2008 – 2009: City Deep South Africa, Specification for Terminal Operating System (TOS), South Africa. In connection with the major volume expansion and performance drive in Transnet Freight Rail, Seaport Innovations were requested to provide optimized operations specifications and operations procedures for the inland terminal City Deep, south of Johannesburg.

Seaport Innovations designed the operations processes according to international bets practice and from knowledge of the available (advanced) functionalities in the TOS to be implemented.

Furthermore, Seaport Innovations lectured the operations management at City Deep concerning best practice operations procedures and efficient administrative procedures.

2008 – 2009: BNCT, Advisory and Supervision on First Automated Terminal in South Korea, Busan, South Korea. In connection with the design of the first automated terminal in Korea, Seaport Innovations provided the following services:

• Second opinion on IT, equipment specifications and terminal design

• New terminal design with optimized terminal logistics and automated yard

• Description and optimization of operations processes and procedures

The advice and products delivered were based on lessons learned from other automated terminals worldwide.

2008 – 2009: Mundra Southport, Terminal Design of 5 M TEU Facility, Mundra, India. Seaport Innovations developed a terminal design with optimized logistics. The challenging part was to arrange the rail handling area for the large rail volume without compromising on driving distances and creating traffic congestion.

2008 – 2009: Port of Gothenburg, Terminal Operating System (TOS) Testing and Implementation, Sweden. Seaport Innovations served as advisor to the project team concerning specification and implementation of the Emulation testing tool. Upon implementation of the Emulation software, Seaport Innovations assisted with the testing and implementation of the TOS.

2008 – 2009: PCC Intermodal, Designs of Rail Inland Terminal, Kutno, Poland. PCC Intermodal is planning to build more inland terminals in central Europe in the coming years. In this connection PCC was interested in developing an optimized terminal layout that can be applied in the coming terminals. Seaport Innovations provided various design suggestion regarding:

• Connection to the mail rail line

• Rail handling area

• Yard layout

• Most cost efficient handling technology

2008: Port of Gothenburg, Development of Job Descriptions for Operations Department, Sweden. In connection with the reorganization of the operations organization and the introduction of new working methods, Seaport Innovations developed job description for various functions in the operations department

2008: Port of Auckland, Review of IT Request for Proposals (RFP) for Automated Terminal, New Zealand. Due to Seaport Innovations' experience in optimizing the operations processes in complex terminals (with many service areas, like Container Freight Station, fumigation, inter-terminal transport) Seaport Innovations was invited to review the RFPs for the TOS.

2008: Ocupa Manzanillo, Redesign of Terminal Yard, Mexico. Seaport Innovations' assignment was to provide optimization of two handling technologies capable of achieving high stacking density. The challenge was the unique shape of the terminal, which made it difficult to fit in full RTG and RMG modules.

2008: Port of Gothenburg, Design of Operation Processes for ro/ro Terminal, Sweden. In connection with the implementation of new operating systems at all the terminal operations in the Port, the Port retained Seaport Innovations to redesign and describe its operations processes to avoid implementing inefficient processes in the TOS. More potential improvements have been identified, with which Seaport will assist the port in implementing the coming years.

2008: Otago Container Terminal, Terminal Design, New Zealand. Seaport Innovations developed optimized layouts for three handling systems (rubber-tired gantry [RTG], cantilever rail-mounted gantry [RMG] and straddle carrier) for a medium-sized terminal. The result was a layout with good terminal logistics and high stacking capacity.

2008: City Deep Rail Terminal, Designs of Rail Inland Terminal, South Africa. In connection with a major volume expansion of the City Deep Rail Terminal south of Johannesburg, Seaport Innovations assisted in redesigning the terminal layout. The challenge was to achieve a significant increase in volume capacity without increasing the yard area.

2008: Assan Port, Design and Planning of Container Terminal, Turkey. Seaport Innovations provided a terminal layout for the upcoming Assan Port in Southern Turkey. The terminal, like most terminals in Turkey, is a narrow pier. The vessels are handled by mobile harbor cranes, while the yard is serviced by reach stackers and RTGs.

2008: Evyap Port, Design and Planning of Container Terminal, Turkey. Seaport Innovations provided the master plan and terminal layout for the upcoming expansion. The vessels will be handled by gantry cranes and mobile harbor cranes, while the yard is serviced by reach stackers and RTGs.

2008: Kumport Port, Design and Planning of Container Terminal, Turkey. Seaport Innovations provided the master plan, terminal phasing, and terminal layout for the upcoming expansion. The port will be expanded to three times its current volume capacity. The vessels will be handled by gantry cranes and mobile harbor cranes, while the yard is serviced by reach stackers and RTGs.

2008: Confidential Client, Financial Evaluation of New Container Terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada updated the financial model for this continuing project, adapted the model to reflect the client’s present circumstances and planned operating system, and estimated operating and equipment costs. Seaport worked with the client to establish the financial performance of the terminal.

2008: Confidential Client, Container Market for Draft-Constrained River Port. Seaport Consultants Canada evaluated the potential market for a draft-constrained container terminal located on a river. The terminal is located in an area with an extensive and growing container trade but faces competition in the market area from deep-sea terminals without practical draft constraints. The work focused on the design and actual service drafts of container ships calling at the port, trends in container ship fleet development and a strategy for the river terminal to expand its market.

2008: Confidential Client, Acquisition of Break-Bulk Terminal Operating Company, USA. Seaport Consultants Canada provided commercial due diligence for an investment bank that was investigating the acquisition of a company that specialized in the operation of several break-bulk terminals in one of the largest ports in the U.S. Seaport investigated the company’s market and reviewed its operations.

2008: Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Review of Pending Sale of Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, Vancouver, Canada. Seaport Consultants Canada prepared for Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) a review of the pending sale of Hapag-Lloyd by its parent TUI AG. The focus was on potential buyers, the changes that they would likely make to Hapag-Lloyd and the implications of the sale for VFPA’s market which Hapag-Lloyd serves as a member of the Grand Alliance.

2008: TBA Inc. for Riverport Railroad L.L.C., Review of Chicago Area Container Market, USA. Seaport Consultants Canada conducted a review of the intermodal container market in the Chicago area for TBA Inc. who in turn was advising Riverport Railroad L.L.C., a short-line railroad operator and property developer in the Chicago area. The work included:

• Overview of world and North American container traffic.

• Factors affecting North American growth patterns, such as the Panama Canal expansion and the development by major importers of large distribution centers.

• Forecasts of North American container traffic growth.

• Flows of interior-point intermodal containers and the roles of ports, railroads and inland intermodal centers in them.

• Review of intermodal facilities in the Chicago area and the intermodal industrial parks under development.

• Potential markets for Riverport.

2008: Babcock & Brown, Review of World Maritime Trade. Seaport Consultants Canada developed a review of overall world maritime trade to provide background to Babcock & Brown for its port infrastructure investments. The work investigated the relationship between the principal maritime trades and economic growth and the growth rates and persistence of growth of the trades over time. The review addressed major bulks (iron ore, coal and grain), container cargo and break-bulk cargo.

2008: TBA Inc. for Ocupa, Review of Manzanillo, Mexico Container Market, Mexico. Seaport Consultants Canada conducted a review of the container trade for TBA Inc. who in turn was advising Ocupa, a container terminal operator in the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico. The work included:

• Review and projection of the container market in Manzanillo and the West Coast Latin America.

• Development of shipping line service patterns in Manzanillo and Balboa, Panama.

• Review of the ports on the West Coast of South America, principally the ports of Callao, Peru and Guayaquil, Ecuador which have high traffic volumes and whose limitations constrain the vessels used on many trades on the West Coasts of Central and South America to geared sub-Panamax ships.

• Review of the impact of the Panama Canal expansion on the region’s container trade.

• Implications of the changing trade patterns for the terminal operator.

2006 – 2008: Sandwell Engineering Inc. for CITIC Pacific Mining Management Pty Limited, Cape Preston Iron Ore Port Development, Australia. CITIC Pacific Ltd, through its Australian subsidiary CITIC Pacific Mining Management Pty Limited (CP Mining), acquired an interest in an iron ore deposit in Western Australia that it is developing to supply the Chinese market. As the lead consultant on the project, Sandwell retained Seaport to:

• Review the options for bulk terminal agreements regarding the iron ore port at Cape Preston required by the development of the iron ore mine.

• Develop a draft terminal services agreement between CP Mining and a port terminal operator.

• Evaluate alterative channel depths for the port.

• Review the steel industry in China and its supply chains for iron ore.

• Evaluate alternatives for port development.

2006 – 2008: Transnet/SAPO, Design Review of Ngqura, South Africa. Seaport Innovations provided a comprehensive design review of a 2 million TEU terminal, with clear suggestions for improvements, and highlighted potential technical and operational risks.

2007 – 2008: PSA International Pte Ltd, Assistance with Container Terminal Tender, Vancouver, Canada. Seaport Consultants Canada supported PSA International in its tender for a build-operate-transfer concession for the Terminal 2 container terminal at Roberts Bank in the Port of Vancouver.

2007 – 2008: Port of Gothenburg, Organization Redesign of Container Terminal, Sweden. Seaport Innovations advised on redesigning the operations organization, operations processes and business processes according to international best practices. The result of Seaport’s involvement has been a container and CFS operation set up for high performance.

2007 – 2008: Port of Gothenburg, Procurement of Container Terminal and ro/ro Terminal Operating System, Sweden. Seaport Innovations headed the procurement of a container terminal operating system, a CFS operating system, and a rail and truck appointment system project at Port of Gothenburg. The project assignment included designing To-Be processes, identifying organizational changes, analyzing the suppliers’ capabilities, and negotiating with the suppliers. Additionally, Seaport redesigned critical operations processes which Seaport assisted implementing in the operation.

2007 – 2008: Port of Larvik, Master Plan Development, Norway. From November 2007 to March 2008 Seaport Innovations developed the master plan for the Port of Larvik. The assignment involved designing and locating future rail lines in the port, design of automated gates, simulation of quay capacity, and transition from reach stacker to straddle carrier operations.

2007 – 2008: Transnet/SAPO, Cape Town, Develop Layout and Design Paper, South Africa. Cape Town has decided to transform its existing indirect straddle carrier operation into an RTG or cantilever-RMG operation with a volume capacity of 3 to 4 times the current straddle carrier operation. In this connection, Seaport Innovations developed, in collaboration with Transnet, an optimum terminal layout and developed detailed design paper/instructions. The work included developing various layout alternatives for the RTG and cantilever-RMG operation, developing a detailed transition (phasing) plan, developing a detailed layout with pavement markings, and a comprehensive design paper with clear design instructions.

2007: Confidential Client, Grains to Port via Rail Analysis, North America. Seaport Consultants Inc. researched and modeled rail rates for grains and grain-derived agricultural products moving from the US Midwest to US Pacific and Gulf of Mexico ports on several corridors using a variety of rail equipment types. All aspects of services and transit times, including in-port handling and unloading processes at US ports, were considered. The study was used to determine optimal rail equipment types and numbers for a new set of export services.

2007: Confidential Client, Evaluation of Container Terminal Development, North America. Seaport Consultants Canada developed general schemes for a container terminal with conventional and semi-automated operating systems in a North American environment. Seaport estimated operating costs of the two systems and developed pro forma financial analyses. 

2007: Vancouver Port Authority, Update of Comparative Port Gateway Pricing Study, Vancouver, Canada. Seaport Consultants Canada updated its 2006 evaluation of the regional competitiveness of Vancouver for the transit of containers from a shipping line’s perspective. The comparative review included Fraser Port, Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma and Port of Prince Rupert. The evaluation encompassed marine charges, pilotage and tugs, port authority and terminal operator fees.

2007: Port of Gothenburg, Forecast of Baltic Container Port Market, Sweden. Seaport Consultants Canada reviewed the Nordic and Baltic container port market and developed a forecast of container traffic growth for the region. Seaport also evaluated the competitiveness of Gothenburg as a container transshipment port with the major European hub ports.

2007: Sandwell Engineering Inc. for Teck Cominco Limited, Evaluation of Mine Supply Logistics, Panama. Seaport Consultants Canada reviewed the marine supply logistics for a new copper mine in northern Panama. Seaport developed a schedule of mine construction and operating supplies, reviewed regional ports as logistics bases, evaluated fuel oil supply and marine transport options, and outlined the specifications of the supply vessels the mine’s port should be built for.

2007: Babcock & Brown, Evaluation of Acquisition of Port Terminal Operating Company, U.S.A. Seaport Consultants Canada served as commercial advisors in an evaluation of the acquisition of a break-bulk port terminal operating company. Services provided by Seaport included:

• Provision of general commercial due diligence.

• Review of market for company and break-bulk trades in which it engaged.

• Review of port operations.

• Discussions of company operations and prospects with owners.

2007: Port of Gothenburg, Optimizing Container Terminal Layout, Sweden. Gothenburg experienced a stable volume increase the last years, and expected it to continue the coming years. In this connection Seaport Innovations optimized the terminal and suggested improvements to operations procedures to accommodate the volume increase over the coming five years.

2007: Petrolesport, Planning of Large Multi Cargo and 2 Million TEU Container Operation, St. Petersburg, Russia. The current terminal operation is handling general cargo and few containers. However, the terminal operator was interested in determining the volume capacity potential and the financials. Seaport Innovations’ assignment was to assist in developing a master plan with the aim of maximizing the volume throughput, without compromising on the handling costs.

2007: Fredericia Shipping, Layout Optimization of Existing Reach Stacker operation, Fredericia, Denmark. The terminal in Fredericia was handling only 35,000 TEU annually with expected volume growth resulting in a highly over utilized yard. In this connection, Seaport Innovations provided an optimized layout that would provide maximum stacking capacity and other improvements, but require only minimum investments.

2007: Transnet/SAPO, Terminal Design, Maydon Warf, South Africa. Seaport Innovations developed a terminal design for a high-density RTG operation still allowing smooth terminal logistics.

2007: Transnet/SAPO, Review of terminal design in existing terminal, Pier 1, South Africa. In connection with Pier 1’s difficulty in reaching satisfactory productivities in the terminal, Seaport Innovations investigated the reason for the operations difficulties. The findings pointed in the direction of too small distances between equipment, containers, light poles, etc. Seaport developed a cost efficient solution to the problem and with the least operations disturbances.

2007: Transnet/SAPO, Design of 3 M TEU Terminal, Richards Bays, South Africa. Seaport Innovations developed in collaboration with Transnet a detailed terminal design for a high-density RTG operation capable of accommodating an annual volume of 3 million TEU. Furthermore, Seaport developed, in collaboration with Transnet, a master plan for the port with a total capacity of 20 million TEU.

2007: Babcock & Brown, Evaluation of Acquisition of Maher Terminals, U.S.A. and Canada. Evaluation of port terminal acquisition. Seaport Consultants Canada served as commercial advisor and port consultant.

2006 – 2007: Maersk Procurement, Sourcing and Optimization of Transportation Corridor, Turkey. Seaport Innovations was asked to lead a transportation corridor sourcing (procurement) and optimization project in Turkey for one of the major transportation providers. Seaport’s assignment was to manage the project procurement team’s effort of bringing down costs by new contracts and identifying optimization potentials (e.g. optimum location of inland depots, triangulations and empty container positioning), constructing new trucking contracts based on variable costs, and business processes.

2006 – 2007: Confidential Client. Preliminary evaluation of port terminal acquisition. Seaport Consultants Canada served as commercial advisor and port consultant to an investment institution that was considering a bid for a port terminal in North America.

2006 – 2007: CANAC Inc. for Baja California State Government, Mexico.  Development of Punta Colonet concession. Seaport Consultants Canada served as technical port consultant on the development of the port, container terminal and railroad concession for Punta Colonet in Baja California, Mexico.

2006: Confidential Client, Canada. Proposal to container shipping line. Developed a detailed proposal for presentation to a container shipping line aimed to secure a container shipping service for a container terminal.

2006: Confidential Client, North America. Bid for multipurpose shipping terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada served as commercial advisor and port consultant to a port terminal operating company that was bidding for a container and break-bulk shipping terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada’s role in the assignment included:

• Review of the potential container market.

• Evaluation of alternative uses and business concepts.

• Evaluation of data room materials, attendance at management presentations and site inspections.

• Advice on competitive aspects and bid prices for the assets.

2006: Transnet/SAPO, Detailed Design of Durban Container Terminal (Straddle Carrier Operation), South Africa. Durban Container Terminal is facing major issues with truck volume constraints, equipment productivities, and complex cargo flows. In this connection, Seaport Innovations, assisted in providing a detailed terminal layout that would help achieve more stacking capacity, provide high equipment productivities and provide easy handling of external trucks.

2006: Copenhagen/Malmø Port, 240% Capacity Increase in Small Straddle Carrier Operation, Copenhagen, Denmark. The terminal was experiencing an increasing demand for yard stacking space. Seaport Innovations’ assignment was to redesign the terminal layout, reorganize the stacking configuration, relocate and automate the gate, and optimize rail handling as well as the traffic to and from rail. By using industry best practice in stacking configuration and operations strategies the terminal stacking capacity was increased by 240%. The major capacity increase was done with only minor investments in new fencing and rearrangement of light poles, and new pavement marking. The gate were designed according to the local customs requirements and automated to minimize gate labor and clerks.

2006: IBM, Advisor concerning IT implementation, Denmark. IBM was entering the port and terminal industry as total technology integrators. Due to Seaport Innovations expertise in operations design and planning of conventional and automated operations, Seaport was asked to assist IBM. Seaport Innovations’ role was to advise the company on project planning and execution and project management, as well as on cost-efficient technology and automation.

2006: Aalborg Container Operation, Master Plan for Reach Stacker Operation, Aalborg, Denmark. In connection with the Royal Arctic Line award of a new contract to ACO, Seaport Innovations developed a master plan for ACO. The aim was to provide a terminal setup that would allow for high waterside performance and high service level, as well as maximizing the volume capacity.

2006: Babcock & Brown, Commercial Due Diligence of Acquisition of Terminal Operating Company, Portugal. Seaport Consultants Canada conducted commercial due diligence regarding a possible acquisition of a terminal operating company. Seaport prepared traffic forecasts for several ports operated by the company and reviewed the company’s contracts with shipping companies and other customers. Although the terminal company handled a variety of cargoes, the emphasis was on containers.

2006: Mubadala Development Company, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Business plan for new port. Seaport Consultants Canada prepared the traffic forecast and assisted BMT Maritime Consultants with other aspects of the strategic and business plans for Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi. The port will be a multi-purpose facility that handles container, break-bulk and bulk cargoes, in part for the adjacent Khalifa Port Industrial Zone, a free-trade area.

2006: Vancouver Port Authority, Vancouver, Canada. Comparative port gateway pricing study. Seaport Consultants Canada evaluated the regional competitiveness of Vancouver for the transit of containers from a shipping line’s perspective. The evaluation encompassed marine charges, pilotage and tugs, port authority and terminal operator fees, and intermodal rail activities. Seaport Consultants Canada also developed a financial model for use by VPA to conduct comparative analysis and perform “what if” assessments.

2006: Agri-Tec International Inc., Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. Transformation of river port into a multimodal hub for export of containerized rice. Seaport Consultants Canada assessed the suitability of the Kumnum Song Rice Port (KSRP) located on the Chao Phraya River to be transformed into an International Multimodal Hub (IMH) for the direct export of containerized rice via the Ports of Bangkok and Laem Chabang. Seaport’s work involved assessing the rice trading practices and rice volume being exported from the region to define the rice market, establishing the framework for a business plan and developing a site layout plan for the IMH. Seaport also developed a container handling operating plan and estimated the container equipment requirements to enable KSRP to function competitively in accordance with established operating best practices for inland container depots focused on serving exporters and also shipping lines.

2006: TDK Logistics Ltd., British Columbia, Canada. Development of site plan and container tariff. Seaport Consultants Canada prepared a site plan, developed equipment needs and operating procedures, and estimated container handing charges for an off-dock container storage depot and stuffing facility. Seaport subsequently developed a tariff for the container storage depot. The work included developing the structure of the tariff, drafting all clauses and sections and establishing individual rates for services.

2005 – 2006:  US Department of Agriculture, US-Mexico Trans-border Transportation Cost Analysis, US and Mexico.  Seaport Consultants Inc defined impacts on trans-border shipping of US and Mexican post-September 11 border security processes. Analysis of security related delays at Otay Mesa, Calexico, Nogales, El Paso, Eagle Pass, and Laredo crossings for both truck and rail. Assessment of delay impacts at Mexican army and agricultural highway inspection stations throughout northern and central Mexico. Analysis of possible future highway and rail projects on both sides of the border, changing industry structures, the impact of Mexican trucks within the US, new security technologies and practices, and increases in trans-border volumes on overall border region transportation costs. Assessed the likelihood of modal diversion from overland to short-sea shipping.

2005 – 2006: TFG, Company Valuation and Operations Planning for Multi Cargo Operator, Naples, Italy. Seaport Innovations was assigned to maximize the value of multi cargo operation in Naples, Italy and estimate the value of the company. The assignment involved delivering recommendations concerning investments in new infrastructure, superstructure and operations set up, as well as building financial models. The result was a significant capacity increase and unit cost reduction resulting in a company with significantly higher market value.

2005 – 2006: Fraser River Port Authority, British Columbia, Canada. Implementation of tariff schedule. Seaport Consultants Canada assisted Fraser River Port Authority (FRPA) in implementing the tariff that Seaport Consultants Canada developed for FRPA in 2004. Seaport’s work included a review and update of comparative tariff rates, an evaluation of the market impact of the tariff, and development a strategy to introduce the tariff.

2005: Bridge Terminal Transport Inc., British Columbia, Canada. Review of proposed container transfer facility. Seaport Consultants Canada assisted the client to develop an expansion plan of their Vancouver off-dock container terminal to double its size and integrate a bulk transfer facility to handle specialty agricultural products from rail wagons directly to containers, or via storage bins or a bagging plant into containers. The work involved developing layout plans to harmonize the container handling activities with the bulk transfer facilities in a manner to optimize container capacity and traffic flows to avoid both traffic bottlenecks and operational conflicts.

2005: Terminal Operating Company, Canada. Evaluation of marine terminal site. Seaport Consultants Canada evaluated capacity and expansion potential of a combined bulk and break-bulk cargo terminal the client was considering acquiring. Seaport evaluated the potential for break-bulk capacity increases within the existing terminal site and in conjunction with a vacant adjacent site. Seaport also prepared a conceptual layout of a container terminal on the site in conjunction with bulk handling.

2005: Confidential, Canada. Evaluation of bulk terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada reviewed bulk commodity markets as part of an evaluation of a dry bulk terminal.

2005: Confidential Client, Middle East. Feasibility study of ferry service. Seaport Consultants Canada participated in a feasibility study of a regional ferry service in the Middle East. Seaport’s principal work was in the area of ferry traffic projections.

2005: Confidential, Design and Planning of Multi Cargo Terminal. Design, planning and investment analysis for building and operating a medium sized combined multi cargo terminal. As the terminal operator was lacking confidence in market forecasts, Seaport Innovations was approached to come up with an innovative terminal design that would be able to handle multiple cargo types (bulk, ro/ro, and containers) as cost efficient as dedicated terminals.

2005: Confidential Client, Design and Planning of Unmanned Straddle Carrier Terminal. As the concept of unmanned straddle carriers is still considered unproven and connected with high implementation risks due to the complexity of the control (IT) systems, Seaport Innovations acted as advisor to the management team on the design and planning process, as well as the procurement of IT-systems and handling equipment.

2005: B.C. Wharf Operators Association et al, British Columbia, Canada. Evaluation of rail service issues at marine terminals. Seaport Consultants Canada reviewed rail service issues at marine and off-dock terminals in the Greater Vancouver area. Information compiled from terminal operators and other sources was assembled into an overall picture of the level of and trends in rail service to the terminals.

2005: Barbados Port Inc., Bridgetown, Barbados. Review of port operations and market. Barbados Port Inc. retained Seaport Consultants Canada to review its operations, labor agreement, traffic and market competition, and company bylaws. The work involved discussions with senior managers, preparation of divisional operating policies, recommendations regarding restructuring of operations, a review of the labor agreement with the port union, and an evaluation of the company bylaws created when Barbados Port Authority became a corporation. The market review comprised compilation of traffic statistics for regional ports, development of a matrix of container shipping services for the Caribbean region, benchmarking the Port of Bridgetown with selected regional ports for container handing performance and costs of services for container and cruise trades, an assessment of the container transshipment market for Bridgetown, and formulation of an overall competitive analysis.

2004 – 2005: Confidential Client, Port of Bourgas, Bulgaria. Evaluation of bulk terminal concession. Seaport Consultants Canada introduced the client to a concession opportunity in the Port of Bourgas and conducted a preliminary financial evaluation of two concession options: a bulk terminal, and a mixed bulk and general cargo terminal. Seaport assembled data on the port and terminals, evaluated alternative concession structures for the concessions, estimated operating costs and developed a competitive tariff. The company then used this information to evaluate the financial feasibility of the concessions and performed sensitivity analyses for the selected option. Seaport subsequently developed the outline and content of a proposal to be presented to the Bulgarian authorities for the concession.

2004 – 2005: Confidential Client, British Columbia, Canada. Break-bulk terminal capacity and traffic. Seaport Consultants Canada compiled from statistical information and surveys a consistent picture of the break-bulk port traffic in B.C. ports. Seaport developed information on the break-bulk terminals, estimated their development potential, reviewed vessel productivity by product and ship type, reviewed storage densities by product and estimated the berth and storage capacities of the terminals. Seaport then reviewed the implications of alternative capacity scenarios for the division of break-bulk cargoes among the ports.

2004 – 2005: APM Terminals, Major Capacity Increase of Existing Rubber-Tired Gantry Operation, Spain. With its existing operational strategies, this RTG terminal was operating at its capacity limit. The terminal experienced a significant decrease in quay-crane productivity as the yard storage utilization increased. Nevertheless, the terminal management expected an increase in demand of 40% over the next 3 to 4 years, and was therefore interested in increasing terminal capacity. Seaport Innovations’ assignment, in collaboration with specialists from various organizations, was to draft a development plan as well as to design the required advanced operations strategies (strategies for container grounding, and pooling of handling and transportation equipment, etc.). Before implementation, detailed simulations validated the design and strategies

2004 – 2005: APM Terminals, Terminal Project Execution Guidelines, The Netherlands. Seaport Innovations produced a comprehensive project manual with guidelines for executing container terminal projects. The guideline serves to acquaint project managers and project team members concerning corporate governance, financial reporting, and other principles for executing terminal projects.

2004 – 2005: APM Terminals Zeebrugge, Overall Project Management for a 2 million TEU Terminal Project, Zeebrugge, Belgium. Seaport Innovations headed the planning, procurement, and execution of building a 2 million TEU straddle carrier terminal in Zeebrugge, Belgium. The terminal design is based on state-of-the-art principles with advanced operations philosophies ensuring a cost efficient operation. As the project was time critical from start-up, the assignment as project manager was to direct and coordinate the terminal operator’s internal resources as well as external resources in terminal design, IT, civil engineering, operations, and procurement towards finalizing the planning and procurement in 9 months. The total investments were in excess of €80 million.

2004: Royal Arctic Line, Denmark.  Royal Arctic Line (RAL), the only shipping line connecting Greenland with Europe, calls at one European port, Aalborg, in Denmark. As RAL’s contract with the Danish port operator is expiring in 2006, RAL wanted a cost and service quality-benchmark for Danish ports to asses the most suitable port to utilize as a base. The benchmark included an analysis of the container terminal operations and organizations, access to and capacity of CFS facilities, access to rail, and proximity to transshipment facilities. An important decision driver to RAL was the pros and cons to their larger customers, as some of them have invested significant amounts in cold storage and agent offices. Last, the economic impact to RAL of moving from Aalborg to an alternative port was assessed. Because of the climatic conditions on the west coast of Greenland, especially outside the summer months, the vessels often arrive considerably outside ETA. The terminal must therefore have excess berth and crane capacities to provide the necessary service guaranties. Additionally, the terminal must have a good operations set-up with sufficient container handling equipment to turn the vessel around speedily. Seaport Innovations was brought in to assist with its expertise in container terminal operations analysis. Seaport interviewed the terminal management and visited the terminal operations to get a good understanding of their current operations efficiency, operations strategies, volume capacity, berth utilization, vessel productivity, quality of container handling technology, proximity to rail handling facilities, CFS, transshipment, unions, etc.

2004: Confidential Client, Denmark. Seaport Innovations conducted a terminal design and capacity study for a Danish container and bulk terminal operator. The operator sought a terminal operation that could handle ro/ro and containers without one operation negatively affecting the other. Because of uncertainties in volume growth for ro/ro versus containers as well as the limited yard area and quay length, Seaport’s assignment was to design a flexible operation with minimum initial investments and high utilization of quay wall, yard area and handling equipment. Seaport carried out:

• Selection of cost efficient and flexible handling equipment

• Terminal layout, allowing simultaneously ro/ro and container operations

• Development plan for future volume expansions

• Optimum position and handling technology for rail operation

• Sizing, location and prices of infrastructure, superstructure and handling equipment

• Required investments in handling equipment and IT systems

• Estimation of labor and equipment hours

• Suggestions for container terminal organization

The innovative terminal solution has very high flexibility due to the selection of straddle carriers for the container handling. There is no dedicated container stacking yard, but a yard that can be expanded and reduced on demand. The 1 over 3 high straddle carriers allow a high yard density, releasing storage area for ro/ro cargo.

2004: TFG, Operations Planning and Design for Multi Cargo Operator, Italy. Seaport Innovations was assigned to maximize the value of a multi-cargo operation for TFG in Napoli, Italy. The assignment involved delivering recommendations concerning investments in new infrastructure, superstructure and operations set up, as well as building financial models. The result was a significant capacity increase and unit cost reduction resulting in a company with significantly higher market value.

2004: APM Terminals, Design, Planning, and Process Mapping for Automated Terminal, Portsmouth, Virginia, USA. Seaport Innovations guided and supervised the project team in designing the operations processes and procedures, in design simulations, and in the process mapping in connection with the design of the first automated terminal in the USA. The aim was to achieve a cost efficient operation, and have a precise description of the requirements to the processes and system integration.

2004: US Department of Agriculture, Mexico. Costs of trans-border shipping. In this project, Seaport Consultants Inc. defined the costs of trans-border shipping in light of post-September 11 border security requirements. The work included analysis of modal competition and overall transportation system costs.

2004: Fraser River Port Authority, British Columbia, Canada. Development of draft tariff schedule. Seaport Consultants Canada’s work included development of the structure of the tariff, drafting all clauses and sections, and building up individual rates for some services.

2004: US Trade Development Administration, Madagascar. Multimodal transport mission. Seaport Consultants Inc. participated in aTDA Definitional Mission regarding multi-sector opportunities in Madagascar. The project involved analysis of port and tug and barge system business opportunities for US firms and suppliers.

2004: Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development and Ministry of Transportation, Province of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada. Development of BC port strategy. The Province of British Columbia undertook a port strategy study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the competitive situation and outlook for BC ports. The goal of the study was to recommend a strategic direction for the Province with respect to identifying opportunities for the Province to facilitate, along with its key partners, the sustainable development and growth of BC’s key trading ports over the next 20 years. Seaport Consultants Canada associated with Colledge Transportation Consulting Inc. (prime consultant) and Seabulk Systems Inc. for this work. Seaport’s role in the study comprised:

• Projections of port traffic growth on the West Coast of North America and in British Columbia with a particular focus on containers.

• Assessment of the competitiveness of British Columbia container ports with major container ports on the US West Coast.

• A review of container handling technology and automation, and its implications for inter-port competitiveness and the development of British Columbia ports.

• A review and projection of bulk, break-bulk and container shipping on the West Coast.

• Participation in workshops and development of port profile and overall strategy papers.

2003 – 2004: Confidential Client, North America. Financial evaluation of container terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada assisted a port authority and terminal operator in the financial evaluation of the conversion of a break-bulk terminal into a container terminal. The project involved structuring of the financial model and estimating operating parameters, operating costs and equipment needs to handle projected container volumes.

2003 – 2004: Confidential Client, North America. Advice on financial evaluation of container terminal. Seaport Consultants Canada provided assistance to a port authority regarding the development plans of one of its container terminal lessees. Seaport reviewed the lessee’s market and operational plans and financial projections for its container terminal. Seaport also examined alternative structures for the site lease and as part of this work reviewed regional port authority charges.

2003 – 2004: Vancouver Port Authority, Vancouver, Canada. Container traffic forecast for West Coast of North America. Seaport Consultants Canada prepared a container traffic forecast for the West Coast of North America, with a focus on the Port of Vancouver. The study examined historical patterns of world traffic, drivers of container trade growth on a world and regional basis, and North American market shares by coast and port area. The resulting forecast involved base case, high and low estimates of reasonable traffic levels plus sensitivity analyses that reflected more extreme events.

2003 – 2004: Potato Growers of Idaho, Idaho, United States. Agricultural transport study. Seaport Consultants Inc. investigated ways to improve domestic and international transportation options for Idaho fresh and processed potato growers and shippers and for associated onion growers in eastern Oregon. The work included analysis of current Union Pacific and Eastern Idaho Railroad services and rates, truck traffic, and possible intermodal services using various inland gateways. It also included investigation of export shipping alternatives.

2003: AMEC Infrastructure Limited for Neptunia, S.A., Lima, Peru. Evaluation of private container port. Neptunia S.A., a stevedoring company that handles about one third of the containers passing through the Port of Callao (Lima), retained AMEC to investigate the feasibility of developing a private container port to compete with Callao. Working with AMEC, Seaport Consultants Canada was responsible for the market review and financial evaluation of the new port. Seaport developed an overview of the world and regional container trade, investigated the trends and drivers of Peruvian container traffic, projected container traffic for Callao and the new port, and evaluated the shipping services and vessel types in the container trade on the west coast of South America. Seaport also estimated a competitive tariff for the new port, developed a financial model that captured the port cost structure in Peru, and conducted financial evaluations of the new port.

2003: Japan Research Institute, Limited for Naha Port Authority, Naha (Okinawa), Japan. Evaluations of market for container terminal concession. In preparation for a call for tenders for the lease of the international container terminal at Naha Port, Naha Port Authority (NPA) retained Japan Research Institute (JRI), in association with a Japanese law firm and other consultants, to develop the concession contract and related bid documents. Seaport Consultants Canada assisted JRI by evaluating the market aspects of the container terminal. Seaport provided an overview of container port traffic and growth patterns in East Asia and in particular in China, defined the intercontinental container shipping services in East and Southeast Asia, described the development status of container port facilities in China and in the competing transshipment ports in South Korea and Taiwan, estimated competitive transshipment tariff levels in the region, and reviewed NPA’s plans to attract transshipment traffic to the Naha terminal. Seaport also identified potential bidders for the concession and advised on various aspects of the concession contract and process.

2003: Dubai Ports Authority, Dubai, UAE. Assistance with development of management information system. Seaport Consultants Canada worked with a team of information technology specialists from BMT Maritime Consultants on the development of the “PROMIS” management information system for Dubai Ports Authority and its container terminals. Seaport contributed expertise in container terminal management and operations and the information needs of operational personnel.

2003: Barbados Port Authority, Bridgetown, Barbados. Establishment of central container examination facility. Seaport Consultants Canada worked with the General Manager of the port to address a number of issues the port is facing. One involved establishing a central container examination facility to strengthen port and customs security, control and inspection procedures. Other issues addressed included the review of the specification for the acquisition of container cranes and handling equipment, and design concepts for rehabilitating the existing container wharf and new wharf structures.

2003: UMA Engineering Ltd. for Vancouver Port Authority, Vancouver, Canada. Feasibility study of off-dock intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF). The objective of the ICTF, located near the Roberts Bank area of Vancouver’s outer port, was to improve the flow of intermodal rail containers and to induce capacity increases in the container shipping terminals by removing a portion of the intermodal activity from the on-dock intermodal yards. The study comprised site evaluations, preliminary designs, capital cost estimates and economic evaluations. Seaport Consultants Canada was responsible for economic evaluations of the ICTF and its impact on port operators and users. Seaport also evaluated the commercial environment in which the ICTF would operate.

2003: PADECO Co., Ltd for Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Bulgaria. Port of Bourgas expansion project and port concessions. Seaport Consultants Canada provided port management expertise to assess the impact of a new bulk terminal on the future operations of the port. Seaport also evaluated options for the transfer of cargo handling activities from the Port of Bourgas Authority, a public corporation, to the private sector as operating concessions. Seaport’s work included:

• Evaluating the ability of the Port of Bourgas (the model port for privatization in Bulgaria) to achieve a competitive environment with private sector participation.

• Evaluating the port privatization policies of the Government of Bulgaria and providing assistance to the Government to assess the options for private sector participation in ports.

• Advising the Government of Bulgaria on regulatory changes to facilitate private sector participation and to implement a uniform strategy for the privatization of port activities at all Bulgarian ports.

• Identifying areas of improvement within the Port of Bourgas necessary as a prelude to privatization and recommending the scope of activities for private sector involvement in line with the government’s privatization policies.

• Evaluating the options for breaking up the port into port concession packages and recommending the port concession packages to be privatized.

• Developing a privatization strategy and a roadmap of the process to be followed by the Government of Bulgaria to transform port activities into port concessions to be operated by the private sector.

1994: Fluor Daniel Wright Ltd. for Mount Isa Mines, Argentina. Mineral concentrate transport study. Fluor Daniel retained Seaport Consultants Inc. to manage a study of transport options for this new copper-gold mine. The project involved an evaluation of rail, road and slurry pipeline transport from the mine site in the Andes to the Parana River and alternative port locations on the river.