|
2 of 2
More to it, Tuas offers a camera panning-like
view of Indonesia's mammoth territorial
mass of Sumatra; that natural hinterland
that shielded the city-state from the devastating
2004 tsunami.
Importantly, however, is the distance
the proposed new terminal exhibits in relation
to the Malaysian mega container transhipment
terminal in PTP.
By drawing PSA's terminals closer to
PTP it presents what might possibly be a
"battle royal" of sorts as either
of the ports compete for top billing in
global port rankings and thereafter devise
marketing stratagems - sometimes to comic
relief - that are aimed at snagging away
cargo from one another.
Singapore's
Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew was unsparing
of what he wanted the new driver behind
the box uptick to be. "Tuas provides
a suitable location because of its sheltered
deep waters and proximity to both our major
industrial areas and international shipping
routes.
We will plan for Tuas Port to be able
to handle up to 65 million twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEUs) per annum."
To ensure that it has all the infrastructure
and technology ready, PSA will be committing
some $2.8billion to develop Phases 3 and
4 of its Pasir Panjang Terminal.
When the boxes get in, if all goes according
to plan, and barring another recession of
the kind afflicting the world today, Tuas
port will become operational in ten years.
If and when that happens the recommendations
proposed by Singapore's Economic Strategies
Committee would have been fulfilled and
Singapore would be headed to a new dawn
in box traffic.
For beginners there certainly is optimism
headed its way.
World trade and corresponding box numbers
may be down for now but, that is no cause
to suggest that it may not end anytime soon.
In a new study released by classification
society Lloyd's Register (LR), projections
for cargo throughput do indeed offer a glimpse
into the future.
Thanks largely to technology, container
stacking weights can be modified to allow
the carriage of more cargo, it says.
In a typical
18,000 teu design the increase in cargo
weight could be as much as 10 per cent,
Tom Boardley, LR's marine director said.
And the upshots, as gathered by HKSG Group
Media, are lower costs, lower
emissions and a lower carbon footprint.
At a time when the global container industry
is reeling from declining freight rates
and penalties based on new environmentally-friendly
regulations, high bunker prices; the findings,
recommendations and the technological "recasting"
of box ships is but a balm to otherwise
frayed spirits.
And that becomes all the more opportune
with reports of a downward fall in bunker
sales in Singapore for September to 3,326,400
metric tonnes, as reported by the Ship and
Bunker publication.
News that the world's largest bunkering
port had a fall in sales must have been
a sobering episode.
But amidst all the travails, there is
nothing deterring PSA.
Like the mythical Argus it must have
known that what matters is not luck.
It is steely resolve, complemented by
a matching vision is what counts whether
in India or Gwadar.
And when Tuas becomes operational all
of the bad vibes of Gwadar and India will
be well and truly behind PSA.
Page 1 2
|
