Approximately 15 per cent of APM Terminals Mumbai’s total annual power requirements will be supplied by solar panels installed across the facility once the Solar Panel Installation Project launched in 2015. India’s busiest terminal by container volume celebrated the launch of this initiative on 1 February.

Inaugurating the project, Peder Sondergaard, Head – Middle-East, Africa, South Asia (MEAS) APM Terminals said he was delighted to be part of the solar panel initiative undertaken at APM Terminals Mumbai.

“The approach taken by our terminal in Mumbai is in line with APM Terminals’ global strategy of striving to create value and moving towards an environmentally sustainable future conducive for the communities we operate in,” Peder Sondergaard said.

In 2015 APM Terminals India conducted a feasibility study on the generation of solar power in order to reduce conventional electrical power consumption. The project that ensued to install the panels is being undertaken in three phases.

Solar panels were installed on the terminal workshop and central gate complex rooftop under Phase-I of the project. Since 1 January 2016, the system became operational with a power generation potential of 361,000 kWh (kilowatt hour) units per year.

Upon completion of Phase-II in June 2016, panels installed on the rooftops of STS crane machine houses should generate an additional 220,000 kWh (kilowatt hour) units per year.

Phase- III is currently in the conceptual stage, and will cover a wider surface area, resulting in solar generation of around 15% of the terminal’s total annual power requirement, approximately 5 million kWh (kilowatt hour) units per year.

“APM Terminals Mumbai is always looking for opportunities to improve services and enhance environmentally sustainable business operations. The Mumbai Solar Panel Project reaffirms our commitment green power and the Indian environment,” said APM Terminals Mumbai COO, Ravi Gaitonde.

Siam Shoreside milk-carton collection provides rooftops for victims of natural disasters.

From milk carton to roof sheet: a Go Green initiative launched by the Siam Shoreside Services in Thailand saw the facility collect more than 2600 empty milk cartons from employees as well as students from two nearby schools to donate and give them a second life by converting them into roof sheet distributed to people whose homes were damaged by natural disasters.

The Green Roof initiative, which is a collaboration between  Princess Pa Foundation, Thai Red Cross Society and TetraPak uses a centrifugation process to separate the carton pulp from plastic and foils. The pulp is then converted into recycled paper while the plastic and foil is used to produce roof sheets.

The plastic and foil is broken up into small pieces, sprinkled on steel plates to form the sheet. These are then put through a heat press machine and finally converted into roof sheets.

It takes 2,000 cartons to form one plate of 1X2.4 meter size roof sheet.

“When I heard about the Green Roof campaign, I did not hesitate one second to get involved and help collect and clear the used milk cartons. I drink milk everyday and collecting the cartons to recycle is such as easy gesture that helps preserve our world,” said Suwanna Boonthai, Assistant Executive at the Trucking department at Siam Shoreside.

In May 2011, the Princess Pa foundation distributed 2,700 roof sheets to habitants of the Ang Thong province who were affected by flooding. In July of that same here, the Princess Pa Foundation helped 150 households victim of flooding in three provinces in the southern part of Thailand. Moreover, 85 households were helped from mudslides in January 2013 and 1,500 roof sheets distributed in January 2014 to help the victims from hailstorm in the northern part.

The Green roof initiative is one of many CSR projects that Siam Shoreside Inland Services is involved in. In 2015, the facility also launched the ‘I am not a plastic bag!’ campaign where employees were provided with bags made of fabric to encourage them to reduce their use of plastic bags when doing groceries. Trashcans to segregate waste were also put in place at the facility. To date, a total of 85kg of glass bottles and 13kg of plastic bottles were collected.

Preparing today for tomorrow’s challenges: Alex Duca, Head of Design & Automation APM Terminals, talks about the latest trends in his field, challenges faced by container terminal operators today and innovative solutions Design & Automation can bring to the table.

Alex, first of all, what are the main responsibilities of the Design and Automation team?  

Within the Project Engineering function, we are responsible for delivering the operational layouts of a terminal, the port equipment selection – such as ship-to-shore cranes - and adequate technology choices that meet the automation level demands for specific operations in a greenfield project or major expansions. 

It’s a very exciting process where we use our in-house operational expertise and smart operational modeling capabilities as well as advanced simulation tools and services. 

 It could be argued that Automation is a technology- driven discipline. So why combine Design and Automation under the same function?

I am happy to be asked this, as it is a question I come across very often. Automation is a mode of operation, a way of executing a given operation process. As such everything needs to be defined from the drawing board. During the design process, we identify the best operation mode for each facility and that is the best moment to define the automation level or automation roadmap for a terminal. 

What are key challenges faced by container port terminals today that you, as Head of Design and Automation, are working to resolve or reduce?

First and foremost: safety. We are actively working to integrate safety into the design process. For example, at our semi-automated terminal project in Vado, Italy, by design we are completely separating the external truck traffic from internal operation. This way we can minimize the safety risks and also increase operation efficiency within the container yard blocks. Our goal is to reach safety levels comparable with other leading industries. 

The continuously growing size of vessels that call terminals also brings along challenges. Our design approach should therefore not only respond to current needs but also look forward in order to reach operational design performance that will match future business requirements. 

What innovative technology could make our operational staff safer?

There are significant new innovations that can be brought to the equipment industry in the future, such as sensors that give better safety visibility and awareness around the machines – all designed to smoothly interface with terminal systems, and other cargo handling equipment. Sensors can dramatically change and improve the operator’s experience and terminal-user experience.

Can you tell us more about the impact that the use of sensors in terminal could have?

We first would need to develop and better integrate sensor technology into our equipment. We could then drive value from the data that such sensors would gather. There is a complete new level of equipment intelligence that could enhance operational efficiencies. 

For example, currently both manual and remotely-operated cranes are provisioned with a safety laser sensor used for load collision detection. This sensor could also be used for ensuring the alignment of the truck with the crane. This is when safety systems can also contribute to increased operational efficiency.

How has the Design & Automation field in the port industry evolved in last 10 years?

While automation is not new in ports, what has changed over the last 10 years is when automation is integrated into the operations design process. In other words, while automation was something that was only brought in on during the project implementation stage, we now integrate it during the Design phase. 

The Design phase has also evolved. We now take a Modular Design approach: this means that we ‘break down’ the terminal into modules – such as a gate module or STS to truck module which we then re-use across terminal design and projects. This saves us from re-designing the same operational modules every time we start a new project.

What are key trends in the Design and Automation industry that particularly excite you?

We see an increased speed in the adoption of automation, as more and more terminal operators invest in automation projects. This trend will continue and will demand more automation expertise as well as capable suppliers and partners within this field. According to some projections by 2025, automation will be the norm in terminal operations. 

In regards to the design process, 3D visualization will become increasingly complemented by advanced container terminal operation simulations.  

To be ready for all of this, we are actively developing our internal capabilities in both Terminal Design and Equipment Automation. 

One Young World Summit hears APM Terminals delegate Michele Cardoso deliver passionate speech about global humanitarian crisis.

“There are no borders for goods. There are no borders for business. There must be no borders for humanity.” With this powerful message, Michele Cardoso, Communication Specialist from APM Terminals in Brazil concluded her speech in the Human Rights Plenary session of the sixth One Young World Summit 2015, where she told the audience about how Maersk takes responsibility by helping to rescue refugees in the Mediterranean, and called for a political solution to the humanitarian crisis.

“It has been a great honour. I am very proud to have represented Maersk here at the summit. It is something I will never forget,” Michele said Michele afterwards.

The conference, held between 18-21 November in the Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, brought together 1300 young delegates from more than 190 countries to discuss global sustainability. Michele was one of 15 Maersk delegates, of which four were from APM Terminals, to attend the Summit. All chosen Maersk Delegates went through a thorough application procedure within Group, with one criterion requiring a proven track record for engaging in volunteering work to support local communities.

Special guests throughout the Summit included former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan who spoke about the necessary empowerment of young leaders to drive the change that the world needs. One Young World Counsellors also include Richard Brandson, found of Virgin Group. 

“I felt very proud for representing my country Morocco, Maersk group and APM Terminals West Med Tangier berth. This experience was life changing for me. Listening to the Counsellors, meeting like-minded delegates from different cultures and backgrounds and debating over the world most pressing issues all gave me a burst of inspiration and left me wanting to do more for my community, my country and the world we live in,” said Houda Ourras, HR Development Coordinator, APM Terminals West-Med, Morocco, who also attended the One Young World summit.

“I came back home with a changed mind-set, changed perspectives and most of all a changed heart, determined to turn this inspiration into practical ideas to make a change and redefine the status quo. The world’s problems might seem vast and too big to handle, but we don’t actually know, what we as individuals, as a corporate entity and as a community can achieve unless we do something. Wh at matters most for me is creating awareness and start acting now,” she added.

Latest CSR project involving more than 860 students in the region of Itajaí, Brazil is pushing school grades up.

In the middle of a blue-coloured mat stand a young boy and girl, each proudly wearing pristine white trousers and jacket closed off by a grey belt. They bow towards each other respectively before practicing judo throws.

Following her training, the girl, called Lara Gabrielli, says excitedly:

“You must pay to participate in most sport activities; here I can train for free. If I didn’t come I would probably be at home watching TV.  My grades are now better because I need to keep them up in order to attend training. I would love to compete one day!”

Gabrielli is one of the 868 children and teenagers currently enrolled in the Future Champions program, launched by APM Terminals Itajaí in the second half of 2015. Through this program, APM Terminals works in partnership with local associations and projects that offer sports activities – judo, handball and tennis - to children from vulnerable communities.

The activities are organised before and after school in training centers in the Itajaí region. Some centers also organise trainings on Saturdays.

“This program has been running since June 2015, and we are already so pleased with the positive impact it is having. Our aim is to continue this CSR project next year and expand it to surrounding areas of the other five units of APM Terminals in the country” said Michele Cardoso, Communications Specialist of APM Terminals Brazil, who has been managing the Future Champion project in collaboration with Gabriel Guarnieri, Corporate HSSE Coordinator, APM Terminals Brazil.

This program has also brought to light talented, promising players – for example, out of 150 students that participate in trainings organise by the Association of Friends of Handball, 15 girls are already playing in high performance teams.

As for judo, the sport is having a positive impact on the behaviour and self-esteem of practitioners.

“The practice of judo positively influences the behaviour of children, as it is a sport based on respects for one another. We have also seen an increase in their grades at school. This is significant because discipline is essential to improve judo performance,” says Matheus Almeida, judo coach at the Judokas Association of Itajaí which trains 237 children in four different centers as part of the Future Champions program. A similar trend has been observed by the Parque Dom Bosco which organises tennis trainings and closely monitor the academic performance of the 60 students participate.

It’s never too early to start: APM Terminals Izmir launched its first CSR project.

APM Terminals Izmir may only be scheduled to open for operations next year, its first CSR project was kicked-off this autumn. In cooperation with local NGO Turmepa and university students, the facility’s employees, their families and fishermen organisations came together to clean the Aliaga beach and deep sea, located some 10 kilometres from the Izmir construction site.

Within two hours, more than 120 volunteers collected cigarette butts, glass and plastic bottles, tires, plastic packaging and pieces of glass which were then transported by the municipality to a waste facility to be separated and recycled where possible. 

“When we first heard about this project we immediately wanted to be a part of it,” said a member of the fishermen organisation who arrived early in the morning along with his colleagues with their boats and carried out a deep-sea cleaning by diving.

APM Terminals Izmir is the first company to rally the local community in Aliaga for such an event and plans to continue this initiative twice a year.

“ It is important that public beaches be kept clean as they are visited by families and children. This is only our first CSR project. We are working hard on developing other initiatives that will be rolled-out as APM Terminals Izmir begins operations next year,” said Mogens Wolf Larsen, Managing Director APM Terminals Izmir.

APM Terminals Izmir is gearing up for its 2016 opening. The facility received five rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) and two ship-to-shore cranes in October and should receive an additional STS and five RTGs next month.

The facility will become the biggest container terminal in the Aegean Region serving Istanbul and southern Turkey, respectively, contributing significantly to the country’s export growth. It will be capable of handling Ultra-Large Container ships of up to 16,000 capacity and have a capacity of 1.3 million TEUs.

Callao welcomes three new metal beasts to boost its bulk cargo handling capabilities.

Meet Pacha, Pirwa and Quinua, APM Terminals Callao’s latest recruits. Exclusively designed for the terminal, these three new metal beasts – two for grain and one for fertilizers, weighing more than 200 tons each – can discharge simultaneously to two trucks, two underground conveyor belts or one truck and one belt.

“And all this is achieved in an eco-friendly way as the whole machine is designed to avoid dust emission,” explains Julien Arnault, Project Engineer for APM Terminals Callao, adding that in line with the APMM Group environment protection policy, these machines can operate on two different sources of energy: Diesel or Electricity.

APM Terminals Callao is a multipurpose terminal handling 100% of the general cargo that arrives in Peru’s main port. Thirteen hoppers with a capacity of 10 tons were already in operations at the facility. Stepping up the game, each new hopper has a capacity of 90 m3 of storage and allows a maximum discharge of 1200 tons per hour. When a bulk carrier has berthed, one of the terminal’s mobile cranes uses its massive 45m3 grab to discharge grains or fertilizers to the hoppers which then delivers these either directly to trucks, or alternatively for grain, into an underground conveyor belt.​

The hoppers were baptized by APM Terminals Callao employees following a Naming campaign that requested name representative of Peru’s culture: Pirwa is Aymara – a language spoken in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia – that means grain storage; the golden grain Quinua is one of Peru’s main export produce; Pacha, a Quechua word for soil was deemed an appropriate name for the fertilizer hopper.

For the second time in the past four years APM Terminals has received the coveted “Port Operator Award” at the annual Lloyd’s List Global Awards ceremony.

London – APM Terminals has been named the winner of the 2015 Lloyd’s List Global Awards “Port Operator Award” in recognition of establishing new industry standards in the areas of productivity, investment in underserved markets, multiports, safety, inland services and innovation. The company is constantly growing and operates 65 ports, including APM Terminals Maasvlakte II. The fully-automated, wind-generated electricity-powered terminal is the world’s most technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable terminal, designed to handle ultra-large containerships safely and efficiently.

“We are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish as a team effort of more than 20,000 people and grateful for this recognition by the judges” said APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer.  

The transition of the global container fleet to an increasing dependency on vessels of 10,000 TEU capacity and above has introduced challenges to the port and terminal operating industry. These are reflected in both demand for greater terminal productivity and the need for increased accident risk awareness with larger volumes of container movements required for each vessel call. APM Terminals in 2014 demonstrated industry leadership in both key areas, dominating the JOC Group’s annual terminal productivity study, as well as reducing the Lost-Time Incident Frequency (LTIF) rate throughout the APM Terminals port and Inland Services operations by 22% over the year prior.

The JOC Group study cited 13 facilities within the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network as among the world’s productivity leaders for the first half of 2014, as measured by crane moves per hour (MPH) with a vessel alongside, with APM Terminals Yokohama once again the world’s productivity leader at 180 MPH. In addition to holding the top spot globally (and concurrently in Asia), APM Terminals Rotterdam ranked first in productivity among European Terminals, with 102 MPH, and APM Terminals Port Elizabeth, at the Port of New York and New Jersey led all US terminals with 82 MPH during the first six months of 2014, within the award entry qualifying period.

In terms of Safety Performance, the combined LTIF rate for APM Terminals’ port and inland services operations fell to 1.41 per million man-hours worked in 2014 from 1.81 in 2013; this is the eighth consecutive annual decline in the LTIF rate for the APM Terminals port and Inland Services portfolio.

On the local level, APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles, the world’s largest propriety container terminal, in North America’s busiest container port, won two awards at the 66th Annual Pacific Maritime Association Area Accident Prevention Committee Safety Awards in March 2015. The first award was for the best Safety Performance in 2014 of all operations at US West Coast ports. APM Terminals Pier 400 also won the Southern California Area Container Terminal Safety Award, while handling 2.19 million TEUs for the year. Elsewhere, APM Terminals Apapa, which operates the busiest container terminal in West Africa, with 700,000 TEUs handled in 2014, was named the “Most Environmentally Conscious Port Operator at the Lagos Port Complex” by the Nigerian Port Authority’s Environment Department of the Health, Safety and Environment Division.

APM Terminals also continued to invest in emerging markets underserved by modern infrastructure, where industry-leading standards of safety and productivity have an even greater impact. In May 2014, APM Terminals signed a 20 year concession to operate, maintain and develop the Port of Namibe, Angola.  In June 2015, the company signed an agreement with the Government of Ghana, for a $1.5 billion expansion of Tema Port, including the construction of new port access roads.

Scheduled to begin operations in 2016, the 1.2 million annual TEU capacity, semi-automated deep-water facility on Mexico’s Pacific Coast has taken delivery of some of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced STS cranes.

Mexico City, Mexico – The first three of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced Ship-to-Shore (STS) container cranes and two rail mounted cranes for the intermodal rail facility have been delivered to APM Terminals’ Lázaro Cárdenas (TEC2), now in the final stages of construction at Mexico’s second-largest container port. The terminal development milestone was commemorated by a ceremony held in Mexico’s capital city, attended by Mexico’s General Director of Promotion and Port Administration, Fernando Gamboa Rosas, as well as Maersk Group CEO Nils Smedegaard Andersen and other senior members of Mexico’s port and transportation sectors.

“Lázaro Cárdenas TEC2 will be the most technologically advanced container terminal in Latin America, and we are very proud to be a part of Mexico’s ongoing growth as a major world trading partner and global logistics hub” said APM Terminals Mexico’s Managing Director J.D. Nielsen.

The Government of Mexico has announced plans to double port capacity over the next six years. While in Mexico, Maersk Group CEO Andersen confirmed APM Terminals’ interest in expanding operations into the Port of Veracruz as part of a future public bid, eventually linking the Pacific and Gulf Coast operations through intermodal rail links intersecting near Mexico City, at APM Terminals’ Cuautitlán Izcalli intermodal facility, located near 250 distribution centers in Mexico’s premier industrial zone.

APM Terminals signed a 32-year concession for the design, construction and operation of the Lazaro Cardenas TEC2 facility, representing an overall investment of USD $900 million. Phase I will include a total of seven STS cranes which feature a 24-container row reach, along with 750 meters of quay, able to accommodate the largest container vessels, a fully-automated gate as well as an on-dock intermodal rail facility, the largest of its kind in any Latin American port.

Yunis Stitan runs center city course in 32.25 during the long-distance event of the Third Annual Hague Peace Run in support of UNICEF.

The Hague, Netherlands – Over 8,000 participants competed in the Third Annual Hague Peace Run, held on September 19th in The Netherlands’ capital city, with 26 year-old Dutch runner Yunis Stitan winning the APM Terminals 10k run with a course record time of 32 minutes and 25 seconds. The 10 kilometer race through the streets of The Hague attracted 50 competitors, including Dutch Prince Pieter-Christiaan and many experienced distance runners in the field of 4300 runners. The Women’s 10k race was won by 29 year- old Moniek van Lieshout, with a time of 38.49.

A Children’s race of 1.5 kilometers, a Youth run of 2.5 km and a 5 km race are also part of the annual event, first held in 2013, which raises funds for UNICEF under the banner “We run for peace”. UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s charity organization, is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly “to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential”.

“As a Dutch-based global company with our corporate headquarters here in The Hague, APM Terminals is proud to be a part of this wonderful, and growing tradition of The Hague Peace Run”, and to help to contribute to the goals of UNICEF around the world” said APM Terminals Chief Operating Officer Jeff De Best, who presented the APM Terminals 10k race winners with their trophies at the award ceremonies.

The Fourth Annual Hague Peace Run will be held on September 24th, 2016.

Suffering a stroke at a young age fuelled a strong sense of willpower in João Leonardo de Souza, HSSE Assistant APM Terminals Itajaí, Brazil, as well as a rich artistic drive.

A touch of green; a hint of navy; an arched line here; some contouring there: with each stroke, life streams out of João’s crayons onto the blank sheet of paper.

He sits back and looks down at his creation. A teal-coloured eye bordered by delicate lashes stares back up at him.

“When seeing a finished piece of work, I always feel great satisfaction because I know my life story, the physical disability that struck me when I was a child and the difficulties that could be but which, with lots of dedication, are overcome day by day,” says 30-year old João, HSSE Assistant APM Terminals Itajaí, Brazil.

João draws with his left hand. Yet he was born right-handed. When he was two years old he suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) which left him paralysed in his right arm and hand. From early on he had to develop the ability to perform all daily activities with his left hand. He was encouraged to draw to improve his motor coordination. Incessant persistence and dedication means João is now also able to walk despite permanent damage to his right leg.

Children’s colouring books first ignited his artistic flair. What began as colourful scribbles over time evolved into well-defined shapes and hues. At school, he was sought after by students and teachers alike to draw and create posters. João was just 11 years old when he produced his first oil painting – Under the Sky - and that same year he was invited to participate in arts and crafts classes in high school. Four years later, his first solo exhibition displayed works of oil paintings and graffiti techniques. He has never taken art classes outside of those at school.

João draws with his left hand. Yet he was born right-handed. When he was two years old he suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) which left him paralysed in his right arm and hand. From early on he had to develop the ability to perform all daily activities with his left hand. He was encouraged to draw to improve his motor coordination. Incessant persistence and dedication means João is now also able to walk despite permanent damage to his right leg.

“I always think that there are people who are worse off and that my restriction is inconsistent with difficulty, because I'm able to achieve whatever I want,” says João.

He can spend entire days absorbed in whirlpools of vibrant colours or charcoal shades, drawing inspiration from people’s faces, the human anatomy, animals, architecture, landscapes, often using a pencil and piece of paper to warm up his creativity before switching to graphite, oil or acrylic paint, or chalk.

João particularly admires the work of Leonardo da Vinci for the “mystery around his work”, in particular around La Gioconda (Mona Lisa) – his favourite.

“Da Vinci’s extreme precision and detailing influences me a lot. I was really impressed by some of his original drawings that I saw when I visited the house he lived in Milan,” he explains.

Not only is João’s work exhibited in Joinville, the largest city in the Santa Catarina State of Brazil, but pieces can also be admired in the private homes of Brazilians, Italians and Americans.

One of these is a 2 meters by 1.7 meters oil painting of the Brazilian national football team. Following their fifth World Cup victory in 2002 João worked three month on this painting based on an official photo of the team. It was displayed in Joinville and eventually sold to a couple whose husband plays for the Minas Gerais, a large inland state in south-eastern Brazil, football team.

Talking with João, one cannot remain unfazed by the willpower that transpires through his every word.

“Today I feel grateful that the stroke did not have a major consequence on my life. I never asked myself why it happened to me. I keep practicing and doing what I most like, which is creating illustrations, each day overcoming a new hurdle and growing,” says João.

"In addition to being a hobby that I love, this is the best therapy there is,” he adds, noting that he is currently working on a drawing of a containership, commissioned by one of his colleagues.

Clean Beach’ initiative supported by APM Terminals Tangiers brings summer joy to adults and children alike.

Aquamarine waves adorned with white foam gracefully spills onto the scorching sand, reaching for the proud-standing sand castles protecting the beach behind.

The call of seagulls intertwines with the excited voices of children and adults alike enjoying the first day of maritime fun at the beach of Oued Alian located 22km west of the Tanger Med Port, Morocco.

For the first time, APM Terminals Tangier is participating in the ‘Clean beaches’ program initiated by the Mohamed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection.

Over the next three years, the terminal will, in collaboration with local authorities, provide the Oued Alian beach, a 1.3km stretch of sand, during the summer season with bins, parasols, showers and toilets, several sports grounds and play fields, access ramps to the beach, in addition to offices for security officers and a first-aid center. Prior to this, the beach was not very clean with nothing but ambulant vendors.

“With this initiative, we not only want to ensure beachgoers have the best and safest beach experience, we also want to teach them about the importance of preserving Oued Alian’s natural heritage,” says Amal Eddouieb, External Communications Manager at APM Terminals Tangier. Lively activities focusing on environmental protection are being held for children each day.

The local economy is also benefitting, with more than 20 season jobs created with the task of heading the children’s activities and ensuring the beach remains clean. Kiosks have been installed where local vendors can sell their produces from, while shop and restaurant owners also benefit from the influx of beach aficionados. Around 800 visitors are expected during week days, going up to 1500 on week-ends.

“I’m happy to be able to finally bring my children to this beach as they can play and enjoy their time safely,” one lady at Oued Alian was overheard telling a friend.

APM Terminals Tangiers aims for Oued Alian beach to be awarded the Blue Flag, a voluntary eco-label awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-profit organisation that partners with – among others -the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO).

The Blue Flag eco-label has been awarded to more than 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries. The Blue Flag works toward sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety.

At the height of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, APM Terminals worked hard to ensure the port in Monrovia would remain open to let in aid and relief cargo as well as keep the country’s economy running.

“Beyond keeping the economy running, an operating port is crucial in the logistics chain for the delivery of the required resources for combating the Ebola disease. Above all, had operations at the port ceased, the global effort to fight the Ebola disease in Liberia would have been fatally hampered,” explains George Gyamie Adjei, Managing Director APM Terminals Monrovia.

The west African Ebola epidemic in 2014-2015 was the largest ever outbreak of Ebola, claiming the lives of more than 11,200 people, with most victims in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and some cases in Nigeria, Mali, the USA.

More than 4,808 people died in Liberia. While the country was declared Ebola-free on 9 May of this year by the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been new reported cases of Ebola outbreaks since then.

At the height of the epidemic, keeping trade lanes to Ebola-hit countries in West Africa was vital to ensure supply of aid and relief cargo. And ports play a crucial role.

APM Terminals operates the port of Monrovia, Liberia and manages 99% of the import/export flow. During the Ebola crisis, APM Terminals continued to operate the port while taking precautionary measures following WHO (World Health Organization) advice.

“Keeping business as usual during the outbreak required rigorous health and safety measures to protect port employees, seafarers and contractors alike. The Management of APM Terminals Liberia instituted stringent protocols geared towards protecting staff and other stakeholders from the virus,” says George Gyamie Adjei.

These measures included temperature checks, the distribution of sanitation packs, and a 21-day quarantine rule for any staff or contractor remotely connected to a reported case of transmission. High discipline meant that these protocols were diligently followed and no workers contracted the disease.

As responsible corporate citizens, APM Terminals Monrovia reached out beyond the fence of the organization to support the local government and the community at large: an Ebola treatment centre was built and donate to the Liberia government, consisting of 50 tents for 100 patients, 10 tents for doctors and staff, showers, toilets.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed, with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),Joakim Reiter, recently paying tribute to “the heroes of APM Terminals who kept the flow of critical goods flowing to Liberian people during the Ebola crisis” during a visit of the APM Terminals Monrovia facility.

First export shipment of automobiles begins new era for Pipavav Port and the Indian automobile manufacturing industry as 1,300 Ford cars load for Mexico.

Pipavav Port, India –With 1,300 new Indian-built Ford automobiles loaded onto the Grand Dahlia on August 27thfor delivery to Mexico, a new era for the Indian auto industry and Gujarat Port Pipavav commenced. The 59,217 gross ton roll on/roll off (Ro/Ro) vessel was the first to call Western India’s fastest-growing port, operated as part of the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network. APM Terminals Pipavav announced the inauguration of Ro/Ro operations at the multi-purpose port last June after concluding an agreement with Japanese-based NYK subsidiary NYK Auto Logistics (NAL) India for finished car export services and the construction of a new automobile services terminal. 

“This loaded shipment of Indian-built automobiles for export marks the beginning of not only a fourth new service offering to be provided by Port Pipavav, but also a new chapter in India’s growing automotive sector, and the new automotive manufacturing hub located in Gujarat State” noted APM Terminals Pipavav Managing Director, Keld Pedersen. 

The 200-meter long, 33-meter wide Grand Dahlia, with a capacity of 6,500 vehicles, took on its cargo at the new NAL car terminal, which includes an 80,000 square meter (20 acre) automotive Ro/Ro stockyard, and a 4,400 square meter (one acre) staging area. The car terminal area is leased from Port Pipavav by NAL, which operates the facility and has the ability to process and load 250,000 vehicles annually. APM Terminals Pipavav also handles containers, dry bulk, and liquid bulk cargo operations, with direct double stack rail service to inland commercial and industrial centers. 

The recently completed $1 billion Ford automobile and engine manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, approximately 300 km (186 miles) from Pipavav Port, has a production capacity of 240,000 cars and car engines each annually, with half destined for export. In the first 11 months of the fiscal year, Ford’s Indian automobile exports rose to 71,181m units, exceeding Ford’s domestic Indian car sales of 69,885 vehicles.  

Also active in Gujarat State is the Ford Motor Company’s fellow US-based global rival General Motors, along with home-grown Indian-based Tata Motors. Japanese-based Suzuki Motors has announced the construction of a new auto manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of 750,000 vehicles, projected to open in 2017. Gujarat thus joins the Delhi region and South India’s Bengaluru/Chennai corridor as India’s third automotive manufacturing cluster, and a new center of finished auto exports. Ford’s global manufacturing strategy includes tripling exports of its Indian-built cars, including the Aspire model compact sedan marketed to other emerging economies. Indian passenger car exports have grown by 60% over the past five years, exceeding 620,000 in 2014, surpassing China’s passenger car exports of 533,000 passenger vehicles. 

Customers gain new perspective on safety matters during safety walks at APM Terminals Rotterdam.

Whether because vessel operations are at too an advanced stage, or there are too many implications for the stowage plan, there are many reasons why customers are sometimes told that a last-minute request to load an extra container cannot be met by the terminal. Yet customers do not always graps the reasoning behind it. 

Safety visits organised at APM Terminals Rotterdam are helping to put these misunderstandings to rest. “

We now better understand why the terminal cannot always add an extra container on a vessel once the load list has been sent. A request for this has to be addressed on a case by case basis,” says Martijn Hoogendam, Coordinator Port Terminal Operations Hapag-Lloyd, one of four representatives of this customer to participate in a safety walk at APM Terminals Rotterdam on 16 June. 

Differences in safety policies at an automated facility, – such as MVII –, and APM Terminals Rotterdam, and the importance of gas measurements in confined space on board container vessels was also addressed. A task generally conducted aboard general cargo vessels, APM Terminals Rotterdam is one of the few to carry out gas measurements on container vessels. 

“The fact that APM Terminals is organizing such safety walks for its customers means that the company takes safety protocol very seriously. APM Terminals is the first vendor to have given us an opportunity to participate in such a walk,” Martijn Hoogendam explains, adding that he now now better understands APM Terminals as a business and its safety regulations. 

Safety walks with customers is an initiative that began last year at APM Terminals Rotterdam as part of its Customer Interaction Program. In 2014, MOL, ACL and CMA CGM took part in a safety walk. Since the beginning of this year, MSC and APL have participated in addition to Hapag Lloyd.  

The goal is to invite all customers for a safety walk to show them what terminal operations are all about and highlight that safe operations are a shared responsibility.  

Expansion of the second Suez Canal waterway, celebrated across Egypt today, to reduce transit time and increase traffic.

Shorter transit time and increased traffic: the opening of the second waterway at the Suez Canal has transformed the canal from a one-way to two-way lane, allowing both north- and south-bound vessels to pass each other through most of it.

A total of $8.5bn was raised to construct the 72 km long new channel and bypasses. More than 43,000 workers dug out 242 million cubic meter of soil in the short span of just 12 months – instead of the original three years planned -, doubling the size of the almost 150 years old waterway between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. The original waterway was widened and deepened, and a parallel canal around 35km long was added.

The enlargement of the canal will reduce the southbound transit time from 18 to 11 hours and allow larger vessels to pass through the canal. Up to 97 vessels will now be able to pass each day, up from 49.

The opening ceremony was attended by Egyptian President al-Sisi alongside several other heads of states such as French President Hollande. Thursday was declared a public holiday in Egypt and train journeys were all free to allow people to celebrate this landmark event.

 "One must be impressed that such a large civil project as the expansion of the Suez Canal was executed within one year. The Egyptian people and their government should be very proud of such an accomplishment,” says Jeff De Best, COO APM Terminals, who attended the inauguration.

 The Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT), located at the north eastern mouth of the canal in Port Said hopes that the successful enlargement of the Suez Canal in such a short time span and additional development of the Suez Canal Zone will result in increased throughput at the terminal.

The future construction of a side channel to access to East Port Said, where SCCT location is located, will further improve navigational access to the Mediterranean, making it independent of the Suez Canal convoy patterns. This flexibility will allow SCCT customers to come and go more freely, converting waiting time into steaming time.

“This should also increase our capacity by reducing the time our quay is made redundant due to no possible vessel movements,” explains Klaus Holm Laursen, Managing Director SCCT, adding that as a last port call before the EU, Turkey, the Levant and Black Sea areas, East Port Said offers an ideal location for many industries and distribution centres.

This day had been a long time coming. For the past two months, Tatiana juggled work as a forklift operator for a logistics company in the Port of Santos and her traineeship to become an RTG operator at Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP).

And today is judgement day: her final exam would determine whether Tatiana or another man running for the same only vacancy would get the operator job.

Tatiana took a leap of faith when she decided to leave the food industry – where she worked more than a decade. When she was 11 years old, her father opened his first shop. Followed larger grocery stores that included a butcher and a bakery. From doing inventory, to managing a warehouse, handling money, or working in the butcher and bakery, Tatiana did it all. At the age of 26, she decided to seek a career in a different sector, looking for a somewhat less stressful work that would not involve opening shop at 5:30AM and closing it at 10:00PM.

“The view from my terrace of my house in Guaruja overlooks a container yard. I would stand there admiring the operations taking place. It was magical to me. One day I thought: ‘Why not?’”, says Tatiana who had several friends and neighbours already working in the port.

Followed nearly two years of training to operate small and big forklifts, as well as obtaining her type ‘E’ driver’s license that would enable her to drive trucks and compete for job vacancies in the sector. This did not come without challenges.

“Today, we see more women operators but it was difficult in the beginning. When I started the RTG course, there were 60 men in the class and I was the only woman. It was difficult to interact with them but I could handle it,” Tatiana explains.

“When I began to drive trucks in 2007 in a port dominated by men, I suffered a lot of prejudice for being a woman. But nowadays we’ve conquered respect and admiration,” she adds.

In the morning, Tatiana followed the RTG training, which included theoretical as well as simulator and practical classes. In the afternoon she put on her forklift operator cap.

As dawn broke on the day that would determine whether her hard labour paid off, all odds seemed against Tatiana. At the last minute the exam was changed from morning to the afternoon; thankfully her work supervisor gave her permission to swap her schedule around.

As Tatiana moved cargo with her forklift throughout the morning, the outside light dimmed, thick clouds heavy with water invading the sky. Her shift was coming to an end when torrential rains began to pour over Santos causing roof tiles of the warehouse where Tatiana worked to break. All forklift operators were called upon to move cargo into a safer place.

Still able to leave on time, she now faced another challenge: that of reaching the nearby city of Guaruja – where the test was taking place. Straddling her motorbike, she soon realised crossing the centre of Santos was impossible as the rain had cut off street and traffic lights. Taking the highway instead, she made it safely to the test centre, “just seconds before entry was closed.”

As she got into the RTG accompanied by an instructor, Tatiana felt her nerves kick-in. She did not let them get in the way as she confidently operated the equipment and the instructor evaluated her capabilities. She passed and was offered the job.

While ecstatic about it, Tatiana feels she gained more than just a new role: she became more confident in herself:

“While fear can ensure we are more careful about not getting things wrong, it also should not stop us from going further. I was afraid of my decision to become an operator, but I overcame it and can now celebrate my achievement.”

Tatiana is one of the first women RTG operators in the Port of Santos, and the first to operate such equipment at BTP, a job she takes with much pride.

“The more I work in this position, the more pleasure I get from it. I am responsible for several RTGs and realising that I can handle this responsibility is very satisfying,” she says.

Looking ahead, she has higher – literally – goals for herself: she wants to operate STS cranes. She began to train for this late 2014 in the BTP Operational Training Centre and is now waiting for an opportunity to apply for STS operator job vacancies.

“Becoming an RTG operator changed my future. Had the rain prevented me from making the final test, the vacancy would have been filled by a man… again,” says Tatiana mischievously.  

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