Communications are the press relations consultancy for the Shipping and logistics industry
January 31, 2017
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Please be advised that “K” Line Tokyo Head Office published the following press release today.
・Financial Highlights for 3rd quarter FY2016 – for details please access via the website: http://www.kline.co.jp/en/
ENDS
January 31, 2017
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) has decided during board meeting held today on changes of Executive Officers.
1. Changes of Executive Officers.
(1) Retirement as of March 31, 2017
| Present Position | Name | New Position |
| Senior Managing Executive Officer | Kazutaka Imaizumi | Chairman, ‘K’ LINE INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED |
| Executive Officer | Ako Hiraoka | Counselor, “K” LINE LOGISTICS, LTD. |
(2) New Appointment as of April 1, 2017
| New Position | Name | Present Position |
| Executive Officer | Tomoyuki Okawa | CEO, K LINE OFFSHORE AS |
For further details please visit: https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/detail/1206889_1997.html
At the British International Freight Association (BIFA) Annual Awards Lunch in London on 19th January, the global freight insurance specialist, TT Club presented the European Logistics Award to European freight forwarder Delamode Group.
The Award attracted a wide-range of entries, which the panel of judges praised for their innovation and technical prowess. This year’s winner, Delamode Group is a multi-service global forwarder with strategically located offices throughout Europe. Delamode provides freight forwarding services and supply chain management solutions to a variety of industry verticals, in particular fashion logistics.
Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s Senior Loss Prevention Executive, in presenting the Award said, “TT Club is once more delighted to sponsor this Award and appreciates the role BIFA plays in encouraging best practice in the international freight and logistics industry. The judges were particularly impressed by the way Delamode Group had identified a new business opportunity and had successfully developed an innovative solution thus improving services along certain trade lanes. The result is that Delamode Group’s customers benefit from much faster and more cost effective delivery options and the company has an opportunity to use this business model to serve further regions in the future.
TT Club is certainly seeing a greater degree of innovation in the services being provided by its customers. Many companies that in the past offered traditional freight forwarding now take on a much higher degree of supply chain risk and become exposed to greater liability by providing increasingly complex and sophisticated services. The trend is, however, seen as positive. The increased complexity of service offerings and the ingenuity of operators in designing alternative supply chain solutions strongly demonstrate the logisticians’ value and provide opportunities for new entrants as much as established logistics companies.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About TT Club
TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.
TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller
About the Awards
The BIFA Freight Services Awards have been running for more than 25 years, and the ceremony has been held at the Brewery in Chiswell Street, London, since their inception in 1989. A carefully selected judging panel, consisting of sponsors and independent industry specialists, ultimately determines the winners.
About BIFA
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) represents UK companies engaged in the international movement of freight by all modes of transport. A not-for-profit organisation, BIFA is funded by subscription and run by its members for members. It operates with a full-time Secretariat, which administers and manages the Association’s affairs. BIFA provides an effective and proactive organisation dedicated to improving standards of professionalism within the logistics and supply chain industry.
Eizo Murakami – President & CEO
To everyone of the “K” LINE Group, I extend to you my sincerest wishes for a Happy New Year. As we enter 2017, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the past year and offer looking forward to the challenges ahead.
The year 2016 started with concerns that an economic slowdown in emerging nations would spill over to the developed nations. However, as the year progressed, the global economic situation gradually recovered, with temporary instability in the international financial market settling down amid signs that the slowdown was braking. On the other hand, various disruptions emerged against a backdrop of growing political and economic uncertainty, and consequently the recovery never gained much steam.
Looking at individual regions, despite apparent weakness in capital investment, the U.S. economy continued to see improvement in its employment situation and income environment. As for the European economy, destabilizing factors that included frequent acts of terrorism and the U.K.’s decision to exit from the European Union in June intensified concerns vis-à-vis the economic outlook. In Brazil and other emerging markets, there were signs of modest economic recovery amid feelings that the fall in resource prices had finally bottomed out. However, in China, the economy continued to slow as a result of concerns about excess capacity among domestic enterprises due to weakening demand. Japanese domestic economy showed improvement in terms of its employment and income environments. However, sluggish consumer spending coupled with a strengthening yen during the year’s first half produced an economic landscape that lacked a feeling of stability. The results of the U.S. presidential election in November went against the predictions of most pundits. Consequently, close attention will be given to how the yen, which showed a weakening trend in the immediate wake of the election, moves in the days ahead, as well as to how U.S. policies take shape after the new administration comes to power.
Our medium-term management plan, which is a five-year plan that looks to 2019, when we will celebrate our one-hundredth anniversary, sets out the road we will take in attaining our business targets as well as the roles of organizations and individuals toward this end. It is oriented toward raising our corporate value, which we call “ Value”. However, the unprecedented turbulence that is affecting our main segments—namely Containerships and Dry Bulk Carriers businesses—has been difficult to counteract, despite the sincere efforts of each employee in his or her duties, and is having a serious impact on our business performance. Even the strengths generated from our portfolio management—components of which include our Energy Transportation Business and Car Carrier Business, which are based on our advanced know-how in maritime technologies; Logistics Business, which is resistant to the effects of fluctuations in the shipping market; and Dry Bulk Carrier Business, which is built primarily on medium- and long-term contracts—are not enough to counteract the worsening performance of these two highly volatile segments. Consequently, 2016 was an extremely tough year for our group in terms of business performance. Given this reality, we endeavored to ensure our future cost competitiveness by promoting dry bulk business-centered structural reforms during the course of FYs 2015 and 2016. At the same time, we reexamined our medium-term management plan and revised our performance goals in “ Value for our Next Century – Action for Future -.” It is unfortunate that we had to make downward revisions at the end of the first year of the five-year plan. Nonetheless, we quickly recognized changes in the environment amid the emergence of an unexpectedly severe market, and we were able to seize available opportunities and take the measures needed at the time.
There are strengths and weaknesses in each of in our respective segments. However, within an extremely tough three companies, I believe that everyone in the Group has been committed to achieving the goal I put forth in last year’s New Year Message, namely, “to further raise our corporate strength by enhancing individual strengths, and aim to become a globally trusted corporate group.” In no sense can we be optimistic about the coming year. Nevertheless, it will be particularly important for each individual to execute his or her duties by being unwaveringly focused on personal role and organizational goals, with an eye to achieving the company’s goals.
Most importantly of all, I want to mention that we made a highly significant decision on October 31 of last year. We decided to spin off our Containerships Business—which, for the three major Japanese shipping companies, has always been a core business—and our Overseas Terminal Business from our main businesses and reestablish them in a new joint venture run by the three companies. In effect, we are executing a plan for structural reform of these businesses that we have operated independently for years. Previously our three companies had decided to start joint ship assignments in our containerships businesses, primarily on the East-West routes (Asia-North America, Asia-Europe, and Europe-North America), as members of a same alliance in April of this year. However, given the current business environment, in which competitors cannot be defeated without significantly higher cost competitiveness, we decided to go one step further by integrating our businesses in the spirit of “three companies operating on equal footing.” We thus decided to change to a new management structure by founding a new company. Our new containerships business strategy for the future will be as follows: To fight equally with overseas competitors that pursue economics of scale by applying cost competitiveness generated from the size of our combined fleets and integrated systems together with the sales competitiveness each of us has developed over the years. It is a strategy that takes a medium- and long-term perspective shared by all three companies. From this integration a business framework capable of generating profits even when market conditions are as bad as they are now will be established.
The new joint venture will begin operations in 2018, the year marking the 50th anniversary of delivery of “Golden Gate Bridge” as ”K” LINE’s first full containership. The environment surrounding our fifty-year Containerships Business has changed greatly, particularly in terms of its expanded size. We therefore need a business framework that is adapted to that change. The emergence of such a framework means that the liner trade of Japan, a nation surrounded by the ocean and built upon marine transport, will triumph with a robust organization built on the combined strengths of our three companies.
With the exception of the two businesses that will be integrated, our three companies will continue to operate independently as in the past. After the new framework is established, we will be managing a new portfolio, one that combines our participation in the Containerships Business through the new joint venture, as an affiliated company accounted for by the equity-method, with other segments that we will operate directly. This means we will be executing revolutionary changes toward becoming a revitalized “K” LINE. I am confident that we will successfully ride out the stormy seas that lie ahead when each one of us faithfully executes his or her duties with an eye to personal goals, making maximum use of our strengths as a comprehensive shipping line group and with a spirit of fearlessly facing new challenges that is founded on high organizational targets.
We will be formulating and announcing a new medium-term business plan to fit with this restructuring of our Containerships Business. Nonetheless, there will be no change whatsoever in our corporate principle and vision, including our initiatives for environment protection. With tireless effort to ensure safe and precise marine transport, and in response to social demand for environmental conservation, let us step forward boldly to tackle front-line challenges. And as we aim for sustainable growth, let us also be sure that the interests of the “K” LINE Group and society are one.
In closing, as we celebrate the New Year, I wish all of you, the members of the “K” LINE Group, and your family’s good health and prosperity, and pray that all ships will enjoy safe passage throughout 2017.
Eizo Murakami
President & CEO
GEODIS | Freight Forwarding in Spain brought a group of 30 teenagers to tour the ship Celebrity Silhouette, in the port of Barcelona
JANUARY 4, 2017
LEVALLOIS-PERRET
Following its commitment to corporate social responsibility, the global supply chain operator GEODIS supports the Spanish “Cruising for Children” initiative. “Cruising for Children” helps children and teenagers who are at risk of social exclusion in qualifying for future jobs.
As part of the “Cruising for Children” initiative, the Freight Forwarding Line of Business of GEODIS in Spain brought a group of 30 teenagers to tour the ship Celebrity Silhouette, in the port of Barcelona. The teens are participating in a program called PTT Viladecans (Pla de Transició al Treball).
The PTT program represents an educational and professional alternative for teenagers between 16 to 21 years of age who did not complete their high school education. PTT provides basic education to facilitate the development of personal and professional skills required in the working world enabling them to continue their studies or find employment.
During the port visit Jordi Millan, Marine Logistics Manager for the Freight Forwarding Line of Business of GEODIS in Spain and Niko Frzop, Air Planning & Product Supervisor for Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. Spain & France, explained to the participants the professional activities that take place at a port and onboard a cruise ship. The aim of this visit was to motivate and encourage the participants to continue to pursue and complete their education which will better position them for future employment opportunities.
Further supporters of the “Cruising for Children” initiative were the Port Authority in Barcelona (Autoritat Portuària de Barcelona) and the public transport provider Transports Ciutat Comtal.
For GEODIS this was the first out of a series of events to further support “Cruising for Children”. “We are enthusiastic about this initiative and keen to organize other joint activities”, commented Niko Frzop.
ENDS
GEODIS – www.geodis.com GEODIS is a Supply Chain Operator ranking among the top companies in the field in Europe and the World. GEODIS, owned by SNCF Logistics, which in turn is a business line of the SNCF Group, is ranked as the number four logistics provider in Europe and number seven at a worldwide level. GEODIS is also listed as a “Leader” in Gartner’s 2016 Magic Quadrant of Worldwide 3PLs. GEODIS’ reach includes a direct presence in 67 countries and a global network spanning over 120 countries. With its five Lines of Business (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), GEODIS manages its customers’ Supply Chain by providing end to end solutions enabled by over 39,500 employees, its infrastructure, its processes and systems. In 2015, GEODIS recorded €8 billion in sales.
19 DECEMBER 2016 – LEVALLOIS-PERRET
GEODIS is pleased to report that it has signed a new contract with PETROFAC for the transportation of oil production modules weighing up to 4,500 tons from several origins in Asia to Abu Dhabi.
The Industrial Projects specialists of GEODIS will ultimately ship 24 modules from China, Korea and Singapore to Abu Dhabi. The first of these trips utilized semisubmersible vessels, the biggest of which had a 63 meter beam and deadweight of 72,000 tons. On arrival at their destination in Abu Dhabi, the vessels were semisubmersible offshore and the barges towed to the berth for land transportation to the production site. The last of the modules departed from their origin in October 2016. The multi-modal solution is the first of its type to be utilized by GEODIS for PETROFAC.
PETROFAC is a leading service provider to the oil and gas production and processing industry. The company designs, builds, operates, and maintains oil and gas facilities worldwide.
“Managing this massive project for PETROFAC is an outstanding success for GEODIS,” says Philippe Somers, Senior Vice President Industrial Projects. “It underlines our unique positioning as an expert for innovative transport solutions, also in a very demanding market like the oil & gas segment, where the oil price is still down and players of the industry require even more to work with efficient, adaptive and agile partners.”
GEODIS – www.geodis.com GEODIS is a Supply Chain Operator ranking among the top companies in the field in Europe and the World. GEODIS, owned by SNCF Logistics, which in turn is a business line of the SNCF Group, is ranked as the number four logistics provider in Europe and number seven at a worldwide level. GEODIS is also listed as a “Leader” in Gartner’s 2016 Magic Quadrant of Worldwide 3PLs. GEODIS’ reach includes a direct presence in 67 countries and a global network spanning over 120 countries. With its five Lines of Business (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), GEODIS manages its customers’ Supply Chain by providing end to end solutions enabled by over 39,500 employees, its infrastructure, its processes and systems. In 2015, GEODIS recorded €8 billion in sales.
19 DECEMBER 2016
LEVALLOIS-PERRET
GEODIS is pleased to report that it has signed a new contract with the Austrian intermodal crane manufacturer Hans Küns GmbH to transport eight large gantry cranes from Poland to Canada, in the Delta Port Vancouver.
The project required the delivery of dismantled cranes from Gdynia Port in Poland to the Delta Port in Vancouver, with a total volume of 50,000 Freight Tons. Each gantry crane include
d two main 75-meter girders, and the team transported eight of these pieces in total per vessel. Undertaken in two separate loads, both were delivered to their final destination in Vancouver with a transit time of approximately 25 days.
During the project, the vessel crew secured the cargo in the ship’s hold for ocean transport between the two ports. They also arranged a transport pilot, prepared detailed work plans and schedules, and arranged special cargo and transport permits.
“Our main challenge was finding a vessel that could carry all of the pieces at one time,” said Stefan Waszak, Manager Operations Industrial Projects for GEODIS in Germany. “But after a thorough research we found the right solution for the customer.”
GEODIS – www.geodis.com
GEODIS is a Supply Chain Operator ranking among the top companies in the field in Europe and the World. GEODIS, owned by SNCF Logistics, which in turn is a business line of the SNCF Group, is ranked as the number four logistics provider in Europe and number seven at a worldwide level. GEODIS is also listed as a “Leader” in Gartner’s 2016 Magic Quadrant of Worldwide 3PLs. GEODIS’ reach includes a direct presence in 67 countries and a global network spanning over 120 countries. With its five Lines of Business (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), GEODIS manages its customers’ Supply Chain by providing end to end solutions enabled by over 39,500 employees, its infrastructure, its processes and systems. In 2015, GEODIS recorded €8 billion in sales.
Efforts to secure accurate container gross mass data continue following the SOLAS revision mandating verified gross mass for every packed unit having taken effect, but international freight transport insurer, TT Club is now calling for a concerted industry campaign to ensure good practice in all aspects of cargo care.
8th December, 2016
TT Club believes that an insistence on precise gross mass is just the first step in achieving what it is calling ‘Cargo Integrity’ not just within container trades but throughout the entire supply chain. Speaking at the recent industry conference, Intermodal Europe in Rotterdam, TT Club’s Risk Management Director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox emphasised the importance of the concept to safety both at sea and onshore, “By increasing the visibility of Cargo Integrity we hope to draw attention to other vital aspects of secure and safe cargo transport. This will include the proper packing of cargo within a unit; transparent data regarding contents (particularly classification of regulated goods) and the appropriate safe handling of such commodities; the highest standards of container construction and maintenance and the most advanced methods of stowing and lashing containers onboard ships”, he explained.
These varied aspects of Cargo Integrity are all important in not only safe-guarding the cargo itself but also the well-being of those handling the goods at warehouses, during inland transport, at ports and of course at sea. TT Club is committed to reducing the incidence of unstable loads causing traffic accidents and injuries when unpacking, dangerous goods causing fires both at warehouse facilities and at sea and poorly handled cargoes causing serious, sometimes fatal incidents at ports and terminals.
“In the immediate future we are anxious to promote awareness of, and adherence to the CTU Code. This is the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units, a publication sponsored by the three relevant UN agencies*”, stated Storrs-Fox. “The CTU Code legitimises the chain of responsibility for all stakeholders, providing a comprehensive framework to ensure cargo can complete the entire journey safely and successfully. We urge all those engaged in moving goods internationally to follow the Code diligently”.
Over the course of the coming year while stimulating as wide an implementation as possible of the CTU Code, TT Club will also be advising on initiatives to improve the other aspects of safe carriage of international freight through its Cargo Integrity campaign.
* being the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Cargoes/CargoSecuring/Pages/CTU-Code.aspx
ENDS
Notes to editors
TT Club
TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.
TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller
Thomas Miller
Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services.
Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where
today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self- employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.
Principal activities include:
GEODIS, will be showcasing its Industrial Projects expertise at Power-Gen International at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando from 13 – 15 December 2016.
During the 3-day event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet experts from GEODIS’ Industrial Projects unit, a global network of the company’s Freight Forwarding Line of Business which specializes in project cargo operations, customs clearance service, planning and execution of turnkey project solutions, coordinating complex out-of-gauge cargo transport and inland logistics.
“We anticipate that the power industry will push for cleaner fuels, and renewables trends have increased needs in plant capacity”. Said Julie Shafer, Global Segment Leader – Power, Industrial Projects. “GEODIS is prepared for the challenge and has a proven track-record of successfully handling complex industrial projects of all sizes that require specialty equipment and licensing, including experience with consulting with local government agencies for these difficult moves.”
GEODIS will be exhibiting at Booth No. 3211, from 13-15 December, 2016. For further information about the event please Click Here
Power-Gen International is the largest, most respected power generation event in the world, and is the industry leader in providing comprehensive coverage of the trends, technologies and issues facing the generation sector. As part of the Power Generation Week, Power-Gen International will run concurrently with the Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America, Nuclear Power International, Coal-Gen and GenForum.
GEODIS – www.geodis.com GEODIS is a Supply Chain Operator ranking among the top companies in the field in Europe and the World. GEODIS, owned by SNCF Logistics, which in turn is a business line of the SNCF Group, is ranked as the number four logistics provider in Europe and number seven at a worldwide level. GEODIS is also listed as a “Leader” in Gartner’s 2016 Magic Quadrant of Worldwide 3PLs. GEODIS’ reach includes a direct presence in 67 countries and a global network spanning over 120 countries. With its five Lines of Business (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), GEODIS manages its customers’ Supply Chain by providing end to end solutions enabled by over 39,500 employees, its infrastructure, its processes and systems. In 2015, GEODIS recorded €8 billion in sales.
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd.
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.
The Shipping Corporation Of India Ltd.
A consortium comprising Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), and the Shipping Corporation Of India Ltd. (SCI) took delivery of a new LNG vessel on November 30, 2016, in South Korea.
The vessel, PRACHI, has a capacity of 173,000 m3 and was built to order by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. based on a long-term time charter contract with Petronet LNG Limited (PLL). A naming ceremony for the ship was held on October 18, 2016.
PLL, India’s first importer of LNG, currently brings in 7.5 million tons of LNG a year from Qatar using three LNG carriers. PRACHI is the fourth vessel for the transport of LNG to India and will be employed in the Gorgon LNG Project in Australia.
SCI has been operating and managing all the LNG tankers that are under long term charter with Petronet LNG Ltd. SCI also takes over as manager of PRACHI since delivery on November 30, 2016
The four-company consortium will make every effort for safe transportation using this advanced new vessel, which is expected to contribute to the steady supply of LNG to India as energy demand continues to grow.
Outline of PRACHI
Length overall: 294.97 meters
Breadth: 45.60 meters
Summer molded depth: 12.50 meters
Gross tonnage: 112,791 tons
Cargo tank capacity: 90,328 tons
Shipbuilder: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.
Flag: Singapore
Outline of Charter Contract
| Owner | India LNG Transport Company (No. 4) Private Limited (Headquarters: Singapore), JV by “K” Line, NYK, MOL, and SCI |
| Charterer | Petronet LNG Limited |
| Charter period | 19 years |
| Vessel | One new membrane-type LNG carrier (173,000 m3) |
| Shipbuilder | Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. |
| Ship management | The Shipping Corporation Of India Ltd. |