Marine terminals

Port productivity data from JOC Group Inc. for 2013 demonstrate that terminal operators around the world are taking quite seriously the challenge they face to service vessels in port as quickly and efficiently as possible in this era of mega-ships.

Global Terminal unveiled its new semi-automated facility with a celebration capped by a demonstration of rail-mounted gantry cranes that moved 20-foot containers with ballet-like synchronization.

The Port of New York and New Jersey's Port Newark Container Terminal is undergoing a major expansion that includes super-post-Panamax cranes, a jump in container lift capacity, double intermodal railyard capacity, and a 300-acre footprint.

A barge-mounted device that captures more than 94 percent of harmful emissions from vessels at berth, at a lower cost than operating the vessels from shore-side electrical power, was demonstrated last week at the Port of Long Beach.

APM Terminals disputes suggestions that sister carrier Maersk Line benefits from lower terminal handling costs because of the companies’ common ownership by Maersk Group.

James J. Devine, president and CEO of GCT USA, parent company of Global Terminal and New York Container Terminal, will retire June 30.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, India’s largest port infrastructure developer, reported its net income surged 13 percent in fiscal year 2013-14, which ended March 31, 2014

APM Terminals is to expand capacity at its container terminal in Georgia’s Poti Sea Port by nearly 70 percent to keep pace with rapid traffic growth in the Black Sea region and to accommodate larger vessels.

APM Terminals boosted first quarter operating profit to $215 million from $166 million a year ago as it added new terminals to a worldwide portfolio that is increasingly focused on growth markets.

Resurgent cargo flows on the Far East-Europe trade boosted HHLA’s first quarter earnings, but the rise of ocean carrier alliances is among the “fundamental uncertainties” clouding the rest of the year, Hamburg’s biggest container handler cautioned.

Heavy congestion at the Manila flagship of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) had no obvious impact on its first quarter results with the Philippine-based port operator’s net income growing by 29 percent to $52.4 million.

PSA International, through its wholly-owned subsidiary PSA Bharat Investments, signed a concession agreement with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust for the construction of a fourth container terminal at India’s largest box gateway.

Maher Terminals has failed to convince a Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey violated the Shipping Act by granting a more favorable lease to competitor APM Terminals.

Port Newark Container Terminal in May will take delivery of three super-post-Panamax cranes that will span 22 rows of containers, have capacity to lift 65 tons, and handle ships with capacities up to 14,000 20-foot-equivalent units.

PierPass Inc. announced today that over the coming year President and CEO Bruce Wargo will transition to the position of chairman, and a search will be conducted for a new president.

Stronger global trade growth and new capacity in the United Kingdom and Brazil boosted DP World’s traffic by 11.6 percent in the first quarter.

Gujarat Pipavav Port, an APM Terminals facility on India’s west coast, has scaled back its capacity expansion program for fiscal year 2014-15 in the wake of weakening trade demand.

The clock on Rich Ceci’s desk reads 00:00, and the project manager of Global Terminal’s expansion said it signifies a milestone met.

The competitive advantage of ports will be their ability to improve productivity and service levels as larger vessels call more often and increase container handling volume per port visit, according to Mika Mahlberg, vice president of Konecranes’ port cranes business unit.

Hongkong International Terminals (HIT) said port operators, contractors and workers — who have reached a settlement in wage negotiations that will give dockworkers a potential increase of 10.1 percent — were “all in the same boat” and would have to work together if the port was to remain competitive.

A consortium of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. and Kamigumi Co. has acquired a 25 percent stake in Spanish container terminal operator TCV Stevedoring Company S.A. (TCV), Mitsubishi said today.

Maersk Group signed an agreement with China Shipping paving the way for negotiations on further collaboration on new container terminal projects and the establishment of joint ventures with its port arm, APM Terminals.

HHLA, the port of Hamburg’s largest container handler, warned the crisis in Ukraine threatens to slow its important Russian feeder traffic and impact this year’s financial performance.

DP World posted a 10.9 percent increase in net profit in 2013 as it focused on fast-growing emerging markets, but revenue and container volume declined on capacity constraints, asset disposals and tough market conditions.

Global terminal operator DP World on March 5 broke ground on its second container terminal at the Port of Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), India’s largest box gateway.

Michael DiVirgilio, senior vice president, development, of Ceres Terminals, is set to retire on April 1 after several years at the terminal operator.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Ed DeNike has little confidence in drayage appointment systems at container terminals but says SSA Containers has speeded the flow of containers by sorting them for truckers to pick up as a block instead of one by one.

APM Terminals has formed a 50-50 joint venture with infrastructure investor Brookfield Asset Management for ownership of APMT’s Port Elizabeth, N.J., container terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Eurogate, Europe’s largest container stevedore, last year handled more than 14 million standard containers for the first time since the global recession in 2008, as a strong performance by its Mediterranean terminals outweighed a decline in its domestic German market.

HHLA boosted its share of ocean container traffic in the Hamburg-Le Havre range in 2013 and posted a significant growth in rail and road traffic to the European hinterland.

After more than five years of inertia in the marine terminal business, the industry is beginning to churn. Some investors who spent billions of dollars in the mid-2000s to buy into container terminals want out, while others see this as a good time to invest in the industry.

DP World handled nearly 55 million TEUs at its global terminals in 2013, down 1.9 percent from the previous year’s 56.1 million TEUs, due to the sale of a facility in Hong Kong.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, India’s largest private port infrastructure developer, reported its consolidated net profit in the third quarter of fiscal year 2013-14 was $72 million, surging 25 percent year-over-year from $58 million.

PSA International said container throughput at its global facilities in 2013 expanded 2.9 percent year-over-year to nearly 62 million TEUs.

Carrix Inc. is boosting its financial strength and positioning its SSA Marine subsidiary to react quickly to opportunities for container terminal, bulk terminal and rail facility expansion in North America and overseas.

New bridges, marine terminals and channel deepening get the headlines, but the key to ports’ success may lie in more mundane details such as better information flow and reduced delays for trucks.

Russia’s Global Ports has completed the $1.6 billion acquisition of its domestic rival NCC to create Eastern Europe’s biggest container terminal operator.

Marine terminals efficiently handle the majority of trucks that call at their facilities each day, but they continue to struggle with the problem cases where some truckers wait in line for two hours or longer.