Transport communications

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Archives for March 2023

“K” LINE Holds Global IT Conference 2023

March 27, 2023 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) held a global IT conference, aimed at driving its digital transformation (DX) strategy and strengthening security, at its head office in early March.

Approximately 40 IT/DX experts from major business locations in “K” LINE’s global network in 16 countries and regions gathered for the conference. With the president, CIO, people from the Digitalization Strategy Group, and representatives from “K” Line Business Systems Co., Ltd., the participants held lively discussions and workshops themed on DX projects in each country based on the DX strategy, including a robust IT infrastructure that permits more than 5,400 employees of the “K” LINE Group to work with peace of mind, as well as advanced security measures that reassure customers with their reliability.

Many of the participants noted that sharing the achievements from DX projects will help improve customer services at each location and that reinforcing the IT infrastructure is essential not only internally but also for participating in the marine transportation and logistics ecosystem. They reaffirmed that it is support for enhancing “K” LINE’s core values of safety, environmental conservation, and quality in the IT/DX field that leads to higher corporate value. They also reconfirmed that the head office and business locations in the global network would cooperate even more strongly to further accelerate the improvement of the IT/DX environment in each country or region.

“K” LINE is driving digitalization as a functional strategy for achieving its business strategy under the Medium-term Management Plan announced in May 2022. The company will continue to bolster its corporate value and solve social issues in the IT/DX field as well, aiming to be a group of marine transportation professionals that reassure stakeholders with their reliability.

Reference

DX Strategy of “K” LINE announced in December 2022

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/sustainability/dx_strategy.html

Filed Under: "K" Line

Industry Groups Agree Common Action on Crucial Safety Issues

March 21, 2023 by

The coming together of five organisations with shared visions for the safety and security of global trade will take advantage of unified information and data sources to bring greater awareness and understanding of issues with the goal of producing preventative output.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on 16 March 2023 by representatives of the five organisations:

  • Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS)
  • Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP)
  • Container Owners Association (COA)
  • International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA)
  • Ship Message Design Group (SMDG)
(l-r) Adam Parnell – Chirp, Dirk Van de Velde – CINS, John Beckett – ICHCA, Mark Lefebvre – CINS, Patrick Hicks – COA.

The participants have a commonality of purpose to create a framework for cooperation that enables each group to benefit from each other’s activities in respect of their strategies in areas of joint interest.  These will, in the immediate future concentrate on improved safety during the global transport and handling of goods that have the potential to cause injury to the workforce and/or damage to the environment and the goods themselves.

John Beckett, Chair of ICHCA commented, “This unique grouping of industry leaders has the potential to coordinate data, research and best practices across the broad spectrum of the international movement of cargo.  A key goal is to create an awareness throughout the freight industry, amongst operators, regulators and policy makers as to practical and effective measures to improve safety.”

A fundamental part of the group’s output will be publications, an aim that is close to the heart of Deputy Chair of CINS, Dirk Van de Velde, “As an example of where immediate attention is required, container ship fires are high on the list,” he said.  “The combined knowledge, experience and database resource of the signatories to this MOU, managed in a coordinated manner, have massive potential to leverage change in safety processes.  We will be publishing guidance on the treatment of lithium-ion batteries, among other cargoes, in the near future.”

In search of practical changes that will alleviate such dangers, the MOU calls for coordinated efforts both on regional and international issues of common concern and engagement with relevant regulatory bodies including the IMO and other appropriate United Nations agencies.

Other stated aims include working together to initiate innovative worldwide surveys and studies that can assist with the furtherance of these organisations on behalf of their members and associates.  There will also be sharing of research findings and publications to strengthen information exchange, while avoiding duplication of effort by pooling resources.

“ CHIRP Maritime is delighted to be part of the MOU. CHIRP Maritime will work with our partners to collect information on operational cargo-related accidents and incidents and share learning with the wider maritime community to promote best practices in the supply chain and reduce the number of cargo incidents on board ships and terminals” explained CHIRP’s David Watkins.

Filed Under: ICHCA

“K” LINE Awarded CDP’s “Supplier Engagement Leader”

March 20, 2023 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is pleased to announce that the company was recognized as “Supplier Engagement Leader” for five consecutive years, the top rating, on “Supplier Engagement Rating” from CDP, which is a non-profit global organization engaging in activities for investigating and disclosing environmental information, on March 15th.

“Supplier Engagement Rating” evaluates the companies’ initiatives for climate change and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the supply chain and ranks the companies in line with their efforts. Our strategies and initiatives were evaluated on “Supplier Engagement Rating”.

This year 653 companies, including 130 Japanese companies, out of approximately 8,200 companies were awarded as “Supplier Engagement Leaderboard” worldwide. 

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

February 6, 2023: “K” LINE Posted CEO Message as CDP2022 “A List” Company

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr284167388746905686/main/0/link/230206EN.pdf

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” Line hold a Crew Development Seminar in India

March 16, 2023 by

― With the Theme, “Changing Forward” ―

K Marine Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (KMSM), * a ship management company that is part of the Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) group, held a crew seminar in Mumbai, India for two days from March 1st. More than 50 Indian seafarers (officers) from oil tankers, LNG carriers, LPG carriers, and LNG bunkering ship managed by KMSM attended the crew seminar. The event included a lively exchange of opinions and a workshop together with KMSM superintendents on root cause analysis and recurrence prevention examining actual accidents and mental healthcare matters. After the crew seminar, KMSM held a long-service award ceremony, and a social gathering to which families were also invited.

“K” LINE President & CEO Yukikazu Myochin made speech at the crew seminar

President Yukikazu Myochin and many “K” LINE’s executives attended the seminar. At the long-service award ceremony, the president and the vice president expressed gratitude for their contributions to safe operations over many years and their achievements fostering the next generation. In addition, we expressed our gratitude to the seafarers for their fulfilling their responsibilities without stopping sea transportation in the extremely difficult onboard environment during the COVID-19 pandemic over the past three years.

Front line from left:
Masatoshi Taguchi, Managing Executive Officer, “K” LINE
Atsuo Asano, Vice President Executive Officer & Representative Director, “K” LINE
Yukikazu Myochin, President & CEO, “K” LINE
Shoji Fukuda, CEO, KMSM
Akihiro Fujimaru, Executive Officer, “K” LINE

Based on our corporate principle of contributing to the enrichment of people’s lives as a shipping company that is trusted globally and centered on the shipping industry, the “K” LINE group aims to achieve sustainable growth and increase its corporate value while moving toward the realization of low-carbon operations and the decarbonization of our company and society.

Through these activities, “K” LINE Group will deepen its understanding of seafarers and their families, who contribute to sea transportation around the world, and build strong connections with them, thereby immersing them in our corporate culture of safety, enabling this culture to mature and providing safe operations and high-quality transportation services.

* K Marine Ship Management Pte. Ltd. Established in Singapore in January 2022, it is the wholly owned “K” LINE subsidiary that is the core company of the “K” LINE Group for ship management and the crewing of oil tankers, LNG carriers, LPG carriers, and LNG bunkering ships. Released on Oct.27, 2022: Opening Ceremony of K Marine Ship Management Pte. Ltd.

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr8649352863466748083/main/0/link/221027EN.pdf

Filed Under: "K" Line

GEODIS expands offering to retail sector with new lease on multi-user facility in Shanghai’s Minhang District

March 15, 2023 by

A 10-year lease on the facility will continue to grow GEODIS’ presence in China and offer logistics solutions for the growing e-commerce industry

GEODIS, a global leader in the transport and logistics sector, has signed a 10-year lease agreement with PRD Group for a 20,000 square-meter multi-user facility in Minhang district, Shanghai. The facility is set to bolster GEODIS’ contract logistics capabilities for retail partners, providing improved storage and inventory processing to support the fast-growing e-commerce industry that is expected to be worth USD 2 trillion in Asia Pacific by 2025[1].

The new facility is slated to officially open to GEODIS’ customers in July 2023 and will include a state-of-the-art storage system, consisting of mezzanine flooring, Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) pallet racks, and racking served by Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV). The facility will provide the space needed to support large merchandise inventory as well as inbound and outbound procedures. At peak capacity, the site will be able to manage an inventory of close to 20,000 Stock-Keeping Units (SKU). This will include having the space to process up to 300,000 lines per day for GEODIS’ Business-to-Consumer (B2C) customers, in addition to approximately 15,000 lines per day for its Business-to-Business (B2B) clientele.

“Retailers today are facing a dynamic environment, where the rise of e-commerce and omnichannel platforms are changing consumer demands for goods and services. Our goal as a logistics provider is to support our customers – and theirs – by meeting these demands. With this strategic partnership with PRD Group, GEODIS will be tapping into the developed multi-user facility in Shanghai to optimize retail supply chains and provide innovative solutions that not only match but exceed the standards of service required by our retail partners to better serve their customers,” said Onno Boots, Regional President & CEO, GEODIS Asia Pacific and Middle East. “We are excited to work closely with our partners to integrate GEODIS’ operations into the facility in 2023 and continue our ongoing journey to being the strategic logistics partner of choice in the region.”

As part of this facility, retail customers can also expect Value-Added Services (VAS) such as packaging and re-packaging, re-labelling, quality control as well as the handling of return shipments and reclamations.

Aligning with GEODIS’ commitment of advancing sustainable supply chain growth, the lease will also provide the company access to concrete processes that manage carbon emissions, including the use of sustainable construction materials for the warehouse façade, LED lights and motion sensors, automatic energy consumption monitoring systems, which actively keep track of electricity usage, as well as energy-efficient air conditioners. These features in the developed site have been certified ‘Platinum’ by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the highest level of accreditation within the most widely used green building rating system in the world. To complement these, GEODIS’ delivery fleet within the district will also consist of electric vans for urban delivery.

[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005631/en/E-Commerce-Sales-in-Asia-Pacific-to-Nearly-Double-by-2025-Reaching-USD-2-Trillion

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 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked world no. 6 in its sector. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.

Filed Under: GEODIS

“K “Line : Notice Concerning Revisions to the Remuneration System for Executives

March 14, 2023 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) hereby announces that it has resolved to revise its remuneration system (hereinafter referred to as “the Revisions to the Remuneration System”) for Directors (Executive directors only) and Executive Officers (hereinafter referred to as “Directors, etc.”), as follows. The resolution was made by the Company’s Board of Directors at its meeting held today.

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/ir/auto_20230313529645/pdfFile.pdf

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K “Line : Notice Regarding Cancellation of Treasury Stock

March 14, 2023 by

(Cancellation of Treasury Stock Pursuant to Article 178 of the Companies Act of Japan)

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/ir/auto_20230313529642/pdfFile.pdf

Filed Under: "K" Line

C-level promotions at TT Club reflect planned progression for senior executives

March 14, 2023 by

International freight and logistics insurer TT Club has announced two new appointments to senior positions as part of its planned succession programme. Kevin King has been promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Mark Argentieri to Chief Operating Officer (COO) in place of King. Both King and Argentieri have been working closely with TT’s CEO, Charles Fenton, in recent years ensuring a smooth handover of responsibilities, as Fenton positions the Club in anticipation of his stepping down from the CEO role at the end of 2023.

Charles Fenton, Chief Executive Officer

Beyond then, Fenton will remain close to the business, having assumed the role of Chairman of Thomas Miller Holdings (TT’s management company) in 2021.  He will continue to support the Manager’s relationship with the TT Club Board and the promotion of the Club internationally.

Kevin King, Deputy Chief Executive Officer

King is a twenty-six-year veteran of Thomas Miller, having held positions in a number of its managed businesses in the United States before moving to London in 2015 to lead TT’s EMEA region and more latterly serve as its COO.

Mark Argentieri, Chief Operating Officer

Argentieri has led the TT team in the EMEA region for the last three years having previously gained experience with both TT and the London Market in a range of marine classes of insurance including port and terminal, forwarder and logistics operator cover. His EMEA leadership role included responsibility for the growth of the business and its service delivery.  Argentieri’s management skills have reinforced TT’s reputation for delivering a superior service for Members across the underwriting, claims and loss prevention functions, and he continues to look for new ways the Club can add value to the membership.

Together these two senior executives will help sustain TT’s tradition of specialised expertise in the global freight transport arena while advancing the Club’s position on ESG issues; carefully adopting the benefits of data mining and AI technology; maintaining industry-leading loss prevention activity, and maximising Member retention and growth.

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 97% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

https://www.ttclub.com

Filed Under: TT Club

HPC carries out technical due diligence for Hapag-Lloyd’s participation in J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited

March 13, 2023 by

Hamburg, 13 March 2023 – HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) is pleased to announce that it has performed the technical due diligence for Hapag-Lloyd as a basis for investment in a share of J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited (JMBPL). The participation involves 12 port terminal & logistic facilities in India and enhances Hapag-Lloyd’s engagement in the terminal sector in attractive growth markets.

JMBPL provides broad industry-focused logistics sector coverage to cater to future growth opportunities. Its diverse portfolio includes infrastructure, technology, logistics, and integrated services, enabling physical and digital coverage of India-based supply chain. Through its participation in JMBPL, Hapag-Lloyd aims at further strengthening its position in the attractive Indian market and jointly developing new business opportunities.

As an investor, Hapag-Lloyd wished to obtain an independent opinion from an internationally recognized consultant regarding the feasibility of an investment in the development of JMBPL. HPC was commissioned to support the participation process by conducting on-site inspections of the port facilities and carrying out technical due diligence. This provided sound insight to support decision making in the investment process.

“Terminal investments help us to actively influence an essential part of the value chain, determining the service level and quality for our customers and supporting our access to key markets. To conduct thorough due diligence for such an investment we relied on a partner who knows terminal operations inside out. HPC has thoroughly investigated the condition of the JMBPL terminals, appraised the investment levels necessary and assessed post-merger potentiality. HPC is a trusted partner for us, and we are very happy with the important role they played to support this transaction”, said Lisa Radke, Head of Global Terminal & Transport Procurement at Hapag-Lloyd.

As part of its comprehensive due diligence, HPC conducted an operations and technical assessment, including feasibility and risk analysis, as well as equipment and civil engineering assessments.

“As a global port consultancy with roots in terminal operations, we can assist our clients with advice on potential transactions from an operational, commercial, and technological point of view,” said Suheil Mahayni, Managing Director at HPC. “Close cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd’s team was crucial to the success of this assessment project. The open and transparent discussions with all parties created an atmosphere of trust from the beginning. This has enabled us to deliver a thorough valuation of the terminal operator and its assets for our client in a short period of time.”

With its operational expertise and holistic approach, HPC is well-positioned to help clients navigate complex acquisitions and make informed investment decisions.

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

HPC führte technische Due Diligence für Hapag-Lloyd Beteiligung an J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited durch

Hamburg, 13. März 2023 – HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) hat für Hapag-Lloyd die technische Due Diligence als Grundlage für eine Beteiligung an der J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited (JMBPL) durchgeführt. Die Beteiligung umfasst 12 Hafenterminals und Logistikanlagen in Indien und erweitert Hapag-Lloyd‘s Engagement im Terminalbereich in attraktiven Wachstumsmärkten.

JMBPL bietet eine breite, branchenorientierte Abdeckung des logistiksektors, um zukünftige Wachstumschancen zu nutzen. Das vielfältige Portfolio umfasst Infrastruktur, Technologie, Logistik und integrierte Dienstleistungen, so dass die physische als auch digitale Abdeckung der indischen Lieferkette ermöglicht werden kann. Durch die Beteiligung an JMBPL will Hapag-Lloyd seine Position auf dem attraktiven indischen Markt weiter stärken und gemeinsam neue Geschäftsmöglichkeiten entwickeln.

Um eine unabhängige Meinung eines international anerkannten Beraters über die Machbarkeit einer Investition in die Entwicklung von JMBPL einzuholen, hat Hapag-Lloyd. HPC beauftragt, den Beteiligungsprozess durch die Besichtigung der Hafenanlagen vor Ort und die Durchführung einer technischen Due Diligence zu unterstützen. Dies lieferte fundierte Erkenntnisse für die Entscheidungsfindung im Investitionsprozess.

“Terminalinvestitionen helfen uns, einen wesentlichen Teil der Wertschöpfungskette aktiv zu gestalten. Sie wirken sich positiv auf das Dienstleistungsniveau und die Qualität für unsere Kunden aus und unterstützen uns zugleich, wichtige Märkte zu erschließen. Um eine gründliche Due-Diligence-Prüfung für diese Investition durchzuführen, haben wir uns auf einen Partner verlassen, der den Terminalbetrieb sehr gut kennt,” sagt Lisa Radke, Leiterin des Bereichs Global Terminal & Transport Procurement bei Hapag-Lloyd und ergänzt: „HPC hat den Zustand der JMBPL-Terminals untersucht, das erforderliche Investitionsniveau abgeschätzt, das Potenzial einer erfolgten Beteiligung bewertet und sich dabei als zuverlässiger Partner erwiesen. Wir sind mit dem Support von HPC bei dieser Transaktion sehr zufrieden.“

Im Rahmen der umfassenden Due-Diligence-Prüfung führte HPC eine betriebliche und technische Bewertung durch, einschließlich einer Machbarkeits- und Risikoanalyse sowie einer Bewertung des Terminal-Equipments und des baulichen Zustands.

“Als globales Hafenberatungsunternehmen mit Wurzeln im Terminalbetrieb können wir unsere Kunden bei potenziellen Transaktionen aus betrieblicher, kommerzieller und technologischer Sicht beraten”, so Suheil Mahayni, Geschäftsführer von HPC. “Die enge Zusammenarbeit mit dem Team von Hapag-Lloyd war entscheidend für den Erfolg dieses Bewertungsprojekts. Die offenen und transparenten Diskussionen mit allen Beteiligten schufen von Anfang an eine Atmosphäre des Vertrauens. Dadurch waren wir in der Lage, in sehr kurzer Zeit eine umfassende Bewertung des Terminalbetreibers und seiner Vermögenswerte für unseren Kunden zu erstellen.”

Mit seiner operativen Expertise und seinem ganzheitlichen Beratungsansatz ist HPC gut aufgestellt, um Kunden bei komplexen Akquisitionen zu unterstützen und fundierte Investitionsentscheidungen zu treffen.

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

Filed Under: HPC Hamburg Port Consulting

Award launched to recognise talent in supply chain security

March 8, 2023 by

Specialist international freight transport insurer TT Club is teaming up with the Transported Asset Protection Association’s (TAPA) Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region to encourage the next generation of supply chain security professionals to excel. Entries for the first ‘Young Supply Chain Resilience Professional of the Year’ award are now opened until 28 April 2023.

Both TT and TAPA EMEA are dedicated to bringing insight into the complex theft trends that exist within international supply chains.  With the aim of increasing awareness of the challenges in combatting such crime, the organisations also promote where possible risk mitigation guidelines and activities.  To these ends they are launching an annual award programme celebrating the successes of young supply chain security professionals and the next generation of leaders in supply chain resilience.

Explaining the motives behind the award, Mike Yarwood TT’s Managing Director, Loss Prevention said, “We wish to identify, inspire and reward young talent in the industry, encouraging them to continue to innovate, communicate with their peers and strive for greater security throughout the supply chain sector.”

The entry process starts on the 6 March and concludes on the 28 April.  With judging taking place in May, the winner will be invited to receive their award at TAPA EMEA’s RESILIENCE@RISK Conference in Amsterdam on 14 & 15 June 2023.

Each award entrant is being asked to contribute up to a 1,500 word submission based on a supply chain security related project in which they have been involved, with particular attention to the complexity of the issue, the originality and innovative nature of the solution and successes achieved. The judges, comprised of the TAPA EMEA and TT leadership will develop an objective scoring matrix in order to determine the finalists and eventual award winner.

Thorsten Neumann, President & CEO of TAPA EMEA emphasises the possible multiple benefits resulting from the awards programme as a whole, “In addition to the encouragement of young talent in our industry, we have aspirations of identifying good practice and innovative supply chain security solutions that we know proliferate internationally across the sector.  Our award and the attention it will hopefully attract will have the effect of promoting such activities, sharing them on an industry-wide basis for the benefit of all.”

The application form is available to download from the TAPA EMEA website LINK

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 97% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

https://www.ttclub.com

About TAPA EMEA

TAPA EMEA was formed in 2000 to tackle the multi-billion euro problem of cargo thefts from supply chains. Today, it boasts over 900 member companies in the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region, including many of the world’s biggest manufacturers and logistics service providers as well as leading SME freight forwarding and transport operators, insurers, law enforcement agencies, security service providers, and other stakeholders.

TAPA EMEA is working to minimise cargo losses and increase supply chain resilience by helping its member companies top understand and manage risks. TAPA EMEA achieves this through the development and application of its global supply chain Security Standards, collating and sharing of cargo crime incident intelligence, training, networking and through its support of, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies, governmental and regulatory bodies.  For more information go to www.tapaemea.org

Filed Under: TT Club
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