This week's round up of news from the world of heavy lift and project forwarding.
Whilst overcapacity continues to make the headlines in the project shipping sector, HLPFI's editorial inbox has been awash since the turn of the year with news of newbuilding deliveries targeted at different sectors of the heavy lift and project forwarding business.
This month has seen the maiden voyage of Intermarine's Industrial Grand, the first of 20 newbuilds that will join Intermarine's fleet over the next 30 months. Thorco Shipping took delivery of the seventh in a total of 11 newbuilds and we have seen the launch of the first in a series of six multipurpose ships that will be chartered to Nordana. Jumbo Shipping confirmed that both its K-class newbuilds will enter service this year and Wijnne Barends saw the launch of the first of its recent order for eight identical newbuildings.
Then this week brought news that Jumbo will be adding three 14,000 dwt multipurpose heavy lift vessels to its fleet, through a recently formed alliance with Arkon Shipping & Projects.
Outside the multipurpose sector, Dockwise's latest semi-submersible newbuilding, White Marlin has entered service, and so has the first of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics' new generation of post-Panamax ro-ro ships, Thermopylae.
With no-one predicting positive developments to capacity trends, it's certainly an interesting time to be introducing so much new tonnage, and HLPFI will be taking a closer look at that issue in our ships and shipping lines supplement that will be published in our May/June edition. To contribute to the supplement, please send an email to editorial@heavyliftpfi.com.
In business
HBB storms onto shipping scene
A new heavy lift agency - HBB Hanseatic Break Bulk - has been set up in Hamburg by ex-Hansa Heavy Lift executive André Milschus.
GAC Singapore has been appointed by Thorco Shipping to provide agency services for its vessels calling at Jurong port.
Rickmers-Linie appoints Ben Line
Rickmers-Linie Singapore has appointed Ben Line Agencies as its new general agent.
South African transport and logistics service provider Concargo has merged into supply chain management and logistics company TSI Central Station.
Sany Germany climbs international ladder
Sany Germany - a division of Chinese construction equipment manufacturer Sany Group - has rebranded as Sany Europe.
Capacity developments
Ultrabulk looks to multipurpose sector
Ultrabulk has begun a multipurpose service between Europe and Africa, following the employment of a team of professionals from Copenship MPP.
Through a recently formed alliance with Arkon Shipping & Projects, Jumbo has added three multipurpose heavy lift vessels - Eris J, Ran J and Senda J - to its fleet.
Egytrans opens heavy cargo yard
Egytrans has launched a specialised heavy cargo storage yard at Adabiya port on the Gulf of Suez.
Manitowoc's MLC650 crawler crane has successfully completed maximum load testing with the VPC-MAX attachment, raising the machine's lifting capacity from 650 to 750 tonnes.
Shipment of the week
Volga-Dnepr Group's Engineering & Logistics Centre (ELC) has coordinated the delivery of a 50-tonne Siemens rotor from Germany to Mumbai, India.
Network and association developments
The Worldwide Project Consortium (WWPC) appointed TriLog as a new representative in Sweden.
The Project Cargo Network (PCN) welcomed C Logistics Solutions as a new member in the Dominican Republic.
Israel's Fridenson Air & Ocean and Argentina's MIQ Logistics joined the XLProjects (XLP) network.
C. Steinweg Logistics in France joined the Global Project Logistics Network (GPLN).
The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) welcomed 11 new members, including: Alter Logistics Company; Basic Crating and Packaging; Bigfoot Construction Equipment; Capone Trucking; Dearborn Companies; Firefly Pilot Car Service; Magellan Corp; Oxcart Permit Systems; Prestige Pilot Services; TFG Trucking; and ThruWay Specialized.
All about Evie
Today has been dubbed International Day of Happiness, but the owner of a low-loader trailer, which collapsed under the weight of a 65-tonne former Great Western Railway tank engine in the south of the UK, will no doubt not be celebrating.
Evie hears that the truck had only travelled two miles when the weight of the 95-year-old locomotive caused the trailer to buckle and chassis to snap in two, resulting in a 40 ft gash in the road surface. Ouch.
Evie was also shocked to learn from SpanSet that some uninvited visitors broke into the company's premises last week, before being chased by the Lancashire police in a hot pursuit along the UK's M6 motorway. Ironically, the getaway car was finally impeded using a Stinger Tyre Deflation Device, which SpanSet supplies.
Elsewhere in the world, Evie was heartened to hear that West African logistics service provider OMA has launched its #Future Stars schools project in Tema, Ghana, which delivers a football programme to primary school children in the country.
Congratulations are also due to Danish company Freja Transport & Logistics, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on April 1.
