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 2021

Theft from warehouse facilities is primary cargo crime in the Middle East

December 16, 2021 by

Crime report from TT Club and BSI finds over three-quarters of cargo theft occurs at logistics hubs and warehouses, with Free Trade Zone (FTZ) particularly vulnerable locations.

Dubai & London, 16th December 2021

The well-established collaboration between international freight transport insurer, TT Club and the supply chain services and solutions team at BSI, the business improvement and standards company has produced the latest report on trends in the theft of goods entitled, ‘Cargo Crime in Gulf Countries and Regional Free Trade Zones’¹. Intended as a risk mitigation tool for transport operators, its timing might be more relevant given the spike in cargo movements running-up to the seasonal festivities.

Key findings include:

  • 76% of cargo theft is from warehouse and storage facilities
  • Crime hot-spots in UAE & Saudi Arabia
  • High-value goods such as electronics targeted
  • Insider assistance and corruption plays a prominent role
  • Smuggling of illicit contraband prevalent in Free trade Zones (FTZ)

TT Club’s Mike Yarwood comments, “Our reports are intended to alert those in the supply chain to the variable and developing trends in the risk of cargo theft during intermodal transportation.  The unique combination of BSI sourced data on criminal activity and TT Club’s insurance claims records provides valuable intelligence to operators.”

“Regular updates of this nature are essential as criminal gangs are constantly altering their points of attack.  The current prevalence of supply chain congestion, delays, disruption, and in the Middle East region in particular packed warehouses, makes such information critical.”

The report highlights that warehouse thefts and supply chain corruption are the stand-outs, with a concentration on higher risk areas across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The role special economic zones play in the Middle East also effects regional disparities in cargo theft.

Free Trade Zones (FTZ) are a significant feature of the regional economy and represent potential vulnerabilities for supply chains by virtue of facilitating high volumes of trade under simplified customs procedures that can provide opportunities for criminals to act. Furthermore, as Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies return to pre-pandemic levels, and data provided by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) is projecting growth in trade², it is possible that criminals will also seek to exploit these higher volumes of cargo throughput to introduce illicit drugs and counterfeited products into shipments.

Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General, International Road Transport Union comments, “The IRU, together with its members and partners, continues to strengthen global transport supply chains, notably through the implementation of international standards such as TIR for compliance management and security, and through innovative training to help road transport professionals identify risks and adapt operations to avoid security threats.”

There is also valuable guidance on mitigating the risk contained in the report.  These guidelines cover avoiding the introduction of drugs into shipments; reducing theft from facilities and combating counterfeit smuggling, all of which are of particular concern in the Middle East region.

“Operators should be consistent in their vigilance, especially in the current season of festivities when the movement of gifts is at a peak” recommends Yarwood.  “TT’s intention is to help reduce theft related loss and to that end these reports offer loss prevention advice to complement the joint analysis of current trends.  As well as financial damage these incidents can cause severe operational disruption and unquantifiable reputational damage to supply chain service providers.  As a consequence, it remains of key importance to the transport industry to identify, prevent and report any criminal activity.”

¹A PDF of the full report is available for free download Here

² https://go.iru.org/9N

ENDS

About TT Club

TT Club is the established market-leading independent provider of mutual insurance and related risk management services to the international transport and logistics industry. TT Club’s primary objective is to help make the industry safer and more secure. Founded in 1968, the Club has more than 1100 Members, spanning container owners and operators, ports and terminals, and logistics companies, working across maritime, road, rail, and air. TT Club is renowned for its high-quality service, in-depth industry knowledge and enduring Member loyalty. It retains more than 93% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.   

www.ttclub.com

About BSI

BSI is the business improvement and standards company that enables organizations to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence, ‘inspiring trust for a more resilient world’. For over a century BSI has driven best practice in organizations around the world. Working with over 77,500 clients across 195 countries, it is a truly global business with skills and experience across all sectors including automotive, aerospace, built environment, food and retail and healthcare. Through its expertise in Standards and Knowledge, Assurance Services, Regulatory Services and Consulting Services, BSI helps clients to improve their performance, grow sustainably, manage risk and ultimately become more resilient.

To learn more, please visit: www.bsigroup.com

About BSI Supply Chain Services and Solutions
BSI Supply Chain Services and Solutions is the leading global provider of supply chain intelligence, global supply chain verification auditing services, audit compliance and risk management software solutions, and advisory services. BSI’s supply chain services and solutions and services can work independently to address specific needs or combined together to gain unparalleled visibility into your global operations. Implementing BSI’s holistic supply chain risk management suite provides organizations with a complete solution for a more sustainable and secure supply chain.

To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com/supplychain

Filed Under: TT Club

Comprehensive Safety Guidance Issued for Dangerous Goods Storage and Handling Facilities

December 14, 2021 by

The tragic incidents in Tianjin and Beirut have marked a decade of increased concern over the safety of dangerous goods stored in ports, terminals and other warehousing facilities. Four industry groups have collaborated to address the issue and produce best practice guidelines in the form of a White Paper and Warehouse Checklist.

In the face of increased volumes of dangerous goods transported in sea containers, and the occurrence of major incidents as well as a plethora of lesser accidents, there is a clear need for guidance on safe storage and handling of dangerous goods in warehouses, including port and terminal facilities. Building on their combined expertise and experience, International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), International Vessel Owners Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA), National Cargo Bureau (NCB) and World Shipping Council (WSC) have responded to this critical requirement by developing a Dangerous Goods Warehousing White Paper.

In introducing the White Paper, Uffe V Ernst-Frederiksen and Ken Rohlmann both of IVODGA highlight: “The temporary or long-term storage of dangerous goods in a facility, necessitates careful planning, supervision and continued due diligence. While the major disasters in Beirut and Tianjin have been widely reported, there are many other incidents around the globe that do not garner the same attention, but which have the potential to escalate. There are existing international, national and local regulations for dangerous goods in transit for various modes of transport but there is no direct equivalent for warehouses.”

The Dangerous Goods Warehousing White Paper, and its accompanying Checklist, detail the risks involved in storing and handling dangerous goods and, importantly the measures to be taken in containing them. Topics covered include: competency and training of workforces; property construction; fire protection; security equipment and protocols and emergency response procedures. It is intended as a practical guide to systematic and documentable processes for those managing and operating storage facilities to ensure on-going safety but also that incidents are containable if and when they arise.

“A pivotal element of our guidance is a Warehouse Checklist,” states Richard Steele of ICHCA. “Given our aim to provide a practical management tool, we believe the Checklist format is a significant addition to the other elements of the White Paper. Broken down into eight key functional areas of operation, this comprehensive 14-page Checklist is designed as both a planning guideline and a review tool, as well as an everyday device for maintaining safety management vigilance.”

The Dangerous Goods Warehousing White Paper has been endorsed by influential industry stakeholders including Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), Bureau International des Containers (BIC), Container Owners Association (COA), Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), Danish Shipping, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I) and Through Transport Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (TT Club). “We have shared our work with the relevant maritime regulators and the International Maritime Organization (IMO),” states Steele, “And we welcome every opportunity to work with them on developing and refining appropriate warehousing safety instruments, codes and circulars.”

Both the Dangerous Goods Warehousing White Paper and Checklist are downloadable from here https://ichca.com/warehousing-safety-guidance

*The organisations are: 

International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA)

ICHCA – The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association

Media Contact:  Maria Udy, maria@portcare.com

International Vessel Owners Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA)

https://www.ivodga.com/index.php

Media Contact:  mail@ivodga.com

National Cargo Bureau (NCB)

https://www.natcargo.org

Media Contact: ncbnyc@natcargo.org

World Shipping Council (WSC)

https://www.worldshipping.org

Media Contact: Anna Larsson, alarsson@worldshipping.org

Filed Under: ICHCA

TT Club highlights weather related risk

December 8, 2021 by

Climatic changes, particularly extreme events are a universal concern for those managing international supply chains, and for the operators of the transport infrastructure that service them. Freight transport and logistics insurance specialist TT Club’s analysis of weather-related risk highlights water damage to cargoes in particular.

London, 8th December 2021

Analysis of the insurer’s claims over the last three years finds:

  • Inland operations suffered damage caused by extreme weather in 32% of cases
  • Unsurprisingly, locations near a coast are more susceptible to weather related incidents (68% of cases) with 16% of claims involved heavy rainfall causing flooding
  • Property damage through strong winds and microbursts featured in 74% of weather-related claims through the period
  • The maritime mode accounted for 65% of reported claims. This in part explained by the length of time cargo is in transit and exposed to variable climatic zones
  • Road transit next most prominent mode at 14% 
  • Wet damage while in storage accounted for 13% of reported claims; 31% of these as a result of flooding

Recent, and on-going meteorological events, particularly in the Vancouver area are timely instances of extreme weather such as unprecedented rainfall, tidal surges and wind microbursts becoming more common.  Whilst many storm events are considered geographically seasonal – such as those in the Tropics – the global supply chain as a whole must take adequate steps to prepare for isolated severe weather events. Typically wind strength is most ferocious in coastal areas. However, it is often the surge and flood risk that can cause greater problems, both on the coastline and further inland.

The incident data compiled by TT illustrates that the traditionally wetter summer months in the northern hemisphere are when cargo is at greater risk; extreme flooding across broad swathes of continental Europe during July and August 2021 corroborate this as an emerging (or emerged) risk. Further, recent months have seen extraordinary volumes of rainfall over short periods in various parts of the globe, resulting in flash flooding and causing significant damage.  

TT Club’s Risk Management Director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox elaborates, “The associated losses of such incidents can be far reaching; water is unforgiving and has the ability to penetrate and cause significant damage. Flood water is inevitably dirty, increasing damage and in many instances creating health challenging situations. Extreme weather events can be challenging to predict but operators of warehouses, terminals and port areas need to keep ‘fresh’ their assessment of the changing risk profile in relation to climate experience .”

TT notes that understanding of meteorological trends, particularly in light of global warming, is doubtless advancing.  The capability to monitor, record and predict weather patterns will continue to develop. This understanding will not physically protect property, equipment and operations but, when utilised as an integral component of thorough risk assessment, it should inform operational decision-making.

The insurer’s analysis has also found that 65% of cargo damage incidents are attributable in part to the way that goods are packed within a container or cargo transport unit (CTU). That data for 2020 suggests 25% of wet cargo damage was caused by water ingress to the CTU through pre-existing damage that probably should have been identified as part of the cargo packing process. Many claims therefore can be avoided with a robust pre-loading condition checking procedure and correct packing processes.

The CTU Code¹ and the more recent ‘ CTU CODE – a quick guide’² and its complementary Container Packing Checklist published by the Cargo Integrity Group, provide invaluable guidance for actors in the supply chain to mitigate such risks. 

“Climatic change is a fact of life,” concludes Storrs-Fox, “as such risk assessment exercises by supply chain stakeholders must necessarily take account of extreme weather events, as unpredictable as they may be.  However, sensible operational measures and the employment of best practice procedures pertinent to individual organisations’ functions will go a long way towards avoiding disastrous consequences when the next rainstorm hits.”

¹ IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code)

² The CTU Code — Quick Guide and Checklist is now available in all six official United Nations languages plus    Italian in PDF format, downloadable HERE

About TT Club:

TT Club is the established market-leading independent provider of mutual insurance and related risk management services to the international transport and logistics industry. TT Club’s primary objective is to help make the industry safer and more secure. Founded in 1968, the Club has more than 1100 Members, spanning container owners and operators, ports and terminals, and logistics companies, working across maritime, road, rail, and air. TT Club is renowned for its high-quality service, in-depth industry knowledge and enduring Member loyalty. It retains more than 93% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

www.ttclub.com

Filed Under: TT Club

“K” LINE Awarded CDP’ s “A List 2021” on Climate Change

December 8, 2021 by

～Earning Highest Rating “A” for Six Consecutive Years～

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is pleased to announce that the company was recognized as “A List 2021”, the top rating, on climate change from CDP, which is a non-profit global organization (NGO) engaging in activities for realizing sustainable economy, on December 7. The “A List” is awarded to companies that are evaluated as global leaders in their response to climate change. We have been selected as “A List” for 6 consecutive years.

In this year, due to stricter evaluation criteria, the number of recognized “A List” companies have decreased from 280 in the previous year to 200 in this year, of which 55 are Japanese companies.

We have set environmental measures as one of the major pillars of our management plan. In November 2021, we revised our GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reduction target of the long-term environmental guideline “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future-(Note1), which we released the revised version in June 2020, and we are taking on the challenge of raising our target even further to net zero GHG emissions by 2050.

We have already introduced the first LNG-fueled car carrier and are also working to introduce various energy efficiency technologies, such as wind power propulsion “Seawing”. In the second half of the 2020 s, we aim to introduce zero emission vessels powered by new fuels and will not only reinforce initiatives for reducing our in-house GHG emissions but also actively support projects aimed at a decarbonized society. These initiatives include support vessels for projects related to the renewable energy field, such as offshore wind power, transportation of new energy sources, such as hydrogen and ammonia, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) transportation.

The “K” LINE Group will put its full effort into the decarbonization of the Company and society with the aim of achieving a sustainable society and enhance corporate value.

(Note1) Please see the following for details of our “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050.

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/csr/environment/management.html

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” Line : Joint Approval in Principle (AIP) for New Concept Design of Ammonia Fueled Car Carrier

December 8, 2021 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.(herein called “K” Line) and SHIN KURUSHIMA DOCKYARD CO., LTD.(herein called Shin Kurushima Dock) have joint AIP for the concept design of Ammonia Fueled Car Carrier from NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI(herein called ClassNK).

As ammonia fuel does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) during combustion, it is attracting attention as a next-generation marine fuel that will greatly contribute to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) strategic goal of GHG reduction by 2050, which is to reduce total GHG emissions by 50% from the 2008 level.

In this joint study, Shin Kurushima Dock, ClassNK and “K” Line formulated a potential risk assessment and safety measures for using ammonia as a fuel. Based on the safety evaluation of ammonia fuel, Shin Kurushima Dock and “K” Line worked on the development of a ship that can both reduce environmental impact and meet actual operational requirements.

While watching international regulations tendency of Ammonia fueled and infrastructure situation, we are planning to study ammonia fueled vessels in more detail.

AIP granting ceremony
( From left )  Dr. Toshiyuki Shigemi, Executive Director, Senior Executive Vice President, ClassNK
Mr. Yoshio Tanaka, Director, Executive Managing Officer, Shin Kurushima Dockyard
Mr. Toyohisa Nakano, Executive Officer, General Manager of Ship Technical Group,  K” LINE
An image of Ammonia Fueled Car Carrier

“K” Line has revised a part of its long-term environmental guideline, “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050*1, and has set a new goal for 2050 ” to achieve net zero GHG emissions”.

The world is facing an urgent need to strengthen its measures to climate change, and governments and industries are accelerating their efforts to achieve net zero GHG emissions in 2050. Under such circumstances, our group is challenging to achieve a higher goal of “Net Zero GHG Emissions in 2050”, and this research is one of the initiatives that will lead to the goal in 2050.

As a comprehensive logistics group based on the shipping industry, “K” Line Group will continue to work to reduce its environmental impact in order to realize a sustainable society and increase its corporate value, based on its corporate philosophy of “contributing to the enrichment of people’s lives”.

*1 “K” LINE ENVIRONMENTAL VISION 2050 can be seen in below link:

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/csr/environment/management.html#002

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” LINE Obtains VSPS Regarding Australian Quarantine for Car Carrier

December 6, 2021 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) has obtained certification of “Vessel Seasonal Pest Scheme” (VSPS) from Australia Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment for car carriers under “K” LINE’s operation on November 18th, 2021.

The Australian Government has reinforced their quarantine at vessels calling at Australian port to prevent invasion of an alien species such as stink bugs which would harm agriculture, and car carriers and cargo will be strictly inspected.

Agricultural pest, like stink bugs that are inspection target invade vessels during loading operation in winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. Stink bugs tend to be more active as the temperature rises near Australian ports.

Therefore, from September to May, which are summertime in Australia, are regarded as high-risk season.

VSPS certification has been granted to shipping company that meets standards set by Australian Government. “K” LINE’s measures (conducting thoroughness of cleaning inside cargo holds before cargo loading, checking cargo inside cargo holds while voyage and so on) have been determined to meet their criteria.

VSPS approval enables to proceed quarantine smoothly when vessels call Australian port, and we expect it will reduce vessels’ schedule delay risk.

“K” LINE continues to make efforts to reduce risks of invasion of an alien species into Australia in compliance with Australian environmental policy and provide high quality and stable services.

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” LINE Conducts Trial Use of Marine Biofuel for Decarbonization on Car Carrier

December 2, 2021 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is pleased to announce that we have conducted a trial use of marine biofuel which was supplied by global integrated energy company bp on car carrier “POLARIS HIGHWAY”.

“K” LINE signed a deal for marine biofuel supply with bp.  The marine biofuel was delivered to the vessel at the Dutch port of Flushing on Nov 6th, 2021. After leaving Europe Emission Control Area, the vessel conducted the trial use of the marine biofuel.

Marine biofuel (Note 1) has the potential to become an environmentally friendly alternative fuel, it will be able to reduce CO2 by about 80-90% in the well-to-wake (from fuel generation to consumption) process without changing current engine specifications.

This marine biofuel uses renewable organic resources such as biomass which don’t utilize as foodstuff and feed crop.

In “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future- (Note2), we have set the 2030 interim target of improving CO2 emission efficiency by 50% over 2008, surpassing the IMO target of 40% improvement. Furthermore, we set our new target for 2050 as “The Challenge of Achieving Net -Zero GHG Emissions”. As an action plan, we will continue to work on the introduction of new fuels, which have a low environmental impact and take on the challenge of achieving the targets set forth.

(Note1) Biofuel

Biofuels are made from renewable organic resources like biomass. Therefore, although CO2 is emitted after its combustion, those emissions are compensated with the CO2 absorbed during the growth of the biogenic sources used as raw materials.

Furthermore, for its production, waste and residues that need to be disposed of can be reused. Some examples are Used Cooking Oil collected from restaurants and residential households and animal fats. This will avoid the use of raw materials that compete with food or feed market.

Both the biofuels feedstocks origination and its production along the supply chain are sustainability certified following the criteria of international recognized standards so its generation and traceability are guaranteed by independent third party, ultimately contributing to deployment of biofuels as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels around the world.

(Note2) “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 “Blue Seas For the Future”

As an action plan for GHG reduction, we are introducing zero-emission fuels such as ammonia and hydrogen fuels, as well as carbon-neutral fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic fuels.

Filed Under: "K" Line

Capacity restoration is key to crisis recovery

December 1, 2021 by

Shippers found alternative means of getting their goods to market as available container shipping services maxed out and service patterns changed to serve congested routes.

Global trade continued to grow in Quarter 3 2021 but with deployed container shipping capacity fully utilized, that additional growth was being moved by a mix of air freight, rail services between China and Europe, and own-charter vessels or services provided by non-liner carriers.

Commenting on the findings of the latest Container Shipping Market Quarterly Review, published by the Global Shippers Forum and MDS Transmodal, James Hookham, GSF Director said:

“The Container Shipping Market Review shows the extent to which shippers sought out alternatives, as shipping lines priced themselves out of reach and narrowed the cost difference with offerings from other modes. A measurable share is also accounted for by vessels chartered by shippers for their own goods, or by other non-liner shipping carriers.”

The chart shows the growth in world trade since Q2 2020, as recorded by landed imported volumes (gold line) and the slightly declining volumes carried by scheduled ocean liner services since that time (blue line). The difference being international unitisable trade that is being moved other than by scheduled liner shipping service. 
Source: MDS Transmodal, World Cargo Database November 2021 & Container Trades Statistics

Looking to the future, James Hookham continued:

“The Great Shipping Crisis of 2021 has taken many casualties as shippers trapped between record rates and very poor service levels struggled to fulfil delivery deadlines for imports destined for the holiday sales season. Shippers will be watching anxiously to see how quickly these conditions abate in 2022, and whether the use of these alternative services will continue to grow”.

“Shipping lines are attributing the cause of the Crisis to severe congestion in ports and logistics bottlenecks inland. But this means that, as these conditions ease post-peak season and output dips in Chinese New Year, container shipping capacity levels should increase to match shippers’ demand more closely. This recovery in capacity could accelerate if consumers switch spending to services rather than goods, and interest rate hikes and higher energy costs take their toll on discretionary spending”.

New analysis in the Review reveals the extent to which shipping lines have adjusted global service patterns with many more ‘shuttle services’ being introduced at the expense of services making multiple port calls in different regions. This reduces the number of countries with direct connections to their export markets and requires more frequent transfer of loads between services at hub ports, such as Singapore and Colombo.

Mike Garratt, Chairman of MDS Transmodal, said:

“Our review this quarter has examined how alliance members have expanded their role in developing consortia and therefore market shares and the way in which they have addressed operational challenges in modifying route structures. This reduction in services linking multiple world regions has been accompanied by a decline in the number of countries that are directly connected.

“Given the dramatic growth in freight rates and declining service performance it is not surprising to see trade growing more quickly than container volumes on the established lines, as shippers have found other transport solutions; starting own shipping routes, using long-haul rail or air or semi-bulk traffics switching to conventional methods.”



The chart shows the increase in the number of scheduled liner services serving just two regions (gold line) and the decline in services making multiple port calls in more than two regions (Blue line) The number of countries benefitting from direct connections has been in decline of since 2019.
 Source: MDS Transmodal, Containership Databank November 2021

Notes to Editors

  1. Mike Garratt, Chairman of MDS Transmodal, is available for interview. Please contact +44 (0) 1244 348301
  1. James Hookham, Secretary General of GSF, is available for interview. Please contact: +44 (0) 7818 450440; secretariat@globalshippersforum.com
  1. Media Contact:  The Container Shipping Market Quarterly Review for Quarter 3 2021 is available in PDF format on request from Maria Udy, Portcare International. maria@portcare.com +44 (0) 7979 868539.
  1. The Container Shipping Market Quarterly Review is produced every three months and reports, interprets and comments on trends and developments in the container shipping market as experienced and understood by shippers – the importers and exporting businesses that own the cargo carried on container ships. Shippers are the customers of the container shipping industry.
  1. The Review collates and reports outputs from MDS Transmodal’s established and respected Container Business Model and other tools that are relied upon by governments and international agencies around the world. Working with GSF, MDST has generated eight new indicators showing how the market is performing in terns that are relevant and applicable to shippers as users and customers of these services. A copy of the Shippers Dashboard summarising these findings follows these notes.
  1. MDS Transmodal (MDST, www.mdst.co.uk) is a UK firm of transport economists which specialises in maritime and all other modes of freight transport. MDST works with senior management in the public and private sectors to provide strategic advice based on quantitative analysis, modelling and sectoral expertise.
  1. Global Shippers Forum (www.globalshippersforum.com) is the global business organisation speaking up for exporters and importers as cargo owners in international supply chains and trade procedures. Its members are national and regional shippers’ associations representing hundreds of manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing businesses in over 20 countries across five continents. GSF works for safe, competitively efficient, and environmentally sustainable global trade and logistics.
Filed Under: Global Shippers Forum

“K” Line : Introduction of AI-Powered Contract Intelligence Platform

December 1, 2021 by

We, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (“K” LINE), have decided to introduce a cloud-based AI-powered “Contract Intelligence Platform”（Evisort）provided by Evisort Inc. (Note1) in our contract ecosystem.

We have invested a significant amount of effort in the management and risk control of the vast and diverse contract documents generated by global business operations. By utilizing Evisort, we will improve operational efficiency by centrally managing contracts in the cloud. It also works with other systems to optimize and standardize complex and fragmented end-to-end contract lifecycles, from contract creation and negotiation to approval and post-contract management including reporting. In addition, we will be able to recognize and manage contract related risks efficiently and effectively by Evisort with cutting-edge AI to enable immediate analysis of marine transportation and logistics specific contracts.

We will strengthen risk management and governance through the utilization of Evisort. At the same time, we will strive to improve corporate value through better use of digital technology and operational efficiency through company-wide BPR, as stipulated in the management plan.　(Note2)

Functional overview of Evisort]

(Note1) Evisort Inc. (https://www.evisort.com/):

Evisort is the leading provider of contract management and AI technology for legal, procurement, sales, finance, and IT teams,founded in 2016 by Harvard Law and MIT alumni. Evisort’s Contract Intelligence Platform delivers rapid ROI in 30 days by centralizing contracts without requiring migration, using AI to track and search metadata and provisions without manual data entry, and enabling teams to draft, redline, approve, sign, report on, and renew contracts. Evisort is headquartered in Silicon Valley and backed by leading strategic and institutional investors including General Atlantic, Vertex Ventures, M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund), Amity Ventures, Village Global, and Serra Ventures.

(Note2) Management Plan (Released on May 10th, 2021)

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/ir/management/strategy.html

Filed Under: "K" Line

GEODIS announces acquisition of Transports Perrier

December 1, 2021 by

GEODIS has acquired Transports Perrier, a specialist in the transportation of palletized loads. The leader in LTL[1] transport in Poland following the recent acquisition of the PEKAES Group, GEODIS is expanding its capacity in its historical market and establishing a palletized transport network in France.

With its current positioning primarily based on carrying full loads and part-loads, the GEODIS Road Transport Line of Business now intends to strengthen its service offering in the LTL segment (1 to 6 pallets), in response to growth in market demand.

On the left: Olivier ROYER, Executive Vice President of the GEODIS Road Transport Line of Business ; on the right Bruno NEYRAT, President of the SOBOTRAM Group

Transports Perrier is a company that was created in 1955. It specializes in delivering palletized shipments and operates a fleet of 410 vehicles. It employs 260 people, including 160 drivers.

Located at key intersection points on some of the major transport routes throughout France, Transports Perrier’s five sites – Lons-Le-Saunier (in eastern France), Lunéville (north-east), Noves (south), Seiche-sur-le-Loir (west) and Liévin (north) – will become part of the GEODIS Road Transport Line of Business which comprises approximately 800 drivers and more than 1,000 vehicles.

“Our customers are looking for solutions for distributing shipments of 1 to 6 pallets within France,” said Olivier Royer, Executive Vice President of the GEODIS Road Transport Line of Business. “This demand has grown with the rise of e-commerce. This new acquisition adds to GEODIS’ existing resources and provides it with a supplementary network of locations throughout the country. For our customers, it will be a guarantee of reliable, high-quality service.”

The GEODIS Road Transport Line of Business employs over 4,300 people at 95 sites spread across 18 European countries.

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 global network spanning nearly 170 countries, is reflected by its top business rankings: no. 1 in France and no. 7 worldwide. In 2020, GEODIS employed over 41,000 people globally and generated €8.4 billion in revenue.

[1] LTL: less-than-truckload (i.e. partial loads).

Filed Under: GEODIS