IFPTA News and Events

PPI Transport Symposium 24 to Be Hosted in Jacksonville in September

May 2021 - Fastmarkets RISI and IFPTA are pleased to announce the PPI Transport Symposium 24 will be held in Jacksonville, Florida at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa, hosted by Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). This event focuses on the trending topics in worldwide transport, materials handling, and distribution of forest products.

Catch up with clients, meet industry peers, and ensure you are part of the conversation as you shore up your short and long term pipeline. To learn more, visit: events.risiinfo.com/transport-symposium

Metsä Fibre and Euroports Finland Conclude Agreement on Port Operations for Rauma Sawmill’s Sawn Timber

May 3, 2021 - Metsä Fibre’s Rauma sawmill has concluded a service agreement with Euroports Finland on port operations for sawn timber in Rauma. The agreement is for four years and will take effect in the summer of 2022.

Automated conveyors will transfer the timber produced at the sawmill from packaging directly to the transport equipment for delivery to the port warehouse. The sawmill does not have warehouses for finished sawn timber, nor does it handle shipping operations.

“When running at full capacity, the sawmill will produce an annual 750,000 cubic metres of sawn timber. Depending on the market situation, a considerable share will be shipped to other countries.”

MSC Introduces New Electronic Bill Of Lading for Customers Worldwide Using Wave BL’s Platform

April 28, 2021 - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a global leader in container shipping and logistics, is officially introducing the electronic bill of lading (eBL) for its customers around the world, following a successful pilot phase, using a solution on an independent blockchain platform WAVE BL. The eBL enables shippers and other key supply chain stakeholders to receive and transmit the bill of lading document electronically, without any change or disruption to day-to-day business operations.

WAVE BL is a blockchain-based system that uses distributed ledger technology to ensure that all parties involved in a cargo shipment booking can issue, transfer, endorse and manage documents through a secure, decentralised network.

Georgia Ports Authority Details Capacity, Operations Expansion

April 26, 2021 - At the Georgia Foreign Trade Conference (GFTC), the Georgia Ports Authority released fiscal year to date numbers (July -March) showing record volumes of 3.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, an increase of 15 percent, and detailed a plan that expedites completion of more than 1.4 million additional TEUs of annual capacity.

Expansion efforts include the Peak Capacity project, which will add 650,000 TEUs of annual container yard capacity in two phases at Garden City Terminal, with the first phase opening in five months.

Another main component of the expansion plan is the development of 92 acres GPA purchased last year adjacent to the Mason Mega Rail Terminal. Housing approximately 40 rubber-tired gantry cranes and adding

Maersk Launches AE77, a Weekly Asia-Southern Europe Intermodal Freight Service

April 26, 2021 - The first containers coming from Asia on this new regular service arrived at the largest Russian port of Vostochny on Sealand vessels. On 22nd April, the containers were dispatched by train from the Russian VSC terminal (– part of Global Ports Inc.) to NUTEP terminal (– part of Delo Ports) at the port of Novorossiysk, also on Russia soil. From Novorossiysk, the cargo now resumes by sea to destinations in Ukraine and Turkey.

“The launch of AE77 is an important milestone in Maersk´s expansion of our transcontinental intermodal offering, combining rail and sea. The new route is an excellent alternative since our customers can be confident about fixed-day arrival and have full flexibility between various delivery options that best match their logistics needs,” explains Zsolt Katona, Head of Maersk Eastern Europe.

Port of Antwerp Expands Its Fleet with Energy-efficient Tugs

RSD Tug April 19, 2021 - Port of Antwerp inaugurated three new RSD tugs on 19 April 2021. This expansion forms part of the renewal and greening of the fleet, in which Port of Antwerp is focusing on the introduction of sustainable and energy-efficient vessels.

In 2020, 14,000 seagoing vessels and 57,000 inland navigation craft called at the port of Antwerp. To guide all those vessels safely and smoothly from the locks to their moorings and vice versa, Port of Antwerp carries out 19,000 towing operations behind the locks every year, both on the right and the left bank. In order to bring all those towage tasks to a successful conclusion, Port of Antwerp has 18 operational tugs and 250 colleagues on standby 24/7, 365 days of the year.

MSC Launches New Solution Connecting Asia and Europe

April 13, 2021 - MSC is pleased to announce the launch of a new intermodal solution between Asia and Europe available from April 12, 2021.

This new offer will combine both sea and rail service departing from China, Korea and Japan to Europe, via Vladivostok and Vostochniy with further feeder connections from St Petersburg.

From St. Petersburg, cargoes can be shipped directly to some of the major European hubs such as Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam and Le Havre.

Suez Incident: Port of Antwerp Anticipates Busy Terminals Where Possible

April 9, 2021 - The Suez Canal is open again, but the consequences for global shipping traffic will be felt for a long time to come. Ships will be delayed in their arrival and departure, resulting in busy terminals and peaks in cargo. For Port of Antwerp, the impact is very difficult to estimate; where possible, the container terminals are preparing to handle additional cargo.

“It's going to get busier at the terminals in the port of Antwerp,” says Barbara Janssens. “Starting next week, April 12, our terminals are likely to get busier. The first ships that sailed behind the Ever Given usually first call at Rotterdam and Hamburg and only then arrive at Port of Antwerp. We're assuming 12-14 days after the Suez incident. It isn't easy to estimate the exact impact in terms of traffic at Port of Antwerp. A lot depends on the decisions of shipping companies and terminals, who look at things from a global perspective.

Port of Tarragona to Initiate New Rail Services Central Spain, Antwerp and Ludwigshafen

April 8, 2021 - The Port of Tarragona will initiate new rail services to central Spain, Antwerp and Ludwigshafen. The ro-ro line linking the Port of Tarragona with Turkey is beginning to generate new intermodal services.

The route operator is calling for a rail superhighway to connect Tarragona with the rest of Europe.

As part of the Second Rail Day, the Ekol Group General Freight Manager, Alfio Centocinque, announced the new intermodal services and explained that "there is huge interest in Tarragona is from an existing market.”

Port of Gothenburg Says Swedish Forest Products Producer Chooses New Eco-Friendly Rail Shuttle

April 1, 2021 - The Port of Gothenburg announced that a new rail shuttle service to and from the Port offers environmental benefits and reduced transport time, and another forest products producer in the north of Sweden has decided to transport its products through the Port of Gothenburg and its rail network.

“There are considerable environmental benefits to be gained with this shuttle. It also offers access to the port’s extensive service network with frequent departures. Good availability of empty containers at the Port of Gothenburg enhances reliability even further. Other shuttle movements to and from the Port of Gothenburg are seen to be working very well, which is reassuring,” said Nikolas Rowland, Managing Director of the forwarding company behind the new shuttle, First Row Shipping and Logistics.

Proposed Safe Routes Act Would Improve Log Truck Efficiency, Safety

March 31, 2021 (Forest2Market) - Last week, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced the Safe Routes Act of 2021, a bill that would allow logging trucks that meet state-determined legal requirements to travel up to 150 air miles on the Federal Interstate Highway System. Current law prohibits trucks that meet these requirements from using the federal interstate, forcing them to use state and local roads that increase the risks associated with their trips.

“When logging trucks aren’t allowed to use federal highways, they use state and local roads where they encounter school zones, crosswalks, and sharp curves. This doesn’t just extend the time it takes to get their products from point A to point B, but increases the number of accidents involving these trucks,” said Rep. Gallagher. “This bill makes a common-sense change that allows certain trucks to travel on the interstate, and in doing so, helps reduce carbon emissions, increase efficiency, and make roads safer.”

Port Tampa Bay Approves Lease to Celadon for Construction of Recycled Pulp Plant

March 29, 2021 - The Port Tampa Bay Board of Commissioners have approved an agreement with Celadon Development Corporation to lease 37 acres for the construction and operation of a paper fiber manufacturing plant. The plant will have significant economic and sustainability benefits generating up to 20,000 export containers per year (40,000 TEUs), creating approximately 100 jobs and involving a capital investment of $160 million during Phase One of the project.

The facility will receive and process mixed paper, corrugated cardboard and plastic products sourced in Florida to produce recycled pulp in sheets for export to Asia. Environmental and sustainability benefits include increased recycling, water reuse and reduction of greenhouse gases, saving over 1.8 million tons in carbon dioxide emissions.

Short-sea Terminal to Be Opened at the Port of Gothenburg

March 29, 2021 - A new terminal service is due to commence at the Port of Gothenburg, dedicated to intra-European container transport. The terminal will be located at Skandiahamnen’s western quay and will be operated by APM Terminals.

“In the wake of the pandemic, new logistics patterns have evolved with goods owners moving parts of their global production system closer to Europe. Short sea is a growing segment, and we are pleased that APM Terminals is continuing to meet the needs of the market, and at the same time broadening the port’s overall service offering,” said Elvir Dzanic, Gothenburg Port Authority chief executive.

The terminal will be located at the Skandiahamnen western quay, which was recently renovated and reinforced in the lead-up to the Skandia Gateway fairway project.

2 Tugboats Speed to Egypt’s Suez Canal as Shippers Avoid It

SUEZ, Egypt (AP) March 28, 2021 - Two additional tugboats sped Sunday to Egypt’s Suez Canal to aid efforts to free a skyscraper-sized container ship wedged for days across the crucial waterway, even as major shippers increasingly divert their boats out of fear the vessel may take even longer to free.

The massive Ever Given, a Panama-flagged, Japanese-owned ship that carries cargo between Asia and Europe, got stuck Tuesday in a single-lane stretch of the canal. In the time since, authorities have been unable to remove the vessel and traffic through the canal — valued at over $9 billion a day — has been halted, further disrupting a global shipping network already strained by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dutch-flagged Alp Guard and the Italian-flagged Carlo Magno, called in to help tugboats already there, reached the Red Sea near the city of Suez early Sunday, satellite data from MarineTraffic.com showed. The tugboats will nudge the 400-meter-long (quarter-mile-long) Ever Given as dredgers continue to vacuum up sand from underneath the vessel and mud caked to its port side, said Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, which manages the Ever Given.

Chilean Wood Chip Exports Down 40% in 2020 as Asian Pulp Mills Increased Imports from Vietnam

March 26, 2021 - Wood chip exports from Chile plummeted in 2020, with shipments falling by over 40% from the first quarter to the fourth quarter. Only an estimated 450,000 odmt were shipped in the 4Q/20, the lowest quarterly volume since the 3Q/15, according to Wood Resource Quarterly. A combination of substantially reduced wood fiber consumption by Japanese pulpmills and an increased supply of lower-cost hardwood chips from Vietnam to Asian markets has contributed to the decline in demand for Chilean Eucalyptus chips in 2020.

Together with Vietnam and Australia, Chile has long been one of the primary wood fiber suppliers to the pulp industry in Japan. In 2013, the country was the number one source of wood chips to Japan, with a market share of 23%. However, the Chilean wood fiber supply in that market has diminished, and the percentage of total imports in the 4Q/20 was down to 11%.

Ever Given Salvors Weigh Time and Tide with Risk of Tip or Tear

March 26, 2021 (MarineLink) - The Dutch emergency response team hired to free the vast ship blocking the Suez canal has pulled off some dramatic recoveries, including lifting Russia’s Kursk nuclear submarine from the Barents Sea floor, but says this is one of the trickiest.

Weighing 200,000 tonnes without cargo, the Ever Given is the heaviest vessel that Smit Salvage, a subsidiary of the Dutch marine services company Boskalis contracted in the rescue, has faced in its nearly 180-year history.

With real-time emergency response crews across the globe, Smit Salvage has helped recover or salvage dozens of wrecks and free stranded cargo ships, ferries and tankers.

Russia’s Proposed Roundwood Export Ban Would Impact Global Trade

By Agris Melnis, Forest2Market

March 23, 2021 - Last fall, Russian president Vladimir Putin introduced legislation that would initiate a complete ban on exports of softwood and high-value hardwood logs from the country beginning January 1, 2022. Once established, this could also expand to include untreated or roughly processed green wood/lumber. This reduction in roundwood exports is intended to stimulate additional economic activity within Russia and help to mitigate illegal logging.

On January 1, 2021, an experiment on the traceability of timber turnover was launched, and will run through June 30, even though the ban is expected to be adopted as law in 2Q2021.

The global market for unprocessed timber will face significant shocks in the wake of such legislation resulting in a ban on Russian exports. By the end of 2020, Russia exported nearly 16 million cubic meters (m3) of timber, which represents almost 13% of globally traded roundwood.

MSC Unveils North American Cargo Protection Solution

March 18, 2021 - MSC announced that it is expanding its commercial offering in North America by launching Extended Protection, a solution that helps customers deal with and be better protected against accidental damage.

While taking all the necessary precautions, ocean and inland transportation does not come risk-free. Major unforeseen events, such as rough weather, fire, theft, and many other occurrences, can be the cause of accidental cargo damage.

Valid for shippers based in USA and Canada and while cargo is in the care of MSC, Extended Protection helps safeguard cargo owners by providing a supplementary "all risk" layer of protection, designed to protect against almost any kind of accidents, from major land and maritime risks, to reefer malfunction.

What’s the Difference Between a Freight Forwarder and NVOCC?

March 17, 2021 - If you are looking for a third-party logistics (3PL) provider in and around the U.S., you may have come across these two terms: NVOCC and freight forwarders.

You are not alone if you are struggling to differentiate between NVOCC and freight forwarding and trying to figure out just which one would be best for your business needs. Generally, there is much confusion surrounding these two types of operations — even within the shipping industry itself.

Because the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) classifies both NVOCCs and freight forwarders as Ocean Transport Intermediaries (OTIs), it can get a little convoluted. What this means is that they are both typically involved in ensuring the safe and timely transportation and storage of items for their customers. This includes handling the necessary filings, paperwork, and customs clearances, as well as tracking the goods as they are moved.

COSCO SHIPPING Launches Blockchain-based Paperless Import Cargo Delivery at China’s Inland Ports

On March 15, 2021, the digitalized contactless imports pickup solution based on blockchain technology, which was jointly developed by COSCO SHIPPING and Anhui Provincial Port & Shipping Group, was officially launched at Wuhu Port, Anhui Province. After coastal ports including Shanghai, Xiamen, Qingdao, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhu Port has become the first inland port in China to realize blockchain-based paperless import cargo delivery.

It is a key initiative of COSCO SHIPPING to actively respond to the integration of Yangtze River Delta, to strengthen the strategic cooperation with Anhui Province, to implement the relevant requirements of the Ministry of Transport on the “clearway program” of port and shipping for imported e-commerce cargo, and to further promote the digitalization of shipping.

Port of Antwerp Says ‘Certified Pick Up’ Proceeding Smoothly

March 12, 2021 - The Port of Antwerp said that ‘Certified Pick up’ has been in use at the port of Antwerp since January 2021 and the new system is working well.

“The digital, safe and integrated solution for the release of containers is a long-term replacement for the current PIN code system. The new way of working guarantees a secure, transparent and optimised release process for incoming containers, which will then leave the port by rail, inland navigation or truck.” the Port said.

“Signing up to Certified Pick up is mandatory if you are involved in the container release process in Antwerp. This central data platform was developed by NxtPort. At present, nearly 90% of all the shipping companies and terminals in Antwerp have signed up to the system.”

APM Terminals Barcelona Applies 5G Technology to Improve Traffic Safety

March 11, 2021 - 5G Barcelona, together with Telefónica, APM Terminals, and Mobile World Capital Barcelona are working on a pilot project to improve security in ports thanks to the use of 5G networks to connect cranes, vehicles, and people by merging different advanced communication and localisation technologies. The main objective of the project is to minimise the potential risk of collisions between mobile machinery and fixed elements, vehicles, and people in the container terminal.

The pilot test, which is based on technology of the C-V2X connected car and the low latency of 5G communications and Edge Computing, aims to turn APM Terminals Barcelona into a safer space for workers, thanks to a system that allows the coordination of port traffic and the implementation of advanced algorithms for accident traffic prevention.

Maritime Industry Leaders to Explore Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore

March 10, 2021 - A.P. Moller - Maersk A/S, Fleet Management Limited, Keppel Offshore & Marine, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Sumitomo Corporation and Yara International ASA are pleased to announce that the parties have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly conduct a feasibility study (hereinafter “Study”) with the aim to be one of the pioneers in establishing a comprehensive and competitive supply chain for the provision of green ammonia1 ship-to-ship bunkering at the Port of Singapore, the largest bunkering port in the world.

Emitting zero CO2 when combusted, ammonia has long been considered as one of the most promising alternative marine fuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the shipping industry, which is in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy to reduce CO2 emission by 2050. In particular, green ammonia possesses great potential as it is produced from only renewable electricity, water and air with no CO2 emission.

SSA Marine Puts Nine Electric Container Yard Cranes in Service at Port of Long Beach

March 9, 2021 - SSA Marine is now operating the first of nine electric container yard cranes at the Port of Long Beach’s Pier J (California), marking a significant milestone in a goal to transition to zero emissions terminal equipment by 2030.

The demonstration of the electric rubber tired gantry cranes is part of the Zero-Emissions Terminal Equipment Transition Project, which is funded in large part by a $9.7 million California Energy Commission grant. The Port, the CEC and Southern California Edison are partnering on the project to bring 25 vehicles that are zero- or near-zero emissions to three of the Port’s marine terminals and logistics truck provider Total Transportation Services Inc. to test their performance in a real-world setting.

Metsä Group Selects VR Transpoint as Logistics Partner for Roundwood Transports to Kemi Bioproduct Mill

March 5, 2021 - Metsä Group has chosen VR Transpoint as the logistics partner for roundwood transports to the bioproduct mill under construction in Kemi. This decision was based on more than two years of strategic cooperation during which an effective and environmentally friendly overall solution was designed for the transports. Annually, five million cubic metres of wood will be transported to the mill by rail, which means that an average of nine trains will arrive at the mill every day.

The number of wood transports by rail will be increasing significantly in Finland from 2023 onwards when the bioproduct mill in Kemi is commissioned. This means annual deliveries of more than five million cubic metres of wood,

MSC USA’s CEO Says Constructive Collaboration is Key amid Supply Chain Overload

March 3, 2021 - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has highlighted the importance of continued collaboration with customers during 2021 to help ease the systemic supply chain overload triggered by the global pandemic, notably in the U.S. container market.

Fabio Santucci, President & CEO of MSC USA, stressed the point as he discussed how the landscape of the shipping industry has changed over the past year and how carriers have been impacted in the Journal of Commerce’s new podcast series “Beyond TPM”.

“Constant and effective communication and cooperation with partners, vendors and clients remains key. Understanding one another, planning together, and setting the right expectations goes a long way. This is one of the things that we have to continue doing throughout 2021 as well,” Fabio said.

What Is a Transportation Management System?

March 3, 2021 - A lot goes on between the shipping and receiving dock. When freight travels, its route, shipping price, and mode of transportation need to be sorted.

When considering software types to manage your shipping operations — within the company or at the warehouse — the two most recognized systems are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Each system offers automated functionality to perform a wide range of tasks and processes. Yet, there is another system that goes hand-in-hand with these applications.

GTI Preparing to Launch First-of-a-Kind Pilot with Fuel Cell Yard Trucks

March 2, 2021 - GTI announced that performance verification is nearing completion on new zero-emissions fuel cell-electric terminal tractors, and a first-of a kind pilot project is preparing to launch. A terminal tractor, also called a yard truck, is a heavy-duty tractor designed to quickly couple and uncouple with trailers to move them within a cargo yard.

For 16 months, GTI and partners have been designing and assembling the tractors in a project called Zero Emissions for California Ports (ZECAP) that will assess vehicle operation in a demanding, real-world cargo-handling application.

Port Of Los Angeles Launches New ‘Control Tower’ Data Tool for Tracking Cargo

March 1, 2021 - The Port of Los Angeles has introduced a new “Control Tower” data tool — the third such instrument introduced by the nation’s busiest trade gateway in less than six months. The Control Tower offers real-time views of truck turn times, as well as other truck capacity management information, to help cargo owners, truckers and other supply chain stakeholders better predict and plan cargo flows.

Phase one of the Control Tower launch provides users current snapshots of turn times at all of the Port’s cargo terminals, updated continuously with GeoStamp data and broken down by historical daily and monthly averages.

Alabama State Port Authority Names Beth Ann Frisher as Chief Commercial Officer

Feb. 26, 2021 - Alabama State Port Authority announced that Beth Ann Frisher has joined the Port Authority’s senior management team as the new Chief Commercial Officer, effective February 18, 2021.

Ms. Frisher will be responsible for all commercial activities involving sales, marketing and real estate development.

Prior to joining the Port Authority, Ms. Frisher served as the head of business development and international marketing at the Port of Oakland. Her experience also includes over 15 years with AP Moller-Maersk in both Europe and North America directing sales and marketing, business process and pricing initiatives.

PSA and CDAS Partner to Launch SmartBooking Platform for Terminals, Haulers and Logistics Facilities across Singapore

Feb. 24, 2021 - In a concerted effort to drive supply chain orchestration and digitalisation, PSA Corporation Ltd (PSA) and the Container Depot and Logistics Association (Singapore) (CDAS) have launched ‘SmartBooking’ – an integrated one-stop booking platform for container depots, terminals, haulers and logistics facilities across Singapore.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), this initiative will play a major role in Singapore’s logistics ecosystem digitalisation roadmap,

Euroports Changshu Terminal Reaches Record Discharge and Delivery Volumes in January 2021

Feb. 22, 2021 - Euroports announced that its Changshu terminal operations, which handles wood pulp, paper, sawn timber and kaolin, kicked-off 2021 recording 1.1 million tons of terminal throughput in January.

The total discharge volume was over 600,000 mt working up to four vessels simultaneously -- a new discharge volume record for the terminal.

Delivery volume was close to 500,000 mt which, on its own merit, is equally a record level.

Scaling up Digital Solutions to Improve Warehouse Safety with Anti-Collision Program

February 2021 - In environments where people and heavy machines co-exist there is always an imminent risk of accidents. As a company, we have the responsibility to take every measure we can to avoid those risks and ensure that each colleague gets home safe every day. In this blog, I will share my experience of how we in Stora Enso have leveraged digital technology to avoid accidents in our warehouses, as well as how digital solutions is paving the way to further improve safety in the future.

We are today undertaking the first company-wide global roll out of a digital solution in our mills. The digital solution in scope is called ‘Warehouse Anti Collision solution’ and does just what the name indicates — it helps humans and machines to avoid collisions in our warehouses.

Metsä Board Testing Intelligent Packaging for Sheeted Paperboard Transit

Feb. 16, 2021 - Last year Metsä Board tested intelligent pallet tags and software to track and record varying information when shipping paperboard sheets from the Simpele board mill in Finland to Hull in the UK. Information was recorded and analysed from production at the mill site, during train transit and shipment all the way to port in the UK.

Sensor tags that can record humidity, light and temperature were placed on top of the pallets. Empirica Finland provided the software that collected the data during the shipment. They also made a mobile app for collecting pallet data such as bar codes, QR codes and photos at the mill and at the ports in Finland and the UK. The photos taken by the port operators proved particularly beneficial supporting partner network interactions and with data for the final analysis.

The Ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge to Merge, Creating Port of Antwerp-Bruges

Feb. 12, 2021 - The City of Antwerp and the City of Bruges have reached an agreement to merge their respective ports. The two-city agreement marks the start of a unification process that is expected to take a year to finalise. Once completed, the ports will operate under the name “Port of Antwerp-Bruges.”

As a result of the merger, the ports will be able to strengthen their position within the global supply chain and continue their course towards sustainable growth. Furthermore, the unified port will be more resilient to the challenges of the future and will take a lead in the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

“We are proud of this historic agreement, which seals a long-awaited unification,” said Annick De Ridder, port alderman and chair of the board of directors of the Antwerp Port Authority.

Russia's Proposed Log Export Ban in 2022 to Have Far-reaching Impact on Global Forest Product Markets

Feb. 12, 2021 - Russia exported 15 million m3 of logs in 2020, which accounted for almost 12% of globally traded roundwood. Much of this trade may come to a halt next year when a new law proposed by Russia's president will ban the exportation of softwood logs and high-value hardwood logs as of January 1, 2022, according to a focus report released by Wood Resources International (WRI).

The Russian government is also considering new regulations aimed at reducing the exportation of green softwood lumber. This regulation is loosely planned to also commence in 2022 and is intended to incentivize investments in dry-kilns to produced dried lumber for exports. Reducing log and green lumber exports will likely stimulate further value-added processing within Russia and better control illegal logging, WRI said.

Metsä Fibre and Lehto Sign Preliminary Agreement on Construction of Port Warehouse for Kemi Bioproduct Mill

Feb. 8, 2021 - Metsä Fibre and the construction company Lehto Group have signed a preliminary agreement on the construction of a port warehouse for Metsä Fibre’s proposed bioproduct mill planned to be built in Kemi, Finland.

The warehouse, to be built in the Port of Ajos, Kemi, would serve as the new mill’s pulp warehouse before the products are shipped to customers. The floor area of the port warehouse would be nearly 40,000 square metres, and the construction would take around two years. Warehouse's high-ceiling elements would be manufactured from Metsä Group’s wooden elements.

The Kemi bioproduct mill, which would operate entirely without fossil fuels, would produce 1.5 million tonnes of softwood and hardwood pulp per year, as well as many other bioproducts.

It’s Official: PhilaPort is the Fastest Growing Port on the U.S. East Coast

Feb. 5, 2021 (Press Release) - PhilaPort achieved a 7% increase in container volumes in 2020. This placed The Port of Philadelphia as the fastest growing container port on the U.S. East Coast. These impressive cargo levels continue a decade-long trend of prosperity for the Port, which has realized 10% compound annual growth.

Additionally, PhilaPort saw a five-year historic high in forest product cargoes. For 2020, the Port was up 14%, and for the month of December the Port saw an increase of 61% vs. December 2019. For breakbulk alone, PhilaPort terminals handled 928,000 tons. Containerized forest products were estimated to be 20,000 units.

Paper Excellence Receives Favorable Ruling from Brazilian Arbitration Panel to Complete Acquisition of Eldorado Brasil

Feb. 5, 2021 - Paper Excellence on Feb. 4 announced that the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration court in Brazil has ruled in favor of Paper Excellence in a case against J&F Investimentos SA, the parent company of Brazilian pulp producer Eldorado Brasil Celulose.

The court's ruling will allow Paper Excellence to acquire all of the remaining shares of Eldorado Brasil, of which Paper Excellence currently owns 49.41%.

History

On September 2, 2017, Eldorado Brasil informed its shareholders in a market announcement that the company's major shareholder J&F Investmentos, a holding company controlled by brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista, had agreed to sell its entire stake in the company to CA Investment (Brazil) S.A., a subsidiary of Paper Excellence.

SCA to Invest SEK 460 Million in Expansion of Tunadal Port in Sweden

Feb. 1, 2021 - SCA said that it will invest approximately SEK 460 million in Tunadal port, Sundsvall, Sweden, between 2021 and 2024. The investment will encompass a new container port and new cargo handling areas.

SCA explained that investments in its Östrand pulp mill, in addition to the ongoing investments in pulp production at the Ortviken industrial site, will more than double the volume of pulp to be shipped from the Sundsvall region. The increased volumes mean that the pulp will be delivered to new and more distant markets.

“This development has meant that we need to be able to handle larger volumes of containerized cargo than previously and be able to accommodate larger ships – both container ships and break bulk vessels,” says Magnus Svensson, President Sourcing and Logistics at SCA.

Alexander Global Logistics Transports 5000 Cubic Meters of Forest Products from North America to Germany

Jan. 29, 2021 - Alexander Global Logistics (AGL) in the first week of January 2021 has kept very busy with the firm’s North America operations receiving, storing, and loading 5000 cubic meters of forest products at the Port of Morehead City in North Carolina.

“Due to the oversized bundles, the S-Type vessel operated by Spliethoff was unable to use the side elevators, making it more challenging to load 3 hatches with its jib cranes,” AGL said in a press release.

Wagenborg and SCA Renew Shipping Contract for Wood, Pulp and Paper to US East Coast and Mediterranean

Jan. 28, 2021 - After a tender process, Wagenborg Shipping and SCA have signed a contract for shipping services, regarding sea traffic volumes of wood, pulp and paper from the Baltic to the U.S. East Coast and multiple destinations in the Mediterranean.

Wagonborg noted that this contract is a renewal of an existing contract.

According to Wagenborg, the company’s geared A-type and T-type vessels will continue the Trans-Atlantic paper trade and the gearless vessels up to 14.000 dwt will service the trade to southern Europe and North Africa.

CP Announces Hydrogen-Powered Locomotive Pilot Project

Jan. 28, 2021 - Canadian Pacific recently announced that it plans to develop North America's first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive. CP's Hydrogen Locomotive Program will retrofit a line-haul locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology to drive the locomotive's electric traction motors. Once operational, CP will conduct rail service trials and qualification testing to evaluate the technology's readiness for the freight-rail sector.

"This is a globally significant project that positions CP at the leading edge of decarbonizing the freight transportation sector," said Keith Creel, CP's President and Chief Executive Officer.

Royal Wagenborg’s New EasyMax Completes First Sea Trial on the North Sea

Jan. 27, 2021 - Royal Wagenborg announced that the second EasyMax completed her first sea trials on Jan. 26. Starting in the port of Delfzijl, various tests were completed on the North Sea.

According to Royal Wagenborg, with a load capacity of 14,200 tonnes and a hold volume of more than 625,000 cft, the EasyMax is the biggest ship ever built in the north of the Netherlands on the landward side of the dikes. With a length of 149.95m, a beam of 15.90m and a draught of 8.60m, the EasyMax has the maximum possible dimensions for the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard.

MPV Sector Benefits from Container Chaos

Published by Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International

Jan. 26, 2021Delays, lack of space and a surge in tariffs is plaguing the liner shipping market. While the current situation is causing headaches for shippers and forwarders alike, there are opportunities for the breakbulk and multipurpose shipping sector.

Belgium-headquartered logistics provider Ahlers explained: “Aside from some bigger multipurpose, container-fitted vessels being chartered for carrying containers, there is an increase in cargo volumes due to more containerised cargo coming back to the breakbulk market, in addition to the traditional machinery and special equipment.”

For example, Ahlers has witnessed shipments of sawn timber, which for several decades now has typically been shipped out of South East Asia in containers, requesting breakbulk vessels due to the high container rates and equipment shortage.

Port of Rotterdam Authority Launches Smart Bollard Trial at ECT

Jan. 26, 2021 - Along the quay of the Hutchison Ports ECT Delta terminal on the Maasvlakte, the Port of Rotterdam Authority has installed a smart bollard as part of a trial. The smart bollard was developed in collaboration with Straatman BV, Zwijndrecht.

By measuring the strain on the mooring lines in real time, the bollard not only allows the real-time monitoring of safety, but it also provides a clearer picture of which vessels can moor at which quays. The trial is in line with the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s policy of making the port more efficient through digitisation.

Until now, it has not been possible to measure the strain on mooring lines. The lack of exact data measured on moored vessels meant we had to assume maximum mooring loads exerted on the lines by the vessels and quay walls.

MSC Backs Industry Campaign for Seafarers amid Global Crew Change Crisis

Jan. 26, 2021 - As the latest measure to alleviate hardship on seafarers, MSC has joined forces with peers across the maritime value chain in a worldwide call to action to end the unprecedented crew change crisis caused by COVID-19.

Hundreds of thousands of seafarers are stuck at sea since crew changes were banned by many governments to help curb the spread of COVID-19. This has led to serious consequences for seafarers’ physical and mental well-being, as well as risking serious disruptions to global trade.

In order to accelerate action to solve the issue that has spiralled into a humanitarian crisis at sea, MSC has signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change.

JAXPORT Adds an Additional 700 Feet of Newly Reconstructed Berthing Space

Jan. 25, 2021 - Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) contractors have completed the latest phase in a total of $104 million in berth enhancements at the existing SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island, adding an additional 700 linear feet of newly rebuilt deepwater berthing space.

The final phase of the project, another 700 linear feet, is anticipated to be finished by the end of 2021.

The SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal is a public-private partnership between JAXPORT and SSA Atlantic. Upon completion of the berth enhancements later this year, the facility will feature two newly reconstructed 1,200-foot-long container berths capable of simultaneously accommodating two post-Panamax vessels. The berths are electrified to handle a total of six state-of-the-art environmentally friendly electric-powered 100-gauge container cranes, including three currently in use.

Insights on the Global Lumber Markets thru the First Three Quarters 2020

Jan. 20, 2021 - The following synopsis on global lumber trade is produced by Wood Resources International.

Lumber Markets - Europe

Lumber trade fell slightly in Europe in 2020. During the first eight months, shipments from the major exporting countries were down 1.2% - the first y-o-y decline in eight years, as reported in the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ) published by Wood Resources International. Countries that have reduced exports the most so far this year include Finland, Latvia, and Austria.

There have been mixed developments in the Nordic countries, with Finland shipping substantially less lumber this year, while Sweden actually increased shipments. Sweden is on track to reach an all-time high in export sales this year. The markets where Swedish exporters have expanded the most since 2019 include the US, China, Germany, Denmark, and Egypt.

Western Group President Brad Eshleman to Retire; W.D. “Bill” Mooney Named Successor

Jan. 19, 2021 - Western Group’s president Brad Eshleman announced that he will retire effective February 28, 2021, and that W.D. (Bill) Mooney will succeed him.

Eshleman has been with Western for over 35 years and has served as President, Western Group and President, Western Stevedoring Company Limited since February 1, 2011. He will continue on in an advisory role to the Board and President through 2021.

Mooney has held numerous senior executive positions with several global agricultural companies throughout his career with a focus on building teams and growing organizations within those supply chains. He was instrumental in the formation of . . .

UIRR Study Warns for Consequences of New EU Road Haulage Rules

Jan. 15, 2021 - The European Parliament adopted the Mobility Package I last July. It includes rules that concern drivers’ working conditions, rules for drivers in international transport, and update provisions regarding access to the haulage market. However, it also provides the chance to the EU Member States to suspend Article 4 of the Combined Transport directive in their territories. This practically means that short-distance trucking prices could double-a catastrophic consequence for CT that relies on them.

UIRR (International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport) conducted its study with the participation of twenty companies from ten different countries. The study’s focus laid in assessing where and how the new EU haulage rules could impact CT, conducting a comprehensive market survey and qualifying possible effects based on market input and CT volumes.

UPM Signs Maritime Transport Contract with Saga Welco for Pulp Deliveries from Uruguay

Jan. 13, 2021 - UPM has signed a long-term maritime transport agreement with Saga Welco for the transportation of UPM’s Euca eucalyptus pulp production from the Fray Bentos pulp mill and UPM’s new Paso de los Toros pulp mill, which is under construction. UPM pulp will be shipped from the ports of Nueva Palmira and Montevideo to customers around the world.

Saga Welco has provided sea transport services for UPM since 2013, delivering 1.3 million tonnes of annual pulp production capacity of the Fray Bentos mill.

In summer 2019, UPM started construction of a second pulp mill in Uruguay – a 2.1 million tonnes per year greenfield eucalyptus pulp mill near Paso de los Toros in the central part of the country.

$1 Billion USMCA Logistics Complex Planned for Mexico

Jan. 13, 2021 - Officials in Mexico unveiled plans Tuesday for a multimodal logistics center aimed at boosting international trade as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The project will include an investment of $1.2 billion and could generate more than 65,000 jobs in Nextlalpan, a town about 25 miles north of Mexico City, said Alfredo Del Mazo Maza, the governor of the state of Mexico.

Called the USMCA Park Logistics Center, the complex will complement the $3.5 billion Felipe Ángeles International Airport that is being constructed nearby.

Euroports Commissions Mantsinen 200 Hydraulic Harbour Crane at the Port of Pietarsaari

Jan. 12, 2021 - In mid-December, Euroports commissioned its new Mantsinen 200 hydraulic harbour crane at the Port of Pietarsaari. The major export port mainly handles pulp, sawn timber, coal, and industrial raw materials.

The new crane is a nearly 2 million euro investment.

With the new crane, Euroports will be able to load and unload ships and increase performance figures in all cargo types.

“In terms of production efficiency, we are talking about an increase of more than 10%, as the loading capacity will increase by at least 25%,” says Operations Director Pauli Rautiainen.

Port of Tarragona Resumes Railway Service of Paper Pulp with Salamanca

Jan. 7, 2021 - The Port of Tarragona resumes the weekly railway service of paper pulp with Salamanca. This operation has started operating again this first week of 2021 and is coordinated by the operations service of the Tarragona Port Authority and ADIF. In the first service 12 wagons have been moved and in the following the number will increase to 22.

This service, which was interrupted during 2020, will be carried out in two parts given the length and total weight of the convoy. In this way, it will leave the Port of Tarragona in two separate parts that will join outside the Tarragona port facilities to go together towards Salamanca.

Of the 22 wagons that will consist of each convoy sent from the Port of Tarragona to Salamanca, 18 will be loaded directly from the ships at the terminal that Euroports has in the Cantabrian wharf, while the remaining 4 will be loaded on another route from the same pier, due to its large dimensions.

3D sonar sensors enable unmanned sailing

Jan. 7, 2021 - Automated navigation is the future of inland shipping. It may sound futuristic, but innovative research carried out by UAntwerp and the Port of Antwerp is bringing us one step closer to this dream. The key: 3D sonar sensors, inspired by the way bats see the world.

“In 2019, over 42% of all goods entered or left the port of Antwerp via inland waterways,” says port alderman Annick De Ridder. “In other words, inland shipping is crucial if we want to ensure the accessibility of our city and our port. By focusing on technology such as unmanned navigation, we want to further increase both the market share and the competitiveness of inland shipping.”

COSCO SHIPPING Xiamen Ocean Gate Terminal Completes 5G Unmanned DCV

Jan. 4, 2021 - Xiamen Ocean Gate Terminal under COSCO SHIPPING Ports in December completed its 5G unmanned DCV full-scale ship test, delivering another achievement in the construction of the terminal into a 5G smart port.

On December 25 in the F01 storage yard of Xiamen Ocean Gate Terminal, an unmanned DCV received a loading instruction. Relying on the 5G signal covering the whole place, the DCV drove to the container yard, completed the information exchange with the gantry crane, and then accurately transported a container to the spot under the shore bridge No. 101 at berth No.17.

BNSF and Wabtec Commence Battery-Electric Locomotive Pilot Test in California

Jan. 4, 2021 – BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) and Wabtec’s (NYSE: WAB) exploration of the future potential of battery-electric locomotives crosses another significant milestone this week as they begin testing the technology in revenue service between Barstow and Stockton, California. As BNSF seeks ways to further reduce its environmental impact, the advancement of battery technology offers some possible solutions.

“We've got everything in place and we're ready to see how this next-generation locomotive performs in revenue service," said John Lovenburg, BNSF vice president, Environmental.

The battery-electric locomotive is expected to reduce the environmental impact from emissions along the route in an efficient manner, while improving the fuel economy for the entire consist by at least 10 percent.

Port of Gothenburg Utilizes Dredging Spoils in Construction of New Terminal

Dec. 15, 2020 - The largest port expansion in Gothenburg since the 1970s is underway at the Port of Gothenburg. The terminal will be 140,000 square meters in size (equivalent to approximately 20 football pitches) and will be directly adjacent to other major terminals at the port.

“The terminal is a crucial aspect of the port's long-term expansion plans and will further strengthen Gothenburg as the Nordic logistics capital. By almost exclusively using recycled material in the project, we are also able to expand with environmental consideration” said Joakim Grenmarker, Project Manager at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

Construction of the brand-new terminal at the Port of Gothenburg got under way in autumn 2018. Since then, 1,500 piles have been sinked into the bedrock, and the Arendal bay has been embanked with blasting stones from an adjacent hill.

Cooper Marine & Timberlands Expands Its Logistics and Business Development Team

Dec. 7, 2020 - Cooper Marine & Timberlands (CMT) has expanded and strengthened its logistics and business development team through its promotion of Strickler Adams to Director of Marine Logistics and hiring of Alan Dodd as Director of Business Development.

Strickler began his career with Cooper Marine & Timberlands in 2013 as a management trainee, where he first learned the company’s marine operations as a linehaul deckhand. Later, Strickler served as Logistics Coordinator and, most recently, as Sales Manager.

Alan Dodd has 17 years of industry experience and joins the Cooper Marine & Timberlands team from T. Parker Host, where he was Commercial Development Manager for Houston, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

G2 Ocean Launching New Online Platform, MyG2, to Help Customers Improve Logistics Management

Dec. 2, 2020 - G2 Ocean announced that it is launching a new web-based platform for its customers; MyG2. The platform gives customers full visibility and access to live data and information related to various business activities, including:

Live Schedules
Shipment- and vessel Tracking
Dashboard with Performance Data

MSC Names Soren Toft as Its New CEO

Dec. 2, 2020 - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company today announced the appointment of Soren Toft as Chief Executive Officer, effective 2 December 2020. He reports directly to Diego Aponte, MSC Group President, and Gianluigi Aponte, Founder and MSC Group Chairman.

Toft joins MSC from Maersk, where he served as Chief Operating Officer since 2013 and later as a Member of the Executive Board. His impressive long-standing career in shipping over more than two decades and extensive experience in leadership roles will bring significant value to MSC’s cargo businesses, building on the company’s existing strengths and boosting its development plans even further.

Port of Tarragona Removes Over 12,000 Tons of Wood Chips as Safety Precaution

Dec. 2, 2020 - The Port of Tarragona, together with a stevedoring company, have completed the removal of the 12,626 tons of wood chips located in the docks of Navarre and Aragon of the Tarragona port area.

Since October 21, about 600 tons per day of wood chips (biomass) have been hauled away by truck. The aim of the Port of Tarragona has been to speed up work to remove the chip to its destination and final function to prevent any future incidents of self-combustion.

Mondi to Open Its First Paper Bag Production Plant in Colombia, South America

Dec. 1, 2020 - Mondi today announced that it will open a new facility in Cartagena, Colombia (South America) for the production of paper bags.

The new facility will be Mondi's first operation in South America and will start producing its range of high performing paper bags in January 2021.

Mondi noted that South America is home to more than 250 cement plants requiring up to two billion cement bags per year. Cartagena is a strong location for the new plant, set up in a free-trade zone with good access to ports in Panama, the east coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico and other Caribbean ports.

Prince Rupert Port Authority Says Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor Over 75 Percent Complete

Nov. 30, 2020 - The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) today announced the Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor is now over 75 percent complete.

The Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor is a five kilometre road stretching along the southwestern edge of Kaien Island. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, crews from the Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance, a local First Nations joint venture, have safely worked 24-hours a day on rotating shifts to build this critical piece of infrastructure. In addition to nearly completing dredging work, teams have placed rock along the full length of the road, with one third now at sub-grade elevation and ready for the paving structure. The project remains on track for completion in Q2 2021.

The $115 million Connector Corridor project will be fully activated when DP World’s Fairview Terminal expansion is completed in 2022.

Swire Shipping Deploys First 2,750TEU Newbuild, MV Lae Chief

SINGAPORE, Nov. 23, 2020 - Swire Shipping has deployed its first 2,750TEU newbuild, MV Lae Chief, on its newly upgraded North Asia Express (NAX) service. Launching the new fixed-day fortnightly service with her maiden voyage, the vessel made her first port call in Shanghai on 5 November 2020. She made subsequent port calls in Ningbo, Nansha and Hong Kong SAR, and is currently en route to make port calls in Lae, Port Moresby and Townsville before returning to Shanghai.

The new 2,750TEU vessel is fitted with three 45mt cranes capable of dual lifts, ensuring that they are well-equipped to carry all cargo types, including breakbulk, out of gauge and reefers.

Wagenborg Establishs New Shipping Agency in Eastern Finland

Nov. 18, 2020 - Wagenborg announced that as of January 1, 2021, a new Wagenborg branch office in eastern Finland will be operational to offer full agency services in various ports around the Gulf of Finland and the Saimaa region.

According to Wagenborg, the main focus of the Finnish agency office will be the port of Hamina/Kotka and the entire lake Saimaa area. In addition, agency services can be provided in all other ports along the south coast of Finland — from Naantali in the west to Loviisa in the east.

Port of Antwerp to Launch Certified Pick up for Containers in Jan. 2021

Nov. 18, 2020 - The digital, secure and integrated solution called ‘Certified Pick up’ will soon replace the existing system of PIN codes for the release of containers in the Port of Antwerp. The new digital container release process is due to launch in January 2021. In the first phase, CPu will provide transparency about the status of your container. The PIN code system will then be phased out and replaced with a digital container release process.

Currently, you need a unique PIN code to collect a container from one of the port terminals. The PIN code is passed between various parties, from the shipping company to the truck driver, which is time-consuming and increases the risk of misuse. Certified Pick up makes the import process more secure, transparent and efficient.

International Forest Products Earns President’s “E” Award for Exports

Nov.17, 2020 - International Forest Products (IFP) announced that it has been selected to receive the 2020 President’s “E” Award for Exports, the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross informed IFP of its selection last month.

“International Forest Products has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion. The ‘E’ Awards Committee was very impressed with IFP’s exports,” said Secretary Ross in his congratulatory letter to the company announcing its selection. “The company’s subsequent ability to better manage and diversify risk using multiple export markets is also particularly notable. IFP’s achievements have undoubtedly contributed to national export expansion efforts that support the U.S. economy and create American jobs.”

Port of Gothenburg to Roll-out Customized Digital Platform in Second Half of 2021

Oct. 12, 2020 - With the aid of AI and digital linking, the Port of Gothenburg will become quicker, more cost-effective, and climate smart. A customised digital platform is due to be rolled out during the second half of 2021. It will enhance freight flow transparency and have a direct impact on productivity, lead times, and delivery capacity throughout the entire transport chain.

The greatest challenge will be to bring together the hundreds of organisations that cooperate and compete for transport at the Port of Gothenburg. Shipping companies, terminal operators, rail operators, forwarding companies, freight owners, and inland terminals each represent an individual thread, and together they will intertwine to form a complex freight transport network.

GPS proves a promising technology to track container chassis in real time

Oct. 9, 2020 - Container chassis may be simple assets, but there is nothing simple about tracking their location throughout the U.S. supply chain.

Chassis providers and technology developers in recent years have chipped away at the challenge to electronically track usage of these assets with shippers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), carriers, marine terminals and rail ramps.

“The problem is that there are many parties and systems involved when using chassis to dray containers,” Glenn Jones, global vice president of products and marketing for Blume Global, told American Shipper.

Blume’s solution tracks chassis by estimating per-diem and detention charges, then audits and reconciles invoices to validate charges, Jones said.

Read the full article at Amercian Shipper

Port Of Trois-Rivières Receives $33.4 Million from Transport Canada for Construction of Terminal 21

Oct. 9, 2020 - The Port of Trois-Rivières announced that it has received confirmation of significant financial assistance of $33.4 million from Transport Canada for the construction of Terminal 21. The new terminal will be used for the transhipment of dry bulk, liquid bulk and general cargo. The project includes the construction of a wharf and road and rail access roads, as well as storage space.

The total investment of Terminal 21 is nearly $130 million.

Russian Pulp May be Increasingly Important to China's Paper Industry

Oct. 8, 2020 - China's Belt and Road Initiative is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government that aims to invest in nearly 70 countries and international organizations. The initiative is poised to boost international trade, and it has the potential to accelerate economic growth across Asia, Central and Eastern Europe.

As part of the initiative, the China-Russia and China-Europe railways are already improving delivery capacities in the region. Per a recent article in Xinhua, "Foreign trade volume by railway through Manzhouli, the largest land port on the China-Russia border, exceeded 10 million tonnes in the first half of this year, up 6.4 percent year on year, according to official figures."

More Zero-Emissions Equipment Moving Cargo at Port of Long Beach

Oct. 8, 2020 - A container shipping terminal at the Port of Long Beach is now using new, zero-emissions cargo-handling tractors to test the readiness of the equipment to handle the workload at a busy seaport.

The terminal located at the Port’s Pier G is operated by International Transportation Service. ITS will demonstrate seven BYD battery-electric yard tractors for one year. Seven traditionally powered yard tractors annually emit 11 pounds of diesel particulate matter, 1,331 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 311 metric tons of greenhouse gases. International Longshore and Warehouse Union members are operating the vehicles.

Alexander Global Logistics Expands Bremerhaven Hub

Oct. 6, 2020 - Alexander Global Logistics (AGL) announced that it has expanded its warehouse capacity significantly in Bremerhaven for new business, especially in the pulp and paper sector.

With this expansion, AGL has increased its storage capacity from 6,000 to 21,000 m², in a total of three warehouses.

The location boosts the following advantages:

Brexit: Deal or No Deal, Customs Formalities are a Fact

Oct. 1, 2020 - The current negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom on their new relationship are difficult. Clarity about the outcome is expected in the immediate future. Irrespective of whether this results in a deal or a no-deal: as of the 1st of January 2021, customs formalities will always be in effect for cargo traffic with the United Kingdom. Participation in the Dutch chain solution is mandatory at all ferry terminals and most shortsea terminals. Act now and complete the 5 steps to be Ready for Brexit before the 1st of January 2021.

Whether you are driver, transport company, forwarder, importer or exporter: everyone has a role to play. You will not have access to the terminal without digitally pre-notified customs documents.

Act now and complete the 5 Steps to be Ready for Brexit before the 1st of January 2021.

London’s Port of Tilbury Launches 'UK Paper Hub' for Paper and Forest Products

Sept. 15, 2020 - London’s Port of Tilbury today launched its new all-in-one paper and forest product handling Hub, the UK Paper Hub -- the first facility in the UK created to actively reduce all forms of waste in the supply chain.

UK Paper Hub is the collective brand covering Tilbury’s handling, storage and distribution services for paper and related forest products (including graphical papers and newsprint, packaging paper and board, tissue and hygiene products, and pulp). The brand brings together the expertise and facilities of the paper handling terminals, previously known as Enterprise Distribution Centre (EDC) and London Paper Terminal (LPT), which the port owns and operates.

An EU Emissions Trading System for Shipping Would Undermine a Global GHG Solution

Sept. 11, 2020 - On Sept. 10, the World Shipping Council published a paper highlighting serious concerns for maritime trade and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if the EU expands its Emissions Trading System (ETS) to include international shipping. The WSC paper focuses on a critical threshold issue for application of the EU ETS to shipping: geographic scope.

The most-discussed geographic application of the EU ETS to shipping is to mirror the scope of existing EU legislation on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of carbon emissions. The EU ETS has been described as a “regional” system, but bringing international shipping into that system using the MRV scope would regulate the operation of ships on several of the world’s seas and oceans, including on the high seas and in waters adjacent to non-EU nations.

Russian Railways, Belarusian Railway and FESCO Arranged the First Fully Digitalized Transit Transportation between Asia and Europe

Sept. 10, 2020 - A pilot intermodal container transportation was carried out on September 3 from the Port of Ningbo in China through the Port of Vladivostok in Russia to the Kolyadichi station in Belarus as part of the INTERTRAN project.

This transportation became the first completely digitalized transit container shipment between Asia and Europe arranged by Russian Railways, Belarusian Railway and FESCO Transportation Group.

INTERTRAN technology has already been replicated throughout the Russian Railways network, and over 6,000 containers have been transported with this service.

Growing Frustration Amongst European Forwarders at Times of Crisis

Sept. 9, 2020 (CLECAT) - Recently, various shipping consultants reported in glorious terms about the multi-billion-dollar profits made by carriers at times of the global pandemic. Capacity discipline brought a silver lining to carrier circles: Maersk’s Q2 net profit increased year-on-year from $154m to $443m, despite volumes plunging 16%; Hapag-Lloyd’s net profit increased from $56m to $287m, alongside an 11% drop in volumes; and HMM’s net profit was $23m, compared to a $54m loss in Q2 19, even though its liftings fell 22%. Sea-Intelliigence noted that the combination of stronger rates and lower operating costs had helped those carriers increase their profits by 160%.

Drewry has concluded that ‘shippers should get used to a much more concentrated marketplace in which shipping lines have more power’, while warning that the container shipping costs and service levels are ‘at risk of spiralling out of control.’ The massive withdrawal of capacity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – 468 blanked departures on east-west trades – coincided with extremely low schedule reliability of the remaining sailings. Consequently, blanked sailings and poor schedule reliability resulted in widespread rollovers of containers. Whereas some carriers now offer no-roll or guaranteed services, they do so at premium rates, which basically is just a normal service offering at increased price.

Transpacific Rates Hit New Heights – Now Three Times Higher Than Asia-Europe

Sept. 9, 2020 (The Loadstar) - Transpacific container shippers are paying more than three times as much as their Asia-North Europe counterparts, as freight rates on the headhaul leg from Asia to the west coast North America hit unprecedented highs.

According to new analysis from Alphaliner, after the Shanghai-Los Angeles SCFI spot rate reached a record $3,758 per feu on Friday, North American shippers and forwarders are now paying carriers $0.64 per nautical mile.

In contrast, North European importers are paying $0.19 per nautical mile for a shipment from Shanghai to Antwerp, the lowest of the nine routes covered by the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index.

CN Joining The Commtrex Transload Marketplace

Sept. 8, 2020 - CN (Canadian National Railway) announced that it has joined The Commtrex Transload Marketplace, offering customers one-stop access to CN’s unique tri-coastal rail network and its extensive range of transloading distribution services across Canada and the U.S.

Commtrex makes it quick and easy to find and request transloading services by efficiently connecting shippers with transloading providers who can handle the movement of bulk, liquids, packaged goods, oversized cargo, and more. Commtrex matches shippers with the most relevant transload facilities, then allows shippers to compare detailed information about each location before connecting directly through the platform to discuss terms.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao Makes Historic Announcement on America’s Freight System

Sept. 7, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao [on Sept. 3] announced the release of the first-ever National Freight Strategic Plan (NFSP). It is the latest effort by the Department and the Trump Administration to strengthen America’s economic competitiveness. The NFSP lays out a vision for long-term investments in infrastructure, the workforce, and other essential parts of the freight system.

“The Department is unveiling the first-ever National Freight Strategic Plan so that the U.S. can maintain our competitive edge across major industries like agriculture, manufacturing, energy production and E-commerce,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Port of Antwerp Utilizing Unique New Log Handling Concept

Sept. 4, 2020 - PSA Antwerp and PSA Breakbulk are launching a new and ambitious ‘log handling concept’ together. At the Churchill Terminal at quay 410, PSA has fitted out a custom location for the large-scale handling of logs.

What's new? At a single location, they can load logs into containers and ship them as breakbulk cargo. The site has been specially fitted out for large shipments. This is unique at the port of Antwerp and will save a great deal of time.

DP World and CDPQ Expand Global Investment Platform to US$8.2 Billion

Sept. 3, 2020 (Press Release) - DP World, a global infrastructure-led supply chain solutions provider, and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), a global institutional investor, announce the expansion of their ports and terminals investment platform through a new commitment of US$4.5 billion (CA$6 billion), which increases the total size of the platform to US$8.2 billion (CA$ 10.6 billion). DP World holds 55% share of the platform, and CDPQ the remaining 45%.

Since its launch in December 2016, the platform has invested in 10 port terminals globally and across various stages of the asset life cycle. The enhanced platform will continue to target assets globally, but with an increased scope to broaden its footprint in new and existing geographies, such as Europe and Asia Pacific.

Impact of COVID-19 on America's Forest Supply Chain

Sept. 2, 2020 - The global forest products industry has been making headlines since the COVID-19 pandemic struck at the beginning of 2020. First, the pulp & paper sector was the talk of the town during the widespread run on toilet paper that took place from March - June, and the lumber sector has been front-page news in recent weeks as prices for finished lumber have set new records by huge margins.

But the myriad impacts related to the COVID-induced shutdown of the American economy continue to unfold, as they will for months to come. While the attention is beneficial in helping to educate the public and illustrate the complexities of the forest supply chain, those of us close to the industry have wondered about the degree to which COVID-19 "lockdowns" have impacted forest industry production and economic activity.

Germany Exported Logs at Record Pace in Early 2020, with Almost 50% Destined for China

Aug. 30, 2020 - The log market in Germany has been extremely volatile in the first half of 2020, with high demand from the export market and a tight supply of fresh green logs. When the Coronavirus Epidemic forced sawmills to close in March, domestic demand for sawlogs fell and the price increases seen earlier in the quarter reversed – resulting in both domestic and export prices falling.

Softwood log exports from Germany have increased dramatically over the past five years, from 2.1 million m3 in 2014 to 7.4 million m3 in 2019. The oversupply of logs resulted in record high exports in the 3Q/19 followed by two quarters of q-o-q declines.

UPM Restructuring Plans Include Closing Kaipola Paper Mill in Finland, Selling Shotton Paper Mill in Wales

Aug. 27, 2020 - To ensure future competitiveness of UPM Communication Papers, UPM announces plans for permanent closing of UPM Kaipola paper mill in Finland, sale of UPM Shotton paper mill in Wales (UK) and streamlining Communication Papers business function teams.

In addition, UPM Biorefining and UPM Specialty Papers announce plans for reorganising and streamlining activities in Finnish pulp mills, UPM Forest and UPM Tervasaari mill in Finland.

The planned closure of UPM Kaipola's three paper machines would impact approximately 450 positions and lead to a permanent reduction of 720,000 tonnes of graphic paper capacity.

SCA to Invest in Pulp Production, to Discontinue Production of Publication Paper at Ortviken Mill

Aug. 26, 2020 - SCA intends to invest SEK 1,45bn in the production of chemically pre-treated thermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP) at the Ortviken paper mill in Sundsvall (Sweden). In parallel, SCA is initiating consultations with trade unions and employee representatives to discontinue the production of publication paper at the mill.

SCA intends to invest to achieve an annual production volume of 300,000 tonnes of CTMP pulp at Ortviken, using the existing infrastructure. The investment is expected to give a positive EBITDA-effect of approximately SEK 0.3bn per annum. Expected start of production in the new mill is the beginning of 2023. SCA today has a production capacity of 100,000 tonnes of CTMP pulp at the Östrand pulp mill. This production will be phased out when the new line starts up, which will allow a future increase in the production of kraft pulp at Östrand Pulp mill.

Savannah Top Port for U.S. Exports June-May 2020

Aug. 24, 2020- The Port of Savannah exported more loaded containers than any other port in the country from January through May, achieving a 12.2 percent market share. Garden City Terminal handled a total of 593,195 twenty-foot equivalent container units of loaded exports during the first five months of the calendar year.

Among Savannah's top export commodities, the biggest gainers for the period were raw cotton, which grew by 61.0 percent (16,377 TEUs) for a total of 43,234 TEUs, woodpulp, up by 15.8 percent (11,539 TEUs) for a total of 84,595 TEUs, and kaolin clay, up 23.7 percent (7,964 TEUs) for a total of 41,527 TEUs.

Canadian Pacific Launches First Train of International Containers from Port of Saint John

Aug. 19, 2020 - Canadian Pacific on Aug. 11 officially launched its international intermodal service through the Port of Saint John, N.B. The inaugural train carries containers from the Hapag-Lloyd vessel Detroit Express bound for intermodal terminals on the CP network in Canada and the U.S.

"The new Port of Saint John service offers shippers a compelling value: a congestion-free port with a world-class operator, matched with CP's precision scheduled railroading model," said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. "CP has been without access to a deep-water Atlantic Ocean port for a quarter-century, and today I'm pleased to deliver a simple message: We're back."

CP gained access to the Port of Saint John through connections with EMRY and NBSR with CP's purchase of the Central Maine & Quebec Railway (CMQ), completed in June.

Port of Long Beach Says July was Biggest Month Ever

Aug. 19, 2020 - July marked the busiest month in the 109-year history of the Port of Long Beach as terminal operators and dockworkers moved 753,081 cargo container units, topping a record set two years ago.

Trade increased 21.1% in July compared to the same month in 2019. The previous single-month record of 752,188 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), set in June 2018, was surpassed by nearly 900 TEUs.

“Supply chain workers at the Port of Long Beach expertly handled a welcome surge in cargo that was brought on due to pent-up demand by consumers,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “It was a good month, a bright spot, in the midst of the devastating effects of the coronavirus on the economy.”

MSC’S New Santana Service Connects Asia and North America

MSC Teresa Aug. 19, 2020 (Press Release) - In anticipation of continuous strong Transpacific market demand, MSC is pleased to announce its new Santana service for the North American west coast. The service will commence at the end of August in Yantian and will remain in place until further notice.

The Santana service’s full rotation will be:

Yantian – Shanghai – LA/LGB – Vancouver – Busan – Yantian

Intermodal Association of North America Honors Vincent Marino with Silver Kingpin Award

Aug. 19, 2020 – The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) announced that Vincent J. Marino, President and CEO of the Marino Group, will be honored with the 2020 Silver Kingpin Award in an online presentation to be held Monday, September 14th.

The Silver Kingpin, the industry’s most prestigious award, recognizes an individual’s long-term contributions to intermodalism. The award was initiated in 1977 by the National Piggyback Association.

Marino has spent his entire 46-year career in the intermodal industry. Under his leadership, the Marino Group, established in 1971 and headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, has grown into a network of maintenance & repair and over-the-road repair companies. Other business areas include equipment modification/sales and depot services in the East Coast, Gulf & Midwest markets.

CMA CGM has Launched New Container Service to the Port of Gothenburg

Aug. 18, 2020 - On 31 July, the shipping company CMA CGM launched a new container service, adding a new link between Gothenburg and Hamburg. The new service includes calls at Gothenburg every Friday, initially using a vessel with a capacity of over 1,000 TEUs.

“CMA CGM is a leading worldwide shipping group, and this is yet another step in our ongoing strategy for the Swedish market. The launch of this new service will enhance the potential for Sweden to link into our extensive global service network,” said Linus Ljungmark, General Manager at CMA CGM Scandinavia.

The service will be operated under the name Scandinavian Shuttle Service, departing from Gothenburg every Friday, and arriving in Hamburg the following Sunday/Monday. Initially, the vessel Aries J, with a capacity of over 1,000 TEUs, will be used.