Logistical Challenge

Concordia to be salvaged by Dutch Co. Smit Tak

2012-01-16T15:08:00.006+11:00

Smit Tak crew are intransit to the Concordia sinking to carry out the salvage operation.

Priority 1 is securing any oil that maybe leaking to prevent a natural disaster.

A team of professionals will then assess the cruise ship's structure.

Smit Tak has tendered to salvage the entire vessel but are still negotiating with local government.

Understanding Incoterms

2011-10-18T22:54:00.003+11:00

Introducing Incoterms to someone new, 4 key questions, and an overview of the key differences.

What are Incoterms? Incoterms are International Commercial Terms, essentially a global set of universal trade terms developed to establish a happy medium between exporter and importer alike.

Where did they come from? Incoterms were developed by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France. They were first published in 1936 and the current set were published in 2000.

Why do we need them? Without Incoterms buyer and seller would would be at constant negotiation, international trade would simply not be as efficient. A generic standard set of rules are invaluable and can be thought of as a cost-saving measure. Once a trade term is agreed upon, the parties can continue without having to worry whom is responsible for freight, insurance or other related cost in the future.

How many of these things are there?? There are 13 Incoterms, yes it sounds daunting at first but if we break them down into categories it will improve your understanding. A simple breakdown and explanation of each term......

Departure Terms (here's the goods sort it out yourself!)

EXW – Ex Works The buyer takes control of the goods at the Suppliers Factory door, all the supplier has to do is make the shipment available at there set location. Any charge thereon falls completely on the buyer

Main carriage unpaid terms (hand balled to your carrier!)

FCA – Free Carrier Basically the seller will clear the shipment for export and drop it in the hands of the buyers selected carrier at there chosen location. This term can be used for all modes of transport.

FAS – Free Alongside Ship Similar to FCA, but maritime specific. The seller will clear shipment for export, and physically leave it at the chosen port, without incurring any Port service charge.

FOB – Free On Board Similar to FAS, although the seller will organize to load the shipment on board the buyer's designated ship. Port charge fees are divided between each party.

Main Carriage Paid (drop kicked to your door!)

CFR – Cost and Freight Seller will pay for carriage and all costs involved to the buyer's destination port. Insurance is buyers responsibility once goods have been loaded aboard vessel.

CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight As above, however the seller must cover insurance cost to the destination port.

CPT – Carriage Paid To CFR, except Insurance risk commences for buyer as soon as the truck (or first carrier) delivering goods to the port is loaded.

CIP – Carriage and Insurance Paid The container freight/multimodal equivalent of CPT.

Arrival terms (confused yet!)

DAF – Delivered At Frontier is designed for Road and Rail freight. The buyer will organize customs clerance and transport to the frontier; country borderline / chosen destination. Insurance changes hands at the frontier.

DES – Delivered Ex Ship (named port) similiar to CIF/CIP the seller will cover insurance to the destination port. This term is generally used for bulk carriage e.g. minerals or agriculture, as the seller is required to make the product available onboard the vessel itself.

DEQ – Delivered Ex Quay (named port) Equivalent of DES, except insurance covers goods untill they are unloaded at destination port.

DDU – Delivered Duty Unpaid (named destination place) The buyer chooses a destination, from this point onwards the buyer is responsible for any loading charges, or insurance cover. Everything prior is the seller's responsibility. Local customs clearance entry costs or any duty tax can be negotiated in the contract.

DDP – Delivered Duty Paid (named destination place) Essentially the opposite of Ex Works, the seller will pay for all transport charges, insurance, customs clearance and duty. From origin to the buyers warehouse.

Melbourne to Sydney High Speed Train

2011-09-25T17:42:00.010+10:00

Ever since seeing the Tyco Super Turbo Train commercial as a child, I have been dying for a High Speed Rail Network linking Australian Capital Cities.

Furthermore after admiring the speed & efficiency of the ICE train around Germany, I have become a complete advocate of the proposed Melbourne to Sydney High Speed Link.

February 2010 I attended UFC 110 at Acer Arena Sydney Olympic Park, having traveled from Geelong Victoria, The round trip involved a 3am wake up call, and arrival home just after midnight, in other words an immensely long & tiring day for a 2.5 hour event.

The reasoning behind this was the available flight times & required Check in periods prior to and fro. The Interlinking public transport from home to Airport, Airport to Venue and so on...

Initial thoughts that passengers could fork out less than $100 per ticket, travel at +350kph and arrive in less than 3 hours blows my mind!

Yes this would be one hell of a expensive logistical challenge given the recent fall in our economy, but I feel the benefits alone should be merit to push this through parliament as soon as possible, and get the construction ball rolling.

(September 12. 2006). Tyco Super Turbo Train w/ Daredevil Jump. [online]Youtube; courtesy of user: panbiscuit. Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 25 Sep 2011].

The Secret of calculating Air freight cost

2011-09-12T18:26:00.002+10:00

If your company is airfreighting quiet often and using an air freight forwarder, you should have received a rate sheet, usually split into regions.

Generally speaking each region will have four methods of calculating the total charge, maybe a fifth or sixth for a country or airport with additional handling or customs requirements.

An airfreight charge per kilogram, war/fuel surcharge, fixed local charge per shipment and variable local charge per kilogram will typically be the basis for calculating the cost of freight. Additional factors may come into play including origin terminal handling charges or document fees.

Information the freight forwarder will require to quote the shipment composes of the outer carton CBM (Carton dimensions - L x W x H), Volumetric Weight (Outer Carton CBM x 167), Gross Weight of Carton & the number of cartons.

The greater of the Volumetric Weight and the Gross Weight will equal the chargeable weight which will then be plugged into the freight forwarders rate sheet.

For further detail, e.g. calculating the freight per unit cost if say you were shipping 100 units per carton, a units per carton column can be added into the formula.

Click to Download the excel spreadsheet I use to calculate airfreight cost on a day-to-day basis.

WFP 125 x 125 Banner

2011-07-01T12:00:00.009+10:00

The World Food Programme, has offered great incite on logistical nightmares it has encountered through A-Grade Journalism. I have discussed and used examples in the past including Nepal Logistically Challenge and Libyas desert corridor realising logistical dream.

It is for this reason I have decided to place a 125 x 125 Banner on Logistical Challenge to help support there cause.

Once again thanks WFP, and as token of your appreciation, if you can afford it please click here and make a small donation now, If you want to add a banner to your webpage I encourage you too please follow my source below.

WFP (1 July 2011). Link to Us | WFP | United Nations World Food Programme. World Food Program[online] www.wfp.org. Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 1/7/2011 July 2009].

Keywords in a plethora of text

2011-01-15T22:51:00.000+11:00

How often does this happen? There was a really relevant point in a body of text you read a few days earlier and after finally tracking down that webpage in Google, or finding that ebook on your PC, its time to start breezing through 500 odd pages of text to find that elusive statement.
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To save some time simply Hit CTRL & F, & an impresive "Find" Utility should appear which allows you to enter a specific keyword. After you have entered a somewhat unique word or phrase associated with your search, click "Find" and with some luck you should be teleported to the hidden line in no time.
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Im surprised how often this can be overlooked, people use find / search functions all the time to locate where they have saved files on there hardrive, but never think to use it as an indexing tool throughout large documents.

This could be handy, especially if your house bills, invoice or packing lists have been created in Excel or Word, and you need to find a certain field repeatingly, yet now efficiently.

5 reasons why your computer is crashing

2010-11-25T23:37:00.003+11:00

Hard disk drives (Hdd).

Quiet often data becomes fragmented. Thus it can be a good idea to defragment the hard disk maybe every few weeks; or even once a month to prevent the Hdd from freezing your computer.

Go to Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are over burden. Get into a regular pattern of housekeeping your Hdd every few months and free some space on it.

Tip! Open the Windows folder on the C:\ drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free space.

Simply empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space.

Your Hdd should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors.

Go to Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, ScanDisk

Fatal OE / VXD Exceptions.

These are often caused by graphics card problems..

These can be resolved by reducing the resolution of your video display..

Go to Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, Display, Settings.Slide the screen area bar to the left. Glance at the color settings on the left. High color 16-bit depth is acceptable..

If your computer is freezing often it could be due to your graphics card.

Double check there are no hardware conflicts.. Go to Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, System, Device Manager,.Select the + next to Display Adapter.

A description of your video card should appear. Highlight it and select Properties. Go to Resources and select each line in the window, looking for a message that says No Conflicts..

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button.

Then search for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message..

Another useful way to resolve video problems is;.

Go to Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, System, Performance, Graphics -.Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left..

By far the most common cause of graphics card problems are obselete or faulty drivers.

Look up your graphics card's manufacturer on the internet and download for the most recent driver for model..

Viruses.

If you do not have a Windows start-up Disk on hand, Get one.

Some Viruses attack the boot sector of your hard drive, making it impossible to start.

Nowdays you can use the Windows Operating system Cd that came with your system, but if your oldschool and still have a 3.5" floppy drive, you can create your own start up Disk..

Go to Start Menu, Settings, Control Panel, Add / Remove, Start-up Disk, Create Disk..

Im not going to go into specifics as it's pretty obvious, but you should have some form of Virus protection installed, just be very vigilant and always update your virus signatures; they are installed in a *.DAT file. Your *.DAT files should be updated periodically from your antivirus software website..

Overheating.

Central processing units (CPUs) are equipped with electric cooling fans. If the fan stops or is starting to make a whining noise (ball bearings dying) it may start to overheat and generate a kernel error.

This is a quiet common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they have been designed for..

One solution is to upgrade the fan / heatsink. Another is too simply vaccum / blow out with compressed air the copious amounts of dust clogging the case vents, heatsink fins & motherboard..

CPU problems can be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will reduce performance slightly, but increase stability..

Don't be afraid of cracking open your PC case, its not very difficult usually only 3 or 4 phillips head screws need to be undone to remove the side panel of a tower, or the top of a desktop machine..

Printers.

This ones right out of left field, so I thought Id include it, The action of sending a document to a printer generates a larger data file, often called a postscript file. Generally speaking Printers usually only have a select small amount of memory called the buffer, which can be overloaded by the post script. Printing a large document will also use a decent chunk of CPU power, slowing down overall PC performance.

Anything unusual throughout your document e.g. new fonts, characters or intricate diagrams, may confuse the printer, causing your PC to crash. The easiest method in solving these frustrating episodes, can be to clear the buffer by simply pulling the plug on the printer for ten seconds.

So there! 5 potential reasons why your computer is crashing, and what too look out for in the future to prevent these frustrating freezes.

Australian Ports - The 4 Victorian Hubs

2010-10-17T23:26:00.000+11:00

Geelong is the largest regional Port in Victoria, the 6th largest in Australia. With a heavy emphasis on bulk cargo it's major import/export commodity includes crude oil, fertilizer, automotive components, grain, steel & wood chips. Shell Refinery, Incitec Pivot, Toyota Tsusho, GrainCorp and One Steel dominate the Port regions of North Shore and Corio.

Portland is a deep water bulk Port positioned somewhat between Melbourne and Adelaide. Once again like its counterpart Geelong, it specializes in agriculture and mining. Whilst it also exports aluminum ingots and livestock.

Hastings specializes in oil, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), unleaded petrol (ULP) & steel. It is located approximately 75km from Melbourne. The discovery of LPG in Bass Strait during the sixties required immediate attention and extra Port facililites were developed shortly after. The following decade the steel industry established itself at Western Port.

Melbourne is the largest container port in Australia, over 40 shipping lines utilize Williamstown and Station pier. During 2007 - 2008 1,050,445 TEU's were imported alone through Melbourne, 727,037 TEU's exported.

For further information;

Department of Transport [online] www.transport.vic.gov.au

Port of Victoria [online] http://www.portofvictoria.com
Wiki Entry [online] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Ports_Corporation

Image Courtesy: Ports of Australia Diagram; cropped and reduced 26th Febuary 2010; Ports Australia, [online]www.portsaustralia.com.au/, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 26 Febuary 2010]

Bill of Lading Requirements

2010-09-10T22:57:00.002+10:00

The Bill of Lading (BOL) is a document issued on behalf of the carrier describing the type and quantity of goods shipped, the shipper, the consignee, ports of loading/discharge and vessel details.

Generally speaking, it will be included at the front of a document package which contains the supplier's invoice, packing list, packing declaration and fumigation certificates if required.

The following details are required on a Bill of Lading document;

Shipper's Name and Address

Consignee's Name and Address

Notify Party

Unique Bill of Lading Number / Airway Bill Number

Country of Origin

Port/Airport of Loading/Discharge

Date of Issue

Freight Terms

Description of packages & goods

Dimensions (cube)

Purchase Order Number

Carton QTY / Unit QTY

Gross Weight

Chargeable Weight

Carrier Rates *Optional

Australian Ports - NSW

2010-05-18T19:22:00.001+10:00

Eden on the very South coast of New South Whales originated in the mid 1800's as a commerical whaling dock. Today it predominately exports timber product to Japan and South Korea. Mobil has there own private wharf for distribution of petroleum imports, and the department of defense use the eden port locale` to conduct naval repairs there on a regular basis.

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Kembla is best known for Bluescope steel works, and the export gateway for coal mined in the southern and western regions of New South Whales.

Botany services the New South Whales Capital; Sydney. Predominantly focused on bulk liquid and containerised goods. It is the second largest Port in Australia, preceeding Melbourne.

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Newcastle is a unique harbour and crucial to Australia's economy, not only is it the largest Coal export Port in Australia; it is the largest Coal export Port in the world.
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Yamba is very much alike Eden, with a primary focus on export Timber, it services the northern coastline of New South Whales, The Port of Yamba also doubles as the Gateway to Lord Howe Island.

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For further information;

NSW Ports Corporation [online] www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Ports [online] http://www.sydneyports.com.au/

Image Courtesy: Ports of Australia Diagram; cropped and reduced 26th Febuary 2010; Ports Australia, [online]www.portsaustralia.com.au/, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 26 Febuary 2010]

DHL issues warning on Iceland Eruption

2010-04-17T10:55:00.001+10:00

Email I received yesterday from DHL issuing a warning on the Iceland Eruption.

Cancellation of Flights Caused by Iceland's Volcanic Eruption.

Due to the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, flights across northern Europe have been disrupted by a volcanic ash cloud that is drifting south and east from Iceland. Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverized rock which can damage aircraft engines and airframes.

The Countries where their flights to and from are affected include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and United Kingdom. It's highly possible that additional Countries will be affected as the volcanic ash continues to spread.

This disruption and cancellation of flights is expected to effect weekend consolidations into and out of these Countries. We expect that once flights again resume there may be a backlog of cargo from those effected airports.

At the time of this notification there is no indication of when flights are expected to resume. However, the European Air Safety Authority has advised the disruption, the largest experienced in the region, could last for at least another two days.

DHL will continue to monitor the situation over the week-end and advise our customers as, and when, additional information is received from the respective Authorities.

Should you wish further information please contact your local DHL representative.

Shen Neng Ship Wreck

2010-04-03T11:35:00.001+11:00

The Shen Neng 1 a 230 metre Bulk Carrier ran aground about 70 kilometres easy of Great Keppel Island QLD, Australia when it sailed outside of designated shipping lanes.

According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the ship's original course was between Dougla Shoal and the capricorn islands, haphazardly straying 5.8 nautical miles away from the shipping lane.

The physical grounding or scraping of the Great Barrier Reef left a 3 kilometer , 250 meter wide abundant ditch.

Scientists are predicting a minimum 20 year recovery to its former condition; thriving with marine life.

The ships master and owners are currently undergoing investigation and the outcome shall be reviewed shortly.

Lost at Sea

2010-03-01T11:57:00.004+11:00

As you read this, more than 50,000 Nike tennis shoes are circling the globe like a convoy of tiny striped canoes.but this flotilla of footwear is hardly alone at sea. It's been joined by thousands of Tommy Pickles cartoon heads, plastic turtles, rubber ducks, 3 million Lego pieces and, at last report, 34,000 hockey gloves.

All this stuff and more is bob, bob, bobbing to a beach near you, said Seattle-based oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer.

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This month, Nike Cross Trainers are expected to wash up on Everett's beaches in Washington State, after falling into the Pacific Ocean in December 1999. This weekend will be a good time to

comb local beaches, as low tides of more than minus three feet (one meter) are predicted.

But be patient—some items won't wash ashore for another ten years, said Ebbesmeyer, who's mapped Puget Sound from Tacoma to Whidbey Island since 1966.

Each year, manufacturers around the world ship more than 100 million containers—each the size of a semi-truck—across the seven seas.

Gumball dispensers, doll heads, and Beanie Babies stitched and glued in China sail across the Pacific Ocean to U.S. ports. Made-in-Hungary frocks and Pez candies travel 10th class across the Atlantic on container ships, which carry on average 4,500 containers. But not all of them will reach port.

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Every year, more than 10,000 containers fall overboard and spill their cargo into the ocean. Storms are often to blame.

An 8-foot by 40-foot container (2.4-meter by 12.2-meter), which can carry up to 58,000 pounds (26,000 kilograms) of cargo, might hold 10,000 shoes, 17,000 hockey gloves, or a million pieces of Lego.

Ebbesmeyer and his partners at Evans and Hamilton, Inc., a Seattle firm, design and manufacture instruments that measure ocean currents. The company is mapping north Puget Sound for a King County project that will locate a wastewater treatment plant in Snohomish County.

If you didn't land a pair of Nikes in 1990, when 80,000 Nikes tumbled into the Pacific Ocean, don't despair.

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This year, beachcombers may find good-as-new 1999 Nike Cross Trainers along the shores of Washington and Oregon and Puget Sound beaches.

In February, some Nikes drifted into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This summer they're expected to wash up near Everett.

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Only trouble is, beachcombers will have to find the mates, because Nike didn't tie the laces together.

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The sneakers were lost at sea when the container ship P&O Nedlloyd Auckland encountered a hurricane mid-Pacific. Heavy rolling threw a dozen 40-foot-long (12-meter) containers overboard, two filled with Nike shoes.

Beach Junk Serves as Ready-Made Markers

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Until 1990, Ebbesmeyer dropped buoys, drift cards, and markers into the sea to track current flows without giving much thought to what was already adrift.

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But when his mom quizzed him about where beach junk comes from, he realized that the ocean was filled with ready-made markers whose course he could plot from ship to shore.

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Over the years, he's become the big Kahuna of beachcombers with a Web site, a newsletter, and a penchant for zipping around the country to attend beachcomber conferences.

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He prowls beaches for shoes, plastic toys, glass floats, and tropical seeds.

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Tall, with a raft of white hair and a salty beard, Ebbesmeyer could easily pass for a beach bum who traded his suit and tie for a straw-hat, a zinc oxide stripe, and a pair of flip-flops.

Far from being a curio, his hobby gives clues to the ocean's highway of currents. Shipping companies keep meticulous records. A ship's captain is required to note where a container went overboard.

If a Nike shoe washes onto a local beach, check the serial number on the insole, he said, and then trace its route from the point where it went AWOL. Proof that even a floating shoe leaves a footprint.

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Based on his knowledge of ocean currents, Ebbesmeyer can predict when and where the goods will eventually turn up. Millions of Legos plastic pieces that spilled overboard in three containers in the Atlantic last year are expected to drift north into the Arctic Ocean and then through the Northeast Passage.

In a few more years, they are expected to travel south toward the 49th state, Alaska. Their expected arrival time on Alaskan beaches is 2012 and on Washington beaches in 2020, Ebbesmeyer said.

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The coastline and inlet beaches of California, Oregon, and Washington are well-known destinations for floating goods. In Puget Sound the one percent rule applies, Ebbesmeyer said. About one percent of whatever is spilled or floats into the Strait of Juan de Fuca will reach inland beaches.

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"The oil companies don't like me saying this, but if a million gallons of oil spill in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, one percent—10,000 gallons—will show up in Everett and Puget Sound."

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In 1990, 80,000 pairs of Nikes in eight containers jumped ship during a storm in the mid-Pacific. Ten years later, some are still circumnavigating the Earth like miniature Magellans.

Shoes Can Float for Ten Years

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A pair of athletic shoes can float for ten years, Ebbesmeyer said.

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"They're still wearable even after three years at sea," he said. "A teenager will wear out a pair of Nikes in six months, proving that we're harder on shoes than the ocean."

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Every beach is different, depending on the current. Items that wash up in Edmonds may not necessarily be found in Everett.

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"They're like restaurants—some serve Thai food, some Indian or Chinese food. Some beaches are known for their glass or driftwood or artifacts."

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In Edmonds, beach ranger Owen Caddy is used to finding the bright orange drift cards released by Ebbesmeyer's firm as part of the Puget Sound currents study. And Caddy once assembled a little collection of his own.

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"When I was up in Alaska a few years ago, we were picking up little rubber duckies off the beach," Caddy said.

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In Everett, beachcombers have found beach glass, bottles and dishware dating from the 1800s. The spot where the Snohomish River drains into Puget Sound has proved an archaeologist's dream.

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When the river cuts into its banks during the flood season, it sometimes washes out Indian artifacts, tools, and arrowheads.

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"Five-thousand-year-old baskets have turned up at the mouth of the Snohomish. If you find one of those, call the Burke Museum," Ebbesmeyer advised.

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Not everyone turns up treasures, but there are plenty of collectibles out there.

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"Someone asked me if a plane full of hockey players had crashed. They were finding hockey gloves all over the beach."

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Ebbesmeyer discovered that two 20-foot by 40-foot (6.1-meter by 12.2-meter) containers of hockey gloves, chest protectors, and shin guards had fallen overboard in the middle of the Pacific in 1994.

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Manufactured items, glass, and sneakers are relative newcomers to the ocean's bounty; Mother Nature's spawn has been washing ashore for millions of years.

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Sea beans, a tropical seed, can stay afloat for 30 years. They bob across the Pacific from Southeast Asia. They can be found on Edmonds and Mukilteo beaches, and despite the lengthy saltwater immersion, some will still sprout.

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"But you don't want to do that," Ebbesmeyer said. "They're a tropical jungle vine, which grows to two feet (60 centimeters) in diameter—think of Jack-in-the-Beanstalk.

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"The bad news is that they'll envelop your house. The good news is they can't stand any frost."
Hamburger beans, which resemble miniature Big Macs, can sometimes be found on local beaches. A tropical seed, they drift across the Pacific. Despite their appetizing appearance, "you don't want to eat them."

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The beans are full of L-Dopamine, the chemical compound used to treat patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, and which woke actor Robert De Niro from a catatonic state in the movie Awakenings. "We think it's one of the bean's defenses against rodents," Ebbesmeyer said.

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As for the manufactured junk floating in the ocean, it's not all a waste or a wash. Those Nike shoes, for instance, they're ambassadors of goodwill, a floating thrift store. "Poor people around the world know, if you need a pair of shoes you go to the beach."

Podsada. J, Lost Sea Cargo: Beach Bounty or Junk? 19 June 2001, Lost Sea Cargo: Beach Bounty or Junk?[online] nationalgeographic.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 1 March 2010]

Most Powerful Truck in History

2010-03-01T09:54:00.000+11:00

Go ahead and Google something like "the most powerful truck" and im sure you will be inundated by a plethora of youtube clips and articles based on Volvo's FH16 primemover.

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Boasting a somewhat whopping 700hp 16.0 liter turbo diesal engine it has been labelled as a class leader in performance and efficiency.

You don't have to look far though for the real contender, fellow Swede manafacturer Scania have risen the bar, and redeveloped there previous v8 engine; with a new improved output of 730hp/2581lb-ft of torque.

This new european sledgehammer has been labelled as the R-Series 730, answering the calling of there customers, as performance has been recogized as one of the key important purchasing factors.

Australian Ports - Van Diemen's land

2010-02-18T22:49:00.002+11:00

Burnie is the fifth largest container port in Australia, specializing in heavy machinery, agriculture and forestry. Burnie maintains most of the West's mines, handling mostly bulk product including, minerals, fuels, woodchips and logs, as well as containerised consumables. Forestry Export is the top commodity/throughput. .

Devonport maintains grain, cement and containerised consumable exports, whilst imports include fertiliser, fuel and consumables. However most will recognise the standout or primary focus being the Spirit of Tasmania ferries, that travel daily between Devonport and Melbourne.

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Hobart is the major cruise ship stop off, and naval moor in Tasmania. It is responsible for Antartic expedition and supply. Incat high-speed catamaran's are built at the ship building operation nearby.
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Bell Bay is the gateway to Launceston. It is a major port for domestic and international bulk goods as well as container services.

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For further information;
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Tasports [online] http://www.tasports.com.au/

Tasmania [online] http://www.tas.gov.au/

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Wiki Entry [online] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Ports_Corporation
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Image Courtesy: Ports of Australia Diagram; cropped and reduced 26th Febuary 2010; Ports Australia, [online]www.portsaustralia.com.au/, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 26 Febuary 2010]

Worst Supply Chain Disasters

2009-11-03T16:37:00.003+11:00

I recently came across this article written by Dan Gilmore Editor-in-Chief of Supply Chain Digest, I thought it was well worth a mention as it brought many monumental mishaps to my attention, many I have never knew exsited. This brief excerpt listing some of the major disasters Dan discussed from his article;

Foxmeyer’s 1996 Distribution Disaster: New order management and warehouse automation systems lead to inability to ship product and failure to achieve expected savings; bankruptcy and sale of the company follow GM’s Robot Mania: CEO Robert Smith spends $40 billion in the 1980s on robots that mostly don’t work, while Toyota focuses on “lean” and cleans up.
The WebVan Story: $25 million automated warehouses just make no sense given the market; company goes from billions in market gap to gone in just months in 2001
adidas 1996 Warehouse Meltdown: Not well known story, adidas can’t get a first and then second warehouse system and also its DC automation to work. Inability to ship leads to market share losses that persist for a long time.
Denver Airport Baggage Handling System: New airport opens late in 1995 due to failure of highly automated, hugely expensive system, which never really works and is completely shuttered
Toys R Us.com Christmas 1999: On-line retail division can’t make Christmas delivery commitments to thousands; infamous “We’re sorry” emails on Dec. 23; eventually, Amazon takes over fulfillment
Hershey’s Halloween Nightmare 1999: New order management and shipping systems don’t start right, as Hershey can’t fulfill critical Halloween orders; $150 million in revenue lost as stock drops 30%

Gilmore. D, First Thoughts 26 January 2006, Worst Supply Chain Disasters [online] scdigest.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 3 November 2009]

Solomon Islands and the Red Cross

2009-10-19T16:03:00.008+11:00

One issue I'm keen on consistently promoting is any logistical challenge story based on a non profit organization or charity appeal. I have been targeting war torn country's lately. I feel where relief is required most; this is where the real operational challenge's exist. Despite the age, please take the time to read this short article courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross;

Following surveys late last year to assess the needs of people displaced by fighting, ICRC staff last week carried out a relief distribution for some 1,000 families living in two provinces of the Solomon Islands: Temotu, about 700 kilometres east of the capital Honiara, and Rennell and Bellona to the south.
To help displaced people regain their self-sufficiency, tarpaulins, jerrycans, fishing lines and hooks, seeds and agricultural tools were packaged into family kits and transported by ship to these isolated islands (the voyage to Temotu takes over 60 hours).
The only way to get around the small island of Bellona is on foot or on a bicycle, and the only link with the outside world is by radio.
To ensure that the local population was informed of the relief operation, the ICRC had it announced over the national radio service. The intended beneficiaries were therefore on hand to collect the packages when these were brought ashore in canoes.
James Reynolds, the ICRC’s head of mission in Honiara, explained that following the ethnic tension on Guadalcanal last year, and the resulting closure of major places of employment, many people had been forced to return to their home islands.
The result had been a marked population increase on certain islands, and this was placing a strain on local resources.

ICRC News Release, 22 March 2001, Solomon's Island: A logistical challenge. International Committee of the Red Cross [online] icrc.org, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 19 October 2009]

Bluff the best view for HMAS Canberra sinking

2009-10-03T22:50:00.001+10:00

THOUSANDS are expected to take to the water for the scuttling of the HMAS Canberra tomorrow.

Marine experts say hundreds of boaters are planning to catch a glimpse of the historic scuttle, which is scheduled for 9.15am.

Dozens of charters along the Victorian coastline are expected to take to Bass Strait to watch the Navy frigate sink to its watery grave two nautical miles off Ocean Grove.

Charter companies, including Sorrento's Moonraker Charters, have been inundated with bookings as people race to secure their view from the ocean.

Dive Victoria and Queenscliff Dive Centre managing director Jason Salter has also been flooded with request to board his five charters, with 120 gearing up to see the scuttling live.

Unfortunately, some 40 dive enthusiasts have missed the boat.

"We're well and truly overbooked," Mr Salter said yesterday.

"We've got a few pollies on board and we're ready to go."

Mr Salter said he was relieved to learn on Thursday the scuttling would finally take place.

"It's been frustrating because we're eager to get in and dive, but it's only been delayed by the weather, and we all know how the weather works," he said.

Keen diver and member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield is eager to see the ship sink. "It not only will be a spectacle on Sunday, it will be a massive drawcard for the Bellarine Peninsula," he said.

Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville and Federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman are also boarding charters to watch the scuttling.

Victorian Artificial Reef Society committee member Alan Beckhurst said those unable to get on the water could view the scuttling at Barwon Heads.

"The best place to view it would be Barwon Heads bluff," he said.

"Another good viewpoint would be the sand dunes off Ocean Grove but you'll be looking at the bum of the boat. At the Bluff you'll see the ship side-on."

Weather permitting, the former Australian Navy warship is scheduled for a 10-hour tow by tug from the grain wharf in North Geelong at 6am today.

The ship will make its way to the Port Phillip Bay Rip, crossing at slack tide about 1.20pm today before resting at the sinking site where final preparations will be done.

Navy personnel will create a 1km exclusion zone, and a safety 500m intruder intercept zone to prevent other marine crafts entering the site.

Five minutes before the scuttling an orange smoke flare will be activated and a minute before firing another flare will be set off into the sky with an audible signal lasting 15 seconds.

Oates, A. Bluff the best view for HMAS Canberra sinking , 3rd October 2009, The Geelong Advertiser [online] geelongadvertiser.com.au, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 3rd October 2009]

Swine Move

2009-09-15T22:11:00.005+10:00

I found this image on a chain email I received from a friend of mine today. If anyone has any information on this please post a comment. Otherwise Im stumped where to begin ...Googling "giant hog moved with semi float", "big pig moved with truck" has not been successful, this one poses a search engine optimization challenge!

DTM Event Coordination

2009-09-03T14:23:00.014+10:00

By now if you have been reading my post's regularly, your probably starting to establish a slight correlation of Racing related posts. I love my racing, and the logistical challenges behind setting up circuits and ensuring safety is of utmost importance, intrigues me.

The DTM, German Touring Car season; the most popular international car series in the world began in April, to gain an appreciation for the coordination involved in running a DTM event, continue reading for these jaw dropping statistics I found courtesy of the DTM website. (SOURCE)

On average 250 Steel crash-barriers will be errected over a 1500m circuit.

200 metres of concrete crash barriers and 2.5 kilometres of safety fences.

Security forces with more than 200 staff members will support the work of the police, fire fighters and medical service to prevent any dangerous situation.

At the same time, a 120-member catering staff working in 12 snack stands will provide the visitors’ sustenance.

They will have available 80,000 fried sausages, 10,000 steaks and cutlets, 20,000 pretzels, 15,000 meat balls, 8,000 meat skewers and about three tons of special dishes, for the visitors.

While 15 refrigerator trucks will make sure that everything will be fresh when served.

The pictures of the DTM Launch will be broadcasted in 175 countries all around the world.

On behalf of DTM, an 80-member production team of WIGE MEDIA AG will produce the TV pictures by dint of an OB-truck, a total of 12 cameras and two camera cranes.

65 loudspeakers with a total output of 10,000 watt will make for optimum sound all around the event area.

Meanwhile, seven video walls will offer the visitors the chance of perfectly witnessing the action taking place both all around the track and on the 170sqm show stage.

Altogether, some 14 kilometres of electricity cable as well as 25 kilometres of sound and video cable will be laid, for the event.

Last year, more than 200,000 visitors travelled to Düsseldorf for the event, to get very close to the motor racers and their cars - and were truly inspired.

Just as it was the case in the past, the admission to the DTM Season Launch will be free.

2009 DTM Launch, 4th August 2009, 2009 DTM Launch - A logistics challenge. DTM [online] dtm.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 2 September 2009]

Iraq exit poses daunting logistics

2009-09-02T16:57:00.007+10:00

WASHINGTON - For years, US military planners have worried about the risks of maintaining a large force in Iraq. Now, they are worrying about how to get it out.

In what is shaping up to be the biggest logistical challenge since the Vietnam War, the Pentagon is grappling with how to transfer out what a top official calls “mountains of equipment,’’ along with 143,000 troops and a similar number of civilians, amid the continuing threat of roadside bombs, ambushes, and suicide attacks from insurgents and terrorists.

There are worries, too, that arms will fall into the wrong hands, or that the complex withdrawal will drain resources needed for the buildup of the war effort in Afghanistan.

Concerns about the difficulty of the endeavor, which is set to be in full swing next year, have prompted a flurry of new government reviews and closed-door briefings for members of Congress who believe the process needs greater oversight.

Top officials say a big focus of the planning is ensuring adequate protection from a possible spike in attacks with improvised explosive devices - or IEDs - as troops pull out of relatively secure, fortified bases.

“We anticipate [attacks] possibly going up as we start moving these large units and convoys,’’ Army Major General Kenneth S. Dowd, the director of logistics for the US Central Command, said last week by telephone from Kuwait, where he was huddling with the logistics chiefs of each branch of the military. “If that keys up again we may have to slow down.’’

President Obama has set a timetable of removing the bulk of US forces by the middle of next year, and the rest by the end of 2011. A recent internal Army report laid out the sheer enormity of the task: 31 million items must be moved, including 100,000 pieces of “rolling stock,’’ 120,000 containers, 34,000 tons of ammunition, and 618 aircraft.

The job will require an estimated 240,000 truckloads, which translates to 8,000 convoys. Much of that material will contribute to 119 shiploads. Nearly 300,000 American personnel, military and civilian, will withdraw, and 350 bases large and small across the country will be shuttered or handed over to Iraqi forces.

At the Pentagon, top officials are working overtime to manage the process.

“When you get down in the boiler room and look at moving mountains of equipment that is accumulated over six years of war in Iraq and either bringing it home, or donating it to the Iraqi security forces, or taking it to Afghanistan, it is a huge logistical challenge,’’ Ashton B. Carter, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, said in a recent interview.

Carter, who recently traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to see the logistics effort firsthand, added: “We need to do all this as we complete the mission and make sure there is still stability in Iraq.’

US military officials are identifying what types of equipment, such as Humvees, could be donated or sold to the Iraqi Security Forces, Dowd said. But there is the question of what to do with the rest.

The most sensitive items, such as intelligence gear, will be flown out of the country. A major challenge remains identifying the safest and most effective ground routes for the bulk of the supplies, most likely through neighboring Jordan and Kuwait, where a large share of the equipment will be loaded onto ships for ultimate transport to the United States or Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, in addition to the primary travel routes, military planners are also identifying backup routes in case of disruptions, officials said.

Another major task will be to keep track of everything in transit - a notorious failure after the 1991 Persian Gulf War when the Pentagon had thousands of containers sitting in Kuwait but had no idea what was in them.

“One of the biggest challenges,’’ Dowd said, is “accountability and [knowing] what’s in the containers.’’

Unlike the first war in Iraq, when hostilities ended with a cease-fire, there are still armed groups attacking US and Iraqi troops so there is a higher risk in losing track of weapons, said retired General Jack Keane, a former Army vice chief of staff who is now a partner at SCP Partners, an investment company.

“There is an obligation to know what we have, where it is, and where it winds up,’’ Keane said.
There are also environmental concerns about abandoning hundreds of bases and camps that have been established since 2003.

Dowd said environmental experts have begun assessments of the first group of bases that will be abandoned or handed over to the Iraqis to ensure they are cleaned up.

All this is drawing increasing scrutiny from government auditors and congressional oversight committees. A team from the Government Accountability Office was in Iraq reviewing the situation last week, while the House Of Representatives recently passed legislation requiring the Pentagon to provide periodic reports on the progress of the effort.

One pressing concern is that the withdrawal from Iraq could at least temporarily deprive the war effort in Afghanistan - and possibly other military missions - of critical resources, such as cargo planes, ships, logistics personnel, and security teams.

“The redeployment of forces and equipment is an enormous undertaking which will affect Iraq and the countries in the region, and which will also affect the ability of the US to conduct war in Afghanistan and be ready to respond to other threats,’’ Representative Ike Skelton, a Missouri Democrat and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement last week after receiving a classified Pentagon briefing on the redeployment.

Skelton said he also worries about too much equipment being left behind. He cited the Vietnam experience as a cautionary tale. “When I visited Vietnam years later,’’ he said, “I remember seeing rows and rows of US equipment that we left behind. We must do a better job managing the redeployment from Iraq.’’

Bender can be reached at bender@globe.com

Bender.B, 28 July 2009, Iraq exit poses daunting logistics. The Boston Globe [online] boston.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 2 September 2009]

The Heaviest Airlift

2009-08-30T21:34:00.005+10:00

Logistical Challenge is a definite fan of record breaking. After all what could pose a more difficult task than smashing the Guinness World Record, being put at the pinnacle, number one in your class. The Antonov (you can find more information on my Antonov post here) has done just that lifting a whopping 16.23m long by 4.27m wide gas power plant generator.

The generator weighed in a record 189.09 tonnes.

This Transcript from the Guinness World Records Website;

Antonov airlines are continuing to break records with their very impressive Antonov 225 aircraft – also known as “Myria”, meaning “dream”. This incredible plane already holds a number of records, including that of the only plane to have a maximum take-off weight of over 600 tonnes and the plane with the widest wing-span, at 88.4 m (290 ft).

Antonov airways were the current holders of the record for the heaviest item airlifted: in 1993, the Antonov 124 carried an item (which must be a single piece not requiring further assembly) weighing 124 tonnes. The Antonov 124 and 225 aircraft specialize in lifting heavy cargo, though they require a runway capable of accommodating adequate landing space as these are extremely large and heavy aircraft.

The crowds had started gathering before myself and the commercial
director of Antonov airlines, Mr Valery Kulbaka, we arrived at 9:30 a.m. Once two cranes had taken the weight of the cargo, which was a generator needed in a power plant in Armenia, I measured its weight; at a staggering 187.6 tonnes, it was indeed the heaviest item ever prepared to be airlifted. This was just the start of the operation, though: there followed a very intense and complicated process to get the item loaded into the massive 225. Many countries had been involved in getting the generator to Germany’s Frankfurt Hahn airport where this record attempt took place; all worked extremely well together and the operation went according to plan.
After they managed to load the generator carefully onto the specially prepared ramp, which had to be set at precisely 2.5 degrees, the team proceeded to winch the 187.6 tonne item slowly into the aircraft. Once it was fixed in place inside the aircraft, the Antonov team received a round of applause from the onlooking crowd. The record was not broken yet, though, as the aircraft still had to become airborne.
The crew continued to work extremely hard to get everything in place ready for take-off. By now it was past 11 p.m., but crowds of people were still flocking to the airport to get a view of this record-breaking lift-off.

Myself and Mr Kulbaka, accompanied by all the press teams, headed towards the end of the runway where the 225 was set to take off – and take off it did, the plane leaving the runway with a smooth elegance and grace, giving every appearance of being weight free. I then presented Mr Kulbaka with his well-deserved Guinness World Records™ certificate in front of the media; the onlooking crowds pressed up against the fences to witness this historical moment on the 11 August 2009.

Author Unknown; Date 11 Aug 2009; Heaviest Item Airlifted. Guinness World Records [online] community.guinnessworldrecords.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 30 Aug 2009]

First of new trains arrives in Melbourne

2009-08-25T19:38:00.004+10:00

THE first of Melbourne's new trains has been unloaded from the docks and taken to Newport.

Following a month-long journey by sea from Italy, the train was taken by truck through the inner-west overnight.

The first task will be to fit seats into the train before a lengthy period of testing until late November.

But the majority of the train is complete, with windows, interior panels and vinyl floorings already installed.

A spokesman for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said all components of the train, such as the brakes and power, would be tested independently to ensure it is working properly.

“Being the first train, the testing phase is even more integral to smooth roll-out of the rest of the new trains,” spokesman Stephen Moynihan said.

“Any issues identified with this first train will be rectified and then help to smooth the production and delivery of the rest of the trains on order.”

Testing would only take place overnight when regular services aren’t running.

“Once all commissioning and acceptance testing has been completed, the train will be decked out with new livery and will be ready for service,” Mr Moynihan said.

To commuters, the trains will differ little from the existing Alstom X’Trapolis trains that already run in Melbourne, but there will be technical improvements for drivers.

It was the first of 38 new trains ordered by the State Government to cope with booming train patronage.

About half the order will be progressively shipped to Melbourne, while the others will be assembled in Ballarat.

The entire fleet of the new trains will be on the tracks by 2014.

Passengers will start using the new train that arrived last night later this year.

Gardiner, A. ; Herald Sun (August 25th 2009). First of new trains arrives in Melbourne. Herald Sun [online] news.com.au Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 25 August 2009].

Big Squeeze

2009-08-22T21:36:00.006+10:00

(August 21st, 2009). Is the squeeze about to ease?. Channel 7 News [online] Youtube; courtesy of user: VictorianTrainDebacle. Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 22 August 2009].

Antonov. Heaviest & Largest

2009-08-20T18:33:00.000+10:00

In the late 1980's the Soviet Government required a Strategic Air lifter for the Russian Space Program, its primary mission to transport the Buran Orbiter Space Shuttle. Secondary mission, transport Over-size payload.

Introducing the Antonov An-225....

The world’s heaviest and largest jet ever built. The wing span alone 291 feet, the landing gear features an amazing 32 wheels.

It was designed for the Soviet space program in 1988 and able to airlift the Energia rocket’s boosters, Buran space shuttle or ultra-heavy and oversize freight, up to 250 tonne internally or 200 tonne on the upper fuselage.

Cargo on the upper fuselage can up to 70m long!

Photographer Unknown (Year Unknown). English Russia "The Eastern Entertainment Channel" [online image] Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 28 June 2009].