ECT FastForward Issue 45

FAST FORWARD su m m e r 2 0 0 9

ISSUE

45

24/7 Well-oiled operation Fewer Empty Kilometres via PARIS Global Player on the Dutch - German Border

Rotterdam – Germany in 1.75 Hours

FAST FORWARD CONTENTS

Colophon Fast Forward, a business-to-business publication of ECT, appears three times a year. Please contact our

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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, Anne Hodgkinson Photography Eric Bakker (unless stated otherwise) Layout Ontwerpwerk, The Hague Printing Drukkerij De Longte, Capelle a/d IJssel External coordination RWP, Voorburg Chief editor ECT Rose Wiggers Europe Container Terminals (ECT) Europe Container Terminals (ECT) is the largest and most advanced container terminal operator in Europe, handling almost three-quarters of all containers at the port of Rotterdam.

ECT operates three deep-sea terminals here: the ECT Delta Terminal and the Euromax Terminal (with the CKYH Alliance) on the Maasvlakte peninsula, close to the North Sea, and the ECT City Terminal in the Eemhaven close to the city centre. Currently, ECT is developing a network of inland terminals to facilitate better intermodal transport between Rotterdam and the European hinterland. In 2008, ECT handled 6.3 million TEU. ECT is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group, a subsidiary of the multinational ­conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL).

HPH is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 49 ports, spanning 25 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa,

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Europe, the Americas and Australia. HPH also owns a number of transportation-related service companies.

In 2008, the HPH Group handled a combined throughput of 67.6 million TEU worldwide.

No rights can be derived from this publication.

10-11 P.O. Box 7385, 3000 HJ Rotterdam, the Netherlands T +31 (0) 181 278 278 E info@ect.nl | W www.ect.nl

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24/7 Well-oiled Operation ECT’s handling of Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCSs) is a well-oiled operation which continues 24/7. Philip Beesemer, General Manager Delta Terminal: “By being flexible and offering a good service and performance, we try to make the lives of our customers as easy as possible.”

Global Player on the Dutch German border Entrepreneur Hai Berden describes his company Seacon Logistics as a supply chain manager with a maritime focus. The independent logistics company has successfully operated in partnership with ­globally active clients for close on 25 years now.

Fewer Empty Kilometres via PARIS Under the name Truck Load Match Rotterdam, five Dutch road transporters have jointly set up a company aimed at minimizing the number of empty trips. Using the computerized planning system PARIS, they are able to reduce the number of empty kilometres by 30 percent.

summer 2009

COLUMN

In Good Times and in Bad Times Rotterdam to Germany in 1.75 hours Since 2007 Rotterdam has benefited from the Betuweroute, a 160 km dedicated freight-only rail link to Germany. Fast Forward took a trip on the Betuwe Express, the new daily container shuttle between the ECT terminals on the Maasvlakte and the inland terminal DeCeTe in Duisburg, right in the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region. Germany has never been so close.

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News Welcome to FutureLand!

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Environmentally Friendly Gas Doctor

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‘Integrity’ for Worldwide Logistics Chains

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Seeding for an Intermodal Fresh Corridor

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Maxeda DIY professionalises Logistics

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My Rotterdam

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Link in the Logistics Chain

Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Europe are enjoying the summer. In stark contrast to this, the climate in the container sector however is all but sunny.

What’s more, experts cannot reach consensus as to which phase the economic crisis is currently in: autumn, winter or perhaps a tentative spring. In short, is the worst over or is there still more to come? A very careful and preliminary conclusion on the basis of my own observations is that we have now possibly hit bottom in terms of volumes. At the same time, I am however also picking up less optimistic noises. Finding stability in these difficult times has become a science in its own right.

There is no denying that all the links in the logistics chain are severely affected by the lack of sufficient volumes. That applies to our clients, their customers, the transport companies and, of course, ECT as well. As a service provider, we are doing all we can to optimally and flexibly make our core capacity available to the logistics chain. Now maybe more than ever, service and performance are key.

In this gloomy period, we are however also trying to retain our focus on the future. It is only a year ago that additional terminal capacity was the most important issue all over the world. At some point, the market will definitely recover again. And the moment that time comes, we must be ready to offer our customers good and adequate services as well. The current further integration of the new Delta Barge Feeder Terminal in our terminal operations will surely contribute to this, as will the exhaustive testing we will be doing this year with the Euromax Terminal, our new deep-sea terminal which is operated in conjunction with the CKYH Alliance.

We are also continuing with the development of good and reliable connections to the European market. This is partially geared to the future, but also offers customers direct benefits right now. Elsewhere in this edition of Fast Forward, you can for example read how our joint rail shuttle with Kombiverkehr - the Betuwe Express - each day bridges the distance between Rotterdam and Germany in just two hours. In addition, we remain committed to the realisation of extended gates and container transfer points (the so-called container transferia). By consolidating container flows and directly moving them to the hinterland by rail and inland shipping, we are able to guarantee a smooth handling. Also in the coming years, when the A15 motorway in the port will be restructured and the road will in fact temporarily be able to accommodate less traffic than normal.

Many of the activities we engage in are carried out in partnerships. It is my firm conviction that close and long-term partnerships are the way to ensure an optimally functioning supply chain.

In good times and in bad times.

Jan Westerhoud President of ECT

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NEWS

The Belgian rail operator Inter Ferry Boats has launched a new rail connection between the ECT terminals at the Maasvlakte and its own Antwerp Main Hub Terminal. From here onward connections are possible to Mouscron, Courtrai, Charleroi and Athus in Belgium and Ottmarsheim, Lyon, Chalindrey and Strasbourg in France. The Maasvlakte Antwerp train will initially make two trips per week. Further expansion is possible, depending on the volume of cargo. Inter Ferry Boats is a fully owned subsidiary of NMBS, Belgium’s largest mobility enterprise.

Three Cranes, One Feeder In early June, a first feeder ship was handled at the ECT Delta Terminal by three quay cranes working simultaneously. The ship, the 155-metre-long Alexander B with a capacity of 1223 TEU, is operated by FESCO ESF and provides a feeder service between Rotterdam and St. Petersburg.

ECT strives for the effective handling of feeder traffic. Rotterdam’s leading position as first European port of call for Asian traffic, together with the ECT terminals’ location almost right on the North Sea create favourable circumstances for efficient transhipment to and from the UK, the Iberian peninsula and, increasingly, the ScanBaltic.

photo Cargoshell

Connected to the Belgian Rail Network

Two Souls, One Container Two independent initiatives are on their way in the Rotterdam region for developing a foldable container. Although the two ­versions are different, the idea behind them is the same. Both the collapsible container

by Holland Container Innovations and the Cargoshell by entrepreneur René Giesbers (see photo) are intended to provide a solution to the current inefficient practice of transporting empty containers. In its collapsed form, the foldable container takes up only a fourth of its original space. This is a ­considerable advantage in terms of both business economics and environmental considerations. Four folded containers have the volume of one ‘normal’ container and can be transported as such when stacked.

This translates into fewer transport movements, less storage capacity required, and so forth.

Of the two initiatives, the collapsible ­container by Holland Container Innovations fits best with current container transport

practices. It is the same kind of steel ­container that has been used for years in ocean transport and which terminals can handle using their normal equipment.

The Cargoshell container is made of ­composite, a fibre-reinforced plastic.

This makes the container lighter than the original steel version, but at least as strong, according to its developers. Composite also insulates better than steel, and does not rust. And unlike the conventional container, the Cargoshell has a sliding door instead of doors that swing open to the outside, which saves space. However, the composite container does not yet have a history of use at sea.

Both Holland Container Innovations and Cargoshell are in the prototyping phase of developing their foldable containers.

More information is available at www.hcinnovations.nl and www.cargoshell.com.

ECT continues to encourage Night Driving Due to the current economic situation, the port-wide test of night driving announced in 2008 has not (yet) taken place. However, ECT itself is continuing to encourage use of the quieter night period by road transport. ECT is truly a round-the-clock company and also offers complete service on the land side at night. More efficient utilisation of these quieter hours has clear advantages for customers. The terminal handling within ECT continues during the night hours, and since road congestion is not a problem at night, the flow of trucks to and from the ­hinterland is smoother, which is also good for the environment. Depending on the number of containers, properly pre-notified ­drivers calling at the ECT terminals between 22.00 and 04.00 hours are assured of a maximum stay time of between 45 and 75 minutes. The haulier is paid a compensation of up to 40 euro’s if ECT exceeds this time. There has been no need to pay this penalty, however, since its introduction in March 2008.

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NEWS

New Record With the handling of the 366-metre-long MSC Daniela, ECT established a new record on the 31st of May 2009. The 14,000-TEU vessel departed from the port fully laden without any restrictions. Currently, the MSC Daniela and the sister ships which MSC has taken into 足commission are the largest visitors to the ECT Delta Terminal. The depth of the Rotterdam port, the favourable situation of the ECT Delta Terminal almost directly on the North Sea and the substantial investments which ECT has made in recent years in people and equipment prove of great value for a fast and efficient handling in this respect. Also see feature on pages 8 - 9.

To the outside world, ECT has a great reputation as regards technological innovation.

ECT has however also always been a frontrunner in terms of social policy, a position which it endeavours to retain in the future as well. Using subsidies from the Social Innovation Program of the European Social Fund (ESF), ECT in the coming year aims to initiate two new projects in this field: Individual Scheduling and Career Management. Individual Scheduling focuses on the personal circumstances of employees.

Someone who has young children may for example temporarily prefer not to work night shifts. Or another wish: a person does not have the ambition to work fulltime.

By means of a pilot, the project Individual Scheduling aims to explore the possibilities for such tailor-made requests. For a company that is accustomed to thinking in terms of collective rosters, this constitutes a major challenge. With the second project, Career Management, ECT wants to give an extra boost to the development of the talents of employees. People who are able to further develop their talents tend to approach their jobs in a more conscious manner and have more fun in the workplace.

ECT is convinced that social innovation is an important tool for offering customers distinctive services. By creating optimal 足conditions for employees, ECT can further improve the performance and offer even higher service levels.

photo Danny Cornelissen

Social Innovation

Best in Europe For the fourth consecutive time, the readers of Cargonews Asia have chosen ECT as the best container terminal in Europe. This confirms the prominent role the ECT terminals in Rotterdam play in the trade between Asia and Europe. ECT is the first port of call in Europe for approximately 35 percent of all liner services from Asia in general; as regards China, this is even 50 percent.

Cargonews Asia is one of the leading trade magazines of the Far East. Each year, the readers elect the best service providers in the field of transport and logistics. In 2009, the Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards were awarded for the 23rd time.

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NEWS

NYK’s Super Eco Ship 2030

A special guest paid a visit to the ECT Delta Terminal (photos above and below). This time, it was not a 10,000+ TEU container carrier, but an original three-master: the Libertad, a 104-metre-long training ship used by the Argentinean navy, with 357 crew members on board. The ship paid a call to ECT to load a large quantity of Argentinean meat which had arrived in Rotterdam from its mother country by ­reefer container.

The ECT Delta Terminal is a customs area that allowed for optimally organising this provisioning.

photo NYK

Special Guest

Japanese shipping company NYK has ­presented a preliminary design of its ­container ship of the future: the Super Eco Ship 2030. This innovative ship has a capacity of 8000 TEU and as much as possible uses clean energy generated from LNG-based fuel cells, solar cells and wind power.

To generate solar power, gigantic solar panels with a total surface area of 31,000 m²

cover the containers on the deck. The ship can also unfold eight giant sails with a total surface area of 4000 m² to catch the wind.

Along with other environmentally friendly features, this energy efficiency results in 70 percent fewer CO2 emissions than today’s 8000 TEU ships. The Super Eco Ship 2030 also has other more operations-related ­novelties. For example, the container areas on the deck and in the hold are separated from each other. The above-deck cargo can be unloaded and loaded in the traditional way with quay cranes, while hold cargo can be handled with the ship’s own integrated crane system. The ship is also modular; the central part can be detached and left behind in a port, while the fore and aft can be reconnected and can continue on to the next terminal.

Want to know more about this futuristic conqueror of the seas? Watch the video at www.nyk.com/english/profile/csr/envi.

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Welcome to FutureLand!

Forget all the information centres you’ve ever seen: Rotterdam port’s new FutureLand has transformed the oldfashioned information centre into an interactive attraction for both professionals and the general public. On the boundary of the existing Maasvlakte and the North Sea, FutureLand offers a spectacular introduction to Maasvlakte 2.

This new port area is being created offshore and with the aid of 240 million cubic metres of sand it will boost the Netherlands’ territory by 20 square kilometres. ECT will gain a place here as well, via the expansion of the Euromax Terminal.

Inside the FutureLand centre the public can get to grips interactively with all aspects of the new Maasvlakte 2 site.

The Future Flight Experience, for example, flies visitors

over the new port area, while a digital 3-d model shows all the different construction phases up until 2030. Under a huge globe visitors get an awareness of the key role played by the port of Rotterdam.

And these are just a few of the experiences on offer. To be honest, FutureLand’s biggest attraction of all is the fantastic views it offers, both from the outside terrace and via the special viewing stations with telescope inside the centre.

Visitors can see the new land rising up out of the sea before their very eyes. Trailing suction hopper dredgers sail to and fro, and on the first sandbank that has been created heavy equipment is already hard at work. Day by day the new port area gains a little more definition. The Maasvlakte 2 site is due to be taken into operation in 2013.

FutureLand, Slag Dobbelsteen, port number 8213 Opening hours: Tues through Fri, 10.00-17.00; Sun 11.00-17.00. Entrance is free.

For more information: www.futureland.nl

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ECT and the ULCS

24/7 Well-oiled Operation

In anticipation of future developments, ECT has in recent years invested heavily in facilities for the handling of container vessels with a capacity of 10,000 TEU and beyond. Add to this the situation of the ECT Delta Terminal directly on the North Sea and the handling of these so-called Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCSs) becomes a well-oiled operation which continues 24/7. Philip Beesemer, General Manager Delta Terminal: “By being flexible and offering a good service and performance, we try to make the lives of our customers as easy as possible.”

“The handling of each container vessel starts long before the ship actually arrives here,” says Philip Beesemer as regards the regular operating procedures at the ECT Delta Terminal. As General Manager Delta Terminal, he is responsible for the entire operation there. “From the moment a ship’s call is first announced, the process becomes ­progressively more detailed for our staff. Their first step is a preliminary quay planning based on the ETA (expected time of arrival, ed) and call size indication as communicated 8

to us by the shipping line. As the information becomes more comprehensive, after we have received the stowage information and the time of arrival draws nearer, we also start determining the number of teams and cranes we will need. We then also ascertain which containers are suitable for twinning (simultaneously loading or unloading two 20-foot containers, ed), dual-cycling (simultaneously loading and unloading a container in the same crane movement, ed), etc. etc.”

“The main aim of our people is to make sure that no containers of our customers are left behind on the quay.”

24 hours a day. The moment a ship is moored alongside the quay we can start to unload and load.” Prior to this, an ECT representative however first boards the ship to enquire about any peculiarities as regards the stability of the ship, hazardous substances (IMO numbers), reefer containers and more.

Five Quay Cranes

Cargo Closing Time for Optimum Handling The cargo closing time is a crucial moment in the preparations. All the containers for the ship must at this point be administratively correct and, if applicable, physically present at the terminal. Beesemer: “We are as flexible as possible when it comes to the cargo closing time. The main aim of our people is to make sure that no containers of our customers are left behind on the quay.” To ensure that a ship is handled as optimally as possible, the cargo closing time procedure is very important though, underlines Beesemer. “It for example prevents containers from not being taken aboard because of a customs block and ensures that we can correctly position all the containers in the stack beforehand.”

Close Consultation with Shipping Line Throughout the preparatory phase, ECT and the central planner of the shipping line are in constant contact with each other about the exact onboard position of the containers which need to be unloaded and loaded, the weight of the boxes, last minute changes, etc. Beesemer: “Also very important for our performance is timely information about the connections with feeders, trains and barges. We use this information to make sure that each connection runs smoothly, both for incoming and outgoing boxes.”

No Tidal Restrictions Whatsoever “Access to the ECT Delta Terminal is not hampered by any tidal restrictions whatsoever,” continues Beesemer. “Even fully laden ULCSs carrying 14,000 TEUs can call and depart

The ECT Delta Terminal endeavours to always handle the large vessels with five quay cranes at the same time.

Beesemer: “In anticipation of vessels and call sizes becoming even larger, we are also preparing the deployment of a sixth quay crane. We will create a sixth AGV lane behind the cranes for this.” Once this has been realised, six Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) will be able to drive next to each other and thus reach a sixth crane without obstructing each other.

The actual number of cranes that ECT can use on a ship by the way is highly dependent on the way the cargo has been stowed. The more evenly the containers are distributed across the ship, the better. “This once again underlines just how important proper consultation with the shipping line is. If a lot of cargo has been concentrated at one location, then you can of course only reach it with one crane. If you want to be able to take advantage of twin lifting and/or dual-cycling, then this must also be taken into account as regards stowage.”

Service and Performance In recent years, the ECT Delta Terminal has heavily invested in additional equipment. “This has given us the basis we need to now boost our service and performance,” says Beesemer. “Continuously educating and training our people is a major part of this, as are constant efforts aimed at ­further improving processes. A current example is the improved movement of AGVs to the quay cranes, which allows the crane drivers to operate without interruption.”

“By being flexible and offering a good service and performance, we try to make the lives of our customers as easy as possible. Highly necessary of course: times are hard all around. Generally speaking, it takes us less than a day to handle ships with a call size of 2500 containers at the ECT Delta Terminal. For the increasingly more common call sizes of 3500 to 4000 containers, we need a couple of hours extra.

Our ‘factory’ is fully geared to time and again achieving this.”

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Global Player on the Dutch - German border

“We serve companies who are specifically seeking flexibility and logistics tailored to their particular needs.”

Entrepreneur Hai Berden describes his company Seacon Logistics as a supply chain manager with a maritime focus. That’s striking, given that Seacon’s headquarters are located in Venlo on the Dutch-German border - some 200 kilometres from the sea. But maybe that’s also the very reason why the independent logistics ­company has successfully operated in partnership with globally active clients for close on 25 years now. As a person Berden is also known for his close ties with the ­professional football club VVV-Venlo. The commercial benefits from this association even stretch as far as Japan.

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Situated on the Dutch-German border, Venlo ranks as the third most important logistics centre in the Netherlands, after the mainports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

The region is an ideal springboard for Germany and further into the European interior. ECT saw Venlo’s potential as long ago as 1982 when it opened its first inland terminal there - the current TCT Venlo - which has daily rail connections with the deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam. Venlo born and bred, Berden set up his company Seacon Logistics in the border town in 1985. That same year, at celebrations to mark the promotion of local club VVV-Venlo to major league football, he had a chance meeting with the then director of the ECT inland terminal. It turned out to be the beginning of a long and successful partnership. Together the two companies launched the Venlo Trade Port formular.

Seacon Logistics based its premises and warehouse directly alongside the ECT rail terminal from where it went on to organise the European distribution for an increasingly international clientele. “ECT takes care of the connections, we do the cargo. At least 80 percent of the containers from our customers are taken by rail shuttle from the deep-sea terminals of ECT in Rotterdam to Venlo. From here we’re able to serve the entire European Union efficiently.”

Russia too Now, nearly 25 years later, Venlo is certainly no longer the only location where Seacon Logistics is active. The logistics company has operations at three more sites in the southern Netherlands (Born, Nuth, Maastricht), in Duisburg in the heart of the German Ruhr area and has recently opened a 25.000 m2 logistics centre in Moscow, enabling Seacon to serve all of Russia. Berden: “We started there at the request of one specific international client, but we’re now in a position to offer logistics services to others too.”

Seacon Logistics’ annual turnover amounts to some 100 million euro’s and the company provides direct employment for some 600 staff. Naturally there’s also plenty of indirect employment involved. As is inherent to the forwarding business, Seacon focuses on logistics management and not on its actual execution. For the most part that is contracted out. However, because of the expertise required, Berden has consciously opted to keep the warehousing business in-house.

It goes without saying that Seacon, too, is feeling the effects of the current economic crisis. For the first time in close on a quarter of a century, turnover growth will be flat this year, Berden anticipates. But he has every faith that the economy will pick up again in due course.

Elephants play with Elephants Seacon is wholly independent. To link up international cargo flows for its clients, the company has set up a string of partnerships across the globe. It’s a successful approach that enables Seacon to hold its own against the sector giants with subsidiaries in every corner of the world. “Elephants like to play with other elephants,” is how Berden describes the client base of these large-scale forwarding companies.

“We serve companies that are just that bit smaller and who are specifically seeking flexibility and logistics tailored to their particular needs. That’s what we offer.”

Member of the ECT Supervisory Board Hai Berden was appointed to the Supervisory Board of ECT in May 2009. His appointment fits seamlessly with ECT’s ambitions to develop further as a logistic services provider and network operator. Berden has vast knowhow and experience in this area. The other members of ECT’s Supervisory Board are the Group Managing Director of Hutchison Port Holdings, John E. Meredith (chairman) and James S. Tsien, Hutchison’s Group Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer.

Right Next to the New Barge Terminal No matter how far-flung Seacon’s activities have since become, Venlo remains the heart of the company. ECT and subsidiary TCT Venlo are still close partners. Beginning 2010 cooperation will further intensify when TCT Venlo’s new inland shipping terminal becomes operational. Just as it did with the rail terminal, Seacon will open a warehouse right next door to provide added value and distribution activities.

Japanese Fanclub Today, Seacon’s founder is at a distance from its day-to-day management. This gives him the time, space and independence for other positions, such as his recent appointment to the Supervisory Board of ECT (see box).

Berden is also very active in community affairs in Venlo.

As such he is involved in the realisation of an extensive, multifunctional centre for sports, culture and business in the Dutch border town. In addition Berden is chairman of football club VVV-Venlo, the club where his long association with ECT began by chance almost 25 years ago. After a year’s absence, VVV has returned to the top Dutch soccer league this season. Seacon is the shirt sponsor of the team’s yellow-and-black colours - an investment that Berden says more than repays itself in terms of corporate exposure and a widening network of potential clients. This exposure is not only local, but even as far afield as Asia. With the addition to the team last year of Keisuke Honda, VVV boasted a Japanese international able to generate a great deal of media interest in his home country of Japan. “VVV is the only Dutch football association with a Japanese fanclub,” laughs Berden.

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Environmentally Friendly Gas Doctor To kill insects and other pests in containers with cargo such as foodstuffs, wooden furniture, cotton, rotan and toys, a number of exporting countries fumigate the container with toxic gases. International agreements require the wooden pallets used in transport to be treated in this way as well. Moreover, also residues of gases used in manu­ facturing can accumulate in a container. Opening all these containers without precautions is not recommended, and sensibly even prohibited in the Netherlands and other European countries. To protect people and the environment,

Active Worldwide EcO2 is originally a Dutch company, but is now active world-wide with its own and client-specific terminals for environmentally friendly fumigation and degassing. Martin Monster of EcO2: “Offering effective, safe and ­environmentally friendly treatment methods at the source means that we don’t have to invest extra time and energy in protecting people and the environment here in Europe. All companies should stand up for a sensible approach with their overseas suppliers. It’s also a matter of ethics.

What’s more, in the end it’s cheaper as well.”

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the recipient is required to first ascertain whether there are any concentrations of gases still in the container.

This is done by having a specialised company perform a gas measurement.

Mobile Gas Measuring Lab EcO2 is one of the most remarkable of the many providers of gas testing. The company has brought an ultramodern and accurate measuring instrument over to the Netherlands from New Zealand, and installed it in a mobile gas-measuring lab stationed at the ECT Delta Terminal. In just seconds, this equipment can check the inside of a container for ­several gases in one go. In the fast and efficient procedure, the EcO2 employee first takes a small air sample from a container, without having to open the doors. The small bag of air is then placed on an analysing device (at right in photo) in the mobile gas-measuring lab. Within 120 seconds, a report appears on the screen showing what gases are present in the container to within a hundredth of a percent.

Martin Monster, EcO2’s Commercial Manager for the Benelux countries: “Our standard analysis is for fourteen gases at once. In theory, however, the device can recognise 500 ­different substances. Even for tobacco or drugs, one sample is enough.”

The EcO2 company, located at the centre of the ECT Delta Terminal, uses an ultramodern method for measuring unwanted gasses in containers. Any subsequently action taken for

degassing

is

always

100

percent

­environmentally friendly. “It’s also a matter of ethics.”

Environmentally Friendly Degassing If the air analysis shows no abnormalities, then the client receives a ‘gas-free’ certificate and the container can join the free flow of traffic. If the concentrations in a container are too high, however, the container must be degassed.

EcO2 can also provide clients with these services. Traditionally, a container which has to be degassed is placed in a special outdoor area, such as the one on the outside of the ECT Delta Terminal. At a safe distance from other activities, the container doors are then opened and left until all the unwanted gases have dispersed. Above all, however, EcO2 takes pride in using environmentally friendly treatment methods. The company has its own Rotterdam EcO2 Service Terminal - REST for short - at the ECT Delta. Originally started as a cooperative venture with the municipality of Rotterdam, EcO2 has been 100 percent owner since mid-2008.

REST comprises twelve air-tight sealed treatment compartments, each able to receive an entire 40-foot container.

Monster: “In the compartment one of our employees, wearing a compressed-air mask, opens the doors of the container.

We then take out all the unwanted gases using two active carbon filters; only clean air reaches the outside world.”

Besides being environmentally friendly, this procedure is also much more reliable in terms of time. Degassing in the

open air can be negatively influenced by weather conditions and may take up to three weeks - time which is often in short supply in the logistics chain. “In addition, we now have several mobile units each the size of a shopping cart at our disposal. We can degas containers on site for a client anywhere in the Netherlands with them, in the same ­environmentally friendly way as at REST. In fact, it means we’re following the trend at ECT to get containers on their way to the hinterland as quickly as possible after unloading from the ship.”

Database of 600 Insects Degassing is just one part of the story. At REST, EcO2 also provides environmentally friendly fumigation (i.e. without using toxic gases such as methyl bromide) of both import and export containers. According to international requirements and depending on the goal, this may be done with a low-oxygen treatment, heat treatment or a combination of the two. Monster: “We have a database of 600 insects and we know exactly how to best deal with each species.

After treatment, a container is definitely 100 percent free of insects and other pests, and without any harmful residues.”

More information: www.eco2.nl 13

A.S. Watson and ECT take part in Concrete Pilot

‘Integrity’ for Worldwide Logistics Chains It’s the nightmare of every European retailer. The advertising leaflets have been printed, but the special offers themselves are still on their way from the factory in Asia, and nobody knows the exact whereabouts of the containers. This is one of the reasons why the reliability and security of global logistics chains are such an important issue. The European Union’s INTEGRITY project is intended as a major stimulus to improve this. ECT is one of the participants, alongside the Benelux ­division of multinational health & beauty chain A.S. Watson.

“Our logistics chain from Asia is well-organised. But the more reliable the better, of course. There’s always room for improvement. It holds true for us too that when the weekly brochure with special offers comes through the customer’s door, the goods have to be on the shelves.” Tony Webster, Director Logistics Benelux and Sander Roldanus, Supply Chain Development Manager at A.S. Watson Benelux (see box) are clear about the advantages INTEGRITY offers.

The project is aimed at introducing worldwide door-to-door supply chain visibility. That way the predictability of the supply chain will be enhanced and the security ­simultaneously improved. Says ECT’s consultant Logistics Development Arno van Rijn: “At the moment there is no single point where all the logistics information comes together. INTEGRITY will change that.”

Easy Accessible Tool INTEGRITY takes as its jumping-off point the many largescale and smaller initiatives that have in recent times

A.S. Watson best known in Netherlands as ‘Kruidvat’ With more than 7800 outlets in fourteen countries and a staff of around 98.000, A.S. Watson ranks as the world’s largest health and beauty retailer.

The company is part of the Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate, to which ECT also belongs through Hutchison Port Holdings. A.S. Watson is best known in the Netherlands and Belgium under its Kruidvat trade name.

In addition it operates the retail formats Trekpleister and ICI Paris XL here.

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already been implemented in the logistics chain, such as ISPS, C-TPAT, Authorised Economic Operator, e-seals and so on, as well as the information that is already available at the various parties in the chain worldwide. This all has to come together in INTEGRITY’s Shared Intermodal Container Information System - SICIS. SICIS isn’t designed to become a new, complex and extensive IT system with its own database, but more of an overarching layer that unlocks the existing information for the whole logistics chain in an accessible way. Webster and Roldanus: “SICIS will be an easy accessible tool that works via internet, EDI or even through a spreadsheet. As a participant you simply input your container and trade lane and SICIS will go on to track the route for you across the entire logistics chain. Deviations from the route will become immediately visible, so that you can take immediate action. When a container in Asia doesn’t leave the factory on time, for example, or gets left behind in a port.” Van Rijn adds: “Thanks to the service-oriented architecture, you can decide for yourself what information you want to get from SICIS.”

Concrete Pilot SICIS is still in a preliminary stage of development.

Participants in the project will start on a concrete pilot this autumn (see box). Over a period of eighteen months, a total of 5000 test containers will be tracked. China will serve as the point of departure throughout. In the factory or a consolidation centre each test container will be fitted with a CSD (Container Security Device) e-seal with GPRS technology. Yantian will subsequently function as the port of

Tony Webster (l), Arno van Rijn (m) and Sander Roldanus: “The INTEGRITY pilot is aimed at demonstrating the advantages of supply chain security and visibility in practice.”

departure, while the pilot containers for A.S. Watson will have the ECT Delta Terminal as their European point of arrival. From there the containers will travel by road to the retailer’s distribution centre in Heteren, eastern Netherlands. At every strategic location - from the Asian factory to A.S. Watson’s front door - the container’s CSD information will be known and passed on to participants via SICIS. The pilot is aimed at demonstrating the advantages of this supply chain security and visibility in practice.

Green Lanes “Phase 1 of the pilot is a basic version of SICIS that will focus on the track & trace of the container,” explains Van Rijn.

“A second phase will also track the cargo inside the ­container.” The ambitions are to keep extending SICIS’ scope.

For example, INTEGRITY has clear links with the Smart & Secure Trade Lanes project (SSTL) set up by the Chinese and Dutch customs authorities. The timely accessibility of information garnered through e-seals, x-ray scanners etc. can play a major role in the creation of green lanes for cargo that is viewed as secure by customs organisations in various parts of the world and therefore not in need of extra checks. The sooner the Customs are informed about inbound cargos, the sooner also decisions can be made about whether they require extra controls and the better the throughput in the port becomes.

Participants in INTEGRITY Alongside A.S. Watson and ECT, participants in INTEGRITY include Yantian International Container Terminals, Port of Felixstowe, TCT Venlo, DeCeTe Duisburg, DHL, Seacon Logistics, Xerox, the customs authorities of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, OHB Teledata, the Cross-border Research Association of Lausanne, the Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics of Bremen, which is coordinating the project. The project is partly financed by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

basis on which the European Union extended financing.

Many companies stand to benefit, of that A.S. Watson and ECT are convinced. Webster and Roldanus: “For lots of ­companies, the logistics chain is still a black hole. Because of that, they can only respond to deviations from the schedule at a late stage. And that kind of last-minute work always costs money.”

More information: www.integrity-supplychain.eu

Worldwide Platform SICIS is intended as an open worldwide platform to which all players in the logistics chain can link up. This is also the 15

Since 2007 Rotterdam has benefited from the Betuweroute, a 160 km dedicated freight-only rail link to Germany. Fast Forward took a trip on the Betuwe Express, the new daily container shuttle between the ECT terminals on the Maasvlakte and the inland terminal DeCeTe in Duisburg, right in the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region.

Germany has never been so close.

The Betuwe Express is a joint initiative by ECT and Kombiverkehr of Germany. The container shuttle plies a daily route between the Euromax Terminal and ECT Delta Terminal on the North Sea and the inland terminal DeCeTe Duisburg. This inland terminal is situated in Germany’s most important economic centre, comprising a consumer market numbering 30 million people. In addition Duisburg offers onward connections to some 70 destinations elsewhere in Germany but also to Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Turkey.

Preparations Every afternoon ECT loads up a new Betuwe Express on the Maasvlakte, bound for Duisburg. At exactly 19.26 hours the wagon train is subsequently fetched by railway company Rotterdam Rail Feeding (RFF) which diesels it to the Pernis rail yard in the port centre. There the wagons are hooked up to an electric locomotive from Kombiverkehr. This e-loc ES64 F4 is suitable for travel across various different safety ­systems and can also adapt to different strengths of electrical current - prerequisites for completing the entire route nonstop. What’ more, the electric locomotive is environmentally friendly and more cost-efficient than a diesel fuelled engine.

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21.43 hours. Departure from Rotterdam RRF supplies the engine driver. On duty today is Edwin van der Graaff. Punctually according to the timetable he starts up the locomotive at 21.43 hours. With overhead power of 25 kV the 1064 tonne heavy goods train travels the first ­kilometres of its journey through the port under the old ATB (automated train guidance) security system. Towards the end of 2009 the port is due to switch to the new European Rail Traffic Management System ERTMS, already in operation further up the Betuweroute. But things aren’t that far yet.

Van der Graaff steers carefully along the railway line in accordance with the signalling instructions.

22.10 hours. No Need to look Outside The Betuwe Express passes the shunting yard Kijfhoek just east of Rotterdam on the right and enters the Sophiatunnel.

It’s 22.10. Where the route so far has followed existing, upgraded railway line, the next 120 kilometres of the Betuwe­ route up until the German border have been purpose-built.

Inside the more than eight kilometres of tunnel, driver Edwin van der Graaff switches to the ERTMS safety system.

“Effectively, from now on I don’t even have to look outside

Rotterdam to Germany in 1.75 hours

Want to book Containers on the Betuwe Express?

through the window,” he says. “All my instructions come to me via the computer screen. And if I don’t respond, the computer takes over.”

Containers can be booked onto the Betuwe Express via the inland terminal DeCeTe on telephone number +49 (0)203 80 90 6-23, e-mail order@decete.de.

You can also use the central desk of ECT’s European Gateway Services: ­telephone +31 (0)181 27 83 08, e-mail EGSplanning@ect.nl.

22.35 hours. Giessentunnel And indeed, outside there’s not a signal to be seen. At a comfortable speed of just over 90 km per hour the Betuwe Express travels alongside the A15 motorway heading east.

“It’s always good to bypass the traffic jams here,” grins Van der Graaff. At 22.35 hours the train enters the Giessen­ tunnel. Only every now and then does the computer instruct Van der Graaff to do something. For long stretches of the route flanked by noise reduction screens, the train steadily makes its own way.

the instructions given by the German rail safety system with its signal posts alongside the line. The overhead power is also different: the train is now working to the German standard of 15 kV. But most striking of all is the number of railway crossings the Betuwe Express encounters in Germany.

The previous 160 kilometres in the Netherlands numbered no crossings at all.

23.35 hours. Emmerich Station 23.30 hours. German Border Another two tunnels down the line the train reaches the end of the Betuweroute at 23.25 hours. A few minutes later, just an hour and three quarters since its departure out of Rotterdam, the Betuwe Express crosses the German border at almost 23.30 hours. Now Van der Graaff has to pay close attention outside the window again, so that he can follow

At 23.35 hours the Betuwe Express pulls into the station of the German border town of Emmerich. For Van der Graaff the job is done. A German colleague takes over and drives the train to its final destination in DeCeTe Duisburg, a journey of just under an hour. From here the containers find their way quickly to German customers or are relayed efficiently further into the European interior.

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Seeding for an Intermodal Fresh Corridor

Willem Baljeu (l) and Jo van Nunen want to set the fresh chain in motion.

Rotterdam is the main hub for the European distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables.

In and around the port substantial volumes of fresh produce from overseas are ­consolidated with local Dutch produce. From Rotterdam, supermarket chains all across Europe are subsequently supplied with a comprehensive, tailor-made range of fresh products every day. Most of this trade flow, worth 6.3 billion euro’s a year, is currently being moved by truck. As far as the initiators of the project Fresh Corridor are concerned, intermodal transport however is the way of the future.

With thanks to the reefer container.

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ECT Ready for Growing Reefer Volumes Rotterdam is the main port of entry in Europe for ­seasonal fruits, particularly from South America and South Africa. In the months outside the own European harvest season, these regions supply vast quantities of apples, pears, grapes, oranges and other citrus fruits.

In the past, these products were primarily moved to the port by means of conventional reefer vessels.

Currently, over 50 percent of all fresh produce however is already transported using reefer containers. In addition, container shipping lines are heavily investing in the further expansion of their reefer capacity. With approximately 6500 reefer plugs spread across three terminals (ECT Delta, ECT City, Euromax) and the professional reefer services which are rendered by Delta Reefer Care, ECT is more than ready for this development.

“As Dutch vegetable and fruit traders, we saw the reefer container really take off in our sector about seven years ago,” says Willem Baljeu about this prominent change in the field of fresh logistics, a sector which has traditionally always been dominated by trailers and pallets. The managing director of Frugi Venta, the branch association of Dutch fruit and vegetable traders, realised that action was needed to ensure that reefer containers become properly embedded in the ­operations of his member companies. Thus the project Fresh Corridor, chaired by Jo van Nunen, Professor in Logistics and Information Systems at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, was born. “The reefer container offers room for huge innovations to in a sustainable manner anticipate the diversified demands of the European consumer.”

the handling and consolidation of fruits from the isolated north bank of the port - Rotterdam Fruitport - to the Waalhaven/Eemhaven area on the south bank. This area boasts a strong concentration of container-related activities.

Reefer containers can be efficiently handled there and ­vegetables and fruits can easily be moved to the European hinterland using Rotterdam’s extensive intermodal network.

Fresh volumes are not yet substantial enough to warrant ‘own’ dedicated connections by inland waterway, rail or shortsea. Baljeu: “Fresh produce is a supplementary product in existing connections. We have enormous fluctuations in our supply and demand; therefore we need flexibility in order to be able to adjust the number of units which we submit for intermodal transport each day.”

Inland Shipping First In terms of intermodal transport, the Fresh Corridor project primarily looks at inland shipping; trains and shortsea shipping will be addressed in a later phase. Barges with reefer connections must start playing a role in both transport within the port and beyond. Van Nunen: “More and more fruit arrives in reefer containers at the deep-sea ­terminals at the Maasvlakte. From there, barges can shuttle those reefers to the consolidation point for fruits and vegetables further on down the port. Initiatives to this extent are already underway but must be intensified in the near future to alleviate pressure on the busy A15 motorway.”

In the direction of the hinterland, the project is examining inland barge connections with other ‘fresh hubs’ such as Venlo, right on the border with Germany. Here, ECT will open an own inland shipping terminal at the beginning of 2010.

The Venlo fresh cluster on a large scale supplies the supermarkets in the German Ruhr area. The fresh produce from Rotterdam is complimentary to this. Van Nunen: “The intermodal onward transport of this reefer cargo from the port to the hinterland fits in with the extended gate philosophy as is already being promoted by ECT.”

Future from the Mediterranean Sea Fresh Corridor also explicitly looks to the longer term.

Baljeu: “Each year, large quantities of vegetables, citrus and other fruits are moved from the Mediterranean to northwest Europe by truck. With the ever increasing restrictions and higher costs for road transport, there is no other option than to eventually shift that flow to reefer containers which are carried by shortsea vessels. A process which is already slowly starting to take place.” As a European hub, Rotterdam will be able to benefit enormously from this, thinks the managing director of the branch association. The further consolidation of fresh cargo in the port will also present an additional boost to intermodal onward transport.

Money for the taking Intermodal Connections Supported by the Dutch government, Fresh Corridor brings together a large number of companies active in the fields of fresh produce and logistics. Their common goal is the development of an effective network of terminals and intermodal connections for the European transport of fresh products in reefer containers from Rotterdam. The participants all agree that such matters as sustainability and ­congestion will make the unbridled use of road transport unfeasible in the future. The Fresh Corridor project therefore first focuses on the relocation of the current centre for

And this is not all that Fresh Corridor aims to achieve.

Van Nunen mentions the creation of chain-wide information systems. As part of this, Baljeu also considers it important that government inspections be streamlined. “In the current situation, it could in theory occur that fresh produce is inspected by five different bodies at five different times.

Doing this all at once would definitely yield vast benefits.”

The money is right for the taking for the Rotterdam port and the fresh produce sector, conclude Van Nunen and Baljeu. “The Fresh Corridor project will show us exactly what we need to optimally capitalise on this.”

19

DIY Chain professionalises Logistics From its new warehouse the Maxeda DIY conglomerate supplies both the stores of Brico, Plan-It and City Shops in Belgium and the Maxeda DIY formulas in the Netherlands, Praxis and Formido. All in all it serves 362 stores. In the warehouse, which boasts an area of almost 70,000 square metres (60,000 square metres on the ground floor and 7500 square metres of mezzanine) the pallets stand up to 8.55 metres high in the stacks. Some 23,000 different items are held here, of which 17,000 make up the regular range and 6,000 constitute special offers. The majority are produced in the Far East. From there, some 30 to 50 containers with new stock arrive at the distribution centre each week, depending on the season.

Greater Efficiency Concentrating all activities within a single distribution centre has proved a giant step in optimising Maxeda DIY’s activities. “Previously we were working out of a number of different locations,” explains Logistics Manager Bart Carlens.

“Thanks to centralisation we’re able to work more efficiently and therefore save costs.” In the quest for a suitable location, the company set two conditions: an acceptable distance from the seaports and the proximity of waterways in order to enable the transport of containers by other means than road. Willebroek turned out to be the ideal choice. Logistics property specialist Bernaerts Group was asked by Maxeda DIY to construct a purpose-built new warehouse, located almost directly on the Schelde-Brussels canal and close to TCT Belgium’s inland terminal. Carlens: “But the A12 motorway is also just around the corner.” In late 2008 the first phase of the distribution centre was taken into operation and since spring 2009 the entire complex has come online.

Teaming Up with Partners Maxeda DIY bases its logistics on long-term partnerships.

Maersk Logistics for example, is responsible for the entire logistics of the do-it-yourself chain from the Far East right up until the warehouse. Subsequently Distrilog is charged with executing all the activities within the warehouse and for the fine distribution to the individual stores. With a core staff of sixteen, Maxeda DIY itself concentrates on the overall management of the supply chain. Only the critical processes are managed in-house.

Reliable Delivery via TCT Belgium Since Maxeda DIY moved its distribution centre to Willebroek, TCT Belgium has become one of the new business partners.

All the containers arriving in the seaports from the Far East are now transported to the distribution centre via the inland terminal. TCT Belgium fetches the majority of the containers by barge from Rotterdam - traditionally Europe’s most 20

important port on the trades from the Far East - while a smaller number of containers come via Zeebrugge. The inland terminal knows well in advance when the cargoes are due in port via shipping lines Evergreen or Maersk.

With its regular inland barge shuttles (Rotterdam four times a week, Zeebrugge with regularity) TCT Belgium is well placed to offer optimum service, deploying an additional vessel if needs be. Every morning at 8.30 Maxeda DIY receives an EDI-list from TCT Belgium detailing which ­containers have been unloaded at the inland terminal and which ­containers are underway from the seaports via inland barge. Thanks to the customs permit TCT Belgium holds, the cargoes can be entered into Maxeda DIY’s warehouse management system as soon as they arrive at the inland terminal. On Maxeda DIY’s instructions, Distrilog’s trucks then come and fetch the containers. The short rides of 1.9 kilometres are made the whole day through, from six in the morning until nine o’clock at night. TCT Belgium ­processes the trucks in and out in just twenty minutes.

The company Balie 21, situated in-house at TCT Belgium, takes care of Maxeda DIY’s customs formalities.

Many Advantages One of the biggest advantages of the new way of working between the seaports and the distribution centre is the fact that lead times have been cut by five days, says Carlens.

“For us that means we have less stock, and therefore lower costs.” The time-savings are possible because the containers from the Far East no longer have a Bill of Lading Antwerp.

This used to be the case, even though the actual delivery was mainly to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge. From there the containers first were ferried or railed to Antwerp, and only then became available for Maxeda DIY to come and pick up by truck. Not only did that take more time, but due to the congestion on the container terminals and motorways it was also a far less predictable process than the reliable direct delivery by inland shipping that Maxeda DIY now uses. The same applies for the empties - under the old ­system these had to be handed in separately, at a different location. Now the empty containers can simply be dropped off at the inland terminal.

Sustainable Solution In addition to the improved lead times and the concomitant cost savings, opting for inland shipping is also a major step on the road to becoming ecologically sound. The number of motorway kilometres has been heavily decimated. Maxeda DIY values sustainability highly. Carlens: “Our new distribution centre has for example also been fitted with some 40,000 square metres of solar panels, Distrilog only uses euro 5-trucks, we separate our refuse and so on.”

To further professionalise its logistics, the Maxeda DIY conglomerate recently opened a major distribution centre in Willebroek, Belgium. The new warehouse of almost 70,000 square metres is only a stone’s throw away from ECT’s inland ­terminal TCT Belgium, which provides for an uninterrupted flow of containers from the seaports via inland waterways. Says Maxeda DIY’s Logistics Manager Bart Carlens: “It’s cut the lead-time from there by five days.”

Bart Carlens: “Cutting the lead time by five days means we need to hold less stock and therefore we have lower costs.”

21

Fewer Empty Kilometres via PARIS

Fred Visser (l) and Bert van der Heijden

Under the name Truck Load Match Rotterdam, five Dutch road transporters have jointly set up a company aimed at minimizing the number of empty trips. Using the computerized planning system PARIS, they are able to reduce the number of empty kilometres by 30 percent. Other container hauliers and cargo-­ controlling parties are also cordially invited to join. The more participants there are, the greater the benefits will be.

The problem was known, as was the solution; the implementation of the latter however took a long time.

Fred Visser, Managing Director of GTO Transporten, and Bert van der Heijden, Managing Director of Transportbedrijf G. van der Heijden & Zn, recall 2001, when they first attempted to use PARIS together with a large group of hauliers to reduce the number of empty kilometres in the road transport of containers. Vital, because a haulier will often have an outward trip, but no or only an inefficient return trip. His colleague does have that return trip, but unfortunately no cargo for the outward journey. PARIS makes it easy to exchange these ­journeys, which benefits all parties involved. At the start of the 21st century, the time was not yet ripe though for this initiative. Renewed efforts in the following years also proved unsuccess­ ful. The advantages of the unique computerized planning system however were too straightforward to ­simply ignore. After several months of preparation, five operators therefore finally established Truck Load Match Rotterdam in July 2009. Participating in the new venture are Van den Bogerd Transport, JGT, Van der Most and the aforementioned GTO Transporten and 22

Transportbedrijf G. van der Heijden & Zn; combined they operate some 300 trucks. Visser has a clear explanation as to why the cooperation will be ­successful this time. “We blindly trust each other to not poach each other’s customers.”

As Many Matches as Possible The five companies which participate in Truck Load Match Rotterdam each day automatically enter their entire trip planning in PARIS. PARIS then scans these trips to find the economically most ideal matches between outward and return cargo. If a match is found, then the planners of the two companies involved automatically receive an e-mail so they can make further arrangements themselves.

Visser and Van der Heijden emphasise that it is not the intention that planners reject matches. This occasionally takes some getting used to, as every planner is accustomed to looking out for his own company. Using PARIS however benefits all parties involved.

“The only thing that happens is that another company performs the return trip. It however remains your customer with whom you have your own tariff agreements.”

30 Percent Fewer Kilometres The first practical experiences show that using PARIS results in a 30-percent reduction in the number of empty ­kilometres. The five road transporters cordially invite other colleagues to join as well. The more participants there are, the greater the chance of matches and the more everyone can benefit. Visser and Van der Heijden: “Shipping lines, freight forwarders and shippers wishing to ensure an optimal organization of their container trips with minimal unnecessary mileage are also more than welcome to use Truck Load Match Rotterdam.”

More information about PARIS PARIS already exists for fifteen years and is nowadays owned by Hutchison Ports UK. In Rotterdam, ECT acts as the licensee. As such, it is the contract partner of Truck Load Match Rotterdam. PARIS by the way cannot only be used to optimize all road transports, but also all hinterland transports. For more information and to contact Truck Load Match Rotterdam: Evert van Hoven, consultant business development ECT, +31 (0) 181 27 89 94 or EGSplanning@ect.nl.

MY ROTTERDAM The global character of the container sector brings many foreign shipping company representatives to Rotterdam.

How do they experience living and working here?

Name Antti Linteri Comes from Lohja in Finland, but I’ve been living in Middlesbrough, England since 1997. My wife and ­children are still there. I travel back and forth on a weekly basis.

Profession I started working for Delta Shipping Agency in Rotterdam in 2006, first as Operations Manager and since 2008 as General Manager.

Delta Shipping is a shortsea and feeder specialist to St. Petersburg with 2 weekly sailings from the ECT Delta Terminal.

Lives An apartment on ‘the Weena’, right in the centre of Rotterdam.

The port entrance is perfect for ship spotting

My favourite spot in Rotterdam I’m very interested in ships and terminals. The Maasvlakte area and the port entrance (photo, ed.) are the perfect spots for watching them. Ship spotting is a kind of professional hobby of mine.

The main difference between Rotterdam and my hometown The roads can be very crowded in Rotterdam. That’s completely different from Finland: large in area and small in population.

Must-see or must-do in Rotterdam I like to take my family to Kinderdijk, a couple of kilometres to the east of Rotterdam, to enjoy the windmills.

Also, the Blijdorp zoo is one of the best in Europe.

Hard to get used to Getting used to the busy traffic was quite difficult for me. Never leave home without consulting the traffic information! Also, the beers here are really awfully small.

Favourite neighbourhood I like the city centre where I live.

Everything is within walking distance: restaurants, bars, shops and even the river.

Favourite sporting event I’m very much into every type of motor sport: from Formula 1 to motorbike races. I follow it very closely.

What I miss in Rotterdam My family, of course, and because I’ve lived in the UK for a long time, I also miss the English pubs and fish & chips.

Favourite restaurant The Japanese restaurant Sakura in the Atlanta Hotel. It was one of the first restaurants I went to in Rotterdam, and I always like going there.

Favourite bar or outdoor cafe All the outdoor cafes in the Oude Haven district.

Typically Rotterdams People are very much involved in their work and also like to be informed about things that don’t directly affect their day-to-day job or responsibility.

They want to know what’s going on.

That’s different from someplace like the UK.

My ‘secret’ tip Start Dutch lessons the day you arrive. Everybody in Rotterdam speaks English, but you’re not really part of the community unless you understand the Dutch jokes, read the local paper, and so on. Otherwise you’ll always remain a bit of an outsider.

23

Link in the Logistics Chain Instructor-boatman Ramon Crans and trainee-boatman Nick Holierhoek of Royal Boatmen’s Association Eendracht

Crans (l) and Holierhoek

“Heave away,” shouts trainee-boatman Nick Holierhoek to his colleague who is standing next to the winch truck on the quay of the ECT Delta Dedicated West Terminal. A few moments later, a hawser of the CMA CGM Thalassa is hoisted up and secured around a bollard. On the water, at the helm of the flatboat, instructor-boatman Ramon Crans is carefully observing the operation.

Within 30 minutes, the ship is safely moored with twelve hawsers In Rotterdam’s port area, the 240 boatmen of Royal Boatmen’s Association Eendracht work around the clock in four shifts of sixty men to make sure that approximately 30,000 sea-going vessels a year are fastened and unfastened on time. “This requires careful planning and a smart distribution of resources on our part,” says Crans.

“Punctuality is of the utmost importance to our customers. That means we must deploy our teams and equipment as efficiently as possible and keep everything in top shape.” For the ­current operation with the 347-meter-long

CMA CGM Thalassa, the boatmen are intensively working together in a team of six at the bow and stern of the vessel using two flatboats and two winch trucks. Within half an hour, they have correctly fastened the ship using twelve hawsers; ECT can start to unload and load the containers.

Taking a hawser, bringing it to land and securing it is definitely not as easy as it may sound, ­especially in heavy weather. It takes four years of training to become a prospective boatman.

In that period, thirty percent of all students are eliminated. Only after at least fourteen years of service does a prospective boatman become a full-fledged member of the Boatmen’s Association.

Apprentice Nick: “What we learn is a sense of responsibility for ourselves, for each other and for the equipment.” Crans adds: “We are a nonhierarchical association. Before we allow someone in our midst, we need to know exactly what that person is worth. We are service providers, in relation to our customers but also in relation to each other. We do not need cowboys. Our work is all about experience and correctly assessing potential danger. After all, we do put ourselves at risk when we venture out to collect a hawser near the ship’s screw.”