Page 7 - Sphere No.8 (Mar 2003)

SPHERE
5
New Name for Old Firm
The Port of Felixstowe in February began
work to extend its Trinity Terminal,
providing an additional 270m of deep-water
quay and 14ha of additional container
storage space.
The quay is expected to be fully operational
by March 2004 and will increase annual
capacity by some 415,000 TEUs to over
three million, creating around 400 jobs.
On completion, two of the latest generation
of large container vessels will be able to
berth simultaneously, thereby securing the
port’s ability to compete against other
European container ports.
In line with the expansion, the Port has
ordered three more Ship-to-Shore Gantry
Cranes (SSGCs) and ten new Rubber-Tyred
Gantry Cranes (RTGCs) from Zhenhua
Port Machinery Company of Shanghai.
The Jan. 2004 delivery will bring the total
to 28 SSGCs and 86 RTGCs.
Meanwhile, in a move that will significantly
increase the volume of containers being
transported to and from Felixstowe by rail
and thus reduce lorry traffic, English,
Welsh & Scottish Railway has started a
new rail service, carrying 9ft 6"-high cube
containers from the Port toWidnes.
Hongkong United Dockyards in
November changed its name to HUD
Group, reflecting the diversification and
expansion of its business interests.A joint
venture between HWL and the Swire
Group, HUD specialises in ship repair and
marine engineering operations and is also
the largest tug and salvage operator in
Hong Kong. HUD’s main business interests
have diversified over the years to include
non-marine activities, including
automotive, electrical, mechanical and
process engineering services, and container
ship handling.
Felixstowe Expansion UnderWay JICT in the Loop
Balboa Boosts Capacity
Panama Ports Company has ordered
five new quay cranes for the Port
of Balboa Container Terminal from
Hyundai Heavy Industries as part of the
Port’s Phase III development programme.
The procurement forms part of an
expansion programme to double the
capacity of the port, increasing its fleet of
high-speed container cranes to eight.
P O R T S
IT Model is aWinner
Jakarta International Container
Terminal (JICT) on Nov. 6 welcomed the
arrival of MV. E.R Canberra, marking the
start of a new weekly route by the AAA
Consortium, an alliance between MISC,
MOL, OOCL and PIL.
In December, JICT completed construction
that increases its quay length by 133m,
allowing it to serve larger vessels. JICT has
also taken delivery of nine new RTGCs and
three Post-Panamax cranes.
Container Milestone
ECT Delta Dedicated West Terminal
in Rotterdam handled its millionth
container on Oct. 7, two-and-a-half years
after the fully automated terminal opened.
SICT Direct to Japan
A new direct service has been launched by
Powick (HK) Shipping between
Shantou International Container
Terminals (SICT) and Japan, offering a
cost-effective choice to shippers.
All Aboard
For the first time ever, three cruise vessels
simultaneously called at the Panama Ports
Company.
The historical milestone took place on Jan.
19 when Sun Bird from Sun Cruises,
Radisson Diamond from Radisson Seven
Seas and Coral Princess from Princess
Cruises docked at Pier 6 with a total of
5,590 passengers and crew.
Hongkong International Terminals
(HIT) has received an award from the IT
publication Intelligent Enterprise Asia, for the
development of Yard Model 3, a computer
simulation model for yard management
systems.
The annual “Intelligent 20 Awards” showcase
outstanding IT implementations with high
business value.The award highlights HIT’s
use of computer modelling to test processes
and workflows in the container yard.With
limited terminal operating area, HIT
continues to succeed in developing globally
recognised systems and processes, handling its
70 millionth container on Nov. 11.
In another development that will enhance
efficiency, HIT in January launched Guider, a
ship planning system that reduces by 25% the
time required to create a ship profile.
Developed in-house, Guider is a major
advancement over previous systems,
improving the flow of information between
HIT and the shipping lines, and can process
planning systems for vessels over 10,000 TEU
in size.