Björn Andersson is a native Swede, and has worked with several internal projects in TTS Group targeting operational improvements. Mr. Andersson has extensive operational experience from different positions within the industry, including TTS. He has also been Chairman of the Board TTS’ two joint ventures in China, TTS Bohai and TTS Hua Hai. Mr. Andersson received his education as a Mechanical Engineer from Gothenburg, Sweden.

Continued volume growth that has put pressure on the motor carriers has driven creation of the task force, said John F. Reinhart, the Virginia Port Authority’s CEO and executive director. The effort will be focused on safety, reducing turn times, cutting wait-time at the gates, chassis availability and regulating the daily flow of trucks to and from the terminals.

The port is enlisting the help of multiple stakeholders who gathered at the port’s main office Wednesday (March 5) to begin the effort. Representatives from the motor carrier community, service providers, the International Longshoremen’s Association, ocean carriers, shippers and US Customs and Border Protection are all participating.

The task force consists of a 10-member steering committee and five working or segmentation groups that will analyze the following areas:

1) Appointment system

2) In the terminal

3) Reefer

4) Chassis dynamics and empty yards

5) The gate

At the meeting, the steering committee was given the task force’s guiding documents that, among other things, pinpoint the five areas of concern, the team leaders, tasks, a meeting schedule, deadlines and goals. Each of the five segmentation groups will hold a minimum of three meetings by April 15, with a report due to the steering committee by April 21.

“As we go through this we will find other links in the chain that need our attention, but this, we feel, is a good starting point,” said Joseph P. Ruddy, the port’s chief operating officer and task force chairman. “We are going to identify issues, develop action plans and implement real solutions: we have to get this right.”

One of the first issues the task force will address is the implementation of an appointment system on May 1 for motor carriers designed to regulate the flow of traffic at the terminals throughout the day and eliminate the “rush-hour” effect.

“As The Port of Virginia, we must commit to ensure that our freight arrives and departs safely and as efficiently as possible,” Reinhart said. “We don’t have all the answers, but it is our belief that with the help of our partners we can implement needed improvements. We must reduce congestion, improve cargo velocity and speed up truck and rail service to serve our customers.”

With more than 35 years’ experience working in senior positions for companies like Drummond Coal, Kinder Morgan and the Forge Group, Mike’s expertise extends from bulk material handling through to roles in engineering, operations, mining, terminal management, project management and business development.

Based in the US, Mike will report directly to Chief Operating Officer, Cargo Solutions, Tim Cahill, and will focus on applying his extensive technical, commercial and multi-commodity knowledge to the development of ISS’ terminal operations business.

COO Tim Cahill said: “We have already taken Cargo Solutions global and are rapidly developing our capability within this business stream. The appointment of Mike Ferguson, following on quickly from the recent appointment of Vince Mazzone in our Geneva operation, takes us another step forward in the development of our cargo management strategy.

“The rapid expansion of ISS in this sector enables us to provide not only an extensive range of risk and cargo management services to serve the commodity markets, but also advance further into land based areas through our terminal operations.”

There was a considerable turnover decline in Ventspils – 3,4%; Klaipeda -15,3%; Butinge – 49,9%; Liepaja – 31,9%, with the only exception – Tallinn had positive growth (+ 0,2%).

56,3% increase in liquid bulk cargo segment

The largest increase – of 56,3%, – is in liquid bulk segment, the total amount being 990 thousand tons. Mr. Andris Ameriks, the Chairman of the Freeport of Riga Board: “The growth of the oil product turnover can be attributed to the previous investment into cargo storage and handling infrastructure development, that enables the terminal owners to attract new clients. We hope that the coming months will be as good for the liquid cargo segment.”

New trends in dry bulk cargo segment

Dry bulk segment has traditionally been the major cargo segment at the Freeport of Riga, and this year it has managed to maintain its leading position as well. In general 1,72 million tons of cargo were handled in this segment or by 0,7% more than in the beginning of the previous year.

The biggest share of this segment is maintained by coal handling – during the first month of the present year the coal cargo volume amounted to 1,1 million tons, that is by 8,2% less than in January 2013. Due to intensive operation of the new fertilizer terminal, there was an increase of chemical cargo turnover, fertilizer handling has increased by 6,5% compared to the beginning of the previous year. The total amount of handled mineral fertilizers is 141,4 thousand tons.

An impressive volume of wheat and wheat products throughput – 127,8 thousand tons – has been reached this year, compared to 14,6 thousand tons in this cargo group in January 2013. Three times bigger volume of various metals was handled at the Freeport, and the volume of sawn timber increased by 16,1%. Practically half less peat and wood chip cargo volumes were handled. There is a decrease by 1,8% in unspecified dry bulk group , still there are positive trends, that can be attributed to soy product handling – 5,9 thousand tons of the product were transshipped in January 2014, while in January 2013 the said cargo type had not been handled at all.

Containerized cargo maintains its leading position

General cargo segment boasts 1,3% increase compared to the relevant period of the previous year, with the total amount of 0,52 million tons. In the beginning of the present year the volume of containerized cargo throughput decreased by 4,2%, nevertheless the said group is the most important component of the general cargo segment. 293 thousand tons of containerized cargo has already been transshipped this year. Roll on/Roll off cargo volume has increased by 11,7%. The volume of various metals’ handling has tripled, twice as much fish products were transshipped, other food cargo volume, handled at the Freeport, has grown.

Wood materials’ handling volume has decreased by 3,1% , chemical cargo handling volume – by 37,5% , and there has been decrease of 14,8% in unspecified cargo group.