[311220.EN.SEA] FMC To Launch Investigation Into Carriers' Role In Congestion

 

THE US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), announced an investigation into carriers' role in congestion at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York, and New Jersey.

Commissioners Carl Bentzel and Daniel Maffei expressed their concern with reports that carriers were refusing to receive export bookings, and that high import demand was causing operational challenges.

"We want to stress the point that in responding to import cargo challenges, ocean carriers should not lose sight of their common carriage obligations to provide service to US exporters," said the commissioners.

"As our ports experience unprecedented cargo surges, it is imperative that we strive for a balanced trade to keep our supply chain fully effective and efficient while maintaining vital export opportunities for the US agriculture and manufacturing bases," said the commissioners.

Some carriers are refusing export bookings so they can ship empty containers back to Asia faster to be refilled with higher-paying US imports from Asia.

"The fundamental driver here is the enormous, record-breaking consumer demand in the US [and in other developed economies], which has to be satisfied. So, the equipment crunch is a symptom, not a cause," said World Shipping Council (WSC) CEO John Butler.

The Shipping Act of 1984 forbid carriers from unreasonably refusing to deal or negotiate, and that two or more carriers can't agree to boycott a shipper.

"Although we are very concerned about reports of refusals to provide service to our export community, we would be remiss in not acknowledging the extraordinary challenges caused to the supply chain because of Covid-19," said the commissioners.

Source : HKSG / Photo : Interlog USA.

[311220.ID.BIZ] RI Jadi Negara Pertama Di Dunia Yang Miliki Industri Baterai Mobil Listrik Hulu-hilir

 

KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanam Modal (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia mengemukakan pemerintah dan salah satu unit perusahaan Korea Selatan LG Group telah meneken nota kesepahaman (MOU) proyek investasi baterai kendaraan listrik (EV) senilai US$ 9,8 miliar atau Rp 142 triliun (kurs: Rp 14.500 per dolar AS)

Bahlil menambahkan kesepakatan diteken pada 18 Desember lalu dan mencakup investasi di seluruh rantai pasokan EV.

Melalui kesepakatan tersebut menjadikan Indonesia sebagai negara pertama di dunia yang mengintegrasikan industri aki listrik dari pertambangan hingga memproduksi aki litium mobil listrik.

“Kami sudah menandatangani MOU pembangunan pabrik baterai listrik terintegrasi dari hulu hingga hilir,” kata Bahlil melansir Reuters, Rabu (30/12).

“Tambang, smelter, prekursor, katoda, mobil hingga fasilitas daur ulang akan dibangun di Indonesia,” ujarnya seraya menambahkan proyek tersebut akan berlokasi di Maluku Utara dan Jawa Tengah.

Berdasarkan MOU, setidaknya 70% bijih nikel yang digunakan untuk memproduksi baterai EV harus diproses di Indonesia.

Indonesia bertujuan untuk mulai memproses pasokan bijih nikel lateritnya yang kaya untuk digunakan dalam baterai lithium sebagai bagian dari upaya menuju hub global memproduksi dan mengekspor EV.

Indonesia mengatakan awal bulan ini bahwa produsen mobil Amerika Serikat (AS) Tesla akan mengirim delegasi ke Indonesia pada Januari 2021 untuk membahas potensi investasi dalam rantai pasokan untuk kendaraan listriknya.

Sumber : Kontan, 31.12.2020.

[301220.EN.BIZ] THE Alliance Offers Weekly Asia Container Service From New Orleans

 

THE Alliance has announced that the East Coast Loop 6 (EC6) service via the Panama Canal will call the Port of New Orleans starting in April, reported the American Journal of Commerce.

Alliance members Ocean Network Express (ONE), Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Yang Ming Line said the EC6 is "the first service within the network to directly and seamlessly connect the US Gulf with important ports in Asia".

The MOL Emissary vessel part of the Ocean Network Express (ONE) line serving New Orleans as part of THE Alliance scheduled to bring a new direct-Asia service to the Port of New Orleans.

Port NOLA president and CEO Brandy Christian said the new service expands New Orleans' direct connectivity with key ports in Asia and offers additional options.

"We are pleased to welcome THE Alliance's new service to the Port of New Orleans," said Ms Christian.

"This new direct-Asia service highlights the industry's continued investment in the New Orleans market. We look forward to continuing to work with long-standing partner Hapag Lloyd as well as newer to Port NOLA carriers, ONE, HMM and Yang Ming to make this service a success for our shipper and carrier partners," she said.

The direct ports of call will be Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Yantian, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, (Panama), Houston, Mobile, New Orleans, (Panama) and back to Kaohsiung. The new service will be handled by terminal operator Ports America at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal.

The additional capacity will support Port NOLA's growing export business for commodities such as resin, poultry, forestry and agricultural products.

While known for its robust export growth, the port saw 13 per cent loaded import TEU growth last year. This service will also further support Port NOLA's import growth from overseas markets and new distribution centre announcements in Louisiana including Medline and Amazon, which together collectively total nearly two million square feet of distribution centre space.

Port NOLA is currently in the process of a US$100 million expansion project at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal that will add four new 100-foot-gauge container gantry cranes in the fourth quarter of 2021. This expansion will increase capacity to one million TEU and allows the Port to work larger ships more efficiently.

The addition of THE Alliance service continues to promote this trajectory and expands upon Port NOLA's direct weekly container service count that now increases to 14. This new direct-Asia container service adds to Port NOLA's two existing direct-Asia services including the MSC's Lone Star Express service, with Maersk and ZIM as partners and CMA CGM's PEX 3 service with Cosco, Evergreen and OOCL as partners.

Source : HKSG.

[301220.ID.SEA] Sah! Konsorsium CTCorp Jadi Operator Pelabuhan Patimban

 

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA - Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) mengumumkan pemenang proyek Pelabuhan Patimban, Subang, Jawa Barat pada Rabu, (30/12/2020). Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi dan kesepakatan negosiasi, Kemenhub resmi menunjuk Konsorsium Patimban yang dipimpin CTCorp Infrastruktur sebagai operator hasil lelang.

Kemenhub telah menerbitkan Keputusan Direktur Jenderal Perhubungan Laut selaku Penanggung Jawab Proyek Kerja Sama (PJPK) Proyek KPBU Pelabuhan Patimban Nomor KP.910/DJPL/2020 pada 29 Desember 2020 tentang Penetapan Hasil Penunjukkan Langsung Pengadaan Badan Usaha Pelaksana Proyek KPBU Pelabuhan Patimban.

Setelah itu, dilaksanakan pengumuman oleh Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Laut selaku Panitia Pengadaan Badan Usaha Pelaksana Kerja Sama Pemerintah dengan Badan Usaha (KPBU) Pelabuhan Patimban bahwa Badan Usaha yang resmi ditunjuk untuk melaksanakan proyek tersebut adalah Konsorsium Patimban.

Juru Bicara Kementerian Perhubungan Adita Irawati menegaskan proses dan pengumuman pemenang sudah sesuai aturan. “Proses dan pengumuman pemenang telah dilakukan sesuai ketentuan Peraturan Lembaga Kebijakan Pengadaan Barang/Jasa Pemerintah Nomor 29 Tahun 2018,” katanya, Rabu (30/12/2020).

Selanjutnya, Konsorsium Patimban yang terdiri dari PT CTCorp Infrastruktur Indonesia, PT Indika Logistic & Support Services, PT U Connectivity Services, dan PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya, akan membentuk Badan Usaha Pelaksana dan melaksanakan proyek dengan skema KPBU selama 40 tahun sejak tanggal operasi tahap 1.

Adapun dalam melaksanakan proyek pengelolaan Pelabuhan Patimban, total nilai biaya modal yang disepakati dalam kerja sama yaitu sekitar Rp18,9 triliun dan total nilai biaya operasional sekitar Rp64,3 triliun.

Sebelumnya, pada 20 Oktober 2020, Kemenhub telah mengumumkan calon operator yang lolos tahap prakualifikasi proyek Kerjasama Pemerintah dan Badan Usaha (KPBU) Pelabuhan Patimban, Jawa Barat, yang dilaksanakan dengan pendampingan bersama Lembaga Kebijakan Pengadaan Barang/Jasa Pemerintah (LKPP).

Dalam proses pemilihan, hanya satu perusahaan yang lolos pra kualifikasi, yaitu Konsorsium Patimban. Sesuai dengan Peraturan Lembaga LKPP No. 29/2018, dalam pengadaan badan usaha melalui skema Kerjasama Pemerintah dan Badan Usaha, proses lelang tetap bisa dilanjutkan meskipun hanya didapatkan satu yang lolos pra kualifikasi. Selanjutnya dilakukan negosiasi setelah proposal peserta lelang memenuhi persyaratan teknis minimum. 

Sumber : Bisnis, 30.12.2020 / Foto : Kontan.

[291220.EN.SEA] UPDATE – ONE APUS

 

By Gavin van Marle 17/12/2020

New analysis of drone video footage of the ONE Apus container vessel, which suffered a dramatic stack collapse on 30 November in the Pacific, has revealed that as much as 4,500 teu could be lost or damaged.

The 14,000 teu vessel suffered a massive container stack collapse en route to Long Beach after encountering heavy weather near Hawaii.

The carrier confirmed that 1,816 containers had been lost overboard, including 64 dangerous goods (DG) boxes. It abandoned its route and returned to Japan, berthing at Kobe last week.

Marine claims consultant WK Webster, which has a team of surveyors at Kobe and commissioned the drone operation, told The Loadstar the footage – which, courtesy of WK Webster Loadstar readers can access via this link, shows well over 2,000 containers, the vast majority of which are 40fts, have either been lost or destroyed.

“It can be seen [from the drone footage] that there are 22 bays on deck, of which 16 have collapsed to both port and starboard, leaving only six fully or partially intact,” said Michael Hird, director of cargo casualty management at WK Webster.

“With 20 rows of containers per bay, and with stack heights of between six and eight containers, we anticipate that approximately 2,250 containers have been lost or damaged.

“It will also be noted that the vast majority appear to be 40ft units and, therefore, equivalent to approximately 4,500 teu,” he said, adding that that figure would include the 1,816 units already reported by ONE.

“That would leave just over 400 collapsed on deck – except that the photos look like there are more than that on deck. So I suspect the numbers may change a little as the vessel sorts through the debris during the discharge operations,” he said.

He added that around 18 containers were understood to have been unloaded so far, while WK Webster’s latest casualty update notes that the full discharge operation is likely to run well into January.

“The task of removing containers from the deck of the ONE Apus has begun, after permission was granted by the Japanese coastguard on Friday. ONE has reported that the removal operation is likely to take over a month, although our assessment is that this may be optimistic,” it says.

The vessel was one of 18 ships of 14,000 teu deployed on THE Alliance’s FP2 weekly North Europe-Asia-North America pendulum service. According to liner database eeSea, while ONE and Yang Ming are the vessel providers, the largest slot capacity share is given over to Hapag-Lloyd, which controls 40% of the service’s slots.

ONE has 36%, Yang Ming 15% and HMM 9%.

Source : The Loadstar.

[291220.ID.BIZ] Segini Kecepatan Kereta Kargo di China Dengan Daya Angkut 110 Ton

 

Bisnis.com, BEIJING — China memiliki kereta kargo berkecepatan 350 kilometer per jam dengan daya angkut hingga 110 ton.

Beberapa media China, Kamis (24/12/2020), mengklaim bahwa kereta baru buatan CRRC Tangshan Co. Ltd. itu sebagai kereta kargo tercepat di dunia.

Satu rangkaian yang terdiri atas delapan unit gerbong tersebut mampu beradaptasi dengan lingkungan karena bisa dioperasikan di bawah temperatur minus 25 derajat Celsius hingga 40 derajat Celsius.

Tidak seperti transportasi udara dan darat lainnya, kereta cepat kargo tersebut bisa mengurangi dampak cuaca seperti hujan lebat dan angin kencang dengan kemampuan jelajah hingga 1.500 kilometer dalam waktu 5 jam, demikian dinyatakan CRRC Tangshan.

Kereta tersebut dilengkapi dengan analisis mahadata, sistem navigasi satelit Beidou, penyimpan data virtual, pita lebar, dan timbangan cerdas.

Setiap gerbong memiliki pintu geser selebar 2,9 meter dan diklaim sebagai pintu kereta terlebar di dunia.

Beberapa hari sebelumnya, China juga meluncurkan kereta cepat baru seri Fuxing dengan kecepatan 250 kilometer per jam yang beroperasi di wilayah barat.

Seri Fuxing yang terakhir tersebut lebih lambat dibandingkan dengan Fuxing generasi sebelumnya, yang memiliki kecepatan maksimum 400 kilometer per jam dan beroperasi di jalur padat Beijing—Shanghai sejak 2 tahun lalu.

Sumber : Bisnis, 24.12.2020.

[281220.EN.BIZ] End Game: EU Gives UK Fishing Ultimatum as Brexit Reaches Climax

 

THE European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, warned British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he would have to accept limits on access to the single market in return for greater control over fishing, reports Bloomberg.

"If the UK wants to cut access to these waters for European fishermen, at any given time, then the EU also has to maintain its sovereign right to react or to compensate by adjusting the conditions for products, and notably fisheries products, to the single market," said Mr Barnier.

Although the fishing industry only makes up 0.1 per cent of UK GDP, Johnson's government sees it as a symbol of national sovereignty.

The EU hopes the UK will grant European boats better access to its waters in return for doing business with the bloc in other areas.

"We're at the moment of truth. We have very few hours left if we want an agreement," said Mr Barnier.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Johnson feels the EU's position on fisheries isn't reasonable and that if there plans to be an agreement, it needs to change significantly.

"The UK could not accept a situation where it was the only sovereign country in the world not to be able to control access to its own waters for an extended period," said Mr Johnson.

Source : HKSG / Illustration : 2BM.

[281220.ID.AIR] Membanggkan! Pesawat N219 Telah Selesai Proses Sertifikasi Tipe Dari Kemenhub

 

KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) resmi menyerahkan sertifikat pesawat N219 kepada PT Dirgantara Indonesia pada Senin (28/12/2020). Penyerahan sertifikat ini, sekaligus menandakan pesawat N219 ini telah menyelesaikan proses sertifikasi tipe sesuai dengan Undang-Undang No 1 Tahun 2009.

Dalam Undang-Undang ini, disebutkan bahwa pesawat udara, mesin pesawat udara dan baling-baling pesawat yang dibuat harus memiliki rancangan bangun yang disertifikasi oleh Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan udara Kemenhub melalui rangkaian uji sertifikasi dan final certification board meeting.

Menteri Perhubungan Budi Karya Sumadi mengatakan, pesawat N219 yang merupakan karya anak bangsa telah selesai proses sertifikasi tipe. "Hal ini tentunya menjadi sejarah bagi kebangkitan industri penerbangan, dalam hal rancang bangun pesawat udara di Indonesia," ucap Budi Karya dalam konferensi virtual, Senin (28/12/2020).

Ia juga menjelaskan, pencapaian yang telah diraih dalam membangun pesawat N219 diharapkan dapat terus mendorong inovasi yang diperlukan untuk penyempurnaan teknis pada pesawat generasi selanjutnya. "Selain itu, dengan pengembangan inovasi dari PT Dirgantara Indonesia tentunya dapat meningkatkan daya saing terhadap pesawat luar negeri dan memiliki daya jual tinggi," kata Budi Karya.

Budi Karya juga menyebutkan, Kemenhub secara khusus berencana memesan pesawat N219 untuk keperluan kalibrasi fasilitas penerbangan dan memenuhi kebutuhan pesawat dalam menjangkau daerah 3TP (Tertinggal, Terpencil, Terluar dan Perbatasan).

Sementara itu menurut Direktur Jenderal Perhubungan Udara Kemenhub Novie Riyanto, sertifikasi pesawat N219 ini telah dilakukan sejak Februari 2014. "Proses sertifikasi juga tentunya sesuai dengan peraturan keselamatan penerbangan sipil, dan masa sertifikasi ini berlaku selama 3 tahun," ucap Novie.

Dalam proses sertifikasi pesawat N219, ia menyampaikan, Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Udara telah memberikan dua kali perpanjangan izin yaitu pada 8 Februari 2017 dan 11 Februari 2020.

Sumber : Kontan, 28.12.2020.

[271220.EN.BIZ] FedEx Profit up 119.6pc to US$1.2 Billion As Sales Rise 19pc

 

US express delivery giant FedEx posted a 119.6 per cent increase in second quarter net profit to US$1.2 billion, drawn on revenues of $20.6 billion, up 19 per cent.

FedEx said the global air cargo market capacity was down 23 per cent year on year due to fewer passenger aircraft flying. Air cargo demand is expected to recover to pre-Covid levels faster than passenger capacity for key intercontinental lanes, creating an opportunity for FedEx.

FedEx, which operates 680 aircraft, employs 600,000 people and has 200,000 vehicles, credited growth to booming e-commerce and volume growth in its International Priority and US domestic residential package services and price increases and peak surcharges.

E-commerce package volumes are expected to more than triple to 111 million packages per day by 2026, up from 35 million in 2019.

This was partially offset by costs to support strong demand and to expand services, variable compensation expense, and Covid related costs.

Its ground business handled an average of 12.3 million packages per day during the quarter compared with 9.6 million a year ago. Its international priority freight service saw volumes grow by 19 per cent.

Said FedEx president Raj Subramaniam: "We are in the midst of an extraordinary peak season as we handle record-breaking volumes and deliver strong service for our customers. While our regular peak season falls in November and December, our preparations were months in the making this year.

"In many ways, we have been operating at peak like levels since March due to service and e-commerce volume," said Mr Subramaniam.

"We planned meticulously throughout this year, including collaborating with our customers on innovative solutions, enhancing capacity through new and repurpose facilities and leveraging the flexibility of our network to ensure we are well-positioned to deliver during our busiest holiday shipping season to date."

Source : HKSG.

[271220.ID.BIZ] Organda: Semoga Koordinasi Angkutan Barang Lebih Baik

 

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Organisasi Angkutan Darat (Organda) mengharapkan adanya koordinasi dan solusi yang lebih baik pada tahun depan tak hanya melarang melintasnya truk angkutan barang pada periode padat pemudik baik lebaran maupun Natal dan Tahun Baru.

Ketua Bidang Angkutan Barang Organda Ivan Kamadjaja mengatakan saat ini pada masa awal penerapan pelarangan angkutan barang pada momen Natal dan Tahun Baru ini terdapat kebingungan di lapangan. Ivan membeberkan terdapat imbas kejadian penutupan Pintu Tol Koja, Pintu Tol Bogasari, Pintu Tol Semper, Pintu Tol Rorotan pada 23 Desember 2020 pukul 01.30 oleh petugas tol dan Patroli Jalan Raya.

Menurutnya karena akses pintu tol di tutup maka angkutan barang menmpuk di Tanjung Priok - Cakung dan mengalami kemacetan parah. Dia melanjutkan setelah kemacetan yang panjang dan semua truk parkir depan gerbang Tol Rorotan, maka pada jam 02.15 pintu Tol Rorotan kembali dibuka.

“Ada juga laporan pukul 09.00, truk yang sudah melintas di dalam tol Jakarta - Cikampek dikeluarkan di Tol Karawang Barat dan harus mutar sampai Cikampek, padahal jalanan lancar,” ujarnya, Minggu (27/12/2020).

Tak hanya itu, dia juga membenarkan adanya kejadian truk ekspor tidak bisa masuk Tol Cakung/Semper oleh petugas Patroli Jalan Raya.

Selain peristiwa di atas, kata dia, salah satu anggota juga melaporkan bahwa truknya dikeluarkan di tol cikarang tetapi kondisi jalan non tol juga mengalami kemacetan parah karena semua truk di keluarkan Tol Cikarang. Akibatnya pengemudi menjadi kebingungan mencari tempat.

“Kami menyesali kejadian yang terus berulang terkait penerapan di lapangan. Namun kami juga mengapresiasi tanggapan cepat dari Dishub dan Korlantas atas laporan-laporan kami. Kami harap ada koordinasi dan solusi yang lebih baik untuk tahun depan,” imbuhnya.

Kementerian Perhubungan juga diberitakan melarang melintasi jalan tol mulai 28 Desember sampai 2 Januari 2021 guna kelancaran arus lalu lintas selama masa pergantian tahun baru. Pelarangan angkutan barang melintasi ruas jalan tol tersebut, karena diberlakukan pengalihan arus lalu lintas dari 28 Desember sampai 2 Januari 2021.

Sumber : Bisnis, 27.12.2020.

[261220.EN.BIZ] Forwarders Furious Over 'Monstrous' Rise In Air Cargo Handling Charges

 

FORWARDERS have expressed anger at the latest round of air terminal handling charge increases, calling them "monstrous", with one describing the hikes as "a joke".

WFS is the latest to unveil new charges for January, which, at Heathrow, include a GBP22.50 (US$30.35) Covid charge, with import fees for loose cargo set at GBP0.20 per kg.

Dnata, which, like Swissport, publishes charges in April and October, is currently charging GBP0.18/kg, while Swissport is at GBP0.19.

"This is a real joke," said one forwarder. "They [the charges] are phenomenal, and some of the highest handling rates for air cargo globally - it's about GBP2,500 for a 10-tonne shipment.

"The WFS charges are monstrous. They are halving staff, elongating cargo availability and readiness and then charging substantially more for it, and that's without the Covid fee, reports UK's Loadstar.

"We are paying Rolls-Royce Phantom prices for an Austin Allegro."

He added: "The problem is that we are a captive audience, we have to use the handlers the airlines use, and we just have to pay."

While one forwarder said he didn't expect to see any additional investment from handlers despite the charges, WFS claimed it was investing.

In a statement, WFS said: "Our terminal handling charges are reviewed annually and communicated to our customers. They are implemented at country level and reflect particular cost structures in each country, reflecting rising labour and operating costs, capital investments, technology improvements, rent increases and other developments implemented across our business which also help to deliver productivity gains and other benefits for our customers.

"For example, these include our investments in dedicated pharma facilities across our network and the deployment of new technologies, such as our upgraded and improved operating system to reduce truck waiting times for collections and deliveries through the use of slot bookings/dock times and kiosks to speed up vehicle processing at WFS facilities.

Menzies, meanwhile, said it had no immediate plans to increase its tariff, and has already withdrawn its Covid fee. But it said handlers needed to charge enough to ensure a sustainable business.

Source : HKSG.

[261220.ID.BIZ] Gubernur BI: Ekonomi Indonesia Tahun Depan Akan Tumbuh 4,8%-5,8%

 

KONTAN.CO.ID -  JAKARTA. Bank Indonesia (BI) optimistis perekonomian Indonesia di tahun 2021 akan kembali ke zona positif, bahkan melesat hingga berada di kisaran 4,8% hingga 5,8%.

Gubernur BI Perry Warjiyo menyebut, ketahanan perekonomian di tahun depan ditopang oleh membaiknya sejumlah komponen pembentuk produk domestik bruto (PDB).

“Sumber PDB (tahun depan) yang pertama dari ekspor, kinerja ekspor sudah baik dan tahun depan akan semakin baik didukung dengan perbaikan pertumbuhan ekonomi global,” ujar Perry.

Sumber pertumbuhan ekonomi juga dari konsumsi swasta maupun konsumsi pemerintah. Menurutnya, komponen tersebut mampu kokoh menopang perekonomian domestik seiring dengan bergulirnya stimulus fiskal lewat program perlindungan sosial.

Sumber : Kontan, 26.12.2020.

[251220.EN.BIZ] Refusing US Export Cargo May Violate Shipping Act, FMC Warns

 

FEDERAL Maritime Commission commissioners Carl Bentzel and Daniel Maffei sent a letter to the World Shipping Council expressing concern that US exporters are having their cargo refused by major ocean carriers - a practice that could be a violation of the Shipping Act, reports Washington, DC's Supply Chain Dive.

The letter outlines the legal requirements that carriers have in the US and notes that companies cannot discriminate against shippers or "unreasonably refuse to deal or negotiate."

Said Mr Bentzel: "The World Shipping Council itself, per se, is not authorised to suggest anything. They're an association. But we thought that they would be willing to circulate our concerns to all of their members."

US agricultural exporters have been vocal about export issues with ocean carriers for weeks. The export market out of Asia has been especially strong recently as US retailers import and restock, which has led rates for cargo departing China to soar while rates for cargo out of the US have not.

Ocean carriers have prioritised the movement of empty containers to send them to Asian exporters rather than US exporters. These issues are leading to "a lot of complaints" for the FMC beginning a couple of months ago, Mr Bentzel said.

"We were getting repeated meetings where people were talking about the frustrations with container access," he said. "We started to hear that the results of this lack of equipment was that the carriers were increasingly moving to try to get containers, in particular, back and positioned in Asia."

Mr Bentzel said he's seen communications from carriers telling exporters they have a policy not to pick up any more export cargo.

Mr Maffei said other complaints show carriers providing one to five per cent of the containers originally agreed upon in contracts.

"There are certainly some [shippers] who would be willing to pay more just in this particular instance, but they're not even being asked - their containers are being cut without any negotiation," Mr Maffei said.

"I believe they all potentially could be violations of the Shipping Act," he said. "Again, if they're actually occurring."

Shippers can bring claims against carriers through the FMC, where Administrative Law Judges will hear the case and the agency can issue fines or award reparations. The agency's Bureau of Enforcement can take similar action against carriers.

The letter from the two Democratic Commissioners, comes as the agency is stepping up its scrutiny of the carriers. FMC Commissioner Rebecca Dye met with CEOs of six ocean carriers last week to talk about container issues.

The FMC has expanded the scope of Fact Finding 29, led by Ms Dye, to investigate the container-related practices of carriers operating in alliances that call the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, or the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Source : HKSG.

[251220.ID.OTH] Kenali Dini, 7 Gejala Terinfeksi Mutasi 'Seram' Covid Inggris

 

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Belakangan, varian baru corona dari Inggris telah menyebar ke sejumlah negara. Terbaru, mutasi virus ini dilaporkan telah memasuki Singapura lewat seorang pelajar berusia 17 tahun, yang baru berpulang dari Inggris.

Varian baru corona ini disebut memiliki kemampuan menular yang sangat cepat. Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) telah memastikan bahwa virus corona jenis baru tersebut tidak lebih berbahaya atau mematikan daripada jenis yang umum ditemukan.

Dikutip dari Times of India, Jumat (25/12/2020), National Health Service (NHS) pun trlah menyoroti gejala Covid-19 yang dialami oleh pasien saat terinfeksi virus corona jenis baru ini.

Selain gejala umum seperti demam, batuk kering, dan hilangnya indra penciuman dan perasa, setidaknya ada 7 gejala lain yang telah dikaitkan dengan varian baru corona tersebut.

"Jika Anda mengalami gejala apapun terkait Covid-19, jangan ambil risiko. Anda dan keluarga harus segera melakukan isolasi dan idealnya sesegera mungkin untuk melakukan tes," kata Peneliti King's College.

Next, Berikut 7 Gejala Baru Virus Corona Varian Baru

Kelelahan

Kehilangan selera makan

Sakit kepala

Diare

Kebingungan

Nyeri otot

Ruam kulit

Sumber : CNBC Indonesia, 25.12.2020.

[241220.EN.BIZ] Container Shortage Shows China's Export Dominance in Covid Crisis

 

DATA from container tracking service provider Container xChange indicates ports in Shanghai for the week ending October 22 faced a shortage of FEUs not seen since January 2019, reported Beijing financial newsite Caixin.

The service provider's weekly Container Availability Index for the Shanghai region fell to 0.05 for the week. A number above 0.5 indicates a surplus while a number below 0.5 suggests a deficit.

The availability of containers in Shanghai peaked in February amid the outbreak of Covid in China, but supply has tightened since March after the country gradually recovered from Covid lockdowns. A similar pattern has also played out in other seaports, including Ningbo and Dalian.

Distribution problems have even induced shippers to use reefer containers or even transporting empty containers to where they are most needed, a Maersk man said.

Source : HKSG / Photo : Norman Global Logistics.

[241220.ID.BIZ] Gedung Tertinggi di Indonesia Segera Beroperasi, Lebih Tinggi Dari Empire State

 

KONTAN.CO.ID - Jakarta. Gedung tertinggi di Indonesia segera beroperasi. Gedung tertinggi di Indonesia itu adalah Autograph Tower di Kompleks Thamrin Nine, Jakarta Pusat.

Ya, tak lama lagi Jakarta bakal sejajar dengan kota-kota besar lain di dunia dalam kompetisi pencakar langit. Menyusul struktur Autograph Tower di Kompleks Thamrin Nine, Jakarta Pusat, yang telah mencapai tutup atap Oktober 2020 dan dijadwalkan beroperasi enam bulan setelah serah terima pada April 2021 mendatang.

Secara struktur yang dihitung dari lantai dasar dan mengacu pada ketentuan Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), ketinggian Autograph Tower mencapai 382,9 meter. Namun, jika dihitung dari atas permukaan tanah, gedung yang bakal difungsikan sebagai perkantoran dan hotel ini menjulang 385 meter.

Tentu saja, pencakar langit yang dikategorikan sebagai supertall ini memecahkan rekor gedung tertinggi di Indonesia. Sebelumnya, rekor gedung tertinggi dipegang oleh Gama Tower milik dua bersaudara Ganda dan Martua Sitorus, yang mengangkasa 285 meter.

Autograph Tower, di Kompleks Thamrin Nine, Jakarta Pusat adalah gedung tertinggi di Indonesia yang dijadwalkan beroperasi enam bulan setelah terah terima pada April 2021. Dengan demikian, Autograph Tower merupakan supertall pertama yang pernah dibangun oleh Jakarta, dan juga Indonesia.

Atas pencapaian ini, Presiden Direktur PT Putragaya Wahana Alvin Gozali menyatakan rasa bangganya. Menurut dia, selain di Indonesia, Autograph Tower juga menjadi gedung tertinggi di selatan ekuator. "Kami bangga dapat mempersembahkan yang terbaik kepada Jakarta, dan juga Indonesia," ujar Alvin menjawab Kompas.com, Rabu (23/12/2020).

Dalam basis data Kompas.com, meski menjadi gedung tertinggi di Indonesia, namun di kancah dunia, Autograph Tower berada di peringkat 86. Pemeringkatan gedung tertinggi di dunia dikuatkan oleh CTBUH. Autograph Tower persis berada setingkat di atas Empire State Building, di New York City, Amerika Serikat, yang mencapai 381 meter.

Gedung hijau dan hemat energi Thamrin Nine merupakan kompleks pengembangan multifungsi yang mencakup enam gedung. Salah satu gedungnya telah mendapat sertifikat platinum dari BCA Green Mark.

Alvin menuturkan, Autograph Tower yang dilengkapi Menara Observasi dan Sky Garden, serta fasilitas akomodasi bintang 6 Waldorf Astoria Hotel, di Kompleks Thamrin Nine, merupakan ikon baru Jakarta. Kompleks pengembangan multifungsi (mixed use development) ini menempati lokasi premium dan strategis yakni di Jalan Thamrin yang terkoneksi langsung ke Moda Raya Terpadu (MRT).

Selain itu, dapat diakses juga melalui Commuter Line, dan Railink menuju Bandara Internasional Soekarno-Hatta melalui Stasiun BNI City. Dengan fakta ini, Thamrin Nine diklaim sebagai address pilihan utama untuk berkantor, tinggal, berbisnis, sekaligus aktivitas harian lainnya yang dibutuhkan kalangan mapan metropolitan.

Selain Autograph Tower, Kompleks Thamrin Nine mencakup hotel bintang lima Pan Pacific Hotel, hotel bintang 4 Park Royal Hotel, dan Park Royal Serviced Suites yang berada di Luminary Tower.

Selanjutnya terdapat pula retail arcade atau podium penghubung antara kedua tower, lifestyle center yang dilengkapi berbagai fasilitas hiburan dan gaya hidup, seperti amphitheater, Bioskop IMAX, restoran, bowling, billiard, dan lain-lain. Kemudian, Le Parc yang meliputi The Mansion, The Townhomes, dan The Terraces Tower.

Gedung ini berisi hunian mewah bertingkat sedang dengan konsep “Garden of Eden”. Project Director PT Putragaya Wahana Herman Bunjamin mengungkapkan Autograph dan Luminary dirancang oleh Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF).

Firma arsitektur ini popular sebagai perancang pencakar langit ikonik dunia, antara lain Shanghai World Financial Center, International CommerceCentre Hong Kong, Lotte World Tower Seoul, Civic Tower Beijing, dan One Vanderbilt New York.

Sedangkan Le Parc didesain oleh WATG yang juga memiliki banyak pengalaman mendesain hunian dan hotel mewah di level internasional. Termasuk The Venesian dan TheMansion di Las Vegas, serta beberapa resor eksklusif oleh Shangrila, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, serta brand mewah lainnya.

Menurut Herman, Autograph Tower telah mendapat sertifikat platinum dari BCA Green Mark karena dinilai mengedepankan berbagai fitur ramah lingkungan yang tidak hanya baik bagi lingkungan, tapi juga membawa efisiensi optimal bagi para penggunanya. "Fitur-fitur ramah lingkungan tersebut meliputi area terbuka hijau, vertical garden, pengolahan air dan limbah, parkir sepeda, serta desain dan fitur arsitektur yang dibuat sedemikian rupa untuk menjaga suhu internal agar menghemat energi," terang Herman.

Guna membangun Kompleks Thamrin Nine, Putragaya Wahana merogoh kocek sekitar Rp 7 triliun-Rp 8 triliun. Hingga saat ini, ruang perkantoran di Autograph Tower telah tersewa sekitar 50 persen dan akan serah terima pada April 2021.

Sementara Luminary Tower yang mencakup Pan Pacific Hotel, Park Royal Hotel, dan 180 unit Park Royal Serviced Suites telah diambil alih oleh UOL Group Limited. Perusahaan yang merupakan induk usaha Pan Pacific Hotels Group Limited yang berbasis di Singapura, mengakuisisi Luminary Tower senilai 56,8 juta dollar AS atau ekuivalen Rp 816 miliar. "Luminary Tower akan beroperasi pada Juni 2022," pungkas Herman.

Sumber : Kontan, 24.12.2020.

[231220.EN.BIZ] Empty FEUs Continue To Be In Short Supply Worldwide

 

ACROSS the shipping industry, empty 40-foot-containers continue to be in extremely limited supply, reports Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide.

Nico Hecker and Christian Halgmann from Hapag-Lloyd's Container Steering department feel now is more important than ever for everyone at Hapag-Lloyd to work closely together as a result.

The supply of empty containers is a result of the pandemic, which has impacted the shipping economy and industry in a number of ways.

"We are currently seeing a 'black swan' and are experiencing the strongest increase in 40' demand following one of the strongest decreases in demand ever, with both of these happening within just 6 months. Almost 3 out of 4 containers in our 40-foot fleet are currently deployed in Customer Shipments and ares therefore not available for the time being. The containers must be returned to China as quickly as possible to be equipped for an expected strong fourth quarter," said Mr Hecker.

"Considering this enormous and unprecedented pressure, optimising container utilisation and availability is not a task for one department but a task for the entire company. We all have to exchange ideas and decide which businesses we want to push primarily," said Mr Hecker.

Fortunately enough for the company, Hapag-Lloyd started planning early.

"We were the first mover in 2020 by placing an order for 91,000 TEU new HL branded containers in January already for production from March to July. In addition, 80,000 TEU were leased in March, even though the expected increase did not yet become apparent in April, as many countries outside Asia went into lockdown. Supported by our leasing partners involved, we have delayed the pick-up of the containers to the 3rd Quarter creating a competitive advantage," said Mr Halgmann.

"These very containers helped us a lot in the third quarter when it came to buffering the current rush in the market," says Nico Hecker. With the return of normality, business developed particularly positively in the third quarter. But the ships leaving China are not returning at the same time to the same extent. The leasing market for new and used containers in Asia, Europe, and other demand areas is basically empty," he added.

"Currently the demand for new containers is exceeding the production capacity by far, resulting in lead times for newly built containers until end of Q1/2021. This applies for own production as well as for leased containers. Fortunately, in September we could secure some leasing volume to be delivered prior Chinese New Year 2021 to support our customers," said Mr Halgmann.

The situation is demonstrating a clear picture that any shortage of empty equipment is affecting all areas of Hapag-Lloyd greatly.

Source : HKSG / Photo : The Loadstar.