Articles by Gunther Ginckels

Fototentoonstelling: ‘De post-partumrevolutie in beeld’
“𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐣𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐯𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧, 𝐝𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐯𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐣𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞, 𝐰𝐚𝐚𝐫 𝐯𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐳𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐣𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐞𝐧 𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐝𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞.⁣”

Met hun boek en de gelijknamige fototentoonstelling De Post-partumrevolutie willen Kirsten Ginckels en fotografe Joke De Wilde de allesoverheersende en allestransformerende periode van post partum en de vrouwen er middenin terug prominenter in beeld brengen. Met zachte hand en krachtige beelden laten de auteurs zien wat er echt toe doet en nog belangrijker: dat vrouwen ertoe doen. 

De post-partumrevolutie | Kirsten Ginckels, Joke De Wilde | Geneeskunde | 9789463106238 | Standaard Boekhandel

De fototentoonstelling is vrij toegankelijk, en het boek is ter plaatse ook te koop. 
Post‑partum betekent letterlijk “na de bevalling”.
Het verwijst naar de periode direct na de geboorte van een baby, waarin het lichaam en het leven van de moeder herstellen en zich aanpassen.

Wat omvat de post‑partumperiode?

• Fysiek herstel van de bevalling (bv. baarmoederkrimp, wondheling, hormoonveranderingen)
• Emotionele aanpassing (van babyblues tot mogelijke postnatale depressie)
• Opstart van borstvoeding of andere voedingskeuzes
• Nieuwe routines met de baby en het gezin

In de geneeskunde wordt vaak de eerste 6 weken als de klassieke post‑partumperiode gezien, maar veel vrouwen ervaren dat herstel en aanpassing veel langer kunnen duren.

My Intelligent Assistant has been trying to show the “European version” of Mapping China’s strategic port development ( Mapping China’s Strategic Port Development in Africa – Africa Center ) in Africa showing at who’s where, doing what, and why. Let’s sketch the structure

---

1. Strategic logic: Europe in African ports vs China

Dimension	Europe (EU + member states)	China (for comparison)
Main vehicle	Global Gateway, EIB, national DFIs, private operators (APM, TIL/MSC, Bolloré legacy, etc.)	Belt and Road, state banks, SOEs (COSCO, CMPort, CHEC)
Primary goals	Secure trade routes, energy transition (hydrogen, LNG), support AfCFTA, reduce over‑reliance on China/Russia	Trade corridors, political influence, industrial access, naval presence
Financing style	Mix of grants, blended finance, PPPs, regulatory conditionality	Large state-backed loans, EPC contracts, long concessions
Security angle	Maritime security, economic security, resilience of EU supply chains EUR-Lex	Dual‑use potential, PLA Navy access (Djibouti, etc.)
Geographic focus	North Africa, West Africa Atlantic, a few Indian Ocean/Red Sea nodes	All coasts, with strong presence in East Africa and Red Sea

---

2. Key European corporate and institutional actors

Actor	Type	Typical role in Africa’s ports/logistics
APM Terminals (Maersk, DK)	Private terminal operator	Container terminals in West, East, Southern Africa; hinterland logistics
TIL / MSC (CH/IT)	Shipping line + terminals	Acquiring/operating terminals (incl. ex‑Bolloré Africa Logistics assets)
Bolloré legacy (now MSC)	Historical French operator	Deep footprint in West/Central African ports and corridors
CMA CGM (FR)	Shipping + terminals	Terminals, logistics parks, inland depots
EU Global Gateway	EU policy/finance umbrella	Corridors (e.g. Lobito), energy/green port upgrades, digital systems EUR-Lex
EIB, national DFIs (KfW, AFD, CDP, etc.)	Public finance	Co‑funding port access, rail, energy, customs/digitalisation
European logistics firms (DHL, etc.)	3PL/logistics	Warehousing, dry ports, customs optimisation, cold chain AInvest

---

3. Port‑by‑port: main African hubs with strong European involvement

Think of this as your base table for a map layer.

African port / corridor	Country	Main European link(s)	Strategic function
Tangier Med	Morocco	Strong EU trade orientation; European shipping lines and logistics firms heavily present AInvest	Mega‑hub between Atlantic/Mediterranean; re‑export hub to Europe; automotive & logistics cluster
Lobito Atlantic Railway & Corridor (Lobito port)	Angola–DRC–Zambia	EU Global Gateway + European partners co‑funding corridor modernisation AInvest	Export of copper/cobalt to Europe; alternative to routes via South Africa or East Africa
Mombasa	Kenya	European logistics and shipping companies active; EU interest via AfCFTA‑driven trade AInvest	Gateway for East Africa; key for EU–EAC trade and supply chains
Lekki Deep Sea Port	Nigeria	Mix of global investors; European shipping/logistics firms using it as hub AInvest	Modern container hub for West Africa; supports EU–Nigeria trade and regional distribution
Durban & Cape Town	South Africa	Strong presence of European shipping, logistics, and finance AInvest	Southern Africa gateway; energy, automotive, agri‑exports to Europe
Dakar	Senegal	Historically French/European operators; EU‑linked corridor projects	West African Atlantic hub; Sahel access, fisheries, agri‑exports
Abidjan	Côte d’Ivoire	Former Bolloré hub; now MSC/TIL; EU trade focus	Cocoa, agri‑bulk, containers; key West Africa–EU link
Tema / Takoradi	Ghana	European shipping/logistics presence; PPP‑style terminal investments	Minerals and container exports; corridor into Sahel
Lomé	Togo	Major transhipment hub for European lines	Feeder hub for West Africa; high container throughput
Walvis Bay	Namibia	EU interest via corridors to Zambia/Botswana; European logistics firms	Gateway to landlocked Southern Africa; alternative to South African ports
Port Said / East Port Said	Egypt	European shipping lines and logistics; EU interest via Suez route	Critical node on Asia–Europe route; energy and container flows
North African energy ports (e.g. Skikda, Arzew, Egyptian LNG, future hydrogen hubs)	Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, etc.	EU energy transition and hydrogen strategies	LNG, future green hydrogen/ammonia exports to Europe

(Several of these have mixed ownership—Chinese, Gulf, and European capital often coexist. The table is about where Europe is structurally embedded, not exclusivity.)

Should major European Ports & Port Authorities focus more on PPP – Long Term Concessions where they develop Free-Trade corridors with Africa nations. A good example is PoABI (Port of Antwerp-Bruges International) who develops cooporations with Several African Ports. (Home – Port of Antwerp-Bruges International ). Should the EU – 27 countries – develop such policies creating and facilitating a stronger presence on the African continent based on mutual respect and economic support? Tell me !!

---

---

A head of state whose character traits include not only narcissism and absurdity, but also incompetence. A year ago, I could still laugh it off. Mr Trump had previously been a TV personality (“You’re fired”) and now the American people had elected him to become President of the DSA (Divided States of America). It’s a bit of a change: a stand-up comedian as president. In the start I’ve laughed myself silly time and again at his performances – and it was free, too. Or so I thought at the time. Now, however, it’s no longer free. It’s becoming clear that Mr Trump – driven by a Zionist extremist – has no idea what he’s got himself into in the Middle East.

And now Mr Trump is even going so far as to threaten NATO allies a little. It must be his total lack of geopolitical knowledge – and the fact that he surely failed geography at school – that led him to attack Iran.

Knowledge of history isn’t his strong point either – Iraq, Afghanistan and now Iran – what on earth has happened there?

There are currently around 120 container ships blocked in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. They represent 10% of the global container fleet. At an average capacity of 15,000 containers, that amounts to approximately 1,800,000 containers being blocked. The fact that access to the Arabian Gulf is largely via Iranian coastal waters may well have been a negligible detail in Mr Trump’s decision-making process. With Hutties as Iran’s loyal allies, access to the Suez Canal is no longer safe either.

Logistics and shipping in the Asia-Europe-Asia trade corridor are now forced to sail via the Cape, resulting in increased transit times and higher costs. Fortunately, the CEOs of the container shipping companies involved have shown good sense and are prioritising the safety of their crews over Mr Trump’s vague promises that he will take care of everything (insurance and Navy protection?) and keep them safe. By now desperately calling on NATO member states for help, Mr Trump is openly admitting that he has completely misjudged his action against Iran and the GEO-Political and GEO-Economical impact of it.

And what Mr Trump caused – and for which he is therefore supposed to take responsibility – he is now turning into a NATO problem. Again lack of knowledge; NATO is a defence organisation on basis of “if one memberstate is aggressed, all memberstates are aggressed. Is America aggressed? Was there any prior consultation within NATO regarding military action against Iran with the NATO partners? If we label a number of countries as ‘terrorist’ on the basis of a number of basic criteria, it becomes clear that Israel certainly complies (West Bank, Gaza, Iran) and the US, under Mr Trump’s leadership, is also close to this label. Domestically (ICE) and now internationally (Venezuela, Iran, etc.). And why, then, should NATO member states feel compelled to solve a problem that Mr Trump started? You started it – you solve it. You’r fired!!

We need to mobilise and defend the interests of alle Europeans including our solidarity to the Inuit People of Greenland and our Danish Brothers & Sisters.

So It is high time that we, the citizens of Europe, make our voices heard, not only with words but also by acting.

In Belgium, we can buy a surprising number of consumer products from companies whose main shareholder or parent company is based in the United States. Based on recent market data on the largest American consumer goods companies from CompaniesMarketCap.com, below is a clear, practical overview of the brands you will actually find in Belgian supermarkets, chemists and electronics shops.

With immediate effect, I will no longer buy the following products, either in my shopping basket, in shops or online.

Sector	American parent companies	Examples in Belgium
Household & personal care	P&G, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberly-Clark, Kenvue, Church & Dwight	Ariel, Gillette, Colgate, Kleenex, Listerine
Food & beverages	PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mars, Mondelez	Lay’s, Coca-Cola, Snickers, Oreo
Retail & lifestyle	Amazon, Yankee Candle	Amazon Basics, Ring, Yankee Candle
Technology	Apple, Microsoft, Google	iPhone, Xbox, Nest
Tools & white goods	Stanley Black & Decker, Whirlpool	Black+Decker, KitchenAid

So the Venezuela problem is solved. We can all sympathise with a war against drugs so i asked my Intelligent Assistant the following question: “Give an overview of drugs to the USA per country of origin and estimated volume”. So i received a good overview and much to my surprise appeared Venezuela not in the list. So i started te be worried for the people and leaders of the listed countries. Here my friendly advise;

Mexico – President Claudia Sheinbaum – As you appear to be the most important producer and exporter of Heroin, Fentanyl and Methamphetamines you better start preparing for a military action against your country Mexico and prepare for being kidnapped and a take-over of your country by D.Shtroumph.

Columbia – Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego – As you appear to be the most important producer and exporter of Cocaine and Heroin, you better start preparing for a military action against your country Columbia and prepare for being kidnapped and a take-over of your country by D.Shtroumph.

China – President Xi Jinping – As you appear to be the most important producer and exporter of the most dangerous drug Fentanyl you better start preparing for a military action against your country China and prepare for being kidnapped and a take-over of your country by D.Shtroumph.

India – President Draupadi Murmu – As you appear to be the most important producer and exporter of the most damaging drug Fentanyl you better start preparing for a military action against your country Idia and prepare for being kidnapped and a take-over of your country by D.Shtroumph.

Or had D.Shtroumph with his Military action and kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife other motives? And shame to the world leaders for their guilty silence. So shall we all be equally silent when D.Shtroumph takes-over by military force Greenland – part of the Kingdom of Denmark?

And should we value the USA on the same level now as Russia and consider sanctions? Or is the take-over of Venezuela different from the attempts of Putain to take-over Oekraine?

Piracy is defined as the act of attacking and robbing ships at sea.

Detailed Explanation of Piracy

1. Maritime Piracy

• Definition: Robbery or criminal violence committed by air or sea-borne attackers against another ship or coastal area.
• Goal: Stealing cargo, valuables, taking hostages or supporting political or economical objectives
• Modern Examples: Piracy hotspots include the Gulf of Aden, Somali coast, and Strait of Malacca, where pirates often use small motorboats and firearms to make a political statement. In recent piracy incidents US helicopters and military units where deployed.
• Legal Status: Piracy is recognized as a crime under international law.

A letter from Mrs Luwel and Pfeffer acting under the VOKA flag to the mayor of the city of Antwerp and the Alderman responsible for port, urban development, spatial planning and patrimony is demanding the resignation of Mr. Jacques Vandermeiren – CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The press received a copy of the letter. The CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges Mr Jacques Vandermeiren did not receive a copy of the letter.

A conflict with some major companies at the port, such as BASF, is said to be behind the demarche.

As the letter is addressing a conflict on Port of Antwerp-Bruges level one can wonder why it was not produced under the Alfaport-VOKA flag with Stephan Vanfraechem? Alfaport-VOKA aims for an accessible, enabling, cost-competitive and sustainable Antwerp port with a view to anchoring employment and added value in the port on a sustainable basis. So Alfaport-VOKA should be the prime driver in the relations between the Port related industry and the Port Authority.

Mr Luwen and Mr Pfeffer complain over the lack of open dialogue between the top management of the Port of Antwerp Bruges and the key stakeholders and customers of the beloved port. Luwel and Pfeffer write. “We see the same pattern every time: a lack of willingness to listen, an insistence on being right and a dogmatic attitude regarding the objectives as well as the path to be followed towards the climate and energy transition.”

As my granddad used to say; “it takes 2 to tango”. Likely it is a “both-to-blame” collision.

The main source of the conflict allegedly lies with BASF Antwerp, where CEO Jan Remeysen has been at the helm since 2020. There appears to be a wide gap between BASF Antwerp and Mr Vandermeiren policies and strategies. BASF established its presence in the Port of Antwerp in 1964. Since then, it has been an integral part of the region’s industrial landscape. Recently, in 2023, BASF was licensed by a.o. the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and expanded its ethylene oxide and derivatives complex at its site in the port of Antwerp. So what is the problem?

Vandermeiren is criticized to be too much at the forefront in the transition to hydrogen as a green energy source, without caring whether everyone is on board. As a port, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is strongly committed to developing infrastructure for green hydrogen. And yes, overall, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges with Jacques Vandermeiren at the helm is a frontrunner in renewal and innovation in climate and environmental actions, some examples of which are here.

Multifuel port

Over 90% of world trade goes by sea, which requires a lot of fuel. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is one of the largest bunker hubs in the world. It is the ambition of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges to be as much as possible a multifuel port to make various climate-neutral bunker fuels available in addition to the range of bio- and conventional bunker fuels.

Shore power

Shore power is an environmentally friendly and quiet way for ships to dock. Instead of using diesel generators, ships can connect to the electricity grid available at their berth. This reduces emissions and therefore contributes to the greening of ports. Numerous connection points are already available for barges and tugs. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to also providing quayside electricity for the largest container vessels by 2028.

Antwerp@C

Antwerp@C is a project dedicated to innovative CO₂ reduction. Together with seven leading chemical and energy companies, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is working on the transition to a circular and climate-neutral port.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen plays an important role in the transition to a climate-neutral world. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is an active pioneer of the hydrogen economy and aims to take a leading position as a European import hub of green hydrogen.

Circular economy

In a circular economy, existing materials and products are shared, reused, repaired and recycled for as long as possible to create more value and close material cycles. The switch to a circular economy is part of the ambition of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges to be a climate-neutral port by 2050. The port area, with its industrial cluster, waste-processing companies and logistics sites, offers numerous opportunities to engage in circularity.

So much for the ambitions of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges with main driver CEO Jacques Vandermeiren and his Team. His policies and strategies are endorsed by the Board of Directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges consisting of 13 directors of which 9 politically assigned and 4 independents. So Luwel and Pfeffer also claiming the resignation of the Board of Directors?

The chemical industry has always actively contributed to the development of the port of Antwerp and its added value should certainly not be underestimated nor ignored. Study and research have nevertheless brought some less positive issues to light in recent years – not least the 3M scandal and PFAS pollution. The BASF expansion into ethylene oxide is likewise controversial. Ethylene oxide is harmful to the environment because of its toxicity and potential to contaminate water and soil.

But let’s go back to the letter of Mrs Luwel and Pfeffer. The letter also includes this remarkable chapter. “In the absolute majority of companies, there is a strong feeling of incomprehension, a lack of respect, and an attitude bordering on arrogance on the part of the top management of Port of Antwerp-Bruges. For a CEO of a de facto public administration, which depends to a very large extent on revenues from customers, this is inappropriate and worrying,” The writers are raising the alarm after a conversation between Vandermeiren and “senior representatives” of the very biggest players (BASF?) in our port got out of hand last month.

Who are these “majority of companies”? Where the writers have a valid point is that the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is de-facto a “public administration” which means beyond the range of BASF and 3M companies alike. It means that the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is accountable towards the public – not an alleged “absolute majority of companies”. Likewise, its CEO is accountable towards the Board of Directors.

The port of Antwerp-Bruges hosts 1.400 companies creating a total added value exceeding 20 billion euro representing 4,5% of the BNP of the Kingdom of Belgium. Today, the port of Antwerp-Bruges provides no less than 74,000 direct and 90,000 indirect jobs and is by far the biggest economic engine in the country.

 If BASF is the main issue the letter represents 0.07143% in terms of companies and with 4000 workers 2,44 % of the workforce of the Port community.

It is remarkable that Alfaport-VOKA or his DG Stephan Vanfraechem, which are the voice of the port-related companies in the port of Antwerp-Bruges, is nowhere mentioned. What is his position on this?

So, it appears to be much more a clash of EGO’s. Little substance, no facts and figures and suspected conflicts of policies and strategies of “some” (?) important industry players on the one side and the common and public interests of the shipping & logistics industry represented by a.o. the Port of Antwerp-Bruges Authority on the other side.

Luc Luwel has been in charge of VOKA for many – maybe too many – years. Luwel is considered a great advocate for the interests of industry but is not an impeccable figure himself. His style is also considered arrogant, and he likes to be surrounded with all the honours while being a representative of an interest group in function of the companies. Did his weight loss also impacted the acid level balance in his system?

For this reason, did Fernand Huts of Katoen Natie turned his back on VOKA out of dissatisfaction with Luwel’s policies and behavour

Luwel and Pfeffer’s action has been labelled in port circles as “self-serving”. In a reaction, the Antwerp Shipping Association (ASV) says it does not support frontal attacks on the CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

Meanwhile, VOKA Antwerp-Waasland confirmed the letter to the Antwerp city council but nuanced the content. “The relationship between the private port community and the CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges has been thoroughly disrupted”. That Luwel and Pfeffer themselves are the cause of this disturbed relationship has apparently not dawned on them.

The name of Alderman Koen Kennis (N-VA) was already circulating as a possible successor to Jacques Vandermeiren. He can add this function to the 21 other mandates he “handles”. Although we had many very competent politicians as Alderman of the Port of Antwerp – who are also chairman of the Board of Directors – it appears wise to keep these functions separated. Do we really want a politician as CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges?  

As Treasurer of the NGO Juventus I had a very interesting meeting with our Banker last week. On our question: “what would be a relative safe investment portfolio” he responded with a profound Global Political Analysis that was – to say the least – rather pessimistic. After that i realised that a large part of the Global conflicts are today religiously motivated. Lets start with the fundamentals of the Israeli drivers. The Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, contains several passages that some interpret as giving the Israelites a divine mandate to conquer and settle the land of Canaan, which includes the modern-day State of Israel. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to the Israelites about their impending entry into the land of Canaan. He tells them that God has given them this land and they are to take possession of it. Over the century’s these rights have been subject to many interpretations but the extreme fascist Zionists still conveniently use this as their “right” to conquer and own the land today named “Israel”.

Surprisingly, the same 5 books of the Koran – the same as in the Thorah – do not claim the eradication of the Jewish people. The calls for the eradication of Israel by some Muslim leaders, such as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are based on political and ideological conflicts, not on teachings from the Koran. These leaders often use religious language and symbolism to rally support and justify their positions. They fundamentally abuse the Koran. For example, Hamas, an Islamic Palestinian group, has used the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, as a rallying cry to unite Muslims. They argue that their faith is under assault and call for action against Israel. The foundation of Hamas lies in the ignorance of the 1948 UN resolution by Israel. The fascist extremisme of Otzma Yehudit and the Zionist movements are daily applied on the Westbank where Israeli extremists chase Palestinian Families from their homes and take possession of their properties.

And than there is Vladimir Putin’s motivations for invading Ukraine. Putin has expressed a desire to protect Russian-speaking people in Ukraine. He has also voiced concerns about Ukraine’s growing ties with the West and its aspirations to join NATO. Putin views the expansion of NATO towards Russia’s borders as a security threat. So much for the anxiety disorder of Putin. Than there are the Personal Factors. Some reports suggest that personal resentment and a desire for revenge were driving factors behind Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. This mental condition is called “Narcissistic Personality” Disorder. However, behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism. And than there is the Fear of Democracy. Another perspective suggests that Putin’s fear of democracy, particularly the idea of a successful democratic state on Russia’s border, convinced him to invade Ukraine. He is also strongly motivated by the corrupt Russian Orthodox Church.

So much of these global conflicts are religious motivated.

It brings me to the Dutch Theologue Harry Kuitert. Here is what he found;

First there was his thesis that faith has an ‘anthropological floor’. That is, Religion is time-bound. Religion is human work, with all the limitations and errors that speaking about it and its transmission can entail.

Therefore, believing is not the acceptance of doctrines that have been handed down and handed down as true, but involves the task of looking at statements of faith as a ‘search design’ and searching for what is credible and what is not (anymore).

Further the consequence of this is the thesis: “All speech about Above comes from below, including speech that claims to come from Above”. It eventually leads to the conclusion that faith, including belief in a God, is “of imagination”, created by man who thus tries to give meaning to a chaotic and profoundly meaningless existence. Yet, faith certainly does have substance, though that is the substance people give it, faith is human imagination. Faith, however, must be tested continuously, it is ultimately about reliable knowledge. Definitive testing is not possible.

Is it okay to doubt?

Yes, according to the scriptures in all religions, it is permissible to doubt. The Christian faith recognises that doubt can be a part of the life of faith. Doubts can be both objective and subjective, and can sometimes be dispelled by pointing to the strong historical basis of faith.

In the context of “search design”, doubting is therefore a task and a constant. Keep searching and when you find, search further and further.

So what these extremist religious “leaders” fail to do is to accept doubt and be open to dialogue. Instead they enforce their rules and lifestyles on the world with no regard to the well-being of Gods creation.

It brings us to the concept of “stewardship” which appears in the Thora and Koran, but it is not used specifically to express our responsibility towards the creation. An example is Genesis 2:15, where Adam is appointed to till and maintain the garden of Eden. This means that man is tasked with carefully managing God’s creation.

And that is what all these so called Leaders fail to do – on the contrary – they seek to destroy God’s creation and all living creatures as fast and profoundly as possible.

Shame on all.

Surprise, Surprise. Logistic players including shipping companies are not willing to share sensitive data on the TradeLens platform, so it is decided to close it down.

Maersk announced that it had failed to find willing collaboration globally with all stakeholders in the industry and, as a result, TradeLens was no longer viable as an independent company. Here Maersk’s explanation and motivation why they close TradeLens.

Distrust or….
Lack of trust from rival companies is cited by Maersk as the main reason why it is aborting TradeLens. Main reason: some key central players refusing to share their data on the platform. As many as five of the six largest container shipping companies, and therefore at the same time competitors of Maersk, signed up to the platform. But the necessary trust between the parties was never there says Maersk.

TOP-Five Container Carriers controlling over 60% of global containerisation failing.

Hapag-Lloyd had previously opted not only to bet on TradeLens, but also on Asian counterpart: GSBN (Global Shipping Business Network). COSCO is said to have already set up a partnership with GSBN.

MSC reveals that it is involved in yet another platform. MSC states that they continue to believe that data and document sharing through digitisation remains essential to make container shipping and logistics more efficient, safe and sustainable,” BlaBlaBlaBla….

So, each of the TOP-5 carriers will run “their” platform. Like that will solve the refusal of data-sharing ?

In the meantime, containers end-up in bottleneck terminals unable to move swiftly due to lack of information – read refusal of data sharing. It impacts the efficient transfer from ships-stow to final delivery point – due to lack of information sharing – as it is unknown where a container needs to end-up when loaded in Shanghai. All Logistic stakeholders without exception are refusing to share essential data allowing modal shift and – lets pray – one day to synchromodality whereby the E2E process of a container is flawless, efficient and tailormade to the need of the cargo and its owners. But then again: are there Container Carriers who really care of the cargo owners?