Port of Kiel registers slight rise in cargo handling

Portal cranes to replace reach stackers at Port of Kiel’s combined transport terminals in 2013

The Port of Kiel ended the year 2012 with a small plus in both cargo and passenger handling. Last year more than 6.3 million tonnes of cargo (an increase of 0.3%) were handled, which is just above the figures posted in 2011. In the passenger sector more than 1.9 million travellers either boarded or disembarked from a ferry or cruise ship last year. That was an increase of 2.2 per cent over the previous year.

A major contribution to the high handling performance was made by locally-based ferry companies, which accounted for nearly 80 per cent of total handling. The biggest growth rate in cargo transport was posted by DFDS Seaways on the Kiel-Klaipeda route while Stena Line and Color Line both increased their totals in passenger transport to and from Scandinavia. At the same time, Kiel concluded a long-term agreement with Color Line in 2012, which gives both parties a high level of future planning security.

The expansion of Kiel’s rail/ship intermodal handling capacity in 2012 was of outstanding economic significance for the port. Since October block trains have been operated twice weekly between Kiel and Verona in northern Italy, along with the daily combined transport block trains to and from Hamburg. “The introduction of block train services has strengthened our ability to compete in hinterland transport”, said Dirk Claus. “If this positive development continues, then we will look at the introduction of further direct links”, he added. For the first time more than 20,000 consignments – trailers, containers and swap bodies – were loaded or unloaded in intermodal rail cargo transport via Kiel last year. In addition well over 2,500 containers were loaded onto block trains in the Ostuferhafen.

“We are in the process of further increasing the efficiency of our intermodal handling terminal”, said Dirk Claus. “In future portal cranes will be deployed in Kiel to provide even faster loading and unloading of rail wagons”, he added. These rubber-tyred gantry cranes, so-called RTGs, span three tracks at a time along with their loading lanes and will, from this year, replace reach stackers in the Ostuferhafen and, later, at the Schwedenkai Terminal as well.

Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com