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Archives for April 2012

“K” Line Sets New Target to Reduce CO2 Emissions

April 17, 2012 by

17th April 2013

The “K ” Line set a target for “Reducing CO2 emissions by 10% from FY2006 level on a per ton-mile basis* to be achieved by the mid 2010s” under our mid-term management plan, ”K ” Line Vision 100, from April 2008 and with dedicated work, we were able to achieve this target per the results for 2011. According to these results, we decided to set new goal for reducing CO2 emissions toward the centenary of our company’s foundation in 2019.

We set the new target for “Reducing CO2 emissions by 10% from FY2011 level on a per ton-mile basis* to be achieved by FY2019”, and will carry this out thorough the introduction of energy-saving technology and energy-saving navigation. At the same time, we will continue to make every effort for further CO2 emission reduction and carry out various actions for marine and global environmental protection.

*Note: Per ton-mile basis is an index for transporting one ton of cargo one nautical mile (1,852 meters).

For further information, please contact

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd (“K” Line)

Seiji Inoue, Environment Management Division

Tel:81-3-3595-5764   Fax:81-3595-5335

Filed Under: "K" Line

TT CLUB UNDERWRITING PERFORMANCE HOLDS FAST IN CHALLENGING TRADING CONDITIONS

April 16, 2012 by

London 16th April 2012: The TT Club, a leading provider of insurance and related risk management services for the international transport and logistics industry, today announces an 8.5% growth in premium income, resulting from new business, increase in volumes and a continued high level of member retention, in its financial results for 2011.

The Club has maintained a stable financial platform and good underwriting results, despite challenging market conditions for the transport and insurance industries, reinforcing its very strong capital position equivalent at A++, the highest rating on the AM Best capital adequacy model.

Knud Pontoppidan, Chairman, TT Club

In his statement, Knud Pontoppidan, Chairman,  TT Club, highlighted the challenging trading environment the insurance industry faced during 2011 that saw heavy losses in the first part of the year, comprising  the second of the Christchurch earthquakes, flooding in Queensland, Australia, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the flooding in Thailand:

“In difficult insurance market conditions the Club performed well. The overall combined ratio continues to be below 100% (98.6%) meaning that the Club’s outgoings in claims payments and administrative expenses are more than offset by premium income – which is a very important and healthy position to be in with market conditions as they are,” Pontoppidan said.

The TT Club’s net result was a surplus US$1.2m (lower than the 2010 net result which was enhanced by higher prior year release) whilst surplus and reserves reached a record level of US$145.4m.

Charles Fenton, CEO, TT Club, drew attention to the fierce competition the TT Club faced during the past 12 months, that was almost exclusively on price, rather than on product where very few of the TT Club’s competitors can replicate its value added product and service offering:

“There were signs, however, in the latter part of the year that the rating environment was improving and, at the renewals on 1st January 2012, the Club achieved increases on most renewing accounts.  Whether this is the start of a change in market conditions will become clearer through 2012, but it is the case that insurers in the Club’s market sector are suffering reduced profitability as a result of real rate erosion in recent years,” Fenton commented.

Charles Fenton, Chief Executive, TT Club

The TT Club has maintained one of its significant key differentiators, the embedded loss prevention approach in its underwriting and claims activities to reduce exposure to unnecessary risk and claims incidence, and its loss prevention team were involved in three important international initiatives during the past year:  weighing containers, packing containers and cargo transport units and incident information sharing.

Following feedback received from Members, a cargo product has been added to the TT Club’s range of products, and during 2011 there was positive growth in the take up of this product, contributing to the TT Club’s financial health and adding a valuable insurance component for Members.

In summarising the financial results at today’s briefing, Knud Pontoppidan, Chairman, TT Club, said:

“With the ever increasing complexity and fragility of the global supply chain, combined with a continuing difficult trading environment during this global economic downturn, we are ever keen to position the Club as a provider of service and product focussed for Members at what might be termed their working layer of insurance.”

“It is pleasing that the number of Members in the Club is growing year on year and that the average premium per Member is reducing.  This can only be a positive reflection on our specialist underwriting expertise and our world-wide network providing claims management services, risk management and loss prevention,” he added.

The TT Club has four underwriting centres in London, New Jersey, Hong Kong and Sydney and a network of claims offices in 16 countries.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Financial Highlights

Year on year:

2011 2010

Gross written premium (US$m)                181.7    167.4

Combined ratio, %                                           98.6%    83.3%

Investment return, %                                    0.8%      0.9%

Net result (US$m)                                           1.2          12.8

Surplus and reserves (US$m)                     145.4     144.2

Capital resources (US$m)                             174.5     173.2

Member retention, %                                    96%        96%

Key points:

  • 8.5% growth in premium income due to new business, members’ volume increases and a continued high level of member retention.
  • Good underwriting performance despite challenging market conditions.
  • Investment return 0.8%, reflecting low risk policy focussed on capital preservation – 93% cash and fixed income with benchmark duration less than 1 year            .
  • Small equity allocation (7%) with the aim of enhancing the return over the longer term as well as giving the benefits of diversification; the Club has purchased put options protecting some of the downside risk.
  • Net result was a surplus US$1.2m (2010 net result enhanced by higher prior year release).
  • Surplus and reserves at a record level of US$145.4m.
  • Very strong capital position equivalent at A++, the highest rating on the AM Best capital adequacy model.

About the TT Club

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services.  As a mutual insurer, the TT Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.  Customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals, to companies operating a handful of vehicles.  It specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operator.  Established in 1968, the TT Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

Chairman’s Review

The full statement from the Chairman is available from TT Club’s website

http://www.ttclub.com/

Filed Under: TT Club

MULTIMODAL 2012 IS SPRINGBOARD FOR NEW IDEAS IN LOGISTICS

April 11, 2012 by

10th April 2012

Multimodal 2012, the UK’s only annual event focused on the transport and logistics industries, is proving to be a springboard for a host of new ideas, products and services to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the logistics industry.

The show takes place at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre on 1st to 3rd May. So far over 200 exhibitors have signed up to take stands – many are returning yet again to the highly regarded exhibition, and over 50 companies are exhibiting at the show for the first time.

Some sophisticated software for tracing and tracking cargo is being exhibited at the show by Fargo Systems, a leading software provider to the intermodal transport industry. Its product range includes TOPS -the UK’s de-facto standard container transport management system, which covers a whole range of distribution, full-load and network logistics. Is sister product, TOPS…on the go – is a completely integrated mobile telematics system for smartphones, tablets, and PDAs with GPS tracking, job order despatch, electronic proof-of-deliveries, defect reporting and other admin tasks.

Two systems for route planning are being showcased at Multimodal 2012 by Southampton-based Integrated Skills Limited (ISL), a specialist provider of software and environmental consultancy. ISL’s logistics and optimisation products reduce fleet size, mileage, and planning time, and maximise efficiency. Their WinRoute software can be used for routes ranging from FTL to multi-drop distribution route (150+) collections or deliveries, and RouteSmart™ software is for organisations with high volumes of collections or deliveries, door-to-door, and street-by-street.

Leading provider of Customs and freight software Impatex will once again be offering free iPads to any company signing up for its NetFreight system at Multimodal 2012. NetFreight is Impatex’s browser-based, combined freight forwarding and Customs processing system. NetFreight has recently undergone its largest up-grade to-date, with many new features and improvements. Originally intended as a system for the smaller forwarder, NetFreight has successfully proven itself with multi-branch and multi-national forwarders too. The system is now in service with almost 100 customers in the UK, the USA and – most recently – Spain.

Two companies will be using Multimodal 2012 to mark important anniversaries. Spaciotempo UK, which supplies temporary warehouse storage buildings and loading canopies to a host of household industry names across the UK, will mark 40 years in the business when it appears on stand 255 at the show.

Established in 1972, the company was originally known as Tempastor and started out by supplying one building a month. Forty years later, the company has reached a whole new level and now supplies hundreds of temporary buildings each year. Spaciotempo is pioneering buildings supplied as turnkey packages – complete with solid flooring, temperature control, lighting, secure doors and windows, as well as an eco-friendly thermo-inflated roof.

Humber-based Clugston Distribution Services will be celebrating 75 years in business at Multimodal 2012 this year. The company offers both total and partial supply chain solutions, including specialist distribution, storage and inventory management for general haulage, cement powder and bulk food ingredients. Over the course of the last six months, the company has announced investments of nearly £1.4M, including 17 Renault Premium tractor units and eight new curtain sided trailers, as well as four new 44 tonne tankers as part of its expansion into the fuels distribution market.

Multimodal 2012’s organiser Robert Jervis expressed his satisfaction at the industry’s support for the event: “Multimodal is now in its fifth year, and the fact that we get so many exhibitors returning to the show, and a good number of new exhibitors every year, demonstrates the effectiveness of Multimodal as a platform for promoting new products as well as existing businesses. It also highlights the fact that the UK and Ireland still have a dynamic and growing logistics industry, which has overcome recession by becoming fitter and more efficient”.

To see the comprehensive list of exhibitors at Multimodal 2012 visit www.multimodal.org.uk

ENDS

To register and find out more about Multimodal 2012 please visit www.multimodal.org.uk

Join Multimodal on the Twitter site at http://twitter.com/multimodal

Also read the latest Blogs and News at http://www.multimodallive.org.uk/


About Multimodal:

Taking place from 1st to 3rd May, 2012 at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Multimodal aims to attract a large group of exhibitors and visitors from across the whole spectrum of freight transport, logistics and supply chain service providers than it ever has before.

Multimodal 2012 is the only UK event that brings together all sectors of freight transport under a single roof.  The Seminars and Briefings which are an integral part of the event, have scheduled an enlightening and thought-provoking range of topics, tackled in an interactive fashion by panels of experts or as briefings presented by representatives from centres of excellence. Topics range from insight into the media, customs, container shipping trends, container swaps, security, reducing empty loads and ports’ role in adding value, to e-sourcing, collaborative logistics, supply chain optimisation, key performance indices (KPIs) and logistics data analytics.

Media Contact:

Robert Jervis, Event Director,

Clarion Events Limited

Tel: +44 (0) 207 370 8373

E-mail: robert.jervis@clarionevents.com

www.multimodal.org.uk

Filed Under: Uncategorized

“K” Line Upgrades Asia – Mexico/West Coast South America Service

April 11, 2012 by

April 11th, 2012

KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA, LTD. (“K” Line) is pleased to announce the upgrade of Asia – Mexico/West Coast South America Service. The two service loops currently operated by “K” Line are being consolidated into one service loop (ANDES) which deploys eleven (11) post-panamax vessels and a new feeder service (MSX) will be launched between Mexico and West Coast South America ports.

The new ANDES service will add a direct link between Ningbo and Chile/Peru and offer wider service coverage so as to fulfill customers’ needs. Buenaventura and Guayaquil are served via MSX service with transshipment at Manzanillo and Callao, respectively.

Details of the services are as follows:-

ANDES

  • Vessel Deployment:
    Eleven (11) x 5600/6500 TEU Nominal vessel (77 days round)

(“K” Line =3 vessels, MOL=3 vessels, NYK=5 vessels, Total 11 vessels)

  • Commencement Date:

From GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE, Vo.0101E (ETA Keelung Apr 26th, 2012)

  • Port Rotation:

ANDES : Keelung – Hong Kong – Da Chan Bay – Xiamen – Shanghai – Ningbo – Pusan – Manzanillo – Callao – Iquique – Valparaiso – Lirquen – Callao – Manzanillo – Tokyo – Keelung

MSX

  • Vessel Deployment:
    Three (3) x 2100 TEU Nominal vessel
  • Commencement Date: May 26th, 2012
  • Port Rotation:

MSX: Manzanillo – Buenaventura – Callao – Guayaquil – Manzanillo

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” LINE Continues to be Included in FTSE4Good Global Index

April 11, 2012 by

April 6, 2012

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) continues to be a member company of the FTSE4Good Global Index, the leading SRI (*1) index calculated by FTSE Group (*2). This index is reviewed twice a year and　”K” Line has been a consecutive member since 2003.

Global companies satisfying international standards for corporate environmental and social responsibility are selected as a members company of this Index.

“K” Line will continue to endeavor to meet its social responsibilities and to improve corporate value .

*1 SRI (Socially Responsible Investment) describes an investment strategy which takes account of social, ethical and environmental factors as well as financial performance.

*2 FTSE Group is an independent company jointly owned by The Financial Times and the London Stock Exchange and a world-leader in the creation, management and other related business of indices for investors.

Filed Under: "K" Line