All articles by Illya Verpraet
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NewsVehicle electrification shakes up export and import flows
There are regional differences in the sales and manufacture of electric vehicles that are affecting finished vehicle logistics flows, with some countries with relatively small automotive output becoming the bigger EV exporters. That has consequences for finished vehicle logistics, as a new report from Ultima Media’s business intelligence unit, Automotive, makes clear
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AnalysisEV battery supply chains on the move
As electric vehicles become serious business for OEMs, they are reassessing their battery supply and manufacturing bases, putting their eggs in multiple baskets and taking more control of the process.
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NewsRenault forecasts shift in the make-up of outbound deliveries
At a recent automotive webinar hosted by Haropa Port, Renault’s global vice-president of supply chain, Jean-François Salles, said that the vehicle mix in the outbound supply chain was going to change over the next few years, with more second-hand, light commercial and shared vehicles being distributed. That trend will require different logistics planning
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NewsHaropa completes merger of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris ports
This month the French ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris officially merged under the banner of Haropa Port and the joint venture is planning to extend vehicle storage capacity at Le Havre from the current 56,000 vehicles to 80,000 by 2027 by reorganising the current storage, and taking 43 additional hectares around the existing terminal.
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NewsWhy autonomous driving will come to logistics before it comes to cars
While most autonomous driving headlines are about inner-city robotaxis, more and more companies in the field are focusing their attention on road freight instead. Kodiak Robotics is one start-up that’s confident it can make it work.
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NewsBetter cooperation is needed to decarbonise the supply chain
The automotive industry is investing to decarbonise the vehicles it makes as well as individual links in the supply chain used to deliver the parts and finished vehicles. However, without better logistics planning there will still be a lot of waste and the industry needs to join up its thinking, said Martin Corner, head of supply chain at Volvo Cars, on a recent panel discussion about shipping in the automotive industry.
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NewsSustainability means seeing beyond the surface
Supply chains need to become more sustainable but you can’t change what you can’t see. Logistics experts at the recent Automotive Logistics and Supply Chain Europe Live conference agreed that better tools and partnerships are needed to identify emissions in complex supply chains as a means to start reducing them.
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NewsLight at the end of the Suez Canal but challenges for automotive
Of the many disruptions the pandemic has caused, the chain reaction of delays and spiralling costs in container global container shipping must have been one of the hardest to deal with. The delays in the Suez Canal were just the icing on an already unappetising cake.
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NewsUECC launches first LNG hybrid PCTC
European ro-ro operator UECC has launched its first pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) and battery power. LNG burns more cleanly than traditional heavy fuels, and the battery component drives auxiliary equipment and reduces emissions in port.
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NewsLogistics providers call for fairness in calculating shipping emissions
Clarity is needed on measuring emissions in shipping but a poorly judged methodology could disadvantage finished vehicle logistics and disrupt the supply chain
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NewsHöegh Autoliners starts using biofuel to cut emissions
The vessel Höegh Trigger has completed its first voyage on biofuel as part of a trial to find out whether it is a viable solution to reduce emissions. Through carbon offsetting, Höegh Autoliners claims the voyage was carbon neutral.
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FeatureShipping lines and OEMs invest to decarbonise shipping
Despite being a relatively efficient way to transport cars and parts, shipping still produces a lot of pollution. Positive steps being made to clean up the process with advances in fuels and technologies, even if a true solution remains elusive.
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NewsSKF and Einride trial autonomous truck for cross-facility shipments
Bearing manufacturer SKF is trialling an autonomous electric truck to transport parts between its factory and its warehouse in Gothenburg, Sweden. The vehicle has been developed with Einride, the Swedish transport provider that specialises in electric and autonomous vehicles (AVs), and is based on its Pod concept.
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NewsKuehne + Nagel partners with American Airlines to use more sustainable fuel
Kuehne + Nagel has entered into a partnership with American Airlines to use 11m litres of so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The logistics provider claims this would allow 13m kg of cargo to be transported from London to Dallas on a Boeing 777F in a carbon neutral way.
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FeatureCédric Chacon drives integration and talent at Gefco UK
Gefco UK appointed a new managing director at the start of this year. Despite taking the helm during a stormy period, Cédric Chacon, a Gefco veteran, has ambitious plans to get the different divisions working together more closely and culture the sort of brand loyalty amongst customers that Apple is used to. Illya Verpraet reports
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NewsFord Europe invests $1 billion in Cologne for EV production
After JLR, Ford has also announced that all its vehicles for sale in Europe will be pure-electric by 2030. It is investing $1 billion in its Cologne (Köln) plant to make that a reality. This move will be supported by the sharing of the VW Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform.
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NewsWallenius Wilhelmsen reveals wind-powered ro-ro vessel
Wallenius Wilhelmsen has presented Orcelle Wind, a concept for a primarily wind-powered pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel that the finished vehicle logistics provider is confident could be on the water in 2025. In normal operation, it is expected to bring a 90% reduction in emissions.
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NewsThe time is now to start integrating robotics into logistics operations
Robotics have enabled major productivity gains in manufacturing, but as the technology becomes more affordable and labour gets harder to find and more expensive, it could start to play a bigger role in logistics, too, helping workers do their jobs more safely and quickly.
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NewsGerman carmakers race to secure European battery cell production
The millions of electric vehicles being produced also need millions of batteries. But where do the German manufacturers source their cells from?
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NewsDecarbonising the supply chain will be a gradual effort
With the range of electric vehicles (EVs) available on the market it is possible to buy a car that does not have any tailpipe emissions. The realities of energy generation mean that true zero-emission motoring is still some way off but at least there is a clear first step. Decarbonising the supply chain, however, is a complex issue with many hurdles still to overcome.