The order was signed into Cargotec’s 2015 second quarter order intake, with all machines delivered by the end of January 2016.

A total of 45 units have been distributed across South Africa, including 37 Kalmar reachstackers and 8 Kalmar empty container handlers. The equipment will be utilised for freight depots at inland dry port terminals. Kalmar will supply and maintain the new units on a full maintenance basis across South Africa over the contracted period of five years.

Victor Nemukula, Executive Director Shumani Industrial Equipment, said: “We have enjoyed a long standing relationship with Kalmar in recognition of their top quality equipment and outstanding reputation as a service provider. They have a thorough understanding of our customer and end-user operations and provide the best solutions to increase the end-users’ productivity.”

Leslie Venketas and Francois Muller, Sales Managers, Southern Africa, commented: “We are delighted to receive this substantial order from Shumani Industrial Equipment, the vast size of which demonstrates the quality of Kalmar products and technology. Kalmar has a national footprint and can confidently handle the challenges that are faced in cost-effectively supplying and maintaining a large fleet of equipment at various locations throughout South Africa.”

The quick response from AKF meant there was no vessel downtime at all as it was already unloading at the Uniport terminal at Waalhaven, Rotterdam. “We used a combination of Damen’s technical know-how, expertise and heavy lifting equipment and took just one day to collect the anchor and chain from the Damen Anchor & Chain Factory, ship it to the vessel and install it while the vessel was unloading,” explained General Manager Laurens van Gelder.

The equipment installed comprised 87mm anchor chain and a 9225kg AC-14 type anchor.

Ocean Ship Management, responsible for the maintenance of Benedict Schulte, praised the installation.
“The accurate response of Damen Anchor & Chain Factory and the wide range of stock and technical solutions offered to us resulted in a quick and high quality installation of the anchor and chain equipment,” said Frank Wilhelm Heidrich. “This has resulted in zero downtime of our vessel.”

The superior service provided was helped by good communication and cooperation between Ocean Ship Management, AKF and its relationships with businesses within the Port of Rotterdam. The accurate technical response of AKF’s onsite partner Karel van Berghem also contributed.
“Good communication was key,” added Mr Van Gelder. “It’s the first time we’ve worked on the ship but the project shows that we can complete jobs of this type easily with a quick response time.”

AKF was a manufacturer and supplier of anchors and chains for more than 75 years. The company now focuses on supplying the products but has maintained its manufacturing experience and knowledge allowing it to carry out repairs and modifications in-house. Vast stocks of anchors and chains are held onsite allowing a quick turnaround with no delays.

The company is a member of the Damen Shipyards Group. Benedict Schulte is part of the Thomas Schulte Group’s fleet of vessels. She has a deadweight of 51,757T and was built in 2009.

Based on these experiences, the thought of the future-oriented, intelligent port is further developed and an international network between ports called “ChainPORT” is initiated. The global platform shall connect important information of the respective partner ports on the one hand and create a basis that allows the joined development of new, future-oriented and innovative solutions on the other. In addition to the Port of Hamburg, the Ports of Busan, Singapore, Shenzhen, Los Angeles, Felixstowe and Antwerpen are the partners in the future-oriented network. Senator Frank Horch: “The enormous increase of the international division of labour as well as the rapid growth of the global economy heavily depend on the international maritime transport. The world is getting smaller and it shows in world trade. It has never been more important to learn from one another. Even if we are competitors and rivals, we are dependent on exchanging information.” Adds Jens Meier, Chairman of the Management Board HPA: “This is a great day. With today’s event we are able to lay the foundation to further improve our network and to learn from each other so that we can create innovative ideas and solutions that provide added value to the global flow of goods and the ports.”

With ChainPORT, the HPA wants to go beyond the traditional bilateral port partnerships. In order to face the changing competitive challenges, a small group of selected, leading ports is supposed to take on subject areas and develop innovations together. The idea is to establish a global chain of smartPORTS, the so-called ChainPORTS. The objective is to bring together the port managements and their stakeholders to share benchmarks and develop strategies together on how ports can and must work together in the future to reach common goals such as the globally necessary efficiency. The shared use of intelligent systems and data with other ports ensures sustainable growth.

In addition to digitalisation and networking, the handling of the increasing container ship growth will be another important topic that presents a challenge to all ports. A joined discussion and positioning in terms of advantages and disadvantages of the increasing vessel sizes is necessary. In the future, networking and data exchange should and must enable an even better planning of port calls.

TT Club participated actively in the comprehensive IMO regulatory procedure to draft the revised regulation and accompanying guidelines that require verified gross mass (VGM) for every packed container before it can be loaded on board a ship. Aimed at improving safety by ensuring accurate weight information is available, TT Club has been strongly promoting awareness of VGM throughout the period and particularly since adoption of the regulation by IMO in November 2014.

Last month the Baltic region was targeted, with TT Club’s Andrew Huxley speaking at two industry Conferences on the implementation of the SOLAS amendment. During Transport Week in Gdansk earlier in the month, and at a seminar on the issue, specially organised by the Port Authority of Riga, Huxley drew attention to not only to the challenges in the implementation of the regulation but also the advantages.

“We have seen a great deal of debate, which continues apace, about the most efficient way in which shippers can comply, how forwarders, lines, ports and terminals can assist in the weighing process and in streamlining the documentation trail. Many interests have pointed out pitfalls and potential bottlenecks in the transport chain. But more positive voices see opportunities to improve clarity about container contents among stakeholders and improved safety both on land and at sea.”
Above all ignorance of the demands of the regulation should not be an excuse for non-compliance or delay in the mandatory implementation of the regulation. While many individual ports and terminal operator groups have already announced port-based solutions, TT Club continues to advocate that accurate weighing should, for safety throughout the supply chain, be completed before the container leaves the packing facility.

A number of industry associations representing shippers, forwarders and shipping lines have produced guidelines for their members. TT Club, in partnership with World Shipping Council, ICHCA and the Global Shippers Forum have published the ‘VGM – Industry FAQs’, available in PDF format here http://bit.ly/1qnVahK, and continues to work with stakeholders in the industry and governments to clarify the benefits of the revised regulation and how compliance can be achieved.
“But clearly,” concluded Huxley, “VGM Awareness remains an unfulfilled mission that demands our further, wholehearted attention.”

*Outline details of Amendment to SOLAS Chapter VI Part A Regulation 2
• Gross Mass = contents (cargo/dunnage/securing) + tare
• Verified gross mass (VGM) obtained by:
(a) either weighing the packed container (‘Method 1’)
(b) or weighing all constituent parts (‘Method 2’)
• VGM to be stated on a signed shipping document
• Sent to carrier & terminal for use in stowage planning
• If not, the container shall not be loaded on to a ship