Communications are the press relations consultancy for the Shipping and logistics industry
The Engine that powers the world
Mark Evans tells the surprising story of the hidden powerhouse behind the globalised world – the diesel engine, a 19th-century invention that has become indispensable to the 21st.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udR7wqCgylU
The full episode can be viewed at : http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06csy8c/timeshift-series-15-3-the-engine-that-powers-the-world
September 11, 2015 – Evergreen Group has signed an order with Japanese shipbuilder Imabari for ten 2,800 TEU class B-type vessels yesterday. These are in addition to the order for ten similar vessels announced last month from CSBC in Taiwan.
The latest contract was signed by EMC Chairman Mr. Anchor Chang and Imabari Shipbuilding President Mr. Yukito Higaki. The first ship is planned to be delivered during the first half of 2018 with the completion of the series due by the first half of 2019. All twenty newbuildings are planned to be deployed in the intra-Asia trade.
Evergreen’s B-type vessels will be 211 meters in length, 32.8 meters wide, and have a design draft of 10 meters with a capacity of around 2,800 TEU. The ships are designed to load 13 rows of containers on deck, which is within the span of existing gantry cranes in the major ports on the intra-Asian trade. The hull design of the vessels is wider in comparison to ships of a similar capacity. Such design enables the ships to navigate in the shallower ports encountered in the intra-Asia trade and to enhance their cargo carrying capability. The ships can cruise at a speed up to 21.8 knots, enhancing their on-time performance and competitiveness.
Vessels operating on regional trades, such as intra-Asia, often sail in coastal areas. With frequent port calls, these ships operate in close proximity to human activity and the living environment. To reduce their impact on port communities and eco-systems, Evergreen has imposed stringent eco-friendly criteria on their operation. The B-type vessels are equipped with various environmental protection devices and the latest technology to safeguard the sustainable development of the marine environment. The ships are also to be equipped with an electronic-controlled fuel injection engine, which meets the IMO Tier II standards for NOx emission and the requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), and can reduce emissions by around 20% in comparison with vessels of traditional designs.
Founded in 1901, Imabari Shipbuilding is Japan’s largest shipbuilder. The agreement for B-type vessels is the third project in which Imabari will participate in Evergreen Line’s fleet renewal program. Evergreen has signed agreements with Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the ship owning arm of Imabari Shipbuilding Group, to charter five 14,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2017 and eleven 18,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2018 and 2019.
The executive shares his views on global transport and logistics trends
September 10, 2015 – Bronson Hsieh, Second Vice Group Chairman of the Evergreen Group, delivered the keynote speech at the FIATA World Congress 2015 in Taipei. He talked about a slow but upward development of the global economic recovery, different trends in the container shipping and air freight markets as well as the opportunities for logistics service providers brought about by growing cross-border e-commerce.
To start, Mr. Hsieh quoted IMF (International Monetary Fund) forecasts that imply that the world economic outlook is experiencing a slow but upward development in spite of some regional variations. In addition, he noted several free trade agreements have begun to take shape in recent years, such as TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). Once established, these economic cooperation agreements will remove trade barriers and thereby accelerate growth of international trade and cargo flows.
Next, Hsieh analysed major trends in the container shipping market. “The current trend in vessel upsizing is to benefit from the scale economics that large vessels afford by reducing unit cost,” he said. However, to effectively produce the expected cost benefits, Ultra-Large Container Ships have to be sufficiently loaded. Carriers are thus motivated to join alliances and work with other members to raise capacity utilization on these big ships.
After its expansion project is completed in 2016, the Panama Canal will be able to handle new ‘Panamax’ vessels of around 12,000-teu ships, causing a fundamental shift in U.S. supply chains and cargo movement patterns. To prepare for the large vessels and cargo flows attracted to the expanded Panama Canal, several ports on the U.S. east coast are deepening channels and enlarging their facilities, added Hsieh.
As far as developments in the air freight industry are concerned, he mentioned that as consumer electronics are getting smaller in size, most air cargo carriers are not ordering bigger freighters. He cited statistics from IATA and pointed out that deliveries of wide body freighters were matched by retiring of older ones in recent years; payload capacity of the global freighter fleet is not increasing.
In contrast, the growing fleet of passenger jets is adding more belly capacity to air freight markets. Belly holds of passenger jets offer additional cargo revenue. Order books of Boeing and Airbus show that many airlines prefer aircraft models with high belly capacity, including Boeing 777, Boeing 787, A330 and A350.
Referring to statistics provided by Transport Intelligence (Ti), he noted that major logistics service providers managed to increase revenues in recent years in spite of volume fluctuations. The trend proves that customers are willing to pay higher charges for comprehensive logistics solutions and a customized service.
Hsieh believes that the expansion of cross-border e-commerce will provide new business opportunities for logistics service providers. E-commerce platforms are offering trade assurance services to create trust between buyers and suppliers and to speed up online business-to-business transactions. It requires a trusted logistics service provider to oversee the fulfilment process and arrange transportation. In return, the logistics operator can secure the cargoes from these online transactions.
Hsieh concluded by saying, “If logistics service providers want to stay at the forefront of the industry and participate in the growing e-commerce business, they need to embrace the dynamics of these developments and provide effective solutions.”
Signing representatives and witnesses posed for a photo in the newbuilding signing ceremony, from left to right: Mr. Bronson Hsieh, Second Vice Group Chairman of Evergreen Group, Mr. Anchor Chang, Chairman of Evergreen Marine Corporation, CSBC Chairman Mr. Sun-Quae Lai, CSBC President Mr. Lie-Lin Chen
August 10, 2015 – Evergreen Group today signed an agreement with CSBC Corporation, Taiwan to build ten 2,800 TEU class B-type vessels. Witnessed by Evergreen Group’s Second Vice Group Chairman Mr. Bronson Hsieh, the contracts were signed by EMC Chairman Mr. Anchor Chang and CSBC Chairman Mr. Sun-Quae Lai. The first ship is planned to be delivered during the second half of 2017 with the completion of the series due by the first half of 2018. The vessels are planned to be deployed in the intra-Asia trade.
Mr. Bronson Hsieh said, “After the negotiations of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are concluded, the ASEAN countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand are expected to remove trade barriers, enhancing bilateral trades and thereby boosting regional cargo growth. Our decision to invest in these newbuildings is aimed at providing for the growth potential brought about by this free trade development.”
Evergreen’s B-type vessels will be 211 meters in length, 32.8 meters wide, and have a design draft of 10 meters with a capacity of about 2,800 TEU. The ships are designed to load 13 rows of containers on deck, which is within the span of existing gantry cranes in the major ports of intra-Asian trade. The hull design of the vessels is wider in comparison to ships of a similar capacity. Such design enables the ships to navigate in shallower ports encountered in the intra-Asia trade and to enhance their cargo carrying capability.
In line with the stringent eco-friendly criteria that Evergreen has imposed on its own operation, the ships will be equipped with CSBC’s innovative Sea-Sword Bow (SSB) technology. This energy-saving device enables the ships to maintain optimum performance in various navigational conditions and to reduce fuel consumption by around 10% compared to traditional bow designs.
The ships are also to be equipped with an electronic-controlled fuel injection engine, which meets the IMO Tier II standards for NOx emission and can reduce the emissions by around 20%. In line with IMO’s requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), the ships can cruise at a speeds up to 21.8 knots, enhancing their on-time performance and competitiveness.
To provide shippers with superior transport service, Evergreen is committed to innovative planning and adopts the most advanced shipbuilding technologies to introduce more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly ships. The programme will rejuvenate its operating fleet thereby enhancing the quality of service offered to customers and reinforcing the line’s competitiveness in the marketplace.
July 01, 2015 – Evergreen Line has been awarded “Best Global Shipping Line” by Asia Cargo News at the 2015 Asian Freight Logistics and Supply Chain Awards. The accolade was conferred at a ceremony in Hong Kong last week and was accepted on behalf of the carrier by Derek Lo, Executive Vice President of Evergreen Marine (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Over 15,000 readers of Asia Cargo News were asked to select the companies that had consistently demonstrated excellence in customer service, innovation and quality of services provided. The AFLAS Awards have always been voted for by service users, not a panel of judges. This accolade of Best Global Shipping Line is therefore particularly significant as it signifies a vote of confidence in Evergreen’s quality performance from its customers themselves.
“This honour is in recognition of Evergreen Line’s consistent efforts to enhance its services to our customers,” said Mr. Lo. “Customer demand is the foundation of our strategic planning. We closely monitor the developments of the global economy and demands of our customers, adjusting our service network accordingly. Our byword is customer satisfaction.”
Recent challenges presented by port congestion on the US West Coast provide evidence of such efforts. Delays at these ports lasted from the third quarter of last year to the first quarter this year, thus boosting demand for capacity from the Far East to the US East Coast. Limited by the constraints of the Panama Canal, carriers were not able to deploy bigger ships on the traditional route from the Far East to the US east coast.
Last year Evergreen made use of its flexible 8,500 TEU ships to launch a new Asia – US East Coast service via the Suez Canal. These L-class vessels are of the maximum size that can pass under the Bayonne Bridge and call at the pivotal East Coast port of New York. The new service provided a perfect alternative to a delayed land-bridge routing via the congested West Coast ports.
The AFLAS Awards recognize outstanding performance, service innovation and the efforts in environmental protection by transportation service providers around the world. In addition to ocean carriers, the annual survey by Asia Cargo News also covers seaports, container terminals, logistics companies and many other players in the global transportation service chain.
June 30, 2015
Evergreen Group today held the naming ceremony for EVER LOVELY, the ninth of its L-type vessels to be built by CSBC Corporation in Taiwan and the penultimate vessel in the thirty strong series. The ceremony took place at CSBC’s Kaohsiung shipyard and was officiated by Mr. Bronson Hsieh, Evergreen’s Second Vice Group Chairman. The official rope-cutting of the new 8,508 TEU vessel was performed by Mrs. Anna U. Obermeier, the wife of Mr. Pier Luigi Maneschi, Chairman of Evergreen Shipping Agency (Italy) S.p.A.
Caption : (from left to right) Mr. Sun-Quae Lai, CSBC Chairman, Mr. Pier Luigi Maneschi, Chairman of Evergreen Shipping Agency (Italy) S.p.A., his wife Mrs. Anna U. Obermeier and Mr. Bronson Hsieh, Evergreen Second Vice Group Chairman
EVER LOVELY is owned by Evergreen Marine (Singapore) Pte Ltd. The ship is 334.8 meters in length, 45.8 meters wide, and has a draft of 14.2 meters. In common with its L-type sister ships, it can cruise at speeds up to 24.5 knots. With delivery immediately after the event, the vessel joins Evergreen Line’s Far East –South America route and replaces an older unit on the trade.
As a refinement to their original eco-friendly design, the L-type vessels built by CSBC this year are fitted with a brand new energy-saving bow. This improvement enables the ships to further enhance fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions. In light of the success of this design adaptation, Evergreen is conducting a bow refitting program. By the end of this year, fifteen of its L-type ships will be equipped with the improved feature.
As a core value of its corporate policy, Evergreen is dedicated to environmental protection and makes every effort to further cut its carbon emissions. In addition to building a fleet of eco-friendly ships, Evergreen also adopts carbon-cutting concepts throughout its service chain. In a recent development, the carrier introduced an innovative green transport service featuring Eco-trucks in Finland through its agent Greencarrier Liner Agency Oy. The 33-meter long truck can carry two 40’ containers simultaneously on permitted sections of roads, thereby cutting greenhouse gases by 40% compared to the alternative of using two individual trucks.
Trieste, 26th May 2015
To offer its customers in the Mediterranean region improved network options Evergreen Line is introducing a new service. In partnership with Arkas Line, the WEM (West – East Med) Service will connect the Aegean Sea, the Near East & the Western Med.
With a port rotation of Valencia, Castellon, Barcelona, Fos, Cagliari, Piraeus, Beirut, Mersin, Iskenderun, Latakia, Alexandria (Dekheila), Izmir, Piraeus and Valencia and on a 28 day schedule, the service will be operated with four vessels, one supplied by Evergreen and three by Arkas.
Crucially the WEM includes a pivotal call at Piraeus, which is a key network hub for Evergreen in the Mediterranean. The line has four weekly, line-haul, Asia-Med-Europe calls at Piraeus. These four services (ADR, MD1, NE2 and NE7) in fact all make double calls at the port for import and export purposes.
In addition, Evergreen Line will shortly launch two additional feeder services: the LEV2 (Levant service 2) linking Piraeus to Mersin, courtesy of a slot exchange agreement reached with Arkas/Emes, offering a quicker link to this important Turkish port, and the PSI (Piraeus-South Italy) shuttle service connecting Piraeus to Bari, in Southern Italy with a very fast transit time.
The opening of PSI represents a new opportunity for Evergreen to serve the Southern Italian market where historically Evergreen has been one of the first carriers to establish a presence and carrying significant volumes of cargo to/from Far East and for the Intra-med market.
In view of with the increasing market demand resulting from significant trade growth between China and the ASEAN countries, Evergreen Line is to partner with COSCO and China Shipping in launching a joint China-Surabaya Express (CSX) Service. This is Evergreen’s latest initiative to enhance its service on the Intra-Asian trade.
The CSX service will employ four ships of 2,000–2,700 teu, including one each provided by Evergreen and CSCL and the remaining two by COSCO. The first sailing is planned to depart from Qingdao on the 20th of May, with the following the port rotation: Qingdao–Shanghai–Xiamen–Shekou–Pasir Gudang (Malysia)–Singapore–Surabaya (Indonesia)–Singapore–Qingdao.
This weekly service covers major ports from China in the north to Malaysia and Indonesia in the south, providing regular and convenient links for regional trade and connecting to Evergreen’s global service network via Singapore.
After the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) was established in 2010, bilateral trade volumes have continued to rise. According to the statistics published by the Gerneral Administration of Customs in the PRC, its import and export trade with ASEAN grew by 8.3% to $480.4 billion in 2014. In addition, the ASEAN community has actively negotiated with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand to establish the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It is believed that this significant development will further encourage free trade and have the effect of driving cargo growth within the Intra-Asia trade.
May 08, 2015 – In light of the increasing capacity demand, Evergreen Line will launch its new Vietnam-Singapore-Malaysia service (VSM) this month.
The dedicated feeder loop will utilize two A-type containerships of 1,164 TEU. The first sailing of the weekly service will start from Haiphong on May 10 and call at Ho Chi Minh City, Port Klang, Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas and then back to Haiphong.
In addition to providing efficient transportation services within its port coverage, this regional service will also connect to Evergreen’s global service network via its transhipment hubs in Singapore and Tanjung Pelepas.
Economic forecasts indicate strong momentum of trade growth in this region. According to IMF’s World Economic Outlook report published in April 2015, the ASEAN economy looks set to grow by 5.2% and 5.3% respectively in 2015 and 2016, supassing its performance of 4.6% last year. Besides, the statistics of Vietnam’s General Statistics Office show that its economic growth reached 6.03% in the first quarter of 2015, the highest first quarter performance during the past five years. The positive indicators support expectation of steady cargo growth within intra-Asia trade.
April 14, 2015 – Evergreen Group today held the naming ceremony for EVER LYRIC, the eighth of its L-type vessels built by CSBC Corporation in Taiwan. The ceremony took place at CSBC’s Kaohsiung shipyard and was officiated by Mr. Raymond Lin, Evergreen Group’s Vice Group Chairman. The official rope-cutting of the new 8,508 TEU vessel was performed by Mrs. Jarijanti Buana, the wife of the Chairman of Evergreen Shipping Agency Indonesia.
Owned by Evergreen Marine Corp., EVER LYRIC is 334.8 meters in length, 45.8 meters wide, with a draft of 14.2 meters. The vessel can cruise at a speed up to 24.5 knots. As a refinement to her original eco-friendly design, the vessel is fitted with a brand new energy-saving bow. This improvement enables the ship to further enhance her fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions. After delivery on the 15th April, the newbuilding will join Evergreen Line’s Far East-Red Sea Service (FRS), replacing an older vessel.
Mr. Raymond Lin, Evergreen Group’s Vice Group Chairman (right), Mrs. Jarijanti Buana, the wife of the Chairman of Evergreen Shipping Agency Indonesia (middle) and CSBC Chairman Mr. Sun-Quae Lai (left).
Mr. Lin said in his speech, “Evergreen is devoted to sustainable development of the natural environment. We have continued to monitor the operational data of our L-type vessels and have utilized this in joint efforts with CSBC to produce the brand new energy-saving bow design. Comparisons of such operational performance data reveal that this eco-friendly bow design enables a L-type vessel to reduce fuel consumption by between 12 and 21%, within normal sailing speeds. It does not only help to reduce operating costs but also safeguard the environment by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.”
In 2010 Evergreen Group commenced its current fleet renewal program, which in total includes thirty L-type vessels. With the delivery of EVER LYRIC, Evergreen adds the 28th such ship to its operating fleet. The remaining two newbuildings are being built by CSBC and will be delivered by the third quarter of 2015.