Suez Incident: Port of Antwerp Anticipates Busy Terminals Where Possible

April 9, 2021 - The Suez Canal is open again, but the consequences for global shipping traffic will be felt for a long time to come. Ships will be delayed in their arrival and departure, resulting in busy terminals and peaks in cargo. For Port of Antwerp, the impact is very difficult to estimate; where possible, the container terminals are preparing to handle additional cargo.

“It's going to get busier at the terminals in the port of Antwerp,” says Barbara Janssens. “Starting next week, April 12, our terminals are likely to get busier. The first ships that sailed behind the Ever Given usually first call at Rotterdam and Hamburg and only then arrive at Port of Antwerp. We're assuming 12-14 days after the Suez incident. It isn't easy to estimate the exact impact in terms of traffic at Port of Antwerp. A lot depends on the decisions of shipping companies and terminals, who look at things from a global perspective.

“The incident is a real puzzle for terminals and shipping companies. The delays come on top of those that have been going on since the end of 2020 – including increased cargo, shortages of container vessels and the Covid situation, which has meant that manpower has had to be re-scheduled – and which are putting a lot of pressure on the terminal capacity,” Janssens says.

Finger on the Pulse

"Port of Antwerp is keeping its finger on the pulse with the shipping companies and the container terminals to see where space can be created for containers. For example, some terminals have already decided that containers for export can only be at the terminal a few days before they can be loaded. We are also looking at how we can optimise capacity inland and make even greater use of inland navigation and rail. It is important to work closely with the entire chain to make the best possible use of the available capacity.

“Fortunately, the container traffic in Antwerp is spread across the various shipping areas and we are not largely dependent on the Far and Middle East,” Janssens explains. “This means that Port of Antwerp is a little less sensitive to incidents in the supply chain. Our terminal operators are also among the most efficient in the world and we have a large storage capacity. In Covid times, this has also helped us cope with peaks and troughs in supply and demand and ensured that we could continue to supply the country.”

Consumers Feel the Impact Too

The impact on global container shipping is likely to continue for several months, as there is no spare capacity of container ships for extra deployment to make up for these shortages. The impact is being felt today by many retailers and their customers, who are finding that orders for products – like bicycles and other such things – are being delayed.

The impact on the overall transshipment figures for Port of Antwerp is expected to be limited. “We will see more volatility: peaks and troughs in transshipment, but expect that to flatten out again in the overall annual numbers,” Janssens concluded.

Containers have continued to do very well in recent quarters, despite the Covid crisis.

SOURCE: Port of Antwerp

Short-sea Terminal to Be Opened at the Port of Gothenburg

March 29, 2021 - A new terminal service is due to commence at the Port of Gothenburg, dedicated to intra-European container transport. The terminal will be located at Skandiahamnen’s western quay and will be operated by APM Terminals.

“In the wake of the pandemic, new logistics patterns have evolved with goods owners moving parts of their global production system closer to Europe. Short sea is a growing segment, and we are pleased that APM Terminals is continuing to meet the needs of the market, and at the same time broadening the port’s overall service offering,” said Elvir Dzanic, Gothenburg Port Authority chief executive.

With short-sea handling focused on European destinations, for example suitable storage and transloading facilities close to the quayside are needed, to offer greater flexibility and a further incentive for transport purchasers to switch more intra-European freight from road to the more environmentally friendly sea alternative.

“We are proud to be able to expand our already extensive portfolio with a sustainable and competitive short-sea solution. We see that container traffic in Europe is growing in importance and it is a natural progression that we provide our customers with a service that offers even greater flexibility,” said Dennis Olesen, Managing Director at APM Terminals Nordic.

The terminal will be located at the Skandiahamnen western quay, which was recently renovated and reinforced in the lead-up to the Skandia Gateway fairway project. The area is currently being reviewed to determine what needs to be adapted, adjusted, or added to ensure the most efficient short-sea handling system possible.

“As a global player with strong links to the Nordic region and Europe, we already have good experience from short-sea solutions that we have rolled out previously. At present, we are working on all fronts to identify and tailor our solutions to match the needs of the Swedish market,” Dennis Olesen concluded.

Coastal and inland shipping also possible

It will also be possible to handle coastal and inland shipping at the new terminal. Loading and unloading of barges and smaller vessels that form the backbone of these modes of shipping have specific requirements that are currently being examined to ensure the best possible solutions can be put in place.

“Increasing domestic shipping is high on the government’s agenda and we are looking to support this. It is a classic example of the benefits of systems thinking, and it is a further addition to the range of services that we offer, giving us even more reason to call ourselves the ‘the no-limit port’,” said Elvir Dzanic.

SOURCE: Port of Gothenburg

SSA Marine Puts Nine Electric Container Yard Cranes in Service at Port of Long Beach

March 9, 2021 - SSA Marine is now operating the first of nine electric container yard cranes at the Port of Long Beach’s Pier J (California), marking a significant milestone in a goal to transition to zero emissions terminal equipment by 2030.

The demonstration of the electric rubber tired gantry cranes is part of the Zero-Emissions Terminal Equipment Transition Project, which is funded in large part by a $9.7 million California Energy Commission grant. The Port, the CEC and Southern California Edison are partnering on the project to bring 25 vehicles that are zero- or near-zero emissions to three of the Port’s marine terminals and logistics truck provider Total Transportation Services Inc. to test their performance in a real-world setting.

“Imagine a port where a ship slows down on approach to reduce emissions, plugs into the electrical grid at berth instead of burning fuel to run vital systems, and is worked by zero-emissions cranes, yard vehicles and trucks,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “That’s our reality in Long Beach, and the goals of our tests and demonstrations are to eventually make it possible to do everywhere.”

“The future of the industry is zero emissions,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “The Port of Long Beach will continue to generate economic opportunity as we show that jobs and environmental sustainability can work together.”

“SSA Terminals is proud to partner with the Port to achieve our shared goal of implementing zero-emission cargo handling equipment,” said SSA Superintendent Scott Hainlen, the project coordinator. “We look forward to continuing this partnership with the Port as we explore all options to help do our part to continue to reduce our carbon footprint in Long Beach.”

In 2017, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles approved an update to their Clean Air Action Plan, setting a goal of transitioning all terminal equipment to zero emissions by 2030. Learn more at the website.

The Zero-Emissions Terminal Transition project is anticipated to annually reduce greenhouse gases by more than 1,323 tons and smog-causing nitrogen oxides by 27 tons. For more information about the project and associated initiatives, visit: www.polb.com/zeroemissions.

SOURCE: Port of Long Beach

Port of Antwerp Says ‘Certified Pick Up’ Proceeding Smoothly

March 12, 2021 - The Port of Antwerp said that ‘Certified Pick up’ has been in use at the port of Antwerp since January 2021 and the new system is working well.

“The digital, safe and integrated solution for the release of containers is a long-term replacement for the current PIN code system. The new way of working guarantees a secure, transparent and optimised release process for incoming containers, which will then leave the port by rail, inland navigation or truck.” the Port said.

“Signing up to Certified Pick up is mandatory if you are involved in the container release process in Antwerp. This central data platform was developed by NxtPort. At present, nearly 90% of all the shipping companies and terminals in Antwerp have signed up to the system,” the Port added.

Transparency around container status

In this initial phase, Certified Pick up offers transparency around the status of your incoming container in the form of a series of "green lights". When all the lights in the application are on green, you can see at a glance whether the container is ready for collection. This improves operational efficiency for all the users involved.

PIN codes will be gone for good

Port of Antwerp has chosen a phased approach to guarantee the stable expansion of the system. In the next phase, the various chain partners will switch from the PIN code system to the new handling method with pick-up based on encrypted identification and authorisation data.

Truck drivers will pick up containers by identifying themselves digitally. PIN codes will no longer be used for inland navigation or rail, either. The use of Certified Pick up will be mandatory from then on. The legal framework is included in the Port Police Regulations.

SOURCE: Port of Antwerp