Maersk doubling up at Syrian port

Maersk doubling up at Syrian port Maersk Line has doubled vessel calls at the Tartous International Container Terminal in Syria, said International Container Terminal Services Inc., the Philippines-based terminal operator that runs the facility.
   Since December Maersk started calling weekly at TICT, instead of once every two weeks, using the 1,550-TEU Hansa Bergen. The liner carrier operates feeder services in the eastern Mediterranean, which plies key ports in the region, Mersin in Turkey, and Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt.
   Romeo Salvador, TICT chief executive officer and general manager, said TICT has been experiencing an increase in volume as importers and exporters are using the terminal as an alternative gateway for Syrian trade. The country's biggest port is in Latakia. Salvador said plans are underway to boost operations through the upgrade of terminal systems and the deployment of more modern container handling equipment.