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On June 13th 2025, Chipolbrok celebrated the naming ceremony of their newbuilding – m/v De An.

She is the 7th ship in their 62,000 DWT series and marks the 31st addition to the Chipolbrok fleet.

With a deadweight of 62,000 DWT, a lifting capacity of 300 tons, and a spacious deck measuring 166 by 30 meters, m/v De An is fully equipped to handle heavy and oversized cargo across the globe.

This celebration comes just two days before Chipolbrok’s 74th anniversary – a perfect gift to mark this special moment in the company’s history.

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics opens a new, state-of-the-art contract logistics center in Truganina, Australia.

With its sustainable new site, the company doubles its warehouse capacity in the Melbourne metropolitan area and further expands its market position in the Asia-Pacific region. This strategic step on its international growth path expands the full-service provider’s capacity to further enhance its customer service and deliver an even broader portfolio of innovative and sustainable logistics solutions to both existing and potential new customers.

Hellmann has been operating from its own location in Australia since 1987 and expanded its presence just one year later with another branch in New Zealand. Today, the logistics provider offers comprehensive full-service logistics solutions along the entire supply chain from a total of seven locations in Australia and New Zealand, in the major cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Darwin, as well as Auckland and Christchurch. With this strong presence in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, Hellmann is underlining its role as an international logistics partner for customized, digital, and sustainable supply chain solutions. In addition, the new multi-user site provides flexible and scalable logistics solutions for customers from various industries, including automotive, healthcare & pharma, food and beverages, and other consumer goods.

Covering an area of around 19,000 m² with 18,000 pallet spaces and modern warehouse and inventory management systems, the site offers ideal conditions for efficient logistics processes. Hellmann’s new location in Melbourne sets also a clear statement of its commitment to sustainability: The facility aims for a 5-star Green Star As-Built certification. The equipment includes a 200 kW solar system, 30,000-liter rainwater tanks, and ten charging stations for electric vehicles – measures that underline the company’s ecological commitment.

“With the new site in the Melbourne metropolitan area, we are strengthening our presence in Australia and creating the foundation for even more flexible and efficient logistics solutions,” says Mark Fitzpatrick, Regional COO Contract Logistics APAC, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. “The combination of strategic location, modern infrastructure, and a wide range of services offers real added value for our customers.”

“The opening of our new contract logistics center is another milestone on our way to offering innovative and sustainable logistics solutions worldwide,” says Volker Sauerborn, Global COO Contract Logistics, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. “We are strategically advancing our infrastructure to meet the increasing demands of our customers – efficiently and environmentally consciously.”

Bertling Logistics are committed to reducing plastic waste and protecting their oceans.

In June, as part of their Global Sustainability KPIs, their global offices took action under the theme Plastic Waste Reduction & Ocean Cleanup – supporting cleanups, donations, and innovative waste-reduction initiatives.

Highlights from around the world: Gothenburg continued their partnership with CleanSea, ensuring year-round cleanup of a chosen stretch of Sweden’s west coast; Istanbul organized a local park cleanup near their office; Miami and Houston joined the Crandon Marina Coastal Cleanup as volunteers; Dubai introduced Sparklo – an AI-powered recycling system – to their office; Bogotá held a team waste-sorting and collection day in a nearby park; Spain cleaned around a local lake; UK, Singapore, and Johannesburg supported regional ocean protection efforts through donations.

Huisman has signed a contract with VARD for the delivery of a state-of-the-art 250mt Knuckle Boom Crane, which will be installed on a newbuild offshore construction vessel for Dong Fang Offshore (DFO).

The vessel is currently under construction at VARD and is destined for operations in the Taiwanese offshore wind market.

The crane features a lifting capacity of 250mt and is equipped with a below-deck winch. This below-deck configuration reduces maintenance requirements and ensures easy accessibility for servicing.

Polin Chen, CEO of DFO: “We are very pleased to have a Huisman crane on the latest addition to our fleet. We were impressed by Huisman’s combination of quality, reliability, and strong local support, along with their superior technical solution that meets the unique demands of our customers. We also appreciated their open and constructive dialogue in addressing any challenge that arose.”

Timon Ligterink, Commercial Director APAC at Huisman: “We are very pleased with VARD and Dong Fang Offshore’s continued trust in Huisman. This contract marks another important step in supporting the development of offshore wind infrastructure in Taiwan, and we are proud to contribute with our advanced lifting solutions.”

This contract builds on Huisman’s established relationship with both DFO and VARD. In 2023, DFO awarded Huisman a basket system contract and an LOI for a cable lay system, while Huisman has also previously delivered multiple cranes and pipelay systems for VARD-built vessels.

Europe Cargo are glad to report that they have recently handled the transport of the passenger catamaran: ‘San Pawl’.

The company’s operations team coordinated the part charter and safe loading of San Pawl in Valletta, Malta – with its final destination in Guernsey.

Using the cranes on their chosen vessel, Europe Cargo expertly lifted the catamaran and secured it for sea transport.

“The shipment was completed with precision and teamwork, a true showcase of what Europe Cargo does best.”
These types of projects highlight Europe Cargo’s strength in handling complex, oversized cargo with care and efficiency.

Europe Cargo is an international freight forwarding company that was established in 1992 in Antwerp as a complete service-provider towards local companies being involved in shipping, logistics & transport.

DEME Environnement, a pioneer in soil remediation and brownfield redevelopment, proudly marks 35 years of service in Belgium and France.

Founded in 1990 as Écoterres and now part of DEME Group NV (Euronext Brussels: DEME), DEME Environnement has completed more than 800 projects across Belgium and France. The company has become a reference in remediating contaminated soils from industrial, urban, and public infrastructure sites, managing and valorizing polluted sediments from inland waterways and transforming brownfields into productive land through public-private partnerships.

To mark the 35th anniversary, a commemorative event was held in the presence of Mr. Hugues Bayet (Mayor of Farciennes), Mr. Olivier Vanderijst (Président du Comité de direction de Wallonie Entreprendre), Mr. Yves Coppieters (Walloon Minister for Health, the Environment, Solidarity and the Social Economy) and Mr. Thibaut de Villenfagne (representative of Mr. Minister Desquesnes, Vice-Chairman and Walloon Minister for Territory, Infrastructure, Mobility and Local Authorities). The presence of such esteemed dignitaries underscores the strong public-private collaboration and long-standing commitment to sustainable environmental solutions.

Originally named Écoterres, the company marked a pivotal milestone in its history in 2024 by adopting the name of its majority shareholder, DEME – which holds a 75% stake – and becoming DEME Environnement. The remaining 25% is held by Wallonie Entreprendre, a public investment and development organization in Wallonia, Belgium, and a much appreciated shareholder in Écoterres for more than 25 years. With headquarters in Farciennes and recycling centers in Tubize, Charleroi, Liège (Belgium), and Wambrechies (Hauts de France), soil remediation projects and environmental dredging in Wallonia, Hauts-de-France and Lorraine, the company employs over 90 direct staff and supports up to 200 indirect jobs through its sites, labs, and subcontractors.

For more than two decades, DEME Environnement has been at the forefront of soil remediation, environmental dredging, sediment treatment and sustainable brownfield redevelopment, turning contaminated and disused industrial sites into vibrant, purposeful spaces. In response to growing urbanization and land scarcity, DEME has pioneered a circular approach – acquiring and remediating brownfields to create new opportunities for industry, housing, and biodiversity. The company’s multidisciplinary model goes well beyond being only a contractor for the environmental works and the soil remediation, encompassing full-site redesign, permitting, and master planning. DEME Environnement is also the last Walloon company to own dredging equipment and holds a four-year framework contract with the Walloon waterways authority.

ISS Global Forwarding, member to the Worldwide Project Consortium (WWPC) for Kolkata, Eastern India, reported about a significant project they recently managed.

A company spokesperson stated: “This project involved critical and super ODC cargo for our ongoing Numaligarh Refinery expansion project for splitters – 70 x 8.6 x 9 meters, weighing 650 ton. Total cargo consisting of 4 packages with a total of 1,765 ton and 14,000/- FRT cargo ex supplier’s manufacturing unit in Vizag up to Kolkata, Diamond Harbour.

The journey involved: Inland transportation from the manufacturing yard up to POL on our own 20-hydraulic axle configuration + puller and a 40-SPMT (10+10 front and rear) configuration powered by 2 PPUs; Extensive on-site preparations and civil work carried out at Manufacturing yard and the jetty; One-of-a-kind vessel MV Jumbo Kinetic having crane capacity of 1,500 ton x 2 was chartered to carry the cargo on a coastal voyage from Vizag to Kolkata.
All heavy lifts were discharged from the vessel onto barges at Kolkata Diamond Harbour, a mid-river operation.

Our team’s meticulous planning, coordination, and technical expertise have resulted in a successful execution of this super ODC & critical project shipment.”

Windracers, the UK-based designer, manufacturer and operator of Windracers ULTRA, an autonomous heavy-lift cargo aircraft, has begun establishing an operational base at Kasungu Airfield in Malawi.

The operational base, in Central Region of Malawi, features a newly created aircraft hangar and will serve as the hub for demonstrating the delivery of humanitarian aid across the area using Windracers ULTRA – the world’s most accomplished long-distance heavily-lift UAV available today.

Working closely with the Malawi Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Meteorological Services, the base will provide a real-world testbed for the delivery and dropping by parachute capabilities of Windracers ULTRA, a rugged 10m wing-span aircraft with integrated proprietary autopilot systems and mission control software.

Stephen Wright, Founder and Group Executive Chairman of Windracers, said: “We developed ULTRA with the idea of providing low-cost means of delivering humanitarian aid to hard-to-reach locations for people who need help the most. Flights from Kasungu will support a range of humanitarian and development use cases, including medical logistics, environmental monitoring and disaster response. We’re very grateful to our partners in Malawi for helping bring this to life.”

A new video on the latest developments capture the construction of the new hangar that will house Windracers ULTRA.

Windracers ULTRA has a useful load of up to 150kg and a range of up to 1,000 km. It has flown reconnaissance and resupply missions in Ukraine, conducted geological and wildlife surveys in Antarctica, and delivered parcels to remote locations off the Scottish and English coasts. It has also supported wildfire operations and dropped medical supplies by parachute.

Available as a service or for purchase, Windracers ULTRA is a multi-mission aircraft that has already proven itself in some of the world’s toughest conditions. It is ready to support a wide range of missions wherever they are needed.

Fifteen years after the start of their collaboration, the global logistics service provider Rhenus, together with Merck, worldwide leader in life sciences, has launched a biodiesel B100-powered shuttle service between Merck’s site in Molsheim and the Rhenus warehouse in Strasbourg.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable logistics practices.

The B100 fuel, a biodiesel made entirely from renewable sources such as vegetable oils, enables a significant reduction in carbon emissions without compromising operational efficiency.

To support this transition, Rhenus has invested in specialized trucks and trailers compatible with B100 fuel and has established a dedicated refueling station at its logistics hub on Rue du Havre in Strasbourg. Additionally, advanced monitoring systems have been deployed to track emissions and ensure transparency in environmental performance.

As part of their commitment to transparency and measurable progress, Rhenus has published monthly environmental footprint data for its shuttle operations with Merck.

Each month, Rhenus’ sustainable shuttle service for Merck covers approximately 7,360 kilometers and generates around 3.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e), representing a consistent 55% reduction in emissions compared to a conventional diesel-only operation, which would emit an estimated 6.8 tCO₂e, thereby avoiding 3.75 tCO₂e monthly.

This reduction not only supports climate goals set by Rhenus, but also contributes to improving air quality in the Strasbourg area, benefiting the health and well-being of the local community. By reducing pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, the initiative helps create a cleaner, healthier environment, especially important in urban logistics zones.

“This partnership is a testament to our joint commitment to reducing logistics-related emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources,” said Laurent Brèche, General Manager at Rhenus in France. “By combining our logistics expertise with Merck’s ambitious sustainability goals, we are not only reducing emissions today but also laying the groundwork for a fully electric fleet tomorrow. This is just the beginning of a broader transformation.”

“On behalf of the Merck Molsheim site, I am proud to see our commitment materialize with the launch of this B100-powered shuttle. This initiative truly embodies our drive to reduce our carbon footprint while further strengthening our longstanding strategic partnership with Rhenus. Every journey takes us one step closer to a climate-friendly, more responsible logistics, an effort that resonates with Merck’s global sustainability vision. We are excited to contribute to this momentum, paving the way today for the sustainable solutions of tomorrow, both for our region and for our planet”, said Romina Marcovici, Head of Molsheim Operations at Merck.

The B100 initiative is a transitional step as both companies prepare for a future powered by electric vehicles. In the meantime, the use of B100 ensures operational consistency, including maintaining driver shift durations, while significantly reducing environmental impact.

To commemorate this milestone, Rhenus and Merck will host a special anniversary ceremony on July 4, 2025, at the Rhenus warehouse in Strasbourg.

Looking ahead, Rhenus plans to expand its B100-powered fleet across France and continue collaborating with Merck on redesigning delivery and reception circuits to accommodate electric vehicles.

This partnership is more than a logistics solution: it is a model for how companies can work together to meet the challenges of climate change, foster innovation, and create a virtuous cycle of environmental and economic benefits.

Total Movements, member to the Worldwide Project Consortium (WWPC) in India, reports about a demanding multi modal project cargo movement for a power plant in Indonesia.

This Port-to-Door delivery involved about 2,600 CBM of cargo, comprising of 5 engines and 5 alternators, shipped from the load ports of Belgium and Spain to the Foundation in Indonesia.

A company spokesperson explained: “Our scope of work included ocean transportation from Europe, efficient handling and unloading at the Indonesian discharge port, onward road transportation of the entire consignment, and final installation at the Foundation.

Key highlights of the movement: Engineering of oversized equipment; Time-sensitive scheduling and coordination; Multi-origin synchronization and execution; Arranging a heavy-lift vessel within a narrow laycan window.

A big thank you to our execution and operations teams, local partners, and stakeholders who played a key role in making this project a success.”

As part of last week’s 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show, CEVA Logistics, a global leader in third-party logistics, signed a contract with Safran, the world’s second-largest aircraft equipment manufacturer.

The agreement covers the renewal of transport services for three years between Morocco and France, as well as between Tunisia and France.

CEVA Logistics has been providing transport and logistics services to Safran for many years and will continue to do so under the renewed three-year contract. As part of this agreement, CEVA will collect aerospace components from Safran’s sites in Morocco and Tunisia and manage their daily transport to France. The inbound loads leaving France feed the Safran sites in Morocco and Tunisia.

To manage the full scope of logistics from Morocco and Tunisia to Safran’s sites and industrial partners in France, CEVA Logistics operates a multimodal transport solution combining road freight and RoRo (roll/on-roll-off) maritime shipping. Once in France, the loads pass through CEVA’s cross-dock sites in Toulouse and Vitrolles before moving to their final destinations across the country. The same logistics approach is used in managing the collection and transport of loads leaving France.

Every year, CEVA organizes more than 1,500 shipments to deliver more than 100,000 parcels of aerospace parts and sub-assemblies. The entire process is driven by a strict delivery timeline, with cross-dock platforms receiving shipments just a few days after pickup.

The partnership between CEVA Logistics and Safran is based on a long-standing collaboration that spans several decades and extends across the globe. Over the years, it has grown to include both inbound logistics services – such as sourcing and transporting parts from suppliers – and outbound logistics, including the delivery of sub-assemblies to Safran’s customers.

Cyrille Roux, global Aerospace & Defense leader, CEVA Logistics, said: “We have enjoyed a close partnership with Safran for over 20 years, and we are delighted by their renewed trust in us today. With a focus on operational excellence and customer satisfaction, we are committed to deploying tailor-made solutions to meet the challenges of this international aerospace leader”.

PLA are pleased to announce that Blue Bell Shipping LLC, already representing Iraq, is now also representing Kazakhstan in the Project Logistics Alliance community.

Established in 1987 and headquartered in the UAE, Blue Bell Shipping has steadily expanded its presence across the Middle East. Their expansion in Kazakhstan, now with offices in Astana, Almaty, and Atyrau marks a significant step into Central Asia and the CIS region, driven by the growing demand for reliable and experienced logistics solutions.

With over three decades of experience, Blue Bell Shipping offers end-to-end transportation and logistics solutions, tailored for complex, high-value, and oversized cargo. The company serves a wide range of industries, including oil & gas, power, EPC, and heavy engineering, delivering a reliable blend of global reach and local knowledge. Supported by a skilled team and in-house engineering capabilities, Blue Bell ensures precise execution across all stages of the supply chain.

Bernhard Heiliger – one of Germany’s foremost sculptors in the post-war era – made his “Große Vegetative Skulptur” sculpture in 1955.

One of five true-to-the-original copies of his masterwork had been on display in an inner courtyard at the University Hospital Heidelberg until recently. However, since the surrounding buildings were scheduled to undergo extensive renovations, the five-tonne sculpture had to be relocated from its ancestral home to the sculpture park at the Heidelberg University Orthopedic Clinic due to safety reasons. Lampertheim-based Weiland Kran & Transport GmbH was hired as a “moving company” for the job, and used a Tadano duo in the form of an AC 5.160-1 and an AC 6.300-1 to take care of it.

“This job was our brand new AC 6.300-1’s debut,” reports crane operator Alonso Domenico, who had to lift the sculpture out from the inner courtyard with the crane. The machine arrived on site ready for operation with an 80-meter main boom including hook block, all within the 12-ton axle load limit. This significantly reduced the permitting effort. Thanks to its transport-optimized counterweight configurations, the AC 6.300-1 is extremely flexible and was configured and used by Weiland as a 250-ton crane for this lift. It was still powerful enough to lift the five-ton, nearly two-meter-tall sculpture.

“The AC 6.300-1 is an extremely versatile machine that’s incredibly well-suited to this type of lift: With its 80-meter main boom and solid load chart, it’s simply the perfect crane for efficient work at height and work requiring a long reach,” Alonso Domenico explains. And a long reach was definitely needed for this job, since the main challenge was the distance at which the lift had to be carried out: As mentioned previously, the sculpture was in an inner courtyard, meaning that the AC 6.300-1 had to lift the load, which weighed approximately five tonnes when including its base and protective wood paneling, at a radius of over 40 meters while clearing a height of eight meters to avoid the surrounding buildings. Not only that, but it had to do so while relying exclusively on signalpersons – none of which was a problem for the highly experienced Weiland team and its AC 6.300-1. “This assignment revealed that the AC 6.300-1 is an absolute jewel in terms of its controls and operation. It worked incredibly well – just like we’d expected,” Alonso Domenico says, full of praise for the crane. Just as planned, he removed the sculpture from the inner courtyard, moved it across the roof of the buildings in the way, and gently set it down upright behind a transportation truck that was already waiting. The sculpture was then laid down in a horizontal position on the ground and lifted onto the truck’s platform.

The truck then took the sculpture to the sculpture park at the Heidelberg University Orthopedic Clinic in Schlierbach, where Weiland crane operator Thomas Eisenberg was already waiting with his uniquely custom Tadano AC 5.160-1. More specifically, the crane features a custom counterweight system that Tadano added to the crane on Weiland’s request and that makes it possible to use the five-axle machine as a taxi crane with 8.5 tonnes of counterweight while remaining under the 12-tonne axle load limit. “The system was perfect for this job, since the AC 5.160-1 was more than powerful enough to take care of the load and the required radius with its partial counterweight configuration,” Thomas Eisenberg explains.

He then goes on to add that he can say good things about his AC 5.160-1 all day: “The crane’s controls are incredibly sensitive, the unit itself handles like a dream, and operating Tadano machines is simply a remarkable experience,” the expert crane operator explains. In addition, perfect weather and zero wind meant that it was the perfect day for the job: With his AC 5.160-1, he was able to easily lift the sculpture out of the truck, swung it into position above the place that had been excavated for the base at a radius of 28 meters, and then set it down with pinpoint accuracy.

The job lasted a total of eight hours. Uwe Behrendt, the project manager at the Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg state-owned enterprise responsible for the project, was more than satisfied: “Everything went perfectly smoothly – which to be honest is always the case when Weiland takes care of a job for us.”

Höegh Autoliners names its fifth Aurora Class vessel, Höegh Sunrise, in Japan -marking a major step toward zero-emission deep-sea shipping.

The vessels are the largest and most environmentally friendly car carriers ever built, raising the bar for more sustainable deep-sea transportation.

Today, shipping accounts for approximately 3% of global emissions, with 90% of those emissions originating from deep-sea transportation. There is no time to waste. The world needs the shipping industry to act – and to change.
The Aurora Class represents exactly that: a much-needed transformation and a concrete step toward zero emissions proving the technological level possible for our industry.

Today, the Höegh Sunrise, the fifth vessel in the Aurora Class, was officially named during a remarkable ceremony at Omaezaki Port in Shizuoka, Japan.

With a capacity of 9,100 CEUs, the Höegh Sunrise and her sister vessels are the largest and most environmentally friendly car carriers ever constructed.

They are true marvels of modern engineering and a testament to our vision of a more sustainable future. At Höegh Autoliners, our goal is to achieve zero-emission operations by 2040. Through the Aurora Class – part of our groundbreaking newbuild program – we are reshaping the future of deep-sea shipping.

Höegh Autoliners CEO, Andreas Enger, says: “The naming of our fifth vessel, Höegh Sunrise, marks a significant milestone for us and highlights the strength of the maritime cluster we work closely with on a daily basis. With Höegh Sunrise and the Aurora Class newbuilding program, we are leading the way in addressing emissions in a hard-to-abate sector. We are setting new standards for sustainable deep-sea transportation and taking a major step toward our 2040 zero-emissions goal. As the largest and most environmentally friendly PCTCs ever built, the Aurora Class vessels represent the transformation our segment needs.”

Höegh Autoliners COO, Sebjørn Dahl, adds: “Never in our nearly 100-year history have we built so many, such large, such technically advanced, and such environmentally friendly vessels simultaneously and at this pace. We are transforming the deep-sea industry faster than anyone thought possible just a few years ago. We are sailing for sustainability and for a better, greener future.”

On her journey from China Merchants Heavy Industry’s (CMHI) Jiangsu yard to Japan, the Höegh Sunrise bunkered LNG fuel in Shanghai.

Already today, she and the other commercially active Aurora Class vessels are reducing carbon emissions by 58% per transported car compared to the current industry average.

By 2027, when the first Aurora vessel is ready to be powered by clean ammonia directly from the yard , virtually all carbon emissions can be eliminated.

As proudly displayed on the side of this beautiful vessel, the Höegh Sunrise-like all Aurora Class vessels – can connect to the power grid while docked, allowing all auxiliary engines to be shut down and enabling zero-emission cargo operations in port.

These vessels meet the expectations of our growing number of carbon-conscious customers who seek emission reductions and sustainable transportation solutions. With the Aurora Class, Höegh Autoliners sends a strong demand signal for ammonia as a viable, zero-carbon maritime fuel.

We have already partnered with several of the world’s leading ammonia producers to secure the supply and use of green ammonia – including Sumitomo Corporation, Fortescue, Yara Clean Ammonia, Norwegian North Ammonia, and others.

The Aurora Class is equipped with the latest and most advanced maritime technologies, including state-of-the-art safety and digitalization systems.

With a capacity of up to 9,100 cars, and featuring reinforced decks and enhanced internal ramp systems, these vessels can carry electric vehicles on all it’s 14 decks.

All Aurora Class vessels are certified with DNV’s “ammonia ready” and “methanol ready” notations – making them the first in the PCTC segment capable of operating on carbon-neutral ammonia.

Höegh Autoliners expect the delivery of two Aurora Class vessels every six months until H1 2027, taking the total number of Aurora Class vessels to 12.

All are being built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), classed by DNV and registered under the Norwegian flag, «NIS».