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 February 2021

The American Club announces Underwriting, Business and Development and Claims Handling appointments

Recent promotions of experienced personnel and a new recruit to strengthen the Club across many areas

NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 3, 2021: Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Managers of the American Club, today announced recent appointments within their US-based teams to enhance service to Club Members both within the Americas and across the world.

Steve Ogullukian

Steve Ogullukian has recently been appointed as Deputy Global Underwriting Director, a position he assumes in parallel with his continuing duties as Director responsible for the Club’s reinsurance programs. He joined the Managers in 2003 during which time he has been principally engaged in the Club’s direct underwriting and reinsurance activity, with a particular focus on the latter. Since 2013, Steve has represented the American Club on the International Group’s Reinsurance Sub-Committee. He is a well-known and highly regarded figure both within the Club’s membership and among the international insurance and reinsurance communities.

Steve Lewis

Steve Lewis has been appointed as Business Development Director for the Americas in succession to Boriana Farrar. He joined the Managers some four years ago to augment their underwriting capabilities in North America and his twenty five years of marine insurance practice across a broad range of disciplines, together with his extensive network of professional contacts, have greatly enabled the expansion of the Club’s business.

Boriana Farrar is leaving the management company to become Chief Legal Officer for a leading Club Member in California. During her more than seven years’ service, Boriana gained distinction not only for her skills as a lawyer but also for her accomplishments on the business development front.

Jack Jowers

To further enhance the Managers’ claims handling capabilities in North America, Jack Jowers was recently recruited to join their Houston office as Assistant Vice President/Claims Executive. Jack brings with him broad experience of the maritime industry from operational, legal and insurance-related perspectives. His presence in Houston will add significantly to the services available to Members based in, or trading to, the Gulf of Mexico and its contiguous regions.

Speaking in New York today, Joe Hughes, Chairman & CEO of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., the Club’s Managers, said:

“We are pleased to be announcing the recent appointments of Steve Ogullukian, Steve Lewis and Jack Jowers to their new roles in service of the American Club. We are certain that they will discharge their duties with conspicuous success in those roles. At the same time, we bid a most amicable adieu to Boriana with our best wishes for the future in her own new sphere.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The American Club

American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, Inc. (the American Club) was established in New York in 1917. It is the only mutual Protection and Indemnity Club domiciled in the entire Americas and its headquarters are in New York, USA.

The American Club has been successful in recent years in building on its US heritage to create a truly international insurer with a global reach second-to-none in the industry. Day to day management of the American Club is provided by Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. also headquartered in New York.

The Club is able to provide local service for its members across all time zones, communicating in eleven languages, and has subsidiary offices located in London, Piraeus, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Houston, plus a worldwide network of correspondents.

The Club is a member of the International Group of P&I Clubs, a collective of thirteen mutuals which together provide Protection and Indemnity insurance for some 90% of all world shipping.

The American Club also operates a fixed premium facility, Eagle Ocean Marine (EOM), aimed at the operators of smaller vessels in local and regional trades.  Since it commenced underwriting in 2011 with its coventurers at Lloyd’s, EOM has enjoyed considerable success in building a growing footprint in this specialist market and generating strong profitability for both the Club and its co-insuring partners.

American Hellenic Hull Insurance Company, Ltd. (AHHIC) is a wholly-owned, Solvency-II accredited hull and war risk subsidiary of the Club, based in Cyprus.  Since it began operating in mid-2016, AHHIC has enjoyed an increasing market presence coupled with growing premium volume and rising profitability.

For more information, please visit the Club’s website http://www.american-club.com/

“K” Line – Financial Highlights for 3rd quarter FY2020

Please be advised that “K” Line Tokyo Head Office published the following press release today.

Please click the following addresses to read our reports.

・Financial Highlights for 3rd quarter FY2020 (Correction dated 5 February 2021)

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/ir/auto_20210204456344/pdfFile.pdf

Notice on Differences between Consolidated Financial Forecasts for the Fiscal Year ending March 2021

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/ir/auto_20210129452500/pdfFile.pdf

If you cannot open the URL please access the press release via the website:

http://www.kline.co.jp/en/

“K” LINE to expand sharing of ship operation data to enhance utilization of big data in the maritime industry

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) and Ship Data Center Co., Ltd. (ShipDC) have agreed to share operation data of all “K” LINE fleet equipped with “Kawasaki Integrated Maritime Solutions”*1 through IoS Open Platform (IoS-OP)*2, the ship IoT data sharing platform promoted by ShipDC.

“K” LINE had so far stored operation data collected from several vessels equipped with Kawasaki Integrated Maritime Solutions to IoS-OP, and has now agreed to expand the sharing for all its owned fleet of about 140 vessels.

Though the development of information and communication technology has made it possible to collect large and various data from ships in operation, approaches for data collection and analysis are still fragmented. For encouraging big data use in the maritime industry, ShipDC is working for the common platform for ship-related data.

This data sharing significantly increases the amount of ship operation data transferred in IoS-OP, and enables IoS-OP members to fully utilize the shared big data to enhance their corporate value, which includes the pursuit of ship safety and economic efficiency, environmental initiatives, and the creation of maritime innovations to strengthen their competitiveness.

(From right)
ShipDC President Yasuhiro Ikeda
“K” LINE Vice President, Executive Officer Atsuo Asano
ClassNK President & CEO Hiroaki Sakashita,
“K” LINE Associate Director Joichi Sasaki

Taking this occasion of expanding the data sharing, “K” LINE decided to upgrade its IoS-OP Consortium membership status to the highest rank of “Platinum” to extend its involvement.

“K” LINE and ShipDC aim for safety of ships, contribution to the environment, and economic rationality through the data utilization as well as further acceleration of the collection, distribution, and utilization of data in the maritime industry with IoS-OP at the core.

(*1) Kawasaki Integrated Maritime Solutions
The ship ICT system which uses ship-shore intercommunication system and has functions of operation management of ships, condition monitoring of engine plant, and ship performance analysis from the office. Please see the link below for more information.
https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/other/other3295047094663452046.html

(*2) Internet of Ships Open Platform (IoS-OP)

A universal platform that enables the sharing of ship operation data among shipbuilders, manufacturers, and related service providers without compromising profits of data providers. 57 organizations joined the member association “IoS-OP Consortium” as of the end of 2020.

GEODIS completes its acquisition of PEKAES

GEODIS finalized its acquisition of PEKAES after obtaining regulatory approval. This transaction consolidates GEODIS’ network in Poland and Eastern Europe.

“We are pleased to welcome PEKAES’ customers, employees and management to the GEODIS Group,” announced Marie-Christine Lombard, Chief Executive Officer of GEODIS. “This acquisition, in a target region for the Group’s development, is a major step towards reaching the goals laid out in our “Ambition 2023” strategic plan. GEODIS now has an increased presence in Europe’s third-largest logistics market, offering Polish companies tremendous international opportunities.”

Signature of the acquisition of PEKAES by GEODIS in Warsaw on February 1st, 2021, by Olivier Royer, GEODIS Executive Vice President for Road Transport

The acquisition expands GEODIS’ operations in Poland, as well as in the German market – Poland being an integral part of the German production chain – and in Central Europe as a whole.

Integration of the PEKAES business will be led by GEODIS’ Road Transport Line of Business, already firmly established in Poland. “This operation will allow us to develop our palletized freight network throughout Europe as we also develop further our abilities in the Polish domestic market,” explains Olivier Royer, GEODIS Executive Vice President for Road Transport. “PEKAES’ multimodal lines out of Poland represent a real growth opportunity for this mode of transport. They will supplement our lines in Western Europe, which are currently experiencing strong growth given our customers’ desire for transport with a low environmental impact.”

“We are opening a new chapter in PEKAES’ history. It provides many opportunities for our customers, partners and employees. Our customers can now benefit from the power of a global network to help them grow. For our teams, this means new growth opportunities in a strong international organization. We are delighted to join the GEODIS group, with whom we share the commitment to help our customers overcome their logistical constraints,” declared Maciej Bachman, CEO of PEKAES.

GEODIS now has nearly 1,500 employees at 29 sites in Poland, including some twenty hubs spread across the entire territory.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a top-rated, global supply chain operator recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport) coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a direct presence in 67 countries, and a global network spanning 120 countries, translates in top business rankings, #1 in France, #6 in Europe and #7 worldwide. In 2019, GEODIS had over 41,000 employees globally and generated €8.2 billion in sales.

PEKAES – pekaes.pl

PEKAES Group is a leading provider of transportation and logistics services, which includes the following companies: PEKAES Sp. z o.o., Chemikals Sp. z o.o., Spedycja Polska SPEDCONT Sp. z o.o.

PEKAES Sp. z o.o. is one of the largest companies in the TSL sector. PEKAES is committed to providing its customers with the most efficient management of their goods throughout the entire supply chain. We offer a complete warehouse space service, international and domestic LTL distribution, FTL, domestic, international, maritime, air and rail forwarding as well as bulk logistics and intermodal services.

Our group has one of the most efficient infrastructures of domestic distribution terminals, rail container and transshipment terminals in Poland and partnerships with organizations in all major European countries. PEKAES employs over 1,200 workers in its 20 Polish branches, 3 railway terminals and 6 logistics warehouses.

Our solutions are highly customized, integrating IT and continuous improvement of transportation operations, making us a provider of services of the highest quality. For more information on the PEKAES Group, please visit: pekaes.pl