World’s Biggest Container Ships Return to Felixstowe

The Port of Felixstowe has been included for the first time on the schedule for Maersk Line’s AE7 Asia – Europe service. The first vessel of the service, the Gjertrude Maersk, called at 9.30pm local time on Wednesday 13th January 2010. The 7,929 TEU Gjertrude Maersk shares the AE7 service with the world’s largest container vessels, the Emma Maersk and Estelle Maersk, which have already made numerous calls to the Port of Felixstowe whilst serving on other routes over the past 3 years. David Gledhill, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports UK Ltd, which owns the Port of Felixstowe commented: “The inclusion of the Port of Felixstowe on the AE7 schedule is a great vote of confidence for the port, and strengthens our existing relationship with a very important customer. Felixstowe is unique as the only UK port that can accommodate the world’s largest container ships. We already have a capacity and capability that no other port in the UK, existing or planned, will be able to match.” The port is not resting on its laurels however, and is already investing in the next phase of capacity, as Mr Gledhill explained: “The Felixstowe South development is the only additional capacity fully committed and under construction in the UK capable of handling even larger vessels. Together with our other assets which include the UK’s busiest intermodal rail terminal, a range of coastal feeder services, a flexible workforce and a commitment to service delivery, Felixstowe can offer importers and exporters a choice of transport solutions that are unparalleled and will remain so in the future.” As well as Felixstowe, the AE7 service will call at: Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Algerciras, Salalah, Yantian, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Shanghai.

PLA announced London Gateway pre-dredging survey

The Port of London Authority (PLA) in the UK has issued a Notice to Mariners regarding a pre-dredging survey which is to be carried out prior to the dredging campaign for the London Gateway project.
In the Notice, Number L2 2010, the PLA said:
"The dredging of a deepwater navigational channel between Shellhaven and the Sunk, a manoeuvring area and berth pockets together with the reclamation for the new port located at the former Shellhaven Refinery site."
"On or about 18th January 2010 pre dredging survey work will commence between Shellhaven and the Oaze Deep. This work is expected to take about two weeks."
"During March 2010 the main construction works are planned to commence and are expected to take four years to complete. Initial dredging works which will take place between Shellhaven and Canvey Island will involve the deployment of a cutter dredger and a suction hopper dredger. During this period survey work along route will also be undertaken. As work progresses dredging and survey work will be extended to include the complete route Oaze deep, Knock John and Black deep channels to the Sunk."

http://www.sandandgravel.com/news/article.asp?v1=12447

Gateway gears up for initial dredging work

Sorry I missed the full story on this. As I've said before if anyone want to buy me access to the full Lloyds list site I'd appreciate it.

PRE-dredging survey work will begin next week on DP World’s stalled £1.5bn ($2.5bn) London Gateway project to construct a 3.5m teu final phase container terminal and logistics park 25 miles from the UK capital.

DP World greenlights London Gateway construction

DP World has purchased the remaining land it needed to develop its London Gateway container terminal and logistics park.
In a Dubai stock exchange announcement, the Dubai World-owned terminal operator said it had purchased the 400ha of land and Shell’s remaining interests in the project for around US$220m, and said it would proceed with initial work on the site.
“The board of DP World Limited has reviewed a number of options for the London Gateway project in light of the current market downturn and is pleased to announce it has decided to proceed with construction of essential infrastructure that lays the foundation of the facility.
“DP World will continue to review the development of the port and park operations in line with market demand.”
The announcement coincided with a visit to site by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and secretary of state for business Peter Mandelson, where they were welcomed by DP World chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.
Gordon Brown said: "The London Gateway is a significant foreign investment into the UK. It is a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s economic recovery and in this region.
“I am delighted with the decision to locate this world-class project here in the UK. It will help bring the largest deepsea vessels here and improve the efficiency of the UK’s freight distribution, creating thousands of jobs, future growth and economic prosperity.”
Mandelson added: “London Gateway will mean the creation of 36,000 direct and indirect jobs. This project sends a message to companies worldwide that the UK is the number one place in Europe to invest. It is an excellent example of the long-term investment that the UK is looking for.
“Developing our infrastructure will underpin the steps the government is already taking to stimulate the economy, and will lay the foundations for further advances in the future."
Bin Sulayem further explained: “By starting the major elements of construction, we ensure maximum flexibility to develop the project efficiently in line with market demand.”
When complete, the £1.5bn ($2.4bn) container terminal will have a 3.5m teu capacity, while the distribution and logistics park will be Europe’s largest with a total footprint of 860ha

http://www.ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/indexarticle.htm?artid=20017733963

Rotterdam volumes down 8.5% last year

Provisional figures from the Port of Rotterdam Authority show that container volumes fell by 6% last year compared to 2008, while ro-ro traffic was down 11%.
The port’s overall volumes fell 8.5% year-on-year to 385m tonnes, but CEO Hans Smits said given the overall circumstances, he was not dissatisfied and hoped volumes would increase this year.
“After hitting rock bottom in the second quarter, throughput has been improving slightly every month and virtually all the investments are going ahead," he said.
“Moreover, Rotterdam is doing better than its main rivals. But I am not unconcerned. Many of our clients are having a difficult time and that will not be much different in 2010.
“The best medicine for this is growth, partly through an increase in our market shares. We therefore intend to continue with our active commercial policy.
“As a result of this, among other things, I hope that we will be able to break through the 400m tonne barrier again next year. That means growth in throughput considerably over 3%.”
The port’s container tonnage for the year remained just above 100m tonnes, but as fewer empty containers were handled, units declined by 10% to 9.8m teu.
The port said: “Container traffic within Europe, mainly to the major destinations such as England, Ireland and Spain, was hit quite hard. The services to North and South America are sharing in the malaise. The Baltic trade, mostly involving feeder traffic linked to the Asia services, is really flourishing.”
The port said its ro-ro volumes were primarily hit by the decline in the UK market.
It said: “The crisis, which hit [Britain] early and hard, has not led to an earlier onset of recovery. This is further hampered by the value of the pound in relation to the euro.
“England and the Rotterdam services are focused very much on imports. In addition to the imbalance, the North Sea is characterised by the fierce competition between ferry services and with the container services and the Channel Tunnel.
“In the slightly longer term, the investments related to the Olympic Games offer positive prospects, which will buttress the investments in the expansion of capacity for Stena and Cobelfret.”

http://www.ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/news/rotterdam-volumes-down-85-last-year/20017733358.htm

Port workers edge closer to strike

Fresh talks will take place in the New Year over a proposed pay increase for port workers after a ballot indicated they would be willing to take industrial action.
Quayside workers said 1,577 voted in favour of action with 30 no votes and two spoiled ballot papers - rejecting the one per cent pay offer and sending a clear message to management.
It is now expected union officials from Unite, formerly the Transport and General Workers' Union, will meet bosses in early January to get management reaction and see if an improved pay offer will be made.
If no acceptable new offer is received, the next stage will be a postal ballot on industrial action.
One port worker said: “Quite often we have seen a ballot like this being much closer - people sometimes have second thoughts when industrial action is mentioned and chicken out - but this will send a strong message to management about how people are feeling.”
Another worker said: “The strength of feeling is huge - it's been a very busy year and we took a big pay cut to help the company.”
Union officials apparently asked the company for 5pc plus a £500 lump sum for each worker to make up for the two days' compulsory unpaid leave workers had to take this year as part of the earlier cuts.
Changes this year included scrapping of all bonus schemes, compulsory unpaid leave, axing of the “hot seat” changeover payments, removal of canteen subsidies, and closure of the port on Boxing Day.

http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/news/story.aspx?brand=ESTOnline&category=News&tBrand=ESTOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED26%20Dec%202009%2012%3A15%3A18%3A263

Port vote result expected this week

UNION officials at Britain's biggest container port will this week announce the result of a vote which could take the workforce to the brink of industrial action.
It is understood the 2,700-strong workforce at Felixstowe was offered a one per cent pay rise - after earlier this year accepting changes to contracts which meant a “temporary pay cut” of between six and 11 per cent, depending on their contract package.
An initial ballot organised by the union Unite overwhelmingly rejected the offer with nearly 1,600 workers against the one pc and less than 20 in favour.(16 in favour)
Union officials had apparently asked the company for a five pc pay increase plus a £500 lump sum for each worker to make up for the two days compulsory unpaid leave workers had to take this year as part of the earlier cuts.
Over the past few days, the four shifts at the port have been voting on whether they would be prepared to take part in a strike ballot.( It's industrial action that we are balloting on not strike!)
If they vote yes, a postal ballot on industrial action will be organised. If they vote no, the one pc pay rise will be accepted.
One port worker said: “People are very frustrated.“
The port made us take huge pay cuts because of the recession but the situation hasn't been as bad as they predicted.
“They said there would be no work and we had to make sacrifices to keep our jobs, but the quays have not been empty and we have had a busy year.”
Changes this year included the scrapping of all bonus schemes, compulsory unpaid leave, axing of the “hot seat” changeover payments, removal of canteen subsidies, and closure of the port on Boxing Day.
Phil Pemberton, convenor for Unite, formerly the Transport and General Workers' Union, was not available for comment.
Paul Davey, head of corporate affairs for the Port of Felixstowe, said the company did not comment on union ballots.

http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=News&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED21%20Dec%202009%2000%3A14%3A07%3A160