A real backbone 
Delivery of Notre Dame’s roof truss on the River Seine. There’s a lot of building work in Paris these days, not just with a view to the Olympic Games due in the city in eleven months (see page 58 of ITJ 19-20/2023). The River Seine is also proving its worth for project cargo in... more
Logistics milestone in Basel 
The Gateway Basel Nord, a Swiss trimodal terminal, has received planning permission for its first construction phase after seven years of proceedings. This milestone underscores the project's importance in shifting goods from road to rail and its role in enhancing the... more
MOL expands chemical tanker business
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that its subsidiary, MOL Chemical Tankers, is set to acquire Fairfield Chemical Carriers (FCC) in a deal valued at around USD 400 million. This acquisition is in line with MOL's strategy to expand its presence in the chemical tanker... more
A new Dutch marine duo
Global Transport Solutions (GTS) has acquired Ship Spares Logistics (SSL), creating a marine logistics partnership in the Netherlands. GTS specialises in maritime supply chain solutions through its Marinetrans brand, while SSL offers marine logistics services such as barge... more
A tailwind for Ventofoils
The Dutch company Econowind is pushing ahead with the building of its wind propulsion system Ventofoils to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of sea-going vessels. The Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) and Horizon Flevoland have now... more
UK ports go digital
CNS, a DP World company specialising in digital trade solutions, is introducing its CNS port community system (PCS) in UK ports. The cloud-based platform, replacing 'Compass,' offers HMRC compliance, enhanced ease of use, cross-platform integration, and adaptability to... more
Atlantic eco voyage
The ‘Avontuur’, a cargo sailing ship of ‘Timbercoast cargo under sail’, is setting sail on its twelfth Atlantic voyage, providing an eco-friendly solution for transporting goods across the sea. A diverse crew of fifteen individuals from various countries will spend months... more
ZIM and MSC forge operational pact
ZIM and MSC have signed an operational cooperation agreement to enhance efficiency and service quality on multiple trade routes. The partnership involves vessel sharing, slot purchases and swaps. The aim is to offer cost efficiencies while maintaining a high-quality service for... more
Maersk expands in Colombia and Panama
Maersk has opened new fulfilment centres in Colombia and Panama and is investing over USD 200 million to strengthen its logistics infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean. The new facilities will provide high-value solutions for regional and international customers, the... more
Less throughput in Hong Kong
In Q2/2023, the Port of Hong Kong saw a decline in throughput compared to Q2/2022. The handling of containers dropped to 3.69 million teu, marking a nearly 22% yoy decrease, as reported by the regional census and statistics department. Overall cargo throughput also fell,... more