Avia Solutions Group Chairman Highlights Challenges Of Factory Freighters Compared To P2F

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- Avia Solutions Group Chairman, Gediminas Ziemelis highlighted the challenges of factory freighters compared to passenger-to-freighter (P2F) as airlines and air cargo providers are pursuing different strategies when it comes to building up their freighter fleets.

According to KPMG's latest report, last year, 35 orders were made for new 777-200F aircraft, 33 were made for new 777-8Fs, and 20 providers bought new A350Fs. These orders were made by both dedicated air cargo providers and airlines.

Meanwhile, annual P2F conversions have reached historic highs with volume estimated to peak at 180 per year by 2025, and then settle at around 160 aircraft per year. This compares to 70 units per year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A number of factors are affecting the choice of purchasing either new freighters or P2F conversions in which naturally, cost is a major one, taking into account variables like total order number, fuel burn and maintenance as well as the upfront production costs.

Ziemelis in a statement, highlighted that leasing costs has a massive difference in the baseline costs for new versus converter freighters. The upfront price for a brand new 777-200F or A350F is roughly US$170 to US$185 million, or a monthly lease rate of between US$1.2 and US$1.3 million. (US$1=RM4.54)

By contrast, leasing a 777-300 P2F conversion will cost US$0.6 million per month, or roughly US$65 million to purchase outright. This aircraft is likely to compare well with its production rivals, but at a fraction of the cost.

He further explained that airlines will make savings on P2Fs when it comes to maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), following access to the second hand market for parts, maintaining these aircraft will be considerably less expensive than keeping new planes in operation.

Airbus estimates that an additional 1,040 freighters will need to be added to the global cargo fleet by 2041, as Boeing's forecasts are even more confident. Buying new cargo freighters to meet this need carries significant risk for airlines.

Ziemelis explained that there is little to be gained in performance and capacity from purchasing a new freighter as P2F conversions are capable of matching new production freighters in terms of volume, and they have notable advantages when it comes to maintenance and production.

Ultimately, conversions represent a much lower financial risk, enabling airlines to sustainably ramp up their air cargo capacity, which is why significant growth in P2F conversions can be seen, while the delivery of new freight aircraft has stagnated.

Ziemelis is an accomplished Lithuanian entrepreneur, business consultant, and the founder and current Chairman of the Board of Avia Solutions Group, one of the largest global Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) providers, operating a fleet of 180 aircraft.

-- BERNAMA

ANOTHER THREE RAIL TRANSIT LINES IN CHINA OPERATE WITH HYTERA COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

 

Nanjing-Chuzhou Rail Transit Line (Chuzhou Section) (Photo: Business Wire)

SHENZHEN, China, July 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hytera Communications (SZSE: 002583), a leading global provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, has completed the delivery of Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) systems to multiple rail transit lines, three of which began operation at the end of June. TETRA systems were adopted by rail transit operators to ensure the timely and safe running of trains; PDT systems were adopted to facilitate the police patrol at stations along the lines.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230726332692/en/ 

The Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Metro Xihuan Line Phase I started operation on June 28. Hytera delivered an 800MHz TETRA system to facilitate instant communication among various work groups of train dispatching, maintenance, disaster prevention, environmental control, etc. The 350MHz PDT system deployed in the stations is interconnected with the police and fire departments’ PDT systems to ensure a fast and coordinated response to emergencies.

On June 28, Nanjing-Chuzhou Rail Transit Line (Chuzhou Section) officially opened for operation; it became the first intercity rail transit line across provinces in China. The line is 49.66 kilometers long and has a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour, linking Chuzhou in Anhui Province and Nanjing in Jiangsu Province. It fulfills a smooth connection to Nanjing Metro. Hytera supplied 800Mhz TETRA systems and devices, which have been used by the operation dispatcher, train driver, and maintenance staff.

On June 24, Suzhou Metro Line 11 began operation. Hytera deployed 350MHz PDT systems to ensure coverage along the line and stations for the police. The metro PDT system is connected to the citywide police PDT network and became an integral part of the city’s public safety communications and dispatching system.
 

Learn more about Hytera transportation solutions: https://www.hytera.com/en/industries/transportation.html. 

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NARDELLO & CO ESTABLISHES SINGAPORE OFFICE WITH VETERAN ADVISOR STEVEN WESTERVELT AS HEAD

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- Global investigations firm, Nardello & Co has launched an office in Singapore, the firm’s eighth worldwide, to be led by Managing Director, Steven Westervelt.

According to a statement, with the establishment of its location in Singapore, the firm continues to build upon its reputation as the premier investigations firm in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

Westervelt is the latest high-profile hire for the firm, which last month added Chief Security Officer Timothy Gallagher, a 20-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Joining Westervelt in Nardello & Co’s Singapore office is Max Abbott, who leads the firm’s Political Risk & Strategic Intelligence practice for the APAC region.

“With corporations, organisations and high-net worth individuals increasingly shifting their Asian operations to Singapore, Steven will play a vital role in advising our clients in this region.

“He joins the formidable team we have established in Asia, including Max Abbott, and will help expand our footprint in this important market,” said Nardello & Co Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Dan Nardello.

Meanwhile, Westervelt said: “Nardello & Co’s global reputation, capabilities and calibre of talent are unrivalled. Having spent nearly my entire career in Asia, I look forward to leveraging my expertise to help clients navigate the business opportunities and risks in Singapore.”

As office head, Westervelt brings extensive investigations and advisory expertise, including managing significant multi-jurisdictional due diligence investigations and other complex matters.

Prior to joining Nardello & Co, Westervelt was a Director and head of the Singapore office for a boutique investigations firm.

-- BERNAMA

Black & Veatch Joins Bioenergy Australia To Advance Carbon-neutral Aviation In Australia, New Zealand

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions, has joined Bioenergy Australia’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Alliance of Australia and New Zealand (SAFAANZ).

“Joining SAFAANZ means Black & Veatch can meaningfully contribute to the advancement of sustainable fuels in Australia and New Zealand, given our extensive global engineering and construction experience across aviation fuel, methanol to gasoline, biogas and renewable natural gas,” said Black & Veatch Vice President, Director, Australia Pacific, Mick Scrivens.

Meanwhile, Bioenergy Australia Chief Executive Officer, Shahana McKenzie said Australia’s heavy industries, aviation, marine, agriculture and mining need affordable and immediate decarbonisation options, such as renewable fuel.

“We are excited to work with industry leaders, like Black & Veatch, to identify pathways to produce the fuel affordably and at scale,” she said.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is produced by processing renewable sources such as waste cooking oil, plant oils and agricultural residues for use in commercial aeroplanes, and the fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent compared to traditional jet fuel, according to a statement.

About 2.5 per cent of the world’s total carbon emissions are generated by the global aviation sector. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that SAF could contribute around 65 per cent of the reduction in emissions needed by aviation to reach net zero in 2050.

Presently, demand for SAF exceeds its supply. Australia, with abundant residue resources, agriculture and waste, has strong potential to meet both domestic and global SAF supply needs.

To realise its potential, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) set aside AUD$30 million (US$20 million) in July to facilitate the development of a SAF industry with production from renewable feedstocks available locally. (US$1=RM4.52)

The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Funding Initiative will assess opportunities across the supply chain from renewable feedstock supply to final fuel production, identifying their requirements to enable and scale a domestic SAF industry.

The wider deployment of SAF will be supported by overcoming barriers, including affordability, competition for feedstocks, sustainability, airport infrastructure and cost-effective scaling of production.

-- BERNAMA

​UMW HOLDINGS BERHAD WINS OVERALL EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY STEWARDSHIP; ITS CEO RECEIVES THE ESG CHAMPION AWARD

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- UMW Holdings Berhad’s (“UMW”) commitment to environmental and social sustainability has received recognition at the Sustainability & CSR Malaysia Awards 2023.  The event is organised by ‘CSR Malaysia’ under the auspices of Pertubuhan Amal Tanggungjawab Kemapanan dan Korporat Malaysia.  The Sustainability & CSR Malaysia Awards 2023 is the 8th edition of the event, and is supported by the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development.  The event was graced by YB Dato' Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister for Women, Family & Community Development.
 
UMW was honoured as Company of the Year for Overall Excellence in Sustainability Stewardship under the Multi-Industry Company category.   This award acknowledges and celebrates the Group’s efforts and initiatives that have contributed significantly to promoting and implementing sustainable practices and environmental responsibility. 
 
At the same event, UMW Holdings Berhad President and Group CEO, Dato’ Ahmad Fuaad Kenali was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Personality of The Year - ESG Champion Award.
 
Dato’ Ahmad Fuaad Kenali said, “We are humbled by these recognitions as they are testaments to our unwavering efforts to integrate sustainability into our business strategies and operations.  This is in line with the accelerated reach for conscious consumerism, the basis of the Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) framework.  ESG concerns are becoming more significant to investors as a metric.  Non-financial factors incorporating environmental impact and the organisation's social impact on staff, customers and the community are imperative as a mark of business credibility and sustainability.” 
 
“To cultivate more sustainable efforts, UMW is accelerating the implementation of the Group’s Sustainability Roadmap as part of our CREST@UMW strategic transformation framework.  The roadmap represents our commitment and action plans towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 while at the same time, underscores our commitment to drive efforts in creating a positive social impact,” he added.
 
UMW continues to champion sustainability in various aspects of its operations.  From reducing its carbon footprint through energy-efficient practices to introducing eco-friendly products, the Group strives to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation.  Moreover, UMW has actively engaged with the local communities to raise awareness and support initiatives that promote environmental protection and social responsibility through programs such as UMW Green Shoots Initiative with a target to plant 300,000 mangrove trees by the end of 2023.
 
As UMW moves forward, it remains dedicated to creating innovative and impactful solutions that promote sustainability and foster positive changes.  The Group pledges to build on its achievements and collaborate with like-minded partners to address the pressing environmental challenges of our time. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46674

CHINA TRADING DESK UNVEILS CHINA TRAVEL DASHBOARD AMID RISING OUTBOUND TRAVEL

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- China Trading Desk, a premier provider of marketing and advertising solutions for the Chinese market, has released its game-changing tool - the China Travel Dashboard.

Built to provide unparalleled insights into the evolving attitudes, expectations and behaviours of outbound travellers from China, this dashboard is born out of the company’s deep understanding of the Chinese market.

“We are thrilled to bring this comprehensive tool to our esteemed clients. The China Travel Dashboard is a solid reflection of our relentless commitment to staying on the cutting edge of providing data that is most relevant for our advertisers and agencies,” said its Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Subramania Bhatt.

According to China Trading Desk in a statement, the China Travel Dashboard is designed to act as a compass, helping its clients navigate the complexity of this dynamic market.

The dashboard brings a treasure trove of critical information at your fingertips, transforming it into a must-have tool for formulating and executing digital marketing campaigns aimed at Chinese tourists.

The unique modules of the China Travel Dashboard includes Travel Sentiment which features an exhaustive quarterly survey helmed by the company, assessing the travel inclinations of potential Chinese outbound travellers, thereby providing a snapshot of emerging trends.

Meanwhile, the Pre-Trip module developed in partnership with VariFlight, delivers real-time travel data including daily airport traffic flow from all airports in China to a selected group of 25 countries worldwide, providing a glimpse into preferred destinations.

Partnering with UnionPay, the In-Trip module offers an exclusive window into Chinese tourists' spending patterns and preferences while immersed in their travel experiences.

The dashboard’s data allows businesses to formulate personalised marketing strategies, optimise ad scheduling, undertake destination marketing, predict upcoming trends and facilitate product development.

-- BERNAMA

OPEN HEALTH ANNOUNCES A NEW TEAM OF EXPERTS WILL LEAD ITS HEOR & MARKET ACCESS SCIENTIFIC OFFICE

London, UK, July 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OPEN Health, a global provider of consultancy, HEOR and market access, and scientific communications services, today announced a new team of experts will lead its HEOR & Market Access Scientific Office. This expert team will be led by Dr. Elisabeth Fenwick as Chief Scientific Officer with support from Professor Ben van Hout as Scientific Founder. 

Both Elisabeth and Ben joined OPEN Health through its acquisition of Pharmerit International. Elisabeth Fenwick is most widely known for working on the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC), creating the cost-effectiveness acceptability frontier, and for her work in value of information analyses for research decisions. She has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has published more than 50 publications globally. Ben van Hout is most commonly known for being one of the co-founders of the EQ-5D (a standardized measure of health-related quality of life) and as the developer of the CEAC. He was also one of the first researchers to perform a discrete event simulation and is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He has over 35 years of experience in the industry and was honored with the ISPOR Avedis Donabedian Outcomes Research Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. 

“The purpose of the Scientific Office is to ensure that science is at the center of everything we do. Our scientific experts are here to support the HEOR and market access team with their amazing research developing innovative solutions.” Elisabeth commented.

The Scientific Office is made up of experts who bring unique skillsets from across OPEN Health’s HEOR & market access service areas. The appointed team consists of Maarten Treur, MSc, Vice President and Global Head of Modeling & Meta-Analysis; Dr. Viktor Chirikov, Director of Real‑World Evidence & Data Analytics; Dr. Marco Boeri, Director of Preference Research in Patient-Centered Outcomes; and Emanuele Arcà, MSc, Senior Research Consultant in Strategic Market Access. Craig Bennison, MSc, Executive Director and Global Innovation Lead for OPEN Health HEOR & Market Access, will also join the team and will focus specifically on innovation. 

“Over the last few years, the scientific contributions and leadership of these experts have played instrumental roles in shaping our reputation and research efforts, working in partnership with our clients to improve health outcomes and patient wellbeing,” said Richard Jones, President of OPEN Health Evidence & Access. “This team will ensure our scientific expertise, thought leadership, and innovation stay front and center of our HEOR and market access offering.”

To learn more about the team of experts in the Scientific Office, please explore this interactive publication.

About OPEN Health

OPEN Health unites deep scientific knowledge with wide-ranging specialist expertise to unlock possibilities that improve health outcomes and patient wellbeing. Working in partnership with our clients, we embrace our different perspectives and strengths to deliver fresh thinking and solutions that make a difference. OPEN Health is a flexible global organization that solves complex healthcare challenges across HEOR and market access, medical communications and creative omnichannel campaigns. For more information on OPEN Health, visit www.openhealthgroup.com. 

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EMPLOYERS TURN TO BUSINESS SCHOOL GRADS FOR SKILLS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW

GMAC survey identifies in-demand talents and hiring projections from corporate recruiters

RESTON, Va., July 20 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Despite unfavorable macroeconomic conditions and looming uncertainties, employers remain confident in hiring graduates from business schools, according to a survey of corporate recruiters released today by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). GMAC, a global association representing leading business schools, published findings from the 2023 survey that explores which skills employers think will characterize the future workplace – and how prepared they view candidates of MBA and business master’s degrees to be.

Employers say communication, data analysis, and strategy are currently among the most important skills for business school graduates – and most say their importance will continue to grow. Notably, U.S. employers interested in tech skills highly value their future importance but think business school graduates could be better prepared on specific technological capabilities. U.S. recruiters – along with their colleagues in the finance and accounting sectors – are also more critical of candidates’ preparedness to leverage some important communication skills compared to other regions and think business schools could better build their graduates’ intercultural skills.

“The outlook among most employers indicates that business schools are on the right track preparing their graduates with the skills of current and growing importance to successfully navigate an information loaded and AI-affected world,” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC. “It is our belief that business schools and their graduates will rise to the challenge in upgrading the critical skills of the future – be it cross-cultural competence, Web3 and Blockchain, or digital communication – to allow them to thrive in global, hybrid organizations and make meaningful impact in an ever-changing environment.”

Other Key Findings:

Overall, employers tend to believe business school can offer an advantage over talent without a graduate management education. Employers from Asia and Fortune 500 companies have a more optimistic view of the abilities and advancement potential of business school graduates, but also are more likely to recruit more heavily from “leading” business schools. And as in previous years, employers continue to value talent from in-person programs over those with online degrees or micro-credentials only.

“Graduates of online business degrees should talk about their credentials differently depending on the employer—employers in Asia are more likely to value the degree itself, while U.S. and consulting employers would rather hear about specific skills candidates attained,” suggested Andrew Walker, director of research analysis and communications at GMAC and the author of the report. “Micro-credentials in and of themselves are less likely to impress employers compared to graduate business degrees though the skills they bring are appreciated by some employers.”

The survey also examines how macroeconomic conditions are influencing hiring and salary decisions across industries and around the globe. Encouragingly, even after accounting for inflation, MBA salaries in 2023 in the United States are expected to be higher than 2022 projections, while industry and business master’s salaries may drop. Despite reported recession concerns, 2023 hiring plans remain optimistic, with some anticipated growth in hiring among business master’s compared to actual 2022 results.

About the Survey

For more than two decades, the Corporate Recruiters Survey from GMAC has provided the world’s graduate business schools and employers with data and insights to understand current trends in hiring, compensation, skill demand, and perceptions of MBA and business master’s graduates. GMAC, together with survey partners European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and the MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance (MBA CSEA), collected input from 1,028 respondents in 34 countries and representing 55% of Global Fortune 500 companies from January to March of 2023, in association with the career services offices at participating graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC Research also worked with a market research firm to recruit additional participants to make the overall sample more globally representative.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and GMAC Tours are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com 

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NICOLE ZIMMERMANN JOINS FINANCIAL HOUSE AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Bernama) -- Financial House, an e-money services and payment solutions company, has appointed Nicole Zimmermann as the new non-executive Director and member of the Board.

In a statement, the company said this appointment highlighted its continued plans to grow its business operations globally; as well as extend strong cross-border and payments infrastructure with industry leaders and start-ups alike.

“It is an absolute honour to welcome Nicole Zimmermann to the board of Financial House to help grow our organisation and build our brand across Europe and into global markets.

“She is a tremendous asset to our organisation having worked for some of the best companies in the market to expand business, develop strong customer experiences, and build brands that compete successfully on a global stage,” said its Chief Executive Officer, Alisher Abdukadyrov.

Meanwhile, Zimmermann said: “Joining the Financial House board during this immense time of growth and innovation is incredibly exciting as we take a giant step forward together to build a strong, competitive brand.

“Working with the Financial House is a perfect match as we share a commitment for excellence in payments and customer experience, and a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion.”

A respected marketing and business executive with deep expertise in global branding, change management and business transformation, Zimmermann has more than 25 years of experience in large, global organisations from telecommunications to remittance and global payments.

-- BERNAMA

Quantexa Standout Technology Recognised In Celent's Report

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Bernama) -- Quantexa announced it has been recognised by Celent, a global research and advisory firm, for its standout technology in the 2023 xCelent Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Transaction Monitoring (TM) Report, an independent resource helping financial institutions select an AML vendor best suited to meet their needs.

Celent’s report profiled 17 AML TM systems available globally, including an overview of their functionality, customer base, technology, implementation, pricing and support, to help key financial institutions navigate the market.

“We continually strive to bring best-in-class solutions to our clients, helping them turn information into insight and insight into the ability to protect, optimise and grow their organisations.

“Having Celent recognise our solution for the depth of impact it delivers, as well as our teams’ breadth of knowledge, which is helping to aid in the forensic investigations of financial crime, is inspiring and rewarding,” said Quantexa Chief Product Officer, Dan Higgins.

According to a statement, Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence (DI) Platform and Financial Crime solutions credited for driving efficiencies via automation and enriching graph analytics and network analysis.

Customers rated Quantexa’s DI Platform and AML solutions strongly overall, with the speed of implementation and the flexibility of the data model receiving the highest scores for implementation experience and technology respectively.

They also appreciated the platform’s graph analytics and network/link analysis capabilities, while respondents noted the Quantexa team’s knowledge of their solution and relevant technology.

The global data and analytics software company’s platform gives leading banks, fintechs and regulators the ability to understand their data by connecting siloed systems to protect, optimise and grow.

By protecting and fighting against financial crime, Quantexa’s clients can become more resilient, visualise hidden risks at speed, and make more informed and trusted decisions about AML risk.

-- BERNAMA

Prospective Raises US$6 Mln in Seed Funding

KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Bernama) -- Prospective, an interactive analytics and data visualisation tool for large and streaming datasets, announced it has raised US$6 million in Seed funding, with the round led by Point72 Ventures. (US$1=RM4.55)

According to Prospective in a statement, the round includes participation from Silicon Badia, Irregular Expressions, Essence Ventures, Giant Machines and REFASHIOND Ventures.

Traditionally, organisations have struggled to efficiently access and analyse the data necessary for their use cases due to limitations in readily accessible processing power and difficulty in publishing insights.

Recognising this pain point, Prospective has built an interactive tool to facilitate seamless data access, analysis and sharing.

With Prospective, users gain intuitive and efficient access to both large and streaming datasets, enabling them to unlock valuable insights in real-time, directly through a user-friendly web browser interface.

By streamlining the data retrieval and operationalisation processes, Prospective empowers builders, consumers and analysts to derive actionable insights that were previously inaccessible.

With the rise of Large Language Models, the gap between model outputs and human understanding is widening. Prospective helps bridge this gap by enabling customers to derive and convey insights in an intuitive way.

Founded by Andrew Stein and Eric Schmalzbauer, Prospective is the enterprise version of the popular open-source data and analytics project, Perspective. Parallel to announcing its Seed funding round, Prospective is also launching a private beta for a limited number of firms.

-- BERNAMA

Caption: Chairman and President Pan Gang speaking

 

Caption: Scene of the 2023 Investor Day

                

HOHHOT, China, July 20, 2023 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 

On July 14, Yili held its 2023 Investor Day, and its management sat down with hundreds of investors and analysts from the world's top investment institutions for in-depth exchanges. Pan Gang, Chairman of Yili Group, said in his speech that Yili will continue to be a pioneer of a new-type supply chain, a pioneer in digitalization and a practitioner of sustainable development, and make more contributions and create greater value for consumers, investors, and human health and well-being. In the post-pandemic era, pro-health functional products that serve the whole population will become the core driver of the development of dairy products. Yili is an early entrant in health sector. In recent years, Yili has launched functional pro-health nutrition products such as A2. This year it launched the world's first functional milk product capable of blood sugar regulation, and the world's first room-temperature organic pure milk with active lactoferrin, among other subdivided functional pro-health dairy products. The launch of new pro-health products one after another was enabled by Yili's input and breakthrough in forward-looking innovative technology. Yili was the first to break the technological barriers and increase the retention rate of lactoferrin in room-temperature pure milk from 10% to more than 90%. In addition, Yili has started the construction of its lactoferrin factory in New Zealand, and after it is completed and put into operation, Yili will rank among the top three lactoferrin producers in the world, which will greatly enhance Yili's global influence in the industry. Yili is making multiple breakthroughs in similar cutting-edge technologies, with the expectation of opening up new space for performance growth. At the conference, Yili also introduced the latest development and growth potential of five of its brands: Satine, AMBPOMIAL, Jinlingguan, Chocliz and XinHuo. http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46623

TAYLOR'S FASHION DESIGN TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS REDEFINE FASHION NORMS AT 'THE SHOW' - A FASHION FUSION SHOWCASE

SUBANG JAYA, July 20 (Bernama) -- Taylor’s University in academic partnership with Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) recently hosted 'THE SHOW' - A Fashion Fusion Showcase, an experimentation and intersection of art, fashion, sustainability, and technology. The showcase by the talented Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology (Honours) programme students presented a total of 39 innovative creations that challenged traditional fashion norms, leaving the audience made up of fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals, members of the media, and the public in awe.

“Through vivid styling that transcends cultures and geographical boundaries, 'THE SHOW' proved to be a transformative experience for all who attended. The Fashion Design Technology students harnessed their unique ability to integrate cutting-edge technology into their designs with an artistic vision. These ingenious designs emphasised the fusion of fashion and technology, pushing the envelope of creativity and craftsmanship to redefine the future of the industry,” said Maria Sandra Wijaya, Programme Director of Taylor’s Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology.

The event unveiled four fashion collection concepts – Organic Geometry that fuses materials and colours to form shapes and structures of garments, Layered Fashion that layers every part of the textile, Unconventional Fashion using mixed media art to create texture and depth, and lastly, Genderless Morphe which transforms into conversible designs.

Professor Dr Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer of Taylor’s University said the Fashion Design Technology degree offered by Taylor's Design School is designed differently from other fashion programmes. “'THE SHOW' is a prime example of how we incorporate high-end technologies like body scanners and an impact-based approach into our fashion technology degree to graduate world-class designers aligned to the triple bottom line concept of sustaining people, planet, and prosperity.”

A Show and Tell Press Segment was held at Mayamode, Malaysia’s first co-working fashion studio prior to the showcase to present the nation’s first 3D Fashion Pod. The 3D body scanning technology aids precision body scanning and digital measurements, increases production speed, eliminates physical samples, lowers sample making cost, and reduces material waste – powering a more sustainable fashion production process.

This was made possible through the partnership with Puspamara Sdn Bhd, a leading garment manufacturing company since the 1970s that aims to meet evolving fashion processes following extensive product development research. “We are now moving forward as the leader in digitised garment development using the 3D body scanning and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) technologies,” said Ibrahim Aiman bin Tan Sri Mohd Nadzmi, Director of Puspamara Sdn Bhd.

The integration of the 3D Fashion Pod and the CLO 3D technology, a CAD tool will further complement the top-notch facilities at Mayamode, empowering virtual fashion and made-to-measure clothing.
 
Apart from empowering education institutions to infuse technology in the education sphere, the 3D Fashion Pod will also complement the National Size Malaysia Campaign. Led by Ts Dr Norsaadah Binti Zakaria, Research Fellow at The Design School, and with the interest of the Department of Standards Malaysia under the purview of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the campaign aims to analyse and collect Malaysians body data measurements to develop the first national standard sizing system that will benefit Malaysian consumers and the garment industry.

Leading up to 'THE SHOW', students from the Bachelor of Interactive Spatial Design (Honours) were given the opportunity to collaborate with the Fashion Design Technology students and industry partner Mitoworld by Virtualtech Frontier to create Malaysia’s first Metaverse Fashion Show called MAYAmode – taking inspiration from the official language of Malaysia “Maya” that denotes virtual and in the same capacity of the programme’s identity, Mayamode Fashion Studio.

"We are ecstatic to join forces with these talented students to bring MAYAmode into existence. This extraordinary metaverse showcases top notch facilities and technology together with an exclusive retail pop-up for Taylor's fashion label, MAYAMODE, one which also includes an impressive display of past projects crafted by Taylor’s Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology students. Collaborating with these visionary individuals, we are charting the course for the future of fashion, embracing innovation, and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in the digital realm," said Jason Low, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Virtualtech Frontier, creators of Mitoworld.

Taking steps to future-proof graduates in a demanding labour landscape, Taylor's University continues to be a trailblazer in fashion education, empowering students to embrace technological advancements and explore uncharted territories. 'THE SHOW' served as a true testament to the university's commitment in nurturing the next generation of fashion leaders through education excellence and in shaping the future of the fashion industry, equipping students with the right skills and experience to develop the agility and creativity to tackle complex problems.

'THE SHOW' - A Fashion Fusion Showcase saw collaborations with SUB International Beauty School to provide hair and makeup services, ZALORA sponsoring footwear, OXWHITE for guest gift vouchers, Art of Botanicals Cocktail set up by Bombay Sapphire, and a long-term partnership with Komuniti Tukang Jahit to award a student with the Innovative Sustainable Design Award across the four fashion concepts.

'THE SHOW' also witnessed interdisciplinary collaborations across schools under the Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management through captivating performances, canape style dishes served, and the edible art sculpture exhibition made entirely from chocolate, icings, and food materials.

For more information on Taylor’s University’s Fashion Design Technology programme, please visit the link here. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46631

VIRTUAL PRIVATE SERVER: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO USE IT WITH AAAFX

 

Virtual Private Server: What It Is and How to Use It with AAAFx A quick guide to VPS hosting by AAAFx

A quick guide to VPS hosting by AAAFx

​ATTICA, Greece, July 18 (Bernama) -- A lot of ink has been spilled on VPS hosting and how to harness its potential. In trading, where every millisecond counts, efficiency and automation are critical to being successful. But how do traders incorporate efficiency and automation into their activity? It’s simple: with the right technology suite. When it comes to technology and VPS hosting, AAAFx ticks all the boxes.
 
The award-winning brokerage offers exposure to 70 Forex pairs and hundreds of CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies and a powerful technology arsenal to capture all the important price swings across different markets and timeframes. VPS hosting is also a core element of this arsenal, ensuring maximum platform uptime. Here we shed light on the importance of VPS hosting and how to use it.
 
A brief definition of VPS hosting
In simple terms, VPS - an acronym for Virtual Private Server - is a permanent link connecting an individual trading terminal to the broader trading network.
 
For example, when using MT5 on their home computers, traders are connected to the standard trading network where their orders are executed. Having an active VPS ensures smooth connectivity. This is possible thanks to the latest-generation Cloud hosting capabilities that brokerage firms like AAAFx offer.
 
Implementing cutting-edge VPS technology, AAAFx offers the best trading experience to traders around the globe, by improving trade execution speed and boosting traders’ local network capacity and enhancing connection stability, allowing them to execute trades quicker.
 
As an exclusive service, the broker offers VPS services completely free of charge to all its EU and global clients for a deposit of more than $5,000 or equivalent in another major currency. Traders depositing less than $5,000 or equivalent can also access the VPS for a modest monthly fee of $25, which will be automatically deducted from the account balance.
 
Advantages of using a VPS with AAAFx
Designed to host a version of an operating system, a VPS can be controlled remotely from any device located in its vicinity. Working almost in the same way as a web hosting server, with the exception that it has the capability to directly host a desktop PC while maintaining its ability to function as if it were operating on its own server. As such, Virtual Private Servers are practically SaaS solutions, each with its specific amount of CPU power and space that ensures users enjoy the speed and connectivity they need.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46609

OOKLA’S APAC TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY SUMMIT SERVES AS VALUABLE PLATFORM FOR POLICYMAKERS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Ookla, an internationally recognised leader in network measurement and connectivity intelligence, concluded its first Telecommunications Regulatory Summit for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region by bringing over 40 regulatory representatives from more than 10 countries.

Held last week in Kuala Lumpur, the event served as a valuable platform for policymakers to share best practices in regulatory planning and oversight, as well as how they are leveraging Ookla’s connectivity insights to help address the digital divide via broadband network improvements in their respective markets.

“This summit underscores Ookla's dedication to helping different countries close the digital divide. We are committed to working with regulators to create a more connected and digitally inclusive community,” said Ookla President and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Bye in a statement.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Sam Majid said: “It is important to make informed decisions, drive tangible improvements, and revolutionise our approach to strengthen internet connectivity in the country.

“Crowdsourced data has become critical for us to understand where the demand for connectivity is, where we need to improve, and where we need to deploy. These insights help us manage regulatory policy to address the digital divide, support consumer protections and increase competition within the market.”

From effective spectrum management to increasing the availability of broadband through fixed wireless access (FWA), representatives from regulatory bodies throughout the region shared how they are closing the digital divide, supporting consumer protection, and increasing competition within their markets.

Central to most of these efforts is a clear understanding of existing network performance, quality and availability, and how Ookla’s crowdsourced network insights assist regulators in evaluating and improving connectivity.

By bringing together regulators from across the region, the summit aimed to facilitate a collaborative exchange of ideas focused on leveraging network intelligence to help improve connected experiences for all.

Ookla is part of Ziff Davis, a vertically focused digital media and internet company whose portfolio includes leading brands in technology, shopping, gaming and entertainment, connectivity, health, cybersecurity, and martech. 

-- BERNAMA

MTC'S SUCCESS STORY - MWE 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- It was yet again another masterstroke by the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) as one of its flagship programmes, the Malaysian Wood Expo (MWE) 2023, concluded on a high note, leaving an indelible mark on the timber industry while sparking a wave of innovation and collaboration.

Jointly organised by MTC and Pablo Publishing and Exhibition Pte Ltd, MWE 2023, which was held from 18-20 June 2023 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), surpassed expectations and did better on all counts, generating far more sales than its debut trade show back in 2019.

MWE's sales in 2023 reached an impressive RM182.5 million, marking a significant increase compared to its sales of approximately RM140 million in 2019.

With over 3,000 visitors and 124 local and international exhibitors, MWE 2023’s sales achievement was largely driven by its Incoming Buying Mission (IBM) which was one of the major highlights of the Expo where it garnered sales of RM147.8 million. The IBM, which was conducted in collaboration with MATRADE, involved 88 buyers from 23 countries. A total of 773 business meetings took place during the IBM.

Another “stellar performer” was MTC’s Inbound Overseas Suppliers Programme where 21 companies placed orders worth RM6.4 million for raw materials under this programme while MWE 2023 exhibitors recorded sales of RM28.3 million.

Expressing his satisfaction with the Expo's remarkable success, Tuan Haji Zainal Abidin Haji Abdullah, Chairman of the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC), said MWE has proven to be a lucrative platform for business networking and trade opportunities.

“We couldn’t be prouder of our achievements which have far surpassed our previous success. We made a promise that MWE 2023 would offer greater opportunities for our visitors, buyers, and exhibitors. I believe we have delivered on that promise,” said Tuan Haji Zainal.

He added that the success of MWE 2023 reflects how the timber industry is gaining momentum globally with stakeholders putting forward strong investment plans which is also creating demand for Malaysian-made products.

MWE 2023 was officiated by the Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities YB Datuk Hajah Siti Aminah Aching on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities YAB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof. Also present at the opening ceremony were Secretary-General of the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities YBhg. Dato’ Haji Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli, Ambassadors, Trade Commissioners and other dignitaries. 

“I am delighted to see the robust comeback of MWE just a year after Malaysia re-opened its borders following the pandemic. Expos like MWE play a crucial role in bringing together global industry players to offer new solutions and concrete business opportunities for the advancement of the timber industry,” said YAB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof in his speech which was read by YB Datuk Hajah Siti Aminah Aching. 

MWE 2023 showcased raw materials and wood products such as wooden flooring, mouldings, doors, door frames and windows, panel products as well as woodworking machinery such as cutting tools, combined machines, dust collection equipment, edge-banding materials and machines, handling equipment, abrasives, adhesives, coatings, timber-related equipment, and furniture production software, among others.

MTC also offered special incentives for the purchase of machinery which included material handling equipment and software technologies. A total of RM26.12 million in sales was generated through this programme, surpassing the figures achieved in 2019.

“Much of the machinery and material handling equipment were purchased from local as well as overseas exhibitors with brands originating from China, Germany, Denmark and Taiwan,” said MTC CEO Madam Noraihan Abdul Rahman. She further highlighted that the software technologies acquired comprise ERP, MWE, MOM, IoT system integration and software for custom-made furniture.

Apart from the IBM and IOSP programmes, MTC also held 16 pocket talk sessions with key industry experts as speakers. Sharing the platform for knowledge-sharing was the  International Tropical Timber Organisation-Global Green Supply Chains (ITTO-GGSC) which conducted an engaging seminar titled “Global Timber Index (GTI) for the Malaysian Timber Industry”.

A Media Familiarisation Programme was also conducted concurrently with the Expo providing participants with a first-hand experience of the Malaysian timber industry from its forest management practices to its manufacturing and trade aspects. 

MWE 2023’s success will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and development of the Malaysian timber sector, fostering economic opportunities and reinforcing Malaysia's reputation as a leading player in the international timber market. 

Captions:
 

1. https://mtc.com.my/i/mweimg/MWE_0192.jpg - MTC Chairman Tuan Haji Zainal Abidin Haji Abdullah delivering his welcoming remarks.

 

2. https://mtc.com.my/i/mweimg/MWE_0214.jpg - Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities YB Datuk Hajah Siti Aminah Aching delivering the speech of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities YAB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah Haji Yusof.

 

3. https://mtc.com.my/i/mweimg/MWE_0562.jpg - YB Datuk Hajah Siti Aminah Aching at one of the machinery exhibitor’s booths.

 

4. https://mtc.com.my/i/mweimg/MWE_1702.jpg - The Buying Mission recorded sales of RM147.8 million 

About the Malaysian Timber Council
The Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) was established in January 1992 to promote the development and growth of the Malaysian timber industry globally. MTC's main objectives are to promote the Malaysian timber trade and develop the market for timber products globally, to promote the development of the industry by upgrading the industry's manufacturing technology base, to augment the supply of raw materials, to provide information services and to protect and improve the Malaysian timber industry's global image. Further information on the Council’s activities can be obtained from www.mtc.com.my.

Issued by the Malaysian Timber Council

SOURCE: Malaysian Timber Council

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Ms. Lau Li Har
Strategic Planning & Corporate Communications Division (SPCD) 
Tel: 03-9281 1999, Ext: 700
Email: lau@mtc.com.my

Name: Ms. Sharmila V
Strategic Planning & Corporate Communications Division (SPCD)
Tel:  03-9281 1999, Ext: 702
Email: sharm@mtc.com.my

--BERNAMA

JUNIPER RESEARCH: 33% OF ECOMMERCE SPEND TO BE CROSS-BORDER BY 2028 GLOBALLY, AS ECOMMERCE GROWTH SHIFTS TO DEVELOPING MARKETS

Cross-border eCommerce to Exceed $3 Trillion Globally by 2028

BASINGSTOKE, England, July 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A new study from Juniper Research, the foremost experts in payments, has found the value of cross-border eCommerce will exceed $3.3 trillion in 2028, from $1.6 trillion in 2023. With disposable income rising in developing markets, eCommerce merchants and marketplaces are pivoting towards them. Given the prevalence of alternative payment methods in developing markets, such as mobile money, cross-border merchants must effectively match consumers’ payment preferences, or they will quickly lose out to better-localised rivals.

For further details, see the new report, Cross-border eCommerce: Key Trends, Regional Analysis & Market Forecasts 2023-2028, or download a free sample.

Cross-border Outstripping Domestic eCommerce Growth

• Cross-border eCommerce transaction values to grow by 107% globally over the next five years.
• Domestic eCommerce transaction values to grow by 48% over the same period.

This demonstrates that much of the growth in the eCommerce payments market is in the cross-border area. This is due to the rapid expansion of key marketplaces, and how they have differentiated themselves. For example, JD.com provides fast delivery times thanks to its strong logistics network. AliExpress offers considerably cheaper goods that offset the longer-than-preferred delivery times for consumers, while Amazon, Rakuten, and Mercado Libre provide value-added services, like streaming and integrated financial services. Marketplaces must offer a differentiated consumer experience to be successful, but must also add value for merchants, in order to sustain rapid growth.

Social Media-focused Advertising Critical for Cross-border Success

The research found that in an increasingly social media-dominated advertising landscape, the leading vendors are effectively marketing directly to consumers. Central to competing with domestic merchants is appealing to digitally engaged users in a direct way; making social media advertising vital for success. For example, Temu has accompanied launches into new markets such as the UK & US with highly targeted direct advertising to users, fuelling rapid growth. Cross-border merchants must therefore correctly identify the right social media and digital advertising channels in each market, or risk losing out in the battle for tech-savvy consumers.

Cross-border eCommerce market research: https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/fintech-payments/cross-border-ecommerce-research-report

Download the free sample: https://www.juniperresearch.com/whitepapers/cross-border-ecommerce-value-of-the-marketplace

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary. 

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CertiK Co-founder Bags VMware Systems Research Award

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- CertiK, a pioneer in blockchain security announced its co-founder, Ronghui Gu has won the highly regarded 2022 VMware Systems Research Award.

VMware is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and virtualisation technology. Established by VMware's academic sector, the Systems Research Award aims to acknowledge and support promising emerging research in computer science systems.

Professor Gu who is also Tang Family Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University, was recognised for his fundamental contributions to the theory of systems verification.

According to CertiK in a statement, Professor Gu’s work, translating theoretical results into real-world applications for creating bug-free and secure system software, has found novel applications.

Professor Gu's most distinguished work is his PhD thesis conducted at Yale University, in which this pioneering work involved the intricate task of certifying the CertiKOS operating system kernel, a complex endeavour encompassing everything from compilers to the fundamental building blocks of the operating system.

Reflecting his originality, potential for future impact, and the significance of his findings, the VMware University Research Fund will provide a grant of US$125,000 to Columbia University in support of Professor Gu's continuing research. (US$1=RM4.54)

In 2018, Professor Gu and Professor Zhong Shao, Chair of Yale University's Department of Computer Science, co-founded CertiK. Leveraging advanced formal verification, artificial intelligence auditing technologies and expert manual checks, CertiK monitors the security of blockchain protocols and smart contracts.

The recognition of Professor Gu by the VMware Systems Research Award underscores the advanced level of sophistication that computer science academia has brought to the Web3 arena.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST AFFIRMS PHILIPPINE NATIONAL REINSURANCE CORPORATION CREDIT RATINGS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines (Nat Re).

In a statement, AM Best said these credit ratings (ratings), which have a stable outlook, reflected Nat Re’s balance sheet strength, which was assessed as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

Nat Re’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, which remained at the strongest level in 2022.

AM Best views the company’s investment portfolio as having moderate risk. Despite some exposure to corporate bonds and equity investments, the majority of Nat Re’s portfolio is composed of fixed income securities issued by the Philippines government.

The company’s allocation to equity investments has reduced gradually over recent years, with the expectation of continued portfolio de-risking over the medium term. Its balance sheet is sensitive to natural catastrophe exposure, although this risk is partially mitigated through the use of retrocession.

Nat Re’s operating performance is assessed as adequate, with a five-year average return-on-equity ratio of 2.3 per cent (2018-2022). Net profit declined in 2022 compared to the prior year. 

AM Best views Nat Re’s business profile as neutral. The company is the only domestic reinsurer in the Philippines, benefiting from strong relationships with local cedants and access to business through mandatory local cessions.

Nat Re is well-positioned for business opportunities emanating from local government initiatives, this includes its engagement in the design and launch of underwriting facilities in the Philippines market, which enables it to write greater business volumes in excess of the level stipulated by the mandatory cessions.

AM Best considers Nat Re’s ERM approach to be appropriate given the current size and complexity of its operations. The company’s risk management framework and corporate governance capabilities are viewed to have strengthened over recent years.

-- BERNAMA

Smart’s Data Centre SSDs Selected As Open Compute Project Inspired Product

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- SMART Modular Technologies Inc (SMART), announced the Open Compute Project (OCP) has accepted SMART’s DC4800 data centre solid state drives (SSDs) as an OCP Inspired product and will be featured on the OCP website in the Marketplace section.

In a statement, SMART said only products that comply with 100 per cent of OCP’s stringent specifications are selected after a rigorous process that demonstrates the product’s efficiency, openness, impact and scale.

SMART senior director of advanced product development, Andy Mills said OCP-compliant SSDs are becoming the new standard for both data centre and classic enterprise storage applications, which is a testament to how essential the standard has become.

“The Open Compute Project represents a truly cooperative venture in leading innovation within the technology industry and we are proud that our DC4800 product has now joined the ranks of OCP Inspired products,” he said.

By designing to OCP’s standards, an expanding base of enterprise class data centre SSD users are assured that the OCP class DC4800 exceeds basic NVMe standards that further help drive a greater level of standardisation for data centre servers and other equipment utilising OCP class SSDs.

SMART’s DC4800 represents a new class of high performance, power efficient, data centre SSDs, and the devices are manufactured with a specialised hardware-accelerated SSD controller that draws less power without compromising storage input/output (I/O) performance.

This unique new architecture results in near zero thermal induced throttling, enabling these SSDs to perform better under continued duress, even when they are pushed to their performance limit.

A division of SGH and a global leader in memory solutions, SSDs and advanced memory, SMART has been helping customers around the world enable high performance computing through the design, development and advanced packaging of specialty memory solutions.

-- BERNAMA

JAPAN MARITIME DAILY HOSTS MAIDEN GLOBAL SHIPPING SEMINAR IN SINGAPORE, SEPT 4

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- Japan Maritime Daily (JMD), the maritime newspaper in Japan will host its first global seminar, Future of Shipping towards Net Zero, with the theme of 'Decarbonization for the Future of Shipping', in Singapore on Sept 4, 2023.

Co-organised with the Singapore Exchange (SGX), the seminar will show how to achieve shipping carbon neutrality through the initiatives of major shipping companies and panel discussions, according to a statement.

The keynote speaker will be Ocean Network Express (ONE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jeremy Nixon who will explain ONE's efforts towards decarbonisation.

Following this, SGX Group's Director Kenneth Ng will speak about SGX's FFA (freight futures) product and other topics, while a team of analysts from the United Kingdom-based maritime consultants Maritime Strategies International (MSI) will discuss the impact of decarbonisation on shipping.

In addition, a panel discussion moderated by Tokyo Century Corporation's Ship Finance Division Joint General Manager, Jigo Hayashi will include Swire Bulk CEO, Peter Norborg; and Meadway Shipping Singapore Managing Director, Sung Yong Do on the challenges of decarbonisation, including new fuels.

-- BERNAMA