Archives for September 2010

Dachser “From education to sustainability”

September 30, 2010 by Peter Owen

Dachser and terre des hommes start second phase of aid project

Even more education, plus measures to preserve the environment and natural resources: Five years after Dachser began its aid project in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the first phase of the project has drawn to a close. Countless children and young people have successfully completed the training course conceived by Dachser and terre des hommes. Now it is a question of consolidating the results for the long term.

The logistics provider and the children’s relief organization are now embarking on the second phase of the project, based on moving “from education to sustainability”. One component will be promoting an awareness of the local environment. The project will be extended to include a programme on mitigating climate change. The primary objective is to continue to provide further education and training for children in Uttar Pradesh: The project partners will set up schools, training centres and libraries. At the same time a contribution will be made to preventing climate change by promoting socially responsible forestry, using renewable sources of energy and building biogas plants.

The second phase will not only follow on seamlessly from the first but will also build on it: Between July 2005 and September 2010 the internationally operating logistics provider Dachser donated a total of EUR 500,000 to the international children’s relief organization terre des hommes. This has enabled the aid project to guarantee regular schooling for numerous children, provide educational materials and sanitary facilities for 25 schools and construct two training centres where 1,500 girls and boys have been prepared for working life. The second phase of the project begins in October 2010. It will run for five years, over which time Dachser will contribute a total of EUR 400,000.

Self-initiative and personal responsibility are key to survival

The aim of the aid project is to encourage people to develop and strengthen their self-initiative. George Chira, project coordinator of terre des hommes in South Asia explains: “We wish to support the villagers in their efforts to stand up for their rights and also take responsibility for the future of their children.” Respecting nature, a subject close to the heart of the spokesman for the Dachser management, Bernhard Simon, goes hand in hand with this. “As a family-owned company we are conscious that we have both social and environmental responsibilities,” he says.

In 2009 Dachser generated total revenue of EUR 3.2 billion. 17,500 staff working in 306 profit centres worldwide handled 41.8 million consignments weighing a total of 29.4 million tonnes.

terre des hommes means “earth of humanity” and is an international, development policy-based, children’s relief organization, with around 400 projects in 29 countries. Its work focuses on helping children who have no alternative means of support.

Filed Under: Dachser UK

Delivery of Large Size Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) “KL BREVIKFJORD”

September 30, 2010 by Julia Hiles

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line) is pleased to announce that K LINE OFFSHORE AS (KOAS) took successful delivery of its first large size PSV(1) “KL BREVIKFJORD”, constructed at STX Europe Brevik Yard in Norway on September 24th. KOAS, headquartered in Arendal, Norway is the owner and operator of the vessel, and K Line holds 95% of KOAS shares.

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This vessel, which is also the first Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) built by K Line Group, will be chartered for a period of a maximum of eight years to the Brazilian National Oil Company Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), after delivery.

This vessel’s unique features include largest deadweight tons of 5,100 MT with 1,100 m2 cargo deck area and equipped with Dynamic Positioning System (DPS(2)). Also, the vessel features environmentally-friendly specifications, so-called Clean Design, including double-hull structure for fuel oil tanks and equipped with Ballast Water Management System prior to the IMO-BWM (Ballast Water Management Convention) coming into effect.

KOAS is scheduled to deliver two Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels (AHTS(3)) and three PSVs by July 2011. The company will offer efficient, safe and environmentally-friendly OSV services to its customers in growing offshore oil and gas field development worldwide.

(1) PSV is used for transport of cargo (Fuel, Food, Water, Dry-Bulk, Explosives, etc.) to and from offshore installations.

(2) DPS is designed to maintain a specified position by vessel’s propulsion system such as thrusters.

(3) AHTS is a multiple-purpose tug designed for transport of cargo in addition to anchor handling, towing duties of floating rigs (Jack Ups, Semi Submersibles, etc.) and installation of sub-sea equipment.

Vessel’s Specifications:

LOA 94.9 M
Beam 20.0 M
Depth 8.0 M
Speed 15.3 Knots
Deadweight Tons 5,100 MT
Cargo deck area 1,100 m2
Accommodation 25 persons

Filed Under: "K" Line

Chauncy Maples makes a million

September 30, 2010 by Julia Hiles

On 29 September at London’s Dorchester Hotel, Thomas Miller, a London-based specialist insurance company, announced that the funds raised for the renovation of the medical ship Chauncy Maples had passed the £1million mark, halfway to the project’s £2million target.

The charity had just raised £6,000 from an auction of five sale items including a cruise donated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. The auction was conducted by Andrew Binstock, one of the UK’s leading auctioneers.

Thomas Miller is the sponsor of the Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust, a UK charity which is renovating the 19th century ship as a clinic to provide essential medical services to the lakeside people of Malawi. The Malawi Ministry of Health, the owner of Chauncy Maples, has committed more than £250,000 to the project, actively planning the renovation work in conjunction with the contractor.

Hugo Wynn-Williams, chairman of Thomas Miller, commented:

“Reaching the halfway stage in only three months since the project launched in June is a truly magnificent effort by our community. I have been genuinely surprised by the very positive response not just to fundraising but also the desire to participate in all sorts of ways.”

“Since the outset we have wanted to celebrate our anniversary with something better than a party – this has exceeded our wildest dreams”.

Mark Holford of Thomas Miller explained how the funds raised thus far were already being put to good use:

“In the past two weeks, work has commenced in Malawi in stripping out the ship in preparation for major hull work in a dry dock in October. Our next step is to persuade the world’s maritime manufacturers to donate the £800,000 worth of parts necessary for the renovation work.”

Eighty-five per cent of the £1 million raised so far has come from Thomas Miller, which donated £250,000, and its business community.

Sixteen donors have given at least £25,000 each to become Founders of the project, including five of Thomas Miller’s transport clubs: UK P&I Club, UK Defence Club, TT Club, Hellenic War Risks and ITIC.

Three UK law firms have also become Founders: Ince, Holman Fenwick Willan and Reed Smith, which considers Thomas Miller to be its oldest client. American law firms have also been significant donors, led by New York law firm Blank Rome.

Another Founder, the broker Miller Insurance Services, is taking a ‘charity’ slip around Lloyd’s and other London underwriters which has produced £65,000 so far.

Note to editors

Established in 1885 as the manager of the UK P&I Club (www.ukpandi.com), Thomas Miller is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. A global leader in the management of transport mutual insurance clubs, it provides insurance services to

approximately 50% of the world’s shipowners as well as many of the world’s leading ports, terminals, logistic operators, ship brokers, ship agents and other types of transport intermediaries.

In recent years, it has also extended into non-marine activities and today provides professional indemnity insurance services to barristers, solicitors, patent agents, housing associations and pension fund trustees.

In addition, its investment division has US$4 billion under management split approximately 50/50 between in-house and external clients.

For further information on Thomas Miller and its various activities, including links to associated websites, please see www.thomasmiller.com. A new Thomas Miller website will be launched on Thursday 17 June 2010.

For further information on the Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust, please see www.chauncymaples.org.

Photographs and images to accompany this press release are available to download http://www.dunelmpr.co.uk/ThomasMiller-Photogallery-NEW.html

Filed Under: Uncategorized

“K” Line Expands Installation of Latest Heading Control System into Operating Vessels

September 29, 2010 by Julia Hiles

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd (“K” Line) and Yokogawa Denshikiki Co., Ltd. (YDK) are pleased to announce expansion of the installation of the latest heading control system to “K” Line’s operating vessels due to its effectiveness.

YDK released the new heading control system called BNAAC, Batch Noise Adaptive Autopilot Controller, intended to increase fuel economy. The principal of this system is to update the ship’s parameter all the time by monitoring and reflecting changing meteorological and hydrographic conditions, while the original system just reflected the initial parameter setting.

“K” Line and YDK made the experimental trial of this system using an operating bulk carrier vessel thence successfully reached approximately 1 percent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared with the current system.

While “K” Line has already started to install BNAAC system to newly-built vessels, based on the results of the trial its expansion into operating vessels was decided, and the first vessel to be installed was M/V Becchio Bridge calling at Tokyo bay on September 13th.

Both “K” Line and YDK are jointly challenging preservation and conservation to protect our global environment.

Filed Under: "K" Line

Dachser opens new logistics centre in Copenhagen

September 21, 2010 by admin

Dachser has opened its new Copenhagen logistics centre on a 70,000-square-metre site in Hvidovre. The internationally operating logistics provider invested around EUR 20 million in the head office of Dachser Nordic A/S where it employs a staff of 95.

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Dachser managing director Michael Schilling and the managing director of Dachser Nordic A/S, Finn Skovbo Pedersen, welcomed numerous customers as well as guests from the worlds of politics and business.

Following the ground-breaking ceremony in June 2009 and the start of operations in mid-April 2010, the new facility has now been officially opened with a festive ceremony. The logistics centre has a 4,100-square-metre transshipment hall for industrial goods with 41 loading bays. The administrative and technology building covers 3,000 square metres. The branch is quickly reached via the E20 motorway and is just 13 kilometres from the centre of Copenhagen.

“This investment will strengthen our presence in Denmark and Scandinavia. Our customers appreciate the combination of regional competence and a closely meshed pan-European logistics network with intercontinental connections,” says Dachser managing director Michael Schilling.

Dachser is represented in Hvidovre through its European Logistics and Air & Sea Logistics business segments. As a major intersection in Dachser’s pan-European network for groupage system services, the logistics provider serves 13 national and international destinations via direct services from Hvidovre on a daily basis.

“We are one of only a few logistics providers in Denmark with an area-wide distribution system, enabling us to offer our customers a significant competitive advantage,” Pedersen says.

Attractive Employer

The Dachser family enterprise currently employs a staff of 95 at its Hvidovre location and nearly 200 in the country as a whole. Training is given high priority. Every year, Dachser in Denmark trains ten young people as qualified specialists in forwarding and logistics services and warehouse logistics specialists. “Well-trained, qualified and motivated staff are the decisive success factor in today’s logistics,” Pedersen says.

In 2009, Dachser generated total revenue of EUR 3.2 billion. 17,500 staff working in 306 profit centres worldwide handled 41.8 million consignments weighing a total of 29.4 million tonnes.