| Archive for talkclacton.myfastforum.org A discussion group on local issues for residents of Tendring District |
| ivan burit |
Bathside Bay, will it really happen now..?.?On todays look east, we have the continuing problems with Felixtow Port.The wind, and today - much more with the crane falling over. I`ve looked at the "opposition" London Gateway (Shellhaven) Pending government approval, there are plans for Shellhaven to become a world class container and multi-use port. With a proposed quayside 2.3km long, and a 283 hectares (700 acres) commercial centre, London Gateway will be the largest of all the new container ports in the country capable of handling the equivalent of 3.5 million 20 foot containers each year. The port and a logistics park, together with warehousing distribution and associated businesses will provide for some 16,500 new jobs by 2021. A Master Plan for London Gateway will be prepared for consultation this year Tilbury Tilbury Port manages bulk cargoes such as paper and cars, but also provides a London terminal for international cruise liners. It is a major employer in the Borough and has the capacity to accommodate 500 new jobs. The vision for Tilbury is still being developed. The Master Plan will be finalised later this year. Grays The vision is for the town to become a centre of specialised learning and to provide a focus for improved health and social care, resulting in 4,500 new jobs and 5,000 new homes. more on:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/thamesgateway/maps_facts/ |
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| amenity |
Teesport has just been granted permission too Ivan.
With a projected 1.5million TEU's per year all to go north of Birmingham somewhat puts the skids under the expansion plans around here. 63% of all Felixstowe's trade is north of Birmingham. |
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| ivan burit |
amenity, to quote a somewhat missused expresion..
Bathside Bay has "missed the boat", i do belive.. I hope i am wrong, for the area is sadly lacking proper investment and expansion, but to compare it to Shell haven (thames gateway) or even Tilbury, both with good weather protection 24 / 7, it puts Felixtowe ? Bathside Bay well in the shade... |
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| amenity |
Absolutely Ivan, I think the key is in your words " for the area is sadly lacking proper investment"
Taking the area first, it must be clear to any and everyone that this is an extremely small peninsula less than half a mile wide and in extent no larger in area than the proposed port. Ports by nature need to be balanced by a suitably large hinterland allowing for expansion, clearly without removing the residential properties here, an unlikely event, no room for expansion exists. When this proposal was first mooted it may have had some financial logic behind it for at that time the applicants felt that government (taxpayers) would pick up the tab for the road and rail infrastructure improvements that such an undertaking would demand. Since 1999 a lot has changed, boats have grown in size to such a degree that it would have been hard at that date to be taken seriously if you had suggested such increases in beam, lenght and draft were imminent. Costs have risen expedentially for other things too, cranes are dearer, as are all the other requirements of a port. As yet the increases stacking up through oil price rises we await with baited breath. One large ship if unloaded all at once requires up to 5000 HGV's to take the load to destination and diesel is getting no cheaper, hence the attraction of Teesport and Bristol to name but two that were not on the horizon in 1999. Even Felixstowe itself only came about as a result of strife at the London Docks, so as night follows day it won't be strange to see it return to London sooner or later. The jewel in the crown of Essex is Harwich with history devolving down from the Mayflower, Samuel Pepys, a Royal Naval connection going back beyond 1500 and about two hundred plus listed buildings. Surely something here for us to capitalise on? I understand that a lightship is ready and waiting to be turned into a tourist attraction, wouldn't it be nice to visit that on Halfpenny pier? We have a lovely radio museum in the old lighthouse, well worth a visit, great view from the top and among many other quaint and curious things the Ridout a stupendouse prize in our midst. So I propose that your prophetic words come true, let us see the proper investment this area needs, let us find a way of getting some of those 1.5 millions people that come through Harwich port every year to muse over the nostalgic origins of this place. Tourism even from our own countrymen would do the trick, let us capitalise on our assets. |
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| ivan burit |
Tourism is a somewhat 2 sided sword, for any area.
As you rightly say amenity, the closing in of the existing hinterland, now with yet more housing, leaves very little room left for commercial expansion. For tourism to grow, large areas are needed for tourist based enterprizes. As i type this, the news of Stansted expansion tells of "swathes" of villages will go to make way for the airports expansion.. I see its very unlikely that "swathes" of the new built homes be bulldozed to make way for Bathside Bays expansion, however good the projected profits might be for years to come..... |
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| amenity |
The question must be was there ever enough room here for a port with huge needs, if in doubt what is required just look at the Rotterdam new proposals.
"The new port and industry area will measure 2000 hectares and offers room for expanding container activities, but also for the chemical industry and distribution. Industry has shown great interest in establishing itself on Maasvlakte 2. The first container terminals have been contracted. It is expected that the first terminal will be operational in 2013 and that around 2033 Maasvlakte 2 will be fully commissioned. Construction of Maasvlakte is estimated to cost EUR 3 billion." http://www.eib.org/projects/press...rea-maasvlakte-2-in-rotterdam.htm |
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| ivan burit |
amenity, as your more local than me, how is the news being taken, that Felixtowe port expansion is now going ahead. | ||
| amenity |
Last I heard was that Felixstowe was to be built in two phases with phase one starting this year and phase two in five years time. Other than that quite clearly if the port expansion can be built within its footprint then this is how it should be. The port were asked to do this first but they said they wanted even more room for expansion, but of course at that time the other ports had not been given approval and the other owners will be building (they say) straight away.
With the expected downturn in the world economy and the new appraisal of short sea shipping it may be that a major rethink is under way. It is now suggested that the 'expensive option' short sea shipping is actually likely to be the cheapest after all. Just for the record short sea shipping can use smaller craft going into ports with shallower berthing and approach channels, which is less expensive to dredge and less erosion for people living on the coast. Also these ports are nearer the destination of the goods wich means less reliance on HGV's and the hard to find fully qualified drivers. Ivan have a look at this quote. Shippers' refusal to accept fuel cost increases is hurting supply side 26/Mar/2008 With the price of oil passing the $100 a barrel mark and still rising, the impact of increasing fuel costs on logistics companies is becoming significant. In the past few weeks, some of the largest transport operators in the world have placed the blame for falling margins on their inability to pass on costs to customers. Prominent recent victims, as reported by Ti Logistics Briefing yesterday, include global express company FedEx ('FedEx's latest quarterly performance ...... negatively impacted by ...... consistently high fuel prices.'). Although all logistics markets around the world have been affected, transport operators in the UK may have the most grounds for their grievances. A succession of fuel duty rises (although the latest planned increase has been postponed), combined with the underlying growth in oil prices, have hit the industry hard. The UK Road Haulage Association (RHA), the body which represents much of that industry, estimates that in terms of euro cents per litre, the average cost of fuel duty is 46% less in mainland Europe than in the UK. That translates into an additional £20,000 (€26,000) in costs for each 100,000 miles driven. The market environment has been made worse, according to the RHA, by the fact that customers are either refusing, or are willing but unable, to accept increased haulage charges for fear of the consequences to their own businesses. "Haulage is not a charitable business but increasingly a business of survival. We are not a cushion for British business and so must follow the example of the airlines by adopting a 'pay up or no haul' policy," said RHA chief executive Roger King. Such a sentiment may be understandable but frankly is unrealistic. In an increasingly global market environment, UK manufacturers are unlikely to accept costs which would make them even less competitive on the international stage. The UK road freight market is still highly fragmented with few barriers to entry and exit, leading to cut-throat competition. Fuel costs represent an important component of overall operating costs. An indication of the impact on rates for UK shippers is provided by a snapshot comparison of European freight tariffs. Moving a parcel between comparable city pairs on the same service level can cost twice as much in the UK as it does in France and Germany, and more than double the price in Spain. Print this brief |
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| amenity |
Ivan,
If this report is to be relied apon my strat date was optomistic, it has been put back further by the look of it. New Port Cranes On The Move At Last Nearly a month after arriving at Felixstowe from Shanghai in China, a ship carrying 5 new quayside cranes has now been moved from its temporary mooring at Landguard Terminal to Trinity Terminal to unload 3 of the cranes. The 244-metre long Zhen Hua 23 was moved from its berth on Landguard Terminal earlier in the week, and one ship-to-shore container crane has already been unloaded at the north end of Trinity Terminal. The Port of Felixstowe has not made any comment about the operation, nor about the use of Landguard Terminal, following the crane crash incident 4 weeks ago and following gaining approval to start construction of Phase 1 of the Port's major redevelopment. The 3 new ship-to-shore container cranes are believed to cost in the region of £4 million each, and are part of an order which will see another 2 arrive at Felixstowe later this year. It is understood that a row of 8 Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes (RTGs) currently on the quayside at the end of Trinity Terminal will be put aboard the Zhen Hua 23 once the other 2 ship-to-shore cranes have been unloaded. The RTGs will then be carried to Thamesport at the Isle of Grain, which is also owned by Hutchison Ports UK, the owners of the Port of Felixstowe. The 4th ship-to-shore crane on the ship, which is returning to the UK following repairs by the Zhen Hua Port Machinery Company in China, will also be unloaded at Thamesport. This crane had been damaged previously at Felixstowe. In March 2006, when it had only been at the Port for around 4 months, it was struck by the 367-metre Gunvor Maersk. It has been reported that none of these 4 ship-to-shore cranes aboard the Zhen Hua 23 were damaged in the crane crash incident at the beginning of this month. The 5th crane aboard the ship at the time of the incident had damage to its boom and possibly to other parts of its structure. It is bound for the Port of Oxelösund, south of Stockholm in Sweden, although it is not currently known where repairs would be carried out. The buckled end of the boom has now been removed from the crane. The cranes had arrived at Felixstowe's Landguard Terminal on 29th February 2008, following a 9-week journey from Shanghai in China. That night, gales of 60 mph blowing against the tall cranes, which were welded and strapped to the Zhen Hua 23, forced loose the ship's moorings. Despite reportedly being tied with 18 mooring ropes, the ship, still with the new cranes onboard, was forced south along the container quay. Between 1:53am and 1:57am in the early hours of Saturday 1st March 2008, the ship moved at up to 2.8 knots (roughly walking speed), before being grounded on the beach in front of the viewing area. In the process, the Swedish crane on board struck a crane parked on the quayside. The crane onshore, along with the one next to it, both collapsed, and are now a virtually unrecognisable mass of twisted steel. A third crane at the south end of Landguard quayside was not touched. Insurance assessors and engineers have been inspecting the site, and the wreckage of the collapsed cranes is likely to take a number of weeks to be cleared by specialist contractors. In the meantime, the southern end of Landguard Terminal will remain out of action. Landguard's northern berth with one quayside crane can now be used for smaller ships. The Port has been looking at options to replace the two cranes that were destroyed in the incident, but a spokesman admitted these would involve cost and timing implications. Although Landguard Terminal is generally used for the smaller ships, the loss of the berths since the incident are estimated to have cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and put even more pressure on Trinity Terminal, which has already reportedly been operating at 80-90% capacity. The Port is due to start work on its 'Felixstowe South Reconfiguration' major £240-million redevelopment shortly, but the project is now due to be constructed in two distinct phases. This is due to delays with agreeing the necessary rail improvements, and the Port needing to increase capacity because of increasing competition. Phase 1, the northern part of the scheme, including the infilling of the Dock Basin and a new quay approximately 730 metres long, is due to be operational in 2010. However, the second phase, at the southern end of Landguard where the crane crash incident occurred, may not be finished for 6 years (2014). The whole scheme will see a 1,350-metre modern deep-water container terminal in the south part of the Port, with 13 quayside ship-to-shore cranes. Including the northern Trinity container terminal, Felixstowe will then have a total of over 4 kilometres of deep-water container facilities. The 3 new cranes being unloaded at Felixstowe are to replace 1986 Morris cranes on Trinity Terminal. Once commissioned, each will be able to reach across 22 containers' width on the world's largest ships, and lift 85 tonnes. |
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| amenity |
Having reread this report my first post today was near the mark. But there seems doubt over the second phase. Am interested to see that;
"This is due to delays with agreeing the necessary rail improvements, and the Port needing to increase capacity because of increasing competition." In real life of course increased competition can as you say Ivan "be a double edged sword" leading one to the conclusion that there is enough provision, to provide excess supply may mean everyone can finish up earning nothing. |
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| ivan burit |
Thanks for all that amenity.
as you say, timinig has never been so important. Chinas massive exporting capacity is beginning to falter because of two things i feel, 1 being the need for basic raw materials (look at how much UK scrap metal has shot up) also the massive iron ore mining boom in central Australia, and 2 the consumer confidance in not only the UK but other world wide countries also. The programme i watched on tv spoke of Chinas ability to produce "now" not "ok, i`ll see if we can do it", but like going shopping, you can only spend a pound coin once = when its gone, its gone. The Uk at least is now feeling the pinch of that pound they spent not once, but twice, and so many consumers have no more pounds to "waste" or play with except for essentials on a daily basis.... = a downturn of cheap consumer goods = less goods being delivered to our shores in the long term = perhaps our ports expansion plans being "put back" a bit longer for various reasons, like the wrong snow, or leaves on the tracks.... I am very intrigued by the fact that 18 moring ropes fail just when the need for more new cranes is in doubt. When logisticaly planning such large items in our modern go gettem world have to be designed, made, delivered in the space of years sometimes, from inseption to delivery, things often change........! ! ! Funny enough, comments made about chinas boom was said to last just ten years, with still 4 or 5 years left, but the start up and roll out of the next emerging booming country will be India. India are rapidly becoming a quality export market, just look at TATA motors aquisition of both Jaguar & Landrover, and they own and run ex british steel @ corus. The old ideas of a country going about on old bicyicles may still be true, but watch out for the modern world overtaking them bicycles fast. So, ports.. Expansion requirements now, in there future ? It will depend on how the world economy goes, or should that be grows i think. If the modern world has run into a financial brick wall, not only expansion slows down, but UK infrastructure regeneration will slow also i belive... Its down to that pound coin again, only spend it once, twice is ok if your credit is cheap, or plentyfull, but if not....whoooah neddy....put the coin back in your pocket for emergancies only..... As an aside, who has been on a website -"alibaaba" i think its called.. |
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| amenity |
The trouble with the UK is it's size. The hinterland is very small along with it's population and in spite of foolish attempts to increase size by having little control at the points of entry, it will soon become clear to all that don't yet live here that we import a huge amount of our food.
Food could be our stumbling block, what will help our children. In Global terms our little country just will not count. |
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| amenity |
Saw this in Lloyds List today,
By Richard Meade Tuesday 1 April 2008 SHOULD any well meaning psychologist be fortunate enough to happen upon the shipping industry, he would find a rich seam of maladjusted neurotics sufficient to keep him in research projects for many years to come. He wouldn’t even need to look as far as the “high risk” contingent of seafarers being probed on behalf of the German insurance industry, or the pathologically valiant adrenaline junkies of the salvage industry. No, your common-or-garden shipowner will provide any strong-willed shrink with more than enough disorders to keep his couch warm well into the next tax year. When one recent industry gathering decided to call a straw poll of delegates to gauge who had been convinced by an obstinately bullish assessment of where the markets were headed, the audience was inevitably split down the middle. Interestingly, the division was not by sector, but by age. Was it wisdom or was it simply the psychological scarring won through witnessing one too many downturns? Faced with the looming promise of overcapacity, a crippling dearth of qualified crew, global economic meltdown and the continued certainty of “known unknowns” that could scupper the most conservative of game plans, shipowners are grinning through the anxiety and assuring us and each other that it will all be OK. Is this the behaviour of a rational industry? Possibly not, but as Aristotle once noted, presumably after his historically undocumented foray into the dry bulk sector, “no great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness”. |
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| ivan burit |
“no great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness”.
Ok, what 50 - 50 group do i go for then amenity..........lol.. |
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| amenity |
From Lloyds List today.
Dear John Here's one leader from Ll that i did enjoy reading! BW Jenni PS funny how they still claim their 'experts' forecast accurately. If they are so expert they should be building in contingency for the unexpected. After all it seems from the list she cites that the only thing you can expect is the unexpected. JMM Déjà vu By Janet Porter Thursday 3 April 2008 THERE is a sense of inevitability about what is happening in the container trades. The lines enjoyed a few bumper years as manufacturers outsourced to China and owners rushed to place newbuilding orders on an unprecedented scale. But just as those ships start to enter service, so demand begins to falter in the world’s biggest economy. Few could have envisaged the sub-prime fiasco that is now denting confidence worldwide. But neither did most anticipate the Asian currency crisis, the September 11 atrocities, the Sars outbreak. The unexpected always gets in the way of accurate forecasting, and yet the business community has to plan long-term when considering billion-dollar investments. Imagine the outcry if world trade had been stymied by a lack of tonnage because shipowners had decided not to risk their fortunes on fleet upgrades and instead had put their money elsewhere — although hopefully not into the hands of incompetent bankers. Now, though, they have the unenviable task of trying to phase in the biggest containerships ever built, just as two of the world’s largest east-west trade lanes (the Pacific and Atlantic) stutter. Worse, the mighty Asia-Europe trade also appears to be running into trouble. This may be no more than a blip, but there will be some nervous folk out there if European import volumes slow and lines are forced to cut rates to tempt cargo. Now where have we seen that before? |
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| amenity |
How will new ports or old for that matter compete with this??
Is Felixstowe South to be run by robot? Robots to move London Gateway boxes Robots are to run the container yard at the new London Gateway terminal to be developed by Dubai-based DP World. Automatic stacking cranes (ASCs) will by remote control moves boxes from the quayside. This will be the UK's first yard to be run by robots. DP World, which is developing the facility, has requested design proposals from technology companies to provide both the hardware and software for the terminal. |
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| amenity |
An idea of how big these ships are, and they are getting bigger.
The vessel was named Emma Maersk in memory of Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller’s wife, who died in December 2005. His daughter, Ane Maersk Mc-Kinney Uggla, accompanied by her husband, Peder Uggla, named the newbuilding. As the world’s largest container vessel, Maersk said, it would set new standards for safety and impact on the environment. Environmentally-friendly silicon paint covers the hull of the vessel below the waterline, reducing water resistance and cutting her fuel consumption by 1,200 tonnes per year. She is powered by a 14-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex diesel engine which develops 110,000 BHP. After sea trials, she entered Maersk’s AE1 Europe-Asia service, making her first commercial sailing from Gothenburg in mid-September 2006. Emma Maersk is 398 metres long and 56.4 metres wide, 30.2 metres depth, 156,907 gross tonnage and 156,907 tonnes deadweight. She is able to carry rows of twentytwo containers across her decks. The widest ship until now, in service with Mediterranean Shipping Co., takes rows of eighteen. With no chance of other lines taking delivery of tonnage that large at least until 2010, Maersk now has a huge lead time over competitors and the ability to gain considerable economies of scale and much lower slot costs, depending on how capital costs are allocated. With seven tiers stacked on deck, and allowing for visibility rules, the ship could carry around 13,500 TEU, the firm reckons. An eighth layer would bring nominal capacity to above 14,000 TEU. Emma Maersk is the first of Maersk’s E-class, and they have another ten E-class ships on order at the Lindø yard for delivery up to mid-2009. But later ships in the series could be stretched to as much as 420 metres, bringing nominal capacity to 15,000 TEU with seven tiers on deck. Leading propeller-maker Mecklenburger Metallguss is known to have delivered to Odense during 2006 two of the world’s largest propellers for container ships. The six-blade, 9.6-metre-diameter propellers weigh 131 tonnes each. The manufacturer’s previous largest propeller weighed 103 tonnes and was fitted to a 9,200 TEU capacity container ship. The large propeller is understood to feature specially-developed blade tips that help to mitigate cavitation. |
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| ivan burit |
Harwich @ april 2003.....then...........and now ?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society...apr/30/guardiansocietysupplement7 |
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| amenity |
Sadly so many gullible people, some in high places thought that if they wanted something badly enough it would come about. They could not tell what was being said between the lines. They thought they had found the silver bullet.
Funny enough on the TV tonight a bit of newsreel from the fifties was being replayed and the same trick was worked then. Jobs. The real motive for anything thease days seems to be simple old fashioned profit, but don't tell it that way sell it by way of reference to JOBS. "They" always fall for that line. Happy days are here again, tra la la la. |
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| ivan burit |
ha..ha..ha.... | ||
| amenity |
Well this seems to be on the cards.
London Gateway port project gets final approval 12/May/2008 The UK Government has given the final seal of approval to the development of what it is claimed will be that country's most advanced container port at London Gateway, south-east England. The project also incorporates what is designed to become Europe's largest logistics park. London Gateway's owner, Dubai-based global marine terminals operator DP World, said the UK Department for Transport (DfT) had now issued a 'Harbour Empowerment Order' to the organisation which provided official and statutory powers to the new port. Construction work would begin later this year on the 1,850 acre site, just 25 miles from central London, near Stanford-le-Hope, south Essex, stated DP World. The group said it was investing more than £1.5bn (US$3bn) over the next 10 to 15 years. "The project is currently the largest capital investment initiative in the UK and will become the largest employment creation project in the country," it added. DP World said London Gateway would become a national hub port for the UK and would accommodate the world's largest container ships. It would be the most fully automated and efficient in the country, adding an additional 3.5m TEUs to the nation's annual port capacity. "This will help meet recognised demand for extra capacity in the UK." In addition to a major deepsea facility, stated DP World, London Gateway port would combine with Europe's largest logistics park, offering 9.5m sq ft for distribution, manufacturing and high-tech sectors. "The logistics park will offer individual units in excess of 1m sq ft," it added. |
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| ivan burit |
Amenity,
It looks like not one single road improvement is now needed to roll into Parkstone.? When you combine the todays statement, along with easy peasy to reach infrastructure improvements in London as we speak, (road up grades etc) the only downside is the road traffic will need to meet modern day standards to be able to enter into looney Kens legacy of the new London Low Emission Zone.. |
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| amenity |
From Lloyds list a super ship.
STX says it has developed world’s biggest boxship By Mike Grinter in Hong Kong - Thursday 29 May 2008 Emma Maersk: currently the biggest container ship on the seas SOUTH Korea’s STX Shipbuilding claims it has developed the world’s largest containership, which is capable of carrying 22,000 teu. Measuring 460m long, 60m wide and 30m deep, the giant vessel leaves Samsung Heavy Industries’ attempt at a mega-box carrier way behind. SHI announced late last year that it had developed a 16,000 teu ship that would be 400m long and propelled by a 10,000 bhp engine. STX spokesperson Ho-Jung Kim said the vessel could be constructed with either a single engine or with twin-engines. Capable of a cruising speed of 24-26 knots, the selling point is fuel efficiency. Mr Kim said that the motivating force behind the new design was a belief that high oil prices are here to stay. The new ship would generate fuel savings of up to 40% in cost per transported teu, compared with existing containerships. Mr Kim said that ports with a 14m draft would be capable of receiving the vessel if it had sufficient berth length. Unfortunately, this is rare today. The likelihood is that such a vessel would be limited to runs between Shanghai and Long Beach. The largest containership currently plying the world’s oceans is the Emma Maersk, which is capable of carrying a maximum 13,500 teu. Samsung Heavy Industries said it had yet to receive enquiries for its 16,000 teu design, but suggested the lack of enquiries reflected a thin market for containerships rather than a lack of interest in the size of the vessel. “We expect interest in containerships will be on the rise again in the second half of the year,” an SHI spokesperson said. |
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| ivan burit |
News from 2003..
oh how time flies.. http://archive.echo-news.co.uk/2003/8/8/142574.html |
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| amenity |
Trouble is the MP at the time was a bit naive, fell for the old jobs patter. | ||
| ivan burit |
Sorry amenity, in the rush to place my last post, i never read it thorough enough.
But, on tonights news programe, it mentioned the upgrading of the A14 to Felixtowe... Nothing was mentioned about Harwich i belive. |
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| amenity |
Ivan this is worth a look, have taken a sample to whet your appetite.
"The Port of Felixstowe's £46 million upgrade of the Felixstowe-Ipswich rail line has been postponed, but is due to be complete by the end of 2013. Over 4 miles of the branch line will be dualled between Trimley Station and a point west of Levington Bridge, along with other improvements." http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk/news.php?extend.1659 |
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| ivan burit |
[quote="amenity"]Ivan this is worth a look, have taken a sample to whet your appetite.
"The Port of Felixstowe's £46 million upgrade of the Felixstowe-Ipswich rail line has been postponed, but is due to be complete by the end of 2013. Over 4 miles of the branch line will be dualled between Trimley Station and a point west of Levington Bridge, along with other improvements." If it all goes ahead, it will make the whole area a busy bustling place dont you think amenity. The proposed 400 eco-home village caught my eye also. The words eco homes or eco town are the new buzz words for getting planning permision easy, or so a recient tv programme implied. After riding through the pretty lanes on a recient scoot club ride out to the ports sailing club, it was shown to be a very underdeveloped area, but so nice and quiet. At what point does progress become-change for ever the area.? I must admit though, the propsed eco friendly rail transit system, if implimented, would seem to work very well. We have tram transit systems in large towns already, Croydon and Manchester being some i belive, with Croydons track laying turning its city center into a no go area for years while building it, so if the new proposed transit system was begun early before building hundreds of new homes, that to could be used for eco deliveries to the building site.. Off subject just, when the Becontree Estate was built, at the time the biggest in the world, in the earlier part of last century, railway lines run down the major roadways to deliver the neccesary building materials as and when required.........eco friendly even all them years ago, or just plain and simple made good sense to do it. Then horse and cart carried the short distance from collection point, to point of use. Now could be eco friendly bio diesel low emmision truck, or even gas powered trucks that produce almost no emmisions, to do the local point to point deliveries... Another point is the new proposed HUGE wind turbine offshore farm that going to be built up that way soon, coincedence or purposeful planning.. To me, little things just seem to be clicking into place......lol.. |
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| amenity |
It's a shame that local people are the last to know what is going on, don't you think Ivan, were just left guessing. | ||
| ivan burit |
After the guessing game for my part of Tendering, gets longer and longer, despite Town Hall assurances they are "on to it"
your waterside futures can be seen to be belived, or, belive it when you see it..... carots before donkeys comes to mind here...(if we are not careful).. |
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| amenity |
Portland looks to have all the prerequites of an ideal port Ivan.
"Portland Port has the second largest man made harbour in the world, situated 22 miles north of the westerly shipping lanes and on the main maritime trade routes allowing fast, safe access 24 hours a day. There are no restrictions by locks, tides, beam or air draft and the port’s well sheltered waters with depths up to 20m in the outer harbour and up to 15m in the inner harbour. Limiting charted depth at the breakwater entrance is 13.8 metres. Since the departure of the Royal Navy from Portland Port in 1996, the port has developed into a thriving facility combining its vast natural assets with the full range of services demanded in today’s maritime market. Portland Harbour Authority Limited provides a full range of marine services. As well as fulfilling its statutory role in regulating the safety of navigation etc P.H.A.L also ensures conservation and preservation of the flora and fauna of the harbour. Special Notice: Please note all small vessels wishing to fuel please contact Weymouth Harbour Authority on Tel: (01305) 838423 or visit Weymouth Harbour Authority Portland Harbour Authority Ltd Registered Office: Binghams Melcombe, Dorchester, DT2" |
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| ivan burit |
As a family, we love Weymouth and Portland, having been many times.
Weymouth`s old railway station on the outer arm of its harbour was used by the old steam trains as a departing point for traditional ferry to Jersey/guernsey, but is now the docking area for the highspeed Condor lines fast ferries, both vehiculer and foot passenger, to the channel islands and france. my 8 year old grandaughter just loves standing on the rear deck of the Condor, in the wind and sea spray (as do nanny and mummy) In portland harbour, it has 2 entrances, but only one is usable, as the open sea facing entrance was defended by the sinking of a huge world war one battle ship accross its entrance to originally defend it from submarine attack. The wreck is a well know dive area used frequently... Many hundreds of tonnes of Portland stone are being used to construct a inner sea wall for use in the 2012 olympics, and afterwards.. The views from the top of Portland looking over its lower Town, its docks and watersports areas, its Chesil Beach as far as you can see, and out to open sea are brillient, and for those with younger children that remember portland bill, portlands lighthouse and cliff top walk are worth looking at too. On a windy day, it IS windy too. OK back to harbours, our carrot is a fictional one but its there all the same. Spin by various departments gets worse as we go along day by day. If i was parranoid, i would say i trust no one, but i very rarely do these days, as i have been trapped into false hope just once to oftain during the last year. I will remain independent untill i find confidance not to be so, that notwithstanding, i welcome your views on our various posts, look foreward even to them... Oh dear i am begining to sound like the Victor Meldue`s of this world... With that in mind, a victor rant is in order....Freedom for Jaywick...ha..ha..ha.. |
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| amenity |
Saw this in todays Lloyds List, thought it would be of interest, wonder if Felixstowe has any of this equipment?
By Neville Smith Friday 13 June 2008 “HOPING that logic will overtake emotion” is not a fully-hedged position when the cause you have pinned your hope to is US security. This was not the only contradictory statement to emerge from the World Customs Organisation’s assessment of readiness of the world’s ports for 100% scanning of all US-bound containers. The WCO found a divergent trend between Asia and the US, with the former already investing in scanning technology and the latter “sticking its head in the sand”. It was less surprising to learn that there are 15 scanners in operation in the Philippines than that trials in Southampton have found the process slow and costly. The WCO is committed to opposing the US plans and the report left no-one in any doubt of the challenges that the programme presents. But despite being unable to convince the US Congress that 100% scanning would not by itself improve supply chain security, it also admits it could make it more efficient. EU ports have a dwindling share of US-bound movements so the incentive to spend is limited, but that will not divert the US from its security agenda. If they are unprepared, European ports could lose out further. Rather than hope, or ignore the prevailing conditions, it would be better to take this opportunity to re-tool the supply chain for the demands of the 21st century. This could include beefing up security, improving transparency and increasing intermodalism. Perhaps the WCO should ask the world’s biggest economy to contribute to those links of the chain it feels are in greatest need of improvement. |
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| ivan burit |
amenity, i read your piece with interest and puzzlement.
Does the new scanning technology use X ray for its operation, the reason i ask, X rays are a usefull tool in medicine, and other safety factor uses like testing production componants and welds for stress fractures.. X rays can also be leathal to human & animal health if over used, or used incorrectly. In the ports scanning facilities, on such large items to be scanned / X rayed, how do the operations control the damaging effect of the scans or rays. A year ago my most expensive (nearest & dearest) was in hospital for 2 months, she had 15 or more C/T scans during that period. What she never knew until last week was 1 C/T scan is equivilent to 200 X rays.. 15 x 200 = HUGE amount of very dangerous X rays being passed through her body during the 2 month Hospital stay. Last week her consultant is still woried about another C/T scan to her body. In dockside areas, the control of wayward X rays could be a very dangerous health hazard to its workers ?.. |
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| ivan burit |
Our views echoed by the Gazette.
http://www.clactonandfrintongazet...ewed.we_need_cash_for_a12_now.php Hmmm dont know just what to say really....?? |
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| amenity |
This should raise as many questions as it answers Ivan, the issue you have raised may be the reason that scanners are not more commonly used, rumour has it that some people don't want scanners 'cos it would ruin their trade, could be some truth here I suppose.
Anyway hope this bit gives some insight to the new range of X-Ray scanners. http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/...finance+-+republic+of+ivory+coast The government decided to implement a scanner for inspecting imported goods inside containers at the port of Abidjan. To install and operate the scanner, Bureau Veritas (through its subsidiary dedicated to facilitating trade, Bivac) was chosen because of its strong technical expertise. The government invested in the most modern scanner available. There are only two others like it in the world: one on the UK side of the Channel Tunnel, the other at the port of Marseille. It is bigger than other scanners, and can be used to inspect two 40-foot containers at the same time. Up to 30 containers can be checked every hour. The scanner is extremely sensitive. For example, trained staff can look at the color x-ray image and see the difference between a new and a used car tire. Another example: they can count exactly how many computers are inside a container, then compare with the number of computers declared on transport documents. If extra tax or duty needs to be paid, it can be decided almost instantly. As a result, illegal or undeclared items can be found quickly and easily. The Bureau Veritas team works closely with Customs officials. A certificate is given to each container that passes the scanning. Customs can then authorize the container. About 50 Bureau Veritas staff are based at the Port of Abidjan, with two teams of 6 people who are trained to analyze the images. |
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| amenity |
David Ralph says the FSB has evidence, I wonder what kind and if it has been presented to government, after all it is government that will release the purse strings in these uncertain times.
The A12 of course is under stress the way we are using it at the moment and if we had cars that ran on water I might be convinced that it should be widened, but we don't have this luxury. We need to rethink our strategy of employment, is it intelligent to transport people 68 miles (or more)every day to work on a computer in an office when they could operate such a device from home? Could not be done some might say but anyone that uses this forum gives evidence of the arguments power. David then goes on to say "It is really important that the Bathside Bay port is built" but what evidence is he using to support this assertion? Could not something be learned from the above example of road usage and doing the same job from home, it is acknowledged that a great deal of the goods that come through the ports are utter rubbish that end up in land fill within two weeks of arrival, cut this junk out and save the environment and reduce the need for port expansion. To suppose that as a country we will need vastly more goods than we presently consume, poses some questions; 1) Is the population going to grow in proportion to the projection figures? 2) Are we going to watch three TV's at once in the future? 3) Are we suggesting that we should be FATTER!! |
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| ivan burit |
"We need to rethink our strategy of employment, is it intelligent to transport people 68 miles (or more)every day to work"
Out of the blue, at a recient scooter club night, we talked about the distance of going to work. one member who lives in Holland -on-sea travels to welling garden city every day, on alternating shift patterns 5 or 6 days each week, some 600 odd miles or so. For their minimal costs, he uses well used cars, prefuring diesels, to do this daily journey. His job of maintainance engineer cannot be replaced by the telephone line or connection i`m afraid.. |
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| amenity |
From your example Ivan I have to agree on the face of it but if at the same time an engineer is travelling from WGC to Harwich every day and these two unknowingly cross paths it can be seen that a lot of travelling could potentially be saved even when we are not dealing with paper pushers. Looking at the London skyline it would appear that paper pushers are in the majority in the City at any rate.
It has been suggested before that tax and rate changes could be introduced to provoke firms into using local people, this sort of thing is rather bound to come about sooner or later unless we run our fabled water engines so lets do it sooner. |
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| ivan burit |
amenity i can also see your point, but, if our local bloke "could" find a local job that paid sufficient funds, that would negate his burning of his time and earths resources while being in gainfull employment also.
Our local bloke in question has been time served for about 12 years in his employment, and has no options as we speak, to change his area of place of work. (but would love to) Another point i just thought of, in USA they have "local" taxes - state taxes, that seem easier to control just whats needed localy rather than being told what to tax at what rate from afar. would it / could it work in say harwich as being different to Colchester. More people work in Colchester than work in Harwich (i assume) The fabled carrot for Harwich would / could be your tax advantages given for local resident workforce against local resident working 62 miles away. We all know of the premium being paid for central londons workforce as being the penalty paid for its workforce`s traveling into our capitol. Not only is that penalty getting dearer almost weekly, by whatever means of travel taken, but the travelling time is now being stretched also almost weekly. Once upon a time, you got on a train and got off at your destination in time. These days, you might get a train to get on, but it may not even get you to your destination at all. And the roads, well lets not go there.........lol.. |
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| amenity |
Of course these things are complicated, but if things get very tight and they could, couldn't they, work may not be as it is indefinitely, unless we readjust our wasteful methods.
We could rely on technology to get us out of the cr*p but that might not prove the most certain route, prevention is better etc. |
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| ivan burit |
So, local eco towns may not be as such a far fetched idea as first thought of.
maintainance workers are an adaptable bunch, being easily trained into local tradespersons. Local workers working in local areas are the ideals of more far flung shores i know, but our history has showed that it was once the only way of life for the majority. As i sit and ponder it all, the thought of food being needed to be grown to feed its eco inhabitants, would need huge farms working all year round to support it. They could even form the essential greenspace gap as required by the Local Area Strategic Plans..... Ok, i`m now too tired to think it through........lol..... |
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| ivan burit |
amenity i found this, its a requirement for more needed workers for the 2012...
182,000 workers wanted:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7264905.stm |
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| amenity |
"But Ms Lilley was confident that a lack of workers would not be an obstacle to getting the Olympic projects built within the time remaining -" No doubt Ms Lilley can do it without a workforce, I'd like to know how? Maybe she knew something about the downturn in the industry that would ensure a supply of workers, or it could just be old fashioned luck? |
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| ivan burit |
"Maybe she knew something about the downturn in the industry that would ensure a supply of workers, or it could just be old fashioned luck?"
I was talking to a buddy yesterday who is a local builder, and we talked about the need for these extra 180,000 odd needed builders in London, to meet the target date for 2012 olympics. his remarks to "would you drive into the nightmare of Londons massive building site and get work was:- you must be off your rocker to want to try to get into the site, do a days work, then try and get out again just to get home.............. Say`s it all really then amenity......lol Im not saying that NO ONE will go that route, it depends on your circumstances:- if you cant get work and your up sh*t creek without a paddle, then it may save your bacon so to speak.. As this once great country has only 4 tiny years untill the start of the most expensive single event in this once great countries history, two things spring to mind. 1:- how much debt will it put us in just to stage it. 2:- how much further debt will it cost to convert most of the new facilities back to every day uses, as they wont, or most wont, be used as is....... |
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| amenity |
You raise some good points here Ivan, your builder friend has got a very strong case, I worked on the Victoria line when it was being built and unless someone took you down there with a coach load of other chaps it would be a nightmare.
These monstrous schemes to consume taxpayers money will come round to bite our rear end. |
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| ivan burit |
Trouble at mill lad, it seems....lol
my earlier post now has watchdog warnings attached to it... "As this once great country has only 4 tiny years untill the start of the most expensive single event in this once great countries history, two things spring to mind. 1:- how much debt will it put us in just to stage it. 2:- how much further debt will it cost to convert most of the new facilities back to every day uses, as they wont, or most wont, be used as is" http://money.aol.co.uk/watchdog-w...dget/article/20080619212309990009 |
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| amenity |
Just goes to show, when they tried to bamboozle us over the estimated costs that would be incurred, they had been making it all up, even now they don't have costs for the Olympic Village. A trifle now estimated at £1billion.
Without doubt this is theft. |
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| pepsi |
In fact Ken Livingstone, when he appeared on Question Time, blatently admitted that he had made the figures for London up in order to ensure that London's bid would be successful.
His excuse was that he thought it would be good for London in terms of employment, tourism and the world stage and therefore his only concern had been to get the bid any way he could. He admitted that he knew his figures were too low and that it would cost far more to stage these games but he did not care and would do the same thing again. |
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| ivan burit |
"He admitted that he knew his figures were too low and that it would cost far more to stage these games but he did not care and would do the same thing again."
All the while believing his march mad as a hatter ideas would pass through unchalanged... just dont start me off on Londons Low Emmision Zone charges & £200 per day, rising to £1,000 by the end of 7 day`s if not paid.. Red Ken laid his traps with no knowledge of his downfall... We have in TDC a very simular "red ken" type that is not in our world either, how much longer before he disapears too....... |
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| amenity |
I can now understand the Italians and Mussolini. |
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| amenity2 |
Took this from Lloyds List today. Makes you think does't it?
Box trades in crisis as Asia-Europe rates collapse Lines say not even pre-Christmas shipping season can save Asia-Europe rates from freefall Read More |
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| amenity2 |
Tonight on Telly, Felixstowe Dock representative;
"The Marine law that is being brought in is likely to make dredging much more expensive as it sets rigorous environmental controls and nine ports, HPUK for one are campaigning for them to be exempted.. Who else dredges? the port at Felixstowe spokesperson was quoted as saying that environmental concerns should not outweigh economic ones!!" Really? |
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| amenity2 |
A telling piece from Lloyds List today.
Road to nowhere By Neville Smith Thursday 17 July 2008 THE shipping industry is fixated on the short-term for perfectly understandable reasons. The problem is that too often the latest predictions of industry gurus are of little use when making investment decisions. Of course, we wouldn’t be without the pundits who pop up every week to tell us either that the sky is falling or that the future is so bright that sunglasses are now mandatory. Thanks to their tendency to yo-yo, the bulk and tanker markets are the most prone to navel-gazing, an effect magnified, or mitigated, by their burgeoning futures markets. The bulk markets — with their collective memory of a May fly’s half-life — seem doomed never to learn from history and so endlessly repeat it. Container shipping exhibits similar problems, as well as sentiment that can effect some sharp directional changes. Even so, it tends to be seen as the ship that takes longer to turn, with its fixed schedules, exposure to a longer supply chain and greater forward exposure to consumer confidence. So it was heartening to read a liner shipping boss doing some straight talking when Ron Widdows warned the industry should be prepared for lay-ups and service withdrawals in the teeth of the coming downturn. Not that this is good news, but the evidence of contracting volumes on the Pacific and falling Asia-Europe freight rates should encourage the wider industry to look past the Beijing Olympics to a rather longer, deeper correction than most seem to think is possible, and to plan accordingly. |
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| amenity2 |
Ports are sold around the world for huge sums yet we let ours go for nothing.
Hutchison bags Greek port project E-mail This Article Printer-Friendly Format A consortium including Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa's ports unit and Greek pharmaceutical group Alapis SA offered the highest bid to manage and develop container terminal operations in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest port, Dow Jones reports. According to press reports the joint offer totaled US$4.9 billion. Other bidders for the port included Dubai Ports World, which teamed up with Greek construction group Aktor and Piraeus Bank; and China's Cosco. Last year the country's centre-right New Democracy government announced its plans to privatize the container management operations at the Piraeus Port Authority and the Thessaloniki Port Authority. The government controls around 74 percent of both ports, and wants private companies who can manage and invest in their container terminal operations for up to 35 year |
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| amenity2 |
Did you see the news last night about the Felixstowe port expension?
BBC reported it, but did not call it Felixstowe South reconfiguration. They just said there was work going on to reclaim the basin. Possibly HPUK (port owners) only intend to do a bit of the overall plan? HPUK said they were going to construct Phase 1 first and follow this with phase 2 if business required. Harwich has been overflown by thousands of Gulls the last few days and during the interview with the contracter he implied that the Gulls will get used to it, and return to their nests. |
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| amenity2 |
Lloyds List today;
"Container shipping slump on horizon as cargo volumes drop Asia to northern Europe liftings fall 0.48% in June By Janet Porter - Tuesday 29 July 2008 THE prospects of a full-scale container shipping slump drew closer yesterday as new figures showed that cargo volumes from Asia to northern Europe contracted in June as several leading economies headed towards recession. Last month’s decline was the first recorded since 2001 when the industry hit rock bottom, with both freight and charter ra..." |
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| ivan burit |
"Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:48 am Post subject: Bathside Bay, will it really happen now..?.?
On todays look east, we have the continuing problems with Felixtow Port. The wind, and today - much more with the crane falling over. I`ve looked at the "opposition" .." well amenity, looks like our crystal ball`s have been working overtime, unlike the dock workers in real time or future time.. poor fellows....... |
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| amenity2 |
Ivan, was it recently that the crane fell over? My sympathy for dock workers is tinged, I liken them, as a group, to workers in a cigarette factory, well why should people that live near ports suffer so much pollution from shipping especially when recent scientific evidence has shown that the pollution extends 200 miles inland. Sadly we have to rely on local councils such as TDC to control port operatives. District councils get their wage revenue stream from rates collected from commerce and unfortunately they have shown that they are quite prepared to sacrifice the healthy lives some of us because their decisions are coloured by their own individual benefit. |
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| amenity2 |
I've posted this in full, it looks as though this development will take some action from other port suppliers, but most importantly the new port will be constructed on a site that is big enough to allow for expansion and the logistics part of the construction may turn out to be the most important element in the ports success.
DP World finally starts London Gateway construction 26/Aug/2008 Port development company DP World has finally commenced building what is projected to become one of Europe's largest logistics facilities on a site to the east of London, England. The Dubai-based organisation last week signed contracts with civil engineering companies Laing O'Rourke and Dredging International. The first tranche of the contract will be worth £400m, with the total cost of the project estimated at £1.5bn. 'London Gateway', as the development is called, will be located on the north bank of the Thames estuary just a few miles downstream from the existing Tilbury container terminal. It will be centred on a huge new port ultimately capable of annually handling 3.5m TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). In addition to what will be a substantial addition to north-western Europe's port infrastructure, the facility may also offer what DP World claims will be Europe's largest logistics park. The container terminal will be built on the site of a former oil refinery which has been levelled. That location will now be built up using river silt to create a 'bund' jutting a hundred metres into the estuary. The silt will be sourced from the dredging of a new 100km long channel in the Thames estuary. The London Gateway development is one element of a further major general expansion of container terminal capacity at northern European ports which also includes the huge Maasvlakte 2 project in Rotterdam (TI Logistics Briefing, News, August 22) and the JadeWeserPort project in northern Germany. When the London Gateway facility is finally in full operation, it will be capable of handling the largest post-panamax vessels of 15,000 TEUs, with a draft of over 16 metres. The site also offers 200,000 square metres of hard-standing for ro-ro operations. The project has suffered from some delays, with planning permission from the British government particularly slow in arriving. However, the start date for container handling operations given by DP World is now the third quarter 2011, 18 months after the original projections. By that time, the terminal will have the ability to handle 1.5m TEUs annually, with the rest of the capacity being phased in according to demand. DP World's ambitions, however, are not just restricted to container port operations. It hopes to create a logistics resource that will enable shippers and LSPs (logistics service providers) to redesign the logistics strategies that serve the British market. By creating a large warehousing complex next to the port, it will offer shippers/importers the option of stripping containers at the port and locating their inventory at its warehousing facilities. At present, most shippers/importers bring containers to their warehousing facilities in the centre of the country. DP World wants to try and change that by promoting its 'port centric' logistics strategy. Certainly, London Gateway will offer shippers the ability to move goods directly almost to the centre of London. However, that will come at a price. Although the port is located on London's orbital M25 motorway and will have the ability to handle six block trains at any one time, road and rail traffic in the area can be highly congested. The DP World management says it has set a target of 30% of container movements in and out the facility being by train, with around a further 20% being transhipped. However, at present there is a shortage of rail capacity and depots in the south-east of England so once again DP World will have to rely on the slow-moving central government to install additional rail track. The projected warehousing facilities are certainly substantial. Diagrams of the site suggest that the largest facility will be a high-bay warehouse of approximately 30,000 square metres, with around ten sites of that size or less. However, DP World would not confirm that it had any customers for those planned facilities or that they would actually be built. London Gateway is not the first big port to try and capture some of the 'land-side' logistics market. However, it has a challenge to fulfil its ambitions for redesigning the logistics strategies of its clients. Nonetheless, the size and scope of the London Gateway project illustrates how port companies are trying to leverage their already powerful presence in the supply chain. |
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| ivan burit |
There you go amenity.......Bathside Bay, will it ever get built....
By the look of it, the Thames Gateway will be a busy - busy place starting soon, unlike our many positioned management @ Haven Gateway, IN-Tend, Tendring Regeneration Ltd etc......... Only at the beginning of this year we were told that £1.26 million was to be made available for regeneration, by the sale of assetts........ W R O N G....... Were the asses not assets, for believing it, it was for trumped up jobs and wages, not major building projects.... I know of a local trading company employing about 12 workers with about 5 vans on 24 hour call, who told me they are going "nicely bankrupt"....... Sounds like about a dozen high profile names in our regeneration businesses.... |
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| amenity2 |
I must say Ivan, when put like that it looks very much like theft. |
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| ivan burit |
More on this amenity:
DP World today 20th signs a £400 million contract to build the first phase of a new port at London Gateway, the most technically advanced container port in the world, integrated with Europe’s largest logistics park. This is the first major contract to be awarded in the £1.5 billion project, due to be built over the next 10 to 15 years. The contract is over five years, and will see the construction of the first phase of the port’s quay providing three berths and over 1.2 kilometres of quay in a joint venture between Laing O’Rourke and Dredging International. The new port will eventually handle 3.5milion TEU (twenty foot equivalent units), providing a much needed increase in capacity for the UK’s container terminals. The South Essex project is currently set to be the largest creator of new jobs in the UK, delivering over 12,000 in the coming years, and is the largest investment in the South East of England. London Gateway is the UK’s first deep sea container port for over 25 years and will change the way millions of consumer goods are transported around the country. By integrating the new container port with a logistics park, many everyday goods will be sent to the nation’s shops without having to be hauled on a truck to a distribution centre often situated inland hundreds of miles away from a container port. Instead, goods will go straight into London Gateway’s own logistics park to be sorted and then sent direct to shops. General News - London Gateway contract signed Wednesday, August 20, 2008 By reducing the need for the goods to travel inland, the project will save 2,000 trucks from the UK’s highways every day, trucks which normally travel from a port and then return with an empty container to be put back onto a ship. DP World estimates that by cutting out this inefficient part of the logistics process, London Gateway will take 52 million truck miles off the UK’s highways every year, reducing congestion, saving time, fuel and curbing carbon emissions. Using new technology, London Gateway will aim to move fifty percent more containers per hour on and off ships than is currently being achieved in the UK. Containers will be transferred automatically from the quay into a fully automated storage area. This efficiency increase will allow the world’s shipping lines to save valuable time and money. The new port will also offer other benefits such as being more sustainable, creating less light pollution and less noise for the surrounding areas. Dredging the Thames will be carried out to enable the world’s largest ships to access the port. The dredging work will allow many other users of the River Thames to benefit by allowing increased access closer to London. For a picture on what it will look like, scroll through this link: http://www.ais-live.co.uk/News/shippingnewsarchive.html The link in itself is quite readable too... |
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| amenity2 |
Great link Ivan,
The area behind a port is significant, Felixstowe just doesn't have enough of it and Bathside Bay would be a waste of money. To combine Felixstowe with Bathside Bay it was seriously suggested that barges be used to ship containers from one to the other, and anybody that has been near heavy handling knows the golden rule "don't double handle" no profit that way. No logistics park, what were they thinking off? The owners of the London Gateway of course have a bottomless pit when it comes to money and are showing that they have been well advised, unlike HPUK. |
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| amenity2 |
Bit more on the London Gateway.
London Gateway berths full four years ahead of opening DP World has already signed up enough shipping line services to its 3.5 million TEU London Gateway container terminal to fill phase one of the development, according to International Freighting Weekly. The first phase of the UK's newest container port will comprise three berths with a capacity of 1.7 million TEUs and will be completed by the third quarter of 2012. The first berth is due to be operational by the first quarter of 2011. DP World said the first three berths were "fully booked, and we have lots of interest in the fourth berth". Derek Johnson, deputy chairman of China Shipping Container Lines' (CSCL) UK arm, China Shipping (UK) Agency, confirmed that CSCL had signed a memorandum of understanding to use the terminal for its 13,000 TEU vessels. Two weeks ago a US$747 million contract for the construction of the first phase of the terminal was awarded to a consortium that includes construction firm Laing O'Rourke and Dredging International. Once completed, the terminal will have a capacity of 3.5 million TEUs, a minimum draught of 17m and will be able to handle the largest ships. The terminal's sheltered location would also mean it could stay open in high winds when other terminals would be forced to close. London Gateway will also be home to Europe's largest distribution and logistics park. |
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| amenity2 |
Another railway from the East is opening. There will be less reliance on shipping.
24 September 2008 Russia, North Korea to build railway and container port Reconstruction of the railway section between North Korea’s port Rajin and Russia’s station Khasan in the Primorye territory will be launched on October 3, Itar-Tass reported. In 2001, the Russian and North Korean leadership signed the Moscow declaration reflecting the sides’ agreement to create a railway transport corridor linking the North and South of the Korean Peninsula with Russia and Europe. Russia and North Korea agreed to jointly implement the Khasan-Rajin pilot project that includes reconstruction of the railway and construction of a container terminal at Rajin port. Russia has invested around US$72 million in the project, and plans to connect Rajin, and the rest of North Korea, to its Trans-Siberian Railway. |
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| ivan burit |
With Londons new Mayor Boris Johnson giving his views on not building the 4th new runway at London Heathrow Airport, but,
building a complete new state of the art Airport on reclamed land out to sea not that far from my community, just about 20 miles give or take a bit. OK, not Bathside Bay, but, will this much vaulted new idea be built, or yet another "good" idea thats just to generate interest in another rundown area.. At the same time as i read about London Airport - on - sea, i also read about the new boom that was to be placed accross the Thames Estuary were binned. It was due to be placed accross from Shoebury to Sheernes as a flood preventative measure. It was now stated that South Essex is significantly less likely less to flood than was previously feared.... Two (how many) further things spring to mind about that statement. 1) why cannot coastal communities get normal flood prevention building advice on new build properties. 2)why is the Environment Agency prepaired to be spending many millions of £`s today on Brooklands seafront.. 3) Why the same agency has told residents in certain suffolk / norfolk villages they (the agency) are prepaired to let the sea take their lands and homes without any more help... 4) also, at a time now that our energy companies have been purchased by a large aggressive group, the ideas that dear old Bradwell will be gaining yet another giant new nuclear power station built alondside its run down 2 remaining nuc power stations... It all seems a bit strange to me.........and you ?.. |
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| amenity2 |
You raise some interesting questions Ivan, am reminded that we have been told "There is no money for sea defences" but always £100billions of tax payers booty for a load of bankers.
The south is tipping into the sea the north rising so what does that say about their predictions. The government has largely gone against public opinion with this plunge into nuclear afresh, but who cares or dares? The escaping Methane around the Siberian coast may very well sort all this out. |
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