LATEST LOGISTICS AND FORWARDING NEWS FRANCE -Air France will service a new town in Nigeria -14 new destinations from Toulouse -CMA CGM enters into a new partnership with MSC and CSAV INDIA -Chinese company wants to set up one of the world s largest facilities -Posco s project worth US $ 12 billion, in abeyance -MSC merges India-Europe-Mediterranean services MADAGASCAR -Diversification of export markets -The projects of company Sirama -Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has lodged a complaint in court
MAURITIUS -Construction of a Rs 3.4 billion dam at Bagatelle -16 new projects worth Rs 3.2 billion -Air Mauritius has appointed Seabury Apg MOZAMBIQUE -Investments in a sugar factory -China has made a donation of 2 million US dollars -In quest of oil in commercial quantities REUNION ISLAND -Drop in air cargo handled at Roland Garros airport -Extension and modernisation of Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds international airport -A new water treatment plant OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD -Maersk Line has temporarily stopped to take cargo bookings from Northern Europe to Asia -Lufthansa extends its network in China -MOL has added a port call in Mozambique port to its MZX service
LATEST LOGISTICS AND FORWARDING NEWS FRANCE Air France will service a new town in Nigeria As from the 4th June, Air France will establish a daily flight by Airbus A300-200 between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and Abuja in Nigeria, before pursuing the route to Port Harcourt in Nigeria. This new direct flight adds up to a daily one from Paris to Lagos and Port Harcourt. 14 new destinations from Toulouse Since the 1st April, Air France offers from its new regional hub of Toulouse, 14 new destinations in Europe and the Mediterranean region. The 10 new towns serviced from Toulouse are Athena, Berlin, Hamburg, Malaga, Malta, Naples, Prague, Seville, Venice and Vienna. Concerning the Mediterranean region, Air France has established direct flights to Casablanca, Istanbul, Marrakech and Tunis. CMA CGM enters into a new partnership with MSC and CSAV CMA CGM has entered into a partnership with MSC and CSAV since mid April, replacing the previous agreement with Hapag Lloyd so as to increase its coverage of ports on the commercial routes between the east coast of North Europe and South America.
INDIA Chinese company wants to set up one of the world s largest facilities The Chinese company Shanghai Electric expressed its interest to set up a big factory to manufacture power equipment. It has already entered into negotiations with the French company Alstom to establish jointly in India, one of the world s largest facilities for the production of boilers for power projects. Shanghai Electric signed a few years back, a US $ 8.3 billion contract with Reliance Power for the supply of 36 coal-fired thermal power generation units. Posco s project worth US $ 12 billion, in abeyance India s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said during an official visit to South Korea that investments from that country are a "priority" for India. He added that his government was taking steps to go forward with the steel mining project worth US $ 12 billion of South Korean firm Posco in Orissa. " India is a stable and profitable long-term investment opportunity, stated M. Singh. However, the National Green Tribunal has suspended the environmental clearance of Posco s project and has ordered its review. MSC merges India-Europe-Mediterranean services Since early April, MSC has combined its existing Indian Subcontinent-Europe and Mediterranean networks, into a single loop.
MADAGASCAR Diversification of export markets According to the France Madagascar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFM), the exporting companies of Madagascar no longer target only European countries. Their products have started to be exported to new markets such as India, Germany, the United States, China, Japan or Comoros islands. «In Madagascar, we have companies 100% owned by the local people, which manufacture very fine products sold elsewhere such as software or jam, pointed out Michel Pain, vice president of CCIFM. The projects of company Sirama The company Sirama will sell some of its lands to raise 100 billion ariary to build a distillery and to revive the sugar factory of Sirama in Brickaville. The machines have been left unattended since the closure of the factory in 2006 and will have to be replaced as they are now rusted. The Brickaville factory was one of the flagships of the Malagasy industry in the 70s and 80s, before falling off. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has lodged a complaint in court Since 15 months, 500 containers belonging to MSC are stuck at the port of Mahajanga. The boxes contain products in rosewood that the customs services have seized, considering them as semi-finished products which cannot be exported. MSC has lodged a complaint in court and is asking the exporters for storage fees at a rate of 8 euros per day and per container.
MAURITIUS Construction of a Rs 3.4 billion dam at Bagatelle The Prime Minister, Dr N. Ramgoolam has initiated the construction of Bagatelle dam to ensure a more reliable water supply to the capital and several other towns. The 2 550 metres long dam which will cost Rs 3.4 billion and is expected be completed by the end of year 2014. The contract for the construction works has been awarded to China International Water and Electric Corporation. Moreover, the construction of another dam, that of Rivière des Anguilles, will start in 2013. 16 new projects worth Rs 3.2 billion 16 new projects worth Rs 3.2 billion have been included in the Public Sector Investment Programme of the Government of Mauritius. These projects comprise the improvement of water supply, upgrading of roads, construction of bus stations, extension of Government schools, a coastal walkway at Grand Bay and the purchase of a desalination plant for the island of Rodrigues. Air Mauritius has appointed Seabury Apg Air Mauritius has appointed consultants Seabury Apg for a review of its business model. A plan will be unrolled to ensure the airline s sustained development hrough two phases: Recovery Actions and Game Changer Initiatives. The Recovery Actions revolve around network optimisation, a major cost reduction programme and the sale of noncore assets. The Game changers will be the acquisition of new generation airplanes and excellence in customer service.
MOZAMBIQUE Investments in a sugar factory A group of South-African investors will invest in a sugar factory situated in the Zambezia province in the centre of Mozambique. The amount invested has not been disclosed. Sugar cane will be cultivated as from this year on 10 000 acres of land and the factory will be set up in mid 2013. The Mozambican government intends to increase sugar exports from 200 000 tons a year to 300 000 tons by year 2015. Last year, sugar exports generated 91 million US dollars. China has made a donation of 2 million US dollars China has made a donation of 2 million US dollars to support agricultural research. Equipment will be purchased in the near future to increase the yield of fields as 60% of the 23 million inhabitants of Mozambique are dependent on agriculture. In quest of oil in commercial quantities 11 international companies are prospecting Mozambique in quest of oil. 5 of them are active in the Rovuma basin in the north of the country. Mozambique hopes that oil will be discovered in sufficient quantities to be commercialised.
REUNION ISLAND Drop in air cargo handled at Roland Garros airport According to the latest statistics of commercial air traffic, at Roland Garros airport, the weight of air cargo handled in February 2012, has dropped by 15% compared to February of last year. The decrease is higher concerning uplifted freight (-20,1%) than unloaded freight (-13,2%). Extension and modernisation of Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds international airport The works at Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds airport will begin in the near future and will unfold in two stages, ending in the second quarter of 2013. During the first phase, the area of the airport terminal at each of its ends (northern and southern ones) will be doubled. In the second stage, the infrastructure for embarking, carrying out the administrative procedures and the delivery of luggage as well as that of cargo, will be modernised. Furthermore, the duty-free shop will be extended. A new water treatment plant 19 million euros will be invested in a water treatment plant at the place known as Trois Frères at Sainte-Suzanne. This plant will replace by mid-2013, the old one which has become obsolete.
OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD Maersk Line has temporarily stopped to take cargo bookings from Northern Europe to Asia Maersk Line has announced that it has temporarily stopped to take cargo bookings from Northern Europe to Asia due to insufficient vessel capacity and the high number of freight cancellations from Asia during the period of the Chinese New year. The shipping line will resume its bookings when the backlog will be cleared which is expected to occur in early May. Lufthansa extends its network in China Since the 25 th March, Lufthansa has added several airports to its network. It now services the Chinese city of Chongqing with four flights a week with a MD-11 freighter. Furthermore, Lufthansa also enables cargo to be transported in the belly hold space of their passenger flights, from and to Shenyang in the north-east of China as well as to and from Qingdao in the Shandong province. MOL has added a port call in Mozambique port to its MZX service As from May, MOL will add a new port to its current Mozambique Express service (MZX). It will call at the Mozambican port of Nacala every 15 days.