• 2020 January 20 14:26

    Port of Kiel concludes last year with good results

    The PORT OF KIEL says it achieved a sound result last year. Underpinned by a strong cruise season the number of passengers rose by 8.4 to nearly 2.4 million travellers. The cargo sector achieved an increase of 1.9 % to 6.8 million tons handled on the terminals operated by the PORT OF KIEL. In addition, there is the bulk cargo business at independent facilities so that all in all the 7 million ton mark could be affirmed despite the decommission-ing of the local coal power station. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director at the PORT OF KIEL: “The port of Kiel was able to pursue its growth course in its core business areas - the ferry traf-fic and the cruise business sector. At the same time, the focus of our investments lies on the implementation of the BLUE PORT strategy – on the shore power plants and the intermodal traffic, so that the port of Kiel will be climate-neutral by 2030.” About 15 million Euros are currently being invested in the construction of shore power plants so that they will be ready for operation at all three ferry and cruise terminals in the city port in the course of this year. The Color Line ferry has been supplied with shore power at the Norwegenkai Terminal on a daily basis since early summer 2019 and is a forerunner in Kiel.

    The core business of the port is the general cargo handled in the ferry traffic sector and with nearly 6 million tons it accounts for 85 % of the overall transhipment activities by now. The biggest volume handled was on the Kiel – Klaipeda (Lithuania) service of the DFDS shipping company once again. For the first time, 2.5 million tons of cargo were transhipped here and the frequency had even been augmented with an eighth weekly departure in autumn. Since April 2019, more trucks destined for Russia have been transported on this route after the weekly ferry service to St. Petersburg had been suspended. Dirk Claus: “The timber import from Russia is executed now with conventional seagoing-vessels and could also be increased.” About 92,500 m³ of Siberian larch were transhipped and put into storage last year.
    The company of SCA Logistics GmbH, whose own roro-ferries coming from the Swedish east coast head for the forest product hub of the Ostuferhafen twice a week, had a challenging year by its own account. This came along with a very positive development of the cargo volumes transported either by sea or into the hinterland. At the same time, the company has achieved substantial improvements in its logistical processes and logistical quality; it could further extend and stabilize its supplier and customer base with a long-term perspective and compose a more close knit logistics network. Jörn Grage, Managing Director at SCA Logistics GmbH: “With a very positive development of the corporation in Sweden, the inauguration of one of the largest pulp mills in the world and the planned expansion of one of our Kraftliner mills to become the largest one in Europe, we look to the future and to the future development of Kiel as a location with high confidence.”

    In the ferry traffic sector to Norway resp. West Sweden the service of an additional freight ferry has a positive impact on the route Kiel – Oslo whereas fewer unaccompanied trailers were transported between Kiel and Gothenburg last year. Dirk Claus: “In order to push the ecologi-cally advantageous shift of transport units from the roads to rail and sea, some important in-frastructural foundations could be laid last year. The investments by the German Railway at the shunting station Kiel allow for longer trains and new direct connections.” Hence, trains with an overall length of 750 m (55o m before) can now enter the Rbf Kiel-Meimersdorf and a third shunting track is about to be completed at the Schwedenkai Terminal. At this terminal, no less than 25 % of the hinterland transport units are transhipped by rail these days already. After nearly 24,000 load units were transhipped by rail last year this number is expected to increase to well over 32,000 this year. At the end of the year 2019 an additional direct train link to Verona in Italy was set up and next week a new connection to Bettembourg in Luxem-bourg will be inaugurated, operating from the Schwedenkai Terminal. This direct connection will serve every direction three times a week with 740 m long trains. The PORT OF KIEL ex-pects a transport volume of 8,000 units on this route alone this year.

    The PORT OF KIEL is currently investing nearly 30 million Euros in terminal facilities and environmental protection. After the apron in Ostuferhafen was completely redesigned last year in order to optimize logistical processes and to create more space for trucks, trailers and passenger cars, the construction projects now focus on the city port. The construction works at the new terminal building for cruise passengers at the Ostseekai are now in the final phase. The interior construction of the new terminal measuring 3,700 m2 is in full swing while the works on the exterior façade are nearly finished. The 10 million Euro building will be inaugu-rated in spring with the beginning of the season and thus it is going to further enhance the service quality in Kiel.
    However, the largest single investment of the PORT OF KIEL is the shore power supply plant for the Ostseekai and Schwedenkai terminals amounting to 13 million Euros. Construction works at the shore power supply plant started last autumn and the structural as well as the civil engineering is currently in progress. The technical equipment will follow so that the power plant can start test operations still during the season. Dirk Claus: “The shore power plant at the Ostseekai will be the first one to supply power both to a cruise ship and a ferry at the same time. It is our aim to supply shore-side power to 60 to 70 cruise ships during the first full operational year. In the future, 60 % of the energy demand by the ships visiting Kiel is supposed to be met by shore-power from regenerative sources.”

    Last year, Kiel was visited on 175 separate occasions (169 in 2018) by 32 different cruise ships with a total gross tonnage of more than 15 million. More than 803,000 cruise passengers boarded or left a cruise ship at the different terminals. Dirk Claus: “For the coming season nearly 200 cruise visits have been registered. Due to the fact that a second MSC cruise ship, the “MSC Splendida”, will be based in Kiel, there will also be passenger turnaround procedures taking place in Ostuferhafen on Sundays.” There are 198 visits by 36 different vessels announced in Kiel to date. Total gross tonnage will increase to nearly 16.7 million and the number of passengers could reach 880,000. The most frequent guests this season will be the ships of AIDA/Costa, TUI Cruises and MSC, with AIDA and TUI Cruises calling at the port with 4 different ships each. The biggest cruise ship of the season will again be the “MSC Meraviglia”, which can be spotted on the fjord as of 2nd May on a regular basis. Dirk Claus: “Kiel is famous for its geographic location, the terminal infrastructure and the easy access by rail. Together with our partners we are working on the expansion of local train and long-distance train connections especially at the weekends.” New visitors to Kiel will be amongst others the “Marella Explorer 2” with mainly English-speaking guests as well as the new expedition cruise liner of Nicko Cruises called “World Voyager”. During the Kiel Week from 20th to 28th June the port expects 21 cruise ship visits, among which will be the “Costa Favolosa” going on 10 cruises starting in Kiel this year. The season will begin on 27th March with a call by the “Viking Star” cruise ship and will be concluded during the advent cruise of the “Albatros” vessel by the Phoenix Seereisen cruise shipping company on 21st December.


2024 March 28

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17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
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15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
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2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
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14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
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13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
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10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
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16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
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12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
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11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
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2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
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14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
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10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
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2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
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