PORT DEVELOPMENT/SHIPPING
WorldCargo
news
Wearing a new Panama hat
A new report covering possible fu-
ture shipping patterns through the
A new study takes a look at container shipping
Panama Canal and alternative At-
patterns after the Panama Canal has been enlarged*
lantic-Pacific routes has been pub-
lished by Dynamar BV, the Dutch does not compress and it takes sions (cf EMMA class) or the ACP 2007 and 2015, reaching 8.3M
shipping consultancy. substantial energy to force a cur- dimensions (cf MSC DANIELA). TEU by then and rising to 22.4M
The study looks at patterns up rent MaxiPanamax vessel into a TEU by 2020. This fast growth
to and beyond 2015, when the lock chamber and the whole Modal shift post-2015 is partly a function, as
new locks are due to be commis- structure begins to vibrate. It has been estimated that after mentioned above, of the transfer
sioned and shipping enters the Cracks can be observed in 2015 up to 25% of USEC/mid- of 25% of USWC landings to
“New Panamax” (NPX) age. the concrete lock walls and the west container volumes currently USEC via NPX.
The study is based on exhaus- steel mitre gates leak. In addi- moved over the NAWC gateway
tive research that required a fairly tion, using locomotives as “tow port and intermodal rail system Pessimistic?
long-lead time. By the time it was horses” is expensive as they re- could transfer to USEC ports via However, as Dynamar notes
published last December the ef- quire considerable power; they Panama. In the 1980s, APL’s C10s, (p135), “although there is still con-
fects of the global downturn on and the rail tracks have to be rail deregulation and double-stack siderable time to go, experts are
The “tow path” will become a thing of the past in the NPX lock system
shipping were becoming clear. maintained, etc technology shaped and defined not very optimistic about USEC
The authors argue, however, MaxiPanamax vessels take 93% the post-Panamax age. NPX can ports’ capability to prepare for cargo weight of 8.6t/20ft, so “ships goes for separate dredging pro-
that the port and shipping in- of the water surface area in the now usher in a new age of trans- NPX in time.” Although one port are generally high in the water.” grammes.” (In any case the cost of
dustries are used to working chambers of the present locks, but pacific-USEC trade. (NY/NJ) presents an air draft But elsewhere in the study dredging US ports is kept artifi-
with long business cycles. this will fall to 76% for ships of Volumes on the Far East- challenge, the essential problem is Dynamar notes: “Assuming that cially high by the requirement that
Hence, they see no need to ACP’s permissible NPX limit in USEC route via Panama have depth (see “NPX stuck in the USEC ports will be able to dredging projects must be awarded
question their analyses and con- the chambers of the new locks. been forecast to double between mud” in WorldCargo News, Sep-
cope...it will actually be their fa- to firms that are 75% US-owned).
clusions, although it might take tember 2007, p32). cilities that determine vessel size.”
longer for them to be realised. Easier passage
* “Panama Canal Container Trades
Dynamar does note, however, NPX is just six years away, but Via Suez
For example, the anticipated Operating and maintenance costs
- past, present and future.” Full
that full containers from the Far “nowadays the lead time from plan The report also includes an analy-
saturation of the existing will fall, while capacity will be
Report, December 2008, 174 pages
East have an average payload of to actual port in the USA (not sis of USEC-Far East container
Panama Canal before 2015 may increased because less time will be
including appendices, published by
Dynamar BV, Alkmaar, Netherlands.
just 7.3t and US exports (where only there) may take as much as shipping via Suez, both pre- and
occur later than forecast. needed to transit the locks. Today,
Contact:
info@dynamar.com
there are any) have an average 10 years. It seems as if the same post-2015. Depending on the port
lockage and transit of a laden
USEC focus Panamax ship takes up to 40%
In any event, it is not possible to more time than a less-than-
review such a study in entirety, and Panamax ship (LPS).
the focus of this article is the nar- For container shipping, the
row but important one of the con- NPX limit translates into ca.
sequences of NPX for container 13,000 TEU capacity, says
Superior in steel transport
ports on the NAEC range. Dynamar, stacking up to 19-wide
First, however, it is necessary on deck. This means that almost
to say something about the NPX 2500 post-Panamax cellular con-
Cradle Cassette 40’ in the cargo hold Cradle Tween Deck and Cradle Cassettes
system itself. Although the maxi- tainer ships existing or on order
mum dimensions of each lock will be able to transit the NPX
chamber, using rolling gates, will system, as well as the current
be 427m x 55m x 18.3m (allow- population of around 3500
ing vessel draft up to 15.3m in Panamax and LPS vessels.
tropical fresh water), the Panama As of August 2008, these ships
Canal Authority (ACP) has re- totalled 18.274M TEU of slot ca-
stricted allowable vessel size to pacity. And as of August 2008, 52
366m x 49m x 15.2m to allow for ships existing or on order total-
use of tugs, as a matter of techni- ling 704,600 TEU of slot capacity
cal constraints and costs. were post-NPX, either because
As Dynamar explains, water they exceed the physical dimen-
13,800 TEU Daniela
Side Open Container 20’ Hard Open Top Container 20’
MSC’s newest delivery at Samsung According to Dynamar already
Heavy Industry Shipyard in Geoje, 52 ships operating are on order are
Korea has an official capacity of post-NPX, another 116 units will
13,800 TEU. The biggest be NPX and 43 more post-
containership yet classed by Panamax ships are less than NPX.
Germanischer Lloyd, DANIELA is In any event, DANIELA is reck-
366m long and 51.2m wide, oned to be exceptional not only
within the NPX lock length and in terms of size, but also in its de-
width dimensions 427m and 55m. sign aspects. To meet SOLAS re-
However, it is post-NPX because, quirements for bridge visibility, the
to accommodate tugs, ACP has said deckhouse is separate from the
that it will limit maximum vessel engine room. The arrangement of
size to 366m x 49m x 15.2m. the deckhouse in the forward part
Hard Open Top Cradle Container 20’ Hard Open Top Cradle Container 20’
Dynamar comments that as of the ship permits an increase in
some flexibility may be offered by container capacity and a reduction
the intended use of tugs, there is in ballast water. The fuel tanks are
pressure from the classification and located in the protected area be-
shipbuilding sector to allow some- low the deckhouse, in line with
what wider and longer vessels - latest international regulations.
for example 50m beam instead of Reduced bending as well as
49m (20-wide instead of 19- increased stiffness of the hull has
wide); and 379m LOA instead of been realised in the design,
366m to allow an extra 40ft bay. requirng the useof high tensile
DANIELA might, therefore, be steels. This has allowed plate thick-
“on the cusp” of what ACP may ness to be reduced, for lighter and
eventually accept, but Maersk’s stronger ship construction while
eight EMMA class ships (nominally keeping plate and stiffener dimen-
13,500 TEU) are 56.4m wide. sions at an acceptable level. a74
At 397m LOA and 56m beam, EMMA MAERSK is physically post-NPX (too
wide). The 51.2m beam MSC DANIELA is technically post-NPX
Langh Ship Cargo Solutions turns transportation from an extra cost
into a competitive advantage.
Cargo Solutions
Langh Ship Cargo Solutions, Alaskartano, FI-21500 Pikis, Finland. Tel. +358 2 477 9400
www.langh.fi
January 2009 23
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