DFDS has reported ferry – freight volumes in March 2024 were 2.7% above 2023 and down 2.5% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes in 2024 and closure of the Calais-Tilbury route in 2023.

North Sea volumes were below 2023 driven by lower UK volumes following a reduced number of sailings due to weather conditions and the Easter timing difference versus 2023. Mediterranean volumes were above 2023 driven by higher volumes on all routes.

Channel volumes were below 2023 as Dover Strait volumes were reduced by the Easter timing difference versus 2023. Baltic Sea volumes were above 2023.

For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total transported freight lane metres decreased 3.6% to 39.3 million from 40.8 million in 2023-22. The decrease was 4.4% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes and the Calais-Tilbury route closure.

The Company noted that March volume numbers are compared to 2023 impacted by most of the Easter holiday period falling in March this year compared to April in 2023. In general, this increases passenger volumes and decreases freight volumes compared to 2023 for the month.

DFDS reported that the number of passengers in March 2024 were 83.1% above 2023 and up 38.4% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes. The adjusted increase was driven by the Easter timing difference. The number of cars were 67.5% above 2023 and up 29.6% adjusted for Strait of Gibraltar.

For the last twelve months 2024-23, the total number of passengers increased 21.6% to 5.0 million compared to 4.1 million for 2023-22. The increase was 12.7% adjusted for the addition of Strait of Gibraltar routes.

DFDS reports monthly ferry volumes for freight and passengers to provide insight into the development of volume trends in its European route network enabling trade and travel in and around Europe. The April 2024 volume report is expected to be published on 08 May 2024.

Effective 28 March 2024, DACHSER has acquired 80.0% of the shares in the joint venture DACHSER & Fercam Italia. This completes its acquisition of the majority of the groupage and contract logistics divisions of the Italian logistics company Fercam.

Following a competition law review and approval by the European Commission in November 2023, Fercam began the process of carving out two of its business divisions, Distribution and Logistics, with almost 1,000 employees and 43 locations in Italy, from the rest of the Company to form an independent organisation for groupage and contract logistics operations in Italy.

The joint venture, known as DACHSER & Fercam Italia, commenced operations at the beginning of this year. After a transition period, DACHSER joined the Company on 28 March 2024, and the purchase was completed.

The continuation of the groupage and contract logistics business under the umbrella of the DACHSER network is the right step to secure positive development and future growth in Italy and Europe.

In addition to 20.0% of the shares in the joint venture, Fercam S.p.A. fully retains the divisions Fercam Transport (national and international road and rail transports), Fercam Air & Ocean, and Fercam Special Services (Fine Art, Fairs & Events, Removals & Relocation, Archive & Documents Management), including all international subsidiaries; these units will not become part of the new joint venture.

DACHSER and Fercam can look back on 20 years of a partnership in which the Italian family-owned company, based in the region of South Tyrol, distributes groupage shipments of industrial and consumer goods from DACHSER’s European network in Italy and feeds corresponding shipments from Italy into the European network. Full integration into DACHSER’s systems and processes can now begin.

The majority takeover of Fercam’s groupage and contract logistics business is the third major acquisition DACHSER has made to expand its transport and logistics network in Europe, following Graveleau (France, 1999) and Azkar (Spain, 2013). DACHSER’s European Logistics business line does not have any locations of its own in Italy, so no duplicate structures arise. All employees of FERCAM’s Distribution and Logistics divisions have transferred to the DACHSER & Fercam Italia joint venture.

In the Food Logistics business line, which handles the transport and storage of chilled food, DACHSER has been represented in Italy since 2017 with three locations and around 270 employees. DACHSER Italy Food Logistics will continue to operate independently on the market under the leadership of Country Manager Roberto Specos.

Nippon Express Holdings, Inc. has acquired a stake in KINS Corporation (KINS), which provides comprehensive microbiome care services, as an NX Global Innovation Fund project. KINS is a start-up company that aims to create a world where microbiome care is seen as a matter of course. KINS proposes to care for the resident microbiota on and within the human body, and to this end it conducts research, development, and sales in an integrated manner.

The Company specialises in the microbiome and, seeking to provide definitive solutions to chronic diseases, it is expanding its business in Japan and several other Asian countries with the aim of conveying the concept of microbiome care for not only humans but for dogs and cats as well to drive a shift from symptomatic treatment to fundamental treatment.

The Company also has its own laboratory where it accumulates and analyses data provided by users on resident skin, scalp, and intestinal microbiota to aid in the development of various products. This data is then used to form partnerships with research institutions for microbiome drug discovery focusing on resident microbiota.

The NX Group is working to enhance its corporate value and solve social issues to realise its long-term vision of becoming a ‘logistics company with a strong presence in the global marketplace’. With this investment made, consideration will be given to utilising the cell and specimen storage service offered by NX Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd., in the microbiome bank operated by KINS, and to providing end-to-end transport of specimens from overseas clinics to laboratories and storage facilities in Japan.

The NX Group's comprehensive capabilities will be leveraged to support KINS' business expansion from a logistics perspective and create new business opportunities by expanding awareness of KINS within the healthcare industry, identified by the Group as a priority industry.

Chronopost has announced a 19.0% increase in its export volumes to 15.0 million parcels by 2023. This sharp increase is directly linked to the desire of French SMEs to expand beyond France. They account for a quarter of the international volumes handled by Chronopost. Chronopost is launching new services to support them, including day-definite delivery times and a new, more economical offer.

After several years of stagnation, exports of goods by French SMEs and ETIs are growing strongly (+18.5% in one year). Chronopost has seen its turnover from international flows increase by 50.0% in five years. It is expected to reach €345.0 million by 2023, representing 20.0% of its total sales.

International operations (export, import, customs clearance) involve a total of 700 dedicated employees. Chronopost handles 40 million customs clearance declarations a year on its own behalf and on behalf of other branches within Le Groupe La Poste. Chronopost's international operations also include the management of flows to and from the French overseas departments, which have similar characteristics. With six sites in French Guiana, Reunion Island, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Mayotte and Saint Martin and almost 150 employees, the French overseas departments account for 34.0% of Chronopost's international export business. As in metropolitan France, Chronopost is the leader in express delivery in the French overseas departments.

As part of its Chrono Classic service, Chronopost is now offering its shipping customers a feature that allows them to assess delivery times from one postcode to another in 30 European countries, down to the day. Entitled ‘Day Definite’, this feature will be gradually rolled out in 2023 to all the carriers in the Geopost network, Chronopost's parent company. As a result, from spring 2024, French shippers using Chronopost will be able to provide their own customers with precise information about their delivery date in Europe. This is a real advantage for e-tailers, but also for B2B companies.

To complete its range of services and meet the needs of SMEs wishing to expand internationally with fewer constraints on delivery times, a new fast and more economical offering (Chrono Air Classic) is being rolled out for the US from the spring and for the Middle East by the end of the year. It retains a premium positioning thanks to support and expertise to facilitate customs formalities (Chronopost facilitates export and import declarations with specific software and hosting of French Customs at its international hub at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle), and an optional subscription for delivery to the addressee with compulsory signature for the US.

French export customers, particularly e-tailers and second-hand platforms, are increasingly looking for out-of-home solutions. While home deliveries still account for the majority of exports handled by Chronopost (70.0% of international flows), out-of-home deliveries will increase by 128.0% in volume between 2022 and 2023.

This growth is made possible by the powerful network of retail outlets and cross-border Pickup depots, which will reach 100,000 retail outlets in Europe.

> Top 3 sector B2C: Cosmetics - Fashion - Electronics/Spare parts
> Top 3 sector B2B: Industrial/Manufactured Products - Spare Parts - Health Products
> Top 5 Export Destinations - Global International: 1/ USA 2/ Canada, 3/ Morocco, 4/ Hong Kong 5/ China
> Top 5 Export Destinations - Europe: 1/ Belgium, 2/ Germany, 3/ Spain, 4/ Italy, 5/ UK

DFDS has announced that its financial outlook for 2024 has been revised following the agreement to acquire the international transport network of Ekol Logistics.

The DFDS Group’s revenue is in 2024 now expected to increase by 8.0%-11.0% compared to 2023 assuming the acquisition is closed at the beginning of Q4, 2024. The previously expected revenue increase in 2024 was 5.0%-8.0%.

The 2024 outlook for EBIT is unchanged DKK2.0 billion - DKK2.4 billion.

Due to an expected integration period of 2-3 years, the time for achieving the financial ambition of a ROIC of around 10.0% in 2026 is extended to 2027.

The acquisition is, at closing, expected to increase DFDS’ financial leverage, NIBD/EBITDA, by around 0.3x on a pro forma basis.

The financial ambition of reducing financial leverage to 2.5x in 2026 is unchanged as is the lliofinancial ambition of generating an annual Adjusted free cash flow of DKK1.5 bin in the period 2024-2026.

DFDS has entered into an agreement to acquire the international transport network of Ekol Logistics. Ekol Logistics is a leading Turkish transport and logistics company headquartered in Istanbul.

Ekol transports goods between Türkiye and Europe with own offices and facilities in 10 European countries. More than half of transports provided are intermodal using combinations of road, ferry, and rail making the Company the largest customer of DFDS’ Mediterranean ferry route network.

This acquisition is an excellent strategic match for DFDS. Transporting large trailer volumes reliably and efficiently using combinations of road, ferry, and rail is its core business. Moreover, DFDS believe Türkiye’s role as a manufacturing hub for Europe will become even stronger in the future as nearshoring drives supply chains closer to end markets.

The Türkiye-Europe transport market is on average expected to grow by around 14.0% annually until 2028 (CAGR for 2020-2023 was 15.0%) and the acquisition thereby expands DFDS’ network to a high-growth region supported by nearshoring of supply chains closer to Europe.

The acquisition is fully aligned with DFDS’ transport network strategy focused on moving goods in trailers by ferry, road, and rail, and on offering complementary logistics solutions.

The addition of the international transport network of Ekol adds road transport to DFDS’ Mediterranean ferry network thereby extending the proven northern European ferry/road business model to this region. DFDS’ logistics network is in addition expanded across Europe and the existing transport network is connected to Türkiye thereby enabling DFDS to offer end-to-end transport and logistics solutions between Türkiye and Europe directly to end customers.

Ekol’s transport network builds on a partnership since 2019 with DFDS through a long-term customer agreement providing stable access to ferry capacity in the Mediterranean route network. The agreement also extends access to third-party rail transport from arrival ports to select European destinations. Road-only transport and additional third-party rail transport solutions are offered for destinations outside the ferry network’s catchment areas and for transports requiring faster delivery times.

Due to challenging market conditions, including loss of market share, the international transport network of Ekol saw its EBIT-margin decline from 4.8% in 2022 to 2.5% in 2023. The business and integration plan’s financial objective is to improve the EBIT-margin to around 5.0% by 2027 through a three-phased plan:

Phase 1 (year 1): Commercial and operational focus to increase volume throughput and improve equipment utilisation by initiating sale of transports to/from Türkiye by DFDS’ existing northern European network. Grow volumes to Türkiye from acquired European offices. Insource agency services to own existing network.

Phase 2 (year 1-2): Integrate existing and acquired European networks to gain scale benefits, including improved utilisation of equipment/facilities and consolidation of offices/facilities. Move select volumes to ferry/rail from road. Integrate customs organisations.

Phase 3 (year 2-3): Network optimisation and sales to key customers of contract logistics products to complement transport solutions (FTL/LTL).

In parallel with the integration of operations, IT-systems will be integrated over expectedly three years. The two major integrations are replacement of transport management systems and ERP systems with systems used by DFDS.

The international transport network of Ekol will become part of the Logistics Division. A detailed business and integration plan, including expected synergies, will be disclosed in connection with the closing of the transaction.

DFDS acquires the international transport network of Ekol for a debt-free price of DKK1.9 billion (€260.0 million) equal to an EV/EBITDA multiple of 7.6x based on 2023 earnings and an EV/Sales multiple of 0.55x based on 2023 sales.

The transaction will be financed by a combination of loan financing and use of existing cash funds.

The international transport network of Ekol transports goods for manufacturers between Türkiye and Europe using primarily trailers to minimise trip days as most goods carried are time sensitive. The network is set up for both intermodal and road-only transports using mostly inhouse haulage and ferry/rail transport provided by third-party ferry and rail operators. Around 80.0% of all transports combine transport modes. DFDS is the key provider of ferry transport between Türkiye and Europe for the Company.

Customers are mainly European and global manufacturers with production or assembly plants in Türkiye and Europe as well as Turkish export companies. Primary sectors served are automotive, industrial parts, and textiles/garments.

The network offers customers both full-load (FTL) and part-load (LTL) transports with a split of around 60/40 as well as complementary services, e.g. customs. The top three transport flow corridors are Türkiye-Germany followed by Spain and France. Own offices and facilities are operated in 10 European countries to service customers and haulage operations.

The international transport network of Ekol achieved revenue of DKK3.5 billion in 2023 and had 3,700 employees. More than 6,000 equipment units are operated and owned outright. Equipment includes 1,300 trucks, 3,900 trailers/swap bodies, and 600 containers. There are 26 facilities in Europe with a total area of 120,000 m2. Around 75.0% are cross-docking terminals for the LTL operations and the remainder are warehousing with storage capacity.

Road and sea freight comprise more than 90.0% of the total Türkiye-Europe transport market which is on average expected to grow by around 14.0% annually until 2028 (CAGR for 2020-2023 was 15%). The main competitors are Turkish transport and logistics companies as well as to some extent container shipping operators.

Completion of the transaction is conditional upon EU merger control approval and usual contractual conditions. As announced on 28 July 2023, the transaction has been approved by the Turkish Competition Authority. Closing is expected around the beginning of Q4, 2024.

DACHSER is acquiring Brummer Logistik GmbH in Germany and Brummer Logistic Solutions GmbH & Co KG in Austria. The purchase encompasses the entire operational business of the Brummer Group. Under the terms of the deal, the companies agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The acquisition still requires the approval of the German and Austrian competition authorities.

In 2023, the family-owned companies generated revenue of around €128.0. million, putting them among the leading food logistics providers in Central Europe. The two owners and managing directors of the Brummer Group, Hans Brummer and Simone Brummer-Leebmann, have decided to concentrate their business activities on the management and development of real estate, particularly in the logistics sector. They will be supported in this enterprise by their daughter, Valerie Brummer.

Brummer Logistik GmbH was founded in 1977 in Neuburg am Inn, Bavaria, where it owns a 40,000 m2 facility for refrigerated and frozen food. Brummer Logistic Solutions GmbH & Co KG launched in 2021 and has 45,000 m2 of storage space at its location in St. Marienkirchen, Austria. Flows of goods from all over Europe are thus strategically consolidated right next to the border, facilitating the optimal utilisation of transport capacity and greater efficiency in transit times. In its core market of southern Germany and Austria, Brummer currently employs some 950 people.

As a high-performance full-service logistics provider, Brummer focuses on cross-border transport, warehousing, and contract logistics services for food between Germany, Austria, and neighbouring countries. In providing these services, Brummer covers the full range of temperatures, including frozen foods below −18 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, Brummer offers comprehensive logistical solutions for retail and industrial customers.

Brummer was one of the founding partners of the European Food Network in 2013, which spans 34 European countries under DACHSER’s system leadership. This underscores the high quality that Brummer can offer its customers in the key markets of southern Germany and Austria. Within this network, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers in the food market can access unique network coverage for groupage transports within Europe.

The acquisition will tap considerable growth potential for Brummer. Meanwhile, DACHSER customers will be able to access the Brummer distribution network in southern Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. The Company primarily serves this network with 350 plus drivers on the payroll and its own fleet of over 300 refrigerated trucks.

For DACHSER, the acquisition of Brummer is also an important step in the further expansion of its distribution capacity for high-quality services in the key German-Austrian food market. With their proximity to the border, both Brummer locations, the one in Neuburg am Inn and the one in St. Marienkirchen, are ideally situated for the optimal consolidation of loads and further optimisation of driving times. In addition, both locations come with land suitable for the construction of additional cargo handling and warehousing areas.

Every year, Brummer handles a total of more than 715,000 cross-border shipments across all temperature ranges.

After completion of the purchase, Brummer will be completely integrated into the DACHSER Food Logistics network. Brummer’s operational business will continue to be run by Max Reih and his seasoned management team. Currently Chief Operating Officer of Brummer, Reih will report directly to Alexander Tonn and Stefan Behrendt, Deputy Managing Director DACHSER Food Logistics, in the future.

The Board of Directors of Kuehne + Nagel International AG has approved a new direct reporting of the country organisations. This change sets the course for further efficiency gains and profitable growth.

With the discontinuation of the regional management levels, and by simplifying responsibilities, the new structure will enable Kuehne + Nagel's business and functional units to sharpen their strategy in line with rapidly changing market developments and implement business decisions even faster. It will also ensure greater global consistency as well as customer proximity.

The historically-evolved regional structure will be discontinued and responsibilities integrated into Kuehne + Nagel's Group functions, as appropriate. The Cluster and National Managers will report directly into the Management Board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG.

Peak Group and The CSL Group have announced the launch of their new partnership, Peak CSL Group, following CSL’s acquisition of 50.0% of Peak. This new strategic alliance consolidates Peak and CSL’s short sea shipping operations in Northern Europe and leverages their collective expertise, resources, and capabilities within the coastal and offshore shipping sectors.

With a shared commitment to excellence, the partnership aims to deliver comprehensive marine logistics solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of industrial clients across Europe.

Under the Peak CSL Group banner, the Company is positioned to provide an expanded suite of services, particularly catering to the fast-growing offshore renewable energy sector. This encompasses rock and ballast logistics support for offshore wind farms, turnkey material transfer solutions and a fleet of project carriers that includes low-to-zero emission vessels, all facilitated by in-house engineering capabilities.

A cornerstone of the Peak CSL Group philosophy is a proactive stance in driving forward decarbonisation in the shipping industry. Through innovation and investment in energy-efficient vessels, the partnership aims to spearhead the transition towards zero-emission shipping and help customers meet their decarbonisation targets.

Peak Group is a provider of shipping, logistics and engineering services to various industry segments in the European market. Established in 2005 and headquartered in Bergen, Norway, Peak Group offers a range of services including:

> Short Sea Shipping / Chartering – Dry Bulk, Break Bulk and Project Cargo
> Global Freight Forwarding / Project Logistics Services
> Ships Agency Services / Maritime Support Services
> Marine Engineering and Marine Technical Design
> Transport Engineering & Warranty Surveyor Services
> Ship Management Services

The CSL Group is a provider of complex marine solutions and the largest owner and operator of self-unloading ships in the world. Headquartered in Montreal with operations throughout the Americas, Australia, Europe and Africa, CSL provides a broad range of shipping and handling services, and delivers millions of tonnes of cargo annually for customers in the construction, steel, energy and agri-food sectors.

Stobart Europe has announced an agreement to acquire Suloja Autotransporte to further strengthen its position in the European automotive logistics market. Stobart anticipates the acquisition will open new market opportunities in Germany and beyond.

The financial terms of the agreement, from 01 April 2024, have not been disclosed.

Suloja Autotransporte is a mid-tier operator. It is a profitable business, achieving turnover of €6.8 million in 2023. The Company will benefit from Group ownership which will provide investment and opportunities for job retention.

From its head office in Monchengladbach, Germany, Suloja Autotransporte specialises across a range of services. The Company has over 25 years’ experience. It employs around thirty staff and operates a specialist fleet of twenty vehicles. In 2023, it transported over 35,000 vehicles across Germany.

DACHSER has announced the formal launch of their new Smart Border Connect services, connect40 and connect42. These services will provide UK exporters, shipping on DDP incoterms, with frictionless access to DACHSER’S quality market leading European groupage network which transported 65.7 million intra European shipments in 2023.

As more and more UK exporters chose to minimise the impact of post Brexit trading conditions on their EU customers by shipping on DDP incoterms DACHSER has developed a scalable, cost-effective solution, to meet this growing demand.

Since Brexit DACHSER has created many bespoke customer DDP solutions, however Smart Border Connect is designed to give UK exporters, of all sizes frictionless access to what has always been its most important asset, Europe’s quality market leading groupage network.

Smart Border Connect was piloted at the beginning of February, and since then there has already been huge demand from both existing and new customers. Many have now taken the decision to renegotiate their existing DAP incoterms to DDP to take advantage of the fastest transit times in the market.

From an overall perspective, the market is entering an important new phase in post Brexit UK / EU distribution trends. Customs solutions are no longer the primary driver of customer procurement consideration, and it is returning to the historic logistics purchasing drivers of speed to market (i.e., transit times) and quality of service allied with competitive pricing.

Fresh water scarcity is an increasing problem faced by regions all over the world. Four billion people — almost two-thirds of the world’s population — experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year, and half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by as early as 2025. With this background, a team of three employees of Maersk, who are former seafarers, decided to undertake an innovative project that could store and deliver fresh water from vessels to ports.

Cargo ships undertaking global trade are equipped with fresh water generator systems that produce clean drinking water by distilling sea water using heat energy harnessed from their engines. Traditionally, this system has been used to generate water for consumption only onboard the vessels. However, the excess water produced has been overlooked. Through this innovative project, this untapped resource has been capitalised on by optimising the process and storing the excess water in tank containers before delivering it to ports.

Each vessel can fill two tank containers on an average sea voyage between two ports. With the process optimised and tank containers stored at the right location onboard, two tank containers with a combined capacity of 50,000 litres can be filled with fresh water. Amongst the first pilot runs were the deliveries at the Port of Colombo and Port of Salalah of two tank containers, each filled with 25,000 litres of fresh water.

A pivotal aspect of the project's success is its rigorous adherence to quality and environmental standards. The water quality, tested by the Ceylon Institute of Scientific & Industrial Research, an official Sri Lankan Government laboratory, met all World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, underscoring the project's commitment to safety and sustainability. Furthermore, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study conducted by the Danish Technical University has provided valuable insights into the project's environmental impact, comparing it favourably against traditional tanker truck water delivery methods.

The fresh water generated and delivered through this innovative project can be used in various ways:

> Consumption at port facilities for basic sanitation, cleaning, and maintenance of offices, warehouses, and restrooms.
> Ship repair at yards for tasks like cleaning vessels, tools, and work areas.
> Container washing before storage or reusing.
> Firefighting at port facilities for emergencies.
> Power generation at power plants located in ports for cooling systems or other processes.
> Additionally, this fresh water can also be distributed for humanitarian activities by transporting it to the hinterland for use by societies facing water scarcity.

DB Schenker continues to solidify its commitment to excellence and regulatory compliance in pharmaceutical supply chains by achieving certifications in accordance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards for 157 of its stations. The most important markets for the global trade of medical goods, spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia, are now covered within the DB SCHENKER life+ product portfolio. Stations here refer to operational units at DB Schenker.

By achieving this milestone, DB Schenker can now cover 80.0% of the world's healthcare flows with their recent certificates, making it one of the world’s largest GDP-compliant logistics networks. DB Schenker can now even better meet the evolving needs of the global pharmaceutical industry.

Healthcare is a highly regulated industry governed by various guidelines, making GDP compliance critical. With Good Distribution Practice, DB Schenker follows a quality guideline that ensures that the integrity and quality of pharmaceutical products is maintained throughout the entire supply chain process. DB Schenker’s internal Global Healthcare Quality Management System addresses the Good Distribution Practices for medicinal products for human and veterinary use and related active substances set out by the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). DB Schenker ensures these requirements are complied with through the internal Directive Healthcare Quality Management, which forms the basis of DB SCHENKER life+.

When DB Schenker started the implementation process for certification, the first goal was to define a global standard valid for all transport modes. This made the GDP certificate suitable. The comprehensive certification ensures that the process, infrastructure, and staffing comply with the stringent requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, using this ideal approach across all business units. After a station is awarded certification following successful completion of an internal certification process, a risk-based re-audit is performed based on continuously measured KPIs. This is repeated at least every three years to ensure the highest quality is maintained.

DB Schenker continuously analyses its customers' need for additional locations. Within the next twelve months, the global logistics service provider plans to certify over 180 of its stations to be able to organize and manage GDP-compliant logistics.

DACHSER's air and sea freight division is significantly expanding its services. This involves new fixed LCL connections between the port of Rotterdam and various ports in Asia with fixed departure times.

Since the end of 2023, DACHSER has been setting up weekly LCL export connections from Rotterdam to the ports of Shanghai, Nhava Sheva and Dubai (as a hub for distribution within the Gulf States) and LCL import connections from Shanghai and Shenzhen to Rotterdam. More LCL connections will be added in 2024. For these LCL connections, DACHSER uses its own consolidated container.

LCL (Less than Container Load) is very advantageous for customers who do not fill a full container with their shipment. Customers then share both the space and the cost of a container. This is not new for DACHSER in Benelux, but what is new is that DACHSER now loads and unloads shipments in their own logistics facility on a weekly basis at fixed times.

Consolidating in its own container does not involve co-loaders, which eliminates an interface in both ports. By eliminating these links, the entire logistics chain is managed by DACHSER. The export shipment is picked up from the sender in Europe through DACHSER's own network and then transported by truck to a Container Freight Station (CFS) in a DACHSER warehouse. Here, the shipment is bundled into a container together with shipments from other customers. From the CFS, the container is shipped to the other continent then, where DACHSER’s Air & Sea Logistics office takes care of the import operations and delivery to the final destination. For LCL shipments incoming from overseas into Europe, the LCL consolidation containers are brought to a CFS at the nearest DACHSER branch. Here the shipments are unloaded and customs cleared, only to be delivered to the final recipient through the DACHSER network.

Because DACHSER manage the entire supply chain, it always knows where the shipments are and when they will be shipped, which gives it sovereignty over the logistics process. In addition, the elimination of links ensures that goods get from source to market faster. This can help minimise inventory costs and can promote consumer satisfaction.

The DACHSER Rotterdam Logistics Centre, partly due to its location close to the port of Rotterdam, acts as a crucial link in the logistics provider's network. With the Air & Sea Logistics, Contract Logistics and European Logistics (road transport) divisions on the same industrial estate, the lines of communication are short and decisions can be made quickly. These advantages make the branch an ideal starting point for the 90 daily road groupage departures to destinations throughout Europe.

Lineage, one of the world’s leading temperature-controlled warehouse REITs and integrated solutions providers, announced new Canada cross-border services. Leveraging the strategic positioning of its facilities and transportation network, the programme aims to deliver added transportation advantages for customers looking for end-to-end cold chain solutions in the North American market.

The cross-border network offers added transportation value for Lineage customers, including access to multiple delivery points in the Canadian market and strategically positioned transport terminals in Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Red Deer and Montreal, as well as a new terminal in Moncton that is planned to be operational later this spring. Canadian and US networks will be connected by cross-border points in Hobart, Indiana and Burien, Washington.

Lineage’s North and Southbound cross-border programme enables both TL (truckload) and LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments between the US and Canada, while connecting shippers to the Company’s strategically located warehouses that comprise its North American LTL multi-vendor consolidation network. This connectivity provides customers with competitive pricing, a fast and reliable transit schedule and access to warehousing and transportation capacity on both sides of the border.

Lineage is known for its storage facilities, but it also understands and serves the complex transportation needs that its customers face. This cross-border network bolsters the Company’s ability to provide a true end-to-end solution for warehousing and transportation customers.

Transportation costs can often be significantly greater than warehousing costs, making location and transportation capabilities key competitive factors for Lineage and its customers. Lineage operates several critical and value-added temperature-controlled business lines within its global integrated solutions segment, with services such as transportation capabilities built to complement customers’ warehousing needs.

Kerry Logistics Network Limited, through its subsidiary Kerry eCommerce Limited, has signed a memorandum of understanding (‘MOU’) on Global Customs Clearance with Menzies Aviation Limited and Menzies Macau Airport Services Limited to launch a global customs clearance collaboration project.

The signing of the MOU marks the official launch of the global customs clearance collaboration project, which aims to strengthen Macau Airport's eCommerce cargo competitiveness and provide seamless customs clearance services for Kerry eCommerce export through Macau.

Cross-border eCommerce is currently the fastest-growing segment of international trade. Consumers demand more reliable and faster deliveries than ever. This partnership will give Kerry eCommerce leverage on shipping internationally with swift and efficient cross-border deliveries that ensure a competitive advantage for customers.

Kerry eCommerce will leverage the strengths of Menzies Aviation’s network of 255 destinations around the world, with Macau Airport as a hub, to ensure that all goods handled by Kerry eCommerce passing through Macau can depart smoothly and achieve fast and efficient transportation through convenient customs clearance procedures in Macau.

Menzies Aviation is a global leader in aviation services, with operations across six continents, providing air ground handling services to 255 destinations in more than 60 markets. As a part of Menzies Aviation, Menzies Macau Airport Services Limited focuses on a full range of one-stop airport services and continues to empower the shipping of Macau International Airport.

In response to the growing global demand for trade and freight, this collaboration project fully integrates the expertise and resources of Kerry eCommerce, Menzies Aviation and Menzies Macau Airport Services Limited to provide faster, more efficient and reliable customs clearance services, achieving a win-win situation for all three parties. The three parties will work together to ensure the smooth customs clearance of goods and collaborate on end-to-end solutions on a global scale to support the strong development of eCommerce logistics.

Röhlig China has established a China Desk dedicated to overseas Chinese clients. The aim of this department is to build a strong communication bridge between Chinese clients and Röhlig overseas offices, strengthening operations for overseas logistics and warehousing.

The China Desk will also be responsible for identifying potential Chinese clients and expanding into new business opportunities, further enhancing the Company’s influence in the international market.

For the initial phase, Röhlig China will establish the China Desk in Germany, Hungary, and Mexico. These regions hold great potential and room for development in the international market. The following phase will expand the China Desk to Southeast Asia, Australia, India, and more.

Röhlig China has also announced that Changfu Yu assumed the role of Business Development Manager for the China Desk in Germany effective 19 February 2024.

In his new role, Changfu plans to make Germany the core of business development for the China Desk, gradually expanding into Western Europe. Leveraging his extensive experience in the Chinese and European business sectors, he aims to provide professional and efficient services to Chinese clients. In addition, the department will aid the rapid growth of Röhlig China on the international stage, while promoting the internationalisation of Chinese enterprises.

Nippon Express (Vietnam) has established a new office in Da Lat, a highland city in central Vietnam's Lam Dong Province, that opened for business on 22 February 2024. Located at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level, Da Lat sits at the heart of Vietnam's Central Highlands and enjoys a cool climate throughout the year. The city has become increasingly important in recent years as an agricultural production centre, known in particular for its flower industry.

Lam Dong Province intends to make Da Lat one of Southeast Asia's leading fresh flower production centres in line with its strategy for developing the flower industry through 2030, so exports of fresh flowers as well as other agricultural products are expected to expand.

With the opening of the Da Lat Office, NX Vietnam will be better able to contribute to the region's sustainable economic development by facilitating exports of not only fresh flowers but also a variety of other agricultural products from central Vietnam.

RXO has expanded its Responsible Care certification from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to include brokerage operations at its Charlotte, North Carolina, US, headquarters. The Company also announced it has maintained its certification for its Naperville, Illinois, managed transportation office. The certification demonstrates RXO’s unwavering commitment to transporting chemical goods safely and responsibly.

RXO has held a certification for more than 13 years. Companies certified under the ACC’s Responsible Care programme meet high standards for environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) performance. The voluntary certification programme requires adherence to Responsible Care guiding principles, with assessments and audits ensuring compliance.

RXO offers customers a diverse range of bulk transport solutions including tank trucks for hazmat and non-hazmat chemicals, hoppers for lubricants and oils, end dumps for liquid and dry food-grade materials, and ISO containers for plastic pellets.

As part of Halifax, Canada-based Irving Shipbuilding Inc.'s (ISI) participation in Canada's National Shipbuilding Programme, a contract to provide inbound logistics services for ship construction and repair projects has been awarded to GEODIS.

The contract, which will be managed by GEODIS' Project Logistics team in Canada, with support from the Company's global network of offices, will cover all inbound shipments to ISI facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to supply three shipbuilding programmes: the Canadian Surface Combatant, Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and Halifax Class Frigate Repair Contracts. Utilising GEODIS proprietary IT systems, ISI will achieve total asset visibility throughout its supply chain.

Irving Shipbuilding has constructed over 80.0% of Canada's Navy at sea.

GEODIS was selected based on its global presence and industry-leading logistics capabilities, combined with a commitment to engage with local companies to provide this critical service.

Accordingly, this contract helps Irving Shipbuilding fulfil its Industrial Technological Benefits obligations under the Canadian Government's National Shipbuilding Strategy.

The Canadian Government's Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy seeks to leverage defence and Canadian Coast Guard procurements to contribute to jobs, innovation and economic growth across the country. In line with these aims, The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) set a plan to revitalise Canadian shipyards, bolster the Canadian Naval industrial base, renew Canada's fleet and promote job creation. Irving Shipbuilding's programmes are an integral part of these policies.

Vitesco Technologies focuses on maximum sustainability, resilience and efficiency in logistics. Key to this is a new strategic partnership with DHL Supply Chain as a Lead Logistics Partner (LLP). As of March 2024, the logistics flows of Vitesco Technologies' twelve European locations will be centrally managed by DHL through the LLP Centre of Excellence in Warsaw, Poland. This corresponds to around 100,000 transport movements within the supply chain to the plants as well as from the plants to the customers - and thus accounts for about a third of Vitesco Technologies' total freight volume.

The big advantage of the new logistics concept is that, as a lead logistics partner, DHL Supply Chain bundles the freight volumes of numerous large companies in order to generate synergy effects and thus achieves new potentials for optimisation. The logistics experts make use of the entire market of freight carriers and forwarding agents and can provide the fastest, safest, most environmentally friendly and most cost-effective transport solutions. This benefits Vitesco Technologies and all customers: supply chains become more robust and more reliable.

Central freight management by a leading global logistics provider such as DHL also enables the maximum transparency of transport routes - which not only benefits efficiency, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

This is achieved by combining deliveries that were previously handled separately or by increasingly relying on low and zero carbon emissions transportation. This is where Vitesco Technologies' expertise in the field of electromobility meets DHL's practical experience, as the Company operates the largest fleet of electric vehicles within the logistics sector.

The first joint pilot projects have already shown that they can leverage considerable synergies through a seamlessly integrated supply chain. The cost savings and efficiencies that have already been realise are now paving the way for further global growth.

Bergé has been awarded a new logistics contract by Audi in Mexico. The deal marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the two companies.

The contract covers a wide range of logistics services within the San José Chiapa plant, located in the State of Puebla, where Audi's Q5 model is built, including:

> Receipt of cargo from suppliers.
> Storage in temporary warehouses
> Physical and system inventory management
> Picking and sequencing of parts for cycle-accurate provisioning on production lines
> In-plant and near-plant material transport and supply processes
> Return of empties to buffer storage and shipment processing areas

Bergé will be responsible for optimising key internal processes to ensure Audi's operational efficiency.

Since 2018, Bergé has managed the ‘inbound’ process at the plant in San José Chiapa, overseeing the entry of sea containers and trailers, as well as internal warehousing and component transport operations.

Oxford Properties Group and Logistics Capital Partners have announced the signing of an exclusive agreement with Maritime Transport at West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the UK’s largest logistics development. The agreement secures Maritime Transport as the long-term operator of WMI’s strategic rail freight interchange (SRFI) on the West Coast Mainline.

The SRFI, which will sit alongside 743,225 m2 of prime warehouse facilities at the £1.0 billion project, is key to the success of what will be the country’s largest intermodal logistics site. The first phase of development has already commenced at the 734-acre site, comprising significant infrastructure works including earthworks, highways construction, water installation and the creation of two new community parks. Oxford and LCP acquired the WMI site in joint venture in 2021.

Established in 2001, Maritime Transport is now a £400+ million turnover business with a focus on reducing emissions in logistics through its network of rail terminals and innovative use of alternative fuelled vehicles.

Being the long-term operator of WMI fits exactly with Maritime’s wider strategy of decarbonising the full load supply chain by moving cargo closer to the end user by rail. It has already substantially increased container movements by rail, from 6.0% in 2019 to over 24.0% in 2023.

The Company is committed to this strategy of decarbonising which will lead to the introduction of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) effecting the first and final mile transport, creating the most sustainable full load supply chain network in the UK.

B&H Worldwide has announced a two-year agreement with Unical Aviation Inc., a prominent supplier of aircraft parts and components to thousands of commercial aviation customers worldwide. Under the terms of the contract, B&H Worldwide will provide Unical with comprehensive inventory management and freight forwarding services on a global scale.

This strategic partnership will leverage B&H Worldwide’s extensive expertise in aerospace logistics to support Unical’s operations in both the European and surrounding markets. Unical will utilise B&H Worldwide’s strategically located warehousing facility near Heathrow Airport, UK, to streamline parts distribution across Europe.

Additionally, B&H Worldwide will dedicate personnel to act as a seamless communication and administration bridge between Unical and B&H’s global network. Together with B&H Worldwide’s global team, they will manage courier and freight services, address any inquiries, and provide regular updates on inventory and operations to Unical’s sales and operations teams across the globe.

Corrugated packaging manufacturer Jardin Corrugated Cases has returned to Bretts Transport reappointing the Guyhirn, UK, based company as its sole carrier. The Company, which specialises in packaging products for a wide range of goods, from food packaging, removals to flowers and plants, has renewed its long-standing partnership with Bretts after five and a half years of working with another carrier.

Ever-shorter customer lead times and increasing service level expectations have led to the renewed partnership, with Jardin seeking the services of a customer-centric haulier.

With increasing demands from customers, the long-term viability of the partnership with the replacement carrier had been called into question and the Company took the decision to return to Bretts.

Jardin had previously worked with Bretts for some 25 years. Both companies had enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership throughout that time but when Jardin was the subject of an acquisition in 2016 the new owners took the decision to consolidate suppliers and eventually transferred the Bretts contract to a larger carrier.

Jardin’s extensive customer base spans a number of sectors including FMCG, plastics, industrial, removals, pharmaceutical and horticulture.

Bretts has introduced a dedicated liveried rigid vehicle together with four tractor units and ten trailers to service the contract, with the option of allocating more vehicles when necessary.

The KPIs set by Jardin include on time in full deliveries, delivery notes provided within 24 hours, invoice accuracy, fleet maintenance per service schedule and fleet availability. Vehicles will operate from Jardin’s manufacturing and warehouse facility in Sutton, Ely, Cambridgeshire using a shunt vehicle supplied by Bretts. Stand trailers will be loaded by Jardin both during the day and night, ready for Bretts to deliver to customers nationwide.

Jardin and Bretts underwent extensive collaboration in the months leading up to the new partnership – which started from 01 January 2024 – in a bid to ensure a seamless transition. The advanced planning had led to unblemished service levels throughout the changeover and in the subsequent weeks.

Facing the challenge of uncertainty within the wider economy and a volatile market environment, consumer buying behaviour has been adversely affected and as a result Jardin’s customers are cautious about the way they manage their forecasting. This has led to shorter lead times and the need for Jardin and Bretts to be flexible and agile. Bretts will play an increasingly important role in the coming years helping Jardin to fulfil its ambition of achieving 5.0% year on year growth.

The flexibility and agility demonstrated by Bretts in the past was a key factor in Jardin’s return to the carrier. Jardin also praised the Company for employing all its drivers rather than using agency drivers, saying it was a demonstration of Bretts’ commitment to excel in its service to customers.

Mercitalia Logistics, a part of the FS Italiane Group’s Logistics business unit, has signed a contract with Amazon to transport goods between Amazon fulfilment centres in Germany and Italy.

This collaboration aims to cut international freight traffic and reduce tail-pipe carbon emissions and congestion on key European roadways. It will also help Amazon optimise inventory handling and reduce delivery times.

FS Group’s schedule includes three trains per week from Duisburg to Pomezia, operated by Mercitalia Intermodal, and six round trips between Herne and Verona, operated by TX Logistik. The Duisburg-Pomezia and Herne-Verona routes represent a strategic link for FS Group, connecting two of Germany’s most important logistics hubs with Northern and Central Italy.

An earlier agreement, signed in 2021, between Amazon and Mercitalia Logistics was a first and important step that helped improve delivery times and reduce transportation-related emissions.

Panattoni has built another investment in Lesser Poland. City Logistics Krakow Airport II is located near the Krakow-Balice International Airport, where a new cargo terminal is being constructed. The facility is suitable for eCommerce and last-mile logistics.

The investment was made on a speculative basis and already has its first tenant - Allegro.

The Krakow industrial real estate market is characterised by relatively low saturation and a record-low vacancy rate. Panattoni has already completed over 270,000 m2 of modern industrial space in the region, of which approximately 50,000 m2 is in the City Logistics formula. Now, the developer has completed the construction of City Logistics Krakow Airport II with an area of 21,850 m2 and has put into use the first stage leased by Allegro.

The investment adjacent to the Krakow airport is being delivered at an ideal time. The construction of a new cargo terminal is currently underway, which will increase the transport capacity of the port to 8,000 tons per year. With the development of cargo traffic in Balice, the business potential of the park will naturally grow.

Allegro is already conducting processes related to sorting parcels with its Allegro One Box parcel lockers. The client also uses individually adapted office and social space.

Thanks to the small minimum rental modules - about 1,650 m2 - the facility provides great flexibility and is also a proposition for small and medium-sized enterprises looking for modern, well-located space near Krakow. City Logistics Krakow Airport II is located in Cholerzyn, close to the A4 motorway junction, which will allow for efficient connections with key centres in southern Poland - such as Rzeszów, Katowice, or Wrocław, as well as the south-western and south-eastern border.

Panattoni has also taken care of aspects of sustainable construction. According to the developer's standard, the facility will undergo BREEAM certification at the Excellent level. Additionally, strengthening the roof surface will allow for the future installation of photovoltaic systems. Low-emission steel was used in the construction, and the insulation of the walls has been increased compared to current standards. Thanks to the solutions applied the annual EP index, i.e., the annual non-renewable primary energy demand of the building, has been reduced by more than 10.0%.

The area around the facility has been designed following the guidelines of a qualified ecologist – plantings will include tall native species trees (maple, sycamore maple, field maple, and small-leaved lime), 250 m2 of flower meadow and landscape lawn will be prepared. The entrance to the building will be arranged in the style of a pocket park.

HelloFresh has opened its new Derby, UK-based logistics centre, the Company’s largest in Europe. The warehouse, named The Windmill, is the retailer’s latest automated production facility, which is set to offer “even more choice and ability” to personalise meals.

The facility has created 300 jobs for the local community in roles including production operatives, maintenance engineers and management, with further vacancies anticipated.

The facility was developed in partnership with low-carbon food manufacturing campus SmartParc SEGRO Derby. Features include a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels and a shared heating and cooling system. Staff can also expect EV charging spaces at the facility, secure bike storage and a local bus service ‘aligned with production times’.

This site and its cutting-edge technology will allow the handling of great complexity in the Company’s production to give customers even more choices.

Derby’s great connectivity also means the Company can provide an even better delivery experience for UK customers with 80.0% of customers now being within a four-hour drive of where the product is made.

dm drogerie markt has moved into new space at Prologis Park Prague D1 Ostředek, where unique features and Prologis’ customer-centric approach will help it achieve even greater operational efficiency.

dm drogerie markt moved into building DC2 in Ostředek at the end of February. The Company currently operates 256 stores in the Czech Republic and required a tailored logistics space with specific solutions to meet its warehousing requirements. dm also needed a space close to its other distribution centres, boosting efficiency for its entire distribution network.

Tailored solutions in the facility include an automatic packing line, enabling the wrapping of pallets and the application of labels at a rapid rate, responding to the high packaging capacity required in dm drogerie markt’s operations. The machine automatically starts the wrapping cycle and sends a signal when the process is complete, saving the time of at least two co-workers who can focus on other activities. It’s an example of how Prologis works with customers to deliver solutions specifically intended to enable and enhance their operations.

In a transaction brokered by Cushman & Wakefield, dm’s new distribution centre, including warehouse space and related administrative facilities, covers over 21,000 m2. An increasingly popular location on the Czech logistics map, Prologis Park Prague D1 Ostředek provides easy access to the Czech capital as well as other major markets in the Czech Republic and abroad.

dm drogerie markt’s new space also delivers advanced sustainability solutions to help the Company operate efficiently and boost environmental protection, including heat pumps, smart LED lighting, and preparations for the installation of an on-site solar power plant. As a dynamic new park, Prologis Park Prague D1 Ostředek delivers a sustainable environment for all customers who call it home, including through a gas-free power supply.

This comprehensive approach to sustainability has led to dm’s space being accredited at the Very Good level by BREEAM.

In order to future-proof its delivery and logistics operations as it continues its growth journey, Kappahl Group will be opening a new distribution centre in the industrial area of Arendal on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. The new state-of-the-art facility, located adjacent to the Port of Gothenburg, is expected to be operational in the second half of 2026.

Founded in 1953 in Gothenburg, the Kappahl Group is a leading fashion chain in the Nordics, with around 360 Kappahl and Newbie stores in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and the UK, and online in more than 20 markets throughout Europe and Asia.

The Company’s goal is to offer more of its brands via new markets and channels. To achieve this, a distribution centre must be able to handle the volumes demanded in an efficient and sustainable manner and also provide the required level of service.

The location of the new distribution centre was chosen for its proximity to Gothenburg’s container port, to which large volumes of Kappahl’s goods are shipped and which is also easy to reach by public transport, and because the size and flexibility meet the needs that Kappahl envisions for a logistics centre in the future.

The building was completed in January this year and the work to adapt the new distribution centre to Kappahl's needs is expected to be completed in 2026. Specification of all the work processes and determining the layout of the new facility will be the focus this year. New systems will be installed and tested in 2025 and operations will be gradually transferred in 2026. The new distribution centre is scheduled to be fully operational in the autumn of 2026.

Plans for the current premises after Kappahl has moved out have not yet been finalised.

Lineage has announced the expansion of its network of automated facilities with a new cold storage warehouse in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, US, currently under construction. The fully automated, next-generation facility will help meet the needs of Lineage’s customers and bring new job opportunities to the market, with an office manager position and 12 maintenance technician roles now open for application.

With approximately 60.0 million people – or about 18.0% of the population of the US – to feed in a roughly 250-mile radius of the facility, the Hazleton warehouse is strategically positioned to deliver added value for its customers and their consumers. This project underscores Lineage's dedication to meeting evolving needs in the region, while fostering economic growth and job creation in Hazleton and nearby communities.

Lineage expects to complete construction in Autumn 2024 and estimates the facility will support more than 100 new jobs when at full capacity.

The completed Hazleton facility will span approximately 35,860 m2 and include approximately 85,000 pallet positions for storing temperature-controlled products. The facility also features advanced technology and automation, including cranes and rail guided vehicles, inbound lanes featuring proprietary computer vision technology that automates the product receiving process, and automated layer picking – all of which enable operational efficiencies.

Lineage is looking for individuals who take pride in their work to apply for the 12 maintenance technician roles open at the facility. From performing preventative maintenance on automated systems and material handling equipment to ensure the smooth operation of warehouse facilities and refrigeration systems, these roles offer a dynamic opportunity to expand technical proficiencies in a challenging environment with physical demands.

The Company is also seeking a flexible Office Manager to oversee day-shift operations during the build-out, training and launch of the warehouse, with paid training provided both in Lineage’s Hazleton and Allentown facilities. Responsibilities include managing, training, and providing feedback to direct reports, resolving customer service issues, and ensuring efficient information flow with warehouse operations, requiring two years of office or administrative experience and strong interpersonal and organisational skills.

Lineage's automated facility portfolio includes more than 80 fully- and semi-automated buildings backed by proprietary software and an in-house automation team.

A new parcel sorting machine (PSM) is to be installed at Charleroi X (Fleurus), which will double capacity at the sorting centre. The existing site will be enlarged by 9,000 m2 to accommodate the new PSM. Upon completion of the work at the end of 2025, some 18,000 m2 of floor space will be allocated/dedicated to parcel sorting. The work (building) is scheduled to start on 22 April 2024, with completion expected in Q3, 2025, just in time for the traditional end-of-year peak.

As the parcel and eCommerce logistics market continues to grow, bpost remains committed to meeting the changing needs of its customers by innovating and enlarging its eCommerce logistics facilities.

The sorting centre facilities must be transformed to accommodate the new PSM. The existing building will be enlarged by an additional 9,000 m2. Fifteen new truck bays are planned, as well as two new telescopic conveyers to unload and feed loose product into the sorting machine. Many customers want to load their goods straight into the truck, without using pallets or containers.

The enlargement will be completed without any loss of sorting capacity during construction and the installation of the new machine in March 2025. In other words, the parcel sorting activities will continue as normal until the transition to the new PSM.

The centre will be enlarged by building on the current car park. A new parking lot is under construction with completion expected within the next few weeks. Drivers may experience some inconvenience during the work.

SEGRO Park Rainham has reached full occupancy following the agreement of a new lease with Wolseley, one of the UK’s leading merchants in plumbing, heating, cooling and infrastructure with over 500 UK branches.

Wolseley has agreed to occupy 2,580 m2 of urban warehouse space across two units at the development. The Company will join a diverse range of occupiers including Transport for London and London Ambulance Service.

The investment at SEGRO Park Rainham further strengthens Wolseley’s growth strategy across the UK and Ireland. The unit will be occupied by Neville Lumb, a specialist market-leading supplier of commercial sanitaryware to new build and refurbishment projects. The new location will further enhance Neville Lumb’s proposition for customers in London and the South whilst, materially improving the environmental impact of its operations.

With BREEAM Excellent certification and an EPC A+ rating, the high-quality, flexible industrial units are designed to maximise space and natural light, and feature smart sensors that monitor electricity usage, heating and airflow, to enable the customer to benefit from cost reductions.

In line with the Company’s Responsible SEGRO commitment to Champion low-carbon growth, every unit at SEGRO Park Rainham incorporates highly efficient sustainability measures built for the long term, including photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs and walls, LED lighting and electric vehicle charging points as standard.

SEGRO Park Rainham is part of the Company’s East Plus regeneration scheme – a partnership with the Greater London Authority which will deliver 130,065 m2 of modern industrial space, spanning the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Newham, and regenerating previously derelict land.

SEGRO Park Rainham is located adjacent to the A13, with fast access to central London and the M25. The development is on the perimeter of the UK’s largest market – with 46.0% of the UK’s population within a 90-minute drive.

XPO has announced the opening of three new service centres in Goodlettsville (greater Nashville), Tennessee; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Nogales, Arizona, US. These are the first sites to begin operations among the 28 locations that XPO acquired from Yellow Corporation in December 2023. With these three new locations, XPO’s North American network now includes 297 service centres.

Each service centre is in a prime position to enhance the Company’s nationwide capacity, service excellence and operating efficiency. With a deeper presence in strategic markets, XPO is introducing new premium services and expanding existing offerings, such as its cross-border service with Mexico.

The new sites are located near major population centres and interstate highways to reduce shipping times. The larger footprint also bolsters XPO’s coast-to-coast linehaul capabilities, adds operational flexibility and supports world-class service levels.

XPO’s recent service centre openings are in:

> Goodlettsville, Tennessee (Greater Nashville): Located on 36 acres, the 4,925 m2 facility has 100 doors for loading and receiving freight in proximity to several major highways, including I-65. The site is one of two that XPO plans to open this quarter in the Nashville metropolitan area.

> Grand Junction, Colorado: Located on seven acres, this facility will strengthen XPO’s linehaul operations nationally and support growth in the Grand Junction metropolitan area, which serves as a critical mid-point for freight moving between Denver and Salt Lake City.

> Nogales, Arizona: Located on a four-acre site just minutes from the southern US border, this facility will provide additional support for XPO to meet the rapidly growing need for cross-border freight service to and from Mexico.

ShipBob has opened its latest fulfilment centre in British Columbia. This new location marks the first in ShipBob's network's to be in Western Canada and the fifth for ShipBob in Canada. Located in Surrey, B.C., the fulfilment centre is just outside of Vancouver. Merchants can now distribute inventory in the British Columbia fulfilment centre in the West, in addition to ShipBob's fulfilment centres in Ontario in the East to get inventory closer to consumers across Canada, and help drive down shipping costs, transit times, and potential delays due to weather disruptions.

Like the rest of the nearly 60 facilities in the ShipBob logistics network, this new fulfilment centre will be equipped with ShipBob's cutting-edge technology designed to provide merchants with unparalleled visibility.

Adding a warehouse in the British Columbia area is advantageous for businesses for both inbound logistics and last-mile delivery, and a ShipBob customer, Wyze, believes it can reduce up to 30.0% of its ocean freight costs and shorten the lead time as compared to arranging deliveries to Eastern Canada. 40.0% of the Company’s Canadian direct-to-consumer sales went to the West Coast last year, so this new ShipBob facility will help to optimise inventory placement closer to demand centres, reduce shipping cost and lead times, and, in turn, improve customer satisfaction.

Merchants can also leverage ShipBob's end-to-end freight solution, FreightBob, for highly competitive air and ocean rates via a preferred freight forwarder that helps manage and transport inventory to any of ShipBob's fulfilment centres in Canada.

Roadrunner has opened a new Less-than-Truckload (LTL) service centre in Atlanta, Georgia, US. The two-building, cross-docking facility has 75 doors, a complete on-site mechanical shop with three full bays and inspection lane, parking for more than 300 trailers, new electric security fencing and gate access, and renovated offices.

Roadrunner equipped its newest facility with showers and a lounge area for its drivers. The terminal formerly belonged to YRC (Yellow Corporation) and has gone through extensive renovation.

Atlanta plays a key role in the Company’s operations and aligns with its goal of providing smart long-haul LTL with the fewest number of rehandlings possible. The size and layout of the service centre combined with its proximity to major highways allows the Company to offer customers even better service.

This facility is the first to feature Roadrunner's Flagship Driver Lounges, which will be similar to airport lounges, but offer amenities exclusively for Linehaul IC (Independent Contractor) drivers. Roadrunner will be opening them in Commerce, CA and Dallas later this year. Added Jamroz.

The new location follows other enhancements to the metro-to-metro LTL carrier's network which recently launched service into Montreal and Toronto, Canada, as well as Portland, Oregon. Earlier this year, the carrier added 135 lanes to its network, which built upon new market openings in Kansas City, Denver, Richmond, and Las Vegas. It also expanded service in Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Northeastern US.

The service centre is a continuation of strategic enhancements announced by Roadrunner including the creation of Guaranteed Service in select lanes, which offers shippers on-time delivery by the promised date or a full refund of charges, and 1-day service between its Southern California and Chicago locations.

The municipality of Wolfurt in Vorarlberg, Austria has given the green light for construction work to begin on Gebrüder Weiss’ IT and logistics centre at the Wolfurt industrial park. This state-of-the-art IT and logistics location brings the Company’s IT teams closer together. The location’s proximity to the Wolfurt freight terminal means it will also be able to combine transport modes more efficiently, moving them onto rail tracks and shortening transport times.

This will translate into greater security of supply for customers in terms of materials and goods, which in turn will have a positive effect for other businesses both in Vorarlberg and the wider region.

The project investment is around €100.0 million. A high-bay warehouse and a manual warehouse with an adjacent office building for the logistics company’s IT department are being built over 30,000 m2 on Senderstrasse in Wolfurt. The local council’s zoning plans were already approved during Wolfurt’s local council meeting on 24 January.

The Company’s IT teams are currently based in Kennelbach. However, capacities both there and in Lauterach have reached their limit, which is why it wants to create a location that offers long-term growth potential. After the move, about 300 people will be employed in IT and about 50 in logistics.

To make the best possible use of land resources, the building is to be constructed in a way that conserves space: one building complex will reach a total height of 25 meters, consisting of a 4,500 m2 logistics warehouse on top of which a three-storey office building is planned. This enables the available space to be used twice. A 34-meter-high high-bay warehouse with space for 68,000 pallets is being built adjacent to that. There are plans to include a photovoltaic system, a green roof and charging stations for electric trucks and cars to reflect the Company’s commitment to sustainability in its buildings. The logistics company has also chosen to dispense with large parking lots, instead relying on incentives for employees to use local public transport.

The nearby rail connection was decisive for the choice of location. The project is due to be completed by the end of 2025.

APL Logistics and Toys“R”Us Asia have opened a regional distribution hub in Shenzhen, China. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of Toys“R”Us Asia’s supply chain operations.

Strategically located in Shenzhen, the Regional Distribution Hub is set to play a pivotal role in Toys“R”Us Asia’s distribution network, ensuring seamless product availability for children and families across the region.

With a strong focus on optimising efficiency and elevating the customer experience, the newly established Regional Distribution Hub strives to achieve industry-leading operational effectiveness. APL Logistics will equip Toys“R”Us Asia with the necessary resources to ensure the timely and complete delivery of products from their sourcing locations to over 500 stores across the Asia region.

Through advanced planning and management of purchase orders, harmonised supplier processes and engagement, end-to-end visibility, digitised workflows, and analytics dashboards, this partnership enables Toys“R”Us Asia to streamline their supply chain operations and increase responsiveness in their product supply and fulfilment.

By reducing in-store inventory and creating more space for children to play, the ultimate goal of this collaboration is to enhance the overall customer experience and create a joyful environment for children to explore and enjoy.

Panattoni has finished the construction of a logistics centre for Hermes Fulfilment. This is the first project that has been built for the Company in Poland and is also the largest centre of its type in the Hermes Group portfolio.

The Lubusz region due to its strategic location and its improving infrastructure is becoming an important centre for eCommerce in Europe. In this region, Panattoni has already delivered over 730,000 m2 of space to its clients and has over 100,000 m2 of further space planned. This amounts to half the volume of industrial space in this rapidly growing market.

This was a very challenging development and the building had a high degree of complexity.

The development in Iłowa just outside Żagań comprises 115,000 m2 of construction space but through the use of a multi-level mezzanine (four storeys) the actual usable space comes to nearly 250,000 m2. Eventually, a few thousand people will be employed in the centre, 60.0% of whom are to be women. The centre was handed over for use at the end of the first quarter/beginning of the second quarter of this year.

The centre has been equipped with an highly-automated pouch sorter and an automated sorter for the segregation of parcels. Other automated systems include covering goods in plastic film, cardboard box production with the firm’s logo and the internal transport of packages. In the future, robots are to assist with the inspection of the centre both inside and out as well as to assist with the unloading of parcels.

The Hermes Fulfilment is to be used for the picking and packing of orders for the Otto Group eCommerce company, whose logistics operations are the responsibility of the Hermes Group. Otto Group is a German family firm founded over 75 years ago and is currently one of the largest integrated eCommerce companies in the world with a presence in over 30 countries.

The orders that are to be handled in the Iłowa centre are to mainly comprise clothing, textiles, jewellery, toys, small home appliances and small electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets. With the optimised systems almost 80.0 million items can be delivered from the centre every year, but the centre is to be prepared to handle up to twice this number of orders. At first the centre is mainly to serve Germany, but in future this could be extended to include Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Italy.

Located just 20 km from the German border, the development is to be certified under DGNB for a rating of Gold. The centre has been equipped with a photovoltaic installation with a capacity of 0.5 MWp, although this could be increased by a further 1.5 MWp. The share of renewably-sourced energy in the centre’s annual requirement for final energy comes to 27.3%, which is an extremely good figure that also allows the annual requirement for primary energy to be lowered by over 24.2% (two times less than what is required by the taxonomy in this regard). The centre is equipped with an advanced BMS system which controls systems such as the central ventilation system with heat recovery and the building’s lighting.

The office area has been finished to a high standard and includes worker areas for relaxation and creativity. Additionally, the centre is equipped with facilities for the disabled. Care has been taken to provide ample parking for bicycles with around 200 spaces as well as to provide facilities for electric vehicles with 22 charging stations.

Maersk has opened a brand-new warehouse in Sri Lanka at Wattala, a testament to Maersk's commitment to providing integrated supply chain solutions, offering a strategic advantage for various global customers and local suppliers in the retail and lifestyle sector.

The 9,290 m2 facility, with export consolidation and 3PL services, lies close to key manufacturing hubs, consumption markets, and port infrastructure for quick turnaround times.

By leveraging Sri Lanka's growing prominence as a logistics hub and investing in infrastructure that customers have shown interest in, Maersk aims to deliver unparalleled value to its clients while contributing to Sri Lanka's economic growth and development.

Strategically located in Wattala, a mere 11 km from the seaport, Maersk's new facility is poised to leverage Sri Lanka's advantageous geographical position as a vital hub for trade routes connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. With the country's thriving trade sector and government initiatives to improve infrastructure and ease of doing business, Sri Lanka presents an ideal environment for Maersk to strengthen its presence in this strategic market.

The warehouse offers export consolidation and 3PL services, with 4,645 m2 dedicated to each. Maersk's new facility will provide end-to-end supply chain solutions, including storage, inventory management, and distribution, serving global and local customers. The 3PL facility allows suppliers to store their cargo and move quickly to consolidation points without losing time. Maersk’s next-door empty yard provides faster movement of containers into the consolidation point and then to the port. This new warehouse will be able to serve almost the entire Colombo market within four hours.

Further, the facility features rainwater harvesting, LED lighting, and solar module compatibility for environment-friendly operations.

Amazon is using its Innovation Lab, home to a diverse team of scientists and engineers from all over the world, to develop and test new technologies to better support employees and deliver for customers. Nestling among the centuries-old rice fields of Vercelli, northern Italy, is a building that is shaping the future of work. The Amazon Operations Innovation Lab is one of Europe’s most advanced centres for robotic innovation, an international centre of excellence where scientists and engineers develop and test new technologies, including advanced robotics and AI-powered innovations that are shaping the future of work across the Company’s network.

Established in 2017, the lab serves as the hub for the global Mechatronics & Sustainable Packaging team. This team was formed in 2019 and by the end of 2024 will have been responsible of the installation of over 1,000 new robotics and AI-powered innovations throughout Amazon’s European fulfilment centre (FC) network, representing an investment of more €700.0 million. These cutting-edge technologies encompass item sorters, pallet movers, and automated guide vehicles, actively supporting Amazon employees in their roles across its sites. Robotics and technology play a crucial role in enhancing the operations network, while AI enables Amazon to scale these advancements for a global operation serving millions of customers worldwide.

With each technology comes different skill requirements, and in many cases the creation of new specific roles. In fact, over 50,000 jobs in FCs across Europe have been enhanced by the introduction of new technologies over the last decade which support employees in their roles, providing them with a safer working environment and upskilling opportunities. At the same time, robotics and AI-powered innovation improve price, selection, and convenience for customers. It is one of the factors that in 2023 enabled Amazon to deliver to Prime members at the fastest speeds ever globally, with more than seven billion units arriving the same or next day, including more than four billion in the US and more than two billion in Europe.

The lab is more than just the international innovation hub for Amazon teams. It serves as a training centre for Amazon Robotics operators, as well as a testing ground for start-ups receiving funding and guidance through the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. Moreover, starting in 2024, the lab will be open for public tours, offering customers, schools or anyone interested the opportunity to discover how Amazon create and develop innovations.

In 2024 alone, Amazon expect to introduce 120 new pieces of automation technologies across its European network. Here are some of the most exciting innovations emerging from Amazon labs in recent years, including the Universal Robotic Labeler (URL) that was unveiled today, and how they are reshaping the workplace and beyond.

1. Universal Robotic Labeller (URL)

The URL (Universal Robotic Labeler) is a high-speed auto-labelling technology that improves label placement and adhesion on irregular surfaces. Its innovation lies in its ability to apply different types and dimensions of labels, and on different types of irregularly shaped products. On one hand, it allows for applying smaller labels, hence reducing packaging dimensions; while on the other it allows for placing labels on paper-bags, even irregularly shaped ones, or directly onto products to ship in product packaging, eliminating the need for additional packaging and contributing to reduced waste on the customer’s side. The URL machine represents a significant advancement in Amazon’s fulfilment technology. It improves the entire labelling process, contributing to sustainability goals, and, ultimately, benefiting employees’ roles, customer experience, and the environment.

2. Universal Item Sorter (UIS)

The Universal Item Sorter (UIS) ensures that thousands of products are efficiently sorted into shipping locations every day. Upon induction, the system utilises advanced wireless technology to move shuttles, called iBOTs, that travel in various directions carrying the items and delivering each to a tote – already matched to its final destination. This meticulous planning ensures the accurate pairing of the right item with the corresponding tote. The UIS prioritises safety and ergonomics in the workplace. By incorporating intelligent technology, it minimises physical strain on employees, contributing to a safer workplace. Furthermore, the UIS provides space-efficient sortation capability: this system can accommodate up to 40 different totes, corresponding to 40 different destinations, in a compact footprint. This allows Amazon to reduce building dimensions, in turn reducing both its footprint and energy consumption.

3. Automated Tote Retriever (ATR)

The Automated Tote Retriever (ATR) complements the UIS (Universal Item Sorter) in optimising processes and improving safety and ergonomics for employees. A shuttle connected to the UIS moves on a rail track along the full length of the UIS wall and receives notifications when a tote is full. In response, the shuttle moves towards the full tote, using a special gripper to replace it with an empty one. Once completed, the UIS resumes delivering items to this location, repeating the process seamlessly. By automating the tote replacement process, the ATR reduces manual effort, contributing to a more streamlined and ergonomic workflow with fewer steps and reduced lifting for employees, while improving efficiency.

4. Bag Containerization Matrix Sorter (BCMS)

The Bag Containerization Matrix Sorter (BCMS) optimises sorting capacity by identifying and grouping parcels with the same end destination within FCs, providing an ergonomic and space-efficient sortation capability, within a compact footprint. The system innovatively categorises packages into transportation bags, ready for last mile delivery. This avoids unnecessary double touch of the same parcel in an FC and in a sort-centre, optimising operational efficiency, while reducing human effort.

5. Automated Guided Cart (AGC)

The Automated Guided Cart (AGC) is a flat, autonomous robot on wheels that slides under stacks of empty totes, and automatically carts them around FCs. In so doing, it reduces the need for employees to push or carry heavy loads over long distances. Sensors on the bottom of the robot read a magnetic tape on the floor to self-navigate, while safety scanners detect if any people or obstacles are in the way so the AGC can slow down or stop, until the path is clear.

6. Flat Sorter Robotic Induct (FSRI)

Robots love things to be in order, and the FSRI is a clever piece of kit that ensures packages move through the FC at a smooth, steady, and ordered rate. The FSRI takes over repetitive tasks, making life easier for employees. With smart vision sensors, it spots packages wherever they end up on the conveyor, and a nifty robotic arm swoops in to pick them up and send them on their way. Additionally, the robot's 'hand' uses suction cups to gracefully handle all sorts of packages.

7. Robotic Tote Palletizer (RTP)

The Robotic Tote Palletizer (RTP) technology is a fundamental part of the palletisation process. It has two robotic arms working in harmony to condense several totes into neat, double-stacked pallets with precision and care. The first arm gathers three or four layers of totes on a single pallet, while the second stacks two pallets on top of each other, creating a single unit. The RTP then ties everything safely together with straps, and applies a shipping label, before an employee moves the double stack safely into a trailer destined for the shipping dock. It’s a complex series of actions that contributes to a safer and more ergonomic process, ultimately saving employees from repetitive heavy-lifting.

8. Amazon’s automated packaging technology

Automated packaging technology creates custom-fit paper bags on demand by scanning items and calculating the right amount of paper needed for quick and accurate packing. This machine packs individual items – such as video games, sports equipment, and office supplies – in made-to-measure paper bags which are durable and flexible. Using heat-sealing technology, it secures each bag, minimising empty space. By packing items in 100.0% recyclable light paper packaging, which is made-to-fit without the need for padding, the machines help to avoid more than 26 grams of packaging per shipment, on average. Lightweight paper bags used by Amazon are up to 90.0% lighter than similar-sized cardboard boxes.

9. Amazon Robotics Floor

The Amazon Robotics Floor is the heart of a fulfilment centre. It transforms inventory management while prioritising employee safety and comfort in a space where technologies work together in harmony with people to store and pick millions of items. Thousands of AR (Amazon Robotics) drive units efficiently and navigate under the yellow pods, bringing them to ergonomic workstations and back to the inventory storage area. This eliminates the need for employees to walk long distances when transporting items.

CSafe is launching three new technologies to build upon CSafe's comprehensive, data-leveraged portfolio of solutions, integrating real-time data tracking to ensure maximum visibility and confidence throughout the shipping journey.

CSafe's new technologies address the most pressing challenges that pharmaceutical companies and other key players in the cold chain industry face today.

CSafe's Multi-Use Dewars, the first in the CGT Cryo Series, are designed to serve the quickly growing cell and gene therapy market. These cryogenic, reusable dewars maintain the coldest temperature range of any dewar available on the market, -150C or colder. This cutting-edge technology uses liquid nitrogen dry vapour units and includes a built-in TracSafe RLT real-time data tracking device.

CSafe Connect Control Tower, the Company's new white-glove shipment monitoring service, provides customers with ultimate visibility into real-time shipping data such as GPS location, cargo temperature and more. The Company's dedicated service team monitors shipments 24/7/365 to identify and escalate potential temperature deviations or issues to the appropriate stakeholders. The service also includes shipment creation and preconditioning, as well as reporting upon shipment delivery.

Silverpod MAX RE is CSafe's newest reusable shipping solution, designed to help customers meet their sustainability targets. An evolution of CSafe's flagship Silverpod technology, the Silverpod MAX RE is a highly durable pallet shipper made entirely of reusable components. It uses high-performing, recyclable PCM coolants to enable safe storage before and during shipping and provides 120+ hours of qualified thermal protection. An integrated real-time tracking device offers customers the ultimate in shipment visibility.

CSafe is known for being a trusted provider of temperature-controlled and digital solutions that help life science organisations protect and transport critical, life-enhancing products, anywhere in the world. The addition of its latest products strengthens its comprehensive portfolio of offerings, and underscores its commitment to meeting customer demands through creative solutions.

The Company holds numerous patents, and its latest round of innovations continue to push boundaries that set it apart from competitors. Recently, the patented designs for CSafe's air cargo containers have been upheld by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), reaffirming the novel and innovative nature of CSafe's inventions.

The Belgian entity of PepsiCo has decided to overhaul its logistics operations by building a fully automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) to house the daily production of 2.0 million bags of crisps and other snacks. The Automated Pallet Shuttle is one of the most efficient high-density storage solutions on the market, ensuring extremely high product inflows and outflows. To streamline internal goods movements, the AS/RS will be connected to the plant’s production lines via a conveyor system extending over 100m in length.

The AS/RS will comprise four aisles with two blocks of racking on each side. Twelve transfer cars (one on each storage level) will move goods to the corresponding storage channel. Once there, a motorised shuttle car will automatically transport pallets to their locations.

PepsiCo will also implement Mecalux’s Easy WMS warehouse management system for real-time stock control. This software will be integrated with the Company’s ERP system to ensure that operations run smoothly. It will coordinate the flow of products, managing their journey from production to the AS/RS as well as their seamless preparation for distribution to clients.

PepsiCo acquired the factory in Veurne, Belgium, 25 years ago. Since then, the facility has become one of the largest crisps and snacks production plants in Europe. It spans more than 40,000 m2 — the size of eight football pitches — and stands out for its cutting-edge and sustainable technology. Crisps and snacks brands produced include Lay’s, Doritos, Bugles and Cheetos. The new AS/RS will complement the factory in Veurne.

WiseTech Global has entered into an agreement to acquire Aktiv Data, a provider of electronic customs and freight forwarding solutions in Finland. Founded in 2006, and headquartered in Jakobstad, Aktiv Data offers a cloud-based freight forwarding and customs system called nTrax, as well as freight forwarding, bonded warehouse and waybill products.

nTrax supports multiple local and transit customs procedures with a direct message exchange to the Finnish Customs office. Aktiv Data’s customers are international and Finnish forwarders and shippers, including Steveco.

Aktiv Data provides a proven and sophisticated electronic customs solution that will be offered to CargoWise customers, making it easier for them to comply with Finland’s cross-border requirements. Finland has the second highest container port throughput in Northern Europe. Its top exports are machinery, mineral fuels and paper products to markets across the European Union and US.

WiseTech Global’s strategy is to provide a single global customs system for customs clearance and cross-border compliance to make customs processing more efficient, compliant, and secure for international freight forwarders. With Aktiv Data, its global customs system will cover more global manufactured trade flows, taking it closer to the 90% target.

Aktiv Data’s operations will be integrated within the WiseTech Global group and remain under the current leadership of Kaj Svarvar. Aktiv Data will continue to deliver their customs solutions directly to their customers and offer other CargoWise solutions over time.

DHL Global Forwarding has announced the first investment of the Prada Group in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits, utilising DHL Global Forwarding's GoGreen Plus service. By leveraging sustainable fuels, DHL Global Forwarding is able to support customers in effectively reducing their transport emissions from air freight.

Already in 2023, the partnership with DHL allowed Prada Group to save approximately 4,500 metric tons of CO2e, which would correspond to 7.0% of the Group's total transport associated emissions.

Today SAF is one of the most effective ways to decarbonise the aviation industry, allowing for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80.0% compared to conventional aviation fuel. The fuel itself is produced from waste sources, such as used cooking oil and food waste. DHL follows hereby an insetting approach, utilising sustainable fuels to reduce emissions directly at the source. Air carriers use sustainable biofuels on behalf of DHL, leading to reductions in emissions. These emission reductions are transferred to DHL, who then allocates them to the shippers in the form of certificates.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) utilised by DHL for the Prada Group is certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC). This certification guarantees that the fuel is produced in compliance with rigorous sustainability standards. The ISCC is an independent initiative and renowned certification system that promotes sustainable, traceable, deforestation-free, and climate-friendly supply chains. It covers various materials including sustainable agricultural biomass, biogenic wastes and residues, non-biological renewable materials, and recycled carbon-based materials.

As of today, GHG Protocol - adopted by the Prada Group for its GHG Inventory - does not take into account reductions from Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchased for Scope 3 via book & claim, therefore emissions saved are not included in the total carbon footprint calculation.

DFDS has reaffirmed a commitment to the electrification of cross-channel transport after meeting with UK Minister for Investment and Regulatory Reform, Lord Dominic Johnson. DFDS's long-term goal is to have up to six battery-powered vessels operating on its routes on the Channel, with the first two in service by 2030.

The UK Minister for Investment and Regulatory Reform visited DFDS headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss decarbonisation of the shipping sector and the electrification of maritime traffic across the English Channel.

DFDS will deploy two battery-powered vessels in the Eastern Channel by 2030. This is a part of a programme to invest in six green vessels – two methanol, two ammoniac and two electric – for a total of around DKK7.3 billion over the next six years. The long-term goal is to introduce up to six fully electric vessels on the channel, which would be the world's largest electric ferries.

Because of the relative short distance between the UK and the European continent, the routes on the channel are optimal for electric ferry transport. The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world. It links two of the world’s biggest economies and accounts for 33.0% of the trade between the EU and the UK.

The green transition of maritime transport on the Channel not only relies on the ships at sea. A sufficient power supply on land and infrastructure to accommodate recharging facilities in ports are equally important to be able to complete the fleet electrification. The transition is not going to be easy. It requires significant investments in innovation, technology and infrastructure, and collaboration and partnerships between the public and private sectors.

DFDS has 12 routes connecting UK to France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark and employs 3,300 people in five ports, several logistics offices in the UK and onboard three UK flagged vessels.

More than 50.0% of Amazon’s European shipments now come in reduced, recyclable delivery packaging, such as a paper bag or cardboard envelope or – in the case of 700 million shipments since 2019 – no added packaging at all.

Ships in Product Packaging is used for eligible items that don’t require any additional Amazon packaging at all, the products ship in the original manufacturer’s packaging, with only a customer address label added. In addition to waste reduction, no added packaging can also mean shipments are lighter, which leads to reduced delivery emissions per package, as well as less to recycle. More than 700 million shipments in Europe have already been delivered without additional packaging in the past five years through this programme.

For items that need additional packaging, Amazon use paper bags and card envelopes which are up to 90.0% lighter than similar-sized corrugated carboard boxes, require less packaging material, and result in less empty space in each package shipped.

In February this year, Amazon started offering incentives to third-party sellers enrolled in the Fulfilment by Amazon programme to re-engineer their packaging and certify their products under the Ships in Product Packaging programme.

The Operations Innovation Lab is the place where Amazon test the latest packaging technologies for Europe. It features dedicated equipment such as an automated machine that creates made-to-fit packaging, and an innovative labelling robot that automates label application for packages that can be shipped without added delivery packaging.

When additional Amazon packaging is required to ship a product, Amazon use paper-based packaging that can be easily recycled in customers’ household recycling. In Europe, all of the Company’s delivery packaging, the boxes, bags and envelopes that Amazon pack products in to deliver to customers, is recyclable. This includes delivery packaging for items sold directly by Amazon, and by third-party selling partners that use Fulfilment by Amazon.

However, Amazon also want to use as little packaging as possible to minimise its impact. Over the last several years, it has significantly reduced packaging by using Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to identify products that can be safely delivered in lighter, smaller packaging. The Packaging Decision Engine is an AI model helping to determine the most efficient packaging options to ship millions of items available to customers. Data scientists have trained the model to understand a variety of product attributes, including an item’s shape and durability, and to analyse customer feedback on how different packaging options have performed. The model is constantly learning and has helped reduce packaging use.

Amazon is also testing a new recyclable paper-padded envelope across Europe. The envelope is made entirely from paper, optimised for weight, flexibility, and impact resistance. The paper padding inside the mailer provides the required protection to the products inside, absorbing the stress put on the package during its journey to reach the customer. It’s much lighter than cardboard envelopes and boxes, easier to fill without wasted space, and requires less carbon to manufacture and transport it. When packages are the right size, Amazon can fit more of them in every van, leading to fewer van journeys, which in turn helps with the goal to be net-zero carbon across its operations by 2040. Paper-padded envelopes can be disposed of in household recycling.

Amazon has developed new machines that create on-demand, recyclable, made-to-fit packages, reducing the volume of packaging for thousands of everyday items. Using an in-built sensor, the machines scan items such as video games, kitchen gadgets, sports equipment, and office supplies, each of which were previously sent in boxes and cardboard folders, and then cut the paper bag from rolls of paper in real time, in order to pack the items securely. Each bag is secured using heat-sealing technology, enabling the machines to pack quickly and accurately, while minimising empty space around the contents. No glue is needed to seal the packaging, which further reduces resource usage. By packing items in 100.0% recyclable light paper packaging, which is made-to-fit without the need for padding, the machines help to avoid more than 26 grams of packaging per shipment, on average.

As Amazon is reducing packaging and improving the recyclability of packaging materials, it is also investing in innovative labelling technologies. It is testing a new Universal Robotic Labeller, a high-speed auto-labelling machine that improves label placement and adhesion on paper bags and products that ship in their own packaging. The new machine allows Amazon to place labels automatically onto smaller sized and uniquely shaped packaging, reducing materials, lowering costs, and increasing speed and efficiency. It is also testing a new easy-peel label technology in Europe and the US that allows customers to remove shipping labels from their Ships in Product Packaging boxes after delivery.

In 2022, 11.0% of all packages shipped globally were without added Amazon delivery packaging through the Ships in Product Packaging programme. Since 2015, Amazon has reduced its per-shipment packaging weight by 41.0%, on average, representing more than 2.0 million tons of packaging materials avoided. Amazon’s teams are working every day to improve its packaging and transform its transportation network to make it more sustainable, including electrifying the delivery fleet and sourcing alternatives to fossil fuels.

Nippon Express Holdings has begun offering the NX-GREEN SAF Program in Japan, which enables customers to purchase the environmental attributes derived from sustainable aviation fuel SAF to reduce CO2 emissions in customers' supply chain.

The NX-GREEN SAF Program, which began service in NX Europe in July 2023, is a carbon-insetting programme that can be used to reduce CO2 emissions from all air transport services provided by the NX Group.

Air transport utilising SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by about 80.0% compared to conventional fossil fuels. This programme is available for transport services arranged by the NX Group, and is the first Japanese-affiliated forwarder to offer such a service without restrictions on the choice of airline. Customers participating in the programme will be issued with a CO2 reduction verification statement verified by SGS, one of the world's largest certification bodies, that can be used in the information disclosure required by the TCFD and CDP.

To address climate change, the NX Group has set the goals of reducing its own CO2 emissions (SCOPE 1 and 2) by 50.0% from 2013 levels by 2030, and of helping realise carbon-neutral societies by 2050 (Scope 1, 2 and 3). The Group submitted a letter of commitment in May 2023 to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to have its targets validated.

The NX Group will continue practicing sustainability management from a long-term perspective and contributing to better lives for people and the development of sustainable societies by addressing climate change through its business.

Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) has signed a partnership with White Logistics to explore the suitability of zero-emission hydrogen HGV technology for adoption onto their fleet. White Logistics have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with HVS which will provide them with trial vehicles for their fleet, where they can test drive the vehicles on their delivery routes and experience hydrogen fuelling equipment first hand.

The agreement will enable White Logistics to collaborate with HVS on all aspects of hydrogen electric vehicle technology, hydrogen infrastructure and refuelling equipment and share operational data that will ensure a successful trial introduction.

White Logistics will be in a favourable position to convert part of its fleet to these cutting edge, zero-emission HGVs following this trial period.

With a fleet of over 150 delivery vehicles and trailers, of which over 90 are heavy trucks, White Logistics has been providing comprehensive warehouse, storage and logistics solutions to businesses nationwide for over 50 years. From their base in the heart of Worcestershire, UK, close to the motorway network, White’s is committed to driving sustainable initiatives that decrease their carbon footprint and that of their customers and subcontractors.

APL Logistics deployed the first, 100.0% electric heavy duty prime movers for Nike’s first-mile transportation movements in Southern China in early February 2024. This significant milestone aligns with Nike’s ambitious commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030.

In just over two months, both companies came together to successfully deploy three trucks that will stop over 2,000 MT CO2e from being released into the atmosphere each year. These Nike-dedicated vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, and each truck in circulation will eliminate hundreds of diesel-powered kilometres from Nike’s supply chain each week.

The successful electrification of these trucks is just the beginning. This collaboration demonstrates commitment from both companies to protecting the environment and building carbon-free supply chains.

Nike and APL Logistics employees came together at APL’s Shenzhen warehouse to celebrate this greener origin transportation breakthrough.

GXO Logistics, Inc. has announced the appointment of Corinna Refsgaard as Chief Human Resources Officer, reporting to CEO Malcolm Wilson. Refsgaard will be responsible for global talent strategy as well as all strategic, operational and transformational HR processes, including compensation and benefits, workforce planning and performance management. She will be based in London.

Corinna has extensive experience across all facets of Human Resources in large-scale global organisations and will bring a sharp focus on people from recruitment and development to engagement and inclusion.

Previously, Refsgaard served as Group Chief People and Culture Officer at ISS, one of the world’s leading workplace experience and facility management companies. Over the course of three decades, she has held global, regional and business unit HR roles at firms, including Kontron, Fujitsu Technology Solutions, EADS and Mercedes-Benz.

Premier Transportation has announced the promotion of Tim Pilato, former President, to the role of Co-CEO alongside Premier's Chairman and CEO, Mike Medici. In this role, Pilato will join Medici in leading Premier Transportation, continuing to set new standards by creating a long-term strategy to drive growth and success.

Pilato's extensive experience and track record of success make him a valuable asset to Premier Transportation. His proven leadership skills and industry knowledge will undoubtedly contribute to the Company's continued development and prosperity.

Pilato previously served as President at Premier Transportation and has been an essential leadership figure, helping shape the Company’s culture and values while overseeing its overall performance and continued success.