European/Med box port markets to 2015

With P3 abandoned and Maersk/ MSC now planning 2M, this could lead to more far-reaching changes in the liner shipping business.

Container ports in the north, south and east are vying to retain, or win, main gateway status.

Following last October’s confirmation that the planned Panama Canal expansion will be going ahead, significant new opportunities and trading patterns are likely for container ships, according to research commissioned by Lloyd’s Register (LR) from Ocean Shipping Consultants Ltd (OSC).

A new study from UK-based Ocean Shipping Consultant Ltd (OSC) analyses the development of container handling demand by port in East Asia and forecasts demand to 2020 by country or territory. It includes an “increased-risk” scenario to reflect the possibility of a protectionist or other shock to trade.

Starting with our inaugural edition in July 1994,WorldCargo News has published every July a record of new orders for ship-to-shore container gantry cranes logged in the previous 12-month (July-June) period. The table opposite shows the headline figures that in total come to 2270 cranes. That comes to something in excess of US$11B of value, so this is a huge industry.

The Arctic ports of Kirkenes (Norway), Murmansk and Archangel are touted as potentially viable gateways for north west Russia’s growing containerised trade.