Procurement and Sourcing,Supply Chain

BCG and ABS Combine Expertise to Support Marine and Offshore Decarbonization

BCG and ABS Combine Expertise
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consultancy, and leading advisor on decarbonization to the maritime industry, and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a global leader in providing classification services for marine and offshore companies and assets, have today signed a memorandum of understanding to join their technical and consulting expertise in the maritime and offshore industries, providing joint support to clients’ decarbonization journeys.ABS has deep knowledge of and experience in the marine and offshore industries, as well as extensive insight into the dynamic sector’s regulatory landscape and a global network of sustainability centers.

BCG offers strategic perspective, change management, and transition design that provide a unique, end-to-end proposition to capture future benefits in the marine and offshore value chain.

Peter Jameson, Partner and Global Lead for Climate and Sustainability in BCG’s Infrastructure, Transport and Cities practice, said: “High uncertainty around regulation, technology and new markets requires every player across the maritime value chain to work together. Taking a bold leadership position, even with uncertainty, will create an advantage for first movers, and sustainable business for followers.”

 “We are excited to be bringing two global and industry recognized brands together to help the maritime industry, governments, charterers, suppliers, shipyards and shipowners deal with the challenges and opportunities of decarbonization. ABS is built to play in the sweet spot of safety, technology and regulations while BCG is built to play in the sweet spot of strategy, transformation and change management. Bringing these capabilities together will provide a unique offering to help the industry safely unlock value, manage risks and take advantage of opportunities over the life cycle of the clean energy transition in a changing world. Success is a team sport and together ABS and BCG will make a difference.”

-Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO

The new joint proposition will help clients achieve their net-zero goals, supporting asset owners in their efforts to explore feasible options for operational and technical improvement, advise on carbon capture technologies, and the uptake of alternative and low-carbon fuels, among other consultative services that support carbon reduction strategies.

The BCG/ABS offer is also aimed at those looking to tap into the opportunities afforded by the transition to net zero. This would include all businesses that feed into the low-carbon value chain for offshore industries, including renewable energy producers, low-carbon fleet development, and subsea storage, among others.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fuelled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

About ABS
ABS, a leading global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, is committed to setting standards for safety and excellence in design and construction. Focused on safe and practical application of advanced technologies and digital solutions, ABS works with industry and clients to develop accurate and cost-effective compliance, optimized performance, and operational efficiency for marine and offshore assets.

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Operations, Supply Chain, Transportation

CPKC Joins RailPulse Coalition Driving Innovation in Railcar Telematics

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) today announced its membership in the RailPulse Coalition. RailPulse, founded by a dynamic consortium of forward-thinking railcar owners, is working to develop, broaden and accelerate the use of GPS and other telematics technologies on railcars that increase safety, efficiency, and visibility across North America's freight rail industry. CPKC becomes the third Class I railroad and 10th member of the coalition, joining Bunge North America, GATX, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Norfolk Southern Corporation, Railroad Development Corporation, The Greenbrier Companies, TrinityRail, Union Pacific Railroad, and Watco Companies LLC. "We are pleased to be a part of RailPulse and to contribute to accelerating adoption of railcar telemetry in North America," said John Brooks, CPKC Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "This collaboration aligns with our commitment to innovation and will play an important role in modernizing our customer experience and provide benefits to the entire supply chain by advancing safety and improving operations." The key objectives of RailPulse include: Industry Wide Telematics Infrastructure: The initiative facilitates collaboration among industry players by creating a secure, trusted, standardized, and vendor neutral railcar telematics infrastructure that spans the entire North American freight rail industry. Data-Driven Transformation: By building an information infrastructure that harnesses data from GPS and railcar-mounted sensors and prioritizing data standardization and storage in the cloud, RailPulse focuses on delivering actionable insights enabling enhance service levels, visibility, safety, sustainability, and productivity. Enhanced Service through Visibility: Through RailPulse, the integration of telematic sensors on railcars enables the generation of valuable data, empowering shippers with real-time visibility of railcar and goods movements to make informed decisions and optimize their operations. "We welcome CPKC to the RailPulse Coalition. Together, we will drive transformative change in the rail sector by combining our strengths and fostering a culture of innovation," said David Shannon, General Manager of RailPulse. "This partnership underscores our commitment to shaping the future of rail transportation." Response from RailPulse Members: "The Board of RailPulse is very excited to welcome CPKC," said Mike McClellan, RailPulse Board Chair and Sr. VP &Chief Strategy Officer at Norfolk Southern. "CPKC brings a breadth of railroading knowledge to the table, and the insights that CPKC will be able to contribute from operating in 3 countries will be invaluable as we drive RailPulse to serve all of North America." Forward looking information This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws in both the U.S. and Canada. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements concerning expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives, assumptions and statements about possible future events, conditions, and results of operations or performance. Forward-looking information may contain statements with words or headings such as "financial expectations", "key assumptions", "will", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "should", "commit", "outlook", "guidance" or similar words suggesting future outcomes. This news release contains forward-looking information relating, but not limited, to statements about future technology and the potential for telematics technologies to increase safety, efficiency, and visibility across North America's freight rail industry and CPKC's expected benefits from such future technology. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on current expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions, having regard to CPKC's experience and its perception of historical trends. Forward-looking information involves many inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors that are detailed from time to time in reports filed by CPKC with securities regulators in Canada and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States. Reference should be made to "Item 1A - Risk Factors" and "Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Forward-Looking Statements" in CPKC's annual and interim reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, CPKC undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information, or the foregoing assumptions and risks affecting such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Operations, Sustainability, Transportation

Revoy Launches the Ultimate Scalable Sustainability Solution for Trucking

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

<p>Revoy, a simple and truly viable solution to decarbonize the trucking industry, today announces the launch of the Revoy EV, a simple add-on for fleets that enables an easy transition to full EV without alterations to trucks or trailers. Pioneering a new sector of commercial trucking EV solutions, Revoy's technology improves fuel efficiency from 6 - 8 mpg to 20 - 35+ mpg, representing a 70 - 90%+ reduction in emissions. Economically, adding a Revoy EV to a tractor enables companies to save thousands of dollars in fuel per truck annually, inclusive of Revoy fees.</p><p>Currently, commercial trucks and fleets account for 6.7%¹ of all of the United States' GHG emissions. Revoy is helping reduce this and propel businesses towards net zero goals. Revoy EVs are on the road today actively decarbonizing trucks, and are expanding to more areas this year.</p<p>"Trucking contributes 6.7% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the US. The current approach of wholly replacing diesel engines with batteries and electric motors is too abrupt of a transition for such a critical and underappreciated part of our economy," said Ian Rust, CEO and founder of Revoy. "EV tractors are more expensive to purchase and recharge compared to diesel, and no driver can spare the time to stop and charge for hours. Luxury passenger vehicles are not engineered to generate ROI and depreciate quickly. Making commercial vehicles the same way poses a risk to any fleet that adopts them. Revoy has engineered an electric commercial vehicle that is built as an asset first. The entire vehicle is swappable in under five minutes, so no waiting on a charge, and can operate on any trucker's existing vehicle with no modifications."</p><p>Revoy handles all infrastructure and charging, and its adaptable technology offers ease of use, saved time, low upfront costs, and ongoing fuel benefits. Revoy allows truckers to drive up to 235 miles on electric power using a 525kWh LFP battery pack.</p<p>Solving for sustainability in the trucking industry is complex, but simplicity is at the core of Revoy's innovation. Revoy's EV technology is adaptable and easy to apply to existing fleets, with the option to use as needed. The process is simple: trucks visit a Revoy swap station, where an attendant swaps the Revoy EV while the driver relaxes in the truck or shops inside.</p><p>Revoy's EV technology addresses the sustainability and competitive business needs of trucking fleets and companies committed to net zero goals through the following</p> Dramatic MPG Improvement: At 235 miles of range, Revoy can take a 6 - 8 mpg truck to 20 - 35+ mpg. At a shorter range, for example 150 miles, mpg can exceed 30 - 40 mpg. This is a transformational step change in fuel efficiency. Electric Range Extension on Electric Trucks: Revoy allows truckers to drive up to 235 miles on electric power using a 525kWh LFP battery pack, and can be "recharged" nearly instantly with a Revoy swap. Long charges or battery-destroying fast charges are no longer necessary. An 800kWh long-range version will be coming out in May 2024. No Time Wasted On The Road: Revoy electric vehicles instantly convert any diesel truck into a hybrid, easily attaching to the fifth wheel automatically. Truckers can swap at an available station for a fresh battery in less than five minutes, which is 90% faster than traditional EV charging. Fleets can share Revoy EVs based on subscription tier for immediate savings, without the risk. Zero Payload Impact: The Revoy EV has no impact on payload. Trucks encountering loads that are too heavy to accept the extra battery weight can revert to diesel in minutes by dropping the Revoy EV. Compliant with Length Laws: The Revoy EV requires no additional CDL endorsements and is compliant with all length restrictions on the national highway network. Safety Features Built Into Every Vehicle: Revoy offers intelligent auto-correction to prevent rollovers, flipping and jackknifing. The Revoy EV has an extra set of brakes to automatically engage more stopping power when driving down mountains, blind spot detection and automatic reversing with intelligent computing from a series of sensors with notifications through Revoy's mobile app. <p>Revoy was founded by Ian Rust, an innovator, founder and mechanical engineer with over 12 years of experience in clean transportation and sustainability, and is backed by YCombinator, Transition Global, and Liquid2 Ventures. The team includes over 100 years of experience from GM, Tesla, Embark Trucks, Waymo, and the European Space Agency, among others. Revoy's technology is made in the USA, FMVSS compliant, and compliant with all length and weight (bridge and GVW) regulations.</p>

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Logistics, Supply Chain

Delta Cargo launches e-commerce solution DeliverDirect in collaboration with SmartKargo

PR Newswire | January 31, 2024

Delta Cargo is excited to announce the launch of its newest product, DeliverDirect, developed in collaboration with SmartKargo. DeliverDirect is a door-to-door delivery service for the U.S. market, offering a competitive and customizable solution for e-commerce retailers seeking to optimize their direct-to-consumer shipping solutions. With DeliverDirect, Delta Cargo pioneers an innovative domestic carrier approach, providing swift service with transparent pricing for e-commerce and small parcel delivery. From initial warehouse pickup to delivery at the end consumer's doorstep, DeliverDirect is a fast, seamless, end-to-end service that upgrades traditional ground or air shipping services utilized by most current e-tailers. Small package shippers will benefit from increased shipping speeds, an uncomplicated pricing structure, proactive alert management, transparent tracking and reporting, and access to Delta's vast domestic network. "We are thrilled to introduce DeliverDirect, our new offer for the small parcel delivery market," shared Alison Ricker, Managing Director, Delta Cargo Global Sales. "Through our strategic collaboration with SmartKargo, DeliverDirect gives e-tailers an alternative transportation solution that fits their customers' requirements, and we envision that this service will prove to be a fast, reliable and cost-effective solution." The DeliverDirect offering can be tailored to shippers' needs with a variety of service innovations that empower customers to customize according to their unique preferences. These service innovations include: personalized pick-up times, geo-fenced notifications for consumers, multiple delivery attempts, signature-required deliveries, proof of delivery with photos, and access to advanced reporting features for a complete comprehensive service that aligns seamlessly with a variety of needs. "E-commerce shippers are looking for simple, faster and more reliable alternatives to deliver their products to consumers. Delta Cargo has a vision for small package delivery that will transform the U.S. market and continue to diversify their already robust offering in the air cargo market. Their innovative approach makes them a fantastic partner for SmartKargo, and we look forward to growing this service together," stated Milind Tavshikar, CEO and Founder of SmartKargo.

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Logistics, Supply Chain, Transportation

AIT Worldwide Logistics Acquires Global Transport Solutions Group

Business Wire | February 05, 2024

AIT Worldwide Logistics, one of the world’s leaders in global supply chain solutions, has acquired Global Transport Solutions Group (GTS), a prominent international freight forwarder specializing in time-critical marine spare parts logistics. Headquartered in the Netherlands, GTS and its more than 600 teammates across 16 locations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America, serve over 2,000 ports around the world. The GTS network also includes nine consolidation hubs totaling more than 45,000 square meters of warehouse space. AIT Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Vaughn Moore, said, “I’d like to welcome our new GTS teammates to the global AIT network. This is the largest acquisition in our company’s history and GTS’ marine spare parts business is an excellent complement to AIT’s time-critical supply chain solutions.” The company’s business is divided into two sub-brands: Marinetrans (founded in 1991), excelling in “door-to-deck” spare parts logistics for ship owners and managers, and Best Global Logistics (founded in 2007), providing time-critical solutions and general forwarding for other industries, including life sciences shippers. According to AIT’s Chief Business Officer, Greg Weigel, the acquisition provides the company with new geographic presence in Greece, Japan and the Nordic region while adding significant capacity and subject matter expertise to existing AIT networks in China, the Netherlands and Singapore. The deal also provides a strong foundation to expand GTS’ world-class marine spare parts solutions via AIT’s expansive global freight network. “The acquisition of GTS creates an incredible portfolio of solutions serving the maritime industry with delivery of time-critical spare parts across all geographies. This is a perfect complement to AIT’s vertical strategies focused on expedited mission-critical services like our Critical Solutions Group, government and AOG team, and Life Sciences Division,” Weigel said. “We plan to rapidly invest and expand GTS’ North American operations by capitalizing on AIT’s robust salesforce in the United States and offering maritime customers a world-class spare parts logistics solution in every port.” AIT President and Chief Operating Officer, Keith Tholan, noted that the GTS core values – customer first, operational excellence, and partnership and collaboration – closely mirror AIT’s core values. “We are delighted to welcome GTS teammates to AIT,” Tholan said. “Their deep marine logistics expertise and three decades of proven on-time performance in a very demanding segment will complement the diverse solutions we offer across our vertical sector strategy. We also expect our best-in-class global air freight procurement will instantly benefit their time-critical operations.” According to GTS co-CEO John Burgstra, the acquisition is an opportunity for GTS to further expand their worldwide operations. “We aim to provide our clients an unrivaled experience when it comes to global visibility, transparency and on-time performance, fully unburdening them of the required logistical handling of their vessels’ spare parts,” he said. “We are excited about becoming part of a larger group and the global development opportunities this acquisition will provide for our teammates.” “Because of the highly fragmented and international nature of our clients’ requirements, they need a trusted partner with a vetted and effective global network,” added GTS co-CEO Vegard Prytz. “GTS will gain enormous benefits from leveraging the global AIT infrastructure, creating an even more integrated and seamless solution for clients around the world.”

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