Maersk seeks to improve terminal efficiency

Maersk seeks to improve terminal efficiency    Maersk Line said that by collaborating closely with terminals used by one of its Asia and Europe service strings, it has reduced the time each vessel stays in the port, and now the carrier plans to take its 'Terminal Partnering' project global.
   The Danish container carrier said that since June it has worked with different terminal operators, including Hutchinson Ports Holdings, Modern Terminals Limited and APM Terminals to reduce the time each vessel stays in port. The pilot project was implemented with terminals on the AE7 string between Asia and Europe.
      In many ports, the project has so far reduced total port time required by up to 15 percent, but is to reach 30 percent.
      'It is not about just adding terminal resources to our vessels; we also focus highly on vessel preparedness and the entire port stay from arrival at the pilot station to dropping off the pilot on our way to the next port,” said Steen Knudsen, who heads the project.
   Maersk said the program also helps terminals improve efficiency.
   The project will go global through 2011 with Maersk Line rolling it out across all terminals in the main liner network, maintaining the target to reduce the time of port stays by 30 percent.
   'By getting vessels out of the port earlier, we'll be able to reduce bunker consumption,” Knudsen said. “We can also create opportunities to add extra port calls to ' or even take a vessel out of ' a rotation.'