Wallenius SOL adds the Swedish Skelleftea to the rotations along Antwerp and Zeebrugge, DHL Express increases the rates, NDQ Logistics is allowed to quadruple the warehouses in Zeebrugge and BP closes filling stations in the UK due to the driver shortage.
PSA ANTWERP -
About two hundred applicants, students from the Gitok in Kalmthout and internal employees from PSA Antwerp, ATS (PSA's technical department Antwerp Terminal Services) and MPET gathered at the North Sea terminal on September 23 for a culinary 'Dinner in the Sky' experience. At a height of forty meters, the participants had a unique view of PSA's terminal operations (the loading and unloading of the 'HMM Stockholm') (see photo). "The campaign was primarily set up to recruit additional technicians, mechanics, IT and employees, but we also want to thank our team for their hard work during the corona pandemic," says communication coordinator Vincent Thijs. On Saturday 25 September, the 'floating bar' will move to MPET where a second round of applications will take place. In total there are about a hundred available vacancies. PSA is also looking for a large number of additional dock workers, for whom a new campaign will soon be set up together with CEPA. (JD)
WALLENIUS SOL -
Wallenius SOL adds the Swedish port of Skelleftea (Skelleftehamn) to its rotations along Antwerp and Zeebrugge to the Finnish ports of Kemi and Oulu in the Gulf of Bothnia. The new stop will be called weekly from October 2021 for combined loads of containers and ro-ro. This is the first feeder service in Skelleftea in 15 years, which deepened and widened its port access. As a result, the larger new ships of Wallenius SOL can also be received from the end of the year. (RJ)
NDQ LOGISTICS -
Transport and logistics company NDQ Logistics in Zeebrugge received a permit to quadruple its warehouses from 2,250 to 9,105 square meters. The family business of Nicolas Dehaemers and Elke Quagebeur started out as an international trailer operator and in recent years expanded its activities to services with added value. The site in the inner port includes, for example, bonded warehouse, assembly, repacking, labeling and testing. The expansion will also include a maintenance workshop and extra parking for ferry trailers. (RJ)
TYFOON SHANGHAI -
The impact of the typhoon and the temporary or partial COVID-19 lockdowns in Chinese airports remained limited for Brussels Airport because the Chinese carriers operating on Brussels are active in other regions in China. Due to the temporary closure of some seaports, there is an increase in the demand for air freight from China to Europe, mainly with an effect on the rates because flights were already at full capacity, according to the spokeswoman for Brussels Airport. We did not receive an answer to our question about the impact on the operations in Liège. (MDV)
RIJPADVERGOEDING SPOORVERVOER -
The support measure for rail freight in the form of a reduction in the infrastructure charge and the elimination of other charges is extended. According to Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet, the corona pandemic had a strong impact on rail freight transport over the past two months. In July there was a decrease of 19% compared to the average of previous years. The measure was first introduced in February this year and ran until the end of June. It is now being extended retroactively from July 1 to December 31, 2021. This is a linear reduction of 1.50 euros per train kilometer. In addition, the cancellation costs and train path reservation costs for the same period will expire. The government wants to double the volume of freight transport by rail by 2030. (CH)
DHL EXPRESS
DHL Express announced price adjustments effective January 1, 2022. In Belgium, the prices will be increased by 4.9% compared to 2021. The surcharge for large objects will be reduced to 60 euros each. The courier company adjusts prices annually to take into account the administrative costs associated with regulatory and security measures. “The adjustment allows us to further invest in the network and increase capacity. It also makes it possible to make our operations resilient so that we can continue to operate even in times of global crises,” says Danny Van Himste, Country Manager DHL Express Belgium. (PhVDo)
BP -
BP will soon have to close a number of petrol stations in the United Kingdom due to the shortage of truck drivers. This is assuming increasing proportions, so that the energy company is now also sounding the alarm. Not all filling stations can be supplied there because it fails to maintain sufficient transport capacity. As a result, it has to temporarily close some locations 'very soon'. They will not be refilled for one and a half days a week. The gas stations on highways are given priority and are normally supplied. (PhVDo)
RAILWORKS: GENT-BRUGES -
In the weekend of 25 and 26 September, rail works will take place on line 50A between Ghent and Bruges. An alternative has been developed for all scheduled freight trains on this route with diversions via railway line 73 Deinze-De Panne, line 66 Bruges-Kortrijk and line 75 Ghent-Kortrijk, rail network operator Infrabel reported. The rail operators were already informed about these alternative routes last month. (CH)
Desmet, J. (2021b, Sep 24). Telex: PSA Antwerp, support rail, NDQ, DHL and BP. flow. Retrieved on 23 December 2021, from https://www.flows.be/nl/trade/telex-psa-antwerp-steun-spoor-ndq-dhl-en-bp