DHL Supply Chain expands its Life Sciences and Healthcare Campus in Florstadt, Germany
As Official Logistics Partner, DHL helps the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with tailored, multi-modal transport solutions
World Shipping Council strengthens its organisation in Europe and the USA
Pozyx unlocks the potential of smart warehousing and showcases its new Pozyx Platform at Fabriek Logistiek
World Shipping Council Statement on Enactment of The Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Sustainable harbour cranes press release: Konecranes puts the battery in big container handling machines
World Shipping Council Statement on Congressional Passage of The Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Ocean carriers respond to Senate Markup of Ocean Shipping Reform Act
World Shipping Council Response to State of the Union: Container Shipping is a Competitive Industry
Ocean carriers respond to State of the Union Address
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iTradeNetwork Introduces Next-Gen Freight Solution for a Smarter, Faster, Fresher Supply Chain
iTradeNetwork, the industry’s largest perishables network with over 8,000 food and beverage trading partners, proudly announces its next-generation transportation solution Freight—a streamlined way to combat the chaos of the present landscape, improve delivery performance, and maximize margins on every order moving through the supply chain. The pandemic radically altered consumer food spending habits, with an extraordinary rise in e-commerce sales and omni-channel experiences. This demand shock, combined with labor and equipment shocks in the logistics sector, has left fresh suppliers, buyers, and carriers reeling from unprecedented capacity and rate pressures when moving food across the supply chain. For consumers, this has resulted in empty shelves and substitutions. With 33 percent more consumers cooking more at home, pressure on buyers to prevent out-of-stock situations will only grow and companies that plan procurement and freight together have an advantage over those looking at them separately. Meeting demand and maintaining customer loyalty starts with building smarter supply chains and solutions that help businesses make smarter decisions, like iTradeNetwork’s new Freight solution. Freight is designed to help growers, shippers and buyers make the best margin-saving decisions in a chaotic environment by providing complete route planning, cost visibility, load building and load optimization prior to sending a purchase order so logistics can be a part of the overall purchasing decision. Its intuitive look and feel powers a simplified experience that makes decision-making easier, faster and smarter. With Freight: 1) Build more profitable loads: combine purchase orders to optimize loads with automatic recommendations and safeguards to prevent costly product loss, using a best-in-class, intuitive look and feel. 2) Build loads faster: smarter optimization–predictive loads, automatic recommendations for the best carriers, and real-time updates. 3) Maintain constant visibility: leverage Freight’s bird’s eye view of every aspect of a product’s journey. “In today’s environment, Wayne Gretzky’s advice comes to mind: ‘Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.’ We believe a lesson companies in the food supply chain can take from the pandemic is that logistics needs to be as proactive and strategic as possible instead of reactive. Our Freight solution moves it in that direction. Built on our industry-leading procurement platform, it simplifies combining purchase orders into loads, recommends optimal loads, and helps procurement and freight planners make the best decisions possible to secure the maximum margin on every purchase order,” said Nathan Romney, chief product officer for iTradeNetwork. To learn more about Freight, visit itradenetwork.com/itradefreight/ or contact sales@itradnetwork.com
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STH is looking for companies to perform Contract Engineer services
After large tender procedures for design and construction works, Centralny Port Komunikacyjny Sp. z o.o. has announced another. The Contract Engineer procedure concerns services related to construction of railway spokes throughout Poland. The estimated value of the framework agreement equals ca. EUR 577 million. The Contract Engineer is an entity which, on behalf of the investor, will supervise individual stages of the investment – from design, through execution of works, to the guarantee and warranty stage (as an option). Such services will guarantee that railway investments are carried out at the highest possible level, which will translate into durability of the railway lines built by the Company. The aim of the tender is to select up to 20 contractors who will provide Contract Engineer services under a framework agreement. Any company that signs it will be able to apply for individual partial tasks. The STH Programme is scheduled for many years ahead. Framework agreements allow us to create a long-term professional relationship based on mutual trust and predictability. Selected companies will gain access to contracts awarded in the following years in connection with construction of new railway routes, explains Mikołaj Wild, President of STH SPV. The main purpose of concluding a framework agreement is to speed up the process of selecting contractors in the subsequent stages of work for linear projects. The co-operation is to continue for eight years. The estimated contract value is approx. PLN 577 million net. The scope of tasks covered by the framework agreement will include e.g. services within the scope of works on the building permit design and detailed design (including their review), investor’s representation during construction works, their acceptance and handing over for use along with settlements, as well as optional post-investment support and support during the guarantee and warranty period. There is a further procedure crucial to the whole investment process ahead of us. We order professional services to supervise design or construction activities of future contractors, so that 1,800 km of railway lines are built as efficiently as possible and in the best quality, emphasises Sławomir Kanik, Director of the Railway Subprogramme Implementation Department of STH SPV. The procedure is conducted as an open tendering procedure. The criteria for selecting contractors include primarily experience. Subsequently, in contracts for individual partial tasks, price and qualifications of the team indicated by the contractor to carry out the project will be taken into account. Applications are being accepted until 27 January 2022. The tender is open to both Polish and foreign bidders. The announcement was published on the SmartPZP and TED platforms. The tender for Contract Engineer services is another major framework procedure announced by the Company in recent months. In autumn, the Company encouraged applications in a tender procedure for design of railway lines, valued at approx. PLN 7 billion. In December, a procedure for construction works on the premises of the Solidarity Transport Hub has been launched. The aim of this tender is to select up to eight contractors to whom the Company will subcontract individual design tasks. The estimated contract value is over PLN 1.7 billion. At present, CPK sp. z o.o. is performing nine contracts for feasibility studies (FS). They concern the following railway sections: Warsaw – Łódź – Wrocław – Polish-Czech border, Katowice – Ostrawa, Łętownia – Rzeszów, Zamość – Bełżec and Ostrołęka – Łomża – Giżycko, the STH railway junction and the Sieradz – Kalisz – Pleszew – Poznań section. In total, preparatory works are underway on sections with a total length of 1,200 km.
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Centerboard Launches Updated Product Offerings via WIN, by Centerboard Technology Platform
Centerboard, the neutral, shipper-centric transportation management solution, is announcing a range of updated solutions to its core platform, WIN, by Centerboard. As the shipping industry navigates challenges presented by disruptions in the supply chain, Centerboard aims to ease shippers’ workload through new technologies that offer a seamless user experience. With these latest updates, shippers of all sizes receive access to modular and flexible solutions powered by real-time data, providing full control over and transparency of their supply chain. “Our business needs are continuously changing as we navigate through the pandemic, shipping delays and driver shortages,” said Nicolas Adam, Executive Vice President at Margarine Thibault. “With the various new features offered on WIN, by Centerboard we’ve been able to navigate all of these challenges while improving our processes, enabling our team to make better shipping decisions and ultimately save time and money.” New features now live in WIN, by Centerboard include: Advanced Shipment Notifications on all order tracking messages, helping to improve efficiency, accuracy and flexibility. Tracking Message on Behalf of Carriers helping to communicate shipping updates in real-time. Activity Tab Added on Order Screen to customize specific items related to an order, ultimately saving time. Added Custom Fields including date and timestamp, helping users to improve their billing process. Tender Response Reminders, including scheduled, automated messages reducing the need for shippers to manually contact carriers. Pallet Labels to auto-generate the paperwork that shippers had to manually create. Pro Sticker Image on BOL, adding greater clarity to the shipping experience by giving the client and carrier a convenient document for real-time tracking. “Centerboard’s best-in-class technology team is powered by 30 years of supply chain expertise and we understand what shippers need most. We’re focused on providing shippers with solutions that are backed with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities enabling more cost-effective, efficient and sustainable programs,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at Centerboard. “It’s important that current and future technology features are nimble and flexible in order to support changing architectures. Centerboard gives shippers control by integrating with their existing and emerging technologies.” To learn more about Centerboard and the new solutions offered through WIN, by Centerboard, Visit www.centerboard.com
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Awake.AI partners up with Youredi to ensure seamless information sharing in maritime logistics
Awake.AI, a smart port and ship platform, announces a partnership with Youredi, a global supply chain, and logistics data connectivity provider. The agreement aims to ensure seamless information sharing between platform stakeholders. The agreement calls for Youredi to simplify Awake.AI’s customers’ processes with integrations and to ensure seamless information sharing between platform stakeholders. This is done by leveraging Youredi’s market-leading iPaaS technology, experience, and footprint in the global logistics integrations domain. The Awake.AI platform was designed to improve communication between all maritime actors at sea, ports, and land and bring port operations efficiency, safety, and sustainability to a new level. Leveraging the platform, port authorities and port operators can optimize all port operations with AI-powered and accurate ETAs; meanwhile, ship operators and cargo owners can utilize situational awareness to enjoy Just-In-Time operations. “The goal of this collaboration is to simplify the integration process for our customers and make the Awake platform widely available for any actor of the industry. While our team continues improving the capabilities of the platform, Youredi will handle all integration work - from design to implementation and run integrations through their unique iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service)”, said Karno Tenovuo, CEO, Awake.AI. "We are very excited about our cooperation and fully support Awake.AI on its mission to lead the transition to sustainable and intelligent maritime logistics. We believe that backed by our integration capabilities and experience, Awake’s platform can be a game-changer for the industry", said Jaakko Elovaara, CEO, Youredi.
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Launch of the largest tender for the railway investments
Solidarity Transport Hub, a Polish company, announced last week a framework procedure for the design documentation for the country's largest ever rail investment programme. The estimated value of design works is more than EUR 1.5 billion net. This is the largest framework agreement for design works in Europe to date. The Solidarity Transport Hub is the planned transfer hub to be constructed in the centre of the country between Warsaw and Łódź, which will integrate air, rail and road transport. As part of this project, “Solidarity” Airport will be built 37 km west of Warsaw, but not only. In addition to the airport, a rail network with a total length of around 2,000 km is planned. The Solidarity Transport Hub is the largest project of this kind in the Central and Eastern Europe and will have a significant impact on the transport situation in the entire region. The purpose of the tender is to select a group of contractors to whom the Solidarity Transport Hub company will be able to commission design tasks in a simplified procedure of executory procedures for eight years. The Contracting Authority (the "Solidarity Transport Hub" company) counts on the interest of specialist design offices from Poland and abroad. The tender is conducted simultaneously in two languages: Polish and English. Tenders can be submitted until 5 November. Details of the procedure can be found on the EU's Tender Electronic Daily platform: https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:503863-2021:TEXT:PL:HTML&src=0. The proceedings in Polish can be found on the “Smart PZP” platform https://portal.smartpzp.pl/cpk/public/postepowanie?postepowanie=20419108. The rail design works will include, among others, elements of the central line of the new high-speed rail system, which will run from the capital to major cities in the west of the country: These include: Warsaw – Solidarity Transport Hub – Łódź – Wrocław/Poznań, the extension of the Central Railway Line to the north of the country (towards Płock, Włocławek and the Tricity) and the new Katowice – Kraków line. It also includes sections running through areas that are currently excluded from transport, e.g. in the northern and south-eastern parts of the country, such as Masuria or the Bieszczady mountains. – The framework agreement will enable us to select contractors who can guarantee appropriate quality of the works. The idea is that later on, in the fast tenders of the STH, they will compete for executory agreements says Mikołaj Wild, the President of the Solidarity Transport Hub company. The effects of such solution are unambiguously positive: a quality guarantee through the selection of reliable partners, shorter duration of orders and predictability of the order book. This solution has already proven effective, among other things, in the environmental inventories of the STH, which have been in progress since the previous year – he adds. Orders under the framework agreement will concern: materials for environmental decisions, programme and spatial concepts (PSC), designs and studies for location decisions and property acquisition, building permit designs for obtaining building permits, detailed designs and documentation for selecting contractors of the construction works. At the same time, the Solidarity Transport Hub company will have the possibility of ordering design services in various configurations depending on current needs (e.g. either for design documentation of the entire investment process, or only for selected design studies mentioned above). The framework agreement will enable the Solidarity Transport Hub company to select contractors of the design works in the subsequent simplified execution contracts more efficiently and quickly. In the currently ongoing procedure, the company evaluates only qualitative criteria (mainly the criterion of personnel experience). Price tenders will only be taken into account during simplified executory orders addressed to the contractors with whom the framework agreement will be concluded. – For us, dialogue with contractors and getting to know each other's expectations are at the essence of cooperation on framework agreements. The objective is a joint action that will give the contracting authority an opportunity to efficiently select contractors, and contractors – to build a valuable order book in the long term and based on clearly defined criteria – says Radosław Kantak, the member of the Management Board of the STH Company responsible for railway investments. The procedure concerns a total of 29 projects divided into 82 sections which make up approximately 2,000 km of railway lines to be completed by the Solidarity Transport Hub by the end of 2034. Among them there will be high-speed railway sections with a design speed of up to 350 km/h. – Using international best role models, we will create contract conditions that are attractive to contractors. Among other things, we offer flexible forms of remuneration, e.g. partial payments, additional prepayments payable in advance, lump-sum and unit-price settlements (depending on the type of service), as well as additional remuneration for acceleration of the works. All these solutions were based on the conclusions of the preliminary market consultations we conducted with the industry – says President Mikołaj Wild. The design works will take place in working teams together with Solidarity Transport Hub company staff. Advantages of the Solidarity Transport Hub tender for framework agreements over other procedures include a transparent programme spread over the next two EU perspectives (until 2034) and executory procedures without excessive formalities. The signing of the framework agreement for the design works is only the first step. Framework agreements are being prepared for: contracts for the contract engineer and for construction works. The railway investment programme of Solidarity Transport Hub envisages the construction of approximately 2,000 km of new high-speed railway lines leading from 10 directions to the new airport ("Solidarity” Airport) and Warsaw. The estimated value of STH's railway investments until 2034 is almost PLN 95 billion. They will make it possible to get to the “Solidarity” Airport from most cities in Poland in up to 2.5 hours.
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The Cohesive Companies Expand in Transportation Infrastructure Globally with Acquisition of OXplus and through Executive Succession
The Cohesive Companies, a wholly-owned but independently operated digital integrator business unit of Bentley Systems, Incorporated (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced its acquisition of OXplus, the leading rail asset management specialist headquartered in Veghel, Netherlands. The acquisition coincides with the appointment of Dr. Mark Bew MBE as CEO of The Cohesive Companies, succeeding Noah Eckhouse, who has retired after 17 years of exemplary service within Bentley Systems capped by the successful convergence, from multiple predecessor organizations, of The Cohesive Companies in 2020. OXplus becomes the sixth brand to enter The Cohesive Companies fold in support of its mission to deliver the strongest social, economic, and environmental outcomes for infrastructure clients and their constituents. OXplus supports rail owners, operators, and maintainers, and rolling stock manufacturers around the globe with digital tools and solutions that give them a deep insight into the performance of their assets. It builds smart systems, and delivers standout client experiences, that use IoT data to effectively predict when repair or intervention is needed, that prevent downtime, that reduce operational costs, and that enable efficient scheduling of assets. The acquisition of OXplus, founded in 2010, will accelerate The Cohesive Companies’ expansion of its Enterprise Asset Management presence within Europe and elsewhere. For instance, OXplus has recently supported the prestigious Riyadh Metro project, the largest single-phase metro project underway globally, and is also supporting Siemens Mobility to efficiently execute the maintenance of Riyadh Metro’s new train fleet. Bew joined Bentley Systems and The Cohesive Companies with its 2020 acquisition of the UK-based built-environment consultancy PCSG, providing digital advisory services and solutions to world-leading owners and operators in the transportation sector. Representative clients and projects include HS2, Europe’s largest infrastructure project, in developing a digital twin of the entire rail system; Highways England (National Highways), operator of the UK strategic road network; and Heathrow Airport Ltd. Prior to his co-leadership of PCSG, Bew held information and business system leadership roles with Costain and URS-Scott Wilson. Based in London, Bew also chaired the UK government’s BIM Task Group, which led the work to embed digital techniques and processes within major UK public sector infrastructure programs. In a further appointment, George Church has been named COO of The Cohesive Companies. Based in Boston, USA, Church brings a depth of knowledge and expertise gained through 27 years at Bentley Systems, including as senior vice president of its professional services business. Mark Bew said, “We are delighted to welcome the OXplus team to enhance The Cohesive Companies’ balance across geographies and sectors. Our collective success and learning curves in delivering projects while working fully virtually throughout the pandemic has proven our growth strategy in globally bringing together and further attracting world-class talent resources. I take the helm from Noah Eckhouse enthusiastic about our unique strengths as a full lifecycle digital integrator, delivering transformational outcomes across the built and natural environment, independent of our clients’ investment choices among technology vendors. It is particularly meaningful to me that OXplus’ proficiencies in rail and transport operations and service optimization now helps us be able to fulfill the vision, expressed through the UK public sector’s digital twin aspirations, for improved social benefits from infrastructure. OXplus CEO Henri Snijders said, “We are excited that OXplus is joining The Cohesive Companies to strengthen our position as a leading digital consultancy in the railways and transportation sectors. I would like to thank all the team at OXplus for their work and dedication in making this milestone possible.” Richard Van Dongen, OXplus CCO, added, “Advancements in going digital are driving improvements on major railways projects leading toward the breakthrough advantages of infrastructure and of rolling stock digital twins. We know that together, we can deliver even more operational value for the transportation sector.”
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South Korea’s High-Speed Railway SRT Goods Getting Popular
South Korea’s Super Rapid Train, SRT goods are gaining popularity these days. The SRT goods are designed with the exterior of the high-speed railway SRT as a motive, and those include Bi-Fold Card Wallet, Magsafe Card Wallet, Luggage Tag, Laptop Pouch, Keyring, Magnet, etc. The SRT goods are made of the finest leather carefully selected by a leather craftsman and finished with the French leather technique applied to high-end products, such as thinly layering the edge coat several times, so you can feel the soft and elastic leather texture. In particular, the SRT keyring is made smaller in size by modeling the Bern key commonly used in passenger trains. At the Korea Railways and Logistics Fair 2021 ( http://raillogkorea.com ) held in Busan this year, the keyring received a great response from customers who like railroads and trains. ※ Bern key: A key used for service space and engine room entrances in passenger trains. It was standardized at the International Conference on Railway Technology held in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, on May 10, 1886. On top of that, four types of canvas bags and eco bags were introduced as seasonal SRT goods products in August. They showed great popularity, selling out all within a few days of release. On the SRT canvas bag, texts and pictograms are stylishly designed based on the train ‘tracks’ and ‘exits’ signs often seen in railway history. SRT goods are jointly developed by SRT operator SR ( https://www.srail.or.kr ) and the social enterprise Coiro. Coiro, inc., a Korean fashion company attracting attention in design and technology, started as a French leathercraft training workshop for the first time in Korea. It participated in the MIPEL show in Italy, a world-class handbag exhibition in 2018 and 2019, and collaborated with global car brands and representative department stores in Korea. Various organizations are participating in the production of SRT goods, including young people, the elderly, self-support organizations of prostitution victims, and cooperatives. SRT goods are available at Naver Smart Store ( https://url.kr/7dlqit ) and eBay ( https://url.kr/jv3r12 ). SR, the SRT operator, said, “We will strive to strengthen a sustainable social economy community by sharing SRT infrastructure and marketing assets with social enterprises.” SRT goods made using the finest leather with the exterior line of a high-speed train as a motive SRT Bern key Keyring. It is made smaller in size by modeling the Bern key commonly used in passenger trains. It has sold very well at the Korea Railways and Logistics Fair 2021( http://raillogkorea.com ) held in Busan this year. Available at eBay. SRT canvas bag and eco-bag sold out within a few days of release. On the SRT canvas bag, texts and pictograms are stylishly designed based on the train ‘tracks’ and ‘exits’ signs often seen in railway history.
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Eight new Liebherr STS bring Tanger Alliance's TC3 terminal to full capacity
In what marks the end of a very exciting and complex project, and also the start of a new beginning, Tanger Alliance at the TC3 terminal in Tanger Med in Morocco have received the final two of eight Liebherr ship to shore container cranes. The final crane entered service in April 2021 and brings the operational capacity of the new terminal to over 1.5 million TEU per annum. The cranes, which are the first Liebherr STS at Tanger Med, were erected at a remote site in Cadiz, Spain before being shipped two at a time to Morocco. The first cranes were commissioned in October 2020, with four more following in quick succession, allowing the terminal to open for business in January 2021 with six STS cranes. The cranes were designed and manufactured by Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. in Ireland. They have an outreach of 72 m, a lift height over rail of 54 m, a span of 30.48 and a backreach of 22 m. Safe Working Load under twin-lift spreader is 65 t. The ultra large STS cranes are future-proofed as they can cater for vessels with up to 26 rows stowed across the deck and include fibre optic cores in the cabling, fault monitoring and remote diagnostics. Safety features including laser and ultrasonic anti-collision systems as well as smart slowdowns are installed as standard. Liebherr Container Cranes contracted with ALE Heavylift Madrid (later Mammoet) to assist with the assembly and transportation of the cranes. The cranes were ordered between March and November 2019, with delivery scheduled to take place during 2020 and 2021. The Covid pandemic with its global lockdown and strict restrictions necessitated an agile approach to site assembly in Cadiz and2/4 commissioning in Tangier. Utilising local support, Mammoet’s personnel and experienced Liebherr engineers, the project was able to proceed with minimal interruption. The cranes bring to twelve, the number of Liebherr STS cranes in Morocco with 4 cranes already in operation in Casablanca. Gerry Bunyan, Global Sales and Marketing Manager for Liebherr Container Cranes said “The handover of these cranes to Tanger Alliance is a key moment for the port. Tanger Alliance’s investment in Liebherr STS cranes will be rewarded with industry leading productivity, low operational costs and the knowledge that the cranes will be available as required, to work on the world’s largest vessels for many years to come. We look forward to seeing Tanger Alliance maximise the cranes potential.” Tanger Alliance container terminal is a global transhipment hub and gateway for direct import and export volumes. With a quay length of 800 m, a terminal area of 360,000 m², a water depth of 18 m and a handling capacity is 1.5 million TEUs, Tanger Alliance is ready to operate on the newest and largest container ships, offering high productivity and 24/7 operations all year round. Tanger Alliance is a partnership consisting of Marsa Moroc, Eurogate & Contship Italia and Hapag-Lloyd.
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Yanmar Conducts Field Demonstration Test for Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell System
OSAKA, Japan (March 24, 2021), Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. have conducted a field demonstration test for the maritime fuel cell system on March 24, in Oita, Japan. The International Maritime Organization has announced a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by the end of this century. With marine environmental regulations tightening worldwide, in December last year, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry formulated its "Green Growth Strategy towards 2050 Carbon Neutrality". The strategy highlights the development of energy and power sources that reduce the impact on the environment, including those for vessels powered by carbon free fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. A global leader in maritime powertrain technology, Yanmar was among the first companies to comply with environmental regulations with its development of dual-fuel marine engines. Looking to the future of powertrain technology, Yanmar has developed a maritime fuel cell system that incorporates hydrogen fuel cell modules from Toyota’s MIRAI automobile. The system was installed into Yanmar’s EX38A FC pleasure boat for field testing. The boat is the first to officially comply with the safety guidelines for hydrogen fuel cell vessels formulated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan. Yanmar aims to verify specific issues and solutions in a maritime environment for deployment of the maritime fuel cell system. Looking to the future, Yanmar has plans to scale the maritime fuel cell system by connecting multiple units. The system is planned to be deployed to larger vessels by 2025. Demonstration test boat specifications Model : EX38A（FC prototype） Weight : 7.9 t Length/Beam : 12.4 m / 3.4 m Power : 250 kW Fuel Cell Type : Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell x 2 modules Hydrogen tank : 70M Pa x 8 tanks Inspection body : Japan Craft Inspection Organization Test Location : Kunisaki, Oita, Japan
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Awake.AI's multimodal platform enables real-time collaboration, planning and optimisation for sea-port-land actors
Based on its recent analysis of the European maritime logistics market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Awake.AI with the 2021 European Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award. Its open and collaborative digital platform enhances maritime logistics by integrating stakeholders operating in sea, port, and land logistics. It funnels the discrete data from their operations, drives shared and transparent communications, and offers accurate predictions for informed decision-making. “Awake.AI’s collaborative AI platform expedites ports' and terminals’ transition to connected operations, aiding smarter operational decision-making," said Suriya Anjumohan, Senior Industry Analyst. “With a reliable data flow, Awake.AI reinvents port logistics operations management by offering a virtual infrastructure and connected process governance for maritime logistics industry participants. Its scalable digital solutions, strong port ecosystem partner network, and commitment to amplifying digitized port operations established it as a trusted, smart port ecosystem orchestrator.” In 2020, Awake.AI launched Smart Port as a Service™ to address maritime logistics operation supply chain challenges. These include operational delays due to resource and capacity management inefficiencies and supply chain congestion. The platform enables open information-sharing among collaborating partners and provides accurate predictions to save users time and cost. Its virtual infrastructure brings distributed and siloed port logistics operations together in a neutral AI-driven open platform. Awake.AI's Smart Port as a Service™ model, with its pay-per-use pricing flexibility, offers significant value in the current environment by eliminating the need for high upfront investments. The company aims to lead the industry’s migration to intelligent maritime logistics operations with the help of ecosystem partners and build its brand through industry alliances. Awake.AI’s machine learning-based solution for ports accelerates logistics planning and offers accurate estimations of vessel arrival and departure times. "Awake.AI’s smart port platform enables maritime logistics industry participants to future-proof their operations with sustainable and intelligent operations," noted Anjumohan. "Its scalable solutions powered by AI and machine learning models, with real-time, trusted information channels and a robust partner ecosystem, support its role as an integrated port ecosystem orchestrator." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in devising a strong growth strategy and robustly implementing it. The recipient has shown strength in terms of innovation in products and technologies, leadership in customer value, as well as speed in response to market needs. The award looks at the emerging market players in the industry and recognizes their best practices that are positioned for future growth excellence. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
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Awake.AI collaborates with ESA to develop a marketplace for sustainable and intelligent maritime logistics
The Finnish start-up Awake.AI is accelerating its platform development by introducing a ‘marketplace’ solution to orchestrate complex shipping and port transactions. In November 2020, the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded Awake.AI funding to conduct the project Commander which will develop and pilot the Awake platform and introduce ‘Awake marketplace’. Awake.AI’s platform is currently used for smart ports and shipping operations by multiple actors such as port authorities and operators, cargo owners and ship operators around the globe. Awake marketplace is the new solution built on top of the existing platform offering new types of communications, ETA improvement, real-time asset tracking and identification and other advanced services to all actors. With the help of networked organizations and SaaS (Software as a Service) workflow tools, Awake marketplace will facilitate the organization of the complex shipping and port services. “We will offer a globally scalable marketplace for smart port and smart shipping services, which is built on leveraging the open APIs provided by the Awake.AI platform. Awake marketplace will enable any third parties to build their own solutions on top of the Awake Platform. It will be a full-service one-stop-shop for all smart port services, including service purchases raised by ships when making port calls, trucking and even operational services,” explains Simo Salminen, Co-Founder and Vice President of Products, Awake.AI. “This project demonstrates, among other industry-leading projects, that Awake.AI is the thought leader of AI-based solutions in maritime, ports and related logistics. We are bringing new revolutions to the market and connecting different logistics actors through a market network type ecosystem, where many participants work in a network-like setup to perform complex transactions like port calls,”– envisions Karno Tenovuo, Co-founder and CEO of Awake.AI Project Commander was awarded funding by ESA Space Solutions which supports European companies to develop sustainable commercial space-based services, by providing funding opportunities and expert support. “ESA is delighted to support AWAKE AI. with this project which is an excellent example of how Space Solutions uses data from satellites to transform businesses on Earth. ESA has a long history of supporting companies delivering maritime applications relying on space assets and data. Awake marketplace is a clear example of the unique value space can play in the digital transformation of port systems and of the shipping sector,” says Dr. Rita Rinaldo, Head of the Partner-led and Thematic Initiatives Section at ESA.
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Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. delivers three RTGs to CSX Intermodal Terminals
Killarney (Ireland), October 2019 - Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. recently delivered three RTGs to CSX Intermodal Terminals (CSXIT) in the USA. The RTGs, two for Bedford Park, Chicago, Illinois and one for Worcester, Massachusetts have entered service in the past two months delivering fuel savings of up to 40%. The two RTGs for Bedford Park stack six containers and truck lane wide and one over three containers high. The cranes feature Liebherr’s eight rope reeving which eliminates sway and skew whilst delivering exceptional productivity. A variable speed engine along with a series of gantry travel cameras and laser anti-collision systems provide the latest efficiencies and safety. DiaMon3D, Liebherr’s advanced crane management and diagnostic system has been installed ensuring access to crane statistics and maintenance options in an easy to use graphical interface. In Worcester, local environmental regulations govern noise and emissions. The Liebherr RTG has been designed in compliance with these regulations. An eight wheeler machine built around a reduced size variable speed diesel genset, supplemented by a Liebherr energy storage system for hybrid operations has been supplied. Substantially reduced fuel consumption, emissions and noise are the major benefits from the reduction in engine size, use of variable speed engine and hybrid system. The crane has a SWL of 41 tonnes, stacks one over two high and serves two rail lines with their adjacent truck lanes. According to Paul Bolger, head of product management with Liebherr Container Cranes, “The Worcester terminal can expect to see significant reductions in running costs and emissions. The Liebherr energy storage system alone reduces fuel consumption and emissions per hoist cycle by as much as 40%. When compared to an RTG with a larger engine, the environmental benefits and savings are substantial.” The RTGs for both terminals have been designed to meet or exceed the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requirements in safety, noise levels and lock-out-tag-out protection. CSXIT has previously purchased Liebherr RTGs for their Pennsylvania terminals, Pittsburgh and Chambersburg.
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South Korean Imports Show Moderate Strength as Overall Trade Continues to Contract
The DHL Global Trade Barometer, an early indicator of global trade developments calculated using Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, suggests that trade in Personal and Household Goods will experience significant growth between June and August 2019, rising 15 points to an index of 89. However, most other sectors continue to exhibit signs of ongoing trade weakness, with marked declines in both air and ocean exports expected, thus pulling down the overall trade outlook by 3 to an index value of 46. South Korea's air imports, on the other hand, look set to grow modestly thanks to rising trade in sectors like Temperature or Climate Controlled goods and Basic Raw Materials -- the latter of which is predicted to make positive contributions to the country's ocean imports. "South Korea's high reliance on exports has rendered its economy particularly susceptible to the global downturn in trade, particularly as its key industries like semiconductors and technology have been acutely affected by recent trade disputes," said SP Song, Managing Director, DHL Global Forwarding Korea. "The evolving nature of global trade disputes will likely dictate the course of South Korea's own trade growth in the coming months, with domestic demand aided by government stimulus measures and broader overseas diversification likely to yield opportunities for South Korean businesses looking for increasingly rare growth at home." Latest results show negative effects of trade wars For the first time in six quarters, the Barometer's results predict a slight decline in global trade between June and August 2019, with its overall world trade outlook dropping to just 48 index points. Commenting on the latest forecast, Tim Scharwath, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said, "Amidst rising US-Chinese tensions, the slightly negative outlook for global trade for the third quarter of 2019 does not come as a complete surprise. The latest GTB clearly illustrates why trade disputes create no winners. Nevertheless, some major economies such as Germany continue to record positive trade growth. And from a year-to-date perspective, world trade growth has still been positive. Hence, we remain confident in our initial prognosis that 2019 will be a year with overall positive, but slower trade growth." The continued trade disputes between the US and China have contributed significantly to that decline, with both countries experiencing the largest declines in their trade outlook (-11 points for the US, -7 points for China) out of all countries surveyed by the Barometer. In the Global Trade Barometer methodology, an index value above 50 indicates positive growth, while values below 50 indicate contraction. Scharwath said, "The GTB is a useful tool for us to anticipate economic developments at an early stage. We are well-prepared to tackle the forecasted developments. Our divisional structure and portfolio as well as our worldwide activities allow us to balance economic effects within the company and remain resilient to changes in global trade dynamics."
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Tandem Global Logistics Network expands its coverage in the Middle East
Tandem Global Logistics Network announced today that it is further improving its coverage in the Middle East. The Kuwait partner Al-Rashed International Shipping Co.’s office in Iraq has become the latest addition to Tandem’s network. In Saudi Arabia, the network’s founding member Kanoo Logistics has just opened a new facility strengthening its warehousing capabilities in the port of Dammam. A part of the group founded in 1911, long-term Tandem partner Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. is a family owned company and has been representing the network successfully in Kuwait since 2009. Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. is Kuwait’s largest shipping and logistics company with operations across Kuwait, Iraq, and other countries in the region. Tandem is able to expand global coverage by appointing Al Rashed’s office in Iraq as the exclusive partner in the country. Al-Rashed United Shipping Services has three main locations: a head office in Basra, a port office outside Umm Qasr Port, and a warehouse at the Khor Al Zubayr Free Zone. The branch in Iraq is as an extended arm of Al-Rashed International Shipping Company that serves international clients and local traders. The experienced team offers a full suite of services that include a port/shipping agency, liner agency, heavy lift handling capability, feeder operations, break bulk shipments, air charters, air freight, NVOCC, and logistics. With the new partner, Tandem can offer access to the Iraqi market and all of these facilities. More good news comes from Tandem member of the board Kanoo Logistics – a business group of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group (YBA) – which opened a new state of the art warehouse located near King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. The century-old, family-owned company has been representing the Tandem network exclusively in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and The United Arab Emirates. The new warehouse is a 10,000 sqm (110,000 sq. ft.) ambient temperature controlled facility built on a 100,000 sqm (1.1 million sq. ft.) area with approximately 10,000 pallet spaces. It offers CCTV indoor and outdoor, the latest safety equipment including sprinklers and showers, and 5,000 sqm (54,000 sq. ft.) of parking space. In addition to storage, YBA Kanoo is able to provide end-to-end logistics support services such as customs clearance, transport, value-added activities, and freight forwarding. The strategic location at the Port of Dammam is ideal to help customers grow their business in the region. “We are confident that these developments create new opportunities for all of our 80 cooperative Tandem partners,” says Frits Schouffoer, Managing Director of Tandem Global Logistics Network. “Both the new partner and the new assets will contribute substantially to connecting businesses in this important region to the rest of the world.”
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Iskratel successfully deploys IoT-based Incident-Response Management solution for Slovenian Railways
Iskratel, today announced it has successfully implemented its new Internet of Things (IoT)-based Incident-Response Management (IRM) for Slovenian Railways. Installed less than a month ago, the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure has reported that the IRM has already detected four alarms, all due to locked brakes and consequently overheated wheels. According to Iskratel, the installation represents a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the transport industry, which is generally recognised as conventional and traditional. “This successful implementation of our IRM system – which we will showcase for the first time at InnoTrans 2018 – shows that, together with our valued customer Slovenian Railways, we are moving towards the digital transformation of the transport industry,” said Matjaž Jelen, Director of Transport Solutions at Iskratel. “In less than a month of operation, the solution has already detected four alarms, preventing potential damage and incurred costs for our customer. This is an excellent example of what our solutions can enable and deliver to the transport industry.” Iskratel’s solution is based on a proof-of-concept which was exhibited at InnoTrans two years ago. The now complete IRM solution uses IoT principles to provide operators with detailed, real-time information in the event of railway incidents and emergencies, enabling them to collate the information quickly and make instant decisions. Based on a new modular concept, the IRM has a customised graphical interface for train dispatchers’ operational processes and provides clear error notifications and easy management of unexpected events. The system offers operators pre-defined scenarios and measures which provide straightforward and effective actions. At InnoTrans 2018, Iskratel will demonstrate how the IRM can improve traffic safety and the quality of passenger and freight transport, as well as prevent operational disruptions by ensuring accuracy and reliability. It will also reduce operational costs by preventing accidents and fires, lowering the impact of excessive or uneven loading of wagons on railway infrastructure and environmental hazards in transport of dangerous substances. The IoT-based solution connects systems for hot axle detection, locked brakes, overheated wheels, flat wheels and track weighting into an efficient response platform that operates in real time. The axles’ bearing temperatures and brakes’ heat are measured to avoid excessive temperatures which can lead to damage of rolling stock and even derailment. The track weighting system detects overloaded freight wagons that can cause fractures of rolling stock, while the flat wheel detector system senses wagon irregularities that can destroy the railway track geometry. In the event of an emergency, the system immediately alerts the operator with key visual and acoustic information, showing the exact alarm location, alarm type, train number, direction, speed, total composition length and number of axles. Before taking any action, the system automatically provides clear guidance to successfully monitor and resolve the situation. Damaged vehicles can also be detected by the system, ensuring quick removal of the vehicle and the risk of fire it poses. During the IRM system’s implementation, Iskratel worked with an MDS system partner to install a centralised workplace for maintenance workers. This enables remote maintenance procedures while monitoring all train measurements over a period of one month. “With the successfully delivered solution already proving its value for Slovenian Railways, we have proved our strategic direction in the transport industry and are confident that we can drive digital transformation in the right way,” added Jelen. Iskratel will present its IRM solution, including details of the Slovenian Railways project, at InnoTrans 2018, which takes place in Berlin, Germany, from Tuesday, September 18 to Friday, September 21.
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SBS Logistics achieves business agility with Infor
Infor, a leading provider of industry-specific cloud applications, today announced that SBS Logistics Singapore Pte Ltd achieved significant improvement in operational efficiencies, cost savings and quality assurance with the implementation of Infor SunSystems. The Singapore-based company provides services such as freight forwarding, drayage, truck transportation and warehouse. SBS Logistics used Infor SunSystems to process order information in a timely and flexible manner, streamline business processes and enable better decision-making at every stage in delivering their logistical services. Infor SunSystems was deployed in conjunction with Infor partner Strategic Business Group, which has helped SBS Logistics report and analyze all data from the Infor SunSystems platform in real-time, assisting the decision-making process. "Before implementing Infor SunSystems, we faced difficulty in controlling accounts by the different business divisions. The new functionality afforded by this solution helps drive improved business processes and optimize workflow management. Reports can be generated in a shorter time, giving rise to increased productivity," said Kazunari Maki, Director, SBS Logistics Singapore Pte Ltd. Prior to using Infor enterprise solutions, SBS Logistics used a third-party software to manage orders and requests from their customers. However, they faced many challenges with this platform, as different business divisions could not communicate and integrate their respective processes between one another, resulting in many operational errors and inefficiencies. "Handling multiple orders simultaneously can prove to be a huge challenge for logistics companies. Businesses need to be flexible in the flux of constant change, and a solid technological infrastructure needs to be in place to keep everyone engaged and informed in the workflow process," said Helen Masters, Vice President & Managing Director, South Asia -- ANZ & ASEAN. "We are proud to work with SBS Logistics to leverage the full potential of Infor SunSystems to drive business agility and to generate future business growth."
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DHL to invest further RM 1.5 billion in IT Services Data Center by 2020
DHL, the world's leading logistics company, expects to invest nearly RM 1.5 billion (EUR 296.7M) between now and 2020 to further develop its IT Services Data Center in Cyberjaya, creating further opportunities for emerging IT talent in Malaysia and around the region. The IT Services Data Center has provided critical IT infrastructure, business application development and support initially for the company's Asia Pacific and, subsequently, global operations over the past 20 years, with DHL investing more than RM 4.7 billion (EUR 941.1M) in its development since 1997. "Digitalization plays an increasingly strategic role in helping global logistics networks achieve the speed, reliability and accuracy needed to keep pace with today's demands. The investment we have made in Cyberjaya demonstrates our commitment towards enhancing our capabilities -- and helping our customers improve their market positions through best-in-class IT infrastructure and skilled talent," said Alexander Pilař, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, IT Services, Deutsche Post DHL Group (DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group). Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Chief Operating Officer, Dato' Ng Wan Peng said, "We are heartened by the continued support from DHL, which reflects its unwavering commitment to Malaysia and its digital transformation agenda -- as we race towards becoming a developed digital economy by 2020. In addition to employment creation, this move will greatly boost and strengthen the digital infrastructure and ecosystem crucial for a thriving innovation powered socio-economy. We look forward to the journey ahead with DHL, in our quest to make the digital economy a key engine of growth for Malaysia." A team of more than 1,440 employees ensure the Cyberjaya IT Services Center, along with their counterparts in Prague, the Czech Republic and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, deliver 24/7 IT support across all DHL divisions -- DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Supply Chain, DHL eCommerce operations. It serves as platform through which DHL hopes to strengthen and level the playing field for talent, particularly for women looking to succeed in IT -- which has traditionally been a male-dominated field. While the Malaysia team includes members from 27 different nationalities, the majority -- nearly 70% -- come from Malaysia, with women making up almost 40% of the total workforce. "We started our IT Data Center in Malaysia 20 years ago, occupying a floor in a suburban shopping mall with just 120 staff, facing risks of disruption from flooding to the building's car park," said Yogananthan S, Site Head of IT Services Cyberjaya, and VP Business Relations for IT Services, Asia Pacific, Deutsche Post DHL Group. "Since then, we've not only relocated to Cyberjaya but also established it as a key pillar in DHL's regional and global logistics strategy, backed up by one of the most diverse and high-performing workforces in the country and globally." "Over the past 20 years we've focused on not only building up the local IT talent market -- including hiring almost 500 new graduates since 2006 -- but doing so in a way that encourages diversity and equal opportunity for all," added Yogan. "These values are not only at the core of DHL's corporate culture -- they also play a crucial role in how we effectively we serve our global 'customer' base in more than 220 countries and territories." In addition to cultivating the local talent pool, DHL IT Services Cyberjaya plays an active role to give back to the local community and environment. Through the company's "Living Responsibility" approach, staff volunteer time and expertise on sustainable projects that help address issues which go beyond the workplace. The IT Service Data Center in Cyberjaya plans to invest in a range of platform renewals and technical innovations through to 2020, including adoption of hybrid cloud, and higher-efficiency or renewable energy sources.
