Euroports Rauma Oy Handles Terminal Operations for Metsä Fibre’s New Sawmill

Oct. 20, 2022 - Metsä Fibre on Sept. 30 started production at its new sawmill in Rauma, Finland. The new sawmill has an annual capacity of 750,000 cubic metres of pine sawn timber, and the annual use of pine logs sourced in Finland is around 1.5 million cubic metres. The sawn timber produced in Rauma is sold mainly to Europe and Asia.

The sawmill’s location enables smooth logistics to transport the sawn timber to customers through the Port of Rauma. The new sawmill does not have its own warehouses. Instead, finished sawn timber is packaged and automatically loaded onto lorries, which transport it directly to the port.

Euroports Rauma Oy is responsible for the sawmill’s terminal operations. The total annual volume of the Rauma sawmill will nearly double the timber volume processed by Euroports Rauma, making the company the second largest timber operator in Finland.

“The close corporate cooperation behind the Rauma sawmill helps ensure that the wood value chain is environmentally friendly and cost-efficient,” says Sari De Meulder, Managing Director of Euroports Finland Oy.

Euroports Rauma has recently invested in the processing of timber.

Tuomas Saarnilahti, Business Unit Manager of Euroports Rauma, explains, “We use modern containerisation equipment, as well as forklifts designed for timber processing. We have also purchased a new hybrid crane that can be operated entirely on electricity. In combustion engines, we use biodiesel as fuel.”

Euroports Finland Oy’s companies are committed to mitigating negative environmental effects and establishing a safe and healthy working environment.

“Safe movement and passage were key factors in the design of the timber terminal, and we are investing in the constant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions produced by fossil fuels and the minimisation of environmental effects caused by our operations,” concludes Tuomas.

SOURCE: Euroports and Metsä Fibre

SCA Announces Beginning of Land Construction in Tunadal Port

Oct. 7, 2022 – SCA announced that land construction work is starting in the port of Tunadal, just outside of Sundsvall (Sweden). The work involves dredging in the port that will use the dredged material to create more land surface area that will support an expansion of cargo handling.

The project is part of SCA’s investment of some SEK 460 million ($54.7 million) in Tunadal Port between 2021 and 2024, which was first announced in February of 2021. At that time, SCA explained that investments in its Östrand pulp mill, in addition to the ongoing investments in pulp production at its Ortviken industrial site, will more than double the volume of pulp to be shipped from the Sundsvall region.

Preparatory work in Tunadal has been underway and at the end of September/October the actual dredging work begins. Wasa Dredging is contracted to carry out the dredging work.

"Dredges and equipment are expected to arrive at the port by the end of this week (Sept. 30) and the work itself is scheduled to start during week 39,” said Magnus Jinnerot, Construction Manager at SCA and Project Manager for the new container port. “All dredging work will take place inside a silt screen, and the work area is marked with five sea marks."

According to SCA, the dredging work will be carried out during the autumn and will continue throughout the month of November. Transport of dredged masses will begin during week 40 with approx. 10–15 barges per day. In parallel with that work, stone filling from barges will take place in the dredged area, a work that continues throughout the year.

The entire project with a new container port is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

SOURCE: SCA

Port of Mobile Container Volumes Remain Robust, Intermodal Rail Posts Triple Digit Growth

June 16, 2022 - Calendar year-to-date 2022 through May container volumes remained robust at the Port of Mobile posting 225,883 TEUs or an 11.6 percent gain over volumes handled during the same period last year. May 2022 container volumes at the Port of Mobile were down 6 percent handling 41,232 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) versus 43,865 TEUs handled in May 2021. May’s dip in container terminal volumes reflected the volatility of Trans-Pacific trade associated with prolonged COVID-19 lockdowns in China.

Uncongested and fluid, the Port’s intermodal rail growth in May exceeded expectations with 208 percent growth compared to May in 2021. Year to date 2022 intermodal rail volumes remained in triple digits with 130 percent growth over the same time-period in 2021. Refrigerated cargoes in May also saw a 43 percent increase over May 2021.

The Port of Mobile’s 225,883 TEUs handled puts the port on track to post another record-breaking year as the container carriers move into the peak season and China begins to open-up. In calendar year 2021, the Port of Mobile posted a record 502,623 TEUs. If container volumes hold their pattern, the port could surpass 542,000 TEUs lifts making for another record-breaking year.

“The Port of Mobile is enjoying rapid pace growth, and while there are a lot of numbers here, the bottom line is that shippers are finding our gateway efficient and service oriented,” said director and chief executive officer, John Driscoll.

In keeping ahead of the growth and shipper demand, the Alabama Port Authority, and its partner, APM Terminals, are investing to ensure fluidity and capacity for business. Newly announced investments include the phase four container terminal expansion, and an on-dock intermodal rail solution adding capacity and efficiencies through the gateway. The $104 million expansion program with APM Terminals adds 32 acres to the existing 134-acre marine terminal and increases annual throughput capacity to 1 million TEUs.

The Port Authority will also invest an additional $38 million in an inter-terminal connector between the container terminal and the intermodal rail facility and adjacent logistics park, along with some at-grade improvements to support warehouse and distribution facilities.

The Alabama Port Authority oversees the deep-water public port facilities at the Port of Mobile. The Port Authority’s container, general cargo and bulk facilities have immediate access to two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterways and air cargo connections.

SOURCE: Alabama Port Authority 

Port of Tarragona Sees Maritime Traffic Increase by 7.1% in May

June 22, 2022 - The Port of Tarragona reported maritime traffic at the Port continues with the upward trend by + 7.1%, compared to May 2021, handling a total of 2.69 million tons in its facilities.

In the accumulated period, January-May, the figures continue to mark a positive trend with a growth of 4.3%, with 13.02 million tonnes moved, compared to 2021.

The accumulated data recorded during May 2022 are characterized by an increase in the group of solids to be rented with + 25.2% and 3.7 million tons moved, as well as in the group of general load with + 28.8% with 1.2 million tons.

The data today place the Port of Tarragona in fifth place in the ranking of ports in the entire state port system.

Traffic by Category

On the one hand, during this month of May the steel products take relevance with an increase of 52.9% moving 70,390 tons.

It continues with a positive trend in the group of goods 'paper and paper pulp' with a + 13% with the 67,881 tons moved during this period, which positions this traffic in the best month of May in recent years.

On the other hand, the merchandise in container has been the big protagonist, so much monthly as accumulated (January-May). During the month of May are 106,128 tons transported in container which translates into an increase of 167%.

Continuing with the positive data, it is worth noting that non-containerized general cargo has increased by 16.5% to 180,175 tonnes.

Of note is the arrival, in mid-May in the waters of the Port of Tarragona, of two agri-food vessels with a total of 126,000 tonnes. Also the group of energetic gases of the oil, propane and butane, has moved 101,369 tons a + 121%; these movements are quite representative of the positive current in the Tarragona port area. Equally remarkable are the positive data of the bet in biofuel traffic with 18,960 tons with + 18.6%.

The Port of Tarragona is working on the diversification of traffic, which is also evident in the movements of steel and metallurgical products with 52.9% and 861.2% respectively during May 2022. The traffic of natural fertilizers and artificial (phosphate and potash) appear increased by 22.1%.

One of the unique traffic in the Port is fruits and vegetables that appear with + 11.3% and feed and fodder with 51.3%.

Starring Traffic in Accumulated Data

By groups of goods, the Port reports that there is a slight increase of 0.5% in energy products. The group of chemicals maintains the tonic and the accumulated represents + 4.3%.

The accumulated data register a prominence in the agri-food and livestock sector with an increase of 33.2% with relevant data in the group of cereals and their flours, almost 1.6M tons moved which means a + 32.7%, and the group of feed and fodder with almost 723,000 tons which translates into a + 37.1%.

As reflected in the monthly data, the group of paper and pulp continues to be quite important in port traffic with 218,674 tons which is + 4.4% in the accumulated.

Vehicle traffic manages to record positive data with 72,336 units representing a 7.8% increase.

The accumulated in goods in container translates in 501.960 tonnes with an increase of 166.6%. These data represent 48,205 yours with a + 144.8% increase in these five months.

SOURCE: Port of Tarragona