recognises excellence in the provision of logistics and supply chain management services, was presented to Kuehne + Nagel by Batt O’Keeffe, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, and Mark Fitzgerald, President of the Irish Exporters Association (IEA), at a prestigious ceremony in Dublin.

Kuehne + Nagel demonstrated to the judges that the company’s innovative and progressive approach to meeting the supply chain needs of its customers in Ireland, particularly in the Life Sciences, Food, Drink and High-Tech sectors, placed it firmly ahead of the competition.

On receiving the award, Marcus Bennett, Managing Director, Kuehne + Nagel Ireland said, “This award is a real tribute to the Kuehne + Nagel team in Ireland and a welcome recognition for all the hard work carried out over the past year. In the challenging economic climate, Ireland’s growing export sector is of key importance, and Kuehne + Nagel understands that delivering competitive, flexible and quality driven supply chain solutions is critical to clients. We are confident that this approach, aligned with our strong focus on continuous improvement, will enable Kuehne + Nagel to achieve its ambitious growth plans in Ireland.”

Containerships Announce Increased Frequency on Europe Med Service

Containerships are pleased to inform you that a third vessel will be added to our Europe Med service. This step will allow us to improve our frequency to a weekly service between North Europe Piraeus, Istanbul and Izmir and to an every 12 day service between North Europe, Tunis and Cadiz.

The schedule will remain unchanged: Sheerness – Teesport – Rotterdam – Ghent – Piraeus – Istanbul (Kumport) – Izmir (Aliaga) – Tunis (Rades) – Cadiz

Tunis and Cadiz will only be called by 2 vessels out of 3 hence the every 12 days frequency for these 2 ports.

The new enhanced service will start operating as from mid January 2011 and is aiming at increasing our service level towards our existing customers as well as enabling new opportunities for shippers currently using the road to make a greater use of our 45′high cube pallet-wide containers and their 33 euro pallets intake. The date of the new weekly sailing system will be announced at a later stage when the exact date of arrival of the new vessels to be employed will be accurately known.

As from mid January 2011 Containerships will operate with 2 x 1000 TEU and 1 x 800 TEU vessels between Europe and the Mediterranean ports while 4 vessels are deployed on the Intra-Med service offering connections with Libya ports of Benghazi, Misurata and Tripoli as well as with Alexandria and Mersin. Containerships offer a wide fleet of containers including 20ft standard, 40ft high cube reefer and 40ft /45ft high cube pallet-wide containers.