Grimsby’s new river terminal is open


The new Grimsby River Terminal (GRT) - the ABP-owned port’s single biggest investment project in over 160 years – handled its first vessel when the MV Ems Highway discharged over 800 Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda vehicles onto the Terminal’s 7,000 tonne concrete pontoon on 1 August. The £26 million GRT, which is the first


outside-the gate construction since Royal Lock opened, can take two vessels carrying up to 3,000 vehicles. The 1852-built Alexandra Dock, accessed through the original Royal Lock was limited to a ship size of only 800 cars. ABP port director Grimsby & Immingham, John Fitzgerald said: “This investment cements


Grimsby’s role in this key market, which supports hundreds of jobs at the port. The new facilities also provide us with a fantastic opportunity to grow our automotive business and secure more job opportunities for local people.” Volkswagen Group’s head of group vehicle planning and


logistics Matthew Bowden predicted that completion of the new river berth would be “the start of a new era for both ABP and Volkswagen Group UK in Grimsby.” The ability to handle larger ships would be particularly useful during the production build up for the two registration peaks each year.


Humber firm signs up global partners


Humberside-based Neill & Brown Global Logistics has signed four new agency agreements with Koring Freight Forwarders in the Netherlands; Eurogroup in Greece; Nellen & Quack, Istanbul, Turkey, and Nippon Transport Corporation, Osaka, Japan. Colin Moody, managing director


said: “Our customers manufacture in the UK and globally, selling to multiple end users, so we are continually arranging cross-trade shipments from outside the UK to worldwide destinations. With customers increasingly selling their products in new markets, it is always preferable to have a local agent as it enables a superior service and also give us a lot more confidence in promoting that particular area or


country.” He explained that Neill & Brown


frequently received offers from overseas transport operators looking for representation in the UK, but: “They must share the same values and strengths as us because we will only continue to expand our robust worldwide logistics network with the right partners on board,” he said. Neill & Brown now has 19


international partners including agents in India and the Far East, and a dedicated office in Hong Kong. Colin Moody added that he was interested in signing up more partners in strategic locations around the world. The company is also an official


partner of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber and has 120,000 sq ft of fully racked warehouse storage, as


well as a fleet of 40 trucks, including curtainsider artics and abnormal load vehicles. (One of the company’s staple traffics are caravans and portable buildings which are manufactured in large numbers on Humberside and which require specialist transport.) “Having our own transport fleet


gives us a lot more flexibility and we can control the situation a lot better,” Moody explained. The company has frequently been able to help out with rush orders, or during dock strikes in European countries. UK Pallets has meanwhile chosen


Neill & Brown as its exclusive partner for the Hull and East Yorkshire region.


The Seafast Group is to double the capacity of its Seafast Celsius temperature controlled handling facility at Felixstowe and will re-brand it Seafast Cold-Chain Logistics. The expanded facility, set to


open in early September 2013, will continue to cater for multi-


Seafast is flexible in Felixstowe company’s


business


NEWS ROUNDUP SHIPPING


CMA CGM is upgrading its Round the World Panama Direct service from fortnightly to weekly from 18 September. The route serves 15 different markets including Australasia, the South Pacific Islands, Central and South America, the Caribbean, North America, North Europe, the Baltic, Mediterranean, North Africa and the Black Sea, calling at Tilbury in the UK. It will also offer the fastest transit from Australia and New Zealand to Europe, a major advantage for reefer shippers.


Shipping operator DAL is offering a weekly service from all European and Mediterranean ports to Beira via Durban on its IMMA service. The situation in the port has improved recently, says the line.


Atlantic Container Line cut the first steel for the first of its five new G4 ro ro containerships at a ceremony in Shanghai in early September. The 3,800teu, 28,900 lane metre ships are due to go into service from the end of January 2015.


CUSTOMS


The European Parliament adopted the Union Customs Code on 11 September. It aims to streamline and simplify customs rules and procedures, and complete the shiſt to a paperless, fully electronic environment, along with provisions for swiſter procedures for Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs). The Council was also due adopt the Regulation fin the next few weeks allowing it to enter into force by 1 November.


temperature cargoes, developing the


in


chilled and fresh produce, whilst expanding its frozen capability. It will provide a much larger


warehouse area for the cross-dock handling of chilled and frozen cargoes, with 50% more vehicle loading docks.


HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has started the official procurement process for the CHIEF computer replacement. It plans to hold meetings with potential suppliers at the end of 2013 or early 2014. However, it is still not clear whether the programme has full funding - or whether the new computer would be a like for like replacement, or a slimmed down version.


The Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) has agreed to draw up a set of business-focussed key ‘deliverables’ to give the organisation more of a focus. Following an initial meeting the JCCC, which brings together trade and HMRC interests, it is scheduling additional meetings to decide what they would be.


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