Monthly Archives for July 2015

Summer lull hits container ship charter market The summer lull has gripped the box ship time charter market, with rate levels in most size classes edging down week over week. Brokers reported another drop in fixing and inquiry last week while more operators were seen tendering redelivery notices instead of extending tonnage, resulting in an […]

Managing inland distribution key to Africa logistics HONG KONG — Getting containers to Africa’s ports is the easy part, but transporting those boxes inland to their final destination is taxing the minds of logistics executives in the region.“Any carrier can offer port-to-port services, but what’s important for Asia-Africa trade is the inland delivery arrangement,” said […]

Mars packing process blasts off with DHL automation HONG KONG — Automating labor intensive processes in China is gaining ground as manufacturers try to mitigate the rising costs of wages, with chocolate maker Mars the latest company to embrace a semi-automated solution.DHL Supply Chain has deployed semi-automated machinery in the company’s Zhejiang Province warehouse that […]

Alibaba pours 0 million into growing SingPost stake HONG KONG — Chinese online giant Alibaba Group will invest more than $200 million in its partnership with Singapore Post in a series of initiatives aimed at expanding its e-commerce logistics platform across Asia-Pacific.Alibaba will increase its equity stake in SingPost to 14.51 percent, buying an additional […]

Panama Canal is on track to open its expanded locks in April The new locks at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal began to fill with water in late June in preparation for months of testing of their new gates before they open to commercial traffic next April. The flooding of the Pacific locks, […]

Panama Canal is on track to open its expanded locks in April The new locks at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal began to fill with water in late June in preparation for months of testing of their new gates before they open to commercial traffic next April. The flooding of the Pacific locks, […]

Container equipment costs hit 10-year low While container carriers haven’t had much to cheer about as spot rates take a beating, they can at least take solace in the fact that equipment costs have hit a 10-year low, according to shipping consultant Drewry. In June, the index used to measure the cost of container equipment […]

China logistics reaps rewards of rising trade, domestic consumption HONG KONG — The demand for logistics services and infrastructure will be fuelled by China’s increasing trade appetite and the continuing growth of e-commerce markets within the country, according to Barclays Research. With China’s logistics costs still around 16 percent of GDP, already significantly higher than […]

Logistics, trade groups hail choice of Heathrow for expansion A conceptualization of London Heathrow Airport with a third runway.LONDON – Freight forwarders and logistics providers today hailed a government-appointed commission’s call for a third runway to be built at London Heathrow airport, Europe’s fourth largest air cargo hub. “Heathrow provides the greatest benefits for business […]