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
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
Iloilo, Philippines, before the great leap
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has awarded a 25-year concession contract to develop and operate the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC) in Western Visayas. International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) received from PPA a notice of award for its sole bid to... more
Cargo volumes rise for the third year in a row
Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR), which recently welcomed Air India's first commercial flight on an A350, processed a total of 422,644 t of cargo in 2023 (+2% compared to 2022). Domestic freight traffic soared by 11%, testifying to BLR’s growing importance as a... 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
ONE opts for ammonia
The Japanese conglomerate of container shipping, Ocean Network Express (ONE), has just announced the award of approval in principle (AiP) for an ammonia dual-fuelled vessel. Along with its investment in twelve methanol dual-fuelled vessels, the carrier considers this to be... more
RMI hits 200 million t landmark
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 200 million t and encompassing nearly 5,600 vessels, marking a notable presence in the global maritime sector. This development reflects the registry's growth in fleet size... more
USD 157 million for Wabtec's brakes
Siemens India has placed an order for a new brake system for Indian Railways. Valued at around USD 157 million, the technology will be used to improve the performance, efficiency, and safety of Siemen’s new line of 1,200 electric locomotives. Under the contract, Wabtec will... more
Landing a cargo handling contract in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Airlines has awarded a contract to Sats for cargo handling services in Saudi Arabia. Hainan Airlines operates three Airbus passenger flights a week to Riyadh and Jeddah. Sats will provide warehouse handling services for over 2,400 t of import, export, and transit... more