Rail Freight Transport News
- May 2023: Etihad Rail, developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network, has signed a 20-year partnership agreement with DHL Global Forwarding to set up a joint venture as part of the country's efforts to strengthen its freighter network. As part of the agreement, DHL will adopt rail as one of its major modes of transport to distribute goods throughout the UAE via the railway network, which connects the country's key industrial centers.
- January 2023: The Union Pacific railroad company has signed a deal with Wabtec valued at over USD 1 billion (EUR 986.4 million) with Wabtec to modernize 525 of its AC4400 and AC6000 locomotives, as well as 75 Dash-9 locomotives. Wabtec will equip the locomotives with a number of different digital solutions including FDL advantage engine upgrades and modular control architecture. These updates will help extend the locomotives’ lives and provide a variety of benefits. These include increasing reliability by more than 80% and haulage ability by over 55%.
Related Freight Transport Industry News
- March 2024: Hasenkamp, an international logistics firm, fortified its foothold in Spain's art and cultural transportation sector. This strategic maneuver not only highlights Hasenkamp's dedication to Spain's art realm but also underscores its worldwide renown for top-tier, dependable fine art logistics services.
- December 2023: Cadogan Tate, a prominent player in international fine arts logistics, acquired Artemis Fine Arts Services, a Dallas-based company specializing in safeguarding and transporting fine art, museum artifacts, and antiquities. The acquisition was facilitated by MidCap Advisors LLC, which acted as Artemis's exclusive financial advisor during the deal.
- May 2024: The UK Government has officially banned the practice of exporting live animals for slaughter by passing the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill. The bill aims to cease the export of UK livestock for fattening and slaughter and builds upon the foundations laid by the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
- December 2023: The European Union (EU) has unveiled a groundbreaking set of proposals to overhaul its animal welfare regulations in transportation, marking the most significant update in two decades. These reforms, in line with the Farm to Fork Strategy, incorporate cutting-edge scientific research, emerging insights, and advancements in technology.
- June 2024: WebCargo by Freightos, a prominent digital platform for booking and payments in the global freight sector, unveiled its latest collaboration with Coyne Airways. Moreover, Coyne Airways became the pioneering carrier to enable the booking of hazardous goods through WebCargo by Freightos. Established in 1994, Coyne Airways has long been a pioneer in air cargo logistics, boasting a track record of moving around 300,000 tons of air freight. Notably, Coyne Airways has expanded its cargo routes to Iraq, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, and Sakhalin Island.
- May 2024: Ground handling giant Dnata said that it is gearing up for the aviation industry's future by unveiling cutting-edge digital and autonomous solutions. Among its pivotal tech initiatives, Dnata is spearheading the implementation of its digital cargo management system, OneCargo. This system not only integrates various physical technologies but also enhances customer visibility significantly. OneCargo made its debut in six countries, namely Iraq, Pakistan, Switzerland, the UAE, the USA, and Zanzibar (Tanzania).
December 2023: AIT Worldwide Logistics, a global supply chain solutions leader, acquired Mach II Shipping Ltd, a UK-based freight forwarder specializing in the worldwide distribution of pharmaceuticals and related products. The deal includes a subsidiary in the Netherlands and a global network of life sciences partners. In addition to temperature-controlled air freight, Mach 2 (pharma freight) provides outstanding, dedicated road service for high-value life sciences moves throughout Europe with a managed fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles operated by Good Distribution practices and independent contractors.
February 2023: The fastest-growing provider of temperature-controlled storage and logistics services in Latin America, Emergent Cold Latin America (Emergent Cold LatAm or the Company), today announced the acquisition of Qualianz, a renowned platform for storage and logistics with operations in Mexico City, Mexico State, Monterrey, Querétaro, and Tijuana.
• July 2023: Shopify, the Ottawa-based retail-tech company, announced a number of new products and enhancements for its merchants, including an Artificial Intelligence (AI) suite, a new business credit card option, and drop shipping-like features.
• June 2023: Shopify Inc, a leading provider of critical online infrastructure for commerce, announced that it has closed the previously announced majority sale of its legacy Shopify Logistics segment to Flexport, a leading technology-enabled global logistics platform, under the terms of the transaction agreement. Shopify received stock in the form of a 13% equity stake in Flexport and its existing equity stake in the business. This transaction secures the logistics solution that Shopify has been constructing and transfers it to a reliable and mission-driven partner, Flexport.
• July 2023: Shopify, the Ottawa-based retail-tech company, announced several new products and enhancements for its merchants, including an Artificial Intelligence (AI) suite, a new business credit card option, and drop shipping-like features.
• June 2023: Shopify Inc, a leading provider of critical online infrastructure for commerce, announced that it closed the previously announced majority sale of its legacy Shopify Logistics segment to Flexport, a leading technology-enabled global logistics platform, under the terms of the transaction agreement. Shopify received stock in the form of a 13% equity stake in Flexport and its existing equity stake in the business. This transaction secures the logistics solution that Shopify has been constructing and transfers it to a reliable and mission-driven partner, Flexport.
- December 2023: JD Logistics, a leading integrated supply chain (ICCH) and logistics solutions provider, launched its global express delivery service to North America and Europe.
- November 2023: Nippon Express announced that it has completed the purchase of shares in Tramo SA, an international logistics company with operations in Europe and the United States, through Nippon Express ITALIA Sp.p.A. The deal announced by holding company Nippon Express Holdings is estimated to be worth just over 10 billion yen (USD 68 million). Nippon Express Italia is a strong player in international logistics, especially luxury apparel. The deal comes amid a growing global trend among high-end fashion houses to broaden their brands into other products and services, such as furniture and hotels.
February 2024: Catalent Inc., a leader in enabling the development and supply of better treatments for patients worldwide, and Novo Holdings, a holding and investment company responsible for managing the assets and wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, announced that they entered into a merger agreement under which Novo Holdings will acquire Catalent in an all-cash transaction that values Catalent at USD 16.5 billion on an enterprise value basis.
October 2023: Aldena Therapeutics, a private biotech company pioneering siRNA-based therapies for dermatological indications, has chosen PCI Pharma Services (PCI), a world-leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) to formulate, package, and distribute ALD-102, a siRNA-based investigational injectable treatment for inflammatory dermatological conditions, all under one roof at PCI’s San Diego facility.
January 2024: Intertek, a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, launched Intertek Inform, providing Standards and Regulatory solutions to facilitate faster market access.
April 2023: Q2 Solutions announced the incorporation of Illumina’s NovaSeq™ X Plus sequencing system at its state-of-the-art laboratory facility, Innovation Laboratories.
- February 2024: A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) announced more than USD 500 million in investment to expand its supply chain infrastructure to support Southeast Asia's emergence as a global production hub and a consumption powerhouse. Maersk’s planned three-year investment will target its Logistics & Services arm. Still, at the same time, a substantial amount of investment will also be channeled into its Ocean and Terminals infrastructure. By 2026, Maersk expects to add nearly 480,000 sqm capacity spread across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. With these investments, Maersk will be able to better serve customers with mega distribution centers that are strategically located, sustainable, and equipped with advanced automation to drive increased efficiency.
- February 2024: HERE Technologies, a major provider of location data and technology solutions, has announced its collaboration with PSA Singapore, the operator of the world's largest transshipment hub, to revolutionize the container truck ecosystem in Singapore. The aim is to enhance the efficiency of goods movement at Singapore's terminals. Singapore is the top maritime capital globally, with the Port of Singapore ranking as the world's second busiest port in terms of container volumes. PSA boasts connectivity to over 600 ports worldwide, handling 38.8 million TEUs in 2023.
