Amsterdam Seaports nr. 3 - 2012 by Amports

AMSTERDAM

AMSTERDAM BEVERWIJK IJMUIDEN ZAANSTAD

SEAPORTS

Special Issue

2012/nr3

Energy

PortKey

Taking safety to a higher level

Joloda

Smart loading system for containers www.amports.nl

S e p t e mber 2012

September October 2012 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

Contents Special issue

Energy 05 07 09 12 13 15 19 20 22 24 26 29 30 31 34 35

Balancing fossil fuels and green energy News in brief News in brief Port of Amsterdam researches shore power for seagoing vessels Amsterdam Seaports: Energy port in transition Amsterdam Seaports prepares for boom in offshore wind energy

PortKey takes safety in Amsterdam to a higher level Since the 9/11 attacks in the US, safety and security have become a top priority, including at Amsterdam Seaports. The new PortKey identification and registration system, due for implementation in 2013, is a response to this trend. The Ter Haak Group and CTVrede are the first Amsterdam port companies to participate.

OBA takes its first steps into growing biomass market Tata Steel invests heavily in energy saving Driving on frying fat

Amsterdam Seaports: Spider in the oil web Coal from Amsterdam Seaports Golden Arrow: First bunkering business in Amsterdam to receive AEO status from Customs VCK Logistics puts transport on the rails

Sustainable Amsterdam Seaports is taking shape With a large and specialised energy cluster, Amsterdam Seaports serves as a vital link in the regional, national and global energy supply chain. This strong position is in line with the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, and thus with the ambitions of the Port of Amsterdam.

A heart for all kinds of fish A people business: De Koperen Ploeg Always ready to support shipping Cover photo: OBA Bulk Terminal in the port of Amsterdam has taken its ďŹ rst steps into the growing biomass market. This May saw the company handle a large shipment of dry biomass when the 190-metre Egret Bulker arrived from Vancouver (Canada) with 47,000 tons of wood pellets onboard. Photo: Ed Seeder

Colophon: Publisher: Amsterdam Ports Association De Ruijterkade 7, 1013 AA Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone + 31 20 627 37 06 E-mail: amports@amports.nl Website: www.amports.nl

Managing director: Laura Keegstra Chief editor: Bart Stam Junior editor: Boris Coret Advertisement: Chris van der Deijl Translation: Writewell Amsterdam: Andrew Rogers, Akke Pinkster, Damir Avdic Layout: FIZZ, Meppel (NL) Printed by: Ten Brink, Meppel (NL)

www.amports.nl

Advertisers: 36 08 18 33 18 06 18 18 02 28 04 06

AYOP CWT Sitos De Koperen Ploeg Forkliftcenter Golden Arrow KVSA Logistics MegaBarging Oiltanking SGS Ter Haak Group VCK Logistics Waterland Terminal

S e pOt cetmber ober 2012

Port of Amsterdam +31 20 58 77 877 - info@vcklogistics.nl Port of Rotterdam +31 10 494 37 77 - info.ocean@vcklogistics.nl Amsterdam Airport Schiphol +31 20 65 49 100 - info.air@vcklogistics.nl www.vcklogistics.nl

September October 2012 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

Balancing fossil fuels and green energy By the time you read this column, the summer will already be over; a summer in which Amsterdam Seaports received a very positive surprise. Although it was a while ago now, on Thursday 21 June to be precise, the green light given for the new sea lock in IJmuiden is still big news. Three Dutch authorities (Amsterdam city council, the province of North Holland in which Amsterdam Seaports is located, and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment) have decided on a construction that will be 500 metres long, 65 metres wide and 18 metres deep. This is all good, although we’ll still have to be patient as, even with a smooth planning process and definitive consent, the work won’t start until 2015. The first vessels will be able to sail through the locks four years later, allowing the Noordersluis locks, which have been operational since 1930, to finally retire in 2019.

AMSTERDAM

LOTS OF ENERGY This edition is mainly focused on the North Sea Canal region as a strong international energy port. Amsterdam, for example, has developed into the largest petrol port worldwide thanks to the excellent blending facilities at our terminals. In the dry bulk sector, OBA Bulk Terminal and Rietlanden Terminals continue to benefit from the increasing demand for coal from the German hinterland. At the same time, our port region is developing a number of interesting projects in the field of clean fuel and sustainable energy. This mainly involves biomass, biodiesel and offshore wind energy. In May we saw OBA import its first substantial shipment of biomass from Canada, which will be used as clean fuel for co-incineration in coal-

fired power plants. Meanwhile, Biodiesel Amsterdam (Greenmills) is about to start running at its full capacity of 100,000 tons of biodiesel. And Amsterdam Seaports also accommodates various specialised companies for the assembly and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. The trick is to find a balance between the necessary growth of oil products and coal, which represents around 75 percent of the total transhipment on the North Sea Canal, and an increase in green energy, which will make Amsterdam Seaports one of the most sustainable ports by 2020. I am convinced that our four ‘energetic’ seaports will succeed!

Michiel A. Wijsmuller, Amports Chairman

AMSTERDAM BEVERWIJK IJMUIDEN ZAANSTAD

SEAPORTS

AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS

Ofﬁcial publication on behalf of the ports of Amsterdam, Beverwijk, IJmuiden and Zaandstad. Published four times a year in English by Amsterdam Ports Association (E-mail: amports@amports.nl - www.amports.nl) Mor e a b o u t A m s t e r d a m P o r t s A s s o c i a t i o n a n d i t s 3 0 0 m e m b e r s : w w w. a m p o r t s . n l Special Issue

2012/nr3

Energy

PortKey

Taking safety to a higher level

Joloda

Smart loading system for containers w w w. a m p o r t s . n l

September 2012

www.amports.nl

S e pOt cetmber ober 2012

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18-07-2012

13:40

Pagina 2

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October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

NEWS IN BRIEF AEO certiﬁcation for USA Terminal United Stevedores Amsterdam (USA), part of the Ter Haak Group, received the combined AEO certification for customs simplification and security on 3 August. AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) status is intended for logistics companies with international goods flows. If these firms meet a number of guidelines, for instance in the field of (physical) checks and reporting, they can acquire certain privileges from Customs such as fewer checks. Following on from Ter Haak Logistics (THL) in 2009, USA is the second Ter Haak Group subsidiary to achieve AEO status.

Presentation of the AEO certificate at the head office of the Ter Haak Group. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

Slight half-year increase at Amsterdam Seaports Amsterdam Seaports ended the first six months of 2012 with a growth of one percent. The storage and transhipment total added up to 46.6 million tons. The Port of Amsterdam, the largest of the four seaports on the North Sea Canal, processed 38.3 million tons in the first six months; an increase of 2 percent compared to 2011. IJmuiden processed 8.1 million tons in the same period, a fall of two percent. Transhipment in Beverwijk was down by 26 percent to 107,000 tons, while Zaanstad experienced a 27 percent reduction to 47,000 tons. The transhipment of wet bulk increased by around three percent to 21.5 million tons; mainly as a result of the extra transhipment of oil products at the new Vopak Terminal Westpoort in the westernmost part of the Amsterdam port. Dry bulk remained stable at 15 million tons. Although the transhipment of coal increased by some 10 percent, there was a decline in agribulk and construction materials. The containers and general cargo sector increased by 12 percent to 1.6 million tons. “Although the downturn is still impacting several key sectors, there are signs that the port may be benefitting from the gradual economic growth,” says Dertje Meijer, Managing Director of the Port of Amsterdam. Partly due to the new Vopak terminal, Amsterdam Seaports enjoyed an increase in the storage and transhipment of oil products. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

Marpol Services in Port of Amsterdam Marpol Services was established in the port of Amsterdam this July. The marine waste management company already had a facility in IJmuiden before opening its second location on the North Sea Canal. The reason was the arrival of a new quay, which allows the company to provide services in the Amsterdam port area in a fast and efficient way. Marpol is specialised in cleaning surface water, quays, seagoing vessels, inland vessels, materials and oil spill containment.

Peterson Agricare opens new building Peterson Agricare & Bulk Logistics is realising a new building in the port of Amsterdam to replace its existing offices. Established at its location since 1993, the company checks product samples for nearby companies such as Cargill, IGMA and ICL Fertilizers Europe.

Expansion at Fugro This June saw engineering company Fugro open a new building in the Amsterdam port, enabling it to offer all services from a single facility in Amsterdam Seaports. Fugro is a leading service provider in the collection and analysis of data on the earth’s surface and the layers below.

Contargo starts container train Basel-Geneva Contargo has started a new container train service between the Swiss cities Basel and Geneva. The shuttle train runs twice a week in both directions, and extends the transport options between the seaports on the North Sea, including Amsterdam Seaports, and Switzerland. Contargo has one of the largest networks in European container logistics, transporting around 1.6 million TEU a year. The company has its own inland shipping and rail container services along the Rhine, Main and Scheldt rivers, and integrates container flows between the seaports on the North Sea and in Germany with the European mainland. Contargo owns 25 inland container terminals in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland.

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL www.amports.nl

O c t ober 2012

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

NEWS IN BRIEF New building for Forkliftcenter in Amsterdam port Forkliftcenter opened its new 25,000 m2 facilities in the port of Amsterdam on 5 September. The company supplies internal transport equipment, forklift trucks, reach stackers, container trucks and port material. It is also involved in the purchasing, sale and rental of internal transport equipment. The new facilities were officially opened by Dertje Meijer, president and CEO of the Port of Amsterdam, during a festive event.

IJmuiden’s Sea Lock is on its way Amsterdam’s City Council has given the green light for preparations to go ahead with the construction of a new large sea lock in IJmuiden. This will replace the current Noordersluis lock, which dates from 1929. According to the plans the new sea lock will be 500 metres long, 65 metres wide and 18 metres deep. The Dutch Minister for Infrastructure (Schultz van Haegen), the province of North Holland and the City of Amsterdam have all now indicated their preference for this proposed construction. Although the Noordersluis could have continued operations until 2029, the City of Amsterdam has sought to speed up the new construction and will contribute 130 million euros. The sea lock will make the Amsterdam port region more accessible. According to port alderman Freek Ossel, the sea lock is crucial to the Amsterdam Seaports as it will help safeguard and increase employment, and help the port meet market demands for a long period to come. The Council’s decision about the costs, location and dimensions of the new lock means that the second stage of the preparatory phase can commence. The construction of the new lock (€ 848 million) is scheduled to start in 2015, with a test period in 2018, and delivery in 2019.

Opening of Forkliftcenter’s new building. Photo: Arend Velsink

Radar chain Amsterdam Seaports into operation The past few years Port of Amsterdam, together and Rijkswaterstaat - the executive arm of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment - , completed construction of a shore-based radar chain for the North Sea Canal Area on September 2012. At the same time the new Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) regulation came info effect, which means new VHF channels will be operational. The new radar chain will cover the area from 40 kilometres offshore from the port IJmuiden to the Amsterdam Rhine Channel access. This includes the seaports of Amsterdam, Tata Steel, Velsen, Beverwijk and Zaanstad.

KVSA launches free Felison Terminal app Royal United Ship Agencies (KVSA) has officially launched an iPhone app devoted to both Felison Terminal and Felison Cruise Terminal in IJmuiden. KSVA is in charge of both terminals and the related facilities. From push notifications about arrival or departure times to conference documents, users have easy access to the latest information on events at both terminals. The Felison terminal app is available for free in the iTunes App store.

Aerial view of the IJmuiden sea locks. Photo: Flying Focus

Offshore Ship Designers secures new contracts in China and Japan Offshore Ship Designers (OSD) has been awarded a contract to supply the design for a modified version of its Platform Supply Vessel for construction at the new shipyard of Honghua Offshore Oil & Gas Equipment in Jiangsu, China. The contract is the result of increased marketing and technical collaboration between OSD group companies. The 83.20-metre vessel has a deck area of 900 m2 and can carry 1,330 m3 of fuel, 800 m3 of fresh water, 98 m3 of liquid mud and brine, 1,350 m3 of drill water/water ballast, 265 m3 of dry bulk and 170 m3 of base oil. It has a maximum deadweight load of about 4,000 tons at six metres of draught. The vessel is equipped with a diesel electric propulsion system including four main diesel generators, 2 x 1900 kW frequency controlled electric motor-driven azimuth thrusters for main propulsion and 2 x 800 kW frequency controlled electric-motordriven tunnel thrusters fore. The vessel is fitted with a DP2 dynamic positioning system, can accommodate 28 crew members and has a cruising speed of 14 knots. Meanwhile, Swire Pacific offshore has placed an order with Universal Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) in Japan for six high specialisation Platform Support Vessels designed by OSD IMT, with options for a further four. The vessels will be built in USV’s Keihin Shipyard and delivery will start from the autumn of 2014 onwards. OSD is a global one-stop resource that provides naval architecture and marine engineering skills to the shipping and offshore energy industries. The company is based in IJmuiden, part of Amsterdam Seaports, and has offices in Montrose, York, Appledore (UK), Shanghai and Singapore.

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL www.amports.nl

O c t ober 2012

I N N O VAT I O N

Introduction of identiﬁcation and registration system in 2013

PortKey takes safety in Amsterdam Seaports to a higher level

The PortKey also contains various biometric data, based on the owner’s left hand. Photos: Ed Seeder

ince the 9/11 attacks in the US, safety and security have become a top priority, including at Amsterdam Seaports. The new PortKey identification and registration system, due for implementation in 2013, is a response to this trend. The Ter Haak Group and CTVrede are the first Amsterdam port companies to participate.

By Cees Visser René Besselink, Director of Secure Logistics, is clear about the necessity for the PortKey: “The International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS) means, for example, that cruise terminals must be ISPS certified, and that it must be possible to identify and register all visitors. The PortKey meets these requirements.”

SMART ACCESS Secure Logistics in Barendrecht, a city located south of Rotterdam, is specialised in identification systems and developed the PortKey for Amsterdam Seaports. It comprises a ‘smart’ access pass that contains the personal details of the owner, thus ensuring an advanced identification and registration policy. The PortKey has already been implemented in the port of Rotterdam and in the port and industrial region of Moerdijk, around 35 kilometres southeast of Rotterdam. Around 65 companies in Rotterdam have integrated the PortKey in their operational management, and at least 95 percent of the port sector accepts the pass as proof of identification. Jurriaan Blom, interim director of the Amsterdam business association ORAM, says that companies have an urgent need for a uniform access system that puts an end to ‘time-consuming procedures with 10

October 2012

paperwork and regulations’. The ORAM Director also indicates that the PortKey uses the very latest technologies.

TWO CLIENT GROUPS According to Blom and Besselink the system has two client groups: The Amsterdam terminals and port companies, and the pass users themselves. Companies that implement the pass system have both employees and visitors who regularly visit the port. Blom: “These could be warehouses, maintenance personnel, courier services as well as inspection services, police and customs.” Besselink: “A register pilot will easily have 10 to 20 different access passes from companies in its database.”

PRIVACY GUARANTEED The implementation of the PortKey system does mean sharing private data about its users. “The PortKey is a closed system which does not require registration,” Besselink explains. “The information on the pass is identical to that which people provide when entering a terminal. It includes employer details, personal details (name and birth date), proof of identification – plus data on people’s education and diplomas.” The latter may seem strange initially, but is actually quite logical. For chemical companies, for example, the lack of certain skills or courses can be reason not to grant someone access. “Before being allowed access to a tank storage company as an oil pipe welder, you need to provide certain diplomas,” says Besselink to underline the necessity. For control purposes, Secure Logistics has access to the Dutch national database that includes diploma registers. This way, the company ensures the validity of the registered courses and education. Besselink: “This provides the security that the information on the PortKey is valid and accurate.”

Amsterdam Seaports

I N N O V AT I O N

He adds that any privacy sensitive data is only registered on the PortKey pass. Although the information is also included in the back office system of Secure Logistics, the company can only pass it on to participating terminals to check the data of the visitors at the gate. With the exception of the contract partners, Secure Logistics will therefore never share this data with third parties. “It relies on trust in our company,” says Besselink, who stresses that all information on the pass meets the highest security requirements.

HOUDINI ACT

LEFT HAND SCAN

“We visit the terminals where these vessels moor on a daily basis. As a result of the ISPS code, the security measures have become much more stringent. The terminals are completely fenced off and often closed at night. It is impossible to have a separate pass for every terminal. Using the PortKey pilots can access the terminals with a single pass. At the same time, the terminals know exactly who is where at what time. This way they fully comply with the ISPS code.”

The PortKey is technologically impressive too as it includes the owner’s biometric data via a scan of the left hand. Or, to be more precise, the geometry of the hand - the relief, the veins, the fingers and the overall shape. As the relief of a person’s hand changes over the years, each scan involves an update of the left hand. As a result, a driver at the scan point at the gate can then easily stick out his left hand for identification and registration, for example. According to ORAM Director Blom a major benefit of the PortKey is that terminals no longer have to issue their own passes. “Take the CargoCard in Rotterdam, for example,” he explains. “Companies also use the system for their internal logistics. The flexibility of the PortKey is enormous. It meets the standard procedures that terminals already have to perform when someone enters the premises. It is also important that the PortKey can function as a stand-alone system, or be integrated in existing access systems.”

Another strong supporter of the PortKey is Willem Bentinck, Chairman of the regional pilot cooperation of Amsterdam Seaports (Amsterdam-IJmond region). He says that pilots guide some six to seven thousand seagoing vessels on the North Sea Canal a year.

www.secure-logistics.nl www.portkey.nl www.oram.nl

Jurriaan Blom (ORAM, right) and René Besselink (Secure Logistics) show a prototype of the new Port Key. Photos: Ed Seeder

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Port of Amsterdam researches shore power for seagoing vessels

hore power for seagoing vessels is a tricky and costly issue throughout the world. A feasibility study recently performed by the Port of Amsterdam shows that Amsterdam Seaports is no exception.

By René Didde Shore power units are already a reality in the Amsterdam port for river cruisers and some types of inland vessels. Large cruise and seagoing vessels, including container ships, may have to wait a while longer according to the research carried out by the Port of Amsterdam. “Shore power is definitely not feasible for sea shipping as there are too many different types of vessel mooring at the terminal which would all have to be adapted,” says Ton van Breemen, infrastructure and environment project leader at the Port of Amsterdam.

THICK CABLES REQUIRED For seagoing cruise vessels, shore power would be feasible under certain conditions. “But there will only be sufficient support among shipping companies if all European ports provide the same facilities. A slight rise in costs is negotiable, but they cannot be too excessive compared to the costs of diesel generators,” Van Breemen continues. The reasons why shore power for sea shipping is such a difficult issue have been well documented: The vessels require huge capacities, ranging from 12 to 20 12

October 2012

The cruise vessel mv Ryndam from the Holland America Line (HAL) leaving the Port of Amsterdam. Cruise vessels seem to be more suitable for shore power connections than trading vessels. Photo: Dick van den Berg.

megawatt (MW). “This demands extremely thick cables and heavy plugs,” the project leader explains. Additionally, transformers are required to convert the voltage of the public network on shore (11,000 Volts) into the 6,600 Volts on board. Frequency differences also generate substantial cost increases. Many seagoing vessels require 60 Hertz (Hz) electricity, while the European electricity network has a frequency of 50 Hz. “We calculated that the installation of shore power facilities at Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) would cost around 4.5 million euros, of which 1.5 million would be consumed by frequency conversion alone,” says energy specialist Van Breemen.

GIANT HOOD The Port of Amsterdam has also studied a test project in which emissions are cleaned by means of an Advanced Maritime Emission Control System (AMECS). This also turned out to be impractical. Van Breemen: “We would have to place a giant hood over the vessels’ exhaust system, which would result in a costly system on shore. Moreover, it means introducing a new sound source and shifting the problem to the water. The technology requires extra filters before a vessel can discharge its black water in the sewers.”

EUROPEAN SUPPORT Amsterdam city council is asking the city’s mayor and aldermen to look for likeminded ports in Europe that also want to invest in shore power for seagoing vessels. “We’ll be looking into the possibilities this autumn,” adds Van Breemen. “Amsterdam will be welcoming around 150 seagoing vessels in 2012, which will rise to 166 next year. Most cruises from Amsterdam head towards Scandinavia, Northern Germany and Western Europe, so it would be the most obvious to approach those port cities and the shipping companies involved.” www.portofamsterdam.nl

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

Amsterdam Seaports: Energy port in transition

s the world’s largest petrol port and second largest coal port in Europe, Amsterdam Seaports is a major link in the regional, national, European and global energy supply chain. At the same time, the Port of Amsterdam aims to be one of the most sustainable ports in Europe by 2020. Dertje Meijer and Marleen van de Kerkhof, President/CEO and Unit Manager Marketing & Consultancy of the Port of Amsterdam respectively, discuss the transition.

By Berber Paarlberg

HOW DID AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS BECOME SUCH A MAJOR ENERGY PORT? Meijer: “For the same reason that Amsterdam is such a dynamic trade hub: We are situated on busy shipping routes in the largest delta in Europe, with natural water connections that extend deep into the continent. This is essential for the transhipment of coal and oil.”

DOESN’T THAT ALSO APPLY TO THE PORT OF ROTTERDAM? Meijer: “That’s true; these characteristics make both Dutch seaports unique in Europe. The import of raw materials for energy is deliberately divided over various ports. For example, clients in the German hinterland do not want to depend on a single port, which also applies to transhipment terminals and processing companies. Moreover, it would be unwise for the Netherlands to concentrate its strategic energy supplies in one location. “Every port has its own specialism. Amsterdam Seaports, for instance, is specialised in processing petrol for various global export markets, such as the USA, West Africa and the Middle East.”

THE PORT OF AMSTERDAM HAS A GOAL OF BEING AMONG THE MOST SUSTAINABLE PORTS IN EUROPE BY 2020. DOES THIS INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE PORT REGION OR THE STORAGE AND TRANSHIPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS? Van de Kerkhof: “As a port authority we can mainly influence the further sustainabilisation of the port region and

Dertje Meijer, Port of Amsterdam’s President and CEO. Photo: Port of Amsterdam

storage and transhipment methods. Examples include the use of wind turbines, companies using each other’s waste flows and residual heat, implementing stimulating measures for vapour processing systems for the emission-free transhipment of petrol and diesel, covered belts for coal transhipment, particle monitoring and LED lighting at the terminals. “Whether sustainable cargo is transhipped in the port is mainly determined by consumers, producers and regulators. As a port authority we try to stimulate this development, for example by deciding not to build any new transhipment terminals for mineral energy (coal and oil products, ed.) in the port region until 2020. We are also actively recruiting new companies in the field of sustainable energy.”

HOW CAN AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS’ STRONG POSITION IN OIL PRODUCTS AND COAL BE RECONCILED WITH THE DESIRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY? Meijer: “This strong position is actually a precondition for the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Port companies have a wealth of logistic knowledge and experience as well as an expansive, modern infrastructure for the storage, transhipment and blending of energy carriers and agricultural products. This gives Amsterdam Seaports a sound basis for attracting parties in the sustainable energy sector.”

WHERE IS AMSTERDAM HEADED WITH THIS TRANSITION? Van de Kerkhof: “We see the port as an important location to facilitate the transition to a sustainable energy supply and bio-based economy. The port is an international hub where raw materials, residual flows, processing and energy production come together. “In a bio-based economy, new materials, chemicals, fuels, gas, electricity and heat are generated from renewable raw materials and residual flows. The Port of Amsterdam supports local initiatives with subsidies for environmental technologies (recycling), innovation and sustainable energy. ICL Fertilizers Europe CV, for example, uses residual flows rich in phosphate from the port of Amsterdam as a raw material for its artificial fertiliser production. The Greenmills cooperative produces sustainable bio-fuels and green energy from organic waste, such as used frying oil, food from supermarkets, and vegetable, fruit and garden waste. It would be wonderful to see the Amsterdam port becoming an experimental location for the bio-based economy.” www.portofamsterdam.nl

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Sustainable Amsterdam Seaports is taking shape

ith a large and specialised energy cluster, Amsterdam Seaports serves as a vital link in the regional, national and global energy supply chain. This strong position is in line with the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, and thus with the ambitions of the Port of Amsterdam.

company with a storage capacity of 1.6 million m3, accommodates the bio-diesel plant Vesta Biofuels. “They produce biodiesel, while we provide port facilities such as quays, tanks, storage and transhipment and blending,” says Managing Director Peter van Wessel. Oiltanking does the same for other clients. “We follow the market,” is how Van Wessel explains the share of bio-fuels in his company. “The trend is an increase in blending. Exactly how much depends on the decisions of the European Union but the figure is currently around the five percent mark. We facilitate the oil trade of our clients in the most sustainable way possible.” This is why Oiltanking has equipped its terminal with the best available technique for vapour processing systems in order to minimise harmful emissions and odours. Due to the strong focus on sustainability of German mother company Marquard & Bahls, Oiltanking’s sister companies are also active in various types of ‘bio-business’, including the trade of wood pellets (Denmark), biogas (Germany and India) and emissions rights (CO2 trading).

By Berber Paarlberg

BIOMASS ON THE RISE

Governments are increasingly forcing energy producers to blend sustainable energy sources, such as bio-fuels and biomass, with traditional fossil fuels (natural gas, oil and coal). The goal of the Dutch government is that 14 percent of the national energy consumption will be comprised of renewable energy sources by 2020. The Port of Amsterdam is a major facilitator in this process.

Biomass is also on the rise in Amsterdam Seaports. In May 2012 OBA Bulk Terminal, one of the two large coal transhipment companies, welcomed its first biomass onboard the Egret Bulker. This bulk carrier transported nearly 47,000 tons of wood pellets from Vancouver on behalf of German electricity company RWE.

For example, Oiltanking Amsterdam, the port of Amsterdam’s largest tank storage

Developments in Germany are not included in these calculations. Mattheyer: “It is as yet unclear to what extent biomass will contribute to generating electricity in that

“Amsterdam has a good logistic position for transhipment to the European hinterland via the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, and over sea to the UK,” says Hans Mattheyer, manager of the commercial department of OBA. “Moreover, it seems like the power stations in the surroundings of Amsterdam will also be using biomass. For the coming four years, we expect around 500,000 to one million tons of biomass at our terminal each year.”

In May, the bulk carrier Egret Bulker unloaded nearly 47,000 tons of wood pellets from Canada at OBA Bulk Terminal in the Port of Amsterdam. Photo: Ed Seeder 14

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

Waste processing company AEB in the Port of Amsterdam produces sufficient electricity for 280,000 households a year. Photo: Port of Amsterdam

country, but Germany is potentially a major market. And Amsterdam Seaports would be able to play an important logistic part in this process.”

STRINGENT MEASUREMENTS According to Mattheyer the transhipment of biomass is seamlessly in line with the other agri-bulk transhipment performed by the company. “The main difference is that for biomass we are focused more on safety aspects,” the commercial manager of OBA Bulk Terminal explains. “Wood pellets can result in a build-up of carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases. More than for other cargo, therefore, we carry out strict measurements of the percentage of these gases in cargo holds and in the warehouses on shore. The temperature is different as well. We have placed sensors in the two warehouses we are currently using for biomass, allowing us to monitor the current temperature status and developments online, and help prevent spontaneous combustion.” Other Amsterdam bulk terminals, such as Maja Stevedores and IGMA, are also in negotiations to attract biomass.

MORE AND MORE SUSTAINABLE YIELD FROM WASTE Waste processing company AEB also makes a substantial contribution to sustainable energy. It processes household and company waste, and converts 99 percent of it into energy (53 percent of which is green energy) and raw materials. Every year AEB produces one million megawatt hours (MWh) in electricity, which is equivalent to the consumption of 75 percent of all households in Amsterdam (280,000). In cooperation with the NUON power station, also situated in the port of Amsterdam, the company uses the heat released during waste incineration for district heating. Fifty thousand new and existing homes will be connected to this heating system before 2025.

SUSTAINABLE STEAM FACTORY “We want our operations to be as green as possible,” says Kees van den Berge, Director Strategy and Tools of AEB. The waste processing company is working on the transition from waste processing into a sustainable energy and raw materials company, and it is constantly looking for ways to increase the yield from waste. “We are one large steam factory and are therefore looking for other companies with which we can establish a single major steam network in the area to stimulate new activities. We are also looking into whether we can supply the carbon dioxide (CO2) released during the conversion from biogas to green gas to nearby horticultural greenhouses.”

PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR WIND ENERGY There are various promising developments which could increase Amsterdam Seaports’ role in the transport of turbines for the large-scale wind parks currently being prepared off the coast of the UK and Germany. Amsterdam Seaports has a favourable location and plenty of capacity for the import, storage and assembly of wind turbines.

www.amports.nl

Having facilitated oil and gas platforms and the assembly of two offshore wind turbine parks off the Dutch coast, the port of IJmuiden already has a wealth of offshore experience. Amsterdam Seaports has the space, relevant logistics parties and an excellent infrastructure. Moreover, the region is home to so much technical, maritime and logistic expertise that it could reduce the costs of the logistics chain for offshore wind energy.

GOOD BUSINESS Energy from sustainable sources is also economically attractive says Peter van Wessel from Oiltanking. “The establishment of Vesta Biofuels on our premises offers opportunities in the long term as the biodiesel plant constantly needs products and has a continuous product flow. This will ensure employment for our people.” Waste processing company AEB only implements sustainable innovations if they are profitable, and some investments are genuinely lucrative, such as extracting extra metals from soil ashes. Van den Berge: “Extracting these metals has major economic potential.” Thanks to its central location, excellent opportunities for storage and transhipment, the processing and production facilities, and the increasing number of activities in the field of sustainable energy, Amsterdam is transforming into an attractive, international logistics hub for sustainable energy. www.portofamsterdam.nl www.oba-bulk.nl www.oiltanking.com www.amsterdam/energiebedrijf.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Amsterdam Seaports prepares for boom in offshore wind energy

he IJmuiden-Amsterdam region is set to play an even greater role in the field of offshore wind energy in the near future. There are currently two operational wind turbine parks off the Dutch coast that are mainly serviced from Amsterdam Seaports. The future Q10 wind park ("Luchterduinen") will also be at a sailable distance, which is another reason why the long-term future is looking bright.

By Pieter van Hove “I think we are still at an infant stage when it comes to offshore wind energy,” says Ron Davio, Chairman of AYOP (Amsterdam Ymuiden Offshore Port) since February 2011. AYOP is involved in the promotion of the Amsterdam port region (North Sea Canal) for offshorerelated companies, and currently includes around 30 associated companies and local government authorities. “The Dutch government is aiming for 6000 MW (megawatt) in offshore wind parks in the North Sea by 2020. Considering that the current parks have a joint capacity of 228 megawatt, one can certainly say that the sector is booming; only no one knows when the next big step will take place.”

EXTRA QUAY SPACE REQUIRED To prepare for that major breakthrough, AYOP has developed a future scenario based upon the ‘AYOP wind@work’ workshop that took place in April. 16

October 2012

“Everyone agreed that Amsterdam Seaports has an extremely favourable location,” the AYOP Chairman explains. One of the action items is to find sufficient space for the storage and prefabrication of wind turbines. According to Davio, this could involve the ‘hinterland’ of the Amsterdam port region, such as the USA Terminal (United Stevedores Amsterdam), part of the Ter Haak Group, and the Amsterdam Project Cargo Terminal. Other potential locations are two industrial estates on the northern side of the North Sea Canal. The eventual assembly of the wind turbines can be performed at first class locations such as the IJmond harbour ('IJmondhaven'), part of IJmuiden, and other premises close to steel company Tata Steel. These sites are situated in front of the lock complex, offering access to the North Sea Canal and the port of Amsterdam.

EXCELLENT STARTING POINT “Our region has a wealth of benefits,” adds Davio. “IJmuiden and Amsterdam are in an excellent location. We also have a good connection to the hinterland and are situated near to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. What's more, we have lots of knowledge and experience at our disposal and the various sectors can join forces. “During trade events, we inform companies that the British part of the North Sea can just as easily be reached from IJmuiden as from the UK itself. The major difference is that we are not obliged to do business with specific parties.” Davio says that there are three other important offshore regions in the Netherlands: Vlissingen, Den Helder and the Eems harbour ('Eemshaven'), part of Groningen

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY Ron Davio, Chairman of AYOP (Amsterdam Ymuiden Offshore Port) since February 2011. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

NEW WIND TURBINE PARKS IN THE NORTH SEA The first Dutch offshore wind park (block Q8) on the North Sea has been operational since 2006. It includes 36 three MW turbines, enough to meet the electricity demands of 100,000 households, and is a joint-venture between Shell and Dutch energy company Nuon, a subsidiary of the Swedish firm Vattenfall. Two years later (2008) a park consisting of 60 turbines in block Q7, 23 kilometres off the coast of IJmuiden, was taken into use. Dutch energy company Eneco has advanced plans for a wind park with dozens of wind turbines 23 kilometres off the coast south of Amsterdam Seaports (block Q10). The Dutch energy company puts in a request for building turbines at this site in 2009, which encompasses over 20 km2 in size and could include up to 75 turbines. There are also plans for a wind turbine park 40 kilometres off the coast of Hoek van Holland. The East Anglia project off the coast of Great Yarmouth is huge (7000 MW), and easily accessible from IJmuiden. Ron Davio believes that part of the supplies could be arranged by Amsterdam Seaports.

FACTS AND FIGURES AYOP estimates that the wind energy sector in the Amsterdam-IJmuiden region is good for between 600 and 1,200 jobs. The area accommodates two wind turbine manufacturers, namely the Danish company Vestas and the German Siemens. Vestas moved into a brand-new building in the IJmond harbour ('IJmondhaven') in December of 2009; a property of Maritime Service Centre IJmond (MSCIJ) that facilitates regional offshore companies. At that time, MSCIJ, Zeehaven IJmuiden NV (the IJmuiden port authority) and the municipality of Velsen, which includes the port of IJmuiden, already had plans to facilitate the assembly and construction of offshore wind turbine parks from the IJmondhaven in cooperation with the regional industry. In addition, numerous companies are involved in logistic issues for the offshore wind parks, including the transportation of parts and employees to the wind parks at sea. WindCat Workboats in IJmuiden uses fast catamarans for these transports, for example. Seaports. “We are part colleagues, part competitors. But in mega-projects such as the East Anglia venture, increases in scale are unavoidable and our goals can only be accomplished through cooperation.”

NEW EMPLOYEES According to the AYOP Chairman, research shows that the wind energy sector will require 1,200 new employees over the next ten years. “This means that we’ll have to train new staff, which is why AYOP is looking into places to organise the required education.” This summer the trade organisation will meet with educational institutes and other interested parties. Davio cites the example of an institute for secondary and adult education in the north of the Netherlands, which will serve as a training and schooling centre for offshore wind energy. The institute itself is investing 1.1 million euros in practical spaces, wind energy simulators

Iskes Towage & Salvage in IJmuiden also receives a lot of work from the offshore wind parks. During the construction of the two parks off the Dutch coast, the company was involved in towing installation vessels. It was also responsible for personnel transport between the IJmond harbour and the construction site. Moreover, the company is involved in construction activities for the London Array wind turbine park in the Thames delta, the largest wind park worldwide. Two Iskes tugboats will be delivering wind turbine poles and other parts on pontoons until the end of 2012. “And there are also companies that are indirectly involved in the wind energy sector,” says Ron Davio. “An example is Shipdock shipyard in Amsterdam North, which performs maintenance on vessels used for the wind turbine parks.”

and courses, the certifying of teachers, marketing and recruitment. It is receiving support from companies in the north of the Netherlands and the north of Germany.

JOINING FORCES AYOP will also be looking into analysing the opportunities for further cooperation within the regional industry, and Davio sees encouraging signs. One of the clear results of the workshop in April was that Amsterdam Seaports has the necessary knowledge and experience, with industries being willing and able to join forces. www.ayop.com

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

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Golden Arrow OLIEPRODUCTEN AMSTERDAM BV

Years of proven reliability and commitment to delevering high quality marine fuels Golden Arrow Olieproducten Amsterdam BV is a physical oil supplier and trader at the ports of Amsterdam, Zaandam, Beverwijk, IJmuiden (IJmond Area), Den Helder, Harlingen, Delfzijl, Eemshaven and also Emden. In the above ports we are able to deliver competitively priced marine fuels. From our office in Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, we work with a highly experienced team of traders and planners to fulfil the clients bunker needs. In 2012 Golden Arrow Olieproducten BV is certified according to Authorized Economic Operator. The AEO certification proves that Golden Arrow Olieproducten BV meets the standards set by the Customs Administrations in the EU and complies with customs rules, safety and security and management systems. Contact: Le Mairekade 77, 1013 CB Amsterdam Tel.: +31 20 684 42 99 Fax: +31 20 684 68 57 bunkers@goldenarrow.nl - www.goldenarrow.nl

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

OBA takes ﬁrst steps into growing biomass market

BA Bulk Terminal Amsterdam has taken its first steps into the growing biomass market. The company recently handled a large shipment of wood pellets and expects to see more biomass arriving into Amsterdam Seaports in the coming years.

By Helen Hill OBA handles some 10 million tons of coal annually, as well as 500,000 tons of minerals and 800,000 tons of agribulk. This May saw the Dutch company handle its first large biomass shipment when the 190-metre Egret Bulker arrived from Vancouver with 47,000 tons of wood pellets onboard. The biomass shipment was destined for use by the energy company RWE, which includes Essent, for power plants in Tilbury in the UK and Geertruidenberg in the Netherlands.

DIRECT OFFLOADING “We have five covered storage sheds which are directly within reach of the travelling gantry cranes, making the offloading process highly efficient,” says Hans Mattheyer, Manager of OBA’s Commercial Department. “Using the grab, we can unload the cargo directly into the sheds, which have sliding hatches built into the roof.” Meanwhile, as no conveyor belt system is used for offloading, there is no risk of contamination, and biomass is not very susceptible to heating, he emphasises.

OBA can store up to 110,000 tons of biomass, due to the 22,000 m² of covered shed space at the terminal. Photo: OBA

OBA’s 22,000 m² of covered shed space can store up to 110,000 tons of biomass material. Wood pellets can be transported from OBA’s Amsterdam facilities to power plants in the south of the Netherlands by push barges, making the energy they produce even more green, or by coasters to shortsea destinations in the UK and Scandinavia. Because biomass tends to rise in temperature during storage, OBA has installed special temperature sensors in the sheds for continuous monitoring. The data can be read via the web, and action taken in case of a temperature alert. The sheds are also continuously monitored for gases – this is used to indicate whether spontaneous combustion might be a risk. Due to European Union moves to cut CO2 emissions, several countries, including the Netherlands, are now operating co-firing power plants. Five coal-fired energy plants in the country are already mixing biomass with coal and co-firing is expected to be made mandatory in the future, leading to further demand for biomass. Opportunities for transhipment to the UK mean Amsterdam is located in a very good position. Biomass shipments can remain in the Netherlands or be moved across the North Sea to Tilbury, or, in the future, to Germany.

FUTURE DEMAND Closer to home, OBA’s site is adjacent to the coal-powered power plants of Vattenfall (NUON). OBA already has a conveyor belt used to deliver coal to the power plant. It is expected that this power plant will also be co-fired from 2014, so OBA will be ideally located to supply the biomass. “We are definitely optimistic that OBA, and the port of Amsterdam in general, is well placed to acquire a large share of the biomass market,” Mattheyer underlines. In addition to wood pellets, which have to be stored in sheds, other types of biomass are being developed – such as torrefied wood pellets. “These can be stored outdoors, so we can handle this cargo too using our traditional conveyors and stackers and the large outside storage space.” The Port of Amsterdam, which deals with biomass from countries including Canada, the US and Brazil, expects the volume handled to reach six million tons by 2020. www.oba-bulk.nl

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Tata Steel invests heavily

s the largest power consumer in the Netherlands, Tata Steel IJmuiden, located on the northern side of the North Sea Canal, takes energy conservation very seriously. Lower consumption, after all, means reduced costs and decreased CO2 emissions.

coke to feed blast furnaces, and for the steel production itself. Furthermore, a long series of other processes on the premises also consume a great deal of power.

ROLLING WITHOUT COOLING By Jan van den Berg “Tata Steel in IJmuiden is the largest single consumer of energy in the Netherlands,” explains Gerard Jägers, programme manager for energy efficiency in the steel company. “We account for around four percent of the country’s total consumption.” And for anyone who thinks that finding ways to reduce power consumption is merely a fad, the company – known as Koninklijke Hoogovens and Corus at the time – started working on this issue back in 1989.

LIST OF 200 PROJECTS Jägers and his nine employees have been inventorying all the promising methods for energy conservation since the end of 2010 and compiled a list of 200 potential projects. Jägers: “We are currently looking at which projects are financially feasible.” Tata Steel uses most of the power consumed for smelting ore to make raw iron, for making 20

October 2012

The goal of energy conservation sometimes leads to fundamental changes in the production process. For instance, in 1999 Tata Steel started operating the so-called Direct Sheet Plant (DSP), which deploys a process in which the steel is hot rolled directly out of a blast furnace. The steel had previously been cast and rolled separately, requiring it to be reheated in-between. This step in the production is no longer necessary. The DSP, too, is on Jägers’ list of 200 projects. The plant has 250 rolls that take care of steel transport. As their heat-resistant outer layer can break off if the steel rolls get too hot, they need to be cooled at regular intervals. Tata Steel is currently installing new rolls which do not need to be cooled down. This would save the company the equivalent natural gas to that consumed by nearly 10,000 households every year. Tata Steel will replace the last 110 rollers in October this year.

LESS RUNNING TIME Eleven projects are related to pumps and Jägers only has a rough idea of how many there are across the company premises. “I presume that we have around 3,000 pumps in operation. The cost of the power they consume is between 10 and 15 million euros per year, which we would like to reduce by at least ten percent.” The bulk of this is in the pumping of cooling water. This represents around 220 million m³ annually, of which two thirds is seawater. Tata Steel uses cooling water mostly in closed systems within its two blast furnaces, the steel mill and the hot rolling mill. Jägers already has a pretty good idea of how much could be saved on the pumps. “A great deal is possible even with relatively limited resources,” he notes. “We focus primarily on

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

in energy saving Tata Steel IJmuiden is the largest power consumer in the Netherlands. Photo: Tata Steel

STEEL MAKING IN AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS projects for which little or no investment is needed. Many pumps were running far longer than strictly necessary and we now prevent this via a simple start-stop control.” For example, it transpired that the large cooling water pumps of the DSP were running continuously, even outside production hours. A start-stop circuit realised half of the total power savings feasible in pumps.

GREEN DEALS Not all projects are cost-effective yet. To give a boost to their implementation, the Dutch government offers financial support through so-called Green Deals. Tata Steel has three Green Deals, worth around ten million euros. This includes, among other things, the reuse of waste heat from hot rolling mill 2. Before rolling, the steel slabs are heated to 1100 degrees Celsius in ovens. They are then cooled with water, which is heated up in the process, and is ideal for subsequently heating buildings. The second Green Deal is for frequency controllers for the electric engines which drive fans in the steelworks. The scheme gives the company the ability to operate the engines according to demand. Finally, there are the expansion turbines of both furnaces. These installations extract energy from the blast furnace gas as the pressure drops from 3 to 1.05 bar. Thanks to the optimisation of the blast furnace process, the production of raw iron has increased and, with it, the amount of blast furnace gas. Tata Steel has adjusted its expansion turbines to make better use of this gas. The inventory of all opportunities for power savings is due to completed by the first quarter of 2013.

Tata Steel is the second largest steel producer in Europe. The group produces 18 million tons of steel in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The plant in IJmuiden produces around seven million tons of steel every year, for use in the automotive, construction and packaging industries in particular. This material is then used in batteries, tubes, industrial vehicles and white goods (fridges and stoves). In addition to steel production, Tata Steel IJmuiden also provides consultancy and research & development for new steel production methods. The largest project is Hisarna, in which Tata Steel and other European producers are working on a new way to make steel which requires 20 percent less power. “We will need at least 15 years before we can deploy Hisarna technology on a large scale,” spokesman Robert Moens says.

www.tatasteel.nl

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Biodiesel Amsterdam produces 100,000 tons a year

Driving on frying fat

hen the production hall of Biodiesel Amsterdam in Amsterdam Seaports is taken into use in October, it will convert 100,000 tons of frying fat into biodiesel on an annual basis. This huge volume consists of frying fat from no less than 15,000 locations; from the cafeteria around the corner to large chains such as McDonalds.

which collects frying fat and converts it into biodiesel at a location near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Greenmills is actually more of a concept, in which various collaborating companies convert residual products into energy. Even waste products from the residual production are given a new life, according to Chris Linderman, chief executive officer of Biodiesel Amsterdam. With a production hall of two hectares, Biodiesel Amsterdam converts all residual products into biodiesel (see sidebar), which is snapped up by major oil companies like Shell, BP and Total. The biodiesel is so popular because EU regulations require oil companies to add some five percent of biodiesel to their conventional diesel. “We are the only company in the world able to produce biodiesel from residual products on such a scale,” Linderman explains proudly. Several parties invested around 100 million euros in Biodiesel Amsterdam, which now employs 180 people and has an annual turnover of 250 million euros.

JOINING FORCES WITH OTHER SUBSIDIARIES By René Didde Biodiesel Amsterdam does not only process frying fat. The raw material also contains butter residue and other fat from expired supermarket products as well as remnants from companies and fatty waste water from tank cleaning. All the above are collected by sister company Rotie.

GREENMILLS CONCEPT Until recently Biodiesel Amsterdam was mainly known under the name Greenmills,

According to Linderman, another impressive aspect is the collaboration with subsidiaries in the Simadan Group holding, of which Biodiesel Amsterdam is part. Examples include Rotie, which acts as a supplier of collected fats, and sister company Tank Storage Amsterdam, which also supplies oils and fats. “We have around 100 cylindrical tanks that we have to flush regularly,” Linderman explains. These tanks are partly used by NOBA, the fourth sister company. “The trade company produces around 250,000 tons of animal feed from soy and fatty mixtures a year.” The fifth sister company, CSA Cleaning, does the same for dozens of trucks that arrive and depart on a daily basis. Until recently there was a sixth company, Orgaworld, which was part of the Simadan Group. Every year it fermented around 100,000 tons or organic waste such as fruit and vegetable waste into energy-rich biogas. However, Orgaworld was recently sold to Shanks, a major waste processing company that will be continuing the biogas production on its own premises.

Some of the 100 cylindrical tanks at Biodiesel Amsterdam. Photo: Dick van den Berg

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY Chris Linderman, chief executive officer of Biodiesel Amsterdam. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION Until around five years ago, bio-fuels from sugar cane, palm oil, wheat and maize were embraced as a clean alternative for fuels like petrol and diesel. But after several bad harvests resulted in a spiralling global grain price in 2008, environmental and thirdworld organisations in particular started publishing critical reports. These stated that cultivating crops for bio-fuels cost a lot of energy (ploughing, artificial fertilisers and sowing seeds), and can sometimes result in a negative balance. A worse accusation was that the cultivation competes with agriculture, as a result of which environmentally friendly transport fuels help maintain global famine, while also having a harmful effect on the rainforest in tropical countries. Partly for this reason, many producers and research institutions are getting involved in so-called second generation bio-fuels, which mainly consist of residual materials. By using waste oil and fats for instance (like Biodiesel Amsterdam) the argument regarding competing with food production is no longer valid. Other examples are wood chips, roadside grass and other plant residue that is unsuitable as food. The third generation of bio-fuels is mostly still at an experimental stage. In this process life forms such as algae and bacteria produce bio-diesel.

GLYCERINE AND COSMETICS The residual heat and residual products from the production process at Biodiesel Amsterdam are also given a new use; either on the company’s own premises or elsewhere. “The residual heat of Biodiesel Amsterdam and Orgaworld heats the fat stored at Tank Storage Amsterdam, ensuring it stays liquid and can be pumped at any time,” says Linderman. The biodiesel process also releases residual products that are reused. Linderman: “We process glycerine into a higher quality, making the chemical applicable for paint production. If we achieve an even higher quality in the future, it may even have a use in the lucrative cosmetics industry.” Additionally, bioheating oil is used as fuel for the boilers of Biodiesel Amsterdam to save natural gas. But it is a misunderstanding that biodiesel production is becoming more profitable due to the rising fuel prices, says Linderman. “These rises mean that the cost of purchasing residual products also increases, so our profit margins remain small.”

SUSTAINABLE IMAGE Marcel Gorris of the Port of Amsterdam is pleased with this type of sustainable initiative. “They contribute to strengthening the green image and sustainable character of Amsterdam Seaports,” says the port’s energy specialist. “By 2020 we aim to be among the most eco-friendly ports in Europe.” Gorris is following the transition of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) to sustainable energy with great interest. “We are already transhipping lots of conventional diesel and petrol, so the infrastructure is in place. The same goes for agricultural flows such as grain and soy. The oil tanks can also be used to store bio-ethanol and biodiesel, while many of the warehouses and silos in Amsterdam Seaports are also suitable for storing biomass. Imagine if the central electricity plant in the Amsterdam port, which currently only burns coal, were to use 25 percent wood chips! In any case, the Amsterdam port is ready for the import and transhipment of bio-energy,” Gorris concludes. www.biodiesel-amsterdam.nl www.portofamsterdam.nl

www.amports.nl

VESTA BIOFUELS Amsterdam Seaports has a second biodiesel manufacturer. With 200,000 tons a year, Vesta Biofuels, situated adjacent to Oiltanking Amsterdam, is twice the size of Biodiesel Amsterdam. However, the brand-new factory has been inactive for a year without converting a single ton of vegetable oil into biodiesel. “We are mainly equipped for processing rape seed or rape seed oil,” says Ton Klomp of Vesta Biofuels. Unlike Biodiesel Amsterdam, Vesta is focused on processing primary oil. “The purchasing price of pure vegetable oil is currently quite high. As a result this type of biodiesel is unprofitable in the Netherlands.” Vesta Biofuels has also been affected by the negative attitude of environmental organisations, the discussion about supplanting agricultural land, and the stricter position of the European Union. “Initially the EU wanted to blend ten percent of biodiesel, now it is less than five.” Making the factory of Vesta Biofuels suitable for processing residual oils and fats (like Biodiesel Amsterdam) requires a considerable investment, and the Swiss owner Mercuria does not see the benefits of such an investment at this time.

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

Amsterdam Seaports: Spider in the oil web

Aerial photo of the Petroleum Harbour, home to EuroTank, Vopak and Gulf Oil. Photo: Flying Focus

msterdam Seaports has a very strong international position when it comes to the storage and transhipment of oil products. With the Vopak Terminal Westpoort (1.2 million m3) and several smaller terminals inaugurated recently, Amsterdam is now undisputedly the world’s largest petrol port.

to 45 million tons in 2020 and 48 million tons a decade later. “Partly as a result of the multi-million euro investments in the past few years, Amsterdam Seaports has a very strong international position in the storage of oil products,” says Ruud van Stralen, commercial manager for oil and chemicals at the Port of Amsterdam. “We are like a spider in the oil web, accommodating a number of ultra-modern terminals that are equipped to blend products in accordance with a wide range of specifications. Moreover, the ports are optimally situated with regard to the hinterland in general and Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK in particular.”

OILTANKING By Bart Stam and Mareijn de Wit

With a storage capacity of 1.6 million m3, Oiltanking Amsterdam is the largest tank storage facility in Amsterdam Seaports, even after the opening of Vopak Terminal Westpoort in late October 2011. In its 83 storage tanks, all with floating roofs, Oiltanking stores a large amount of fuels, petrol products, gas oil, diesel, naphtha and Jet A1.

According to the annual World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency, primary energy demands will increase by 36 percent between 2008 and 2035. Despite all the efforts in the field of sustainable energy, fossil fuel will therefore continue to be the dominant energy source for a long time, with oil being the most prominent.

BP AMSTERDAM

For Amsterdam Seaports this is projected to mean an increase in the transhipment of oil products from the current 37 million tons up

With a storage capacity of around one million m3, BP Amsterdam is also a very large import and export terminal for petrol products, gas oil, diesel, propane and butane. In 2009 BP Amsterdam completed a substantial investment programme of 65 million euros, including the connection of a new quay for sea-going vessels to the modern

October 2012

Oiltanking is the only facility with a 20-kilometre pipeline to Amsterdam Schiphol, used to supply over 50 percent of the airport’s total kerosene requirements. The company also stores part of the strategic oil supplies kept for the Dutch government.

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

vapour processing installation. In late 2009 BP also connected the 12 existing jetties, nine for inland vessels and three for sea-going vessels, to a second vapour processing installation.

EUROTANK AMSTERDAM

and bio fuels, and the supply of depots in the hinterland. The capacity of this new terminal is 140,000 m3, divided over 11 tanks. The new location will also include a black-water tank, a pumping station and a quay for both sea-going and inland vessels.

EuroTank Amsterdam’s 100 million-euro investment programme in its existing terminal (storage capacity 1.4 million m3) is due to continue until 2015. The investments are mainly focused on enhancing safety, environment and the infrastructure, and consist of improving the existing (un)loading facilities for sea-going vessels, including increasing the capacity “We are centrally located in of the (un)loading arms and renovating the jetties. the spider’s web of the inland

To blend petrol efficiently, all tanks will be equipped with a circulation system using venturi blend and sea-going transport Eurotank already completed four new storage tanks for petrol nozzles for optimal sectors” products with a total capacity of 150,000 m3 in 2009. Four more fuel blending. The tanks for gas oil products with a capacity of 75,000 m3 were benefits of this added this summer, not as an expansion but to replace several system include very outdated tanks. short blending times and the absence of electro motors and (leaking) seals in the NUSTAR TERMINALS tank wells. NuStar Terminals has been located in Amsterdam Seaports since 2005. This terminal GULF OIL NEDERLAND has a storage capacity of around 600,000 m3 divided over 45 storage tanks that contain Finally, last autumn Gulf Oil Nederland fuel oil, gas oil, petrol and bio fuels for storage and transhipment. The terminal operator opened a petrol storage and distribution has two quays for sea-going vessels, and five for inland vessels. A unique feature of location in the Petroleum harbour NuStar’s storage tanks is an automated vapour processing installation instead of the next to the existing terminal of sister floating roofs seen at most terminals. In this set-up all tanks and quays at the terminal company MAIN. For this project the Port are connected via a closed pipeline system which minimises the leakage of volatile of Amsterdam had to reclaim and prepare organic chemicals. two hectares of the port. Gulf Oil, which VOPAK was responsible for the construction of the Vopak currently has only one terminal in the Petroleum harbour ('Petroleumhaven') in quay, has built a petrol terminal with eight the Amsterdam port, but is set to open its second large terminal in the Africa harbour tanks offering a total storage capacity of ('Afrikahaven') in late October 2011. The current facility has a capacity of 85,000 m3, 60,000 m3. The total investment involved with 21 storage tanks and two quays for sea-going and inland vessels. The storage was 30 million euros. tanks contain various types of fuel oil, petrol and gas oil products. Vopak’s new terminal has a total storage capacity of 1,190,000 m3 with 41 overground storage tanks and six slob tanks (for the purification of polluted waste water). Additionally it has 11 mooring places on two finger piers, one quay wall and one dock.

HYDROCARBON HOTEL Another new addition to Amsterdam Seaports is Hydrocarbon Hotel, a joint-venture between Blue Ocean and the North Sea Group. This terminal in the America harbour ('Amerikahaven') started operations at the beginning of 2012. Hydrocarbon Hotel is aimed at the import, export and blending of petrol, the storage of petrol components

www.oiltanking.com www.bp.com www.nustarenergy.com www.vopak.com www.gulfoil.com www.vtti.nl www.northseagroup.com www.portofamsterdam.nl www.harvestenergy.co.uk www.vtti.nl

Ship to ship transfer in the Africa harbour. Photo: Ed Seeder

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

ENERGY

From mining to power outlets

Coal from Amsterdam Seaports

Aerial view of the OBA Bulk Terminal in Amsterdam. Photo: OBA

lmost one billion tons of coal is moved across the world’s seas every year, some 70 million of which is destined for the seaports between Hamburg and Le Havre. With a market share of 25 percent, Amsterdam Seaports plays a crucial part in supplying industries and electricity companies, particularly in Germany.

By Rob Schoemaker

capture and storage) technology will greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the long term. “Lack of social acceptance means that the share of coal in the European energy mix is not expected to rise significantly,” says Lex de Ridder, bulk logistics unit manager at the Port of Amsterdam. “Imports are, at any rate, set to increase, due to the closure of mines in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.”

SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS Amsterdam Seaports, including Tata Steel, has a 25 percent share of the coal imported on the coast between Le Havre and Hamburg. With 33 percent, Rotterdam is particularly strong in coking coal for the German steel industry. The Amsterdam and Rotterdam transfer terminals are ideally situated with respect to the German hinterland thanks to excellent inland connections via the Rhine. The efficiency of rail links is another relevant factor. And for German customers, the existence of two competing ports is reassuring in many ways.

Reliability and affordability are the primary advantages of coal. The current proven reserves of coal will not run out “Given our current market share, we expect Amsterdam to grow from 17 million to for centuries, and risks linked to transport 24 million tons by 2020,” De Ridder adds. He points to the fact that both major coal and storage are low. Furthermore, as a soterminals, OBA and Rietlanden Terminals, have invested heavily in recent years called swing supplier, in measures and innovation geared towards keeping coal can mitigate the the existing terminals within environmental limits, inevitable fluctuations including future ones. This is evident in storage and “Imports will rise at any rate due in the production of to the closure of mines in Germany, transfer, as well as special processing activities such as renewable energy or deferrisation, washing, sifting, crushing and blending. Poland and the Czech Republic.” the loss, for whatever SAILING TO THE HINTERLAND reason, of any other Thanks to the 17.8-metre deep channel from the North major source of power. Sea, even the largest capesizers can reach IJmuiden (part of Amsterdam Seaports) In short, coal stabilises the world economy. while fully loaded. Due to draught limitations upstream, floating cranes on soCONSTANT FLUX called IJ-buoys are used to partially unload coal barges at the locks complex Numerous high-yield coal plants are at IJmuiden, allowing them to sail straight on to the end users in the German planned in Europe and CCS (carbon hinterland. As soon as their draught permits (the maximum being 13.70 metres), 26

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports

ENERGY

OBA West harbour terminal: Company site: Surface: 650,000 m2 Storage capacity: 3 million tons Turnover (2010): 9 million tons

Rietlanden Terminals Total turnover (2010): 6 million tons West harbour terminal:

these coal transports sail on to the Amsterdam terminals of OBA and Rietlanden. OBA has a central terminal in the West harbour ('Westhaven') where bridge cranes can unload the coal at lightning speed. A new 60-ton crane recently became operational here and OBA can also utilise a 50-ton floating crane at the Westhaven's North Terminal. Unloading at the three Rietlanden terminals is also done by floating cranes.

Surface: 100,000 m2

The Amsterdam terminals have made major investments in inland transport as well, building Africa harbour: additional docks for barges and 2 Surface: 300,000 m loading facilities for cargo trains. Capacity: 2 million tons This has not gone unnoticed by KeyRail, operator of the Betuwe America harbour/Asia harbour: route, as the number of trains 2 Surface: 165,000 m on this dedicated freight railway Capacity: 750,000 tons between the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the Ruhr doubled this year. OBA transports 1.5 to 2 million tons of coal by rail annually, while Rietlanden has already accounted for some 600,000 to 700,000 tons since the beginning of 2011. Storage capacity: 500,000 tons

The so-called Averij harbour (‘Averijhaven’), situated outside the IJmuiden locks on the north shore, will be dredged and cleared in 2014. This will enable ship to ship transfer with barges and the new area will ultimately have sufficient capacity for two capesizers to dock simultaneously.

AMBITIONS “We would like to see the possibilities for barges past the locks to be extended,” OBA’s managing director Piotr Skotnicki says. “To keep up with the growing demand for imported coal in Germany, more capesize vessels will need to be lightened. If this is not possible, Amsterdam’s market share will drop as a number of vessels will divert to Rotterdam. This is why we have great expectations from the opening of the Averij harbour.” www.oba-bulk.nl www.rietlanden.com

COAL LEAVING AMSTERDAM FOR: 10% n

train ight y fre land b : 20% hinter e to th

COAL IN AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS, DIVIDED BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (2010):

“The Amsterdam port companies and the government have had to make creative investments due to the limitations of the locks system in IJmuiden and the depth of the North Sea Canal,” De Ridder points out. “When the expansion of the Panama Canal to some 52 metres is completed in 2014, this may set the stage for a new global trend towards larger scale cargo vessels. It will take five to ten years before the next generation of bulk carriers come into service, by which time the new sea lock in IJmuiden has to be ready.”

www.amports.nl

USA 10

esia 5%

SCALE INCREASE The role played by the port of Amsterdam in bulk transfer has both a regional and a European dimension. The bulk handling creates a strong economic base which guarantees that the port facilities stay at a high level. The involved parties are expected to do their best to limit dust emissions and noise levels, however. And the constant threat of scale increases is now also making a comeback.

60%: By inland shipping to the hinterland

Indon

Although both OBA and Rietlanden offer services such as deferrisation, blending, washing, sifting and crushing, a special role is filled by Enerco, a coal processing plant located at the Rietlanden terminal in the America harbour ('Amerikahaven'). With a capacity of two to three million tons, Enerco can deliver any type of coal required for specialised purposes, such as the silicon metal industry. Coal leaving the port of Amsterdam is ready for use in plants and factories.

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“We reduce the environmental burden through a range of measures,” managing director of Rietlanden Karl Schot explains. “For instance, we worked with Port of Amsterdam to install a monitoring system with sniffer posts at our modern terminal at the Africa harbour ('Afrikahaven'), which measures dust concentration in the air and calculates our contribution. When necessary, we take additional measures, such as covering the coal with a layer of cellulose and spraying transfer points. In addition, we do not open our coal grabbers until the last moment, the driving speed is low at all our terminals, we always analyse and filter rainwater before discharging it into surface water, and our quiet machinery, including cranes, stackers and conveyors, runs on low-sulphur fuels.”

10 by %: the feed UK er t ,P oS ola ca nd ndi na via ,

city

Because of its role as swing supplier, the importance of storing coal is growing rapidly. Thanks to smarter use of both its surface area and stackers and conveyors with a longer reach, OBA alone has doubled its storage capacity to three million tons, the same as Rietlanden. Both cargo companies have made efforts to keep the dust released during storage and handling to a minimum.

: the

STORAGE

A outh

frica

Colombia 40%

10%

Russia 25%

O c t o ber 2012

Your Compass to Value-added Logistics

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TER HAAK GROUP Ruijgoordweg 80 - Westpoort 7989 - 1047 HM Amsterdam The Netherlands Phone +31 20 6116688 - info@terhaakgroup.com - www.terhaakgroup.com 28

October 2012

ENERGY

Golden Arrow: First bunkering business in Amsterdam to receive AEO status from Customs

olden Arrow is the only truly independent bunkering company in Amsterdam to be awarded an AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) certificate by the Dutch Customs Administration. In fact, it is the first such company in the entire ARA (Amsterdam Seaports-RotterdamAntwerp) bunkering range. “Achieving AEO status makes things easier, of course – but a good price is more important in our industry,” Managing Director Gerrit Versteeg underlines. “We must always live up to the trust that customers place in us.”

company Modusa, which was taken over by the Russian oil company Lukoil in 2006. “The urge to break away and do something on our own was too strong to stay, however,” Versteeg says. “In 2010, Marco and I decided, with the consent of Lukoil, to start an independent bunkering business. Gaining AEO status from Customs, whereby we clearly defined all our business processes, was something we planned for our new company right from the start. Why shouldn’t we be at the forefront in this field? Our customers benefit as AEO status reduces physical customs controls.”

NICHE PLAYER Golden Arrow serves companies with ships that call at the Amsterdam port region to bunker diesel oil. “If your price is right and you are well-known in the industry for delivering the correct quantities on time, you’re in business,” Versteeg asserts. “In the port of Amsterdam, our barge Boris services 1000 to 1100 boats a year. Volumes per customer vary between 10 and 500 tons, which makes us a niche player. If necessary, we charter an additional bunkering boat.” “We will soon also deal in fuel oil, which, unlike gasoline, comes in various different specifications,” Versteeg continues. “We will make deliveries by truck to several other Dutch ports from a tank rented from Vopak at the Petroleum harbour ('Petroleumhaven') in Amsterdam.” Vopak is the largest independent tank storage company in the world. Punctual delivery is especially crucial as time becomes increasingly critical in the shipping industry, Versteeg emphasises. “This applies equally to dry cargo vessels, tankers and cruise ships.”

THEIR OWN BOSS By Rob Schoemaker While Golden Arrow Olieproducten has existed as such in the port of Amsterdam only since 2010, the two managing directors Marco Duikersloot and Gerrit Versteeg’s expertise in oil trading and delivery goes back decades. Both worked at the Amsterdam bunkering

Versteeg and Duikersloot enjoy being their own boss every day of the week. While admitting that being in a large company has the advantage of providing sizeable back-up facilities, they underline that a small independent company has more freedom to manoeuvre, adapt and anticipate. “It’s nice to work for yourself even though the price pressure is enormous,” Versteeg says. “On the other hand, we have yet to suffer from the economic downturn. Amsterdam Seaports, for example, is still going strong as a petrol hub, despite the global imbalances in oil production.” www.goldenarrow.nl

The Vopak terminal at Amsterdam’s Petroleum harbour, where Golden Arrow has rented a tank for deliveries by road vehicles. Photo: Vopak

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

I N N O VAT I O N

Smart loading system for containers

VCK Logistics puts transport on the rails

CK Logistics, part of the VCK Group based in Amsterdam Seaports, recently teamed up with its client Gulf Extrusions in Dubai to create an ambitious loading and unloading system. The new solution basically places the load on a wooden frame which is then inserted into the container by means of a roller skate mechanism.

Employees of VCK Logistics installing the new Joloda system at the Scandia Terminal in Amsterdam Seaports. Photo: VCK Group

By Karel van der Weide Rolf van Strijbos, terminal manager at VCK Logistics in Amsterdam Seaports, is very enthusiastic about the so-called 'One Shot Container Loading System’ developed by the British company Joloda Loading Systems. It allows heavy and long loading packets to be inserted into standard 40-foot (approx. 12.20-metre) ISO containers horizontally in one go (hence the name of the solution). Previously, this type of cargo required an open top container, into which the load would be placed from above using an overhead crane. The open top container is, however, less available and has higher positioning costs, making it considerably more expensive. In the Netherlands, VCK Logistics is a leader in the use of the Joloda system – a large part of its container park is already equipped with this new loading and unloading system, which is used for the transportation of paper rolls.

HYDRAULIC PUMP Van Strijbos explains the Joloda system as follows: First the load is placed onto a wooden frame and secured. Two rails are then fitted inside the empty container and linked to the rails beneath the prepared load. These rails are made of stainless steel and consist of segments of roughly 1.5 metres which are connected to each other with screws. The rails under the load feature a kind of skates, which are raised with a hydraulic pump, lifting the load from the floor so that it can be moved into the container. After loading,

October 2012

the skates and the rails are removed to be used for the next job. The container does not need to be adapted and the loading almost always goes smoothly, depending on the type of cargo.

LESS RISK The Joloda system originated more than 50 years ago during a search by the British army for a way to move shipments of dangerous cargo, such as munitions. The loading and unloading system has shown itself to be ideal for Gulf Extrusions, a manufacturer of aluminium shapes, cylinders and trailers for a wide range of applications such as building, construction and automotive. This investment saves the company money on transportation in open top containers. Gulf Extrusions further reduces the risk of damaging its often fragile cargo.

MORE CONTAINER LOADS Amsterdam Seaports sees only advantages to the implementation of this system, Van Strijbos says. After all, it dramatically increases the potential for products to be transported in standard containers. Of course, VCK Logistics is also thinking of itself. The mainstays of the logistics provider – cargo packages of wood products (such as paper), plywood, and ferrous and nonferrous metals – have been stagnating due to the economic crisis. The operation of this type of docking system offers the company a chance to focus more on the market for container shipments. VCK Logistics now takes care of the entire logistics process for its customers, from stevedoring, warehouse management and forwarding to customs facilities. Information technology is of crucial importance in this context. www.vcklogistics.nl

Amsterdam Seaports

FISHERY

Powerful cluster in the port of IJmuiden

A heart for all kinds of ﬁsh By Pieter van Hove “We have a very strong fishing cluster in the port of IJmuiden,” says Managing Director Peter van de Meerakker of Zeehaven IJmuiden NV, the IJmuiden port authority. The cluster can be divided into fresh fish, pelagic or deepsea fish, the refrigerated and frozen sector, and storage & transhipment. “We are doing well on all counts,” the Port Director reports with satisfaction. The trade in fresh flatfish and round fish (flounder, sole, turbot and similar kinds of fish) has always been important to IJmuiden. These fish are mainly transported to the fish auction (Hollandse Visveiling IJmuiden BV), the second largest in the Netherlands, by means of cutters. IJmuiden imported 13,237 tons of fish in 2011, an increase of 0.4 percent compared to 2010. The total in the Netherlands was 98,848 tons. The turnover of the fish auction amounted to over 48 million euros. Van de Meerakker expects that the IJmuiden fish auction will see further turnover growth in fresh fish this year, as the European Union has increased the quota for flounder and sole by 15 percent. In the first five months of 2012, IJmuiden had already achieved a turnover increase of 9.6 percent compared to last year.

AUCTIONING OVER THE INTERNET One of the reasons for the rising yield is that the fish auction in IJmuiden has been connected

'IJ

muiden, a heart for fish’ is one of the slogans used by this seaport at the estuary of the North Sea Canal. Despite the economic recession, the fishing sector continues to prosper.

to an internet auction system called Pefa since 2008. Many fish auctions in the Netherlands and abroad (Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Italy) are connected to the system. The internet allows buyers to simultaneously purchase fish at several (European) auctions with the regular ‘home auction’. They see an auction clock on their monitors, and bid via their PCs. Thanks to the internet they can buy fish at each other’s auctions, even those abroad. Vice versa the same applies; during the IJmuiden auction there are countless international buyers checking the auction clock over the internet. The Dutch market share of the IJmuiden fish auction has increased from 12 to 19 percent over the past five years (despite a shrinking market). An economic study has shown that in 2009 IJmuiden was home to 11 percent of the total number of fish processing companies and wholesalers in the Netherlands, equal to 28 companies. The turnover was 270 million; nine percent of the total turnover of 3.1 billion euros. This puts IJmuiden in third place among fish processing and wholesalers in the Netherlands. If we include pelagic fishing companies (Cornelis Vrolijk and Parlevliet & Van der Plas) and refrigerated and frozen companies (Kloosterboer), IJmuiden holds a proud first position.

PELAGIC FISH In addition to fresh fish, IJmuiden also has a growing reputation regarding the import and transhipment of pelagic fish, such as herring, mackerel, horse mackerel and sardines. These species live at various depths, from the water surface down to the seabed.

Stern trawlers in the port of IJmuiden. Photo: Dick van den Berg

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

FISHERY In 1990 logistic service provider Kloosterboer started storage and transhipment of frozen fish in the port of IJmuiden with several new refrigerated warehouses. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

Over the past decades the number of stern trawlers that catch and process pelagic fish at sea has grown considerably. Previously the fish was frozen at sea and then packaged in boxes. Refrigerated warehouses on the quay would store this cargo. Up to ten years ago, refrigerated vessels transported this fish from IJmuiden to countries such as Egypt, Nigeria and China. In the early 1990s, Zeehaven IJmuiden NV decided to dredge parts of the two existing harbours to attract more largedraft refrigerated vessels and trawlers to IJmuiden.

frozen fish in IJmuiden with several new refrigerated warehouses, working for both Dutch and international clients. The company soon arranged several new line services with IJmuiden as the end or transit port. Fish from Norway would, for example, arrive in Amsterdam Seaports for further transport to the Japanese market. The fish is stored in the port of IJmuiden and then packaged in containers and sent to Rotterdam. From there, they are transported to Japan by container vessel. Other examples are line services between Alaska (Dutch Harbor) and IJmuiden, and between the Barents Sea and Velsen North, part of Amsterdam Seaports. This latter service is performed by Daalimpex, a subsidiary of Kloosterboer.

TRANSIT PORT

A ship with Russian cod arrives in the Amsterdam port region once or twice a week. This cod is then transported to Portugal or Qingdao (China) for further processing. There are also three vessels that have permanent services between the north of Norway and Beverwijk, another part of Amsterdam Seaports. This fish is intended for Asia and Europe.

In 1990 logistic service provider Kloosterboer started the storage and transhipment of

“With these new line services, IJmuiden has strengthened its position as a hub in the

PARLEVLIET & VAN DER PLAS AND CORNELIS VROLIJK: TWO MAJOR TRAWLER SHIPPING COMPANIES A large part of the fleet of the two major trawler shipping companies in the Netherlands, Parlevliet & Van der Plas and Cornelis Vrolijk’s Visserij Maatschappij BV, has IJmuiden as its home base, despite having been established elsewhere. Vrolijk’s history started in Scheveningen, the port of The Hague, in 1880 when Frank Vrolijk opened his fish shop. Ten years later he took his first fishing boat to sea to catch fish, marking the start of the shipping and herring trading company. In the early 1950s, one of his sons, Cornelis Vrolijk, moved part of the

October 2012

fleet to IJmuiden. This heralded the start of a very successful business. The main activities of Cornelis Vrolijk's Visserij Maatschappij included the exploitation of frozen stern trawlers and refrigerated warehouses, and the global trade in pelagic fish from IJmuiden. In 2005 Vrolijk took over fellow shipping company Jaczon. Nowadays, the joint fleet of 14 vessels regularly moors in the IJmuiden port, and including its non-Dutch subsidiaries the company employs around 900 people. Parlevliet & Van der Plas (P&P) was established in Katwijk, a fishing village around 25 kilometres north of The Hague, in 1949. In addition to a facility in IJmuiden the shipping company has head offices in Valkenburg, near The Hague, Bremerhaven and Rügen (the latter two in Germany) The company also has a subsidiary in the UK, called UK Fisheries Ltd in Hull, and in Lithuania, called Atlantic High Sea Fishing Co. As a result of UK Fisheries purchasing vessels from Pesquera Ancora (Spain) and Euronor (France), the total number of vessels has grown to 20. Parlevliet & Van der Plas employs over 1,200 people worldwide and has an annual turnover of approximately 500 million euros.

Amsterdam Seaports

FISHERY

international network between the ports of Asia, Canada and the USA,” according to an economic report by the municipality of Velsen, of which the port of IJmuiden is part. The report covers the period from 2011 to 2014. A memorandum from Zeehaven IJmuiden NV assumes an annual growth of five percent between 2007 and 2012. According to Van de Meerakker, the goal is to get many fish flows to pass through IJmuiden and the nearby Velsen North. “We have seen that huge volumes of frozen fish from the Dutch ports of Scheveningen (The Hague) and Vlissingen have already been transferred to Amsterdam Seaports.”

HUB FUNCTION FOR IJMUIDEN The strategic plan ‘Deep Sea International Frozen Fish Centre Europe’ from 2010 should support the further growth of IJmuiden as a hub for frozen fish. An important aspect of this plan is a new container terminal that was taken into operation in July 2011. The underlying thought is that fish transport in containers has quickly increased in popularity. Five years ago, countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and China – that import large amounts of fish – appeared increasingly able to receive containers. In 2008 Zeehaven IJmuiden NV therefore decided to enter into a collaboration with the Ter Haak Group in Amsterdam in a partnership called Container Stevedoring Ymuiden (CSY). Initially trucks transported containers from IJmuiden to destinations such as Rotterdam; later this changed to transport by inland vessel several times a week. The results speak for themselves: In 2008, CSY processed 1,000 containers, in 2009 this figure had increased to 2,500 and by 2010 the total was 3,600 containers.

CONTAINER TRANSHIPMENT Over the past year nearly 10,000 square metres in the port of IJmuiden have become available for container transhipment, along with some 480 metres of new quay walls. The transport is the responsibility of Barge Company Amsterdam (BCA), a subsidiary of the Ter Haak Group. Established in 2003, BCA is specialised in container transport. Inland vessels arrive to pick up the containers of fish at specific times. They then

leave for United Stevedores Amsterdam (USA), also part of the Ter Haak Group. At this terminal other containers are added on board for transport to Rotterdam and, usually from there, all over the world. The participating partners are very pleased with this method of transport. “The main benefit is that our shipping company can plan the transport per inland vessel more easily than transportion by truck,” says Anneriek Vrolijk, Co-Director of Cornelis Vrolijk's Visserij Maatschappij in IJmuiden. “We don’t have to take into account the traffic on the road.” Peter van de Meerakker does not rule out that the fish flows via the CSY terminal in IJmuiden will grow even further. In the first five months of 2012, the company has already processed around 2,600 containers. Should there be an increase, a refrigerated warehouse could replace the terminal in five to ten years, and then be moved to the IJmond harbour ('IJmond haven') on the outskirts of IJmuiden. www.zeehaven.nl www.terhaakgroup.com www.kloosterboer.nl www.parlevliet-vanderplas.nl www.cornelisvrolijk.eu

Advertentie

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

NAUTICAL SERVICES

A people business: De Koperen Ploeg

ooring and unmooring seagoing vessels is our main task,” says Mike Schotte, chairman of the De Koperen Ploeg. The Amsterdam boatmen’s organisation also performs other activities in the port. Supplying provisions, the transportation of waste, crew and other personel, and taking care of customs are some of the other disciplines for which the ‘moorers’ are responsible.

Chairman Mike Schotte of De Koperen Ploeg onboard one of the mooring launches. Photo: Martin Hendriksen

By Gerrit-Jan Hulsebos “De Koperen Ploeg stands for continuity, safety and reliability, 365 days a year and 24/7. ‘No’ is not an option as we are always available. And it all starts with having good equipment at our disposal,” Schotte explains, looking out on the characteristic yellow vessels in front of the head office of De Koperen Ploeg. “We started new builds in 2005,” Schotte continues. “Our latest mooring launch (KP 11) is a further development of the classic ‘Amsterdam mooring launch’. We mostly use open mooring launches without superstructures. In addition to having powerful engines, they also provide extra stability and excellent manoeuvrability. Having buoyancy tanks installed adds safety, making the vessels practically unsinkable.”

MANPOWER As well as investing considerable amounts in hardware, De Koperen Ploeg also invests in its employees. “Being a boatman is people work, with safety and professionalism being key aspects.” These are the focal points of the four-year practical training courses given at the Shipping and Transport College (STC) in Rotterdam. According to Schotte, the Dutch boatmen’s education is seen as a leading example in the European Boatmen Association, which represents 14 countries. The Koperen Ploeg cooperative itself has 44 members, with a further 14 employees (eight of whom are in training). Boatmen 34

October 2012

are given membership after four years of service, and, of course, having proven their suitability.

KEY ROLE Thanks to the good contacts with the Port of Amsterdam and other service providers, De Koperen Ploeg plays a key role in the maritime network in Amsterdam. For information supply, the boatmen use the Pontis information system of the Port of Amsterdam, which connects all nautical services providers, boatmen, tug and pilot services in Amsterdam Seaports. For further support De Koperen Ploeg also uses systems that supply arrival and departure times of vessels, which in turn determine the activities and planning of the boatmen.

ADDITIONAL CREW “By maintaining a ship-shore connection between the seagoing vessels that are moored at the buoys, we ensure that more pilot services, agents and suppliers can access these less accessible berths. We also provide ‘runners’: Additional deck crew for seagoing vessels. This means that De Koperen Ploeg is available to unmoor these vessels and provide 24/7 services via a wide range of nautical options.” www.dekoperenploeg.nl

Amsterdam Seaports

NAUTICAL SERVICES

CVV, the boatmen of IJmuiden

Always ready to support shipping

Boatman Gerrit van Rijn in action on the North Sea Canal, near Tata Steel. Photo: Willem Moojen

T By Willem Moojen The primary job of the boatmen of the CVV in IJmuiden is the mooring and loosing of vessels in ports and locks. Jan Plug, who has some 30 years of experience in this role, explains that a thorough education is required for boatmen. This includes specific nautical activities, such as learning how to attach a ‘haakie’, the iron hook with a rubber layer to which lines of various lengths are fixed. But the daily work also includes dealing with ropes and securing them to bollards, casting off, sailing and manoeuvring boats, and mooring to buoys.

HARD WORK

he boatmen of the CVV (‘Coöperatieve Vereniging van Vletterlieden’ or 'Cooperative Association of Boatmen’) assist arriving, departing and moored vessels around the western end of the North Sea Canal. They do this in the ports of IJmuiden, Beverwijk and Velsen-Noord as well as in anchorages on the North Sea, around offshore wind farms, the IJmuiden locks, the navigation channel and berths at Tata Steel, and along parts of the North Sea Canal.

The CVV was founded on 30 November 1945 and has its main offices at the locks in IJmuiden. A watchtower installed on the main building houses the controllers’ station, which allows easy overview of the entire port. The controller keeps a close eye on the shipping traffic via the Pontis computer system and knows exactly when a ship comes in, sails through the locks and leaves. He or she also ensures that the boatmen are ready to assist in the mooring or loosing of vessels. The boatmen are divided into five teams of ten people each, with one team always being on call and a second on standby.

“The equipment we have now makes our work a lot easier.”

After this training, the apprentices receive a boatman’s certificate. They operate in continuous shifts and must regularly be on standby. Since their activities are physically challenging, they must also be in good physical and mental condition. Boatmen often work under stress in difficult circumstances, and must make decisions quickly in order to safeguard their own and others’ safety.

NEW EQUIPMENT Much has changed in the boatmen’s equipment over the years, which is all a far cry from the days when they had to make do with flat-bottomed boats which they rowed to the ships to take on the ropes.

“The equipment we have now makes our work a lot easier,” Plug says. “We have four ten-metre motorboats equipped with hydraulic systems, and two 12-metre fast crew tenders. We also have four tractors for the very heavy work, two winch trucks for bringing in heavy cables, two caddies and a van to reach our destinations easily.“ This ensures that the boatmen are always ready. www.vletterlieden.nl

www.amports.nl

O c t o ber 2012

October 2012

Amsterdam Seaports