ECT FastForward Issue 35

FAST FORWARD SPRING 2006

ISSUE

35

INTERVIEW ECT-PRESIDENT JAN WESTERHOUD RAILWAY OF THE FUTURE CAPACITY, CAPACITY, CAPACITY!

FAST FORWARD CONTENTS

SPRING 2006

The Art of Container Handling Armed with his camera, photographer Eric Bakker ventured out to capture the aesthetic side of container handling equipment.

The quite astonishing results will grace this year’s covers of Fast Forward. In this edition: the deepsea quay crane at twilight.

Volume means Service

8-10

14-15

16-17

Colophon Fast Forward, a business-to-business publication of ECT, appears three times a year. Please contact our Communications Department with any questions or suggestions you may have regarding the contents.

Copy: Rob Schoemaker, Rob Wilken (editor-in-chief) Translation: Niall Martin, Dean Harte Photography: Eric Bakker (unless stated otherwise) Layout: Ontwerpwerk, The Hague Printing: Drukkerij De Longte, Dordrecht

Logistics for Professionals By centralising European distribution on the Maasvlakte, Canon can now work far more efficiently and economically. Moreover the location is ideal. “If necessary we can have a container in-house just one hour after it was discharged at the ECT Delta Terminal.”

Right on Schedule!

More and more companies are catching on to the advantages of rail transport via Rotterdam.

Each week, the port constitutes the starting point for more than 150 rail shuttles bound for all corners of the European continent. ECT is more than willing to think along to make new rail initiatives become successful.

External coordination: RWP, Voorburg Chief editor ECT: Rose Wiggers

Europe Container Terminals (ECT) ECT is the largest and most advanced container terminal operator in Europe, handling almost three-quarters of all containers in the port of Rotterdam.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, ECT operates several container handling facilities on the ECT Delta Terminal at the Maasvlakte along the North Sea and the ECT Home Terminal & ECT Hanno Terminal in the Eemhaven/Waalhaven area, near the city centre. ECT

‘Tense and Exciting’ It’s now eighteen months since Jan Westerhoud became ECT’s new president.

A lot has been achieved in that time. Customer service has improved, productivity is rising and capacity expansion is firmly on schedule. Even so, it’s not plain sailing. “Tense and exciting!,” is how Westerhoud describes the current situation.

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XXXL Germanischer Lloyd and Hyundai Heavy Industries have together designed the next generation of container vessels. With 13,440 TEU, the new vessel boasts a never-beforeseen capacity. The first mega carrier could in theory take to the world seas in 2009.

has developed a network of inland terminals to facilitate better intermodal transport - barge, rail - between Rotterdam and the European hinterland.

Currently, ECT operates terminals in Venlo (in the southeast of the Netherlands), Willebroek (Belgium) and Duisburg (Germany). All ECT’s terminals inside and outside Rotterdam are at the crossroads of visible container flows and invisible information flows. ECT’s highly skilled staff is on standby 24 hours a day for its customers.

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ECT is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings Group (HPH), the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in twenty countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Today, HPH operates a total of 247 berths in 42 ports together with a

Global Security For a number of years now, ECT has been closely involved in the worldwide development of smart & secure trade lanes. Soon, a new pilot aimed at global container security will be initiated. The shipment tag plays an essential role in this project.

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Capacity, Capacity, Capacity!

By the end of 2006, the capacity at the ECT Delta Terminal will have increased by 1.5 million container moves a year. The addition of a lot of extra equipment and the introduction of new working methods means productivity can be boosted at the same time.

number of transportation related service companies.

12-13 P.O. Box 7385 3000 HJ Rotterdam, the Netherlands T +31 (0) 181 278 278 F +31 (0) 181 278 315 E info@ect.nl W www.ect.nl

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COLUMN

Railway of the Future After many years of construction work, the Betuwe Route is due to be taken into operation on January 1, 2007. This brand new freight-only rail track links Rotterdam port directly with Germany. Investment in the 160 kilometre railway totals some 4.5 billion euros.

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The Next Step Recently all trucks arriving at and leaving the ECT Delta Terminal started passing through an automatic inspection gate. This piece of high tech equipment is another element in the master plan for a completely redesigned forecourt with even more capacity.

You can of course go to your local corner shop for your daily groceries. But you will not always find what you are looking for there. No, I’d rather go to a supermarket, the larger the better. Parking is easy, they have a wide range of products on offer, the opening hours are long, the prices sharp and a large number of cash registers means you are always quickly served. The customer is king.

The port of Rotterdam - or ECT in this case - is also such a supermarket. Open 24/7, a considerable draught, plenty of capacity (which is constantly increasing), numerous extra services and more than enough choice, for example in terms of connections to the European market. It is the economies of scale that make all this possible. Once again, the old story of the chicken and the egg is relevant here. Because of the many ships calling at ECT, it is worth the while to operate round the clock and to continue investing in capacity and productivity. The other way around, these comprehensive services and facilities also pull customers like a magnet. To name but one example: ECT is the first European port of call for over 50 percent of all deep-sea traffic coming from China.

The impact the economies of scale have on Rotterdam’s hinterland connections are also obvious. ECT offers various departures a day through different modalities - train, inland barge and truck - to many destinations in, for example, Germany. The choice is up to the customers.

European transport via Rotterdam is faster, guaranteed.

For feeder traffic it’s no different; due to the concentration of deep-sea calls, the port has developed into a feeder hub pur sang. Rotterdam offers 550 sailings a week to around 200 different ports in Europe.

Of course, ECT’s main raison d’être is its ability to quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively handle large volumes. But secondly, we are also able to meet the specific wishes of a customer and focus on the individual container. Our logistic system and automation allow us to load a container onto the next modality just half an hour after having been discharged from the deep-sea vessel. What’s more, we like to think along with shipping companies, forwarders and shippers about tailor-made concepts and solutions to time and again make sure cargo gets to its final destination fast and efficiently. ECT makes doing business easy.

The corner shop will never disappear; sometimes it can be a convenient option. The advantages of the supermarket however are undeniable and unbeatable. Volume means service, but service means volume as well. Therefore I think a supermarket must also have the possibility to act as a corner shop.

Wando Boevé, director Marketing & Sales 3

NEWS

NEWS

Declaration of Love

New on the North Atlantic Mid-March, CMA CGM and China Shipping Container Lines together initiated a new service on the North Atlantic. This weekly service is maintained by four vessels with a capacity of approximately 2700 TEU. Both shipping companies are deploying two vessels (in the photograph, the CSCL Barcelona at the ECT Delta Terminal). In Europe, the ships consecutively call at Le Havre, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven and Liverpool to then cross the Atlantic. The ports of call in the USA are New York, Baltimore, Norfolk and Charleston.

From the first of January 2007, the first trains will be able to make use of the Betuwe Route. This freight-only railway line provides a 160-kilometre direct link between Rotterdam and Germany (see the feature on pages 12 - 13). In the run-up to the start, a number of private railway companies have decorated their locomotives with this declaration of love. But like any good marriage, it’s not all roses. Although happy with the additional capacity, the railway companies feel that the proposed kilometre-based levy on the Betuwe Route for the time being is still much too high.

One Million More!

Container handling in the port of Rotterdam increased by around one million TEU last year, a rise of 12 percent, bringing the total for 2005 to 9.3 million TEU. The Far East, South America and the Baltic - particularly Russia were the motors behind this increase, the Rotterdam Port Authority said.

Because of the rapid growth in container volumes the port is investing heavily and rapidly in infrastructure. Two major projects being undertaken together with ECT are the construction of the Euromax Terminal at the north side of the Maasvlakte (deep-sea traffic) and the building of the Delta Barge Feeder Terminal at the tip of ECT’s Delta complex. Both terminals are due to come online at the beginning of 2008.

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New Building Boom

Bigger than Big

The French shipping line CMA CGM is rapidly introducing new very large container carriers (VLCCs). This Spring saw first calls at the ECT Delta Terminal by the CMA CGM Otello (photo), CMA CGM Tosca, CMA CGM Nabucco, CMA CGM La Traviata (all 8488 TEU) and the CMA CGM Parsifal (8197 TEU). All these ships sail in the shipping line’s weekly French Asia Line (FAL service) between the Far East and Europe. The 6500 TEU ships currently working this trade will gradually be transferred to the North China Express (NCX service).

The CMA CGM fleet expansion is far from over. In June the first ships of 9415 TEU will be calling at ECT.

Thanks to the 3-TEU truck it is now possible for road transport companies to pick up and deliver an extra container every trip.

These huge trucks, able to transport three 20-foot containers or one 40-foot and one 20-foot container, are currently undergoing national trials in the Netherlands. The articulated trucks are also regular visitors to ECT. In November 2006 the Dutch government will evaluate the results of the pilot. The experience of the transport sector itself has been overwhelmingly positive, with respect to both economics and safety. And naturally, fewer trips mean major environmental benefits.

Road hauliers would like to see the working area of the 3-TEU trucks expanded to neighbouring countries such as Germany and Belgium. The greater the distance, the greater the benefits. Trucks of this sort have however not yet gained the green light in these countries.

Volvo Ocean Race in Rotterdam Around the 7th of June of this year, the seven yachts competing in the Volvo Ocean Race are expected to arrive in the port of Rotterdam. The Volvo Ocean Race is the longest and most prestigious sailing race in the world.

The race around the globe commenced on the 5th of November 2005 from the Spanish port of Vigo and consists of nine legs and seven in-port races. The route of the Volvo Ocean Race is the same as that historically followed by the old clippers of yesteryear, the predecessors of today’s container vessels.

During their stop-over from the 8th to the 15th of June, the participating vessels will stay at the historic Veerhaven in the heart of Rotterdam. A special promotional village will be erected for this occasion. The in-port race will be staged on the 10th of June on the North Sea, just off the coast of Hook of Holland north of the seaway. A fantastic event that will not disrupt container shipping. On the 15th of June, the yachts will embark on the final 500mile-leg to the finish in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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NEWS

AT T H E H E L M

Second Sailing for Russia Unifeeder has inaugurated a second sailing to St Petersburg in Russia. As a result, the feeder line can offer its customers increased service and twice the capacity.

Departures from Rotterdam are now on Wednesdays an Saturdays. The new service calls at both the ECT Home (photo) and ECT Delta Terminal. The vessels deployed

by Unifeeder on its St Petersburg route include the Maike D (660 TEU), Merwedestroom (809 TEU) and Cepheus J (707 TEU).

New World Champion The Cosco Guangzhou is the new holder of the world record: at 350 metres long and 42.80 metres wide, the ship can carry 9449 TEU. The container vessel made its first call at the ECT Delta Terminal at the end of March.

The visit to Rotterdam was also its first call outside Asia (see further At the Helm on the following page).

The Cosco Guangzhou was built by the South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai. Cosco will be taking delivery of four similar ships in the near future. All will be deployed on the shipping line’s service between Rotterdam and Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dalian and Qingdao.

“The investment in fleet expansion is proof of Cosco’s confidence in China’s economic development,” says Jan Buiter, managing director of the shipping line’s Rotterdam agency. “Rotterdam can play a leading role when it comes to importing Chinese cargo. For us in any case it’s the first European port of call for six of the seven Asian services.”

APX back at Delta Since February, the Atlantic Pacific Express (APX service) of The New World Alliance (APL, MOL and Hyundai Merchant Marine) has been calling at the ECT Delta Terminal again. For the last couple of years, this service was handled at the neighbouring APM Terminals. The APX service connects Northern Europe (Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe) to ports on both the east coast (Miami, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, New York) and the west coast (Los Angeles, Oakland) of the USA. In between, the APX service calls at Manzanillo in Panama.

In the photograph, one of the ships in this service, the APL Jade (4500 TEU), along the quay at the ECT Delta Dedicated West Terminal.

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Name Country of birth Captain of Career

Nautical qualities Rotterdam

Current sailing schedule Specifications ship

Evangelos Tzeneralis (37) Greece The Cosco Guangzhou, currently on her maiden trip.

“I graduated from the Naval Academy in Piraeus in 1987. After briefly working on passenger vessels and bulk carriers, I switched to the container sector in 1993. I have been a master since 2002 and work for the Greek shipping company Costamare which charters its fleet to other shipping companies such as Maersk, Hyundai and, since recently, Cosco. With a capacity of approx. 9500 TEU, the Cosco Guangzhou is officially the largest vessel in the world. Cosco will soon inaugurate four sister vessels, which is why we have quite a few trainees on board.”

“Even with a vessel as large as the Cosco Guangzhou, navigation is a breeze in this easiest of European ports. Many ports are not yet suitable for ships of this size and know all sorts of limitations. This is not the case in Rotterdam: not when it comes to draught and also not in terms of height and crane reach.”

Shanghai, Dalian, Qingdao (China), Singapore, Suez Canal, Rotterdam, Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai.

Crew 18 men + trainees; length 350 metres; width 42.80 metres (17 rows); height 62 metres; speed 25.4 knots; gross tonnage 109,149; capacity 9449 TEU; reefer points 700.

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‘Tense and Exciting’ It’s now eighteen months since Jan Westerhoud became ECT’s new president. A lot has been achieved in that time. Customer service has improved, productivity is rising and capacity expansion is firmly on schedule. Even so, it’s not plain sailing. The market is extremely volatile.

“Tense and exciting!,” is how Westerhoud describes the current situation.

His black Volkswagon Golf is a familiar sight by now. ECT staff regularly see Jan Westerhoud at one or other of the terminals, getting a feel for the atmosphere at the operational end. The president enjoys these visits. “It’s essential for management to keep a finger on the pulse of the core processes upon which your company depends. Not long ago I worked alongside the second shift for the entire evening, for example.” Westerhoud really takes the time to assess things. And in a fast moving world, that’s not always easy. Developments follow each other in quick succession. “The business cycles seem to be getting shorter and shorter. We’re experiencing more frequent and more extreme peaks and troughs hurtling us up and down. Just like in the Volvo Ocean Race, the trick is to keep a steady course. This time last year there was no question of P&O Nedlloyd being taken over by Maersk Sealand. The same holds for the takeover of CP Ships by Hapag Lloyd.

Amsterdam was a terminal without any customers, and Maasvlakte 2 (Rotterdam’s reclamation of land from the North Sea, ed.) existed only on paper. That has all changed completely with very real consequences for us.”

More Service While the severity of the cyclical turmoil was unforeseen, it didn’t come as a complete surprise. It’s characteristic of 8

current world economic trends. It makes Westerhoud wonder to what extent ECT can influence external factors. “The things we can do, we should do to the best of our ability.

Rotterdam has a head start thanks to its wonderful location, port depth and its excellent links to the hinterland.

It’s up to us to build on that. Service must be improved and that’s happening. At the moment we are implementing dual cycling, twin carrying and twin lifting. New software planned for the Delta will enable us to go again one better.”

Westerhoud hopes that clients will forgive the delay in implementing the new software, an operation that has twice been postponed. “With such a radical transition we want to be completely certain, to eliminate all possible risks. All operations should continue as normal.”

One factor ECT couldn’t influence was the loss of the cargoes that disappeared along with P&O Nedlloyd. Luckily, some new services already have come in their place (see news items pages 4 - 6). And although ECT needs all its resources to handle the present volumes, the two City terminals - Home and Hanno - in particular are working below capacity. Westerhoud admits that this gives him cause for concern. However, ECT’s two legged-strategy of operating terminals on both the North Sea and in the city still has great advantages. “There are still enough custom-

‘We want to build up long term relationships with our clients. Success in that turns on costs, productivity, reliability, and above all understanding for what the shipping lines need.’

ers who like to be handled in the city area. The service is very flexible and its location is close to the market.”

Total Capacity At the North Sea the ECT Delta Terminal is developing well.

“Our 270 million euro capacity expansion programme is now at the final, rounding off stage. The next project has already begun: the construction of the Delta Barge Feeder Terminal at the tip of the Delta peninsula. From 2008 feeders and inland ships will get their own berths here.”

Work on the Euromax Terminal - the new deep-sea terminal on the north side of the Maasvlakte - is also well underway. The project was originally begun as a 50-50 joint venture between ECT and P&O Nedlloyd. The takeover of P&O by Maersk Sealand however casts a different light on the future division of ownership. Westerhoud doesn’t want to say too much on the subject. “The key thing at present is that the construction process continues unimpeded, so that the first ships can moor there in 2008.”

Thanks in part to the Euromax Terminal, Rotterdam will have more than enough capacity on offer to container customers prior to Maasvlakte 2 coming online. If all goes

according to plan, the 1000 hectare North Sea reclamation project of the port will be completed between 2012 and 2014. Over the next two years it will be decided who will operate the first terminal. Westerhoud: “The Rotterdam Port has issued a tender. We are currently very busy with it. There are fourteen or fifteen candidates, with the shortlist of the final four to be announced in the summer.”

Consulting with the Customers As incoming ECT president, Westerhoud spent 2005 visiting most customers in person in order to bolster relations not just in the Far East but also locally: at (head) offices in Rotterdam, London and Hamburg. What struck him most was, on the one hand, the respect for ECT and, on the other, the abiding concerns about future capacity. “Shipping lines want certainty and cost control. As ECT we are confident that we can offer them that. We want to build up longterm relationships with our clients. Success in that turns on costs, productivity, reliability, and above all understanding for what the shipping lines need. In that there is certainly leeway, as far as we’re concerned, for other forms of contract than those existing at present.”

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‘Just like an athlete is always trying to be a tenth of a second faster, we must continually try to improve service.’

Westerhoud gains a great deal of inspiration from his contacts with customers. The same holds true for his relationship with shareholder Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) and in particular the business unit Europe. The ECT-president regularly travels to Hong Kong. “Naturally you can do a lot by telephone and mail, but personal contact is irreplaceable. It’s important that ECT maintains its sense of group pride. It is a good feeling, for example, when you visit the HIT Terminal in Hong Kong. The same applies to the way in which HPH engages with strategy and sales.”

Extension of the Sea Terminals ECT has also given considerable attention to strengthening the connections with the European hinterland. Westerhoud describes ECT’s three inland terminals in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany as a logical extension of the sea terminals. A good onward flow ensures that the containers get to their final destinations as quick as possible and that the sea terminals continue functioning optimally. The aim is to further intensify the links between Rotterdam and its three bridgeheads. Because of this the terminal manager of land side operations at the Delta is now also responsible for the inland terminals. ECT is fully committed to inland investments. At the end of last year it secured a majority share in DeCeTe in Duisburg, Germany. The rail terminal in Venlo (southeast Netherlands), which has been operating successfully for many years, is being expanded with the addition of a barge terminal.

Top Infrastructure Good barge and rail connections are also critical for a further modal shift. Westerhoud has no doubts about the need to get cargo off the road. Continually rising volumes and environmental considerations make that an absolute necessity. The river Rhine provides barges with a unique connection with Europe. With the Betuwe Route (see feature page 12 - 13) rail will have a comparable infrastructure at its disposal. The new freight-only rail track between Rotterdam and Germany adds considerable new highvalue capacity. Westerhoud: “We have to make maximum use of the Betuwe Route.” The ECT-president is concerned however about the stance of Dutch politics on the issue. “In my view the new railway line should derive its profits from a good capacity utilisation and not from high tariffs.

If they opt for the latter then there’s a real danger that a lot of potential cargo will leak away onto the roads.”

Continuing Service Improvement With all its geographical advantages, expansion plans and infrastructure projects Rotterdam is exceptionally well placed to maintain its pole position into the future. “It’s 10

important that the port stays on its toes. We cannot and must not assume that cargoes will simply come to Rotterdam. It really doesn’t happen automatically. The same applies to us at ECT. We have to give 200 percent when it comes to working with the client and seeing how we can offer him what he wants. 2005 was the Year of Service. Thanks to a hundred major and minor measures we have managed to get our performance moving in the right direction. But we are still a long way from being satisfied. The battle to improve service is never finished. Just like an athlete is always trying to be a tenth of a second faster, we must continually try to improve service.”

Global Security For a number of years now, ECT has been closely involved in the worldwide development of smart & secure trade lanes. Soon, a new pilot aimed at global container security will be initiated. The shipment tag, which is to be fitted on each container door, plays an essential role in this project.

Since 9/11, security has been a hot issue all over the globe. In transport, the emphasis is increasingly shifting to the protection of the entire logistics chain. Last year, the World Customs Organisation established a ‘framework of standards’ for an ‘authorised supply chain’. All the participating links in such a chain - from shipper to recipient - must adhere to stringent security guidelines. In return, these so-called secure economic operators can count on simplified cross-border procedures.

Good cooperation is essential to the authorised supply chain. Shippers beforehand electronically provide Customs with the required cargo information. There is also close cooperation between the Customs authorities in the countries of origin and destination. Comprehensive and uniform risk analyses constitute the basis for container inspections. Upon request, the contents are already scanned in the port of departure. What’s more, modern RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification) enables all participants to exactly follow the container throughout its entire journey.

Smart Box Westerhoud thinks ECT is a fantastic company to work for.

“It’s got everything that makes enterprise so exciting. The work is international, and while it’s true that ECT is relatively small, it’s very visible and its processes are very exciting. We are now already thinking about 2025 - 2030.

We want to offer our customers a clear future.”

That is the long term. “If you ask me how ECT will appear in two years time, then we will be even more productive, the modernisation of the software at the Delta will have been successful, we will have established long term contracts with customers on the basis of partnerships and our position in the European hinterland will have been further strengthened. And last but not least we will still have lots of pleasure in our work. Team spirit is the basis for getting people to see what we’re worth.”

The most tangible aspect of this RFID technology is a new generation of electronic seals: the shipment tag (see photo). This nifty box is attached to the container door and immediately registers unauthorised attempts to open the container. Any time the container passes one of the tag readers that are located at strategic points throughout the chain - such as the quay cranes at ECT - a signal is directly sent to a central computer in Singapore. The parties involved can then immediately take action. But the shipment tag is capable of more:

detecting light inside the container (stowaways, break-in and entering), ascertaining the presence of chemical leaks and monitoring other conditions inside. In this way, the shipment tag also constitutes an electronic log.

The device and the advanced tracking system were developed by Savi Technology from the USA. Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) - the owner of ECT - is a co-shareholder in Savi Networks, the company that builds and operates an RFID-based automated container tracking and security network in ports around the world.

Global Pilot Underway Soon, the first global pilot with an authorised supply chain will commence. This will take place on the east-west route vice versa, with the three ECT terminals in Rotterdam as the European participants and the HPH terminals in Hong Kong and Shanghai as the Asian ones. Xerox, the A.S. Watson Group and Frieslandfoods are the participating shippers. The Customs authorities of China, Hong Kong and the Netherlands are also taking part.

Talks with a number of shipping companies are currently still underway.

Automatic Reading The global pilot will offer a great degree of insight into the effective-

ness of the authorised supply chain and the equipment used. If the shipment tag proves successful, worldwide implementation is probable. An additional stimulus is the expected new seal verification guideline of the US Department of Homeland Security, which will likely come into force at the end of 2006. New rules recently proposed by the European Commission to better protect the freight transport sector against terrorism, will also help to bring supply chain security to a new level.

The most important elements of the above-mentioned new seal verification guideline of the US Department of Homeland Security are expected to be the compulsory usage of an ISOstandardised container seal and its mandatory physical inspection. Not just for damages, but also to verify whether the seal number corresponds with the documents. Such checks can most logically be conducted at the container terminals of origin and transhipment. If discrepancies are not detected until the USA, the cargo could be sent back. Manually inspecting all the container seals is quite a chore. With the tag reading equipment on the quay cranes and such, shipment tags can however be read automatically. This saves a lot of time and, with that, money.

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Betuwe Route starts on January 1, 2007 After many years of construction work, the Betuwe Route is due to be taken into operation on January 1, 2007. This brand new freight-only rail track links Rotterdam port directly with Germany. Investment in the 160-kilometre railway totals some 4.5 billion euros.

Railway of the Future No more giving way for passenger trains, safe and reliable transit and more than enough capacity for new initiatives - the Betuwe Route freight-only rail track is a dream come true for every shipper and represents a major impulse for the European rail sector. The new two-track goods line runs from Rotterdam through the whole of the Netherlands before linking up to the German rail network at Emmerich.

Major Investment With construction costs totaling some 4.5 billion euros, the Betuwe Route is one of the largest Dutch infrastructural investments ever. The decision to go ahead with the project dates back to the early Nineties. Even at this early juncture, the government already recognised that the constantly increasing goods flows would require a fullyfledged transport alternative alongside road and river. The railway network in the Netherlands was - and is - heavily utilised, particularly by passenger trains, which take precedence over goods transport. Reason enough for the Netherlands to boost its rail infrastructure with a view to the future. But other countries, too, decided to invest substantially. Europe is aiming for the development of a single, far-reaching (cargo) rail network that doesn’t stop at national borders.

The Betuwe Route freight-only track starts and ends in the Rotterdam port at the Maasvlakte rail terminal, right at the ECT Delta’s front door. From there the railway carves a route through the heart of the port and industrial area, heading in a virtually straight line for Germany. For the first 40 kilometres goods trains use the already existing Port railway line. In its capacity as part of the Betuwe Route this goods line has acquired twin tracks along its entire length as well as several fly-overs and a tunnel of more than three kilometres to take it under the Oude Maas river. Some parts of the Port railway line have also been diverted further away from residential areas, so reducing the impact on the surrounding area.

Innovative

The actual construction of the Betuwe Route started in 1997, beginning in Rotterdam and later elsewhere in the Netherlands. The new goods line has been optimally inte-

The real innovations of the Betuwe Route are not to be found in the infrastructure, however, but in the technical systems. The new goods line will for example be fully electrified at 25 kV. This new European standard equips the goods trains with a far higher voltage than currently in common use. That means that locomotives will have a greater pulling capacity, thereby enabling the deployment of heavier and/or longer trains. The safety system for the trains is also new. This ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) will be gradually implemented throughout Europe.

Route length 160 km Number of overhead cable contact points 5600 Number of railway sleepers 600,000 Builders’ sand required 16 million m3 Man years’ construction time 20,000 Electrification 25 kV Maximum speed 120 km per hour Axle load max. 25 tonne Capacity 10 trains in each direction per hour

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In the Port

Safely and Unhindered

Betuwe Route in Figures • • • • • • • • •

grated into the landscape. This has involved, among other things, five tunnels being built, together totalling 18 kilometres in length and roofing in around 1.5 kilometres of the railway line in a village close to the port. In addition, some 160 kilometres of sound-proofing has been placed alongside the new railway line. Nor does the Betuwe Route number a single ground-level crossing. Altogether, the route boasts a total of 130 bridges and fly-overs along its length. This means that both goods trains and road traffic can proceed safely and unhindered.

Construction of the Betuwe Route is currently in the final phase. During the coming months, the project organisation responsible will be concentrating its efforts on testing the systems. This is a crucial task given all the new and innovative systems being implemented. It will also soon become clear who is to operate the new goods link.

‘Safeguarding the Netherlands’ Role as Logistics Leader’ Wouter den Dulk was president of ECT in the period 1993 2000, and as such he closely followed the preparations and the construction of the Betuwe Route. After his departure from ECT it was no different: these days Den Dulk is a member of the supervisory board at ProRail, the manager of the Netherlands’ rail infrastructure and one of the envisaged operators of the new goods line. “The construction of the Betuwe Route was a very sensible decision in order to safeguard the Netherlands’ role as European logistics leader,” Den Dulk says. “Congestion on European roads keeps getting worse, and in addition road transport is increasingly faced with environmental constraints and pricing measures. At the same time the Netherlands railway network is used intensively. So a good and efficient alternative was imperative.”

Volume Necessary Den Dulk however questions the debates still being waged about the exploitation of the rail link ahead of its imminent opening. Dutch politicians are pushing for a substantial levy per kilometre to enable the Betuwe Route to become selfsufficient as soon as possible. ”But a market introduction takes time. To help the product get off to a good start, you have to introduce a sensible pricing policy. The logistics sector is characterised by low margins. If you price the Betuwe Route too high, shippers will keep cargoes on the road or opt for inland shipping. Volumes are key. That the Betuwe Route will be a success, is beyond doubt. But how long that will take, will depend on the decisions being made now.”

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Canon services Europe from Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte

An 80 million euro saving on storage costs. By centralising European distribution of

Logistics for Professionals

professional copiers and printers on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, the Japanese giant Canon can now work far more efficiently and economically. Moreover, the location is ideal. “If necessary we can have a container in-house just one hour after it was discharged at the ECT Delta Terminal,” says Robert van Brakel.

Up until two years ago, each of Canon’s national organisations in Europe had its own warehouse. It had to be possible to arrange that more economically and efficiently, was the thinking. The Japanese multinational thus decided to centralise its operations. The Distripark Maasvlakte in Rotterdam was chosen as the location of the European Logistics Centre (ELC) for professional copiers and printers.

Other Canon divisions - such as those for photo and video equipment - operate from a base near Amsterdam, right next to the international airport. A logical decision, says Warehouse Operation Manager Robert van Brakel. “A lot of photo and video equipment comes from the Far East by air, whereas the professional copiers and printers are usually shipped by boat.”

Mainport for Asia

Canon Established in Japan in 1937, Canon achieved a turnover of approx. 24.5 billion euros in 2004. The company employs around 108,000 staff worldwide. The most important product groups are photo and video equipment, digital colour printers, professional copiers and printers, opticals (lenses etc) and medical equipment (e.g. scanners). Canon has been active in Europe since 1962. Headquarters are in the Netherlands.

14

From the Maasvlakte, Canon now services seventeen European countries. Numbers eighteen and nineteen France and the UK - are set to follow soon. For Van Brakel, the Netherlands and Rotterdam were an obvious choice: “We wanted a single point of entry. Rotterdam is Europe’s mainport for Asian cargoes. In addition, the Netherlands is very strong in distribution. And here the land was available.”

Canon has contracted out the actual operations at the Distripark Maasvlakte to logistics service provider Nippon Express. The two Japanese companies have a long relationship. Not only on their home market, but also in the United States and Europe they work closely together. “The warehouse on the Maasvlakte is owned by Nippon Express who also employ the 142 personnel,” explains Van Brakel.

However, he and a team of four colleagues at Canon have overall control. Strict agreements have been made with Nippon Express on the storage, processing and delivery of goods.

The operations of Nippon Express on the Maasvlakte are dedicated to Canon. The warehouse, opened originally in July 2003, was extended especially for the ELC from 10,000 to 44,000 square metres, and comprises 53 loading bays.

Distripark Advantages Van Brakel estimates this year around 7000 40-foot containers of professional copiers and printers from the Far East will go through Rotterdam. “The purchase of ship’s capacity is done by our mother company. Canon is Japan’s second largest exporter, which adds up to a lot of volume.

Each month the company holds a tender, whereby the

price is key. We do business with seven different carriers.”

The cargo arrives in Rotterdam mainly at the ECT Delta Terminal, directly opposite the Distripark. Maasvlakte Transport - an ECT subsidiary - transports the containers to the warehouse. “When necessary we can have a container in-house just one hour after discharge,” Van Brakel explains. This goods flow tots up to some 35 to 40 40-footers daily, or 2100 pallets. “Everything that arrives today, has to be in the system and in the right place by 18.00 hours.”

Internal Track Between the warehouse and ECT, the Port of Rotterdam has set up an internal track. Currently it is not operational, but Van Brakel hopes soon to change all that. “That way containers can come directly to us using terminal transporters.

What’s more, it will cut down on the administrative tasks at the terminal gate.”

Another advantage of the Distripark is the close proximity of a rail and a barge terminal. The presence of the Customs office is also practical. “They are our neighbours.

Documents are transferred electronically of course, but if a physical inspection is required, that can be done very efficiently using the Customs scan,” Van Brakel explains. ”Containers are released very quickly. Before, when everything had to be completely unpacked, that was not always the case. We have good agreements with Customs, I estimate that no more than one container per hundred is scanned.”

More Inland Shipping and Rail Canon holds a stockpile of five to six weeks in the Distripark warehouse. At six locations scattered throughout Europe Canon also operates small satellite warehouses with on-hand paper supplies, toner and fast moving spare parts. Delivery of the copiers and printers from Rotterdam to the service centres in the European countries takes place within 24 to 72 hours after the order has been dispatched, depending on the distance. Nippon Express takes care of transport planning, on orders from Canon. Naturally, the aim is to make as many full loads as possible. To date, most of the transport has been by road (89 percent) and just a small percentage by barge (6 percent) and rail (5 percent).

However, this modal split is set to change significantly.

Out of its social responsibilities, Canon aims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 50 percent by 2010. Cutting the number of trucks is one of the solutions.

15

Number of Rail Shuttles Rotterdam - Europe vv Rapidly increasing

Right on Schedule!

More and more companies are catching on to the advantages of rail transport via Rotterdam. Each week, the port constitutes the starting point for more than 150 rail shuttles bound for all corners of the European continent. The number of trains is steadily increasing. ECT is more than willing to think along to make new rail initiatives become successful.

For more than six months now, a bi-weekly shuttle train has been going back and forth between the ECT Delta Terminal and Sladkovicovo in Slovakia. As Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) is the driving force behind this shuttle, its timetable is fully geared to accommodating the shipping company’s deep-sea traffic from Asia. The primary motive for the new rail product is ‘speed’. “As we are the first port of call, moving cargo to Central Europe via Rotterdam can just like that be three days faster than via Hamburg,” say Ulco Bottema and Wouter van Dijk of ECT’s commercial department. To achieve this, stevedore and carrier have made good operational agreements. After the containers have been unloaded, ECT makes sure they are immediately moved to the on-dock rail terminal. There, the train is waiting; the export cargo from Slovakia has already been discharged.

HMM in its turn stows its deep-sea vessels in such a manner that containers bound for Sladkovicovo can be quickly

New Rail Initiatives Galore Shuttle trains directly run between two destinations according to a fixed timetable. Over the last couple of months, various new rail services have been initiated from Rotterdam. Some examples are:

discharged upon arrival in Rotterdam. Important customers of HMM are by now already making full use of the new connection.

No Shunting HMM is not the only one with a new rail product. ECT is noticing increasingly more interest in moving cargo by rail from Rotterdam (see box). “We see a lot of initiatives. ECT is always willing to think along. It is possible to enter into quite a few agreements with us.”

Rail however has not always had the same level of interest from the market it has today. For a long time, Rotterdam’s train connections were somewhat undervalued. This was partially attributable to the port’s situation on the River Rhine and the strength of the inland shipping sector.

Bottema and Van Dijk mention various reasons for the shift in attitude towards rail. First, there is the impending Betuwe Route (see feature pages 12 - 13), the freight-only railway line that will from the first of January 2007 provide a direct link between Rotterdam and Germany.

Companies are now already anticipating the strong increase in capacity this will create. What’s more, both of ECT’s rail terminals at the Maasvlakte have more than sufficient capacity for handling new shuttles. “Our operations go on 24 hours a day and seven days a week.” From the Maasvlakte, the trains directly head for the hinterland.

According to Bottema and Van Dijk, this constitutes an extra advantage. “In other north-west European ports, a lot more shunting needs to take place. This takes time.”

More Competition, Better Product Within Europe, the Netherlands is one of the front runners when it comes to the liberalisation of rail transport.

Because of this, companies can increasingly choose between more traction suppliers and operators. This means more competition and, as a rule, a better product. Many German railway companies - such as Rail4Chem and KombiVerkehr - have a prominent presence in Rotterdam.

Bottema and Van Dijk: “Slowly but surely, the emphasis in European rail transport is shifting from Germany to the Netherlands. The early adaptors are already here and others are sure to follow. More and more, Rotterdam constitutes a strategic rail alternative.”

New to • Wels in Austria; • Lyon in France; • Gadki in Poland; • Sladkovicovo in Slovakia.

Most of the shuttle trains departing from Rotterdam are bound for Germany vv, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Austria.

‘ECT Shuttles’ More information • www.ect.nl • www.railcargo.nl

The primary motive for the new shuttle service

ECT itself has a highly successful rail link to TCT Venlo, the company’s hinterland terminal in the south-east Netherlands close to the German border. “With three departures a day from the Maasvlakte and one from the Eemhaven near the ECT Home Terminal, you could say we have a kind of open pipeline,” says Van Dijk. In just a couple of hours, the containers are in the hinterland or, vice versa, in Rotterdam. And in the unlikely event that a container should miss its connection, the next train is already waiting. “Among road transport companies, there is a growing trend to pick up and/or deliver their boxes in Venlo. In this way, they avoid the busy motorways. They take care of distribution from Venlo. We soon also want to start offering this concept with a so-called extended gate in the hinterland for DeCeTe, our trimodal terminal in the German town of Duisburg.”

to Sladkovicovo in Slovakia is ‘speed’.

16

17

Ingenious Design for First 13,000-TEU Mega Carrier

XXXL

Classification society Germanischer Lloyd and shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries have together designed the next generation of container vessels. With 13,440 TEU,

Transportation Cost / TEU

the new vessel boasts a never-before-seen capacity. The most important innovation

130%

is the propulsion by means of two engines and propellers. In addition, the deck-

110%

120% 100%

house and the engine room have been separated. The vessel is also much wider

Hyundai Heavy Industries

90% 80%

than any other vessel currently in use. The first mega carrier could in theory take to

70% 60%

the world seas in 2009.

7,500

10,000

13,000

Specifications 13,000-TEU Vessel

Ready for the Future For two years, Germanischer Lloyd and Hyundai Heavy Industries from Korea have extensively studied all the ins

18

and outs of the new ship design. Without there being any external pressure from customers who need a vessel sooner rather than later. With the new 13,000-TEU vessel, the two initiating parties are more than ready for the future.

Until 2009, the order books of Hyundai are filled with ‘smaller’ container vessels. The shipyard however is now already preparing itself for tapping into new markets in the period after that.

Deckhouse and Engine Room separated Visually very sticking about the mega carrier is the separation of the deckhouse and the engine room. Probst: “This is due to visibility requirements. Anyway: why keep the two together? There are long periods of time - up to 24 hours when no one needs to go into the engine room. Everything is fully automated. We have therefore endeavoured to find a new optimum location for the deckhouse. Parameters in this respect were the stability and strength of the ship, the visibility over the bow and the loading capacity.” The deckhouse has consequently been moved forward quite a bit (see illustration). “This has a positive effect on container capacity without negatively impacting the other characteristics of the vessel. We could have saved even more space by locating the deckhouse all the way up front. In theory, this would have been possible. But had we done this, then the crew would have been seasick quite quickly due to the rolling pattern of the waves there.”

From 18 to 21 Another major step forward is the beam of the new vessel: 54.2 metres. This is roughly eight metres more - or three rows of containers - than the current largest vessel. Probst: “In our design, the containers are stacked 21 rows wide and 8 tiers high on deck and 19 rows wide and 10 tiers high below deck.” The modern quay cranes - such as those at ECT - with a reach of 22 containers are already ‘new mega carrier-proof’. Probst: “Many port operators have prepared well for future developments. And just as well, as the life cycle of cranes is very long.” The design draught of the mega carrier is 13.5 metres fully laden. But in all calculations, a draught of 15 metres has also been taken into consideration. Shipping companies expect container cargo to get heavier in the future. The number of crew-members on board of the new generation of container vessels will more or less remain unchanged. And this is an additional advantage. Probst: “More and more container vessels are sailing the seas and it is increasingly becoming harder to find qualified staff. This problem is often underestimated.”

Highly Favourably Of course, designing a ship is much more than just counting containers, says Probst. “Elements such as strength and stability are pivotal, under all circumstances and for the entire vessel.” Each aspect of the mega carrier has therefore been extensively tested in many varieties. Through calcula-

Germanischer Lloyd

“A decision in favour of proven technology,” is how JanOlaf Probst, Ship Type Manager Container Ships at Germanischer Lloyd, describes the choice to fit the new 13,000-TEU vessel with two engines and propellers. “Of course, we have also considered the possibility to just use one main engine. But a 14-cylinder engine cannot generate the cruising speed of 25.5 knots that shipping companies require. And a 16-cylinder engine poses too many technical uncertainties.” The solution turned out to be two ‘standard’ 8-cylinder engines of the same type that is commonly used in 4000-TEU vessels. “It even made the ship’s design simpler. Two smaller boilers for the engines for example are easier to install than one single large one,” explains Probst.

The dual engine construction also offers advantages in terms of maintenance. The selected engine type is widely known and used and spare parts are easily obtainable.

A twin-drive in addition creates more safety. If one of the two engines fails, then the vessel can simply continue sailing on the other. Somewhat surprising, equipping a vessel with a twin propulsion system is just marginally more expensive than a single drive. Probst: “Such calculations of course are pre-eminently the domain of the ship yard. Like no other, they have the know-how for this.”

• • • • •

Length Beam Draught Average speed Propulsion

382 metres 54.2 metres 13.5 metres / 15 metres 25.5 knots 2 x 45,000 kW engines

tions, modelling and simulations, the most serious worstcase scenarios have been thoroughly evaluated. It has for example become apparent that the vessel can effortlessly deal with waves of 400 metres length and 19 metres high whilst cruising at a speed of 17 knots.

The ultimate proof of success in the market of course is the extent to which the ship will contribute to improving the results of the shipping companies. Probst has no doubts in this respect. Using simple stats, he shows the operating costs per TEU (see graph) for successive generations of container vessels. The figures clearly state that the 13,000-TEU vessel is highly competitive.

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The ECT Delta Terminal is currently in the middle of a major two-year expansion programme involving an investment of 270 million euro. By the end of 2006, the capacity at the terminal will have increased by 1.5 million container moves a year. The addition of a lot of extra equipment and the introduction of new working methods - dual cycling, twin carrying, twin lifting means productivity can be boosted at the same time.

ECT Delta Terminal continues to expand

Capacity,

Capacity, Capacity!

Since mid-March, the first of eight new quay cranes has been in operation at the ECT Delta Terminal. With a height of 43 metres and a reach of no less than 22 containers wide this crane, manufactured by ZPMC, can effortlessly discharge and load the largest sea-going vessels. Before the summer of 2006, three more of these steel giants will arrive at the south side of the Delta complex; the four remaining cranes will follow in the second half of this year.

“By the end of 2006, we will have a total of 27 deep-sea cranes and 1 barge crane at the Delta Dedicated West Terminal (DDW) and Delta Dedicated East Terminal (DDE) together,” say terminal manager automated cluster Philip Beesemer and manager technology & engineering Jan Waas. “This will also be the definitive situation for the coming years. With less than 100 metres of quay per crane, we maximised the volume that can be handled at the south side. It allows ECT to service the vessels with the optimum amount of cranes for each deep-sea berth.”

Delta Dedicated North At the Delta Dedicated North Terminal (DDN), capacity expansion is being realised by raising the height of seven existing quay cranes to 40 metres and increasing their reach to 18 containers wide. Four of these cranes have already been ’upgraded’ in this manner; the other three will 20

follow in the coming months. “In addition, an extra deepsea crane and barge crane will be relocated from the south side. This means that by the end of the year, the DDN will be working with 9 deep-sea cranes and 1 barge crane,” say Beesemer and Waas. But there is more. At the DDN 17 new Automated Stacking Cranes will replace older types, which allows for containers to be stacked four high instead of two high. Also, two new stacking lanes will be realised. All this boils down to one thing: capacity, capacity, capacity!

Production-boosting Measures More capacity is one ambition, boosting productivity another. Of course, the fact that a lot of new equipment is arriving at the ECT Delta helps. But there are also many other measures aimed at improving performance. Especially the complete renewal of the terminal software is expected to have a substantial impact. In anticipation of this, ECT is already implementing a number of system improvements: dual cycling (both loading and discharging a container in one single crane movement), twin carrying (two 20-foot containers on one AGV) and twin lifting (loading or discharging two 20-foot containers at the same time). Beesemer and Waas: “We are now in the start-up phase. We will implement these new working methods in various stages. Close cooperation with the customer is highly important in this.

Where possible, ECT makes use of twin carrying: two 20-foot containers on one single AGV.

The stowage of vessels needs to be geared to it. Only then can we come to a true win-win situation.”

Swift Castling Due to recent volume developments, the ECT Delta also has the opportunity to spread customers across the terminals in a different manner. The current forms of cooperation between the shipping companies are leading in this respect. At the DDN, for example, the vessels of China Shipping and CMA CGM will moor, at the DDE the vessels of The New World Alliance and the Grand Alliance and at the DDW, ECT will handle Evergreen and the CKYH group (Cosco, “K” Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin).

Next Expansion As one of the last focal points of the 270-million-euro investment programme (see box), the most westerly part of the Delta Dedicated West Terminal is currently being equipped with automated stacking lanes and accompanying stacking cranes. Slowly but surely, the emphasis is shifting from ‘basic construction’ to fine-tuning. Beesemer and Waas: “It is now increasingly becoming a matter of making optimum use of the systems, equipment and software.”

However, ECT will not stop building soon. On top of the existing initiatives, a new project has already been initiat-

ed at the northernmost tip of the Delta complex: the construction of the Delta Barge Feeder Terminal. From the beginning of 2008, feeders and barges will have their own berths there. The contractor is by now working on the building site. The filling-in of a 75-metre wide stretch of water alongside the terminal is in full swing. In May 2007, the quay wall should be completed. After that, the positioning of - initially - three widespread gantry cranes with a handling capacity of 330,000 barge and feeder containers will follow.

ECT’s ambitions definitely go beyond the 1.5 million extra container moves that will be possible at the Delta by the end of 2006. The stevedore will constantly continue to expand its capacity. Beesemer and Waas: “We are ready to grow along with our customers.”

Breakdown of the 270-million-euro Investment • • • •

572 metres of extra quay; 8 quay cranes for deep-sea vessels; 84 Automated Guided Vehicles; 35 Automated Stacking Lanes;

• • • •

55 Automated Stacking Cranes; 5 Multi Trailer Tractors; 12 Multi Trailer Systems; 11 straddle carriers.

21

FOCUS ON…

Recently all trucks arriving at and leaving the ECT Delta Terminal started passing through an automatic inspection gate. This piece of high tech equipment is another element in the master plan for a completely redesigned forecourt with even more capacity. In the future there will be no need for truck drivers to leave their cabs.

THE WEB The website of ECT offers loads of information. In 2006, Fast Forward will in each edition introduce one or more sections. To see the real thing, you will of course need to surf to www.ect.nl. This time, the focus is on:

TERMINAL OVERVIEW

The Next Step Every week the ECT Delta Terminal handles around 13,000 trucks with 17,000 containers -- huge numbers, which are expected to rise even further in the future. In order to ensure smooth handling, a master plan has been drawn up for the forecourt. In the next few years, the area will be completely transformed. The changes will affect the infrastructure, hardware and software. Ultimately, drivers who have been correctly pre-notified and hold a Cargo Card won’t even have to get out of their trucks when they arrive at the ECT Delta.

They’ll be able to complete all the necessary formalities by simply rolling down their cab window. The Cargo Card, which currently operates only as an identity card, will by then also function as a routing card for the terminal.

Six Lanes The upgraded service for truck drivers is scheduled to become reality in the next two years. As part of that process, an automatic inspection gate was recently installed on the forecourt. The metal frame is festooned with lighting, video and photo cameras. Altogether there are six lanes: three in, three out, with eight cameras per lane. These fully automatic cameras check the license plate of the truck, the container number, IMO labels and the container size type.

They also shoot the container from various angles so that, when necessary, any damage can be inspected at a later stage. All the information is recorded and stored in a database.

From Test to Practice After passing the automatic inspection gate, truck drivers continue their route through the traditional inspection gate, where an ECT employee checks on the computer 22

screen that the cameras have done their job properly. He also manually inspects the container seal (see article on page 11 for new developments on this subject). That’s the only thing the automatic gate cannot do.

The automatic inspection gate will be in the test phase until the end of April at least, say Arno van Rijn and Jarno Kuipers of ECT’s project team. After the pilot, the new equipment will be working on a stand-alone basis for an initial period. With the introduction of new software at the ECT Delta, the configuration will become an integral part of the terminal system.

Looking for real-time data about which vessels are moored at ECT or which trains are present at the rail terminals? Terminal Overview displays all this information at a single glance.

Schematic maps give an indication of

(name, shipping company, time of arrival, time of departure etc) about the ship/train in question will appear.

Terminal Overview also offers the possibility to go back in time (up to one week) or look up to three weeks into

the occupancy for each terminal. The different colours clearly indicate whether deep-sea, feedering, inland shipping or rail is involved. By clicking on an object, additional information

the future. The latter of course depends on the extent to which vessels and trains have already been prenotified by the shipping company or rail operator.

VISITORS

OBJECT STATUS

All visitors of the ECT website can make use of Terminal Overview, Object Status and Container Status.

You can access these tools by clicking on the specific buttons on the right side of the homepage or the ‘tracing’ menu option on the left side.

Another convenient way of verifying the presence of deep-sea vessels, feeders, inland barges and trains at ECT is through Object Status. First of all, you can search for a train/vessel by entering its name. In addition, it is possible to conduct a more refined search on operator, terminal, modality and time of arrival/departure. Objects can also be selected on ‘expected’, ‘arrived’ and ‘departed’.

EXTRANET

CONTAINER STATUS

For authorised clients, ECT has a comprehensive extranet (the blue section). In addition to much more detailed vessel, train and container information, this extranet also contains numerous services that facilitate the issuing of orders and the exchange of data with ECT.

To find out whether a specific container is present at one of the ECT terminals, all you need to do is enter the container number in Container Status.

Faster Inspection times will be cut significantly, conclude Van Rijn and Kuipers. But apart from that, the automatic inspection gates won’t make much difference for drivers.

“Coming from the service-counter building they’ll have to make an extra turn for the time being, but that’s all. That has to do with the changes in the forecourt’s layout in the future. The automatic inspection gate is positioned where it’s finally supposed to be.”

Automatic inspection gates are already being used around the world, also in Rotterdam. The ECT Home Terminal has been working with the system for a number of years now.

The equipment at the Delta however is of a new advanced generation with a lot more possibilities. In order to create the right conditions - particularly a constant light - the installation at the Home Terminal is placed inside a building for example. At the Delta, this isn’t necessary. Lamps with LED-technology create identical conditions for every situation.

23

MAN AND MACHINE

Marco van Batenburg (32) operates the quay crane gracing the cover of this edition of Fast Forward. “Outsiders often think too lightly about our profession. You constantly need to strike a balance between speed and safety. After all, we do work with people and the crane is lifting heavy loads.

Nonetheless, my drive and that of each crane operator here at ECT is to each time handle as many containers as possible.

I have no preference for one crane in particular. However, they are all different. But this also goes for the vessels. The crane simply has to do what it should do: move boxes.�