CMPort handles record-breaking 103m TEU worldwide in 2017
Hong Kong-based China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort) handled a total of 102.93 million TEU in 2017, an increase of 7.5 per cent over 2016. The milestone marked the first time a Chinese enterprise has moved such a massive volume of containers.
Container throughput from the shipping conglomerate's ports on mainland China contributed 77.10 million TEU to the total for 2017. Its terminals in Hong Kong and Taiwan added a further 7.48 million TEU, reported Port Technology.
CMPort's overseas terminals accounted for 18.35 million TEU of the 2017 total, after container throughput from Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd (CICT) in Sri Lanka rose by 18.5 per cent year on year, while Lome Container Terminal (LCT) in Togo registered volume growth of 67.5 per cent.
The company oversees port operations across 190 container berths and 220 bulk cargo berths. At the end of 2017, CMPort owned 31 ports in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and internationally, across a total of 16 countries and regions spread over five continents.
CMP managing director Bai Jingtao said in a statement that the company will continue to "actively develop overseas ports and related business."
He added: "CMPort will further consolidate, improve and enhance the port network and operations in China in order to strengthen its leading position within the global container industry."
APM Terminals Poti to build new US$100m dry bulk cargo terminal in Georgia
The Black Sea gateway port, APM Terminals Poti has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Poti New Terminals Consortium to build a new US$100 million dry bulk cargo terminal with an annual handling capacity of 1.5 million tonnes in Georgia.
The new breakwater, dry bulk cargo terminal and related infrastructure will be constructed on land owned by APM Terminals Poti and is expected to create new trade opportunities for customers within the Georgian transit corridor, reported London's Ship Technology.
Poti New Terminals, which primarily serves the logistics industry in the Caucasus and Central Asia markets, will be responsible for the design, development and management of the dry bulk cargo terminal.
Head of the Poti New Terminals Consortium Tamaz Chkhikvishvili noted in his speech prior to signing the MoU, "the time has come for Georgia to make use of the historic corridor, transporting shipments from China to the Middle East and other countries. Building a new, bulk cargo deep-sea terminal in Poti will give us such an opportunity," he said.
"Building a new bulk cargo terminal in Poti will not only create new employment opportunities, but will also attract new railway shipments and will open new investment possibilities," Mr Chkhikvishvili added.
The new Bulk Cargo Terminal is to be 300 metres long and 135 metres deep, spread over a 10-12 hectare area.
In a separate development, the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) in the US and APM Terminals last month approved the $49.5 million expansion of the container facility at the port of Mobile in Alabama.
The phase three expansion will be carried out in collaboration with ASPA. The work will involve the lengthening of a dock and the addition of 20 acres of yard space.
Upon completion, the expansion will enable APM Terminals to accommodate an annual throughput capacity of 650,000 TEU at the port.
Port of Portland considers turning disused terminal 6 into a multi-use terminal
A study to identify a sustainable business model for container shipping at the port of Portland, Oregon's terminal six has concluded that its best use would be as a multi-use terminal.
The study by a consulting firm acknowledged that Portland's geography as a river port and marine industry consolidation pose challenges to the recovery of weekly transpacific container service, reported American Shipper.
"Having enough container volumes to sustain a weekly transpacific service will be key to success," the port said in a statement. "We're focused on giving shippers a variety of choices to move their cargo. Direct container service is only one option - others include a new BNSF rail shuttle to Seattle/Tacoma ports, barging and air cargo."
Swire Shipping will start call at terminal six this month. The terminal has been without a container service since May 2016 and without an operator since ICTSI Oregon ended its 25-year lease of the facility in February 2016 in the wake of experiencing difficulties with union labour.
The study also found that elements for success include: maintaining competitive terminal rates, keeping labour productivity levels at or above US west coast standards, reducing costs and securing container volume support from the shipping community.
Shippers agree that terminal six is the region's link to world markets and their continued support is needed to attract carriers, the port added.
(Source:HKSG-GROUP)
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