EU to enter talks with China on ending its anti-dumping wine probe

CHINA and the European Union continue to negotiate anti-dumping probe of European wine exports which amounted to 257.3 million litres in 2012, valued at US$1 billion, half of which were from France. 

A decision to drop the wine anti-dumping probe is unconfirmed with a latest report from Reuters citing law firm's continued investigation into the Chinese industry association's complaint. However, discussion is a sign that Europe's most important trading partner is willing to ease tensions. 

The threat of duties on European wine from France, Italy and Spain appears a symbolic move, particularly centred on the two countries, France and Italy, most in favour of hefty fines on Chinese solar panels. 

Germany and Britain opposed the move with Germany as they would be hurt by tariffs in China, a major exporter of polysilicon, a raw material used in making solar-energy devices. 

Source: http://www.schednet.com/home/index.asp?area=seacargo

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Seaport operations company loads landship during training

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. - With clear, blue sky above and the hot afternoon sun shining down on the Vissering Landship Training Facility here, the 390th Seaport Operations Company out of Ceiba, Puerto Rico, is hard at work. The soldiers of the 390th SPOC are conducting their yearly Extended Combat Training exercise to learn new skills and refresh current skills as Army cargo specialists.

The training at the Vissering Landship is unique since it gives soldiers the chance to practice loading and unloading cargo and vehicles from a sea vessel while remaining on land. 

The types of training we are doing here is called a Logistics–Over-The-Shore operation, said Sgt. Carlos Garcia, a cargo specialist with the 390th SPOC. Garcia explained that the training involves loading and unloading cargo onto a watercraft, and roll-on and roll-off training for the vehicles being loaded onto a vessel. This is just one of many exercises they will be doing in preparation of the final live exercise, he said. 

The 390th SPOC leadership will be busy training their soldiers in all aspects of their job during this training event as cargo specialists. 

“We specialize in transporting cargo and personnel in planes, trains and sea vessels,” said Pvt. Richard Paul Lopez, a cargo specialist with the 390th SPOC. With so many aspects in which to train, the 390th SPOC will be working hard to give every soldier the best possible experience. Garcia said they are constantly rotating their training, and they will soon be training on tactical maneuvers while on convoys. With so much to learn and do, soldiers are constantly being challenged, he said. 

“So far it’s been great,” Lopez said. “It’s great, because the training never gets repetitive.” 

This training exercise gives the Soldiers a chance to work with equipment they don’t have access to back at their home station in Puerto Rico, said Sgt. 1st Class Luis Gonzales, a cargo non-commissioned officer with the 390th SPOC.

At the training site, the 390th SPOC continually emphasizes the importance of safety, especially for the junior-enlisted soldiers. Garcia said that safety is the main priority as well as refresher training. He said the training is important because it goes down to the basic soldier skills, from discipline to situational awareness, and that is why safety is so important. 

Along with safety, the need to know the job well and be able to perform is important. Gonzales explains that safety is a big part of this training, but we also have to take advantage of all the knowledge the instructors here have and learn from the experience of all the soldiers.

With so much to brush up on, and the need to train more than 150 Soldiers in land, air and sea cargo loading operations, the 390th SPOC is well on its way to guide all their soldiers to success. 

The chance to work with new equipment and being able to utilize the experience of instructors has the 390th SPOC running like a well-oiled machine.

Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/111180/seaport-operations-company-loads-landship-during-training#.UftMeORHL_I#ixzz2amzpMWOi

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Piracy and its Effect on Global Trade

Dr. Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi, Director General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), contends that over the last ten years, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea have reached high levels of piracy, lending to increased risk for the maritime shipping industry. At Tuesday’s international symposium entitled: ‘The Challenges of Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea,’ he highlighted the issue.

“The risks of such crimes taking place are exacerbated by links to organizations involved in international terrorism. Undoubtedly, the volume of global trade that passes through the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea makes this region an indispensable economic artery and maritime corridor for world security and stability,” he is quoted as saying.

However, aiming for a balance in his rhetoric, he also accentuated how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have shown their commitment over the past ten years to reducing piracy and related activities in the region. These actions by the UAE have shown positive results, as well as a commitment to working against international terrorism and the collateral crime manifests itself as a bi-product of it.

Acknowledging the notion that piracy is largely a bi-product of weak government as well as ties to terrorist organizations, Dr. Al-Suwaidi is later quoted as saying: “In response to maritime piracy activities in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, the UAE is following a two-track approach. On the one hand it provides support for international efforts to confront maritime piracy gangs and on the other hand it supports political ties aimed at enabling the Somali state to control its territory.” Lending credit to the nations in the region for exhibiting their best efforts to curb the phenomenon of piracy is a major step forward into the realm of significantly cutting down on the problem.

The symposium held on Tuesday reflected the issue of piracy in the region, while also seeking solutions through various panels to combat the problem in the future. Overall, it will contribute to safer shipping lanes and economic activity in the region to be reflected in the coming months/years.

Source: http://globalseafreight.com/piracy-and-its-effect-on-global-trade/

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GMS Offers Valuable Service for Retired Vessels

Being as controversial as it is, the practice of shipbreaking is relinquishing its role to more productive means of retiring used vessels. One of these means is ship recycling. One of the most prominent companies in this industry is GMS LeaderShip, a company with a global office disposition that conducts cash buys of ships in order to recycle them or sell them to other companies that do.

So far, GMS has negotiated the recycling of about 2,000 vessels, making them the premier company in the industry worldwide. They operate out of offices ranging from Bangledesh, India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Shanghai to Dubai and Romania. GMS stands out due to its exceptional Corporate Social Responsibility Standards (CSR). It has exhibited these many times over through its deals with other companies and its innovative solutions to ship recycling.

GMS has achieved numerous milestones over the last three years. These include: negotiating more than 100 ship buying deals over the last nine years, delivered 300 ships in one year, developed a Green Ship Recycling Program, and delivered 24 vessels in one month. For more information on GMS’ accomplishments, visit the following site: http://www.gmsinc.net/gms/aboutus.php.

In the coming years, GMS will be a significant partner for companies who want to exercise CRS and engage in disposal of vessels in a way that will not be harmful to the environment or the people who work to dispose of them or recycle them.

Source: http://globalseafreight.com/gms-offers-valuable-service-for-retired-vessels/

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Future Expansion of Malaysian Ports

Kuantan Port in Malaysia is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. A partnership between IJM Corp Bhd and its subsidiary Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn Bhd (KPC), as well as China’s Guangxi Beibu Gulf International Port Group will facilitate the expansion.

The final design of the project is due in October; the partners have agreed to expand the facility with 16 extra meters of draft alongside the new facility’s berths to help support trade to and from the adjacent Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s major gateway near the capital, is also slated for expansion. Rumors of a third major port being built have also circulated via the Port Klang Authority; this would be in response to rising demand. Westport and Northport currently handle container traffic at Klang.

This presents an issue because these ports also have their own ambitions for expansion, being hindered in their endeavours as long as Port Klang continues to use their facilities. Northport’s plans to increase capacity include means of purchasing larger container-handling equipment, while Wesport plans to raise funds for new developments through a proposed initial public offering. Westport’s goal is to have this complete within the calendar year.

The expansion in Malaysia means more access of maritime shipping to the Asian market, especially due to the connections between Malaysia and China. This is an expansion project that companies will want to be familiar with in the coming months, as its development will affect access to the region.

Source: http://globalseafreight.com/future-expansion-of-malaysian-ports/

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Peak Season Surcharge for All Imports to Vostochniy, Russia

The shipping industry experienced a flux of increased freight rates.  This is due to the year before showing exceptionally low freight rates where shipping companies lost billions of dollars due to overcapacity.  The consequence of this was a 2012 that saw many companies looking for ways to increase their rates to meet costs on ocean freight.

This phenomenon has manifested itself in many companies increasing previously implemented or implementing peak-season surcharges.  One of the most recent to adopt this measure is MCC Transport.

MCC Transport is a regional specialist handling all Intra-Asia containerized cargo for the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group in addition to providing feeder services for a wide range of regional and global shipping lines.  Their rates, going into effect on 15 July 2013 for all dry cargo imports, will be as indicated in the following table:

TYPE	PEAK SEASON SURCHARGE
	20’	40’	40’HC	45’
DRY	USD 50	USD 50	USD 50	USD 50

Source: http://globalseafreight.com/peak-season-surcharge-for-all-imports-to-vostochniy-russia/

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US: Stricter cargo security to cost airlines $2.8m a year

The new measures, which include more scanning, might usher an increase of the maximum prices for flying shipments or the introduction of a security fee on exporters.

The price for sending air freight overseas could soon rise due to stricter US security demands that could halt flights to the United States if not carried out. The companies affected would be El Al Israel Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways.  

Source: http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=111688

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Mideast carriers see freight volumes up 12.7pc

Middle Eastern airlines saw a continued robust expansion of demand in June with freight volumes growing by 12.7 per cent year-on-year, said a report released by the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

The consistent high growth in recent years, as the region’s carriers take advantage of the geographical position of the Middle East, has led to a substantial increase in its share of world air freight, it added.

African airlines recorded relatively slower growth in June, up 2.4 per cent on June 2012. This lags the year to date trend of 4.3 per cent, which is the second best of all regions, the report noted.

With economic growth in some key African markets looking strong, demand for high-value light weight consumer goods should rise, helping air freight volumes in the months to come, according to Iata.

The global air freight demand in June saw a 1.2 per cent year-on-year expansion in June according to the figures.

The figure, although weak, shows an improvement as compared to the 0.9 per cent year-on-year demand growth recorded in May and the 0.1 per cent growth realised over the first half of the year.

From May to June, global freight volumes increased by 0.8 per cent. A quarter of that improvement was captured by European airlines which saw a 0.9 per cent improvement in demand compared to May, and 2.6 per cent up compared to June 2012.

In contrast, Asia-Pacific carriers and North American airlines recorded year-on-year declines of 1.8 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively.

“It’s too early to tell if June was a positive turning point after 18 months of stagnation. Air freight volumes are at their highest since mid-2011, but that good news needs to be tempered with a dose of reality. The global economic environment remains weak, and the basis for the acceleration of air cargo growth in June appears to be fragile,” said Tony Tyler, Iata’s director general and CEO.

Earlier this month Iata released the July edition of its Airline Business Confidence Index which showed nearly 58 per cent of respondents expecting freight volumes to increase over the next year.

A much greater percentage of respondents (72.2 per cent), however, expect no change in weak cargo yields despite their expected increase in demand over the same period. The macro-economic trend remains challenging.

Global economic trend was previously defined by robust emerging economies and stagnant growth in developed markets, the strongest improvements in business confidence are now occurring in some developed economies. The overall business confidence, which is a key indicator for air freight, continues to be weak.

Source: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IND_240327.html

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Slow growth in China hits Asia-Pacific air freight performance with June volume down 1.8%: IATA

CHINA'S ECONOMIC slowdown has dampened air-freight demand throughout Asia and the Pacific as regional carriers' business volume in June contracted 1.8 per cent year on year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

In the first half, volume dropped 2.3 per cent.

To the organisation representing some 240 airlines comprising 84 per cent of global air traffic, this is the weakest performance among the regions and reflects the broad impact of the slowing growth of Chinese gross domestic product.

There are now fears that China will not achieve its 7.5-per-cent growth target this year, which may disrupt the global economic recovery. The Thai National Shippers Council forecasts only a 2-per-cent increase in the country's shipments to China this year. 

Elsewhere in the world, only airlines in North America suffered from contraction - 1.2 per cent in June and 1.6 per cent in the first half.

European carriers grew freight volumes by 2.6 per cent in June. Though in recession, the euro zone showed some signs of stability. For example, manufacturing activity contracted at its slowest pace in 16 months, easing pressure on key economies such as Italy, Spain and France. An improvement in consumer confidence is also likely to support demand for the sale of lightweight, high-value goods that are typically shipped by air.

While African airlines recorded relatively slower growth in June, up 2.4 per cent, Latin American airlines experienced a 7-per-cent increase. Middle Eastern airlines saw the biggest growth of demand, with freight volumes up by 12.7 per cent. The consistent high growth of airlines based in the Middle East in recent years is the result of their ability to take advantage of their geographical position.

In June, global air-freight demand expanded 1.2 per cent, higher than the 0.9-per-cent increase in May and the 0.1-per-cent growth in the first half.

While the global economic trend had been defined by robust emerging economies and stagnant growth in developed markets, the strongest improvements in business confidence are now occurring in some developed economies. Neverthe-less, overall business confidence, which is a key indicator for air freight, continues to be weak.

"It's too early to tell if June was a positive turning point after 18 months of stagnation," Tony Tyler, director-general and chief executive of IATA, said yesterday. "Air-freight volumes are at their highest since mid-2011, but that good news needs to be tempered with a dose of reality. 

"The global economic environment remains weak, and the basis for the acceleration of air-cargo growth in June appears to be fragile." 

Last month IATA released the July edition of its Airline Business Confidence Index, which showed nearly 58 per cent of respondents expecting freight volumes to increase over the next year. Despite this, 72.2 per cent expect no change in weak cargo yields despite their expected increase in demand over the same period. 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Slow-growth-in-China-hits-Asia-Pacific-air-freight-30211599.html

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Positive Growth for Air Freight Volumes in June 2013

IATA’s figures for June 2013 show a 1.2% year-on-year expansion in global air freight demand.

Although weak, this is an improvement when compared to the 0.9% year-on-year demand growth recorded in May and the 0.1% growth realized over the first half of the year.

While previously the global economic trend has been defined by robust emerging economies and stagnant growth in developed markets, the strongest improvements in business confidence are now occurring in some developed economies. Nevertheless, overall business confidence, which is a key indicator for air freight, continues to be weak.

From May to June, global freight volumes increased by 0.8%. A quarter of that improvement was captured by European airlines which saw a 0.9% improvement in demand compared to May, and 2.6% up compared to June 2012. In contrast, Asia Pacific carriers (the biggest players in global air freight) and North American airlines recorded year-on-year declines of 1.8% and 1.2% respectively.

"It’s too early to tell if June was a positive turning point after 18 months of stagnation. Air freight volumes are at their highest since mid-2011, but that good news needs to be tempered with a dose of reality. The global economic environment remains weak, and the basis for the acceleration of air cargo growth in June appears to be fragile," said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Earlier this month IATA released the July edition of its Airline Business Confidence Index which showed nearly 58% of respondents expecting freight volumes to increase over the next year. Despite this, a much greater percentage of respondents (72.2%) expect no change in weak cargo yields despite their expected increase in demand over the same period. The macro-economic trend remains challenging. Recent declines in global export orders do not bode well for trade growth.

Source: http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/317-AirFreight.shtml

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DHL launches shipment tracking app

DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist within Deutsche Post DHL,  has launched a

mobile app for customers to track their shipments.

The ‘DGF Cargo Mobile Tracking’ shows users their shipping history and the status of their current shipments. The app also provides global access and is available free of charge in the respective app stores for iPhone and iPad, android and Blackberry smartphones.  

“The “DGF Cargo Mobile Tracking” application provides increased visibility to customers, as to the current status of their cargo movements, in real time, no matter where they are,” said Michael Young, global head of Marketing and Sales.

“Supply chain managers are often away from their desks and benefit from mobile solutions, which enable them to track time sensitive shipments and adapt their planning, where necessary,” Young added.

The app offers four functions to the user: seeking shipments, saving search queries, a detailed shipping history of the past six months, and a “location finder” that shows the nearest DHL Global Forwarding office and its contact details.  

The search function also allows customers to track further details of the shipment process, such as the shipment’s starting time, current location and estimated time of arrival. The “Save Search” function saves pre-defined search queries, such as multi-digit consignment numbers that can be called up again.

Source: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IND_240309.html

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Georgia ports set multiple freight records

Georgia’s ports set records during the last fiscal year for tonnage, bulk cargo, auto and machinery units, and freight moved by intermodal rail, the Georgia Ports Authority(GPA) announced Monday.

In the year ending June 30, the ports moved 27.23 million tons of cargo, a 2.4 percent increase over fiscal 2012.

“Our overall tonnage increase has been fueled by the strength of U.S. exports and the GPA’s varied cargo spectrum,” authority Executive Director Curtis Foltzsaid.

For the second year in a row, the GPA achieved a record for auto and machinery units with an 11.7 percent increase over fiscal 2012. The Port of Brunswick is the third busiest port in the U.S. for total roll-on/roll-off cargo and the second busiest for imports of such cargo.

Bulk cargo movement soared by 61.8 percent, while the authority moved a record 314,623 containers by rail, up 4,600 containers over fiscal 2012.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/07/29/georgia-ports-set-multiple-freight.html

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Air Freight Figures Rise Slightly Overall as Cargo Totals Released

Shipping through Europe's Third Largest Airport Continues to Increase

NETHERLANDS – As the third largest cargo airport in Europe the air freight figures for Amsterdam’s Schiphol hub are always interesting as they tend to reflect underlying shipping trends. The first half of this year has shown modest growth with a total of 736,608 tonnes handled showing an overall growth of 1.02% against the figure for 2012. Total exports for the first half year rose to 362,124 tonnes, which was a 49.16% share of the total whilst the proportion of imports fell slightly to 50.84%, with a total of 374,484 tonnes.

Regionally, Schiphol’s largest market remained Asia and the total of 281,410 tonnes (up 3%) was 38.2% of all cargo handled. Exports to Asia rose 6% to 140,388 tonnes with imports from Asia also rising fractionally. North America remained Schiphol’s second largest market, with imports up 3% at 65,282 tonnes and exports down 11% at 60,079 tonnes, resulting in an overall share of 17.02% of freight handled (down from 17.94% in the same period last year).

The Middle East and Africa swapped places in terms of importance at Schiphol with the Middle Eastern market taking third place in terms of tonnage shipped, 38,088 tonnes of imports (up 16%) and 55,294 tonnes of exports (up 4.8%), producing overall growth of 9%. However, the increase in imports was largely due to the entry of various Middle East carriers into the Africa-Amsterdam flower trade, resulting in transhipments via the Middle East and re-classification of some Africa-originating traffic. Africa accordingly slipped to 4th place, with 55,641 tonnes of imports (down 3.8%) and 29,827 tonnes of exports (down 4.4%).

Latin America retained 5th position, with 40,492 tonnes of imports (down 4.8%) and 44,555 tonnes of exports (up 3.9%). The apparent reduction in imports chiefly resulted from re-routing of some South America originating flights via Miami, resulting in their re-classification as US traffic whilst Europe saw a small overall gain of 1.28% in the first half year, with a 9.3% fall in imports counteracted by a 12% growth in exports. Schiphol Cargo Senior VP Enno Osinga, commented:

“2013 is showing a similar pattern to 2012 so far, with an early peak around March. There has been a small decline in freighter flights of around 1%, which reflects the tightening of freighter capacity by some carriers in the face of rising costs and soft rates.”

Source: http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/air-freight-figures-rise-slightly-overall-as-cargo-totals-released_4794

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Airlines Braced for New EU Cargo Regulations

Russian carriers could be banned from transporting cargo from Russia to Europe if they fail to comply with new EU regulations that come into effect on July 1, 2014, Kommersant reported Monday.

Airlines who want to avoid the ban will need a third country to authorize their carrier status, but to achieve this they have to carry out audits on airport infrastructure.

The International Air Traffic Association said that the airlines themselves will have to pay for the audits — which could cost 18-60 million euros for each airport — and has offered to provide practical seminars to assist companies affected by the regulations.

Last Thursday Yevgeny Chibirev, head of the Association of Air Traffic Users, asked Transportation Minister Maxim Sokolov to provide recommendations to airlines on how to meet the requirements.

Chibirev said that Russian carriers will have to coordinate their flight safety programs with EU authorities and provide them with detailed information on the infrastructure of the airport from which the flight departed.

Cargo carriers argue, however, that airports are not obliged to provide them with the necessary information about customs points and security systems.

In 2010, the EU authorities decided to make cargo checks more rigorous after explosives were found in packages being shipped from Yemen to the United States.

A representative of Volga-Dniepr, the largest Russian cargo carrier, said he does not consider additional audits necessary because "all airlines and airports regularly have their safety standards checked."

The head of Novosibirsk's Tolmachevo airport called the initiative "an attempt to infringe on the rights of Russian airlines and create barriers in Russia on the cargo transportation market." He said the issue should be resolved on the government level.

Source: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/airlines-braced-for-new-eu-cargo-regulations/483796.html

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Nippon Express launches consolidated service to Guanajuato International Airport in central Mexico

Nippon Express Co., Ltd. (Kenji Watanabe, President), began to offer a consolidated air cargo transport service for urgent small-quantity shipments to Guanajuato International Airport on July 16.

The cities around Guanajuato Airport to be served as new destinations (Leon, Irapuato, Salamanca, Celeya, etc.) have seen remarkable inroads by the automobile industry in recent years and are expected to enjoy further development.

Our delivery network of Guanajuato Logistics Center opened on April 1 of this year by Nippon Express de Mexico S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Nippon Express Co.,Ltd, made it possible for us to carry out prompt and flexible deliveries.. This new service will allow customers to shorten total lead time by 12 to 24 hours compared with consolidated air cargo transport routes via Mexico City and Guadalajara.

To meet the various and sophisticated demands of customers in this developing region , Nippon Express will continue to enhance its service lineup.

Source: http://www.nipponexpress.com/news/global/2013/16-Jul-13.html

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