CMA CGM Agrees to Buy Mercosul from Maersk

The Mercosul Santos in Maersk livery (file image courtesy Mercosul)

On Tuesday, CMA CGM announced that it has entered into an agreement to buy Brazilian-flag operator Mercosul from leading ocean carrier Maersk Line. CMA CGM said that the purchase will allow it to strengthen its South American offerings, especially in the Brazilian cabotage market, and will further its strategic goal of developing intra-regional networks and complimentary logistics services. 

CMA CGM did not disclose the terms of the deal, which is still subject to approval by Brazilian regulators. The agreement is also contingent on the successful conclusion of Maersk's acquisition of Hamburg Süd. CMA CGM expects that it will begin integrating Mercosul at the same time as Maersk begins integrating  Hamburg Süd, sometime towards the end of this year. Mercosul Line will continue its normal operations until then. 

"The acquisition of Mercosul represents a milestone in CMA CGM’s development strategy in South America. It is a well-managed company and we will leverage this platform to expand our footprint and service offerings to and from Latin America, seizing opportunities linked to the high growth prospects in this region," said CMA CGM CEO Rodolphe Saadé.

Earlier this year, Maersk agreed to sell Mercosul in order to satisfy Brazilian anti-trust regulators. Hamburg Süd controls Aliança, a Brazilian flag subsidiary that holds about 60 percent of the nation's total capacity by TEU. Mercosul holds another 20 percent, and the merged company would have controlled an overwhelming majority of Brazil's coastwise shipping industry. CMA CGM was on the short list for potential buyers, along with MSC, NYK, COSCO and Hapag Lloyd.

EU regulators approved Maersk's bid for Hamburg Süd in April on the condition that the latter line withdraws from five trade routes. "The commitments offered by Maersk Line and HSDG will maintain a healthy level of competition to the benefit of the very many EU companies that depend on these container shipping services," said EC commissioner Margrethe Vestager in a statement. 

Egyptian parliament finally approves the agreement : "Tiran and Sanafir" to be given toSaudi Arabia

The Egyptian parliament on Wednesday formally approved the agreement on the demarcation of the maritime border with Saudi Arabia, known as the "Tiran and Sanafir" agreement.

The House of Representatives, headed by Ali Abdel-Aal, during its plenary session, approved the agreement, where the vote was by show of hands by members.

The newspaper "Al-Ahram" that the vote was chanted by some MPs such as "Egyptian .. Egyptian" in an expression of their opposition to the Convention.

"After reviewing the documents and letters exchanged in the United Nations and the maps, we confirmed the dependence of the two islands on Saudi Arabia, and that was the basis for approving the agreement," Amer, a former army general, told reporters at the parliament building. The Egyptian parliament announced today that the committee approved the Convention and referred it to the plenary session for a vote.

The committee's approval came despite objections to the agreement, which included the transfer of the dependency of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in the Red Sea to the Kingdom, as well as a final ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court last January nullifying its signature.

Dozens of journalists and activists protested on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Journalists Syndicate in central Cairo. Witnesses confirmed that the security forces forced the demonstrators to enter the union building and not to demonstrate outside it, and arrested a number of them.

"Qatar Ports": Launch of a new navigation shipping lines between Amman

Qatar Ports Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Al-Khunji said the country will launch two new shipping routes between Hamad port, Sohar and Salalah ports in Oman.

"The first vessel coming from the port of Sohar arrived in the Qatari port of Hamad on Saturday, adding that these two lines will contribute significantly to boosting the import of food commodities," he said at a meeting held by Qatar Chamber of Commerce with representatives of food importing companies. Russian news channel Russia Today reported.

"Many Omani private sector companies have expressed their willingness to provide logistical support to Qatari food importing companies," Khunji said, referring to the revitalization of the movement on the direct shipping line between Hamad Port and China's economic capital Shanghai under the New Falcon service of the White Sea (MSC), and the Ocean Alliance direct line, which will take 14 to 20 days, which will help boost the import movement.

The Qatari official said that Qatar Ports, under the current situation, are giving food and its inputs the highest priority, while facilitating the procedures for the rapid release of goods. "The problem of containers in Jebel Ali, And goods will go to the port of Sohar in Oman and then to Doha. "

N4 3.4 Optimizes Performance

By: CBarbera / 2017-5-19 2:00 AM

Our product journey continues with N4 3.4. As we learn from previous releases and we get feedback from our customers, we find new ways to simplify things and remove friction between users and N4. Our new release is another step in our mission to create products that enable our customers to address complex problems with a set of solutions that embrace simplicity.

N4 3.4 aims to optimize performance in all possible aspects. On the operations side, our proactive and continuous analysis of production data enables our teams to incrementally improve our solutions. On the IT side, N4 3.4 provides better system performance to scale better under heavy workload and high volumes. The new release is the perfect blend of operational and technical improvements to make our solution more reliable, faster and more responsive to the business needs.

Below are the themes and goals of the N4 3.4 update.

Automation And Optimization

Optimizing equipment and operations is an ongoing journey for Navis. Our teams keep pushing the envelope on operations analysis to find new areas to improve, reduce waiting times and increase performance.  At the same time, we have started to define the future of the optimization features in N4 to always be ahead of the game.

Scalability & Platform Consolidation

Support mega-terminal operations, reduce workload in XPS and consolidate the platform. Our customers will be able to handle high volumes in a more stable and scalable platform. Every new release is a step forward in scalability.

Performance, Upgrades, Support

Reduce downtime and maintenance costs for our customers. Container terminals manage a mission critical operation hence providing a solid and easy to manage platform is becoming more and more relevant to our customers.

Back Office Processing & BI Monitoring

Administrative work is a significant part of the day-to-day work our customers need to carry out. The Business Administration teams are focused on removing obstacles and friction between users and N4. BI Monitoring will provide real time information on operations status and performance.

New Features

New features and enhancements in N4 3.4 include:

• Rail operations scheduling by priority and train estimated time of departure. The RGC scheduler now considers track priority and the estimated departure time of the outbound train visit when generating the schedule.  If the priority of a track is set to high,  the RGC scheduler schedules all moves for that track first.  If the priority is not set, the RGC scheduler will schedule moves based on the target completion time set (if any) for the track.
• Rail operations, cross track moves for empty handlers and straddle carriers. This features focuses on customers which have a yard that is physically split by a track plan. Rail dispatchers will be able to plan a move from a yard stack on one side of the rail track to a yard stack on another side of the rail track. N4 will automatically deck, split and dispatch the moves for the required CHEs. Additionally, users are able to create multiple rail-transfer queues and configure which type of move should be placed in which rail transfer queue.
• Automated Horizontal Transport improvements. N4 3.4 includes new enhancements in our equipment optimization modules to reduce waiting time in key areas of the terminal, maximize the fleet utilization and increase performance.
• N4 intrablock decking is now completely integrated with allocations and enables a better yard optimization when decking containers within N4. Better decisions and another step towards consolidating our technology stack.
• Our EDI performance improvements for load list, stow plan, booking and discharge list will enable our customers to process messages in N4 in a more efficient and timely manner.
• Support for additional EDI messages, latest versions of existing messages and handling of new message function in existing messages have been added in 3.4.
• System Troubleshooting Guide: Navis N4 System Troubleshooting Guide is a functional knowledge base of N4 system problems, symptoms, and solutions, based on our experience in the field. This guide is available from the N4 Help menu and also available online outside of N4.
• Purging and archiving is being improved in 3.4. Now N4 is able to purge service events related to active bomb cart units that are more than 7 days old. In addition, our users will be able to find more information about purging in the N4 Help that is embedded in the product.
• The In-Place fallback solution makes the upgrade process reliable and reduce downtime, Navis is offering an externalized capability to fall back as a last resort due to upgrade complications. It is available for the customers upgrading from 2.3/2.4/2.5 to 2.6/3.1.
• System Health Monitoring Solution: Navis is building a general monitoring solution for N4 to reduce potential outage time with early detection of critical failures and by generating alerts as quickly as possible. Navis will be using Zabbix as its primary application monitoring tool. Zabbix is versatile, open-source, extensible, scalable, and well-suited to monitor Navis applications. We offer our customers access to our templates, scripts, and data visualization tools along with the Navis Appliance for Zabbix. Available for early (beta) use through your project contacts.
• The new N4 System Troubleshooting Guide is an online help file that provides system administrators guidance to help diagnose system problems. The N4 System Troubleshooting Guide is available through the NCC under My Cases>Useful Links>Online Documentation.
• The performance improvements made in our Business Intelligence module will deliver a better experience to our users, making sure the information is reliable and displayed in a timely manner. In addition, we are working towards improving our technology to provide an almost real time BI experience.
• Navis released BI Portal version 1.3.1 which comes with improved dashboards, ad-hoc analysis performance and improvements in data load processing. BI portal is now also supports N4 version 3.2. In addition, the architectural groundwork for BI Ops Monitoring is complete. BI Portal for Ops Monitoring is a new solution for near real-time operations monitoring and will be built on this framework. It will be released incrementally during the 3.5 release starting with Vessel Ops monitoring followed by Gate and Yard Operations. source : Navis Blogs

Baplie Viewer with VGM

Many people faced an issue with Baplie viewer after new VGM changes. 

But this tool is resoling the issue

SVM BAPLIE Viewer Introduction

Solverminds (SVM) has developed a standalone SVM BAPLIE Viewer tool, which helps
 the Container Shipping Lines to decode and display the contents of BAPLIE Electronic
Data Interchange (EDI) files. SVM Baplie Viewer helps to review the contents of the
BAPLIE EDI File without modifying the contents of the source file.

SVM  Baplie Viewer:

• Allows you to look through BAPLIE encoded files, as easily viewable spreadsheets.
• Does not require any special programs / software for installation.
• Just run the SVM Baplie Viewer setup file to decode seamlessly.

Users just upload the BAPLIE EDI Files and get back the list of container details.

Users can decode the various file formats of SMDG15/BAPLIE 1.5, SMDG20/BAPLIE 2.0, 
SMDG22/BAPLIE 2.2 and SMDG31/BAPLIE 3.1 with the newly upgraded interface from SVM 
Baplie Viewer.

SVM Baplie Viewer provides details of the container such as:

• Container Number
• Cell Position (Stowage)
• Size and Type
• Weight / VGM Weights
• Full / Empty signs
• IMO Class
• UN number of Hazardous Cargo
• Operator
• Port of Loading & Discharge
• Temperature of Refrigerated goods.

SVM Baplie Viewer is not limited by the line terminator. Even if there is no line terminator, 
the EDI will be read completely and converted by the SVM Baplie Viewer tool. 
Upon uploading a BAPLIE file, the tool validates the file and lets you know if there are any 
incorrect or missing segments which may prevent the file from being read and converted.

Download Here

Japan trying to build smart sailing ships by 2025

Japan's shipping and shipbuilding companies are currently cooperating to build self-propelled vessels by 2025, hoping the global development will lead to a project that will significantly reduce accidents at sea, Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday.

The project's participants, including the Mitsui, X-Linz and Nippon Yusen shipping companies, agreed to share costs and exchange experiences, and the development of the technology is expected to cost at least a few hundred million dollars, the newspaper said in a report on its Web site.

The intelligence-based guidance system will use techniques such as "Internet objects" - the connection of various devices to the network - to collect and analyze weather data at sea immediately and serious obstacles, as well as shipping information. Artificial intelligence will use this data to chart the most fuel efficient way The safest and the shortest.

Shipwreckers predict the causes of ship crashes and other problems, helping to avoid maritime accidents. Participating shipbuilding companies such as the United Japanese Navy will integrate the self-navigation system into the new ship models, which are planning to build some 250 of them.

The cooperation between shipping companies and shipbuilding companies is aimed at helping Japan take the lead in technology development that is expected to grow worldwide. Japanese shipbuilding companies, whose global share has fallen, aim to return to technology excellence.

The ship Nabil returns to the sea after the successful re-flotation

After 47 days on its way to the beach of Sidon and after several failed attempts finally succeeded yesterday night, the process of re-flotation of the merchant ship Nabil after the introduction of a large ship and pulled to the sea and after it was freed from the sand that was settled on them, to be dragged to the port Sidon Commercial in preparation for leaving after completion of the maintenance process and complete the necessary navigation and legal procedures.

The ship Nabil turned throughout the period of its delinquency on the beach north of the city of the northern city of Bollvar to a tourist destination frequented by citizens and visitors from various areas and saw the corniche adjacent to it during that period active tourist movement and attracted the attention of official and navigational and media made it the top events in the city during the same period.

Maersk announces its inability to transport cargo to and from Qatar

Maersk, the world's largest container shipping company, confirmed yesterday that it could no longer transport goods to and from Qatar after Arab countries imposed restrictions on trade with the Gulf state.

Maersk said in a statement yesterday that the ban on shipping cargo from Jebel Ali Port to Qatar, which relies on imports by sea and land to meet its needs, means that it is unable to transport any cargo. "We have an assurance that we will not be able to transport Qatar's cargo to and from Jebel Ali," a company spokesman said.

"We expect disruption of our services to Qatar. The situation could change quickly, "he said, adding that Maersk would inform customers of alternative options as soon as possible.

.. and restrictions on loading ore

Standard & Poor's Global Plats said yesterday it would not automatically include crude from Qatar as part of the Middle East standard after Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries cut ties with Doha.

Any disruption of LNG exports from Qatar, one of the world's top players, could affect prices, but there is no sign yet.

Shaheen ore from Qatar is usually loaded onto giant tankers carrying other Gulf ores, which means that the flexibility of the movement is critical to transporting oil out of the region.

Standard and Poor's Global Plats said in a note to customers that "it is usual in the Gulf to load the giant oil tankers with a mix of oil ores from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Oman."

"Therefore, the restrictions on ships bound for Qatar and the accompanying fog may affect the intrinsic value of loading crude from Qatar, including shahin," she said.

The dealings, applications and offers of the Qatari Shahin medium sulfur are listed in the Platts valuation of Dubai Standard, which is the basis of the vast majority of oil trading in Asia, since January 2016.

The Standard Dubai Standard is supported by the raw materials of Dubai, Oman, Marban and Zakum Al-Alawi in Abu Dhabi, as well as Al-Shaheen crude.

The company said in an e-mail statement that the loading of the Qatari Shaheen crude may not be nominated in the process of evaluating the Platts Dubai crude prices without the consent of the buyer and seller. "The performance of the Shahin has been good since it was listed in the Dubai Basket in January 2016 as a crude delivery. This review is to ensure that Dubai Standard Standard will not be affected by the current mistrust surrounding Qatar's relations with its Gulf neighbors. "

Platts said buyers and sellers could agree to switch shahine shipments, but sellers should not.

Sellers in the Platts Trading Window were previously allowed to deliver any of the five raw materials that constitute the standard Dubai standard without the buyers' consent.

The company, a unit of Standard & Poor's Global, issues a number of benchmark prices for the crude oil market, including Brent crude.

The largest tourist passenger ship in the world

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises announced plans to launch a new global cruise ship to transport the largest number of passengers ever.

The ship was able to accommodate 6,850 passengers in 2,760 rooms at a ceremony in Saint-Nazaire, France last week.

At the launch of the vessel in 2022, it will be equipped with an additional capacity of 70 passengers, surpassing the current holder of the Harmony of the Seas in Royal Caribe with a capacity of 6780 passengers.

AFP Getty Images

The future ship (weighing 200,000 tons) is characterized by a panoramic sea front, according to its manufacturers, SFX France.

AFP Getty Images

MSC described the ship as being "the most modern cruise ship, with advanced technology."

According to the plans, four vessels of the same size are scheduled to be delivered between 2022 and 2026.

AFP Getty Images

Last week, MSC revealed Meraviglia, the largest cruise ship in Europe, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macaron.

The ship will make its maiden voyage this week through Lisbon, Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa. The cost of building the 314-meter-long vessel, 64 meters high, is $ 1 billion, accommodating 5,714 passengers and 19 floors.

Source: Daily Mail

Navis N4 Update Focuses on Greater Container Volumes

Navis has released the newest version of its flagship N4 terminal system software, N4 3.4, so customers have the ability to handle greater container volumes in "a more stable and scalable platform environment".

The Cargotec Corporation company has focused on reducing downtime and maintenance costs, as well as access to real time information on operations status and performance.

Navis has made automated horizontal transport improvements such as enhancements to the equipment optimization modules to reduce waiting times in key areas of the terminal, maximize fleet utilization and increase performance.

It is also building a system health monitoring solution to reduce potential outage time through early detection of critical failures and by generating alerts as quickly as possible.

Navis will use Zabbix as its primary application monitoring tool and intrablock decking is now completely integrated with all allocations to enable better yard optimization when decking containers within N4.

View Navis in PTI's Supplier Directory

In-Place Fallback Solution and Rolling Upgrades will also reduce downtime and risk.

Navis is offering an externalized capability to fall back on as a last resort due to upgrade complications – it is available to customers upgrading from previous versions including 2.3-2.5 to 2.6 or 3.1.

Scott Holland, VP of Global Product Management at Navis, said: “Our journey to deliver best-in-class supply chain products continues with N4 3.4, and as we learn from previous versions and solicit customer feedback, we continue to find new ways to simplify processes and remove friction between users and N4, ultimately improving business outcomes for our customers.

“This is just the latest step in our mission to create products that enable our customers to address many of today’s complex industry problems with a set of solutions that embrace simplicity.

“At the same time, we have our eyes on the future, and have started to define the N4 optimization features that our customers will need in the years to come.”