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Issue 2 2015 - Freight Business Journal Minister opens Dublin car terminal


Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Tourism


and Sport, Paschal


Donohoe (right) joined Eamon O’Reilly and Lucy McCaffrey, CEO and chairperson of Dublin Port Co, in January for the official opening of the Alexandra Quay trade car terminal. The ceremony also marked


completion of the port’s €35 million redevelopment of the Alexandra Quay Container Terminal, enabling it to cater for an additional 80,000 teu to take its total capacity to more than 400,000 teu. In the third and final phase


of this project, a fourth runway for rubber-tyred gantry cranes was created and the quay wall deepened and strengthened to allow terminal operator Burke Shipping Group to load and discharge bigger container ships. Burke has invested in a


seventh RTG and will take delivery of a ship-to-shore gantry crane later in the year, both from Liebherr. Volumes through Dublin


increased 7% to 31 million tonnes in 2014, equalling the record figure achieved in 2007. Imports were over 18 million tonnes, while exports exceeded 12 million tonnes, representing increases of 6.3% and 8.0% respectively on 2013 trade levels. Improving


domestic


consumption has driven import growth, the port said. Container traffic was up by 9.4% at 565,698 teu and trailer numbers by 7.9% at 821,876. Dublin handled 81,000 trade


vehicles last year, up 33% on the previous year. The new €3.4 million trade car terminal, which can hold 2,500 vehicles, was completed last October.


///IRELAND Irish eyes are turning to 2016


Over the last eight years, 111 graduates have completed the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding through the Irish International Freight Association (IIFA). IIFA president John


Dawson, director of Bell Transport and Logistics, says student numbers are on the increase, with 24 in the current class. A large proportion of participants are under 30, which he says reflects


industry recognition of the Diploma as a solid foundation for the Irish freight forwarders of tomorrow. The ten modules of the


course, covering the various freight modes, customs, logistics, insurance, dangerous goods and computer and IT, are now delivered via webinars during the standard September-June educational year. Training in


individual subjects is now available


throughout the calendar year, which can be helpful to those moving between departments or looking to change jobs. Dawson is helping develop


a new course on customs clearance


which will be


launched in September. “The Customs Consultative Committee [part of Irish Tax & Customs] are involved and supportive,” he says. IIFA now has 120 member companies, and some


are taking advantage of another innovation from the Association, Dawson reveals - specific employee training on their own premises. Meanwhile all eyes are on


October 2016, when FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, will hold its World


Congress in Dublin.


The event, which is expected to attract 1,400 delegates, was last held in Ireland in 1981.


IAG deal could transform Ireland’s aviation


An IAG’s takeover of Aer Lingus could transform Ireland into a major airfreight hub, says the Irish flag carrier. IAG – owner of British Airways


and Iberia, has put in a bid for Aer Lingus; Aer Lingus favours the deal, but Ryanair, which owns 28.9% of the company, and the Irish government, which holds 25%, have not yet publicly declared their hand. IAG’s proposal could “enable


Ireland to become a central hub for European traffic across the Atlantic, resulting in better utilisation of the infrastructural investment that has taken place at Irish airports,” Aer Lingus has said.


The carrier


believes its freight business will benefit from IAG Cargo’s global reach, commenting: “This enhancement of the cargo network is expected to deliver significant benefits and additional options to Irish businesses, in particular the pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries.” If the takeover is successful,


IAG said it intends to operate Aer Lingus as a separate business with its own brand, management and operations. Aer


Lingus increased its


cargo revenue by 6.2% to €46.3 million in 2014 - a performance which director of cargo Michael Sanfey said he was “very pleased with in a difficult market”. The biggest contributor to the carrier’s cargo uplift this year will be an expanded daily service to San Francisco, up from five flights per week.


US capacity is set to increase


across the board, with Aer Lingus launching a seasonal four-per-week service to Washington Dulles from 1 May. At one time it served this market via


Baltimore, but


pulled out owing to disappointing passenger load factors. Meanwhile Orlando will see a fourth daily service added. “All of these are wide-body services, which will be a big help for cargo,” Sanfey says. “From our


experience of Orlando in the past and market data


on Dulles,


we anticipate that these will be significant drivers of new business for Aer Lingus Cargo,” he adds. “We will be feeding to and from these airports with a wide catchment beyond the


immediate environs.” A third daily flight will operate


from Dublin to New York and Shannon-Boston frequency also increases for the peak summer period.


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