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.

GEODIS opens a new site for eLogistics in the United Kingdom

GEODIS announces the opening of a new eLogistics platform in the UK. GEODIS eLogistics, which was launched in 2020, supports e-retailers in outsourcing their logistics operations. It offers a complete logistics solution for order preparation and personalisation, inventory optimisation, transport organisation and returns management.

In April 2023, a new GEODIS eLogistics platform opened up in Coventry, United Kingdom. This 7,000 m2 site is located in a strategic area allowing rapid distribution of products thanks to good transport links. It has the capacity to store more than 500,000 SKUs and to process up to 5,000 orders per day.

GEODIS’ eLogistics solution allows e-commerce companies of all sizes to efficiently outsource their logistics without the need for a large financial investment, thanks to shared multi-client warehouses and a more flexible contractual commitment. GEODIS eLogistics integrates seamlessly with the leading CMSs, ERPs and marketplaces. As soon as a buyer places an order online, the eLogistics teams take over the preparation and shipping of the order and any returns. E-merchants can track the progress of their business and their orders in real time thanks to the Visibility Portal, a digital platform at their disposal.

GEODIS now operates a total of six eLogistics platforms, located in the United States, France and the United Kingdom, with space also available in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. A total of 40,000 m2 of warehousing is dedicated to this offering. 

Jean-Pierre Juteau, head of GEODIS eLogistics Europe, said: “The eLogistics offering is the latest innovation from GEODIS. The opening of this new eLogistics facility in the UK will allow new webshops, marketplaces and other kinds of e-commerce platforms to develop their businesses in a new geographical zone close to local markets.”

The attached video gives a behind the scenes view of the eLogistics solution.

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 specialises in five lines of business: Supply Chain Optimisation, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express and Road Transport. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,000 employees, GEODIS is ranked world no. 7 in its sector. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue.

Harren & Partner rebrands to Harren Group

Today, privately owned maritime services and logistics conglomerate Harren & Partner announced that they have changed their name to Harren Group.

The launch of this group brand marks the start of a new era of collaboration and innovation within the organisation to further enhance customer satisfaction. While the group’s individual company brands remain, this step unites these brands and its people across land and sea through a shared vision, mission and set of values to build the next generation of maritime services and logistics.

Dr Martin Harren, CEO of Harren Group

“There is one global ocean, and we are one global group – bringing together the best thinkers and doers to move the world forward,” says Dr Martin Harren, CEO of Harren Group. This is an exciting step for all Harren Group members: Harren Bulkers, Harren Tankers, Harren Ship Management, SAL Heavy Lift, SAL Engineering, Intermarine, Combi Lift, Atheleon, trans-Mar-supply, HeavyLift@Sea and all affiliated service units. As a part of this world-renowned group, they are dedicated to becoming the bridge to the future – and the industry benchmark for what’s possible.

The biggest change to the group is undeniably the evolved group brand identity. A new logo represents the ultimate bridge between all units, inspired by engineering excellence and maritime architecture. This instantly recognisable group image welcomes the world to the future of shipping and freight forwarding: a future that can only be created by today’s and tomorrow’s top talents. This new group brand is designed to attract great candidates, strengthen commercial synergies and leverage the group’s unique maritime service range and depth.

“It is crucial for everyone to know that our commercial brands are still operating as individual group members. The key difference: We will now be united under one strong group brand. Lifting customer expectations, collaborating to achieve what others have not and building a greener tomorrow,” highlights Dr Martin Harren.

The transition to Harren Group kicks off with the rollout of the new brand identity across all communication channels, including the company’s website, social media platforms and marketing materials. The Harren Group rebrand comes at a time when the industry is experiencing significant transformation and demand for carbon-neutral end-to-end solutions is continuously growing. Some call it the ocean, but Harren Group calls it the office. Here’s to what’s next.

About Harren Group:

Harren Group was founded in 1989 by Captain Peter Harren. Over three decades later, the family-run business is made up of a diverse network of shipping and logistics companies offering a wide range of next-generation services to clients around the globe. Today, Harren Group’s core business areas include heavy-lift shipping, maritime engineering solutions, integrated project logistics, ship management and crewing, commodity logistics and offshore wind operations. With an unwavering passion for people and progress, Harren Group is dedicated to leading the energy transition, carrying the loads no one else can, and bringing the world – and their people – closer together.

GEODIS Scores Another Win with ARKEMA’s Customs Brokerage Contract in Europe

A leader in Specialty Materials, ARKEMA has extended its partnership with GEODIS, signing a Standalone Customs Brokerage contract to provide both import and export customs clearance services across 15 countries in Europe.

One of the key objectives set by ARKEMA was to centralize the management of customs operations at European level with “best in class” customs processes. GEODIS responded with its digital customs solution which enables to improve trade compliance and security of ARKEMA’s Supply-Chain through its web portal, IRIS.

The resulting contract confirms both parties’ intention and mutual trust in building a long-term relationship reports Jérôme Chadeau, SVP Vertical Market Industrial at GEODIS. “The centralization of our client’s customs brokerage practices in Europe will contribute to improve regulatory compliance and operational efficiency in all the countries where ARKEMA’s subsidiaries, business units and production sites are located. This model allows for better control over customs activities across Europe, simplified and flexible customs operations management, and increased capability to monitor compliance and efficiency of customs operations” he said.

ARKEMA is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials – Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions – accounting for some 91% of Group sales in 2022, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment. The blending of these operational divisions helps create strong in-house synergies in terms of innovation.

Jean-Marc Viallatte, VP Supply Chain Group at Arkema explains the advantages of this corporate approach: “It offers us an outstanding ability to serve our customers in an attractive and diverse growing market. We have built on and continue to exploit our unique expertise in materials science to design materials addressing the ever-growing demand for innovative and sustainable materials. We therefore require a logistics partner who can provide flexible yet comprehensive customs brokerage services that are intelligent enough to adapt to the multi-faceted and ever-changing regulatory environment we see in Europe.  With GEODIS, we are sure we have found such a partner.”

GEODIS’ customs brokerage solution offers fast and secure customs clearance processing for ARKEMA’s international shipments, with 360° visibility and control of customs flows.  Through its IRIS digital platform KPIs, dashboards and customized reports on compliance topics tailored to ARKEMA’s specifications are shared on a dedicated SharePoint. 

Planned development of the partnership include plans to achieve the smooth integration of electronic data interchanges (EDI) into Arkema’s transportation management system, which will reinforce existing real-time tracking tools.

The awarding of this contract in Europe follows the recent celebration by GEODIS on receiving the ‘Strategic Carrier of ARKEMA China Award’ in 2023.  This was granted in recognition of concerted efforts by GEODIS to reinforce the client’s supply chain strategy in the region in 2022 and marks the third consecutive year in which GEODIS has been honored in such a way.

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.

ARKEMA – www.arkema.com

Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema offers a portfolio of first-class technologies to address ever-growing demand for new and sustainable materials. With the ambition to become in 2024 a pure player in Specialty Materials, the Group is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials – Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions – accounting for some 91% of Group sales in 2022, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment. Arkema offers cutting-edge technological solutions to meet the challenges of, among other things, new energies, access to water, recycling, urbanization and mobility, and fosters a permanent dialogue with all its stakeholders. The Group reported sales of around € 11.5 billion in 2022, and operates in some 55 countries with 21,100 employees worldwide.

Financial Highlights for FY2022

Please be advised that “K” Line Tokyo Head Office issued the following press releases today, which is an up-dated version of the press release distributed yesterday.

Please refer to the attached PDF documents for details. This press release is also available on the website both in English and Japanese. 

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

Innovation central to GEODIS’ exhibit at TL Munich 2023

Global logistics provider GEODIS will showcase its Innovation Gallery as well as introducing its recently acquired trans-o-flex specialists in temperature-controlled supply chain. GEODIS’ exhibit will be located at B5.303/402 at TL Munich in the Messe Munchen Hall from 9th to 12th May.

GEODIS’ investment in innovation is central to its growth plans, and a high proportion of it will be focused on digitalization programs.  Developing technology in the digital arena will be fundamental to advancement in operational performance throughout the industry. 

The GEODIS Innovation Gallery will exhibit innovations from around the world, including warehouse automation, robotic picking and others, through a digital application integrated into our virtual reality headsets.

Some representatives of trans-o-flex, a leading German network for temperature-controlled pharmaceutical goods and express premium delivery, recently acquired by GEODIS will be on site to present the wide range of its services for time-critical moves providing fast, reliable and time-definite delivery service in Germany.

Every day a “French Hour” will be organized at the GEODIS booth from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. 

About transport logistic (TL) Munich:

transport logistic is the leading international trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT and supply chain management. Since 1978, it has been held every two years in Munich. Being considered the leading platform for international networking in the logistics industry, this four-day trade show offers innovative products, systems and technologies as well as a wealth of expert knowledge. transportlogistic.de

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, Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 6 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. 

“K” Line Maritime Academy Obtains New Certification from ClassNK for Ship Handling Simulator Training

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) announced today that “K” Line Maritime Academy has renewed the content of its ship handling simulator training and obtained certification in the maritime training sector*1 from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for its new training course, Ship Handling & Maneuvering Simulator (Master) Training Course.

The ship handling simulator training course for masters and deck officers, for which the certification was granted, complies with the STCW Code*2, which is an international convention on training of seafarers, and the Model Course 7.01*3, guidelines established by IMO. The training course also conforms to SIRE 2.0*4, an updated edition of Ship Inspection Report Programme established by OCIMF*5, an industry association of cargo owners.The Ship Handling & Maneuvering Simulator (Master) Training Course is the first to be certified by ClassNK among training courses complying with the corresponding parts of IMO Model Course 7.01, STCW Code, and SIRE 2.0.

“K” LINE has set the enhancement of its initiatives on safety, the environment, and quality as its business policy for improving its corporate value. Therefore, the development of maritime professionals who support safety in navigation and cargo operations is an important task. “K” LINE will continue to provide high-quality training and drive safety in navigation and cargo operations as well as environmental conservation, aiming to lead such efforts to the provision of higher-quality marine transportation.

*1 Certification of Maritime Education & Training:

Certification in the maritime training sector, which is aimed at enhancing and strengthening seafarer training in response to the technical advancement of ship operation itself reflecting technological innovations in recent years.

https://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/en/authentication/maritime/

*2 STCW Code:

International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers

*3 IMO Model Course 7.01:

One of the IMO Model Courses that covers Chapter II, Section A-II/2 of the STCW Code, which includes requirements on the ship handling training of masters.

*4 Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE):

The Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE), formulated and managed by OCIMF, has been revised and is expected to start being operated as “SIRE 2.0” around the end of 2023.

https://www.ocimf.org/en/? view=article&id=1348:17-23&catid=28

*5 The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF):

A major association of cargo owners, which sets forth its own safety guidelines, aiming to drive best practices in the structural design and operation of oil tankers, liquefied gas tankers, and offshore vessels and in their interfaces with onshore terminals.

https://www.ocimf.org/about-ocimf

TT Club promotes EMEA Regional General Manager and Senior Underwriter

Luise Doyle and Yee Lin Chan have taken new roles at the leading international freight and logistics insurer. The two experienced underwriters are tasked with growing the Club’s specialised portfolio and motivating a well-established team, which is seeing promotion from within.

London, 25th April 2023

Luise Doyle has been promoted to Regional General Manager EMEA, having worked her way up from Underwriting Assistant in 1990. She became TT’s youngest ever Senior Underwriter in 1998 and subsequently Deputy Director of Underwriting in 2020. Her vast experience will be a boon to the growth of the EMEA region and to her team in maintaining TT’s reputation for service to its Members.

Luise Doyle and Yee Lin Chan

Yee Lin Chan, having worked with Luise for many years, takes over as head of TT’s London Market Underwriting team. Yee joined TT in 2011 and has held various EMEA market underwriting positions since. Returning from maternity leave in February 2023, she is now promoted to the role of Senior Underwriter of the London Market Team, a key position in guiding the continued strength of TT in a core market for the Club. She will be responsible for managing all TT’s London wholesale broker business, which includes 100% mutual Members in addition to the subscription wholesale business written by the Club.

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 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

FIATA and Global Shippers Forum call for stronger data governance standards in digital supply chains

Geneva, April 2023 – Shippers and forwarders organisations are calling for improved standards of data protection and confidentiality in digital trading and booking systems, in a joint statement issued today.

FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, and the Global Shippers Forum, have jointly issued an agreed Charter for Protection and Governance of Data in International Trade that sets out the minimum arrangements for data security and confidentiality that providers and operators of digital booking and trading platforms should adopt and incorporate in their End-User Agreements (EUAs). Recommendations in the Charter seek to enable a safe and trustworthy environment for conducting business based on a level playing field.

The Charter has been approved by members of both organisations and is believed to be the first declaration of rights for platform users in the trade and logistics sector.

Dr Stéphane Graber, Director General of FIATA notes that “FIATA is committed to enabling the shift of trade from analogue to digital form to increase efficiency and resilience of global supply chains.”

He continued: “In this journey, interoperability between platforms and their credibility amongst users are critical for success. This requires clear and fair rules on data exchange to protect confidentiality and ensure trust between stakeholders. FIATA is happy to lead this effort with GSF on the crucial topic of data governance and protection.”

James Hookham, Secretary General of GSF said:
“Digitalisation of international trade and transport paperwork offers huge savings and benefits for all parties in the supply chain, but its storage and processing comes with risks of loss, leakage and unauthorised use that could expose commercially sensitive patterns and trends.”

Additionally, he commented that “Our Charter sets out reasonable expectations of the protections that should be in place to respect the ownership of the data, protect its confidentiality and guard against unauthorised access and use”.

Notes for journalists/editors:

  1. A copy of the Charter for Protection and Governance of Data in International Trade is to be found on this link.
  2. Dr Stéphane Graber of FIATA is available for interview via legal@fiata.org.
  3. James Hookham, GSF, is available for interview on +44 78 18 45 04 40

Recent GEODIS investments and new certification underlines its growth in the Chinese market

Certification of regional headquarters in Shanghai coincides with redevelopment of GEODIS’ Center of Excellence in Shenzhen and an award for performance at Zhengzhou Airport.

A global leader in the provision of logistics services, GEODIS has been growing its capabilities in Asia-Pacific recently, and in China particularly.  As an economic powerhouse, the Chinese market is of critical strategic importance to GEODIS and will continue to be a lynchpin of the logistic Group’s expansion in the most important locations globally.

GEODIS’ continued development in China was underlined last month when its Shanghai headquarters were certified officially by the local Government as one of twenty newly recognised ‘Regional Headquarters of a Multinational Company, the only one in the Jing’an district of the city.  This status will afford GEODIS local government assistance in terms of trade facilitation, talent introduction and service support.

In highlighting the advantages that this recognition brings to its customers, Onno Boots, Regional President and CEO, Asia Pacific and Middle East emphasises, “As a result of the good standing GEODIS has in China, our customers’ business continues to benefit from the increased ease of doing business with us there.  A further advantage is GEODIS having Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status granted by the local Shanghai customs department, which certainly enables us to deliver a further expedited service to our customers, for contract logistics.”

The Group’s commitment to the Chinese market was further proven by the redevelopment of its Center of Excellence (CoE) in Shenzhen. To better support customers in managing their end-to-end supply chains from one centralized location, the Shenzhen facility, part of GEODIS | Supply Chain Optimization (SCO) offering, will provide the required overall visibility. 

Established in 2009 in South China, the GEODIS | SCO Line of Business helps global customers in various sectors such as high-tech, retail and healthcare, with manufacturing locations or hubs in mainland China, to optimize their operational processes, control their supply chain, improve their resiliency, and accelerate decision-making.

The upgrading of the Center of Excellence in Shenzhen is justified in part by the city being a magnet for talent. An immediate goal is to ensure the continued attraction of passionate and diverse groups of supply chain professionals to accommodate customers’ growing demands and achieve GEODIS’ own growth ambitions.  The aim is not just to attract, but also to retain these skilled people by improving the collaborative workspace in which teams can exchange great new ideas that can benefit all customers in the present and future.

To round out the good news, further north in the province of Henan, GEODIS was celebrated by the Zhengzhou Airport Authority with an award for performance excellence in 2022.  The airport was utilized throughout the year to transport significant tonnages via GEODIS’ branded freighter operation there.

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, Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 6 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. 

GEODIS strengthens its capabilities for air freight temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments across Asia Pacific and Middle East

CEIV certification is an assurance of the quality of transportation for healthcare companies in the region.

Leading global logistics operator GEODIS has announced that it has strengthened its air freight temperature-controlled pharma shipments capabilities in Asia Pacific and Middle East (APAC&ME) with the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification. The certification covers multiple locations in China (PVG), Indonesia (CGK), India (DEL & BOM), South Korea (ICN), Thailand (BKK), United Arab Emirates (DXB) and Singapore (SIN).

This certification supports GEODIS’ strategic goals of establishing Pharma Healthcare as a key organizational vertical and expanding its global network by accrediting sites in numerous countries throughout the APAC region.

According to Onno Boots, Regional President and CEO of GEODIS for APAC and Middle East, “With the CEIV Pharma accreditation, we can ensure our customers of our competence and commitment to handle pharmaceutical temperature-sensitive products with the utmost care and attention. Pharmaceutical businesses need to find logistics solutions that are dependable and effective, and GEODIS is in a perfect position to offer them the best services in the area.”

This series of certifications is a reflection of the tremendous investment GEODIS has made in guaranteeing the highest levels of quality and compliance in its Pharma Healthcare capabilities.

“Without a doubt, we are responding to the healthcare industry’s demand for options in the selection of global supply chain partners and we look forward to establishing GEODIS as a key service provider for pharma and healthcare companies, particularly in Asia Pacific and Middle East where we see the key hubs of production and distribution”, adds Boots.

The CEIV Pharma certification for GEODIS further demonstrates its dedication to offering customers supply chain transparency and visibility. GEODIS can provide customers with shipment location and temperature data using GPS data loggers controlled by a control tower, enabling more openness and visibility.

In addition, the capabilities of GEODIS in customs brokerage and contract logistics are of particular interest to the decision-makers in Pharma Healthcare in this region. The best illustration of GEODIS’ capabilities for contract logistics is in Singapore, where GEODIS has GDP, GMP, and ISO13485 in its warehouses. GEODIS is well-positioned to manage the trade compliance needs of the healthcare companies as they expand their operations into new markets.

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.