16th February 2015
Company News
Maersk
Maersk Line has switched the UK call of its Samba South
America service from Tilbury to DP World London gateway Port. The first call on the service will be made by
the Maersk Lanco on 21st March.
CMA CGM
CMA CGM is to acquire Singapore-based rival container
shipping operator Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) for SG$1.30 a share, or around SG3.4bn
(US$2.4bn). It will result in a company
with a combined turnover of U$22 billion and a fleet size of 563 vessels.
Hot on the heels of CMA CGM’s plan to take over
Singapore’s NOL, two giants of Chinese shipping have confirmed that they are to
merge after China’s state cabinet approved the deal in December.
VELTA LOGISTICS
Witham, Essex-based Velta Logistics has opened 100,000sq
ft of additional warehousing close to its existing site. The new premises are fully customs bonded and
also have RF bar-coding and CFSP status.
Velta plans to bring containers direct from the Port of Felixstowe to
Witham, unstuff them and store products for clients for distribution from
there.
DSV
Danish forwarder DSV has completed its acquisition of
US-owned UTi, first revealed in October last year. As previously announced, the deal was worth
around US$1.35 billion.
SCHENKER
DB Schenker Logistics is to take a three-quarter share of
Redhead International and will combine its UK road activities in a joint
venture with the forwarding company in early 2016. The two businesses will be merged in a
reverse integration and will trade as Redhead International under its
management team.
LUFTHANSA
Lufthansa Cargo has released an eServices App offering
comprehensive shipment tracking as well as direct feedback opportunities for
mobile phones and tablets, including innovative image uploading. The App also offers a clear overview of all
current bookings.
PALL-EX GROUP
Pall-Ex Group is continuing its European expansion by
signing a deal with one of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics
providers, Econt, to start network operations in the country by mid-2016. Econt has over 40% of the parcels market in
the country.
GOVERNMENT GETS
COLD FEET ON HEATHROW DECISION
Industry reacted with dismay to the news on 10 December
that a decision on whether to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport had been
delayed again – until at least next summer.
Trade News
NEW TRADE DEAL
The World Trade Organisation signed what it
claimed as an “historic” agreement on trade at its Tenth Ministerial Conference
in Kenya on 19 December. Central plank
of the deal was a commitment to abolish export
GOVERNMENT GETS
COLD FEET ON HEATHROW DECISION
Industry reacted with dismay to the news on 10 December
that a decision on whether to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport had been
delayed again – until at least next summer.
