Santos Port Sets Productivity Record
Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP), began the New Year with the establishment of two new productivity records. On February 10th while working the 6328 TEU capacity MSC Geneva, 206 moves per hour (MPH) were achieved while handling 1,980 containers, representing 44 crane moves per hour (MPH), surpassing the previous record of 35 crane MPH set in January. A joint venture between APM Terminals and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), BTP began operations in November 2013, and handled 1.14 million TEUs in 2015, growing its volume by 35% over 2014 levels in its first full-year of operation, to become the largest container terminal at the Port of Santos. Santos is South America’s busiest container port, with over 3.7 million TEUs handled in 2015.
Reederei NSB Widens Panamax-class Container Vessels
In an unprecedented endeavour, the ship manager Reederei NSB is widening its Panamax-class container vessels. DNV GL, the class in charge, is on board, says a report in DNV GL, Maritime Impact. Too young for scrapping, too old to compete: Roughly 500 Panamax-class container ships are currently less than ten years old, barely half their useful life. But facing overcapacities, low charter rates and ierce competition, the Panamax class is under intense pressure. Compared with state-of-the-art and much more capacious newbuildings, its prospects are dim. This is mainly due to the way these vessels were designed. To pass the old locks of the Panama Canal, they were built with unusual dimensions – long and thin and with a large amount of ballast water to compensate the poor stability.
MSC Geneva Gets Fatter
A revolutionary new option to scrapping for younger panamax containerships deemed too small for a tradelane involves widening the vessel rather than adding length. The enlargement operation of MSC Geneva was held at the Chinese shipyard Huarun Dadong (HRDD). The ship was cut in half, lengthwise, and he was added to a central section three rows of containers. It included transverse beams to ensure the structural integrity of the hull hence the structure was further strengthened. As a result, the width of the MSC Geneva went from 32.2 to 40 meters and its carrying capacity increased by 1280 slots for 6152 TEU. Of course, the tonnage also increased. . The ship’s deadweight consequently increased to 82,000 tonnes from 63,638 tonnes.
Lukoil Supplies Lubricants for MSC Oscar
With the launch of MSC Oscar, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) sets a new record in terms of TEU capacity; at 19,224 TEU, the vessel is largest containership ever built.The ship was officially inaugurated at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) Shipyard in South Korea on January 8, 2015 and will service trade routes between Asia and Europe. According to Lukoil Marine, who supplies lubricants to more than 100 vessels in the MSC fleet, MSC Oscar’s size isn’t its only impressive aspect.
MSC Announces Promotions
Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc. has announced key executive promotions that go into effect January 1, 2006. Claudio Bozzo has been named president and chief operating officer; Allen Clifford will now serve as executive vice president, Commercial; Robert Milazzo is promoted to executive vice president, Intermodal and Equipment Control; Giancarlo Morgera has been named senior vice president, Liner Services; Christopher J. Parvin is now vice president Marine Operations; and Fabio Catassi is promoted to president and chief operating officer of Interlink Technologies, the IT subsidiary company of MSC (USA) Inc. Nicola Arena remains with MSC (USA) as its newly named chairman as well as chief executive officer of MSC (USA) Inc. and its subsidiary Interlink.