Tim Waggott, Chief Executive of the Port of Dover, said: “This is a great moment for the Port and for Dover.  It represents a clear sign of our commitment to both deliver our flagship Dover Western Docks Revival project, currently being so positively received and supported, and crucially to be able to further support our community with charitable donations through a new community fund.

It is a major step forward in delivering the shared vision that we are developing with our customers and community.”

Since the Port’s Annual Consultative Meeting held last month, at which the decision to appoint its first community director was announced, a workshop for local elected representatives has been arranged in order to establish the process to deliver this key appointment.

Furthermore, the Port is very much looking forward to continuing engagement with local stakeholders on the establishment of the community fund and the vision for Dover Western Docks Revival.  A public workshop is to take place on 15th July – further details to be announced soon.

Mr Waggott added: “I sincerely hope for a swift granting of the HRO so that the momentum to transform the port and town of Dover will allow us all to experience the great future in which we all wish to share just as soon as possible.  In the meantime, I encourage the people of Dover and all of our stakeholders to come to our workshop in July and help us shape the community fund together.  These are exciting times for all of us in Dover!”

The units are destined to provide additional capacity at Bergé’s two key locations, Sociedad Auxiliar Del Puerto De Pasajes S.A. and Port Nou in Barcelona as the ports prepare for increased shipping volumes. The deliveries are scheduled to be completed by January 2015.

Bergé is one of Spain’s leading business groups with an increasing international presence and has been developing its maritime and port operations at the two strategic locations. The development sees existing equipment fleets being renewed and more specialist forklift equipment being brought in for new applications. Eight of the units, including two Kalmar G-generation machines and two Kalmar DCF330-12LB forklifts fitted with magnets, will be delivered to Pasajes, which specialises in handling steel products. A Kalmar DCF420-12, equipped with a spreader designed for working inside RoRo vessels, is scheduled for Port Nou, a multi-purpose container and general cargo terminal.

Ignacio de Sebastián, Senior Sales Manager Spain & Portugal, Kalmar: “We are delighted that Bergé Group has again trusted Kalmar as the equipment supplier for their next investment. Naturally, Bergé set very high standards and it is testament to both the Kalmar team and the high performance of our equipment that we have enjoyed such a close working relationship. We have already supplied medium and heavy forklifts, reachstackers, RTGs and terminal tractors to both locations. Our ability to offer a good package on the used equipment taken in exchange was also a key factor in securing the order. We would like to wish Bergé every success in the continued growth of their business.”

The vessel, which will serve a high-frequency route in Norway, will use our very first combined automated mooring and shore power system. The ferry, built in Gdansk, was recently delivered to Fjellstrand Shipyard in Norway for outfitting and sea trials, and is set to enter service on January 1 next year. If your Norwegian is up to scratch, you can read more about the delivery, and this innovative project, here.

The project is a collaboration between ferry operator Norled, Fjellstrand Shipyard, Siemens and Rolls Royce. The 80m-long vessel is designed for around 120 cars and 360 passengers, and will make 17 crossings of the Sognefjord between Lavik and Oppedal daily.

The ferry, the first of its kind, has been nominated for SMM’s ‘Ship of the Year Award’, the winner of which will be announced in September this year.

Cavotec automated AMP and MoorMaster™ systems are currently being installed at the Lavik and Oppedal berths ahead of the introduction of the ferry.

The level of automation in this application is unprecedented: the MoorMaster™ units will be operated by the ship’s captain using our hand-held radio remote control units. The mooring system will signal to the AMP unit when the ship is safely moored. A laser sensor will then guide the AMP connector to a hatch in the side of the vessel, connect to the ship’s battery and start charging.

We’re pleased to report that all equipment deliveries for this project are also on schedule. We’ll keep you updated about this exciting project in the months ahead. In the meantime, here’s a link to some great footage of MoorMaster™ in action at a similar application in Denmark, and a bulk application in Australia.

The results, unveiled at the PIANC World Congress in San Francisco, confirmed that in restricted waters, the wash from passing ships can exert large forces on moored vessels, mooring lines and fender loads, creating dangerous conditions. The research also concluded that the forces from the wash are directly influenced by the shape of the port basin, the size of the vessel, the passing distance, and the passing speed. Based on the findings, researchers have developed a software program to immediately improve the safety of ports and created guidelines for use in the planning and design of future ports. IL

“Our research has identified the full effects of a passing ship’s wash and the impact is serious,” said Marco Pluijm, Bechtel’s ports-sector manager and chair of ROPES. “The wash can compromise safety, cause environmental damage and result in financial loss. Based on a comprehensive set of experimental, computational and full-scale data, we have developed valuable, user-friendly software to help mitigate these effects, and created guidance for the planning and design of new ports.”

The ROPES research project was carried out over three years and investigated the impact of the wash created when ships move in and out of ports. In recent years, the size, speed, and power of ships have increased dramatically, creating larger wash. This can cause moored ships to come loose and affect the safe loading and unloading of vessels. The study was conducted in multiple phases that included extensive computer-simulation, scale-model testing, as well as full-scale testing in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The ROPES group participants, who are leading authorities in the ports industry, will now start using the software to mitigate the effects of wash in existing ports, and will implement the recommended guidelines in the planning and design of new ports. The group’s 25 members include port authorities, maritime research institute representatives, pilots, linesmen, consultancies, and hardware suppliers. Bechtel was the only engineering, project management and construction company involved in this initiative.

Bechtel has overseen more than 80 port and harbor projects across the world, including 28 in the last decade. Notable projects include Jubail Port in Saudi Arabia, Port of Los Angeles Container Terminal, Port Hay Point Coal Terminal in Australia, and the recently completed Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates. The company has been instrumental in leading pioneering, international joint-industry research to make shipping safer.