All K-Line articles
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ArticleMoving on to terra firma
Following sustained pressure on margins in recent years, the global shipping industry has witnessed some radical changes, with consolidation and technology combining to reconfigure the way many shipping lines approach new business. With competition on the waves mounting, one new channel for many car carriers has been to expand ...
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ArticleHitting the gas
Environmental regulations covering the shipping industry are set to tighten across a range of parameters, from the sulphur content in fuel to CO2 emissions. In response, some shipping operators have begun to explore the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in place of traditional marine fuel oil. Offering a reduction ...
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ArticleDamaged Kess vessel being towed to Swedish port
Ocean forwarder K Line has confirmed that its ro-ro vessel Makassar Highway, which ran aground off the Swedish coast last week on its way to Sodertalije port in Sweden, has been refloated and is now being towed at a slow speed to Oskarshamn port. Photo credit: KustbevakningenThe vessel was carrying ...
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ArticleFinding the first point of rest
Luke Doremus, director of sales for auto/ro-ro at stevedore and terminal operating company Ports America, talks about efficiency gains and losses and how the company is working with port authorities to improve berth productivity
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ArticleTrusting the market will stay afloat
European vehicle-handling ports saw growth in vehicle vehicle volumes in 2017, however geo-political worries – not least Brexit – is causing concerns. Ports continue to invest but there are worries over future volumes and capacity levels.
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ArticleEC fines shippers and parts suppliers for price-fixing
The European Commission has issued fines for price-fixing totalling €546m ($668.7m) to a group of four shipping companies handling finished vehicles and, in three further cases, three tier suppliers of spark plugs and braking systems.Four of the major providers of ocean services to the automotive and commercial machinery sectors were ...
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ArticleBMW Spartanburg remains top US car exporter
BMW’s Spartanburg vehicle assembly plant in South Carolina remained the largest US automotive exporter by value last year, even though production there decreased.The factory turned out more than 371,280 cars during the year, 9.7% fewer than in 2016 because the X5/X6 assembly hall was shut down for four weeks during ...
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ArticleBMW extends contract at Cuxport
BMW has extended its contract with Rhenus Worldwide at the northern German port of Cuxport for the processing of finished vehicles destined for export to the UK and Scandinavia.The vehicles are made at the premium carmaker’s plants in eastern and southern Germany, as well as in Austria under contract with ...
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ArticleWWL links Spain’s port of Vigo to South America
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has added the Spanish port of Vigo to its Atlantic Ocean service, which supports the movement of finished vehicles, breakbulk and rolling stock between Europe and South America via the US and Mexico.The Norwegian-based global ocean services provider will call at Vigo on a monthly basis, ...
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ArticleKess contracts PD Ports as ship agent for services out of Humber ports in UK
K Line European Sea Highway Services (Kess), which provides short-sea carrier services for the automotive trade, has appointed UK port operator PD Ports as its ship agent in the Humber region of the UK.The contract covers vehicle shipments through the ports of Immingham and Grimsby, which Kess takes to Emden ...
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ArticleKia makes spot shipment of Slovakian-made cars via Gdansk
[UPDATED] Kia Motors has started moving spot shipments of passenger cars made at its Zilina factory in Slovakia through the port of Gdansk in Poland for delivery to the UK. The Korean carmaker is working with Polish transport and logistics provider Adampol for the transport and processing of the vehicles. ...
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ArticleFCA seeks reparations from global ro-ro carriers for Shipping Act violations
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has sent a complaint to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) seeking damages from six shipping companies it says acted to suppress competition for ro-ro services it purchased along with other carmakers.The move follows action taken by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) after an investigation into ...
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ArticleK-Line and Agunsa launch KAR Logistics to target rising vehicle imports
Chilean multinational logistics agency Agunsa has teamed up with Japanese shipping firm K-Line to form a dedicated automotive logistics company, KAR Logistics.The new company, which will operate in Latin America, has been created to help meet rising automotive import traffic in the region, especially in Chile.In a press statement, Agunsa ...
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ArticleRo-ro carrier faces fine for anti-competitive behaviour in South Africa
Norwegian ro-ro carrier Höegh Autoliners has been referred to South Africa’s Competition Tribunal for charges relating to collusive tendering, price-fixing and market division.The country’s Competition Commission, which referred the case, is seeking an order obliging the company to pay an administrative penalty equal to 10% of its annual turnover on ...
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ArticleNYK convicted and fined in Australia over criminal cartel activity
After admitting its guilt last year, shipping company NYK has been convicted by Australia’s federal court and fined A$25m ($20m) for criminal cartel conduct –the second highest fine ever imposed by the country’s competition authority.In July 2016, following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Commonwealth ...
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ArticleMexico fines seven shipping lines over price-fixing
Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece) has issued seven ro-ro carriers with fines totalling 581.6m pesos ($32.4m), saying they acted as a cartel to increase prices.The companies involved are K-Line and K-Line Americas, Mitsui OSK Lines, Mitsui OSK Bulk and NYK Line from Japan, Chile’s CSAV, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ...