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PORTS
HHLA INVESTS IN THE ADRIATIC PORT OF TRIESTE
PORTS
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Germany’s Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is taking a majority stake of 50.01% in the multi-function terminal Piattaforma Logistica Trieste (PLT) in the Italian seaport of Trieste. An agreement was signed on 28th September. The investment will be allocated contractually and organisationally to HHLA International GmbH. With this investment, HHLA is positioning itself in a growing market on the Adriatic whose strategic position offers great opportunities for development. This will be HHLA’s third participation in a port outside Hamburg after Odessa (Ukraine) and Tallinn (Estonia).
Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of HHLA’s Executive Board said, “The Adriatic region has been developing very dynamically in the past few years. As the northernmost port in the Mediterranean, Trieste is the southern gateway to Central and Eastern Europe. The investment is a strategic expansion to our existing port and intermodal network. The terminal gives us the opportunity to actively participate in and help shape new and changing cargo flows and underlines our ambitions to grow internationally. At the same time, we will continue to enhance our terminals in Hamburg by investing in facilities and technology. We are a Hamburg company, at home in Europe and operating globally.”
Francesco Parisi, Chairman of PLT’s Executive Board added, “HHLA’s
Port of Trieste
participation strengthens the growth prospects of PLT and of the entire Port of Trieste. Our development strategy in the direction of Central and Eastern Europe fits in with HHLA’s orientation. The position of the new partners confirms us in the development of the terminal expansion we are pushing ahead with.”
The terminal facilities are within the Free Port of Trieste and take up a total area of 28 hectares. In the northern part of the facilities, mainly general cargo transports and logistic services are being handled. The new heart of the terminal is emerging in the southern part - the newly developed area will start operations in the first quarter of 2021 and is designed to handle container and ro/ro traffic. The capacity of the PLT terminal will then comprise a total of approximately 300,000 teu, 90,000 ro/ ro units and 700,000 tonnes of general cargo. There is also the option to significantly expand terminal capacity through additional adjacent areas.
The strategically relevant position of the Port of Trieste on the Adriatic also allows for excellent development opportunities in hinterland transport. The PLT terminal has its own rail connection. The HHLA rail subsidiary Metrans already connects the Port of Trieste with its European intermodal network.
The transaction is subject to various conditions precedent and is expected to close in January 2021.
Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and Tanger Med Port Authority (TMPA) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to form a partnership. Both Hamburg Port Authority and TMPA hold strong leadership positions in their respective regions and pursue common goals within the framework of port cooperation - including port management, logistics and the digitalisation of trade.
“I am very pleased that, with the signature of the LoI, we have initiated a partnership between the TMPA and HPA,” says Jens Meier, CEO of HPA. “Both ports occupy outstanding positions in their regions. In this way both sides will benefit strongly from an active partnership, especially when it comes to exchanges on questions about digitisation or port cyber security. We as HPA are looking forward to bring this partnership to life.”
“We are delighted to start this co-operation scheme bringing together HPA and TMPA on important subjects related to port competitiveness, digitisation and innovation,” says Mehdi Tazi Riffi, Managing Director of TMPA. “Both ports share common views and objectives in this respect. TMPA is fully committed to this new partnership.”
Through this agreement, both port authorities jointly aim to work on exchanging experiences and good practices in several fields including - Efficiency of port and vessel operations, Digitalisation and Port Community System, Traffic Management, Port (Cyber) Security, IT data exchange and Innovation.
TMPA is the leading African and Mediterranean industrial port complex and a global logistics gateway located on the Strait of Gibraltar. The port is connected to more than 180 ports worldwide and offers handling capacities of 9m teu.
In 2019, the universal port of Hamburg handled 1.3m tonnes of cargo in seaborne trade with Morocco, which constitutes an increase of 62.2% compared with the previous year. Totalling at 92,000 teu, container handling figures reached a record high with an increase of 14.2%. This development is primarily due to increased throughput volumes with TMPA. Morocco is Hamburg’s leading trading partner in direct trade with Africa. A total of nine liner services connect the port of Hamburg with Morocco.
The Port of Tanger
THE BAHAMAS MARITIME AUTHORITY LAUNCHES MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS TO BORIS
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) is delighted to announce that it has made some significant enhancements to its digital platform, the Bahamas Online Registration Information System (BORIS).
These developments mean that companies registering for this service will be able to digitally access many of the services offered by The BMA. These services include check and reserve a vessel name, complete registration application and certificate verification. This capability will complement the existing online seafarer services that provide the ability to pay an invoice, download system-generated documents, monitor progress and track seafarer applications.
A major benefit to users is that the enhanced system avoids the need to repeatedly enter ship data when completing registration forms as vessel details only need to be entered once. This, combined with an improved user interface, will represent increased business efficiency and significant time and cost savings for clients during the registration process. New users can get started easily by registering for an account in the ‘What would you like to do?’ section of BORIS.
“The launch of the new enhancements to BORIS is a significant and progressive step for the BMA. With the rapid increase in business transactions conducted with online assistance during the past several months, it is an appropriate time to launch our Online Vessel Registration System. We work closely with our clients and stakeholders of the BMA family and the system was designed to ensure we meet their needs. The registration process is simplified and, with the user-friendly
An Aerial view of Industriepark Kleefse Waard
design of the system, we believe our clients will welcome the results of Phase One of this innovative online service,” said Carolyn Moree, Registrar and Deputy Director of The BMA.
John Adams, Chairman of the Bahamas Shipowners Association (BSA), whose members made valuable contributions to the process, said, “The BSA is pleased to see the launch of the new online registration tool from The BMA, which several of our members were able to review during its development.”
Dwain Hutchinson, Managing Director and CEO of The BMA, added, “Shipping is embracing the digital age and, as a progressive and customer focused Flag administration, The BMA will continue to remain at the forefront of reviewing and implementing appropriate new technology tools to enhance our stakeholder and client engagement.”
The Bahamas Online system
THE CITY OF ARNHEM GOES SMART
Holland’s City of Arnhem has selected OpenRemote’s open-source IoT solution to develop an intelligent energy management system using advanced IoT technology. This new data management platform will enable the city’s energy managers to automate and oversee a distributed energy system combining solar and wind power installations, electric fleet chargers, cold ironing for ships and battery storage, through a powerful desktop and mobile application.
The solar and wind energy produced at Kleefsewaard, an industrial park located east of the city, is used for charging electric vehicles across the city as well as powering the ships docked in its harbour (cold ironing). In order to maximise the use of local renewable energy, the City of Arnhem needed an energy management solution capable of predicting power generation, as well as optimising the vehicle charging and cold ironing, with the use of an additional energy storage unit. A mobile application, built on OpenRemote’s open-source IoT platform, will enable the city’s energy managers and maintenance crews to evaluate the performance of all system components on-the-go, at any time or place.
“Thanks to our flexible IoT Solution, diverse data sources using distinct communication protocols can be interconnected into a single integrated platform. That means that all the units that compose Kleefsewaard’s distributed energy system can now come seamlessly together in a centralised energy management system. Thanks to advanced IoT capabilities, relevant weather data has been added to predict energy generation, while feedback from the application’s optimisation routine is translated into charging and discharging commands and requested power set points, making the whole system more effective and easier to manage,” explained Pierre Kil, CEO of OpenRemote.
The system is able to forecast power generation, consumption and carbon costs for the upcoming 24 hours. These essential data points are used to define optimal charging and discharging cycles for the energy storage unit, assess the vehicle fleet storage capacity, while considering the minimum required power indicated by the charging service provider.
The application will feature a dashboard to enable energy managers to supervise the whole system and monitor financial and carbon savings through a set of performance indicators. An ‘Insights’ section within the app will display key system parameters such as local energy, selfconsumption or saved costs in a personalised, single-page view. Users will also automatically be alerted by the app in case of abnormal system behaviour, as determined per pre-defined rules, and receive a first analysis of the potential root cause.
“We are currently developing our own customised solution with the active support of the OpenRemote team. The end result will be a smart energy management system that is tailored to our specific optimisation and reporting needs and hosted in our own secure environment. It will become a key tool to facilitate and improve the work of both our energy managers and maintenance personnel,” commented Peter Swart, Programme manager Energy at City of Arnhem.
TEESPORT WELCOMES BILBAO SERVICE AND NEW RO/RO TERMINAL
UK’s Teesport, owned and operated by PD Ports, is preparing to welcome a new container service as part of a weekly route from Bilbao, Spain. Operated by specialist Iberian shortsea container line W.E.C Lines in conjunction with A2B and started during late October, the twice weekly arrival into Teesport will offer a more costeffective and sustainable solution for customers wanting to move cargo in and around Spain.
The new route, which boasts competitive transit times between Teesport with the northern Spanish hub port of Bilbao, means that the Port will now handle over 25 vessel calls each week, reaffirming its position as the UK’s northern gateway for global shippers, servicing world-wide markets including Scandinavia, the Baltics, the Netherlands, Russia, Belgium, France and Poland.
Geoff Lippitt, PD Ports Group Business Development Director, said, “We’re delighted that W.E.C Lines has chosen Teesport as a port of call on this new route to and from Bilbao. Our extensive road, rail and sea links at Teesport allow customers to move their cargo further and faster, via our fantastic onward connections to various major hub ports around Europe.
“We are proud that, even as we continue to navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully grown our global service offering and provided a platform for UK commerce to thrive.”
Whilst W.E.C Lines UK was established in 2019, the company has a wealth of experience as shortsea carrier from and to the Iberian Peninsula. Roger Megann, Managing Director W.E.C Lines UK explained how the new service responds to growing demand for multimodal services to the UK.
“W.E.C Lines is responding to market demand to bring containers closer to the cargo owner’s door,” said Roger. “By removing road miles, cargo
Teesport - owned and operated by PD Ports
owners will be able to benefit from reduced costs, less congestion, lower emissions and improved control over their stock.
“This service brings a new and reliable logistics solution to the market which will give a clear and advantageous choice for customers where options have previously been lacking.”
Continued investment in infrastructure has enabled Teesport to achieve a 10% growth in year on year container volumes over the last seven years from 2012-2019.
Meanwhile, PD Ports has also recently completed a £3.36m refurbishment project on its No. 1 ro/ro linkspan at Teesport that will support increasing volumes of global ro/ro traffic and further strengthen the Port’s position as the UK’s northern gateway for international trade.
Operating three ro/ro berths at Teesport, PD Ports currently welcomes nine sailings/week from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, as well as a monthly call from Japan. The renovation work to the ‘Number 1’ ro/ro terminal, which will improve sustainability and extend service life, means that a wider range of vessels can now access the berth. This investment demonstrates another step forward in the port operator’s long-term strategic vision to position Teesport at the forefront for opportunities for the north of the UK as a result of international trade growth.
The completed works, which began last spring, ensure that the berth complies with current legislation and modern design standards whilst also increasing the longevity of the berth’s lifespan, meaning that the Port can continue to handle larger vessels in line with a continued increase in demand for services at Teesport.
The project was completed both on time and on budget with the first vessel - the 162.7m long and 25.5m wide Estraden - welcomed back onto the refurbished ramp in March of this year after arriving in Teesport from Europort in Rotterdam.
PD Ports’ CEO, Frans Calje, said, “Ro/ro is an important component of our port activity here at Teesport and is integral to our preparations to support future trade movements in a post-Brexit era whilst continuing to drive economic growth for the Tees Valley.
“We continue to make significant investments in our port infrastructure, positioning Teesport and the wider region as globally competitive, whilst supporting delivery of the UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. This latest investment is very much part of our long-term strategic plan for Teesport as the UK’s Northern gateway for international trade and will enhance our capacity and our performance to the benefit of our customers.”
The multi-million pound investment builds on the £1bn of direct and third party investments that the port operator has attracted to the Tees Valley over the past decade and supports further long-term economic growth for the region.
Britannia Bureau, an independent supply chain logistics and customs processes improvement consultancy, has taken occupation of a hightech office facility at DP World London Gateway Logistics Centre.
This facility opens after a period of rapid expansion for Britannia Bureau. Brexit contingency planning, plus significant client wins, has required substantial scaling up of their operation and additional premises in which the company can continue to grow. Britannia Bureau’s London Gateway facility joins the company’s expanding network, with offices, associates and customs warehouses in the UK, EU, Asia Pacific and USA.
London Gateway Logistics Centre is a common user facility, with multiple tenants, comprising 35,767 m2 of warehouse space and 2,323 m2 office space. The facility was built over a two phased construction period, is finished to a high standard and is home to two high profile warehouse tenants and 9 office tenants including Britannia Bureau.
Britannia Bureau chose the London Gateway site thanks to its strategic and multimodal location, adjacent to the state-of-the-art London
Gateway port, and with several international rail and road connections on site. The move supports Britannia Bureau’s strategic goals of engaging more closely with port operations, tackling modern logistics challenges and advising clients on the sophisticated logistics infrastructure offered by DP World.
Currently managing 5% of all UK Customs declarations, Britannia Bureau will continue to service over 100 clients from its new London Gateway site, including Marks & Spencer, Lidl, Boden, ASOS.com and The White Company.
London Gateway is able to work with prospective occupiers on a range of build-tosuit solutions, ranging from 9,290 m2 to 0.15m m2, with fast delivery times following agreement for lease. Planning permission can be obtained within only 28 days as a result of London Gateway’s Local Development Order.
Mark Taylor, Managing Director, Britannia said, “As a ‘solutions first’ Customs Management organisation, our rapidly expanding business requires significant additional capacity to cope with the demands and opportunities leaving the EU will create. We decided to engage with the world class facilities being offered by DP World. As well as adding long term capacity for growth, this new office suite enables us to continue building the exceptional customer service that has been so key to our success to date.”
Oliver Treneman, Park Development Director, DP World London Gateway added, “We are delighted to welcome Britannia to London Gateway. We see this as a significant milestone in the development of a wider infrastructure at London Gateway - an infrastructure that underpins the growth of both the Port and the Logistics Park. A cluster of logistics industry expertise is developing at London Gateway and Britannia is a prime example of this. Proven expertise, such as Britannia’s, in handling the complex issues faced by the UK’s leading high street retailers importing inventory into the UK is a bedrock upon which the supply chain is reliant. To have Britannia assist its customers navigate the challenges and opportunities facing their supply chains from London Gateway is a building block for our respective businesses.”
Meanwhile, Compagnie Fruitière UK, a leading supplier and ripener of bananas to the British marketplace, has taken occupation of a 6,477 m2 ripening facility on practical completion of the building at DP World London Gateway. The new ripening centre will replace Compagnie Fruitière’s
existing operation in Dartford and will help to reinforce the company’s approach to a vertically integrated supply chain. It is expected to be fully operational by 2021.
DP World’s high-quality construction, smart logistics solutions and industry-leading technology means that the new ripening facility will deliver the most efficient banana supply chain, optimising the ripening process and using technology to help future-proof the business.
The facility, located on plot LG70, sits at the heart of London Gateway’s Logistics Park and offers truly multimodal integration with the UK supply chain. Built adjacent to London Gateway’s deep-sea container port, with an international rail terminal on site, Compagnie Fruitière has become part of a connected supply chain that is faster, more efficient and sustainable. The warehouse has received both a BREEAM Outstanding rating and an EPC rating of ‘A’.
Speaking on completion of the new ripening facility Keith Sadler, Managing Director, Compagnie Fruitière said, “Compagnie Fruitière are very pleased to take delivery of its new ripening facility from our partner DP World and we look forward to this exciting project becoming operational in early 2021.
“The port centric location, combined with the use of technology to deliver efficiency and to enhance freshness, will further strengthen our supply chain and Compagnie Fruitière’s Middlesbrough based freight logistics specialist AV Dawson has announced it will build a new state-of-the-art head office facility at its Port of Middlesbrough site. With an estimated completion date of summer 2021, the new 2,230 three year masterplan recently announced for its recently rebranded Port of Middlesbrough facility.
The new office will be built in the exact location of the original Port of Middlesbrough. During reputation for excellent quality and service with its customers.”
Oliver Treneman, Park Development Director, DP World London Gateway said, “We are delighted to have delivered a bespoke best in class banana ripening facility for Compagnie Fruitière. The new facility further consolidates London Gateway’s position in the UK as the premier destination for imported temperature controlled and frozen produce.
“It further demonstrates the supply chain efficiencies to be derived from locating a warehouse operation in a logistics park adjacent to the most technologically advanced port in the UK – a semi-automated port possessing the capacity to handle refrigerated cargo traffic on an unmatched scale. Needless, to say attracting another shipping line customer as warehouse operator at the Park is a significant additional win for London Gateway.
“Compagnie Fruitière’s decision to locate in the park is an important endorsement for us and will provide them with the opportunity to drive further supply chain efficiencies for the benefit of their customers. Proximity to the largest market in the UK by population, London and the South-East not only reduces stem mileage and emissions, but also results in helping to mitigate cost pressure. We believe it to be altogether a more sustainable
AV DAWSON UNVEILS NEW HEAD OFFICE ON PORT OF MIDDLESBROUGH
m2 office development forms part of a £10m,
business strategy over the long term.” the excavation the sandstone foundations that supported one of the first quays have been discovered. Some of these foundations, which date back to 1838, will be preserved and displayed at the new offices.
The building has been designed with full glass frontage and rooftop terraces with views over the River Tees, whilst the interiors will feature open plan office spaces with colleague break out areas, a gym, private meeting spaces, co-working areas,
and training rooms.
When it comes to the top floor of the new offices the business has big plans - this level will incorporate a modern, state-of-the-art conferencing facility and meeting area, with capacity to seat up to 130 guests. The remainder of the top floor will be reserved for a large colleague entertainment area with music room, games area, kitchen, bar and relaxation spaces. Both areas will open on to two large terraces incorporating outdoor entertainment spaces with panoramic views across Middlesbrough and the River Tees.
AV Dawson managing director Gary Dawson said, “After recently announcing the launch of Port of Middlesbrough, our new head office development marks an exciting new chapter for AV Dawson. We wanted to build an office that not only looked modern and striking but also helped us deliver our long-term growth and expansion plans.
“Currently we have several offices across our sites with our teams dispersed across them. The new office gives us the opportunity to bring our teams together, allowing them to work more efficiently and collaboratively. A workspace needs to be functional but also address the needs of our colleagues - after all we do spend a large proportion of our days at work. We have therefore consulted closely with our colleagues to understand their wants and needs and to incorporate this into the office design.
“Although the interior design is still on-going, emotional health and wellbeing is at the forefront of our minds, this is why we have incorporated break out areas, entertainment spaces, quiet zones and agile working areas. These areas are designed to give colleagues the flexibility that is demanded from a modern office space. We’ve also considered COVID-19 restrictions in the design by introducing clear vistas and provisions for social distancing.
“This building is not only an investment for our future but a commitment to Middlesbrough and our local community. Our new conferencing facility isn’t solely for our own internal use - we want to engage with local stakeholders to host events and also open it up to local schools and colleges to visit – they will be able to learn about the port’s past, but we can also use this to reinforce the bright future our region has ahead, and the career opportunities available.
“Being a Teesside business, with 96% of our colleagues coming from the Tees Valley area, we were keen to procure from local companies wherever we could. This certainly didn’t mean we
An artist’s impression of the new AV Dawson Head office at Port of Middleborough
had to compromise as there are some incredible businesses in our area, leading the way in their individual fields. The design of the building was crucial to get right - this is why we are working closely with two talented Middlesbrough based design businesses. We employed the architectural
CONTSHIP ITALIA GROUP RELEASES NEW BUSINESS PLAN TARGETS 2021-2024
Contship Italia Group, the Italian container terminal and intermodal branch of Eurokai, has unveiled a raft of new initiatives aimed at enhancing its national and international developments.
In a wide ranging set of new targets and initiatives, the group will start work on achieving: • More than 1.8m teu new handling capacity,
services of C A Ross Designs to design the main structure of the building and commercial interior design specialists Cocoon and Bauer to bring the interiors to life.
AV Dawson’s new head office is expected to open in Summer 2021.
including gateway and transshipment capabilities, which are expected to be offered to global carriers by the end of 2024. • Intermodal transport projected to reach 50% maritime and 50% continental/intra-EU trade by end-2023.
In announcing the plans, Contship reaffirmed its strong and strategic commitment to Italy with substantial investments planned at La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT), the company’s main container terminal in the country. The development project will start at the Ravano terminal to realise a new 524 m length quay equipped with five STS cranes 25 rows across.
The first phase of LSCT aims to add 300,000 teu to the current handling capacity and increase the share of rail transport from the current 32% to 40% of the modal split. Short-term goals include the improvement of LSCT’s capability to welcome ULCCs with higher tonnage with the support of the new draft available in Fornelli East (-15 m) and Fornelli West (-14 m), the latest to be officially completed by the Port Authority in December 2020. This improvement will immediately support LSCT’s customers with an average additional vessel capacity of 300/400 teu/call.
The partners of TCR – Terminal Container Ravenna - SAPIR and LSCT, are currently discussing future investments to further develop the container terminal. Some 15 years after the announcement of the concession agreement for Eurogate Tanger (TC2), the new Tanger Alliance terminal (TC3) in Tanger Med 2 will start its commercial operations in January 2021, deploying eight STS latest generation cranes (24 rows/54 m under spreader) on 800-m quay and 36 hectares. Once completed, the terminal handling capacity will be 1.5 m teu.
The success of both investments in Tangier rely on Contship’s strong collaborations with international shipping lines such as CMA-CGM/
The Port of La Spezia
Terminal Link in TC2 and Hapag LLoyd at the new TC3 facility where Marsa Maroc is the majority shareholder. Eurokai holds 40% of share via Contship/Eurogate and Hapag Lloyd holds 10%. New projects in the Mediterranean region are under development.
Sogemar, the intermodal-logistics and customs arm of the Group is adapting its offering to the new trades and logistics challenges. Reshoring programmes and supply/demand evolutions in the maritime business are changing rapidly and SOGEMAR is adapting its new strategy by consolidating its leadership position on the maritime intermodal activities and expanding its continental rail offering. Sogemar will collaborate with its sister company Eurogate Intermodal to build and promote European network services.
Rail Hub Milano (Melzo), the most advanced private Intermodal hub in Italy, in 2019 already achieved the target of 50% handling operations with continental traffic (swap bodies, FEU intermodal units and semitrailers) and established itself as the first reliable Italian rail platform for China’s new Belt-Road Initiative.
Hannibal, the Group’s MTO, with over 60 trains/ week connecting Genoa, La Spezia and Ravenna with Melzo, Dinazzano and Padua, will continue to support the expected modal shift in the Italian port activities, expanding further to landlocked markets such as Switzerland, South Germany, and Austria.
Rail Hub Milano, Hannibal and the rail traction services provided by Oceanogate Italia represent a unique integrated and independent offer to the market, supporting customers in their value proposition enhancement with sustainable transport solutions.
Benefitting from the improved Gotthard tunnel capacity and specific new investments in national and in international inland rail hubs, Hannibal will continue to expand its offering to Rotterdam and the UK for continental flows by adding new corridors in 2021 and 2022. Additional ambitious projects related to the development of digital platforms will also be announced in 2021.
“These developments will be achieved jointly with the support of Eurokai Hamburg, the controlling owner,” commented Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, President of Contship Italia Group, who sees Contship Italia as its flagship operator in both Italy and in the Mediterranean region.
