EXPANSION WILL BOOST SHORTSEA

The dominance of Maersk can be seen in figures released by Algeciras port authority covering January and February 2005 during which throughput at the port amounted to 501,514 TEUs.

Md Bas Verhoef says average annual growth of shortsea operators will be at least 6-10% or 40,000 to 50,000 containers more. In 2004 he expects RST to handle 1.28m TEUs. The growth is aided by an expansion programme, the first phase of which has been carried out. Two recently arrived transtainers are operating at the rear of the terminal to relieve operations on the quay and provide extra stacking capacity.In phase two, the terminal will be expanded with 330 metres of new quay and connecting areas, and the quay of the adjacent ECT Home Terminal will gradually be taken over.

Phase two should be in operation by this time next year.