Congestion at the port of Jeddah
Congestion at Jeddah Islamic Port stems from simultaneous pressure on berths, yards and inland links, in a port already exposed to the risk of saturation. In ten days, the port is reported to have handled 17 large container ships carrying more than 90,000 TEU, while truck movements are reaching about 100,000 a month. Waiting times at berths are up by 40–60% compared with the start of the year, with delays of two to three days for some vessels. The container yard is operating at more than 85% utilisation, a level regarded as critical for pick-up efficiency. Pressure is also spreading to the Jeddah–Riyadh corridor, which is being affected by heavy traffic, a shortage of drivers and scheduling delays. The situation is linked to the reorganisation of routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf, which is concentrating more traffic on Jeddah. Booking suspensions by some carriers therefore appear to be a defensive measure. In the medium term, investment will be important, including DP World’s $800m programme, but the effects will not be immediate. For operators, the priority remains to build margins of five to seven days into customs clearance and delivery plans.
Evergreen expands container fleet
Evergreen Marine has ordered 140,500 new dry cargo containers, worth about T$11.3bn, equivalent to around $360m. The order has been awarded to four Chinese manufacturers: Dong Fang International Container will produce 47,500 units, Cxic Group 34,000, Cimc Group 30,000 and Guangdong Fuwa Engineering Group 29,000. The investment follows other measures announced during the year for the vessel fleet and is aimed at increasing the availability of operational equipment. The order therefore confirms China’s weight in global container production, as all the suppliers involved are based in the country. Three companies named in the order, Cimc, Cxic and Dong Fang, are involved in the United States in the container “cartel” case over alleged fixing of purchase prices.
Yusen opens Antwerp headquarters
Yusen Logistics has opened its new European headquarters in Antwerp, strengthening its presence in one of the continent’s main logistics hubs. The new organisation, Yusen Logistics Global Management Europe n.v., houses about 140 employees and will coordinate the group’s activities in Europe. According to the company, the move from Schiphol, in Amsterdam, to Antwerp reflects its long-term commitment to the European market and its decision to operate from a major logistics node. The city offers direct road, rail, inland waterway and maritime links, as well as the presence of the port of Antwerp-Bruges, described as a strategic gateway for international trade. The relocation also brings Yusen Logistics closer to other NYK group companies based in Antwerp, including NYK Bulkship Atlantic and International Car Operators, with the aim of encouraging internal collaboration and strengthening integrated logistics services.
China launches electric container route
China has launched its first zero-emission sea-river intermodal route, connecting Jiaxing, in Zhejiang, with the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan. The service began with the electric container ship Ningyuan Dianpeng, a 10,000-tonne vessel measuring 127.8 metres in length and with a capacity of 742 TEU. The ship is powered by ten containerised battery modules, with a combined capacity of about 20,000 kWh. The system is expected to save about 800 tonnes of fuel a year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 tonnes. The new route combines inland electric vessels and a battery-powered seagoing ship to create a zero-emission logistics chain between the hinterland of the Yangtze Delta and one of the world’s leading container port complexes. Cargo will be transported by electric river vessels to Jiaxing, where it will be transferred to the Ningyuan Dianpeng for the voyage to Ningbo-Zhoushan.
MOL launches AI platform
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and IBM Japan have developed an artificial intelligence-based platform to support vessel operating decisions, which went into service on 1 July. The system is centred on the Safety Operation Supporting Center (SOSC) and brings together weather data, sea conditions, navigation status and geopolitical developments on a single platform, after they had previously been spread across multiple sources. The solution is designed to enable SOSC staff to identify critical events more quickly, improve the quality of operational decisions and support masters and fleet operations managers across the group. The platform was developed by integrating the SOSC’s operational experience, the artificial intelligence technologies of MOL Information Technology India Pvt. Ltd. and IBM Japan’s expertise in artificial intelligence and data use. Development was carried out using the IBM Garage methodology, from design through to system implementation. Key functions include real-time integration of operational data, centralised visualisation of vessels’ operating environment and a generative artificial intelligence assistant that identifies and extracts risks based on current data and historical information. The system also uses data relating to past incidents, response cases and operational knowledge to support sharing and analysis within the organisation.
Fercam integrates Shado Forwarding
Fercam has completed the acquisition of 100% of Shado Forwarding, finalising the company’s integration into its group. The deal strengthens Fercam’s presence in north-east Italy, an area considered strategic for national and international trade flows. The integration consolidates the group’s activities in the region and enhances the expertise developed by Shado Forwarding over more than 20 years in the paper vertical market. The future division will be led by Filippo Bortignon, who contributed to the development of Shado Forwarding.
