Dear Readers,
It is Thursday the 5th of October, and I am back with an editorial here for you.
I am writing this editorial from my hometown of Grenaa, Denmark where I arrived some 14 days ago abruptly due to mum’s deteriorating health. I am however happy to say that she is now back home after some days in the ICU and then in normal care.
One thing, however, that is certain is that she/they cannot go on living as before. In other words, looking after themselves pretty much with the occasional assistance . I am trying to push them to accept a care home [nursing home] which has 24/7 service. Although they have a lot of help from the fabulous local home care service (part of the public system here and for which taxes are paid of course) my view is as stated.
But that is the thing when people are getting older and gradually losing their faculties and memory. Then we children, or in my case child as the only one left, need to step in. Let us see what happens.
It has, however, been a learning experience for me as well – and in my mum’s own words…”difficult to get old – never tried it before”. Yes, humor and jokes do become a lifesaver, and we need again and again and yet again to be reminded to live our life when we have it, treasure every moment, go for the dream that you always had whilst you still can, decide. Don’t linger, wait, stall or delay some dreams and don’t stay in a relationship if you are not happy. Better to regret something you did than something you didn’t do. Live your life to the full. Remember: the cemetery is full of indispensable people, many of whom perhaps burnt themselves out or worked themselves into an early death as “the company could not go on without me”…..etc.
I am departing for Stockholm tomorrow. After an absence of 6 weeks, I will be happy to see my kids again. Although I have also, as you read this email, just got through a hand operation for something called “Dupuytren’s contracture” which, particularly on my right hand, means that I cannot stretch the fingers out. My body now tells me that it is time for an operation, and I should stall no longer. A simple enough procedure I am told, but then again, there is always a risk with invasive surgery, isn’t there?
Due to the above, I missed out on both Breakbulk Houston and a visit to New York 29/9-1/10) where I had a lunch planned with my oldest son. But it seems that somehow I was in luck as parts of the Big Apple were inundated with hundreds of millimeters of rain, particularly JFK according to what I have seen on the news. Of course, the news always exaggerates and makes you believe that the whole city is flooded which, of course, was not the case.
I saw the same kind of Fox style of reporting when I lived in Lombok, Indonesia and there were riots in Jakarta against the corrupt dictator Suharto and his extended family of cronies. The news reports said “Indonesia or Jakarta on fire” which, of course, was a scary headline aiming to “sell more”, attract more viewers. Therefore, all news outlets should be read and watched with a certain amount of skepticism, OR read different news publications and get a different angle on things. No one has the monopoly on truth, particularly not some overpaid journalists who seldom venture out into the real world. Still, freedom of the press is sacrosanct, and we need to fight for it as it is not a given fact in many places around the world, as you know.
Before I revert to what we have in store for you today, I would like to voice support from PCW to this initiative by a bunch of colleagues and friends from the renowned Swire Projects whereby they support seafarers worldwide. I am all for that. I believe to this day that without the seafarer being willing to leave his family, world trade would stop pure and simple….and taking them for granted is not an option. Treating them well is the choice of being a responsible owner. You may say that this team is on a “high”. In this case, not the usual one but a rather exhausting one climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.
On the shipping front today, we have 3 interesting interviews in store:
1. DHL perhaps best known as a worldwide courier company, has however increasingly set it sights on project and industrial related cargoes worldwide. A true behemoth in international transportation by all means. We speak to a couple of their capable Scandinavian-based representatives.
2. ISS-GF is a very rapidly expanding outfit based in Dubai, UAE with a strong back, and they are active virtually all over the place. Here is the latest from their branch in Vietnam. You might find both the interview and the country most interesting. Vietnam and its people, as far as I can recall, conquered all who came to bother them so… they are tough.
3. Port Authority of Suriname is our final interviewee of this week and represents a country that is not always in the news. Still it would seem to be a place to be now due to not only oil and gas finds but also because of nature and the jungle…
We naturally provide you with shipping news, trade intel, featured video and picture of the week and not least wise words – something that we all need more of, especially from our politicians right? 😁
Wishing you a good time until we meet again. For me, that means writing to you again on Thursday the 19th of October… hopefully with a healed-up right hand…
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
DHL Industrial Projects
Interview with
Ms. Carina Hall, Head of Industrial Projects (IP) at DHL, Denmark
&
Ms. Josefin Ahlgren-Spolander, Head of Industrial Projects (IP) at DHL, Finland & Sweden
For starters ladies, could you elaborate on the history of DHL which to the naked eye is known globally as a courier and express company but perhaps less as a specialist in industrial project cargo movements?
Carina: The business unit DHL Express has been at the top of the market for courier shipments for many years. It is Express who comes to your door with your packages, so I understand why this is our most recognizable service to people. However DHL is a very large company with 5 different divisions, so we are way more than just a courier company 
Josefin: Today we have dedicated project teams in more than 50 offices globally and are starting to be more active in promoting our capabilities and project services…like doing interviews for instance
ISS Global Forwarding – HCMC, Vietnam
Interview with
Mr. An Hoang
General Manager
First of all, can you tell us about the history and background of ISS GF in Vietnam? ISS GF belongs to a strong organization I believe.
First of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to join the interview with Project Cargo Weekly.
ISS Global Forwarding was founded in Dubai in 2018 and was powered by The Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). We are a rapidly-growing, leading global forwarding company, with strength in emerging markets. Present across the globe in all continents, we have developed an excellent reputation for delivering creative logistics solutions to companies of all sizes.
We want to build on our current recognition to become your chosen partner for companies seeking comprehensive supply chain solutions.
In Vietnam, ISS Global Forwarding (ISSGF) commenced operations in October 2020 with our head office in Ho Chi Minh City. ISSGF Vietnam offers services in Project Cargo, Heavy Lift & Break Bulk cargoes, General and Containerized shipments – Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Road Transport, Customs Clearance, and Insurance in both Exports and Imports.
Havenbeheer – Paramaribo, Suriname
Interview with
Mr. Reza Karg
Manager Corporate Affairs
Your country is located between Guyana and French Guyana and also borders the huge country of Brazil. Is there a lot of trade between Suriname and the neighbours? Is transhipment and inland transportation possible between Paramaribo and the Guyana’s and Brazil?
At this moment, there is transshipment between Suriname and its neighboring countries. Very much so, in fact, so that the capacity of the ferry service in the east of the country is being upgraded to make it possible for more containers and passengers to cross with the ferry. There are a number of containers moving from Suriname to French Guyana and we get a lot of tourists from French Guiana into our country.
There is also transshipment from our district in the west to our neighboring country Guyana.
We receive cargo from Brazil through schooners, but once the Deep Water Port and Special Economic Zone are built, we expect growth in business from Suriname to the central north of Brazil either by Short Sea Shipment or in the future, perhaps by road and rail.
‘Freefalling’ Asia-North Europe Rates Shed Half their Value in Three Weeks
Editor’s Note:
Tumbling is not the right word disaster seems to be the right word, even heard that some of the mega carriers now imposed a partial travel ban to save costs, well if so best dig into your gigantic coffers from the corona times is our comment. Sacking people I guess is the next step that is always done when management is saving themselves…
Container spot rates from China to North Europe are in freefall with average rates dipping to the lowest level since early 2018 this week having lost almost half of their value since the start of the month.
New Fuels, New Risks
Editor’s Note:
New fuels, hydrogen, methanol, etc., also present new problems of course. Read this article from Seatrade on this very topic.
Shipping’s greenhouse gas emission targets for 2050 and the adoption of dual-fuel in newbuildings and a start to switching to alternative fuels present new risks for marine insurers.
“Emission reduction technologies are inevitably more sophisticated than the current methods of ship propulsion. This will increase the value of the global fleet and, consequently, the level of risk to be covered,” said Ilias Tsakiris, Chair of IUMI’s Ocean Hull Committee.
Visualized: Seaport Trade Traffic by Country
Editor’s Note:
An interesting chart here from Visual Capitalist about seaport trade by country.
According to the World Bank, global seaport trade traffic reached 841 million TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units) in 2021.
In this infographic, Winifred Amase uses that data to highlight the countries with the highest seaport trade traffic.
Putin’s yacht escaped through Northern Sea Route
Editor’s Note:
Oligarchs are never short of “getaway vehicles”…
Putin’s war of aggression is about to drag Russia into an economic, social and moral abyss. Nevertheless, the state leader has since the start of the onslaught been frantically preoccupied with the follow-up of his luxury yacht Graceful.
KBR Wins Blue Hydrogen Technology and Engineering Contract for EET Hydrogen Facilities
US-based engineering firm KBR’s hydrogen technology has been selected by Hanwha Impact Corporation to make up part of its commercial ammonia cracking unit in Daesan, South Korea.
Travipos SA plans to set up ethanol plant in West Bengal
Spain-based firm Travipos SA is planning to establish an ethanol plant with a daily capacity of 200,000 liters at Siliguri in West Bengal.
French gourmet flavourings company Monin to setup India’s manufacturing facility in Hyderabad
French gourmet flavourings company Monin to setup India’s manufacturing facility in Hyderabad
FlexQube receives a follow-up order for six AGV robots
FlexQube has received a follow-up order for six additional AGV robots, worth $240 000, to a Japanese owned company within the automotive sector. The customer is located in the USA, and delivery is planned for Q4, 2023.
My 19 hour journey by air from Santiago, Chile to Billund, Denmark
Editor’s Note:
Being unable to join Breakbulk Houston due to family illness I flew back in one long stretch from Santiago to Billund, Denmark. Made a short video of this which shows that one day here the next day there… never ceases to impress how quickly you can move if needed.
Editor’s Note:
Two weeks ago I was on deck in Port of San Antonio, Chile and now I am in Grenaa, Denmark. This view shows clearly how an unobstructed deck space looks like, this time on mv BBC Ukraine. Although not a bigger vessel in the worldwide MPP fleet the deck is still impressive and ideal for breakbulk cargo.
