Rotterdam’s ECT terminal refusing empty containers

RotterdamÆs ECT terminal refusing empty containers Hutchison Port Holdings-owned European Container Terminals is no longer accepting empty containers at its Delta terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, due to pressure coping with increased container flows.
   ECT informed shipping companies and hinterland carriers of its restrictions by e-mail last Friday, and hopes to allow a limited quantity of empties again after two to four weeks.
   'ECT has recently been troubled by certain unforeseeable external factors that are not within its control, such as extreme weather (heavy storms and dense fog) and pinpoint action strike at the customs office,' ECT said in the e-mail. 'These circumstances in combination with uncontrolled high volumes of containers at the Delta Terminal have had an accumulating negative effect on the operations at the Delta Terminal during the last three weeks.
   'The result is that the operations, stacks, inter-terminal transport and berthing availability are becoming overloaded, which is forcing ECT to take certain short-term measures in order to avoid a total overload of the whole Delta Terminal.'
   Hans Smits, chief executive officer of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, said the situation required 'tough action,' as there has been a massive increase in the average time containers spend in the port.
   'Due to the growth spurt in the European economy, the increase in containers far exceeds the 10 percent to 15 percent expansion in terminal capacity,' Smits said. 'It's down to imports from the Far East and South America, but also increasing German and Dutch exports. In addition, there has been a massive increase in numbers of empty containers.'
   Smits added that restrictions on empty containers at Hamburg in Germany was compounding the situation in Rotterdam. 'Normally speaking, Rotterdam is already the main collection point in Western Europe for these containers. With the increase in our activities in the Baltic region, the return flow from there has increased proportionately. The restrictions in Hamburg also resulted in a shift to Rotterdam,' he said.
   'I realize that the restrictions have unpleasant consequences in the rest of the supply chain, right up to the shippers and recipients. I not only apologize for the inconvenience, but also ask for their cooperation,' Smits said.