Supplied and installed by the country’s largest independent provider of port equipment, Cooper Specialised Handling, the Mantsinen 120M crane is part of a £6million deal between the two companies.
A smaller version of the acclaimed equipment was recently installed at the port operator’s facility in Teignmouth, Devon and it is now unloading 2,000T vessels two hours quicker, using less fuel, than the crane it replaced.
Tony Rooney, Managing Director at Cooper Specialised Handling, commented: “We are delighted that the Teignmouth crane is already proving its worth and the equipment that has now arrived in South Wales shares the same HybriLift energy storage and recovery system so we expect similar savings at the Port of Swansea.
“Members of ABP’s operations team inspected the crane during its manufacture in Finland where it has been designed to meet both current needs and future demands as the port grows.
“Since then it has been transported by sea and road to its new home where it is now operated using a range of attachments to handle a wide range of cargo.”
Covering an area of 521 acres, ABP’s Port of Swansea annually handles over 500,000 tonnes of agribulks, coal, aggregates and project cargo. The port has the capacity to handle vessels of up to 30,000 dwt and the new equipment will be used to improve the efficiency of cargo handling.
Matthew Kennerley, ABP South Wales Director, said: “Our investment into this key piece of cargo handling equipment is part of our commitment to continuously improve the services we provide to port customers.
“We are pleased to have worked with Cooper Specialised Handling. Their purchasing process allowed our operational team, including those who will be using the crane, to be actively involved in establishing the specification of the new crane. Therefore, we are confident that it will help us improve operational efficiency and customer service at the port.”
Caption: The new Mantsinen 120M HybriLift hydraulic crane now in operation at the Port of Swansea.
Port of Swansea takes delivery of equipment set to boost efficiency
Jamaica launches candidature for election onto IMO Council
Addressing specially invited guests, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Mining The Honourable L. Michael Henry CD MP said: “I am very pleased to be associated with yet another event which is designed to showcase Jamaica in a positive light. We consider our bid to be elected to Category ‘C’ of the IMO as a strategic move in order to raise our maritime profile in this governing body.
“Jamaica when viewed through the lens of the international maritime community and especially by virtue of our signatory status of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – we are responsible for discharging three types of jurisdiction under the maritime treaties to which we are a party.
“Firstly, we are a Coastal State, a reality which means that Jamaica’s maritime space is about 20 times that of our land space. Secondly, we are a Flag State, which means that we have a Ship Registry that registers ships all over the world. Thirdly, we are a Port State – meaning that we have the right through the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, to inspect foreign flagged vessels.”
Mr Henry also announced that Jamaica hosts the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding (CMOU) on Port State Control – a forum which involves collaboration among CARICOM and other States in the Caribbean carrying out inspections to prevent sub-standard ships in the region.
Welcoming the launch, Senator The Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said: “As an Island nation we depend on the maritime industry to support jobs and to import foods and goods. As a country, we are on the cusp of rolling out concrete plans to be the fourth node in the global logistics chain with the full support of the Government. This move is about positioning Jamaica as a viable maritime hub; this will have the potential to attract more shipping and allied services, as we continue to grow and trade.”
Prime Minister of Jamaica The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, in a video message at the beginning of the event, also welcomed the move telling the audience the decision to launch the candidature comes against the background of the importance of the maritime sector to the Jamaican economy.
He said: “Jamaica is heavily dependent on the sector for much of our supply of consumer goods, energy, rolling stock, including vital transportation requirements, raw materials for our factories, and for the export of our products to overseas markets.
“Additionally, the country boasts a remarkable maritime infrastructure built around the Maritime Authority of Jamaica. We are the location of the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) which is on the cusp of becoming the only Maritime University in the Caribbean region. The country has one of the top ranked container transhipment facilities in the region handling general cargo, break bulk and container, bauxite/alumina and gypsum.”
The launch was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, members of the consular corps, senior public officials and members of the shipping industry.
New VGM weighing systems for Hyster reachstackers
The new Hyster® Static and Static Plus systems are quick and easy to use, cost effective and have limited impact on container throughput. At the touch of a button the operator sets into action a pre-programmed lift cycle to obtain the VGM. Using a screen display in the cab, the ReachStacker or Laden Container Handler operator can quickly input container identification and have a time stamped VGM attached to it.
VGM data can be saved to a data module or printed using an in-cab printer, and 3G or WiFi options are available on some models to deliver data to the Terminal Operating System. For maximum flexibility, the system display can show Gross, Tare and Net weights.
Whether installed to existing Hyster trucks or factory-fitted to new ReachStackers, both systems are based on hydraulic load sensing technology, offering low maintenance requirements, and comply with the OIML R51 class Y(b) guidelines.
The Static Plus weighing system is recommended for countries where “Legal for Trade*” regulations apply and can be used on all new and existing Hyster ReachStackers and Laden Container Handlers. This solution is delivered in cooperation with Trimble and uses the Trimble® Loadrite L2180 system. Trimble is a global leading provider of onboard weighing solutions for a wide range of applications that maximise productivity.
With Static Plus, drivers simply pick a container and lift the load for 5 seconds. There is no workflow disruption as the container weighing can occur during truck manoeuvering and the system is highly accurate with a weighing error of approximately 1% of load weight. Furthermore, custom field entries are possible, including container I.D., destination, location and more.
In addition, for countries where “Legal for Trade” regulations do not apply, the Staticweighing system can be used. With this option, drivers pick a container with the boom fully retracted which is then raised to a 25-30 degrees angle and the weight is verified within 15 seconds. The system has been specifically developed to work with most Hyster ReachStacker models that are up to five years old.
For more information, speak to your local Hyster dealer.
Port Everglades records record high in December
This is the highest producing month in the Port’s nearly 90 -year history, and a 15 percent increase over December 2015.
TEU counts at Port Everglades have been climbing since September.
“Our customers are bringing in higher volumes of consumer goods such as produce, clothing and household goods as the region’s population increases. It’s an indication of a strengthening economy,” said Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director Steven Cernak. He announced the record TEU count at Florida Governor Rick Scott’s 2017 Jobs Summit in Orlando on February 2, 2017.
Much of the increase can be attributed to a resurgence in the Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic markets, including perishable products. These market increases can also be partially attributed to the change in vessel sharing agreements between Crowley Liner Service and Seaboard Marine.
“Port Everglades helped spearhead a pilot program to bring refrigerated produce from South America directly to Florida, when it was previously restricted to only coming into northern US ports,” said Jim Pyburn, Port Everglades Director of Business Development. “The pilot program was a great success and now we are seeing a wider variety of produce coming to South Florida faster and fresher than when it was trucked here from the Northeast.”
Several new services are also contributing to the Port’s TEU increase.
Germany-based shipping line Hapag-Lloyd began a direct call to Port Everglades from Valencia, Spain, on its Mediterranean Gulf Express (MGX) service. The MGX port rotation began in July and includes: Cagliari, Liorno and Genoa in Italy; Barcelona and Valencia in Spain; Port Everglades in South Florida, USA; Kingston, Jamaica; Veracruz and Altamira in Mexico; Houston, TX, and New Orleans, LA, both in the United States before returning to Italy. The MGX service is responsible for adding approximately 300 to 400 TEUs weekly at Port Everglades. Florida International Terminal is the terminal operator.
SeaLand and APL’s North American Express Service (NAE/ACX) began service to Latin America in late 2015, and has been increasing its volumes in the first full year at Port Everglades. Port Everglades is the first and last U.S. call for this weekly, year-round service