Central Europe News

Rolf Stiefel Joins Bureau Veritas as Regional Chief Executive

Bureau Veritas (BV) appointed Rolf Stiefel as its new Regional Chief Executive based in Hamburg, responsible for Central Europe - Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Russia. He will be based in the BV regional office in Hamburg and his appointment is effective May 1, 2020. He succeeds Dr. Hans Gaetjens who is retiring in July following a two month hand-over period.For the past 17 years Stiefel has been leading engine sales for WinGD’s slow speed diesel and gas engines including developing the market for WinGD’s X-DF gas fueled engine…

Can the New Silk Road Compete with the Maritime Silk Road?

China’s president Xi Jinping refers the Belt and Road Initiative, aka the New Silk Road, as the “Project of the Century” and according to a recent Bloomberg article, Morgan Stanley anticipates Chinese investments will total $1.3 trillion by 2027. In addition, more than 150 countries and international organizations have committed to invest in the project as well with infrastructure enhancements, such as roadways and power plants. But will this New Silk Road ever really compete with the firmly established Maritime Silk Road?Bernhard Simon…

Hapag-Lloyd Splits EU Ops into Two Regions

Cargo container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd has is to split its European operations into northern and southern regions. The company said the move was part of its strategy to remain closely connected with international clients. After the reorganization, Hapag-Lloyd will serve its customers from a total of six regions.The new Region South Europe will be headquartered in Genoa, Italy to reinforce the company’s activities in the Mediterranean region. Juan Pablo Richards, previously manager of the company’s operations in Area Brazil…

Hapag-Lloyd Splits European Services

German-based  cargo container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd AG is splitting its Region Europe into northern and southern parts. In doing so, the world’s fifth-largest liner shipping company will remain close to global markets and serve customers from a total of six regions effective immediately.The new Region South Europe, which will have its headquarters in the Italian port city of Genoa, aims to bolster Hapag-Lloyd’s competitive position in the Mediterranean region. It will include Area Italy…

Paskov Terminal Completes Stage III Expansion

Advanced World Transport (AWT), a member of the PKP CARGO Group,  the largest rail freight carrier in Poland and a leading rail freight carrier in the European Union, has completed stage III of The Paskov Terminal modernization in the Czech Republic.A modern intermodal transshipment point in Paskov of 70,000 m2, with the capacity of 4,800 TEU and rail tracks of 3x 270 m and 2x 375 m is situated close to industrial zones and borders with Poland and Slovakia. In the Paskov Terminal…

Mnuchin: China Talks "So far, so good"

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said talks with China went well on Wednesday, as the world's two largest economies try to iron out an agreement to resolve their trade dispute."So far, so good," he said when asked by reporters on how the meetings in Beijing went. He did not say who he met.Mnuchin said earlier he hoped for "productive" trade meetings as the two countries seek to end a festering dispute that has seen both sides level tariffs at one other.U.S. tariffs on $200…

CMA CGM Unifies Containerships and MacAndrews Brands

CMA CGM will retain the only Containerships brand for its intra-European operations, giving up MacAndrews, which had already erased OPDR."Containerships: from April 1st, 2019 a single brand resulting from the union of two experts of intra-European transport CMA CGM reinforces its strategy aimed at densifying its regional coverage to the benefit of its clients," said a press release from MacAndrews.According to the French container transportation and shipping company, by joining the forces of two recognized experts of intra-European multimodal transport…

‘Pink Lady’ in the Port of Hamburg

ONE container shipping group’s first containership in novel magenta livery calls in HamburgWith her striking magenta color design, she’s a real eye-catcher in the Port of Hamburg. With a length of 320 meters and slot capacity of 8,102 TEU (20-ft standard Containers) Ocean Network Express – ONE shipping group’s ONE Continuity may not be among the biggest containerships ever seen in the Port of Hamburg, but her unorthodox color scheme has everybody staring and cameras clicking.Jan Holst…

Novatek, Fluxys to Build German LNG Terminal

Russian gas producer Novatek and Belgium's Fluxys joint venture Rostock LNG GmbH has signed a Land Lease Agreement with the Port of Rostock with a view to building and operating a mid-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage terminal in the port.The envisaged facility is to unlock LNG as a low emission alternative for heavy fuel oil, diesel and LPG in North and Central Europe and the Baltic Sea area.The joint venture (Novatek 49% - Fluxys 51%) intends to build and operate a terminal for receiving and unloading mid-scale LNG carriers…

PGNiG and Venture Global LNG Sign Pact

Polish Oil & Gas Company (PGNiG) and Venture Global LNG have entered into an agreement relating to the terms of delivery of liquefied natural gas from Calcasieu Pass LNG and Plaquemines LNG facilities. The agreement defines basic terms and conditions of a 20-year contract for the sales and purchase of two million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG, which equals about 2.7 bcm following regasification. Cargoes will be supplied from Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines LNG export facilities which are expected to be completed in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Croatia Reopens Bidding for LNG Terminal Capacity

LNG Hrvatska launched a second round of bidding for potential operators of an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Croatia's northern Adriatic on Friday, after the previous round drew little interest.Last week, Croatia's parliament passed a law to enable the construction of the terminal, part of a European Union drive to diversify away from Russian gas imports.The project, which will be built on the island of Krk will be partly funded by the EU but has been criticised by environmental groups and local councils.LNG Hrvatska…

Croatia Acts to Cut Red Tape for FSRU Terminal Project

The Croatian government proposed a special law on Thursday to facilitate the construction of an EU-backed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the northern Adriatic.The floating terminal is expected to start operations in 2020.The European Union wants the facility to help diversify sources of supply and reduce dependence on Russian gas, most notably for countries in central Europe.Brussels will invest 101.4 million euros ($121 million), or 28 percent of the project's assessed value.The law…

DNV GL Advised Partners Group on Offshore Wind Project

DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body, has successfully completed a comprehensive due diligence project on the 730 MW Borssele III/IV construction-ready offshore wind project in the Netherlands. The work was commissioned by Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager, in preparation for its successful bid to acquire a 45% stake in the project on behalf of its clients. The investment will make funds managed and/or advised by Partners Group the largest shareholder in the Borssele III/IV farm.

Ocean Alliance Launches Day Two Product

The Ocean Alliance has launched its new Day Two Product with an estimated 3.6 million TEU carrying capacity provided by approximately 340 containerships deployed on 41 services. The new offering will commence in April 2018. Alliance partners CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen and OOCL will offer 20 Transpacific services, six Asia-Europe services, four Asia-Mediterranean services, four Transatlantic services, five Asia-Middle East services and two Asia-Red Sea services. “Ocean Alliance…

CMA CGM Merges Multimodal Subsidiaries

The CMA CGM Group announced it will merge its subsidiaries MacAndrews and OPDR effective January 1, 2018.,  in line with the Group’s strategy to develop its intra-regional activities Headquarters will be located in Hamburg. The union between these two companies specialized in intra-European transport enables the CMA CGM Group to strengthen its multimodal offer in Europe, particularly thanks to the complementarity of the geographical zones covered today by MacAndrews and OPDR, iCMA CGM said.

APM Terminals Vado Aims to be Gateway to Central Europe

APM Terminals Vado, Italy Managing Director Paolo Cornetto highlighted the future role of the deepwater APM Terminals Vado facility, now under construction, as a new southern gateway to Central Europe. “We designed our new port around liner customers - and our landside customers – the importers, exporters and truckers - to help them do more business by tapping into the 70 million-member consumer market of northern Italy, southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria and eastern France within an eight hour proximity of our port," he said.

MET International Plans to Boost LNG Trades

Switzerland-based MET International AG plans to boost its liquefied natural gas (LNG) trades in Europe by 50 to 100 percent next year, the company's chief executive said on Tuesday. Gyorgy Vargha said that while the company had traded one cargo, or 60,000 tonnes of LNG, per month this year, this is expected to rise to between 1.5 and two cargoes per month in 2018 as MET seeks to increase its role in that segment. MET International was established in 2010 as the natural gas trading arm of parent MET Group…

La Spezia Terminal Team to Tour Asian Cargo Hubs

Italy’s gateway container terminal in La Spezia, operated by the Contship Italia Group is set to embark upon on a tour of strategic supply-chain hubs in Asia. Contship’s senior management will visit key cities in China – Shanghai, Dalian and Shenzhen to promote La Spezia Homeport as the gateway to Italy and the markets of South and Central Europe. They will conclude their tour with a visit to Taiwan. This is the first visit to Asia undertaken by the Contship team since La Spezia Container Terminal won “Best Container Terminal - Europe” at the 2017 Asian Freight…

Wood Group Bags Alexandroupolis FEED

Wood Group has secured a new front end engineering design (FEED) contract with Gastrade S.A. for the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (INGS) offshore Greece. The project, to develop a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification unit (FSRU), will create a new natural gas gateway to the markets of south eastern and central Europe. Wood Group’s subsea team will perform the design and engineering definition of the Alexandroupolis FSRU and its subsystems which will support the final investment decision for the project, planned for late 2017.

iContainers Opens Rotterdam Branch

iContainers, the 100 percent online global freight forwarder, said it has opened a new branch in the shipping hub Port of Rotterdam, marking the Spanish company’s fourth global establishment. In the last two years, the Barcelona headquartered iContainers has expanded its global operations with new offices in Florida , U.S.; Ahmedabad, India; and now Rotterdam. Founded in 2007, iContainers is an online platform allowing users to quickly access thousands of ocean freight routes. Users can also select different schedules and services, including door-to-door, catered to their shipping needs.

Cosco Bypasses Railway Strike by Sea Route

Cosco has decided to transfer its containers to the port of Koper in Slovenia from Piraeus in order to deal with the Greek railway strikes. Cosco has got around the problem created for its freight forwarding network by Greek railway workers’ ongoing strike action by sending its containers by sea from Piraeus to Koper in Slovenia, from where they are loaded onto trains for the next part of their journey, reports Kathimerini. Since the tariffs for small feeder ships are currently at very low levels…

Kiel’s Forest Products Center Launched

Kiel’s new forest products handling and distribution centre has gone into operation in the Ostuferhafen. This means that the port has now become an integral part of the logistics chain operated by the Swedish concerns Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA) and Iggesund Paperboard. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) said: “We have created a terminal in the Ostuferhafen which is tailor-made to the requirements of our customers. In addition to that, Kiel’s geographical location fits very well into the SCA liner network”.

Austria - Hamburg Container Traffic Up

In 2015 around 295,000 TEU – 20-ft standard containers – were transported between the Port of Hamburg and intermodal terminals in Austria by environmentally-friendly rail. That represents a 9.3 percent gain, setting a new record for Hamburg’s seaport-hinterland services with Austria. The proportion of containers on this route transported by rail exceeds over 90 percent, making rail the leading mode of transport. “Austria is a model destination in efficient and environmentally friendly hinterland transport via the Port of Hamburg.

essDOCS Names Toet Board Chairman

essDOCS announced that Non-Executive Board Member, Andre Toet, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors, succeeding Barry Williams, who is standing down after chairing the board since 2013, having previously served a term as Chairman from 2006 to 2011. Andre Toet possesses over 30 years of maritime industry experience and has held numerous supervisory board positions, of which PortInfolink (subsequently Portbase), directly supported his previous role as Non-Executive Board Member for essDOCS.

La Spezia CT Wraps up Asian Tour

Senior executives from Italy’s La Spezia Container Terminal - Contship Italia Group, wrapped up a whirlwind tour of key supply chain hubs in South East Asia and China this week with a presentation and networking event in Shanghai. The purpose of the tour was to engage with logistics providers, freight forwarders and manufacturers to raise awareness and promote the benefits of La Spezia Homeport as the cargo gateway to Italy, Southern and Central Europe. "We have emerged from this tour…

Italy's LSCT Executives Tour Asian Logistics Hubs

In Singapore, senior executives from Italy's La Spezia Container Terminal - Contship Italia Group will kick off a tour of key cargo hubs across south east and east Asia today to raise awareness and promote the benefits of La Spezia Homeport as the gateway to Northern Italy and its main cargo corridors. La Spezia is promoting the concept that La Spezia Container Terminal is a viable alternative for southern and central Europe for leading players in the region's supply chain sector.