When major shippers change sides
Ikea has learned its lesson from the Ever Given blockade in the Suez canal this year. The Scandinavian home furnishing retailer has now entered the shipping business arena, confirming to the Swedish press that the company is chartering vessels and buying containers to avoid... more
Kazakhstan orders two A400M
By placing an order for two A400M, the Republic of Kazakhstan will become the ninth country to operate this strategic transport aircraft after Germany, France, UK, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Malaysia and Luxembourg. With delivery of the first unit scheduled in 2024, the... more
Australia Post also wins
Despite a recent three-day disruption in its picking up services for parcels from e-commerce retailers in New South Wales, Victoria and Australia’s capital Canberra due to the pandemic, Australia Post benefited from the current market situation. Group revenue in its... more
Preparing for peak season in Southeast Asia
DHL Express has expanded its airfreight capacity within Asia with a newly converted B737-800 freighter in anticipation of the upcoming e-commerce peak season. Operated by DHL partner K-Mile Asia, the aircraft offers a total gross payload of nearly 140 t weekly as it travels... more
Transit time cut by up to 76%
A successful premiere: a load of fresh fruit safely arrived in Moscow as the first export from Pakistan to Russia under TIR regulations. The truck, carrying fresh mangos, travelled from Pakistan to Russia via Iran and Azerbaijan, delivering the goods to Moscow in seven days.... more
Will carrier profitability last?
Patrik Berglund, CEO of freight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, expects the big carriers to further seek higher contract rates to extend profitability The surge in carrier profitability has been based on the high spot freight rates boom this year. A key test will be whether... more
India: more freight and faster trains
Despite Covid challenges, Indian Railways continued its high growth momentum in terms of cargo handling and earnings in August 2021. The company's freight volume in August 2021 amounted to 110.55 million t, which is 16.87 % more than in August 2020. The railway earned IND... more
Maritime decarbonisation in Singapore
Singapore's maritime and port authority has launched the formation of its own global centre for maritime decarbonisation. To start with, the MPA and six founding partners - BHP, BW Group, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Foundation Det Norske Veritas, Ocean Network Express and Sembcorp... more
Constants in global shipping
Despite mixed developments in the global economy, and thus also in the shipping industry, of late, there are definitely some constants too, for example in certain ports. more
Maersk signs Magna Charta
Seafreight giant Maersk has inked the low carbon charter launched by the Hong Kong Business Environment Council (BEC). The carrier is now committed to contributing towards Hong Kong’s long-term decarbonisation ambition and the goals of the Paris agreement. “Decarbonisation... more