The first two of an eventual total of six super post-panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes were delivered this week to Cai Mep. International Terminal (CMIT) in the Cai Mep – Thi Vai port complex located approximately 80kms southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Cargonewsasia reports.
Six rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs)completed the first shipment with a further two STS cranes and seven RTGs followingin mid-February.
“The newly delivered cranes are termed “Super Post-Panamax” in recognition of their ability to handle the very largest vessels currently afloat,” noted Michael Rasmussen, general director of CMIT.
With an outreach of 22 container bays, the new cranes can handle vessels up to a size of 15,000 TEUs when CMIT opens for business on March 15.
“CMIT will be the first container terminal in Vietnam to cater to this size of container vessel and will be complemented by direct access to the newly dredged Cai Mep Terminal Channel offering a minimum water depth of 14m,” added Rasmussen.
Shipping lines have shown tremendous interest in southern Vietnam over recent months with 12 vessel strings already offering direct liner services between Cai Mep and North America, Europe and the Mediterranean, and with a further three new services recently announced.
“With the new deep water access, and the continuing flow of new buildings exceeding 10,000 TEUs into the Asia-Europe trades, interest in bringing larger and larger container vessels to Vietnam has continued,” said Rasmussen. “Vessels exceeding 11,000 TEUs in size have recently been announced for direct European services calling at Cai Mep, and CMIT will be ideally placed to handle such services,” he added.
Container volume at the Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Mep ports surged by 21 percent in the first 11 months of 2010 leading to a full year 2010 estimated throughput of over 4.3 million TEUs.
Six rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs)completed the first shipment with a further two STS cranes and seven RTGs followingin mid-February.
“The newly delivered cranes are termed “Super Post-Panamax” in recognition of their ability to handle the very largest vessels currently afloat,” noted Michael Rasmussen, general director of CMIT.
With an outreach of 22 container bays, the new cranes can handle vessels up to a size of 15,000 TEUs when CMIT opens for business on March 15.
“CMIT will be the first container terminal in Vietnam to cater to this size of container vessel and will be complemented by direct access to the newly dredged Cai Mep Terminal Channel offering a minimum water depth of 14m,” added Rasmussen.
Shipping lines have shown tremendous interest in southern Vietnam over recent months with 12 vessel strings already offering direct liner services between Cai Mep and North America, Europe and the Mediterranean, and with a further three new services recently announced.
“With the new deep water access, and the continuing flow of new buildings exceeding 10,000 TEUs into the Asia-Europe trades, interest in bringing larger and larger container vessels to Vietnam has continued,” said Rasmussen. “Vessels exceeding 11,000 TEUs in size have recently been announced for direct European services calling at Cai Mep, and CMIT will be ideally placed to handle such services,” he added.
Container volume at the Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Mep ports surged by 21 percent in the first 11 months of 2010 leading to a full year 2010 estimated throughput of over 4.3 million TEUs.