Tanjung Priok super port - WorldCargo News Online

PORT DEVELOPMENT
Antwerp looks to take a left turn
Along with other ports in the Hamburg-Le
Havre range, Antwerp’s
2012 performance was relatively
stable, with a total of 184 Mt handled (-
1.6%). Container traffic was off by 0.3%
to 8.64M TEU, although containerised
tonnage fell by 1% to 104 Mt. This 1:12
TEU/tonnage underscores the port’s continuing
“cargo generation” role relative
to other leading North Continent ports.
The 1Q/2013 results appear satisfactory,
but show some alarming trends. Total
throughput was up by 1.4% to 47 Mt,
with liquid bulk traffic up by 37.4% to
14.21 Mt, a port record. However, dry
bulk throughput fell by 33.2% to 3.56 Mt,
with coal traffic plunging by 69% to
536,000t and iron ore tonnage down by
12.4% to 581,600t. In unit and tonnage
terms, container traffic fell respectively by
3% to 2.13M TEU and by 5.7% to 25.46
Mt, resulting in a weaker TEU/tonnage
ratio of 1:11.9. This points to ongoing
weakness of the European economy.
Land bank
Antwerp has a significant land bank, occupying
around 1070-ha on the left bank
of the Schelde, where the existing enclosed
docks are relatively underutilised
and in some cases, such as the Doeldok
and Verrebroekdok, uncompleted. A key
reason is that access is dependent on just
one lock, the Kallo Lock. The construction
of a second lock access could transform
the prospects for the Left Bank.
Arguably this new access should have
followed on from the construction of the
Deurganckdok, and cut into the end wall
of this tidal dock, where PSA occupies
one side and DP World Antwerp Gateway
the other. At the time, however, the
port was anxious to expand its container
handling capacity due to rapidly increasing
demand. Although a lock at the end
of the dock was included in the plans,
the finance, estimated at €340M lock, was
not in place and was not actively sought.
Subsequently the European Investment
Bank stepped in with a 50% soft loan, with
the remainder split between the City of
Antwerp, the Flanders region and the Belgian
national government. Measuring
500m x 68m and with a sill depth of 17.8m,
the new lock is claimed to be the largest in
the world. More importantly, it will take
pressure of the Kallo Lock.
As the Kallo Lock is working at full
capacity even though some of the port
zones it gives access to are underutilised,
it follows that overall utilisation levels cannot
increase unless and until alternative
access is provided. The port forecasts that
Left Bank tonnage throughput could increase
from 16 Mt in 2011 to around 25
Mtpa by 2020 due to the new lock. It is
scheduled for completion by 2016 and,
because of its location, will offer easier
and quicker access to the docks.
Ambitious plans
The port has ambitious plans for the
1070-ha Saeftinghe Development Area to
the north of the existing port. The definitive
allocation of land for maritime,
industrial or logistics activities will be
decided later, but other investments are
already agreed. These include the Schijns
and Waasland logistics parks, new rail infrastructure
including the Liefkenshoek
rail tunnel under the Schelde, which will
link directly to the main marshalling area
on the Right Bank. It is also proposed to
develop a 60-ha logistics site at the
Verrebroekdok, which will be extended.
The port has not “given up” on the
tidal Saeftinghedok, which would be sited
parallel with the Deurganckdok, but there
is no definite time frame. The development
has run into serious environmental
objections, particularly as the Deurganckdok
is underutilised. As reported on
worldcargonews.com in March, the port has
fined Antwerp Gateway and PSA a total
of €13.48M because they are short of the
tonnage commitments in their respective
concession agreements signed in 2003.
This was the first penalty charge levied
in five years and, in theory, they could
have been fined a total of €67M.
In-house expansion
Expansion is currently under way on the
Left Bank without port master planning.
Antwerp Euroterminal, a joint venture of
Grimaldi and Mexiconatie, is lengthening
the quay length beyond 1600m.
The terminal is a hub for both
Grimaldi’s north-south traffic and the
transatlantic service of it affiliate ACL, and
it also caters for Finnlines’ busy Antwerp
service. The quay extension will make it
easier to accommodate ACL’s five ‘G4’
con-ro newbuildings, due in 2015.
Opposite Antwerp Euroterminal in
the Vrasenedok, EuroFruitPorts, the new
multi-purpose refrigerated fruit terminal,
recently completed its cold store facilities
on schedule, occupying 13,600 m 2 .
As previously reported, EuroFruitPorts is
a joint venture of Euroports Group and
2006
HybriLift ®
Testing and Development
2008
200 HybriLift ® into
Production and Operation
2010
120 HybriLift ® into
Production and Operation
2011
160 HybriLift ® into
Production and Operation
2012
Brand new 90 HybriLift ® is
Launched and in Operation
Marseille-based importer and trader
Compagnie Fruitière. Construction began
last September and the facility handled
its first vessel in January.
The site occupies 38,700 m 2 and is adjacent
to the original Westerlund timber
terminal (also Euroports.) On build-out it
will also provide two 8100 m 2 dry cargo
warehouses, a 17,500 m 2 CY with 500
reefer plugs and reefer repair facilities. ❏
View of the new lock construction, showing
the PSA office (white building) and Doeldok
at the top and Deurganckdok on the right.
Subsequent dredging of Deurganckdok will
enable the terminals there to be extended. The
road will go over a lift bridge
WorldCargo
news
MANTSINEN HybriLift ®
Increases
Energy Efficiency
by up to
Coal Handling
Capacity
even more
than 1000 t/h
MANTSINEN HybriLift ® lifts your efficiency to the next level with hydraulic precision
www.mantsinen.com
35%
May 2013 41