This call marks the first ever call of the Iberocruceros cruise line at the Essex port.

The ship has been deployed in the Norwegian Fjords during the summer months and arrives at Harwich International from Copenhagen. The Spanish cruise line, which is owned by Carnival Corp, has chosen Harwich for one of only two calls on its UK itinerary this year. The ship, which is 48,200 gross tonnes and 216 metres in length, has a capacity for nearly 1,700 passengers and departed early evening en route to Amsterdam.

Commenting on the call, Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs for Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd which owns Harwich International Port, said:

“The decision by Iberocruceros to include Harwich International on its itinerary is evidence of the interest in the UK cruise market and the importance of Harwich as a destination in its own right. As well as providing a welcome boost for the local economy, cruise passengers will be able to enjoy the very best of Britain, both locally and further afield, with convenient links to traditional countryside towns and vibrant cities, and a historic maritime town right on the doorstep. “

Domestic volumes continue to be strong. Alaska and Hawaii are up 5.8% and 5.8% YTD, respectively. As a region, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma are up 3.5% July 2012 vs. 2011 and up 0.9% YTD

A number of newly developed products in the heavy lift crane sector are being planned. In addition, the existing sales activities are being intensified, also in the form of new strategic cooperations with sales partners.

Extension of the existing series of Liebherr heavy lift cranes

In the heavy lift crane division further new developments are planned. The lifting capacities of the existing Liebherr portfolio range from 120 to 450 tonnes. The heavy lift crane series will be gradually adapted over the coming years and it is planned to extend the product range by one type per year. The new series will include cranes with lifting capacities up to 1000 tonnes.

Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH has vast experience and expertise in the field of heavy lift crane applications. A series of heavy lift cranes with capacities between 300 and currently 2000 tonnes already exists in the offshore crane sector. A completely new kind of subsea crane, type RL-K 7500, has recently been developed for subsea operations. The crane has a knuckle boom for underwater work as well as an AHC system (Active Heave Compensation) and can lift up to 270 tonnes above the water surface and lower loads down to a depth of 3000 metres. During AHC operation 40% of the required power is provided by active power from primary energy and 60% is obtained from passive power – Pactronic®. Liebherr Pactronic® is an innovative drive system on a hybrid basis and was initially developed for mobile harbour cranes and specially adapted to the AHC system for subsea cranes. In the mobile harbour crane divison Liebherr offers the LHM 600, the largest heavy lift crane available on the market. It features lifting capacities of up to 208 tonnes and has already been applied for several complex tandem lifts.

The knowledge from all product divisions and applications are actively integrated in new developments in the ship crane segment.

Further details regarding single developments will be announced after the SMM 2012 trade fair.

The service resumes from Monday (August 27) with two newbuilds delivered this year, Jolly Perla and Jolly Diamante, and is due to be augmented by two further ships currently under construction.  The ships are among the world’s largest of their kind and the biggest that Messina has ever run out of the leading French cargo port. At 249 metres long, they have container capacity of 3,000 teu and 6,350 lane metres for ro-ro cargo including cars, trucks and outsize loads.  The vessels feature an unusually high six-metre tall stern door and a loading ramp capable of supporting 350 tonnes – accommodating loads such as cranes, rail carriages and aircraft fuselages.

The service will be handled at the Med Europe (formerly Mourepiane) terminal operated by Intramar STS in the Marseilles eastern harbour area.  The rotation is Barcelona, Marseilles, Genoa, Naples, Jeddah (12 days), Mombasa (22 days), Dar Es Salam (23 days), Durban (28 Days) and Maputo (35 days).

Messina is the only line to offer a direct service between Marseilles and the east and southern regions of Africa.  The Marseilles Fos port authority welcomed the decision to relaunch with extra capacity and said the service would notably enhance the port’s maritime transport network.