Weekly Container Service News

Samskip has responded to growing demand for its recently launched weekly container service between Dublin and Amsterdam by introducing a larger, faster ship and adding a call at Port of Waterford. The expansion comes less than five months after the debut of Amsterdam as a service separate from Samskip’s Rotterdam-Ireland links. “We have experienced strong uptake for the direct route into Amsterdam’s network of rail, road and barge connections to major EU markets,” said Thijs Goumans, Head of Ireland Trade, Samskip.

The European Union (EU) has signed its largest-ever free trade agreement. This aims to boost the economies of the EU and Japan. For instance, the deal will reduce Customs duties and other trade obstacles, stimulate growth and create new jobs.After checking the legal formulation of the text and translation, the agreement will be submitted to the European Parliament and EU member states for approval. Ideally, the pact, which has been in preparation since 2013, can come into force before the European elections in 2019. How could it make itself felt in the Port of Hamburg? How has foreign trade with Japan previously developed?According to the European Commission, at the end of 2017 EU exports to Japan were expected to climb by between 16 and 24 percent.

Year-over-year total cargo tonnage at Port Saint John, Eastern Canada’s largest port by volume, increased by over 4 million metric tonnes in 2017. Overall cargo tonnage handled for the year 2017 was 30,458,422 metric tonnes, a 15% increase over 2016. All cargo sectors, aside from the anticipated exception of containers, experienced significant gains in 2017. Additionally, the loss experienced in containerized cargo was lessened due the introduction of a new weekly container service by CMA CGM in 2017. This second global container service joined MSC who have been calling Port Saint John on a weekly basis since 2012. “Our significant increase in tonnage for 2017 is attributable to the success of our stakeholders in the bulk sectors (dry…

France-based CMA CGM today announced a new direct weekly container service to Asia from the Port of New Orleans Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. Part of the company’s PEX3 service, the inaugural vessel is scheduled to arrive on January 31 for service by terminal operator Ports America. “CMA CGM is proud to be expanding our presence in New Orleans, further showing our commitment to the Gulf region, and Louisiana specifically. We look forward to continued growth in the region, and are pleased to be contributing to the evolution and development of this vital hub. In the U.S., the Group now offers a global coverage with 23 services in and out of North America to over 150 countries around the world,” said Marc Bourdon, CMA CGM America LLC President.

Terex Port Solutions (TPS) delivered a Terex Liftace 5-31 reach stacker to the north-east England based terminal, Port of Blyth, UK. The machine became operational at the south harbour of the North Sea port in December 2015. The cost effective, service friendly and ergonomic reach stacker will operate the twice weekly container service and stack yard. The machine will also be used for client port training purposes. With a wheelbase of 6,200 mm, the Terex Liftace 5-31 reach stacker offers a maximum load capacity of 45 t in the first container row and 31 t in the second container row. It features travel speeds up to 25 km/h and a maximum lifting speed of 0.45 m/s. The engine of the Liftace 5-31 reach stacker conforms to the EU Stage IV (EPA Tier 4 final) emission standard.

Slovenia's Luka Koper port welcomed its largest container ship to date, as the 367 metre Gerda Maersk moored on Tuesday, just weeks after completing a long-awaited deepening of its seabed to allow larger ships to dock. The Gerda Maersk weighing 10,150 TEU - berthed there on Tuesday after another container ship - of China’s Alliance Ocean 3 - weighing 5,668 TEU, arrived in the port two days ago. Koper is currently the largest container port in the northern Adriatic. "Both alliances chose Koper for the first Adriatic port in their route, which is of utmost importance for partners in need of short transit times for their cargo travelling between Asia and Europe," Luka Koper said. Vessels of the third new container service - of Taiwan-based Evergreens - are also expected to arrive in Koper.

OT Africa Line (OTAL ) is to move its port operations in Amsterdam from the Ceres Amsterdam Marine Terminal to the USA Terminal, a new deep sea terminal and multimodal distribution center operated by United Stevedores Amsterdam (USA). As of September 2002, OTAL vessels will call at the USA Terminal, which is located in the Amerikahaven within Amsterdam Westpoort. Vessels on both OTAL's weekly container service and weekly RoRo service will call at the USA Terminal every seven days en route to West Africa. The first OTAL vessel to call will be Rokia (337) on September 2,2002.

OT Africa Line (OTAL) announced some changes to its North Europe – West Africa services. These take into account various factors including a slight downturn in overall trade volumes, civil unrest in certain countries and improved availability of roll-on, roll-off multi-purpose tonnage. OTAL’s RoRo service is resuming its nine day frequency utilising six vessels on a 45-day round-trip schedule. This has been made possible by the return to the service of Rokia Delmas and Rosa Delmas. Both ships have recently been employed in support of the military action in Iraq and during their absence, the service was reduced to an eleven-day frequency utilizing three RoRo vessels.