ISSUE 2 2010


NEWS


Teesport is pushing ahead with the next phase of its container terminal expansion plans. A £29m scheme will increase capacity of the existing terminal from around 235,000teu a year to 450,000teu, by strengthening 12 acres of hardstanding and replacing reachstackers with four rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs) able to stack boxes up to six wide and five high. First phase of the expansion


scheme is expected to be ready by December 2011 and will be followed by two further stages of yard reconstruction. A new fully computerised terminal operating system will also be implemented as part of the plan. Tenders for the physical work were released in late June and


the IT tender is due to go out in August. Expansion of the existing


terminal would be an essential springboard for PD Ports’ scheme to build a major deepsea container terminal on Teesside. The Northern Gateway “is still very much in our sights,” said group CEO David Robinson, although it would be at least three years away. He was convinced that with


many major retailers setting up operations in and around the port, there there would soon be a market for a major deepsea port on Teesside. Already, the port authority was getting enquiries for containerships above the 3,000teu current maximum. Recent liner developments at Teesport include the increase in


Green energy plans await green light


PD Ports CEO David Robinson said that PD Ports, along with the rest of the UK ports industry, was waiting for the government to clarify its policy on carbon credits, which in turn would determine the rate of investment in green power stations. MGT Power has advanced plans for building what would one of the largest biomass stations “but investors want absolute clarity


from the Government before they can go ahead.” It is understood that £60m allocated by Labour for development of port facilities for the wind turbine industry “is still on the table” but its allocation between ports is still awaited. Again, the industry is impatient for clarity as there are several major developments in the pipeline.


Unifeeder expands UK service


the Unifeeder shortsea service to the Continent and the addition of new BG and Samskip services. The latter could soon double to twice weekly, Robinson added. Another strong possibility


was that P&O might reinstate its North Sea freight ro ro service back to five sailings a week. This service had been reduced due to a downturn in the local chemical


industry but now volumes were recovering strongly again. PD Ports was also attracting


business to Teesport through its Logical Link scheme. This has succeeded in attracting DfT operating grants that had previously only been given out to inland waterway operators moving heavy bulk cargoes, as opposed to coastal container


feeder operations. The current allocation of funding lasts until the next public spending review in March 2011, but a second funding allocation is expected. PD Ports’ commercial director


Graham Wall said: “We now want to open Logical Link up into a wider plan and we’re talking to local SMEs to identify needs, for example the smaller


3 Teesport moves ahead with expansion plan


manufacturers who are feeding the large retailers.” Logical Link acts in part as a


slot charterer on feeder services in an out of Teesport – and has been the catalyst for expansion of several of them – but also offers a shared user logistics service including handling, warehousing, sorting and distribution. (North-East feature, page 12)


Shortsea operator Unifeeder has revamped its UK east coast service, and now operates three vessels between Felixstowe, Immingham, Teesport, South Shields and Grangemouth and the continental hubs of Hamburg and Rotterdam. All ports are served by fixed-day schedules operated by the 700teu vessels Herm J, Merwedijk and Veersedijk. The line added that the service was underpinned by a significant volume from a major global container shipping line. Loop 1 of the service takes


in Rotterdam, Felixstowe, I m m i n g h a m / T e e s p o r t , Grangemouth, Newcastle (South Shields) and back to Rotterdam. Loop 2 comprises Rotterdam, Felixstowe, Newcastle, Teesport, Grangemouth and Rotterdam and Loop 3 Immingham, Teespor t , Grangemouth, Hamburg and Felixstowe. Port operator ABP says that


its new weekly Unifeeder service between its Exxtor terminal in Immingham and Hamburg is the first link between the Humber and the German city.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32