The key points of the cooperation agreement had already been set during a visit made by Erich Staake to Abu Dhabi in October.”We are pleased that duisport can provide its know-how to one of the most important ports in this rapidly developing region,” said Erich Staake, Chief Executive Officer of Duisburger Hafen AG, at the signing ceremony. This cooperation agreement represents a further important step in our internationalization strategy, which is being continually developed,” continued Staake. The Abu Dhabi Ports Company is responsible for all port and logistics activities in Abu Dhabi, ranging from Al Sila in the west on the border with Saudi Arabia, up to Khalifa Port in the east, just 40 km away from Dubai. This will start operations next year and is a flagship project in Abu Dhabi. This port constructed in the sea will serve as the gateway to the socalled Kizad Industrial Zone, an industrial area that at 417 square kilometers is among the largest in the world.  In addition to developing the infrastructure connections and optimizing port management, duisport will also examine warehouse operations in detail to achieve higher efficiency here too.At the beginning of the upcoming year expert teams from both sides will start work to make detailed agreements.

In the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil, which handles about 65 percent of the total container traffic of the country, this German technology is in use as a Plug-In version in a container block 250 meters in length, supplying two RTGs with reliable power. “The port operator CONTECON Guayaquil SA first became aware of our E-RTG technology at last year’s TOC Americas in Buenos Aires,” explains Uwe Manthei, Senior Manager Global E-RTG Projects at Conductix-Wampfler. Management was particularly impressed by the potential for energy savings. Diesel-driven RTGs account for up to half of the power consumed in a port, and are thus responsible for a significant part of its CO2 emissions. Using Conductix-Wampfler’s E-RTG system, cranes can quickly be converted to cost-saving, environmentally friendly electrical operation. “We were convinced from the start that the test system would achieve the savings objectives we had hoped, so we are already planning another environmentally protective expansion of the port,” says the project lead from CONTECON.

Their DRL-Sediview application is used by dredging companies, environmental engineers and scientists, and research institutions worldwide.

Sediview is used to analyse raw data from acoustic doppler current profilers (ADCPs). It gives users high quality insights into the distribution of sediments suspended in water over extensive areas. This information is critical for marine physical monitoring studies when establishing baseline conditions and for monitoring potential impacts during construction works. The software is frequently used on large infrastructure projects such as port developments.

“Bringing DRL Software into HR Wallingford was a natural next step for us” explains HR Wallingford Director, Dr Mike Dearnaley. “We have a long history of collaboration with DRL Software, and Sediview complements our existing marine monitoring, sediment transport and dredging expertise. This is a positive step for both our clients and for the Sediview user community.”

HR Wallingford has plans to extend Sediview, as Mike explains: “We want to make Sediview accessible to a much larger group of users. We are planning development work to ensure that Sediview remains at the forefront of technical advances in the marine measurement industry, and that we continue to meet the user community’s evolving needs.”

On 4 December 1861, the Hapag owned Borussia, an iron steamer, providing a mail and passenger service between Europe and New York, made its maiden call at the port.  In those days the Borussia, which had accommodation for around 500 passengers, would take about 16 days to reach New York from Europe.

Today the Basle Express is part of Hapag Lloyd’s liner services which offer up to six weekly sailings from North America, the Middle East and Asia to Southampton, carrying containerised goods destined for shops and business in the UK and Europe.

Cameron Bowie, Managing Director for Hapag-Lloyd (UK) Ltd visited the container terminal with Nick Loader, Finance Director, from DP World Southampton to mark the 150th anniversary.  He enjoyed a birds-eye view of operations at DP World Southampton from the top of one of the terminal’s brand new super-post panamax cranes which were commissioned in May this year.

Chris Lewis, Managing Director, DP World Southampton, said:

“The cargo and ships may have changed dramatically but this week we celebrate a long partnership between our two companies.  I am sure there will be many more changes over the next 150 years but we look forward to welcoming Hapag-Lloyd vessels to Southampton for many more years to come.”

The 150th anniversary between Hapag-Lloyd and DP World Southampton comes just after the shipping company celebrated 125 years of regular liner shipping services with the Far East and Australia in November.

Cameron Bowie, UK Managing Director, Hapag-Lloyd, said:

“This is a double celebration for us.  As we look back over the years, Southampton has always been an important part of our history, providing Hapag-Lloyd with an important port of call in our global shipping network.”