Ship-to-ship (STS) equipment such as fenders and hoses, in accordance with industry standards, is stored at GAC’s base in Galle, which is strategically located at the southern tip of the island nation, and is ready to be transported by tug to different locations according to demand and conditions. Experienced GTS operators work with their GAC Sri Lanka colleagues to take care of all local arrangements such as government permits, clearances, storage and transportation.

Lars Bergstrom, GAC Group Vice President – Indian Subcontinent, says the choice of Sri Lanka as the regional base for STS operations offers a logical solution for Principals without incurring high costs or getting caught up in red tape. 

“India is a very important market with growing demand for STS, but there are logistical issues due to bureaucracy and high costs of locating there,” he says.

“Thanks to its proximity to that market, and its key geographical position close to major east-west shipping lanes, Sri Lanka was a natural choice for the expansion of STS services to the region.”

ZIM wishes to inform that a General Rate Increase (GRI) of $750 per TEU will be implemented as of March,1st 2012.
The GRI applies to all westbound cargo from Asia and Indian sub-continent to North Europe, West/East Mediterranean (including Israel) and Black-sea region. This update is necessary in order to maintain our current levels of service and high reliability.

This February a new container sea route will be opened between Gothenburg and Tilbury in the UK. From the UK, goods can also be transhipped for further transport to Spain

“We’re pleased that we can now offer the market more links to the UK and Spain, and because this is a completely new route it means a direct increase in our container capacity,” comments Patrik Thulin, Sales Manager for APM Terminals Gothenburg.

The new service is being added by MacAndrews, part of the French-owned CMA CGM shipping group. With its 389 vessels, CMA CGM is the third largest container shipping group in the world.

The new route will be used by smaller freight ships with a capacity of 300 TEU (twenty-foot containers). It will mainly be used for carrying wine and other alcoholic drinks, along with food, ceramics and tiles.

The link runs from Gothenburg to Tilbury in the UK, from where freight will be transhipped to continue its journey to Bilbao in Spain. For freight that requires further distribution within Spain there are direct rail links from Bilbao to Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona and Seville.

A growing share of goods is transported within Europe as containerised freight rather than by road.

“The new route is a welcome addition to the sea links offered by the Port of Gothenburg, which now include 131 shipping routes to destinations around the world. It is enormously important that Swedish companies can offer a wide choice of fast and efficient links to major markets,” states Magnus Kårestedt, CEO, Port of Gothenburg AB.

Since summer 2011 Typhoo has routed around 30% of the tea it imports to the UK via the Port of Liverpool, compared with just 10% in 2010. In 2012 it is estimated that this will increase to at least 45% of all its UK tea imports, subject to major shipping line agreements. Historically, Typhoo Tea had routed 95% of its cargo through southern UK ports and then road hauled to the North West.

Typhoo launched a sustainability plan back in 2010 and has been reviewing ways to reduce the company’s impact on the environment.The importing of the tea the company uses in a sustainable way is a critical plank in the plan and Typhoo was looking for further ways of reducing carbon emissions in this element of its supply chain.

After attending a seminar by Peel Ports at Multimodal Exhibition (April 2011) entitled ‘Can Ports Add Value to Supply Chains?’, Typhoo Tea and Peel Ports Mersey have been working closely together to develop a Port of Liverpool solution for the North West based business.

The new Liverpool-based solution allows the company to bring its cargo through the port closest to its distribution centre, significantly reducing inland road haulage costs, road congestion and CO2 emissions.

Paul McCoy, Business Manager Imports and Exports Peel Ports said “Liverpool is the most centrally positioned deep-sea port in the UK, ideally situated to serve all cargo bound for Northern Britain by optimising the supply chain, and we are delighted that this has been recognised by Typhoo Tea.

“By looking at the integrated “Ship-to-Door” logistics costs, we not only optimise the transport leg from port to store, but also offer an efficient onward transport journey as Liverpool is closest to the consumer.”

Typhoo have been providing great British tea to the world since 1903 with a comprehensive range of infusions including black tea, green tea, decaffeinated tea, fruit & herbal infusions, and coffee. In the UK they are one of the leading tea brands and their factory in Moreton, Wirral, ensures that they keep the nation in supply of their much loved tea.

Keith Packer, Typhoo Tea CEO, said “The partnership with Peel Ports has enabled us to deliver a key part of our sustainability plan and we will continue to work closely with them as our business grows. It is also key to Typhoo that we are supporting another local business to grow through a mutually beneficial relationship.”