Container Management In-depth articles on a wide range of topics in global port and terminal development

In response to previous widely quoted reports that the rejection of the environmental impact assessment for berths 203, 204 and 205 on Durban Container Terminal’s North Quay had resulted in the deepening project being halted, South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority has issued a statement “which clarifies that the EIA approval it sought for the deepening, lengthening and widening of berths 203 to 205 was not rejected by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).” Read More »

An additional new direct rail link is to be started between the ports of Kiel and Duisburg from February, with a block train operating three times a week in both directions. Read More »

Next year (2014) will see the continuation of the key trends affecting the industry today, according to Tan Chong Meng, Group CEO of PSA International, who cites weak demand growth coupled with oversupply of shipping capacity, as well as the sharp increase in the number of mega vessels and increased complexity due to alliances among shipping lines, as the main causes. Read More »

Coinciding with the release of its provisional throughput figures for 2013, in which a decline was experienced in both container tonnage (-3.1%, 122m) and teu numbers (-1.7%), the Port of Rotterdam Authority has signed an agreement for the construction of a jetty and the 5,000 sq. m expansion of the site occupied by RBC Holding for the storage and handling of containers with hazardous substances. Read More »

The latest update of global freight data through to September 2013, collected by the International Transport Forum at the OECD, reinforces the observation of a shift of economic mass towards emerging economies. Read More »

Larger vessels are starting to enter the West Africa trade as ports race to upgrade their facilities. Earlier this month APM Terminals’ West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne (Port Harcourt), Nigeria successfully accommodated a trial call by Maersk Line’s weekly Far East-West Africa (FEW2) service. Read More »

Shippers in Africa, Asia, the Indian sub-continent and South America are calling for urgent action on unsubstantiated shipping charges and surcharges, according to the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF). Read More »

European freight railcar leasing company, AAE Group, is investing in 300 container wagons that are lighter and less expensive than conventional units but can transport more containers per train. Read More »

Sharjah-based port management and logistics company Gulftainer has unveiled its vision for the future, which includes the aim of operating 35 container terminals across five continents handling an annual total of 18m teu, three times its current 6m teu capacity, by the year 2020. Read More »