12 >> 11


Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort)


PhilaPort opened the $110 million, 155-acre Southport Auto


Terminal Inc.


Issue 8 2020 - FBJNA


steady during the pandemic.


“I believe that this was an


opportunity for the shipping lines to consolidate cargo on fewer vessels,” notes the spokesperson. “Vessels sizes, for the most part, remain the same. However, on occasion we do see some of the more modern ARRC vessels reaching 750 feet overall.” Regarding future expansion,


Galveston is very limited on space but will pursue any vacant available property that could be an option for any viable cargo line.


autos to be discharged from the vessel and driven straight to the first point of rest, located on the same terminal. Due to COVID-19, the port


saw a decline in auto volumes starting this past April. Once auto dealerships figured out how to safely sell cars, these volumes slowly but steadily increased and volumes are now close to pre-COVID levels, according to Sean Mahoney, Director of Marketing for PhilaPort. “We see volumes below


and Vehicle


Processing Center (VPC) in late 2019, in partnership with Glovis America,


Southport was


built as one continuous facility, located directly adjacent to PhilaPort’s Pier 122 – a dedicated auto berth. This layout allows


2019 levels, however, with the continuing strengthening of the economy, we are starting to see volumes returning to normal,” says Mahoney. “Additionally, due to the continued development of our facility and adjacent lands, we see increased interest from OEMs for new volumes. “ Mahoney pointed out that


PhilaPort is the only port on the U.S. East Coast to see container volumes increase – up 5% through September. “Having just spent over $110 million dollars on


the newest most advanced VPC and marine terminal, we strongly believe that ro/ro has a role in our Port’s growth. The increased rail associated with Auto is helping PhilaPorts other cargo sectors -frequency and velocity.” PhilaPort handles Kia,


Hyundai and other project OEM shippers like Tesla. Mahoney says most of the main ro/ro lines call at PhilaPort, however, Glovis is the dominate carrier. “Having two ro/ro berths allows us to handle the largest ro/ro vessels.” Mahoney notes there


PhilaPort partners DVR and Glovis have ample expansion acreage. There is also land adjacent to Port facilities that is being developed for auto cargoes. “We continue to add additional


acreage, paving an area formally known as the Kitty Hawk Avenue, and demolishing an old seaplane hangar in the new few months,” points out Mahoney. “This will add an additional 20 to 30 acres.”


///RO-RO


Ro/Ro Lines Emphasize Niche, Unique Services


By Karen E. Thuermer


Despite forecasts that global sales of automobiles – a big segment of their business -- are forecast to fall to just under 62 million units in 2020 largest due to the worldwide economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. That is down from a peak of almost 80 million units in 2017. According to Statisa, worldwide


light vehicle sales could show decrease by almost 17% in 2020. If the pandemic continues to roil the auto market, the industry is expected to sell around 75 million units in 2020, down from about 90.3 million light vehicles in 2019. Farm equipment has not fared much better. Poor planting conditions in major ag regions combined with ongoing trade disputes continue to contribute to uncertainty for North American farm equipment dealers. Nevertheless,


a recent Ag


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Equipment Intelligence/Farm Equipment 2021 Dealer Business Outlook and Trends survey indicates good news. Dealers not only beat last year’s estimates for profitability in 2020, but they’re now predicting greater revenue growth in 2021 than they did for this year. Carriers


that specialize in


roll-on/roll-off services to play a critical role in the cyclical, niche ro/ro market. Given that their service is specialized, these carriers have a history of expertise in handling such shipments. They also continue to invest in their equipment, and call at ports that offer good market access and quality ro/ro handling services. Not


surprising, ports compete


heavily for their business. (See related story by Alexandra Walsh.)


Atlantic Container Line (ACL)


Richard J. Willman, general www.portofh.org


manager, RORO & Special Projects, North America, Atlantic Container Line (ACL) points out that ACL’s core service include the Ports of New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Halifax, Liverpool, Hamburg, and Antwerp. “ACL has had a long-standing


relationship with unique ports, such as Baltimore and Halifax,” he says. “Those ports have kept ACL a premier carrier for all project and oversized cargo,


heavy equipment and vehicles that are just driven onto to the vessel parked and driven off at destination. There is less handing because the cargo is not liſted on and off the vessel. The best part of ACL’s service is the cargo is always secured in the vessel’s garage decks for the entire voyage. There is never any danger of water damage.” As a niche North Atlantic


carrier, ACL has developed transshipments connections to all parts of the world. “We offer oversized cargo


service from North America to the Middle East, Far East and Oceania through third party carriers,” Willman adds. ACL also continues to explore


areas of cooperation with its parent company, the Grimaldi Group. ACL is Grimaldi’s North


existing vessels, the world’s largest combination Container/ RORO ships (CONROs) with a fleet of five Generation 4 (G4) ships: the Atlantic Star, Atlantic Sail, Atlantic Sea, Atlantic Sky and Atlantic Sun. “They incorporate an


innovative design that increases capacity without significantly changing the dimensions of the vessel.,” Willman reports. “They are bigger, greener and more efficient than their predecessors.” In addition,


their container


capacity -- at 3800 TEUs --is more than double the older ships and offer 28,900 square meters of RORO space and a car capacity of 1300+ vehicles. “The RORO ramps are wider and shallower, and the RORO decks are higher (up to 7.4 meters) with fewer columns, enabling much easier loading and discharge of oversized cargo,” he explains.


Höegh Autoliners’s New Horizon Vessel, the Höegh Trapper in the Port of Mackay, Australia. (Höegh Autoliners photo.)


America agent for between North America


services and


West Africa, and between North America and the Mediterranean. Finnlines is also a Grimaldi Group company.


“Finnlines is


ACL’s agent in Finland and Russia, and they feed our North American cargo via Antwerp to/from those places,” he says. “Because we now call at the same terminals in


Hamburg and Antwerp,


transshipment possibilities are growing to numerous areas.” Willman adds that ACL


connects calls at the Ports of New York,


Baltimore, Norfolk, and


Halifax with the North European ports of Liverpool, Hamburg, and Antwerp. “ACL’s largest market reflects the


highest population density sailing to and from Continental Europe,” he states. “By offering Liverpool, it is the most convenient strategic geographic location and easily serves the industrial Midlands. ACL has been replacing older with more


vessels efficient ships. In 2015, replaced its


In North America, Höegh Autoliners calls at the Ports of


Freeport, Mobile, Port


Everglades, Jacksonville, Savannah, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New York. Shane Warren, Head of


Sales - North America, for Höegh Autoliners, reveals that at


the beginning of the


COVID-19 pandemic, the carrier “experienced a slowing down of our operations in some ports as a result of measures put in place to slow down the spread of the virus. With the support of our customers however, we have been able to


13 >> The ships are also greener.


Emissions per TEU are reduced by 65%. “The fleet continues to employ


container cell-guides on deck, a feature that will allow ACL to extend its enviable record: ACL ships have never lost a container over the side,” he adds.


Höegh Autoliners


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