“With the exception of a few sectors, the port is doing pretty well. Particularly striking is the 4% increase in containers. After March, even as high as an average 6%. This makes it even clearer that we badly need the new terminals on Maasvlakte 2 if we are to achieve further growth. The increase of no less than 31% in the handling of other mixed cargo is also noteworthy. However mineral oil products in particular, at -11%, are considerably down on last year”, according to Allard Castelein, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO.

Liquid bulk

Crude oil (+2%) is slightly up on the – low – 2013 level. Capacity utilization at the European refineries is low because demand for some oil products is low and competition on the world market is tough. Mineral oil products (-11%) and other liquid bulk (-9%), mainly feedstocks for the chemical industry, are clearly lagging behind. Causes include the difficult situation of the chemical industry in Europe, lower (re-)exports of heavy fuel oil to the Far East, the limited economic growth in Europe and increasing competition with the coming into operation of new terminals in other ports. LNG throughput is still limited in scale, but has more than doubled (+137%). This mainly concerns gas produced in Scandinavia that finds its way onto the world market via Rotterdam.

Dry bulk

Within the dry bulk sector, less iron ore and scrap were handled (-5%) due to maintenance work on a large blast furnace in Germany and a fall in the transhipment volume. Coal throughput is up (+6%) because of a shift in incoming cokes coal for blast furnaces in Germany from other ports to Rotterdam, the start-up of new coal-fired power plants in Germany and the testing of the new power plants on the Maasvlakte. The increase in coal for energy was modified by the generation of renewable energy in the summer months. Agribulk throughput increased sharply (+26%), due partly to the rise in imports of soya and exports of wheat. More other dry bulk was handled (+7%). This concerns, among other things, materials for the construction industry, raw materials for industry and biomass.

Containers and breakbulk

Container traffic increased (+4%), despite congestion on the Maasvlakte this summer, as a result of which a number of ships were diverted to Antwerp. During the first two months of the year, container throughput lagged behind. Between March and the end of September, however, throughput was on average 6% higher than last year. The tentative economic recovery is the main reason for these positive figures.

Container traffic consists of the deep sea sector (to and from other continents, +6%), feeder traffic (the pre-transport and post-transport of deep sea containers, -2%) and short sea (departure point and destination within Europe, +4%). There was a slight fall in the handling of cargo from the Far East in the third quarter, partly due to the diversion of ships to Antwerp, whilst cargo to and from North and South America increased. In 2013, Rotterdam lost feeder cargo destined for the Baltic to Hamburg. This has now largely returned to Rotterdam, due to congestion in Hamburg, but also because shipping companies are switching cargo to Rotterdam in anticipation of the opening of terminals on Maasvlakte 2. The strong British economy is largely responsible for the growth in short sea traffic.

Roll-on/roll-off traffic was also up (+8%), thanks to the recovery of the British economy. Other mixed cargo, a sector into which the port puts a lot of effort because it yields relatively high added value, increased very strongly (+31%), partly because more steel passed through the port and more cargo for the offshore industry was handled.

A 3 m pipe-pylon and the elevating cab ensure an optimal overview and maximum safety. The Port of Berwick is situated on the east coast of the North Sea at the mouth of the river Tweed. As England’s northernmost town it combines historic ambiance and modern commerce. This is particularly evident at the port, where goods have been handled since 1876. Naturally modern material handling machines are used today. A new SENNEBOGEN 835 R Special, delivered by the UK and Ireland – Sennebogen Port Sales and Service Partner, E. H. Hassell and Sons, at the end of 2013, sets another milestone in the history of the port.

In Berwick, primarily bulk goods for agriculture are unloaded. However, in addition to handling fertilizer and feed, cement, timber, and piece goods are also moved with the SENNEBOGEN material handling machine. Thanks to the special material handling equipment of the new 835 R and supplemented with a 3 m pylon, now ships that call at the port can be safely loaded or unloaded at any tidal height. Operators and and the responsible persons expect higher efficiency and maximum flexibility from the new material handling machine. Tidal ranges of up to 4 m prevail at the site, a height differential that the machine can conveniently compensate. For the operator, the machine has been equipped with a 3 m height-adjustable Maxcab. All-round armored glass and the supplemental floor window offer an ideal overview and maximum safety. Thus the operator keeps his work area safely in view and can even work in the ship’s hull with pinpoint precision. The new material handling machine handles up to 1,500 t of material daily.

The SENNEBOGEN 835 R Special is driven by a powerful 224 kW diesel engine. The equipment is 20 m long, and thanks to the 3.8 m wide crawler undercarriage, the machine is extremely stable even in heavy duty implementation. For port implementation, the 835 was filled with bio-oil in the factory, a special lacquer coating protects the metal parts from the saline sea air. A perimeter gallery offers optimal accessibility for regular machine maintenance. The extensive lighting package and three peripheral cameras round out the safety package.

Image caption: A new SENNEBOGEN 835 R Special is used at Port of Berwick. The customer-specific configuration permits loading and unloading of ships at any time and at any water level.

Yokohama pneumatic fenders were supplied by Fendercare Marine for the two largest vessels – the French anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet and the Royal Navy’s newest warship, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan.

In total, 16 Yokohama pneumatic fenders (measuring 2.0m diameter. x 3.5m length) were used

on the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and 8 Yokohama pneumatic fenders (measuring 3.3m diameter. x 6.5m length) were used on the French anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet

Following the NATO summit, Commodore AJG Miller CBE, Royal Navy said “I would like to take this opportunity to offer my gratitude for the support that all those at Fendercare Marine provided to my men and women on the ground in support of the NATO Warships visiting Cardiff for the recent NATO summit. The final result was in no small part due to the hard work and commitment from yourself and all those at Fendercare.”

Fendercare Marine has been a supplier of fenders and marine hardware to the MoD since 1999 and also supports navies throughout the world, winning a $29 million contract with the US Navy in 2012. From a base in the Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth, their Naval Solutions division also provides fabrication, welding and coating services for the MoD, having worked on nuclear submarines, warships and naval support vessels.

“Georgia and its congressional delegation have fought long and hard to see this project through to fruition – a project that is vitally important for economic development and job creation not only in the Southeast, but nationally as well,” said Gov. Nathan Deal.”After years of regulatory purgatory, we finally cleared the last hurdle and hope to begin dredging in the Savannah River before the end of the year. This pivotal link in our logistics network will aid in the prompt delivery of valuable cargo to and from every corner of Georgia and, in turn, preserve and create jobs and encourage economic growth.

“Every budget I have submitted and signed into law has included money for the state share of the deepening. My most recent budget included Georgia’s final commitment, allowing this project to move forward now. Georgia has been ranked the top state in the U.S. for business by three different scoring agencies, and this expansion project will play a crucial role in ensuring our state maintains that top distinction. I appreciate the cooperative efforts of all involved in this process and I’m especially thankful to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Speaker David Ralston for their leadership in the General Assembly. I’ve said time and again that ‘it’s time to start moving dirt,’ and now we can.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that the harbor deepening project will bring $174 million in annual net benefits to the U.S. and for the Post-Panamax II vessels, the extra five feet of depth will allow for an additional 3,600 cargo containers in each transit, an increase of 78 percent.

The project will cost approximately $706 million, including construction and environmental mitigation costs. As a part of this cost-sharing agreement, the Corps will be able to use the 40 percent share of state funds to begin construction while it awaits congressional appropriations for the remaining 60 percent of federal funding. The state has already set aside $266 million – the total state share for the project.

“The signing of the PPA marks the starting point for construction on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project,” said Savannah District Commander Col. Thomas Tickner. “This sets us on the path to improving transportation of goods into and out of this harbor in an environmentally sensitive manner, which will benefit the area, the region and the nation.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the competitive bidding contracts prepared for the early actions to deepen the harbor.