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Tag: Shipping

DP World announces new Romania multimodal terminal

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DP World has announced plans to open an inland terminal and logistics hub in Decea near the city of Aiud in the north-east of Romania.

The state-of-the-art 82,000 sq m Aiud intermodal terminal will boast a static storage capacity of 3,000 TEU and generate approximately 30 direct job opportunities for the local workforce over the next five years.

Through its on-site connection to the electrified rail infrastructure, it will also help reduce transportation costs and CO2 emissions through the shift from road to rail as well as through the reduced transit time for cargoes from factories at the industrial park to their final destination.

Decea which is located in Alba county is close to Cluj, Sibiu, Mures and Hunedoara, which have become vital industrial and trade hubs for the country. The region has had an historic issue with a lack of robust infrastructure linking the mountainous regions in the northeast with the rest of the country.

Businesses in this area will now have a fast direct connection within Europe to the Black Sea, North and Adriatic seas, while also having rail links to major hubs in Central Asia and China, enabling Romania to become a commercial hub for European trade eastward.

Cosmin Carstea, CEO of DP World Romania, said: “The benefits offered to the import and export supply chains will have a significant and positive impact across the country with the terminal offering efficient, robust and reliable trade routes across borders. The vast number of businesses in the area will now have a logistics hub within easy reach that will then enable the flow of trade across the globe.”

The facility sits within Romania’s industrial heartland, where 50% of the country’s industrial GDP is sourced. It will provide exporters and importers in the wider area with direct access to major transport hubs through the A10 motorway and its own rail infrastructure on Romania’s electrified rail network, which directly connects to major hubs across Europe.

Carstea continued: “This new terminal is a big step in helping DP World become an end-to-end logistics provider in Romania by merging intermodal terminal operations with marine terminal operations, while also providing: warehouse logistics, rail & truck loading/unloading, stripping/stuffing, ambient & temperature-controlled warehouses, office spaces and truck yard parking.”

DP World has owned and operated its Constanta terminal in the southeast of the country for 18 years and recently renewed its concession agreement with the Maritime Port Authority of Constanta for a further thirty years, running through until 2049. It is strategically located on the edge of the Black Sea and offers barge connections to the River Danube.

Rashid Abdulla, CEO of DP World Europe, said: “At DP World we are committed to the countries and markets where we operate. We aim to improve trade and logistics, and look to bring prosperity to people’s lives by offering job opportunities, rewarding careers and the financial benefits of a bolstered economy.

“DP World Constanta is a strong example of this commitment. It is one of the Black Sea’s premier container terminals, with multi-modal connectivity through road, rail, inland waterways and maritime connections to the world, serving both the Romanian domestic market as well as Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.

“We are very proud of our sustained achievements in Constanta since we started operating there in 2004, and I am confident that we will have a similar impact in Decea and the surrounding area. Romania has huge potential to become a major player in the trade and logistics sector in Europe and today is a major milestone on that journey.”

The terminal, being developed by Belgian firm ILD, will take up approximately a third of the new logistics park surrounding the terminal, which offers 180,000 sq m for industrial and logistics development.

An official event was held earlier this week to announce the plans, where national and local government officials endorsed the exciting project, which they believe could deliver significant trade and economic benefits to the area and the wider country.

Ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge unify as Antwerp-Bruges

Posted on by David Priestman

The ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge have merged under one name: Port of Antwerp-Bruges. At a meeting on 22nd April 2022, the two cities signed the shareholders’ agreement of the unified port company. Today, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is sharing the concrete manifestation of its ambition: to become a global port that reconciles economy, people and climate with the rest of the world.

In February 2021, the City of Antwerp and the City of Bruges announced the launch of the merger process for their respective ports. Following the signing of the shareholders’ agreement of the unified port company on 22nd April 2022, the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge will operate under one name going forward: Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

Today, the unified port provides no fewer than 74,000 direct and 90,000 indirect jobs and with an added value of nearly €21bn or 4.5% of Belgian GDP. It is by far the largest economic engine in Belgium. Europe’s largest export port, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges will also be the largest throughput port for vehicles, the largest integrated chemical cluster and one of the leading container ports in Europe.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges has the express ambition of becoming the first global port to reconcile economy, people and climate. The unified port plans to further strengthen its position in the international logistics chain, take a leading role in the energy and digital transition, and at the same time create sustainable added value for society as a whole. Not just for the area of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, but also for all possible stakeholders in the wider national and international region.

Strengthening global position

In the current geopolitical and macroeconomic context, the merger is a golden opportunity to put the Antwerp and Zeebrugge port sites, and by extension Flanders, in an even stronger position on the world map. Port of Antwerp-Bruges will capitalise on the strengths of both port locations and focus its strategy on containers, breakbulk, RoRo traffic and chemicals. More than ever, Port of Antwerp-Bruges will play a crucial role in major freight flows and reinforce its position as one of the main gateways to Europe. The unified port has also become Europe’s largest export port – with 147 million tonnes/year – making it a global heavyweight.

As a leading container port – with 159 million tonnes/year – Port of Antwerp-Bruges aims to meet the growing need for container capacity due to global growth and recent developments in the international logistics chain. In parallel with the implementation of the Extra Container Capacity Antwerp (ECA) project, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is working on a ‘Container Plan 22-30’ to safeguard its competitive position. Elsewhere, Port of Antwerp-Bruges continues to invest in strategic infrastructure including the Europa Terminal in Antwerp, as well as the New Lock and the Maritime Logistics Zone in Zeebrugge.

By focusing on bolstering interconnectivity between the Antwerp and Bruges sites and achieving economies of scale in the area of digitisation, the unified port will contribute to the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of the logistics chain. In short, Port of Antwerp-Bruges has all of the tools at its disposal to play an increasingly important role on the global logistics stage.

Port of Antwerp-Bruges will combine the best of both worlds and will focus on the strengths of each site. The ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are largely complementary – for example, Antwerp has strengths in the handling and storage of containers, breakbulk and chemical products, while Zeebrugge is a major port for RoRo traffic, container handling and the transshipment of liquid natural gas. By working more closely together, the sustainable growth of the individual and combined market shares of both ports will be perpetuated.

Pioneer in hydrogen and CO2 reuse

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges intends to anchor its position as a green energy hub and help shape the energy transition towards a sustainable future. The unified port will continue and extend its pioneering project for the capture, storage and reuse of CO2. Via Antwerp@C, the first 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 will be captured from industry on the port by 2025. This CO2 will be stored and eventually reused as a raw material for a wide range of applications.

In addition, the combination of Antwerp’s position as the second largest chemical cluster in the world and the coastal position of Zeebrugge provides a unique opportunity to take a leading role in the roll-out of the hydrogen economy.  By 2028, Port of Antwerp-Bruges plans to have the capacity to receive the first green hydrogen molecules on its platform. To this end, it is working to expand terminal capacity for existing and new hydrogen carriers at both port sites. A hydrogen pipeline between the two sites and towards the European hinterland will ensure that the port area as a whole and, by extension, Belgium and a large part of Europe, can make use of this important carrier for renewable energy.

Finally, Port of Antwerp-Bruges will offer various peerless strengths in innovation and digitisation that will make the logistical chain not only more efficient, but also safer and more reliable. By combining forces and focusing on connection and collaboration, and thanks to strategic investments, Port of Antwerp-Bruges and, by extension, our society, will be able to meet the challenges of the future.

Annick De Ridder, Vice-Mayor of the City of Antwerp and President of the board of directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “The unified port is not only the economic engine of Flanders, buttogether, the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge will also form the largest export port, largest throughput port for vehicles in Europe, and the leading chemical hub in Europe! At the same time, Port of Antwerp-Bruges has major ambitions to become the energy gateway to Europe as a ‘green port’. In short, Flemish economic history is being written here today.”

Dirk De fauw, Mayor of the City of Bruges and Vice-President of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, added: “As Mayor of the City of Bruges and Vice-President of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, I am convinced that this merger will lead to sustainable growth in economic activity and jobs in both sites, and boost Flanders’ international reputation around the world. Together, we are stronger.”

UK ports “could face backlogs until 2025”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

It could take five years for UK ports to get back to pre-pandemic freight levels, with rising costs, bottlenecks, driver shortages and Brexit delaying recovery. In 2022, there could be even more disruption due to labour disputes and logistics issues, costing British businesses millions. According to research published by Asset Alliance Group, port delays have already caused 1 in 5 companies to lose potential business.

With almost 40 million tonnes of cargo handled in the first three quarters of last year, London is the busiest port in the country, followed by Grimsby & Immingham in Lincolnshire, handling 36.8 million tonnes. The Port of Felixstowe (pictured) is actually Britain’s largest and busiest, but it had the most cancellations of any European port in the last half of 2021, putting it in seventh place.

Due to supply chain issues, the country currently has the highest shipping costs on the continent – three of the 10 busiest ports in the UK are also the most expensive in Europe. The average cost of sending a 20ft container from the world’s busiest port in Shanghai to the UK is 24% higher than any other port on the continent. Liverpool, Southampton and London cost more per journey than the European average of £6,409, at £9,112, £8,306 and £7,900 respectively.

Bottlenecks and delays

Port bottlenecks and increased stockpiling are still widespread, and 75% of companies in the container logistics industry plan to rethink their logistics strategy for 2022. One of the biggest challenges this year for more than half of those surveyed is finding slots on vessels. The HGV driver shortage is another major blocker. Haulage shortages at the country’s busiest ports cause delays of up to 10 days.

Fortunately, it looks like the driver shortage is slowly improving. With a gap of around 45,000 drivers, 27,144 HGV vocational tests were taken at the end of last year – a 54% increase on the year before.

Businesses can do a few things to plan around delays and bottlenecks this year:

  • Investigate backup transportation: Some companies are looking at emergency transportation backup, like air, rail or road, to avoid potential lost sales or delays.
  • Use alternative routes: Not all ports are equally congested, and rerouting could be a successful strategy, provided there are enough drivers to access alternative ports.
  • Source from alternative suppliers: With most companies reviewing their sustainability policies and looking to domestic sourcing, alternative suppliers could eliminate the need to use ports.

“With sites located close to all the major ports – Manchester, central to Liverpool and Grimsby /Immingham; Ipswich covering London and Felixstowe; Newmains supporting Scotland; and our new office in Belfast covering Northern Ireland – we are situated ideally to support those who choose shipping via port or air for their freight movement,” says Brian Kempson, Sales Director, Truck and Trailer Sales, Asset Alliance Group.

CMA CGM Group acquires GEFCO

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, is acquiring nearly 100% of the capital of GEFCO, a European leader in automotive logistics and international expert in multimodal supply chain. The acquisition has been submitted to competition authorities for approval. However, as part of a special procedure, the European Commission has authorised CMA CGM to acquire the capital of GEFCO immediately, pending the final approval that will take place in the coming months. The acquisition will strengthen the range of logistics services that CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM’s logistics subsidiary, provides to its customers, especially in France and the rest of Europe.

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, commented: “The acquisition of GEFCO represents a further step in our development strategy and strengthens our position as a global player in transport and logistics. With GEFCO, our subsidiary CEVA will become the world leader in automotive logistics, having recently enhanced its capabilities in e-commerce logistics with the acquisition of Ingram Micro CLS. We are creating a French leader to serve our customers around the world.”

The CMA CGM Group’s intention is for GEFCO to continue operating in a secure regulatory framework, then to boost its development, especially in international markets, by harnessing the Group’s market-leading technology and logistics capabilities. GEFCO will benefit in the future from CEVA Logistics’ expertise and network, enabling it to expand both its business and its customer portfolio.

The acquisition of GEFCO and its integration within CEVA Logistics will create the world’s leading automotive logistics provider and will reinforce CEVA’s leadership position in contract logistics. Thanks to the addition of GEFCO, CEVA Logistics will continue expanding around the world and strengthening its position in key markets, especially France and the rest of Europe.

GEFCO, a French company, is a European leader in contract logistics and a specialist of the automotive segment. With particular expertise in finished vehicle logistics, the company plays a key role in keeping European automotive production lines running. GEFCO intends to pursue its strong cooperation with its partners, including Stellantis.

The logistics provider has been operating for over 70 years now and also has customers in the aerospace, pharmaceuticals, energy and retail sectors. GEFCO has built a network spanning 47 countries and employs around 11,500 staff around the world – with more than 2,500 of them in France.

With the deal to acquire GEFCO, the CMA CGM Group is moving forward with its plan to develop and provide end-to-end shipping and logistics solutions in order to support its customers’ supply chains.

The Group recently announced the completion of the acquisition of Ingram Micro’s Commerce & Lifecycle Services (CLS) and of Colis Privé. These deals have accelerated the development of CEVA Logistics in e-commerce and in key market segments, such as technology, retail and fashion.

Luc Nadal, GEFCO’s CEO, commented: “With more than 70 years of expertise in industrial logistics, GEFCO is proud to join the CMA CGM Group, an undisputed world leader in maritime shipping and logistics. The project led by CMA CGM will allow GEFCO to continue our activity in a stable environment, will support the transformation we have initiated and will strengthen our development in the years to come. This link between two French companies will bring many opportunities for GEFCO in terms of innovation and sustainable growth, particularly internationally, for the benefit of our customers. I am proud of the work accomplished by all of the GEFCO teams around the world on behalf of our customers, and I am confident in the future with CMA CGM and CEVA Logistics.”

Conqueror partners with CIFFA to offer freight forwarding courses

Posted on by David Priestman

Conqueror Freight Network, the largest exclusive network worldwide, in a bid to offer members the most necessary and innovative benefits, has opened an Online Academy to provide freight forwarding courses. The inaugural course is on International Transportation and Trade which started last Friday. More than 20 students have enrolled it with the aim to reach new goals and confidence while boosting their productivity, enhancing their skills and even preparing them for greater responsibilities.

In order to provide students with the best training, Conqueror Freight Network has partnered with The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA), a certified training provider with more than 60 years of experience in education. These courses have been completed by more than 10,000 learners globally.  CIFFA offers two different skill levels of courses on freight forwarding.

The first Course is the International Transportation and Trade, which is about the foundations of international freight forwarding, how to manage risks by selecting the appropriate Incoterm, how to calculate freight charges and load shipments, types of equipment and documentation used to move goods.

Antonio Torres, President and Founder of Conqueror states: “We are excited of the high demand that the International Transportation and Trade Course has had among our members. It is fundamental to have a deep knowledge of logistics to provide a successful service, but it is not always easy to find specific training within the sector. That is why we have decided to give this opportunity to our members. We believe that these training courses will enhance their capabilities and open new chances within their businesses.”

The second course, Essentials of Freight Forwarding, offers lessons in international payment methods and cargo insurance, knowledge about commercial documents and their completion, export packaging, cargo security, and alternative transport solutions to enable freight forwarders to provide the best quote option to their customers.

The educational programmes imparted by CIFFA are specifically intended for both people already working in the freight forwarding industry who would like to go further in their knowledge, and starters who would like to begin their journey in the industry.

Additionally, these courses are offered entirely online, using asynchronous delivery, so they can be accomplished at the speed the student is comfortable with. Each lesson is fully interactive putting the student in real world freight forwarding scenarios.

Conqueror has also established a partnership with Container xChange – a neutral online platform, used by 600+ freight forwarders who offer a wide range of training material about the leasing container industry. This way, Conqueror can offer a SOC Container Masterclass delivered by Container xChange as a complement to the other two courses. The SOC Container Masterclass provided by Container xChange, is a comprehensive, “everything-you-need-to-know” course about handling Shipper Owned Containers. All members who enrol in one of the logistics courses offered will be given access to this Masterclass.

Investing in training courses will not only enable agents to specialize and go deeper in the freight forwarding industry, but also, it will provide the adequate skills to open their companies to new opportunities.

 

 

Redkik forms strategic partnership with insurance broker

Posted on by David Priestman

Redkik, a global software company with the mission to simplify and improve the cargo insurance industry with technology, has formed a strategic partnership with Howden Insurance Brokers AB, a leading provider of insurance brokerage and risk consulting. The partnership aims to transform insurance provision for the logistics and transportation industry with a quick, straightforward and compliant digital solution.

By partnering together, the companies are offering on-demand, per-shipment insurance, underwritten by Chubb, for instant premium quotations at the time of freight being booked. This expedient process is coupled with competitive pricing and clear policy wordings for customers’ specific needs.

“Redkik has been truly impressed with working with Howden and Chubb, as they have been nothing but dynamic in supporting this partnership and imminent launch across Europe,” said Chris Kalinski, CEO and Founder of Redkik. “Redkik’s technology, Chubb’s well established insurance capabilities and Howden as the insurance intermediary has led to a transformative partnership that will change the way we think of cargo insurance.”

Paul Woodgate, Regional Executive Officer, Northern Europe at Chubb, added: “Chubb has been in the marine insurance business for more than 230 years and we are very proud to partner with Howden to introduce to the European market this solution which truly modernises the provision of cargo insurance.”

The new SaaS solution for cargo insurance is now available for transport intermediaries to distribute in Sweden, with the intention of becoming available across Europe shortly after this initial pilot. This follows a successful launch in the US in 2021 and increasing availability extending to Asia and Latin America during 2022.

 

Volumes plummet at Port of Shenzhen

Posted on by Keith McKinley

China’s zero-Covid policy is putting severe strain on supply chains across the country with factories and warehouses being frequently shut down for short periods and trucks sometimes being stopped from travelling.

At Shenzhen, normally the country’s second busiest port, figures released by supply chain visibility expert FourKites reveal a trend of sharply declining volumes, not just in the last week as the city went into full lock-down, but over the last three weeks as authorities there have taken measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the latest outbreak.

FourKites predicts that some suppliers and carriers will move to other ports and take the hit of significantly longer over-land routes to get there. However, the situation is volatile and it’s impossible to predict whether — and where — there may be other Covid-19 restrictions.

With delays in other parts of the world, notably the US ports that Shenzhen serves, Covid-19 restrictions at the Chinese port may not represent the worst bottle neck. It may not be worth rerouting, if goods must sit on ships for two weeks anyway before they are able to depart for the US. Chinese lock-downs tend to be short lived and so waiting it out may also be an option for users of Shenzhen.

The fact that dwell times have not shot up as volumes have gone down suggests that shippers are becoming more agile in their reactions to supply chain issues. They are not simply changing routes, sometimes they are changing the factories they source from, to keep supplies moving.

Constant change is a given these days and, for transport professionals, volatility and increasing costs are just part of the job. They will have to keep a close eye on the situation, and particularly how long Shenzhen restrictions may last, and be ready to adapt.

  • FourKites has seen impacts to ocean freight volume following the recent lockdown of the City of Shenzhen due to increasing COVID-19 cases.
  • In Guangdong Province (where the City of Shenzhen is located), 7-day average ocean load volume for both imports and exports is down 43% since 1 March. On 17 March, the 7-day average load volume was down 39% week-over-week.
  • Dwell times at the Port of Shenzhen remain stable, hovering around 8.3 days for exports and 5.1 days for imports, though dwell times will likely increase over the coming days as throughput decreases.

 

GateHouse releases new data platform for ocean logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

GateHouse Maritime, a leading provider of ocean supply chain visibility and predictability services, has introduced its new data platform, OceanIO. The new feed is scalable to support the rapidly increasing number of data points anticipated from the growing use of IOT technologies fitted to shipped and shipping assets.

Martin Dommerby Kristiansen, CEO at GateHouse Maritime, said: “The digital transformation of the logistics sector is creating a tsunami of data. At GateHouse Maritime we wanted to proactively deliver a data platform that can scale to meet the demands of this growing resource. At the same time, we wanted to reinforce our reputation as the go-to provider for a robust data foundation upon which our clients can develop and deliver reliable and accurate services to their end customers.”

OceanIO receives up to 150 million new data points daily, drawn from diverse sources including nearly 300,000 oceangoing vessels reporting information regarding their position, heading, speed and depth, together with information from 160 satellites and 2,500 terrestrial stations, 110 container freight carriers, 4,000 container ports and terminals, and meteorological reports amongst many others.

“Most importantly,” continued Kristiansen, “as sector specialists serving the seaborne logistics for over a decade, we have been able to integrate historical and trend data into OceanIO for a more powerful end service. Using machine learning means that predictive services can be a great deal more accurate to meet end customers’ expectations of a better explanation of where their freight has been, where it is currently located and when it’s expected to arrive at port. Predictability has become an increasingly vital service attribute as the supply chain has degraded with more and more disruption over the past years.”

OceanIO is augmented with nearly 3,000 different types of data on a second-by-second basis. Coming from vastly different sources by data type, volume, velocity and interval, it must all be accommodated, rationalized, harmonized and then unified for use by GateHouse clients. At the same time, clients also need to have their own customised requirements satisfied in order to deliver a differentiated customer experience.

“Our clients create services based upon the foundation data comprised within OceanIO,” concludes Kristiansen. “To ensure the success of their current and future offers – especially as these become more predictive in nature – GateHouse provides a fully configurable ‘rules engine’ enabling different fusions of data to be served on demand. We can even look to co-develop solutions using client data to provide more granular services and greater value-add.”

OceanIO is available now from GateHouse Maritime to enable predictive services which answer questions including “where is my container or freight?”, “what condition is it in?”, “has it been opened or moved from one vessel to another?”, “where is it in the customs clearance cycle?” and “how soon am I likely to receive it?”.

Cooperative Logistics Network now offering e-learning

Posted on by David Priestman

The Cooperative Logistics Network – an international alliance of more than 320 hand-picked freight forwarders – has launched its Online Logistics Academy. To this end, the E-Learning Platform has been inaugurated with two courses specialised in international logistics and freight forwarding and a SOC Masterclass focused on Shipper Owned Containers.

The programmes will allow members to learn and execute complicated supply chain processes, enhance their knowledge of logistics tools, and prepare themselves to effectively deal with the present challenges in the industry.

In order to offer the best quality education, The Cooperative has established a partnership with The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association- an organisation with over six decades of experience in education. Additionally, The Coop has also cooperated with Container xChange – a neutral platform connecting hundreds of logistics companies – that provides a broad range of online educational course materials to help freight forwarders get a better knowledge of container leasing.

“The future of the freight forwarding sector is constantly evolving. In this age of digitisation, it is crucial for small and mid-sized logistics companies to work towards upskilling and expanding their knowledge base. By offering these specially formulated courses, The Cooperative gives its members an additional service for them to be more competitive, enhance their productivity and boost their earning potential,” states Antonio Torres, President and Founder of The Cooperative Logistics Network.

The courses are both meant for professionals working in the field of transportation and logistics who want to broaden their industry knowledge and sharpen their skills and newcomers who want the perfect start to their journey in this industry.

The Cooperative agents will get to attend two levels of freight forwarding courses provided by CIFFA and designed by the Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC). The first course, International Transportation and Trade, is meant for those agents who want to master the foundations of global freight forwarding, risk management, quotations, and freight costs. The second course, Essentials of Freight Forwarding, will train members on basic topics such as packaging, documentation, cargo insurance or cargo security.

These training programmes can be completed at the students’ suitable pace. within three months CIFFA will provide with interactive classes, audio, video lessons, and a downloadable e-book.

In addition to these courses, The Cooperative Logistics Network offers the SOC Container Masterclass offered by xChange which is an all-inclusive training regarding the handling of Shipper Owned Containers. The Cooperative members who register for one of the above-mentioned logistics courses by CIFFA will get free access to this Masterclass.

 

 

Cameroon terminal updates fleet with Konecranes trucks

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Container Terminal Management of the Port of Douala (RTC) has received delivery of five Konecranes Liftace reach stackers and one empty container handler to increase the productivity of its operations. The order was booked in April 2021, and the lift trucks were handed over in a special on-site ceremony in December 2021.

RTC is part of the Port Authority of Douala and has been in charge of managing the terminal on the west African coast since January 2020. Douala is the economic centre of – and the largest city in – Cameroon. It is one of central Africa’s largest ports, also providing sea access to the landlocked regions of Chad, the Central African Republic and the northern area of the Republic of the Congo. RTC is keen to update its multimodal terminal with reliable, modern container handling equipment to increase capacity as demand continues to rise, with an average annual throughput of 370,000 TEU traveling on sea, road and rail. The lift trucks are used for most of the export yard operations and taking care of empty containers.

“Our terminal has been using Konecranes products for years, and they’ve provided outstanding performance,” says Adepi Martin, Chief Operation Officer of RTC. “With the help of their excellent customer service, we’re sure that these new Konecranes lift trucks will help us to maximise our efficiency all the way from landside to quayside, reduce vessel anchorage time and transit time, and improve container truck turnaround.”

“This new delivery shows the level of confidence that RTC has in Konecranes,” says Winfried Lux, Sales Manager for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “We offer durability, reliability and flexibility in both our products and our partnership with them. Local dealer Patterson Simons & Co. (Africa) Ltd. has provided essential support whenever needed and we are pleased to continue working with RTC as they develop their terminal fleet into the future.”

The five new reach stackers are Konecranes Liftace SMV 4532 TCE5s, sturdy 45-tonne lifting machines able to stack up to five containers high. The empty container handler is an SMV 6/7 ECC 90, with a wide mast for the option of stacking six empty high-cube containers or seven standard containers. All six lift trucks feature the ergonomic OPTIMA cabin for comfort and wide visibility, and each vehicle uses a Tier 3 engine to maintain productivity while minimising fuel consumption and emissions.

Included in the delivery are full spare parts packages, ensuring that parts will always be available when needed, eliminating delivery wait times, minimising downtime and allowing easier maintenance planning.

A strong focus on customers and a commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a lifting industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalisation and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonise the economy and advance circularity and safety.

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