“Export volume growth remained robust due to increased demand for semi-finished/raw materials and grain-based commodities, as well as a competitive U.S. dollar.” Export loaded container volumes continued to outpace import growth, reflecting record container tonnage for April with 1,996,346 tons. “Georgia’s ports serve as an economic catalyst for the Southeast,” said GPA Chairman of the Board Alec L. Poitevint. “Additional cargo, especially export commodities, translates into new jobs for our entire region.” Overall break-bulk tonnage for April totalled 207,103 tons, which was a 29.3-percent increase compared to the previous year. The Port of Savannah’s Ocean Terminal handled 111,685 tons during April, which was a 40.3-percent increase. This growth was due to the global demand for iron/steel, lumber and machinery. Also, the Port of Brunswick experienced growth in linerboard and woodpulp.
Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 38,010 auto and machinery units in April, which was a 12.4-percent increase compared with April 2010. Roll-on/roll-off volume at the facility has increased 46.6 percent for the fiscal year (July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012).
Economic recovery continues to build momentum say GPA
EUR 415 million Gladstone Western Basin Dredging project awarded to JV Van Oord – DEME
The first contract for the same Western Basin Development and signed on the 4th March 2011, involved the works contained in Parcel 5 to the sum of AUD 260 million (EUR 190 million). Van Oord Australia Pty Ltd is part of the Dutch, Rotterdam based, dredging and offshore contractor Van Oord. Dredging International (Australia) is part of the Belgian dredging, environmental and hydraulic engineering Group DEME.
The works under Parcels 1, 3 and 4 of the Western Basin Development project includes the dredging of various channels, swing basins and bypass channels to – 13 m LAT for the access to the various berth pockets, embarkation docks and material offloading facilities. A total volume of 18.5 million m3 will be dredged, of which about 2 million m3 will be disposed of at the East Bank Spoil Ground, at a sailing distance of 45 km, and 16.5 million m3 will be pumped ashore at the Western Basin reclamation area to create a new port area for the Port of Gladstone adjacent to the existing Fisherman’s Landing reclamation area.
The actual dredging works will start after the completion of the first contract (Parcel 5) in March 2012 and will be completed in December 2014. A heavy-duty Cutter Suction Dredger with floating booster stations and a large Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger will be deployed to execute this important dredging assignment. Special attention will be given to the Environmental Management and the Management of the Possible Acid Sulphate Soil in the reclamation area. All environmental and dredging plans are verified and permits are in place.
The dredging of the Western Basin Dredging Project will facilitate the export of the LNG produced at the facilities under construction in Gladstone. Within the largest LNG scheme in Australia, Coal Seam Gas (coal bed methane), produced in the Surat and Bowen basins in eastern Queensland, will be transported by pipeline over 450 km to the gas liquefaction plants on Curtis Island in Gladstone for conversion into LNG. The formal funding parties for these facilities are QCLNG (BG Group), APLNG (Origin and ConocoPhillips), GLNG (Santos, PETRONAS, Total and KOGAS) and Arrow CSG (Arrow Energy).
This AUD 1.3 billion (EUR 985 million) development of the Western Basin area will expand the footprint of Queensland’s largest multi-commodity port and will make the Port of Gladstone one of the largest ports in Australia.
Metro Ports appoints new Director, Business Development, U.S.W.C.
For the past 18 years, Allyn has been actively involved in the trade between North America/Australia/New Zealand, working for Swire Shipping, Gearbulk Shipping, BHP-IMT Transportation and Nedlloyd Line. Allyn holds a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley. “Metro is very pleased to welcome Jon onboard,” said Metro Ports President James Dillman. “His deep industry background and knowledge base will contribute greatly to Metro’s continued growth.”
Khorfakkan named 'Shipping Port of the Year' at SCATA Awards 2011
The Award follows on the heels of Gulftainer’s recent announcement that it achieved record volumes at its two UAE terminals in April, experiencing its highest ever monthly throughputs.
This year’s SCATA award ceremony was held on Monday 9 May and took the form of a Gala Dinner held at the Mehteran Theatre at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray resort and spa on Dubai’s Palm Island, with several hundred professionals from the region’s shipping, cargo, logistics, and aviation sectors in attendance.
The ‘Shipping Port of the Year’ award is one of a number of awards in various categories covering the logistics, sea freight and air cargo sectors, and is awarded to the port authority or terminal operator that has delivered world-class services and facilities across the Middle East in the past 12 months.
Speaking of the award, Gulftainer Group Managing Director Peter Richards said, “We are delighted and proud to receive this prestigious award, especially as this is the second time we have won in three years. Receiving this accolade from fellow transport and logistics professionals means a lot to us, particularly as it recognises the efforts we have made at Khorfakkan and indeed our other terminals – to deliver consistent excellent performance for all our customers.
The region has many established and newcomer terminals, and we, as a private company, must continue to deliver the best service to shipping lines, whilst investing in facilities and capacity for the future. Together with our friends and colleagues at Sharjah Ports Authority – on whose assistance and support we rely so much – we will ensure that we maintain our focus on ‘best in class’ operational performance to save our customers time and money,” he continued.
“Khorfakkan is widely recognised as perhaps the most productive container terminal worldwide and with record volumes in 2010 – and a record start to 2011– we are determined to make sure it stays that way,” Richards concluded.
Gulftainer Group has 35 years experience operating in the UAE and around the world. In addition to operating two UAE ports on behalf of the Sharjah Port Authority – SCT and Khorfakkan Container Terminal – Gulftainer also has a number of projects and investments in several countries, including Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil and Turkey, as well as in Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Gulftainer’s logistics subsidiary, Momentum Logistics, was established in 2008 to take over the Group’s transportation and logistics business and has offices throughout the Middle East.