USD1,4 Billion Project of New Container Terminal at Sabang Port

Sabang Port of Aceh in Indonesia is constructing a new container wharf of 423 meters at Sabang Bay. The management board of Sabang freeport and freetrade zone (BPKS) plans to have several container wharf to accommodate future size super container. Blessed with nutural deep sea at its quay side of 22 MLWS in average has made the port as one of the deepest port in the world.

Sabang is located strategically at the most western tip of the Malacca Straits, the busiest shipping routes in the world with more than 55,000 ship use the strait every year. Sabang is like a gate to enter the strait from Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea.

The construction of the new wharf of 423 meters will be completed at the end of this year. However, to start the operation, the container terminal still need another one yaer to equip itself with necessary things such as quay crane (ship-to-shore), container yard, and other types of crane for container handling at CY.

According to BPKS, the port still need a huge investment to make it as international transhipment hub to avoid congestion at the Malacca Straits. According to the port authority, the intent to build the port is not to be a rival to current transhipment port in the region such as port of Singapore, Port Klang and PTP, but to complement one another. The port, according to a source, will start the operation in 2013 or 2014.
(Subhan/Aceh)

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Rotterdam terminal sale to Rhenus for USD35 million

DFDS is to sell its redundant Maasvlakte port terminal in Rotterdam to Rhenus Logistics for Dkr182 million (US$35m).

The sale follows the Danish shipping line’s acquisition of Norfolkline in July 2010 and the integration of its operations in the North Sea.

At the beginning of the year, DFDS’s ro-ro route between Rotterdam and Immingham was transferred from Maasvlakte to the Norfolkine terminal in Vlaardingen.

Following the sale, DFDS will increases its pre-tax profit expectation for this year to around Dkr595 million from Dkr550m.

DFDS entered a concession agreement for operating the Maasvlakte port terminal in 2002 and, following development operations, commenced in 2003. The terminal covers an area of 200,000sq metres, including three warehouses.

Rhenus Logistics has a business area focused on port terminal operations.
(Source: cargosystems)

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UK ports ready for greener future

UK ports can play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industry’s hugely complex supply chains, according to new research by the University of Hull (UoH).

The university mapped the environmental actions of 72 UK port locations and compared them with those carried out by leading ports overseas.

The research said that with more than 50% of global container traffic being controlled by 20 major ports companies, ports could take a leading role in bringing about major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.

Although shipping is a relatively clean form of freight, in 2007, international shipping accounted for 2.7% of global carbon emissions, according to report by the International Maritime Organisation.

Dr Patrick Rigot-Muller, from the UoH Business School, said: “There is scope to reduce carbon emissions in the maritime industry by between 25% and 75%, using a range of technical and operational measures,” he said.

Existing measures include the use of “green passports” that offered reduced port fees for vessels meeting specified environmental requirements for emissions. This is currently used at four Dutch ports.

Cold-Ironing is another measure currently in use. The report said: “This is far more efficient than generating power on board ships for heat, lighting and other operations

“If energy from the grid is from sustainable sources, the environmental benefit is even greater.”

Truck control and vehicle booking systems are in use at the US port of Los Angeles. This reduces carbon emissions by providing time slots for haulage vehicles to be at the quayside, limiting the amount of time spent in port with engines running. It has reportedly reduced port truck emissions by 70%.

David Gibbs, a Professor at the UoH said: “There is a good track record of shipping companies working in partnership with port operators to improve environmental standards, given the right incentives.”

However, he said, for agreements to be effective, they would have to be adopted at a Europe-wide level.

“The UK, such as any country, should act carefully on taking unilateral decisions, since the ports industry is a very competitive market.

“For example, an environmental levy through UK ports could divert traffic to continental ports with the final leg being done by road. This scenario would be much worse in terms of carbon emissions.

“So, as always, there is a balance to be struck.”
(Source: Cargosystems.net)

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