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Issue 5 2015 - Freight Business Journal News Roundup


UPS has added a less-than-container Load option to its China-to-Europe rail service from Zhengzhou to Hamburg. Full container load services have been available since June 2014. DHL Global Forwarding is meanwhile to add a third China/Europe rail service with a new twice-weekly service between Zhengzhou and Hamburg via Poland. The new 17-day service will offer a less-than-container load and full-container option.


Forwarders’ organisation Clecat has written an open letter to the permanent


transport representation at the EU expressing


its alarm over the proposed compromise proposals for the Fourth Railway Package that have been suggested by the new Luxembourg EU presidency. It says that coordination committees, financial transparency and the functions and independence of the infrastructure manager have all been watered down and will not provide the right conditions for more competition in rail freight.


Freightliner Group chairman, Peter Maybury, is to retire aſter 18 years with the company. He joined Freightliner in 1997 from the Ford Motor Company, subsequently became commercial director for the intermodal business and managing director in 2005. Soon aſter the sale of the business to Arcapita, he became Freightliner Group CEO in 2009, from which position he retired in 2013 to become chairman.


Norway will introduce a minimum wage law for foreign drivers on 1 July, for cabotage and/or international transport to and from the country. BIFA reports that drivers of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will be entitled to a minimum wage of NOK 158,32 (€18,23) per hour where there is a loading and/or unloading in Norway. According to the regulation, it will apply to foreign drivers employed by non- Norwegian entities who are posted in Norway. Germany and France have attempted to introduce similar rules on their territory, but this has been disputed by the European Union. Norway however is outside the EU.


The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has appointed Marek Retelski as deputy secretary general. He has been head of TIR and trade facilitation for IRU and covered various TIR roles over the past 14 years and has expertise in customs, tax and international and administrative law.


News Roundup International


There has been a delay in publishing legislation on the EU’s new Union Customs Code, BIFA reports. A Customs Business Group meeting was told on 5 June that texts have yet to clear Commission Inter-Services Consultation. This in turn is likely to delay a vote on the implementing act and the new laws will not appear in the Official Journal as regulations before late September at the earliest.


Road & Rail


///NEWS Joint effort launches Teesport-Scotland rail link


DB Schenker Rail UK has teamed up with PD Ports to run a direct daily service (Monday to Friday) from Teesport to Mossend and Grangemouth in Scotland. The rail operator says that the partnership differs from previous deals because it has collaborated with PD Ports directly from the beginning, providing a joint commercial approach. The onward leg to Grangemouth from Mossend


has been enabled through close collaboration


with Malcolm


Logistics - DB Schenker will share part wagon sets with existing WH Malcolm services to improve utilisation. Any type of container or tank from 20ſt to 45ſt can be carried. Head of sales at DB Schenker


Rail UK, Les Morris, said: “We have worked closely with PD Ports to bring this service to fruition which will transport goods directly from Teesport


to Scotland. This is an excellent example of how logistics companies can come together to provide bespoke solutions for our customers.” Geoff Lippitt, PD Ports’


business development director, added: “This new service operated by DB Schenker Rail UK will allow us to further develop Teesport’s connections with Scotland and enhance the port’s transport infrastructure network to the benefit of


shipping lines and intermodal customers. It will also provide daily links to European ro-ro and lo-lo services.” It follows Teesport’s opening


of a dedicated rail terminal at Teesport and in the last three years has introduced a new terminal operating system, new RTG cranes and reach stackers as well as significant investment in yard infrastructure.


Scotland report – page 22


Palletforce brings home Golden Grocer award


The Palletforce pallet network has been crowned Logistics Supplier of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards. Palletforce was one of six


category finalists, including Bibby Distribution, Coca Cola Enterprises, Fowler Welch, Gist and Samworth Brothers. The company had to


demonstrate “tangible and meaningful” improvements across its entire logistics


operation in the last 12 months, such as improving efficiency, extending shelf life, delivering better availability or simply saving money. The award was judged by


New national chairman for BIFA


Trade & Customs


Fred Osborn is to succeed Carson McMullan as British International Freight Association (BIFA) national chairman, with Mark Bromley becoming vice chairman. Osborn, the co-owner of X-Pand International Freight since 2000 and BIFA’s vice chairman for the past two years, was previously chair of BIFA’s air policy group. New vice chairman, Bromley is sales and development manager at Allways International Forwarding.


MBE for FTA’s Chris Welsh


Customs officials from the EU and Japan took an important step towards the creation of an IT system for mutual recognition of Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) at a Joint Customs Cooperation Committee on 10 June. The EU and Japan have mutually recognised their respective ‘trusted trader’ programmes in respect of security requirements in 2010, and the Mutual Recognition Agreement has been fully implemented since 2011 - but digitalisation of customs procedures is crucial in order to ensure that these programmes function properly and effectively.


The Freight Transport Association’s director of global and European policy Chris Welsh has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to shippers and the shipping industry. The award recognises his leading role in representing of UK freight shippers to the European Union and global organisations for over 30 years and in bringing shipper representatives together from across the world. In June 2011 he became the first secretary general of the Global Shippers’ Forum. He was also secretary general of the European Air Shippers Council


since 1998 where he was successful in bringing an end to cargo tariff co- ordination in the EU. In 2010, he played a leading role in establishing the Global Air Cargo Advisory Group that co-ordinates the efforts of airlines, freight forwarders and air cargo shippers in improving efficiency and sustainability.


a panel of FMCG experts and presented on the night by comedian and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar. Palletforce’s chief executive


officer Michael Conroy said: “On the back of significant investment in technology and infrastructure to ensure our success story continues, I am delighted that our innovation and quality services have been acknowledged.


“Palletforce is renowned


for its pioneering approach to express distribution and this award recognises that we’ve successfully applied our principles


to the FMCG and


grocery sector. “Our express network offers


a unique solution for many companies and we’ve proved already how we can cut costs and make the final stage delivery process much more efficient.”


Amber light for EU-US trade deal


The US Senate voted on 24 June in favour of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), following approval by the House of Representatives on 18 June – although President Obama had to rely on Republican support to get it through. It means that the US administration will, for the first time since 2007, will have the power to conclude a trade agreement and submit it to Congress for a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote. This would increase the chances of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the EU being passed, as well as the Transpacific Partnership between the US and Asia.


Bibby moves into Poland


Bibby Distribution, one of the top ten UK logistics providers, is expanding its European operations to support food manufacturer Kellogg’s increased production capacity in Poland. Bibby Distribution has been operating the Kellogg distribution centre (DC) in Kutno, Central Poland since July 2014, supporting a Pringles factory located on the same site and manages exports to Europe, Middle East and Africa. The Bibby Distribution-operated facility has capacity for 8,000 pallets, 200 yards from Kellogg’s factory. Bibby says that as Kellogg expands its operations at Kutno, it is “working to ensure it can provide the flexibility required to continue to support this growth.”


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