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Unsold cars jam Oz ports
Qatar to build new
CMHI goes
Australian new car sales have
stalled thanks to the global finan-
port in Kenya
green in
cial crisis and ports and PDI fa-
cilities are jammed solid. The situ- The government of Qatar has Djibouti to serve its international
China
ation has been compounded by signed a US$3.5B deal to develop trade, but Lamu could prove an
the withdrawal from the Austral- a new port on a large area of land attractive alternative, as long as China Merchants Holdings Inter-
ian vehicle market of financiers in northern Kenya. adequate road or rail links are put national (CMHI) plans to increase
GMAC and GE Money and the It has identified the small but in place. the use of electric-powered con-
imminent departure of Ford historic port of Lamu, which lies South Sudan is expected to tainer handling equipment at its
Credit from retail finance. about 250 kms north of Mom- vote for independence in 2011 ports, yards and depots in China.
Although the national market basa, as the ideal location for a new and as a landlocked country it The company is also aiming
just managed to achieved 1M units deepwater port that could serve could provide another convenient to obtain ISO14000 environmen-
sold last year for the second year agricultural and processing market. The region around Lamu tal management accreditation at
running, pre-ordered imports have projects in the region. is served by a number of ageing all its main terminals.
continued to flood in, contrasting Qatar plans to lease or buy railway lines, but no details of the CMHI is one of the largest
with a precipitous drop in sales in about 16,200 hectares of land in planned port or railway improve- terminal operators in China with
the last three months of 2008. the Tana River Delta around ments have yet been announced. facilities in Shenzhen, Tianjin,
A drastic drop in sales has left Melbourne’s Webb Dock awash with cars
Unofficial industry figures sug- Lamu, but it is feared that any de- The emirate of Qatar is one Qingdao, Ningbo, Xiamen and
gest that well over 120,000 vehi- In Sydney, the Glebe Island/ 2.50 a day to store and many are velopment could have a devastat- of the richest countries in the Zhangjiang. Details of the move
cles remained unsold and the usual White Bay precinct - officially in less-than-ideal facilities that ing impact on flora and fauna in world per capita, thanks to a com- to green technology are being fi-
30-day period between discharge closed in mid-November when may reduce their value when they the Delta. However, on returning bination of huge gas reserves and nalised and will follow a pilot
from ship and delivery to cus- the controversial shift of the state’s eventually make it to the show- from a recent visit to Qatar, Ken- a small population. The govern- project at Shekou Container Ter-
tomer has stretched to four auto trade to Port Kembla was fi- room floor. ya’s President Mwai Kibaki ar- ment is seeking investment targets minals (SCT), which became the
months and beyond for some nally completed - has been re- a71 Auckland has reported a signifi- gued: “Nothing comes for free. If for the billions of dollars it earns first terminal in China to receive
brands. tained in service as a storage area, cant drop in the number of im- you want people to invest in your each year from its LNG sector and ISO14000 certification last year.
The glut is both a bonus and ironically for cars trucked back ported cars handled in December country then you have to make has now followed neighbouring SCT is one of the three
nightmare for stevedores and auto from Port Kembla. 2008, when 9,110 vehicles were concessions.” Dubai in seeking out potential Shenzhen ports in southern
logistics companies such as AAT, While Asciano has reported received compared to 11,955 in While a new port at Lamu port projects. China where electric-powered
Asciano’s Patrick Autocare, CEVA, increased income as the result of the same month last year. Stock- could benefit Kenya, such a project Other Gulf states are begin- RTGs and other equipment are
Prixcar and CCA. Established fa- a 55% increase in vehicles in stor- piling of vehicles by dealers prior could also be designed to serve ning to pursue similarly ambitious being introduced or converted
cilities are 120% full and make- age, industry sources say the “real to 2008 emissions rule changes has Ethiopian trade. Following the agricultural and infrastructural from diesel.
shift parking lots are being pressed money” is in processing and the combined with the economic secession of Eritrea in 1993, projects in Africa but such schemes SCT managing director
into service in all major ports, es- current situation is a massive downturn to spark a major drop- Ethiopia lost its existing ports and in the past have generally met with Michael Zhou said 60 RTGs,
pecially Melbourne and Brisbane. headache. Each car costs A$1.20- off in car imports, the port said. is currently dependent on little success. 80% of the total in use at SCT,
have been converted to electric
Green light for Sears Island project
found that Maine could lose even
power and 25 new e-RTGs have
this business to the proposed
been ordered. Sixteen RMGs
Melford International Terminal in
have also been introduced to re-
Nova Scotia.
place diesel-powered equipment.
The US State of Maine’s Legisla- groups want the island preserved ing implementation until the Sears Island is regarded as one
Cornell said that “Melford had
Zhou said the 60 converted
ture has agreed to set aside 330 acres as a conservation area. Maine Transportation Department of the best sites for a new con-
no significant advantages over Hali-
RTGs would save a total of 3,000t
on Sears Island in Penobscot Bay Last year the State formed a can secure the requisite permits for tainer terminal on the US East
fax and Sears Island enjoyed two
of diesel a year and cut emissions
for a cargo and container port. The Joint Use Planning Committee that the port development. Coast. It has a natural deep water
days less transit time to Chicago
by 90%. The conversion will cost
island, which is connected to the recommended just over one third The committee has now re- harbour and can be easily con-
than other USEC ports.
more than US$13M and is being
mainland by a man-made causeway, of the island’s total land area be versed that decision and voted to nected to the double-stack rail
“The rail service from the new
carried out in four phases.
is owned by the state of Maine and developed for a port and the re- support the State Governor’s ini- network in the US.
port [Melford] will be more time
Once the programme is com-
has long been identified as a site maining two thirds be set aside tiative to grant a conservation Maine currently handles less
consuming, more expensive and less
plete, SCT’s energy consumption
for various industrial developments under a conservation easement. easement and get the Maine Port than 4000 TEU/year at its Portland
efficient than a Searsport service
will be reduced by 30%, saving
requiring a deepwater port, but en- While the Transportation Commit- Authority to begin working on the terminal and a report commis-
that connects to the Canadian Pa-
between US$6M and US$12M a
vironmentalists and other lobby tee agreed, it recommended delay- port development. sioned from the Cornell Group
cific Railroad in Montreal.”
year, Zhou said.
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January 2009 11
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