…As Meriaura Inks Charters for Five Ships***
The Port of New Orleans (NOLA) set a new container volume
record in 2018 having handled 591,253 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs),
up 12.3 percent year-on-year.
The record marks the fifth year in a row Port NOLA has
surpassed the half million TEU-mark at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal,
which is operated by New Orleans Terminal and Ports America.
“The expansion of the Panama Canal and growth in containerized
exports, namely resin and frozen poultry, have buoyed Port NOLA’s containerized
cargo to record levels. In addition, loaded imported containers rose 7 percent,
which continues to be a focus of Port NOLA’s marketing efforts,” said Brandy D.
Christian, Port NOLA President and CEO.
“We anticipate further growth, as direct all-water carrier
services to Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean attract larger vessels.”
The port welcomed its largest vessel yet in October 2018,
the 9,500-TEU Pusan C, operated by France-based ocean carrier CMA CGM.
“In the short-term we plan to double our capacity at the
Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal to more efficiently service larger ships and
expand our container yard,” Christian said.
“Part of the investment includes an expanded partnership
with Ports America, which will invest USD 66.5 million into infrastructure and
equipment, accommodating up to four new 100-guage container cranes to
facilitate larger ships, along with investments of up to USD 300 million for
expansion opportunities within our three-parish (county) jurisdiction.”
Port NOLA is also growing the container-on-barge
service, in partnership with the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and operator
SEACOR AMH. In 2018, that service moved 26,759 TEUs by barge, up 58 percent
compared to 2017.
Another driving force for container traffic is the port’s
growing intermodal service which booked 15 percent volume growth from 2017 to
2018.
Port NOLA now features 11 weekly container services from
three major global alliances as well as independent carriers, with direct
connections to 58 global ports and more than 450 other ports through connecting
services.
In the meantime, Finnish shipping company Meriaura, part of
Meriaura Group, has signed new time charter-in agreements covering five
vessels.
The five vessels that will join the company’s fleet include
a deck cargo carrier, two multipurpose-heavy lift dry cargo vessels and two
traditional dry bulk carriers.
The 5,200 dwt deck cargo carrier, Enough Talk, is of the
same type and size as Meriaura’s deck cargo carriers Aura and Meri.
“Time chartering of M/S Enough Talk significantly increases
Meriaura’s cargo capacity and position in the field of demanding project cargo
shipments in Northern Europe. Increase in capacity brings more flexibility to
the service and allows some of the equipment to be designated to longer-term
projects,” the company said.
Meriaura will also add to its fleet multipurpose heavy lift
vessels M/S Antonia and M/S Antje, that are both equipped with two heavy lift
cranes and are also suitable for project cargo transportations. The ships’
cranes can lift pieces up to 160 tons, and the vessels are equipped with
tweendecks.
As explained, the length of the ships enables the transport
of for example wind turbine parts and blades, that have grown in size
considerably in recent years. The vessels’ cargo capacities are approx. 8,500
and 7,900 tons and 12,000 cubic meters, and they are also suitable for carrying
bulk cargoes. Meriaura already started in the 8,000-tonner segment with M/S
Airisto last autumn, and with the new contracts the company increases its
tonnage in the new, larger segment.
“With these multipurpose vessels we seek efficiency and
ability to combine bulk and project shipments in the Baltic and the North Sea,” Beppe
Rosin, Managing Director of Meriaura, commented.
Moreover, Meriaura is also expanding its fleet with two
singledeckers, the new 3,900-ton dry cargo vessels M/S Travetal and Alstertal.
Some of the new vessels have already joined the Meriaura
fleet and the rest will be joining during February 2019, according to the
company.
The recent charter agreements follow the company’s acquisition of two 4,100 dwt dry cargo ships by VG-Shipping, also part of Meriaura Group. The acquisition, finalized in October 2018, was part of the group’s strategy based on self-owned tonnage completed by long-term time charter agreements.
World Maritime News
