Editorial

It is Thursday and I am writing to you from the island of Malta in the Mediterrenean. This is our last issue before we take our summer break. We will be in touch with you again on Thursday the 3rd of August, 2017.

When Project Cargo Weekly was launched almost 9 months ago some people told me that it would be difficult to have content for a weekly edition given that we mainly do interviews and provide business intelligence, however it has proven whilst not easy, at least a manageable task. Although we are not journalists by trade we have striven to provide some news that instantly can be used, trusted and readers would like to continue receiving.

We have learned that we must always double check even "reliable" sources, but overall we are encouraged by the positive feedback and advertising support that we have received.

We will continue sticking to only 4 banner ads per newsletter, which means we are not slaves of advertisers and publish freely about anyone who has a contribution to make to project cargo business.

Networking is key these days and I suppose after some 18 years living in China the importance of "Guanxi" rubbed off on me. When I was living in China the business community valued networks much more than the western world. This may have been due to the simple reason that there was no "safety or security net" which seems to still hold true today.

Networking and personal networks these days run most of the world - just look at some political appointments as an example. The ability to network may not be apparent on a CV but it is the overriding factor in many hiring decisions.

Before boarding mv CMA CGM Andromeda on Saturday for the journey via the Suez Canal to South Korea I wish all our readers, interested parties and advertisers a very pleasant summer and do feel free to look up our older issues at www.projectcargo-weekly.com.

In todays final issue we have:

• A Q&A with Martin Bencher Group focusing on their renewable energy division
• An interview with Fleetline Shipping - handling projects to/from Iraq
• Project Logistics Alliance a new and interesting network of forwarders
• Sector news
• Shipping news and Featured shipments
• Video and Photo of the week
• Quote of the week

Enjoy and until early August,

Yours sincerely,

Bo H. Drewsen
bo.drewsen@projectcargo-weekly.com
www.projectcargo-weekly.com

Martin Bencher Group

Interview with Mr. Jeppe Frank - Group CCO

What does moving a complete wind turbine entail?

First, the renewable sector has, over the last 20 years, been developing extremely fast. In the very early days, you could pack a full and complete turbine in a 40’ container. This was including the 3 blades, the nacelle, hub and even the tower in 2-3 sections. Read more...

Transports to/from Iraq: Fleet Line Shipping Services LLC – Dubai, U.A.E.

Interview with Mr. Peter K. Mathew - Managing Director

How do you view the current situation in Iraq? Media often portrays a scary picture, tell us about the actual situation on the ground.

There are few incidents in Iraq but things are quite normal these days. There is no disruption of cargo movements. Read more...

Project Logistics Alliance

Interview with Mr. Alexander Hellmers - CEO

We understand that PLA is a new network – tell us in layman’s terms what a freight forwarding network actually is doing?

We created the network to form an alliance of truly skilled project cargo experts. The founding members who are also members of other networks felt that these networks are collecting members without properly controlling the quality of the members. PLA is certainly not a “Pay to Join” network. Read more...

Renewables

• French strike sweet deal in Oz

  French developer Neoen is to supply electricity from its 196MW Bulgana wind farm and 20MW battery storage facility in Australia to local glasshouse farming outfit Nectar Farms Construction of the wind farm is scheduled to start in September. Read more...

• Windar Shares Jump On Mexican Order For Five WindEYE Sensors

  The company said the units are scheduled for immediate delivery in the late second quarter of 2017, with the sensors being integrated on five Vestas V112 wind turbines. Read more...

• Nordex Receives Order For Ten N131/3900 Turbines From Erdem - Quick Facts

  The manufacturer is to supply ten N131/3900 turbines for the Eber wind farm. A Premium Service covering at least 15 years also forms part of the deal. Read more...

Automotive & Mass Transit

• China Yuchai Announces Two Large International Bus Engine Orders

  China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE: CYD) ("China Yuchai" or the "Company") announced today that engines produced by its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited ("GYMCL") have won new orders for the supply of bus engines to Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. Read more...

Steel Fabrication

• Stalatube signs a deal for millions in US

  Stalatube is strengthening its position in the US stainless steel market after landing the biggest deal in the company’s history. Read more...

Construction

• KamAZ to invest €50m in production in Senegal

  The Russian company of KamAZ is going to invest €50 m to create the first stage of an assembly plant in Senegal, Sergei Kogogin, Director General of the KamAZ plant, told journalists, RNS reports. Read more...

Featured Project Shipment & Shipping News

VTG Rail Logistics Deutschland Shipped 8 Loop Legs

For the ongoing polypropylene plant erection in Tobolsk / Russia VTG Rail Logistics successfully shipped 8 loop legs, each measuring 5600x 330x 325 cm and 52 MT from port of Ravenna / Italy to port of Togliatti / Russia with on-carriage by truck over a distance of 1.600 km to site. With an overall truck length of 64m only 2 columns per convoy could be moved according to the permit granted by the authorities, making the total delivery time nearly 7 weeks.

VTG Rail Logistics Deutschland GmbH http://www.vtg.com/logistics/project-logistics/

Shipping News - Libya

Editor's note: I am visiting Malta at the moment prior to boarding a containership to South Korea and I met with Mr. Vassallo who was willing to share his views with us following a short trip to Libya earlier this month.

News on Libya is at times inflated by certain media reports, but in reality the country seems to be heading in the right direction with things seemingly picking up. NOC (National Oil Companies) are ramping up production, whilst other foreign Oil & Gas Companies are monitoring the situation in country closely for their eventual return. There are also rumors that Embassies (from Europe and also outside Europe) will soon be re-opening in Tripoli. The current issues in Libya are mostly lack of local and foreign currencies at the banks and cost of living which has increased drastically.

Getting news out of Libya is difficult, but according to Mr. Vasallo there is a good source of Libyan business intelligence that you can sign up for here: http://www.s-rminform.com/

As you know Malta and Libya have a special relationship from years back when the embargo was in force and currently some Libyans are living in Malta after having invested in property (in sought after areas) until such time stability is restored in Libya.

Etienne Vassallo has the facility to source and provide hubs in Malta equipped with very large storage facilities and vessel berthing.  Malta's close proximity to Libya makes for ideal logistical & operational solutions.

For more contacts in Malta you may approach:
Mr. Etienne Vassallo: evassallo101@gmail.com

The ‘First Rail Conference on Cargo Transport by Rail and  Ports’ brought together numerous experts from the railway network, rail operator, ship-owning, terminal and port operation fields. The attendance of 200 filled all available seats in the conference room of the Hotel Baseler Hof. Acceptances on this scale underlined that a rail conference with the focus on freight transport and the ports has been lacking in Hamburg.

Held on the initiative of their Rail Working Group headed by Dr Bernd-R. Pahnke, Vice President Port Development, DB Cargo AG, the Hamburg Logistics Initiative (LIHH) and Port of Hamburg Marketing were the organizers of this first Rail Conference. Those invited included interested members, along with numerous representatives of companies and organizations from Hamburg, the Metropolitan Region and the whole of Germany. Read more...

We featured a picture showing a delivery from Menck Germany which was reported to us as recent. However after contact with Menck we learned that the shipment took place several years ago on MV Adam Asnyk. So it certainly was not news of the week! We apologize to Menck and have learned a lesson!

Video of the Week

Photo of the Week

Unloading direct from container on truck in the Libyan desert to a donkey cart. Apparently it works, and with ransomware on the loose these days who knows which method is best.
Photo courtesy of Mr. Etienne Vassallo

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

- Winston Churchill -

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