Automating paperless customs handling 
Kazakhstan has launched a digital platform to improve customs processing at its Chinese frontier. The software is designed for the automatic submission and issuance of transit declarations for goods transported by rail along China - Central Asia and China – Europe routes. It... more
Container flows better than expected
The RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index, which measures global shipping activity, performed better than expected in December 2023, seeing a slight slowdown to 125.1 points from 125.4 points (revised) in November. Container throughput in Chinese ports decreased slightly, with... more
Changes at Chep
Chep has appointed Xavier Garijo to the newly created CEO Americas position, following the announcement that Chep North America’s president, Laura Nador, stepped down on 31 December 2023. Before joining Chep, Garijo was a member of the global executive board for contract... more
An active year for Bertschi
Despite a 15% reduction in sales, the Swiss transport group Bertschi reported several successful projects in 2023. It opened its new chemical logistics centre, with a storage capacity of 25,000 t storage, in Zhangjiagang, China, in mid-2023. Elsewhere in Asia, the group is... more
Piloting wholesales to a new level
Amsterdam-based Wholesale By Vels (WBV) has launched Cargopilot, a trade-only wholesale airfreight booking platform. It differs from existing online booking portals in two respects: firstly, it targets non-Iata freight agents, using WBV’s own Iata licence and Cass... more
Roman Fürtig follows Stefan Kunze
Roman Fürtig is to head the port of Hamburg's HHM representative office Germany East. The graduate historian and political scientist replaces Stefan Kunze, who will be retiring at the end of April. Fürtig will manage the port’s marketing activities in Eastern Germany from Berlin... more
A Euro Dual to expand construction site logistics
The Swiss leasing company European Loc Pool (ELP) has signed a contract with the track construction logistics specialist BM Bahndienste for a Euro Dual locomotive. It is the 100th six-axle hybrid locomotive that the company will supply under a long-term full-service leasing... more
Daher picks two new managers
Cédric Eloy (left) was appointed head of the industrial services division and member of the Daher executive committee, effective 1 January 2024. Aymeric Daher (right) will lead the logistics division and will join the executive committee on 1 February 2024. Eloy began his... more
Facilitating China-Europe e-commerce
JD Worldwide has opened its first self-operated procurement warehouse in Paris, France, specialising in fashion goods, as the latest step in its strategy to simplify e-commerce trade between Europe and China. The Chinese company operates the shopping platform JD.com and has... more
“Increasing importance“ 
Construction logistics honing its profile in Switzerland. Construction projects are usually lengthy undertakings with complex logistics processes these days. In Zurich the consultant Dr Peter Acél elaborated to Christian Doepgen on how the potential of the processes can be... more