Chelsea Football Club has today unveiled Hilton (NYSE: HLT), the global leader in hospitality, as its official global hotel partner. The partnership will enable Chelsea Football Club and Hilton to provide extended opportunities for Hilton’s more than 158 million Hilton Honors members around the world in a new and unique way, while also serving as the official host to the Chelsea team on the road.
As a pioneer in the industry for more than 100 years, Hilton will welcome Chelsea to its portfolio of hotels as the team’s official home away from home, starting with locations in the United States during the team’s summer tour. Recognizing how much it matters where an elite sports team stays ahead of key fixtures, players and coaches will experience and enjoy Hilton’s world-class service and hospitality.
Building off its high-profile partnerships in the music, sports and entertainment world, Hilton Honors will offer a curated selection of one-of-a-kind experiences, which will kick off during this summer’s pre-season tour and extend into next season’s matches in London. Look out for the Hilton name at Chelsea men’s and women’s matches, and across Chelsea digital channels with special and engaging content for fans to enjoy.
In early September 2021, adventurer and photographer Chris Burkard traveled to Iceland to cycle an adapted version of the Westfjords Way, an incredible new touring route through some of Iceland’s most remote parts. Chris and his friends cycled over 1000km (650 miles) through winding fjords and remote villages in the super-scenic northwest corner of the country.
DEARBORN, Michigan, September 1, 2021 – Ford (NYSE: F) Ranger fans, the Splash is back. The much-loved special appearance package from the 1990’s is making a comeback, reimagined for today and starting with the 2022 Ford Ranger Splash Package.
Splash will come in two styles, the Splash Package and Splash Limited Edition. The Splash Package will be available all model year and comes with body-side orange and black graphics and special 18-inch 12-spoke wheels finished in matte black. Ranger Splash includes orange grille nostrils, plus gloss black accents on the grille, bumpers, rearview mirror caps, wheel lip moldings and fender vents. The interior features exclusive seats with orange contrast stitching and unique carbon grain with tuxedo stripes – leather-trimmed in Lariat. Orange contrast stitching also appears on the steering wheel, gear shifter and parking brake boot. Lariat models get orange accent stitching on front and rear armrests and on the dash top.
The Splash Package can be combined with the FX2 or FX4 Package to add more off-road capability to its distinctive looks.
Ford will also bring a fresh dash of color by revealing Splash Limited Edition trucks every few months in a series of one-time-only hues with just a few hundred vehicles available. It also features 18-inch matte black wheels and a unique combination of exterior and interior content and finishes. The Splash – Snow Edition kicks off the first batch.
Ranger Splash Package will be available for SuperCrew models optioned in XLT and Lariat trim series, priced at $1,495 with deliveries starting at the end of the year. Ranger is proudly built at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan.
Alstom has successfully commissioned the first 7 Prima T8 AZ8A freight locomotives to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY). These locomotives will run on the main freight transit line, which has recently been converted from 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC.
The Prima T8 AZ8A locomotives will be running initially on the “Silk Road” East-West corridor of Azerbaijan linking the Caspian Sea main ports to the Georgian border and later all across the country.
In 2014, ADY signed a contract with Alstom for €288 million for supplying 50 electric locomotives, including 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives which are being produced at Alstom’s JV EKZ in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives which have been produced in Belfort, France and already delivered to Azerbaijan.
Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tons per axle two-section freight locomotive capable of towing up to 9,000 tons and running at 120 km/h, with installed continuous power of 8.8 Megawatts. The Prima T8 AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.
Alstom’s Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or track work operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives (more than 4,600 sections) have been sold worldwide.
Alstom is present in Western & Central Asia with more than 1,000 people, three country offices in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, five depots, repair center and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines. Alstom is a major contributor to the revitalization of the region’s mobility industry and the development of its economy.
EKZ, a joint venture of Alstom, employs around 850 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway company and export markets, like Azerbaijan.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) announced today that it has entered into a joint agreement with NorthPoint Development to develop the master planned Wylie Logistics Park in Wylie, Texas, located adjacent to KCS’ David L. Starling Wylie Intermodal Terminal.
The Wylie Logistics Park offers 2.4 million square feet of potential building capacity for traditional warehousing and distribution; industrial grade amenities; dual feed electrical system with redundant power; as well as a heavy-haul road network comprised of direct access to Highway 78 and the interstate system, air and seaports, and a state-of-the-art intermodal terminal.
“KCS is pleased to enter into this agreement with NorthPoint Development for the Wylie Logistics Park,” said KCS vice president chemical and energy products Ginger Adamiak, who also leads the company’s industrial development team. “Wylie is part of the Dallas metro area, the fourth fastest growing industrial market in the U.S., and Wylie offers a business-friendly environment, low taxes and a double free port exemption.”
“We are extremely bullish on the opportunities that the Wylie Logistics Park offers,” said NorthPoint Development president/founding partner Chad Meyer. “Wylie is a supportive, pro-business municipality partnering with a unique Class I intermodal facility that has the best direct connectivity to the growing east coast ports. Couple this with exceptional demographics from an eCommerce demand and the great labor pool that this development requires and you have all of the ingredients for a very successful project.”
KCS’ Wylie Intermodal Terminal opened in 2015 and expanded in 2018. It now offers track capacity of 19,000 feet and annual lift capacity of 342,000, resulting in fluid and efficient availability of containers and improved on-time arrivals and departures. The terminal also boasts 1,800-wheeled parking spaces (with room to expand); 300 container stack spots; an Automated Gate System (AGS) with high definition imagery; optical character recognition and biometric driver identification; enhanced traffic signals and specific turn lanes.
“The Wylie Logistics Park is ideal for customers looking to combine logistics and real estate in one location,” said KCS vice president intermodal and automotive Rodrigo Flores. “Locating in the park will provide tenants and customers significant cost savings by reducing drayage from ramp to facility and providing quick access to the regional interstate network. Customers will also enjoy the environmental benefits of intermodal transportation and connectivity to other intermodal and port facilities on KCS’ U.S. and Mexico rail network.”
Infrastructure work across the Auckland metro rail network is set to ramp up over the Christmas period during a network wide shut down.
As Aucklanders head out of the city on holiday, work on several projects is scheduled across the network to take advantage of the quieter period.
KiwiRail Chief Operating Officer Todd Moyle says work will focus on track repairs.
“We’ll have more than 100 people working over the Christmas and New Year period across the network. Additionally, preliminary work on Papakura to Pukekohe electrification, the Westfield and Wiri junction and the construction of a third main will be getting underway.”
All of the projects are part of the Auckland Metro Rail Programme and once complete will deliver Auckland a resilient train infrastructure network for improved reliability of passenger train services provided by Auckland Transport and freight trains.
Earlier in the year, testing uncovered damage to more than 100km of track which required urgent upgrading.
“Our teams have put in a lot of hours and have already completed over 50 percent of the required work.
“The upgrade has been a massive task and KiwiRail has worked with Auckland Transport throughout the project to try to minimise the impact on commuters.”
The network shutdown will take place from Saturday 26 December to Sunday 10 January. During that period only freight trains will operate on the tracks.
Commuters on the Western line between Fruitvale Road and Swanson will need to prepare for a longer period of disruption, with work starting earlier, on December 20, and continuing along the entire Western Line until the end of January 2021.
“We have planned the repairs on the Western line to minimise the impact when the school year begins in February.”
“KiwiRail appreciates the level of cooperation and understanding from the public as this necessary work continues. The progress that will be made during the shutdown is an investment which will make the network more resilient and reduce future outages.”
AT Executive General Manager Integrated Networks Mark Lambert says “Once again AT wishes to acknowledge the disruption that these works have had on our customers. We will continue to provide Rail Replacement Bus services across the network throughout the shutdown, including New Year’s Eve, when many Aucklanders will be wanting to spend time with their friends and loved-ones.”
Emirates has revealed that nearly a third of its dedicated fleet of transport buses for cabin crew in Dubai will now operate on biofuel, taking another step forward on its environmental mission to reduce emissions.
The airline’s contracted service provider, Al Wegdaniyah, has committed to operating all road trips with biodiesel provided by Neutral Fuels, one of the UAE’s leading producers of biofuels, utilising locally-sourced, used cooking oil as feedstock.
Emirates commissions a fleet of nearly four dozen buses in Dubai alone, to safely shuttle its cabin crew between their homes and the workplace, clocking an average of 700,000 kilometres in a normal month. Similar to operations in the air, route and schedule planning for ground transport is also an important aspect to maximise transport efficiency and reduce emissions.
The estimated carbon dioxide savings from this initiative alone is 75,000 kg annually, and the airline continues to work with its other transport suppliers to extend this initiative across the transport fleet.
Karl W. Feilder, CEO of Neutral Fuels congratulated Emirates and Al Wegdaniyah for the initiative, pointing out that it is in line with the energy-related sustainability goals that the UAE has committed to achieve by 2050. Using biofuel reduces greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and the change can be easily made because switching from fossil fuel to biofuel requires no modification to diesel engines. It has a positive effect on engines because its lubricating properties help prevent premature wear and failure, and it even acts as a detergent in fuel systems, removing sludge deposits which improves efficiency and reduces maintenance costs.
In addition, Emirates is also currently trialling the use of electric buses airside at Dubai International airport, to transport its crew between the terminal and aircraft.
Over the years, the airline has invested in electric vehicles for its on-ground operations where feasible. For instance, at its state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai, which comprises a complex of hangars, workshops, material stores and offices, over 130 electric buggies and 80 electric material handling vehicles including forklifts, are being utilised for day-to-day operations.
Emirates is committed to environmental stewardship, focusing its ongoing efforts in three main areas: emissions reduction, responsible consumption, and the preservation of wildlife and habitats.
Emirates has a comprehensive fuel efficiency programme that actively investigates and implements ways to reduce unnecessary fuel burn and emissions wherever it is operationally feasible, whether in the air or on the ground.
Operating modern and fuel-efficient aircraft has been central to Emirates’ business model from the airline’s inception. This ongoing, multi-billion dollar investment, is Emirates’ biggest commitment – not only to passenger comfort, but also to reducing our environmental impact.
KiwiRail is taking the next step to procure a new generation of Cook Strait ferries which will increase the capacity on this vital transport link, and increase its resilience.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) to find a preferred shipyard to build two new ships for the Interislander is being issued today, the next step in the procurement process.
“The new ships will strengthen and enhance the vital transport link between the North and South Islands and represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the Cook Strait crossing,” Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says. The ferries are extensions of State Highway 1 and the Main Trunk Line across Cook Strait, linking road and rail networks between the two islands.
Currently, Interislander operates a fleet of three ferries, moving some 800,000 passengers and up to $14 billion worth of road and rail freight between the North and South Islands each year.
The $400 million contribution in Budget 2020 has enabled KiwiRail to go out to international tender to build the new ships, which are intended to arrive for service in 2024 and 2025. When the ferries are delivered, it will be over 25 years since New Zealand last introduced a brand-new purpose-built ferry to its fleet.
The $400 million towards the ferries and KiwiRail’s infrastructure at the ports in Wellington and Picton builds upon a $35 million-dollar investment in last year’s Budget for ferry design and procurement work.
The two new ferries will be technologically advanced, have significantly lower emissions, a greater carrying capacity – including rail wagons – and provide an enhanced visitor experience, Mr Miller says.
“On behalf of New Zealanders, we are grateful to the Government for enabling this acquisition,” says Mr Miller. “It is exciting to issue this RFP, to move the project forward and to find a shipyard to partner with KiwiRail to deliver the ships to our specifications, quality and timeline requirements.”
“Only overseas shipyards have the ability to build ferries of the size and standard needed for the Cook Strait. However, the project also involves new infrastructure including terminals, linkspans, and marshalling yards which will create numerous Kiwi jobs in Picton and Wellington. Community engagement has already begun in Picton for the proposed new terminal there.
“We are engaging our Interislander staff in the design of the ferries to ensure the ships are not only great for passengers, but also for those who work on them.
“Our new ferries and the associated port infrastructure will provide greater resilience for this crucial link that unites our country and will serve New Zealand for the next generation and beyond.”
The Government’s $1.2 billion rail investment in Budget 2020 will help KiwiRail attract more customers and get more freight on rail, KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says.
Building on the Government’s $1 billion investment in Budget 2019, this second round of funding includes $400 million towards replacing the aging Interislander ferries and $421 million to continue the replacement programme for some of KiwiRail’s oldest locomotives.
The funding also includes $246 million, plus a $148 million top up of the National Land Transport Fund, towards ensuring New Zealand’s rail network, which includes more than 3000km of track, more than 1000 bridges and nearly 100 tunnels, is reliable and resilient.
“I welcome this substantial funding, which is another major boost for rail in New Zealand. For our customers this investment sends a clear signal that rail has a big future and gives them the confidence to get on board,” Mr Miller says.
“Our customers want to make greater use of rail and we’re seeing more road operators reach out for our support as their networks contract. We’re here to help them.”
“The Government’s investment allows us to continue with our locomotive replacement programme and raise the standard of our rail lines, bridges and tunnels across the country. This will enable KiwiRail to offer better and more reliable train services for our customers, and move more of New Zealand’s growing freight task onto rail.
“This funding recognises that rail has a greater role to play in New Zealand’s transport sector, and that it can make a valuable contribution towards lowering our transport emissions, reducing road congestion and saving in road maintenance costs – which benefits our nation as a whole.
Fifteen new Gen 2.3 DL locomotives depart KiwiRail’s Mt Maunganui yard, shortly after arriving at the Port of Tauranga, in 2018.
“The range of track renewal and facility upgrades we are planning will also support our workforce of almost 4000, as well as numerous civil contractors and material supply businesses across the country.”
“I’m very grateful to the Government for this level of support and I know that KiwiRail’s customers will be pleased by this demonstration of our shareholder’s commitment to rail.”
Mr Miller says the $400 million contribution to replacing Interislander’s three aging ferries and necessary landside infrastructure highlights how important the ferry connection is to New Zealand.
“Our Cook Strait ferries are an extension of State Highway 1, moving 800,000 passengers and up to $14 billion worth of road and rail freight between the North and South Islands each year.
“They are a must have for NZ Inc. The two new rail-enabled ferries will be more advanced, have significantly lower emissions and last for the next 30 years.
“This is a once-in-a generation investment and I am thankful for the Government’s support. It gives us the security to go out to international tender to build the ships, which we hope to see arriving on our shores in 2024 and 2025.”
