Ifo: World Economic Climate Improving
The Ifo World Economic Climate Indicator rose in the fourth quarter of 2009 for the third time in succession. The rise in the indicator is the result of both more favourable expectations for the coming six months as well as less negative assessments of the current economic situation. The recovery of the world economy is driven especially by the dynamic development in Brazil as well as in India, China and other Asian countries. Read more
Prison Term for Textile Smuggling from China
A two-and-a-half year prison term and fines totalling almost 50 million Euros is the punishment imposed on an individual responsible for large scale fraud involving textiles imported from China. Read more
HKTDC integrates Access to iPhone
Users of the iPhone now have access to the online platform of hktdc.com. At the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2009, the organiser Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) introducted the two applications HKTDC Mobile and HKTDC Fairs for the Apple iPhone. Thus the website of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council is one of the first industrial online market places to be accessed through the iPhone. Read more
15 Years of NAFTA
Imports to Germany from NAFTA states – Canada, Mexico and the U.S. – rose by 111.9 percent to 54.1 billion euros since 1994. Read more
Free Trade Deal with South Korea
On 15 October 2009, EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon initialled a free trade agreement (FTA) that is the most important ever negotiated between the European Union and a third country. The deal, estimated to be worth up to EUR 19 billion in new trade for EU exporters, will remove virtually all tariffs between the two economies, as well as many non-tariff barriers. Read more
Gebrüder Weiss: Joining Tricon Shipping
With its joining of Tricon Shipping and the name change to Weiss-Röhlig India, the Austrian transport and logistics enterprise Gebrüder Weiss strengthens its global network with 16 locations on the subcontinent. Read more
Fit for Business in China in 10 Months
The European Commission and the Government of the People’s Republic of China decided to extend the EU China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP). METP 5 will start in May 2010. Read more
China and India: Increasing Business Risks
The number of European companies entering into a business relationship with China or India is increasing – so is the risk of payment default. Particularly in China more and more companies are defaulting on their payments. Read more
200 Exhibitors at aluexpo
aluexpo is the first international trade fair of the aluminium industry in Turkey. It will be organized from 15 through 18 October 2009 in Istanbul. Read more
Countdown for Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles
Asia’s most popular home textile trade fair, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, will open on 25 – 27 August 2009 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Read more
Coldchain Solutions Network Expanded
DHL Freight, a specialist for European overland transport and part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, has significantly expanded its service for temperature-sensitive goods: Coldchain transport services now cover more than 30 European countries. Read more
Dekra Opens Inspection Centre in Pretoria
The international expert organisation Dekra, which is based in Stuttgart, has opened a state-of-the-art vehicle inspection centre in South Africa. This new, prestigious object in Pretoria is meant to pioneer a network of around 40 additional branches all over the state territory. Read more
Global Economic Trends in Q3
Although the world economic situation looks gloomy, there is some hope of improvement, according to the current Global Economic Outlook by Deloitte. Read more
Vale and ThyssenKrupp Sign MoU
The Brazilian Vale S.A. (Vale) and ThyssenKrupp Steel AG have signed today a Memorandum of Understanding that Vale will increase its stake in ThyssenKrupp CSA Siderúrgica do Atlântico Ltda. (CSA) to 26.87%, from its current 10% interest, through a capital infusion of € 965 million. Read more
Weekly Joint Service Line to Asia
The handling of shipments for the Xin Hong Kong at the Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH) on 17 July 2009 launched a scheduled weekly container service which connects North Europe to the Far East.
Under this new joint service schedule the Chinese ocean carrier Shipping Container Line (CSCL) and Evergreen Line from Taiwan cooperate on these routes for the first time. The new AEX-1 / CEM uses 4 container boats of CSCL, with a capacity of about 9,600 TEU and four Evergreen units between 7,000 and 8,000 TEU. The carriers CMA CGM, ZIM and IRIS Lines have also booked container positions for the service line.
After its first calling at Hamburg, the XIN HONG KONG called at Rotterdam and Zeebrügge, then entered its home port Hong Kong as well as Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian (Shenzhen). The cruising speed of the units used allows a traveling time of 56 days for a roundtrip.
In Hamburg, container traffic with Asia reached a total volume of 5.5 million containers (TEU) in 2008. With 3.1 million TEU the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong) achieved also in 2008 a top position among the ten major trading partners of Hamburg Harbour in container traffic .
(Picture: Hamburg and its new joint service line China Shipping and Evergreen Line / photo: Hamburg Harbour)
Lederer Receives Large Order from China
Ennepetal-based Lederer GmbH will, for the undercarriage construction of 85 state-of-the-art trains, deliver fasteners like screws, nuts and DIN and standard parts with a value of almost EUR 1 million over the next two years. Read more
Prices of Air Freight Transports in Free Fall
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the index of air freight prices in the first quarter of 2009 was by 24.4% lower than in the first quarter of 2008. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2008, prices were down an average 21.2%. Hence the price index decreased for the second consecutive quarter, reaching its lowest level since it was first calculated in 2007. Previously, the prices rose continuously from the beginning of 2007 into the 3rd quarter of 2008. Read more
China Plans Global Leadership in E-Vehicles
China’s automotive industry is bypassing further refinement of the combustion engine and is instead aiming to blaze the trail for electric and hybrid vehicle technology. To reach this goal, the government is counting on massive tax incentives and subsidies. Read more
Italy is new Partner Country of Hannover Messe
Approximately 210,000 visitors – one out of four of them from abroad – came to Hannover Messe from 20-24 April, featuring 6,150 exhibitors. Read more
72 Percent of All Imports from Europe
In 2008 German companies imported goods to the value of 818.6 billion euros, 72.0 percent of which came from Europe (589.3 billion euros). Read more
