The positive results for combined transport in particular have played a crucial role in this development. Container handling by ship, rail, and truck is set to grow by 13% to about 3.4 million TEU (2013: 3 million TEU), thereby reaching yet another all time high. “In the container sector, we are registering double-digit growth with all traffic carriers. This gratifying development is based to a great degree on the successful investmentsmade in the last few years and the associated handling volumes,” says Erich Staake, Chief Executive Officer of Duisburger Hafen AG. Essential drivers of the development were the automotive, chemical, and consumer goods industries. The strong growth experienced in container volumes successfully compensated for the market-related downward trend in the coal business in the second half of 2014. Especially pleasing is the development experienced by the combined transport terminal logport III, which started up daily operations at the beginning of 2013. Over 80 trains per week are now handled at logport III. This not only strengthens duisport’s international rail network, but also represents an essential contribution to shifting cargo from road to rail.

This expansion deploys 4 hectares of new yard space (shown on the right side of the photo). Intended to be an empty container depot (ECD), the area can store up to 4,300 containers in moderate wind conditions. Adjacent to it (left side of the photo) is another 2 hectares, which will be completed by yearend. On completion, the entire area of Phase 1 will store 6,500 20-foot equivalent units (TEU). The new yard is part of ICTSI’s US$35 million (PHP1.6 billion) expansion project for the MICT aimed at immediately addressing growing volumes at the Port of Manila. The full development, estimated to be completed in 20 months, will add approximately 500,000 TEUs of yard capacity to the MICT. Complementary to the new yard is the development of an inland container depot (ICD) in Laguna, about 21 hectares, for which $30 million (PHP1.4 billion) has been earmarked. On order are six new rubber tired gantries, which may be deployed at either the MICT or ICTSI’s Subic operations as the demand dictates.

The new “MultiDocker” materials handler can be deployed at any of the South Wales ports and has already begun to significantly increase productivity in its current port location of Cardiff where it was used for the first time to handle biomass.

This latest investment by ABP, designed to enhance the capabilities of its South Wales port network, follows a series of investments in the Port of Newport totalling more than £10m in the last 18 months as well as £2.7m in warehousing at the Port of Cardiff.

Matthew Kennerley, ABP Port Director for South Wales said: “The new MultiDocker will be used to handle anything from agribulks and biomass to recyclables, steel and forest products. This new equipment is fast, efficient, and mobile, and will increase our cargo handling capability and productivity across the South Wales region.”

“It is essential that we make efforts to continually improve efficiency in order to ensure our operations, and those of our customers, remain competitive and that our ports are able to continue to develop and grow.”

The MultiDocker (CH70D), which was shipped from Sweden and can be transported by truck, has an outreach of 24 metres with a lifting capacity of up to 17 Tonnes. The wheeled undercarriage also means that the machine can be easily relocated between operational berths.

ABP’s ports in South Wales handle over 12 million tonnes of cargo every year and annually contribute £1.4 billion to the UK economy.

The latest phase of growth will see the development of 1.45 million sq. ft. of warehousing on a 68-acre site, tailored to the needs of its customers.

Commenting on the development, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer at the port, said:

“The new site that we are launching today has the key advantage of being located within the port’s perimeter. It is less than 100 metres from Berths 8&9 where we handle the world’s largest container ships, and only 500 metres from Trinity terminal. Both terminals, with a combined throughput of over 4 million TEUs p.a., can be accessed via internal roads allowing customers to maximise the economics of ocean freight and port-centric logistics.

“For both UK and northern European distribution, occupiers will benefit from the unrivalled range of road, rail and short-sea carriage available at Felixstowe. The site is located adjacent to No.1 Gate with immediate access to the A14 and very close to the port’s three rail terminals. With 60 freight train movements each day this opens up a wide range of sustainable transport options.”

The Port of Felixstowe is being advised by First Industrial on the development of the Logistics Park. It comes hot on the heels of the planning consent received by Uniserve, the UK’s largest independent international freight and logistics company, for its first “Super DC” to be located at Felixstowe with a 500,000 square foot footprint and a height of 130 feet accommodating three 320,000 sq. ft. mezzanine floors.

Mr Cheng added:

“We expect huge interest in this site. The ability to create a purpose-built warehouse at the UK’s largest container port with all the advantages that brings is an exciting prospect for importers, retailers and third-party logistics providers.”

Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container port and is continuing to expand. Construction of a 190 metre extension to the port’s Berth 9 is on schedule for completion in 2015.

First Industrial, a specialist real estate development company, will focus on land promotion and project delivery.