Iridium Delivers Smallest Voice & Data Module
Partners Integrate the Iridium Core 9523 Into Advanced Smart Devices To Provide Connectivity Everywhere On The Planet. Iridium Communications Inc. announces the commercial availability of the Iridium Core 9523 transceiver. The Iridium Core 9523 further emphasizes the company’s Iridium ForceSM vision of bringing vital building blocks to partners who develop innovative, portable communications devices. 26 Iridium development partners, including FLYHT, SkyTrac Systems and Fastwave Communications…
Rotterdam Cargo Traffic Surges
In the first half of 2004, 177 million tonnes of cargo was transhipped in the port of Rotterdam, 8 percent more than the first half of 2003. Outgoing trade increased more noticeably than incoming trade (6.7% and 11.6% respectively) and general cargo grew almost twice as fast (12%) as bulk cargo. Only the amount of coal handled was down (2%) on the first half of last year. The other categories of goods grew: agribulk (+10.6%), ores and scrap (+7.6%), other dry bulk (+6.6%), crude oil (+5.3%), mineral oil products (+13.2%), other liquid bulk (+5.6%), roro (+5.5%), containers (+13.3%) and other general cargo (+7.8%). In numbers, container throughput increased by 12% to 4 million TEU (20-foot units). The prospects for throughput in the second half of the year are good.
Rotterdam Port Growth Continues
In 2005, 369 million tonnes of cargo passed through the port of Rotterdam, almost 5% more than in 2004 and a new record. The volume of cargo leaving the port grew faster than that of cargo coming in, with 9% and 3% respectively, with general cargo enjoying 7% growth – almost twice the growth of bulk cargo. Ores and scrap metals (-5%), crude oil (-1%) roll on /roll off (-9%) and other general cargo (-3%) arrived and left in smaller volumes. However, handling of agri-bulk (+1%), coal (+7%), other dry bulk (+4%), other wet bulk (+4%), mineral oil products (+27%) and containers (+10%) showed very positive figures. In numbers, container movements increased by more than 12% to 9.3 million TEU (container units of 20 feet).
Port of Rotterdam Records Strong Growth
Throughput figures for the port of Rotterdam continue to show strong growth. In the first 9 months of this year, 277 million tonnes of cargo were handled, 4% more than in the same period of 2004. Growth is above the prognosis for this year as well as the expectations for the longer term, of 2–3 %. Container handling is doing even better with +14%. In weight, container handling went up from 61 million tonnes in 2004 to 68 million tonnes (+12%).Expressed in TEU (container units of 20 foot), this equals 6.9 million, a plus of 14% or 800,000 TEU. The relative large difference between TEU’s and tonnes, indicates that the number of empties rose with over twenty percent.
