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OCTOBER 2021 VOL 1021 ISSUE 8

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South East Asia: special report | Colombia: traffic rejig | Cutting edge tech’ | Weighing in

DIY CONTAINER SHIPPING? W AFRICA ORE: ROUTE TO MARKET OFFSHORE WIND TAKES OFF PLOTTING A GREEN ‘BIBLE’

PORTSTRATEGY INSIGHT FOR PORT EXECUTIVES

The international magazine for senior port & terminal executives EDITORIAL & CONTENT Editorial Director: Mike Mundy mmundy@portstrategy.com Guest Editor: Mike Mundy mmundy@portstrategy.com News Reporter: Rebecca Jeﬀrey rjeﬀrey@mercatormedia.com

VIEWPOINT MIKE MUNDY

The wisdom of no longer defending the indefensible

It’s folly to continue with a management and operating model that doesn’t deliver the right performance, level of competitiveness and ultimately financial results. It’s even harder sometimes to admit a change of direction is necessary; there can be many brakes on putting this reality ‘out there’. But, as the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is currently demonstrating, it is possible

Without doubt there are certain public sector operated port organisations that work very effectively. There is probably no finer example than the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) which has established itself as an industry leader at various key levels. A testament to this is that it has been able to roll out its expertise overseas. In the view of the author, however, such public sector organisations are few and far between, and where they do exist they operate in accordance with well-defined commercial principles and benchmarks. It is not for no reason that over 80 per cent of the world’s container handling capacity is now in the hands of the private sector. The truth is that where public sector operated port facilities are still in place they are generally quite inefficient, delivering performances that do not match up to those of their commercial counterparts. Further, this is true with respect to both day-to-day operations and the important dimension of planning for the future. What are the brakes that hold them back? These can extend from political influence, ingrained conservative attitudes, vested interest, insufficient knowledge to a general lack of will to get to grips with a comprehensive reform process. Many years ago the World Bank compiled its Port Reform Tool Kit (today in its second edition) which effectively provided ports with a route map to implement PPPs in conjunction with front line cargo handling operations and to put port management bodies onto a landlord footing. It was extremely helpful and very successful. Nevertheless, despite the positive experience with PPPs worldwide and the landlord port model there continue to be public sector port bodies that face significant problems that are not willing to admit the time for change has arrived or even to consider seriously the potential benefits of structural reforms. It is thus refreshing to see in the recent release of an Expression of Interest by the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) statements that frankly admit the shortcomings of the current public sector led port operations and going on from this exhibit an open-minded willingness to tap private sector investment and expertise to right the wrongs. The EOI is very candid, highlighting key problem areas under the existing arrangements across PATT’s various divisions - cargo operations at Port of Spain, cargo and cruise operations at the port of Scarborough, regional cargo activities at CARICOM wharves and cruise activities at the Port of Spain – and calling for proposals from the private sector to address these as well as identifying areas of opportunity. It is human nature to soldier on with a system that has been adhered to and defended for multiple years. It is to PATT’s immense credit that it has chosen, on a public stage, to no longer defend the indefensible. There are certainly lessons within its approach that others can learn from. It’s not too late!

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

News Reporter: Rebecca Strong rstrong@mercatormedia.com Regular Correspondents: Dave MacIntyre; Iain MacIntyre; Felicity Landon; Alex Hughes; Stevie Knight;John Bensalhia; Ben Hackett; Peter de Langen; Barry Parker; Charles Haine; AJ Keyes; Andrew Penfold; Johan-Paul Verschuure; Phoebe Davison Production Ian Swain, David Blake, Gary Betteridge production@mercatormedia.com SALES & MARKETING t +44 1329 825335 f +44 1329 550192 Media Sales Manager: Tim Hills thills@portstrategy.com Media Sales Executive: Hannah Bolland hbolland@portstrategy.com Marketing marketing@mercatormedia.com Chief Executive: Andrew Webster awebster@mercatormedia.com PS magazine is published monthly by Mercator Media Limited, Spinnaker House, Waterside Gardens, Fareham, Hants PO16 8SD UK t +44 1329 825335 f +44 1329 550192 info@mercatormedia.com www.mercatormedia.com

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OCTOBER 2021 | 3

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2021 VOL 1021 ISSUE 8

portstrategy.com

South East Asia: special report | Colombia: traffic rejig | Cutting edge tech’ | Weighing in

NEWS 17 Melbourne Boost VICT capacity lift

17 Line in Sand

CMA CGM Khalifa

17 Kaohsiung Deal Renewal done

DIY CONTAINER SHIPPING? W AFRICA ORE: ROUTE TO MARKET OFFSHORE WIND TAKES OFF PLOTTING A GREEN ‘BIBLE’

On the cover Are online platforms like Amazon and major retailers like Home Depot and Walmart readying to establish a permanent presence in container shipping? There have been recent forays into the sector but does a changing retail market make viable longer a longer-term presence?

GREENPORT Cruise Congress &

The Congress is a meeting point that provides senior executives with the solutions they require to meet regulatory and operational environmental challenges. Stay in touch at greenport.com Join leading port executives www.greenport.com/congress

Online portstrategy.com 5 Latest news 5 Comment & analysis 5 Industry database 5 Events Social Media links LinkedIn PortStrategy portstrategy YouTube Weekly E-News Sign up for FREE at: www.portstrategy.com/enews

Is the door opening?

24 Iron Ore Wanted Africa tapped

18 Five-Year Plan

29 Investment Picture

11 Digital Release

33 Oshore Wind Agenda

Hydrogen plans Taiwan spending

Hauliers watching

11 Awake Finland Vessel scheduling

11 Gets the Nod OPUS TOS

SE Asia trade

SE Asia key ports

European moves

37 Buenaventura Bales Challenging times

38 A Boom Year

Cartagena climbs

13 Terminal First

41 A Green Bible

13 Digital Twin

44 Who Dares Wins

17 Fenix Cranes

47 The Right Weigh

17 Irish Eyes

58 Postscript

AI & zero carbon

Piraeus2021

21 DIY Container Shipping?

18 Hot Topic

EDRAY initiative

GreenPort magazine is a business information resource on how best to meet the environmental and CSR demands in marine ports and terminals. Sign up at greenport.com

FEATURE ARTICLES

27 Performance & Prospects

13 Drayage Refined

is a proud support of Greenport and GreenPort Congress

OCTOBER 2021

Enter GEMINI

Four more

Smiling for Kalmar

Not just a document Cuing edge technology

Weighing the box

Lessons learnt

18 XPERTASSIST Liebherr launch

19 CLIP Cranes

Completion close

REGULARS 14 The Analyst

Hamburg restructuring

14 The New Yorker

Cargo sets the agenda

15 The Economist COVID wallop

15 The Strategist Indian dichotomy

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 5

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PORT & TERMINAL NEWS

VICT MELBOURNE: SET TO BOOST CAPACITY BY 50 PER CENT Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), Melbourne’s most modern container terminal, is progressing the phase 3 expansion of its existing terminal area to boost its annual capacity by 50%. This follows on from an earlier announcement by Port of Melbourne Corp (PoMC) that it intends to remove a knuckle and extend VICT’s existing 675m quay line by 71m to give a 745m quay line able to achieve the simultaneous berthing of a 350m and 367m vessel. The phase 3 expansion will be undertaken in two steps – phase A and B. Equipment acquisition will include the addition of three ship-to-shore gantries to the existing five, 10 more ASC’s to the existing 20 and nine more ACC’s to the existing 11. The expansion plan represents CMA CGM has made a big statement regarding its future strategy for the Mid-East.. The Marseille-based container shipping line has signed a 35-year concession deal with Abu Dhabi Ports Group (ADPG) to jointly develop a new container terminal at Khalifa Port. This joint-venture arrangement will see CMA CGM’s port operating subsidary, CMA CGM Terminals, take a 70 per cent share, with ADPG taking the remaining 30 per cent. Phase I of the project will see a combined AED540 million (US$154 million) investment being made. Construction is scheduled to commence before the end of 2021, with operations starting during 2024. This initial phase will include 800m of quay length and an estimated capacity of 1.8 million TEU per annum. ADPG is responsible for developing the supporting marine works and infrastructure, which include up to 1200m of quay wall, a 3800m breakwater, a rail platform and 700,000m2 of supporting terminal yard. A joint statement from both CMA CGM and ADPG confirms: “The terminal will provide CMA CGM with a new regional hub and

a response to the fast growing Victorian and Tasmanian markets where demand is outstripping supply, and where capacity is particularly required to serve the larger vessels now being progressively introduced in key Australian liner trades. VICT, situated at Webb Dock

8 VICT Melbourne will benefit from an extended quay line and increased capacity on the landside

outside the air draft constrained East Swanson Dock where other terminals operate, was always intended to spearhead Melbourne’s eﬀorts to accept higher capacity vessels.

CMA CGM DRAWS LINE IN THE SAND… will enable development of its service oﬀering between Abu Dhabi and South Asia, Western Asia, East Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent.” CMA CGM will join fellow liner heavyweights Mediterranean Shipping CO (MSC) and Cosco Shipping (Cosco) in becoming an equity partner in a modern, largescale container terminal in Abu Dhabi. It seems likely that the Ocean

Alliance’s hub activities will become more centralised at Port Khalifa, in view of the fact that CMA CGM and Cosco are the major ocean carriers in the grouping. The addition of CMA CGM is expected to see current Port Khalifa volumes of 3.2 million TEU per annum rise significantly. Looking to the future, it will be interesting to see if Maersk Line follows the other largest container shipping lines and moves to Abu Dhabi.

…PLUS EXTENDS IN KAOHSIUNG CMA CGM has also signed a 20-year terminal lease extension agreement with Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) for its existing facility, CMA CGM Kaohsiung Terminal. Sam Chou, General Manager, CMA CGM Kaohsiung Terminal, notes: “Our renewed terminal lease, that runs till 2040, is currently the longest contractual commitment made by a foreign entity in Kaohsiung Port.” The terminal consists of two berths and has a capacity of 1.3 million TEU per annum. It oﬀers a quay of 640m and draft of 15m,

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enabling ships of up to 14,000TEU capacity to call. Along with CMA CGM subsidiary companies, CNC and ANL, this terminal sees a reported 17 weekly services from the French carrier grouping. CMA CGM has also signed a two-year agreement with Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Co. to use terminals in Alexandria and El Dekhalia. In January 2021, Egyptian authorities confirmed an intention to develop a joint-venture partnership with CMA CGM for the Port of Alexandria’s Pier 55, new multipurpose terminal.

BRIEFS SGP plans

Saudi Global Ports (SGP), the joint venture between PSA International and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has initiated the first phase of the development programme for its two container terminals in the port of Dammam. The original First Container Terminal will be upgraded and the Second Container Terminal is to be expanded to meet the requirements of the latest generations of container vessel. The introduction of sustainability measures and smart port systems will be centre stage in the upgrade work.

Under Keel Clearance

The Port Authority of New South Wales has signed a contract to deploy OMC International’s Dynamic Under Keel Clearance System (DUKC). The ports of Botany, Newcastle and Kembla will benefit from real time data on tide height, vessel speed and manoeuvrability as well as other key criteria. Overall, the contract provides for system implementation, clearance calculations, maintenance and support, data management and quality assurance for all large vessels calling at Botany, Newcastle and Kembla.

Hydrogen production

Green hydrogen is to be produced at the Uniper location on the Maasvlakte, The Netherlands by the energy company Uniper in partnership with the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The formation of this plan follows an extensive feasibility study and is said to represent a significant milestone in the development of a hydrogen value chain in the Rijnmond region.

OCTOBER 2021 | 7

PORT & TERMINAL NEWS

Taiwan’s fiveyear port plan Taiwan has announced a comprehensive port development programme for seven ports with the objective of boosting total annual container throughput to 18.2 million TEU and total cargo traﬃc to 1.8 billion tons by 2026. Total investment cost is put at US$1.37 billion. New capacity and extensive eco-friendly and smart port features will be key aspects of the development programme which will cover 29 projects at the ports of Keelung, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Taichung and Taipei as well as Yilan County’s Suao ports and Tainan’s Anping. A particular objective for Kaohsiung, the country’s major port, is to develop its transshipment capabilities and to increase throughput from the 2020 total of 9.62mTEU to 11.44mTEUby 2026. A key goal for Taipei port is for it to become a smart logistics centre for vehicles while the port of Taichung will be the principal location for green energy development. The development programme has been formulated by Taiwan’s Ministry of Transport and Communications and approved by the National Development Council. Complementing this programme, the Maritime Port Bureau of Taiwan plans to invest approximately US$350m in 33 projects to enhance competitiveness and boost tourism and economic development.

BRIEFS Hainan developments Mid-year saw the adoption of the Hainan Free Trade Law in China, representing a significant step in conjunction with plans to develop a major free trade port on Hainan Island. The new legislation eﬀectively gives China a legal guarantee that it can realise its free trade port objective here. Also on Hainan Island, plans have been announced, as part of China’s 14th Five Year Plan, to develop Yangpu port into an international container hub.

8 | OCTOBER 2021

HYDROGEN: A HOT TOPIC IN GERMANY

8 HHLA is a key player in hydrogen supply plans including fulfilling the role of a distribution hub

It was recently announced that HHLA, the leading German terminal operator, will be directly involved in the new H2Global foundation and its hydrogen technology projects. At the same time, Michael Westhagemann, Senator for Economic Aﬀairs, Hamburg has spoken at some length about the potential to create a hydrogen corridor running from Hamburg via Copenhagen to Oslo. The H2Global foundation was set up in June this year with 16 companies as founders. Its remit is to buy green hydrogen or derivatives outside Germany and put in place long-term contracts for resale in Germany by means of annual auctions. It will employ a funding system tailored for this purpose supported by German government funding to the tune of US$1.06 billion. This is intended to bridge the gap between the purchase price of derivatives and the domestic sales price for an initial period

thereby encouraging the take-up of this new energy option. As a stakeholder, HHLA has specifically voiced its desire to play a leading role in helping the port of Hamburg become a major hub for hydrogen distribution. The importance of the project has been acknowledged at a Federal level with Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Aﬀairs and Energy, describing the foundation as a “genuinely historic project” and underlining the importance of such projects in assisting Germany to hit its sustainability targets. Overall, €20 to 30 billion is to be provided for green hydrogen sector development in Germany. With regard to the proposed hydrogen corridor, this was discussed at a recent roundtable entitled, Hydrogen: Shaping the Future Together attended by key representatives of the Danish hydrogen industry and various Hamburg interests.

Here Westhagemann expounded the vision: “We want to build a functioning hydrogen economy in Northern Germany by 2035 and be able to supply all interested customers with green hydrogen. “It would be a great opportunity for our two countries, for companies on both sides, if Hamburg, with its great demand, and Denmark, with its great potential for green electricity and hydrogen, complemented each other. Thanks to the landside connection, our countries have the best prerequisites for quick construction of the ecologically and economically best H2 transport system. Together we could become a leading region for hydrogen – with positive eﬀects on panEuropean economic strength and competitiveness.”

New port plans

Hazardous guidance

US Wind hub

Imetame Logistica, a private company, has received the formal go-ahead from the Government of Brazil to develop a new port complex in the south-eastern state of Espirito Santo. Imetame reports that it will invest US$335 million in the new port located in Aracruz. Facilities to be developed will support grain, container, vehicle and liquid bulk handling as well as oﬀshore activities. Container design capacity will be up to one million TEU.

The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) International and the International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA) are to work closely together on projects to improve standards across numerous common safety issues aﬀecting the transport of dangerous goods. The two organisations state they expect to produce clearly defined guidelines to best practice.

US-Wind, based in Maryland has concluded a deal with Tradepoint Atlantic of Baltimore to develop 90 acres of waterfront into an oﬀshore wind deployment hub. Initial investment by US-Wind will be US77m in conjunction with its 22-turbine MarWin project. Expansion plans cover the supply of a further 1200MW of oﬀshore wind energy via its new Momentum Wind project as well as the construction of a new steel fabrication plant.

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DIGITAL NEWS

DIGITAL CONTAINER RELEASE ON THE STARTING BLOCKS IN GERMANY Plans to introduce digital container release processes at ports in Germany are being warmly welcomed by the haulage industry. If the system proves successful, there is also the prospect of calls for similar systems to be introduced elsewhere. Bremen-based DBH Logistics and software partner, Davosy, have confirmed that ocean carriers and freight forwarders will be connected to the blockchain platform via ports in Germany by the end of 2021, with the system going live at the facilities of Bremen, Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven. Dirk Gladiator, spokesperson for Dakosy, explains how the system is expected to work. “Our solution is based on platforms and processes already extensively used by stakeholders in German seaports. In Hamburg, it will be integrated into the Import Message Platform (IMP) and at

Bremen and Wilhelmshaven as part of the Business Integration Platform (BIP).” The traditional process for trucking release orders is for them to be sent via email, telephone or even, still, by fax message. This manual system is clearly slow and can be laborious for all concerned, with the process occurring for every individual container. With ports in North Europe seeing congestion and

8 Container release for haulage will go digital in Germany by the end of 2021 with the process being keenly watched by ports elsewhere

time of arrival via VHF frequencies in addition to other necessary information, the data obtained from the vessels has been poor and fragmented. The new service will be based on data analysis through machine learning. The forecasts will be influenced by many factors that will be assessed using global AIS messages. In addition to automatic classifications, such as where a ship is coming from and where it is

going, a ship’s estimated time of arrival will be influenced by many variable factors such as its speed and route, the weather and the ice situation. “The importance of time data for shipping has been taken into account in both national transport system plans and the government’s decision-inprinciple on the digitalisation of logistics.” The new service will start in the Autumn.

OPUS TERMINAL TOS GETS THE NOD The Eurogate Tanger S.A. container terminal in Morocco has confirmed it is replacing its old terminal operating system (TOS) with CyberLogitec’s OPUS Terminal TOS. The OPUS Terminal TOS oﬀers an end-to-end service, covering terminal operations in planning, operations, monitoring, and dashboards. Through the implementation of a centralised IoT platform, real-time data from equipment can be

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

GreenLake Patrick

The Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) GreenLake IT platform for terminal operations has been chosen by Patrick Terminals for its terminal facilities in Australia. By leveraging the HPE GreenLake platform and HPE compute, storage, networking, and services, Patrick Terminals runs their mission critical applications in a private cloud with an asa-service operating model, combining the agility and economics of the cloud with the security, compliance and performance of on-premises IT.

Environmental AI fluctuating activity as the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic work through the supply chain, any activity that offers greater levels of efficiency will be welcomed by the haulage industry. This important system change will be keenly watched by ports in many other locations.

VESSEL SCHEDULE ESTIMATES FROM AWAKE.AI Awake.Ai has won the EU-wide tender for the provision of vessel schedule estimates for ports in Finland through Fintraffic Vessel Traffic Services. Fintraffic´s Vessel Traffic Services has confirmed that it has signed a service agreement with Awake.Ai for the new Port Call Time Stamp and Estimation Service, representing a time data service for port operators and authorities. The objectives of the new port call schedule service are wide ranging. They include improving the competitiveness of Finnish maritime logistics, boosting the efficiency of port operators’ routine activities, supporting the development of automation, helping to anticipate exceptional circumstances and reducing environmental emissions. Awake.Ai confirms that the arrival and departure of a ship from port determines the schedules of countless people. Although the majority of vessels have had to provide an estimated

BRIEFS

collated and monitored. Additionally, smart terminal development plans include an operations forecasting system, and AI decision making by machine learning applications. “CyberLogitec plans to implement a successful terminal operating system for Tanger continuing positive business cooperation with CMA CGM (a shareholder in the terminal), notes Young Kyu Song, CEO of CyberLogistic.

Four European ports are using data visualisation to measure environmental performance. Under the European Union Horizon 2020 initiative, the ports leverage IoT-based communication using an application of artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive algorithms to simulate the impacts of changes involving vessel call operations, cargo movement, future infrastructure investments and new fuel sourcing. The ports involved are Bordeaux, Monfalcone, Piraeus and Thessaloniki.

Camco for DUSS

Camco Technologies is to implement Truck Optical Character Read (OCR) technology at four DUSS inland intermodal terminals in Germany. The Camco Technologies AI based image recognition technology will register in and outgoing trucks, containers and semitrailers. Built-in AI processors will analyze images on the camera speeding up data availability, leaving out the need for separate AI servers. The Camco hardware and Gate Operating System will integrate into the DUSS owned BLU Terminal Operating System.

OCTOBER 2021 | 11

DIGITAL NEWS Specialist drayage platform, EDRAY, is targeting the use of technology to improve port logistics through flow stacking. The company has confirmed that it has secured US$7 million from logistics entrepreneur and investor, Andrew Leto. He founded GlobalTranz and 10-4 and is an investor in Emerge, My Carrier and Roadrunner Transportation. EDRAY’s approach is to coordinate incoming port pickups through a process called “flow stacking” by first working with incoming container ships to block stow its customers’ containers, a method in which all cargo is stowed together with other cargo going to the same location. From there, the company flow stacks its carriers to take those containers oﬀ together, eliminating the need for detention and demurrage chargebacks. This diﬀers from many current drayage processes which seek to optimise only certain pieces of

EDRAY TARGETS DRAYAGE Enter GEMINI PRODUCTIVITY UPLIFT the terminal digital twin

8 EDRAY is targeting a drayage revolution and has gained support from logistics entrepreneur Andrew Leto

drayage shipment management, such as capacity matching. EDRAY points out that once containers are empty, the process is not to immediately bring them back empty to the port like most drayage

transactions. Instead, EDRAY coordinates with the port’s regional exporters to bring the container back full, ready to be loaded back onto a ship. As a result of its process improvements, EDRAY confirms it is possible to see a 40 per cent increase in drayage productivity, five times less re-handling and 25 per cent less emissions recorded.

FIRST AI, ZERO-CARBON TERMINAL The largest volume port in North China, Tianjin, has confirmed its intention to develop the world’s first AI, zero-carbon terminal. This is according to local media reporting on the recent Green and Safe Port Conference 2021 held by the China Ports and Harbors Association (CPHA). To meet its zero-emission objective, the proposed terminal will construct a green energy supply system matching the terminal’s energy consumption. An integrated wind, solar, and storage system will be used as a platform to provide suﬃcient green energy

supply for the whole terminal. In addition, all port loading and unloading equipment, horizontal transportation and auxiliary equipment will also be fully powered by electricity using a new integrated energy storage system. As a result of this approach, deploying new technology and automatic operations, energy consumption should be reduced by 17 per cent, the port claims. Chen Yanping, Deputy General Manager of Tianjin Port Group, Kexin Facilities Department, explains: “Compared with other automated container terminals, the intelligent container terminal

in section C is still building wind turbines and photovoltaics on site, allowing the terminal to use electricity for its own use, and truly achieve ‘zero carbon’ emissions. In the initial stage of the terminal’s production, according to throughput calculations, we will install two wind turbines and install photovoltaics on the roof to achieve green energy supply. Next year, we will also install two new wind turbines to match energy consumption with energy supply and realise the dynamic zero carbon emission of the zero-carbon terminal.”

BCG ventures

Paperless Hapag

MySamSkip launched

BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV), the business-building and corporate innovation arm of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), has announced investment in three maritime ventures: SOL-X, Chord X, and Spares CNX. All three start-ups apply digital technology, such as AI, machine learning and IoT to target improved eﬃciencies across the shipping supply chain. All three ventures are based in Singapore and backed by MISC Group.

Hapag-Lloyd is now oﬀering its customers electronic Bills of Lading on a global basis. The shipping line is working in conjunction with WAVE BL, a digital platform for supply chain partners, to oﬀer paperless trade documents. The use of the WAVE BL network means that printing, signing, and releasing paperbased documents will come to an end. The automated solution enables the issue, receiving, transmitting and signing of documents within minutes.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

Leading European transport company, Samskip has launched mySamskip, an integrated customer portal for its customers to secure the benefits digitalisation brings to the supply chain. The new service oﬀering provides a transformative capability for shippers, and turns contact between the customer and shortsea, rail, inland waterway, and road haulage services into a real-time relationship.

DSP Talumis B.V. the newly formed company from DSP and Talumis, has announced a new product, called GEMINI, which acts as a digital twin for a port terminal. GEMINI is referred to as a digital twin because of its ability to mirror decisions and strategies of the algorithms of a Terminal Operating System (TOS) and then model other sub-systems’ behaviour and workers’ practice during real operations. DSP Talumis B.V. represents a joint-venture between DSP Data and System Planning SA of Switzerland and Talumis B.V. of the Netherlands. GEMINI is the first product launched, but the newly-formed entity is aiming to further develop innovative vertical software solutions relating to simulation, predictive analysis and AI for the container terminal industry to better support terminals in daily operational decision-making processes. Steven Hamoen, CEO, Talumis notes: “Talumis is proud to partner with DSP in this new joint venture. Our simulation and Digital Twin know-how together with the years of in-depth experience of DSP in the container terminal market, creates a very powerful combination.”

BRIEFS GSBN and Contour

Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) and digital trade finance network Contour have announced they will partner in order to oﬀer end-to-end digital solutions in the trading, financing and shipping sectors worldwide. GSBN’s blockchain-enabled operating system and its Cargo Release product will enable eﬃcient digital sharing of verified logistics and cargo data. Contour’s network, digitises paper-based trade finance processes.

OCTOBER 2021 | 13

THEANALYST PETER DE LANGEN

When it comes to mergers, some may say ‘what is good goes fast’. Others say ‘nothing good comes easy’. The Copenhagen Malmo merger was in the first category, the logic of the merger was immediately embraced and swiftly executed, even when hurdles needed to be overcome. The Antwerp Zeebrugge merger was in the second category: a long road with many obstacles and an initial lukewarm response to the idea of a merger. The ongoing talks of a merger of the container terminal activities of the German operators HHLA and Eurogate appear also to be in the second category. These talks started one and a half years ago and reportedly have advanced slowly, due to various conflicting views. Enter Klaus Kuehne, majority owner of the global logistics provider Kuehne+Nagel, 30% shareholder of the German shipping line Hapag Lloyd (also partially owned by the City of Hamburg), and deeply rooted in Hamburg’s port business, with an

GERMANY: PROS AND CONS OF RESTRUCTURED TERMINAL OPERATIONS

oﬀer to step in and become a shareholder of the merged container terminal operation. Another element in the merger talks is the interest of shipping lines to become active in terminal operations. While in most ports, like Rotterdam and Antwerp, shipping lines have stakes in terminals, this is not the

case in Hamburg. HHLA, however, is in an advanced stage of a deal with COSCO, while Hapag Lloyd is reported to be keen on a stake in Jade Weser (where Eurogate has a large terminal). All in all, if the merger talks are to advance, it may lead to a change in three ways: first it may lead to one dominant merged

container terminal operator in the German ports. Second it may expand private ownership of this entity, at the expense of the cities of Hamburg and Bremen that will become minority shareholders, with the associated loss of control over port development. Third it may lead to an increased role for shipping lines in German terminal operations. The second and third eﬀect will certainly strengthen the competitive position of the German ports, while the eﬀect of the emergence of one dominant player is likely to be more mixed, the operational benefits resulting from the merger are likely to be positive for port users, while the increased market power may be good for the newly merged entity, but less so for its users. All in all, there seem to be more positives than negatives, so while nothing good comes easy, it may be time for all involved to take bold steps.

THENEWYORKER BARRY PARKER

CARGO IS KING AND SETS THE AGENDA Supply chain dislocations have been headline news this year, with unprecedented delays, shortages, and high shipping costs providing fodder for those pointing fingers at the maritime transport universe which includes the port sector. Knowledgeable analysts are expecting the current issues to continue into 2022. In fragmented businesses full of individual silos that have done just fine for many years (until the current stresses exposed all the fault lines), there is much talk, lots of blame shifting and an absence of real “solutions” to the problem at hand. There are some analogies here with another big, urgent and seemingly intractable topic in the world of shipping -

14 | OCTOBER 2021

decarbonisation and alternative fuels. A trend finding roots is the drive by cargo interests to influence the behaviour of carriers. There have even been early eﬀorts by NGOs to “call out” big cargo importers who have contributed the most to emissions- with links back to which carriers are moving their containers. OK, the data is imperfect and prone to ‘useful interpretation’ by those seeking to draw their conclusions. But, nevertheless many commentators and analysts agree that going forward the cargo side will have increasing influence on carriers. Eﬀorts to unify and harmonise data, a seeming impossibility

(think of all those abbreviations like EEXI and CII, to name a few), are beginning to take shape. I will go out on a limb here (maybe not such a flimsy limb, by the way) and suggest that the port business will be on the receiving end of similar eﬀorts from the cargo side- frustrated with all the aforementioned problems, and tired of listening to the 2022 prognosticators without any action plans to relieve the situation. I have seen early eﬀorts to begin to unify and harmonise data from ports, which have been good with internal KPIs and the like, but with outward facing data flows, not so much. As we say, “cargo is king”, “cargo pays the freight”, among other clichés;

my expectation therefore is that the cargo side will drive such efforts. Indeed, the reports of big box stores or large retailers actually chartering vessels, however vague (I have not seen names of vessels reported) are sparks evidencing the potential fire underneath. It is important that ports take efforts to develop common frameworks seriously. Data-savvy readers at the ports might point to the nascent efforts underway in this area; I would applaud these steps but would pull out another aphorism complementing the others mentioned above- “cargo flows should define the data architecture.” Not very catchy, but readers should get the point.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

THEECONOMIST BEN HACKETT

COVID-19 DELTA PACKS A WALLOP The logistics supply chain is finding it extremely difficult to deal with the repercussions of the global outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta variant. It is slowing the expected economic recovery. A creaking logistics supply chain has been hit hard by the repercussions of the global spread of the Covid Delta variant as some Chinese ports are forced to stop operations at the behest of the Government causing significant numbers of vessels to be delayed. The various integrated network operations makes it extremely difficult to re-route the large containerships to alternative ports that remain functional as those are being sufficiently well served by existing services. The knock-on effect is that as ports re-open, a large number of vessels load and sail for Europe and the USA subsequently causing congestion upon their arrival at their destinations. Los Angeles/Long Beach are experiencing up to 20+ vessels waiting to be discharged,

with average waiting times of eight days. The disruption to the supply chain is further aggravated by labour shortages which result in backups at ports distribution centres, container depots and a lack of availability of trucking and rail equipment. All this leads to the interrupted return flow of empty containers. Importers and

8 ...creaking logistics supply chain has been hit hard by the repercussions of the global spread of the COVID-19 Delta...

exporters are unhappy and looking for someone to blame, usually the carriers. The squeeze on shipping capacity is driving up freight rates and vessel charter rates to

astronomic levels not experienced before. Whilst carriers and owners are struggling to deal with capacity issues, they continue to benefit from unprecedented income which has led to a surge in new vessel orders, particularly in the ultra large sector. Most of these are for delivery by 2023 which will probably coincide with excess demand and we will be back in the typical shipping cycle of excess capacity. As I wrote in the last issue of PS, make hay while the sun shines! Ports and terminal operators are struggling to keep up with demand and finding enough space to store the surge of cargo arriving as importers are slow to pick up boxes in the face of insuﬃcient equipment to haul them out and carriers leaving empty boxes behind as they try to position vessels back to China. The arrival of a host of new 24,000TEU ships over the next two years will create major stress points on quay and terminal space.

THESTRATEGIST MIKE MUNDY

INDIA: DICHOTOMY EMBEDDED IN REFORMS India has long faced criticism of the tight central control exercised over its 12 so-called Major Ports but now this control has been eased by the recently passed Major Port Authorities Act, 2021. The stated rationale for this, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is that the previous Major Ports Trust Act of 1963 was restrictive and effectively curtailed the ports’ ability to act effectively in a highly competitive environment. The new Act, it is suggested, gives them the autonomy they need to act more effectively to meet new market challenges and opportunities. This includes setting their own rates and charges, a function under the former act undertaken by the

Tariﬀ Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), a body which came in for its fair share of criticism. So, seemingly a positive development for India’s Major Ports? Well of course it remains to be seen how each of the new Major Port Authority Boards performs – will they be able to operate with more laisse faire, will they be more transparent, act faster and more decisively? Time will be the major judge of this but already objections have been raised by the Opposition to the government who see the implementation of the new Act as a step on the way to port privatisations – or as put somewhat more crudely by one party, “. . . a law that will provide backdoor entry of crony capitalists into our ports.”

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India’s other major port sector is what are known as minor ports, nearly 200 in number, presently under the jurisdiction of state governments or state maritime boards. Ironically, however, while the major ports are basically being decentralised the Draft Indian Ports Bill 2021 seeks to transform the central organ of the Maritime States Development Council from an advisory body to a body with powers to plan, develop and control minor ports, functions that have hitherto been practiced by state governments. The irony is further compounded when it is appreciated that between 1993-94 and 2020-21, the cargo traﬃc of minor ports increased from 14 million tonnes to 575 million tonnes while that of the

Major Ports increased from 179 million tonnes to 673 million tonnes. Or to put it more plainly, the minor ports share of cargo traffic cargo traffic went up from 8% to 46% in the period highlighting their strong performance compared to their Major Port counterparts. Given this situation a move to a more central management appears to be highly questionable. Instead of fostering a tug of war between two different management approaches, central government may well be better advised to cultivate a level playing field across its port sector where the light touch of government is in evidence facilitating the pursuit of policies that are proven to generate positive results.

OCTOBER 2021 | 15

THE !/ . /OF PORTS IS NOW! MODERN AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS

www.lase-solutions.com

EQUIPMENT NEWS Fenix Marine Services (Fenix), operator of the formerly-named Global Gateway Terminal, Pier 300 facility in the Port of Los Angeles, has confirmed an order for four additional ship-to-shore gantries. Delivery is scheduled for Q3 2022 and the new units replicate four STS gantries previously delivered in 2019. Sean Pierce, President and CEO, Fenix notes: “Since taking over Fenix in 2017, we have invested more than US$130m of our own capital in upgrading the terminal to handle bigger ships and higher volumes. We have increased the terminal capacity by over 1 million TEU per annum. This additional US$50m crane investment will increase the reliability and eﬃciency of our terminal, position us to meet ever-growing volumes, and ensure high productivity.” Fenix has confirmed that this latest order represents the beginning of an extensive capacity upgrade process to complement the existing eight Post-Panamax and eight Super Kalmar has confirmed an agreement to supply five new auto-radioisotope thermoelectric generator RTG units over the course of the next two years to Dublin Ferryport Terminals (DFT). The subsidiary of Cargotec has previously suppled this Irish terminal operator with four Kalmar AutoRTG cranes, which oﬀer features such as fully automated stack operation and remote-controlled truck handling, controlled via

FENIX ADDS MORE SHIP-TO-SHORE GANTRIES

BRIEFS Sany mobiles

China headquartered SANY, has launched new, more powerful, mobile cranes. In addition to the standard length boom of 17.0m, other outreach lengths of 11.5m to 20.0m are also available. Alongside a version with an undercarriage on wheels, SANY is also oﬀering machines with a crawler mechanism for maximum flexibility.

RAM debut Post-Panamax cranes located on the current four 1000ft berths, each with a minimum water depth alongside of 50ft. The terminal and port authority are currently working on plans to expand Pier 300 beyond its current boundaries, including

8 Fenix has placed a US$50 million order for four more STS gantries

new wharves, new acreage and an expanded rail yard on land reported to be available and covered by acceptable environment permits.

IRISH EYES SMILING FOR KALMAR three remote control desks. The equipment manufacturer also provides all service, maintenance and technical support to the terminal. In addition, the Kalmar AutoRTG application, powered by the Kalmar One automation system, means that DFT can automate its operations at its own pace by using predefined AutoRTG blueprints. Alex Covin, Container Terminal

Director, DFT is expecting the new equipment to help improve safety and operational eﬃciency. “Throughout our long-term partnership, Kalmar has proven its commitment and expertise in delivering terminal automation technologies, so it was only natural for us to turn to them when the time came to further extend our AutoRTG system at Dublin Port,” he notes.

RAM Spreaders has recently launched its 2nd generation crane spreader for ship to shore operations. The company states that the new 6900 series has been designed with diverse technological advancements to help future proof port operations and that it comes with new engineering and manufacturing techniques, including automated welding for a consistently high-quality build, internally stiﬀened 2-piece telescopic beams for robust heavyduty operations, and a new twin lift housing design, reducing the number of components required to perform telescopic and twin lift functions. Telescopic speeds between 20’ to 40’ and 20’ to 45’on the new 6900 have been increased, thanks to its new two-piece telescopic design.

Boluda in Rostock

8 Two new Post-Panamax cranes have arrived at the Cast Terminal in the Port of Montreal. These are the first two in a series of four units, with the remaining two electric gantry units scheduled for delivery in Q1 2022. To reduce the visual impact – especially for neighbouring communities – the new cranes have been painted grey.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

Boluda Towage has confirmed it is now active in the German port of Rostock. The company commenced towage services from September 2021. Boluda operates two powerful tugs but has stated that it will scale up tug capacity depending on customer requirements. Boluda Towage is already well-acquainted with this port and has a track record of undertaking diverse towage assignments.

OCTOBER 2021 | 17

EQUIPMENT NEWS

BRIEFS Seagirt arrivals

Seagirt Marine Terminal at the Port of Baltimore has confirmed the arrival of four new “Neo-Panamax” container cranes from China. The units are fully electric and have an outreach which can serve up to 23 rows of containers on a vessel’s deck. Ports America Chesapeake expects the cranes to be fully operational in early 2022, after testing and general preparation.

Fossil-free steel

Cargotec and major steel company, SSAB, are partnering on the introduction of fossil-free steel to the cargo handling industry. Fossil-free steel has a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional material.

LIEBHERR LAUNCHES XPERTASSIST Liebherr is expanding its remote service portfolio to increase support for its customers. The new product oﬀering is called XpertAssist and is an annual subscription-based service, which combines diﬀerent tools to provide increased benefits – notably reduced mean time to repair and as a result reduced repair costs. In addition, increased availability, longer service life and reduced service costs are the advantages reported for each machine registered with XpertAssist. A Remote Service tool was introduced during 2020, but XpertAssist combines real-time expert advice from experienced technicians with a wide range of technical tools through an audio-visual connection. This means that immediate qualified fault analysis and online troubleshooting can be provided,

8 XpertAssist is an enhanced remote service support equipment oﬀering

supported by step-by-step instructions to maximise assistance and minimise on-site attendance. Any subsequent site attendances are made as eﬃcient as possible through audio-video calls to better predefine requirements and target an increased first time fix rate. A debriefing via audio-video conference call to explain the work done, or to address possible findings is a key part of the new product. Liebherr states

that the mean time to repair can be reduced by up to 50 per cent and field service costs can be cut by up to 20 per cent per annum. Another aspect of the XpertAssist product is to extend the service oﬀering to predictive maintenance advice and reports on individual machines or entire fleets. Specific outputs include reports on safety or machine and engine utilisation. The benefit is that the interactive performance review and advice on preventive maintenance delivers high machine availability and early budget planning. Liebherr states that service technicians normally spend up to 45 per cent of their time just travelling to/from site, which is time-consuming and costly. XpertAssist eliminates avoidable travel requirements. XpertAssist is an annual subscription service for an individual machine or a fleet.

Being part of our customer’s journey throughout the lifecycle UNDERSTAND - CARE - SERVE

18 | OCTOBER 2021

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

EQUIPMENT NEWS The CLIP intermodal terminal in Swarzędz near Poznań, Poland, has confirmed that the assembly of three new Kuenz RMG units is almost complete. The 40-ton capacity intermodal units will be able to handle containers, semitrailers and swap-bodies. With an outreach of 96m and able to stack containers up to four-high, the cranes will be among the largest in service across European intermodal terminals. The new units will be connected and controlled through two Remote Operation Stations (ROS). This means that instead of three driver/operators being stationed in the crane cabins, operations will be undertaken by two people from an easily-accessible and comfortable place of work. The new cranes form a key part of a larger project to expand the CLIP terminal. Investment is being made from the EU’s Cohesion Fund under the Infrastructure and Environment Operational

CLIP CRANES CLOSE TO COMPLETION

BRIEFS TTIA shuttles

Total Terminal International Algeciras (TTI Algeciras), Spain is expecting delivery of two new Kalmar shuttle carriers. TTI Algeciras was one of the first semiautomated terminals in the Mediterranean and already operates with 21 shuttle carriers as it serves some of the largest Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) in service.

More to rent Program. The total value of the project is over US$50 million. The current capacity at the terminal is 136,000TEU per annum, but after the planned expansion this figure will increase substantially to

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

8 The CLIP intermodal terminal in Poland is boosting annual capacity to keep pace with anticipated future demand

533,000TEU per annum, according to the terminal operator.

Belgium’s Goeyvaerts-R bvba (Goeyvaerts) has ordered two new ecoeﬃcient Generation 6 Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes for its rental fleet serving ports throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. Delivery will be November 2021.

OCTOBER 2021 | 19

ALIMAK INDUSTRIAL ELEVATORS

ENHANCE CRANE EFFICIENCY The majority of all container cranes in the world are equipped with an Alimak elevator. We have been successfully servicing the maritime industry since the 1970’s. Over 3,000 elevators have been supplied for port cranes since our first delivery in 1971, providing reliable and easy access for the crane driver, which reduces crane downtime and enhances productivity and safety. Today, Alimak elevators are installed in ports in more than 90 countries around the world.

CONTAINER SHIPPING

DIY CONTAINER SHIPPING? Is the door opening to DIY container shipping, are steps in this direction a passing phenomenon or are there solid grounds to pursue this course of action? Mike Mundy examines the proposition

8 Maersk has warned that if the shipping sector does not provide satisfactory services to customers like Amazon they could become competitors

Can you envisage an alliance style liner shipping consortium made up of high street retailers? Too far-fetched? Well up until recently who would have thought Home Depot or Walmart would have entered the cut and thrust arena of liner operations by chartering their own vessels? The extent of their involvement has not really become clear yet but is it really a surprise that they have entered the sector? Admittedly, it hasn’t happened before in the container sector to any significant degree, but isn’t it a natural step for those seeking control of their own destiny in circumstances where they are hard pressed to achieve this via common carrier service providers? In August Brett Biggs, Executive Vice president and Chief Financial Oﬃcer, Walmart, highlighted the reality that supply chain issues were not just an operational problem but represented a threat to the company’s growth. Hence the decision to charter vessels to carry its own goods. The belief is there that much improved reliability of supply can be achieved and presumably against a background of upward spiralling container freight rates the cost parameters are also competitive. Home Depot’s motivation is in the same ball-park – achieving integrity of supply. Ted Decker, President and Chief Operating Oﬃcer, Home Depot, confirmed this back in June

when he talked about a vessel shuttling back and forth 100 per cent dedicated to meet Home Depot requirements. THE LESSONS OF HISTORY History also tells us not to be too surprised. When scale and the need for certainty builds – subscribers to the Do-ItYourself approach do emerge. Air cargo has seen the advent of dedicated players such as DHL, Fed-Ex, UPS and Amazon Air. Fed-Ex is in fact today the largest carrier in the cargo sector overall with a fleet of over 400 aircraft and approaching 300 contracted feeder aircraft. Amazon Air’s fleet has grown in leaps and bounds since the advent of the pandemic. By the end of 2022 it is estimated that the company will have over 85 planes in service. The bulk shipping sector tells a similar story. Vale is a prominent example in the dry bulk sector, running its own , purpose-built, high-capacity vessels carrying iron ore from Brazil to Asia – the so-called Valemax design which oﬀers a capacity of 2.3 times a Capesize vessel. A second-generation design has been introduced since 2018, a 400,000-ton configuration which Vale claims reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 41 per cent compared to a 2011 built Capesize vessel. These are the top-ofthe range vessels in Vale’s fleet but overall the fleet will typically

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 21

CONTAINER SHIPPING

FURTHER EVIDENCE The logistics sector provides further evidence of parties seeking alternatives to the traditional liner shipping market. In December last year Denmark-based DSV chartered three multi-purpose vessels to run a one-oﬀ service from China to Denmark and in May this year it chartered an 1800TEU capacity vessel to run another one-oﬀ service from Asia to North Europe. The forwarder Geodis has also pursued a similar course of action. Earlier this year it chartered a 1000TEU vessel to run from Shanghai to Hamburg stating at the time the move was necessary to “deliver certainty amid chaos.” DKT Allseas Cargo, the ship agency arm of the Allseas Cargo group, is similarly reported to be developing plans to launch a regular China-UK container shipping service. WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS? So, what breathes life into the proposition of do-it-yourself container shipping? The short answer is, perhaps, the chaos all around. The things we now hear about on a more or less daily basis – the nonavailability of liner shipping capacity in the right place at the right time, spiralling freight rates, port and terminal congestion, port shut-downs due to COVID-19, growing incidences of cargo being rolled, labour and equipment shortages etc. etc. If we step back a bit we can also see the key factors underpinning the cocktail of chaos symptoms. Back in the second quarter of 2020, with COVID-19 getting a serious grip worldwide, there was a comprehensive scaling back on the part of major retailers and business generally. No one knew what lay ahead and understandably the typical response was to exercise caution, cut costs and reduce orders from Chinese and other producers. Many factories in China and elsewhere were also compelled to close due to COVID-19 and resulting lockdowns. But then with the introduction of national stimulant programmes demand came roaring back – this funding, in turn, played a massive part in the huge uplift of activity focused on ordering goods on-line. Even without government stimulant led programmes this activity continues today. Net result: massive demand, supply pipelines bursting at the seams and freight rates riding an escalator into uncharted territory. Interestingly, there have been recent moves to cap spot rates on the part of leading lines – is this recognition that they are heading into dangerous territory, might be providing an incentive to the DIY concept? WHAT NEXT? The influence of on-line sales is a big factor in what happens next or rather longer term. Digital Commerce 360, the research and media organisation, estimates that globally in 2020 more than US$1 in every US$5 went towards the purchase of consumer goods on the web. Online penetration, it says, hit 20.2%, up from 16.4% in 2019 and 14.4% in 2018.

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comprise in excess of 250 vessels of various capacities with the mix matched to the varying requirements of diﬀerent customers. Pursuit of sustainability and operating arrangements where emission reduction can be properly measured is of course another growing incentive to go the DIY route. The wet sector of bulk shipping also has serious proponents of dedicated shipping capacity. The energy majors are prime examples – Chevron operates vessels for the carriage of LNG and Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) for the carriage of crude oil. Shell operates six oil/chemical tankers, 40 LNG carriers and a specialist LNG bunker vessel.

In revenue terms, as Figure 1 demonstrates, Web-based global consumer sales have more than doubled in the period 2016-20. There is not the time or space to delve deeper into these positive trend lines but suffice it to say there are many growth characteristics – the consolidation of position in established markets such as the USA and China continues and new growth markets in countries such as Canada, the UK and Mexico are rapidly emerging. The latter three countries saw e-commerce activity grow by 71.2, 36 and 81 per cent respectively in 2020 compared to the previous year. Overall, online sales drove nearly three-quarters—or 74.6%—of the gains in total retail in 2020 - the highest share of overall annual growth ecommerce has ever represented. Plus, B2B e-commerce is also on an upswing – said to account for USD 7.72 trillion in 2021 and expected to achieve revenue of USD 25.65 trillion in 2028. All this ultimately spells changing supply chains. Place an order with Amazon or Alibaba and it goes through directly generating a logistics requirement and what such platforms want is a seamless supply chain from beginning to end where there are not concerns over matching different components. In other words, control and dedicated capacity. This is evidenced in Amazon’s ownership of freight forwarder Beijing Joyo Courier Service, a Chinese subsidiary, which runs its operations between China and the US. Alibaba has taken a different but also direct route to logistics. It has ‘One Touch’ which automatically links with Maersk and with CMA CGM providing ‘non clunky’ logistics. Significantly, Maersk has publicly voiced the thought that if such large customers are not provided with a five star service then ultimately they will represent a threat – they will come to think that they can do it better themselves. Are we about to arrive at this watershed moment? Sceptics will say when things get back to normal the incentives will disappear. Will they? Dedicated shipping services are a good fit with the automated, digitally driven, supply chains that the really big platforms and retailers are progressively basing their operations on. The proposition that dedicated retailer shipping services could emerge in key trade lanes is a serious one and cannot be discounted. Indeed, some contend it has gained impetus as a result of recent problems in traditional supply networks. There may yet emerge a new category of shipping line client for ports and terminals to have as a customer. Now that would be interesting!

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8 Figure 1: The Progression of Global Web-based Sales, 2016-20 in US$ trillions

OCTOBER 2021 | 23

IRON ORE: CHANGING DYNAMICS

WANTED: W. AFRICAN IRON ORE China’s push to move away from reliance on Australian iron ore has a strong focus on tapping high quality deposits in Guinea. But this requires establishing and investing in the best route to market. Andrew Penfold assesses the options

8 If the shorter haul rail option via Liberia is to succeed, the rail link will need to be upgraded and extended and a new modern and eﬃcient Cape Size facility constructed

China’s construction and heavy industries are dependent upon Australian iron ore and there is seen to be little chance of changing this – at least in the short term. With political tensions rising in the Pacific the search for alternative sources is accelerating. Australian ore shipments to China increased by seven per cent in 2020 to around 713m tonnes with Brazil being the number two supplier at 236m tonnes. These ores are high quality with iron content of around 62 per cent. Ore prices are still at very high levels and Australian capacity is virtually maxed-out – there are also supply issues with the number two provider Brazil. This has forced Chinese importers to turn to lower quality ores from India and place increased reliance on relatively lower iron content domestic supplies. China needs new long-term supplies of high-quality iron ore and is accelerating eﬀorts in this regard. This is a strategic matter and involves both the securing of the ore and – at least as importantly – the development of eﬃcient export infrastructure. This means not simply a high-volume rail link but also the provision of adequate very deep water to handle the largest ore carriers. Despite current high prices, iron ore is highly freightsensitive and – given the haul lengths involved – only the largest carriers will provide a long-term competitive CIF price, especially when FOB prices return to a more historically sustainable level.

24 | OCTOBER 2021

GUINEA GETS GOING? Against this background attention is focusing on the high grade Simandou ores in Guinea. The iron ore project was finally awarded to the WCS Chinese-Singaporean-Guinean consortium in November 2019. However, negotiations between partners have dragged on and these discussions are far from over. The concession covers the development of Blocks 1 and 2 in northern Simandou, which reportedly comprise at least 2.4bn tonnes of high-grade ore. The shipping demand generated will reach at least 68 Cape Size shipments per annum. This is a truly massive infrastructure project and includes a 650km rail line to Matakong (south of Conakry) with extensive tunnelling required. It is still hoped to bring this on-line by 2025, but this seems extremely optimistic. The sheer scale of the investment would indicate that it can only really proceed with direct Chinese funding. For the government of Guinea, the attraction of this development is obvious; not only will it grow a major new source of national revenue, but the rail corridor has the potential to act as an economic catalyst in a wider sense and play a major role in helping develop a backward part of the country. Discussions are also being held with Rio Tinto, which is in possession of permits for Blocks 3 and 4 at Simandou, which are located at the southern part of the concession. This involvement has a complex history with Rio Tinto reportedly

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

IRON ORE: CHANGING DYNAMICS set to quit Guinea at one point as it sought to sell its shares to co-shareholder Chinalco, but this failed and the company is still in Guinea, although its strategy for the project remains unclear. It should be noted that addition of ores from Blocks 3 and 4 would positively impact favourably on development of unit costs for the new rail line and port. The uncertainty has recently been further multiplied by the coup that took place in Guinea in August. The implications of this are far from clear, but must raise further concerns. WHAT ABOUT LIBERIA? There is a (much) cheaper option. Given the location of Simandou (and the somewhat smaller Niron deposits) use could be made of the existing rail line from the established Arcelor-Mittal workings to the port of Buchanan in Liberia. Initial estimates of transport costs place this at around US$2025 per tonne cheaper than the Guinean option to Matakong. However, this alternative is not simple. There are existing export terminals in Liberia, but these are either at capacity (both at Monrovia and the existing facilities at Port Buchanan) or are too small and limited for suitable infrastructure to be developed. If the shorter haul option via Liberia is to succeed, the rail link will need to be upgraded and extended and a new modern and eﬃcient Cape Size facility constructed at

‘‘

…demand for iron ore from China has exploded

Buchanan to meet the projected demand at an acceptable market price. Some detailed examination is underway into the costs and viability of different export alternatives here. There are, generally, two options available for the export of iron ore here, i.e., barge and offshore transshipment to bulk carriers, or dredging to provide a sufficiently deep channel to allow the largest ore carriers to berth. Both represent expensive options, but these costs are very limited when contrasted with the alternatives. Arcelor Mittall which also has a USD800 million plan to raise annual iron ore exports from Liberia, from 5mtpa to 15mtpa, has stated that this incorporates a provision for the installation of a second ship-loader at the port of Buchanan. POLITICS VERSUS ECONOMICS The massive costs involved in developing Simandou and getting the ore to tidewater has seen the project languish now for several years. During this period demand for iron ore from China has exploded and this is reflected in its price. A long history of political and commercial manoeuvring has seen the project repeatedly stall and the clearly lowest cost Liberia routing fall into and then out of favour. Development of these resources has proved highly problematic for several years with failures to agree on the very expensive rail link to tidewater and a new port development repeatedly frustrating development. The Liberia route is cheaper but clearly a less desirable outcome from the Guinean perspective. This has been a story that has been unwinding for at least ten years and is typical of such large-scale developments in Africa.

mind, the Chinese government is already seeking to limit steel output and are moving to cap production with environmental concerns also cited. As an example, the Shagang Group, the world’s fourth-largest producer has said it is curtailing production and overseas sales to comply with government instructions. This is raising expectations that activity will need to be restricted significantly through to the end of the year and then beyond. At the same time, China has unveiled more measures to curb overseas shipments, with the aim of using lower exports and inventories to oﬀset supply shortfalls. These curbs are weakening ore demand and prices, and are harbingers of some restructuring. If this interpretation is correct, then a significant readjustment in Chinese ore demand – and a weakening of prices could well result in a further delay for Guinean exports. There is a danger that continued prevarication will see a further cyclical delay in development with underlying demand much lower than anticipated. The question is – how do you develop and bank a port with all these variables in play?

8 The Trans-Guinea proposed rail link and the via Liberia option – the latter can deliver a lower per tonne export cost but there are other considerations that have an influence

8 The Simandou deposit is located on the 110kmlong Simandou hill range, 650km south-east of Guinea’s capital city Conakry – the all Guinea export gateway alternative involves the construction of a 650km rail line

MISSING THE BUS? These projects all remain highly dependent upon sustained demand from China and working out a competitive long term FOB price for Guinean ore (shipped by either route) may well be problematic. There is a school of thought that China is reaching ‘peak steel’ and, indeed, its construction sector is extremely vulnerable to any economic upheaval. With this in

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OCTOBER 2021 | 25

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SOUTH EAST ASIA: TRADE AND PORT DEVELOPMENT

PERFORMANCE AND PROSPECTS A J Keyes assesses how ports in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and looks at future trading potential and infrastructure plans

maintained consistent growth over the the assessment period. Yet it is clear that transshipment demand in the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic only grew in Tanjung Pelepas (at 7.7 per cent between 2019 and 2020), while Singapore (-0.9 per cent) and Port Klang (-5.0 per cent) saw declines.

8 Figure 1: Development of Total Container Volumes at Select Ports 2011-2020, by TEU

TRADE POTENTIAL AND CONCERNS While some Asian manufacturing economies have evolved into global leaders in advanced industries, large parts of Southeast Asia are still viewed primarily as a location for lowwage assembly work. A new trade arrangement, known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), was signed in November 2020 and is aiming to significantly accelerate the flow of finished goods and investment between Southeast Asia and trade partners such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Collectively there are 15 member countries with a combined population of 2.2 billion people (a 30 per cent share of the global total) and around 30 per cent of total worldwide GDP. The new arrangement unifies a number of existing agreements and is targeting greater access to Asia’s biggest and developed markets, and will present opportunities for the shipment of containerised goods on the intra-Asia regional trade route. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are all members and will clearly benefit. 8 Figure 2: Development of Container Transshipment at Key Regional Ports 2011-2020, in TEU

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

Source: dataand.com, ports

IMPORTANCE OF TRANSSHIPMENT It is important to pull out the dominant activity at the main regional ports in more detail to better understand the trends from the data. This means looking at the transshipment the larger ports are handling. In 2020, the transshipment incidence at the three ports handling substantial volumes of this type of cargo was 85 per cent in Singapore, 61 per cent for Port Klang and 95 per cent for Port Tanjung Pelepas. Port Klang has the benefit of more gateway demand potential for the Klang Valley industrial region supplementing transshipment. Figure 2 confirms the recent development of activity since 2011. Volumes have fluctuated in Singapore, although strong growth did occur between 2016 and 2018 before levelling oﬀ. By comparison, activity in Port Klang has not been able to reach the 2016 peak while Port Tanjung Pelepas has

SINGAPORE DOMINATES As Figure 1 shows, Singapore is the dominant regional container facility and enjoyed strong growth in 2017 and 2018, before activity levelled oﬀ in 2019 and dropped by 0.9 per cent in 2020 due to the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the 36.87 million TEU recorded for 2020 is still considerably higher than the next busiest container ports of Port Klang and Port Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), which saw 13.24 million TEU and 9.80 million TEU, respectively. Singapore, in particular, is showing signs of improving its full-year 2021 throughput. For its year-to-date July 2021 period, a total of over 21.85 million TEU was recorded, which if the same growth continues could see around 37.46 million TEU moved by the end of December – reflecting a positive increase over 2020 and potentially surpassing the record high of 2019. Likewise, Port Klang recorded just over 7.0 million TEU for H1 2021, meaning that it could well exceed the 2020 total. Of the listed ports, Penang has suﬀered the most due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a drop of -6.9 per cent between 2019 and 2020, primarily due to the port’s reliance on importexport activity in the tourist-dominated north of the country. Port Klang also saw a decrease equivalent to -2.5 per cent. By comparison, there were increases in total volumes handled by Tanjung Pelepas (+7.7 per cent), Johor (+6.4 per cent), Tanjung Priok (+3.0 per cent) and Tanjung Perak (+4.0 per cent). Clearly, these ports were not impacted by the COVID-19 in 2020, although growth would likely have been much stronger without the pandemic occurring.

OCTOBER 2021 | 27

Source: dataand.com, ports

As identified in the July/August 2021 edition of Port Strategy, the cost of doing business in China is rising, with higher labour costs, lower profits, and various trade/ political issues seeing a shift to a number of locations in South East Asia. In addition to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore complete the geographic area – although representing widely divergent levels of development. With increasing exports from the region often running ahead of dedicated port capacity another round of transshipment growth is clearly on the cards.

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SOUTH EAST ASIA: PORT DEVELOPMENT

THE INVESTMENT PICTURE The addition of new port capacity is an ongoing task in South East Asia. The principal projects underway or planned are highlighted against a background of current and foreseeable trade trends. A J Keyes reports

Recent notable investment in Indonesia includes the Salim Group of Indonesia spending US$956 million to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for vegetable oil, margarine, and other food products, while Hyundai commenced development in 2020 of a US$1.5 billion plant in West Java to build electric vehicles. The company is also constructing a US$400 million mobility innovation centre in Singapore, according to local reports in the country. Yet concerns remain for Indonesia as a whole. The Jakartabased Institute for Development of Economics and Finance, for example, has raised concerns that Indonesia has been struggling to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) due to a need to “establish a better regional trade network” to entice foreign manufacturers into the country, which includes improving port constraints. This is despite the country attaining the status of the 10thlargest manufacturing nation in the world. The large manufacturing sector accounts for almost a quarter of the nation’s total GDP and employs over a fifth of Indonesia’s working age population (around 25 million workers). Yet it faces significant challenges, including intense international competition, particularly from China, increasing labour costs, high transportation and logistics costs, diﬃculties getting credit, and challenging levels of transparency and clarity in regulations. In March 2021, DP World and global investment partner Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), signed a long-term agreement with leading conglomerate, Maspion Group of Indonesia, to development an international container port and industrial logistics park in Gresik. Work on the project is expected to begin before the end of 2021, with

operations commencing in 2023. The total investment is put at US$1.2 billion DP World Maspion East Java will become the sole operator of the facility, with a design capacity of up to 3 million TEU p.a. DP World and CDPQ will also work with Maspion Group to develop an integrated industrial and logistics park, adjacent to the container terminal, with an initial land area of 110 hectares with scope for future expansion. Gresik is located very close to Surabaya, where DP World ended a container terminal operating concession in April this year. The global operator confirmed it did not want to renew that concession because, “the operating contract renewal terms oﬀered by the Indonesian authorities did not meet our threshold for continued investment.”

8 Rendition of Singapore’s new Tuas Port development expected to claim the title of the largest container facility in the world

SINGAPORE IS MOVING Economic (and port development) activity in Singapore is much more advanced than in the rest of the ASEAN countries. This means productivity in the country is much more comparable to other developed countries in terms of industrial activity and related investment. This is certainly reflected in the development, volumes and activity at the country’s container port terminals. The port’s future is the new Tuas mega-port. It was first announced back in 2012 and is a suitable location because of its sheltered deep waters and proximity to both international shipping routes and major industrial areas in the western part of Singapore. All existing city terminals will eventually be merged at Tuas. This consolidation of container port activities will not only result in increased eﬃciency in port operations due to the elimination

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 29

SOUTH EAST ASIA: PORT DEVELOPMENT of inter-terminal haulage, but also ties-in with expiration of port leases at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel and Brani in 2027. The Tuas development is expected to be the largest container terminal in the world, with a total capacity of up to 65 million TEU. The current terminals have, according to PSA, a combined 50 million TEU capacity. The other highly important factor is that the whole terminal relocation process will also free-up prime and highly valuable land for housing and urban development as part of the Greater Southern Waterfront. MALAYSIA UNDER PRESSURE – BUT PORT MOMENTUM Earlier this year the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) stated that companies in the country must “innovate and increase” their value proposition through research and development to better compete because just 3.5 per cent of Malaysian firms had “introduced new products in the past three years.” There is a strong competitive pressure coming from China too. In late August 2021, local press reports were stating that the reemergence of COVID-19 was being used by Chinese companies as the reason to move production lines of semiconductors and other similar components to the Chinese mainland to ensure that the supply of these items is not disrupted by the pandemic. Clearly, this can be seen as a manifestation of new political realities and a more assertive China. During late August/early September, rising COVID-19 infections rates in Malaysia resulted in the government ordering many businesses and factories to shut down, thereby aﬀecting production in a wide range of sectors,

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Singapore is freeing-up prime and highly valuable waterfront land especially the packing and testing of chips and passive component manufacturing. Malaysia is the world’s seventhlargest semiconductor exporter. Port Tanjung Pelepas is a joint venture between MMC Corporation Berhad (70 per cent), a utilities and infrastructure group and APM Terminals (30 per cent). The port has known plans to expand from the current 12.5 million TEU per annum to be able to accommodate up to 30 million TEU by 2030. Interestingly, this objective was set by Malaysia’s transport minister in 2019, adding that there were concerns full capacity could be reached “within three to four years.” The port has not been aﬀected by the global pandemic in 2019-2020 and has actually recorded an increase of 7.7 per cent for 2020, over 2019 activity. Recent capacity expansion has seen new Super Post Panamax cranes delivered, able to support large container ships requiring up to 16m water depth, while positive steps in introducing advanced technology are occurring. The port is using Portchain’s Berth Optimisation Engine to optimise berth planning operations and increase productivity while reducing operating costs, but also recognises the need to fully embrace artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, IoT (Internet of Things), 5G and wireless communications must fully continue – and across all ports.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 30 | OCTOBER 2021

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For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

SOUTH EAST ASIA: PORT DEVELOPMENT Westports Holdings Berhad (WHB), the container terminal operator at Port Klang, remains committed to its expansion plans from CT10 to CT17. In 2020, WHB invested and completed container yard Zone Z at CT9 at the cost of RM81 million, as part of investing RM323m in capital expenditure to enhance its container and conventional operational capabilities. The continued investment by WHB does cast doubt on the need for the proposed Carey Island project, at least for the immediate future. The ambitious plan to build a RM140 billion (S$45.5 billion) mega port on an island oﬀ Selangor has been shelved for now by its main promoter MMC Corp. The Malaysian government previously confirmed it wanted to conduct a “ feasibility study” on the project, but with WHB’s ongoing expansion and having to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic recently, the short term future for the Carey Island project looks unfavourable. Another project struggling for traction is at Kuala Tanjung, Indonesia, where long-standing plans exist to develop Kuala Tanjung International Hub Port. In 2019, an agreement by the operator was signed with Port of Rotterdam Authority and Zhejiang Provincial Seaport Investment & Operation Group (operator in Ningbo, China), to develop port capacity and an adjacent industrial zone, but it was not until May 2021 that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a term sheet was ratified. This should see some positive movement but the focus remains on multipurpose activities, including containers, liquid bulks and general cargo.

HIGHLY DYNAMIC The region overall remains highly dynamic with various ports progressing and planning capacity expansion. With the regional emphasis moving away from China (at least at the headline level), further sustained demand increases will benefit the region. This means strong export demand potential and opportunities for transshipment activity. Essentially a continuation of established trends.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

8 Continued investment by WHB in Port Klang casts doubt on the need for the proposed Carey Island project

OCTOBER 2021 | 31

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EUROPE: OFFSHORE WIND

PORT SUPPORT REQUIRED Wind Europe says Europe urgently needs to invest in port infrastructure to support a massive expansion in oﬀshore wind. Felicity Landon reports

8 The port of Gdynia is preparing to play a key role in supporting oﬀshore wind system installation – the country is to spend US$27 billion on the sector

Europe’s ports need to invest €6.5bn between now and 2030 to support the expansion of offshore wind, according to a new report from Wind Europe – which says the investment could be paid back in just five years and would bring significant savings for electricity consumers and society as a whole. In ‘A 2030 Vision for European Offshore Wind Ports’, Wind Europe says that the volume of offshore wind in Europe needs to rise from 25 GW to 110 GW in the next ten years to meet the EU target of 38-40 per cent renewable energy by 2030. Overall, the EU goal of climate neutrality by 2050 requires a 25-fold increase in offshore wind, it says. At present, Europe’s ports support the deployment of 3 GW of new offshore wind farms every year – by 2030, they will need to be supporting the deployment of 11 GW of new offshore wind farms every year, says the report. “Ports are central to the development of offshore wind. They play a key role for the local supply chain, logistics and supporting infrastructure. Ports are where operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms are run, where all offshore wind turbines and other equipment get transported, and where floating turbines are assembled. And they will have a prominent role in the production and distribution of renewable hydrogen.” However, it warns, ports can only deliver the services required if they make significant investments to upgrade and expand their infrastructure. “Crucially, ports need to expand their land, reinforce their quays, enhance their deep-sea berths and carry out other civil works. They need to do this to cater for the operating and maintaining of a larger fleet (including training facilities), for upcoming decommissioning projects and to host new manufacturing centres for bottomfixed and floating offshore wind systems. Ports also need to diversify their activities to support the decarbonisation of industries, transport and heating in coastal areas.” Wind Europe says space is and will become a bigger issue for ports, not only on land but also on water – and to

overcome this, ports will require “new strategies and regional collaboration efforts”. SIX COUNTRIES Six countries – the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Poland – will together account for 85% of the total capacity across Europe, says the report, although at present France and Poland have no offshore wind farms so face a particularly big challenge in terms of strengthening the sector. The UK Government has set the highest benchmark with a 40 GW target by 2030, including 1 GW of floating wind. Germany is committed to 20 GW and the Netherlands has clear plans to expand offshore wind to 11.5 GW by 2030; Denmark has plans for two energy islands in the North and Baltic seas, totalling more than 10 GW of wind power. Poland aims to add 5.9 GW and France could have 7.5 GW by 2030, says the report. Eighty percent of all installations in Europe over the next five years will be in the North Sea. PORT PLANS TO FACILIATE OFFSHORE WIND GOALS The following highlights, on a country-by-country basis, major port developments and plans to support national commitments to achieving ambitious investments in offshore wind: 8 Poland: “A Big Challenge…” Poland has set in motion port reconstruction works to support its commitments to offshore wind developments in the Baltic Sea. In May, politicians approved plans for the development of port service centres at Ustka and Łeba, which have been allocated about €430m each. The construction of an offshore wind farm installation terminal at Gdynia was confirmed earlier in the year – the 30-hectare facility will enable the simultaneous handling of two installation units. The port is collaborating with Danish

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 33

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EUROPE: OFFSHORE WIND

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EU: a 25-fold increase in oﬀshore wind is required

turbine manufacturer Vestas, discussing the requirements of an offshore wind pre-assembly site. While its first phase of offshore wind subsidy allocation is for 5.9 GW, the Polish government says 8-11 GW of offshore wind capacity will be installed by 2040. 8 Denmark: “Best in the Baltic” Ambition The Port of Roenne, on the Danish island of Bornholm, has been selected as the turbine installation port for Iberdrola’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm. The 476 MW project is being developed off the island of Rügen, in the German waters of the Baltic Sea. All 50 Vestas wind turbines required will be assembled and installed from Roenne. The project is due to be competed in 2024. Roenne recently signed an agreement with construction company MT Højgaard Danmark for an extension of its outer pier by 450 metres. The expansion is the second stage of the port’s master plan – as well as helping to secure the future of the commercial port function on Bornholm, developments will provide extra berthing and land area for the installation of large offshore wind turbines. There is also an option for building an additional 300 metres of heavy cargo quay. “With the forthcoming expansion, we as a port can continue the growth we are experiencing within offshore wind on Bornholm,” said Thomas Bendtsen, Port of Roenne CEO. “Our ambition is to maintain the position as the most attractive port in the Baltic Sea to install offshore wind.” 8 UK: Ramping up Port Capacity Siemens Gamesa is investing £186m in an expansion which will double the size of its wind turbine factory in Hull. The development will create 200 new jobs (on top of the present 1000) and enable the manufacture of the next generation of offshore wind turbines and blades greater than 100 metres, says the company. Due to be completed in 2023, the expansion will take the Hull facility to 77,600m2. The Siemens Gamesa facility, opened in 2016, has manufactured more than 1,500 wind turbine blades for customers in the UK and Europe. Three complete offshore wind power plants have been dispatched from site, where other activities include assembly of offshore wind turbine towers and loading of offshore wind installation vessels. Siemens Gamesa has an offshore wind power orderbook of €9.4 billion. The Hull facility is producing blades for the 1.4 GW Hornsea Two windfarm – when complete in 2022, this will be the world’s largest offshore wind power plant, with 165 wind turbines providing enough power for more than 1.3m homes. On the south bank of the Humber, meanwhile, GRI Renewable Industries (GRI) is to build a £78m wind turbine tower factory at the Able Marine Energy Park in Killinghome. Ardersier Port, in Scotland’s Moray Forth, has changed hands this year and its new owners are planning to redevelop the former McDermott fabrication yard into “Europe’s leading decommissioning, floating wind, fixed wind and hydrogen facility”. Business partners Tony O’Sullivan and Steve Regan bought the port from Clowes Developments for an undisclosed sum. Ardersier Port is the largest brownfield port in the UK – with 400 acres of land, a 2.2km quay and 350 acres of water within the statutory harbour authority area. The Port of Tyne has been chosen to be the maintenance

base for the world’s biggest wind farm. The Dogger Bank wind farm in the North Sea, which will generate enough electricity to supply more than 4.5m homes in the UK, is being developed by power companies Equinor and SSE Renewables.

8 Siemens Gamesa is doubling the size of its manufacturing facilities in Hull, UK promising increased port activity

8 X1 Wind works with Las Palmas X1 Wind has been working closely with the Port of Las Palmas in its project to demonstrate the X30 floating wind platform in open ocean waters. The X30 prototype integrates a PivotBuoy mooring system, an adapted Vestas V2 turbine and all the required control systems. Las Palmas was used for the final assembly and loadout of the floating platform – which arrived from mainland Spain in modules and was assembled using a local supply chain. “We have been supported by local suppliers with available equipment on the island – for example, regular mobile cranes from Liebherr,” said a spokesman for X1 Wind. “Additionally, we are in permanent contact with the port authorities and the shipyards for all the operations concerning both assembly and installation of the prototype. X1 Wind’s approach mobilising and engaging local supply chains is a key feature of its future fabrication and deployment plan for full-scale units. Aside from stimulating local economies and driving job creation, it further reduces transit times, helping slash costs and carbon emissions for future projects.” Las Palmas port was chosen as the nearest large-scale harbour to the PLOCAN (The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands) offshore test site for the PivotBuoy deployment. “Furthermore, the port and the local suppliers offer a wealth of services, technology and knowledge acquired from the oil & gas industry, due to the large amount of offshore platforms which are managed there,” noted the spokesman. “In addition, Gran Canaria has several onshore wind turbines with local companies delivering installation, operations and maintenance support services. We can harness this local skill, knowledge and experience for all the turbine related tasks and operations.” In early September, the part-scale prototype was in the port of Las Palmas waiting for the summer’s windy conditions to come to an end. “While the platform is going through part of the PAT (Port Accepting Tests), the electrical cable and anchoring system is being prepared and will be installed sometime in September/October. However, the upcoming operation will focus on the rotor assembly of the Vestas V29 turbine, adapted in a downwind configuration, which will happen in tandem. The platform installation and commissioning is expected to take place by the end of autumn.”

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 35

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COLOMBIA: BUENAVENTURA

BUENAVENTURA BATTLES Buenaventura, traditionally Colombia’s main gateway for imports from the Far East, has suffered from a debilitating cocktail of problems in recent times. Rob Ward charts the chaos and the fortunes of the main terminal operators Colombia’s main Pacific port of Buenaventura has been in turmoil this year following a crippling 60-day strike by truck drivers and various degrees of social unrest which has seen cargo piling up on the quayside and warehouses packed to the rafters as well as carriers – including MSC, Maersk and CMA CGM – at one point cancelling calls to the port. The port, which is the main gateway for the country’s capital Bogota (9.5million population) and Cali (third biggest city with 3.4m), and for many vital exports and imports to/ from Asia is now gradually getting back to a degree of normality after the blockades became more sporadic.There is, however, still some unrest and as one veteran commentator notes: “Operating in Buenaventura is still often like operating in the Wild West”. During the Buenaventura blockades many containers – it is estimated more than 150,000TEU this year alone – were diverted to other Colombian ports, predominantly Cartagena but some to Santa Marta and Baranquilla, all on the north Colombian coast. Some 400,000TEU has disappeared over the past five years, some of it transshipment that diverted to other ports. The Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC, or National Federation of Coffee Growers) says its members were hurt hard during the truckers strikes and blockades, citing the 11% drop during June of this year (compared to same month of last year), from 1.1 million bags down to 986,000 bags. Various sources say the move to the north coast ports will see Buenaventura’s share of containerised coffee exports fall this year from 72% down to 35% (see Cartagena article this issue).

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Operating in Buenaventura is often like operating in the Wild West Although throughput for the first half of this year was up on last year – up 1.7% at 491,787TEU – it is so far some 22% down on the 641,580TEU for the first six months of 2019, a “more normal year”, and, as one Bogota shipping agent says, “it is haemorrhaging cargo to everywhere else and carriers are no longer keen to call there directly preferring to transship from Cartagena, Callao [Peru] or Posorja [Ecuador].” Various sources in Colombia told Port Strategy that Buenaventura is on a downward spiral. DREDGING AN ISSUE Ricardo Sanchez, a transport economist and analyst for UN body ECLAC, says that long-standing problems with dredging have hurt Buenaventura, which has seen a draft of more than 14 meters diminish to just 12.5m. “Several shipping lines have begun feedering into Buenaventura because the draft could not handle the bigger vessels calling West Coast South America,” Sanchez told Port Strategy. “There are a number of ingredients at play in Buenaventura – political, trucking, gangs, social unrest and the Covid pandemic – which are making operations very messy at the moment.”

Buenaventura handled 1.3 7 million TEU in 2018, but that fell to 1.2 million TEU in 2019 (down 12.4%) and then to 1 million TEU in 2020, a fall of 16.5%. But with severe reductions of containers handled since May, that figure may fall still further this year with many shippers and carriers continuing to avoid using the stricken port. Although Cartagena is without doubt the transshipment king in Colombia, Buenaventura has always handled more imports and exports but the balance of power is shifting rapidly – whereas the gap used to be 800,000TEU in 2018, it slipped to 500,000TEU in 2019 and this year will be under 200,000TEU. Buenaventrua has three main container terminal operators: TCBuen, operated by APM Terminals, Aguadulce, operated as a joint venture between PSA of Singapore and International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) of the Philippines and then Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura (SPRB) which has a multitude of local owners, but the largest is the City government of Buenaventura with 14%. The SPRB terminal has been hit hardest, handling just 210,000TEU during the first six months of this year, down a massive 40% compared to 350,000TEU during the first half of 2019 and 415,755TEU for the first six months of 2018 when it hit its annual peak of more than 800,000TEU. During the six month period, TCBuen has dropped 6000TEU, from 129,000TEU, and Aguadulce has slipped just 3 per cent from 162,000TEU to 157,000TEU. Buenaventura is the main gateway port for the Far East and, especially, China. This clear geographical advantage has been severely eroded during the recent truckers’ strike and blockades, and many port and shipper interests in Cartagena believe that some shippers have decided to continue using the north coast ports, despite things “starting to get a little more like normal”.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

8 Draft constraints are negatively impacting the port of Buenaventura’s competitiveness

OCTOBER 2021 | 37

COLOMBIA: CARTAGENA

BOOM YEAR FOR CARTAGENA ‘One man’s pain is another’s gain’ and so it has proved for Cartagena as it capitalises on a cocktail of problems in Buenaventura. Rob Ward explains

8 The greater stability of Cartagena is proving attractive to cargo shippers including the important coﬀee exporters and automobile producers

Usually known for its role as a key Caribbean transshipment port, Cartagena, on the north Colombian coast, will break its annual throughput record this year for both import and export cargoes and could soon overtake beleaguered Buenaventura as the leading handler of domestic cargoes. Cartagena registered spectacular growth in both import and export boxes during the first half of this year, with the former jumping by 22.2% (from 157,361TEU up to 192,286TEU) and the latter rising by 20.5 per cent (from 113,501TEU up to 136,834TEU). If throughput continues at its current (first six monthly) rate both these indices look set to break their annual records: exports out of Cartagena peaked at 218,715TEU last year and imports peaked at 339,676TEU in 2019. Overall throughput for this year, with transshipment, is forecast at 3.2m to 3.4 million TEU, breaking the 3 million TEU per annum barrier for the first time. On top of this, with its rival for Asian cargoes, Buenaventura, seemingly in meltdown since May of this year due to a truckers strike and various outbreaks of civil unrest, it has been picking up extra containers from that beleaguered Pacific port. It is understood that many shippers – especially coﬀee producers and car and motorbike parts’ importers - in the hinterland between Buenaventura and Cartagena are considering using the Caribbean port on a regular basis, and the same goes for shippers based in and around the country`s capital, Bogota. “Yes, it looks like we will handle record numbers of nontransshipment boxes this year and our latest forecasts are for 820,000TEU in this category [including empties],” says Sebastien Gomez, commercial manager, Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena (SPRC) which operates both the SPRC and Contecar terminals in Cartagena. “It really has been a phenomenal achievement in terms of domestic imports and exports, both dry and reefer.”

38 | OCTOBER 2021

Of that 820,000TEU, some 646,000TEU is of full boxes (including reefers, totalling 49,500TEU) and 174,000TEU will be empties. That would give Cartagena a 22.73 per cent rise in full containers (up from 526,400TEU in 2020) and an extra 119,600TEU (including reefers). Gomez puts the huge increase during the first half of 2021 – up 20.08% over the same period of 2020 - down to three reasons. The first is the re-activation of companies and their factories in both Colombia and abroad after months of closures and restricted operations. Second is “the strikes and political situation in Buenaventura with many shippers re-directing their boxes to Cartagena”. Third is the widespread knowledge among shippers and shipping lines that Cartagena had “a lot of spare capacity and the ability to deal with a sudden surge of extra containers”. Ricardo Sanchez, the Senior Economic Affairs Officer of the International Trade and Integration Division of ECLAC (Economic commission for Latin America and the Caribbean), adds a fourth; the dire dredging problem in Buenaventura that has seen the maximum draft fall from more than 14 metres to around 12.5m, leading to shipping lines scrapping direct calls to the “problematic Pacific port” from their WCSA to Mediterranean services, at the end of 2019 and early 2020, preferring transshipment from Panama or Cartagena. “When choosing between the deep draft in Cartagena [16 meters] and the decreasing draft in Buenaventura it is small wonder carriers prefer the former for transshipment and that has a knock-on effect, in terms of options, for domestic cargoes,” Sanchez explains to Port Strategy. Now the challenge, says Gomez, is to keep as much of that “new business” as possible and, he estimates, around 40% of the transferred cargoes will still be using Cartagena by the

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

COLOMBIA: CARTAGENA

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Cartagena will bridge the “domestic cargo gap” between it and Buenaventura middle of next year. This is on top of the “extra transshipment cargoes” that SPRC picked up after several carriers scrapped their direct calls to Buenaventura over the past two years (See feature in last edition of Port Strategy). “We do hope, and we are working hard, to keep a good percentage of those cargoes that have shifted over to us from Buenaventura, especially coffee export boxes and motorcycle and car parts. We are also targeting shipments to and from Bogota,” he notes COFFEE ON THE UP Coffee shipments via Cartagena increased by 35.4 per cent during the first six months of this year, according to SPRC, jumping from 4,926TEU to 6,664TEU and, despite most plantations being in the south and close to Buenaventura, many coffee exporters are considering using Cartagena on a regular basis, at least for some of their shipments so that a logistics chain via the north coast is in place if Buenaventura continues to implode in the future. Although trucking costs will be much higher using Cartagena, shipping costs will be less because coffee boxes won’t have to be transshipped out of Buenaventura. As Gomez explains; “One of the main drivers of the coffee exports is the inland transport costs, which are extremely high for coffee harvests from the south of the country such as Nariño, Huila, etc, which are the biggest harvest zones. “Despite that we had a huge peak in coffee exports in June and July, with the boxes hitching a ride to China and the Far East via US East Coast to Asia services, via the Panama Canal. “However, keeping an extra share of coffee exports, especially to Asia, is an extremely hard task because logistics costs, especially trucking, for exporters would be very high. We have seen that many clients, so as to minimize the risk of another strike and issues, are planning to maintain a constant quota in Cartagena that used to be from Beunaventura.” He adds that Cartagena could increase its overall share of the coffee export market from 28 per cent in 2020 to 35 per cent by the end of 2021, with Buenaventura handling the rest. Car and motorcycle manufacturers/assemblers are more scattered around Colombia than coffee plantations and Gomez has also reported “significant increases” from this sector, and with GM based in Bogota and Renault, Kawasaki and Yamaha located in Medellin, he hopes to keep some of

that re-directed cargo, despite Bogota being up to 20 hours distant by truck, when Buenaventura is only 15 hours, albeit over difficult mountainous terrain. BRIDGING THE GAP With the forecast increases Cartagena will bridge the “domestic cargo gap” between it and Buenaventura and likely take over the mantle of leading Colombian port for domestic containerised cargoes from Buenaventura in the near future. The Pacific port has seen movement fall from 1.39 million TEU in 2018 down to just over 1 million TEU in 2020 (after two consecutive annual falls of 12.4 and 15 per cent) and with a forecast for 2021 of somewhere around 900,000TEU. SPRC operates the two box terminals in Cartagena Contecar and Manga – with 21 super post panamax Gantry Cranes (SSGCs), and 3900 reefer plugs and it added two Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes in 2020. With a capacity of 5.2m TEU Gomez says it can deal with more sharp increases but will be looking for more equipment next year. In the meantime, Puerto Bahia, which has been operating ro-ro in Cartagena for the past six years, has been observing the boom in container handling and may add some “empty container handling” operations at the port “in the near future”, to add some competition to SPRC. One Bogota based shipping agent, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, told Port Strategy: “In recent years, and especially this year since strikes and riots in May, Buenaventura has become a basket case and many shippers are seeking alternatives such as Cartagena, Barranquilla or Santa Marta. “There are a lot of gangs operating in and around the port area and they make security for port workers, officials and truck drivers a major concern.” Port operations in Buenaventura got so difficult in May and June, that several shipping lines, including Maersk, CMA CGM and MSC, stopped calling at the troubled port for a period. Two other ports on the Colombian north coast – Santa Marta and Baranquilla – also seem to have benefitted from the malaise afflicting Buenaventura, with Santa Marta averaging 150,000TEU over the past few years (up from 50,000TEU previously) and Baranquilla handling 81,000TEU during the first half 2021, up 15 per cent and 10,000TEU on last year, and much of it re-directed from Buenaventura. SPRC are also the operators of the cruise terminal in Cartagena - a UNESCO World Heritage city that is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean – and in August they tentatively re-started a new season - with the 300 passenger Windstar Cruises Star Breeze calling - after the 2020-21 season was completely wiped out by Covid. 8 “It really has been a phenomenal achievement in terms of domestic imports and exports, both dry and reefer,” Sebastien Gomez, Commercial Manager, SPRC

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 39

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

PLOTTING A GREEN ‘BIBLE’ Good environmental management is not achieved by strategy embodied in a document that sits on a shelf. There is much more to it as Felicity Landon explains

8 Air quality is identified as the one concern for ports striving to put in place eﬀective environmental management measures

Most ports have an environmental policy in place of one sort or another – but is it fit for purpose, how should it work, what should ports be prepared for, and how do smaller ports with fewer resources take on a challenge that larger ports can throw their own specialists at? Nigel Coulshed, Environmental Associate with Independent Port Consultants (IPC), often avoids the ‘E word’ altogether when advising on construction projects – as he points out, there are numerous reasons based on self-interest for doing the right thing, from improving customer confidence to business efficiency. “People can be dismissive of the word ‘environment’, but often there is a business case for doing these things properly. However, the thing with an EMS (Environmental Management System/Plan) is to make sure the tail doesn’t wag the dog – it should be appropriate for the place, and not so prescriptive that it is unworkable.” For example, drainage needs to be managed carefully to prevent any run-off polluting a watercourse with fish in. “The question is, wouldn’t it be better to have a dry site, so you don’t get run-off or vehicles getting bogged down, and you get a tidier site with less slips and trips?” When ports and others were adopting ISO 14001 in its early days, they tended to go overboard, he says, “but now people are more sensible and ensure the documents are fit for use”. His advice includes – you can’t change what you don’t measure, you can’t measure without a baseline, and ignorance is no defence. In difficult cases, how can you defend yourself against accusations of pollution if you don’t know the baseline position – for example, that there is historic contamination of a site that has nothing to do with you, or that your neighbour is or was causing pollution?

IGNORANCE NOT A DEFENCE Ports can focus so much on “micromanaging” the impact of their own activities that they may be completely unaware of what’s happening beyond the border, says Coulshed. “For example, they may think that a Special Protection Area next to the port is not really an issue for them. There may be special birds breeding, for example. Most ports are familiar with these things now, but ignorance isn’t defence.” Legislation is obviously a driver for ensuring a robust environmental policy – but it is not the only one. Where there is best practice guidance in place “it is frowned upon if you don’t adhere to it”, he says. “For example, it is recommended you don’t refuel within a certain distance of a water body – and it becomes your fault if you do, and something goes wrong. “If you don’t have any environmental incidents, you don’t have any related stoppages and you can continue to make money, avoiding the likely costs of any stoppage for health and safety or environmental reasons. The two are often linked – if you have good control and understand what your likely risks are regarding pollution and air quality, etc., you can be more efficient in the way you manage your operation. It might slow you down a bit, but it makes you more efficient over the years. It also makes you more attractive, customers gain confidence in you, and there is a knock-on effect for insurance.” He believes that environmental monitoring is more important today than it has ever been. “First, you need a baseline of what is already there – maybe it was already a polluted environment. If you have an incident, you can measure exactly what was your fault and what was not your responsibility. Monitoring is also important if there is an issue with dust and for the effectiveness of control mechanisms and mitigation – unless you monitor what you had before and now, you can’t measure performance

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 41

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT or diﬀerences. The same goes for noise – people assume noise comes from the port, but it might not necessarily be so.” Finally, having the policies and response processes in place is all very well – but if no one has a grasp of them, what use are they? “The core thing in being able to respond, make sure health and safety is in place and people aren’t going to be injured, and protect the environment, is that people are given control and training,” says Coulshed. As he says, at a time of crisis, you should not be asking ‘how do I respond’ and start reading through a massive document. “People must be trained properly – an EMP doesn’t work if you have to go to a document and look up what you are supposed to do.” SMALL PORTS: OUTSIDE HELP While large ports usually have their own environmental teams and resources to put together their policies and strategies, smaller ports will likely need outside help – and consultants can also advise on issues that a port may not have considered. However, that does not mean handing the whole headache to someone else and forgetting about it. “The whole point of having an EMP is that you need to be able to implement it. You can get a consultant to write it, but you could end up unable to function or with procedures you can’t follow. The port must be the author, under the guidance of the consultant.” Too many ports use language such as ‘we will consider’ or ‘we will endeavour to’ – and that isn’t good enough, he adds. “You need to set targets and objectives for managing environmental concerns.” He recalls working with one port that had “amazing documentation” and environmental accreditations as part of a due diligence assessment, “but when I spoke to the people within the port organisation, they didn’t have a clue about the questions I was asking. A consultant had written the whole thing for them, and they didn’t have a clue about what they said they had done.” ESPO 2020 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) 2020 Environmental Report provides insights into environmental management from research in the EcoPorts network. Based on a sample of nearly 100 small and large ports all over Europe, it shows that ports are increasingly engaged in environmental management, says Valter Selén, Senior Policy Adviser for Sustainable Development and EcoPorts Coordinator at ESPO. The report notes a number of positive trends – including that 81% of surveyed ports have an environmental monitoring programme in place. “Linked to this is the existence of an Environmental Policy, with 96% of sample ports having such a policy,” says Selén. “In this document, the port authority clearly states its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance.” The existence of an inventory of Significant Environmental Aspects (SEA) is another important indicator, he says, with 92% of surveyed ports having such an inventory – a level which has been sustained over time. “The inventory is a critically important component of any credible EMS, as it represents the elements of the port activities, products and services that may impact on the environment.” The report also demonstrates that ports have improved their performance in areas such as publication of publicly available environmental reports, and training programmes for employees. Some 91% of ports communicate their environmental policy to stakeholders, with 86% making it available on their website.

Air quality is the top environmental priority for ports, followed by climate change – which has risen from tenth priority in 2017 to second priority in 2020, with energy efficiency the third priority. More than half of the responding ports offer on shore power supply (OPS), and one third of them have made LNG bunkering available. An increasing number of ports (57%) provide differentiated dues for ships that go beyond regulatory standards, with air emissions, waste and climate change being the main targets of these discounts. In addition to its existing ‘Good Green Practices Database’ database available online, ESPO is preparing to publish a Green Guide, “which seeks to address the need for additional guidance in this area by providing hands-on advice for ports and policymakers engaged in greening”, says Selén.

8 ESPO is preparing to publish a Green Guide, “which seeks to address the need for additional guidance by providing hands-on advice for ports

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An EMP doesn’t work if you have to go to a document and look up what you are supposed to do BRITISH PORTS ASSOCIATION: NETWORKING While the British Ports Association does not provide formal advice on environmental management plans, its members don’t hesitate to phone and talk to each other about their experiences and initiatives, says Mark Simmonds, BPA Director of Policy & External Aﬀairs. “Ports do tend to talk to each other. Through our networks a lot of them share good practice about what other ports are doing.” He says size isn’t necessarily a factor in good environmental management and it’s easy to find smaller ports with a good record. “It’s a mix – the size of the port hasn’t really much correlation with how good they are (or are not) at environmental management.”. The BPA is preparing to launch a decarbonisation programme, which will include provision for more formal sharing of good practice, says Simmonds. “As an association, we are getting better at sharing good practice – for example, with case studies – and we are trying to formalise some of that in an eﬀort to show everyone what others are doing. “People don’t always realise this work is going on. A lot of ports don’t blow their own trumpet.” Why don’t they tell people what’s happening? “They see it as part of their job and don’t realise that people will be interested or grateful for it.”

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 43

OPTIMISING TERMINAL OPERATIONS

WHO DARES WINS In its own right or in a ‘joined up way” modern technology holds the power to enhance key front-line and back-up terminal activities. Felicity Landon highlights current initiatives

8 Projects undertaken by Trent Ports Group include the introduction of a highly focused asset management programme for a Middle East based terminal operator

Sometimes, in order to add value, you must first disrupt. This was the opening message from Jon Arnup, founder of the Singapore-based Trent Ports Group, as he led the presentations at a webinar focusing on “Unleashing the potential of innovative solutions and advanced AI driven technologies”. The headline name for the Transport Events webinar was actually “Who Dares Wins” – and in the current digitalisation frenzy, it would be easy to imagine ports rushing to digitalise anything that moves in order to leave competitors in their wake. However, there were comforting words of caution from Arnup. “The digital transformation that we strive for must be phased in its delivery, or able to be phased, be aligned with cost and the revenue profile of each terminal and be aligned to the risk appetite of a port,” he said. Five partners that have teamed up with each other to deliver end-to-end solutions for ports in AI, technology and digital solutions – Trent, Jacobs, IGO Solutions, Aidrivers and Remy InfoSource – each presented new innovations at the webinar. While some ports “have embraced the Who Dares Wins with some success”, said Arnup, “we understand that big bang is not a reality for many ports today and we believe that that is preventing some terminals from taking those early steps towards a joined-up holistic digital autonomous transformation. It is important that we see the strategic business goals and vision of your terminal and carefully align with those.” He outlined two specific solutions – Trent Moscord, described as ‘the Amazon of ports’, and Multistaka, a highrise container concept. Trent Moscord is a dedicated spare parts catalogue “for each and every crane, piece of equipment, type, model, in your terminal”, said Arnup. The system provides the purchaser with three live quotes and enables 90 per cent faster procurement cycles which

44 | OCTOBER 2021

mean “you can do more with less, it eliminates delivery errors and there is no more guesswork when identifying a spare part, he said. “Also, there is increased visibility, and competition is driving down prices where needed.” He predicted increased negotiating power as more terminals join the platform and said terminals could save hundreds of thousands of dollars as a result. INTEGRATING SOLUTIONS Aldo Ferrufino, Port Solutions Director at Jacobs in the UAE, discussed the challenge of integrating solutions. As far as the concept of the ‘big bang’ was concerned, terminal operators’ key concerns were the cost and understanding what they have to do with all the digital elements, he stated. “The market is flooded with fragmented standalone oﬀerings where in themselves each one has its own merit – but how do you pull all that together to make sure you are squeezing the actual value they have?” Ever-changing conditions call for solutions that are flexible and adaptable, and the market needs focus on business and technical solutions that are sustainable, resilient and adaptable, he added. There is also an increased need for customisation. He explained the five partners’ involvement in end-to-end (E2E) Solutions, to integrate port technology and develop solutions, whether for a new development or expansion of operations, with solutions grouped into three areas – business, intelligent port, and technical. Traditionally people look at masterplans as a civil engineering exercise but that is not correct, he said. “By harnessing and utilising digital twins and, for example, the projections of operations, we can work out a masterplan which is aligned with your actual business needs, not aligned with the civil engineering of it.”

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OPTIMISING TERMINAL OPERATIONS

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Sometimes, in order to add value, you must first disrupt Jon Arnup, Founder, Trent Ports Group, Singapore

Finetuning in the early stages will save money later in the lifecycle of an asset, as well as delivering eﬃciency and mitigating risk, said Ferrufino. “It is having that visibility and understanding of what it is that you can do with what you have – and it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive.” From AI systems enabling predictive maintenance to automation or electrification, positive disruption can continue using “technical interrelationships” across all port applications, he said. Eﬃciency and being able to move the containers is where digital comes into play, he concluded: “You can enhance the infrastructure but the operation is what stays in the longer term.” AI: LEARNING EVERY DAY We are learning every day about the possibilities of AI, said Jay Pandya, Director of IGO Solutions, who warned: “We need to adapt – if we don’t, we lose money and in radical situations we may not even exist.” AI brings together uncertainties versus optimisation, said Pandya. He outlined the implementation of three-step autonomous industrialisation in ports and explained the need for ‘cleansing’ data. “A practical example – we worked with a very large yard in Asia which had high yard utilisation but uneven RTG workload distribution, a high rehandle count and lower productive moves.” After a few weeks of operations, comparing the newly AIoptimised berth with a non-AI berth, there was a 15% improvement at the AI berth, with all the RTGs doing more productive work, and doing their work consistently, and a reduction in rehandles per container. “Confidence in the operations team has really grown and we are working day to day with them to ensure where AI is going and how it can deliver results and allow them to focus on the decisions that really matter – and that is a real shift that we find.” The AI solution is now being rolled out across the whole terminal, he added.

Port operators are working towards providing service predictability and that is what Aidrivers has been focusing on, said Rafiq Swash, founder and CEO of Aidrivers. “The need is for self-aware operations, for resilience, eﬃciency and much better predictability. The challenge is optimisation of the operations to improve productivity and reduce operational costs.” Rather than waiting for new vehicles or infrastructure upgrades, Aidrivers is focusing on existing fleets and making automation more accessible, adapting manual vehicles to become driveable by machine, said Swash. “We upgrade with our autonomous intelligent retrofitting system with drive-by-wire manager for precision drive control system with failsafe mechanism.” The system includes precision 3D mapping and localisation, AI-enabled perception with situation cognisance and responsive autonomous drive. However, success depends on a ‘self-aware’ operation, connecting not just the vehicle being autonomously driven, but also other vehicles and equipment, including traﬃc lights and trucking stations, for example, said Swash. Also, it is crucial that existing ports operations are not interrupted or stopped, he said. Aidrivers uses a digital twin to replicate a terminal with full accessibility of operations, enabling it to test and optimise a system without disturbing existing operations.

8 ICTSI’s flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in the Philippines has implemented IGO/ Avlino’s YardSight AI from the AiCON suite for its RTG operation

“Single Point of Truth” For All Stakeholders Outlining the iSpec system for project management, tendering and delivery, Pieter Boshoﬀ, CEO of Remy InfoSource, said the first priority was clear: “We need a single point of truth somewhere in the cloud, so it doesn’t matter which phase of the project you are in – whether developing, putting out to tender or monitoring delivery, there should only be one data source and a single point of truth for all stakeholders, so you never have outdated information on anyone’s PC.” Through a ‘master library’ of standards and the creation of standards for certain types of projects, iSpec ensures only the correct version of a specific project is ever available, he explained. He described the system as “a seamless,

fully integrated, collaborative process from concept to final handover, with a comprehensive, contextual audit trail allowing full transparency. “We all know the problems – delays, delivery of incorrect equipment, mistakes in design. We often found people sent out the wrong specs to the vendors or [were] making unauthorised changes. The other thing was speed – sending documents back and forth wastes a lot of time, and versions get mixed up. “When managing a large project, thousands of emails and attachments go back and forth, he said. “How do I ensure I can get the one I need six months into a project?” iSpec allows for online collaboration, with eligible people able to edit concurrently and

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

approve documents in the cloud – this means people in diﬀerent locations can work on the spec at the same time and see each other’s changes. Certain standards or sections can be locked and therefore not be changed. “All stakeholders can start work on the documents concurrently – if someone starts preparing a tender and specs, by the time they are halfway, someone can start checking at the top. All edits are stored in a permanent audit trail and with compare and rollback functionality.” Use of the iSpec system has reduced ambiguity, amendments and disputes,” underlines Boshoﬀ. “The audit trail contains every email, clarification, amendment, negotiation, allowing full transparency for easier dispute resolution.”

OCTOBER 2021 | 45

CONTAINER WEIGHING

THE RIGHT WEIGH John Bensalhia reviews recent trends and innovations in container weighing systems supply

8 Bison oﬀers a portable weighing solution, C-Jacks, which can be taken to the container concerned

From the beginning to the end of the cargo loading process, overloaded containers can cause many problems: injuries to personnel; damage to handling equipment and, in the event they are loaded onboard a vessel, stability problems as well as damage to other containers. Such instances can have significant costs associated with them but even without these sort of problems an overweight container can have substantial cost implications as a result of penalties incurred. For instance - CMA GCM, in the latest of a series of announcements regarding the application of overweight container surcharges, advised that from 15 September 2021 an overweight surcharge for containers being ferried from North West and South East India to North Europe and the Mediterranean will apply, with this amounting to USD750 per 20ft dry unit (all types) where the unit is found to exceed 18 tons gross weight. VERIFIED GROSS MASS As the UK P&I Club highlights in its useful “Guide to Overweight Containers:” “The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has amended the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) to require, as a condition for loading a packed container onto a ship for export, that the container has a verified weight. The shipper is re-sponsible for the verification of the packed container’s weight. This requirement became legally eﬀective on July 1, 2016. After this date, it became a violation of SOLAS to load a packed container onto a vessel if the vessel operator and marine terminal operator do not have a verified container weight.

“The Verified Gross Mass (VGM) is the weight of the cargo including dunnage and bracing plus the tare weight of the container carrying this cargo. SOLAS requires the shipper to provide VGM in a “shipping document,” either as part of the shipping instruction or in a separate communication, before vessel loading.” While this important regulatory requirement is in place, the day-to-day reality is, however, that all major and secondary container trade routes regularly encounter the problem of overweight containers. Some containers arrive at terminals with no weight verification and another ongoing problem is the under declaration of weights. Under-declared containers can lead to a variety of problems for the carrier, including but not limited to the overloading of vessel lashings and container frames and/or stack loads being exceeded. In short, there are many compelling reasons to ensure containers are not over-loaded and with this in mind there has, in recent times, been significant innovation from within the weighing system supply sector aimed at ‘providing the tools for the job’ to cargo shippers, freight forwarders, marine terminals and other parties in the container export supply chain who are impacted by the issue of container weight. A DECADE OF CHANGE Hayden Johnston, Marketing Co-Ordinator, BISON Group, says that over the past decade, the logistics industry has seen the emergence of weighing technologies including onboard weighing systems, portable container scales and software solutions for data collection and distribution. “Harnessing these technologies,” says Johnston, “has allowed operators to improve the flow of cargo, record and verify

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

OCTOBER 2021 | 47

CONTAINER WEIGHING container weights more consistently and improve business efficiency/profitability in the long run.” Coupled with this trend there has also been a general increase in expectations regarding ensuring operational efficiency and safety, and integral to this conforming with SOLAS requirements. Specifically, system supplier Tamtron identifies this higher level of consciousness as influential in setting new demands for the cargo weighing process and the management of weighing data. “When time and knowledge is money, it is essential to choose the weighing solutions that will deliver reliable weighing data and support the company’s processes the best.” “High-quality scale is the foundation for accurate and reliable weighing data, explains Markus Ritala, Sales and Marketing Director, Tamtron. “But how the weighing is integrated into the operational processes, as well as how the weighing data is stored and shared to support the customers’ business, is how we as a weighing solution provider can help our customers best.” “Recently,” elaborates Ritala, we have focused on improving the usability of our scales and their integration to customers’ TOS systems to offer real-time and remote access to weighing data as well as new digital solutions to replace paper receipts and documents.” THE RIGHT DATA “Professional weighing equipment with solid connectivity and data management will help operators to meet the demands for transparency, traceability and ever-growing reporting liabilities. Reporting between partners becomes easier when the required information is available on one system, easily and reliably,” Ritala emphasises. Tamtron offers what it describes as complete weighing solutions: type-approved; accurate, high-quality scales and modern weighing information management that ensures real-time access to weighing data, reports and operations monitoring. Tamtron One Power Container Stacker, One Power Straddle Carrier Scale and Scalift Forklift Truck Scale all weigh Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of a container during container transit and loading operations, meeting the requirements of the SOLAS regulations. “In addition, with our One Power Container Stacker Scale and One Power Straddle Carrier Scale container VGM and ID can be combined, and the information uploaded to a company’s ERP, TOS, or other system through integration to provide real-time access to reports and operations monitoring,” says Ritala. The weighing information transfers from Tamtron scales to operational use in real-time through connection to the weighing information cloud service or through integration into TOS, ERP or other systems. Griffith Elder’s purpose-built Container Weigher system is cited as easy to use, with containers loaded on to the weighing platform and the weight identified in a digital indicator. When the target weight is reached, the operator is informed either by a visual or audio alarm. In the case of excess weight, a two-colour alarm system relays this warning. COMMON AND INTELLIGENT OPTIONS “From our experiences with working with port-based businesses/operators, traditional weighing methods like weighbridges tend to be the most common option for verifying cargo weights before export, as they allow for a continuous, efficient flow of containers through a port/freight hub,” says Hayden Johnston. Another common weighing method is load cells and weighing systems that are

48 | OCTOBER 2021

integrated into the port’s container lifting equipment spanning mobile harbour cranes, reach stackers, straddle carriers and forklift trucks (FLTs). Strainstall’s SOLAS compliant Container Weighing System can reportedly be swiftly and simply integrated/retrofitted to existing port equipment. It oﬀers real time data when automatically weighing containers during port stacking cycles. The weighing process is completed in 30 seconds, thus saving operators considerable time. Johnston adds that as more modern technology emerges within the logistics industry, there are new products shining through that oﬀer versatile and intelligent alternatives for recording and verifying container weights and digitising the data that is collected and required for export (e.g. Weight, Contents, Seal ID, Container ID). “For instance, BISON Container Scales provide a portable, timely solution to weighing cargo. They give port operators the ability to move the weighing system, not the container itself, meaning that more containers can be weighed and verified, in a shorter amount of time,” he notes.

8 Tamtron has developed a range of lifting solutions for integration into cargo handling plant – the straddle carrier is one option in the range

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Trend lines: integration with terminal operating systems, real-time remote access… Other parties have also responded to the requirement to identify overweight problems. Australian terminal operator Patrick Terminals has launched its Pondus solution as a means of helping to spot wrongly declared weights. Essentially, Pondus statistically samples containers for weighing, and in the case of any discrepancies, customers are automatically informed. Konecranes (supplied by EIE Group in South Africa) has introduced a digital static weighing system solution now used in South African ports. Lenny Naidoo, Key Accounts Sales Manager, EIE Group Heavy Lift Division, notes that: “The Static Weighing System allows reach stackers to hydraulically measure the weight of lifted containers, with full-scale accuracy achieved in less than five-seconds.” Along with data on gross container mass, the Static Weighing System provides supplementary information including precise container ID, time/date stamps and container location. Generally, as well as innovation in weighing system design, to perform the basic function of accurately recording container weight, there is a discernible shift towards systems that can harness the power of weight data and thus play their part in optimising diverse terminal functions right through from planning to invoicing.

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Staubli_Directory Mar 2021.indd 1

Taylor Machine Works, Inc. Taylor Machine Works designs, engineers, and manufactures more than 100 models of industrial lift equipment with lift capacities from ,000-lbs. to 125,000-lbs. YOU CAN DEPEND ON BIG RED! 3690 N Church Avenue Louisville, MS 39339 USA +1 662 773 3421 CONTACT?SALES TAYLORBIGRED COM www.taylorbigred.com

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

E LECTRIFICATION SOLUTIONS

14/07/2020 10:56

NEUERO Industrietechnik GmbH

26/05/2021 12:20

Over 60 years supporting Container Terminals in port operations: we create strategic ǁëŒƪėɆëŝĐɆļŝĉƎėëƖėɆƋƎŨǘƢëĈļŒļƢǈɆ ƢķƎŨƪİķɆƖŨŒļĐɆëŝĐɆƎėŒļëĈŒėɆ STS Portainer® and RTG Transtainer® cranes, services & Advanced Port Technologies.

Faartoftvej 22 7700 Thisted, Denmark Tel: 0045 96 17 90 00 cimbria.holding@agcocorp.com www.cimbria.com

Cimbria Directory.indd 1

C ONNECTION SOLUTIONS

27/01/2021 11:29 Telestack Directory June 2021.indd 1

Rohde Nielsen A/S Specialising in capital and maintenance dredging, land reclamation, coast protection, Port Development, Filling of Caissons, Sand and Gravel, Offshore trenching and backfilling Nyhavn 20 Copenhagen K. DK-1051 Denmark +45 33 91 25 07 mail@rohde-nielsen.dk www.rohde-nielsen.dk

igus® GmbH Spicher Str. 1a D-51147 Köln, Germany Tel. +49-2203-9649-0 info@igus.eu igus.eu/P4.1

#WeHaveTonnesToTellYouAbout

C ARGO HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Beumer Directory Jan 2021.indd 1

7EB DELLNERDAMPERS SE

P4.1 e-chain® Energy chain with optional intelligent wear monitoring for double the service life, travels of up to 1.000 m, speeds of up to 10 m/s and fill weights of up to 50 kg/m.

Tel: +44 (0)2882 251100 Email: sales@telestack.com www.telestack.comw

Tel.: +49 2521 240 E-mail: info@beumer.com Web: www.beumer.com

G-SERIES

Dellner Dampers is an innovative Swedish company that supplies solutions to mitigate vibrations and absorb kinetic energy. Standard and customised buffers and dampers for port side applications such as cranes, spreaders and more. All designed and produced in Sweden. Tel: +46-(0)157-45 43 40 Email: info@dellnerdampers.se

D REDGING

Telestack are a leading global manufacturer of equipment for the bulk material handling industry including Ship Loaders/Unloaders, Hopper Feeders, Truck Unloaders, Bulk Reception Feeders, Stockpiling Conveyors, Link Conveyors and Telescopic Stackers.

LASE offers innovative and productive solutions for ports by combining state-of-the-art laser scanner devices and sophisticated software applications. We are specialised in the fully automated handling of containers, cranes or trucks. Rudolf-Diesel-Str 111 D-46485 Wesel, Germany Tel: +49 (0) 281 - 9 59 90 - 0 info@lase.de www.lase.de

C OMPONENTS

The BEUMER Group is an international leader in the manufacture of bulk material handling systems:

LASE Industrielle Lasertechnik GmbH

C RANE COMPONENTS

SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of mobile bulk materials handling equipment for surface installation across multiple industrial segments. Designed for rapid onsite set-up and continuous high performance SAMSON equipment provides an excellent return on investment.

C ARGO HANDLING SYSTEMS

For more than a century, Bedeschi is providing effective and reliable solutions in a wide variety of industries (bulk handling, marine logistics and mining), capitalizing on synergies and cross competences. Via Praimbole 38, 35010 Limena (PD) – Italy Tel: : +39 049 7663100 Fax: +39 049 8848006 Email: sales@bedeschi.com Web: www.bedeschi.com

B ULK HANDLING

Bedeschi S.p.A

25/02/2021 15:49

VAHLE PORT TECHNOLOGY VAHLE is the leading specialist for mobile power and data transmission VAHLE provides the solutions to reduce the carbon footprint while increasing the productivity. RTGC electrification including positioning and data transmission making RTGC ready for Automation. Westicker Str. 52, 59174 Kamen, Germany

Email: port-technology@vahle.de Web: www.vahle.com

OCTOBER 2021 | 49

PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY

20OCT Piraeus 22 2021 Greece

Fogmaker develops, manufactures, and markets ﬁre suppression systems for engine compartments with high pressure water mist. Fogmaker is a market leader for automated ﬁre suppression systems with 200,000 installations in more than 50 countries since 1995.

For more information visit: greenport.com/greenport Tel: +44 1329 825335 email: congress@greenport.com

Tel: +46 470 77 22 00 info@fogmaker.com www.fogmaker.com

H ANDLING EQUIPMENT

G RABS

Fogmaker Directory.indd 1

CAMCO Technologies NV Visual- and Micro Location- assisted process automation solutions for container, ro-ro and rail terminals worldwide. Accurate crane, gate & rail OCR systems and Gate Operating System software helping terminals accelerate terminal and gate activity. Technologielaan 13 Leuven, Belgium +32-16-38-9272 +32-16-38 9274 info@camco.be www.camco.be

Grabs of MRS Greifer are in use all over the world. They are working reliably and extremely solid. All our grabs will be made customized. Besides the production of rope operated mechanical grabs, motor grabs and hydraulic grabs we supply an excellent after sales service. Talweg 15-17, Helmstadt-Bargen 74921, Germany Tel: +49 (0)7263 - 91 29 0 Fax: +49 (0)7263 - 91 29 12 info@mrs-greifer.de www.mrs-greifer.de

Künz GmbH Founded in 1932, Künz is now the market leader in intermodal rail-mounted gantry cranes in Europe and North America, offering innovative and efficient solutions for container handling in intermodal operation and automated stacking cranes for port and railyard operations. Gerbestr. 15, 6971 Hard, Austria T: +43 5574 6883 0 sales@kuenz.com www.kuenz.com

Phone : +919727738429 E-mail : Info@irmome.com Website : www.irmome.com

RuggON is here to offer high quality and future-proof one-stop rugged computing solutions, ranging from rugged vehicle-mount computers, mobile tablets and data terminals, to similarly durable data-capture accessories, for a safer and more efﬁcient automated port and terminal operations from quay, yard, gate, and all the way to warehouses.

+44 1329 825335 www.portstrategy.com

Contact Tim Hills or Hannah Bolland +44 1329 825335 www.portstrategy.com P OWER TRANSMISSION

Contact Tim Hills or Hannah Bolland

Port Strategy Directory

20/01/2021 10:50

To advertise in the

Port Strategy Directory

To advertise in the

4F., No. 298, Yangguang St., NeiHu Dist., Taipei, Taiwan +886-2-8797-1778

RuggON_Directory_40x58.indd 1

Schwartauer Str. 99 D-23611 Sereetz • Germany Tel:+49 451 398 850 Fax: +49 451 392 374 soj@orts-gmbh.de www.orts-grabs.de

With products ranging from Marine fenders, Offshore installation aids to products for the Foundation of offshore wind.

19/05/2021 14:16

Orts GMBH Maschinenfabrik Over 40 years experience constructing and manufacturing a wide range of grabs, including electro-hydraulic grabs (with the necessary crane equipment) radio controlled diesel hydraulic grabs, 4, 2 and single rope grabs all suitable for bulk cargo.

IRMOME is the world’s most preferred offshore and marine rubber engineering products manufacturing company.

IRM Directory July-Aug 2021.indd 1 30/06/2021 14:24

01/02/2021 13:12 Greenport Congress Directory Filler.indd 1 01/03/2021 09:15 Camco ID June 2021.indd 1

MRS Greifer GmbH

MARINE FENDERS

GREENPORT Cruise Congress

I T PORT AUTOMATION

F IRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

Piraeus2021

Visy systems reduce VISY Oy expenses, optimize safety & security, and VISY takes pride solving via increase throughputin capacity operational problems,Our specialising process automation. singlein gate automation and system access platform gate operating control solutions in ports and and OCR solutions manage all terminals. Their solutions cargo, assets & personnel streamline processes resulting movements via quay, rail or road in saving money and to keep operations moving. increasing productivity.

Tel: +358 3 211 0403 Email: sales@visy.fi Web: www.visy.fi/

GREENPORT Cruise Congress &

20OCT Piraeus 22 2021 Greece TO

For more information visit: greenport.com/greenport Tel: +44 1329 825335 email: congress@greenport.com

S HIP UPLOADERS

I NSURANCE

Piraeus2021

Conductix-Wampfler The world specialist in Power and Data Transfer Systems, Mobile Electrification, and Crane Electrification Solutions. We Keep Your Vital Business Moving! Rheinstrasse 27 + 33 Weil am Rhein 79576 Germany Tel: +49 (0) 7621 662 0 Fax: +49 (0) 7621 662 144 info.de@conductix.com www.conductix.com

Bruks Siwertell is a market-leading supplier of dry bulk handling and wood processing systems. With thousands of installations worldwide, our machines handle your raw materials from forests, ﬁelds, quarries and mines, maintaining critical supply lines for manufacturers, mills, power plants and ports. www.bruks-siwertell.com sales@siwertell.com service@siwertell.com

Siwertell Directory - Ship Unloaders Category.indd 12/05/2020 14:12 1

50 | OCTOBER 2021

TT Club Directory March 2021.indd 1

01/03/2021 Greenport Congress Directory 1 01/03/2021 09:15 For14:40 the latest newsFiller.indd and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY

Solvo’s software solutions such as TOS or WMS help container and general cargo terminals take full care of their cargo handling processes and make sure the clients expectations are exceeded. Prinses Margrietplantsoen 33, 2595AM, The Hague, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 702-051-709 Email: sales@solvosys.com www.sovosys.com

TGI Maritime Software is a Terminal Operating System editor and integrator specialized in the support of Small to Medium Terminals. Its expertise is built on 34 years of experience within the maritime sector. TGI provides comprehensive services to its customers all along their projects. OSCAR TOS and CARROL TOS have already been successfully handled by 40 container and RoRo terminals worldwide. Tel : +33 (0)3 28 65 81 91 contact@tgims.com www.tgims.com

T RACTORS

Navis understands that as ships get larger and operational processes become more complex - efficiency, collaboration and productivity are essential. As a trusted technology partner, Navis offers the tools and personnel necessary to meet the requirements of a new, and ever-evolving, global supply chain. World Headquarters 55 Harrison Street Suite 600 Oakland CA 94607 United States Tel: +1 510 267 5000 Fax:+1 510 267 5100 Web: www.navis.com

Solvo Europe B.V.

T ERMINAL OPERATIONS SYSTEMS

S PREADERS

ELME Spreader AB ELME Spreader, world’s leading independent spreader manufacturer supports companies worldwide with container handling solutions that makes work easier and more profitable. Over 21,000 spreaders have been attached to lift trucks, reach stackers, straddle carriers and cranes. Stalgatan 6 , PO Box 174 SE 343 22, Almhult, Sweden Tel: +46 47655800 Fax: +46 476 55899 sales@elme.com www.elme.com

The Brain of Logistics With more than 30 years experience in IT Solutions and Business Operation Consultancy DSP offers a large portfolio of professional services and products to support terminal operations processes and system. DSP Data and System Planning SA Via Cantonale 38 6928 Manno, Switzerland Tel: +41 91 230 27 20 Fax: +41 91 230 27 31 info@dspservices.ch www.dspservices.ch

T ERMINAL OPERATIONS SYSTEMS

Hammar Maskin AB is developing, manufacturing and marketing Sideloaders, also known as Sidelifters, Swinglifters or Self loading trailers, under the brand name HAMMAR™. Buagärde 36, Olsfors 517 95 Sweden Tel: +46-33 29 00 00 Fax: +46-33 29 00 01 info@hammar.eu www.hammar.eu

T ERMINAL OPERATIONS SYSTEMS

S IDELIFTER/SIDELOADER

Hammar Maskin AB

MAFI Transport-Systeme GmbH Specialised in the development and production of heavy-duty equipment for transporting containers, semi-trailers, cargo/roll trailers and special container chassis in ports and industry.

Tideworks Technology provides comprehensive terminal operating system solutions for marine and intermodal terminal operations worldwide. Tideworks works at every step of terminal operations to maximize productivity and customer service. info@tideworks.com +1 206 382 4470 www.tideworks.com

Hochhäuser Str 18 97941 Tauberbischofsheim, Germany Tel: +49 9341 8990 sales@mafi.de www.mafi.de

.R TVMRX WMRGI 5SVX XVEXIK] QEKE^MRI TVSZMHIW OI] MRWMKLXW MRXS XLI MWWYIW ERH HIZIPSTQIRXW EǺIGXMRK XLI TSVX STIVEXMSRW and port maintenance industries.

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POSTSCRIPT LEARNING THE LESSONS OF COVID-19

‘‘

COVID-19: Does a combination of self-containment and rigorous lockdown arrangements work?

The idea of self-confinement as a barrier to halting the advance of COVID-19 is a difficult one to sustain. Australia of course has been a great proponent of this system but now there appears to be something of a U-turn underway, underpinned by the reality on the one hand that the system is not flawless and on the other that you cannot close a country’s doors forever. There are also what can be termed as “side effects” to take into account – if you do manage to keep the virus out through shutting up shop, allowing only minimal international travel etc. then are you doing the best thing as regards preparing your nation to cope with the vaccine? It is a widely accepted view that we will have to live with COVID-19 for some time yet, albeit that the roll-out of vaccines will, step-bystep, give us more freedom. One of the so-called side effects that can be seen in Australia is a cynicism about taking the vaccine, especially AstraZeneca. To a significant extent this was promoted by the nation’s bureaucrats originally stating that AstraZeneca should only be taken by those over 60 due to the risk of blood clotting in younger people. With this in mind, many people thought, with the lockdowns having the desired effect and containing the virus, what was the point in taking the risk of having a vaccine? The advice on AstraZeneca, meant to be a central part of the country’s vaccination programme, was, however, changed – it was deemed fit for all adults but the initial caution expressed by government also led to many preferring an alternative vaccine and these were not readily available. By comparison to other mature economies vaccine roll out in Australia has been slow. There is also a big economic price to pay for self-containment – Australia has moved from a projected budget surplus in 2019 to debt approaching $1 trillion. Further, this scenario has not fully played out yet, Josh Frydenberg, Treasurer, Federal Government, only recently acknowledged that a wide variety of enterprises are on the brink of closing. Two other not insignificant factors are backlash and mental health. Australia’s east coast in particular has been the scene of serious protests against ongoing lockdowns – as many as 70 different protests. Mental illness is cited as a relevant factor across all age groups but particularly among teenagers unable to have face to face contact with their friends and fellow pupils at school or college. Last but not least, while Australia may have positioned itself as a COVID-19 fortress its population is not immune to the fact that while many of them remain in lockdown other parts of the world – the UK for example – are moving in the opposite direction and progressively opening up. This reality is building resentment in the general population. DOES IT WORK? Bottom line, there is also the fundamental question of does a combination of self-containment and rigorous lockdown arrangements work? Well, it did until the Delta variant arrived in mid-June reportedly via an

52 | OCTOBER 2021

8 A lack of will on the part of politicians to apply risk management measures can be identified as an impediment to coping with COVID-19

American flight crew. Since then its impact has been escalating not reducing. Early in September the country’s COVID-19 cases reached the 1900 mark for the first time with the key cities of Sydney and Melbourne particularly badly impacted. Against this background, Scott Morrison, Prime Minister, Australia has shifted from a policy of isolation and lockdowns to countenancing the reality of living alongside the virus. The thinking now is that lockdowns can be eased once vaccination rates are in the order of 70 – 80%. The trouble is, however, that while this may be the federal government’s position it is not that of state governments such as Tasmania, Queensland, South and Western Australia. The original strategy of isolation and lockdowns continues to work for them and they basically have the power to keep this approach in place. What is thus emerging, as described by some observers, is a country divided in its approach about how to deal with COVID-19. So what does this tell us? First, it has to be acknowledged that for over a year or so Australia’s policy of self-containment and lock-downs was largely successful in terms of repressing the influence of COVID-19. The ability of the virus to appear in diﬀerent forms, and specifically the Delta version, has, however, highlighted the fact that these courses of action do not oﬀer an enduring solution. It is also a strategy that comes with quite a heavy economic price and increasingly a social one too. Last but not least, it can be interpreted as an easy course of action politically – a safe bet or at least it was in the early days. This, in turn, signposts a cautious politically driven approach to risk management. Fundamentally, however, the Australian experience signposts the fact that the only really viable approach is to learn to live with the virus. As Morrison said recently, “just like you would the flu.” This is the only realistic path to free-flowing trade, international commerce and maximising business through face-to-face contact.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.portstrategy.com/news101

Multimodal 2021 celebrates 14 years of placing shippers, retailers, wholesalers, importers and exporters in front of exhibitors who offer the latest logistics and supply chain solutions

NEW DATES

9029

o hn

Attendees in 2019

tio

had a logistics spend of over £10M p/a

32%

Shippers / manufacturers /retailers

13%

inar Sem mme gra pro

49%

in Procurement

with spend of £5-£10M p/a

33%

Chairman / CEO / MD level

VIP matching programme

Eur o con pean tact s

20%

New attractions for 2021: • • • •

Match-making service to connect exhibitors with shippers Careers focus on day 3 to address the skills gap, recruitment, re/upskilling and education BIFA Freight Forwarders’ Village offering pod exhibiting opportunities from just £950 Seminar sessions focusing on Sustainable logistics - how tech innovation, modal shift, and people power are shaping resilient supply chains

Registration is Open register free at multimodal.org.uk

Contact us now for exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities www.multimodal.org.uk | +44 (0)20 7384 7760 | multimodal@clarionevents.com

SEPT 10:00-11:00 BST ȠǼȠ1

COASTLINK live BUILDING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SHORT SEA SHIPPING & INTERMODAL NETWORKS

Coastlink Live 2021 Short Sea Feeder Shipping: Navigating through road-freight supply chain challenges. ėěŷ ŷäŷŷěńĸ Ƴěīī ÙěŷÎƙŷŷ Ɗėä Åäĸäÿ Ɗŷ Ɗń ĴńƲěĸČ ûŲäěČėƊ ÎīńŷäŲ Ɗń Ɗėä ÿ ĸ°ī ÙäŷƊěĸ°Ɗěńĸ Åƺ ŷä°× °īīäƲě°ƊěĸČ ŝŲäŷŷƙŲä ńĸ īńĸČĚė°ƙī Ųń°Ù ûŲäěČėƊ °ĸÙ ěĸÙƙŷƊŲƺ ƳěÙä ÙŲěƲäŲ ŷėńŲƊ°ČäŷŢ Xä°Ųĸ ûŲńĴ Ɗėä ŝ°ĸäī ńû äƹŝäŲƊŷ ėńƳ ŷėńŲƊ ŷä° ûääÙäŲ ŷäŲƲěÎäŷ Î°ĸ ěĸÎŲä°ŷä Ɗėä äý ÎěäĸÎƺ ńû ƺńƙŲ ŷƙŝŝīƺ Îė°ěĸŢ

Speaker line-up

4 Justin Atkin Welcome Address Port Representative UK & Ireland, Port of Antwerp

Register today! Register now for the free to attend d session on Thursday 30 September mber 2021 10:00-11:00 BST. Visit coastlink.co.uk to register.

4 Nick Lambert Chair/Moderator – Co-Founder & Director NLA International

4 Richard Newton Commercial Director Logistics Port of Tyne

4 John Lucy Head of International Transport Road Haulage Association Ltd

Sponsor:

4 David Cook

Group Logistics Manager TATA Consumer Products

For more information on attending, visit coastlink.co.uk, contact the events team on +44 1329 825335 or email info@coastlink.co.uk

#Coastlink

Organised by: