During his visit, the Ambassador met with the port’s senior management and enjoyed a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities at the UK’s largest container port. The visit was also attended by Caroline Wilson, British Consul General to Hong Kong.

As well as being the largest port in the country, Felixstowe is also the most important port for trade with China, and the UK port of call for China’s two main container shipping lines, Cosco Container Lines and China Shipping Container Line.

Commenting on the visit, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, owner of the Port of Felixstowe, said:

“It is a great honour for us to welcome His Excellency Ambassador Liu and the Consul General to the Port of Felixstowe. China is the major source of container traffic moving through Felixstowe and accounts for over 40% of all container movements. We were delighted to have the opportunity to show them the latest investments we are making, including our third rail terminal and the new Berths 8&9, the only berths in the UK able to accommodate the next generation of giant containerships.”

Ambassador Liu said:

“It is a pleasure to visit the Port of Felixstowe, the UK’s most important port of trade with China. I am truly impressed by its top-notch facilities and amazing container handling efficiency. Hutchison Ports (UK) limited has demonstrated great far-sightedness in choosing to invest here and making it the largest container port in this nation.

“China-UK bilateral trade totalled $63.1 billion in 2012, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%. Our bilateral trade has kicked off with a good start this year, according to the figures in the first three months. I hope the Port of Felixstowe will play an even bigger role in China-UK trade and more and more Chinese companies like Cosco Container Lines will designate it as UK port of call. I wish Port of Felixstowe every success.”

Caroline Wilson said:

“It has been excellent to witness first hand the phenomenal facilities at Felixstowe port. The scale, speed and efficiency of operations is highly impressive. I am delighted that this is the work of Hong Kong’s Hutchison, one of the UK’s most valued foreign investors. They, and the Port of Felixstowe, are making a huge contribution to the growing trade and investment relationship between the UK and China.”

The importance of the Port of Felixstowe to trade with Asia was recognised last week when it received the ‘Best Container Terminal in Europe’ Award at the 27th Annual Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards (the AFSCAs). The award was presented to the Port at a glittering ceremony held in Beijing.

Photo caption His Excellency Liu Xiaoming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom, has visited the Port of Felixstowe, the Port of Britain.

The formalities were handled by ACP’s Contracting Officer, Mrs Regina Donelson, after a successful trial period of 30 continuous days on the Panama Canal. IHC Special Dredging Equipment, part of IHC Merwede, that  specialises in the design and construction of special vessels, such as backhoe dredgers – has completed the contract with ACP for the design, construction and delivery of this innovative backhoe dredger. The company was awarded this project due to the reliable technology at its disposal and an excellent track record following the notable delivery of a previous order for ACP – the cutter suction dredger QUIBÍAN 1.

The ALBERTO ALEMÁN ZUBIETA has been designed and built using the latest technological developments. The vessel will initially be deployed for the expansion and then the maintenance of the Panama Canal. She has been conceived and developed to operate in the Canal’s Gaillard Cut, where she will dredge blasted rock and heavy soil. “ACP and IHC Merwede are both proud of the ALBERTO ALEMÁN ZUBIETA,” says Bram Roelse, Managing Director of IHC Merwede’s Dredging division. “It’s been a complex project and we have worked together to achieve a successful result. The vessel has immediately started work on the maintenance and expansion plans in the Panama Canal. “This represents a significant step forward in the use of advanced technology by IHC Merwede. Our life-cycle support programme includes the training of the ACP team to get the best use out of the equipment, maximise profits, and maintain and service the vessel during its operating

life.”

The project, undertaken by Kalmar’s specialist Crane Services team, facilitates the continued expansion of the port by making it possible to handle larger container ships.

The project involved increasing the hoisting height of all the quay cranes from 38 meters to 42 meters above quay level. All modifications were completed within a 12 month time frame with work initially started in April 2012 and the 6th crane being re-commissioned in March 2013.

The highly specialised technique involves jacking the crane and inserting a heightening construction just below the gross girders.  In order to maintain the rigidity or stiffness, the sill beam is strengthened and bracers are installed at the waterside portal frame. This process enables the crane height to be increased by four meters.

The quay crane heightening project also included the extension of the personnel lift and staircase, partial renewal of the electrical wiring and software modifications. Essential maintenance work to the cranes was also undertaken to minimise production downtime.Disturbance to quayside operations was minimised as the cranes were transported by self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) to a designated construction site. Once modified, the cranes were then transported back to the original position on the quay.

Hugo Borré, Technical Manager at MSC Home Terminal commented, “It is vital, that our operations continue to work at maximum efficiency. Also the ability to handle the larger vessels that are coming through is a critical factor.  We decided to increase the height of six quay cranes to match the 42m hoisting capacity of several existing cranes. For a project of this scale, Kalmar really is the specialist and we had total confidence that they could successfully perform such a complex project”.

“One of the key benefits of working with Kalmar experts is that, being a manufacturer, they have an excellent grasp of the critical design considerations and can therefore deliver a really effective solution in the minimum time frame. The first cranes were commissioned in September 2012 and have been operating without any interruptions or problems,” he added.

Vice President of Kalmar Global Crane Services, Gert Jan Doornewaard said, “Crane modification offers an innovative solution to ports who need to increase their container handling capacity relatively quickly. With the ever-increasing capacity of container ships, quay cranes need the additional hoisting height and often boom reach too in order to off load containers. Kalmar has developed a range of highly advanced technical solutions, like our unique jacking system for example, to facilitate this. It means we can continue to offer our customers a level of service that optimises the productivity of their operations”.

This is the second order from Turkey in less than a month. The 10 000 S trailer-based, diesel-powered Siwertell ship unloaders will be built at the Siwertell fabrication plant in Bjuv, Sweden and the delivery is scheduled for October and November this year.

The unloaders will be used to discharge cement at a rated capacity of 300t/h. Each will be fitted with a dust filter and double bellows system for loading trucks for onward transportation by road.

“The Siwertell mobile unloader has a reputation as one of the most reliable unloading systems available on the market today,” says Jörgen Ojeda, Sales Director for Siwertell Mobile Unloaders. “With more than 100 road-mobile unloading systems delivered worldwide, they have earned a high profile reputation as state-of-the-art unloading equipment. This was one of the reasons that Medcem Global Pazarlama chose this particular system.”

“Other advantages that influenced the client’s decision include the flexibility and high capacity that these systems offer, in combination with low operational and maintenance costs. As there is no need for any preparatory on-site engineering works, the mobile unloaders are available to start operations immediately upon delivery,” adds Mr Ojeda.