Carbon-neutral supply chain a priority for Volkswagen
Volkswagen is making a concerted effort to make the way it moves its vehicles as sustainable as the electric vehicles it is moving. A good example is seen in the export of ID.4 from Germany to the US, as Marcus Williams finds out
Gefco working with Fenix for Volvo deliveries through Bronka port
Gefco is working with Russian port operator Fenix to manage the import of Volvo Cars volumes through the port of Bronka near St Petersburg and onward distribution to the Russian market
North American vehicle ports: Versatile through the year of the virus
Regional closures and varying rates of recovery have seen a slight shift in the records of throughput at North America’s main vehicle handling ports, most notably with the Mexican port of Veracruz losing ground to Baltimore for the first time in six years.
First Nio volumes now on route to Norway
The first shipment of Nio ES8 electric SUVs have left Shanghai port on route for Norway, where they will be delivered to customers by September
Uber Freight says Transplace buyout will transform logistics landscape
The logistics division of Uber is buying one of the largest managed transport service and logistics technology providers in North America to create a global logistics network for multiple verticals
AL FVL Summer 2021 Digital Edition – Gearing up the supply chain for sustainable growth
The summer digital edition of Automotive Logistics and Finished Vehicle Logistics magazine is out now features interviews with Ford and VW, as well as an overview of activity at the North American vehicle handling ports
Back in Detroit for Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global
The Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Global conference will be back in its old home of Detroit this fall, giving a new impetus to this year’s theme Accelerating Stronger Together.
Gefco opts for Blue Yonder cloud technology
Gefco is continuing its strategy to digitalise supply chain services with the adoption of warehouse and transport management software provided by Blue Yonder
DP World buys logistics specialist Syncreon
Container terminal giant DP World has bought third-party logistics provider Syncreon in a deal valued at $1.2 billion. The transaction is expected to be complete by the second half of this year.
Philaport benefits from grant for berth development at Southport terminal
The US port of Philadelphia is to benefit from a $49m grant that will help development of a new $130m multi-use berth at the Southport ro-ro terminal, which handles vehicle imports
Protecting vehicle delivery quality, sustainably
Prevention is better than the cure when it comes to vehicle damage and insurance. Experts from ABI Tape, Trinity Rail and Horizon Auto Logistics discuss key strategies and data to maintain quality across North American vehicle logistics.
Delivering electric vehicles in America: charging ahead with a heavy load
EV sales are on the rise in the US, and with that new logistics considerations for vehicle weight, charging infrastructure and services. Experts from Lucid, Glovis and the American Trucking Association discuss how best to prepare.
Now is the time to invest in sustainable port infrastructure
Ports are the gateway to supply chain recovery and growth for the North American automotive industry, and officials from the US Maritime Administration, Kuehne + Nagel and the American Association of Port Authorities see opportunity to strong returns on investment in capacity, transport links and digitalisation.
Can North American vehicle logistics ports get past Industry 3.0?
There are growing capacity demands on ports but many OEMs, processors and logistics carriers depend on manual processes. Volkswagen’s Michael D’Angelo doesn’t think it needs to be that way.
Finished vehicle logistics needs a sustainable rethink in the EV era
VW Group of America is trying to make its vehicle logistics more sustainable through operational procedure and supply chain design but there are load-capacity headwinds related to road haulage in the US
Höegh Autoliners signs MoU for Aurora-class car carrier fleet
Höegh Autoliners is planning to introduce a fleet of 12 Aurora-class car carriers as part of its plan to make the delivery of finished vehicles more sustainable from 2024
NYK commissions 12 LNG-fuelled car carriers
NYK is boosting the number of car carriers in its fleet fuelled with LNG with the commission of 12 vessels from the Shin Kurushima and Nihon shipyards in Japan
Making the best of it at Mazatlán
Terminal Marítima Mazatlán (TMAZ) runs the finished vehicle terminal at the Mexican port of Mazatlán and over the last decade the company has invested $20m in infrastructure and technology to increase volumes. While Covid has hit throughput Nissan remains committed and TMAZ is gearing up for a return in trade
Smart tools for sustainable logistics at Hellmann
Monika Thielemann-Hald joined Hellmann Worldwide Logistics just as Covid started disrupting manufacturing for east to west. But as global head of automotive logistics she has helped steer the company through the crisis with the right mix of teamwork and smart technology
VW puts carbon-neutral exports top of agenda for EV deliveries to the US
Volkswagan has moved more than 8,000 units of its ID.4 electric SUV to the US from Germany since March this year and has set out to make the method of delivery as sustainable as the vehicle it is delivering, all part of its ‘goTOzero impact logistics’ strategy
Vehicle electrification shakes up export and import flows
There are regional differences in the sales and manufacture of electric vehicles that are affecting finished vehicle logistics flows, with some countries with relatively small automotive output becoming the bigger EV exporters. That has consequences for finished vehicle logistics, as a new report from Ultima Media’s business intelligence unit, Automotive, makes clear
Canadian Pacific invests in rail connections to port of Saint John
Canadian Pacific Railway is moving vehicles out of the Canadian east coast port of Saint John again for the first time in 25 years and investing C$90m in track infrastructure over three years to add capacity and services for automotive in Canada
Hyundai Glovis sets up customised shipping standards for EVs
Hyundai Glovis has established a new process and set of standards for the global shipment of electric vehicles aimed at providing a safer and more secure service for traditional carmakers and start-up EV companies alike
Renault forecasts shift in the make-up of outbound deliveries
At a recent automotive webinar hosted by Haropa Port, Renault’s global vice-president of supply chain, Jean-François Salles, said that the vehicle mix in the outbound supply chain was going to change over the next few years, with more second-hand, light commercial and shared vehicles being distributed. That trend will require different logistics planning
Haropa completes merger of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris ports
This month the French ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris officially merged under the banner of Haropa Port and the joint venture is planning to extend vehicle storage capacity at Le Havre from the current 56,000 vehicles to 80,000 by 2027 by reorganising the current storage, and taking 43 additional hectares around the existing terminal.
MOL uses AI to more efficiently allocate car carriers
Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is using a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool to plan the allocation of car carrier vessels across its global network.
ABP turns to Inform for digital vehicle management at Southampton
Logistics software specialist Inform is providing an integrated and scalable cloud management system for Associated British Ports’ (ABP) vehicle terminal operations.
Aditi Rasquinha heads ocean freight for Apac at DB Schenker
DB Schenker has appointed Aditi Rasquinha as its new head of ocean freight for the Asia Pacific (Apac) region. She replaces Christoph Matthes who has moved to a new role as CEO of the south-east Asia region for Agility.
Tom Pippingsköld widens remit at Finnlines
Tom Pippingsköld (pictured) has taken up the newly created position of vice-president and deputy CEO at Finnlines, which provides short-sea ro-ro services in Europe. Pippingsköld retains his role as chief financial officer (CFO) at the company, a role he has held since 2013.
Nio targets Norway for first vehicle exports
Chinese electric vehicle start-up Nio will start exporting vehicles to Norway in September this year, beginning with the ES8 SUV. The carmaker will also introduce the ET7 luxury sedan in 2022.
Returning vehicle sales test Russian ro-ro capacity
Returning vehicle sales in Russia are prompting ocean transport providers to return laid up vessels into operation as capacity on international routes becomes tighter. Higher tariffs on containerised vehicle shipments from China is also leading to a switch in mode to ocean, adding to the demand for more services. That is expected to create an imbalance in supply and demand in the ro-ro transport sector in the short and medium-term.
Recoding the outbound at FVL North America Live
Carmakers and their outbound logistics providers are dealing with a strong rebound in North American vehicle sales post-Covid, which has taken the supply chain by surprise.
Building a future for vehicle trade after Covid
Last year was one of unprecedented challenge for the UK’s vehicle handling ports but, as Marcus Williams reports, they maintained operations, invested in infrastructure and are taking lessons forward for future trade
Jens Wollesen to take COO role at Hellmann
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics will appoint Jens Wollesen (pictured) to the role of chief operating officer (COO) at the beginning of January next year. The move represents a reallocation of responsibilities at the management board level of the company.
Why just-in-time will remain the way forward for Toyota
Leon van der Merwe is leading inbound, outbound and service parts logistics for Toyota Motor Europe. At this year’s Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Europe Live conference he told Christopher Ludwig about the carmaker’s strategy to modernise just-in-time and make Toyota’s logistics more sustainable
Watch: A permanent change in container shipping for automotive
Capacity, lead time and cost issues in container shipping have disrupted automotive shippers, and long-term structural changes in the sector will lead to new supplier relationships, according to Drewry.
Light at the end of the Suez canal but challenges for automotive
Of the many disruptions the pandemic has caused, the chain reaction of delays and spiralling costs in container global container shipping must have been one of the hardest to deal with. The delays in the Suez Canal were just the icing on an already unappetising cake.
UECC launches first LNG hybrid PCTC
European ro-ro operator UECC has launched its first pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) and battery power. LNG burns more cleanly than traditional heavy fuels, and the battery component drives auxiliary equipment and reduces emissions in port.
Logistics providers call for fairness in calculating shipping emissions
Clarity is needed on measuring emissions in shipping but a poorly judged methodology could disadvantage finished vehicle logistics and disrupt the supply chain
VW begins exporting Taos from Mexico to US
Volkswagen has started exporting Taos models from its plant in Puebla, Mexico to the US. The vehicles are moving through the port of Lázaro Cárdenas to different northbound destinations.
A game of two halves at Europe’s vehicle ports
Volatility at Europe’s leading finished vehicle handling ports was made worse in 2020 by the impact of restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the first half of the year and then by resurgent demand in the second half. Marcus Williams reports
AL FVL Spring 2021 Digital Edition – Coping strategies for a global crisis
The spring digital edition of Automotive Logistics and Finished Vehicle Logistics is out now, featuring comprehensive overviews of the main vehicle ports in continental Europe and the UK, as well as the maritime transport sector. Plus, we look at the latest packaging initiative supporting VW’s lithium-ion battery deliveries to VW Zwickau, Vijay Ratnaparkhe’s IT revolution at Bosch and talk to carmakers about supply chain lessons ten years on from the Fukushima earthquake disaster
Zeebrugge remains busiest European vehicle handling port
Despite the impact on throughput, Belgium’s port of Zeebrugge maintained its position as Europe’s busiest vehicle handling port in 2020.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen puts more vessels back into service
Wallenius Wilhelmsen will reactivate the last three of the ro-ro vessels it placed in cold layup in the second quarter of last year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit finished vehicle volumes.
ABP to install 5G network at port of Southampton
Associated British Ports (ABP) is working with Verizon Business on the installation of a private 5G telecommunications network at the port of Southampton on the UK south coast. It will make ABP the first mainland port operator in the UK to offer a private 5G network to its customers.
Signs of movement on the Suez Canal
One week after the Evergreen container vessel MV Ever Given became lodged across the Suez Canal, it appears as of March 29 that efforts to shift the 400-metre-long, 200,000-tonne vessel have been successful. The chairman and managing director of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), said on Monday that the Panamanian container ship had been successfully refloated and the backlog of vessels is now moving through.
Höegh begins service between Gothenburg port and Oceania
Höegh Autoliners has started a regular direct service from the port of Gothenburg in Sweden to Auckland in New Zealand, taking in South Africa and other locations in the Oceanic region on route.
Horizon Auto Logistics restructures business in the Americas
Following a realignment of operations last year, Horizon Auto Logistics (HAL), has restructured its business and will operate the following group divisions: Horizon Auto Logistics in Mexico, Fast Terminal International in Colombia, and Fast Auto Logistics in the US and Dominican Republic.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen reveals wind-powered ro-ro vessel
Wallenius Wilhelmsen has presented Orcelle Wind, a concept for a primarily wind-powered pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel that the finished vehicle logistics provider is confident could be on the water in 2025. In normal operation, it is expected to bring a 90% reduction in emissions.
Decarbonising the supply chain will be a gradual effort
With the range of electric vehicles (EVs) available on the market it is possible to buy a car that does not have any tailpipe emissions. The realities of energy generation mean that true zero-emission motoring is still some way off but at least there is a clear first step. Decarbonising the supply chain, however, is a complex issue with many hurdles still to overcome.
