Issue 33 of HLPFI has been put to bed and the various reports it contains suggest that whilst growth has slowed in the project cargo business in Australia, Canada and Korea, there are signs of recovery in the UK and renewed optimism about prospects in the

The new issue also features much about the ever increasing weight and dimensions of cargoes needing to be lifted and transported and how this is leading to the need for more engineering advancements by companies developing equipment below-the-hook.

The multipurpose and container shipping fleets have witnessed dramatic vessel upsizing for some time and there has been much debate about the destabilising effects on the marketplace of the capacity introduced.

Lines that have been at the forefront of recent developments in ship capacity increases are now behind initiatives to pool that capacity - in a merger, and an alliance respectively - bringing a wry smile to some faces.

'Watch this space' has never seemed like a more appropriate piece of advice!

This week's Friday Flyer is sponsored by Crowley Solutions, a project management organization that offers turn-key solutions for clients with marine infrastructure, offshore construction and marine cargo and logistics projects. Crowley provides project management, marine engineering, heavy lift barge transportation, ocean towing, marine project logistics, DP2 tugs to 150MT and barges to 400' x 130'.

In the corporate world
Polynesia Line Ltd (PLL) is now completely owned by the China Navigation CO (CNCo), the deep-sea shipping arm of the Swire Group, while Broekman Group has acquired Amsterdam based 3PL Triple Logistics and will trade under the Broekman Logistics Amsterdam banner. Chipolbrok has appointed Ilya Shipping as its booking agent in Turkey.

Capacity developments

Italian shipping group Ignazio Messina has started the second stage of its EUR500 million (USD642.8 million) newbuilding programme, with a steel cutting ceremony for the first of four sisterships - the 45,200 dwt Jolly Titanio - all of which will be built at the STX Shipyard in South Korea.

Nicolas, a division of the TII Group, has supplied an ESPT-H self-propelled transporter to Odebrecht Defesa e Tecnologia shipyard in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Silk Way Airlines has ordered two Boeing 747-8 freighters, each offering 16 percent more cargo volume than the airline's existing 747-400.

The Port of Duqm, Oman is to boost its project cargo handling capacity to serve the oil and gas industry by installing two 120-tonne capacity mobile harbour cranes, offering tandem lifts of up to 240 tonnes.

Hot off the assembly line, Albert Regel GmbH has taken delivery of its first-ever Liebherr LTR 1220 telescopic crawler crane, offering a 220-tonne capacity to the market and already in use.

Emirates SkyCargo will add Stockholm, Sweden to its global freighter network from September.

Network news
Global Project Logistics Network (GPLN) will host its Heavy Transport and Lifting Course on October 29, 2013 at Singapore's Marina Sands Expo and Convention Center prior to the PowerLogistics Asia 2013 Exhibition and Conference.

GPLN has revealed new members and offices with Navia High and Heavy Logistics, Australia, registering its offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney; Bellville Rodair International adding branches in Klaipeda, Lithuania and Moscow, Russia; BBC Logistics registering its Beirut, Lebanon head office, while Sparber Group in Bilbao has signed up, representing Spain.

Varova Oy, with five locations across Finland, has become the newest member of the Project Cargo Network (PCN).

People and places
Ports America has promoted Steve Loevsky to vp operations and Don Rupert, formerly vp auto, has been appointed vp auto and ro-ro - commercial sales and will report directly to Loevsky.

Bibby Ship Management Group has named Chris Stone its new coo, replacing Simon Barham, who will leave the group after the successful handover of responsibilities.

Michael Grasty has joined the board of directors of Discovery Air.

Faymonville subsidiary, MAX Trailer has officially inaugurated its final assembly line in Goleniow, Poland.

DB Schenker has established Schenker (Lao) Sole Co., Ltd, to serve customers across the region and will build a 3,000 sq m logistics facility in Vientiane.

Broekman Group's office in Amsterdam will relocate to the premises of its recent acquisition, Triple Logistics.

All about Evie
Evie is looking forward to lining up at the start of this year's Business Run, which will take place in New Orleans following the Breakbulk Americas Conference and Exhibition in September. She is excited at the news that Buddy Schurig from Texas Terminals will be firing the starter's gun this year.

HLPFI will again be represented by Mo Farah wannabe, Luke King, provided he recovers from a training injury.

Now that women have been admitted as members of the London Freight Club - hello boys, it is the 21st century - like Groucho Marx, she wonders if she would want to belong to a club that would have her as a member.

Evie is aware of interesting future developments at HLPFI and suggests that Friday Flyer readers go to HLPFI's home page and register to learn more about those plans. You'll be glad you did.