In terms of the number of TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers, the Port handled slightly more than 1.33 million containers in 2010 compared to 1.24 million in 2009, a 6.7% increase. Traffic with the Mediterranean was the engine of growth in the containerised cargo section with an increase in volume upwards of 33% in 2010. “This reflects the importance of hub ports in the Mediterranean that receive cargo from Southeast Asia via the Suez Canal, and that we are in business with,” stated Ms. Sylvie Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal Port Authority. Traffic between the Port of Montreal and the Mediterranean is ensured by three weekly services: the Joint Canada-Mediterranean Service (JCMS) from the shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and Hanjin and the Canada Express and CanCas services from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). Deliveries of petroleum products, including jet fuel, fuel oil and gasoline, were the key factors in the overall rise of 4.9% posted in the liquid bulk sector. The liquid bulk market reached 8.15 million tonnes in 2010. Turning to dry bulk, the recovery in the areas of iron ore, zinc, fertilizers, and the receipt of grain by rail and trucks largely contributed to the overall increase of 5.1% posted in this sector. The dry bulk market has reached 5.58 million tonnes. Lastly, on the cruise front, the Iberville passenger terminal welcomed 48,458 passengers and crew members in 2010, a 1.9% increase over the previous year.

Higher profits before restructuring costs
In 2010, MPA management continued to control its operating expenses. These expenses dropped from $83.7 million in 2009 to $83 million in 2010, despite inflation. The upturn in traffics at the Port contributed to the MPA’s higher income, which rose to $92.3 million in 2010: $88.5 million in operating revenue and $3.8 million in financial revenue. This enabled the MPA to achieve Net Earnings before Re-structuring expense of $9.3 million compared to $6.3 million in 2009, an almost 50% increase. However, to maximize the performance of its grain elevator, in 2010 the MPA decided to transfer its operations management to a private operator as of July 1, 2011. This transfer entails non-recurring restructuring costs of approximately $18 million, which were charged to the 2010 fiscal year. Consequently, the 2010 financial results show a net lossof $8.6 million. “We are confident that the various actions taken in 2010 are paving the way to a return to profitability in 2011,” stated Ms. Vachon.

Infrastructure investments
On the infrastructure front, in 2010 the MPA invested $41.2 million, including a first tranche of $5.2 million from the federal government via its Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to improve the efficiency of Port facilities and to meet tenants’ needs. Three major projects were undertaken: the extension of a pier at CAST Terminal; increased capacity of the Port’s electrical network; and the installation of a common entry portal for trucks. “All these projects are aimed at improving the Port’s efficiency in the transportation logistics chain so that the Port remains the gateway of choice to North America”, concluded Ms Vachon. For his part, Michel Lessard, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montreal Port Authority, concentrated his remarks on the new Sustainable Development Policy, approved by the Board in 2010 and formalizing the MPA’s commitment to sustainable development. “Sustainable development has become a strategic dimension of our activities. It allows us to keep contributing to the collective wealth while carrying out our operations in harmony with the communities,” concluded Lessard.

Among the many ‘green’ targets met over the past year the Port and its tenants recycled over 150 tonnes of waste – saving it from landfill, recycled 160 kgs of ink cartridges for charity, reduced water consumption and utilised ‘used’ cooking oil in an innovative project to generate heat and power. These efforts culminated in the achievement of the Carbon Trust Standard – awarded for reducing our carbon footprint and recognising our commitment to tackling the biggest environmental concern of our time, climate change.

Our green responsibilities don’t just cover our port operations. We take stewardship of the harbour and environs seriously and although Dover Beach is not a designated bathing water beach, due to the nature of activities which take place there, the Port is keen that the water quality meets bathing water standards. We invite the Environment Agency to monitor water quality at Dover Beach on a weekly basis throughout the summer season and the Port is delighted to be included once more in the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Beach Guide.

The Port regularly conducts wildlife surveys around the harbour be it birdlife or algae and the environmental team often discover new visitors to our shores, one recent find was a Short-Spined Sea Scorpion (Myoxocephalus scorpius). Occasional seal sightings also indicate that the waters around the harbour are clean and healthy enough to attract and sustain these ‘wildlife tourists’.

The Port also provided support and funding to a White Cliffs Countryside Partnership beach clean event at Shakespeare Beach as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) annual Beach Clean Week.  The day was a resounding success with 18 bags of litter collected, weighing a total of 75kgs. Around 68% of the items found were plastic, which is the most common form of litter at beaches across the country. 

 Bob Goldfield, Chief Executive said;
“We continually strive for excellence in Port environmental management and this is especially so when recognising the significant amenity value that our attractive seafront and harbour has for the local community and visitors alike. Working towards a cleaner environment whilst operating one of the world’s busiest ferry ports and all that this entails requires expertise and dedication for which the port is internationally renowned.”

Issued by Port of Dover Corporate Communications on 01304 240400 (x 4430)
www.doverport.co.uk

Notes to Editors:  Picture shows Dover Harbour Board environment team at work. Picture shows the Short-Spined Sea Scorpion (Myoxocephalus scorpius) discovered in the harbour. Earlier this year the Port of Dover were externally assessed and certified to the international standard for environmental management, ISO14001. The Port was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for reducing its carbon emissions by an impressive 13.2% that’s equal to the weight of 3.5 tug boats or equal to the volume of 468 swimming pools! Port landfill waste is down 18%. Using the latest lamp technology to reduce light pollution – we have lowered our energy costs, saving 500,000 kWh per year, and reduced the wattage by 40%. The Port contributed to the £40,000 raised for the Roy Castle Foundation by recycling ink cartridges.

<<Dover Harbour Board Environment Team at work.jpg>>     <<SeaScorpion.jpg>>

“We have designed our terminals to avoid impacting the wetlands and wildlife habitats as much as possible,” said GPA’s Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz. “We will continue to find ways to maximize our terminal efficiencies, while we do everything we can to be good stewards of the environment.” The GPA has protected a nine-acre freshwater wetland at the Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal, which is currently home to a six-nest rookery of Great White Egrets. At the Port of Brunswick, endangered and threatened bird species have found a home at an open-water / wetland habitat at Colonel’s Island Terminal. Biologist Jeffrey Williams with Sligh Environmental Consultants recently conducted the GPA’s annual monitoring for the wetland at Garden City Terminal’s Container Berth 8 (CB-8).

“GPA understands the importance of the state’s natural resources,” said Williams. “The GPA looks for ways to incorporate the appropriate measures into development plans to ensure the protection of the natural resources, while taking a sensible approach to development needs.”

Freshwater wetlands provide important ecological functions throughout coastal Georgia. Many plant and wildlife species common to coastal Georgia depend on freshwater wetlands, and thrive in, around, or near them throughout their life cycle. Freshwater wetlands filter pollutants and offer coastal Georgia protection from damaging flood or storm events.

“The GPA’s nine-acre wetland area is a healthy and flourishing freshwater wetland,” said Williams. “The GPA has maintained a native thick vegetative buffer around the wetland area, which helps to ensure that the port’s daily activities do not disturb the adult and juvenile birds in the CB-8 freshwater wetland area.”

The flooded eastern portion of the wetland is home to a small Great White Egret rookery that is dependent on the wetland and its scrub shrub habitat and annual floods to offer their young nesting areas, protection from predation and food for rapidly growing juvenile birds.

The vegetation within the Savannah wetland area is predominately composed of woody species such as sapling black willow, button bush, red maple, and water tupelo, and soft plants including lizards tail, blue-flag iris, wild rice, duck weed, St. John’s Wort and pickerel weed.

In Brunswick, Williams conducted a threatened and endangered species survey, as well as an ecological habitat assessment. He evaluated the Colonel’s Island wading bird pond that is a historic borrow pit adjacent to the marsh that has naturalized over time.

“The area stays inundated with water and is full of healthy aquatic vegetation that the birds thrive on,” said Williams. “Because of the vegetative makeup of the pond and surrounding edges, it offers the birds everything they need for forage, nesting, resting and/or roosting.”

Williams has documented the following bird species using the pond: great white egrets, great blue herons, white ibis, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, night herons (yellow crowned and black crowned herons), red wing black birds and wood ducks.

They will be deployed at various locations throughout Germany. Cherif Rizkalla, Chief Commercial Officer of Smiths Detection, said: “This contract underlines the quality of our new generation of mobile high-energy X-ray solutions. The advanced HCVM detection systems produce best-in-class imaging resolution, critical in the rapid identification of potentially life threatening or illegal shipments. The latest HCVM 3 series represents Smiths Detection’s continuing investment in research and development to offer our customers the finest technological solutions.”

The HCVM 3 series improves threat identification through its viZual™ technology which uses colour-coded material discrimination to distinguish between organic and inorganic substances. Operational in less than 15 minutes with a throughput of up to 150 containers or vehicles per hour, the system offers flexible scanning heights for different vehicle or load dimensions and adjustable scanning angles with a variety of scanning modes.