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Port of Miami Wharf Strengthening for Channel Deepening
In 2014, the Panama Canal widening and deepening project will be completed and with it an increase in the size of vessels calling on Ports along the east coast of the United States. Many Ports and Port Authorities are anticipating an influx of traffic and are taking action with channel widening and deepening projects.
In Focus – Robin Silvester
Robin Silvester, President & CEO of Port Metro Vancouver talks to Ray Dykes1. You have recently returned from a four-country Asian trade mission from British Columbia. What do you feel it achieved?
Yes, we visited Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and China. I also went on to Taiwan and two of our port officials joined a federal government trade mission to Vietnam. The primary thing this sort of trade mission brings is that you tangibly deliver your message face-to-face. With the BC Government, the railways and the port together we were able to show the customers & potential customers we met in Asia that we have a unique level of collaboration – we were all sitting down at the table together and all with the same Pacific Gateway message.
2. The mission was all about promoting the Asia Pacific Gateway, but then several West Coast ports in North America claim to have that same gateway. How is British Columbia unique?
We are unique and it all comes back to collaboration. We didn't just put our names together in a trade publication. We have created the Pacific Gateway vision, we are all investing in that strategy, and we are working together to optimize the supply chain. This is a much, much deeper collaboration model and there is no substitute for going to see our Asian customers to talk through that message face to face, it is such a dynamic area of the world.
3. Did Port Metro Vancouver win any new business on that trip?
Pacific International Lines has already announced it will be calling on Vancouver. If you ask was our message well received, do people in Asia recognize that we have a very capable supply chain, and are they bringing new business here? The answer is yes, yes, and yes.
4. Port Metro Vancouver looks like having a much stronger year for total tonnage in 2010. How will the year finish and what have been the keys to recovery?
October was a record month for containers and coal is heading for a record year. We are expecting to finish with total tonnage at 116 million tonnes and that will be up 14% overall.
The key pleasing aspect is that it has been an across the board recovery. Metallurgical coal is a leading indicator and that – the single largest volume of our port – was up 28.9%; potash is bouncing back after a lean year in 2009 and jumped nearly 140% to the end of October. Overall tonnage is up 17.2% and there isn't a commodity category that isn't higher overall than this time last year, even auto imports are up.
5. What are your projections for 2011?
We are expecting further good growth but at a more modest level. We are much more tied to the Canadian economy than we are to the struggling US economy and that is good.
6. You are at the helm of Canada's largest and busiest port, what have been your major achievements since you took over in 2009?
Well, it's almost been two years. I was lucky to inherit a great business with a great group of people. What I am proud of most is the way we have moved the collaborative approach to a much higher level to really start delivering greater capacity and efficiency to the Gateway. Our Asian customers see rail reliability through Vancouver.
7. Over $750 million in infrastructure projects is underway or scheduled for Port Metro Vancouver and its environs. How will these projects help?
It all comes back to our collaborative strategy. We are creating extra capacity for the next 20 or 30 years in the critical corridors to the waterfront through road and rail debottlenecking. Projects are underway which will deliver this greater capacity along with better efficiency and benefits for the communities through reduced noise and fewer at grade level crossings for the railways.
8. After your trade mission, you're used to listing the advantages of Port Metro Vancouver, but what exactly are they again?
Port Metro Vancouver has both scale and diversity. We are the fourth largest port in North America and the most diverse. And as I keep saying, we have a collaborative model for the Pacific Gateway that is so much more than skin deep.
9. Ports today like to list how they are "going green." What has been your port's progress so far in this area?
I am very proud of our efforts. We have worked on our truck fleet so that as of April 1, 2011, trucks 2006 and older not already licensed at the Port, will be prohibited. We have seen co-operation between the Federal Government, the BC Government, Port Metro Vancouver, Holland America Lines, Princess Cruises and BC Hydro which has delivered shore power for cruise ships visiting our Canada Place Terminal. Five different private operators now have "green locomotives." We have our Blue Circle Awards for shipping lines that commit to the highest level of emission control and seven or eight have already qualified by using cleaner burning fuels or environmentally beneficial technology. In our own right we have won international recognition through the Globe Awards and in being chosen as runner up in a top Clean Air Program award in London recently.
Intelligent damping
This article was published in the December 2010 issue of World Port Development. To receive a pdf of the article in its original format including charts and pictures please send an email to archive@worldportdevelopment.com
Intelligent damping
Technical developments in crane design do not come along often but during a visit to Siemens, Germany, WPD discovered that there are exciting plans happening behind the scenes.World Port Development recently attended a presentation of Siemens Drive Technologies Division and fellow German crane manufacturer Kocks to hear about the work that is being done to reduce vibration on container cranes. When the trolley on a container moves during operation, a vibration is generated in the container crane in the direction of travel of the crane trolley.
A year in the lift
Tim Newbound looks back on the happenings in the mobile harbour crane market in 2010...
A powerful, versatile and vital machine in both bulk and container operations for maritime trade across the globe, the importance of the mobile harbour crane is as massive as its impressive design and structure. As such, developments within the MHC market are always of particular intrigue.
Singapore fights for position
Despite a drop in container throughput, Singapore has retained its position as the world's busiest container port in 2009. Despite fears that Singapore would lose its place to Shanghai, the affect of the world economy has been felt by both ports. World Port Development reports...
Last year, container throughput in the Port of Singapore reached 25.9 million TEU - a 13.5% decline from 29.9 million TEU in 2008. PSA Singapore Terminals (part of PSA International Pte Ltd) contributed 25.14 million TEU to the overall figure handled through its four container terminals in Singapore - down -13.1% compared to the year before when it handled 29 million TEU.
Good news for Malaysia
Malaysian ports were badly hit by the global economic downturn but are we seeing a small increase in container throughput for 2010?
According to figures released from the Malaysian Transport Bureau (MTB) total container throughput handled by Malaysia's ports rose 16.6% in the first 10 months of this year to 15.3 million TEU compared to 13 million TEU over the same period last year. Not only were these figures welcome news, MTB added that it is expecting to post a better-than-expected container throughput for the whole of 2010 due to improved business conditions and revised its throughput projections upward to around 18.4 million TEU – compared to 17.7 million TEU in 2009.
The next big thing
At the beginning of November, Hyster organised one of their dealer and customer events. World Port Development was there to hear the latest developments.
Established in the 1920s, Hyster has spent 80 years continuously developing a global reputation for manufacturing durable materials handling equipment. Over eight decades, the company's superior product offering and dependable service network have helped Hyster to become a leading international manufacturer and supplier of a range of handling equipment from high-capacity lift trucks to warehouse equipment.
Creating sustainable business
Forced by customers who are interested in reducing their carbon footprint, terminal operators, port authorities and government bodies are working hard to reduce emissions from their day-to-day operations. Sheila Moloney reports...For the last couple of years, environmental sustainability has been a priority for many terminal operators around the world and it seems that the global economic downturn might have not affected on-going efforts.
Bulk equipment market weathers the storm
Despite a continued depressing global economic downturn it seems that bulk equipment manufacturers were more optimistic compared to their counterparts in the container industry. World Port Development looks at some highlights of this year.
Measured by the number of sales it is obvious that the past year was not something to write about but despite a global economy that is recovering from a hit that has never been seen before, bulk equipment manufacturers have done quite well - and perhaps 2010 is not that bad overall.
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