Headlines April
Waternet under stricter supervision to avoid an increased risk of digital attacks
Waternet will be subject to stricter supervision by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). The water company, which is responsible for water management in Amsterdam and the surrounding area, does not have its digital security in order. This has emerged from research by the ILT. Due to the shortcomings at Waternet, there is an increased risk of a digital incident, such as a hack, with possible consequences for the quality and supply of drinking water. According to the inspectorate, there are no indications that there is already an acute danger. The fact that digital security is not good enough is partly because Waternet does not yet have a procedure for reporting IT breaches that could have major consequences for the drinking water supply. As a result, it may take longer for incidents to be resolved and the consequences of incidents may increase unnecessarily. The inspectorate conducted the investigation at Waternet from November 24, 2020 to February 5, 2021, after research platform Follow the Money wrote in September 2020 that Waternet's cybersecurity is "as leaky as a basket". Discussions with various internal sources and documents revealed that computers and systems were outdated and that access to the network was poorly secured. The stricter supervision will last until the digital security of the drinking water company has improved sufficiently.
Container wave creates an unprecedented logistical puzzle: port of Rotterdam prepares for 'witch tour' after blockade Ever Given
Due to the blockade of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal, the port of Rotterdam will have to work hard in the coming weeks to catch up on the backlog in the container sector."It will be a tough job, I hope that everyone stays upright." Director Cuno Vat of Neele-Vat Logistics is not reassured. “It is said that this will take a few weeks, but I fear it may not be ready until May,” Vat suspects. “So there is no time to relax. Recently we have been so very busy due to corona. In the shed, in the office, the drivers: we all need a little rest, but that is not possible now ”, says the CEO of the logistics and transport company.
The first delayed ships from the Suez Canal will arrive in the port of Rotterdam at the end of this week. It is the start of a weeks-long 'tsunami' of containers, which is a cause for concern. “It is a logistical task that, as far as I know, we have never experienced before,” says Steven Lak on behalf of the Logistic Alliance, a consultation that tries to arrange freight transport smoothly.
Improvise
In itself they are used to improvising in the port of Rotterdam. Storms, strikes, corona and Brexit are constantly upsetting the schedules. But an influx of ships as currently predicted is unprecedented, according to those involved. Six to eight extra ships per day will soon be added, on top of the average of eighty sea-going ships that normally come to Rotterdam every day. It is a huge puzzle to be able to handle all those extra containers quickly. Carriers, shippers, terminals, shipping companies and port companies are feverishly discussing how to approach this. A lot of information is exchanged among themselves. Terminals are now emptying all their sites as much as possible or stacking the racks extra high. Storage yards in the hinterland are being asked for help. And shipping companies and shipping agents keep a close eye on the arrival of the ships via digital applications.
Steven Lak: “Think of it as a traffic light that is red. Suddenly there are a lot of cars behind each other and they want to pass through again quickly when the light is green. ” He says he will consult with Rijkswaterstaat to prevent road closures and blockades in inland shipping and on the railways. The Ministry and the Association of Dutch Municipalities have been asked to temporarily extend the window times during which cargo may be delivered in the cities to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Peak times
Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) has called on carriers to collect containers from the terminals outside peak times. Nowadays they often do this between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., so that the goods can be delivered to the customer during office hours. Warehouses and distribution centers would then have to extend the opening hours, so that carriers can also deliver their containers in the evening and at night. “We call on our members to discuss this with their customers. This is the only way we can distribute the containers faster, ”said a TLN spokesperson. He has not yet heard anyone who has accepted this request. Director Cuno Vat of Neele-Vat Logistics is also not enthusiastic about it. Not because of the extra costs that this entails, he says, but because of the care for his staff.
“We have already introduced extended opening hours in recent months due to corona and Brexit. We now start at 4:00 in the morning and work until the end of the evening. We also often work on weekends. I am very grateful to my staff for this, but to ask them to work at night is going too far for me. ” Nevertheless, he understands the appeal of the trade association. Because the situation is already dire, with long waiting times for carriers at the terminals. Those traffic jams will only increase, he fears. “The terminals are now overcrowded, but containers have to keep moving. It is in everyone's interest that we get this job done as quickly as possible. ”
Stack containers
Containers are indeed piled high on the grounds of the Waalhaven Group. Director Jan Overdevest: “We have a few hundred export containers standing here that should have been shipped with the Ever Given last week. We also have containers for the other ships from the Suez Canal. Fortunately, it doesn't contain any perishable goods, but it does take up space. We are now stacking higher and higher to make room for the new load that is coming. ” The Waalhaven Group is also used as a temporary buffer location for full export containers. Customers are only allowed to deliver their containers to the deep-sea terminals just before the departure of a seagoing vessel. In this way, RWG, ECT and APM are trying to handle container traffic on the Maasvlakte more quickly. After all, containers delivered too early cause unnecessary occupancy and limit the sea-side handling of the import containers. Empty containers are now removed. They are stored in depots such as those of the Waalhavengroup and at terminals in the hinterland. "Everything and everyone in the Netherlands must help and make the capacity available to get this job done."
According to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, seagoing vessels from the Suez Canal will be sailing in small groups towards Europe in the coming period, always with an interval of 12 to 15 hours. This limits the peak load in the ports of destination. Some ships have taken an alternative route via the Cape of Good Hope. That route takes a week longer than via the Suez Canal. General manager Rob van den Eijnden of Hyandai Merchant Marine Netherlands (HMM) expects the first ship to opt for this detour in Rotterdam on or around April 18. “From the head office in London, it was considered to skip some ports, for example by calling not four but two ports in Europe. We are not doing that for the time being, as this will cause even more delay and additional costs. ”
Applications
Shipping companies and shipping agents can use all kinds of digital applications to plan port visits as efficiently as possible. If they are still not able to enter the port, they can slow down the sailing speed. However, those involved expect congestion in any case, and a full anchorage just off the coast at Hoek van Holland. After all: everything depends on the availability of the quay walls, the number of cranes to load and unload the cargo and the deployment of service providers such as the rowers and pilots. And that offer is not endless. Certainly not if the collective labor agreement negotiations about a new pension scheme for the lashers are unfavorable. FNV Havens has announced that it will go on strike in that case, in order to put pressure on employers and outgoing minister Wouter Koolmees.
Those involved expect that the aftermath of the blockade in the Suez Canal may last from a few weeks to two months. And that applies not only to Rotterdam, but to all ports worldwide. Jan Overdevest remains positive. “We are the first port on the route; this will most likely generate extra work if ships want to get rid of their cargo quickly. This is also just business. ”
Ever Given
“It is a test for all ports,” says Steven Lak of the Logistics Alliance. “It requires maximum cooperation and optimal information exchange. But we can do this job together. ” Bas Janssen of Deltalinqs, the interest group for companies in the port of Rotterdam, is also convinced of this. “If it is possible somewhere, it is here. We have the materials, the people, and we can handle it in terms of scale. ” But he also sees it as a lesson. “It indicates how vulnerable the port actually is. We are so focused on 'just in time'; perhaps we should take more account of 'just in case'. Consumers must also take this into account. The package from China is now taking longer. ”
And the cause of all this misery, the container ship Ever Given? It is still anchored in the Great Bitter Lake, just outside the Suez Canal. The owner Luster Maritime in Panama and the charterer Evergreen have now become involved in all kinds of legal proceedings, which will most likely take years. First, the cause of the accident must be investigated, then the liability can be settled. Evergreen has already announced that cargo owners will not be entitled to compensation for the delay because the arrival time was not guaranteed. It is not known when the ship will return to Rotterdam.
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/205302/Containergolf-zorgt-voor-ongekende-logistieke-puzzel-Rotterdamse-haven-maakt-zich-op-voor-heksentoer-na-blokkade-Ever-Given
Cheese shortage at Albert Heijn after hacking supplier Bakker Logistics
Customers looking for cheese will find empty shelves at Albert Heijn. Delivery problems at transport company Bakker Logistiek have run out of prepackaged cheese at many stores. There are also problems with online orders.
The delivery problems arose after Bakker Logistiek was hacked last weekend. As a result, the automatic systems for the warehouse and transport no longer work, according to director Toon Verhoeven. The company must now manually process all orders. "That causes a delay in the delivery."
Bakker Logistics supplies more than three hundred clients in the Benelux and Germany. In addition to Albert Heijn, many other supermarket chains are also customers of the transport company. Verhoeven has not yet heard anything about shortages at the stores. "But the longer it takes our systems to recover, the greater the delivery problems become." The company previously informed broadcaster Flevoland that the problems would not lead to empty shelves. 'At that time we still had loads ready from before the hack. As a result, we could continue to deliver ', says Verhoeven. Now it appears that there is a shortage at Albert Heijn. It is unknown exactly how many Albert Heijn stores are involved. At stores in The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam, among others, notes are now hanging on the shelves to inform customers. Consumers who shop online are also affected by the delivery problems. When those problems have been resolved, director Verhoeven is afraid to say. Albert Heijn also does not know when cheese will be in the shops again. "The logistics service provider works with all its might to solve the problem as quickly as possible," the supermarket chain says.
Source: www.volkskrant.nl
Information not secure enough at Utrecht City Office, 'mystery guest' can view documents
It is very easy to view certain documents at the Municipal Offices and the City Hall in Utrecht and to gain access to office spaces. A 'mystery guest' could use a day pass through security gates, open file cabinets and inspect documents. "Information security is not sufficiently guaranteed," notes the Utrecht Court of Audit. De Telegraaf writes about the report 'As strong as the weakest link' of the Utrecht Court of Audit. Bureau Hoffman has carried out the so-called walk-in tests. It turned out to be very easy to gain unauthorized access to office spaces.
Password with post it on the laptop
At the city office, a laptop was even lent to the 'mystery guest', where the password was stuck with a post-it. It was not much better in the City Hall, where a researcher could work on the computer of someone who left his or her workplace. Nevertheless, the Court concludes that the municipality of Utrecht is sufficiently protected against intrusions from outside, because researchers could not get into the municipal systems, according to the report . But unauthorized 'walkers' could easily enter buildings and obtain classified information. They were also not approached by employees. The court says that improvement is therefore needed. The report will be presented to the Utrecht city council during a technical meeting on April 13, 2021.
https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/2159994/informatie-niet-veilig-genoeg-op-utrechts-stadskantoor-mystery-guest-ziet-documenten-in.html
Waternet will be subject to stricter supervision by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). The water company, which is responsible for water management in Amsterdam and the surrounding area, does not have its digital security in order. This has emerged from research by the ILT. Due to the shortcomings at Waternet, there is an increased risk of a digital incident, such as a hack, with possible consequences for the quality and supply of drinking water. According to the inspectorate, there are no indications that there is already an acute danger. The fact that digital security is not good enough is partly because Waternet does not yet have a procedure for reporting IT breaches that could have major consequences for the drinking water supply. As a result, it may take longer for incidents to be resolved and the consequences of incidents may increase unnecessarily. The inspectorate conducted the investigation at Waternet from November 24, 2020 to February 5, 2021, after research platform Follow the Money wrote in September 2020 that Waternet's cybersecurity is "as leaky as a basket". Discussions with various internal sources and documents revealed that computers and systems were outdated and that access to the network was poorly secured. The stricter supervision will last until the digital security of the drinking water company has improved sufficiently.
Container wave creates an unprecedented logistical puzzle: port of Rotterdam prepares for 'witch tour' after blockade Ever Given
Due to the blockade of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal, the port of Rotterdam will have to work hard in the coming weeks to catch up on the backlog in the container sector."It will be a tough job, I hope that everyone stays upright." Director Cuno Vat of Neele-Vat Logistics is not reassured. “It is said that this will take a few weeks, but I fear it may not be ready until May,” Vat suspects. “So there is no time to relax. Recently we have been so very busy due to corona. In the shed, in the office, the drivers: we all need a little rest, but that is not possible now ”, says the CEO of the logistics and transport company.
The first delayed ships from the Suez Canal will arrive in the port of Rotterdam at the end of this week. It is the start of a weeks-long 'tsunami' of containers, which is a cause for concern. “It is a logistical task that, as far as I know, we have never experienced before,” says Steven Lak on behalf of the Logistic Alliance, a consultation that tries to arrange freight transport smoothly.
Improvise
In itself they are used to improvising in the port of Rotterdam. Storms, strikes, corona and Brexit are constantly upsetting the schedules. But an influx of ships as currently predicted is unprecedented, according to those involved. Six to eight extra ships per day will soon be added, on top of the average of eighty sea-going ships that normally come to Rotterdam every day. It is a huge puzzle to be able to handle all those extra containers quickly. Carriers, shippers, terminals, shipping companies and port companies are feverishly discussing how to approach this. A lot of information is exchanged among themselves. Terminals are now emptying all their sites as much as possible or stacking the racks extra high. Storage yards in the hinterland are being asked for help. And shipping companies and shipping agents keep a close eye on the arrival of the ships via digital applications.
Steven Lak: “Think of it as a traffic light that is red. Suddenly there are a lot of cars behind each other and they want to pass through again quickly when the light is green. ” He says he will consult with Rijkswaterstaat to prevent road closures and blockades in inland shipping and on the railways. The Ministry and the Association of Dutch Municipalities have been asked to temporarily extend the window times during which cargo may be delivered in the cities to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Peak times
Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) has called on carriers to collect containers from the terminals outside peak times. Nowadays they often do this between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., so that the goods can be delivered to the customer during office hours. Warehouses and distribution centers would then have to extend the opening hours, so that carriers can also deliver their containers in the evening and at night. “We call on our members to discuss this with their customers. This is the only way we can distribute the containers faster, ”said a TLN spokesperson. He has not yet heard anyone who has accepted this request. Director Cuno Vat of Neele-Vat Logistics is also not enthusiastic about it. Not because of the extra costs that this entails, he says, but because of the care for his staff.
“We have already introduced extended opening hours in recent months due to corona and Brexit. We now start at 4:00 in the morning and work until the end of the evening. We also often work on weekends. I am very grateful to my staff for this, but to ask them to work at night is going too far for me. ” Nevertheless, he understands the appeal of the trade association. Because the situation is already dire, with long waiting times for carriers at the terminals. Those traffic jams will only increase, he fears. “The terminals are now overcrowded, but containers have to keep moving. It is in everyone's interest that we get this job done as quickly as possible. ”
Stack containers
Containers are indeed piled high on the grounds of the Waalhaven Group. Director Jan Overdevest: “We have a few hundred export containers standing here that should have been shipped with the Ever Given last week. We also have containers for the other ships from the Suez Canal. Fortunately, it doesn't contain any perishable goods, but it does take up space. We are now stacking higher and higher to make room for the new load that is coming. ” The Waalhaven Group is also used as a temporary buffer location for full export containers. Customers are only allowed to deliver their containers to the deep-sea terminals just before the departure of a seagoing vessel. In this way, RWG, ECT and APM are trying to handle container traffic on the Maasvlakte more quickly. After all, containers delivered too early cause unnecessary occupancy and limit the sea-side handling of the import containers. Empty containers are now removed. They are stored in depots such as those of the Waalhavengroup and at terminals in the hinterland. "Everything and everyone in the Netherlands must help and make the capacity available to get this job done."
According to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, seagoing vessels from the Suez Canal will be sailing in small groups towards Europe in the coming period, always with an interval of 12 to 15 hours. This limits the peak load in the ports of destination. Some ships have taken an alternative route via the Cape of Good Hope. That route takes a week longer than via the Suez Canal. General manager Rob van den Eijnden of Hyandai Merchant Marine Netherlands (HMM) expects the first ship to opt for this detour in Rotterdam on or around April 18. “From the head office in London, it was considered to skip some ports, for example by calling not four but two ports in Europe. We are not doing that for the time being, as this will cause even more delay and additional costs. ”
Applications
Shipping companies and shipping agents can use all kinds of digital applications to plan port visits as efficiently as possible. If they are still not able to enter the port, they can slow down the sailing speed. However, those involved expect congestion in any case, and a full anchorage just off the coast at Hoek van Holland. After all: everything depends on the availability of the quay walls, the number of cranes to load and unload the cargo and the deployment of service providers such as the rowers and pilots. And that offer is not endless. Certainly not if the collective labor agreement negotiations about a new pension scheme for the lashers are unfavorable. FNV Havens has announced that it will go on strike in that case, in order to put pressure on employers and outgoing minister Wouter Koolmees.
Those involved expect that the aftermath of the blockade in the Suez Canal may last from a few weeks to two months. And that applies not only to Rotterdam, but to all ports worldwide. Jan Overdevest remains positive. “We are the first port on the route; this will most likely generate extra work if ships want to get rid of their cargo quickly. This is also just business. ”
Ever Given
“It is a test for all ports,” says Steven Lak of the Logistics Alliance. “It requires maximum cooperation and optimal information exchange. But we can do this job together. ” Bas Janssen of Deltalinqs, the interest group for companies in the port of Rotterdam, is also convinced of this. “If it is possible somewhere, it is here. We have the materials, the people, and we can handle it in terms of scale. ” But he also sees it as a lesson. “It indicates how vulnerable the port actually is. We are so focused on 'just in time'; perhaps we should take more account of 'just in case'. Consumers must also take this into account. The package from China is now taking longer. ”
And the cause of all this misery, the container ship Ever Given? It is still anchored in the Great Bitter Lake, just outside the Suez Canal. The owner Luster Maritime in Panama and the charterer Evergreen have now become involved in all kinds of legal proceedings, which will most likely take years. First, the cause of the accident must be investigated, then the liability can be settled. Evergreen has already announced that cargo owners will not be entitled to compensation for the delay because the arrival time was not guaranteed. It is not known when the ship will return to Rotterdam.
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/205302/Containergolf-zorgt-voor-ongekende-logistieke-puzzel-Rotterdamse-haven-maakt-zich-op-voor-heksentoer-na-blokkade-Ever-Given
Cheese shortage at Albert Heijn after hacking supplier Bakker Logistics
Customers looking for cheese will find empty shelves at Albert Heijn. Delivery problems at transport company Bakker Logistiek have run out of prepackaged cheese at many stores. There are also problems with online orders.
The delivery problems arose after Bakker Logistiek was hacked last weekend. As a result, the automatic systems for the warehouse and transport no longer work, according to director Toon Verhoeven. The company must now manually process all orders. "That causes a delay in the delivery."
Bakker Logistics supplies more than three hundred clients in the Benelux and Germany. In addition to Albert Heijn, many other supermarket chains are also customers of the transport company. Verhoeven has not yet heard anything about shortages at the stores. "But the longer it takes our systems to recover, the greater the delivery problems become." The company previously informed broadcaster Flevoland that the problems would not lead to empty shelves. 'At that time we still had loads ready from before the hack. As a result, we could continue to deliver ', says Verhoeven. Now it appears that there is a shortage at Albert Heijn. It is unknown exactly how many Albert Heijn stores are involved. At stores in The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam, among others, notes are now hanging on the shelves to inform customers. Consumers who shop online are also affected by the delivery problems. When those problems have been resolved, director Verhoeven is afraid to say. Albert Heijn also does not know when cheese will be in the shops again. "The logistics service provider works with all its might to solve the problem as quickly as possible," the supermarket chain says.
Source: www.volkskrant.nl
Information not secure enough at Utrecht City Office, 'mystery guest' can view documents
It is very easy to view certain documents at the Municipal Offices and the City Hall in Utrecht and to gain access to office spaces. A 'mystery guest' could use a day pass through security gates, open file cabinets and inspect documents. "Information security is not sufficiently guaranteed," notes the Utrecht Court of Audit. De Telegraaf writes about the report 'As strong as the weakest link' of the Utrecht Court of Audit. Bureau Hoffman has carried out the so-called walk-in tests. It turned out to be very easy to gain unauthorized access to office spaces.
Password with post it on the laptop
At the city office, a laptop was even lent to the 'mystery guest', where the password was stuck with a post-it. It was not much better in the City Hall, where a researcher could work on the computer of someone who left his or her workplace. Nevertheless, the Court concludes that the municipality of Utrecht is sufficiently protected against intrusions from outside, because researchers could not get into the municipal systems, according to the report . But unauthorized 'walkers' could easily enter buildings and obtain classified information. They were also not approached by employees. The court says that improvement is therefore needed. The report will be presented to the Utrecht city council during a technical meeting on April 13, 2021.
https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/2159994/informatie-niet-veilig-genoeg-op-utrechts-stadskantoor-mystery-guest-ziet-documenten-in.html
Translated from Dutch to English with Google translate