June 2010 – Damco has introduced a new cross border trucking service that links Thailand and Vietnam to Cambodia.

With this service, shippers will enjoy a shorter and more reliable lead time, high shipment visibility and the flexibility to re-route shipments anytime.

“Compared with sea freight, the cross border trucking service can reduce the lead time from Thailand to Cambodia by at least three days. It is definitely a faster and more reliable alternative to sea freight and a value-for-money solution compared to airfreight,” says Narin Phol, Country Manager for Damco in Cambodia and Vietnam.

This service has been designed to meet the needs of the burgeoning trade between Thailand-Cambodia and Vietnam-Cambodia. Narin expects to see a growing volume of cargo on these corridors, particularly between Vietnam and Cambodia. Vietnam is Cambodia’s second largest trading partner and fast becoming a transhipment hub connecting Cambodia to international markets via the Cai Mep terminals.

“We have created this service to meet the high standards of our customers in the FMCG, food and automotive industries which demand short and reliable lead times. Transportation and customs clearance are handled by Damco staff at both origin and destination to ensure smooth operations from end to end,” Narin adds. Damco’s key clients in the region include leading international FMCG and automotive companies, domestic retailers as well as export manufacturing factories in Cambodia.

“With this new service, Damco can offer a comprehensive end to end solution for both trucking and barge operations to support our customers’ logistics needs into and out of Cambodia. Moving forward, we intend to continue expanding our Indochina cross border trucking network to serve our customers even better,” say Narin.

September 2010 - Claus Aagaard has been appointed Global Head of Aid & Relief in a newly created role. Claus will assume his new duties 1 September 2010 and ultimately be based in South Africa.

Having worked in the industry for many years, Claus Aagaard brings extensive Aid & Relief experience with him and comes from a position as Manager for Aid & Relief Logistics with TNT FM/Geodis Wilson.

“I look forward to being part of Damco Aid & Relief, further building on our capabilities to meet our customers’ needs and deliver on promises. I think Damco Aid & Relief has tremendous potential and I am proud of being able to contribute to Damco's growth strategy in this business segment,” Claus says.

Claus’ primary responsibility is to drive Damco’s global strategy to grow in this industry and his direct experience with Aid & Relief, sea and air logistics makes him well positioned to ensure a focused development and continuous expansion of Damco’s Aid & Relief business.

Jacob Moe, Chief Commercial Officer for Damco in Africa says: “We have ambitious plans to grow our Aid & Relief business and it has therefore been important for us to find the right person with the correct experience and strength we were looking for. We are very pleased that Claus saw the same opportunities for Damco as we do and wanted to join the team.”

June 2010 - Containers to Clinics (C2C) and Damco formed a partnership to transport the pilot C2C primary care unit to Haiti for health infrastructure relief. The clinic consists of two recycled shipping containers modified into a two-exam room, pharmacy, and laboratory facility. Damco has provided all overland and sea shipment of the C2C unit to Haiti where it will be installed as an outpatient prenatal and primary paediatric care centre at Grace Children’s Hospital.

Stack Design Build manufactured the containers-turned-clinic in Cranston, Rhode Island. The clinic was transported by tilt-bed truck to Brooklyn, New York, where it left port aboard the Maas Trader 46 on June 9 bound for Port-au-Prince. The clinic arrived in Port-au-Prince on June 14, and after clearing customs by consignment to USAID:Haiti, it made a last, overland trip to Grace Children’s Hospital.

"This partnership is a terrific example of two organisations sharing similar principles of mission including innovation, sustainability and essential human rights,” explained Elizabeth Sheehan, Founder and President of C2C. “By providing pro bono shipping of container clinics, Damco exports the opportunity for better health to the women and children of Port-au-Prince."

Prior to the earthquake on January 12, Haiti had the worst maternal and infant mortality and morbidity ratios in the Western Hemisphere. The earthquake exacerbated these challenges to health service access; with destroyed health facilities, loss of productivity, food insecurity, and extreme water and sanitation challenges, the health situation is at the tipping point from bad to worse. The recovery of the health sector will depend heavily on the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and the establishment of replacement and auxiliary health centres throughout the country. C2C is well positioned to respond to the imperative for immediate and quality primary care facilities.

The Damco-C2C partnership highlights the unique value of using shipping containers as health facilities. "Damco is pleased to be able to partner with Containers to Clinics in delivering these much-needed shipping container health clinics to the people of Haiti. We thank them for the opportunity to assist in this worthy initiative," said Todd Renehan, Chief Commercial Officer for Damco, North America.

On 16 June 2010, Global Flexi Systems (GFS) decided to give Damco Spain (Damco) the exclusive sales and distribution rights for its products and operations in Spain.

The agreement is a natural extension of the GFS and Damco relationship, which started already in 2009, and it enables both companies to offer integrated door to door logistics services to Spanish based companies in need of transportation of non-hazardous bulk liquids to overseas markets.

GFS’s flexitank products are purpose built for transportation of wine, olive oil, fruit juices, chemicals and other non-hazardous liquids. For the Spanish market, Damco will deliver the flexitanks fitted in standard containers ready for loading at the exporter’s facility and arrange the ocean transportation to the final delivery port at destination. The exporter can decide to add customs clearance, cargo insurance, final delivery at destination as well as visibility to the logistics package offered by Damco and GFS.

“Selecting Damco as our distributor and agent in Spain was an easy decision. With Damco having offices strategically located in all major ports, with a strong global network, their commitment to quality services, experienced personnel and excellent reputation, GFS were pleased to welcome them into our global network of exclusive agents”, says Stephen McClean, European Business Development Manager with Global Flexi Systems.

“The products from GFS enable us to offer a unique value proposition to the exporters of olive oil, wine, chemicals and other bulk liquid products in Spain. GFS and Damco are a great fit for the Spanish market and we expect our already solid relationship to further strengthen with this agreement – to the benefit of all parties involved, not least our customers”, says Henrik Kristensen, CEO of Damco Spain S.L.