GPLN members Trans-Trading GmbH, Hamburg and UTM Projects & Logistics Pty. Ltd., Brisbane have jointly secured the transport of 68 locomotives each weighing 132 tons, from Mannheim, Germany up to placed on to rail at the Brisbane Multimodal Terminal, Brisbane, Australia.

The locomotives, manufactured in Munich, were transported from Munich by low loaders to Mannheim where GPLN member Trans-Trading GmbH received them.  “Due to height restrictions along the route to Mannheim, the locomotives arrived with a temporary roof which was replaced with the actual roof, including a pantograph, upon arrival at the heavy lift terminal in Mannheim,” said Thorsten Reinke, Hamburg branch manager of Trans-Trading, Once permanent roofs were assembled, the locomotives, two per lot, were shipped by river barge to Bremerhaven. Once in Bremerhaven, the locomotives were lifted out of the river barge using mobile cranes and were loaded on to Ro-Ro vessels for direct shipment to Brisbane.

Upon arrival in Brisbane, the locomotives were pulled off the vessel using an eight-axle hydraulic trailer and were delivered to the Brisbane Multimodal Terminal (BMT). At the BMT, a trailer with a locomotive is driven underneath a lifting system and locomotives are lowered on to rail.  “The challenges in Brisbane included, but were not limited to, the coordination of the tides as locomotives can only come down the vessel’s ramp during low tide,” said Peter Schweizer, managing director of UTM Projects & Logistics. “Also we had to coordinate transport with port security and the BMT operator in order to make certain deliveries did not interfere with regular train operations at the BMT.”

With the arrival of the first Pacific National locomotive in May 2009 the second stage of this massive project has started. So far, a total of 27 locomotives have been delivered without any delays and to the

fullest satisfaction of the customer, Schweizer said..

Jeena & Co. has succeeded in bringing about the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding a business cooperation between an Indian port and an overseas counterpart.

The MoU was signed between Jeena, Chennai Port and the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, earlier this year. Jeena acts as ambassador for the Port of Halifax and played a key role in initiating

and organizing an MOU for sister port cooperation, which Jeena believes create a new era of mutual understanding.

The MoU is evidence of the steps that Jeena is taking to maintain strong growth in a time of general economic certainty, the company has said. Other moves include strengthening its international network by

placing an Indian representative in China by tying up with one of the largest Chinese logistics companies, Cargo Services. Zubin Davar, Jeena delegate to China, will be taking up this responsibility from

July 2009. This partnership will also cover another important market like Hong Kong.

ECS Project Cargo, part of the ECS Group now has a new website which showcases its special skills.  The Spanish company has extensive experience in logistics and special projects, and offer logistic services and storage, planning and carrying out all operations required for loading and unloading of goods from ships.

The location of company headquarters in the port of Algeciras, natural point of connection between Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean and Atlantic, offers numerous benefits for customers.

Earlier this year, the company delivered two Agusta Westland helicopters, each measuring 13 meters long and 3.6 meters high, which were shipped from the U.S. and unloaded at Algeciras for onward delivery.

ECS has provided services for major industrial projects, such as the construction of combined-cycle plants and helping the implementation of wind farms on land.