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Improvement is needed across the board
An interview with Igor Petrov, Branch Director of APL Ltd Russia
The new Ust-Luga container terminal is expected to ease the problem of growing congestion in St. Petersburg, but there comes the question how this will influence the transit in the neighbouring Baltic ports. BTJ talked to Igor Petrov of APL, a global container shipping company.
The container turnover in St.Petersburg has been growing fast recently (17% up to 1.7 million TEU in 2007) – making the port heavy congested, but in the first half of 2008 the increase slowed down to 4% only. Terminals have implemented quota systems; carriers are adding special longstanding surcharges. What happened? What is the reason?.
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Ro-ro traffic in the Baltic
seaports in 2007
Ro-ro traffic has a special position in the internal trade service of the Baltic Sea Region. Distinct from container turnover, which is directed outside the region, ro-ro is strictly related to cross Baltic trade.
The value of the total external exchange of the Baltic countries achieved the level of EUR 2959.3 billion in 2007. This means that annual growth increased by 11.7%. At the same time, the volume of exchange only grew by 1.9% up to 2407.02m tons. The positive change was related to Russian export of energy sources. The BSR internal exchange constitutes 11% of this value (EUR 324 billion) and 14.6%
in trade volume (350m tons). The annual changes in the internal trade are parallel to the total analysis.
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Safety belt for steel
Langh Ship innovative solution for steel shipments
All steel products can suffer from the effects of improper
handling or stowing. However, there is a very simple solution to that problem.
The damage can occur either on the quay or on the ship, during loading
or discharging operations. Theproblem of transporting steel cargo, especially steel coils, has been on the agenda of ship-owners and insurances companies for as long as most experienced seafarers can remember. Edges dented and/or buckled, side edge windings affected by deep score marks – those are only some examples of cargo condition that can cause a claim in port of discharge. The problem is even more pressing – a processed steel coil can have a commercial
value comparable to a new high – class car. How to solve this problem seemed unfathomable until Langh Ship, a company engaged in steel shipments since 1989, came into play with an innovative, yet simple solution.
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©2007
Baltic Press