Tag: Ocean (Page 1 of 4)

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection opens reservations for third superyacht Luminara

January 14, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection unveiled its summer 2025 itineraries across its fleet, Evrima, Ilma, and Luminara, marking an exciting moment as the company opens bookings for the inaugural season of its third superyacht. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection debuted in October 2022 with the launch of Evrima, the first time a luxury hospitality brand expanded into the cruising category. With all three superyachts now open for reservations, the brand extension continues to build on its success signifying continued growth and offering more opportunities for luxury travelers to enjoy unforgettable getaways at sea.

The Inaugural Season of Luminara
Inspiring curiosities and celebrations, Luminara, derived from Latin origin and meaning “light,” will measure 794 feet (242 meters) and accommodate up to 452 guests. In addition to 226 spacious suites, each boasting a private ocean-view terrace, a higher percentage of upper-suite categories, and superior guest amenities, the onboard experience will feature world-class dining, a wine vault, The Ritz-Carlton Spa®, and an expanded marina providing direct access to the sea. Among its range of upper-suite categories will be a new expansive accommodation, The Residential Suite, promising a collection of offerings that caters to a variety of preferences.

Luminara will embody contemporary craftsmanship and refined interior finishes envisioned by AD Associates, a renowned London-based architectural and design firm, with creative direction by Chapi Chapo Design, an internationally acclaimed Toronto-based luxury design firm, and celebrated lighting designer DPA. The yacht’s sleek and graceful exterior design, expertly envisioned by Helsinki-based design studio Aivan, draws inspiration from the elegant aesthetics of private yacht design. Inspired by light and luminescence, Luminara‘s design emphasizes elegance and sophistication. Its layout, featuring explorative passages and favoring circular silhouettes over geometric edges, creates a seamless design, forming a sense of limitless space in each area. A serene color palette of soft brown oak, Calcutta marble, leather accents, and touches of rich red, navy, and green will provide an elegant oasis at sea.

Click the link below to see the entire press release!

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

European Union implements new customs procedures

January 10, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has notified customers that the European Union (E.U.) has implemented its new customs pre-arrival security and safety program, supported by an extensive advanced cargo information system known as “Import Control System 2 (ICS 2)”. This regulation will replace the current regulation ICS 1.

From June 2024, all goods moved by Maritime transportation which are destined for, or transiting the E.U., Switzerland, Norway, and Northern Ireland will be subject to new entry regulations – ICS2. Economic Operators (EOs) or Shippers will have to declare safety and 2 security data to ICS2, through the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS).

Paving the transition for ONE Customers At ONE, we are in the process of upgrading our systems to capture and process mandatory information, such as the 6-digit HS code, place of receipt and House Bill of Lading data ensuring we can support all our customers with their ENS submissions. Additionally, we are providing extensive training to our Magentians across all regions to equip them with the necessary information to support you, our customer during this transition. Watch out for further updates and announcements on our progress in 2024.

For more information on the upcoming ICS2, click on the link below.

https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/customs-security/import-control-system-2-ics2-0_en

Airbus renews transatlantic fleet with lower emission ships

October 25, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France, October 25, 2023 – Airbus Group SE (Paris: AIR) will renew the entire fleet of chartered vessels that transport aircraft subassemblies between production facilities in Europe and the United States with three modern, low-emission roll-on/roll-off vessels, supported by wind-assisted propulsion.

Airbus has commissioned shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs to build, own and operate these new, highly efficient vessels that will enter into service from 2026. The new vessels will be powered by a combination of six Flettner rotors – large, rotating cylinders that generate lift thanks to the wind, propelling the ship forward – and two dual-fuel engines running on maritime diesel oil and e-methanol. Additionally, routing software will optimise the vessels’ journey across the Atlantic, maximising wind propulsion and avoiding drag caused by adverse ocean conditions.

The new fleet is expected to reduce average annual transatlantic CO₂ emissions from 68,000 to 33,000 tonnes by 2030. This will contribute to Airbus’ commitment to reduce its overall industrial emissions by up to 63% by the end of the decade – compared to 2015 as baseline year.

Maersk launches rail offering from Barcelona, Spain to Southern France

October 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Barcelona, Spain – AP Moeller-Maersk AS (OTC: AMKBY) is launching a new rail product from the Port of Barcelona to Southern France especially designed to cut transit times of ocean cargo destined to the areas Toulouse, Bordeaux and Lyon by using Barcelona as an alternative gateway. Starting early November there will be three weekly direct block trains between Barcelona and Toulouse as well as one weekly connection between Barcelona and Lyon. Via Toulouse the solution also connects cargo to Bordeaux seamlessly by using a partner network. Furthermore, it is intended to extend the connectivity on the Spanish side by rail to the areas of Tarragona and Zaragoza.

This new offering can shorten transit times for import and export cargo in the areas Toulouse, Bordeaux and Lyon by up to 12 days (7 days on average) compared to traditional routings via French or North European ports. Thanks to shorter transport distances and the utilisation of electrified trains it can also be a more environmentally friendly routing. The block trains can also be booked for intra-continental cargo between Spain and France.

Maersk is operating this new end to end service via its own company APM Spain Railways and cooperates for the trains with the partners Captrain and Naviland.

Thanks to brand new interoperable locomotives, the block trains neither have to stop to change the locomotive or replace wheel-sets at the Spanish-French border for seamless operations and best-in-class reliability.

Germany First Lady Elke Budenbender Christens Berlin Express

October 4, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Hapag-Lloyd AG (Frankfurt: HLAG) has officially welcomed into its fleet the “Berlin Express”, the first ship of its new Hamburg Express class. At an event attended by some 300 guests from business and politics, naming patron Elke Büdenbender performed the ceremonial christening of the ship at the Container Terminal Burchardkai (Athabaskakai) in the Port of Hamburg. Among the guests were Peter Tschentscher, the First Mayor of Hamburg, and Daniel Günther, the Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein.

The Hamburg Express class will mark the beginning of a new era for Hapag-Lloyd and its fleet. In total, a dozen state-of-the-art large container ships will be put into service by 2025. Together, these vessels will make an important contribution to Hapag-Lloyd’s efforts to operate its entire fleet in a climate-neutral manner by 2045. Thanks to their cutting-edge dual-fuel technology, they will also be able to operate using non-fossil fuels, such as bio-methane and e-methane, and thereby generate hardly any CO2 emissions.

For the time being, liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be used, which will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25 percent and soot emissions by 95 percent. In addition, advanced components – such as an optimised hull and a highly efficient propeller – will help the vessels to reduce fuel consumption and thereby greenhouse gas emissions.

The “Berlin Express” was built at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in South Korea. With a length of almost 400 metres and a capacity of 23,600 TEU, it is the largest cargo ship ever to sail under German flag. The container ships in the Hamburg Express class will exclusively operate on the cargo-intensive Far East route between Asia and Europe. The “Berlin Express” will operate regularly on the FE3 service, which sails between Ningbo and Hamburg, via Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore and Rotterdam.

A.P. Moller – Maersk opens doors to new warehouse in Douala, Cameroon

September 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

A.P. Moller – Maersk AS (OTC: AMKBY) opens new warehousing & distribution (W&D) facility, spread over 16,000 sq.m. inside the Douala Port zone and powered by a cutting-edge system, will serve mainly the growing demand for FMCG cargo and, potentially, other strategic verticals in Central Africa.

The state-of-the-art facility with modern WMS will provide customers with accurate and real-time visibility of their inventory. Full traceability using lot, batch, and serial numbering will ensure efficient movement of goods. Ultimately, the optimised operations using technology will aid in reducing waste and inventory errors and provide an improved experience to customers.

Maersk has a clear goal of being Net Zero by 2040, and every new investment being made has deep considerations in terms of the decarbonisation of logistics. The new facility by Maersk in Douala is no exception. 100% internal lighting will be done using low-consumption LED lights, and all external lighting will be powered by solar energy. All forklifts required in the W&D operations will be battery-operated and charged using solar energy. At the beginning of operations, 15% of the site’s electricity requirements will be fulfilled by solar panels installed at the site itself, with a plan to scale up in the coming years.

Maersk’s customers will get several benefits by utilising this facility for bonded as well as non-bonded storage and distribution. Bundled with ocean transportation, customs clearances, intermodal transportation and other services, Maersk will provide truly integrated logistics solutions to its customers. Such a solution also adds greater control over supply chains and offers higher resilience. With everything put together, customers will get cost advantages, too, as all their logistics requirements get fulfilled under the same roof.

Maersk finalizes ECO delivery deal with Amazon

September 6, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Florham Park, New Jersey, September 6, 2023 – A.P. Moller – Maersk (OTC: AMKBY) and Amazon have finalized a 2023-2024 agreement for the transport of 20,000 FFE containers using green biofuel through Maersk’s “ECO Delivery” ocean product offering. Maersk estimates this purchase will contribute to a reduction in 44,600 metric tons of CO2e vs standard bunker fuel, roughly equivalent to 50 million pounds of coal burned. This is the fourth consecutive year that Amazon and Maersk have arranged container shipping using low GHG fuel options.

The ECO Delivery biofuel option offers emission reductions that enable immediate and externally verified GHG savings for customers, without compensatory measures like offsetting. This year, Amazon will benefit from a new feature of the ECO Delivery product which will be enabled by also using green methanol in addition to the bio diesel as a second green fuel* in the vessel fleet. ECO Delivery is using primary data for fuel consumption in the methodology to report emissions savings with greater precision, inclusive of other greenhouse gases in addition to the CO2. The new model also provides price certainty and stability and is de-linked from the fossil fuel market.

^* Maersk defines ’green fuels’ as fuels with low to very low GHG emissions over their life cycle compared to fossil fuels. Maersk green fuels and its supply chain are verified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) . The methodology for accounting emissions is based on GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council) and is certified by Smart Freight Center. We ensure auto-generated performance tracking of Maersk ECO Delivery shipments. Maersk ECO Delivery CO2e saving certificates will be issued. The method is audited by PwC in accordance with the International Standard of Assurance Engagements 3410 (ISAE 3410 – Assurance Engagements on Greenhouse Gas Statements), showing CO₂e savings for the scope of the Maersk ECO Delivery agreement.

CSX Corporation Declares Quarterly Dividend

July 13, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Jacksonville, Florida – July 12, 2023 – CSX Corporation (NASDAQ: CSX) announced that the Company’s Board of Directors approved a $0.11 per share quarterly dividend on the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on September 15, 2023, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 31, 2023.

About CSX and its Disclosures

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For nearly 200 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation’s economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population resides. It also links more than 230 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com.

French Bee Takes Delivery of its First A350-1000

December 19, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

French bee, the low-cost, long-haul airline (Groupe Dubreuil member) based in France, has taken delivery of its first A350-1000, on lease from Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL), to join its fleet and make the airline an all-A350 fleet operator. The aircraft is the first of two A350-1000s to be operated by the carrier on route from Paris to Saint Denis de La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

The A350-1000s will complement the four A350-900 aircraft already in the French bee fleet, providing the airline with operational flexibility and eco-efficient solutions for its network. The aircraft features 480 seats in a two-class layout (40 premium class and 440 economy class), providing all the comfort and amenities of Airbus’ Airspace cabin, including state-of-the-art, in-flight passenger entertainment (IFE) and full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin. The A350 cabin is also the quietest of any twin-aisle aircraft.

The A350-1000, Airbus’ largest widebody in the twin-engine category, features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, allowing the airline to fly long-haul destinations up to 16,000 km (8,700nm).

Indian Ocean Based Air Austral Becomes First French A220 Operator

July 28, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Mirabel, Canada – The first of the three A220s for Air Austral, France’s La Reunion Island-based airline, has been delivered from the Airbus A220 Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Mirabel, Canada. The second and third aircraft are expected to join the Air Austral fleet in the coming days.

Airbus is delighted to welcome Air Austral as a new Airbus customer and operator. This A220 will be the first of the type to be operated by a French airline in the Indian Ocean region.

Air Austral has selected the Airbus A220-300 as part of its medium and short-haul fleet modernisation plan in order to boost its operational efficiency, offering an enhanced passenger experience in a comfortable two-class cabin layout with 132 seats: 12 in business class and 120 in economy-class.

Bearing the airline’s distinctive livery representing La Reunion Island’s beautiful landscapes, Air Austral will strengthen its regional network with three A220-300s, flying on routes between La Réunion Island and Mauritius, Mayotte, Seychelles, South Africa, Madagascar, and as far as India.

Powered by latest-generation geared turbofan engines, Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1500G, the A220 is the quietest and most eco-friendly aircraft in its category. The aircraft features a 50% reduced noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft, 25% lower fuel burn and CO₂ emissions per seat as well as 50% lower NOx emissions than current industry standards.

To date over 160 A220s have been delivered, operating routes in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa, proving the great versatility of Airbus’ new generation single-aisle family member.

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