FAST FORWARD. h edition

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1 FAST FORWARD spring 2011 I S S U E 50 0 h edition READY FOR THE FUTURE STRAIGHT TO GERMANY WITHOUT CUSTOMS DOCUMENTs WIDENING OF THE AMAZONEHAVEN ON THE MAASVLAKTE

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. 8-9 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 editor ECT Rose Wiggers Europe Container Terminals (ECT) Europe Container Terminals (ECT) is the largest 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 Straight to Germany without Customs Documents 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. European Gateway Services in Practice COSCO Container Lines actively makes use of ECT s European Gateway Services. This means containers can be transported virtually document-free by train or barge. It is not until the inland terminal that customs clearance needs to be arranged. Widening of the Amazonehaven on the Maasvlakte ECT and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are taking steps to adapt the Amazonehaven on the south side of the ECT Delta Terminal. Work to widen the harbour basin from 255 metres to 310 metres is due to start this year already. 2

3 spring 2011 COLUMN Ready for the Future Following limited operations last year due to quay wall refurbishments, the Delta Dedicated North Terminal (DDN) is now back in full swing again. With a completely refurbished quay surface as well as various other improvements, the terminal is ready for the future. A future in which Ultra Large Container Carriers (ULCCs) are more than welcome. Adequately managing Uncertainties On behalf of everyone at ECT, I would firstly like to extend my sincerest sympathies to the victims of the earthquake in Japan and its terrible aftermath. Our thoughts particularly go out to the employees of our customers, many of whom have been directly or indirectly affected by this sad tragedy. The earthquake in Japan, as well as the earthquake in New Zealand and the floods in Australia earlier this year, are just some of the events which occurred over a short time span and are holding the world in a tight grip. The political upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa also deservedly warrants attention. All these events have in common that they were almost impossible to predict. Of course, our primary concern goes out to all those people who have lost their loved ones and their homes. However, we also need to look at the economic impact of these events. It seems as if the pace at which changes occur is constantly accelerating; the dynamics on the world stage are tremendous. Managing uncertainties has consequently become more important than ever and logistics is certainly no exception in that respect. ECT is expected to both look ahead five to ten years and adequately anticipate the challenges that each new day brings. Each week is different. We for example started 2011 with a new handling record at our deep-sea terminals of more than 100,000 containers in one single week. The period afterwards however held completely new challenges, for instance when a capsized barge obstructed shipping traffic on the river Rhine News People make the Difference ECT s Rail Terminals Right on Track Dinalog: Building on Logistics Control AVCT Avelgem Stepping Stone to Paris Secure Lane Rotterdam - Venlo Me and My Vessel Sustainable ECT As ECT, we spare no efforts to ensure that we are an attractive partner for our customers, both in the short and in the long term. That means continuous investments in infrastructure and equipment, but also adequately dealing with constantly changing conditions. Day after day, our terminals handle large numbers of containers. To smoothly move these to and from the European hinterland requires maximum discipline. At the same time, we endeavour to offer our customers the highest possible degree of flexibility. High volumes combined with an optimum service: that is the name of the game and that is what we at ECT aim to achieve day after day. Of course, sometimes an accumulation of factors can cause logistics to deviate from normal. In these cases, the cooperation with our customers and the dedication of our employees are paramount as regards our ability to quickly and efficiently adjust. Fortunately, logistics can be managed in that respect. The same cannot be said for natural disasters such as the ones which struck Japan. The only fitting reply we at this side of the world can offer in this respect is our heartfelt support and compassion. Jan Westerhoud President of ECT 3

4 NEWS A Real Ben Wind A tragic helicopter accident in Rotterdam port in June 2010 claimed the lives of the pilot and a trio of highly-respected communications professionals, including the photographer Ben Wind. Ben worked as a photographer for more than 35 years, and also took on commissions from ECT. In his memory, his studio has recently been turned into a photo gallery and a special memorial book has been published: A real Ben Wind. The first copy of the book was presented at end- March 2011 to the Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb. Ben s wife Ellen made a selection of his many unforgettable photographs for the book, all of which are also now on show at the photo gallery. Says the book s designer Ronald Schreutelkamp: Ben was himself a sailor and as a result he spoke the language of the shipping world. He was able to strike up an instant rapport with everyone on board, without any distinctions in rank or class. Everyone always felt at ease while being photographed. Een echte Ben Wind (A real Ben Wind) retails at 49,95 euro s and may be ordered via info@benwind.com. The retrospective exhibition of his work is on show up to and including 30 September For more information: Russian Containers up 40% Last year Rotterdam handled 40 percent more containers coming from or destined for Russia, data from the Port of Rotterdam Authority show. It s an indicator of the increasingly important role the port - and with it ECT - has come to play as a feeder hub for the ScanBaltic, which alongside Russia also includes the Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden and Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Rotterdam s main advantage is its status as first port of call in Europe for a large number of Asia-services. Discharging containers in Rotterdam for subsequent feedering to the ScanBaltic yields major time savings in comparison to transhipment via the second or third port of call. Furthermore, measured in terms of total shipping costs between Asia and Europe, feedering via Rotterdam is also economical when it comes to price. Florian Vreeburg, commercial executive at ECT anticipates that also the feeder vessels are set for further increases of scale in the future. That will make Rotterdam even more attractive. When TEU feeder vessels (Kieler-Max) sail to Russia, Finland, Sweden and Poland, in particular level, they will no longer use the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal in Northern Germany, but go up around Denmark. This will further improve the competitive position of Rotterdam. Alongside the regular handling capacity at its deep-sea terminals, ECT offers the feeder sector also transhipment facilities via the Delta Barge Feeder Terminal. Visit us in Munich European Gateway Services will be on hand to introduce itself with its own stand at Transport Logistic 2011, from 10 to 13 May in Munich. Here, at the world s biggest trade fair for transport and logistics, visitors can familiarise themselves with the product offering of European Gateway Services, the participating inland terminals, the inland shipping and rail links to and from Rotterdam and the additional customs services. You will find European Gateway Services in hall B4, stand 410. We are looking forward to meeting you in Munich! 4

5 NEWS 50 th edition! From Dusk to Dawn This is the 50 th edition of Fast Forward, the magazine we ve been making for more than fifteen years to keep you up to date with developments in the container sector as a whole and at ECT in particular. The very first issue of Fast Forward was published in the winter of Major stories at that time were the imminent completion of the Delta Dedicated East Terminal, the signing of an agreement with the Global Alliance and an interview with the chief of corporate forwarding at multinational Philips. Even as long ago as the mid-nineties the magazine already foresaw that super-consortia and mega-carriers are set to shape the future of the container shipping business where big is an increasingly heard buzz word. Today, in 2011, Fast Forward is still monitoring the trends in the business up close. Yin & Jan Without China the Dutch would never have developed their fondness for tea, and nor would we be selling Delft Blue souvenirs. Without the Dutch, Hong Kong wouldn t have had an airport out to sea and Shanghai wouldn t boast a world port. The exhibition Yin & Jan China and the Netherlands linked through shipping is on show at Rotterdam s Maritime Museum until 4 March In this exhibition the life-sized digital hostess Yin and host Jan plunge visitors into the dynamic relationship between the Netherlands and China. Visitors learn about the close trade relations between the two countries down the centuries, their influences on one another and the key role of shipping in this. For the exhibition Rotterdam s Maritime Museum worked closely together with the China Maritime Museum in Shanghai, which has loaned several important pieces, including a compass dating back to the Song Dynasty. In the autumn of 2011 work will start on boosting the capacity of the A15 motorway, Rotterdam port s main traffic artery. During the road works, traffic will temporarily be curtailed. That s why a range of initiatives has been taken to get traffic off the road or to spread it more evenly throughout the day. ECT is fully prepared for this, and has been for several years. The deep-sea terminals, for example, are open 24 hours a day on the landside as well. Using the quiet hours of night has advantages for everyone. The throughput of trucks to and from the hinterland runs more smoothly, which is also better for the environment. And that s not all. ECT is stimulating the use of the late and early hours with concrete commitments. Depending on the number of containers, properly pre-notified drivers calling at the deep-sea terminals between and hours are assured of a maximum stay time of between 45 and 75 minutes. If ECT fails to make good this promise, hauliers are awarded compensation that can run up to 40 euro s. Since this compensation ruling was introduced in March 2008, ECT has never had to pay out. More information: 5

6 NEWS Goodbye Winter Spring is in the air and winter s gone for another year. In December, particularly, ECT had to cope with some very heavy snowstorms. Nevertheless operations carried on virtually without a break, so safeguarding the service to customers. In that, salting and shovelling snow on the terminals proved an important additional task. Luckily the cold is far behind us once more, leaving behind only some beautiful photographs of a wintry ECT. More trains to Germany Safety Instructions Safety is the number one priority at ECT s terminals. Specially for our visitors on the sea side - deep-sea, feeder and barge - ECT has published a booklet of safety regulations which should be adhered to in all circumstances. The booklet, entitled Safety instructions for vessels and their crew visiting can be downloaded from the ECT website or requested via safety@ect.nl. From May 2011 ECT and rail operator Kombiverkehr will split their joint daily Betuwe Express service into two separate trains to Germany s Ruhr region. 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. Currently all cargo for Duisburg and Dortmund is still loaded on a single train. The new concept will therefore result in a doubling of capacity. DeCeTe Duisburg is one of ECT s extended gates. Thanks to ECT s recent cross-border customs licence customers taking part in European Gateway Services can complete customs formalities at the inland terminal in Germany (see also the article on pages 10-11). The transport between Rotterdam and Duisburg will then be the responsibility of ECT. Duisburg is a major rail hub. From the Duss Terminal situated right alongside DeCeTe, Kombiverkehr offers onward links to more than 70 European destinations. For more information or bookings please contact European Gateway Services, telephone +31 (0) , egsplanning@ect.nl, 6

7 People make the Difference The people of ECT have already been meeting the needs of customers for almost 45 years. In this feature, a senior employee and a relative newcomer talk about their motives. This time, we speak to coordinator waterside Arnold de Weerd (37 years of service) and operational employee waterside Sefa Dziworshie (6 years of service). The customer... Arnold The customer is important, he is the very reason we are here. Through our daily operations, he needs to clearly feel that opting for ECT means opting for quality. Sefa Serving the customer, that s the name of the game. Making sure his vessel can always leave as soon as possible and a next one can take its place along the quay. Distinctive... Arnold The customer can call us at any given time to enquire when his container will become available. Once on the quay, it can be collected within half an hour. Sefa There is a lot of experience within ECT, quality is of paramount importance. Room for further improvement Arnold For each feeder and barge we need to check the seal of the container and manually enter the number. This takes time, so if this could be done differently Sefa The quality of the stackers (owned by the shipping lines, ed) that we use to attach the containers to one another on board. More maintenance would make a great difference. Once a boat is ready, we now often still need to carry out an inspection with a gondola to properly position stackers here and there. This unnecessarily takes up time. ECT is... Arnold A company with a highly technological process which is often difficult to grasp for outsiders. They sometimes think that the AGVs - Automated Guided Vehicles - are controlled here on the quay by people who lie flat on their bellies in the vehicle. Sefa A wonderful job in a company with plenty of action. When I was a boy, I would always gaze in wonderment at the ECT City Terminal from the backseat of my dad s car. Now I work for ECT myself. Human factor... Arnold ECT is a social company which invests in its people. You absolutely have the opportunity to further develop. Sefa The social cohesion and team spirit are very strong here. If you walk around with a long face people will definitely come up to you and ask you what s wrong. Future developments... Arnold Responding to increasingly stringent environmental requirements, I expect the AGVs to become fully electric in the future or at least be powered by very clean fuel. Sefa We currently twin a lot (discharging or loading two 20-foot containers at the same time, ed) but in the future this could be four containers at a time just like that. 7

8 Ready for the Future Following limited operations last year due to quay wall refurbishments, the Delta Dedicated North Terminal (DDN) is now back in full swing again. With a completely refurbished quay surface as well as various other improvements, the terminal is ready for the future. A future in which Ultra Large Container Carriers (ULCCs) are more than welcome. A brand-new concrete quay surface, totalling 1001 metres in length and covering eleven hectares: Henk Molenaar, Operations Manager of the DDN, is clearly pleased. It has never been easier to optimally serve the customer. The Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) glide across the smooth new terminal surface like a charm. What s more, the renovation of the quay in 2010 was also seized to expand the number of AGV highways from five to six. This means that the DDN can now handle vessels using six cranes at the same time. An important upgrade given the fact that the DDN is constantly seeing larger and larger ships; the 14,000-TEU ULCC of shipping line MSC which calls each week is the most striking example in this respect. These giants can always visit the DDN without any restrictions. From Maas Centre - the entrance to the port - it takes only an hour and a half for vessels to be securely moored alongside the terminal s quay, with the assistance of one or two tugs at the most. A nautical super location, is how Molenaar refers to his DDN. More Improvements The quay renovation in 2010 was also seized to implement various other improvements at the DDN. On the waterside of the stack, more space has been created at the AGV transfer points; this makes it possible to perform twin carry operations (simultaneously transporting two 20-foot containers) between the stack and the quay cranes and vice versa. In addition, more quay cranes have been made suitable 88

9 The Delta Dedicated North Terminal can now handle vessels using six cranes at the same time. for ULCCs and for twin lifting, the simultaneous loading or discharging of two 20-foot containers. Molenaar: We aim to reach optimal agreement with the customer about the cargo split to make it possible to work with five or six cranes on the ULCC vessels. In combination with a twin lift / twin carry operation, this leads to higher production and performance levels and a faster turnaround for the ship. People make the Difference In total, the DDN now has 34 stacking lanes, a varying number of AGVs, ten deep-sea cranes plus one separate barge crane. Molenaar: Both inside and outside, we have an enthusiastic team who for the most part have already been active at the DDN for quite some time. Despite the automated operation, I am absolutely convinced that it is the people who make the difference. We take care of everything from here, from the ship planning to the execution of the operation. Together, we want to even further increase the added value of this terminal for our customers. ECT also continues to invest in this. Our ambition is to always do better. Henk Molenaar 9

10 Rotterdam is continuously increasing its attractiveness as a gateway to Germany. Through the 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, 10

11 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. 11

12 Photo Arie Jonkman As CKYH - the Green Alliance, COSCO together with K Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin, is a partner of ECT in the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam. This new and modern deep-sea terminal at the Maasvlakte is becoming busier and busier. In May 2011, the alliance members expect the first call of their sixth Far East service. This means a further expansion of shipping capacity by 25 percent. Of course, Rotterdam can boast an outstanding geographic location; the exchange of data is perfectly arranged through the Port Community System of Portbase and the many options for European hinterland transport also constitute a strong point, say Peter den Breejen and Maarten van Kruijl, respectively Managing Director and Manager Transport & Equipment of the Dutch branch of COSCO Container Lines. Rotterdam is steadily gaining ground in the Far East. However, it still needs to be explained that compared to Hamburg, the route via Rotterdam is also faster and cheaper for many destinations in Germany. barge. Carrier and merchant haulage combined, our modal split at the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam currently comprises approximately ten percent rail, 35 percent inland shipping and 55 percent road transport. Merchant haulage however strongly drives up the percentage of road transport. This cargo is mostly bound for destinations in the vicinity of Rotterdam and the truck is often the most viable option then. In a random week, the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam currently handles about 45 trains, 140 barges and 5000 trucks. European Gateway Services allows for a push system as opposed to a pull system Train and Inland Shipping As regards the hinterland transport which COSCO arranges itself from Rotterdam (carrier haulage) the company opts for inland shipping and rail whenever possible. Den Breejen and Van Kruijl: This is always done in consultation with the customer. For the most part it is the customer who decides; we advise. What this often boils down to in practice is that time-critical cargo is moved from the port by truck. In all other cases, the containers are transported by rail or Advantages European Gateway Services For customers, the advantages of rail and inland shipping are straightforward, say Den Breejen and Van Kruijl. 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. It is one of 12

13 COSCO Container Lines: European Gateway Services Strong Concept As one of the top ten carriers in the world, COSCO Container Lines is moving more and more cargo via Rotterdam. That has its effect on the organisation of hinterland transport. In view of the advantages for customers, the shipping line actively makes use of ECT s European Gateway Services. This means containers can be transported virtually document-free by train or barge. It is not until the inland terminal that customs clearance needs to be arranged. It is not until the inland terminal that customs clearance needs to be arranged the main reasons why COSCO is increasingly turning to the inland terminals and hinterland connections which ECT offers within its recently introduced European Gateway Services. The strength of this 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, for example in Moerdijk, Venlo, Willebroek or Duisburg. 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. Until that moment, the container remains in transit and no import duties are due. have all the relevant data in advance. As a result, a container ultimately still needs to be rushed by truck. For the very same reason, the COSCO managers would also like much more information on the destination of the containers of their merchant customers. This would enable us to develop a service product which could also offer these customer advantages in terms of efficiency and costs. Now, it is theoretically possible that twenty trucks drive in sequence from the Euromax Terminal to the same destination for twenty different customers and that we in turn follow with the 21 st truck to deliver an empty container to that very same destination. However, at present the different parties do not know this of each other. Information Needed Crucial to the well-functioning of the European Gateway Services concept is that the customer informs the shipping line and with that ECT in a timely fashion about the destination of a container in the European hinterland. Den Breejen and Van Kruijl: Together with the customer we need to bring about a change in this respect. The sooner a container can be moved away from the deep-sea terminal, the better this is for everyone. At present, insufficient information still often constitutes a bottleneck. Customers are not always aware of just how important it is for us to Managing Imbalance In managing its hinterland transport, the vast imbalance between import and export plays a major role for COSCO. Den Breejen and Van Kruijl: Our planning is aimed at moving around containers in Europe as quickly as possible. Empty containers must be immediately returned to the Far East, where there is a vast shortage. We use inland depots for empty containers which can be filled again in the hinterland by export customers. All other containers are directly moved back to the port and transported to Asia aboard the first available deep-sea vessel. 13

14 Widening of the Amazonehaven on the Maasvlakte Building Phases in widening the Amazonehaven Phase A1 from the entrance to 517 metres within the basin ready September 2013 Phase A2 from 517 metres to 917 metres ready January 2014 Phase A3 from 917 metres to 2517 metres ready November 2013 Work will start from the outer ends of the harbour basin and will move inwards. 14

15 In late February 2011 the CSCL Star paid its first visit to the ECT Delta Dedicated West Terminal. Currently the second-largest container ship in the world, the CSCL Star has a capacity of 14,100 TEU and is the forerunner of many more Ultra Large Container Carriers (ULCCs). That s why ECT and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are going to adapt the Amazonehaven on the south side of the ECT Delta Terminal. Work to widen the harbour basin from 255 metres to 310 metres is due to start this year already. One of ECT s most important advantages over rival container terminals in other West European ports is its optimal accessibility in nearly all weather conditions. The CSCL Star, smoothly entering the Amazonehaven (Amazone basin) is a good example. With many more ULCCs to come and no end yet at the continuous growth of the size of container vessels, ECT wants to be ahead of these developments. Therefore the Amazonehaven will be widened. The original design of the Maasvlakte dates from the 1960s, while the concrete plans for the terminals on the south side of the ECT Delta complex were drawn up around Nobody could then have imagined that ships of 14,000 TEU would now be sailing the world s oceans and that ships of 18,000 TEU have already been ordered. At that time, 6000 TEU was considered gigantic. From 255 Metres to 310 Metres Responding to the ongoing increases in scale, ECT and the Port of Rotterdam Authority in its capacity as landlord have agreed to widen the Amazonehaven from 255 to 310 metres. Says Jan Waas, ECT s Director Technology & Engineering: It s really about bottleneck management. As long as the weather allows pilots to safely bring ULCCs into the port, ECT doesn t want to be the limiting factor that prevents the ship from using our terminal. Preparations for widening the Amazonehaven began in mid The project is currently being tendered Europewide; the plan being that the contractor begins work in the autumn of It will be a complex job. Located opposite ECT is EMO, the largest dry bulk terminal in Europe. Under the plans EMO will have to relinquish a 60-metre wide strip of its terrain along a length of more than 2500 metres. These 2500 metres on the opposite bank across from ECT consists partly of a slope and partly a quay wall suited to receiving large bulk carriers. As such the quay wall is one of the strongest of its kind, so the demolition will be an engineering challenge in itself. Sixty metres inland, EMO will require a new quayside. Other challenges include the re-situation of a large number of cables and pipes and a cooling water outlet. Waas: Of course we at ECT are delighted with our neighbour s cooperative attitude in helping us achieve this widening. No Interruption to Operations The work on the harbour basin will be undertaken in three consecutive phases (see box). Phase A1 at the entrance to the Amazonehaven is the most important, explains Waas. That s where the incoming ships have to make their turn. Just like a car with a trailer the whole thing tends to slew out, and that means there needs to be enough room. Further into the harbour basin the enlargement ensures that ULCCs can pass vessels moored up to the quay and the bunker boats alongside safely, with enough space. To ascertain precisely what is needed, the Port Authority, Harbour Master, pilots and ECT have commissioned extensive simulations. These have been carried out in the laboratory at the Wageningen-based Marin research institute to ascertain the exact requirements, taking into account different currents, wind directions, wind speeds and the assistance of various numbers of tugs. The contractor will undertake the work without impeding ECT s operations. From the shore side on the opposite bank there will be some 50 metres at its disposal in the water for its equipment and suchlike. The Amazonehaven is being made ULCC Proof Important Phase A1 delivery due in September 2013 According to the current planning, the entire Amazonehaven will have been completely widened from 255 metres to 310 metres by early 2014, including additional waiting berths for barges at the end of the harbour basin on the EMO-side. Delivery of the important phase A1 is already due in September The draught of the Amazonehaven will remain unaltered at metres. The project requires a total investment of 180 million euro s. New Quay Cranes On their Way ECT intends to invest even more. In addition to adapting the bollards to cope with the increased pull of ultra large ships, making the south side of the ECT Delta Terminal ULCC-ready will require additional investments in equipment. Waas: We are preparing to bring in at least five new large quay cranes, in order to create an extra ULCC berth. The definitive decision for ordering will be taken in line with market developments and in close consultation with our customers. 15

16 While daily operations carried on as much as possible, the 775 metres long crane girder of the Eastern Rail Terminal at the ECT Delta complex on the Maasvlakte was completely renewed in a two-phase operation between February 2010 and March After more than 25 years of loyal service, the renovations were urgently necessary. The equipment was reaching the end of its useful life. For this reason the two railway cranes on the Eastern Rail Terminal were also overhauled. One of these cranes will even be replaced by a completely new one at the end of 2011 (see box). Thanks to the renovations at the Eastern Rail Terminal we can now work faster and more efficiently, says Jan van der Starre, the supervisor responsible for the day-to-day operational rail activities at the ECT Delta Terminal. Right on Track Three Rail Terminals, Eighteen Tracks ECT can now again offer its customers on the Maasvlakte three fully-functioning rail terminals. In addition to the Eastern Rail Terminal with its four tracks and two railway cranes, these are the Rail Terminal West which boasts six tracks and two railway cranes and the Euromax Terminal Rotterdam s own rail facilities, which also number six tracks and two cranes. Divided over these three rail terminals some 125 rail shuttles currently depart from ECT each week. The most important destinations are Germany and the Netherlands, followed by Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic. In cooperation with its logistics partners ECT organises around a quarter of all these trains itself. As part of European Gateway Services ( customers can benefit among others from highly frequent connections to TCT Venlo (three times a day) and DeCeTe in Duisburg (once a day). Maximum Scope for Growth Currently ECT s Maasvlakte operation handles some 400,000 rail containers annually. But rail transport will show above average growth in the coming years, predicts Erik Nijhuis, rail specialist at ECT s Marketing & Sales department. Customers are striving for more sustainable and more efficient hinterland transport. ECT s rail terminals offer all the necessary capacity. The same applies to the links with the hinterland. The terminals on the Maasvlakte form the starting and the end point of the Betuweroute; this dedicated rail freight line opened in 2007, running from Rotterdam right across the Netherlands to link directly with Germany. The state of the art infrastructure offers rail operators every possibility to further expand the number of trains. More Coordination, Better Product Attractive rail links are more than just a question of infrastructure, however. A reliable, on time rail product demands close coordination between rail operators, traction suppliers, managers of rail infrastructure and terminals. Furthermore capacity is not unlimited, particularly on the Port Railway Line. For this reason chain management has been introduced in Rotterdam under the leadership of Betuweroute operator Keyrail. Effectively this amounts to a set of rules of play that all players in the rail chain conform to, in order to ensure the smooth throughput of trains in Rotterdam itself and to 16

17 In answer to the customers wish for more sustainable and efficient hinterland transport, Rotterdam is increasingly profiling itself as a European railway hub. Following the recently completed renovation of the Eastern Rail Terminal, ECT on the Maasvlakte is more than ready to go with this trend. Three different rail terminals offer every opportunity for handling extra rail shuttles. ECT s Erik Nijhuis (Marketing & Sales), Jan van der Starre (supervisor rail) and Daniël ten Ham (project manager of the renovations) at the revamped Eastern Rail Terminal on the Maasvlakte. and from the hinterland. Chain management s common denominator is that all parties inform one another in a full and timely manner about the expected train arrival times, changes of schedule, delays and so forth. This enables everyone involved to arrange their work processes as efficiently as possible. Chain management has also yielded positive results for ECT, boosting efficiency in train handling. Even so flexibility and an ability to improvise remain imperative. New Rail Crane This year ECT will replace one of the two rail cranes at the Eastern Rail Terminal with a new one, that is currently being built by Konecranes in Finland. In anticipation of its arrival, the existing crane has already been fitted with the drive gear of the new crane in order to prevent damage to the newly-laid crane girder. The new Rail Mounted Gantry Crane has a span of 32 metres, a hoist height of 10.5 metres and a capacity under the spreader of 40 tons. An active load control system will ensure the easy positioning of containers above the trains. The crane will be built up on the Eastern Rail Terminal from September 2011 and will be taken into operation in December Every day ECT is busy with the optimal management of the dynamics of rail logistics (with trains that often arrive at just another time than originally planned) and the completion of the necessary information about the cargoes to be discharged and loaded. In order to improve the use of the capacity and increase train throughput in Rotterdam even further Keyrail initiated the so-called Goods Window at the beginning of ECT and the Rail Service Center Rotterdam in the Waal-/ Eemhaven (situated directly alongside the ECT City Terminal) now team up with Keyrail for a weekly meeting with each individual traction supplier to evaluate the preceding week and to refine the operating schedule based on the insights gained. Ready for the Future With the Eastern Rail Terminal as good as new, the Rail Terminal West and Euromax s own rail terminal ECT is ready for a successful rail future. But of course we won t be resting on our laurels, says Daniël ten Ham, project manager of the recently completed renovation of the Eastern Rail Terminal. The next task is to adapt the Rail Terminal West for the arrival of Maasvlakte 2. Just as with the Eastern Rail Terminal, customers will notice little if anything when this work is carried out. 17

18 Managing Director Wim Bens poses next to the Dinalog landmark in Breda: The campus will be an attractive environment, inviting cooperation as a matter of course. Building on Logistics Control ECT s Involvement with Dinalog ECT is currently involved with Dinalog through its participation in the Ultimate project but more particularly because its Director Marketing & Sales Wando Boevé is a member of the logistics institute s executive board. 18

19 Based in Breda in the southern Netherlands, the new Dutch Institute for Advanced Logistics - Dinalog - aims to bolster the Netherlands leading position as gateway to Europe. Managing Director Wim Bens: Not by trying to do more of the same, but by becoming smarter. It s all about logistics control. A Dinalog Campus and support for innovative projects aim to make a major contribution in this regard. Transport and logistics currently contribute around 42 billion euro - seven percent - to the Dutch gross national product, says Wim Bens. Around 39 billion euro s comes from physical activities with wafer-thin profit margins, and only a mere three billion euro s is earned through the high-tech support and management of logistics chains and related activities. Even though those are activities with very healthy margins. Dinalog aims to change all that. By 2020 it s looking to have more than tripled the current three billion euro s expended on high-end logistics. We ll do that by lifting logistics in the Netherlands to a higher level, says Bens. By claiming the director s role our country will be able to shore up its leading position in Europe. Smarter Organisation and Control Bens lists a series of visible and obvious situations where better organisation and management of transport flows can yield considerable results. Take the A15 motorway linking Rotterdam with the rest of Europe, for example. For six hours a day it s super busy, and for the rest of the time there s almost nothing to do. Or the vessel in port that discharges 1800 containers as fast as humanly possible, after which the majority of the containers stand around in the terminal stack for days until a truck arrives in a hurry to come and fetch them. And how often don t you see a truck come in with a full container only to leave again empty, while another truck does precisely the opposite? Each link in the logistics chain is trying to optimize its own processes. There s no overarching role. The Netherlands however, has all the right qualities to take on such a task. Logistical Innovation Dinalog is working along various lines to realise its goals. One way is by stimulating applied research, investing in education and the dissemination of expertise and by supporting joint projects between the private sector, educational institutions and governing bodies aimed at logistics innovation. Funding comes from the Netherlands national innovation programme. Dinalog has been given a mandate to bring the various parties in the Netherlands together and challenge them to come up with new ideas, says Bens. We re working around three different themes: cross chain control centers, mainports & hubs in control and service logistics. Projects must always involve several participants and those involved must be prepared to participate financially. Dinalog s contribution is consistently some 25 to at most 50 percent of the project costs. From central government we ve been given a budget of around 25 million euro s for the period to end-2013; a sum we ve since managed to boost to 40 million euro s via other subsidy channels. A number of projects are already right on cue. ECT is also taking part. Currently it s participating in the Ultimate project for the organisation of efficient multimodal hinterland networks, but there s more in the pipeline. Dinalog Campus At least as ambitious are Dinalog s plans to develop a leading international logistics campus. Next to Dinalog s current headquarters on the A16 motorway near Breda there s thirteen hectares of land just waiting to be transformed. The Dinalog Campus is to become the beating heart of the logistics sector, not only in the Netherlands but also far beyond its borders. Bursting with enthusiasm, Bens shows a scale model of the planned development. Once the campus is completely finished in 2022, there will be 5000 high-end logistics specialists working here, attracting some 400,000 visitors annually who will come to learn, to consult with one another, to gain new experiences, to work together and much more. Total investment costs amount to 320 million euro. This year already Bens wants to make a start on realising the first of the planned three so-called knowledge squares. The first phase of this Dinalog Experience aims to instantly inspire visitors and to offer them every opportunity to experiment. Office buildings to house corporate R&D activities and logistics control centres are planned around the knowledge squares, says Bens. It s going to be a highly attractive environment, inviting those present to work together as a matter of course, leading to an acceleration in the development of logistical innovations. Incubator To start construction of the Dinalog Campus requires an investment of 50 million euro s. Close on three quarters of that has since been made available. But Bens and his small staff aren t pinning Dinalog s ambitions on the campus alone. The R&D divisions of several well-known companies (transport company Jan de Rijk, DHL) have already relocated to Dinalog s current premises. And there will be more to follow, says Bens. We already organise scores of activities such as seminars, project group meetings and so on. What s more, Dinalog aims to be an incubator for new, young companies with promising initiatives. Dinalog Campus will offer them the space, but in our existing premises there s room too. We re here to give new logistics ideas in the Netherlands - wherever they might pop up - just that extra impetus and support. More information: 19

20 AVCT Avelgem Stepping Stone to Paris AVCT in Avelgem is one of the extended gates in the hinterland network which ECT offers as part of European Gateway Services. The inland terminal in South-west Flanders annually handles some 35,000 TEU and serves an area which extends as far as Paris. A cross-border customs license will allow containers to travel document-free all the way from Rotterdam up to the French border in the immediate future. That over there, says director Alain Zielens as he points to a bridge 200 metres up the Scheldt river, is why we decided to build the terminal on this very spot in It is the first bridge which barges travelling up the Scheldt cannot navigate with containers stacked three-high. Inland terminal AVCT was established on the initiative of various Rotterdambased transport companies to avoid unnecessary truck kilometres with full (and empty) containers and offer better service to shipping lines and forwarders. In 1990, an inland terminal at roughly 200 kilometres from the seaport was truly visionary, says Zielens. The prevailing notion at the time was still that an inland terminal needed to be at least 500 kilometres from the seaport in order to be profitable. Empty Depot Right from the beginning, AVCT has endeavoured to be an extension of the shipping lines, explains Zielens. We are strictly neutral, without preference to the colour of the container, and can also function as an empty depot for those same shipping lines. That is important. AVCT services an area of 250 kilometres, from the southwest of Flanders to the Paris region. The Paris-bound traffic is mainly one-way, causing a massive imbalance as hardly any laden containers come back. This however also means that the exporting industry in northern France is able to easily and costeffectively 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. At Least Five Times from Rotterdam Barges from Rotterdam with a maximum capacity of 156 TEU arrive at AVCT at least five times a week. Zielens: For most deep-sea carriers, Rotterdam is the first port of call in Europe, so in terms of inbound traffic we receive 95 percent of the laden containers from Rotterdam and 5 percent of those from Antwerp. Outbound the ratio is fifty-fifty. The advantage this brings is that our barges can efficiently sail in a triangle: Rotterdam Avelgem Antwerp Rotterdam. Buffer Function Annually, the terminal handles some 35,000 TEU; AVCT arranges the barge planning as well as part of the haulage for its customers using ten own trucks. The sailing time between Rotterdam and Avelgem is eighteen hours; to be on the safe side, 24 hours is calculated for this though due to possible waiting times at the locks during the latter part of the route. Zielens: If so required, we offer recipients unlimited temporary storage; they can have their containers collected just-in-time. Our buffer function enables them to optimally arrange their logistics. We are always ready to spring into action: 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. Misunderstandings due to language problems are unknown in Avelgem. The five people manning the office can fluently communicate in French, English or Dutch/Flemish. 20