ECT FastForward Issue 37

FAST FORWARD WINTER 2006

ISSUE

37

THE FUTURE STARTS WITH THE EUROMAX TERMINAL THE SIMPLICITY OF INLAND SHIPPING FORWARDERS: PIVOT IN GLOBAL NETWORKS

FAST FORWARD

WINTER 2006

CONTENTS

COLUMN Major Leap Forward

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 Automated Guided Vehicle at the ECT Delta Terminal.

8-9

Colophon Fast Forward, a business-to-business publication of ECT, appears three times a year. Please contact our Communications Department with any questions

14-15

Pivot in Global Networks

16-17

All for One, and One for All

18-19

The Simplicity of Inland Shipping

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

Raymond Riemen, chairman of the Dutch trade association for forwarding and logistics companies FENEX, expects that the influence of his sector will further increase. “The more production is distributed across the world, the more complex the logistics chains become, the more added value we have to offer.”

The ECT Delta Terminal is constantly looking for new ways to improve the efficiency of container handling. A good example is the partnership with the Dutch association of inland terminal operators VITO. Recently the inland ships of VITO members were allocated with their ‘own’ barge crane.

External coordination RWP, Voorburg Chief editor ECT Rose Wiggers

No rights can be derived from this publication.

The Future starts with the Euromax Terminal Europe Container Terminals (ECT) ECT is the largest and most advanced container terminal operator in Europe, handling almost two-third of all containers passing through the port of Rotterdam. The whole year round, customers can call at the ECT Delta Terminal on the Maasvlakte along the North Sea and at the ECT Home Terminal & ECT Hanno Terminal in the Eemhaven/Waalhaven area near the city centre 24 hours a day.

“Large-scale capacity, directly situated on deep water.” ECT president Jan Westerhoud is well pleased with the fact that from 2008 onwards, ECT will be able to offer customers plenty of additional space at the Euromax Terminal. “We give them certainty for a future that starts today,” says Westerhoud about the stevedore’s new handling centre in the north-western corner of the Maasvlakte, right on the North Sea.

Containers destined for JVC’s European distribution centre in the city of Boom arrive in the port of Rotterdam almost every day. Inland shipping, the inland terminal of TCT Belgium and clear but simple agreements with the deep-sea shipping lines ensure that the delivery in Boom is a smooth operation.

ECT has also 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 of ECT’s terminals - both in Rotterdam and beyond - are located at the crossroads of visible container flows and invisible information flows. ECT’s highly skilled staff is on standby 24 hours

10-11

a day for its customers.

ECT is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings Group (HPH), the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 22 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. At present,

Terminal Works in Progress!

Who currently visits the site of the future Euromax Terminal is in for a crash course in terminal building. While the construction of the quay wall is still in full swing on one side of the complex, equipment is already being tested on the other side.

20-21

The French Connection Container traffic between Rotterdam and northern France is still relatively limited. New initiatives involving inland shipping and rail can however help in quickly boosting cargo flows.

The inland port of Lille plays a key role in this.

HPH operates a total of 255 berths in 44 ports together with a 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

2

On the Right Track Today’s Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) is far more than a national railway company. As a full service logistics provider it has secured a place amongst the world leaders in record time. Rotterdam and ECT have been singled out to play a special role in the company’s plans for the future.

22-23

In early 2008, our new Euromax Terminal at the Maasvlakte will be ready to handle its first customers.

There is no ambiguity as regards ECT’s ambition with this deep-sea terminal situated directly on the North Sea. Combined with the (almost) adjacent ECT Delta Terminal, we are now able to offer shipping companies all the space they require for accommodating their future growth in Rotterdam. The terminal’s deep-water access (-19.65 metres) also means future generations of container vessels will be able to call at Euromax, 24 hours a day and without any restrictions.

In addition to quantity, ECT is also making a substantial investment in terms of quality with the new Euromax Terminal. A greenfield operation of this kind gives us every possibility to implement the newest proven technologies. From the performance of the quay cranes to the carrying out of remote maintenance: it’s all about speed, speed, speed. The design and layout of the terminal are fully geared to realising both high and reliable production levels. ECT definitely wants to become the European market leader in terms of quality as well.

What’s more, the realisation of the Euromax Terminal gives an extra boost to the ECT Delta Terminal. Our 270-million-euro investment programme there is almost completed. In two years’ time, the capacity of the terminal has been expanded by 1.5 million container moves.

A complex process in view of the high degree of capacity utilisation. During the expansion, our operations always had to continue. Due to the many new pieces of equipment, the additional space and various measures aimed at boosting efficiency, the productivity at the Delta is currently showing a gradual but steady increase. The coming on stream of the Euromax Terminal will create the necessary ‘breathing space’ to improve operations at the Delta Terminal even further.

With the combination ECT Delta Terminal - Euromax Terminal, ECT will ultimately be able to optimally anticipate every customer wish at the Maasvlakte. With that in mind, the Euromax Terminal constitutes more than just a next step: it is a major leap forward!

At your Service!

Jan Westerhoud, President of ECT

The ECT website is much more than just a shop window with standard information on the company, the port et cetera. Well-secured from the outside world, it offers a great number of E-services aimed at facilitating smoother operations for ECT customers.

See the features on pages 8 - 11 for more news on the Euromax Terminal.

3

NEWS

NEWS

Safe Mooring The hidden strength of the port. This is how author Hans Sijberden describes the importance of bollards in his recently published book ‘Safe Mooring’. The first copy of the book - which mainly deals with bollards in the port of Rotterdam, from history to bollard-inspired works of art - was officially presented to Pieter Struijs, Director Port Infrastructure & Maritime Affairs of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, at the infocentre of the new Euromax Terminal on the 30th of November.

“Mooring bollards and ships are intrinsically connected and it is this relationship that is at the heart of this book. Perhaps the most difficult moment for a captain is when the engine of the ship is shut down and she is entrusted to the mooring bollards,” says self-proclaimed bollard-aficionado Sijberden. “A vessel often worth millions of euro then fully depends on a simple piece of port infrastructure.”

For more information on ‘Safe Mooring’, which contains both Dutch and English texts and is richly illustrated, please contact the author directly at hanssijberden@casema.nl.

Art from the Office Photo Ronald Tilleman

Under Water All container trains bound for or departing from the rail terminals at the Maasvlakte have to cross the Oude Maas river halfway through their journey through Rotterdam’s port area. Since mid September, trains no longer run the risk of having to wait for a raised Botlek bridge here. Thanks to a brand-new railway tunnel, the Botlekspoortunnel, they can now always continue their trip free of interruptions. The Botlekspoortunnel is part of the Betuwe Route (see news item page 5) 5 and was especially constructed for freight trains. The total length of the tunnel, including the approaches on both banks, is 3065 metres. The middle part of the tunnel - 1835 metres - was drilled underneath the river. Each direction has its own tunnel lane.

The Botlekspoortunnel has been equipped with the latest technology in the field of safety. Most striking is the sprinkler installation, which has been fitted in the ceiling along the entire length of the tunnel. Should a freight train catch fire and grind to a halt in the tunnel, then an ingenious detection system makes sure the sprinklers immediately swing into action and cause an immense cold shower at just the right location.

4

Many companies in the port of Rotterdam have quite special objects d’artt in their office. However, they are not always fully aware of this. Let alone the fact that this art is never accessible to the general public. The foundation ‘Art from the Office’ wants to change this. Initiator Theo Strauss (former managing director of “K” Line Netherlands): “Since the start of this year, we have visited about sixty port companies. In total, we looked at around 500 different objects, ranging from paintings and etchings to ship models and stained glass art. We hope to bring together the 250 most interesting pieces in a book and also exhibit some of them in Rotterdam’s Maritime Museum at the end of 2007.”

According to Strauss, there were definitely some surprising discoveries. At the ECT Delta Terminal, a painting by Van Mastenbroek - a renowned painter of port scenes who lived from 1875 to 1945 - for example was found. “I think that at ECT, they were not fully aware of its true value.”

More Economical, Quieter, Cleaner The ECT Delta Terminal has taken the first of a new type of Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) into operation (see also front cover). Contrary to its 267 predecessors, this new generation of robot cars has diesel-electric powering instead of diesel-hydraulic. “It will be hard for outsiders to tell the two types apart,” says Wim Roodenburg, ECT’s project manager for AGVs. “At first sight, they pretty much look identical.”

The real difference is under the hood. In the new dieselelectrical version, the diesel engine powers a generator that in its turn provides electricity for the two electric motors that propel the AGV. Compared to the original diesel-hydraulic system, this results in a substantial cost saving. Roodenburg anticipates a fuel reduction of about 25 percent. In addition, the new type makes far less noise and decreases the possibility of pollution caused by oil leaking from hydraulic systems. Only the turning left and right is still hydraulic. “We also expect that the new type will require less maintenance, making it more flexibly deployable.”

The coming period, Roodenburg and his colleagues will closely monitor the performance of the first diesel-electric AGV at the ECT Delta Terminal. “But we are currently also already working on concrete actions aimed at further optimisation. Before the end of the year, we want to further reduce noise levels and also start with the installation of an anti-soot filter.” The AGVs are supplied by Gottwald Port Technology from Germany.

At the Euromax Terminal - the new deep-sea terminal of ECT at the north-western corner of the Maasvlakte - only diesel-electric AGVs will be used. For more information, see the features on pages 8 - 9 and on pages 10 - 11.

Large Feeders The continuous process of scaling-up is not just limited to deep-sea vessels; feeders are also becoming larger and larger. Good examples of this are the Hooge (photo) and the Suderooge. Both of these newly built vessels have a capacity of 1368 TEU each. Together, they sail in the second loop of CMA CGM’s French Baltic Service, which connects Rotterdam to Saint Petersburg via Hamburg. From Saint Petersburg, the ships directly return to their starting point at the ECT Delta Terminal. In the French Baltic Service CMA CGM works together with ESF Euroservices.

The first loop, which also calls at Antwerp, comprises three ships of 868 TEU.

Faster to and from Germany After ten years of construction and an investment entailing more than 4.5 billion euro, the first container trains will be able to make use of the Betuwe Route from the first of January 2007. This new all-cargo railway line offers a direct 160kilometre-connection between Rotterdam and Germany. The point of departure and terminus will be directly adjacent to the gate of the ECT Delta Terminal.

“It just doesn’t get more sophisticated than the Betuwe Route,” says spokesman Jelle Rebbers of Railion, the largest rail freight company in the Netherlands. “The Betuwe Route is unprecedented and will definitely give the Netherlands a leading

position as regards rail transport in Europe.”

The most important advantage of the soonto-be-completed cargo railway line is simply the additional capacity. 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, the new infrastructure is exclusively dedicated to cargo trains. This means a major improvement over the current situation in the Netherlands, where cargo and passenger trains have to share the existing tracks. In addition, the Betuwe Route offers many other advantages. From the Maasvlakte to the German border, the new railway link for example only has overpass junctions. Container trains can therefore always continue running safely and

without any obstructions. As regards the power supply, 25 kV is used on the Betuwe Route against ‘just’ 1500 volts on the current railway network. The new railway line can consequently accommodate heavier and/or longer trains. Trains can also travel at higher velocities.

Last but certainly not least, the Betuwe Route is one of the very first railway lines to be fitted with the new safety system ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System).

It is the ambition of the European Union to implement this system across the whole of Europe. ERTMS allows trains to follow closer upon one another. This further increases the capacity of the Betuwe Route.

5

NEWS

AT T H E H E L M

Flying Welcome The largest illuminated International Flag Parade in the e world! The whole year round, 180 flags of all the nationalities present in the Netherlands as well as 50 flags of sponsoring organisations are flying directly on the river in downtown Rotterdam. “It is a sign of welcome to visitors from all corners of the globe,” says Hans Horsting, secretary of the foundation that makes this unique Flag Parade possible. “Through the flags, Rotterdam is conveying the message that it is open to anyone that wants to do business here.”

Invasion of Cranes Empties Full Again?

Drewry Shipping Consultants have calculated that last year, 41 percent of all the containers moved from the Far East to Europe returned to Asia empty. It must be possible to change this, thinks a group of cooperating Dutch universities, international companies (IBM, Contell-IKS, Device Global) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. Together, they have initiated a project to improve the match between empty container flows and return logistics; the latter is becoming an increasingly more important aspect of the logistics chain. The starting point of the project is the market for electronic equipment and electronics. According to D.F. Blumberg Associates, this branch is good for 24 billion euro worth of service, logistics and repairs a year. In addition, manufacturers need to comply with increasingly higher standards. In the European Union new legislation will soon make it mandatory to initiate a system for taking back, recycling and re-using products. There is also a directive pending that presses for recycling-friendly product designs.

Project manager Erwin van der Laan of the Rotterdam School of Management: “Return logistics has vast potential. We are studying what needs to be done to make the usage of empty containers more attractive in this respect. Legislation for example often constitutes an obstacle, as does the vast amount of paperwork involved in export. In addition, the profit margins are low, making highly efficient operations essential.” The project manager emphasises that it is definitely not the intention to directly relocate the issues of the West as regards recycling and re-usage to third countries. “Our study comprises economical, ecological and sociological components. Re-use and processing must be well arranged. This also requires a culture shift, both here and in the receiving countries.” Another point that needs to be taken into consideration is that not all container owners welcome return flows. “Because it takes longer for them to get their containers back.” The ECO project (Efficient Closed loop supply chain Optimization) runs till the end of 2008.

6

The vessels of Chinese crane manufacturer ZPMC are nowadays calling at Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte almost as if in a scheduled service. For the last two years, this was especially to deliver additional equipment for the expansion of the ECT Delta Terminal. At present, the cranes for ECT’s Euromax Terminal are however starting to pour in (also see features on pages 8 to 11). At the new deep-sea terminal in the north-westerly corner of the Maasvlakte, the first barge/feeder crane arrived at the end of October, followed by a vessel carrying a quay crane and three Automated Rail Mounted Gantry cranes (ARMGs) for the stack operations in mid November. The next ZPMC vessels are expected in mid December (one rail crane and four ARMGs) and in January (two quay cranes and four ARMGs). The Euromax Terminal aims to welcome its first customers in early 2008.

Name Country of birth Captain of Career

Nautical qualities Rotterdam Current sailing schedule Specifications ship

Volodymyr Morozow (45) Ukraine The ‘Xin Los Angeles’ of shipping company China Shipping Container Lines “After I graduated from the Odessa High Marine School, I started working for the Black Sea Shipping Company in 1984. After that, various foreign companies followed. The first time I had command of a vessel was in 1996: the Waterloo Bridge with a capacity of 975 TEU. The Xin Los Angeles is ten times larger. Throughout my career, I have only sailed on container vessels. It is highly specialized work; sometimes you just spend a couple of hours in a port. Everything needs to be done ASAP. I always say: every ship officer of a container vessel can work on a passenger vessel; the other way around however is a completely different story.”

“Rotterdam is one of the safest ports I know. There are no restrictions in terms of draught and the communication with traffic control is excellent. In fact, I have never encountered a problem here.”

Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Zeebrugge, Port Kelang.

Length 336 metres; width 45.6 metres; draft 15 metres; height 62 metres; speed max 25.2 knots; gross tonnage 108,0769; capacity 9572 TEU, reefer plugs 700.

7

Jan Westerhoud: “The combination

The Future starts with the Euromax Terminal

Euromax Terminal - Delta Terminal offers our customers an outspoken opportunity to further consolidate their cargo flows in Rotterdam.”

“Large-scale capacity, directly situated on deep water.” ECT president Jan Westerhoud is well pleased with the fact that from 2008 onwards, ECT will be able to offer customers plenty of space at the Euromax Terminal. “We give them certainty for a future that starts today,” says Westerhoud about the stevedore’s new Euromax Terminal: Phased Construction

handling centre in the north-western corner of the Maasvlakte, right on the North Sea.

Euromax Terminal The Euromax Terminal seen from the North Sea: the operations in phase 1 will commence in the top of the picture (A) and after that gradually expand downwards (B). The land to the right of the future terminal will be dredged away at the same pace (C). The ECT Delta Terminal is in the top right of the picture (D).

In its initial phase, the Euromax Terminal will cover 83 hectares, including a sea quay measuring 1500 metres. The depth along the quay will be 16.65 metres; in anticipation of the ongoing increase in the size of container vessels, this can be further deepened to 19.65 metres. At first, the terminal capacity will be 3 million TEU. Phase 1 however is just the beginning. Once completed, the Euromax Terminal will be much, much larger (see overview).

“We will gradually take phase 1 into use between early 2008 and early 2009,” says Jan Westerhoud. “The speed at which this will occur partially depends on the volumes that we will be handling in the coming period.”

nologies from all around the world have been brought together. The terminal combines the good elements from the automation of the ECT Delta Terminal and the Container Terminal Altenwerder in Hamburg with the high productivity approach that is so typical of Asian terminals. Westerhoud: “Because it is a real greenfield operation, our possibilities are almost endless. The Euromax Terminal will allow us to take our operations to the next level. Everything is geared to high and reliable productivity at low costs. On the waterside, we for example strive for at least 35 - 40 moves per crane per hour.”

Terminal Equipment New Forms of Cooperation

D A

B

C

“The combination Euromax Terminal - Delta Terminal enables our customers to keep on growing in Rotterdam,” continues the ECT president. “Their capacity requirements have been secured for the future. Our new additional facilities offer shipping companies an outspoken opportunity to further consolidate their cargo flows at the Maasvlakte.” In this respect, ECT is receptive to new and different forms of cooperation other than the current multi-user concept at the Delta Terminal. “From tailor-made solutions on the quay to more far-reaching partnerships such as joint ventures: the capacity ECT has to offer at the Maasvlakte makes anything possible.”

In phase 1, the Euromax Terminal will have twelve deepsea cranes as well as two barge/feeder cranes at both ends of the quay (so four in total). 96 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) take care of the transport between ship and stack. In the 29 automated stack lanes, containers will be stacked ten wide and five high. Per lane, there are two Automated Rail Mounted Gantry cranes (ARMGs) for quickly putting down and picking up containers. The loading and discharging of trucks on the landside of the stack will be done by the truck drivers themselves using a convenient remote control device. Straddle carriers are consequently no longer necessary at the Euromax Terminal. Westerhoud: “This saves vast amounts of space, which contributed tremendously to the terminal’s compact design.”

Premium Offer Photo: Aeroview Rotterdam

8

The Euromax Terminal will be positioned in the market as a premium service terminal where the best proven tech-

The Euromax Terminal will in addition be equipped with an ondock rail terminal with two cranes and six railway tracks that

PHASE PHASE PHASE PHASE

1 2 3 4

YEAR

TERMINAL SURFACE (in ha)

QUAY LENGTH (in m.)

CAPACITY (in TEU)

2008 2011 2016 2018

83 41 14 67

1500 300 600 1100

3,000,000 1,300,000 500,000 2,600,000

Market demand will co-determine the ultimate realisation and timing.

are directly connected with the Betuwe Route, the new 160kilometre-long dedicated freight railway line between Rotterdam and Germany. “This will definitely boost the share of rail in Rotterdam’s hinterland transport,” says the ECT president.

Last but not least, the pre-gate area of the Euromax has been designed in such a way that pre-notified truck drivers never need to get out of their cabin anymore.

For more details on the terminal construction also see the feature on the next two pages.

Further Expansion Once phase 1 of the Euromax Terminal is on stream, phase 2 can quickly follow. For efficiency reasons, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is now already constructing the 300 metres of quay wall for this. Further expansion is possible through the construction of phase 3 on the east side and phase 4 on the west side. “With this, the Euromax Terminal also brings Maasvlakte 2 (the new port area of Rotterdam in the North Sea, ed) within reach,” says Westerhoud.

All this however is still in the future. Right now, ECT is first and foremost pleased that it will be able to provide its customers the additional capacity of phase 1. “We offer certainty for a future that starts today.”

9

Terminal Works in Progress!

Who currently visits the site of the future

the quay wall is still in full swing on one side

parison: at the ECT Delta Terminal, the AGVs pass underneath the crane) will be deployed to transport the containers between ship and stack. For this, a new type of dieselelectric AGV (see also front cover) is used which is substantially more economical, cleaner and quieter than its dieselhydraulic predecessor. Twelve of these AGVs are currently already being tested on a special track at the terminal site.

of the complex, quay cranes, Automated

Crane Ballet

Euromax Terminal is in for a crash course in terminal building. While the construction of

Guided Vehicles and stack operations are already being tested on the other side.

no less than 1800 metres of quay wall; 1500 metres for the first phase of the Euromax Terminal, 300 metres for phase 2.

The area in question constitutes the future sea entrance to Maasvlakte 2 (the port’s planned land reclamation scheme in the North Sea). At present however, it is still mostly land. The construction of the quay therefore does not involve wet feet. A 1.20-metre-wide concrete wall is built 34 metres into the ground. The quay elements are positioned on top of this. Once the quay has been completely finished - including bollards and fenders - the soil is dredged on one side of the wall and ships are able to moor here.

In the first phase, the Euromax will have 29 automated stacking lanes. In each lane, the containers will be stacked ten rows wide and five rows high (in comparison: at the ECT Delta six wide, four high). The length of the stack is 36 TEU. Two Automated Rail Mounted Gantry cranes (ARMGs) per lane make sure the containers are put down and picked up very quickly, almost in a ballet-like fashion. One of the ARMGs mainly focuses on the seaside, the other on the landside. Eleven ARMGs have by now arrived (situation mid December) and have started their test programme at the first stacking lanes that were completed.

Do-It-Yourself Contrary to the ECT Delta Terminal, you will not find straddle carriers at the Euromax Terminal. On the landside of the stack, the truck drivers themselves will be responsible for the fast loading and unloading of their trucks. Prior to their first call, the truckers will be given a brief instruction on how to position the spreader of the ARMG directly above their truck using a remote control device.

Large Reach 300 metres of quay wall have by now been completed for the Euromax Terminal. The first quay crane and barge/ feeder crane of manufacturer ZPMC are already being tested here for the many boxes that will soon be coming their way. The new quay cranes for the handling of deep-sea vessels - 12 in total in phase 1 - have a reach of 23 containers wide and, in terms of height, can be adjusted between 37 and 46 metres. Although the latter requires a week-long conversion operation, it means the cranes are ready for even larger ships than the ones currently in operation. The initial height of the cranes will be 43 metres. In addition to this, there will also be four separate barge/feeder cranes.

Diesel-electric AGVs The quay cranes at the Euromax Terminal can lift both two 20-foot and two 40-foot containers at the same time. All cranes will possibly also be fitted with a second trolley system. This will further boost quay productivity. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) that run behind the cranes (in com-

10

On-dock Rail Terminal For the efficient handling of trains, the Euromax Terminal will in phase 1 be equipped with an on-dock rail terminal with two rail cranes and six tracks each measuring 750 metres. In addition, there is enough space for a future expansion with another six tracks. The rail terminal is directly connected with the Betuwe Route, the new 160-kilometre-long dedicated freight railway line that from the first of January will provide a direct link between Rotterdam and Germany.

New Terminal System

Euromax Terminal: Equipment Phase 1 Quay cranes Barge / feeder cranes Rail cranes Automated Guided Vehicles Automated Rail Mounted Gantry cranes Terminal tractors Terminal chassis Reach stackers Forklifts

In addition, no efforts have been spared as well to make sure trucks are handled as smoothly as possible at the pregate area of the terminal. Truck drivers that have been prenotified and can identify themselves by means of a Cargo Card no longer need to get out of their cabins to take care of the administrative formalities. The registration of the truck and the inspection of the container also take place automatically.

Faster through Second Trolley 12 4 2 96 58 18 124 3 6

To boost quay productivity even more, (some of) the quay cranes of the new Euromax Terminal will be fitted with a so-called second trolley system. In this system, the quay crane carries the containers back and forth between the ship and a platform about nine metres above ground level. A second trolley then sees to it that the containers are respectively put onto or taken off the AGVs that pass behind the crane. This method of operating reduces the crane cycle and makes the loading and discharging of deep-sea vessels even faster.

All terminal operations at Euromax will be coordinated via a brand-new computer system that is developed by a consortium of the companies ESC, TSB and Frog. Some 50 ICT programmers are currently working hard to finalise the comprehensive software programme.

In the meantime, testing at the terminal has already commenced. First, all the equipment will be individually tested.

Then, the tests will gradually become more complex and increasingly focus on the integration of the various pieces of equipment. The terminal start-up will begin around the first of July 2007. This is also when the influx of operational staff will start. Everything and everyone must be ready by the end of the year; the terminal wants to welcome its first customers in early 2008.

11

How Deutsche Bahn became a Global Player in Record Time

On the Right Track Despite its name, today’s Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) is far more than a national railway company transporting passengers and freight. As a full service logistics provider the company has secured a place amongst the world leaders in record time.

Rotterdam and ECT have been singled out to play a special role in the company’s plans for the future.

Today’s Deutsche Bahn has three main activities: Mobility (for passenger transport), Networks (for the management of rail infrastructure in Germany) and Logistics. This latter activity is the most recent and the fastest growing.

Worldwide DB Logistics employs some 75,000 personnel and generates annual turnover of around 15 billion euros.

Deutsche Bahn’s reasons to opt for expansion in transport and logistics dates back to the final decade of the twentieth century. It was then that Europe took its first steps to liberalise the rail sector, so enabling the entry of new players.

For traditional railway companies such as Deutsche Bahn, this represented a potential danger. The company also saw that shippers were increasingly directing their worldwide goods flows via a single player. As a rail company organised along national lines, Deutsche Bahn was unable to compete. Action was needed if it was to avoid becoming a subcontractor hired in by the major logistics service providers to execute only a limited amount of rail transport.

With an annual volume of 270 million tonnes, Railion is Europe’s biggest rail freight concern. The company has nearly 2800 locomotives.

Stinnes Acquisition

•

Deutsche Bahn’s chance to secure a leading position in global logistics provision came in 2002. Energy giant E.ON was prepared to sell its 65 percent share in the company of Stinnes for 1.6 billion euros. During the following year Deutsche Bahn also managed to buy out the remaining shareholders. The most notable asset they acquired as a result was Schenker, one of the world’s biggest logistics service providers, active in land, sea and air-freight. By buying American BAX Global for 1.1 billion euros at end 2005, Schenker’s position in the world market was further strengthened. Together Schenker and BAX Global are active in more than 150 different countries with a joint turnover exceeding 11 billion euros. The two companies combined employ a workforce of some 54,000 staff.

Multi-faceted Service Provision As a result of all the investments, by 2006 DB Logistics presents itself to the world with four related operational divisions (see organisation chart), which combine forces whenever possible. The cooperation between Stinnes and Railion is particularly close. The four divisions are:

• Schenker, the global integrated logistics service provider; • Stinnes Freight Logistics, the organiser of rail services for bulk and other sorts of cargo throughout Europe;

• Stinnes Intermodal, the developer and organiser of European intermodal transport concepts. Working in close cooperation with rail operators, Stinnes Intermodal is involved in more than 50 percent of all combined transport in Europe; Railion, the rail carrier throughout Europe.

At present Deutsche Bahn (total annual turnover 27 billion euro, 228,000 personnel) is still owned by the German state. The company intends to take the following step towards in its development through a bourse launch planned for 2008. The only point at issue concerns the question of whether this flotation should also include the management of the German rail infrastructure. A final decision has yet to be taken. At this point however the odds are weighted in favour of Deutsche Bahn being floated in its entirety.

A European Rail Company In anticipation of the further liberalisation of the European rail market, Deutsche Bahn has also been working on the transformation of its rail freight activities. Through the acquisition of the goods divisions of the Dutch (1999) and Danish (2001) national railway companies plus the takeover of a privately owned rail company in Italy (2005), a pan-European player with a cross-border product called Railion was created in a relatively brief period of time.

The Organisation of DB Logistics DB LOGISTICS

SCHENKER

STINNES FREIGHT LOGISTICS

STINNES INTERMODAL

RAILION

Deutsche Bahn and ECT to intensify Cooperation Under the leadership of chairman Hartmut Mehdorn, Deutsche Bahn made a visit to the ECT Delta Terminal at the end of August. Other members of the delegation included board member Norbert Bensel (responsible for Transport & Logistics at Deutsche Bahn) and the head of Stinnes Intermodal, Sebastian Jürgens. During the visit there was an extensive exchange of ideas about the further development of rail transport to and from the German hinterland. Stinnes - a division of DB Logistics - regards Rotterdam as its home port.

Together with ECT, Stinnes would thus like to further expand and improve container transport by rail. An important stimulus in this respect will be the Betuwe Route due to become operational on January 1. This 160 km long dedicated freight rail line connects Rotterdam directly with Germany and offers ample scope for new initiatives.

13

About two-thirds of all containers handled in Rotterdam travel under merchant haulage, which for the most part is controlled by forwarders. Raymond Riemen, chairman of the Dutch trade association for forwarding and logistics companies FENEX, expects that the influence of his sector will only increase further. “The more production is distributed across the world, the more complex the logistics chains become, the more added value we have to offer.”

Pivot in Global Networks “Forwarders are increasingly becoming complete logistics service providers,” says Raymond Riemen. The traditional definition of the forwarder - the party without own assets that just organises transport for others - has not been accurate for quite some time now. This ‘basic form’ is still out there, but in addition there are all sorts of combinations in which the forwarders themselves also own warehouses, value-adding logistics facilities and/or different modes of transport. “What remains is the fact that in all cases, the forwarder is the spider in the web. An important difference compared to the past however is that transport is increasingly becoming more than just the straightforward moving of cargo from A to B. More and more, manufacturers are deciding to operate in networks. From all over the world, goods and parts are brought together at one location, where they are processed and then moved to all corners of the globe again. This also places more importance on sound logistical advice.” It is therefore only logical that Riemen expects the influence of forwarders to further increase. “The more production is distributed across the world, the more complex the logistics chains become, the more added value we have to offer.”

Three Types of Forwarders Within the forwarding sector itself, Riemen increasingly sees a subdivision between three types of service providers and customers. “Most visible to outsiders are the globally active network forwarders such as Kuehne + Nagel, Schenker and DHL, which often work for very large multinationals. That market segment will definitely continue to expand. However, it will not become dominant. Their share will remain limited to between three and four percent per player.” On the other side of the forwarding branch’s spectre, the FENEX chairman mentions the so-called niche players, small forwarders that focus on logistics services related to just one product, such as alcohol or dangerous substances.

Between the two, there is a substantial third category of 14

medium-sized forwarders. The Broekman Group, of which Riemen is CEO in everyday life, also belongs to this. There is no doubt in Riemen’s mind about the raison d’être of this segment: “More than fifty percent of the market comprises shippers that import and export to seven to ten different countries. They feel comfortable with the medium-sized forwarders. These can offer them global coverage as well as added value and personal attention.”

FENEX chairman Raymond Riemen: “In the increasingly more complex networks, timely data is at least as important as the actual product itself.”

Forwarders - Shipping Companies An important question is how Riemen views the relationship between forwarders and shipping companies. Both players explicitly come across each other in the logistics chain. His first comment is that to some extent, the services rendered by both parties are complementary. Various shipping companies purely focus on deep-sea transport and are more than glad to leave the organisation of the other parts of the chain to outside parties. But in addition to this, there are of course also large shipping companies that offer customers the entire logistics chain. The difference with the forwarding sector as regards the services offered however is clear, thinks Riemen. “The shipping companies primarily use their own sailing schedules and ports of call as a starting point. Forwarders are unrestricted in this respect and can therefore always provide their customers with the best combinations.” Needless to say price also plays a role. The fluctuations that are so typical for the container sector are also felt here. “Shipping companies benefit when there’s a shortage in ship capacity. On the other hand, forwarders have a somewhat stronger position if there is overcapacity, as is currently the case.”

First Port of Call As regards the creation of optimum transport routes, the first or last port of call is an important selection criterion to forwarders. As such, Rotterdam has a very strong position for containers coming in from Asia, says Riemen. “Moreover,

it is important that cargo can quickly be moved to the hinterland. By barge over the Rhine River and, from the first of January 2007, by rail via the Betuwe Route (the 160-kilometre-long dedicated freight railway line between Rotterdam and Germany, ed.) this has been well taken care of in Rotterdam.” Also crucial to forwarders is a streamlined information flow. “In the increasingly more complex networks, timely data is at least as important as the actual product itself.” Compared to surrounding ports, Rotterdam was always trailing somewhat behind in this respect, says Riemen. With the Port Community System that was developed by Port infolink, the exchange of data within the port is however getting better and better. “Port infolink has already perfectly covered the shipping company side, now the number of services for forwarders needs to be expanded.”

All those changes initially caused a lot of problems. The Association of Rotterdam Shipbrokers and Agents (VRC), FENEX and ECT therefore decided to together actively inform shippers and transporters about possible improvements they could make as regards the supply of (advance) information. “And with success,” ascertains Riemen, “the information flow from the hinterland is rapidly improving and because of this the handling at the ECT Delta Terminal is already much smoother. Look… if something goes wrong somewhere in the transport chain, the easiest thing to do is blame someone else. But this does not solve anything.

We simply need one another’s data. Together, we determine the strength of the logistics chain.”

Timely, Correct and Complete Information The importance of timely, correct and complete information became crystal clear in May of this year following the software renewal at the ECT Delta Terminal. This change in computer systems also required a new method of working for all parties involved. For a streamlined handling of containers, the terminal now needs both more and other information. In addition, the ECT Delta Terminal was issued the so-called RTO status by Customs. In practice, this means that ECT can only clear containers if correct and complete customs documents are present.

FENEX FENEX, the Netherlands Association for Forwarding and Logistics, looks after the interests of about 340 associated forwarding companies (altogether about 20,000 employees). “Our members are both the large network forwarders and small companies that only have four or five employees,” says FENEX chairman Raymond Riemen.

15

All for One,

and One for All Thanks to its natural waterways such as the Rhine, the port of Rotterdam enjoys fantastic connections reaching deep into the European hinterland unhindered by locks or other obstacles. More than 35 percent of all the containers handled by ECT are transported over inland waterways: fast, large-scale, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and, thanks to the absence of traffic jams on the water, just in time. Inland water transport has three main flows: transport by ever-larger barges up to 500 TEU towards Germany, point to point transport to and from the port of Antwerp and transport to and from inland terminals spread throughout the Netherlands. These inland terminals are often based in the immediate vicinity of large international shippers, whereby pre- and post-transport are done by truck. Intermodal transport, in other words.

Cheap and Just in Time

handling. A good example is the partnership with the Dutch association of

“The motorways are seizing up, as everyone knows.

Intermodal transport via inland terminals is a powerful weapon to keep the routes open. And what’s more, it’s also cheaper for the customer.” So says Arie Rietveld, director of Oosterhout Container Terminal and member of the board of VITO, the industry association of inland terminal operators in the Netherlands. At the ECT Delta Terminal, the barges of the fifteen VITO members make some 65 calls per week and 180,000 moves a year. Rietveld: “Thanks to our terminals we are able to provide a just in time service to customers such as Heineken in Den Bosch, Sony in Tilburg and Ikea in Oosterhout (all three cities in the southern Netherlands). Companies like these also use our inland terminals as temporary storage.”

In logistical terms this all sounds too good to be true and indeed, practice sometimes leaves something to be desired.

“Ideally our inland vessels would be immediately discharged and loaded on arrival at the sea port. Depending on their home-base, many of the ships would then be able to make daily round trips. Things go awry however, when they are forced to wait and/or have to visit numerous terminals. Then the planning falls apart and our clients might end up waiting for their containers. This uncertainty often means that trucks are chosen unnecessarily. That is more expensive and also adds to the congestion on the roads.”

inland terminal operators VITO. Recently the inland ships of VITO members

Firm Agreements

ECT is constantly looking for new ways to improve the efficiency of container

were allocated with their ‘own’ barge crane at the ECT Delta Terminal. This makes it possible to provide them an optimum service around the clock. The project shows that success is often just a question of talking to each other, reflecting, making a small investment and getting on with it.

Operations Manager Theo van Zijll of the ECT Delta Terminal: “VITO had a point. For us at the Delta it was also apparent that often there was a too long timeframe between a barge’s arrival in the port and its appearance under the crane. It was obvious we needed to sit around a table and talk about the problem. But don’t be mistaken, although ECT and VITO have joint interests and common customers, we are not contractual partners. On our side we

also had some requests for VITO, particularly with respect to the advance information they supplied on the containers to be discharged and loaded.”

Dedicated Crane The product of those discussions last year was the VITO pilot project. ECT has now reserved a barge crane at the inland terminal in the Hartelkanaal - right next to the Delta Terminal - for the exclusive use of VITO members 24 hours a day. In return, VITO has stationed a planning staffer at the Delta, who sees to an evenly spread supply of inland ships around the clock. In this way at least 660 container moves are clocked up every day. VITO ensures that all the necessary information arrives via EDI ahead of time and in good order. And ECT takes responsibility for the internal transport of containers between the barge terminal and the deep-sea terminals. “The latter costs us money, it’s true, but there’s a big advantage,” says Van Zijll. “It saves us a huge amount of time and gives us peace of mind now the inland ships no longer have to hop between the different Delta terminals just for a couple of containers.”

No Reports, Action!

The VITO project has now been up and running for a couple of months and everybody is extremely enthusiastic.

Rietveld: “This initiative should be taken by the Port of Rotterdam as an example to all sea terminals. Everybody has benefited. It just goes to show the importance of talking to one another, and instead of making endless reports, just getting on with it.”

On Schedule The man who plays a key role in ‘just getting on with it’ is Henk Bothoff. As planner he is stationed at the ECT Delta Terminal on behalf of VITO in order to ensure a smooth handling of the inland ships; where necessary he irons out any problems. Bothoff: “We’ve finally succeeded in working according to the schedule. Something can go wrong unexpectedly of course, a malfunction in the hardware for example, but we always manage to solve the problems.

And of course we’re flexible: sometimes I’ve got a spare hour on the crane, so I squeeze in a small vessel that’s waiting its turn somewhere down the queue. That no longer causes any upset: people understand that in the end everybody benefits.”

Van Zijll concludes: “The whole project has been such a success that we will shortly be reviewing the situation to see if we can dedicate 1.5 barge cranes exclusively to VITO.” 17

Since 1999 the European distribution centre of Japanese electronics giant JVC has been based in Boom in Belgium.

Containers of new TVs, DVD players and audio systems destined for the city of Boom arrive in the port of Rotterdam almost every day. Inland shipping, the inland terminal of TCT Belgium and clear but simple agreements with the deepsea shipping lines ensure that the delivery in Boom is a smooth operation.

The Simplicity of Inland Shipping “Virtually all the containers from the Far East with JVC-equipment are discharged in Rotterdam. For many liner services that is the first European port of call,” says Chris Maertens, General Manager Operations of JVC Logistics Europe. A logical choice then, although for Maertens that is of limited relevance. His first and only priority is the uninterrupted delivery of containers to JVC’s European distribution centre in Boom in Belgium. From there the company supplies its national organisations in the whole of the European Union.

In the space of a few years JVC has developed a very simple and effective system for the transport of containers from Rotterdam to Boom. When it first opened six years ago, the European distribution centre was serviced by every available means of transport. Today however, all supplies take place by barge via the inland terminal of TCT Belgium in the nearby town of Willebroek. Even more important was the decision in early 2005 to abandon the traditional system of submitting transport orders to the deep-sea shipping lines. As a result phone calls back and forth about delayed containers have also become ancient history.

Four Day Rule Maertens: “For the transport from the seaport we no longer give the shipping lines a separate transport order for each 18

container. Instead we now have one single rule: each container should be at TCT Belgium within three days after the ship’s arrival in the port.” All the arrangements for the transport from Rotterdam are made directly between the inland terminal and the deep-sea shipping lines. Maertens has no need to intervene. Martine Hiel, managing director of TCT Belgium: “We have a daily barge connection with the port of Rotterdam. We hear from the shipping lines automatically how many containers are destined for Willebroek. Every morning we inform JVC which containers are waiting at our inland terminal or will be arriving later that day. They tell us then which containers they want in their warehouse. We deliver these by truck and take any empties back to Willebroek.”

Efficient but no Carte Blanche The so-called ‘four day regulation’ relieves JVC from the problem of trucks delayed by traffic jams or of barges waiting to pass through a defective lock. The electronics concern is now in an ideal position to plan effectively and reliably. Maertens: “We virtually have no hick-ups any more - I don’t think I’ve spoken to Martine Hiel about operational problems for more than a year now. What’s more, our warehouse management system also looks beyond the

walls of the warehouse. We consider full containers stationed at TCT Belgium to be stock like any other. Suppose article A is available both in the warehouse and on the inland terminal; when we need the product, we leave the stock in the warehouse and take the container, as it had to be moved anyway.”

The standing order for the deep-sea shipping lines doesn’t mean that JVC has given them carte blanche. On the contrary: “We keep a close eye on the seven shipping lines with which we do business,” says Maertens. “We closely monitor when the ship arrives in Rotterdam and on which day the containers are at the inland terminal. Every month I present the shipping lines with a graph. Only their own name is visible but they can see how they are performing in relation to the competition. It’s very simple, but it achieves excellent results. Nobody wants to be the worst.”

Streamlined Process The current manner of working suits JVC perfectly. Every morning from eight until twelve, TCT Belgium delivers the required containers. In the afternoon between twelve and four, the bays are reserved for the trucks that supply JVC’s national organisations in the European Union. “At four

TCT Belgium The inland terminal of TCT Belgium is located in Willebroek, strategically placed between Antwerp and Brussels. In this region European distribution centres are springing up like mushrooms. TCT Belgium is right next to the Schelde Brussels canal. The terminal maintains a daily barge connection with Rotterdam, and sailings to Antwerp number three a day. TCT Belgium provides its customers with discharging and loading, temporary storage and delivery and/or collection of containers by truck at their front door.

thirty we shut up shop. Thanks to the streamlined process the days when we were still loading trucks at eight in the evening are long gone.”

Transparent, clear and simple, that’s what Chris Maertens aims for. For the General Manager of Operations it doesn’t really matter how the deep-sea lines carry out their task.

Occasionally they might use another seaport, but with that they only make it difficult for themselves because they are forced to work outside the streamlined supply system.

Missing the connection with the inland ship can also happen every so often. As far as Maertens is concerned using a truck in such circumstances is fine, as long as he doesn’t notice the difference. “In all cases the same rule applies: I want to have the containers on TCT Belgium’s terminal within three days after the deep-sea ship arriving in port, and nothing else.”

19

The French Connection

Although northern France is just a couple of hours from Rotterdam, container traffic between the two regions is still relatively limited. And this while Rotterdam is the first European port of call for many deep-sea services from Asia, with all the advantages this holds in terms of transit times and efficiency. New initiatives involving inland shipping and rail can however help in quickly boosting these cargo flows.

The inland port of Lille plays a key role in this.

‘The South starts in Lille’, goes a saying amongst Dutch people heading for warmer holiday destinations from the cold north. First and foremost, the northern French town however is the hub of an economically strong region with large industries and distribution centres for both the French market (± 63 million consumers) and Europe. In terms of size, Lille is France’s third inland port. The local port authorities - Ports de Lille - are busily investing in a further expansion of their hub function. Lille’s trimodal container terminal was substantially expanded recently and at present has six hundred metres of quay for inland barges. The actual terminal site also has almost five kilometres of rail tracks and the A25 motorway is a mere stone’s throw away. Ports de Lille makes particular good use of the rivers. Together with a dozen or so neighbouring municipalities, a network of inland barge facilities including two additional container terminals - has been developed. As far as rail is concerned, cooperation occurs with the large rail terminal of Dourges some 25 kilometres down the road.

Stronger Connections “Lille’s geographic situation in the hinterland means shippers have six sea ports to choose from,” says Denis Demailly, Director of Development and Engineering with Ports de Lille.

However, he too is aware of the trend of increasingly larger container ships and consolidation of cargo flows. “This is to the advantage of Rotterdam. All the more reason to strengthen our connections.”

The Lille Region

In addition to road - driving time approx. three hours - Lille and Rotterdam are connected thrice weekly by an own barge shuttle of Ports de Lille. The extensive network of waterways in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands allows for various routes. The shortest of these results in a transit time of 30 hours. The condition of this waterway at present however still limits the maximum capacity of barges to 42 TEU. The main bottleneck is in Kortrijk, southern Belgium. Solving the problems here is high on the agenda and expectations are that larger ships will be able to navigate the waterway in 2008.

gating the canal in 2012. Despite the support promised by the European Union (30 percent of the construction costs), the French government has however not yet fully agreed to its realisation. The total building costs are estimated at roughly 2.5 billion euro.

2007: Breakthrough of Rail?

For the relationship Rotterdam-Lille, the Canal Seine Nord is irrelevant. Good rail connections between the Netherlands and France, on the other hand, are. Up till now, the protection of own markets by national railway companies has always stood in the way of this. The only exception so far is the once-weekly shuttle between Rotterdam and Lyon that was launched some time ago.

The process of European railway liberalisation initiated at the end of the last century however is making trans-border traffic more and more common. Various railway companies already have or are in the process of obtaining the permits necessary for operating trains on the route Netherlands Belgium - France. In this respect, 2007 could mark the breakthrough of rail. Among the parties considering running container shuttle trains on this axis are Veolia, SNCF Fret, Railion (also see the feature on pages 12-13), Rail4Chem, ECR, B-Cargo and ACTS. Rob van Gansewinkel, managing director of the latter private railway company. “In order to properly and reliably accommodate the growing cargo flows between Rotterdam and Lille, we need to invest in rail. Lille, like Veendam in the north of the Netherlands and Duisburg in Germany, is situated in a 300-kilometreradius of Rotterdam. Various rail shuttles depart each day for Veendam and Duisburg: fast, safe, reliable and at reasonable costs. This should also be possible for the north of France.” Director Demailly of Ports of Lille agrees: “The distance is great enough to make it work. In addition, all the necessary facilities are already there.”

“With the high-speed TGV, it is nowadays possible to get from Rotterdam to Lille in less than three hours,” concludes Wim van Sluis, chairman of the Rotterdam port entrepreneurs’ association Deltalinqs. “If this is possible for passenger trains, then it should definitely be possible for containers.”

Canal Seine Nord 4 million inhabitants; • 3rd most important industrial region of France; • 3rd most important import and export region of France in terms of value, no. 1 in terms of volume.

Worldwide, France ranks 5th in terms of exports and 4th in terms of import.

•

Upgrading the river near Kortrijk and elsewhere in Belgium fits in with a far-reaching European plan aimed at improving the north-south routes for inland shipping. Past Lille, in the direction of Paris, this should ultimately also result in the construction of the 105-kilometre-long Canal Seine Nord. With this canal, Rotterdam will have direct inland shipping access to Paris and beyond. In the most optimistic scenarios, the first vessel will already be navi-

Major Players Many large companies are already making use of the ports of Lille for their imports and/or exports. To name but a few: 3 Suisses, Auchan, Bonduelle, BP Chemicals, Castorama, Décathlon, Evian, Firestone, Heineken, Roquette, Smurfit, Toyota and Yahama.

21

The ECT website is much more than just a

Registration and Requesting Authorisation

shop window with standard information on the company, the port et cetera. Well-

In order to gain access to the secured part of ECT.nl, you can submit a registration request through the homepage of the website (left bottom corner, My E-Services > Registration Request). ECT will process your request as soon as possible.

secured from the outside world, it offers a great number of E-services aimed at facilitating smoother operations for ECT customers. Companies that have the proper authorisation can request various reports,

NEW!

view detailed information on the operation and submit several kinds of orders.

On this page, an overview of the many possibilities available on www.ect.nl.

At your Service!

REPORTS

Three new services will soon be added to ECT.nl:

Discharge/load Orders Specially aimed at feeder operators and small shipping companies without an own EDI system. They can send a COPRAR through Excel format.

Pickup/delivery Orders To be used by inland carriers (road, rail and barge). They can send a COPINO through Excel format.

Booking Overview Delta Using a booking number, customer code and size type, deep-sea shipping companies can see whether a booking already exists and which of the containers are already present.

Following your registration, you can submit a request for authorisation for the use of one or more services on ECT.nl.

This request is directly send to the shipping company that owns the information related to this/these service(s). You will automatically be notified as to whether or not authorisation has been granted.

As a registered visitor it’s always possible to view various reference and code lists, such as call signs, IMO-UNDG etc.

DATA ENTRY

ECT.nl offers the customer various kinds of reports related to container handling:

24-hour-reports Among other things, reports are available on: • ‘Containers on Storage’ (full, empty, import, export, stored longer then 3 / 12 days, blocked); • ‘Receivals and Deliveries’ (by road, rail, barge, feeder, internal terminal transport (ITT), total deliveries per vessel).

The 24-hour-reports are generated the following morning and after that remain available on ECT.nl for a period of seven days.

Load and Discharge Lists The following are available: • ‘Load/Discharge Object Lists’, definitive summary lists per vessel containing just the number of containers; • ‘Load/Discharge Container Lists’, provisional and definitive container lists per customer; • ‘Load/Discharge Object Detail Lists’, definitive summary and container lists of all the customers that have containers aboard a vessel, mainly aimed at feeder operators.

vessel and after that remain available on ECT.nl for a period of 21 days.

It is possible to issue various kinds of orders via ECT.nl:

Terminal Performance Reports

Customer Blockade (only for the ECT Delta Terminal)

Following the administrative handling of a vessel, a Terminal Performance Report remains available on ECT.nl for a period of 21 days.

Customer blockades (1 and 11) to be issued by a container operator; the orders for this will remain queued until the container has been pre-notified (orders older than 30 days will be removed).

MRN Order Issuing of MRN numbers; orders will remain queued until the container is present (orders older than 20 days will be removed).

The load and discharge lists are generated following the administrative handling of a

Release Order

2

Clearance of an import container; this is done as soon as this order has been received.

Acceptance Order Container to Object Acceptance orders for both empty and full export containers.

NEW! Update Vessel Voyage Delta 2 The possibility to add customer voyage numbers, so that ECT can process bookings correctly.

INFORMATION SERVICES 1

Through various services, ECT.nl offers the opportunity to view containers and objects (deep-sea, feeders, barges, trains) in real-time:

and already departed objects. This service is also accessible via the public section of ECT.nl.

Authorisation is required to access information related to container release, blocks (if relevant) and arrival/departure information.

Terminal Overview 1

Alert Object Status

Container Status Inland Carrier Import

Visual overview of all the vessels and trains that are present at the ECT terminals, including the option to go back and forward in time. This service is also accessible via the public section of ECT.nl.

By assigning an alert to an operator code, object name or object voyage and the accompanying events (arrival, progress, departure), any status changes are directly reported via SMS (only in the Netherlands) or e-mail.

Inland carriers (barge, train, truck) can access detailed information on a container using a container prefix number and a clearance reference number (also known as pin code).

Container Status

Using a booking number, customer code and size type, inland carriers (barge, train, truck) can see if a booking already exists and how

Object Status Text-only overview of all the vessels and trains that are present at the ECT terminals, including the option to search for expected

22

Detailed information on the container, partially also publicly available.

many containers can be delivered on this booking. By entering a container prefix number, it is also possible to ascertain whether a container has already been delivered.

NEW! Container Status Inland Carrier Export Delta

23

MAN AND MACHINE

From behind his monitors, Marcel Melching (43) keeps a close eye on the movements of the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), the latest model of which graces the cover of this edition of Fast Forward. “At the ECT Delta Terminal, AGVs are used to transport the containers between ship and stack. All their orders are issued by the computer. We only interfere if something goes wrong, for example when an AGV stops when it shouldn’t. To outsiders, I often say I work in the largest playground in the world. Name one guy who didn’t like playing with radio-controlled cars when he was young. Well, here it’s for real!”