Transport communications

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Archives for October 2024

“K” LINE to Support Victims of Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam

October 10, 2024 by

The Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in northern Vietnam on September 7, caused severe damage to the area. We would like to pray for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and express our deepest sympathy to those affected by the disaster.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) has decided to provide a monetary donation of 2 million yen through the Vietnam Red Cross Society toward relief efforts in the areas damaged by the Typhoon.

We sincerely wish for the earliest recovery of the disaster-stricken areas.

Filed Under: "K" Line

Crucial Advice on Safe Transport of Charcoal Published

October 3, 2024 by

New “Guidelines for the Safe Carriage of Charcoal in Containers” have been issued by CINS, with the cooperation of the international Group (IG) of P&I insurance providers and TT Club. The regulatory requirements for transport by sea are outlined and additional precautionary measures proposed.

London, 3rd October 2024

The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), a safety initiative representing container shipping lines and maritime insurance interests has launched its latest advisory publication, ‘Guidelines for the Safe Carriage of Charcoal in Containers’.  It contains the provisions set out in the maritime dangerous goods regulations for the transport of this potentially combustible commodity, which is commonly shipped in volume, explaining these measures and providing additional guidance for all involved in this complex international supply chain.

The packaging, declaration and transport of charcoal must comply with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.  Significant new provisions have been agreed by the IMO (Amendment 42-24) and will come into transitional effect from 1 January 2025 with mandatory compliance required as of 2026. The Amendment means charcoal will no longer benefit from any IMDG code exemption.  The Guidelines however strongly recommend early adoption of the new regulations and explain in detail how compliance may be achieved. 

The CINS Guidelines, prepared and published in conjunction with the IG and international freight and logistics insurer TT Club, states, “It is estimated that global production of charcoal for domestic and export markets is over 50 million tonnes per year¹. From the incident records created by CINS members, it is known that there were at least 68 fire incidents on board ships  between January 2015 and December 2022. Most of these incidents were caused by misdeclared cargo and therefore the carrier was not aware of the hazards presented.”

The practices set out in the document are intended to address safety concerns, recognising that the key driver for change arises from charcoal intended as a fuel for burning.  The guidance also notes that there are other technical types of charcoal, such as used for art materials, which have a different risk profile, urging carriers to establish effective due diligence processes.

In view of the sensitivity of this fuel cargo and history of incidents, the publishers are recommending that it should be treated as dangerous goods, regardless of current or previous regulatory provisions. It is vital to ensure that this cargo is properly prepared, declared and packaged for safe transportation.

To download the Guidelines, click on this link: CINS CHARCOAL GUIDELINES

¹2020 Global Forest Products Facts and Figures of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (https://www.fao.org/ faostat/en/#data/FO)

About CINS — Cargo Incident Notification System

CINS is a shipping line initiative, launched in September 2011, to improve safety in the supply chain, reduce the number of cargo incidents on-board ships and on land, and highlight the risks caused by certain cargoes and/or packing failures. Membership of CINS comprises over 80 percent of the world’s container slot capacity, together with the Members of the International Group of P&I Clubs.

CINS provides analysis of operational information on cargo and container incidents which lead to injury or loss of life, loss or serious damage of assets, environmental concerns. Data relating to any cargo incident on-board a ship is uploaded to the CINS database. The data includes information on cargo type, nature, packaging, weight; journey (load and discharge ports); type of incident and root cause.  The Technical Advisory Committee is a CINS committee that includes Members of CINS and leading professional experts in relevant fields.

About The International Group of P&I Clubs (the International Group)

The International Group is comprised of 12 P&I Clubs that between them provide marine liability cover (protection and indemnity) for approximately 90% of the world’s ocean-going tonnage.

Through the unique International Group structure, the member Clubs, whilst individually competitive, share between them their large loss exposures, and also share their respective knowledge and expertise on matters relating to shipowners’ liabilities and the insurance and reinsurance of such liabilities.

Each Group Club is an independent, not-for-profit mutual insurance association, providing cover for its shipowner and charterer members against third party liabilities arising out of the use and operation of ships. Each Club is owned by its shipowner and charterer members, and its operations and activities are overseen by a board of directors, or committee, elected from the membership. The day-to-day operations of the Clubs are handled by professional managers, either “in-house” or external, who are appointed by and report to their Club board/committee.

The Clubs cover a wide range of liabilities, including loss of life and personal injury to crew, passengers and others on board, cargo loss and damage, pollution by oil and other hazardous substances, wreck removal, collision and damage to property. The Clubs also provide a wide range of services to their members including claims handling, advice on legal issues and loss prevention, and they regularly play a leading role in coordinating the response to, and management of, maritime casualties.

The International Group of P&I Clubs (igpandi.org)

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. The Club’s services include specialist underwriting, claims management and risk and loss management advice, supported by a global office network. TT Club’s mission is to make the industry safer, more secure and more sustainable. 

Established in 1968, TT Club currently services more than 1400 Members – container owners, operators, ports, terminals and logistics companies. Its membership covers the entire logistics journey, working across maritime, road, rail, and air ranging from some of the world’s largest logistics operators to smaller, bespoke companies managing similar risks. The Club is renowned for its high-quality service, in-depth industry knowledge and enduring Member loyalty. Its average annual customer retention rate is consistently over 95%, with some Members having chosen to insure with the Club for over 50 years. 

TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller – an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services.

www.ttclub.com

Filed Under: TT Club

ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT VENTURE FOR OFFSHORE GEO-SURVEY

October 3, 2024 by

Delivery of geo-survey vessel EK HAYATE to Japan

“K” Line Wind Service (KWS), a joint venture between Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE KINKAI) and Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., and EGS Survey (EGS) have established a joint venture company, EK Geotechnical Survey LLC (EKGS) to service the offshore marine geo-survey sector. EKGS is determined to provide various offshore survey services to meet growing demand in the sector, which is expected to increase with the development of offshore wind power in Japan and regionally. In September 2024, the geotechnical survey vessel EK HAYATE, owned by EKGS, entered into service as a Japanese-flagged vessel capable of providing offshore drilling, sampling and in-situ testing. Furthermore, EKGS has recently completed its first survey project for the Happo Town and Noshiro City Offshore Wind Power Project in Akita Prefecture. The survey was supported by group entities from both parties and the final geo-data deliverables were provided to client, OYO Corporation, on program.

KWS proactively supports the supply chain development for expanding offshore wind power generation with the accumulated experience of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. in the offshore support vessel business overseas and in Japan. Recognizing the lack of supply of geotechnical survey vessels in Japan, a joint venture initiative was developed with EGS Group, which has strong global track record in offshore geo-survey. By coupling the resources and know-how of both companies, EKGS will participate in the offshore survey sector in Japan and internationally in pursuit of a carbon-neutral society.

The geotechnical survey vessel EK HAYATE

Corporate Profile

Company Name :  EK Geotechnical Survey LLC

Address :   2-1, Kasumigaseki 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Shareholders  :   KWS 50%, EGS 50%

Executive Manager  : Teruki Kuramoto

Target Work Scope :  Geo-survey required for offshore wind farms and associated infrastructure

Experience :   Cable route survey for the Happo Town and Noshiro City Offshore Wind Power Generation Project, Akita Prefecture

KWS

KWS is a joint venture between “K” LINE and  (“K” LINE KINKAI) and has been functioning, since its establishment in 2021, as a business platform of “K” LINE Group for any vessel and transportation business around Offshore Wind projects in order to contribute to the offshore wind development to reach carbon neutrality in Japan by 2050. KWS will continue to provide offshore support vessel services with “K” LINE Group’s fleet and further expand the expertise to various types of offshore wind vessels.

EGS Survey

EGS Survey Pte Ltd is part of the EGS Group. Founded in 1974, EGS is a geo-survey company with offices around the world, including Asia, Australia, Americas, Europe and the Middle East. EGS provides marine geo-survey services for offshore infrastructure development including renewable energy, oil and gas and telecommunications and has a strong reputation for professional integrity in data acquisition, analysis and reporting. In Japan’s coastal waters, EGS has over 20 years of track record of geo-survey for submarine telecommunication cables.

Filed Under: "K" Line

Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) : Cybersecurity Threats for Ports – An Unsettling Picture

October 2, 2024 by

Setting the scene for the ninth CONNECTING PORTS talk show by Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) earlier this month, an opening drone’s eye view of detailed port facilities under threat from cyber intrusion made for troubled viewing.  Three international experts explained how the maritime port sector must be prepared.  Serious attention to firewalls, passwords and a new perspective are needed to protect the backbone of global supply chains.

Hamburg, October 2nd, 2024: Christina Prieser, Associate Partner at HPC moderated the forum which delivered an unsettling message that potential disruption through malicious cyber attacks on ports’ IT infrastructures will only increase in the future.

Among the experts contributing, Scott Dickerson the founder of CISO LLC, which develops bespoke security programs for the maritime industry predicted, “We focus too much on legal regulations instead of fighting the perpetrators. This will lead to further disruptions to supply chains in the coming years. He went on to focus on contingency planning to combat the risks. Key to this is to foster a culture of security awareness throughout the organization. “This can only be achieved if it is driven from the top down by the CEO or port director,” he emphasized. “If top management don’t really care about a risk area like cyber security, everyone else will quickly see through it. Having the issue handled solely by technical experts would be a disservice to the organization because it’s not just technicians who work with operational technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), but the entire port administration.

Asking the all-important question, the moderator solicited the thoughts of the panel on what specific security measures can protect port facilities from cyberattacks through the growing influence of IoT. Firstly, Gadi Benmoshe, Managing Director of Marinnovators, an Israeli consultancy for maritime supply chains noted that there are currently far fewer IoT systems implemented for data collection, analysis and automation than operational technology that controls physical processes. “One of the biggest weaknesses in port cyber security,” he said. “We therefore strongly recommend separating the physical networks of operational technology or IoT from the administrative networks.”

Pradeep Luthria, Senior Partner at Saiber Innovation Technology, a cyber security solution provider in Dubai (UAE), calls for better communication about attacks: “If we got to the bottom of the causes and communicated about them more quickly, we would be better prepared.” His most recent example is an attack at the end of August on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where the internet and web systems were down for days.

One initiative discussed was the international Maritime Transportation System Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MTS-ISAC), a central coordination point for the timely exchange of information on cyber threats between trusted stakeholders. Its focus is on information technology, operational technology and IoT. “The MTS-ISAC and other non-governmental organizations can share information within minutes instead of weeks and months later, as is the case with some government agencies,” Dickerson pointed out.

There is no shortage of rules and regulations for cybersecurity. Gadi Benmoshe, who is also Vice Chairman of the Data Collaboration Committee at the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) highlighted the IAPH Cybersecurity Guidelines for Ports and Port Facilities. The IAPH is also supporting the IMO’s mandatory requirement for a “Maritime Single Window”, which came into force this year. This enables ship information to be exchanged on a central digital platform. “The IAPH is proposing to the IMO that the member states introduce a binding legal framework for cyber security of the Maritime Single Window by April 2025,” announced Benmoshe. He also reminded the audience that the topics of cyber attack mitigation and harmonizing port cyber security standards will feature prominently in next week’s IAPH World Ports Conference in Hamburg.

Cybersecurity requires constant focus and on-going development, the experts agreed. Luthria believes it is important to make people responsible and accountable for this and Benmoshe is pinning his hopes on artificial intelligence, which could help to better detect and prevent cyber-attacks. In conclusion Dickerson had a useful tip, “Restrict your IT, operational technology and IoT architectures from being accessible from the public internet to reduce potential attacks.”

The full session Connecting Ports #09 is available on YouTube Connecting Ports | Session#09 | Uncharted Waters: The Cybersecurity Challenge for Ports (youtube.com)

Contact

Steffi Karsten, HPC Marketing / PR, E-Mail: s.karsten@hpc-hamburg.de

About HPC

HPC Hamburg Port Consulting is a logistics consultancy specializing in strategy and transformation services for the ports, terminals and hinterland facilities sectors. Since its foundation in 1976, the Hamburg-based consultancy has carried out more than 1,800 projects in 136 countries on six continents, covering the entire development cycle of port projects. HPC employs around 100 experts with a background as terminal operators, software engineers, logistics managers, transport economists, data analysts and scientists as well as mathematicians. As a subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), HPC has its roots in port handling of containers, general cargo and multipurpose freight as well as hinterland traffic.

Filed Under: HPC Hamburg Port Consulting

GEODIS UNVEILS ITS NEW BRAND CAMPAIGN, SYMBOLIZING ITS COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

October 2, 2024 by

“A BETTER WAY TO DELIVER”

GEODIS is launching a new brand campaign featuring its new tagline, ‘A better way to deliver’, underlining its commitment to a sustainable future for the logistics sector. 

The four key visuals in the campaign have been designed to create a strong GEODIS identity and help the Group move closer to its core values and purpose: “Serving people by delivering their goods all around the world with innovative, sustainable and ethical logistics.”

GEODIS’s new tagline, “A better way to deliver”, reflects the company’s determination to continually reduce its environmental impact by offering a responsible and sustainable service to all its customers. It also highlights the Group’s desire to put people at the heart of its logistics operations, in order to offer the best delivery solutions and a personalized, respectful experience for customers and employees alike. And lastly, it symbolizes the Group’s commitment to keeping pace with the very latest trends in logistics, which need to address global economic and technological upheavals.

The new campaign will launch in the press and on social media on October 3, 2024.  

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 four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 53 000 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 5 in its sector across the world. In 2023, GEODIS generated €11.6 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. 

Filed Under: GEODIS

“K” Line : Presentation at the CCUS WORLD

October 2, 2024 by

Satoshi Kanamori, Managing Executive Officer at Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), presented “K” LINE’s initiatives regarding CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) business developments during CCUS WORLD for the 22nd SMART ENERGY WEEK (Autumn 2024) *1, held between October 2 and 4 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

In this presentation, he introduced “K” LINE’s initiatives in the Northern Lights Project *2 the world’s first full-scale CCS value chain project, and the Offshore Sarawak CCS Project*3, which was selected as an Advanced CCS Project by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC). A lively discussion was also held with attendees.

“K” LINE’s booth will be on display at booth E23-52 until October 4. Please stop by if you visit the expo.

“K” LINE group is promoting a variety of initiatives to support the decarbonization of its own operations and society in accordance with its long-term environmental policy, “Environmental Vision 2050”. The knowledge gained through “K” LINE’s advanced liquefied CO2 transport projects will be utilized in the development of projects with liquefied CO2 shipping that will sequentially begin to operate in Japan and overseas in the future with the aim of realizing a sustainable society and increasing “K” LINE’s corporate value.

(*1)       September 12, 2024: “K” LINE to Exhibit at CCUS WORLD for the 22nd SMART ENERGY WEEK (Autumn 2024)

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/carbon-neutral/carbon-neutral-20240912.html

(*2)       February 6, 2024: “K” LINE enters into charter contracts with Northern Lights for third liquefied CO2 vessels:

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/carbon-neutral/carbon-neutral-20240206.html

(*3)       September 13, 2024: Commission a CCS engineering design work in Sarawak, Malaysia as the “Japanese Advanced CCS Projects” in FY2024

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/carbon-neutral/carbon-neutral-20240913.html

Filed Under: "K" Line
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