Despite the high level of uncertainty in the container shipping sector, Contship Italia Group 2013 results mirror the company’s commitment in Italy with their Maritime Container Terminal business handling 5.2 million TEU. In addition, the Group’s results benefited from a reversal in the volumes at Eurogate Tanger as it handled a total of 1.064 million TEU in 2013 – up from 585,000 TEU in 2012 – thus not only recovering from previous years but, for the first time ever, breaking the one million TEU threshold. For the second consecutive year Medcenter Container Terminal (MCT), the “Mega hub” in Gioia Tauro, recorded double-digit growth with customers benefiting from reliable performances and state-of-the-art infrastructure already capable to operate ULCCs handling a total of 3.087 million TEU in 2013 – up 13.45% compared to 2012 when it handled 2.721 million TEU.
Despite the economic and political situation in the North African target market, Cagliari International Container Terminal (CICT) increased its activity by handling 656,000 TEU in 2013 compared to 582,000 TEU in 2012, confirming the strategic dual-role as Med trans-shipment platform and gateway for local Sardinian cargo. La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT) and Terminal Container Ravenna (TCR) witnessed growth in both regional containerised cargo flows, largely export driven but with some improvement in imports as the economic recovery endeavours to take hold in the strategic North Tyrrhenian and North Adriatic markets as they handled 1.031 million TEU (990,000 TEU) and 206,000 TEU (191,000 TEU) respectively in 2013. Adding to this the positive result of Salerno Container Terminal (SCT) handling a total of 194,000 TEU in 2013 (150,000 TEU in 2012), Contship Italia Group’s valued customers were able to achieve competitive advantages for their global supply chain through the Contship network. Contship Italia Group Intermodal solutions (operated by Sogemar and Hannibal) achieved a slightly softer full year result even if the current domestic market trend has been partially compensated by the more positive results of the international combined transport sector. The Group’s Dry Port in Milan-Melzo increased its rail activity with over 5,500 trains handled in 2013. Developments in this modern rail hub will continue in 2014 with the objective to further improve rail capacity supporting the competitiveness of both domestic and international rail transport markets. Oceanogate Italia operated over one million train kilometres in its second year of activities, firmly establishing itself as a reliable link in the global supply chain. “2014 will continue to be affected by high level of uncertainty,” said Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, Contship Italia Group President – “and we are expecting further complex dynamics in the business of our valued clients whose revenues must be restored to sustainable levels in order to safeguard the increasing level of investment. This must be considered as a key objective for the global supply chain, as clearly, cost reduction in absolute terms, in network costs, port and terminal expenses, has its own tipping point. Our businesses continue to be under pressure from this expectation whilst at the same time we are, ourselves, impacted by the cost of investment, energy and labour costs, something that must be acknowledged in the supply chain.”
Investment plans and projects
As part of the investment plan aimed at improving the infrastructure and capacity of the terminal, La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT) and MGM-OMG (Officine Meccaniche Galileo) have signed a contract for the acquisition of two new Ship-to-Shore cranes capable of operating on Ultra Large Container Carriers, in both single and twin-lift mode. An innovative single-wedge head block – connected to the spreader – will enable the twin-lift mode of lifting unequal weight of 2 x 20′ containers, reducing risk and an increasing operational efficiency. Customers will benefit from improved flexibility and easier port choice for the design of their service network and supply chains. MGM-OMG developed a customised crane design and came up with solutions in order to comply with LSCT technical requirements and original specifications, taking into consideration the interaction between the quay and RMGs transferring containers to and from the stacking area, thus resulting in the customised design based on a crane span of 18m. The new design of the cranes, the resulting configuration and features thereof, fully developed by MGM-OMG, meet the LSCT requirements in terms of performance, dimension and total gross weight. The use of aluminium, fibre-glass and other modern composites for some crane components will also provide for increased performance. Although La Spezia is a port which is usually not affected by heavy weather conditions (no interference reported due to high winds) throughout the year, nevertheless the cranes are designed for high levels of performance, a large number of guaranteed cycles (4,000,000) and a lengthy mechanical life, suitable for operations under adverse conditions. AC motors and AC drives are to be provided by Emerson Industrial Automation using the latest energy regenerative technology. The project has been developed in cooperation with Liftech Consultans Inc, a leading engineering consultant company. The cranes will be manufactured/erected in Qingdao, China, by specialised Chinese companies China Shipbuilding Trading (Wuhan) Co Ltd and Haixi Heavy Duty Machinery Co Ltd and will be delivered in 18 months, fully erected and transported by sea from Qingdao, after initial tests. This will in turn speed up the time for the final acceptance operation at LSCT. Terminal Container Ravenna (TCR) is to further invest in 3 brand new RMGs. The order was due to be finalised this month with final delivery scheduled within the next 18 months. The modernisation project involving the second ship-to-shore gantry crane continues as scheduled and its return to active status was scheduled for the first half of April. The second fully refurbished crane will have the same functionalities and technical features of the first crane deployed in September. Ravenna will also undertake a new improvement project which will focus on the quay cranes rail tracks, aimed at extending the crane’s runway by 50 meters southbound. Civil works on the new Customs Border Inspection Point facilities are already in progress. Such a strategic service is predicted to be completed and operative by the end of 2014. At Medcenter Container Terminal (MCT) the quay wall strengthening and deepening programme between bollards 19 and 46 progresses as planned. Estimated time of delivery for the first 350m is expected in May.