freightwise.info NEWS

Understanding the impact of slow-steaming

2010-02-18T13:31:00.000+01:00

It is all too easy to assume that a shipper either wants the lowest price or the fastest transit. Yet it is becoming increasingly apparent that things are far from being as straightforward as that.

Andrew Traill | Mon, 15 Feb 2010

http://bit.ly/d2HLFo

2010-02: Help with new customs requirements

2010-02-18T13:18:00.001+01:00

Solutions providers Kewill and e-customs are working on a system to help customers adapt to new European customs regulation.

The Excise Movement Control System (EMCS) comes into force in the UK in April and companies will have to electronically exchange customs information on excised goods such as alcohol, tobacco and mineral oils moving within the EU.

http://bit.ly/9gjWQe

2010-02: DB Schenker Rail acquires majority stake in NordCargo

2010-02-12T17:25:00.001+01:00

13 January 2010

ITALY: DB Schenker has become the second largest rail freight operator in Italy after increasing its stake in NordCargo srl to 60%, the German national railway's freight subsidiary announced on January 13. DB Schenker's existing Italian subsidiary is to be merged into NordCargo.

Milano-based NordCargo has been active in the freight market since September 2001, and was spun off from Ferrovie Nord Milano at the end of 2003. It has around 200 staff and ran 7 000 trains totalling 1·4 million train km in 2008, generating revenues of €40m. DB acquired a 49% stake in January 2009.

'In 2001, we were the first company to successfully tackle the challenge of entering the liberalised rail freight market', said FNM Chairman Norberto Achille. 'Together with the leading European rail freight company, we now play an even more important role in that market. In terms of transport volumes and revenues, we are the second-largest Italian rail freight operator.'

NordCargo will merge with DB Schenker Rail Italia, which was formed in 2004 as a successor to Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo. Its activities are concentrated in the northwest of Italy, with 100 staff and 2008 revenues of €17m.

DB Schenker Rail said Italy is one of its most important foreign markets, accounting for a quarter of its international revenues in 2008. 'The amalgamation of these two companies will enable us to improve our product portfolio in Italy and along north-south corridors', said Chairman Dr Alexander Hedderich.

http://bit.ly/cL7EV8

2010-02: Open access operators complain to Europe,

2010-02-05T10:49:00.000+01:00

03 February 2010

POLAND: On February 2, the Federation of Independent Rail Operators ZNPK announced it had filed a complaint with the European Commission alleging that the Polish authorities are infringing the spirit of EU legislation by giving preferential treatment to incumbent freight operator PKP Cargo.

Railway Gazette International: http://bit.ly/9ZrRlC

2010-02: EuroTunnel: rail freight falls are not our fault

2010-02-04T12:16:00.001+01:00

EuroTunnel, operator of the Channel Tunnel, has defended itself against accusations that rules governing the tunnel's use have stifled the growth of rail freight in the UK and across mainland Europe.

Last week it emerged that just 1.18 million tonnes of freight moved through the tunnel by rail in 2009, a fall of 5% compared with 2008.

DB Schenker Rail had blamed high tolls and complex rules on the tunnel's use for a lack of tonnage growth on rail freight, but a spokesman for EuroTunnel says it is "the responsibility of rail freight operators going through the tunnel" to increase their share of the freight market.

http://bit.ly/deNnLl

2010-02: Vessel Tracking Research Illustrates the “Global Highways”

2010-02-04T12:12:00.001+01:00

WORLDWIDE – For anyone interested in how patterns of world trade are dominated by sea freight a new report from the Journal of the Royal Society Interface makes essential reading. It is a most comprehensive survey of the movements of 16,363 cargo vessels, including container ships, dry bulk carriers and tankers all over 10,000 gross tonnes taken from 2007 data.

http://bit.ly/aBhQQk

2010-02: HGV pollution charging moves step closer

2010-02-04T12:05:00.001+01:00

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

The overall benefit of charging HGVs for the pollution they cause outweighs the limited negative price impact on consumers, a new report from the European Commission’s in-house Joint Research Centre (JRC) has concluded.

The study was requested by EU ministers, who are currently seeking ways to break the deadlock over the Commission’s proposal to recast the EU Eurovignette Directive.

Peripheral countries like Ireland, Portugal, Malta, and the Baltic countries oppose the plans, as they fear that additional road charging would impose higher costs on their trade, while the EU’s central transit countries would get most of the financial benefit.

Member states like Italy, the Netherlands, Finland and Bulgaria are willing to accept congestion charges, provided that they are applied to passenger cars as well.

The aim of the JRC analysis was to calculate the cost for international transport operations of the proposed Eurovignette Directive.

The EU executive’s in-house research facility concluded that while the range of external cost charges for each corridor depends on the length of the corridor and the specific characteristics of the zones it crosses, the impact of the planned green charges on final product prices is “negligeable”.

The report argues that 20% to 30% of the total external cost charges can be absorbed by operators themselves “in the form of improved efficiency and/or technology”. Even if the total cost were passed on to the user of the transport services, “they would still have a very limited repercussion on final prices,” the report continues.

Meanwhile, the JRC’s calculations show that the introduction of Eurovignette would reduce CO2 emissions from road freight transport and fuel consumption by 8%, and that “if an average increase in transport costs of 3% is assumed, a decrease of 13.5 billion tonne kms in road transport volumes would be expected”.

JRC estimates suggest that the internalisation of road freight transport costs at EU level on Europe’s main roads would result in a total net welfare gain of EUR 1.8 billion per year. Extending congestion charging to passenger cars would increase the net welfare gain to a yearly EUR 2.3 billion.

http://bit.ly/dB2G0y

2010-02: Hydrogen-fueled locomotive unveiled - News - The Orange County Register

2010-02-04T12:04:00.000+01:00

LOS ANGELES – Freight trains that run through Orange County could soon be powered by cleaner-burning fuel – hope given by newly emerging technology announced.

Officials with Burlington Northern Santa Feunveiled what they say is the first locomotive powered by hydrogen-fuel cells at a news conference Thursday that included Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Matt Rose, CEO of BNSF.

http://bit.ly/cpmFrX

2010-02: Private equity takes aim at freight logistics

2010-02-04T12:02:00.001+01:00

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Private equity firms are expected to steadily increase their investment in the U.S. logistics services industry from 2010 as the freight business shows signs of stabilizing and the industry prepares for a wave of consolidation.

The past month alone saw three private equity (PE) transactions in the logistics industry, which had seen a lull in deal activity since freight volumes began to drop in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007.

Logistics services -- the management of freight movement -- include freight brokers and third-party logistics firms such as C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW.O), Hub Group (HUBG.O), Landstar (LSTR.O) and Pacer International (PACR.O).

http://bit.ly/bTHME6

2010-02: The train at St Pancras will be departing for ... Germany via Channel Tunnel

2010-02-04T12:00:00.001+01:00

High-speed trains direct from London to Germany could be running through the Channel Tunnel before the 2012 Olympics.

Train operator Deutsche Bahn wants to run its 186mph ICE (InterCityExpress) service between the capital and Cologne if new tunnel safety rules come into force.

http://bit.ly/ay6Wve

2010-02: BE LOGIC announces survey into transport logistics quality standards.

2010-02-01T12:44:00.000+01:00

BE LOGIC (Benchmarking Logistics for Co-modality) is an EU funded project. Today it launches the first round of a Delphi Survey into transport logistics quality standards in terms of strength and weakness, their market take-up and acceptance by the customers and operators. To achieve these objectives the contribution of logistics providers and users is very important, as your opinions and comments will shape the recommendations, in the form of improved (or new) standards for transport logistics in the EU.

This is the first round questionnaire of the Delphi survey. Your contribution to the first round will be used to develop a second round questionnaire. We are therefore interested in broad answers. Please expand upon your answers whenever appropriate.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/belogic1

Thank you.

2010-01: ERRAC OPEN WORKSHOP ON FREIGHT

2010-01-28T10:34:00.001+01:00

The ERRAC Open Workshop on Freight takes place on Thursday 25 February 2010 in Brussels

A workshop on freight-focused research issues will take place on 25 February. Participation is open to all interested parties. CER is already actively involved in the ERRAC Roadmap project, funded through the 7th EU Research Framework Programme (FP7), by providing expertise on technical issues and in communications.

The aim of the freight workshop on 25 February is to identify research that can promote efficient supply chains that are more flexible in responding to customer demands. This includes items such as tracking and tracing of goods, interoperable information systems and developments that enable rail freight able to blend with passenger traffic. Technical topics that relate to development of rolling stock and infrastructure are dealt with in other work packages.

Go to http://www.cer.be/...

2009-12: Vossloh acquires rail services business

2009-12-23T10:21:00.000+01:00

23 December 2009

GERMANY: Vossloh announced a deal to acquire three rail logistics, welding and preventative maintenance companies on December 14.

The LOG Logistikgesellschaft Gleisbau and ISB Instandhaltungssysteme Bahn subsidiaries of Contrack Group and the rail service business of Stahlberg Roensch Group will become a new Vossloh Rail Services business unit within Vossloh 's Rail Infrastructure division. They currently operate from seven German sites, but Vossloh aims to expand their operations internationally

'The acquisition of this highly specialised type of business is an outstanding strategic addition to our core rail infrastructure business. We are now entering the attractive rail services sector', said Vossloh Chief Executive Werner Andree.

The companies are expected to record sales of €80m in the current financial year. The deal is scheduled to be completed with effect from January 1 2010, with the price is being based on an enterprise value of €100m, less the debt which will be taken on.

2009-12: Rotterdam Rules

2009-12-17T12:16:00.000+01:00

Rotterdam Rules

The Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, known as the Rotterdam Rules was adopted in December 2008 by the UN General Assembly and will enter into force twelve months after ratification by at least twenty states.

The P&I Club has published “Legal Briefing - What impact will the Rotterdam Rules have on your liability?” to illustrate the impact this new convention may have on your liability. (http://bit.ly/6ewfLK)

If brought widely into force, the convention will significantly increase cargo liability for maritime carriers. The Legal Briefing compares the Rotterdam Rules with current regimes using tables to summarise the various defences and limitations e.g. package limitation, error in navigation, etc.

There is a positive side. Although the new convention will increase shipowners’ liabilities, in doing so it offers the best prospects for updating carriage of goods by sea law in a uniform approach across the world. The alternatives of regional updating will certainly involve the same (or worse) problems of increased liabilities and legal uncertainties, but multiplied by the difficulties of conflicting, overlapping regimes. In common with fellow clubs in the International Group, the UK Club therefore supports the introduction of the Rotterdam Rules, notwithstanding the additional liability burden.

It should be noted, nonetheless, that the standard terms of contracts for carriage, for purposes of Club cover and for eligibility for Pooling, currently remain the Hague-Visby Rules. This will be reviewed in light of the support for the new convention which is forthcoming when it opens for ratification.

The European Shippers Council opposes the Convention, Nicolette van der Jagt, Secretary General of the ESC said; "I believe that one of the reasons that so few governments have signed could be that there are still so many unanswered questions. Transport Canada indicated in a press statement last week that they are not ready to sign because of concerns amongst a number of Canadian stakeholders and that they wanted more time to consult with them. This could be what other Member States are thinking." ESC's opposition to the Rotterdam Rules has been criticised on a number of occasions by a group of interests who took a leading part in the development and drafting of the text of the Rotterdam Rules and are naturally and understandably protective of their input. ESC's concerns are in fact shared by a wide spectrum of other interests ranging from States, trade associations and NGOs to experts from a number of different countries and legal systems. It is important that opinion in ministries and parliaments across the world should not be unduly influenced by those who may have been too close to their own work to see or acknowledge its imperfections.

The debate on liability is key to the harmonisation of transport documents and the development of e-Freight in Europe. At the moment it seems that despite the key role that a single transport document has in the Freight Transport Logistics Action Plan of DG-Tren, that the issue is almost permanently on hold whilst endless disagreements about liability ensue.

However much liability is stated as a non-issue by many operators, it has raised it's head as a potential problem for the whole global supply chain in 2009 with the Uniserve case. Now, to what extent can the liability issue be unpicked from the eFreight one?

Tom Zunder (expressions of opinion stated are those of the author and no other organisation)

2009-12: 3rd INTEGRITY Newsletter

2009-12-08T15:09:00.000+01:00

The 3rd INTEGRITY Newsletter informs you about recent developments of the project. Besides this we would like to let you know about conferences and events concerning the topics transport and security.

You will find more information about the world wide operating project INTEGRITY, its partners and IT solutions on the website http://www.integrity-supplychain.eu/

2009-12: Freightwise to be presented at EU Green Corridors conference

2009-12-04T16:08:00.001+01:00

On the 9th of December 2009 the European Commission Directorate for Transport is holding the Green Corridors Conference event. The conference aims to take stock of existing Green Corridor projects across Europe, to discuss the main issues related to their implementation and to launch new initiatives in support of the Green Corridor concept. One of the issues to be discussed will be the role of soft infrastructures to support Green Corridors. Dr Andrea Campagna from the Freightwise Consortium has been invited to speak on soft infrastructure measures and, among them, on the Freightwise solution.

See the webpage of the event here:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/sustainable/events/2009_12_09_green_corridors_conference_en.htm.

2009-12: SUGAR AWARD 2010

2009-12-04T13:03:00.002+01:00

Urban freight transport has a growing importance in the political agendas of EU cities and regions as it rises manifold challenges related to congestion, environmental protection, energy consumption, logistics management and business. Many public authorities have played and will play a key role in developing measures and actions aimed at optimising urban freight distribution and making their territories more attractive and liveable, also following the EC Action Plan on Urban Mobility.

Developing efficient freight transport systems in urban and metropolitan areas has nevertheless become an increasingly complex task which deals with urban and transport planning, infrastructural development, technological and technical innovation, logistics and business management and governance consolidation.

In particular the present EU scenario in city logistics calls for public actions which:

Have a sound technical and analytical background.
Are economically sustainable.
Match business needs and environmental protection.
Rely on public-private cooperation in city logistics solutions implementation.

The SUGAR award aims at sharing best practices and at providing a platform for communication and knowledge exchange among cities and local and regional contexts all over the EU on city logistics public actions which go into the four above mentioned directions, which will be the four basic criteria to assign the award. The focus of the award is on best practices concerning public actions, measures and policies, which have been implemented or which are under implementation and which produced outstanding results and achievements with reference to the four above mentioned criteria.

The award is promoted by Regione Emilia-Romagna in cooperation with the Institute for Transport and Logistics and POLIS and it is sponsored and supported by the SUGAR EU Project, funded under the Interreg IVC European Territorial Cooperation Programme (www.interreg4c.eu).

http://bit.ly/6nUQvf

2009-12: 7th Newsletter from the EURIDICE project

2009-12-04T12:38:00.001+01:00

This 7th issue of the EURIDICE newsletter can also be downloaded from the project website.

http://www.euridice-project.eu

The issue summarizes the EURIDICE dissemination activities, especially the ECITL'09 in Venice.

You can find the videos taken at the ECITL on videolectures.net: http://videolectures.net/ecitl09_venice/

2009-12: Freightwise Movie

2009-12-04T12:05:00.000+01:00

The Freightwise project is pleased to announce the release of an animated and interactive movie describing the main benefits and advantages of the Freightwise Framework. This movie is available on the front page of the Freightwise webpage and will run using on almost any browser, operating system or computer with Flash installed. You can start it, stop it, pause, move forward, skip ahead, like any modern DVD.

http://www.freightwise.info
or
http://www.freightwise.info/presentation/

We also would like to let you know that the movie is also downloadable in two forms, interactive and an endless loop version.
This means that you can use it, say for seminars, meetings, lectures, trade shows or even on your own website. Indeed, we hope you do..

http://www.freightwise.info/cms/?mainnav=Downloads

2009-12: FREIGHTWISE Conference, 15 April 2010, IET, London

2009-12-01T15:08:00.001+01:00

The FREIGHTWISE project is proud to invite you to its final international conference. This year the conference will report on the results of its work over the last four years - the Freightwise Framework, international developments and cross collaboration. There will be live demonstrations of the software in use by Siemens and reports on the business cases. The conference will look to the future and the work that lies ahead for FREIGHTWISE to be adopted as a European standard.

Register here: http://forms.ncl.ac.uk/view.php?id=709
More information at: http://www.freightwise.info/cms/?mainnav=Conferences or from karen.mctigue@ncl.ac.uk

2009-11: Report on ECITL Conference

2009-11-10T14:12:00.003+01:00

09_ECITL_Press_Release_v2.pdf

2009-10: KOMODA Final Conference

2009-10-15T16:36:00.001+02:00

The Freight Transport and logistics market: ICT as the key for Co-modality in the future

The KOMODA project approach for a European E-logistics Platform.

DATE: 26^th November, 2009

VENUE: Hotel Nikopolis, Asklipiou 16-18, Pilaia, Thessaloniki, Greece

KEY THEMES: The conference will disseminate the vision of theKOMODA project and its core results from its 2-year implementation regarding a European E-logistics platform for enhancing co-modality. The future of intermodality and how ICT applications can promote the European freight transport enhancing co-modality will be discussed aiming at defining the critical issues that need to be taken under consideration for the future of both the European Policy as well as the logistics market .

For further information, please visit KOMODA’s website at http://www.komodaproject.com

2009-10: FREIGHTWISE DRAWS THE CROWDS AT ITS WORLD CONGRESS

2009-10-01T14:03:00.002+02:00

The Freightwise project had a stand at the ITS World Congress Exhibition in Stockholm and gave presentations twice daily to a growing number of delegates who wanted to learn more about the Freightwise Framework.

At some presentations there was literally "standing room only" as interest in Freightwise grew through the week. Demonstrations featured live links via the internet and mobile phones to real business cases.

Freightwise was also the subject of four presentations during the ITS Congress itself and received a very favourable reception.

Jan Tore Pedersen was delighted with the interest generated by our presence in the exhibition. He commented "The reactions from the audiences clearly show that Freightwise produces results that are of interest both to research and industrial communities and that the timing seems right for the results that Freightwise produces."

2009-09: Freightwise demonstrated to growing crowds at ITS 09

2009-09-24T13:20:00.001+02:00

Freightwise is being presented daily at the ITS 09 event in Stockholm with a healthy and growing interest from delegates.

Remember.. Stand Z91

2009-08: Conflict in the Low Countries

2009-08-27T10:55:00.001+02:00

A conflict has arisen in the Low Countries about optimizing access to the port of Antwerp. The access river, the Westerschelde, flows through the south-west of The Netherlands. Belgium and The Netherlands had agreed that the Dutch would deepen the Westerschelde to optimize access for larger ships that run to a depth of about 13 metres. How did this conflict arise?

http://transportplaza.eu/en/publications/conflict-in-the-low-countries