International intermodal rail lifts in Charleston increased 18 percent in 2013 to nearly 145,000 containers. This followed a 27 percent increase in 2012. New initiatives, including the RapidRail drayage program and the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer, are expected to continue driving increases in rail container traffic.

“Charleston offers competitive rail facilities and services, providing our customers an advantage to moving discretionary cargo through our port,” said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in intermodal rail traffic over the last two years as more ocean carriers utilize our capable intermodal network to fill their ships with heavy export loads for transit through our natural, deepwater harbor.”

The growth in rail container traffic is also the result of the SCPA’s collaboration with ocean carriers to recruit and direct discretionary cargo to and from Memphis, Atlanta, Nashville, Louisville, Chicago and Cincinnati.

RapidRail, launched by SCPA in April 2012, has also positively impacted rail movements at the port. The program coordinates container movements to and from rail yards, and RapidRail accounts for 85 percent of rail drays. As the only program of its kind in the Southeast, RapidRail provides seamless, cost-effective drayage opportunities with little administrative burden.

Open in November 2013, the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer further enhances the SCPA’s rail capabilities by establishing a new intermodal point along the expanding I-85 corridor in the Upstate of South Carolina. Growth at this facility is expected to further support intermodal cargo movement through Charleston facilities.

The new Intermodal Container Transfer Facility, a joint project with the SC Department of Commerce and Palmetto Railways, will boost intermodal capabilities when it opens in 2018.

The first project involves completion of the second phase of the Bulgarian River Information Services project (BulRIS II). Under this contract Transas will supply and install a Vessel Traffic Management Information System compliant with all European standards and technical requirements for the River Information Services.

The system will ensure real-time data exchange between the River Information sites located along the Danube River and the main RIS centre in Ruse. It will facilitate management of inland waterway transport and streamline related logistics processes, thereby contributing to a more efficient utilization of the inland waterways. The project will run for the next 18 months and is scheduled for completion during 2015. The second project includes implementation of the National Vessel Traffic Management and Information System (VTMIS) project – Phase III. According to the contract, Transas will upgrade existing Bulgarian VTMIS and extend its coverage area and functionalities. Transas will install Radar, AIS, CCTV, RDF, VHF and GMDSS subsystems which will be integrated in a single maritime information system. The phase III of the National VTMIS project is included in priority axes IV of the Operational Programme “Transport” – “Improvement of the maritime and inland-waterways navigation”. The part of the system has been constructed during the first and the second phases and is already functional.

The work is expected to impact normal operating conditions alongside the main container berth and the shallow draft berth. Normal operations are expected to recommence in early May.

Due to the work JNPT is not in a position to operate at full capacity and is making arrangements with affected vessel operators to find alternate solutions.

There are two other terminals working in Nhava Sheva – NSICT and HTI, which are fully operational at this time. JNPT is advising customers to plan shipments on vessels calling at those terminals during this period while shipping lines are advised to find alternate options to get the window/berth at either of these terminals. Shipping lines have also been advised to re-route ships to other Indian west coast ports, including Mundra, Pipavav or Hazira.

Nhava Sheva port recorded container throughput of three million TEU in2013, equivalent to more than half of India’s total box volume.

Having established strong relationships with TIPC, cemented through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2011, the Port of Dover’s world-class expertise in port management and port development has been showcased both in Taiwan and in the UK.  The contract is a clear recognition of the global reputation that the Port has now achieved as a valuable consultancy partner when requiring a team made up of the best international experts.

Tim Waggott, Chief Executive, Port of Dover, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Port team, its partners, and for the global reputation of the British maritime industry.  Moreover, it gives our staff an incredible platform for career development and reflects the vision that we have for our community in providing new and inspiring opportunities.”

As the consultancy business develops and Dover’s port expertise is required elsewhere as well as still in Dover, this will lead to the creation of high quality jobs at Dover with exciting prospects for all those associated with the Port.  This is a further strand of the Port’s drive for transformation, nurturing talent in Dover that then delivers expertise all around the world with Dover’s name becoming synonymous with opportunity, quality and excellence.  In turn, this will contribute towards inward investment as Dover becomes a hub for maritime expertise, furthering the Port’s ability to act as a catalyst for regeneration.

Beating off stiff competition, the partners also received fantastic support from UKTI (the British Trade & Cultural Office in Taiwan) in promoting British expertise in Taiwan.

Chris Wood, Director, BTCO said: “This is a great boost to Britain’s international reputation in port planning and with such a strong partnership evident between Mott MacDonald, Buchan Group and the Port of Dover, goes to show that with the right expertise and our support, the UK can play a major role in global maritime affairs.”

The contract is focused on carrying out master planning activities for the three Taiwanese ports of Keelung, Kaohsiung and Anping in order to promote the ports’ domestic and international passenger transport and tourism services, including the construction and modernisation of passenger terminal facilities.

Glen Curry, Mott MacDonald said: “This is a very exciting contract to have won and with the specialist skills and experience of the Port of Dover supporting our port planning and engineering expertise, we are confident we can plan great things for Taiwan’s ports.”

The partners will conduct research and analysis on the location and characteristics of Keelung Port, Kaohsiung Port and Anping Port in order to carry out a detailed investigation of possible domestic and foreign development projects. They will then produce the final master plan presenting the most appropriate developments, their location and size, configuration and the types of industry suited to the ports.