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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gebrüder Weiss Is the Official Logistics Partner in Environmentalist's Attempt to Cross the Atlantic on a Stand-Up Paddleboard and Set a World Record
Athlete and climate advocate Michael Walther plans to paddle from Europe to South America to raise awareness for ocean conservation. Logistics leader Gebrüder Weiss, a supporter of sustainable mobility since 2021, is backing the challenge. Hamburg, Germany and Lauterach, Austria--(Newsfile Corp. - August 7, 2025) - International transport and logistics organization Gebrüder Weiss announces its role as the official logistics partner of water sports enthusiast and environmental activist Michael Walther, as he attempts to set a World Record by crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). At the end of September, Walther, based in Keil, Germany will embark on this extraordinary mission. If he succeeds, he will become the first European to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo and unsupported on a SUP. While he'll be alone on the water, he won't be alone on land. Logistics provider Gebrüder Weiss will support the journey overland and across the sea. The logistics specialists at Gebrüder Weiss's Hamburg, Germany branch are managing the complex transportation needs for this custom-built SUP board. The board will first travel overland from Kiel to Lagos in Portugal, where Walther's Atlantic crossing will begin. From there, he will paddle past the Canary and Cape Verde Islands before reaching his final destination in French Guiana. Once he lands in the port of Cayenne, Gebrüder Weiss will ship the board back to Kiel via sea freight using a certified climate-neutral process, made possible through verified insetting within the logistics chain. "Michael Walther is drawing attention to marine conservation through an unconventional form of mobility and we are proud to support this mission as his logistics partner," says Robert Stahlschmidt, Country Manager Air & Sea Germany at Gebrüder Weiss. Collecting Scientific Data for the Alfred Wegener Institute Walther expects the crossing to take approximately three months. He deliberately chose not to use a support vessel or receive any external assistance. During the journey, he'll deploy a hydrophone to record the sounds of marine life. These audio recordings will be shared with the Alfred Wegener Institute, one of Germany's leading marine research institutions, to support ongoing climate impact studies on ocean ecosystems. This isn't Walther's first bold move for climate action. Since 2008, he has undertaken high-profile expeditions to raise awareness of climate and environmental issues. Past projects include paddling across Germany by river and traveling through Iceland to document glacial melt. GWcycles: A Shared Commitment to Clean Oceans Gebrüder Weiss is also actively engaged in another initiative to protect the world's oceans. Through the global cycling campaign GWcycles - Cycling for the Seas, the company is inviting participants around the world to log their bike mileage in support of ocean health. For every 100,000 kilometers (62,137 miles) cycled, Gebrüder Weiss funds the removal of one metric ton (2,240 pounds) of ocean plastic. Since the campaign's launch in April 2025, six tons (13,228 pounds) of marine debris have already been collected. Walther is a dedicated supporter of the initiative, helping amplify public awareness around the shared mission to protect our seas. More information about Gebrüder Weiss's sustainability efforts can be found at and on the company's social media channels. Since 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been actively supporting innovation projects in sustainable transportation, collaborating with universities, research institutions, and startups. Michael Walther aims to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard to raise awareness for ocean protection.(Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: More... Michael Walther will begin his Atlantic mission in Lagos, Portugal, this September - Gebrüder Weiss is handling the logistics.(Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: During his Atlantic crossing, Michael Walther will deploy a hydrophone to record the sounds of marine life. (Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: More... Gebrüder Weiss is supporting Michael Walther's Atlantic mission as the official logistics partner. From left to right: Vanessa Hafner (Team Lead Digital Communications), Martti Leitert (Head of Marketing Air & Sea Germany), Robert Stahlschmidt (Head of Air & Sea Germany), and Michael Walther. (Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Michael Walther is an athlete and adventurer who has been publicly advocating for climate and environmental protection since 2008. (Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: More... At a press event in Hamburg, Michael Walther paddled across the Außenalster in front of numerous media representatives.(Source: Valentin Böckler / Gebrüder Weiss) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: About Gebrüder Weiss Gebrüder Weiss, a global freight forwarder with a core business of overland transport, air, and sea freight and logistics, is the world's oldest transport company with a history that dates back more than 500 years. The family-owned company employs more than 8,600 people worldwide and boasts 180 company-owned locations. The business presence in North America includes headquarters in Chicago and offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The company has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic and social initiatives and is considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. The company's emphasis on superior customer service pairs customized solutions with a single point of contact to provide customers with focused, reliable, and economical solutions. North American Media Contact: Karolyn Raphael Public Relations for Gebrüder Weiss karolyn@ 312-494-0422 To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
New European sleeper train planned from Belgium to Slovakia
Trains travelling through the night at 100mph could connect Ostend in Belgium with the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, by next year. Leo Express, the Czech-based subsidiary of the Spanish national operator, Renfe, has filed plans for a sleeper train that would call at Brussels, Cologne, Hanover, Dresden, Prague and many more stations along the 750-mile route. Plans for the service, proposed to begin in December 2026, have been published by the Belgian Regulatory Body for Railway Transport. Leo Express says in its application: 'The planned connection involves new traffic that does not exist today.' The whole journey between the North Sea coast and the Danube is planned to take just over 19 hours, representing an average speed of 39mph. The overnight train would leave Ostend at 7.10pm, allowing UK travellers to connect at Brussels Midi (for an 8.19pm departure) after taking Eurostar from London St Pancras International. Arrival is scheduled for 2.18pm next day in Bratislava. The timing means the train can carry day passengers through the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The rolling stock would comprise refurbished carriages offering seats, couchettes (six bunks to a compartment) and proper beds. It will initially have capacity for 450 passengers Other appealing locations served by the train include Bruges and Ghent in Belgium, plus Aachen and Dresden in Germany. A total of 50 stops are planned. Read more: Inside luxury sleeper train the Britannic Explorer Overnight rail services went into steep decline as budget airlines expanded across Europe, but have had something of a resurgence. Austrian Railways (OBB) has reintroduced a wide range of routes, and in December 2023 the Berlin-Paris sleeper was restored. But rail experts have cast doubt on whether the Ostend-Bratislava project is feasible. Leo Express will need to gain permission and train paths from rail authorities in Belgium, France, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and compete against some extremely low air fares. In September, Ryanair flights are available from Brussels (South) to Bratislava for €18 (£16). The announcement has been covered by Thomas Wintle of the Rotterdam-based publication Rail Tech. He wrote: 'Night trains are popular in theory, but often expensive to run and logistically complex in practice. They face higher staffing and maintenance costs, tighter scheduling windows, and frequent cross-border disruptions. 'Recent construction works derailing sleepers travelling through Germany and France is a case in point. Despite strong public enthusiasm and EU policy backing, occupancy rates can also remain modest compared to daytime intercity services.' Nicky Gardner, co-author of Europe by Rail, said: 'Leo Express are talking about late 2026, but I just cannot see them getting paths through Germany at times they would like. Time will tell.' The new service would offer some competition to European Sleeper, a cooperative that is running night trains from Amsterdam via Brussels and Berlin to Prague. Leo Express later told Rail Tech: 'From our perspective, they do not represent concrete plans.' The company started up in 2010 as a Czech domestic train operator in competition with the state railway. Renfe, Spain's state rail operator, took a majority stake in 2021. Ostend was once the gateway to central and eastern Europe from the UK. Frequent ferries from English ports connected with international trains deep into the Continent. But all links ended when the 'Seacat' high-speed passenger ferry from Dover ceased two decades ago.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
‘The Colonel and the King' revises our view of Elvis's right-hand man
Early on in life, Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk knew that he needed to leave. Born in the Netherlands in 1909, he was a strange, enchanted boy, possessed with a wild imagination and overcome with wanderlust — the fifth of nine children, he was loved by his brothers and sisters and his mother, but essentially rejected by his mirthless father, a deep and lingering wound that would reverberate through his remarkable life. By his own estimation, he ran away from home 17 times, beginning at a young age and through adolescence. Eventually his parents stopped looking for him; given their obligations and challenging economic circumstances, it's somewhat difficult to blame them. His adventures during those absences were said to be far-flung and filled with the illicit thrills of traveling circuses and gypsy caravans. He would return home and dazzle his siblings with stories, until finally he never returned again.
