Archive 2 - Page 212 of 1303 - World Port Development

Ports America and Cooper/T Smith new Houston joint venture

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WPD

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4 October 2016

Ports America and Cooper/T. Smith have merged their breakbulk operations in the Port of Houston into a new joint venture (JV) called Cooper/Ports America, LLC, which will be referred to as C/PA. Operations commenced on Oct. 1, 2016.

Additionally, C/PA agreed to acquire all the assets of Shippers Stevedoring and Chaparral Stevedoring under C/PA’s operations upon startup. Integrated Marine Services LLC (IMS), the empty container yard facility located adjacent to the Barbours Cut Terminal that offers complete intermodal equipment and depot services in Barbours Cut, Texas will also be part of the new JV.

The combined businesses of Ports America, Cooper/T. Smith, Shippers Stevedoring, Chaparral Stevedoring and IMS will position C/PA as the premier full-service stevedore, terminal operator, container yard storage, and maintenance and repair company in the Houston market with operations at City Docks (Turning Basin), off-dock CFS in Bayport and Barbours Cut.

Port Nolloth poised for rehabilitation

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4 October 2016

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The project is aimed at improving infrastructure for offshore activities and forms part of efforts to develop the country’s marine transport and manufacturing industry in line with the South African government’s Operation Phakisa initiative.

“Port Nolloth has historically been overlooked, but this rehabilitation project has seen us invest R7.2 million to date of a budgeted project value of R39 million. The full project is expected to be completed in October 2017,” said Cape Town Port Manager, Sipho Nzuza, whose portfolio includes Port Nolloth.

The appointed contractor, Steffanuti Stocks Marine Pty Ltd, commenced preparatory site establishment activities during August 2016.

Nzuza said Port Nolloth would continue to serve as a support facility to the fishing and offshore mining industries and would play an active role as part of the Western Cape port system.

The primary Transnet infrastructure at Port Nolloth consists of an L-shaped concrete deck on pile jetty which includes a landing quay with a length of approximately 67 metres and a useable area of 1450 m2.

The scope of TNPA’s work includes refurbishment of the jetty structure, refurbishment or replacement of concrete where required, refurbishment of quay infrastructure and replacement of quayside fender systems by TNPA and De Beers. TNPA would also be undertaking revetment works to address erosion of the shore line.

Port Nolloth has operated under a 10 year lease agreement to De Beers Group Services which has used it as an offshore supply base for conducting diamond prospecting activity in Namibia. Smit Amandla supply vessels are stationed in Port Nolloth and are used for transferring supplies to De Beers’ offshore prospecting vessels.

The port was founded in the late 1800s as an export facility for copper from mines located in the Springbok area. This activity ceased in the 1940’s and the port has since acted mainly as a support facility to the fishing and offshore mining industries.

In line with Transnet’s Supplier Development requirements, 25% of the contract value would be invested into local companies, predominantly black-, women- and youth-owned businesses.

Connecting Africa: DP World explores opportunities to develop logistics capabilities

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WPD

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4 October 2016

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Connecting Africa: DP World explores opportunities to develop logistics capabilities

On a tour of Africa this week, Mr. Bin Sulayem visited a number of countries notably Nigeria, where he met with Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State and discussed ways to develop logistics services and to increase their efficiency and use. Mr. Bin Sulayem highlighted the valuable role of DP World in its capacity as a global trade enabler, exporting its knowledge and experience and also the development expertise of the UAE and Dubai in growing innovative logistic capabilities and modern infrastructure worldwide.

DP World Group Chairman and CEO, and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “Our global portfolio of 77 operating marine and inland terminals across six continents demonstrates our capabilities in different markets. The productive partnerships we have forged with governments, especially in Africa, which represents a major part of our network, underlines how public and private sector organisations working together can look to develop the infrastructure needed to support economic growth and attract investment.

“In countries such as Nigeria and others across the continent senior officials expressed a genuine determination to overcome obstacles to economic development, especially the inability of infrastructure to keep pace with the strong growth on the continent in the past few years. We expressed our readiness to support the efforts being made to develop ports and logistics centers, based on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to promote the international role of the UAE and Dubai in developing the global economy.”

Mr. Bin Sulayem noted that the quality of infrastructure represents a major hurdle for the integration of African trade with the global economy, as highlighted in a report commissioned by DP World from the Economist Intelligence Unit last year entitled “Africa At The Crossroads: Bridging The Infrastructure Gap”.

The report noted that the continent’s ports do not play a significant role in international marine shipping and that port vessel turnaround times lag behind other markets. Other modes of transport such as rail also need encouraging given Africa’s size. It concluded that growth in Africa brings new challenges and that a range of policies from regional free trade agreements to improved Public-Private Partnership frameworks across a large number of countries are gaining momentum suggesting that the enabling environment for infrastructure development is improving.

DP World has existing operations in Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique, Djibouti, and Algeria and recently signed an agreement with the Republic of Somaliland to invest in a multi-purpose port project at Berbera. It secured a 25-year concession to develop and operate a new logistics center in Kigali, Rwanda at the beginning of 2016.

Photo caption: DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem Akinwunmi during his meeting with Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode in Nigeria recently.

Hamburg Port representatives hold very satisfactory discussions during Port Evening in St. Petersburg

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3 October 2016

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That seaborne foreign trade between Hamburg and the Russian ports is again picking up despite ongoing economic sanctions was warmly welcomed among the 240 guests at Hamburg’s traditional Port Evening in St. Petersburg. Organized by the Port of Hamburg Marketing Representative Office in St. Petersburg, on 22 September the event brought together high-ranking representatives of the Russian transport and logistics sector and partners from the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. In numerous discussions, the focus was primarily on the questions: When will sanctions end and will the Russian economy’s foreign trade recover?

In welcoming the guests, Ingo Egloff, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), said that attendance by such a large number of guests underlined the excellent relations between Hamburg and St. Petersburg, which have been twinned since 1957 in a city partnership, also later by a port partnership. “For many years Hamburg and St. Petersburg have cultivated successful cultural, economic, scientific and social contacts. Our aim must be to strengthen and further develop these through intensive dialogue and constructive cooperation,” stressed Egloff. In greeting those present, Andreas Rieckhof, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg’s Ministry of Economics, Transport and Innovation, urged them to mount more joint projects and to expand existing alliances. Igor Lonski, Deputy Chairman of the St Petersburg City Government’s Committee for Foreign Relations, used his opening speech to wish business in both ports much success, growing seaborne cargo throughput, and continued excellent cooperation against a background of stable economic-political conditions.

Delegation from the Metropolitan Region impressed by Port of Bronka tour

In advance of the Port Evening, representatives of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, C. Steinweg (Süd-West-Terminal), Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft and Seehafen Kiel, among others, joined Under-Secretary Rieckhof, Dr. Stefan Kordasch, Deputy German Consul-General and staff of Port of Hamburg Marketing to visit the Universal Port of Bronka, St. Petersburg’s new deepwater port, which entered service at the end of 2015. Dr. Stefan Wilkens, General Manager of the Container Terminal, explained plans for its further development to the visitors, and the strategic significance of the new handling facility for future freight flows between the Russian Federation and Germany. The Port of Bronka currently offers an annual handling capacity of 1.45 million TEU plus 200,000 units at its RoRo terminal. For Dr Wilkens, existing contacts with the Port of Hamburg and companies in the Metropolitan Region constitute a superb basis for future alliances and joint projects.

Constructive discussion with the Vice-Governor of the City of St. Petersburg

Members of the Hamburg delegation, which also included Grimex and European Cargo Logistics, were invited by Under-Secretary Rieckhof to join Sergey Movtschan, Deputy Governor of the City St. Petersburg, for a working meal to provide mutual briefing on the current state of economic relations between the two partner cities. This enabled the representatives of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region to discuss the special challenges caused by the restraints on doing business after imposition of sanctions, and the chances of opportunities for cooperation. Movtschan rated cooperation between St. Petersburg and Hamburg as very good, adding that “The future lies in the hands of those enterprises that opt for alliances. Here it is immaterial whether a firm has its head office in Russia or in Germany. It is far simpler to operate together and not just to go it alone.”

Headed by Natalia Kapkajeva, since 2003 the HHM Representative Office in St Petersburg has been deeply committed to championing the cultivation and expansion of good relations between Russia and Hamburg. Providing HHM member companies and Russian partners with business contacts, and data on freight and transport flows in seaborne foreign trade, the St Petersburg standard bearer for the Port of Hamburg is extremely well networked and supported on the market.