Archives for February 2023

GEODIS Opens New Cross-dock Facility for Conforama in Poland

February 8, 2023 by Julia Hiles

French home furnishings retailer benefits from new location for its consolidation of supplies from Eastern Europe operated by long-term logistics distribution partner GEODIS.

Conforama has partnered with GEODIS for both consolidation and distribution services to optimize and organize the delivery of its products manufactured and assembled at twenty sites in Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, before being distributed to its 167 retail outlets throughout France.

Operations that for Conforama have been carried out for the past eight years at the Wroclaw site have been transferred to a new location in Pietrzykowice in the southwestern region of Lower Silesia. The new 51,000 square meters (sqm) facility answers all Conforama’s needs. It also offers a possibility to extend the space by a further 17,000 sqm.

The site offers many advantages for Conforama, especially direct access to road networks for delivery to stores in France, and a modern construction with benefits in terms of energy savings and safe working conditions. Operationally, the facility has a greater storage capacity, more loading/unloading ramps and docks and the flexibility to better manage seasonal peaks in demand.

The Supply Chain Director of Conforama, François-Xavier Forestier is pleased with the move, “We are confident that the cross-docking operation in Poland will efficiently process products from multiple suppliers, consolidating them into loads for our individual outlets. The advantages of effective inventory management through GEODIS’ IT capabilities will also be beneficial to us.”

“We would like to thank our client Conforama for the trust he has placed in us, which has resulted in the signing of a new long-term contract,” says Olivier Royer GEODIS Road Transport CEO. “The implementation of this solution for Conforama has been possible thanks to the collaboration between the developer MountPark and GEODIS teams at Pietrzykowice whose work is proving once again our commitment and capacity to deliver the most appropriate solution in order to help our customers to grow their activities.”

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 44,000 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 7 in its sector across the world. In 2021, GEODIS generated €10.9 billion in revenue.

Filed Under: GEODIS

HPC prepares concept study for a hydrogen bunker station on the deep-sea island of Helgoland

February 7, 2023 by Julia Hiles

Hamburg, 7 February 2023 – The municipality of Helgoland has commissioned HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) to carry out a concept study for the construction of a hydrogen bunker station on the deep-sea island. The study will require HPC to investigate the commercial and infrastructural suitability of the island as a potential location for H2 fuel supply for shipping traffic on the North Sea.

Driven by international sustainability goals and efforts to significantly reduce climate-damaging carbon dioxide emissions caused by shipping, ship owners are looking to power their vessels using alternative fuels. While the use of LNG-powered container ships has already become standard, the market is looking for renewable alternatives with long-term potential. Current research focuses on methanol, ammonia and hydrogen drives to replace conventional marine diesel fuels.

So that alternatively powered ships can be employed on a large scale, a corresponding bunker infrastructure must be available in ports. The island of Helgoland is frequented in particular by crew transfer vessels (CTVs), passenger and research ships and recreational craft. At the same time, green hydrogen from the AquaPrimus project will be available on Helgoland in the future.

“Taking into account the good availability of green hydrogen in the area of the island, we would like to examine the extent to which Helgoland can also reliably provide a supply for ships calling there in the future,” says Christoph Tewis, project manager for AquaCore and the TransHyDE project Helgoland.

The concept study carried out by HPC includes, on the one hand, evaluating the market potential of alternative fuels for island shipping with the aim of estimating the potential demand. Taking the local framework conditions into consideration, various refuelling concepts for hydrogen are then examined. Another focus is to investigate the conditions and prerequisites for the possible location of a hydrogen bunkering station with reference to suitable plans to ensure the logistics of supplying the fuel. In addition to evaluating and recommending such plans, the study will include initial estimates of the necessary investments.

“The results of the study will better enable the municipality of Helgoland and its partners to make an investment decision based on realistic costs,” says Patrick Specht, Head of Sustainability at HPC.

HPC is already credited with carrying out various national and international innovative energy projects for ship technologies and port infrastructure, including the preparation of a test centre for fuel cell vehicles in the port context for a Hamburg terminal operator.

The concept study for a hydrogen bunker station on Helgoland is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the hydrogen lead project TransHyDe. One of three hydrogen lead projects of the Ministry, TransHyDE supports the goals of the National Hydrogen Strategy, which was adopted by the Federal Government in 2020. The hydrogen lead projects involve the research and development of new technologies and application solutions for the production, storage and transport of green hydrogen.

For more information on port advisory services, please visit the website: www.hamburgportconsulting.com

About HPC

HPC Hamburg Port Consulting operates as a logistics consulting company, specialising in strategy and transformation services for the ports, terminals, and rail sectors. Since its establishment in 1976, the Hamburg-based consulting company has delivered more than 1,750 projects across 135 countries spanning six continents, along the entire port project development cycle. HPC employs about 100 domain experts with a background as terminal operators, software engineers, logistics managers, transport economists and mathematicians. As a subsidiary of the Hamburg Port and Logistics Corporation (HHLA), HPC has its roots in port handling of container, breakbulk and multipurpose, as well as hinterland operations. www.hamburgportconsulting.com

HPC erstellt Konzeptstudie für eine Wasserstoff-Bunkerstation auf der Hochseeinsel Helgoland

Hamburg, 7. Februar 2023 – Die Gemeinde Helgoland hat HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) mit einer Konzeptstudie für die Errichtung einer Wasserstoff-Bunkerstation auf der Hochseeinsel Helgoland beauftragt. HPC wird die kommerzielle und infrastrukturelle Eignung der Insel als Standort für die H2-Kraftstoffversorgung der Schiffsverkehre auf der Nordsee untersuchen.

Befördert durch internationale Nachhaltigkeitsziele sowie die Bestrebung, den klimaschädlichen Kohlendioxidausstoß der Schifffahrt signifikant zu reduzieren, entwickeln die Reeder alternative Lösungen zum Antrieb ihrer Schiffe. Während LNG-betriebene Containerschiffe bereits serienmäßig eingesetzt werden, sucht der Markt langfristig nach erneuerbaren Alternativen. Im Zentrum der Forschung liegen derzeit Methanol-, Ammoniak- und Wasserstoffantriebe zur Ablösung herkömmlicher Schiffsdieselkraftstoffe.

Um den großflächigen Einsatz alternativ bebunkerter Schiffe zu ermöglichen, muss eine entsprechende Bunkerinfrastruktur in Häfen vorhanden sein. Die Insel Helgoland wird insbesondere von Besatzungs-Transferschiffen (CTVs), Passagier- und Forschungsschiffen sowie Sportbooten frequentiert. Gleichzeitig soll auf Helgoland zukünftig grüner Wasserstoff aus dem Projekt AquaPrimus zur Verfügung stehen.

„Mit Blick auf die gute Verfügbarkeit von Grünen Wasserstoff im Inselgebiet möchten wir prüfen, inwiefern die Insel Helgoland künftig auch die Versorgung der Helgoland anlaufenden Schiffe verlässlich anbieten kann“, sagt Christoph Tewis, Projektleiter für AquaCore und das TransHyDE-Projekt Helgoland.

Die von HPC durchgeführte Konzeptstudie umfasst zum einen, das Marktpotential von alternativen Kraftstoffen für die Insel-Schiffsverkehre zu evaluieren, um den potentiellen Bedarf zu konkretisieren. Unter Berücksichtigung der örtlichen Rahmenbedingungen werden daraufhin verschiedene Betankungskonzepte für Wasserstoff untersucht. Ein zweiter Schwerpunkt liegt darauf, die Bedingungen und Voraussetzungen für einen möglichen Standort für eine Wasserstoff-Bunkerstation unter Bezugnahme passender Konzepte zur Gewährleistung der Versorgungslogistik zu untersuchen. Neben der Bewertung und Empfehlung eines geeigneten Konzeptes wird die Studie erste Schätzungen zu den notwendigen Investitionen enthalten.

„Die Ergebnisse der Studie werden die Gemeinde Helgoland und ihre Partner besser in die Lage versetzen, eine Investitionsentscheidung auf der Basis realistischer Kosten zu treffen“, sagt Patrick Specht, Leiter Nachhaltigkeit bei HPC.

HPC hat bereits verschiedene nationale und internationale innovative Energieprojekte für Schiffstechnologien und Hafeninfrastruktur durchgeführt, unter anderem bei der Vorbereitung eines Testcenters für Brennstoffzellen-Fahrzeuge im Hafenkontext für einen Hamburger Terminalbetreiber.

Die Konzeptstudie für eine Wasserstoff-Bunkerstation auf Helgoland wird im Rahmen des Wasserstoff-Leitprojekts TransHyDe durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung gefördert. TransHyDE ist eins der drei Wasserstoff-Leitprojekte des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung und unterstützt die Ziele der Nationalen Wasserstoffstrategie, die 2020 von der Bundesregierung verabschiedet wurde. Die Wasserstoff-Leitprojekte erforschen und entwickeln neue Technologien und Anwendungslösungen für die Erzeugung, die Speicherung und den Transport von Grünem Wasserstoff.

Weitere Informationen über Hafenberatungsdienste finden Sie auf der Website: www.hamburgportconsulting.com

Über HPC

HPC Hamburg Port Consulting ist ein Logistikberatungsunternehmen, das sich auf Strategie- und Transformationsdienstleistungen für die Sektoren Häfen, Terminals und Bahn spezialisiert hat. Seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 1976 hat das Hamburger Beratungsunternehmen mehr als 1.750 Projekte in 135 Ländern auf sechs Kontinenten durchgeführt, die den gesamten Entwicklungszyklus von Hafenprojekten abdecken. HPC beschäftigt rund 100 Fachexperten mit einem Hintergrund als Terminalbetreiber, Software-Ingenieure, Logistikmanager, Verkehrsökonomen und Mathematiker. Als Tochterunternehmen der Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) hat HPC seine Wurzeln im Hafenumschlag von Containern, Stückgut und Mehrzweckfracht sowie im Hinterlandverkehr. www.hamburgportconsulting.com

Filed Under: HPC Hamburg Port Consulting

“K” LINE : CEO Message as CDP2022 “A List” Company

February 7, 2023 by Julia Hiles

Yukikazu Myochin, President & CEO of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) delivered message as one of CDP2022 “A List” companies. The video message is posted on “K” LINE’s YouTube channel.

“K” LINE YouTube channel https://youtu.be/PkgrTNRdQEc

“K” LINE corporate website https://www.kline.co.jp/en/index.html *accessible from banner

“K” LINE was selected as “A List 2022”, the top rating, on climate change from CDP, which is a non-profit global organization engaging in activities for realizing sustainable economy, on December 13th, 2022. This is the seventh consecutive year that “K” LINE has been selected as an “A List” company, after being selected an “A List” company in 2016, in recognition of its leadership in transparency and performance in corporate sustainability on climate change. This year, the number of companies certified as “A List” companies for CDP Climate Change is 283 worldwide, 74 for Japanese companies including “K” LINE.

As a globally trusted logistics company rooted in 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”.

References

December 14, 2022: “K” LINE Selected for the 7th consecutive year on the “A List” https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr4387686973587805703/main/0/link/221214EN.pdf

“K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050.

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

Filed Under: "K" Line

SPECIAL PROCEDURES – THE KEYS TO UNLOCK DUTY SAVINGS

February 1, 2023 by Julia Hiles

Customs4trade NV (C4T), a leading customs SaaS solutions provider, has been explaining how exporting and importing manufacturers and traders can benefit from cost savings by incorporating Customs Special Procedures (SP) into their supply chain strategies.

Mechelen, Belgium 1st February, 2023

In a recent series of webinars, C4T focused on the various opportunities afforded by the use of Customs Special Procedures (SP) in many examples of manufacturing and value-added international supply chains.

Of course, since the UK left the Single Market, the relevance of British companies using SP within their customs declarations has increased to the tune of 27 additional trading partner countries. Gone are the days of seamless, customs-free trade between the UK and the EU. This is particularly significant for a number of reasons. The EU bloc is the biggest individual global trading partner for the UK, accounting for some 50% of the UK’s international trade. Moreover, its close proximity and the resulting speed and efficiency of freight transport services have for more than 30 years increasingly facilitated many integrated inbound and outbound value-added, processing and sub-manufacturing supply chains for a very large number of businesses. These are in perfect scope of SP and the inherent cost savings which can be achieved.

Against this backdrop, C4T has seen a big increase in post-Brexit enquiries over the past year or so from companies looking to take advantage of the potential cost savings offered by SP.

Some of the most commonly used components of SP are:

Inward Processing, whereby raw materials imported for manufacturing, processing or repair are not subject to duties
Customs Warehousing, which exempts goods from duties and taxes until they leave the warehouse
Outward Processing, under ‘Returned Goods Relief’ whereby goods temporarily exported for manufacturing, process or repair are not subject to duties

By way of example, polling during the webinars revealed that amongst the attendees, 53 % identified Returned Goods Relief as an important benefit, and 30% said that they’re investigating it.

‘Given the complexity of many businesses’ supply chains, with Europe and the rest of the world, and in context of the well-publicised upward pressures in operational supply chain costs, it’s become very important for organisations to ensure that they’re avoiding unnecessary duty payments,’ says Sam Blakeman, C4T’s Product Marketing Manager. ‘We’ve been happy to assist clients with the auditing of their supply chains to identify the SP opportunities where they exist, and in many cases to support them in their management of the applicable SP regimes using our cloud-based customs software tool, CAS.’

There have traditionally been barriers to companies implementing SP into their customs strategy. A lack of understanding within customs departments as to how SPs work is a case in point. Furthermore, companies can sometimes question whether they can manage, with full compliance, the various control tasks and obligations which come with the territory.

These include such things as obtaining the necessary authorisations and guarantees, administering and controlling stock levels and overseeing all aspects of discharge periods and issuing Bills of Discharge when appropriate.

Blakeman addresses these concerns and concludes: ‘We’re happy that through a combination of our highly consultative approach and the capabilities and functionalities of our CAS software platform, we are able to support our customers in their SP journey and help them to realise the duty cost savings that they are looking for in as pain-free a way as possible’.

About Customs4trade (C4T)

C4T has developed CAS, a collaborative hub, built on the Microsoft Azure platform delivered as a service (SaaS). It is designed to manage regional and worldwide customs and trade compliance quickly and accurately, with a digital-first approach, helping customers stay ahead of the digitisation of customs processes. CAS provides customers with continual updates and feature enhancements, including the incorporation of any changes to legislation and compliance regulation—along with Azure’s signature accessibility, scalability, and security.

Forward-thinking companies are turning to C4T to help them navigate customs and trade with native-cloud software and managed services for their organisation’s highest strategic benefit.

For more information or to contact the company, please visit www.customs4trade.com.  

C4T employs about 100 people in Mechelen, Belgium and Wigan, UK and has raised funding from European venture capital companies 83North, Hi Inov and 42CAP.

Filed Under: Customs4trade (C4T)

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