IN D U ST RY N EW S Worlds largest container IN HARMONY ship makes inaugural trip The worlds largest container ship has made its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe. The MSC Glsn set sail from China and made stops at ports including Gdansk, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam and Felixstowe. The ship, owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, is longer than 36 London buses (just under 400 metres), is 60 metres wide and can carry 23,756 containers. It has a total capacity of 23,736 twenty-foot equivalent units. Netherlands based Global Harmony Relocation Network has announced a worldwide agreement with Expatland Global Network to increase expatriate support to customers. Under the arrangement, members of the global network of locally owned relocation companies that hold FIDIs FAIM certication will be able to co-lead Expatlands E-Teams. These operate at a city level and offer local knowledge and insight on the issues relevant to specic locations. The Expatland network has E-Teams in more than 20 cities around the world. NEW AFFILIATES Premier Relocations, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Royal Relocations Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia CANCELLATION The MSC Glsn is 19 metres longer than the Empire State Building laid on its side US GOVERNMENT PUTS BRAKES ON CONTRACT FOR SINGLE-SOURCE PROVIDER United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) the US armed forces department that oversees the movement of military household goods, has slowed its moves towards appointing a single-source provider. An amendment to government legislation has asked for details of a large-scale study into the effects of outsourcing defence moves to a single private entity. It will be debated by the House of Representatives and the Senate in September and is, therefore, expected to delay USTRANSCOMs timetable for implementing the change. 10 FF293 OctNov19 pp08-15 Industry News.indd 10 Globalink Logistics Group, Baku, Azerbaijan EUROPEAN ROAD FREIGHT FACES FURTHER PRICE HIKES Road tolls have increased in more European locations, with new toll rates announced on the UKs M6 toll motorway and across Austria. Travelling on the 45.5-mile M6 motorway will now cost vans 11.60 and lorries 12 at peak times (7am to 7pm). Meanwhile, tolls for trucks travelling on Austrian roads have increased, with Euro 6 trucks facing a four per cent rise, although emission-free vehicles will be given significant reductions. The rise caused a backlash from the Association of Freight Transport. There have also, reportedly, been issues for vehicles travelling through the Tyrol bordering Germany, Italy and Switzerland with 32 block checks on trucks causing delays. Meanwhile, a survey of members of the Dutch transport and logistics association Transport en Logistiek Nederland published by Trans.Info showed a majority of members has faced smaller margins, with increasing costs but static rates paid by customers. According to the survey, 50 per cent of companies say their transport costs increased in the second quarter of 2019, compared with January to March 2019. This is mainly because of the increase in the price of fuel, which accounts for 23-33 per cent of transport costs. The price of diesel fuel has increased by approximately two per cent in the Netherlands this year. WWW. F I D I . OR G 18/09/2019 12:06