Jade Logistics is based in Christchurch, New Zealand and is trusted by over 100 facilities globally to manage the transport of mixed cargo such as steel, timber, containers, cars and many other materials. With N4, Octopi and Jade Master Terminal, Navis can offer the flexibility of the right TOS for any prospective customer’s cargo requirements. Navis will establish a General Cargo Center of Excellence in Christchurch, New Zealand to serve the growing demand for mixed cargo solutions globally. The acquisition was expected to be completed by the end of 2019. With the addition of Jade Logistics Master Terminal to its software portfolio, Navis is better positioned to support hundreds of terminals around the world that need to improve terminal operations for a wide variety of cargo types beyond containers. Jade Logistics customers will benefit from Navis’ industry expertise and innovation, its global reach and its large-scale support and services organisation resources which provide a customer experience that is second to none. “We are experiencing growing customer demand for general cargo services, and we feel Jade Logistics is ideally suited to enhance our product portfolio and our reach within this category,” said Benoit de la Tour, President, Navis. “By joining forces with Jade Logistics, Navis is addressing a key complementary market and growth opportunity for the company and offering the industry the best of breed solution for general cargo. We look forward to getting to know Jade’s customers, understand their priorities and support their business needs with world-class technology and global support.” Built from the ground up as a general cargo TOS, Master Terminal is designed to handle all cargo types. Master Terminal provides a single, real–time view of operations to enable smarter decisions faster. Master Terminal is a highly secure and scalable solution, which facilitates the sharing of cargo information beyond the port “walls” across the supply chain, helping ports grow their business through increased visibility. “We are thrilled to be joining the Navis team, the world leader in terms of global footprint, innovation and combined expertise in terminal operating systems,” said David Lindsay, Chief Executive Officer at Jade Logistics. “We are as committed as ever to our growing customer base. Navis will bring additional capabilities and resources to help further optimise and maximise general cargo terminal performance.”

Following the acquisition, the Jade Logistics team will continue to operate out of its Christchurch, New Zealand headquarters under the direction of Lindsay, who will remain on board and help manage the General Cargo Center of Excellence to advance general cargo terminal operations software and services for Navis’ global customer base. The acquisition does not have a significant impact on Cargotec financials.

For the fiscal year to date (July-November), the Georgia Ports Authority handled nearly 2 million TEUs, an increase of 109,000 TEUs, or 5.8 percent. The positive numbers achieved last month mean Savannah’s Garden City Terminal has marked year-over-year increases for five consecutive months, and 34 out of the past 36 months. “After nearly three full years of cargo growth, with dozens of monthly records, it is frankly surprising to see our numbers continue to grow upon such a large base,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “The streamlined movement of containers from vessel to departing rail in 24 hours and capacity increases built into Garden City Terminal have helped to increase volumes and improve efficiency.” GPA Board Chairman Will McKnight added that the Authority’s Mid-American Arc initiative, targeting markets from Memphis to Chicago and the Ohio River Valley, is also starting to pay dividends with customers moving more cargo in direct shipments from Savannah to the Midwest. “Chicago plays such an important role in the nation’s logistics, not only as a major market, but also as a cargo hub,” McKnight said. “Breaking into that market with a new routing option that provides Savannah’s world-class terminal efficiency and customer service holds amazing potential to win new business. With all the opportunities before us, it’s a great time to be a Georgian.”

In Roll-on/Roll-off traffic, Colonel’s Island at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah moved a combined 62,146 units of cars, trucks and heavy equipment back in November, an increase of 5 percent, or 2,850 units. GPA has handled 281,547 Ro/Ro units, up 2,030 units or approximately 1 percent, through the first five months of the fiscal year.

November 2019’s cargo volumes were down more than 5 percent – 12,900 TEUs – when compared with November 2018 and are the result of a late Thanksgiving holiday that pushed some vessel calls into December, the ongoing tariffs and overall trade uncertainty. Still, the port is on course in 2019 to its fifth record-setting year for cargo growth, said John Reinhart, the CEO and Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority. “The trade environment continues to present challenges and we are adapting,” Reinhart said. “Our agricultural export volumes are down and are reflective of the ongoing the tariffs. We are hopeful there will be some rebound in this trade segment as the Chinese government is set to relax some of the tariffs on U.S. exports of pork products and soybeans. We are focusing on those things that we can control like providing world-class service to all of our customers, the cargo owners and port users. We are also driving the reliable, efficient and safe movement of the cargo flowing across the terminals, diversifying the types of cargo moving in-and-out of this port and continuing the capacity expansion project at NIT (Norfolk International Terminals).” On a calendar year-to-date basis (Jan – Nov) overall TEU volume was up 3.8 percent; rail, flat; Virginia Inland Port, down 12 percent; total barge moves, up 18.5 percent; Richmond Marine Terminal volume, up 18.7 percent; and truck moves, up 3.6 percent. Breakbulk tonnage and vehicle units were down 14 and 18 percent, respectively. Turn-times for motor carriers, dwell-time for rail cargo, and productivity at the berth continued to improve and another initiative, the channel widening and deepening project is underway. This project, Reinhart said, will hold even more benefits for customers, the cargo owners and port users. “The work to widen and deepen our channels to 55-feet-and-beyond is underway, nearly two-and-half-years ahead of schedule,” Reinhart said. “By 2024, Virginia will be home to the U.S. East Coast’s deepest and safest port, with the land- and waterside assets to handle the biggest ships afloat. The Port of Virginia is evolving, innovating, listening and growing. It is all of the port’s users and the Virginia economy that benefit.”