As guest of honour, the Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Derek Burke, who has strong links with the shipping industry as a worker for a local stevedoring company, presented a commemorative plaque on board.

Chris Lewis, Managing Director, DP World Southampton, said: “We’re proud to welcome the APL SOUTHAMPTON on her maiden call to the port city of her name, a name that will be borne across the world’s largest trade route. It is only because of ocean carriers, such as the APL SOUTHAMPTON, that many of us are able to enjoy goods from clothing to the flat-screen TVs, desktop computers and kitchen fridges.

APL is an important customer to us and we look forward to providing the most productive service in the UK of any container terminal, with a seamless transition of goods for Britain’s importers and exporters.”

Attending the maiden call celebration with Mr Lewis and Councillor Burke were Doug Morrison, Port Director, Associated British Ports, Aart Hille Ris Lambers, Head of Commercial, DP World Southampton, Richard Handel, Port Manager Southampton, APL, and James Cowan, European Ship Planner, APL.

The APL SOUTHAMPTON, which is 347 metres long and 19 containers (45 metres) wide, with a gross tonnage of 128,929, sails on Loop 4 of the G6 Alliance: Southampton – Hamburg – Rotterdam – Singapore – South China – Ningbo.

Earlier this month APL, one of the world’s largest container carrier lines, received the US Coast Guard’s highest award for excellence in marine environmental protection, thanks to investment in green technology and a target to reduce carbon emissions by nearly a third by 2015.

For example, the APL SOUTHAMPTON, the newest and largest vessel in APL’s fleet, is its most environmentally-friendly and fuel-efficient one, with a ballast water treatment system to prevent contamination on discharge and an electronically-controlled main engine to enhance fuel efficiency.

The latest release of SPARCS N4 includes new features and enhancements across the application to provide terminals with the functionality necessary to optimize operations through improved productivity and efficiency. 

“We recognize the needs of our global customer base are evolving rapidly.  Among those needs, the introduction of larger vessels and faster vessel turnaround times are forcing terminals and ports to implement greater efficiencies, and in many cases, do more with less,” said Bill Walsh, president and CEO of Navis, LLC. “SPARCS N4 2.3 gives our customers the most advanced technology available today to intelligently automate processes, reduce risk and above all, make a positive impact on bottom lines.” 

Major enhancements to SPARCS N4 2.3 include the following: 

• Greater Support for Automated Terminal Equipment: Navis’ ACS Manager now supports terminal systems that use a database-based API. Additionally, the newest version of SPARCS N4 can process and display scanned images for each gate lane, improving visibility and efficiency overall.

• Enhanced Yard Editor and Expert Decking Functionality: SPARCS N4 2.3 offers new enhancements to greatly improve container management and tracking in the yard. Additionally, the software delivers improved Expert Decking configurations for reach stackers and straddle rows.

• Improved Gate Operations and Appointment Management: The Multi-Gate and Multi-Facility Gate Clerk now offers an easy-to-use interface to process multiple gate transitions for trucks at different gates or facilities in a complex. As a result, operators can get a single view of active gate lanes and truck visits. Operators can also view and capture images in the SPARCS N4 multi-facility lane monitor.

• Redesigned Community Access Portal (CAP) User Interface:  The CAP user interface improves gate and vessel functionality, enabling terminal operators to better-manage truck appointments at the gate in addition to enhanced views into vessel arrival schedules.

• Enhanced Equipment Control: The newest version of SPARCS N4 provides improved equipment control functionality, allowing dispatchers to streamline traffic flow in the yard. Additionally, version 2.3 provides support for Wide Span Gantry Cranes in Quayside operations. 

• New Innovations for Rail Operations: Enhanced Rail Autostow functionality empowers operators to drastically improve planning with priority selection options. 

• General Cargo Functionality Enhancements: Extend existing cargo support to include more comprehensive Cargo Lot Management, RDT Cargo Tracking, and integration with service orders and electronic data interchange (EDI). 

• Enhanced Vessel Visit Management: Helps operators to clearly define vessel transit time between facilities in a complex.

 “SPARCS N4 2.3 represents not only the latest in TOS automation and optimization solutions, but also delivers the most up-to-date innovations, directly based on the needs of our global customer base,” said Frank Kooijman, VP of Engineering. “As the market continues to evolve, Navis remains committed to enhancing and expanding our technology, enabling customers to overcome the inevitable market challenges and changes that lie ahead.”

Liebherr’s development of the Straddle Carrier is based upon the extensive knowledge and experience gained in over 40 years manufacturing container handling equipment. The Straddle Carrier complements the existing product range of Liebherr Port Equipment. The Port of Liverpool currently operates Seven (7) Liebherr Ship to Shore Cranes.

In keeping with the LIEBHERR design philosophy the Straddle Carriers are diesel electric and the electrical drive and control system has been developed by LIEBHERR. The design is based on well proven technology and high quality components as with the STS/RMG and RTG cranes produced by LIEBHERR. The LIEBHERR design brings new and innovative features to the Straddle Carrier market such as four axle steering and brake by wire. The use of proven container crane technology such as its electrical hoist winch design featuring external disc brakes is typical of the design approach. With the Hydraulics located at ground level it offers a more dynamic response to Steering and braking inputs from the driver which are independent of Engine Speed. The four axle Steering system with cylinder mounted sensors ensures a higher accuracy of the Steering system in both 2 and 4 wheel steering modes leading to reduced tyre wear. By removing the hydraulics from the Engine compartment and top platform the Fire Risk is also substantially reduced in this area. The driver’s cabin is ergonomically arranged to provide a comfortable and productive environment with intuitive graphical displays for monitoring all major components along with statistical information for operations.

The stability of the machine while cornering and the smooth control of the long travel drive while box positioning as well as the ability of the Liebherr machine to handle damaged boxes effectively are among some of the features well received by operators.

The fishing ports will improve the standard of living of Ghanaians in the coastal provinces and lead to a more durable way of fish consumption. The cost of construction totals 200 million dollars.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority had earlier contracted DHV to produce the master plans and designs for the ports. Ben Reeskamp, DHV’s Director of Ports and Waterways, said: ‘Together with the local population we examined their needs and the places where the ports could best be built. This provided the basis for making the designs and preparing the contract documents.’ Ghana is financing the construction work by means of Chinese loans.

Ghana’s coastline is 539 km long and very inhospitable. Approximately 20 percent of the population relies on fishing or related activities. For more than a century Ghana has grappled with the question of how to build the small fishing ports. Loading and unloading currently take place on the beach and the boats and canoes cannot always cope with the heavy waves. Reeskamp: ‘Building the ports will provide better protection for the boats and it will be possible to load and unload hygienically in the lee of a breakwater. Thanks to cold stores the caught fish will be storable for much longer and this will give Ghana’s economy a significant boost.’

Land will be reclaimed and quays and breakwaters will be built in the new port areas. Reeskamp: ‘The client wants to build small modern ports, including a fish market, port buildings, good infrastructure and crèches.’

DHV is assisting in the selection of the contractors and is also responsible for supervising the construction work. Reeskamp: ‘We know every detail of the designs of the ports and in addition to drawing up the contract documents we also prepared the environmental impact assessments.’

The eleven new ports will be distributed along the coast. There will be ports in Axim, Dixcove, Winneba, Senya Beraku, Elmina, James Town, Gomoa Fetteh, Moree, Mumford, Teshie and Keta.