Postponement of PPI Transport Symposium 24

Aug. 4, 2021  - The IFPTA Board of Directors held an emergency board meeting at the end of last week at which it was unanimously agreed that the Transport Symposium scheduled to be held in Jacksonville, Florida in September should be postponed. This decision was immediately relayed to our partners Fastmarkets.

This decision was taken in the light of the current spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida. The Board agreed that the health and safety of our members and delegates must be our primary concern.

The Board also recognised that many of our members would be unable to participate in the event due to international travel restrictions, company travel policies and in many cases quarantine on return to their home country.

While the event could have been held partially on a virtual basis, one of the great attractions of the Transport Symposium is the great networking opportunity it represents, with members getting to meet with friends and colleagues from the industry all over the world.

We are working with our partners to fix a suitable date to reschedule the event, most likely in September 2022.

I would like to thank Tom Mutz, Rhoda Voth and Rick Schiappacasse for all their efforts over the last 9 months in putting together a fantastic programme. While I know they are disappointed, they fully support the decision. I would also to thank the Moderators and Panellists and look forward to welcoming them to the Symposium when it does take place.

Thanks are also due to Cathy Oates and her team at Fastmarkets, for all their hard work on the logistics side of the event.

They will be in touch with sponsors, exhibitors and delegates who had already registered.

Alan Bog, President, IFPTA

The Port of Tarragona Begins to Install the Balears Wharf Bollards

July 15, 2021 - The Port of Tarragona has begun work on installing the bollards on the Balears Wharf. A total of 33 bollards with a capacity of 200 tons each will be installed to provide mooring for the world’s largest cruise liners.

The fenders, which are also being installed at a similar pace, and the bollards are the elements that take the strain of docking and tying up the vessel. Thus, when a ship is slowly approaching in a berthing maneuver, the fenders absorb the momentum of the vessel as it maneuvers, protecting both the dock and the vessel when they come into contact. In conditions of strong winds and waves, the fenders and bollards are responsible for absorbing the vessel's energy, especially when it tends to approach or move away from the dock.

In parallel with the bollard installation, the Port is completing the final metres of the edge beam. The last section has already been concreted with a formwork trolley and only a few sections remain to be finished. This will be done manually due to the difficulty of access.

Facing the final stretch

The Port of Tarragona has begun to prepare the esplanade with the final earthworks ready for future paving. The first lampposts for lighting the dock are also being installed.

When the new infrastructure is in operation it will increase the capacity to receive more visitors and in better conditions. It will have a total berthing line of 700 metres, given that on 240 of the 460 metres it will be possible to tie up on both sides and the area of the Llevant breakwater has also been added. All this means that double the number of cruise ships can dock simultaneously and that the world’s largest cruise liners can be accommodated.

SOURCE: Port of Tarragona

Port of Antwerp Experiences Growth in First Half of Year

July, 9, 2021 - During the first six months of 2021, 120 million tonnes were handled in the Port of Antwerp, an increase of 5% compared with the same period last year and status quo compared to 2019, despite the impact of the ongoing pandemic. Cargo to and from the UK and Ireland also shows positive figures; the expanded shortsea connections in response to Brexit are proving effective.

Growth despite ongoing corona crisis

Containers are the only cargo type that has continuously grown since 2014, up by 4,3% in the first half of the year compared to 2020 and by 3,9% compared to 2019 (in tonnes). Conventional breakbulk grows by 41,2% compared to 2020 and equals the throughput of the first 6 months of 2019. The throughput of iron and steel, the main goods group in this segment, increased by 37,8% due to a peak in the supply of steel. RoRo also did very well in 2021 and increased by 22% compared to the first half of 2020.

Dry bulk handling increased by 7,5% but there are fluctuations because some products, such as fertilisers, are seasonal. Liquid bulk grew slightly by 1,3% compared to 2020 but decreased by 6,1% compared to 2019. In May, the volume of fuels was the highest since October last year, while the handling of chemicals increased by 8,9% compared to 2020. Demand for chemicals is booming globally due to the recovery in industrial production and is exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Brexit: growth in a declining market

With an annual cargo flow of around 15 million tonnes, the United Kingdom is the third largest maritime trade partner for the port of Antwerp. The start of Brexit at the beginning of this year therefore created major challenges due to increased administrative complexities and more controls, which resulted in congestion, longer transit times and higher costs. As a result, the flow of goods between the EU and the UK is decreasing. Despite these difficult conditions, however, the port of Antwerp recorded growth in total throughput of 11,1% with the UK and 12,1% with Ireland in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2020.

In preparation for the Brexit, Port of Antwerp has put all its efforts into further expanding short sea connections with the UK and Ireland in order to achieve the modal shift from ferry to container transport. Five years after the ‘Leave’ vote, the port of Antwerp is now connected to 12 British and Irish ports, and we see that Irish importers and exporters are increasingly abandoning the land bridge over the UK and are instead opting for a direct maritime connection.

SOURCE: Port of Antwerp

Port of Antwerp Awards Breakbulk Concession

July 6, 2021 - At the end of last year, Port of Antwerp launched an appeal for the water-bound site of around 15 ha beside Churchill Dock South and expressly demanded ‘breakbulk’ activities. Meanwhile, both the appeal and the contract negotiations are complete. PSA Breakbulk NV will become the new concessionaire. In the context of the new project cargo ecosystem on the site, PSA Breakbulk NV has arranged a merger, involving 50% of its shares, with the Austrian association Felbermayr Holding GmbH, as specialists in heavy lifting activities.

The area around the Churchill Dock has historically developed into one of the most important sites for breakbulk terminals at the port of Antwerp, a fact that has been further consolidated by this choice of concessionaire. Port of Antwerp aims to fuel projects in the breakbulk and project cargo segment as much as possible and believes in its development, which is why the organised appeal explicitly demanded the presence of breakbulk activities.

Port of Antwerp is delighted to accommodate this new project and thus strengthen its position as a breakbulk port in Europe. In Q1 this year, the breakbulk segment enjoyed its best quarter since Q2 2019. The throughput of iron and steel, the most important goods group in this segment, increased by 18.2% due to a peak in the supply of steel, which can be explained by the new import quotas that have taken effect since 1 April.

acques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp: “The joint project by these two firms (PSA Breakbulk NV and Felbermayr Holding GmbH), has been founded on concrete commitments, which are fully aligned with the intended concession objective. Breakbulk generates a high added value in our port's portfolio, so it's crucial that we continue to highlight these goods.”

Port Alderman Annick De Ridder: “Antwerp has been the ultimate breakbulk port in Europe for many centuries. As a result, we have all the quality, experience and flexibility in-house to provide solutions tailored to the customer's needs. You only need to look at the growth figures in the last quarter. Awarding this concession to a breakbulk player confirms that this segment remains an absolute priority for our port and that we will continue to support our breakbulk market.”

Dennis Verbeeck, General Manager PSA Breakbulk NV: "In addition to the focus on steel, we will work out a project cargo ecosystem together with Felbermayr (now a shareholder of PSA Breakbulk NV) with a logistics hub and one-stop-shop for large-scale project cargo. The planned crane with a lifting capacity of 750 tonnes will contribute to the realisation of the project."

About PSA International

PSA International (PSA) is a leading port group and trusted partner for cargo stakeholders. With flagship activities in Singapore and Antwerp, PSA's global network comprises more than 50 locations in 26 countries worldwide. The Group's portfolio includes over 60 deep-sea, rail and inland terminals, as well as affiliated activities in distriparks, warehouses and maritime services.

SOURCE: Port of Antwerp