Singapore-based Container Terminal Operator #1 in 2010

PSA is the world’s busiest container terminal operator in 2010, beating Hutchison Port Holdings to first place, according to new research.

Drewry Maritime Research’s Global Container Terminal Operators’ annual report revealed that PSA, the busiest container operator so far this year, handled a total 51.3 million teu in 2010 – 9.4% of total world throughput.

Hutchison came second after handling 36 million teu, or 6.6% of total global throughput, DP World was third, with 32 million teu, and APM Terminals fourth, with 31 million teu.

In total, the top 10 terminal operators accounted for 40% of world throughput in 2010, or 219 million teu.

The Top 10 container terminal operators according to Drewry's Survey:
1.PSA (51.3 million TEU)
2. Hutchison Port Holdings (36 million TEU)
3. DP World (32.6 million TEU)
4. APM Terminals (31.6 million TEU)
5. Shanghai International Ports Group (19.5 million TEU)
6. Cosco (13.6 million TEU)
7. MSC (9.9 million TEU)
8. China Merchants (8.9 million TEU)
9. Ports America (8.1 million TEU)
10.Modern Terminals (8.0 million TEU)

Drewry said that one of the most surprising findings from the report was the strength of the regional players.

Neil Davidson, Drewry’s Senior Advisor, Ports, said: “We have decided to add a new analysis of the industry to this year’s report, giving a broader perspective than just focusing on those operators that we class as ‘global’.

“There are many other significant terminal operators around the world, a number of which have international ambitions.

“This new league table puts them into perspective and highlights the sheer scale of ‘local’ operators such as Shanghai International Ports Group (SIPG), China Merchants and Modern Terminals.”

Of the local operators mentioned by Davidson, SIPG ranked fifth overall (19.5 million teu), China Merchants eighth (8.9 million teu) and Modern Terminals tenth (8 million teu).

(Source:IFW and Drewry)

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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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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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Shipping lines suspend calls to worst-hit Japanese ports

(ifw-net.com) Shipping line services to Japan’s ports worst-hit by the recent disaster have been suspended, while other major terminals continue to suffer from congestion.

Maersk Line said services to and from Sendai, Hachinohe and Onahama had been suspended following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the country on Friday.

And it warned that services to the ports of Tokyo and Yokohama could be delayed because of congestion caused by their closure on Friday and Saturday.

“We are following the authorities’ recommendations on safety matters,” the Danish carrier said. “There are no commercial restrictions in booking with Maersk Line to or via Japan.”

“Depending on how the situation develops, it may be decided to deviate vessels. Specific contingencies will be communicated on a vessel basis. We are following the situation intensively.”

OOCL said its services to all Japanese ports, except Sendai, Hitachinaka and Kashima, were returning to normal.

Bookings to those three ports would be suspended until further notice, it said.

“All cargo on its way to the affected areas, will be discharged at the ports of Tokyo or Yokohama until the situation becomes more stable.”

It added that “force majeure” had been declared for one vessel, the NYK Themis (pictured), that had been carrying cargo destined for the port of Sendai.

The line said the cargo would be discharged at Tokyo, “and it is customer’s responsibility to make arrangements for cargo delivery. OOCL will contact affected customers individually for details”.

It added: “We are still evaluating the impact of the export cargo from the affected areas. We will keep you informed of the latest updates of the situation.”

Hapag-Lloyd said its staff and offices, major vendor facilities and cargo operations were largely unaffected, but bookings had been suspended for Sendai, Hachinohe, Ofunato, Onahama and Hitachinaka.

“At this point, we do not expect any vessel diversions, however, schedule delays are possible and we will keep [customers] informed about any schedule changes,” it said.

CMA CGM said its services were not affected, but vessels would avoid the North-east of Japan.

The brief closure of all of Japan’s ports was expected to cost the country more than US$3.4 billion in lost seaborne trade, according to IFW sister publication Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

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Does Size of Containership Really Matter?

(IFW-net.com) Maersk’s new ships have been ordered from South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, and are scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2015.The deal includes an option for 20 more such vessels, which would make it worth $5.4 billion – the largest single contract in the history of shipping.

Possibly the main reason for so many headlines about the ships, known as Triple-E vessels, is their scale: they have a capacity of 18,000teu, 16% more than the current largest vessel, Emma Maersk; they will be 400 metres long; 59 metres wide; 73 metres high; and have a draught of 16 metres.

They will be the largest ships sailing the world’s oceans. Not however the largest ever built, this was the tanker Knock Nevis, which was 458 metres long. And while the Triple-Es are 16% larger than the Emma Maersk in terms of capacity, they are only four metres longer, three metres wider and half a metre higher. The extra carrying capacity is due to their u-shaped hull, as opposed to the current v-shape of most ships today.

The ships’ environmental credentials are also impressive: the Triple-Es will produce 20% less carbon per container moved than Emma Mærsk, and 50% less than the industry average on the Asia-Europe trade lane.

This is largely due to increased economies of scale. A smaller engine will produce a lower top speed, of around 19 knots, a heat recovery system will capture and reuse energy from the engine exhaust gas for extra propulsion and they will have two propellers as well as their specially optimised u-shaped hull.

Maersk Line is also introducing a ”cradle-to-cradle passport” for the Triple-E ships. This means all the materials used to build them will be documented and mapped, so when they are retired from service, the document will ensure all the materials can be recycled or disposed of in the safest, most efficient manner.

Daryl Ridgway, Maersk customer Kuehne + Nagel’s Senior VP of sea freight for North-west Europe, believes KN could use the environmental credentials of the new ships to win business from customers concerned with the impact their supply chain has on the environment.

The economies of scale offered by the Triple-Es’ capacity should also result in cost savings. CEO of Maersk Line Eivind Kolding says the new vessels will reduce transport costs by around 20-30% per container.

But members of IFW’s LinkedIn group are questioning whether the reduced costs will be passed on to shippers.

One member, from a shipping firm, points out that freight rates are based on supply and demand, meaning bigger ships do not necessary equate to lower rates.

Kolding says the ships will only call at around three or four ports in North Europe and has named Rotterdam, Felixstowe and Bremerhaven as three potential calls. But this has caused concerns that there will be an increase in transhipment and cause congestion at the ports because of the time it will take to unload the ships – issues that could be exaggerated if other carriers follow suit and order ships of the same size.

Andrew Traill, Policy Director at the European Shippers’ Council and MD of online forum Shippers’ Voice, says: “Has anyone stopped to ask what impact these ships will have on service for those shippers whose goods will need to be transhipped?”

A shipper adds: “We can’t afford to risk waiting for connecting vessels that might be four or five days after arrival at the transhipment point. And if there is a delay to the connection, will the lines accept responsibility for claims on product we can’t use?”

Regarding delays caused by congestion, there seems to be consensus that ports will need to step-up and increase berth productivity, something Maersk Line’s General Manager of Terminal Strategy, Soren Thomsen, recently indicated was an area of concern.

On the question of whether containerships will keep getting bigger, Kolding says: “We have raised the bar again, and it is our belief that this size of ship will be the largest you will see for quite some time.

“Theoretically, you could make ships longer, but that would mean certain ports would need to expand their capacity. And making them wider would be more difficult, because container cranes today can only reach across 23 or 24 rows.”

However, he adds: “But we cannot exclude the possibility that we will be standing here in the future announcing a new record.”

By Damian Brett
(IFW-net.com)

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Maersk will have containership of 18,000 TEUs

(Source: Cargosystems)

After many months speculation, Maersk Line has signed a contract for 10 of the world’s largest container ships, with an option to buy another 20.

The Danish shipping line said the 18,000teu capacity ships, built by Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), will be the most efficient container vessels.

At 400 metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres tall, the Triple-E will be the largest vessel of any type known to be in operation.

However, the dimensions of the new ships will mean that many major container ports will be able to accommodate them without major adjustments to existing infrastructure.

Many key terminals in Europe, Asia and the Americas already have sufficient a draught and there has been an increase in sales of high capacity STS gantry cranes with longer waterside outreach in recent years.

With each ship costing US$190 million, the confirmed order is worth $1.9bn. If the options for a further 20 ships are exercised, the value of the deal would be $5.7bn, making it the largest container ship contract ever.

Maersk said that it has today paid a 10% down payment on the 10-ship order and will pay four 10% down payments in all, with a final payment of 60%. The shipping line confirmed that financing had been arranged, but it did not explain details of the finance arrangements.

With deliveries from DSME shipyard scheduled from 2013 to 2015, the giant container vessels will be known as Triple-E.

Maersk Line said that the ships were based on “economy of scale, energy efficiency” and being “environmentally improved” – hence "Triple-E".

With capacity to carry 18,000teu, the Triple-E will be 16 % larger (2,500teu) than the Emma Maersk.

Maersk Line explained that it is buying the ships to position itself to profit from an anticipated 5-8 % growth in the Asia-Europe trade through to 2015, and to maintain its leading market share in the trade.

As well as setting a new benchmark for size, Maersk said the new ships will help it achieve its goals at the lowest possible cost, while producing the lowest possible amount of CO2 emissions.

The vessels promise an impressive 50% less CO2 per container moved than the industry average on the Asia–Europe trade and 20% less than the Emma Maersk. Maersk also claimed that the Triple-E would consume 35% less fuel per container than the 13,100teu vessels being delivered to other container shipping lines in the next few years.

“One of the biggest challenges we face in the world today is how to meet the growing needs of a growing population and while minimising the impact that is going to have on our planet,” said Eivind Kolding, Maersk Line CEO.

“International trade will continue to play a key role in the development of the global economy; but, for the health of the planet, we must continue to reduce our CO2 emissions.”

“It is not only a top priority for us, but also for our customers, who depend on us in their supply chain, and also for a growing number of consumers who base their purchasing decisions on this type of information,” he added.

(Source: Cargosystems)

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Asia Pacific Journal of Strategic Development

New Academic Journal on Strategic Development is Launching Soon

A new academic journal named 'Asia Pacific Journal of Strategic Development' will be launched very soon. The journal is published by the Institute for Aceh Strategic Development. Dr. Muhammad Subhan, as the journal's editor-in-chief said that the journal will have its initial printed and online version and will be published twice a year. The journal is expected to have its initial publication before October 2011.

The Asia Pacific Journal of Strategic Development (APJSD) is devoted to identifying, mapping, understanding, and interpreting new trends and patterns in strategic development especially within Asian countries as well as other parts of the world. The journal endeavors to highlight strategic development from different perspectives. The aim is to promote a broader dissemination of the results of scholarly endeavors into a broader subject of development and to establish an effective means of communication between academic and research institutions, policy makers, government agencies and persons concerned with the complex issue of strategic development.

The Journal is a peer-reviewed journal. The acceptance decision is made based upon an independent review process supported by rigorous processes, provides constructive and prompt evaluations of submitted manuscripts, ensuring that only intellectual and scholarly work of the greatest contribution and highest significance is published.

Type of Publication

The journal will be published in form of printed as well as online (electronic) version.

Contents

The APJSD publishes original conceptual and research papers, review papers, technical reports, case studies, management reports, book reviews, research notes, and commentaries. It will occasionally come out with special issues devoted to important topics concerning strategic development issues.

Subject Coverage

The following topics are among those of interest but not limited to APJSD:
• Strategic studies
• Green growth strategy
• Sustainable development issues
• Adapting strategic planning to development
• Management of strategy
• Strategic alliances and collaboration
• Strategic infrastructure development
• Strategic resource development
• Strategic human resource development
• Strategic technology development
• Competitive strategic development
• Strategic change management
• Leadership and governance
• Building community capacity
• People involvement in development
• Market strategy and development
• Competence-based strategy


Editor-in-Chief:
Muhammad Subhan, Ph.D (Editor-in-chief)


Co-Editors:

• Mohd. Hasanur Raihan Joarder, Ph.D (United International University, Bangladesh)
• Muhammad Abubakar, Ph.D (Malikussaleh University, Indonesia)

Editorial Board:

• Jimoh Rasheed Gbenga, Ph.D (University of Ilorin, Nigeria)
• Fu Xiaowen, Ph.D (Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
• Yi-Chih Yang, Ph.D (National Kaohsiung Marine University, Taiwan)
• Ahmad Bashawir A. Ghani, Ph.D (University Utara Malaysia)
• Simme Veldman, Ph.D (ECORYS Transport Rotterdam, the Netherland)
• Mohammad Noorman Masrek, Ph.D (University Technology MARA Malaysia)
• Muhammad Shabri A. Madjid, Ph.D(International Islamic University Malaysia)
• Mohammad Ali Ashraf (United International University, Bangladesh)
• Kang Eng Thye, Ph.D (University Utara Malaysia)
• Chen-Dong Tso, Ph.D (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
• Muslim Amin, Ph.D (University Technology Malaysia)
• Abubakar Eby Hara, Ph.D (University Utara Malaysia)

International Advisory Board

• Malcolm Tull, Ph.D (Murdoch University, Australia)
• Juhary Haji Ali, Ph.D (City University College of Science and Technology, Malaysia)
• Nam-Kyu Park, Ph.D (Tongmyong University, Korea)
• Syurkani Ishak Kasim, Ph.D (Ministry of Finance, Republic of Indonesia)
• Jose Tongzon, Ph.D (Inha University, Korea)

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World's Larget & Most Expensive Cruise Ship Launched

By JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press Writer  – Sun Nov 1, 2009


The world's largest cruise ship cleared a crucial obstacle Sunday, lowering its smokestacks to squeeze under a bridge in Denmark.

The Oasis of the Seas — which rises about 20 stories high — passed below the Great Belt Fixed Link with a slim margin as it left the Baltic Sea on its maiden voyage to Florida.

Bridge operators said that even after lowering its telescopic smokestacks the giant ship had less than a 2-foot (half-meter) gap.

Hundreds of people gathered on beaches at both ends of the bridge, waiting for hours to watch the brightly lit behemoth sail by shortly after midnight (2300GMT; 7 p.m. EDT).

"It was fantastic to see it glide under the bridge. Boy, it was big," said Kurt Hal, 56.

Company officials are banking that its novelty will help guarantee its success. Five times larger than the Titanic, the $1.5 billion ship has seven neighborhoods, an ice rink, a small golf course and a 750-seat outdoor amphitheater. It has 2,700 cabins and can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

Accommodations include loft cabins, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and 1,600-square-foot (487-meter) luxury suites with balconies overlooking the sea or promenades.

The liner also has four swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, and a youth zone with theme parks and nurseries for children.

Oasis of the Sea, nearly 40 percent larger than the industry's next-biggest ship, was conceived years before the economic downturn caused desperate cruise lines to slash prices to fill vacant berths.

It was built by STX Finland for Royal Caribbean International and left the shipyard in Finland on Friday. Officials hadn't expected any problems in passing the Great Belt bridge, but traffic was stopped for about 15 minutes as a precaution when the ship approached, Danish navy spokesman Joergen Brand said.

Aboard the Oasis of the Seas, project manager Toivo Ilvonen of STX Finland confirmed that the ship had passed under the bridge without any incidents.

"Nothing fell off," he said.

The enormous ship features various "neighborhoods" — parks, squares and arenas with special themes. One of them will be a tropical environment, including palm trees and vines among the total 12,000 plants on board. They will be planted after the ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale.

In the stern, a 750-seat outdoor theater — modeled on an ancient Greek amphitheater — doubles as a swimming pool by day and an ocean front theater by night. The pool has a diving tower with spring boards and two 33-foot (10-meter) high-dive platforms. An indoor theater seats 1,300 guests.

One of the "neighborhoods," named Central Park, features a square with boutiques, restaurants and bars, including a bar that moves up and down three decks, allowing customers to get on and off at different levels.

Once home, the $1.5 billion floating extravaganza will have more, if less visible, obstacles to duck: a sagging U.S. economy, questions about the consumer appetite for luxury cruises and criticism that such sailing behemoths are damaging to the environment and diminish the experience of traveling.

It is due to make its U.S. debut on Nov. 20 at its home port, Port Everglades in Florida.

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Pictures by: The Associated Press and Reuters

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Bandung to Plan its Own International Seaport

West Java province is planning to build its own international seaport in Muara Gembong, Bekasi district, a provincial businessman said.

"The new seaport is expected to accelerate the flow of goods and services between West Java and other parts of Indonesia and abroad," Agung Sutrisno, chairman of the West Java branch of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said here on Thursday.

He said the decision to build a seaport for West Java was made because Tanjung Priok port in north Jakarta that was until now also serving West Java had become too remote and costly in terms of transportation expenses.

"The existence of illegal costs during the journey of our goods to Tanjung Priok has also added to the financial burden of businessmen in West Java," he said.

The new seaport would be built under the coordination of the West Java provincial administration and in cooperation with private investors.

"The project is estimated to cost Rp 4-5 trillion and will be finished in about 3 to 4 years from now," Agung added.

Source: Antara | Friday, October 30, 2009 05:13 WIB |

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Malacca Straits still Save for More Future Vessel Traffic

A preliminary shipping study on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore has shown that the Straits had sufficient capacity to handle more vessel traffic to accommodate future maritime trade.

Commissioned by Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), the study showed there was still substantial room for vessel traffic growth without affecting either efficiency or navigational safety.

The study, presented to the shipping industry here, assessed the capacity of the Straits based on 2007 data of actual ship reports and radar information from the MPA's Port Operations Control Centre.

In a statement, MPA's Group Director (Policy and Planning) Yee Cheok Hong said a clear and accurate picture of the carriage capacity of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, would allow the organisation to work with the littoral States as well as other interested stakeholders, to identify strategies to enhance capacity while maintaining navigational safety.

The Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) that runs along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, between One Fathom Bank off Port Klang in the west and Horsburgh Lighthouse in the east, measures about 250 nautical miles (463 km).

The narrowest points in the TSS, along which international shipping travels through the Straits, lies just south of St John's Island within the Singapore Strait and measures 530 metres westbound, 1617 metres eastbound and 2150 metres overall in width.

The MPA said based on the efficiency and safety indicators, the current traffic level in the Singapore Strait could be increased by at least 75 per cent, if the existing processes and operations remain unchanged and there were no advances in technology.

Source: Bernama | October 29, 2009 15:16 PM |

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Slowdown hits global shipping industry

Keeping the maritime industry shipshape
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