PRESS RELEASE

June 24, 2014: Third-party logistics provider Damco has started operating the first international standard warehouse and Container Freight Station (CFS) facility in Myanmar.

This brand-new world-class 4,000 square metre facility is C-TPAT compliant and strategically located within 15 kilometres from Yangon ports and major industrial locations. It is suitable for import/export activities for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), consumer electronics, apparels, components, machinery and project cargo.

"Damco is the first global logistics company in Myanmar. After acquiring an operating license in 2013 and opening a new office in Yangon, we have strengthened our position in Myanmar by being the first international logistics company in the country to start offering own-operated CFS/warehousing services," says Kiattichai Pitpreecha, managing director of the Thailand, Malaysia & Myanmar cluster.

"This state-of-the-art, international standard CFS facility enables us to provide superior service to our customers through direct control and management of the entire operation and service delivery process."

Since international sanctions were lifted in 2012, Myanmar has established itself as a new frontier market, with potential to become a major sourcing country and consumer market for our customers in the near future.

The country's strategic location between three drivers of global economic growth – China, India and Southeast Asia – makes it one of the most unique emerging markets in Asia.

"Emerging markets have always been one of Damco's focus areas and core strengths, with many of our key customers sourcing their products from or operating in these markets. These customers can now rely on Damco as their logistics partner in Myanmar. They will benefit from the same service quality for cargo shipped out of Myanmar as any other country in which we operate.

"In addition, we have proved again that we are one step ahead of the competition by proactively establishing this CFS operation in Myanmar", adds Kiattichai Pitpreecha.

PRESS RELEASE

June 24, 2014: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has strongly condemned the strike action by French air traffic controllers which targets vacationers at the start of the busy summer holiday season.

"Unions bent on stopping progress are putting at risk the hard-earned vacations of millions of travelers, and from the public's perspective, the timing of the strike could even be regarded as malicious. In addition to vacationers, business people undertaking important trips, and those awaiting urgent shipments will all face hassles and uncertain waits as flights are cancelled, delayed or diverted around a major portion of European airspace," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO.

One of France's largest unions for air traffic controllers has called for a six-day strike to begin on 24 June. This would coincide with the first major travel weekend of the busy European summer holiday season. The strikes are in protest of critical reforms being planned to bring the management of Europe's airspace into the modern era with efficiencies that would be delivered by the Single European Sky (SES).

"There are more borders in the skies over Europe than exist on land. And that comes at a great cost. In 2012, over 130 million hours of potentially productive time were wasted because of delays that could have been prevented with SES. It is indefensible that France's air traffic controllers are now going on strike in order to perpetuate travel delays in Europe," said Tyler.

Eurocontrol estimates that the failure to implement SES resulted in 70 million minutes of delays for aircraft in 2012. That is the equivalent of 133 aircraft being grounded for an entire year. The costs of this are high:

• €6 billion in lost productivity by travelers spending unnecessary time on aircraft
• €3 billion in unnecessary operating costs
• 7.8 million tonnes of unnecessary carbon emissions

SES would transform the costly and inefficient patchwork of 37 civilian air traffic control organizations in Europe into a seamless and efficient air traffic management system safely accommodating growth in demand for travel and shipping. "The SES goals include improving safety, reducing delays, cutting emissions, modernizing infrastructure and creating 320,000 jobs. Our own research confirmed that it can be done without a single controller losing his or her job. Who could be against that? This strike is totally unjustified," said Tyler, referring to the IATA Blueprint report on SES implementation.

France is a member of the Single Sky Committee that agreed to SES implementation. "We expect France to keep its commitment to deliver the SES. It must not buckle under the pressure of a privileged few controllers seeking to protect themselves from the 'efficiency' that every other industry and worker is challenged to achieve. And we urge the French government to make a strong intervention to protect travelers from this malicious and unjustified strike action," said Tyler.

PRESS RELEASE

June 25, 2014: DHL Freight, one of the leading providers of road freight services in Europe, has moved its operations in the Western part of Denmark to a brand new terminal in Taulov, near Kolding. The facility has a floor space of 5,700 square meters and is located in proximity to the logistically important highways E20 and E45 and was inaugurated on June 1.

"We decided to consolidate our three cross dock operations in Skanderborg, Padborg and Esbjerg early in 2012. The new state-of-the-art terminal will not just benefit us by reducing complexity and costs, it's excellent access to Denmark's most important trade lanes.will also improve efficiency and service quality for our customers", comments Ole Moerk, Head of DHL Freight Denmark.

The new terminal is located in the industrial area of Taulov. It is built on a total area of 38,000 square meters, offering potential for further expansion. The logistics facility is equipped with 42 docks, enabling DHL Freight to cover all their LTL pick-ups and deliveries across the Western part of Denmark and also handling the domestic full and part load business.

Besides the new facility in Taulov, DHL Freight also operates further facilities in Denmark with a total of 12,000 square meters, located in Padborg, Aalborg and Brøndby. The road freight provider operates a fleet of 500 vehicles in Denmark and chiefly serves companies from the Energy, Engineering & Manufacturing, Life Science & Healthcare and Technology sectors.

 

PRESS RELEASE

June 25, 2014: With its innovative Cargo Connector service meeting with great success in the US, IAG Cargo today announces that it has launched the service in Houston and Seattle, following a three week trial at the airports. For consignments of less than 300 kilos, freight forwarders in these cities can now opt to have IAG Cargo collect and courier cargo direct from their premises to the airport, at no additional cost, with freight screening arranged as required.

The service benefits freight forwarders by allowing them to book cargo at short notice, as well as removing the need for them to pay for their own driver and truck, which can prove costly during busy periods.

Joe LeBeau, Regional Commercial Manager North America, at IAG Cargo, commented: "We have been delighted by the success of Cargo Connector in the US. Our launch cities, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are now experiencing high levels of demand for the service and word is spreading fast. Indeed so high is demand for Cargo Connector in Houston and Seattle, we have decided to launch it fully after just three weeks of trial. It is a little over 18 months since we first launched Cargo Connector but it has become a massive success – both in the US and beyond."

Cargo Connector is the first freight collection service of its kind and is available in a total of seven US airports: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta, as well as the two new cities launching today. It is also available at IAG Cargo's UK hub operation at London Heathrow. Drivers arrive in IAG Cargo-branded vans and in addition to collecting freight are able to process new cargo bookings on-the-spot, making it easier than ever for freight forwarders to connect to IAG Cargo's network of 350 destinations.

LeBeau concluded: "Businesses in Seattle and Houston are clearly ready for Cargo Connector. It is ideal for businesses of any kind looking to ship low weight cargo, but we have found it has been particularly popular for high-value goods, the online retail industry and the electronics industry. And it is not just in these new locations that we are seeing good levels of take up; Cargo Connector is proving successful across the board. Take Chicago, where we have just added a new van to our fleet to help keep up with customer orders. We have big plans for the future when it comes to Cargo Connector, so watch this space for new location launches and updates to the Cargo Connector offering."

IAG Cargo is the single business created following the merger of British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo in April 2011. In 2013 the operations of British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo had joint turnover of €1,073 million. They have a combined workforce of more than 2,400 people covering a global network of over 350 destinations.

PRESS RELEASE

June 25, 2014: Etihad Airways today confirmed that it will forward a letter detailing the conditions precedent and the criteria for a proposed equity investment by Etihad Airways that have been negotiated with Alitalia and its stakeholders over the past months.

The Italian Government appreciates the strategic importance of this transaction and looks favourably at the Etihad Airways - Alitalia partnership.

Upon confirmation by the Board of Alitalia and its stakeholders of their acceptance of these terms, the airlines will proceed to final documentation in order to complete the proposed transaction, in line with EU and other regulatory requirements.

President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, James Hogan, said: "We are delighted to be able to move forward with this process and look forward to the successful conclusion of the proposed transaction with Alitalia.

"An equity investment in Alitalia will be beneficial not only for the both airlines, but, more importantly, it will give more choice and broader travel opportunities to business and leisure travellers into and out of Italy."

Gabriele Del Torchio, Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, said: "This is an excellent outcome for Alitalia. This investment will provide financial stability and confirms Alitalia's key strategic role as an infrastructure player in the travel and tourism industry in Italy for long-term growth."

Roberto Colaninno, President of Alitalia, said: "We are delighted to move forward with Etihad Airways providing Alitalia with an ideal strategic partner enhancing the Company's long term growth perspectives."

PRESS RELEASE

June 22, 2014: Global civil society has called on the G20 to tackle endemic corruption, confront the challenges of climate change and urgently address the social and economic time bomb represented by the world's unemployed youth.

Meeting in Melbourne over the weekend to finalise the essential issues civil society wants to see on the G20 agenda when it meets in Brisbane in November, the C20 reaffirmed its belief that economic growth must deliver jobs and reduce poverty and global inequality.

Chair of the C20 Steering Committee Tim Costello said, "Growth without jobs will do little to address the urgent global challenge of extreme and growing inequality. The C20 believes that growth should achieve long-term sustainability, not just wealth for a few."

The C20 is calling on G20 members to adopt targets for increased employment participation for all groups.

"The importance of decent work is a central element of achieving inclusive sustainable growth. Closing the participation gap for women alone could deliver the G20's stated growth target," Mr Costello said.

Today representatives of the C20 Steering Group will present Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott with their policy roadmap for the leaders of the world's largest economies.

"The C20's primary aim is to ensure the most vulnerable in our society do not get left behind in the quest for economic growth. The C20 Summit has identified the key elements to achieving that, in a way that reduces global inequality," Mr Costello said.

"There was also an overwhelming consensus among the 400 delegates that economic growth cannot be discussed in isolation from climate change.

"Climate change is not a fringe concern. Its impact on communities, including threatening food security, makes it an economic issue regardless of domestic political considerations. Climate change must be a stand-alone issue on the G20 Agenda."

Key policy asks to come out of the Summit aimed at tackling corruption and recognising the need for transparency, included the development of a new focused and measurable G20 Anti-Corruption Plan.

Also needed are public registries required to disclose accurate beneficial ownership information – in open data format – of companies, trusts and other legal structures, to tackle tax avoidance, tax evasion, corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing.

"Good governance includes transparency and accountability to citizens," said Mr Costello.

The C20 reiterated the importance of taxes being paid where economic activity occurs.

Delegates involved in the weekend's C20 Summit included senior representatives of leading NGOs as well as national and international speakers across four key policy issues:

• Inclusive Growth and Employment
• Infrastructure
• Climate and Sustainability
• Governance

The C20 ('Civil Society') Summit at the University of Melbourne was the first of the lead-in G20 'satellite' conferences, providing a platform for dialogue between civil society and the political leaders of the G20 countries.

Over the two days, more than 80 leading international and domestic experts spoke on issues including tax transparency, anti-corruption, climate change and renewable energy investment, youth employment, food and resource security and infrastructure. Around 400 delegates were in attendance.

PRESS RELEASE

June 25, 2014: Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has celebrated the "Day of the Seafarer" today by opening a new Seafarer Centre at Khalifa Port and distributing gifts as a sign of appreciation to seafarers on vessels.

The new Seafarer Centre is open to all seafarers visiting the port and is located on the secure sea side of the port island. A shuttle bus will operate between the Seafarer Centre and the quayside at regular intervals, making it easily accessible to all those on visiting ships.

The Seafarer Centre will offer hot food for eat in and take away, a duty free shop, a range of different gaming facilities, a quiet area to relax and most importantly an internet café and WIFI.

"The 'Day of the Seafarer' is a campaign to recognize the hard work of the 1.5 million seafarers around the world", said Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, ADPC, and continued: "It's a perfect day to open our new Seafarer Centre, and to express our support of these unsung heroes of the sea."

As a further sign of appreciation and support, ADPC distributed more than 500 gift parcels, containing caps, t-shirts, sandals, shower gel, toothbrushes and toothpaste to seafarers (right) at Khalifa Port, Zayed Port and Mugharaq Port in the Western Region of the emirate.

The "Day of the Seafarer" is an annual campaign organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution.

PRESS RELEASE

June 23, 2014: This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Billund Airport serving the western part of Denmark – where the vast majority of the country's manufacturing and exporting industries is located.

From a modest start in 1964 with 4,000 passengers and 66 tonnes of air cargo, Billund Airport has grown successively to become Denmark's second-largest international airport handling 2.8 mio passengers in 2013 as well as a record-high volume of air cargo: 63, 420 tonnes.

Following on another record year in 2013, signs are promising so far into 2014 as well, says Jan Ditlevsen, Billund Airport VP Cargo. Overall, the region's airfreight volumes are growing modestly but our sustained growth has been significant enough to support the Airport Board's decision to invest in a 3,600 sq.m. expansion of our cargo terminal area, bringing it to a total of 16,000 sq.m. Not enough to qualify for a No 1 position in Scandinavia, but certainly bringing Cargo Center Billund into the top league.

A prime driver behind this process is our innovative concept for air cargo outsourcing, now generating over 40 percent of all cargo volumes handled at the airport. Organized as a specific department with own infrastructure and staff, Outsourcing provides freight forwarders with a broad pallet of value added services covering both incoming and outgoing shipments, comprising acceptance and registration of goods, registration of weight and dimensions, document handling, labeling, document handling, re-packaging, printing of AWBs, consolidations, and for import shipments services including also break-down of consolidations, delivery, Customs clearance and neutralization.

With this concept, forwarders can bypass the airport entirely, leaving it to us to perform all physical handling as well as documents and data handling. Our outsourcing service provides forwarders and their customers with a cost-efficient and convenient interface to the world.

With volumes rising year by year, we are of course encouraged by prospects for sustained future growth, also boosted by the continued expansion of the cargo terminal directly adjoining the tarmac. Still, much effort has been invested over the years in attracting a scheduled cargo service to add to our capabilities.

With our geographical location immediately adjoining the potent North German industrial region, we should be able to capitalize on this as a natural enlargement of our catchment area – not least in light of the drastic decline in cargo traffic at Frankfurt Hahn Airport over the recent year. Compared to the lengthy lead-times in trucking of North German cargo to Frankfurt Airport, Billund Airport would constitute a cost-efficient and time-saving alternative. Needless to say, this remains a key target in our marketing efforts, says Mr Ditlevsen.

Even without scheduled freighter carrier operations, Billund Airport has about 1,650 freighter movements annually by the Integrators, as well as about 100 ad-hoc cargo charter operations including many live animals and perishables flights, relief operations and other special cargo assignments.