Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam to launch a pilot project with ‘fixed windows’ for inland vessels with large call sizes

Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam (ECT) plans to further expand its range of services for barge operators and cater more effectively to the various market segments in inland shipping. In January 2018, ECT will be launching a pilot project with ‘fixed windows’ for inland vessels with large call sizes. This is intended to expand the container terminal’s range of services for barge operators and cater more effectively to the various market segments in inland shipping. If the pilot project proves a success, ECT plans to put this new service on the market.

The fixed windows are intended for barge operators that are able – either individually or jointly – to load or unload a large number of containers at one of ECT’s terminals during a single call. Barge operators that do not have this option can continue to follow the terminal’s regular procedure or make use of Barge Transferium Maasvlakte.

Three inland shipping consortia will be taking part in the pilot project, which in principle will have a term of exactly three months. They are HTS Intermodaal, the CCT Moerdijk/Barge Terminal Tilburg consortium and the consortium formed by Contargo, Haeger & Schmidt and European Gateway Services. A fixed window is offered on certain conditions. In addition to the aforementioned call size requirement, these conditions relate to the party’s sailing schedule in Rotterdam, the ability to guarantee fixed weekly calls, punctuality and exchange of information.

Leo Ruijs, CEO of ECT: “With this pilot project – which we will hopefully be able to convert into a new service successfully – we are once again offering the market a new option. We provide fixed windows and Barge Transferium Maasvlakte as a complement to our regular handling services for inland shipping. This does justice to the diversity found within the inland container shipping sector. The barge operator is offered a range of choices based on its own options. In addition, we hope that these new services can form the foundation for a mature client relationship with the inland container shipping sector.”