DP World sets new UK handling record
DP World Southampton set a UK productivity record on the Hyundai Ambition this week with the company’s D Team handling 651 moves (54 crane moves per hour) on quay crane 29 during a 12-hour night shiftCargonews Asia reports.
“This was an excellent achievement during ‘non-ideal’ weather conditions where high winds and rain had closed other ports during the day,” said Chris Lewis, managing director of DP World Southampton.
“We have broken our own personal best record [previously 603 moves on the Hyundai Together] and set another UK first.”
The Hyundai Ambition is one of a new fleet of ultra large container ships carrying 13,200 TEU that is deployed on the G6 loop 4 Service from Asia to Europe.
“Larger ships need higher productivity but more than that, our customers need consistent high productivity. Reliability is a vital part of the supply chain and at DP World Southampton we have focused all our efforts to provide a fast, reliable and secure service.”
DP World Southampton now averages 28 mph (moves per hour) across all vessels and has seen vessel productivity increase by 32 percent in just two years making it one of the most productive terminals in Northern Europe.
Lewis said shipping lines were bringing even bigger ships into service, and it was recognised by the industry that shipside and landside productivity had to be a key focus for terminals.
This new record comes just after Associated British Ports has started work on a huge project to create a new deep-water facility at Southampton.
The new berth, operational from 2014, will be capable of handling vessels of 16,000 TEU+.
The new berth development underscores Southampton’s position as the first and last deep-sea port of call in Northern Europe for Asia, with its sheltered location, first-class road and rail distribution links to the Midlands and market-leading service and productivity.