Rotterdams new boss applauds results

Cargo throughput totalled 354m tons, 8% more than in 2003. Recently appointed ceo, Hans Smits, who was already on the board of supervisory directors and acting general director, and had been a director of the management consultancy Arthur D. Little, said: “Records are relative to me, although I have to admit this sure is a nice start. I am more interested in the performance of our terminal operators. ECT, to mention one, makes good progress. An example is the ECT Delta terminal where today five cranes were working on one vessel simultaneously. Right now that is unique, but in the future it will be self-evident”.

ECT installed three extra gantry cranes on the Delta Dedicated West terminal at Maasvlakte in December whilst Rotterdam Shortsea Terminal has ordered two Kalmar RMG’s to expand its capacity.

Meanwhile, the EC has cleared, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of Euromax, the planned joint venture between ECT, Rotterdam’s principal terminal operator, and P&O Nedlloyd.