Tartous International Container Terminal (TICT), a subsidiary of Philippine-based International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), has announced that German shipping line Hamburg Sud has shifted most of its container shipping services from Lattakia to the Port of Tartous in Syria.
Romeo Salvador, TICT general manager, said the move to Tartous was due to cargo congestion in Lattakia.
With the shift to Tartous, Hamburg Sud's weekly North Europe-Mediterranean service now calls at the ports of Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, Valencia, Alexandria, Beirut, Tartous, Mersin, Izmir and Salerno. Meanwhile, the carrier's fortnightly Inner Mediterranean service now calls at Salerno, Vado Ligure, Leghoen, Mersin, Tartous, Beirut and Alexandria, a statement issued by ICTSI said.
As a result, the number of Hamburg Sud container ships calling at the Port of Tartous has increased from one to five vessels per month. They range in size from 869-2,524 TEU.
"We are glad that Hamburg Sud has chosen Tartous as their alternate for Lattakia. Hamburg came in at the right time as we have been improving our container handling services by upgrading our equipment and facilities," said Mr Salvador.
Recently, TICT installed two new quay cranes manufactured by Konecranes of Finland. The cranes are expected to be operational by mid November.
Hamburg Sud, one of two international liners serving the Syrian-North European trade, has been a key client of TICT since it took over container handling operations at Tartous in October 2007. Currently, the German liner is said to hold around 14 per cent of the container market share in Syria.
Romeo Salvador, TICT general manager, said the move to Tartous was due to cargo congestion in Lattakia.
With the shift to Tartous, Hamburg Sud's weekly North Europe-Mediterranean service now calls at the ports of Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, Valencia, Alexandria, Beirut, Tartous, Mersin, Izmir and Salerno. Meanwhile, the carrier's fortnightly Inner Mediterranean service now calls at Salerno, Vado Ligure, Leghoen, Mersin, Tartous, Beirut and Alexandria, a statement issued by ICTSI said.
As a result, the number of Hamburg Sud container ships calling at the Port of Tartous has increased from one to five vessels per month. They range in size from 869-2,524 TEU.
"We are glad that Hamburg Sud has chosen Tartous as their alternate for Lattakia. Hamburg came in at the right time as we have been improving our container handling services by upgrading our equipment and facilities," said Mr Salvador.
Recently, TICT installed two new quay cranes manufactured by Konecranes of Finland. The cranes are expected to be operational by mid November.
Hamburg Sud, one of two international liners serving the Syrian-North European trade, has been a key client of TICT since it took over container handling operations at Tartous in October 2007. Currently, the German liner is said to hold around 14 per cent of the container market share in Syria.