Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

28
AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS Innovation: New shore radar system enhances ship safety Amsterdam Seaports Record number of cruise ships calling 2011/nr3 Special Issue International cargo destinations AMSTERDAM BEVERWIJK IJMUIDEN ZAANSTAD

description

International cargo destinations

Transcript of Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Page 1: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

AMSTERDAMSEAPORTS

Innovation:New shore radar system enhances ship safety

Amsterdam SeaportsRecord number of cruise ships calling

2011/nr3Special Issue

International cargo destinations

AMSTERDAMBEVERWIJK

IJMUIDENZAANSTAD

Page 2: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

2 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

Page 3: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Contents

21

10

New shore radar system for a better overview

Coal from Amsterdam

Advertisers:08 AYOP28 CWT Sitos06 KVSA20 MegaBarging20 Oiltanking20 Specialised Tanker Services (STS)02 SGS14 Ter Haak Group04 VCK Logistics06 Waterland Terminal

Special issue

International Cargo DestinationsWhile oil products and coal are the main cargo flows in Amsterdam Seaports, the seaports on the North Sea Canal have much more to offer then wet and dry bulk alone. Prime examples include RoRo, agri-bulk, containers and project cargo. But where are alle these goods from and where do they go? You'll find the answers in this special edition on international cargo destinations.

Colophon:

Publisher:Amsterdam Ports AssociationDe Ruijterkade 7,1013 AA AmsterdamThe NetherlandsTelephone + 31 (0)20 - 627 37 06Fax +31 (0)20 – 626 49 69E-mail: [email protected]: www.amports.nl

Managing director: Laura KeegstraChief editor: Bart Stam

Translation:Writewell: Andrews Rogers, Akke Pinkster

Layout:Fizz reclame+communications, Meppel (NL)

Printed by:Ten Brink, Meppel (NL)

October 2011 3 www.amports.nl

Cover photo: Although the people of IJmuiden, part of Amsterdam Seaports, are used to seeing special sea transports, 60-ton gantry crane for OBA Bulk Terminal that passed through the locks was no everyday event. The transport of the 2,150 ton weighing crane was realised by cargo vessel Zhen Hua 26. owned by Zhenhua Port Machinery Co (ZPMC) in Shanghai. Photo: Ed Seeder

5 Growth and innovation

7 News in brief

9 News in brief

12 Amsterdam Seaports: Spider in the oil web

15 CSY IJmuiden: European hub for

frozen fi sh

16 A hub in international RoRo transport

18 Amsterdam Seaports invests in rail

22 Fast forward to the next thousand ships

25 ‘Every new crane should be better than

the last’

26 IJmuiden: The offshore industry’s

trump card

27 ‘New’ customs ensure effi ective

cargo checks

Page 4: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Port of Amsterdam +31 20 58 77 877 - [email protected] of Rotterdam +31 10 494 37 77 - [email protected] Airport Schiphol +31 20 65 49 100 - [email protected]

www.vcklogistics.nl

Zeehavens A'dam mei 2009:Opmaak 1 19-11-2009 10:07 Pagina 1

4 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

Page 5: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS Offi cial publication on behalf of the ports of Amsterdam, Beverwijk, Ymuiden and Zaandstad. Published 4 times a year in English: by Amsterdam Ports Association (E-mail: [email protected] - www.amports.nl)

More about Amsterdam Ports Associat ion and i t 's 300 members : www.amports .nl

October 2011 5 www.amports.nl

Amsterdam has been the fourth largest port in Europe for a number of years now and the excellent half-yearly fi gures announced in mid-August give no reason to believe that this position is under threat. On the contrary, with an overall growth of three percent to over 46 million tons, the four ports along the North Sea Canal have achieved a superb result, especially when you compare to other nearby ports.

Without wishing to do other sectors an injustice, we can safely assert that oil products, cars/RoRo and sea cruises have made a particularly important contribution to the growth in Amsterdam of no less than 5.7 percent. Moreover, the near future also looks rosy with the new Vopak terminal (capacity of 1.2 million m3) about to become operational. And while being less spectacular in terms of volume, the new-build projects by Gulf Oil and Hydrocarbon Hotel are also strengthening Amsterdam Seaport’s position in the international oil product branch. Add in the Vopak terminal and we have undoubtedly become the most important petroleum port in the world.

The number of cruise ships arriving in Amsterdam and IJmuiden continues to grow. This year we will welcome 149 calls while in 2012 the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) and Felison Terminal in IJmuiden expect to accommodate an all-time combined record of 193 cruise vessels. This can be partly attributed to the superb infrastructure

in both ports, which was further enhanced this spring with the deepening of the channel leading to the IJmond harbour in IJmuiden. This allows cruise vessels of up to 300 metres in length to dock with ease.

Modern ports also require fi rst class nautical services. With this in mind, may I draw your attention to the article on page 21 of this magazine about the new shore radar system that will be ready by the end of this year. This will take the safety of ships in the North Sea Canal to a new level while also providing optimal communication between the offi cers on the bridge and the shore-based authorities. There is no better example of the commitment to innovation that so typifi es the Amsterdam Seaports!

Michiel A. Wijsmuller, chairman Amports

Growth and innovationGrowth and innovationGrowth and innovation

Page 6: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

6 October 2011

In the largest All Weather Terminal of Europe transferring vulnerable products likesteel, timber and paper no longer depends on dry weather conditions.

Stevedore and Terminal operator

Elbaweg 10 - 1044 AD AmsterdamThe NetherlandsT +31 20 44 80 620E [email protected] www.waterlandterminal.nl

Amsterdam Seaports

Page 7: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL

Amsterdam Seaports: modest transhipment rise in fi rst half of 2011Amsterdam Seaports saw transhipment increase by 3% in the fi rst six months of 2011. Together the four ports along the North Sea Canal Area (Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Beverwijk and Zaanstad) processed over 46 million tons of cargo.

The transhipment of the Amsterdam port added up to 37.5 million tons, a 5.7% rise compared to the fi rst half of 2010. Transhipment in Beverwijk picked up by about 4% to 145,000 tons, while Zaanstad increased by approximately 71% to 66,000 tons. IJmuiden saw a decline of 8% to 8.3 million tons in the fi rst half of the year.

“The Amsterdam port region has booked a fi ne overall result,” says managing director Dertje Meijer. “Growth has been seen in particular in oil products, cars and other Roll-on/Roll-off products. We’ve also had a wonderful half year in terms of sea cruises.”

New gantry crane for OBAIn mid-July, a 60-ton gantry crane was delivered to the coal transhipment company OBA in Amsterdam by the Chinese cargo ship Zhen Hua 26. The crane was manufactured by ZPMC in Shanghai, the world's largest producer of this type of machinery. Transportation from Shanghai took around three months, as Zhen Hua 26 fi rst stopped in Brazil in order to deliver two other cranes there. The new crane has been fi xed on railroad tracks parallel to the dock. It is 65 metres high and has a peak capacity of some 3500 tons of coal per hour.

CEO Jaap Blok leaves VCK after 40 yearsAfter a distinguished career spanning four decades, Jaap Blok recently took his leave of VCK Group, which he had led since 1985. A special reception was held at the Scandia Terminal, VCK’s main base in Amsterdam. Dertje Meijer, managing director of Port of Amsterdam, gave a speech refl ecting on Blok’s accomplishments in the service of both VCK and the whole of Amsterdam Seaports. She mentioned in particular his achievements in developing VCK into one of the cornerstones of the port, as well as the role Jaap played in strengthening the links between Amsterdam Seaports and the Scandinavian market.

New managing director for Amports

The board of the Amsterdam Ports Association (Amports) appointed Laura Keegstra (43) as new managing director as of 1 September. She took over from Wim Ruijgh (62), who had held the position since 1999. Amports is the promotional organisation for Amsterdam Seaports, which represents the four seaports on and around the North Sea Canal.

Laura Keegstra has previously held various positions at KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), most recently as project manager for corporate communications. Between 1994 and 1998, she was employed by Wijsmuller Group in IJmuiden, now part of Mærsk.

AYOP at Offshore Europe in AberdeenAmsterdam Ymuiden Offshore Port (AYOP), the regional promotion organisation for the offshore industry and port authorities in the North Sea Canal area, can look back on a successful participation in the biennial Offshore Europe exhibition in Aberdeen, the second largest offshore event in the world after the ITC in Houston (US).

AYOP had a stand in the Dutch pavilion with ASCO Holland, Zeehaven IJmuiden NV, Iskes Towage & Salvage, KVSA, Seamar, Shipdock, ZPMC Europe and Velsen city council. In addition to the exhibition, AYOP also teamed up with the Dutch embassy and trade association IRO to organise a network event on the clipper Stad Amsterdam.

N E W S I N B R I E F

October 2011 7 www.amports.nl

Laura Keegstra. Photo by Martin Hendriksen

Jaap Blok at his farewell reception.

Passage of the gantry crane through the locks at IJmuiden. Photo: Ed Seeder

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL

Network event on the clipper Stad Amsterdam

Page 8: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

8 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

Page 9: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL

Cargill invests in reducing odoursFood giant Cargill has started operating a new 3.7-million euro installation designed to reduce odour levels in its soy processing factory. The project is the fi rst substantial investment within the framework of the covenant between Amsterdam council and port companies Cargill, IGMA, ICL Fertilizers and Eggerding. Situated close to the city, these companies are investing in innovative, intelligent technologies to reduce dust, sound and smell. In return the authority provides them with the space to grow.

Sitos Commodities receives 500th

Dutch AEO certifi cationSitos Commodities (Amsterdam), part of CWT Sitos, received the 500th Dutch AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) certifi cation in May. This certifi cation gives companies with international trade contacts various customs privileges, such as a reduced number of physical checks. In exchange their operations must meet various strict criteria, including transparency of the (fi nancial) administration and security of the goods fl ow. Sitos Commodities received a combined document for customs simplifi cation and security.

Organisation De Koperen Ploeg received a special AEO certifi cation in April. The Amsterdam boatmen were the fi rst nautical services provider in the European Union to be presented with a combined AEO certifi cation for customs simplifi cation and security.

Delmas back to Ter Haak's USA TerminalOn Saturday 10 September, United Stevedores Amsterdam (USA) welcomed back the fi rst vessel from specialist West African shipping company Delmas, represented in the Netherlands by Slavenburg & Huyser. The ConRo vessel Rosa Delmas carried cocoa beans for transportation to storage warehouses in the region via the Ter Haak terminal.

It’s not the fi rst time the companies have worked together. The French shipping company’s network included direct calls to Amsterdam for more than a decade. These only stopped when Delmas decided to reduce the number of liner services between Northern Europe and West Africa and limit rotation. “For the time being, vessels will call at Amsterdam at on an ad hoc basis. As soon as cargo increases, we hope to reintroduce Amsterdam to the regular shipping timetable,” says Leo Poot, Director of Slavenburg & Huyser.

OSD designs seismic vesselsOffshore Ship Designers (OSD) has been chosen to design a series of six new fuel-effi cient seismic support/chase vessels ordered by French offshore major Bourbon. The company provides naval architecture and marine engineering skills to shipping and offshore energy industries from its headquarters in in IJmuiden and offi ces in Montrose, York and Appledore (UK), Shanghai and Singapore. The 53.8-metre vessels will have a fuel effi cient hybrid propulsion system, refrigerated and dry storage capabilities as well as space on deck for the stowage of stores containers.

MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL

Presentation of the AEO certifi cate to the Board of Sitos Commodities

N E W S I N B R I E F

October 2011 9 www.amports.nl

Inaugurating the new environmental installation at Cargill. Photo: Martin Hendriksen

Arrival of the Rosa Delmas at Ter Haak’s USA terminal

Page 10: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Rob Schoemaker

Reliability and affordability are the primary advantages of coal. The current proven reserves of coal will not run out for centuries, and risks linked to transport and storage are low. Furthermore, as a so-called swing supplier, coal can mitigate the inevitable fl uctuations in the production of renewable energy or the loss, for whatever reason, of any other major source of power. In short, coal stabilises the world economy. Although coal is controversial because of its ‘dirty’ image, its share of the global energy mix is set to increase from 25 percent today to 29 percent in 2030 according to the International Energy Agency.

CONSTANT FLUXNumerous high-yield coal plants are planned in Europe and CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology will greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the long term. “Lack of social acceptance means that the share of coal in the European energy mix is not expected to rise signifi cantly,” says Lex de Ridder, bulk logistics unit manager at the Port of Amsterdam. “Imports are, at any rate, set to increase, due to the closure of mines in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.”

De Ridder also emphasises the many uncertainties. “The energy mix is in constant fl ux with the planned closure of nuclear plants in Germany, changing environmental objectives, doubts about biomass and the future option of extracting shale gas, to name but a few.”

SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTSAmsterdam Seaports, including Tata Steel, has a 25 percent share of the coal imported on the coast between Le Havre and Hamburg. With 33 percent, Rotterdam is particularly strong in coking coal for the German steel industry. The Amsterdam

and Rotterdam transfer terminals are ideally situated with respect to the German hinterland thanks to excellent inland connections via the Rhine. The effi ciency of rail links is another relevant factor. And for German customers, the existence of two competing ports is reassuring in many ways.

“Given our current market share, we expect Amsterdam to grow from 17 to 24 million tons by 2020,” De Ridder

adds. He points to the fact that both major coal terminals, OBA and Rietlanden, have invested heavily in recent years in measures and innovation geared towards keeping the existing terminals within environmental limits, including future ones. This is evident in storage and transfer, as well as special processing activities such as deferrisation, washing, sifting, crushing and blending.

SAILING TO THE HINTERLANDThanks to the 17.8-metre deep channel from the North Sea, even the largest capesizers can reach IJmuiden while fully loaded. Due to draught limitations upstream, fl oating cranes on so-called IJ buoys are used to partially unload coal barges at the locks

From mining to power outlets

10 October 2011

Coal from Amsterdam

lmost 900 million tons of coal is moved across the world’s

seas every year, some 70 million of which is destined for the seaports between Hamburg and Le Havre. With a market share of 25 percent, Amsterdam Seaports plays a crucial part in supplying industries and electricity companies, particularly in Germany.

A

Amsterdam Seaports

“Imports will rise at any rate due to the closure of mines in Germany,

Poland and the Czech Republic.”

The bulkcarier mv Constanza docks at Rietlanden. Photo: Dick van den Berg

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

Page 11: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

complex at IJmuiden, allowing them to sail straight on to the end users in the German hinterland. As soon as their draught permits (the maximum being 13.70 metres), these coal transports sail on to the Amsterdam terminals of OBA and Rietlanden. OBA has a central terminal in the Westhaven (West harbour) where bridge cranes can unload the coal at lightning speed. A new 60-ton crane will soon become operational here. At Rietlanden’s three terminals, unloading is done by fl oating cranes.

The Amsterdam terminals have made major investments in inland transport as well, building additional docks for barges and loading facilities for cargo trains. This has not gone unnoticed by KeyRail, operator of the Betuwe route, as the number of trains on this dedicated freight railway between the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the Ruhr doubled this year. OBA

transports 1.5 to 2 million tons of coal by rail annually, while Rietlanden has already accounted for some 600,000 to 700,000 tons since the beginning of 2011.

STORAGEBecause of its role as swing supplier, the importance of storing coal is growing rapidly. Thanks to smarter use of both its surface area and stackers and conveyors with a longer reach, OBA alone has doubled its storage capacity to three million tons, the same as Rietlanden. Both cargo companies have made efforts to keep the dust released during storage and handling to a minimum.

“We reduce the environmental burden through a range of measures,” director of Rietlanden Karl Schot explains. “For instance, we worked with Port of Amsterdam to install a monitoring system with sniffer posts at our modern terminal at the Afrikahaven (Africa harbour), which measures dust concentration in the air and calculates our contribution. When necessary, we take additional measures, such as covering the coal with a layer of cellulose and spraying transfer points. In addition, we do not open our coal grabbers until the last moment, the driving speed is low at all our terminals, we always analyse and fi lter rainwater before discharging it into surface water, and our quiet machinery, including cranes, stackers and conveyors, runs on low-sulphur fuels. We undertake such measures proactively, convinced that dealing responsibly with the environment is key to long-term success.”

Although both OBA and Rietlanden offer services such as deferrisation, blending, washing, sifting and crushing, a special role is fi lled by Enerco, a coal processing plant located at the Rietlanden terminal in the Amerikahaven (America harbour). With a capacity of two to three million tons, Enerco can deliver any type of coal required for specialised purposes, such as the silicon metal industry. Coal leaving the port of Amsterdam is ready for use in plants and factories.

SCALE INCREASEThe role played by the port of Amsterdam in bulk transfer has both a regional and a European dimension. The bulk handling creates a strong economic base which guarantees that the port facilities stay at a high level. The involved parties are expected to do their best to limit dust emissions and noise levels, however. And the constant threat of scale increases is now also making a comeback.

“The Amsterdam port companies and the government have had to make creative investments due to the limitations of the locks system in IJmuiden and the depth of the North Sea Canal,” De Ridder points out. “When the expansion of the Panama Canal to some 52 metres is completed in 2014, this may set the stage for a new global trend towards larger scale cargo vessels. It will take fi ve to ten years before the next generation of bulk carriers come into service, by which time the new sea lock in IJmuiden has to be ready.”

October 2011 11 www.amports.nl

OBA

West harbour terminal:

Company site:

Surface: 650,000 m2

Storage capacity: 3 million tons

Turnover (2010): 9 million tons

Rietlanden

Total turnover (2010): 6 million tons

West harbour terminal:

Surface: 100,000 m2

Storage capacity: 500,000 tons

Africa harbour:

Surface: 300,000 m2

Capacity: 2 million tons

America harbour/Asia harbour:

Surface: 165,000 m2

Capacity: 750,000 tonnes

COAL IN AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS, DIVIDED BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (2010):

others 10%

Russia 25%

South Africa 10%

Colombia 40%the USA 10%

Indonesia 5%

COAL LEAVING AMSTERDAM FOR:

60%: By inland shipping to the hinterland

20%: by freight train

to the hinterland

10%: the city region

10%:by feeder to Scandinavia,

the UK, Poland

The so-called ‘Averijhaven’, situated outside the IJmuiden locks on the north shore, will be dredged and cleared in 2014. This will enable ship to ship transfer with barges and the new area will ultimately have suffi cient capacity for two capesizers to dock simultaneously.

AMBITIONS“We would like to see the possibilities for barges past the locks to be extended,” OBA Bulk Terminal director Piotr Skotnicki says. “To keep up with the growing demand for imported coal in Germany, more capesize vessels will need to be lightened. If this is not possible, Amsterdam’s market share will drop as a number of vessels will divert to Rotterdam. This is why we have great expectations for the opening of the Averijhaven.”

www.oba-bulk.nlwww.rietlanden.com

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

Page 12: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

12 October 2011

Amsterdam Seaports: Spider in the oil web

msterdam Seaports has a very strong international position when it comes to the storage and transhipment of oil products. With

the new Vopak Terminal Westpoort (1.2 million m3) and several smaller terminals in the pipeline, Amsterdam is now undisputedly the world’s largest petrol port.

A

Amsterdam Seaports

with a wide range of specifi cations. Moreover, the ports are optimally situated with regard to the hinterland in general and Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK in particular.”

OILTANKINGWith a storage capacity of 1.6 million m3, Oiltanking Amsterdam is the largest tank storage facility in Amsterdam Seaports, and will remain so even after the opening of Vopak Terminal Westpoort in late October 2011. In its 83 storage tanks, all with fl oating roofs, Oiltanking stores a large amount of fuels, petrol products, gas oil, diesel, naphtha and Jet A1.

Oiltanking is the only facility with a 20-kilometre pipeline to Amsterdam Schiphol, used to supply over 50 percent of the airport’s total kerosene requirements. The company also stores part of the strategic oil supplies kept for the Dutch government.

BP AMSTERDAMWith a storage capacity of around one million m3 in the Amerikahaven (America harbour), BP Amsterdam is also a very large import and export terminal for petrol products, gas oil, diesel, propane and butane. In 2009 BP Amsterdam completed a substantial investment programme of 65 million euros, including the connection of a new quay for sea-going vessels to the modern vapour processing installation. In late 2009 BP also connected the 12 existing jetties, nine for inland vessels and three for sea-going vessels, to a second vapour processing installation.

EUROTANK AMSTERDAMEuroTank Amsterdam’s 100-million-euro investment programme in its existing terminal

Bart Stam and Mareijn de Wit

According to the annual World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency, primary energy demands will increase by 36 percent between 2008 and 2035. Despite all the efforts in the fi eld of sustainable energy, fossil fuel will therefore continue to be the dominant energy source for a long time, with oil being the most prominent.

For Amsterdam Seaports this is projected to mean an increase in the transhipment of oil products from the current 35 to 37 million tons up to 45 million tons in 2020 and 48 million tons a decade later. “Partly as a result of the multi-million euro investments over recent tears, Amsterdam Seaports has a very strong international position in the storage of oil products,” says Ruud van Stralen, commercial manager for oil and chemicals at the Port of Amsterdam. “We are like a spider in the oil web, accommodating a number of ultra-modern terminals that are equipped to blend products in accordance

Overview photo of the terminals of Oiltanking (below), Vopak (left) and BP Amsterdam (above). Photo: Port of Amsterdam

Page 13: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

(storage capacity 1.4 million m3) is due to continue until 2015. The investments are mainly focused on enhancing safety, environment and the infrastructure, and consist of improving the existing (un)loading facilities for sea-going vessels, including increasing the capacity of the (un)loading arms and renovating the jetties.

Eurotank already completed four new storage tanks for petrol products with a total capacity of 150,000 m3 in 2009. Four more tanks for gas oil products with a capacity of 75,000 m3 were added this summer, not as an expansion but to replace several outdated tanks.

NUSTARNuStar Terminals has been located in Amsterdam Seaports since 2005. This terminal has a storage capacity of around 600,000 m3 divided over 45 storage tanks that contain fuel oil, gas oil, petrol and bio fuels for storage and transhipment. The terminal operator has two quays for sea-going vessels, and fi ve for inland vessels. A unique feature of NuStar’s storage tanks is an automated vapour processing installation instead of the fl oating roofs seen at most terminals. In this set-up all tanks and quays at the terminal are connected via a closed pipeline system which minimises the leakage of volatile organic chemicals.

VOPAKVopak currently has only one terminal in the Petroleumhaven (Petroleum harbour) in the Amsterdam port, but is set to open its second large terminal in the Afrikahaven in late October 2011. The current facility has a capacity of 85,000 m3, with 21 storage tanks and two quays for sea-going and inland vessels. The storage tanks contain various types of fuel oil, petrol and gas oil products.

Vopak’s new terminal will have a total storage capacity of 1,190,000 m3 with 41 overground storage tanks and six slob tanks (for the purifi cation of polluted waste water). Additionally it will have 11 mooring places on two fi nger piers, one quay wall and one dock.

HYDROCARBON HOTELAnother new addition to Amsterdam Seaports is Hydrocarbon Hotel, a joint-venture between Blue Ocean and the North Sea Group. This terminal in the Amerikahaven (America harbour) will also start operations this year on 1 December. Hydrocarbon Hotel is aimed at the import, export and blending of petrol, the storage of petrol components and bio fuels, and the supply of depots in the hinterland. The capacity of this new terminal will be 140,000 m3, divided over 11 tanks. The new location will also include a black-water tank, a pumping station and a quay for both sea-going and inland vessels. To blend petrol effi ciently, all tanks will be equipped with a circulation system

using venturi blend nozzles for optimal fuel blending. The benefi ts of this system include very short blending times and the absence of electro motors and (leaking) seals in the tank wells.

A unique feature is the use of 3,800 high-speed piles (HSPs) as the foundation for the storage tanks. With an average length of 23 metres and a diameter of 220 millimetres, these piles distribute the load more evenly over a large number of relatively slim concrete piles, enabling the use of thinner, less reinforced concrete plates. The HSPs also have the advantage of fast installation.

GULF OIL NEDERLANDFinally, this autumn will see Gulf Oil Nederland open a petrol storage and distribution location in the Petroleumhaven (Petroleum harbour) next to the existing terminal of sister company MAIN. For this project the Port of Amsterdam had to reclaim and prepare two hectares of the port. Gulf Oil, which was responsible for the

construction of the quay, is currently building a petrol terminal with eight tanks offering a total storage capacity of 60,000 m3. The total

investment involved is 30 million euros.

www.oiltanking.comwww.bp.com

www.nustarenergy.comwww.vopak.com

www.gulfoil.nlwww.main-bv.nl

www.vtti.comwww.portofamsterdam.nl

“We are centrally located in the spider’s web of the inland and sea-

going transport sectors”

October 2011 13 www.amports.nl

Gulf Oil terminal is underway. Photo: Ed Seeder

Page 14: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Your Compass to Value-added Logistics

Ruijgoordweg 80 - Westpoort 7989 - 1047 HM Amsterdam The NetherlandsPhone +31 20 6116688 - [email protected] - www.terhaakgroup.com

TER HAAK GROUP

LOGISTICS

DISTRIBUTION

FORWARDING

TERMINAL OPERATOR

STEVEDORING

STORAGE

WAREHOUSING

CONTAINER TRADING

CONTAINER REPAIR

CONTAINER LEASING

CONTAINER TRANSPORT

BARGE OPERATOR

SHIPPING

BROKERAGE

AGENCY

Six top quality port and logistic related companies, one management, four generations of commitment andefficiency. The Amsterdam based Ter Haak Group is one of the few European companies that offers all of thevarious disciplines. The Multimodal Container Terminal in the port of Amsterdam offers classic or modernstevedoring, multimodal shipment services, warehousing, forwarding, container sales, leasing, repairsand transport. We do it all and we‘re good at it!Feel free to call us for an informal introduction or visit our website.

• THL Ter Haak Logistics • USA United Stevedores Amsterdam •CCA Container Company Amsterdam• BCA Barge Company Amsterdam • CCY Cargo Company Ymond • CSY Container Stevedoring Ymuiden

adv. ter haak group ALT:Opmaak 1 11-03-2011 14:36 Pagina 3

Amsterdam Seaports14 October 2011

Page 15: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

October 2011 15 www.amports.nl

Pieter van Hove

Zeehaven IJmuiden NV, the privatised port of IJmuiden, started preparations for the new container terminal Container Stevedoring Ymuiden (CSY) a number of years ago. The idea was to create a facility that would tranship thousands of containers of frozen fi sh to inland vessels on an annual basis.

One of the key factors in this development was that ports in countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and China were becoming increasingly equipped to receive containers of frozen fi sh. “Even for frozen fi sh we are experiencing a global increase in containerisation,” says Peter van de Meerakker, Managing Director of Zeehaven IJmuiden NV.

TEMPORARY TRANSHIPMENT PROCESSIn the starting period (2005-2007) many containers were commonly transported by truck to locations such as the port of Rotterdam for further transport. “But that resulted in a lot of lorry traffi c,” the Port Director continues. As a result, Zeehaven IJmuiden NV started thinking about developing its own transhipment facilities for containers. The port entered into a cooperation with the Ter Haak Group, called Container Stevedoring Ymuiden (or CSY), in 2008. To meet the increasing demand for containerised frozen

fi sh in the short term, the partners began a temporary transhipment process that proved very successful. Two years ago, for example, almost 2,500 containers of fi sh were being transported from IJmuiden by inland vessel, and by 2010 this fi gure had almost doubled to 4,500.

The transportation at and exploitation of the terminal are in the hands of Barge Company Amsterdam (BCA), a subsidiary of the Ter Haak Group. “We tranship approximately 100 containers in IJmuiden a week,” explains Mattijs Nollen, General Manager of BCA. One container can contain around 30,000 kilos of herring, mackerel, horse mackerel and other types of fi sh. “We then continue immediately to our USA (United Stevedores Amsterdam) terminal.” At this terminal in the Amsterdam port other containers are also loaded onboard before the journey continues to Rotterdam, and then on to the rest of the world. Diederik Parlevliet, Director of the IJmuiden shipping company Parlevliet & Van der Plas, is very pleased with CSY. “We have between 40 and 80 containers transported every week, and this number is growing.”

MODERNISING THE QUAYSOver the past year Zeehaven IJmuiden NV has made an area of approximately 10,000 square metres ready for container transhipment, including the removal of fi ve wooden quays and renewing 480 metres of quay wall. The new, 30-metre wide quays will accommodate inland vessels that pick up containers of frozen fi sh. There is also

space for reefers, trawlers and other seagoing vessels thanks to the water depth of ten metres arranged by Zeehaven IJmuiden NV.

CSY IJmuiden is part of the Deep Sea International Frozen Fish Centre Europe (DIFE), the name given to the strategic plan to strengthen IJmuiden’s position as a frozen fi sh hub.

Van de Meerakker says that the goal is to attract a large number of fl ows to his port and gives Kloosterboer as example. This logistic services provider has been operating a new reefer service from Alaska since 2009, transporting frozen fi sh from Dutch Harbor to IJmuiden once every 14 days, from where it is distributed to the European hinterland. For 2011 Van de Meerakker is expecting a total transhipment of 500,000 tons, compared to the 450,000 tons of frozen fi sh transhipped in IJmuiden last year.

www.zeehaven.nlwww.terhaakgroup.com

www.parlevliet-vanderplas.nl

Modern container terminal open since July

CSY IJmuiden: European hub for frozen fi sh

he port of IJmuiden is developing into the central ‘hub’ for frozen fi sh in Europe. And the new container

terminal CSY, which commenced operations on 13 July, is certainly playing its part.

T

“Even for frozen fi sh we are experiencing a global increase in

containerisation”

The new, 30 metere wide quays (left, above) will accommodate inland vessels, reefders, trawlers and other seagoing vessels. Photo: Zeehavens IJmuiden NV

Page 16: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

Joris Moes

Holiday goers that sail from ports on the European mainland to the UK or Scandinavia have to wait with boarding until the trailers have been loaded on board. This applies to the well-known ferry services that combine cargo and passengers such as the daily DFDS Seaways service from IJmuiden to Newcastle.

There are also several routes to Great Britain and Scandinavia that are sailed by RoRo cargo ferries without passengers. A key characteristic of short sea shipping is the large number of ports that is sailed to in a relatively short time period. This requires fast RoRo (un)loading methods.

In addition, various intercontinental line services use combined RoRo vessels and include Amsterdam Seaports on their timetable. They are mainly services to and from West Africa carrying tropical products as incoming cargo and second-hand goods as outgoing. Last but not

least, there are car carriers that transport thousands of cars on an annual basis on vessels specially built for that purpose with a maximum capacity of 7,000 cars.

BY SHIPPING TRAILEREverything that can ride or roll is eligible for transport by RoRo vessels. All that is needed to load trailers, trucks, coaches, cars or bulldozers and cranes on board is a driver. When the cargo does not roll by itself, for instance with paper, wood, steel (plates) or big bags, it is the responsibility of the stevedore to make it ‘rollable’. Shipping companies have trailers that are exclusively used at the terminals and onboard vessels: Flat trucks the size of a 40 foot container on which forklifts place a ‘static’ load. A driver then pulls the loaded shipping trailer on board with a terminal tractor.

The stevedore department of VCK at the Scandia Terminal in Amsterdam has specialised in this type of transport for over 50 years. VCK welcomes RoRo vessels with services to Norway (Sea Cargo) and Finland (Finnlines) in Amsterdam, each with two vessels a week.

“VCK is the hub in the transport chain from the factory in Scandinavia to the receiver in, say, France,” says General Manager Jeroen Brauns. “As the initial and fi nal transport are just as important as the shipping itself, VCK acts as a chain manager. For instance, clients for wood products receive paper, wood or cellulose from our warehouses in stages. This means they require a smaller supply and thus benefi t from lower costs. It is all about supply management. Newsprint paper must always be at the printers on time, and we make sure that it is. We have developed into an integrated logistic services provider, ensuring that the various transport modalities are fully in line

16 October 2011

Amsterdam Seaports hub in international RoRo transport

t is impossible to imagine Amsterdam Seaports without roll-on/roll-off transport, usually abbreviated as RoRo. Rolling cargo on

and off vessels has become an essential part of short sea routes and intercontinental liner services as well as the supply of cars.

I

Amsterdam Seaports

“The African community in the Netherlands ships a wide range of goods to their country of origin.”

A record-breaking Performance: Koopman Car Terminal and stevedore Waterland Terminal unloaded 4,500 Nissans from the Pearl Ace on a single day in November 2010. Photo: Martin Hendriksen

Page 17: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A R G O D E S T I N AT I O N S

using all the available tools.” These tools initially include ICT applications, a fi eld in which VCK is a frontrunner. Over 40 years of automation means that the company has the very latest information systems at its disposal.

CONTAINERS AND ROLLING MATERIALConRo vessels (containers and RoRo) from Italian shipping company Grimaldi Lines, with a weekly departure to West Africa, are handled in the Amerikahaven (America harbour) at the USA (United Stevedores Amsterdam) terminal, part of the Ter Haak Group. Incoming products include wood, containers and mixed cargo while the return cargo mainly consists of second-hand goods. Julian Jansen, Commercial Manager of the Ter Haak Group: “These goods are very popular in West Africa. The African community in the Netherlands ships a wide range of goods to their country of origin, and our expedition department books their individual cargo. The cargo mainly includes goods that are no longer used here, but which could still be useful in West Africa, such as old cars, vans, trucks, shovels and containers. There is also an active trade in used household goods.”

INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CARSThe Koopman Car Terminal (KCT) In the Westhaven (West harbour) in Amsterdam welcomes a regular fl ow of carriers that transport thousands of cars per visit. While 2008 saw a total of 300,000 cars, this number was halved in the following year due to the economic crisis. Thankfully 2010 saw the number increase once again, and this year the parties involved expect an in and out fl ow of around 200,000 cars. Shipping companies Nissan Motor Car Carrier (NMCC), Höegh Autoliners, Euro Marine Carrier (EMC) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) all use Nissan Carrier Europe as their agent, while the stevedore is Waterland Terminal. The Koopman and Waterland terminals are next door to each other.

Hoëgh Autoliners is the only company to transport outgoing cargo, usually German cars, bulldozers and construction vehicles, trucks and mixed cargo on shipping trailers. “The name of the shipping companies says it all,” says General Manager Michel Kool of Nissan Carrier. “The incoming Nissans are forwarded on to nearly all European destinations by inland vessels, rail or road transport. Nissan has factories in Barcelona (vans and SUVs) and Newcastle (cars). Euro Marine Carrier sails to these destinations with smaller car carriers.”

FROM MEXICOAn interesting fact is that the Nissan model which is now being manufactured in Mexico is transported to Russia (Saint Petersburg) via the port of Amsterdam. Also new is that Nissan Carrier has started sea shipping SEAT cars from Barcelona to Amsterdam.

www.vcklogistics.nlwww.waterlandterminal.nl

www.terhaakgroup.com

The Scandia Terminal of the VCK Group in the port of Amsterdam. Photo: by VCK

October 2011 17 www.amports.nl

Page 18: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

18 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

R A I L T R A N S P O R T

Amsterdam Seaports invests in rail

onstruction works on the railway network are

currently underway at various locations in Amsterdam Seaports. They involve the laying of new rail connections and improvements to the effi ciency of existing tracks, with an overall goal to improve links with the Dutch and international railway networks.

C

A locomotive in one of the new rail yards in the port of Amsterdam. This yard has recently been extended from 550 to 750 metres in order to signifi cantly reduce the need for shunting freight trains. Photo: Dick van den Berg

Page 19: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

October 2011 19 www.amports.nl

R A I L T R A N S P O R T

Lydia Gille

There is a great of work taking place on the new freight railway lines in the Amsterdam port area. ProRail, which is responsible for the construction, maintenance, management and security of the Dutch railway network, recently built a new three-kilometre rail line in the Afrikahaven (Africa harbour), in the westernmost section of the port. There are also two rail yards slated for modernisation elsewhere. One will be electrifi ed and expanded to three tracks, with the future option of further extending this to fi ve should demand dictate. At the second yard, ProRail is working to lengthen the tracks from 550 to 750 metres. This will eliminate the need to link and cut carriages and thus reduce shunting times. By allowing longer freight trains, it will also help reduce the number of vehicles on the already overstretched Dutch rail network.

SECOND RAIL REGION“Amsterdam is the second busiest region in the Netherlands in terms of freight transport by rail,” says Jan Egbertsen, senior advisor at Port of Amsterdam. “All the port companies that need it have a good rail connection. With the abovementioned expansions and a second connection to the national railway network, there will be suffi cient capacity to absorb growth in rail transport up to 2020 and beyond.”

Amsterdam currently tranships 72.5 million tons of goods. “For all of Amsterdam Seaports this fi gure is around 90 million tons, which translates into 120 million tons of inland cargo,” Egbertsen calculates. “Fifty percent of this is transported by barge, 45 by lorry and fi ve percent by rail.”

Cargo trains in Amsterdam Seaports currently carry some 5.5 million tons a year. This is, however, forecast to rise to eleven million tons by 2020, thanks partly to Tata Steel in IJmuiden. Amsterdam Seaports has had a direct connection to the Betuweroute, the 160 km railway between the port of Rotterdam and the German border, since 2009. Some 450 trains a week currently use this crucial connection, including 18 from Amsterdam Seaports.

CARGO POOLINGEgbertsen is confi dent of the future prospects of Amsterdam Seaports in terms of railway transport. “While it is true that we use rail less than Hamburg or Bremen, say, this is because we have such good links with the hinterland by barge. We are now working on developing cargo and container shuttle rail traffi c to the hinterland, in close cooperation with carriers and logistics hubs.”

According to Egbertsen, the Port of Amsterdam has a boost function in this process. “There are two types of cargo: Bulk goods such as coal, ore and steel on the one hand, cargo and containers on the other. Major forwarding companies like Tata Steel and bulk goods shippers order a single train for a single destination, and the operators then ensure connections and delivery in the hinterland.”

COMBINING FREIGHT FLOWS“Flower exporters sometimes go to Italy several times a week,” points out Bert-Jan Westerik, Manager for Outbound Logistics at Tata Steel. “Why can’t we attach wagons carrying steel to them? The solution is in cooperation.”

Westerik sees it as entirely logical that Tata Steel has opted for freight trains. “Many of our customers have a rail connection, and this provides benefi ts, not just in terms

of lower costs, higher speed and a lower environmental impact, but also because the unloading of carriages fi ts easily within the operational management of these businesses.”

“A port area really is an ideal location to combine cargo fl ows,” Egbertsen confi rms. “We actively seek bundling opportunities for a given destination together with logistics companies and forwarding companies as a train needs to have an occupancy rate of 80 percent in both directions. This requires thorough market research, analysis of cargo fl ows and sales meetings with terminal operators and forwarding companies.”

FLEXIBILITYTata Steel represents more than a quarter of rail transport in Amsterdam Seaports. More than 800,000 tons of steel arrives in Europe every year. The lion’s share, around 500,000 tons, goes to the Ruhr-region in Germany, while the rest is destined for France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and the remainder of Germany. Conversely, Tata Steel receives 600,000 tons of lime from Belgium and Germany.

“We want to grow from the current 7.2 to 8 million tons of steel products per year,” Westerik states. “In terms of logistics, our goal is to handle this

increase primarily by rail. This fi ts into our corporate philosophy, in which the balance between safety, environmental concerns, costs and customer interests is central.”

www.tatasteel.nlwww.portofamsterdam.nl

www.prorail.nl

“Why can’t we attach wagons carrying steel to them? The solution is in cooperation"

Transport of steel rolls by freight train at Tata Steel in IJmuiden on the North Sea Canal. Photo: Evert BruinekoolTransport of steel rolls by freight train at Tata Steel in IJmuiden on the North Sea Canal. Photo: Evert BruinekoolTransport of steel rolls by freight train at Tata Steel in IJmuiden on the North Sea Canal. Photo: Evert Bruinekool

Page 20: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

Amsterdam Seaports20 October 2011

Rachel CaruanaLogistics Manager, Oiltanking Malta

We Can, We CareOiltanking Malta ́s central location in the Mediterrane-

an, close to the international shipping lanes, allows for

efficient distribution to the Mediterranean countries and

for leverage on arbitrage opportunities going east and

west. Rachel Caruana strives to efficiently schedule the

average 850 vessels that call on her berths each year by

continuous coordination with her customers, ship agents

and local authorities. Since starting 20 years ago, as

Oiltanking Malta’s first employee, Rachel has been ensu-

ring this excellent service. She continues to do so with

the same positive attitude as on her first day – simply

because she cares.

Your reliable storage partner for liquid bulk.

Admiralitaetstrasse 55 | D-20459 Hamburg Germany Tel. +49-40-370990 0 | Fax +49-40-37099 499 | www.oiltanking.com

Dedicated to your bulkliquid handling. Efficient,safe and with respect forthe ecological environment.

Bro

n lu

chtfo

to’s:

Fo

tost

ud

io H

on

ing

Westhavenweg 105F1042 BB Amsterdam T. +31 (0) 20 480 2060F. +31 (0) 20 480 2061E. [email protected]. www.specialisedtankerservices.com

kwart pagina sts FC.pdf 1 27-04-10 17:58

Quality in logistics

Office ElstIndustrieweg-Oost 166662 NE ElstPhone: +31 (0)88-1011206Fax: +31 (0)88-1011208 E-mail: [email protected]

Office AmsterdamRuijgoordweg 1001047 HM AmsterdamPhone: +31 (0)20-4801400Fax: +31 (0)20-3347571 E-mail: [email protected]

www.MegaBarging.nl

P.O. Box 230 - 1970 AE IJmuiden NetherlandsTel. 24 hrs: +31 (0)255 56 19 01 - Fax : +31 (0)255 52 71 72Email: [email protected] - Internet: www.iskestugs.nl

Page 21: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

I N N O V AT I O N / N A U T I C A L S E R V I C E S

New shore radar system for a better overview

As the radar masts will not only enable the traffi c controllers to determine the position of vessels, they also have an integrated marine telephone to maintain communication. The radar installations also have cameras installed to allow traffi c control to monitor the exact situation on the North Sea Canal. The number of cameras was increased from 27 to a total of 132. The radar masts and cameras have been placed in such a way that vessels will always be within sight of the traffi c controllers, preventing situations such as a small yacht being invisible in the wake of a large seagoing vessel.

“Vessel information is provided by the Automatic Identifi cation System (AIS) that is currently required for seagoing vessels,” the deputy port master continues. “AIS will become a requirement for inland shipping in 2013, which means we will be able to identify every vessel.” The shore radar system is not completely new, however,

as the existing radar installations were fully upgraded. “The electronics are now as good as new, including a ten-year warranty,” adds Hiemstra.

PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL GOVERNMENT“The system is the property of the Department of Waterways and Public Works, a specialised section of Dutch government,” says Wouter Bulthuis project leader and district manager of the department. “It was designed and built in close cooperation with the Port of Amsterdam.” Bulthuis underlines that the

system is not only relevant for the smooth and safe fl ow of shipping traffi c on the North Sea Canal: “It also enables us to respond faster to risky situations or calamities. We will know what the situation is earlier on, and thus be able to provide the emergency services with better advice.”

www.portofamsterdam.nlwww.rijkswaterstaat.nl

Jan van den Berg

Traffi c controllers prefer to know exactly which vessels are where, and the 15-year old system of radar installations along the North Sea Canal was no longer meeting requirements. “There are currently segments without any radar coverage,” says Aart Hiemstra, deputy port master of Amsterdam and head of Vessel Traffi c Management Systems. “These ‘black holes’ between the various installations make it diffi cult to obtain an accurate and up-to-date traffi c overview.”

OPERATIONALAll the parties involved have worked hard to expand and improve the shore radar system, Hiemstra explains. “The new system should be operational in late 2011, when we will have 26 radar installations. This is more than twice the current number.” The masts are being installed at regular intervals along the North Sea Canal; from the port of IJmuiden to the Amsterdam Rhine Canal, Amsterdam Seaports’ main hinterland connection.

“The new system should be operational in late

2011, when we will have 26 radar installations.

This is more than twice the current number.”

he North Sea Canal will be equipped with a new shore radar system in late 2011 that will improve the monitoring and guidance of shipping traffi c

in Amsterdam Seaports, and increase safety.

T

October 2011 21 www.amports.nl

One of the 26 radar installations along the North Sea Canal near the Afrikahaven (Africa harbour) in Amsterdam. Photo: Dick van den Berg

Page 22: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

22 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

C R U I S E S

Bart Stam

PTA put on an impressive programme on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 April to welcome the thousandth cruise ship to Amsterdam, the brand new German cruiser AIDAsol. The morning saw former port director and current chairman of the Amsterdam Cruise Port foundation Hans Gerson strike the gong at the NYSE Euronext. In the evening the cruise ship was given a special reception by two patrol boats from the Port of Amsterdam. And a day later, captain Detlef Harms received the traditional port emblem and the key to the city from the mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan.

POSITIVE IMAGEThe festivities marked a good moment to analyse the position of Amsterdam Seaports as an international cruise destination. “A thousand sea cruise ships in ten years shows that the large companies like to come here,” René Kouwenberg, director of PTA since February 2000, points out. “In addition to creating thousands of jobs, cruises also contribute to the positive image of this city.”

he arrival of the one thousandth cruise ship was great publicity for Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) and Amsterdam Seaports alike.

“The cruise sector is very important both to the city of Amsterdam and the surrounding region,” PTA managing director René Kouwenberg explains. “Our goal is to shore up this success in the future via optimal cooperation.”

he arrival of the one thousandth cruise ship was great publicity for Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) and Amsterdam Seaports alike. T

ACP president Hans Gerson strikes the gong at the Amsterdam stock exchange to mark the arrival of the one thousandth cruise ship. Photo: NYSE Euronext

Page 23: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

October 2011 23 www.amports.nl

“Amsterdam has been on an upwards trajectory for the last fi ve or ten years,” adds Hans Gerson. “Although part of this has obviously been thanks to the general global trend, we can also recognise the role of the excellent facilities in Amsterdam and IJmuiden, as well as the efforts of all parties concerned, including nautical service providers and the tourist industry.”

“This milestone refl ects well on IJmuiden too,” says Frans Baud, managing director of KVSA (Royal United Ship Agencies) and manager of the Felison Terminal. “This season we had a record of 25 cruise ships, and there are already 40 bookings for 2012. I see the North Sea Canal as a single region, where the important thing is to get new operators. While the inner city of Amsterdam is, of course, the main attraction, IJmuiden is reached six hours earlier by boat. Moreover, the reception options in IJmond harbour have been considerably expanded.” The recent deepening of the cruise ship sailing

channel from 5 to 11 metres now allows cruise ships of up to 295 metres to easily dock in IJmond harbour. In terms of sea cruise ships, the count for the entire North Sea Canal area so far in 2011 is 149 vessels: 124 in Amsterdam and 25 in IJmuiden. For 2012, PTA and KVSA have already received a total of 193 bookings. Thanks to the cruise ships and the many events, PTA now has an occupancy of nearly 60 %. “Although this is solid, we could do better, especially out of season,” Kouwenberg says. “We could organise all kinds of events here for up to 3000 people, anything from major television broadcasts, art fairs and conferences to company presentations, receptions and dinners.”

CALL FOR A SECOND TERMINALThere is a downside to the success. The 152 expected calls in 2012 will be close to the capacity limit for Passenger Terminal Amsterdam in the centre. This has increased the demands for a new terminal in the harbour area, which

would receive mainly turnaround calls. “Turnarounds yield a great deal of income, including for nautical service providers and stevedores,” Kouwenberg points out. “Of the 152 bookings in 2012, at least 86 are turnarounds. Some 80% of the guests on these come directly from Schiphol Airport and we can transport them to the harbour area very quickly.”

“Attracting more turnarounds to Amsterdam Seaports would make us more attractive for both the Dutch and German markets,” Gerson continues. “And more cruise ships in Amsterdam will then attract more passengers from further afi eld such as the United States.”

www.ptamsterdam.nlwww.amsterdamcruise.nl

www.kvsa.nl

C R U I S E S

“A thousand sea cruise ships in ten years shows that the large companies

like to come here”

The AIDAsol docks at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA). Photo: Martin Hendriksen

Fast forward to the next thousand ships

Page 24: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

B U L K T R A N S H I P M E N T

Rob Schoemaker

Although moving from petrochemicals to dry bulk may seem an unusual transition, Skotnicki is not phased. “It’s fun to get to know new markets and there are many similarities between the two sectors. My career had already taken me from chemical companies such as DSM, Holland Chemical International and Epenhuysen Chemie, to Odfjell, an independent logistics provider and port authority similar to OBA Bulk Terminal in Amsterdam Seaports. Port authorities often

have a long history, a high degree of organisation, and considerable demands on the fl exibility of employees, due to the inherent irregularity in the coming and going of ships.”

HEALTHY BUSINESSSkotnicki will inherit a company in excellent fi nancial health. Last year’s performance was the best on record, and expectations for OBA’s future are even more optimistic. The closing of coal mines in Germany and other European countries, as well as new investments in coal plants, ensure that there will be work for storage and transhipment companies in both Amsterdam Seaports and Rotterdam for decades to come.

“At the IJmuiden locks, which connect to the North Sea Canal, we reduce the draught of capesize vessels to 13.70 metres by means of ship to ship transfer onto barges,” Skotnicki explains. “This is accomplished among other things via our 50-ton fl oating crane. The barges then sail straight to Germany, while the capesize ships go on to our terminal in Amsterdam, where their dry bulk cargo is stored. This enables just-in-

time onward delivery to the hinterland via barges and freight trains. We also have in-house capacity for coal deferrisation, sifting and crushing.”

FAST LOADING AND UNLOADING“Rapid throughput is an absolute necessity for OBA Bulk Terminal,” Skotnicki underlines. “This is why we have readily invested in a

second conveyor belt system to bring bulk goods from the crane to the storage yard. Operational excellence is key to shoring up our competitiveness and we invest heavily in the most modern equipment, as well as – and especially – in developing our human capital. This allows us to optimise effi ciency, enhance planning and safety, prevent errors and damage, and counter dust emissions. In short, the streamlining of our internal processes allows us to provide a consistently better service to customers!”

www.oba-bulk.nl

A new director for the OBA Bulk Terminal

iotr Skotnicki (45) is the new director of OBA Bulk Terminal in Amsterdam

Seaports. He succeeds Hans Fijlstra, who has retired after 33 years of service.

Overslag Bedrijf Amsterdam (OBA)

Company site:

600,000 m2 of open and 25,000 m2 of

covered storage

Personnel:

125 permanent and approximately 30

temporary employees

Throughput in 2010:

9 million tons of coal; 500,000 tons of

minerals; 500,000 tons of agricultural bulk

cargo

P

24 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports

CEO Piotr Skotnicki at his new workplace, OBA Bulk Terminal. Photo: Reinder Weidijk

“We also have in-house capacity for coal deferrisation,

sifting and crushing”

Page 25: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

EASIER AND FASTERThe driver’s cabin on lemniscate cranes is situated above the ship’s hold, giving better vision and control. For the new NKM crane, the centre of gravity – the ballast block – was lowered to beneath the cabin. Kramer: “The benefi t of this is that the crane driver’s work becomes easier and faster. As engineers we follow a continual R&D process at NKM Noell. Each new crane should be better than

the last: More effi cient, faster, and with an increased reach and depth; for instance as a result of using increasingly small pontoons.”

NKM Noell builds its cranes at its own factory in China. “We have an assembly facility in Xiamen under western management where we produce around ten cranes a year for the aluminium and port markets. This sector is picking up with, for example, the realisation of projects in countries such as Brazil, India and Russia that had previously been delayed due to the economic crisis.”

SYNERGYThe success of NKM Noell can also be attributed to the synergies between the various parts of Reel, as Kramer explains. “There is a great deal of knowledge exchange between the various divisions of the company, and we even share technicians or, if necessary, production capacity.”

NKM Noell is also busy in the fi eld of port crane maintenance. “This includes routine, periodic and extensive maintenance, and especially far-reaching and complex activities such as modernisations and complete upgrades of cranes in a one-stop-shopping concept,” says Kramer. “While port cranes can remain in good shape mechanically for decades, in economic terms they age much faster due to technological developments in areas such as energy consumption, sound levels and emissions.”

www.nkmnoell.com

NKM Noell Special Cranes focuses on Amsterdam Seaports

‘Every new crane should be better than the last’

Rob Schoemaker

Facing cutthroat competition from Asia, European port crane manufacturers have mainly focused on maintenance and new builds over the last ten years. NKM Noell Special Cranes has recently become active in the top segment of these niche markets.

NKM Noell Special Cranes became part of Reel in 2000, a French company that mainly supplied cranes for the nuclear and aircraft industry (Airbus). The French mother company merged NKM with the German Noell Special Cranes into a single crane manufacturer for the primary aluminium production. As a result of the acquisition, Reel developed into a conglomerate of specialised crane builders with 1,500 employees, 300 of whom work at NKM Noell Special Cranes.“In 2006 we decided to add fl oating port cranes and offshore cranes to our activities in the Netherlands,” says Enno Kramer, director of the Dutch facilities. “We saw excellent opportunities to make the lemniscate crane, which had hardly changed since the 1970s, more advanced.”

40-ton fl oating bulk crane at IGMA (bulk transhipment) and another at Rietlanden Terminals (coal transhipment) are the latest additions to

Amsterdam Seaports. Both were developed by NKM Noell Special Cranes, situated close to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

A

C R A N E S

October 2011 25 www.amports.nl

‘Every new crane should NKM Noell Special Cranes focuses on Amsterdam Seaports

‘Every new crane should be better than the last’

NKM Noell Special Cranes focuses on Amsterdam Seaports

‘Every new crane should be better than the last’

Xxxx

“In 2006 we decided to add fl oating port cranes

and offshore cranes to our activities in the

Netherlands”

Photo: NKM Noell

Page 26: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

The supplier Normand Prosper entering IJmond harbour on 16 February. Visible on the right are the heavy lift vessel Sea Energy and, in front of the dock, the fl oating crane Sea Jack.Photo: Willem Moojen

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

Willem Moojen

The construction of two wind farms off the Dutch coast in 2006 and 2008 drastically increased activity in IJmond harbour, one of the three ports of IJmuiden. Accordingly, the port has played an important role in the supply of heavy components and other materials over the past years.

MORE OFFSHORE VESSELSIJmond harbour continues to be involved in repair and maintenance for both the offshore wind farms. In the meantime, however, it has also been discovered by the offshore industry, and suppliers, production platforms and other offshore vessels are now regularly seen here. This is only natural given that IJmond provides all the necessary options for repairing, renovating, modifying and cleaning the platforms. Owners also appreciate the benefi ts of a dock near the open sea with excellent road access.

Vestas Offshore, a Danish company which offers the technical maintenance of wind turbine generators, defi nitively established its Dutch operations in IJmond harbour in 2009. In the beginning of June this year, Airborne Composites also announced its intention to build a new production facility of 9000 m². This Dutch company develops and manufactures innovative deep-sea composite pipes for the oil and gas industry, and is planning to produce some 400 tons of material with 75 employees at its new site every year. The long-term perspective is to eventually increase the IJmuiden operation to around 150 employees.

MORE CRUISE VESSELSIJmond harbour is also used by passenger liners which are too large to dock at the nearby cruise dock Felison Terminal, also in IJmuiden. After the channel for cruise ships was deepened to eleven metres in mid-April, boats up to 295 metres can now easily moor at IJmond, however.

www.zeehaven.nl

26 October 2011

IJmuiden: The offshore industry’s trump card

ince opening in 2004 IJmond harbour has become the

primary centre for the offshore wind industry in the North Sea. The IJmuiden port is currently also seeing an increasing number of platforms and drilling structures from the oil and gas extraction industry coming in for repairs and maintenance. And, last but not least, IJmond is now much more accessible to large cruise ships as well.

S

Amsterdam Seaports

"IJmond harbour continues to be

involved in repair and maintenance for both

the offshore wind farms"

Page 27: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

EVERYTHING DIGITALAnother fundamental development is e-customs in which all cargo fl ow information is processed digitally. Van Dam: “We are already processing nearly all declarations digitally, which has resulted in a signifi cantly reduced work load.” Fred Zuidam, member of the Amsterdam regional offi ce’s management: “It is already noticeable that the customs employees in Amsterdam are much more directly involved in the developments and surveillance in the region. This is also due to developments in the AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) fi eld, which have resulted in many more contacts between us and the industry. Customs is additionally investing in ‘intelligent systems’ that increase our ability to perform risk-based checks.”

To facilitate risk analysis, customs aims to gain more insight into goods fl ows. “This is only possible if we as customs intensify our contacts with industry,” adds Zuidam. “With this in mind we decided years ago to appoint a client coordinator for larger companies.”

AEO CERTIFICATIONOne of the most remarkable developments in the cooperation between customs and industry is the Authorised Economic Operator status, which offers companies a wealth of benefi ts in international cargo transport. AEO certifi cation is valid across the entire European Union, with reciprocal recognition from Japan and, it is expected, China and the US later this year. Companies have to thoroughly

analyse and sometimes change their operational processes to become eligible for AEO status and there are currently around 40 certifi ed companies in Amsterdam Seaports. According to Van Dam, a further increase would mean the development of goods chains with a high level of reliability and safety.

Developments such as RFID, in which a data chip is linked to the cargo, are also being closely followed by customs. “The sooner we know which goods are headed our way and

what outgoing cargo we can expect, the better,” says Van Dam. “Dutch customs are currently exchanging information with Chinese colleagues about issues such as container scans, for example. This enables us to start our risk analysis sooner and prevent unnecessary delays for safe cargo fl ows. This benefi ts customs effi ciency as well as our economy!”

www.douane.nl

‘New’ customs ensure effective cargo checks

Joris Moes

The Dutch customs authority has undergone a major reorganisation over recent years, with four regions being transformed into a single national customs organisation with its head offi ce in Rotterdam and nine regional offi ces, including Schiphol Cargo and Schiphol Passengers. Although Amsterdam is not the largest regional offi ce, it is of major importance, covering a coastline of approximately 200 kilometres, from the city of Den Helder to the port of Hoek van Holland.

SINGLE ORGANISATIONThe new customs organisation was formally established on 1 January 2010. “The intention was to strengthen the European borders in accordance with a single coordinated surveillance system,” says Gerbrand van Dam, regional director Amsterdam. “We have well-trained personnel and the latest scanning equipment and risk detection systems. This results in more intensive checks when necessary, as well as fewer delays in general. The leitmotiv in our new policy is cooperation with industry and governmental & enforcement institutions, such as the Port of Amsterdam, the police, the Royal Military Constabulary, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) and the Dutch Inspectorate for Transport, Public Works and Water Management (IVW). The goal is to achieve a quick cargo fl ow where possible and delays when necessary.”

“We are already processing nearly all declarations digitally, which has resulted in

a signifi cantly reduced work load”

msterdam is a major Dutch regional offi ce with over 500 staff.AFred Zuidam (left) and Gerbrand van Dam near the Passenger

Terminal Amsterdam (PTA). Photo: Dutch Customs

C U S T O M S

October 2011 27 www.amports.nl

Page 28: Amsterdam Seaports no 3 2011

28 October 2011 Amsterdam Seaports