We are proud to share that our colleagues of COLI Brazil have been recognized as one of the best logistics project partners in Latin America! General Director, Gustavo Murari attended the annual conference in Barcelona and received the award in person.

The ‘Latin America Best Partner of 2023’ of the WCA Projects Networkis a testament that their hard work results in excellent service for our customers.

Gustavo said: “Our achievements in recent years have been possible thanks to a solid, collaborative, and committed team. We share this honor with everyone in the COLI Group – and our partners – who contributed to our success. Without the collective effort of the COLI team, we would not have reached and exceeded our goals. So, we celebrate this significant milestone together!”

Rolling stock! COLI Shanghai, part of COLI Group, recently concluded the transport of 2 sightseeing coaches from Nantong, China, to Zarate, Argentina, where they will be deployed in Rosario (the hometown of Lionel Messi 😊).

We are grateful to our customer, CRRC Group, for engineering and executing this project. For the ocean-leg of the journey, we partnered with Hongfa Shipping, who deployed their MV ‘Nowowiejski’.

Under COLI’s supervision, the vessel and its crew safely transported the trains to their destination.

We’re proud to be featured in Project Cargo Weekly (PCW)!

For starters Felix, I always allow my interviewees to explain a bit about their background. What is your background and why did you get into shipping and logistics in the first place?

Well, I started my career with Panalpina where I did my apprenticeship and worked for the Panprojects Division for approximately 10 years holding various positions and my last one was at the Chartering Desk in charge for all chartering activities of the group. After 10 years I decided to expand my portfolio and joined Coli Shipping in Bremen where I was in charge for renewables for a major US client, I also became MD of Coli in Bremen.

Together with my colleague Alain Akavi. 2011 we also made an agreement with Jumbo Shipping to become their Booking Agent for Germany, Austria as well as Switzerland and had good success which resulted in the fact that after 10 years I decided to start a new journey and opened up Jumbo Germany to represent Jumbo Shipping directly. After some time I was promoted as Director Shipping and took care of the commercial activities together with the worldwide team. In 2023 I was contacted by Alain Akavi & Herbert Lösing and we had good talks so I decided to go back to Coli.

Coli Shipping has a proud history. Can you elaborate a bit on the background of Coli leading up to the present day?

The cornerstone was laid in 1974 with the foundation of the company in Hamburg and Bremen. At that time we started as Liner Agency under the name of Contimar Linienagentur for a carrier handling breakbulk cargo to the Eastern Mediterranean. during the 2nd oil crisis in the early 80’s and the trend of globalization the cargo streams of goods drastically changed. As a result we realigned ourselves and shifted our business focus from pure liner agency services more towards becoming an independent ship and cargo broker for worldwide trading. Today cargo brokerage is still one of our main trading activities but we are also, together with our daughter companies ABB & CPC, active on the operating side with mainly F-360 Class vessels and next to this to serve our clients also offering some logistical services in certain areas where we have a strong local presence. Lastly we also have a Bulk Division (Coli Bulk) who have their focus on Handy Size Vessels on TCT as well as longer TC.

Coli Shipping has several activities nowadays. What can you briefly tell our readers on your main sectors in shipping & logistics?

For a long time and this goes back more than a decade we have been very active in the renewables and serving more or less all major producers on a regular basis, not only as brokers but also as consultants due to our vast experience is this segment. We know what the botlenecks are and which risks as well as opportunities should be considered. We are also quite active in LNG as well as typical breakbulk cargoes. On the logistics side we have also established 4 main hubs for our activities which are Sao Paulo – Brasil, Hamburg – Germany, Istanbul – Turky as well as Shanghai, China where we are serving a lot of direct clients in the meantime and our service portfolio is not limited, it all depends on our clients’ needs.

In your own words why would you say that Coli Shipping is a good choice in shipping? what makes you stand out in a competitive environment?

Clients do not want a so called QUOTE/UNQUOTE broker anymore as they are seeking for advice, consultancy and a team approach for their projects which we can deliver. Due to our experience in all sectors we understand their problems and fears and do our utmost to delivery as promised. Meaning meeting their expectations. as we have backgrounds as brokers, carriers as well as in logistics, we are benefiting from the experience within the group and can offer our clients the solution they need.

Wise people have said that shipping is all about people and it more about who you know than what you know. How do you go about in Coli Shipping to expand your global reach and your global network?

We are very active and always seeking for possibilities to grow, not only in the standard regions but also beyond this. We have good teams around the globe who are very active in their local market but also markets around them. Next to this we have learned that social media is becoming more and more dominant and since the start of 2024 we are also more active which is a nice tool for us to illustrate our portfolio.

As you know the undersigned editor shall be traveling as a passenger onboard your chartered vessel mv ABB Vanessa to Japan. I understand that Coli Shipping has had links to Japan for many many years. Can you tell our readers more? As many find Japan a very difficult market which obviously Coli Shipping has succeeded in.

Our founder Mr. Lösing has been active in japan since the early 80’s so you can imagine that after such a long time we have established excellent relationships with our clients there. Japan for sure is not the easiest market to enter but once you have shown your clients what you can offer them and work in a close partnership they will respect and honor that.

The shipping market has been in turmoil in the last couple of years both due to COVID but also due to politics, canal closures and so on. How do you view the situation going forward in 2024 for shipping business?

We think that the market will remain a bit weaker at least until summer but there are some signs that later this year there will be some positive effects with some nice projects starting which will automatically absorb some capacity which on the other hand means that regular rates should move up as well.

How to reach you? And whom to speak to globally depending on activity in your organisation?

As stated we like the personal approach and as MD’s we are still vary active in the day to day business meaning I can get approached and I will either take care of the inquiry myself or one of our team members will. We like to provide a personal touch.

This interview is published on Project Cargo Weekly (PCW);
www.projectcargo-weekly.com/2024/03/05/coli-shipping-hamburg-germany

We’re delighted to introduce the latest member of our team Angelica Rodney.

With over 16 years of experience in Guyana’s private sector, Angelica brings a wealth of expertise in marketing, brand management, sales, and customer service.

Stepping into the role of Branch Manager Guyana, she will be headquartered in Georgetown and, as of today, be available for your breakbulk shipping, transport and logistics needs.

Gustavo Murari, Managing Director of COLI Shipping & Transport do Brasil says: “We are proud to set up shop in Guyana. For some years we have been serving clients in the region and now is the right time to take the next step. With our new office, and with Angelica running it, we can develop the emerging regional LATAM opportunities to a higher level. We wish Angelica the best of luck and a warm welcome to the COLI Team.”

Want to connect with Angelica or discuss a project? Please get in touch via sales.gy@coli-shipping.com

Q1 of 2024 has started out well for CPC Coli Project Cargo in Istanbul. The company contracted a continuous flow of industrial project cargo shipments. The full subsidiary of COLI Group (Germany) handled projects consisting of more than 10,000 freight tonnes, including various (heavy) lifts ranging from 35 mt to 300 mt units.

The majority of these projects were handled both outbound and inbound Turkey to various power plants located in West Europe, North Europe, Scandinavia, West Africa, East Africa , the Red Sea region, and the Persian Gulf. Transports ranged from sole charters to world-wide logistics solutions, incl. jacking and skidding services.

Can Yilbasi, Business Development Manager at CPC Coli Project Cargo, says:

“Throughout the first quarter our Istanbul Team was awarded with charter contracts both for gearless and geared MPP vessels. There’s one thing we are especially proud of: as some clients were very happy with the way we handled their breakbulk logistics, they decided to expand the scope of work awarded to us while the original projects were still running! Port supervision, pre-carriage road transports, crawler and mobile cranes deployment, site erection services, and more. It have us a chance to show them our full-scope abilities when it comes to oversize cargo lifting and logistics.”

With this workload and newly signed contracts in its order book – also throughout the Group – COLI is ready for the rest of the year. In fact, the company is expanding its own MPP fleet as well. More on this will be conveyed later in 2024.

COLI Shipping & Transport Brazil, part of COLI Group, has successfully concluded the execution of project Mana ITO. We were responsible for transporting a total cargo of no less than 26 freight tonnes from Gdansk, Poland, to Papeete, Tahiti!

The project presented significant challenges, involving the transportation of 3 bullet tanks, SPMT’s and various containers with specialized equipment required for the safe bullet transports.

Engineering & planning

Navigating through these challenges, our team drew upon 50 years of experience to strategically plan, execute and control every step in the process of such complex projects. The selection of the appropriate vessel was critical. In this case we chose the F900 type Heavy Lift Vessel ‘UHL Fortune’, given its (and its crew’s!) capacity to handle oversized cargoes and the detailed lifting plans as meticulously designed by COLI’s engineering team.

As our colleagues and competitors know, in the heavy lift and project cargo industries, you have to be prepared for the unexpected, no matter how well-prepared one executes a project. In  this case, despite careful planning, it proved essential to optimise the route for climate conditions and avoid congestion in one of the world’s most crucial canals. Indeed, midway through the voyage, a re-evaluation of the original sailing route became necessary. This was handled fast and smoothly by our Brazilian colleagues and to the satisfaction of all parties involved. 

Discharge

Over the course of more than 50 days of transit time, the discharge process paralleled the challenges encountered during the loading process in Europe.

Special thanks to the engineers who made all necessary arrangements for a smooth loading/discharging operation!

A tandem operation involving two cranes was meticulously planned, requiring ample deck space for swinging the bullets between the cranes. Again, as for example the actual outreach of the cranes depended on the specific positions of the lifting points (and with all three bullets stowed on deck), solid engineering was key.

The entire project spanned more than 150 days with all parties impeccably synchronising their operations to safely and efficiently move this cargo across the globe. We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this project, and especially to our client, who entrusted us with this challenging endeavour.

As always, COLI Shipping remains committed to delivering solutions beyond the ordinary.

We are pleased to share the successful completion of a complex logistics project in collaboration with our Australian customer.

COLI Shanghai successfully executed the complex task of transporting approx. 200 tonnes of structural steel from the supplier’s factory in Dongguan to Hong Kong International Airport. The cargo, intended for a mining project in Mali, presented unique challenges that required meticulous planning and execution.

The original packing designed for sea transportation was not suitable for air freight.
COLI Shanghai destuffed and repacked over 2,000 pieces of steel structures onto pallets designed specifically for transportation by two air charters. Ensuring suitability for air transport was crucial for the success of the operation.

Due to limited space at the supplier’s factory and further complicated by adverse rainy weather in South China, the laden pallets were required to be temporarily stored in a warehouse pending delivery to airport. Protecting the pallets from rain was essential as added weight could impact the aircraft’s capacity.

COLI Shipping deployed a dedicated team who worked on-site at the supplier’s factory, for the duration of the project, ensuring commitment to German quality standards, were achieved and maintained throughout the operation. The team worked collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure the project was completed on time.

Special recognition was given to the Shanghai colleagues for their dedication and on-site efforts. COLI Shanghai expresses its gratitude to our Australian partner for contributing to the successful completion of the logistics operation.

Overall, COLI Shanghai demonstrated expertise in managing the intricacies of air freight logistics, overcoming challenges with adaptability, coordination, and commitment to quality standards.

From Ascherleben (Germany) to the Port of Hamburg to the Port of Qingdao (China): we’ve completed yet another breakbulk and logistics project!

COLI Logistics arranged for a shipment of drilling machinery for Germany to China. Picking up the project cargo in Ascherleben and loading it with other break bulk cargo (63 tons) by floating crane to the container vessel, we overcame several logistical challenges (i.e. changes in the delivery sequence). 

In Hamburg we arranged for the timely stuffing process and on time delivery to the special equipment export terminal, thus avoiding demurrage and/or detention for our customer. The vessel then left for Qingdao, where it will arrive soon.

Green Energy on a Green Ship

The MV E-Ship 1, powered by sustainable energy, set sail from Emden, Germany carrying six E-115 turbines below deck, which was topped off with 18 rotor blades from Leixoes, Portugal. Due to the detailed planning of all involved parties, the cargo was safely loaded so that the vessel could proceed timely with its voyage to Soma, Japan.

This entire arrangement was orchestrated through the collaborative efforts of COLI Japan (CPC) and COLI’s HQ in Hamburg, all in the service of Hitachi Power Solutions, Japan.

Note that the vessel, the E-Ship 1, is quite a special roll-on/lift-off (RoLo) cargo ship. It is owned by Enercon, the third-largest wind turbine manufacturer and is used for transporting Offshore Wind equipment. It features 4 in-house developed Flettner rotorsails (27*4m, 300RPM) that are mechanically connected to the ship’s propellers. The sails enhance the 130m long ship’s propulsion by means of the Magnus effect, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.