FAST FORWARD. Special Edition. Visit us in Hall B4

Transcription

1 FAST FORWARD M u n i c h M ay Special Edition Transport Logistic Visit us in Hall B4 Stand 410

2 FAST FORWARD CONTENTS Colophon Fast Forward, a business-to-business publication of ECT, appears three times a year. Please contact our Communications Department with any questions or suggestions you may have regarding the contents. 6-7 Copy Rob Schoemaker, Rob Wilken (editor-in-chief) Translation Niall Martin, Dean Harte Photography Eric Bakker (unless stated otherwise) Layout Ontwerpwerk, The Hague External coordination and printing RWP, Voorburg Chief editors ECT Rose Wiggers & Connie de Jong Europe Container Terminals (ECT) Europe Container Terminals (ECT) is the leading and most advanced container terminal operator in Europe, handling most of the containers at the port of Rotterdam. ECT operates three deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam: the ECT Delta Terminal and the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam (together with CKYH - the Green Alliance) on the Maasvlakte peninsula, close to the North Sea, and the ECT City Terminal in the Eemhaven close to the city centre. Through its European Gateway Services ECT offers customers a variety of services to facilitate the optimal flow of containers between the deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam and the direct European hinterland. In 2010, ECT handled more than 7 million TEU. ECT is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL). HPH is the world s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 51 ports, spanning 25 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australia. HPH also owns a number of transportation-related service companies. In 2010, the HPH Group handled a combined throughput of 75 million TEU worldwide. No rights can be derived from this publication. P.O. Box 7385, 3000 HJ Rotterdam, the Netherlands T +31 (0) E info@ect.nl W E egsinfo@ect.nl W Reliable, Predictable and Sustainable Shipping lines, transport companies, forwarders and shippers all stand to benefit from European Gateway Services: the experiences of COSCO Container Lines, DHL and Nike. Where Push meets Pull ECT s network of extended gates offers flexibility and predictability and speeds up hinterland transport. Currently there are seven extended gates at strategic locations throughout the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Cooperation pays off the Customer benefits The highly frequent rail and barge connections between ECT s deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam and the extended gates covered by European Gateway Services are maintained by well-known logistics partners. Danser Container Line is a good example in this respect, but there are other parties as well. 2

3 Special Transport Logistic European Gateway Services Launched To keep logistics for companies as easy as possible, ECT introduced European Gateway Services. Customers can benefit from a continuously expanding European network of inland terminals functioning as extended gates, highly frequent and sustainable hinterland connections and supplementary customs services. By positioning European Gateway Services as an own entity, for example via a special website, ECT wants to explicitly make new target groups also aware of the added value. News Straight to Germany without Customs Documents ECT s Customs Services: Supporting an Uninterrupted Container Flow ECT s Deep-sea Terminals Serious CO 2 Reduction VISIT US AT TRANSPORT LOGISTIC 2011, HALL B4, STAND 410 Introducing European Gateway Services It is with great pleasure that we will present European Gateway Services during the trade event Transport Logistic 2011 in Munich from the 10 th to the 13 th of May. With our new service provision, we virtually bring our deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam to your very doorstep. European Gateway Services offers customers an extensive and continuously expanding Western European network of extended gates, with highly frequent rail and barge connections to and from Rotterdam and additional (customs) services. Our deep-sea terminals after all are but one single link in often comprehensive supply chains. First and foremost, you want to be sure that your cargo always reaches its final destination in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Through our European Gateway Services we now offer this assurance: fast, reliable, paperless and with a time-guarantee if desired. What s more, European Gateway Services especially promotes sustainability. By choosing rail or inland shipping, a significant reduction in CO 2 levels can be achieved. You can significantly lower your carbon footprint; more and more companies acknowledge the importance of such a reduction. Not in the last place because sustainable transport often proves to be more attractive in terms of efficiency and costs as well. The large volumes of containers which pass through our deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam each week enable us like no other to establish highly frequent rail and barge connections to numerous European destinations and vice versa. Shipping lines, freight forwarders, transport companies and shippers can easily benefit from European Gateway Services. Our new range of services is open to all parties. European Gateway Services is definitely not just a solo initiative on the part of ECT. We work in partnerships with well-known logistics providers. They maintain the rail and barge connections or participate as one of our seven extended gates throughout Western Europe. I would also like to draw special attention to the cooperation with the Customs authorities. It is due to this cooperation that we are able to move your containers to the extended gates without customs documents and in a paperless fashion. Not just in the Netherlands, but since recently also cross-border to DeCeTe Duisburg in the heart of the German Ruhr area. In consultation with the customs authorities, we furthermore hope to be able to offer the same paperless service for our extended gates in Belgium in the near future. The bottom line is that we always strive to offer our customers optimal added value. Via European Gateway Services, we believe that we can really deliver in this respect on the landside. I would hereby gladly like to invite you to visit our stand during Transport Logistic 2011 in hall B4, stand 410; come and see for yourself. Jan Westerhoud President of ECT 3

4 NEWS Lean and Green Award Visit gatewayservices.com European Gateway Services has its own website. At you can read all the details about the logistics concept, the rail and barge connections, the participating inland terminals and the supplementary services. Soon, the website will also include a fully functioning product configuration tool; companies can use this to independently calculate the best route for their cargo. A CO 2 calculator is part of this tool. Using the CO 2 calculator, you can figure out exactly how much CO 2 emissions you are saving by opting for rail or inland shipping instead of the truck for the transport between Rotterdam and the extended gates in the hinterland. The website is available in Dutch, English, German and French. At the end of 2010, ECT was awarded the Lean and Green Award. This nationwide Dutch initiative is aimed at stimulating sustainable entrepreneurship in the logistics sector. Award winners commit themselves to demonstrably reducing their CO 2 emissions by at least twenty percent in the period till To this extent, ECT has drawn up a master plan which touches upon all aspects of its operations, from the physical handling of containers to the sustainable transport of containers to and from the hinterland via European Gateway Services. With its participation in the Lean and Green Award, ECT contributes to further reducing both its own carbon footprint and the carbon footprints of its customers. ECT Director of Technology & Engineering Jan Waas: For ECT, sustainable entrepreneurship is something that goes without saying. Our automated deep-sea terminals constitute a good example in that respect, as do our activities aimed at promoting transport by rail and inland shipping. Furthermore, ECT is the second-largest provider of collective company transport in the Netherlands; with this, we prevent millions of car kilometres a year. Secure Lane Rotterdam - Venlo Cargo security is becoming an increasingly important factor in the logistics chain. Both ECT s deep-sea terminals and the inland terminals which are served by European Gateway Services of course are in full compliance with ISPS, the International Ship and Port facility Security code. ECT however does more. Each wagon on the rail shuttles which run thrice-daily between Rotterdam and TCT Venlo in the south eastern Netherlands has for example been fitted with a special security bar (see photo). With that, the complete secure lane has become reality. The security bars comprise little more than a steel plate, but are very effective as they prevent the door from being opened once a container has been placed on the wagon. Shuttle trains bound for DeCeTe in Duisburg will soon also be fitted with these security bars. More trains to Germany From May 2011, ECT and rail operator Kombiverkehr will split their joint daily Betuwe Express service into two separate trains to Germany s Ruhr area. One daily train will ply the route between Rotterdam s Maasvlakte and the DeCeTe inland terminal in Duisburg, while a second daily train will serve the Rotterdam - Dortmund route. Until now all cargo for Duisburg and Dortmund was loaded on a single train. The new concept will therefore result in a doubling of capacity. 4

5 NE W S Looking Forward to meet you in Munich European Gateway Services is looking forward to meet you at Transport Logistic 2011, the leading trade event which will be staged in Munich, Germany from the 10th to the 13th of May You will find us in hall B4, stand 410. Here, we will gladly inform you about all the ins & outs pertaining to our highly comprehensive logistics concept with which ECT brings its deep-sea terminals to your very doorstep. At our booth, you can meet with representatives of European Gateway Services from Rotterdam as well as representatives of all the participating inland terminals and various inland transporters. Transport Logistic 2011 From the 10th to the 13th of May 2011, Transport Logistic 2011 will be staged in Munich. The previous edition of the world s biggest trade event for the multi-facetted industry of moving cargo by road, rail, water and air two years ago attracted 764 exhibitors from over 55 countries and 48,000 visitors from around 112 countries. The organisers of Transport Logistic expect to once again exceed these numbers in All information is available at Want to make an appointment in advance for a further introduction during the fair? Please send an to egsinfo@ect.nl. We will immediately contact you to set a date and time. Contact information European Gateway Services Looking for more information on European Gateway Services or want to directly book containers for efficient, reliable and sustainable transport between Rotterdam and one or more extended gates? Our contact information is as follows: T +31 (0) E egsinfo@ect.nl W Of course, you can also directly approach the participating inland terminals. All their contact information is available at the website of European Gateway Services. 5

6 Service Expansion for Customers European Gateway Services Launched To keep logistics for companies as easy as possible, ECT introduced European Gateway Services. Customers can benefit from a continuously expanding European network of inland terminals functioning as extended gates, highly frequent and sustainable hinterland connections and supplementary customs services. By positioning European Gateway Services as an own entity, for example via a special website, ECT wants to explicitly make new target groups also aware of the added value. ECT has been pioneering and experimenting with European Gateway Services for about two years now. High time for a full swing market introduction, says Paul Ham, General Manager Business Development at ECT. From now on, it is a true core activity for ECT. We have tested the market as to its needs while at the same time further developing our services. The outcome is a product with which shipping lines, transport companies, forwarders and shippers can rest assured that their containers are always optimally transported between the deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam and a network of inland terminals in the hinterland which function as extended gates (see box). Together with various logistics partners, European Gateway Services in that respect offers highly frequent, sustainable rail and inland shipping connections. Customers can in addition opt for extra services such as document-free transport and a guaranteed container arrival time in the hinterland. Advantages for New Target Groups With European Gateway Services, we as ECT are next to our deep-sea handling really moving into the hinterland, says Rob Bagchus, Chief Public Affairs & Public Relations Officer of ECT. This means that in addition to shipping lines, other market parties will be part of our target group. For instance through the website we want to optimally familiarise them with the new range of services. We will also explicitly present European Gateway Services at international trade events and such. No Worries The starting point of European Gateway Services is the notion that the handling at the deep-sea terminal constitutes but one single link in the logistics chain. What ultimately matters for the customer is that his cargo always arrives at its final destination (and vice versa) on time. Surf to Ham: With European Gateway Services, we want to give him the certainty that he does not need to worry about the onward transport of his cargo from the deep-sea terminal. We eliminate all potential obstacles. European Gateway Services is not a standard product; the service is always tailor-made to best suit the requirements of the customer. Highly Frequent and Sustainable Thanks to the substantial container volumes handled at ECT s deep-sea terminals, one of the major strengths of European Gateway Services is the fact that it allows for highly frequent rail and inland shipping connections to the extended gates. We do not carry out this transport ourselves, but always in cooperation with leading logistics partners such as Danser Container Line, Rhinecontainer, Kombiverkehr and ACTS; in the future, more partners will indubitably follow, says Ham. The use of rail and inland shipping makes the transport both reliable - no congestion - and sustainable. Via European Gateway Services, companies can substantially reduce their carbon footprint. Hubs The extended gate network of European Gateway Services already covers substantial parts of Western Europe. In addition, we are constantly looking for opportunities to 6

7 Extended Gates throughout the whole of Western Europe eangatewayservices.com for more information further expand. Liège has just been added as a destination and we are currently also looking into further expansion in Germany. It is important for customers to realise that an extended gate can be more than just a starting point and end point. They are also super-efficient hubs for transporting containers deeper into Europe and vice versa. ACT in Amsterdam for example plays such a role for the North and Central Netherlands; MCT in Moerdijk does the same for the South of the Netherlands, TCT Belgium in Willebroek for Belgium, AVCT in Avelgem for Northern France and LCT in Liège for Wallonia. DeCeTe in Duisburg even offers no less than 70 onward connections to the whole of Germany and deeper into Europe via the neighbouring rail terminal Duss. Track & Trace Ham and his team are also constantly on the look-out for opportunities to offer new supplementary services. Via European Gateway Services, it is currently possible for companies to have their cargo transported to the hinterland document-free and with a time guarantee if so desired. Rotterdam - TCT Venlo is now the first route which offers track & trace. Customers can monitor the progress of their cargo online. In the future, this will also be possible on other routes. The extended gate network of European Gateway Services currently comprises the following inland terminals: Netherlands ACT - Amsterdam MCT - Moerdijk TCT Venlo - Venlo Belgium AVCT LCT TCT Belgium - Avelgem - Liège - Willebroek Germany DeCeTe - Duisburg All these extended gates are frequently connected by rail or inland shipping with ECT s deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam. The extended gates furthermore constitute ideal hubs for subsequent transport deeper into Europe. Separate Website All information pertaining to the extended gates, the connections and the further options of European Gateway Services are available on com, which was launched on the 1st of December Bagchus: In the short term, we will also add a product configurator to this website. With just a few clicks of the mouse, each potential client can then select his optimal route and connection within the extended gate network and next easily submit a booking request. In the more distant future, it will also be possible for customers to make direct bookings via the website. 7

8 European Gateway Services in Practice Reliable, Predictable and Sustainable Shipping lines, transport companies, forwarders and shippers all stand to benefit from a continuously expanding European network of extended gates, highly frequent and sustainable hinterland connections and supplementary customs services: ECT s European Gateway Services. The Shipper A Delayed Shoe does not make the Cash Registers sing At Nike, logistics is like top sport. Every three months, a new collection hits the stores in Europe and this puts tremendous pressure on the lead time of transport between the company s 200 factories and 30,000 European retail customers. In the logistics chain from Rotterdam, inland shipping and TCT Belgium constitute key links. Why we are so keen on a short lead time? Each day the optimum lead time is exceeded costs Nike 700,000 dollars in working capital due to the unnecessary financing of stocks. A delayed shoe does not make the cash registers sing, explains Frans Smit, Nike s manager of vendor & network transportation. From the mainly Asian production countries, Nike s shoes and sports equipment are for the most part moved to Rotterdam - Europe s first port of call - by several reputable shipping lines. Reliability and predictability are key in this respect. From Rotterdam, the containers are next transported under carrier haulage in a point-point barge connection to either the Nike European Logistics Centre in Laakdal (24,000 TEU per annum) or to TCT Belgium (5000 TEU per annum). TCT Belgium, an extended gate of ECT, is situated in Willebroek, a stone s throw from Nike s deconsolidation centre there. After the deep-sea vessel has arrived in Rotterdam, we always want to move our containers out of the port as fast as possible; an aim which ECT shares with us. It takes a maximum of three days before our containers have been delivered at either Laakdal or Willebroek. From here, the onward European distribution is arranged. According to Smit, the fact that Nike can also use TCT Belgium for temporary storage if necessary constitutes an additional strong point. In that case, our service provider of the deconsolidation centre in Willebroek picks up the containers according to a daily planning. All this runs extremely smoothly. 8

9 The Shipping Line Push instead of Pull As one of the top ten carriers in the world, COSCO Container Lines is moving more and more cargo via Rotterdam. For the organisation of their carrier haulage hinterland transport, COSCO has a preference for ECT s European Gateway Services. Instead of direct trucking, COSCO opts for inland shipping and rail to move cargo to the hinterland whenever possible. Managing director Peter den Breejen: Next to sustainability, especially costs and reliability are key factors in this respect. For example, for factories it is important that containers always arrive punctually at their doorstep. This can be achieved much easier from a nearby inland terminal than directly from the seaport. And of course it minimizes the dwell time of the container at the deep-sea terminals as well. The strength of ECT s European Gateway Services concept is that it allows for a push system as opposed to a pull system. Instead of waiting at the deep-sea terminal until the customer indicates that he needs his cargo, we go ahead and already move those containers by barge or train to a nearby inland terminal in ECT s network. Within European Gateway Services this transport can take place virtually document-free as it is carried out under the customs license of ECT. It is not until the inland terminal that customs clearance needs to be arranged, even if the inland terminal is across the Dutch border. The Global Forwarder Go Green From the very start, DHL has been an avid user of European Gateway Services. For some of their customers, DHL opts for the guaranteed lead times which ECT offers as part of its Premium Service. Direct trucking from the seaport is becoming less and less of an option for DHL, both in terms of reliability and the environment. The more cargo is moved to the hinterland in thick flows, the better. Go Green is an important theme for DHL, say Dimitri Maaten and Johan van Wensveen, logisticians at DHL Global Forwarding. There are more reasons why the forwarder likes to make use of European Gateway Services. For example, the security at the extended gates - very important - meets the ISPS requirements. Also important is the fact that the inland terminals are neutral. We can arrange the onward transport ourselves and also collect containers at night due to the roundthe-clock opening times. Furthermore, DHL never needs to draw up a customs document twice. After all, as part of European Gateway Services containers are moved to the inland terminal under the customs license of ECT. A customs document - transit declaration - has a limited validity. If we as DHL need to generate this ourselves in Rotterdam, we run the risk that a renewed customs document is required prior to the onward transport from the inland terminal. In some cases, DHL opts for Premium Service in which ECT guarantees the lead times between Rotterdam and the inland terminal. On average, a sea-going vessel spends between 12 and 48 hours along the quay at the deep-sea terminal. We as DHL have no insight as to exactly when our containers are put on the quay. ECT however does and can act accordingly. For time-critical cargo, DHL therefore turns to ECT to ensure the timely transport of containers to the inland terminal. Maaten: During that transport, we ourselves can already take care of the customs clearance. All in all, the time savings we can thus achieve range from one to several days. 9

10 ECT s Network of Extended Gates Where Push meets Pull ECT s network of extended gates offers customers flexibility and predictability and speeds up hinterland transport. On the one hand, containers are quickly pushed from the deep-sea terminals to the inland terminals; on the other hand, it is possible for the customer to pull his container from there just-in-time. In this entire process, European Gateway Services adds an additional, decisive dimension to this with paperless, cross-border transparency. Currently there are seven extended gates at strategic locations throughout the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. TCT Venlo: Truly Trimodal Situated almost directly on the Dutch - German border, TCT Venlo is connected with Rotterdam by both rail and barge. Every day, at least three rail shuttles go back and forth between the extended gate in the southeast of the Netherlands and ECT s deep-sea terminals at the Maasvlakte, a good three hours drive away. As if a conveyor belt, a new train arrives in Venlo every six to eight hours. Through a separate barge terminal, TCT Venlo offers customers a comprehensive inland shipping service as well. Managing director Peter Verschoor: Our barge service from TCT Venlo not only calls at the Maasvlakte, but also at the city area of Rotterdam where both the ECT City Terminal and Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals (RST) are located. Further more, inland shipping is ideal for the efficient repositioning of empty containers. The combination of barge and rail means customers of European Gateway Services can benefit from an optimal, reliable and flexible product which in addition contributes to a significantly lower carbon footprint. Verschoor: For the customer, we ensure that the containers are always present at their destination on time, regardless of the mode of transport. If time is essential, the train is selected; for less time-critical cargo, the barge is ideal. The tariffs are equal. In addition to all the connections with Rotterdam, TCT Venlo is also connected by barge with Antwerp via Liège. Main service areas: Venlo region (the no. 1 logistics hotspot in the Netherlands), the southeast of the Netherlands in general and Germany s Ruhr area Connections with Rotterdam: thrice-daily by train, three times a week by barge 10

11 DeCeTe Duisburg: Location, Location, Location Main service areas: Germany s Ruhr area, onward rail connections to more than 70 destinations in the whole of Europe Connections with Rotterdam: daily by barge and train Situated in the heart of Germany s Ruhr area, DeCeTe Duisburg is the ideal location for the efficient handling of both barges and trains. The terminal is situated directly on the river Rhine and commands 900 metres of quay with four quay cranes. Each day a dedicated barge shuttle maintains a connection with the ECT deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam. Besides the barge infrastructure the own rail facilities of ECT s extended gate are situated directly adjacent to those of the large rail terminal of Duss (DB Netz and Kombi verkehr). This allows for attractive through connections with more than 70 destinations across the whole of Europe. A daily dedicated rail shuttle connects the ECT terminals on Rotterdam s Maasvlakte with DeCeTe. Departing from Rotterdam in the evening, the shuttle reaches Duisburg that same night. DeCeTe s managing director Johan Stelten: Around 50 percent of these containers are destined for the local market, the other half is bound for other European destinations. Following temporary storage if so required, we simply internally transport those containers from DeCeTe to the appropriate Kombiverkehr train at Duss. Another major advantage of DeCeTe is the crossborder customs license which ECT has for the transport of containers from Rotterdam. Customers of European Gateway Services do not need to arrange their customs formalities until Duisburg, where they can take care of this directly in the German Atlas system. MCT Moerdijk s Unlimited Potential Some 70 kilometres southwest of Rotterdam s Maasvlakte, Moerdijk Container Terminals (MCT) constitutes an important extended gate of ECT. MCT is part of the port of Moerdijk, situated halfway between Rotterdam and Antwerp at a junction of various motorways. This makes the onward distribution of containers arriving at MCT very easy. The Moerdijk area and the greater region of West-Brabant in the south of the Netherlands are home to various international companies. As an extended gate of ECT, MCT has a twice-daily inland shipping connection with the ECT Delta Terminal and the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam at the Maasvlakte. MCT s managing director Luc Smits: To offer a constant and reliable service we use an inland vessel with two push barges. In Moerdijk, we change the push barge, which means the inland vessel does not need to wait to be unloaded and loaded. In this way, we can always stick to our windows. MCT however is more than just an extended gate for ECT. It is also an empty depot for reputable shipping lines and serves as an inland hub for other sea ports such as Antwerp as well. The inland terminal has enough space for future growth and this will definitely be needed. Co-director Wilgert Willems: With container flows in Europe continuously on the up, a further modal shift from the road is absolutely essential. In addition, companies are increasingly looking for ways to minimise their carbon footprint. Main service areas: the southern Netherlands (Moerdijk, West-Brabant) Connections with Rotterdam: twice-daily by barge 11

12 TCT Belgium: The Fastest Route from Asia Main service areas: the fast-growing region for European distribution between Antwerp and Brussels, northern France to Paris Connections with Rotterdam: daily by barge TCT Belgium is located in Willebroek, right on the Scheldt-Brussels Canal. The extended gate in Belgium is connected with the ECT deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam - the first European port of call for many Asia services - by means of a daily barge connection. The containers that arrive by barge at TCT Belgium can be temporarily stored here to then be trucked on demand to one of the many distribution centres within a 35-kilometre radius (and vice versa). At the same time, empties are efficiently taken back again to the inland terminal. TCT Belgium is also the starting point for further distribution into Europe. Managing director Martine Hiel: What we do together with our barge and trucking partners is relieve the customer of his logistics problems. Tailor-made services rendered as a team. This all runs smoothly, although hardly a day passes that isn t hectic. We are at the end of the transport chain, so there is always something in urgent need of a solution. This also makes things interesting: it pushes our problemsolving abilities to the fullest. ACT Amsterdam s Green Solution Main service areas: greater Amsterdam area including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the central and northern Netherlands Connections with Rotterdam: daily by barge Amsterdam Container Terminals (ACT) is the extended gate of ECT for the Amsterdam region including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and for the central and northern Netherlands. ACT offers shipping lines, shippers, forwarders, transporters and inland terminals a green and cost-efficient alternative for travelling to and from Rotterdam. Both truckers and small barges carrying only a few containers can easily deliver and collect these at ACT. A larger barge consolidates all these containers and moves them via a daily connection between the ECT deep-sea terminals at the Maasvlakte and ACT in Amsterdam. Companies can thus operate far more efficiently and achieve a substantial reduction of their carbon footprint. If required, ACT can deploy a train as well. The extended gate has its own on-site rail terminal. ACT is a deep-sea terminal as well, stresses managing director Pieter Oudejans, and also functions as an empty depot for leading shipping lines. 12

13 AVCT Avelgem: Stepping stone to Paris Main service areas: southwest Belgium, northern France, Paris Region Connections with Rotterdam: daily by barge At least five times a week, barges from Rotterdam arrive at the inland terminal of AVCT in Avelgem, near the Belgian-French border. Managing director Alain Zielens: We are a strictly neutral terminal, without preference to the colour of the container, and also function as an empty depot. That is important. The extended gate AVCT services an area of 250 kilometres, from the distribution centres of large Asian shippers located in the southwest of Flanders to the Paris region. The Paris-bound traffic is mainly one-way, causing a massive imbalance as hardly any laden container comes back. This however also means that the exporting industry in northern France is able to easily and cost-effectively source its containers from our empty depot. That saves a huge amount of empty kilometres and, in addition to being efficient, saves shipping lines a lot of money. AVCT offers customers unlimited temporary storage; companies can always have their containers collected just-in-time. Our buffer function enables them to optimally arrange their logistics. All a recipient needs to do is to give us a call in order to accelerate or postpone the collection of his container. Our official hours are from 8.00 to hours, but de facto we offer a 24/7 service. LCT Liège: The Wallonian Connection Main service areas: Wallonia, northeast France, neighbouring border area in Germany Connections to Rotterdam: three times a week by barge The inland shipping link between Rotterdam and Liège Container Terminal (LCT) connects Wallonia with the many deep-sea services from the Far East which have Rotterdam as their first European port of call. Shipping lines, forwarders, transporters and shippers have an attractive option for reliable and sustainable transport to and from Frenchspeaking Belgium and beyond. LCT is the only (trimodal) container terminal in the city of Liège. The inland terminal has its own barge quay and rail connection and functions as an extended gate of ECT. Wallonia is a region with a high proportion of heavy industry and a rapidly expanding logistics sector. An increasing number of companies consider Wallonia an attractive foothold for their European distribution. Says LCT s managing director Tom Paeshuys: We are ideally situated, particularly for the region south of Liège. What s more, from our terminal we are also able to optimally serve Germany and northern France. In addition, we function as an empty depot for renowned shipping lines. 13

14 Cooperation pays off the Customer benefits The highly frequent rail and barge connections between ECT s deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam and the extended gates covered by European Gateway Services are maintained by reputable logistics partners. Danser Container Line is a good example in this respect, but there are other parties as well. Paul Ham, general manager business development at ECT: At ECT, we have learned that cooperation in terms of hinterland transport definitely has added value. The strength of partnerships lies in the fact that by working together and mutually connecting different networks, you can complement one another: operationally, but also commercially. Moreover - and this is the most important aspect - the customer is better off. The partnerships may by the way, vary depending on the region or type of activity. This does not have to conflict at all. We think that working together in networks and linking them together is truly the way of the future. Danser Container Line Strengthening each other For ECT, Danser Container Line maintains barge connections with four extended gates: TCT Belgium, MCT, TCT Venlo and (partially) LCT. Managing director Ben Maelissa of the inland shipping line stresses that this cooperation is not a given. Time and again, ECT carefully weighs the situation. They always look for the best-suited party for the particular inland route. Maelissa does clearly see the added value though of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which both companies signed in 2008 to jointly improve the inland shipping product. This has proven to be more than just a piece of paper. The MOU has resulted in good communications and an open way of working. This has created more mutual understanding and we are truly able to reinforce each other. shipping line for the most part works for deep-sea shipping lines and forwarders. Traditionally, Danser s area of operation has always been the Upper Rhine region, but it is also very active closer to home. The inland shipping company plays an important role in the port equalisation between Rotterdam and Antwerp. In addition, it maintains scheduled connections to many other destinations in the Netherlands and Belgium, such as Bergen op Zoom, Flushing, Dordrecht, Meerhout, Zeebrugge etc. Maelissa: We can arrange everything between sea port and final destination for our customers. We always sail on time Full Service Danser always aspires to be a partner for customers. Besides the services which it provides to ECT, the inland So not just the nautical part, but also handling, customs clearance, onward road and rail transport etc. It is a growing business. Customers concentrate on their core business and 14

15 Other Logistics Partners of European Gateway Services... Niederrhein Allianz (Rhinecontainer and H&S Container Line) The Niederrhein Allianz of inland shipping lines Rhinecontainer and H&S Container Line is ECT s logistics partner for the efficient hinterland transport by barge between ECT s deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam and DeCeTe Duisburg. Every day, the ships of the Niederrhein Allianz sail back and forth. ECT, DeCeTe, Rhinecontainer and H&S Container Line operate as true partners in this respect. Customers can count on a highly frequent and reliable transport product which can be booked with all four parties. The mutual communication takes place by means of paperless EDI connections. Armin Lehnen of H&S Container Line: Our already long-term partnership is outstanding; all four partners fully trust one another. The dedicated daily barge connections run like clockwork. Adds Matthieu van Roermund, managing director of Rhinecontainer: The services which we provide in the Lower Rhine area can rightfully be considered a premium product. More information: and Kombiverkehr / Optimodal Together with the German rail operator Kombiverkehr and its Dutch subsidiary Optimodal, ECT maintains a daily rail connection between Rotterdam and DeCeTe Duisburg. This Betuwe Express departs every evening from the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam and already arrives at DeCeTe later that same night. From the directly adjacent rail terminal of Duss, onward connections to more than 70 destinations across Europe are next possible. Just a single telephone call from the customer is enough to arrange the entire journey from Rotterdam via Duisburg through to the final European destination. More information we take care of the rest. In Basel, Switzerland, we for example also offer rail shuttle connections to east and southwest Switzerland from our own inland terminal. From a nautical service provider, we are increasingly becoming a full service provider. Advantages Of course, inland navigation continues to be the core activity of Danser. Maelissa sums up the advantages of the inland shipping sector. Transport is reliable, highly environmentally friendly and very interesting from a cost-technical point of view. He dismisses the argument that inland shipping is too slow. We always sail on time. That to me equals speed. When opting for transport by barge, the important thing is to properly organise the surrounding logistics. It s a combination. More information: Husa Transportation At least three times a day, traction supplier Husa Transportation (former ACTS Railways) connects the ECT terminals at the Maasvlakte with TCT Venlo. Currently the trains pulled by Husa Transportation connect the inland terminal with the ECT Delta Terminal seventeen times a week; there are five connections a week with the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam. Each train has a capacity of 87 TEU. More information: MegaBarging Every day, a 240-TEU barge of MegaBarging maintains a dedicated connection between the deep-sea terminals of ECT and ACT in Amsterdam. Upon request, the barge shuttle also calls at empty depots along the water en route back to Rotterdam. More information: 15

16 Rotterdam is continuously increasing its attractiveness as a gateway to Germany. Through European Gateway Services of ECT, it recently became possible for containers to travel on to Duisburg, in the heart of Germany s Ruhr area, without any customs documents. Customs and ECT explain the agreements which were made to benefit the port customer. This is the first cross-border customs license of its kind. For large parts of Germany, the fastest and most cost-effective route for seaborne cargo runs via Rotterdam. Until recently, many parties in Germany however still opted for one of the German ports. Out of habit, but also because of the additional customs formalities which were necessary in Rotterdam. That obstacle has now been removed. Paul Zoeter, consultant business development of ECT: Drawing up a transit or import declaration is no longer necessary in Rotterdam. Under the customs license of ECT, containers can directly proceed to DeCeTe Duisburg, the inland terminal in the heart of the German Ruhr area which functions as an extended gate for our deep-sea terminals. Once there, the customer himself can directly arrange his customs formalities in the German customs system Atlas. From left to right Bert Wiersema, Paul Zoeter, Djin Ramdat and Paul Ham: excellent cooperation for achieving cross-border customs authorisation. First Cross-Border Customs License To make the additional service possible, ECT has turned to Rotterdam s Customs department. Bert Wiersema, regional director of Customs Rotterdam Port: ECT has a so-called bonded warehouse C license for its deep-sea terminals. This means that by specifying only a limited amount of information, cargo can be taken into storage without additional customs formalities. Such a bonded warehouse C license can apply to several locations. The TCT Venlo inland terminal already was such a location and this has now been expanded to Duisburg. Particularly special about this location is that it is in Germany. It is the first cross-border customs license of its kind. At the European level, there are no legal obstacles whatsoever for the kind of cross-border license which ECT has been awarded. Djin Ramdat of the Expertise Centre for Crossborder Authorisations of Customs: We have meticulously prepared this project together with ECT. First, we carefully examined the legal requirements. ECT next worked on adjusting its customs software; we as Customs drew up a concept license and submitted this to our German colleagues. After a critical assessment, they approved this cross-border method. No Special Requirements For customers of ECT there are no special requirements to participate in the new service, explains general manager business development Paul Ham. Shipping lines, forwarders, transporters and shippers all stand to benefit. All they have to do is book their containers with our European Gateway Services, together with only some basic cargo information (see box, ed.). We then deregister the container in the customs system in Rotterdam, arrange for the cross-border transport by train or barge and ensure its timely arrival in Duisburg. In theory, any container can be moved under ECT s cross-border customs license. However, we have decided not to accept high-risk cargo such as alcohol and cigarettes. External Border The new possibilities for paperless cross-border transport to Germany do not change the fact that Rotterdam is an external border of Europe, explains Bert Wiersema of Customs. Based on extensive and advanced risk analyses, 16

17 Straight to Germany without Customs Documents How to book to Duisburg we will continue to inspect containers as usual. We select about two percent of all boxes for inspection via the customs scan. For companies with the status of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) this is even less; perhaps one percent. The remainder of the inspections are predominantly administrative. The latter also applies to the bonded warehouse C license of ECT. The transport to Duisburg however does include certain additional safeguards, including the sealing of containers. Dutch Customs strives to operate on the basis of trust, says the customs director. We invest a lot of effort in the creation of reliable supply chains. Customs is happy with ECT. Wiersema: In principle, a crossborder customs license is possible for all parties. Up till now, ECT however has been the only one to make real progress in this respect and has shifted from a traditional stevedore to an integral logistics service provider. This also benefits Customs. We want to abolish all the paper customs documents which companies currently still submit in huge quantities. There is absolutely no need for that. To have your containers transported paperless from ECT s deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam to DeCeTe Duisburg, you can book with European Gateway Services, telephone +31 (0) , egsplanning@ect.nl or When making your booking, the following cargo information is required: - port of loading; - Bill of Lading number; - number of items and weight; - cargo description. More Locations, More Countries Ham has noticed a lot of interest in Germany for the new paperless cross-border working method. We will therefore investigate the possibilities for a similar way of working for other inland terminals in Germany as well. Initially, we are thinking of Neuss and Dortmund. Zoeter adds: In consultation with Customs, we have also just applied for a cross-border customs license for transport to our extended gates in Belgium: TCT Belgium in Willebroek and AVCT in Avelgem. On those routes, we also want to further simplify the use of our deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam. 17

18 ECT s Customs Services: Supporting an Uninterrupted Container Flow As part of European Gateway Services, ECT offers customers additional customs services aimed at further facilitating the smooth flow of containers from the deep-sea terminals in Rotterdam to the extended gates in the hinterland. Various customers have already discovered the ease of doing business using Paperless Service, Premium Service and Release Service. More Information With Paperless Service, ECT facilitates a document-free transport between ECT s deep-sea terminals and the participating extended gates. Paul Zoeter, consultant business development at ECT: When customers opt for Paperless Service, we as ECT see to it that in Rotterdam, the container is checked out from the Sagitta Entry system (SBB) of Customs; the customs release takes place at the deep-sea terminal and the box is transported to the relevant hinterland terminal. The latter takes place under our customs license and responsibility. It is not until the inland terminal that the customer becomes responsible for the container. There, he can arrange the further customs For more information on Paperless Service, Premium Service and Release Service, please contact ECT s European Gateway Services, telephone +31 (0) , egsplanning@ect.nl. formalities - albeit for transit, storage in a bonded warehouse or import. Premium Service ECT s Premium Service takes things one step further. Zoeter: The service is identical to Paperless Service but also includes a time guarantee. For participants in Premium Service, we ensure that their containers are always in the hinterland at the agreedupon time. Should a container in Rotterdam unfortunately miss its train or barge connection, then we arrange a truck so that the container still arrives at its destination at the required time. Release Service As a derivative of Paperless Service and Premium Service, ECT also offers Release Service. Zoeter: Here, we see to it that the container is checked out from Customs SBB system and that the customs release takes place at the deep-sea terminal in Rotterdam. The advantage for customers is that all these actions are carried out by the same party and that they do not need to deploy own manpower for this or invest in supporting systems. All the customer has to do is contact us via or EDI to give us the order. Next, the cargo is transported to the hinterland under the own customs license of the customer (a so-called domproc license). A possible additional benefit of this may be that the cargo can be directly moved from the inland terminal to the warehouse of the customer under the same customs regime. It is not until there that the additional customs documents for transit or import need to be drawn up. Destinations The customs services of ECT are currently available for all three of the extended gates in the Netherlands - TCT Venlo, MCT and ACT - and for DeCeTe in Duisburg (see feature pages 16-17). Zoeter: What s more, we are also working on the introduction of these services at our Belgian extended gates of TCT Belgium and later on AVCT and LCT. 18

19 ECT s Deep-sea Terminals Europe Container Terminals (ECT) is the leading and most advanced container terminal operator in Europe, handling most of the containers at the port of Rotterdam. ECT operates three deep-sea terminals: the ECT Delta Terminal and the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam (together with CKYH - the Green Alliance) on the Maasvlakte peninsula, close to the North Sea, and the ECT City Terminal in the Eemhaven close to the city centre. ECT is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group. ECT Delta Terminal Total area 272 ha Quay length 3.6 km Water depth 16.6 m Deep-sea qua cranes 36 Barge/feeder cranes 3 Barge cranes 5 Rail cranes 4 Automated Guided Vehicles 265 Automated Stacking Cranes 137 Reefer connections 3250 Euromax Terminal Rotterdam Total area 84 ha Quay length 1.5 km Water depth 16.8 m (max m) Deep-sea qua cranes 12 Barge/feeder cranes 4 Rail cranes 2 Automated Guided Vehicles 96 Automated Rail Mounted Yard Cranes 58 Reefer connections 2136 ECT City Terminal Total area 59.3 ha Quay length 1.4 km Water depth m Deep-sea quay cranes 9 Straddle carriers 32 Reefer connections

20 Sustainable ECT Examples of ECT s Initiatives for Sustainable Entrepreneurship Route from Rotterdam ACT Amsterdam by barge MCT Moerdijk by barge MCT Moerdijk by train TCT Venlo by barge TCT Venlo by train AVCT Avelgem by barge TCT Belgium by barge LCT Liège by barge DeCeTe Duisburg by barge DeCeTe Duisburg by train CO 2 savings per container 117 kg 74 kg 91 kg 230 kg 286 kg 240 kg 153 kg 246 kg 284 kg 346 kg Source: CE Delft Serious CO 2 Reduction Through European Gateway Services, ECT customers can bene fit from highly frequent, efficient, reliable and sustainable rail and barge connections between Rotterdam and a large number of inland terminals which function as extended gates. Compared to road transport, opting for rail and inland shipping offers companies a serious reduction in their carbon footprint. For the various inland routes, ECT has calculated as accurately as possible just how much these savings amount to, without any window dressing. The CO 2 savings ensuing from the use of rail and inland shipping are in relation to the average consumption of a truck of one litre of diesel per kilometre whilst transporting a 15-tonne container. To compensate for ten kilos of CO 2, a tree needs to grow for almost a year in the Netherlands. This quickly adds up. A company which each week transports one container by barge from Rotterdam to TCT Belgium annually saves 52 x 153 kg = 7956 kg of CO 2. To offset this differently, nearly 800 trees in the Netherlands would need to grow for a year kilos of CO 2 also equals circumnavigating the globe in a passenger car. More information at 20