Transport communications

Portcare International is the press relations consultancy for the shipping and logistics industry. Formed by transport people for transport people. We can truly claim to understand our clients’ needs and ‘talk the same language’. Portcare provide effective, value for money PR to some of the industry’s best-known names.

Archives for December 2017

“K” Line Awarded Certificate of Appreciation for Supporting Free Ocean Transportation of Books for Children in the Republic of South Africa

171220 Books for Children in the Republic of South Africa

Left: His Excellency Thulani Dlomo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Embassy of the Republic of South Africa Right: Mr. Kogure, Executive Officer of “K”Line

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) is proud to announce that we were awarded a certificate of appreciation by Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Japan.

“K” Line Group has been supporting the Mobile Library Project of SAPESI (South African Primary Education Support Initiative) to improve quality of primary education in the Republic of South Africa since 2011. We have provided free ocean transportation of books donated all over the world for children in that country with the total books transported to South Africa through our global network having now reached as many as 164,000.

“K” Line hopes that these books are proving to be helpful for children to continually expand their learning and lead to the realization of their dreams in the future.

 

TT Club Honours Newcomer of the Year at Seahorse Journalist Awards

Newcomer Winner - Sophie Barnes (Presented by Mikaela Revel, TT Club)

Mikaela Revel, Marketing Manager of TT Club presents the Seahorse Newcomer of the Year Award to Sophie Barnes of Heavy Lift and Project Forwarding International

London, 15th December, 2017

TT Club, International insurance provider to the freight transport and cargo handling industries, has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Seahorse Club Journalist Awards for some years. The Awards are specifically for media professionals active in the maritime, air cargo and logistics arena. At the 2017 Awards Presentation this week TT Club again sponsored the category that encourages and celebrates new blood in the press ranks of freight transport. The Newcomer of the Year was announced as Sophie Barnes of Heavy Lift and Project Forwarding International.

Marketing Manager of TT Club, Mikaela Revel explained the Club’s thinking behind its support for the Award, “A primary aim of TT Club is to advise its Members and the industry as a whole about safety and risk mitigation issues. As such, effective communication through the media is an important priority for us and we believe that new talent is very much worth nurturing.”

Editors of international media outlets in the sector were asked to nominate journalists with no more than two year’s experience, and who show outstanding potential of the salient issues facing the modern freight transport industry. Furthermore, the editors were urged to identify candidates producing consistently high quality content, providing an informative read and a balanced view on the subject at hand.

This year the calibre of nominee’s writing was of an extremely high quality. The judges commented, “The scoring between those on the short-list was close, Sophie really shone through as a clear winner. Her article encompassed a very rounded discussion of a complex topic, presented with great understanding and in a mature writing style”.

Both TT Club and Seahorse encourage editors to nominate members of their staff to enter the 2018 Awards next year, especially in this Newcomer category. The nominees are voted for by their journalist peers and judged by an experienced group of industry professionals, it is a unique accolade for young aspiring freight journalists.

As Mikaela Revel concluded, “We are keen that young, enthusiastic and well trained journalists are encouraged to thrive in the sector. I’m delighted to say that the standard of entrants for the Newcomer category were outstanding in their level of professionalism and balanced reportage.”

Notes to editors:

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. As a mutual insurer, 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 on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators. TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.

www.ttclub.com

About Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services.

Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self-employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include:

  • Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals
  • Investment management for institutions and private clients
  • Professional services including legal services, claims and captive management
  • Managing General Agency

www.thomasmiller.com 

Seahorse Journalist Awards – The Results

London, 14th December, 2017Seahorse Awards 2017

Tuesday evening saw over two hundred media professionals gather in London for the Annual Seahorse Club Journalist of the Year Awards, which this year included ten categories, including Environment, Innovation, Feature Journalism and New Reporting, and two honorary awards.

Linton Nightingale of Lloyd’s List Containers took home the top prize of overall Seahorse Journalist of the Year for his, according to the judges, “Forward-looking insightful coverage of key challenges, including Spanish ports labour disputes, President Trump’s protectionist policies and growing reefer trades.” Paul Berrill of Tradewinds+ took runner-up spot.

Long-serving Seahorse Club stalwart and veteran of the maritime PR business Judy Cheslin was presented with the Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Brian Sullivan, recently retired from TT Club but still very much involved in the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, received the Personality of the Year Award.

A record number of entries (269 articles in all) were received from 71 journalists from around the world.  Sam Chambers of the Asia-based Splash 24/7 won International Editor of the Year and Baltic Transport Journal from Poland’s Przemek Myszka was awarded Supply Chain Journalist.  This category was particularly closely contested with American Randy Woods of Air Cargo World coming in second.

As ever the Club owed much to the night’s sponsors, which were; AAL Shipping, Associated British Ports (ABP), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Air Canada Cargo, DNV GL, GEODIS, International Transport Journal, PSA International, SAL Heavy Lift, TT Club and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Line (WWL).  The Club’s nominated charity, Transaid also benefited to the tune over £1500.

There was a double triumph for Mike King, winner in the News category and runner-up for the Feature award.  The later was won by Tanya Blake of Safety at Sea, while the Air Cargo trophy went to Roger Hailey of Air Cargo News with Chris Lewis for his contribution also to Air Cargo News as runner-up.

Other journalists who were celebrating a win included; Helen Kelly, Lloyd’s List for Social Media; Sophie Barnes, Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International named  Newcomer of the Year; Felicity Landon, Port Strategy in the Innovation category and Andrew Linington, Nautilus and Nick Savvides, Fairplay, respectively winner and runner-up of the Environment Award.

The Seahorse Club is a networking group for journalists and professionals in the freight transport, shipping and logistics sectors founded in 1963.

To find out more visit seahorseclub.co.uk

Dachser delivers with electric trucks

Kempten, Berlin. December 14, 2017. Dachser is the launch customer for Daimler’s all-electric FUSO eCanter light commercial vehicle. As of spring FUSO eCanter, Exterieur, E-Motor PMSM , sechs Hochvolt-Lithium-B2018, the logistics provider will be operating two of these trucks in city centers—one in Berlin, the other in Stuttgart.

Speaking at a European media event in Berlin, Stefan Hohm, Corporate Director, Corporate Solutions, Research & Development at Dachser, explained: “These trucks are part of our City Distribution project and expand our innovative and sustainable concept for city-center deliveries.” This project has Dachser combining tried and true logistics models with new ideas, providing the basis for developing robust and sustainable business models for last-mile deliveries of the future.

Depending on the requirements profile of the city in question, the local branch can implement custom solutions chosen from a modular toolbox. And part of that means finding the right combination of vehicles for downtown deliveries. “We went for the FUSO eCanter because it’s the first all-electric truck to enter full-scale production, and so it will add momentum to this entire class of commercial vehicle,” says Hohm.

Downtown deliveries

In Berlin and Stuttgart, the two FUSO eCanters will be incorporated into the core groupage business operated by Dachser’s long-established transportation companies. Their job will be to deliver pallets of manufactured goods, either to microhubs or directly to customers. They will also collect goods and bring them to Dachser’s branches in Schönefeld and Kornwestheim. “These electric trucks are ideal for city centers and that’s where they will most often be found,” says Hohm.

Depending on its design and purpose, the all-electric light truck offers a range of some 100 kilometers and a load capacity of up to 3.5 metric tons. Its electric powertrain comprises six high-voltage lithium-ion batteries, each one with 420 V and 13.8 kWh.

 

About Dachser:

A family-owned company headquartered in Kempten, Germany, Dachser is a leading supplier of logistics services worldwide.

Dachser offers comprehensive transport logistics, warehousing and customer-specific services in two business fields: Dachser Air & Sea Logistics and Dachser Road Logistics. The latter consists of two business lines: Dachser European Logistics and Dachser Food Logistics. Comprehensive contract-logistics services and industry-specific solutions round out the company’s offerings. A seamless shipping network—both in Europe and overseas—and fully integrated IT systems ensure intelligent logistics solutions worldwide.

Thanks to some 27,450 employees at 409 locations all over the globe, Dachser generated revenue of EUR 5.71 billion in 2016. That same year, the logistics provider handled a total of 80 million shipments weighing 38.2 million metric tons. Country organizations represent Dachser in 43 countries.

For more information about Dachser, please visit www.dachser.de

High and Lows of Port Risk: TT Club Provides Guidance

The foremost port and cargo handler insurer, TT Club has spoken of the risk factors most commonly facing port authorities and terminal operators, offering focused advice on how these entities can most easily minimise risk of damage to both cargo and equipment, bodily injuries and reputational impairment.

Barcelona & London, 11th December, 2017

Speaking at October’s Mediterranean Ports Conference in Barcelona, Dorota Jilli, a Senior Underwriter at TT Club, outlined the insurer’s broad approach to the risks presented in the port environment, borne out of the benefit of TT Club’s vast experience of providing cover to a large variety of port authorities and terminal operators around the globe. Apart from assessing the differing business models and activities, the Club also carries out detailed analysis of historical claims of all types including property, liability and bodily injury, in order to provide effective advice on loss prevention and risk management.

“The risk profile of ports and terminals can be measured against a basic matrix,” said Jilli in her presentation. “For example, cargo handling operations will fall into a higher end of risk assessment if they have poor equipment maintenance or lack staff training regimes. A culture of favouring productivity over safety, or scant attention to security are key characteristics of higher risk operations.”

For landlord port authorities, which don’t provide operational services but grant concessions to operators, heightened risk factors include poorly constructed contracts with concessionaires or other port community stakeholders. A lack of emergency response protocols or clarity of interface with other port service providers also lead to greater risk.

Those operations that are found at the lower end of the risk spectrum feature well-trained and motivated workforce and a management culture with commitment to safety, properly maintained equipment and secure premises.  In the case of landlord authorities those at lower risk display a strong element of control over the relationship with their tenants, having robust contracts in place with port stakeholders and plan carefully for the correct response to emergencies.

Naturally, each port environment is individual and different, but Jilli stated that the risks faced by both ports and operators are both symbiotic and able to be grouped for risk assessment purposes. While direct involvement in cargo operations, for example, has certain risk factors, setting appropriate frameworks and contracts may be equally important for those acting more in the ‘landlord’ capacity.

“In this environment, it would be fallacy to think that non-operational risks are entirely benign,” Jilli said. “Furthermore, the interactions between the port community stakeholders, for activities such as navigation, berthing or emergency response, are critical not just for liability but also on-going successful outcomes.”

The presentation proceeded to explain how TT Club is committed to communicating lessons from incidents, as much in relation to improving risk management as evidencing the need for adequate insurance protection. Case examples illustrated the ways in which risks have arisen and may be mitigated. However, Jilli was careful to highlight that port entities, both operational and landowning (which are often governmental) should consider the effect of uninsured costs that can transpire from accidents. “Well-established research evidences that uninsured or economic loss arising from incidents may be as much as $36 for every $1 that is recovered under an insurance policy,” she quoted. “In the unfortunate event of a serious incident, unexpected expenses will be incurred such as diversion of management time, delays in re-establishing normal revenue streams, temporary additional labour and emergency supplies, and on-going reputational damage among others.”

Common sense in the consideration of the complete port community risk universe should be part of all good risk management for all stakeholders.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. As a mutual insurer, 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 on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators. TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.

www.ttclub.com

About Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services.

Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self-employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include:

  • Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals
  • Investment management for institutions and private clients
  • Professional services including legal services, claims and captive management
  • Managing General Agency

www.thomasmiller.com 

Sustainability award for Dachser

 

171201 European Transport Award for Sustainability 2

(left to right) Rainer Langhammer, Managing Director HUSS Publishing House, Dr. Andreas Froschmayer, Corporate Director, Corporate Development, Strategy & Public Relations, DACHSER, Torsten Buchholz, Editor in Chief TRANSPORT magazine

Kempten, Munich. December 1, 2017. As part of the presentation of the European Transport Award for Sustainability (ETPN), this year Dachser received the Special Award for Corporate Social Responsibility. The company came first in the Transportation and Forwarding Companies category.

Awarded by Munich-based specialist logistics publisher Huss-Verlag, the Special Award recognizes a company’s commitment to sustainability. It takes into account environmental protection, corporate social responsibility, corporate culture, and a commitment to the science community and to safeguarding the future. A key consideration is for this commitment to be in line with corporate objectives. “What most impressed us about Dachser was the sustainability of its overall concept as a family-run company,” the jury said.

“We have been committed to social, ecological, and economic sustainability for many years. This award is both a welcome recognition of our efforts and motivation to continue,” says Dachser CEO Bernhard Simon. Dr. Andreas Froschmayer, Corporate Director Corporate Development, Strategy & PR at Dachser, accepted the award in Munich on behalf of the company.

The jury was made up of six editors of trade publications at Munich’s Huss-Verlag publishing house. Each member of the jury was permitted to propose up to three candidates for each of this year’s categories: Transportation and Forwarding Companies, and KEP Services.

About Dachser:

Dachser employs some 27,450 people at 409 locations worldwide, and is represented by country organizations in 43 countries. In 2016, the company generated revenue of 5.71 billion euros and handled a total of 80 million shipments weighing 38.2 million metric tons. For more information about Dachser, please visit www.dachser.de