23 May 2011

The Port Authority bases these statements on a study into the long-term development of the port and industrial complex. Smits envisages a healthy future for both the logistics and industrial side of the port. “These two reinforce one another. In our view, the port will be a combination of what we call a Global Hub and Europe’s Industrial Cluster in 2030. The Global Hub stands for the hub for goods within Europe and between Europe and other continents.

This involves types of cargo already present in Rotterdam, such as containers and oil products, but also new ones like LNG, biomass and CO2. The port of Rotterdam can strengthen its position as the most important European hub for goods if it uses the opportunities well and, most importantly, if we and the logistics sector manage to organise transport more cleverly and efficiently.”

That mainly concerns the development of the container sector, in which the volumes will at least double in the coming twenty years, and perhaps even triple.

Global competition

In the oil and chemical sector, it is not the other ports of Northwest Europe that form the competition, but production locations in Houston, Singapore and increasingly often in the Middle and Far East. “If we want to make sure that Rotterdam also has a vital petrochemical cluster in 2030, we must ensure that the industry here can compete at that global level. That calls for an increase in efficiency and that, in turn, necessitates strong links between companies in Rotterdam and Antwerp. Industry in the region can then function as one integrated complex. Transition to more bio-based production is needed so that we can prepare ourselves for the post-crude oil era.” The port will also have an important role to play in ensuring the availability of energy. Whilst 15% of Dutch electricity is currently generated in Rotterdam, that will be 25% in 2030. Smits: “But that must be done more sustainably, therefore with carbon capture and storage, and also on the basis of biomass and LNG. In this way, the port serves as an axis in energy security for the Netherlands and Northwest Europe.”

Sustainability

An emphatic aim of the vision is the sustainable development of the port. Take, for instance, the aim to make sure that supply chains which pass through Rotterdam are the most efficient in the world and, partly as a result of this, have the lowest ecological footprint per tonne kilometre. In the coming decades, industry will experience a transition to increased production of second-generation bio-fuels and the development of a bio-based chemical industry. This will involve the application of algae and enzyme technology, among other things. Energy production will become less dependent on fossil fuels due to the use of biomass, wind and solar energy. Coal will still be needed for energy security, but climate change will be countered through the capture of carbon at power stations. Hans Smits: “Growth is the best stimulus for development and innovation. That’s why I am convinced that a transition to a more sustainable port and growth go hand in hand.” Naturally, port development is taking place within the boundaries of the law and the regulations. On top of this, the Draft Port Vision states that the main causes of annoyance for people in the surrounding area must be tackled.

Tempo

In the Draft Port Vision, the Port Authority explains that, on the basis of the current forecasts, it will not need a Maasvlakte 3 in 2030, despite the increase in economic activity. The port must then be cleaner, quieter and safer. Through pro-active, dynamic traffic management and the construction of the Blankenburg Tunnel and the A4-Zuid in particular, traffic jams could be seriously reduced. Shipping traffic will proceed more efficiently. The port will provide (both directly and indirectly) around 25,000 more jobs than now, on average calling for a higher level of training. And the international business sector will invest some EUR 25 to EUR 35 billion in the area during the next twenty years. But that will not all happen as a matter of course. Hans Smits is particularly concerned, considering the (global) competition, about the organisational capability and the speed at which the Netherlands can respond to opportunities and threats: “Innovation is sorely needed, both the large-scale application of new technologies and the smarter and more vigorous organisation of decision making. There is also a dire need for modification and a serious simplification of the rules. The speed with which we in this country achieve things must increase dramatically.” In order to monitor achievement, the Draft Port Vision has an implementation agenda, the progress of which will be reported annually.

Accessibility

The biggest bottleneck for realizing the Port Vision is, according to Hans Smits, the accessibility of the region: “I refuse to accept that we won’t be able to prevent traffic congestion in ten years. First of all, we must make better use of the road network by applying traffic management. To this end, the Traffic Management Company for the A15 motorway must be given much more of a say when it comes to regulating traffic. Secondly, the State must re-prioritise and free up money for projects such as the Blankenburg Tunnel and the A4-Zuid. Thirdly, I suggest that we introduce road pricing in this region. That is used all over the world as a good way of reducing road traffic and distributing it better throughout the day.”

Value for the Netherlands plc

The port van Rotterdam is of great importance for the Netherlands. The current economic importance can be expressed in (in)direct added value of EUR 22.2 billion (3.3% of GNP) and (in)direct employment for 145,000 persons. In addition, there is a strategic value, which consists primarily of the contribution to international accessibility and consequently the strengthening of the Netherlands as a trading nation. The internationally prominent companies in the port make high demands on their suppliers. As a result, companies outside the port also have access to these top-quality services. In 2010, 430 million tonnes of cargo were handled in the port. In the Draft Port Vision, the Port Authority anticipates throughput of between 675 and 750 million tonnes in 2030 and an increase in (indirect) employment of some 25,000 jobs.

Design

The Port of Rotterdam Authority wrote the Draft Port Vision 2030. The municipality of Rotterdam shared in the thought process and cooperated fully. Various ministries and Deltalinqs also contributed ideas. There were discussions with knowledge institutes such as the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB), a large number of companies in the port, users of the port, the Environmental Protection Agency Rijnmond (DCMR) and a number of nature and environmental organisations. Finally, during a series of meetings, discussions were held about the future of the port with residents from surrounding municipalities. The version being presented now is a draft. In the period between the end of May 2011– beginning of July 2011, the Port Authority will be organising a broad-based discussion with clients, authorities and social organisations on the Port Compass, with the aim of streamlining the vision. The idea is for Rotterdam municipal council to adopt the Port Vision 2030 at the end of 2011.

Military’s port development project

9 April 2011 by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d | Permalink

A promotional 10 minute video was posted on YouTube earlier this week illustrating Cuba’s project to develop (with financing from Brazilian credit) the Port of Mariel, which would include a new pier, cargo terminal, roadways, railways, and warehouses.

Companhia de Obras e Infra-estrutura (COI) a Brazilian corp. (a subsidiary of Odebrecht, S.A.) is involved in this project and its completion is expected in 2014. A northern part of the port will give logistical support for the island’s oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Mariel Economic Zone will be the center of merchandise distribution in Cuba and other countries, according to the video’s narration.

Zona Desarollo Integral Mariel, S.A. (ZDIM), a Cuban corp. and subsidiary of Almacenes Universales, S.A. will provide maritime shipping services and controls the Mariel development project.

Almacenes Universales is under direct control and administration of the Defense Ministry (Ministerio de la Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias—MINFAR), principally, Col. Luis Alberto Rodriguez Callejas, son-in-law to Army General Raul Castro, also directs the Cuban Armed Forces’ powerful holding company, Grupo de Administración Empresarial—GAESA, which oversees the regime’s principal currency generating businesses throughout the island.

Tuas View Extension: Singapore’s next big port development Singapore’s next port of call may be rising in the west Surveys underway in Tuas View Extension, which looks set to become next big port development Ronnie Lim and Vincent Wee, Business Times 16 Dec 09;

(SINGAPORE) Tuas View Extension – the hockey stick-shaped piece of land at the westernmost tip of Singapore – looks set to become the country’s next major port development. The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) is scheduled to start its own soil investigation and seismic surveys there anytime now, reinforcing market talk of a relocation in the medium to long term of Singapore’s port operations in the city centre to the west.

Separately, Sembcorp Marine is this month also starting construction of the $750 million first phase of its new yard at a 206-ha site there, just as JTC Corporation is exploring developing a shared waterfront facility for marine and oil & gas firms at the location.

According to the MPA tender for a consultant to carry out the soil investigation and seismic study, the port authority is targeting for work to start in Novem-ber/December, with the contract period covering 14 months. ‘There will be reclamation in that area, although not immediately after the soil investigation project,’ it added. The soil investigation will be carried out in the anchorages and JTC working area at Tuas View Extension, while a large portion of the seismic survey is within the anchorage, the tender document said.

‘There are already a lot of ships anchored there as the water is deep, and the location looks ideal,’ said one source who has heard of the possible shift of part of MPA’s operations to the area. Another industry official added that he had heard talk of the planned MPA move as far back as a couple of years ago. From an economic viewpoint, a relocation of MPA’s city-centre port operations will free the prime, not to mention expensive, land there for other commercial development. When asked about the port move, an MPA spokesman would only say that ‘there is no firm plan for Tuas View area at the moment. We will share details when ready’.

SembMarine just last month announced its plans to build a massive, integrated yard at Tuas View Extension to which it will relocate its present Jurong operations. Development of its 73.3-ha first phase will be completed by 2013, with the entire new yard to be built over 12 years. It is understood that JTC is about to complete reclaiming land needed for the phase 2 development of SembMarine’s yard. Earlier in June, JTC said that given the shortage of industrial waterfront land, it was also looking at building a shared waterfront facility at Tuas View for small and medium enterprises to load and unload their goods, and by marine and offshore engineering companies for their manufacturing operations. An update on this project is expected from JTC next month.

An industry source said that setting up an offshore supply base on the site would make sense. There used to be a supply base at Shipyard Road in Jurong which has since closed, when all the offshore supply facilities here relocated to the Loyang Offshore Supply Base in the east. The west coast, however, is now under-served, especially with the growth of the offshore industry there. Meanwhile, reflecting the buzz in the area, JTC has just called a tender for soil investigation for a proposed road at phase 3 of the Tuas View Extension site.

Hi all,

Interesting article on 3D seismic acquisition design for a large port

www.bgp.com.cn/bgp-en/uploads/pdf/20101028164827_PAPR210.PDF

Enjoy!

www.sfu.ca/~pvhall/pdfs/jacobs&hall_GeoJournal_2007.pdf

Hi Interesting case – though it was written in 2007.

Enjoy!

DP World first global port operator to join carbon disclosure project

October 29th, 2010

DP World has become the first international marine terminal operator to join the renowned Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) building on its company-wide effort to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This initiative is part of DP World’s broader global sustainability programme to reduce its environmental footprint. The global port operator is making significant progress in reducing resource consumption cutting its carbon emissions with a five-year strategy launched in 2009, when it reduced the absolute carbon emissions of its terminals and businesses by 4.24%and 3.52% when normalised against TEU throughput against a 2008 base year.

DP World reported this reduction to the CDP, which collates protocols and emissions’ data for companies around the world. DP World has disclosed GHG emissions of 830,715 metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent at its operational terminals for 2009 (867,533 in 2008).

Mohammed Sharaf, Chief Executive Officer, DP World, said: “We recognise that environmental and carbon issues are increasingly important to our stakeholders, including customers, investors and business partners. Energy management and GHG emission reduction are integral to DP World’s global sustainability strategy. By reporting on them, we support positive action and environmental change while continually working to raise awareness and reduce the impact of our operations.” Established in 2000, the CDP is a disclosure and reporting framework used by 3,000 of the world’s largest companies to report their GHG emissions and climate change strategies.

This data is made available for use by a wide audience including institutional investors, corporations, policymakers and their advisors, public sector organizations, government bodies, academics and the public.

Charles Haine, Global Environment Manager, DP World, said: “Energy consumption and carbon emissions in the transportation supply chain is a critical global issue with significant social and environmental implications, and all of us need to be part of the solution. For the last two years DP World has made it a priority to radically improve the accuracy of our energy measurement and carbon monitoring in line with the principles of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Joining the CDP is another important and transparent step in demonstrating our commitment to tackling climate change.” DP World facilities have achieved reductions in carbon emissions through a broad range of actions, including improved measurement of fuels and electricity, optimising and improving efficiencies in terminal operations, embracing renewable energy projects and by investing in low-carbon technologies such as in eco-RTGs (rubber-tyred gantry cranes).

Going forward, DP World has set a goal to reduce GHG emissions at its terminals by 27 percent by 2013 under its five-year plan.

See youtube:-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_yS41KiLMg

Peru to boost port investment

The port sector in Peru will benefit from investment of US$2.03bn by 2015, according to the National Port Authority (APN) and reported by Andina.

“The planned investments in public ports over the next years is US$844m, which adds up to US$750m earmarked for the northern multipurpose terminal of Callao and US$443m in private initiatives,” explained APN director Ricardo Guimaray.

Andina said some of the major ongoing port projects in Peru include the first phase of DP World’s US$617m investment programme in the Muelle Sur terminal at the Port of Callao in Lima.

Others include developments at Terminales Portuarios Euroandinos’ (TPE) US$228m Paita port terminal, and Peru LNG’s US$332m liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal at Pampa Melchorita.

In addition, major future projects include the concession of the Ports of Salaverry (La Libertad), San Juan de Marcona (Ica), Iquitos and Yurimaguas (Loreto) and Pucallpa (Ucayali).

Container-shipping giant aims at the development of growing market

28 April 2011

BEIJING – China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO), the largest container ship operator in China and the sixth-largest in the world by volume, will resume its investment in ports, said Wei Jiafu, the president and chief executive officer of the group, on Tuesday.

High demand and robust global economic growth between 2003 and 2008 prompted shipping companies worldwide to deepen investment in ports. However, enthusiasm cooled after the sudden eruption of the global financial crisis and the ensuing fragile economic recovery.

“I believe now is a good time to go bottom-fishing,” Wei told China Daily, without disclosing details of the group’s investment plans.

In July, COSCO bought a 13.7 percent stake in Yantian port in Shenzhen from the Copenhagen-based AP Moller-Maersk Group, the world’s largest container ship operator by volume.

The deal cost COSCO $520 million, a discount of “nearly half the price” the two groups had negotiated before the crisis, Wei said. The current monthly profit from the port stands at $5 million, he added.

Ji Yuntao, an analyst with Citic Securities Co, agreed with Wei’s overall assessment. However, he did not think COSCO’s move may lead to another wave of investment in ports.

“It is an excellent time to invest in ports, but because of the financial crisis, only a handful of large-scale companies have enough money to take this opportunity,” Ji said.

He added that more investment in ports will help COSCO further strengthen its industry chain and reduce its container-shipping costs.

“But given the current sluggish global economic recovery and China’s shift in focus from rapid GDP growth to upgrading its industrial base, the shipping industry is unlikely to see a booming market in the near future,” he said.

“It may take some time for COSCO to gain substantially from the ports,” he added.

In 2010, COSCO Shipping Co, the group’s cargo-shipping division, saw revenue increase by 13 percent year-on-year to 4.4 billion yuan ($682 million), and net profit shot up by 150 percent from 2009 to 340 million yuan.

In 2008, COSCO group signed a 3.4 billion euro ($5 billion) deal for 35 years of management rights for Pireaus port, the largest port in Greece and one of the major ports in the eastern Mediterranean. It was the first Chinese company in the industry to invest in foreign ports.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of COSCO’s foundation, and Wei said the group will continue its development by further investment in research and development, especially in the new-energy industry.

“By 2020, COSCO will become the (global) leading conglomerate in the shipping industry,” he said.