“For a fantastic year like 2014 several factors have to come together. We started with a record order backlog into the year. Throughout the year demand for our state-of-the-art cargo handling solution was very stable on a high level. Moreover, large orders helped to significantly increase the population of Liebherr mobile harbour cranes. Finally, we broke the existing record by nearly 10%, which is amazing considering the economic environment,”said Matthias Mungenast, Sales Director for Liebherr mobile harbour cranes. One
highlight in 2014 was the large order from Algeria, Africa. A purchasing association of Algerian port operators opted for 20 Liebherr mobile harbour cranes. The mobile harbour cranes were delivered to seven destinations at the Algerian coast. The tasks of this impressive and highly efficient mobile harbour crane fleet include the handling of general cargo, dry bulk operation and container handling. Liebherr mobile harbour cranes have a long tradition in Algeria, with the first units delivered almost 20 years ago. Thanks to this major mobile harbour crane order, the total number of LHMs delivered to Algeria nearly doubled and jumped to 43. Photo shows Two LHM 550s assist with the assembly of a new LHM 550
in Italy
Liebherr mobile harbour cranes set all-time record
Construction of a new deepwater berth in DCT Gdansk gets underway
The investor, Poland’slargest container terminal, has officially started the construction phase of a new deepwater quay in Gdansk’s Northern Port. On Thursday, 22 January 2015 DCT Gdansk has handed over the construction site to the Belgian N.V. BESIX – the general contractor and the designer of the new facility.
“DCT Gdansk’s team, our shareholders, clients and the people supporting us in this project, had been waiting for this moment for over two years. Getting to this stage was not easy, but today we can be proud that this major step for the Polish container industry has been made. Poland and the whole Baltic area have gained a new quality in deep-sea services with a multi-user container terminal capable to serve the world’s largest container vessels” said Maciek Kwiatkowski, DCT Chief Executive Officer.
The construction works will last 19 months. These include both site preparation and building the facility. The preparation of the building site should take approximately six weeks. After this, the construction works will begin.
DCT Gdansk received its first vessel in June 2007. Since January 2010, DCT Gdansk started receiving on a weekly basis 8.000 TEU container vessels departing from the Far East. This direct connectivity with Asia boosted DCT Gdansk’s development as it became the Baltic Sea hub, achieving 180% growth in 2010 and made DCT one of the fastest growing terminals in the world. The new era for DCT opened in May 2011, when the facility started handling the Maersk Line’s E-type class container vessels with the capacity of 15.500 TEU, the world’s largest ships at that time. In 2012, the container terminal handled its second millionth TEU since the operations kick-off, and closed the year with yet another annual volume record of approximately 900.000 TEU. In August 2013 DCT Gdansk serviced first Triple E class vessel, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, in its maiden voyage. In 2013 the container terminal handled more than 1 150 000 TEU.
This record has permanently put DCT on the map of the world’s major container terminals and ensured its position as the biggest container terminal in terms of volume in the Baltic area.
SC Ports Authority container volumes climb to 12 percent in 2014
In December the Port handled 141,956 twenty-foot equivalent units
(TEUs), up 14 percent compared to the same month last year. SCPA container volume rose to nearly 1.8 million TEUs in 2014. As measured in pier containers, SCPA handled 1,022,781 boxes at its two container terminals in 2014, an increase of 12 percent over 909,827 containers handled in 2013. “The 12 percent increase in TEU volumes last year reflects growth in a number of business segments, including import parts and components for automotive manufacturing and export grains and refrigerated cargo,” said
Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. “The reliability of our port is an important driver of increased discretionary cargo volumes, and the addition of several new services with all post-Panamax vessels also contributed to growth of our container business.”
Non-containerized cargo business volume was strong in 2014, with 830,189 pier tons handled last year. The roll-on, roll-off segment of breakbulk volume grew 15 percent in 2014, with nearly 41,000 additional BMW vehicles moved through Charleston.
The Inland Port handled 3,741 rail moves in December, completing its first full calendar year of operation in 2014 with 42,555 total rail moves. In addition to strong volume growth in 2014, Newsome also highlighted the release of the US Army Corps of Engineers Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement as a major milestone achieved last year. “The deepening of the Charleston harbor to 52 feet will support the continued growth and competitiveness of our port and foster economic development opportunities across South Carolina,” Newsome said. Mid-way through the 2015 fiscal year that began in July, the Port has handled 919,521 TEUs, a 13 percent increase over the same period last year.
Fiscal year to date, breakbulk volume in Charleston is slightly over plan, with 402,020 tons handled since June. Georgetown tonnage remains strong, with fiscal year to date gains of 26 percent over planned volumes. Georgetown has moved 328,136 pier tons since June.
Puget Sound container volumes reach 3.4 million TEUs in 2014
“Reporting our combined cargo volumes demonstrates our commitment to the Seaport Alliance,” said Port of Seattle Commission co-President Stephanie Bowman. “This new partnership will make our two ports stronger, faster and a more cost-effective gateway.” The two ports announced in October 2014 plans to form a Seaport Alliance to unify management of marine cargo terminals and related functions. Currently in the due diligence phase, this strategic response to the competitive threats will strengthen the Puget Sound gateway and create more economic opportunities.
Puget Sound container volumes fell less than 1 percent in 2014 to 3.4 million 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs). Tacoma and Seattle’s combined volumes have hovered near 3.5 million TEUs since 2010. Last year marked the second consecutive year of decline, underscoring the competitive pressures reshaping the global shipping industry. Larger vessels and shipping line alliances mean fewer vessels are calling at fewer ports. Together, Seattle and Tacoma comprise the third-largest container gateway in North America, but their share of the West Coast market has been falling over the past decade. “The industry is changing and the competition from other North American ports is fierce,” said Port of Tacoma Commission President Don Johnson. “We must adapt and work
together to maintain—and grow—our share of the West Coast market to benefit the economic health of Washington state.”
Containerized export volumes through the two ports dipped 1.6 percent last year to 1.2 million TEUs, while imports fell 4.1 percent to 1.4 million TEUs. Meanwhile, domestic container volumes grew 6.1 percent to 870,733 TEUs on the strength of
the Alaska trade. The combined marine cargo operations at both ports support more than 48,000 jobs across the region and provide a critical gateway for the export of Washington state products to Asia.