Cargo To Africa

Tag: sea cargo

  • Third Biggest Sea Cargo Growth at Panama Canal

    Gigantic Figures for the Fiscal Year 2016 and Different Factors for Major Growth

    The 2016 fiscal year is about to close and according to Panama Canal Authority (ACP), it recorded the third-highest annual tonnage in its history. The figures tell that there is cargo shipments of 330.7 million tons transferred through Panama Canal from 13,114 vessels from 1st Oct-15 to 30th Sep, 2016.

    Amongst these 13,114 vessels, the 238 vessels were neopanamax vessels which took advantage of the newly opened expanded canal within three months of its operations having the transfer weight of 18.2 million PC/UMC.

    What Did Panama Canal Administrator Say?

    Jorge L. Quinjao, the administrator said, “Despite the international shipping downturn this past year, we recorded one of the highest annual tonnage figures since the opening of the original canal 102 years ago. The latest success reinforces the continued strategic importance of the route and the growing value that recent investments in the canal will bring to the maritime industry.”

    According to his statement, the Panama Canal Management is happy on this massive cargo growth in Africa and South America which took them on to the third spot of the Annual Cargo Tonnage.

    Main Factor of Growth

    According to the analysis done to monitor the flow from where the traffic came, it showed that the container segment continued to be leading foundation of Panama Canal traffic. After the accountability, it presented that there is a total of 36% growth from this segment which total cargo received.

    At the total figures, 119.6 million container vessels contributed transit through the waterway in which 13.4 million PC/UMS are transferred through the expanded canal.

    LNG Segment

    There is another factor of this mighty growth and that was the introduction of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) during the ending months of 2016 fiscal years. The figures showed that the LNG contributed the total transit of 1.5 million PC/UMS and surpassed initial Panama Canal forecasts.

    Future Predictions for Panama Canal

    Taking in mind, the cargo gurus are of the view that in the coming 2017 fiscal year, the Panama Canal will continue its way on enhancing the sea cargo transit by advancing the projects such as Corozal Container Terminal, which is currently an ongoing process.

  • Elbe River Stuck Container Ship Rescued

    The two previous attempts had failed to free the container ship which had run aground

    What happened?

    A container ship had run aground in the Elbe River near Hamburg almost a week ago. The authorities made two attempts previously which had been unfruitful and failed miserably. It is expected to continue its voyage after the rescue.

    Many container and cargo ships run aground every now-and-then while they sail to deliver sea cargo to Africa, United State, China, United Kingdom and other countries of the world.

    When the rescue efforts began?

    At 2 a.m. local time (o1:00 UTC/GMT), the rescue efforts began and after 20 minutes of extensive efforts the cargo ship CSCL Indian Ocean was freed up. This ship had run aground almost a week ago in the Elbe River about 22 miles northwest of Hamburg. During the rescue attempts the affected section of the Elbe River was closed off to traffic. This operation was facilitated by the south-westerly winds in the North Sea and high tides on a new moon, then there were 12 tugboats that finally released the container ship.

     

    The ship is towed back into the shipping channel and five tugboats pulled it safely to the Hamburg at about 5:30 a.m. local time.

    Is the ship healthy enough to continue its voyage?

    The accident had been caused by a defect in the steering system, said the rescue team from the “Havariekommando Cuxhaven”. They said after initial check-ups that the steering system was in working order again and they have not found any evidence of any lasting damage. The authorities said that it will take a week for further check-ups and after that the cargo ship may leave Hamburg to continue its voyage on due course.

    What are the details of the vessel?

    CSCL Indian Ocean is one of the largest cargo ships in the world which was put in operation last year. It is 400 meters long and 59 meters wide and has the ability to carry the maximum number of containers is 19,100 teu. If you don’t know what teu is then in terms of measurement it is twenty-foot equivalent unit. There are only a few cargo vessels in the world that exceed 19,000 teu.

  • Nigerian Shippers Council Starts Cargo Tracking

    Nigerian shippers council starts tracking the cargo to check swift practices and opted for the International Cargo tracking Note (ICTN)

    Shippers’ Council begins cargo tracking to determine the sharp practices, the Nigerian Shippers Council has opted for ICTN systems with an early revenue target of around $87 million. The new tracking policy will also assist the country authorities to ascertain of goods coming to the country and it will be implemented Nigerian port transportation authorities.

    Estimated Cost To Instigate The Scheme

    According to the documents based on the 2014 NPA operational cargo statistics, the sum of N17,238,054,156.84 or $87,060,879.58 is estimated to instigate the system. The system proceeds to be generated at the present rates of administrative  fees for different cargo types.

    All cargo types supposed to depart from Nigerian ports either they are exported cargo imported from other countries or transit cargo must take a Nigerian Shippers Council entry number or ENS when it is a cargo from the UK or anywhere else from the world. An Exit summary Number EXS shall be needed in case of exports departing fro Nigeria. The Bill Of Lading must show these numbers and the final manifest of the vessel also require thee numbers.

    Advanced Cargo Declaration process

    The Shipper can use top 5 cargo carriers for shipping purpose. The shipper of the cargo according to the declaration is the person who is responsible for the declaration procedure. He delivers all the relevant information to the cargo.

    The procedure will ensure that the declaration made, is correct and all the information provided is true.  If the vessels are chartered ships, the Advanced Cargo Declaration shall be completed by the Chartered who issues  the Bill of Lading rather than the company owning the vessel.

    Projected Revenue Breakdown

    The projected revenue breakdown is mentioned according to the type of the cargo shipped, Containerised cargo at N5,263,731,000, while the Ro-Ro Cargo has N491,047,920, General Cargo N736,444,912, Bulk Cargo at N2,282,225,580, and the Crude Oil exports at N3, 464,604,744.48.

    Presidential approval by Ministry of Transport

    On 14th of May Ministry of Transport has given the presidential approval for the ICTN system to Nigerian Shipper Coucil NSC, but the scheme yet to be taken into effect.

    The documents show the presidential approval letter which is as, “Please evoke that following the presidential approval to the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) for the re-introduction of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) scheme and the execution of the system by Nigerian Shippers’ Council – being the Interim Economic Regulator of the port sector in Nigeria, as carried to the council by the Director (Maritime Services) vide a letter Ref. T.0160/S.30/T4C dated 14th May, 2015, the Hon.

    Minister of Transport, in line with the presidential approval, requested Nigerian Shippers’ Council to work out/negotiate the Terms and conditions of the implementation contract of the scheme with Messrs Transport and Port Management System (TPMS) Nigeria Limited, as the technical implementation agents, and enter into an agreement with them in that regard.”

  • East African Countries To Use Electonic Cargo Tracking System

    Kenya and Rwanda to replicate electronic cargo tracking system previously used by Uganda

     

    Kenya and Rwanda confirm that they are looking to replicate the electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS)this year. This system will ultimately reduce the cost of transporting cargo on the northern corridor. The heads of the state summit in Kigali stated that the process of procurement and installation will be finalized soon to address the issues of cash deposits and overstayed cargo in Mombasa.

    What the new system will bring new?

    The new system is expected to lower the cost of transportation of cargo and time. It will also reduce the curb thefts of cargo while delivering from one place to another and diversion of goods destined for its market from the port of Mombasa. The revenue authority commissioner of Uganda for customs

    The Revenue Authority commissioner for Customs Richard Kamajugo, the framework will enhance the productivity of Customs procedures bringing about higher income accumulations.

    Benefits of electronic tracking system

    There will be a pre-entry clearance of goods route before the ship touches base at the port of Mombasa and the containers, which will spare time, said Mr Kamajugo, including that the new framework will likewise give real time data on the area and the status of the payload in travel. Prior to the presentation of the innovation, one could just know the area by calling so as to travel load the driver.

    ECTS trigger an alarm whenever there is a diversion from the actual route, it will also inform on every unusual or long stopover and it will even inform the authorities if someone tries to open the containers illegally. The new system will help in sealing the loopholes that cause these countries loss in revenues through suspected under-declaration of the value of the exports and theft of cargo. The electronic tracking system had helped the traders in Uganda to minimize the costs and time of doing business from one week to just one and a half day.

    Costs of the system

    When the trucks face delay along the transit route, it costs $200 to $250 per day. Sometime the total cost or maybe a partial cost is passed over the owner of the goods. All this process was increasing the overall cost of goods being transported through this transit route. It was not only because of the unusual stoppages in the corridor, but the distance also was a factor.

    The New system will ensure that the countries will get precise information on imports and exports of goods from the port to the destination.

  • North Sea Storm Destroys Cargo

    The strong winds are causing more damage to the ships than anything else

    This week the North Sea is really furious and causing severe damage to the cargo ships whether they be sailing to deliver sea cargo to Africa or U.S. or any other country across the globe. The damages that we are talking about is related to ships being smashed against docks, cargo being torn from weather decks, vessels being aground by the high winds and waves of Storm Frank.

    The incidents are being reported at the Valhall, Eldfisk, Troll, and Embla fields offshore Norway, and heavy weather has also cause accidents around the region. The cargo that gets damaged during such incidents is supposed to be used for door-to-door deliveries, parcel deliveries and others like that. On Wednesday, a general cargo vessel Norholm went hard aground in Marstal Harbor, Denmark.

    According to Poul Sakmose, yard manager, they were about to receive the ship for classification service and regular inspection when the current and strong southeast wind carried her off. After the incident, it is reported that there was no damage to ship, pollution to area and injuries to the crew or workers sustained.

    Storm’s heavy waves have repeatedly smashed Condor Liberation, Condor Ferries high-speed passenger vessel, against the dock in the harbour at Poole, England. According to the authorities, the wind speed approached 55 knots at the harbour when the incident took place. Refund or re-routing has been offered by Condor for the passengers who were to sail on 2, 3 and 4 January. It will not set sail until the inspection and repairs are done and the Storm Frank subside.

    “This has been a very difficult first year of service for condor Liberation and we share the disappointment of our customers that three scheduled sailings between 2nd and 4th January will be cancelled.

    The conventional ferry services continue to maintain the lifeline link between the islands and UK. The ceaseless atrocious weather over the New year on both sides of the Channel has exceeded the storms earlier in 2015 and has given us operational challenges,” said Condor’s Executive Director of Operations, Captain Fran Collins.

    While berthing at Guernsey earlier this year, the Liberation sustained damage. The local government was prompted by the incident to commission an independent “suitability and performance” review of the vessel. It has been found by the review that the Liberation “is safe and stable, extremely well suited to operating in the Channel Islands, and is performing well.”

  • Can Moisture Damage Your Freight During Containerized Shipping?

    How you can save your products from damage during containerized shipping from damage? Moisture is harmful for your delivery so it is important to know how to protect your cargo from container rain.

     

    It is crucial to know that about ten percent of cargo products are wasted due to moisture in container shipping. A large number of freight goes to waste, it is not only the cause of economic loss but also disturbing our natural surroundings.

    It is very important to prevent the cargo from damage and in this way we can not only minimize the economic loss but we can also save our atmosphere. Here are a few tips about how to protect your cargo from moisture damage.

    Use of good packing material

    There are a few things you may need to think to avoid container rain. Almost, all the containers have  moisture to some amount, because the  air always holds water. But the cargo may also contain moisture.  Many cargo products contain moisture like furniture, handicrafts, agricultural products, clothes and other fabrics, hold a certain amount of moisture at origin that can be released under the right cooling conditions.

    The packing materials also contain some extent of moisture like cartons and pallets, etc. Both the shipments and the packing materials, have moisture so it is important to use good quality packing material to save your products from moisture and fungus. The use of ventilation is a good method to avoid container rain.

    Wood pallet absorbs moisture

    Another method  to decrease the moisture in containers is to make sure not to have the pallets standing outside. Wood absorbs moisture, especially if the air is warm and moist. EUR-pallet can absorb up to 20 liters of water, and a standard 40 feet container puts up about 40 pallets.By giving attention to the specifics of your shipment, you may be able to decrease the chance of container rain, and protect your things from moisture and fungus.

    By giving attention to the specifics of your shipment, you may be able to decrease the chance of container rain, and protect your things from moisture and fungus.

    The best method to prevent containerized cargo from damage

    If you are shipping costly products that are delicate, or if your issues are such that there is a high chance of container rain, you should consider using dehydrated elements.

    Desiccant prevents the build-up of moisture in the air to levels where it may cause damage. This is done by using absorbing bags based on calcium chloride, which is a liquid brine in its natural state, and is transformed into a dry material by removing the water through warming.

  • Repo Men – The last Resort For Stolen Vessels

    When a cargo vessel has been stolen, repo men are the one called in for help

     

    What to do when your vessel is stolen?

    What will you do to retrieve a stolen or seized vessel? May be use witch doctors to spook port police officers, ply the guards with booze or trick the night watchmen into leaving their posts.

    When using witch doctors comes in, the thought may cross your mind that the vessel must have been delivering sea cargo to Africa when it was stolen or seized.

    Call in the repo men

    Well, no ordinary person would do all that stuff but Hardberger is no ordinary person. He is among those handfuls of maritime “repo men” who earned a name in handling the toughest of grab-and-dash jobs in foreign quays.

    He usually does all this on the behalf of ship owners, insurers or the banks. He uses all those above mentioned methods and anything else to get the job done.

    Daring Task

    When doing all this, his goal stays the same; getting on board the ship he is paid to retrieve and then race it towards the 12-mile line where the jurisdiction of local authorities ends in the high seas.

    When the operators have defaulted on their mortgage, the cargo ship has been stolen or been detained fraudulently by some local officials, Hardberger is called in as a last-resort. He says that each year around the globe, tens of thousands of ships or large boats are stolen.

    What Experts say?

    Christopher Parry is a maritime security expert who formerly worked with Britain’s Royal Navy, says that the stolen vessels then become part of a global “phantom fleet” which is involved in all sorts of crimes whether they be smuggling drugs and guns in the Caribbean.

    Illegal fishing and piracy, human trafficking in Southeast Asia, transporting fighters to North Africa and Middle East or deliver oil and arms to places banned by the authorities.

    A difficult job

    Recovering these vessels is very difficult as the oceans are very vast and initiating a search operation is way too expensive. Sometimes they are seized by some corrupt or uncooperative officials that leaves owners with no other option but to let the vessel go.

    But if the cargo overboard or the ship itself has high value, they hire firms like Hardberger’s Vessel Extractions to find it.

  • How Freight Shipping Has Become More Effectual By The Internet Of Things?

    As manufacturing, shipping and almost every feature of society advances with modern developments,

     

    The need for the Internet of Things increases and controls our routine lives. Let’s look at how the  Internet of Things can drive the whole efficiency and make cargo shipping more effective.

    Visibility

    The Internet of Things uses radio frequency identification, composed of a chip, a reader and database, along with cloud-based GPS systems which makes it possible to keep track of individual things and their status.

    With this combined  technology, deliveries could be received automatically, bar codes would not have to be scanned before warehousing items. Internet of Things can help supply chains to decrease the benefit damage. Product issues would be recognized early on to find a solution and fuel price would be decreased as fleet routes are improved while examining the traffic status. 

    Quick Service

    Internet of Things data offers distinctive impression on fuel efficiency in relation to how carriers are using the brakes in their trucks.

    Recommendations on the ideal speed of carrier for particular road surfaces to acquire the maximum efficiency out of a gallon of fuel is one of the means Internet of Things data could be used to increase the shipping efficiency. The carriers that are equipped with sensors and GPS technology support more supply chain efficiency.

    Improved Availability of Data

    The Business Internet permits companies now using software with new functions to increase working efficiency through predictive maintenance and resulting in fewer price for set maintenances, reduced maintenance cost and less breakdowns.

    This eventually allows sea cargo shipping to be run by communications that lasts longer while using less fuel. Having actual data through  Internet of Things shows to be an actual benefit. Being able to access data directly versus downloading data from a carrier, which can take more time, consequences in less time at weigh stations and more time on the road.

    Fuel Efficiency

    Improving asset use through Internet of Things best practices not only aids run complete output, it also allows companies to be fuel efficient. Truth be told, an investigation of two connected trucks as of late demonstrated 7% in fuel reserve funds, with the lead truck chopping down fuel use by 4.5 percent and the back truck by 10 percent.

    Preferably, trucks from distinctive armadas can meet up and meet on the interstate to share well-being, fuel and ecological advantages – and could turn into the premise for a automated road system.

  • Western-Canada To Get Benefits Of Anti-Cargo Theft Programme

    To nib the truck cargo theft, the insurance and trucking industries are expanding their anti-cargo theft programme to Western Canada

     

    Canadian economy is suffering a loss of about $5 billion each year just because of the theft of transport trucks and merchandise on them, the Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates.

    These cargo truck play a vital role in door-to-door cargo delivery everywhere in the world

    Who are these thieves?

    It is hard to say for sure who these thieves are but sometimes they are linked to organised crime groups who steal the entire shipment of cargo like consumer electronics or even beer and before the theft is reported, they quickly sell it on the black market.

    How it is done?

    According to Celyeste Powers, Bureau’s spokeswoman, the organised crime groups place a call for their desired item, as soon as the thieves get that call, they start looking for all those trucks who’d be carrying that cargo for delivery.

    Once they have located the truck with desired goods, they follow it and as soon as the truck is parked, they break into it and load the items into a smaller truck and make a run for it.

    How to prevent it?

    It is kind of impossible to prevent, so the best can be done is to minimise the numbers. Having said so, the insurance bureau has initiated a cargo theft programme, encouraging people to use a phone tip-line and the internet to anonymously report crimes.

    Once a report has been made, the information then is compiled in a database that can be consulted by trucking companies, police and insurers.

    According to reports, these cargo thefts have sometimes been written off as part of the cost of doing business or sometimes, not even reported at all.

    For a few years, this programme has been working smoothly in Ontario and last summer they have expanded it to Atlantic Canada.

    The insurance bureau believes that Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan will help make this programme succeed.

  • Important Tips For The Saving of Freight For Regular Shippers

    Shippers and any freight forwarder can implement these tips for the saving of the freight.

     

    Do You search a shipping provider for your business?

    When you search a good shipping provider for your business, then it is compulsory to choose the best option for your business. It is a basic step to do basic research for the selection of shipping companies available.

    There are numerous shipping services in the market, each shipping service offers special freight forwarding policy and specific rules and rates. The market offers a variety of shipping sources. It is important to select a shipping service that offers you best discount options and specific opportunities for the safe delivery of your product. So do not select the shipping company that is based on an inflated price.

    Think about the method of Shipping

    Shipping method is a considerable element for the transportation of the shipment. Different shipments demand specific methods of shipping. For example perishables require shipping through air cargo because it is a speedy and safe mode of shipping.

    But sometimes the option of shipping may be changed to LTL or FTL instead of air cargo. These options are cost effective but may take more time as compared to air mode of shipping.

    Make a future Strategy for discount shipping

    Last minute of shipping is very important for the sender. If you need an express freight with short limits then you will be charged more.

    By forming a plan in advance you can avoid extra charges. In order to get best or discount packages of shipping it is important to focus on the concept of best shipping service. By making a solid plan you can easily get better service with better charges.

    Avoid mistakes when shipping the goods

    Mistakes are common, but it is shocking how often mistakes are made when it comes to transporting goods from one location to another. For shipping it is necessary to avoid mistakes. Packing is also an important factor during shipping, so pack the items properly for shipping.

    Spection of the shipment is very important, double check the shipment before shipping. Inappropriate labeling of the product is also a mistake. Misuse of the boxes is another mistake. Use the right box for the right product. The use of the transportation management system is the best option to avoid these mistakes.