Port of Tarragona Removes Over 12,000 Tons of Wood Chips as Safety Precaution

Dec. 2, 2020 - The Port of Tarragona, together with a stevedoring company, has completed the removal of the 12,626 tons of wood chips located in the docks of Navarre and Aragon of the Tarragona port area.

Since October 21, about 600 tons per day of wood chips (biomass) have been hauled away by truck. The aim of the Port of Tarragona has been to speed up work to remove the chip to its destination and final function to prevent any future incidents of self-combustion.

The operation has served to remove material that went into self-combustion on September 25, fueled by strong gusts of wind present in those days. At the time of the incident the biomass batteries located at the Aragon dock were waiting to be loaded onto a ship.

In addition, the Port of Tarragona intends to pass along the removal costs to the owners of the biomass material.

The Port of Tarragona has also tightened the conditions for admitting wood chips to prevent new incidents arising from the deterioration of stowage. At this time, it is essential that any wood chip storage is assigned a confirmed ship departure date that, in addition, does not exceed the estimated period of biomass deterioration that could generate self-combustion episodes.

Since last November 2019, the Port of Tarragona has had an authorized occupation of wood chips distributed at the pier of Navarra with 6,700 tons and at the pier of Aragon with 5,926 tons.

After an extended period of outdoor storage, wood chips can undergo self-combustion processes. Inside the chips are a series of physical, chemical and biological processes that lead to an increase in temperature and variations in moisture content, causing a chimney effect, with air circulation from the sides towards the top of the stack.

In the event of this eventuality, the Port of Tarragona ensures that preventive measures are taken to cool the goods in order to avoid risks, such as: reduction of the height of the wood chip piles to 1.5 meters, separation of wood chips into several smaller piles, and expanding the area where the chips are stock piled. In addition, the wood chips will be actively and continuously removed in order to cool and stabilize the temperature.

Source: Port of Tarragona

Prince Rupert Port Authority Says Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor Over 75 Percent Complete

Nov. 30, 2020 - The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) today announced the Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor is now over 75 percent complete.

The Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor is a five kilometre road stretching along the southwestern edge of Kaien Island. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, crews from the Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance, a local First Nations joint venture, have safely worked 24-hours a day on rotating shifts to build this critical piece of infrastructure. In addition to nearly completing dredging work, teams have placed rock along the full length of the road, with one third now at sub-grade elevation and ready for the paving structure. The project remains on track for completion in Q2 2021.

The $115 million Connector Corridor project will be fully activated when DP World’s Fairview Terminal expansion is completed in 2022. This will enable container truck traffic to be rerouted away from public roads to the new Port Authority-owned route, which will reduce the journey from 20 kilometers to 5 kilometers.

“The Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor is designed to get trucks off downtown streets, improve safety as we grow, and reduce the environmental impacts of trucking activities in Prince Rupert,” said Shaun Stevenson, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “We anticipate the changes will cut emissions for each truck trip by about 75 percent.”

The Connector Corridor is integral to the sustainable growth of Prince Rupert’s intermodal ecosystem, and will create new supply chain efficiencies through the development of logistics services, like the Ridley Island Export Logistics Platform and South Kaien Import Logistics Park.  These projects will generate new jobs and economic advantages for local communities and First Nations, as well as reduce the impact of port operations on the environment.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority manages the Port of Prince Rupert, Canada’s northernmost trade gateway on the west coast. The Port of Prince Rupert anchors one of the fastest and most reliable supply chains between North America and Asia. To learn more, visit: www.rupertport.com.

SOURCE: Prince Rupert Port Authority

Port of Antwerp to Launch Certified Pick up for Containers in Jan. 2021

Nov. 18, 2020 - The digital, secure and integrated solution called ‘Certified Pick up’ will soon replace the existing system of PIN codes for the release of containers in the Port of Antwerp. The new digital container release process is due to launch in January 2021. In the first phase, CPu will provide transparency about the status of your container. The PIN code system will then be phased out and replaced with a digital container release process.

Currently, you need a unique PIN code to collect a container from one of the port terminals. The PIN code is passed between various parties, from the shipping company to the truck driver, which is time-consuming and increases the risk of misuse. Certified Pick up makes the import process more secure, transparent and efficient.

NxtPort will provide the neutral data platform in the port of Antwerp. The first phase of CPu will start in January. By connecting to the CPu platform, all parties in the import chain will be able to view a container's status at different times, enabling the various players in the chain to carry out their work more efficiently. The transition period gives shipping companies, terminals and stakeholders sufficient time to prepare for the next phase, the new Certified Pick up system.

In the next phase, the various chain partners will switch to a new processing method. The existing process with PIN codes will be phased out and replaced with a digital process, which only allows a container to be collected on the basis of a digital right and its identity.

SOURCE: Port of Antwerp

Port Of Trois-Rivières Receives $33.4 Million from Transport Canada for Construction of Terminal 21

Oct. 9, 2020 - The Port of Trois-Rivières announced that it has received confirmation of significant financial assistance of $33.4 million from Transport Canada for the construction of Terminal 21. The new terminal will be used for the transhipment of dry bulk, liquid bulk and general cargo. The project includes the construction of a wharf and road and rail access roads, as well as storage space.

The total investment of Terminal 21 is nearly $130 million.

“This financial support is of great importance for the future of the Port of Trois-Rivières.,” said said Danielle St-Amand, Chair of the Port of Trois-Rivières Board of Directors. “Terminal 21 is a crucial step in our ‘On Course for 2030’ development plan.

“The Port of Trois-Rivières relies on a dynamic team, versatile and ambitious stevedores, as well as committed partners. This is our recipe for success and we intend to take this major step in our development in collaboration with all these players,” St-Amand added.

A flagship project of the On Course for 2030 development plan, this new terminal will increase the Port’s capacity by nearly 50%. Some 716 metres of wharf facades will be added to the west of the current infrastructures, covering a surface area of nearly 100,000 m2.

“Terminal 21 will increase Port traffic by 1.5 million metric tons with an estimated value of $2.7 billion. This is the largest expansion phase that the Port will experience in nearly one hundred years and is the foundation for its future development,” said Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the Port of Trois-Rivières.

Completion of Terminal 21 is expected in December 2023.

SOURCE: Port of Trois-Rivières