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Issue 8 2017 - Freight Business Journal


Yusen to buy Keswick’s Romanian logistics arm


UK-based Keswick Enterprises Group is to sell its Tibbett Logistics subsidiary in Romania to NYK forwarding subsidiary Yusen Logistics for an undisclosed sum, subject to Romanian Competition Council approval. The sale is expected to complete before the end of the year.


Tibbett Logistics will become


a wholly owned subsidiary of Amsterdam-based Yusen Logistics


(Europe). All


management and staff will move across on their existing terms and conditions and in the same work locations, including chief executive, David Goldsborough. Current chairman Gavin Withers will remain deputy chairman of Tibbett Logistics while also retaining his main board directorship at Keswick Enterprises. John


Harvey, executive


chairman of The Keswick Enterprises Group, will have an advisory role with Yusen Logistics and will continue to be involved in Tibbett Logistics’ developments in Romania. Yusen Logistics itself was the


subject of a buyout in October, when parent NYK Group said it would acquire the remaining 41% stake of the freight forwarder


from external shareholders. Aſter making an initial


investment in a Romanian freight business in 2005, Keswick Enterprises established Tibbett Logistics in 2010 when it bought out its co-shareholder in the business. The company was then refocused on contract logistics and related and


companies, and it is particularly strong in the retail and automotive industries. Yusen Logistics (Europe) is 17 countries across


active in


Europe, but currently has no infrastructure in Romania. In a statement, Yusen Logistics said: “Romania is currently one of the fastest-growing


in Romania. This allows Yusen Logistics’ current and potential customers to benefit directly from comprehensive high-quality logistics services for their current and future opportunities in this fast- growing region.” The Keswick


Enterprises


Group’s remaining European supply chain interests include freight forwarding – it is owner of


Spatial Global - contract


logistics, co-packing/contract packing, recycling, e-fulfilment, procurement


and logistics


consultancy. John Harvey said: “We believe


since then has increased its presence in contract logistics, warehousing, transport and intermodal. The business now employs 1,300 people at 15 locations in Romania – including a bonded intermodal terminal in Bucharest. It operates a total of 116,000sq m of warehousing in the country. Some 87% of revenues are generated through long-term contracts, typically with major multinational


NYK to take total control of Yusen


Japan’s NYK shipping and transport group is to acquire the remaining


41% stake of its freight forwarding subsidiary, Yusen Logistics, from


Europa Road has been appointed


sole UK


representative for the CargoLine groupage service. CargoLine offers systemised


groupage transportation, as well as distribution, procurement


and contract


logistics through a network of more than 80 partners in 43 countries in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In addition to its 1,583 direct lines in Germany and across


Europe, it operates three hubs in Germany including a central hub near Fulda. Europa will operate a five


times per week connection to and from the Fulda hub and will also receive CargoLine consignments to distribute in the UK, as well as acting as a gateway for export consignments into the hub, either for Germany, or further afield. Europa’s operations director,


European economies, with booming investments in retail and manufacturing and a strong presence in numerous automotive companies. This acquisition


provides Yusen


Logistics with access and insight into the Romanian market as well as a well- established regional network of warehousing, intermodal and trucking operations run by an excellent team of professionals


external shareholders. It plans to complete the transaction by the end of March 2018. NYK Group foresees the


creation of two main business ‘pillars’, namely air/ocean freight forwarding and contract logistics, to meet customer demands for


the sale is in the best interests of all stakeholders – Tibbett Logistics’ customers, suppliers, management and personnel, as well as Keswick’s shareholders and associated charities. It represents an excellent fit in terms of skills, sectors, services and geography.” Yusen Logistics Europe chief


regional officer, Shoji Murakami, said the agreement “provides us with both critical mass and insight in the Romanian market. These advantages will give Yusen Logistics the right tools to increase our activities and to optimally serve our customers in this key region.”


total logistics solutions. The merger would also


improve collaboration through the common use of information, technology and systems and boost


investment by


NYK’s financial strength and creditworthiness.


Europa to be sole agent for CargoLine groupage


Dan Cook, said: “CargoLine is a hugely respected and credible independent includes


network, some and heavyweight


organisations in Europe. Our participation is a reflection of the standing Europa has on the European stage.” CargoLine managing


director, Bernd Höppner, added: “As a long-standing groupage partner of some of CargoLine’s member companies,


Europa has made a name for itself as a


strong and reliable partner that has a promising future. We are pleased to turn these bilateral business relationships into a CargoLine-wide one and make Europa our sole representative in the UK.” Europa says the relationship


with CargoLine will further strengthen the reliability of its general groupage product and allow services such as time specific deliveries or evening deliveries.


News Roundup


The world’s largest short sea ro ro freight vessel, CLdN’s 8,000 lane-metre Celine called at Port of London’s Purfleet terminal during the first week of November. She is the first in a series of eight ships being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and operates on CLdN’s weekly service calling at Purfleet, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and Dublin. The new ships offer a flexible deck configuration and can cater for a mix of trailers, containers, high and heavy cargoes, cars, vans and trucks. CLdN’s C.Ro Ports division is simultaneously expanding its terminals to cater for the larger vessels.


The Cargo Incident Notification System and the International Group of P&I Clubs have published new guidelines for transporting charcoal and carbon in containers. Charcoal and carbon are self-heating substances that can spontaneously catch fire and there have been a number of incidents in recent years.


Essex-based ATL Haulage Contractors has signed an agreement with DP World for a 2.64 acre, 80-truck yard at London Gateway. It will be operational by June 2018, and serve as ATL’s operational base as well as hosting the firm’s new headquarters. ATL has seen a big increase in the number of container movements in and out of the port.


Tim Morris takes over from Theresa Crossley as the chief executive of the UK Major Ports Group from November. He joins UKMPG from communications consultancy Hanover, where he was head of their Energy and Infrastructure practice. He previously spent 11 years with Tata Steel Europe, most recently as head of public affairs.


Senators Maria Cantwell and Johnny Isakson have raised concerns over Customs and Border Protection staffing levels at US ports, which have not kept pace with recent growth in trade volumes and specifically container traffic. They told a Senate Finance Committee hearing on 24 October that despite “tremendous growth” in trade, CBP staffing levels have remained the same. The American Association of Port Authorities has already raised concerns in a letter in August over staffing shortages as well as the security and economic impact of insufficient CBP staffing at ports.


sharing


P&O Ferries says it has had the highest freight traffic on its Larne/ Cairnryan route in any third quarter of the year since 2011. It carried 53,305 lorries and trailers on its ships in July, August and September, up 3.3% on the same quarter last year. P&O Ferries sector director on the Irish Sea, Neal Mernock, said Larne “has outstanding connections via rail and road, especially aſter the upgrading of the A8 dual carriageway, and is nine miles closer to Scotland than the port at Belfast.” P&O Ferries operates seven sailings a day between Larne and Cairnryan with the 21,000-ton European Causeway and European Highlander.


Victor Products has joined more than 100 commercial tenants already based at the Port of Tyne. The company, a leading manufacturer of electrical connectors and LED lighting for the underground mining industry and a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation, has relocated its North East manufacturing facility to Tyne Dock, South Shields.


Rotterdam-based Broekman Logistics has signed a deal with Lignes Maritime Congolaises (Congo National Shipping Line) to charter the 17,953-tonne multipurpose tweendecker Mv. Thorco Reef. The line, which already operates regular sailings from Antwerp to Boma and Matadi with other ports by inducement, plans to expand its presence in the northbound and southbound West African market and may well charter more ships, says Broekman.


///NEWS Sea


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