An innovative, new commercial vehicle contract hire company has just been launched. The company, called Vertellus, was designed to offer modern businesses of all sizes a partner that can help drive fleet performance further,

Vertellus, an independent end-to-end consultancy service, brings together a network of partners to provide insight, strategy and flexibility in order to help businesses unlock opportunity and ensure the fleet is powered, compliant and economical. With a portfolio of more than 3,500 long haul, construction and distribution vehicles, ranging from HGVs and LCVs between 2.7t and 44t, the company has a clear goal of providing industry-leading transport solutions, including through its availability of 100% electric powered vehicles.

Vertellus will be spear headed by a highly qualified team with widespread contract hire experience and will work in partnership with the customer to provide a 360-degree commercial vehicle contract hire service.

“Vertellus is a commercial vehicle contract hire company with a difference. Rooted in partnership, with our highly-trained OEM dealer network and approved partner locations around the UK, Vertellus has been created to support customers on every step of their journey, guaranteeing complete peace-of-mind and quality assurance,” said Nigel Baxter, Managing Director at Vertellus.

“We also understand that customers will be at differing stages of their decarbonisation journey, so the Vertellus team will work to ensure companies have everything required to keep the current diesel fleet powered, compliant and economical, while also having an eye on tomorrow to support delivering long-term goals.”

A full contract hire with Vertellus will include four key elements, such as a personalised consultancy designed to understand how the current fleet operates; the provision of a comprehensive and tailor-made vehicle hire and maintenance solution; additional services like driver training, fleet monitoring, PCN administration, replacement vehicles, tyre management, telematics and more; and an industry-first EV Discovery programme for 16-18T urban rigid vehicles designed to offer operators a unique opportunity to test and understand electric vehicles.

Backed by over 100 years’ experience and knowledge within the Renault Trucks network, Vertellus will provide an additional nationwide reach with more than 60 approved partner locations.

Hexagon Leasing has announced the appointment of Paul Johnson as Head of Supply Chain who will support the business in managing the supply of new vehicles. Paul was formerly Fleet Manager at Go Plant Fleet Services and started in his new role on October 31st.

“We are delighted to welcome Paul to the team in this new role at Hexagon. He has extensive industry experience and will ensure the smooth management of the supply chain and help Hexagon achieve its ambitious future growth plans,” said Alan Ellison, CEO at Hexagon Leasing.

His appointment follows that of Alan as CEO in June this year as well as a new National Account and Business Development Manager, Head of Sales and Head of National Accounts as Hexagon strengthens its management team and continues to drive its growth strategy and development plans.

Paul will be based at Hexagon’s head office in Burton.

The White House announced President Biden’s appointment of former Milwaukee port director, Adam Tindall-Schlicht, as the next Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS). Tindall-Schlicht resigned his position at Port Milwaukee on October 19.

An agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the GLS is responsible for operation of U.S. portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It works in partnership with it’s Canadian counterpart to maintain a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible deep draft waterway connecting Great Lakes ports with world markets and global trade. The agency also works closely with ports to market the Seaway system, develop trade, and enhance commerce in the region.

The U.S. Seaway has been without an Administrator since 2016 when former Ohio Congresswoman Betty Sutton left the post. In April, 2022, 40 members of the House and Senate wrote to President Biden urging that the position be filled.

Tindall-Schlicht, who served as director of Port Milwaukee since 2018, will be the first Great Lakes port director to serve as Administrator since Dave Oberlin, former Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Oberlin was Seaway Administrator from 1969-1983.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach and C40 Cities have begun discussions to establish a green and digital shipping corridor between Singapore and the San Pedro Bay port complex. The corridor will focus on low- and zero-carbon fuels for bunkering, as well as digital tools to support deployment of low- and zero-carbon ships.

This collaborative effort supports the Green Shipping Challenge launched during the World Leaders’ Summit at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, this week. Convened by the United States and Norway, the Green Shipping Challenge encourages governments, ports, maritime carriers, cargo owners and others in the shipping value chain to commit to concrete steps at COP27 to galvanize global action to decarbonize the shipping industry.

As hub ports, Singapore, Los Angeles and Long Beach are vital nodes on the trans-Pacific shipping lanes and key stakeholders in the maritime sector’s green transition. The three ports and C40 Cities will work closely with other stakeholders in the maritime and energy value chains to accelerate the deployment of low- and zero-carbon emission solutions, identify digital shipping programs, and develop green fuel sources for bunkering to support efficient cargo movement. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the green and digital shipping corridor aims to catalyze investment in green infrastructure, including zero-carbon energy hubs linked to port and shipping demand.

Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, said, “The trans-Pacific corridor is one of the busiest trade routes in the world. MPA is pleased to support the development of a green and digital shipping corridor with the USA through the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, given their strong connectivity and existing initiatives with C40 Cities. Through this corridor, we hope to support the decarbonization of global supply chains, complementing efforts undertaken by the industry and the International Maritime Organization to drive the decarbonization and digital transition for international shipping.”

Gene Seroka, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director, said: “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime supply chain is essential, and this trans-Pacific partnership will help us build a network of ports and key stakeholders to help decarbonize goods movement throughout the Pacific region. We look forward to coordinating with our partners to develop an implementation plan on this critical initiative.”

Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach Executive Director, said “Decarbonizing the supply chain is the future of our industry, and partnerships like this on the world’s most important trade route are important for fulfilling that ultimate goal. We’re excited about developing this initiative in the coming months and what it means for making operations more efficient while advancing the fight against global warming.”

Mark Watts, C40 Executive Director, said: “Accelerating efforts to decarbonize the shipppng sector is urgent if we are to limit global heating to 1.5°C. This initiative has the potential to serve a range of carriers and routes by reimagining infrastructure designs and operational best practices, and advancing the feasibility of zero-carbon fuel production, supply, storage and bunkering.”

According to GMS, “some unbelievably low and unrealistic offers” have started to emerge from sub-continent markets this week, and as such, both owners and cash buyers would be well advised to leave ship recycling destinations alone for the time-being, especially until some sort of floor is reached and stability regains a foothold.

It has become increasingly difficult to obtain any firm or serious offers from any recycling market, GMS reports, as currencies continue to suffer across all recycling destinations and steel endures further volatile moves this week.

Workable L/Cs are of chief concern in Bangladesh where end buyers are struggling to obtain any sort of financing from local banks, amidst strict and ongoing governmental regulations on precious foreign currency reserves in the country.

On the rare occasion when an end buyer is able to open a workable L/C in Bangladesh (mostly on smaller LDT tonnage), the numbers offered are so pitifully low, it’s nearly instantaneous to see tonnage withdrawn and re-directed towards competing markets.

Finally, at the far end, after holding on and displaying some sort of stability (even though it’s in the dumps), things couldn’t get worse for Aliaga Buyers as steel prices took a small tumble this week and the Lira gradually slips further.

Overall, the economic situation across the recycling destinations remains precarious, with currencies weakening by the day and a shortage of U.S. Dollars in those countries, governments and banks are failing to sanction suitable financing for a ship recycling that they do not see as imperative under the current climate.

For week 44 of 2022, GMS demo rankings / pricing for the week are as below.

Dubai-owned ports giant DP World intends to invest around $500 million to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in its operations by 700,000 tonnes over the next five years, state news agency WAM reported on Monday, citing the company’s chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

DP World’s plans include transitioning its global fleet from diesel to electric power, investing in renewable energy, and exploring fuel alternatives, Sulayem said via video conference during the COP27 summit in Egypt, WAM added.