JC Movers Expands Storage Facility With New Warehouse In Tampines
Dachser sees another leap in growth
Aramco and DHL Supply Chain announce new end-to-end Procurement and Logistics Hub joint venture
DHL Global Connectedness Index: Globalization resilient even as U.S.-China decoupling advances
Rhenus Air & Ocean Joins Clean Cargo, A Global Program for Sustainable Container Shipping
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
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Sustainable harbour cranes press release: Konecranes puts the battery in big container handling machines
A “battery megatrend” has been gathering force for years on a global scale, first in electronic devices with the maturing of Li-ion battery technology and then in large devices such as automobiles. It’s part of a huge global effort to increase sustainability and reduce CO2 emissions. Konecranes is doing its part in the container handling industry, taking the lead as a container handling equipment and service supplier. We now offer large container handling machines that are battery-driven: the Konecranes Battery RTG, the Battery Konecranes Noell Straddle Carrier, and all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes. This is the next step in the evolution of Ecolifting, only from Konecranes. Some container handling equipment is “small” in industry terms, an example being a reach stacker, a type of heavy-duty lift truck that handles containers weighing up to 40 tons when full. Some container handling equipment is large, such as a Rubber-Tired Gantry (RTG) crane, in size around 23m wide and some 27m tall, running on rubber tires. RTGs work in the container yards of seaport container terminals, taking containers in and out of the container stacks, and “shuffling” them there as needed. Many container terminals use RTGs as their container yard workhorses, and Konecranes is a leading world supplier of RTGs. Konecranes also offers automated RTG systems, which are becoming increasingly popular. Making an RTG run successfully on batteries is a considerable engineering challenge: it’s a large machine doing heavy work at a fast pace, usually 24/7. World first! Battery-driven RTG We now offer the Konecranes RTG with battery power in addition to the cable reel and busbar electric power options. The Konecranes Battery RTG can be thought of as a system when it is operated with a charging station. This will always be the case when the Konecranes Battery RTG is automated. It can also be operated manually, with manual plug-in for charging. This brings new flexibility and “no strings”1 electric operation to RTG-based container yards, as well as zero local CO2 emissions and virtually zero local noise emissions. Combine this with the fact that the Konecranes Battery RTG is delivered in a carbon neutral state, and you get the most eco-efficient RTG in history. Find out more here: https://www.konecranes.com/equipment/container-handling-equipment/rubber-tired-gantry-cranes https://www.konecranes.com/ecolifting https://www.konecranes.com/press/releases/2021/konecranes-now-delivers-hybrid-and-electric-rtgs-as-carbon-neutral Electric experience Konecranes started the battery trend in container handling equipment with the introduction of a battery-driven Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) some 15 years ago. The battery AGV earned acceptance and became established in large fleets at major container terminals. Meanwhile, a transition from lead-acid to Li-ion battery technology occurred. This was a major leap forward. Konecranes has been learning enormously about battery technology and electric power management over the years. This knowledge has been used to introduce battery AGVs, hybrid RTGs and a battery-driven forklift truck, the E-VER. Then the time came to introduce battery-driven, large container handling machines. When all-electric machines are charged with renewable energy, we call it “pure electric” since it’s the purest form of container handling to date. Battery Konecranes Noell Straddle Carrier Straddle carriers are specialized machines that handle containers, running on rubber tires, that are used in “straddle carrier container terminals” around the world. Straddle carrier terminals use straddle carriers as their primary container handling machine. In operational terms they are very flexible. They run on rubber tires and do most of the container handling work in the terminal, running between the quayside and container yard. We also now offer the Battery Konecranes Noell Straddle Carrier as a system, complete with charging station. There is no performance compromise: the battery straddle carrier can be built into the customer’s work shifts and operational structure in a variety of ways. Find out more here: https://www.konecranes.com/equipment/container-handling-equipment/straddle-carriers Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 all-electric Mobile Harbor Cranes Mobile Harbor Cranes are a general-purpose crane type that is very popular at ports around the world because it can handle containers, bulk cargo and general cargo. It’s a mobile crane type as its name implies: it can be moved on rubber tires to different locations around the port as needed, taking on different types of jobs. In June of last year, Konecranes introduced Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes (MHCs). It has been enthusiastically received by the market, especially the modular drive system. This includes the all-electric drive, combining an external power supply with an innovative battery drive. The world’s first all-electric Konecranes Gottwald MHC with battery drive is already working hard at the Port of Skellefteå in Sweden. It is helping to supply an ultramodern battery factory in the town of Skellefteå. In addition, two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald ESP.9 MHCs, each with 200 t maximum lifting capacity, will enter operation at the Port of San Diego, USA, in spring 2023. Find out more here: https://www.konecranes.com/equipment/mobile-harbor-cranes https://www.konecranes.com/generation6/drive-system A strong focus on customers and a commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a lifting industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.
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World Shipping Council Statement on Congressional Passage of The Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Following Congressional passage of The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, S.3580, the World Shipping Council released the following statement: “Today’s vote on The Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) marks the conclusion of the legislative phase and transition to the Federal Maritime Commission rulemaking process. We appreciate the time and effort that Congress has put into crafting this bill and look forward to engaging in productive conversations with the Federal Maritime Commission to implement OSRA in a way that will minimize disruption in the supply chain. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, ocean carriers have gone all-out to keep goods moving, deploying every vessel and every container available, increasing sailings, and investing for the future. In 2021, carriers ordered a record-breaking 555 vessels worth 42.5 Billion USD, and 208 vessels worth 18.4 Billion USD have been ordered year-to-date in 2022. But as long as America’s ports, railyards and warehouses remain overloaded and unable to cope with the increased trade levels, vessels will remain stuck outside ports to the detriment of importers as well as exporters. "We are appalled by the continued mischaracterization of the industry by U.S. government representatives, and concerned about the disconnect between hard data and inflammatory rhetoric. The 22 (not nine) international carriers that serve the American people, industry and government on the Asia - United States trade are part of the global supply chain that has built this country, importing and exporting food, medicine, electronics, chemicals, and everything else we depend on. The increased rate levels we have seen over the past years are a function of demand outstripping supply and landside congestion, exacerbated by pandemic-related disruption. The United States’ own Federal Maritime Commission’s recent Fact Finding 29 investigation conducted over the past two years concluded the same: ’Our markets are competitive and the high ocean freight rates have been determined by unprecedented consumer demand, primarily in the United States, that overwhelmed the supply of vessel capacity. Congestion further constrained available capacity.’ “Until the import congestion is remedied, export congestion will persist. The World Shipping Council will continue to work with federal and state policymakers, as well as other parties, to pursue the necessary lasting solutions – such as continued investment in port infrastructure – that can have real impact in strengthening the intermodal transportation system that has supported the U.S. economy through the pandemic. Ocean carriers continue to move record volumes of cargo and have invested heavily in new capacity – America needs to make the same commitment and invest in its landside logistics infrastructure.”
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Ocean carriers respond to Senate Markup of Ocean Shipping Reform Act
The American people are looking for solutions to supply chain congestion resulting from the impacts of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, S.3580, which was marked up today by the Senate Commerce Committee, addresses none of the root causes of the U.S. landside congestion. Americans continue to import goods at record levels—so much so that the U.S. ports and landside logistics workforce is unable to process all the cargo. Ocean carriers have deployed every vessel and every container available, and are moving more goods than at any point in history, but the U.S. landside logjams are keeping vessels stuck outside U.S. ports. This import congestion is also consuming the capacity and space needed to ensure the uninterrupted flow of U.S. exports. While the Senate is taking a more deliberative approach that the House’s flawed process in passing the Ocean Reform Act of 2021, H.R.4996, neither chamber’s version of the bill does anything to fix the landside logistics breakdowns that are at the heart of America’s supply chain problems. In fact, the House bill would make existing congestion worse. Comparatively, the Senate bill – despite carrying some of the same risks of unintended negative consequences – provides regulators enough authority to get the final rules right. Instead of passing legislation that would do nothing to address the nation’s supply chain congestion, Congress should seek real solutions that take a comprehensive, forward-looking view. That means continued investment in port infrastructure and promoting communication, innovation, and collaboration across sectors to further strengthen the intermodal transportation system that has supported the U.S. economy throughout the pandemic. The World Shipping Council will continue to partner with Congress and other stakeholders on these worthwhile efforts.
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World Shipping Council Response to State of the Union: Container Shipping is a Competitive Industry
Disruptions in America’s supply chain have thrust container shipping, the industry’s finances, and its operations into the public eye – including during tonight’s State of The Union Address. But the claims made by President Biden during his speech are not indicative of the industry or market dynamics. “Here are the facts: container shipping is a competitive industry with multiple ocean carriers actively challenging one another in the global marketplace and on the shipping lanes most relevant for U.S. trade,” said John Butler, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council. “It is disappointing that unfounded allegations are being levied against an industry that is moving more cargo right now than at any time in history in order to meet the unprecedented demand for imported goods during the pandemic. “The truth is that with demand for ocean transportation services into the U.S. at record levels, market dynamics are influencing prices – not carrier alliances. These vessel sharing agreements (VSA) are purely operational compacts that enable carriers to share space on one another’s ships, which increases efficiency and supports more service to more ports than would otherwise be the case. Importantly, the operational agreements do not include commercial cooperation. Each member of a VSA or alliance determines its own commercial terms, including prices, which are not discussed between alliance members. Every VSA is filed, reviewed, and continuously monitored by the FMC. “The legislative proposals currently before Congress would upend the global transportation system, reducing service for U.S. importers and exporters and raising costs for American consumers and businesses. We urge the administration and Congress to enact measures that will relieve the current congestion and set America’s supply chain up for long-term success.”
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Ocean carriers respond to State of the Union Address
In response to President Biden’s planned attack on ocean carriers during Tuesday’s State of the Union Address, the World Shipping Council released the following statement: “It is unfortunate that the President is demonizing ocean carriers, the industry that is the backbone of the U.S. and global economy and that has been working around the clock through the pandemic to move more cargo than at any time in history. Allegations that the container shipping industry is highly concentrated and uncompetitive are factually incorrect. Ocean carriers actively compete against one another in the global marketplace, including on the shipping lanes most relevant for U.S. trade, while concentration levels in many other U.S. industries are markedly higher than those in container shipping. In a clear sign of a competitive market responding to increased demand, competition increased in 2021, with more ships operated by a larger pool of carriers serving the trans-Pacific trade. The bottom line is that container shipping is a very competitive industry—this is what the numbers show. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe have repeatedly and recently confirmed that this is the case. The deeply flawed Ocean Shipping Reform Act passed by the House will not solve the landside logistics breakdowns that are at the heart of America’s supply chain problems. In fact, the legislation as written would make existing congestion worse and stifle innovation. Policymakers must instead address the root cause of the logjam by seeking real solutions that take a comprehensive, forward-looking view of the supply chain, further strengthening the intermodal transportation system that has supported the U.S. economy throughout the pandemic.”
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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.
