Shipping Trade and Transport News 29th Setpember 2015

Company News

Hapag-Lloyd is reportedly aiming for a stock market listing in mid-November that could value the German ocean carrier at around 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion). The world’s fourth-largest container line will sell 20 percent of its shares in an initial public offering on the Frankfurt stock exchange, according to a report in the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper.

 

 

 

Kenya Releases Höegh Car Carrier After UN Weapons Gaffe, No Drugs Found Inside Ship

A Norwegian-flagged ship that was held in Kenya for more than a week over undeclared weapons belonging to the United Nations has been released, the owners of the vessel said. Kenyan authorities boarded the ship at the port of Mombasa on Sept. 17 and uncovered undeclared weapons in a U.N. shipment destined for peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.N. defended the shipment. “Höegh Transporter has finally been released from detention in Mombasa, Kenya, and has continued her ocean voyage,

M.V. Costa Concordia

About 200 technicians are currently working on the dismantling of the Costa Concordia. Some are involved in stripping operations, the removal of internal structures on the emerged decks of the ship, while the others are working on the actual demolition of the external steel structures and on the restoration of buoyancy of the hull.

As for demolition, deck 14 – the upmost – has already been removed and now work is focusing on the decks 12, 11 and 10. The metal sheets are cut in blocks of variable size and brought ashore to be volumetrically reduced, if necessary, and then transported at the steel plant to be recycled.

Hoegh Transporter

U.N. defends arms shipment in Kenya, calls drug claim disturbing

Weapons discovered by Kenyan authorities aboard a Norwegian ship were part of a legitimate cargo for United Nations peacekeepers and the vessel should not have been inspected without a U.N. presence, a U.N. spokesman said on Thursday. Kenyan authorities said they uncovered weapons and a drug-like substance stashed inside a shipment of U.N. vehicles when they boarded the Norwegian-flagged Hoegh Transporter at the port of Mombasa last week. “It is unfortunate that the Kenyan authorities inspected the cargo without a U.N. presence, which runs contrary to established protocol and provisions surrounding privileges and immunities,” the U.N. said in a statement signed by its spokesman in Nairobi, Nasser Ega-Musa.

Trade - UK - India

 India’s global merchandise exports tumbled 20.7 percent year-over-year in August, the ninth straight month of declines, even as the Narendra Modi-led government continues to roll out new schemes to stimulate trade and economic growth.
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Godrej Nature’s Basket offers a slice of British culinary delights

Godrej Nature’s Basket is hosting a British food festival in their stores until 5 October, showcasing over 30 select British brands.

 

 

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UK-India partnership on energy and low carbon moves forward with the successful bilateral visit of Amber Rudd

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 Japan

Japan's aggressive approach on trade could open new markets in a historic policy shift, Japan’s Abe government hopes to leverage the potential of free trade agreements to revitalize its medium- and long-term economic productivity and global competitiveness.

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 China

China’s factory output contracted further in September, falling to its lowest level in more than six years as weak external demand continues to put the brakes on the country’s exports

 China rail 

 The first freight train from China arrived at the rail centre Rotterdam  carrying 80 containers. China is investing $40 billion to expand their infrastructure

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Felixstowe Port

GB Railfreight has its eleventh daily rail services  which runs from Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal and is the first train to serve this route from Felixstowe.