Some of the Smaller Freight and Logistics News Items from Around the Globe

SWEDEN – The first two straddle carriers have now been delivered to Stockholm Norvik Port, the country's new freight port, to join the two new ZPMC super-post-Panamax cranes which were delivered last month. The carriers are intended to operate autonomously within the next couple of years.

The straddle carriers, which were also built by the Chinese company ZPMC, are almost 16 metres in height, weigh 70 tonnes and can build stacks four containers high and are the first tranche in an order for 8 of the machines.

GREECE – There will be a vessel performance optimisation forum in Athens on 11 February hosted by Digital Ship. There will be case studies and discussions on vessel performance monitoring, managing fuel costs, bid data, investment options and the human factor. The conference will include roundtable discussions on the main issues, an opportunity to engage in discussions with delegates and no admission charge for ship owners, operators, managers and builders.

NETHERLANDS – Robosys Automation Ltd and the Marine Research Institute, Netherlands (MARIN) have signed a cooperation agreement in a new initiative to further research and development of autonomous navigation software. As part of the cooperation, Robosys acquires MARIN’s Dolphin Simulation Software and MARIN acquires Robosys’ Voyager 100 autonomous navigation software.

MARIN originally started testing Robosys autonomous navigation software on its Ship Simulator last year as part of the Netherlands Joint Industries Project culminating in North Sea Trials with three ships in March 2019. MARIN will establish a facility to measure compliance of autonomous navigation software within the IMO international collision regulations (COLREGS). The object of the testing is to measure marine software claiming an Obstacle Avoidance capability.

EUROPE – The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) has honoured the EU Project CARGO initiative implemented by the State Criminal Office (AKA) of Saxony-Anhalt for its outstanding contribution to reducing cargo thefts in Europe and easing the burden of these crimes on businesses, national economies and consumers.

Cargo theft now represents one of the biggest challenges for businesses operating in Europe. A study by the European Parliament previously estimated the cost of cargo crimes in Europe to be some €8.2 billion a year. The launch of the EU-funded Project CARGO on 1 July 2018, involving investigators from five EU Member States, was to target mobile organised crime groups specialising in cargo theft.

Project CARGO’S focus has been to target organised crime groups involved in truck ‘tarpaulin cutting’ crimes, one of the biggest causes of product losses from supply chains in Europe. Project CARGO has successfully conducted operations to dismantle the operations of crime groups across the continent and brought gang members to justice, thanks also to the proactive support of Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, and Eurojust, the EU agency dealing with judicial co-operation in criminal matters among agencies of the Member States.

UK – Readers are reminded that Nominations for the 2020 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards close THIS MONDAY 10 February, so don’t miss the opportunity to nominate yourself, or an outstanding colleague.

The Awards, now in their 13th year, invite nominations from across the industry, from aviation and shipping to road and rail, the awards are free to enter, and are the perfect opportunity to uncover and celebrate vital role models within the T&L industry. Entries are free and easy to complete, so start yours HERE before it’s too late.

IRELAND – UK – Mystery surrounds the circumstances in which a bomb was planted on a truck, supposedly intended to cross the Irish Sea on a ferry to Scotland on Brexit day (31st January). What is certain is that a device was discovered on an HGV in Lurgan, County Armagh after a tip off. The find followed the searching of 400 vehicles.

Road Haulage Association (RHA) CEO Richard Burnett said the RHA unreservedly condemned the callous disregard shown for the lives of others involving a device which could have caused devastation had it detonated. Police want to hear from anyone who was in the area of Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan between 4.00pm and 10.00pm on Friday 31 January and who may have noticed any unusual activity.

Photo: The first two straddle carriers arriving at to Stockholm Norvik Port this week.