Newsletter – January 29, 2019

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

More air freight players are plugging in to digital business platforms

theloadstar.co.uk
The air freight industry is embracing digitisation this year as one forwarder signs up to an online spot rate platform and two airlines beef up their offering with a cloud-based cargo business tool. Read more here. 

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Vessel Impact to STS Crane at GCT Vanterm

CIFFA.com
Yesterday morning during vessel berthing, at approximately 04:00 hours, the vessel EVER SUMMIT came into contact with a ship-to-shore crane at GCT Vanterm, resulting in damage. There were no injuries as a result of the incident and all authorities have been notified.
The EVER SUMMIT is currently being held alongside with tugs as the crane boom is on top of a container stack at the aft end.
While the situation is being assessed, an exclusion zone has been set up to, first and foremost, ensure the safety of everyone at the terminal, and then to determine operational impacts.
No vessel operations are active at GCT Vanterm at present, but rail and gate operations are active. GCT’s Customer Solutions team will be issuing operational updates as required and can be reached at customerservice-can@globalterminals.com or 1-888-342-3385.

Shippers brace for costly repatriation of salvageable Yantian Express cargo

theloadstar.co.uk
The fire-stricken 7,510 teu Yantian Express is expected to reach its port of refuge at Freeport in the Bahamas next week, but shippers with salvageable cargo on board should brace themselves for substantial costs and significant delays in obtaining their containers. Read more here.

Operating results for bellwether OOCL suggest good news for carriers

theloadstar.co.uk
OOCL has released operational results for the fourth quarter of 2018 which suggest trading conditions continued to improve for global container carriers in the final months of last year. Read more here. 

Yang Ming takes options on four 11,000 teu boxships, eyes an additional four

splash247.com
Taiwanese line Yang Ming Marine Transport has excised an option with Japanese owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha for the charter of an additional four 11,000 teu newbuilding containerships. Read more here.