Full details are being finalised, but the new Far East service, Loop F, is expected to include major Chinese ports and some European ports. Loop A service provides the service between Japanese and European ports. As of this summer both services will include Amsterdam.

Perseverance pays

According to deputy mayor Mark van der Horst these regular calls to the Ceres terminal will be a major stimulus for port, city and region, “Perseverance pays. I am delighted that container shippers can now tranship their containers in our port. The Ceres terminal is hypermodern and extremely fast, and the port is congestion free, and those are three wonderful benefits.” The deputy mayor points out others: “The containers will generate extra jobs in the port, both at the terminal and with maritime and service providers. And I expect huge spin-off for other companies”.

The GA is a consortium of five major container shipping companies: Hapag Lloyd, MISC, NYK, OOCL and P&O Nedlloyd. NYK owns 50% of the Ceres Paragon Terminal and has successfully completed negotiations with its GA partners.

Innovative

The terminal was built to an innovative concept. With cranes on both sides of the mooring basin, vessels can on and offload from both sides of the quay simultaneously. Users will enjoy fast throughput and thus save on cost and time.

Growth

The port of Amsterdam is doing very well. In 2004 transhipments rose by almost 17% against 2003. Amsterdam Seaports in total (including IJmuiden/Velsen, Beverwijk and Zaanstad) grew by around 12%, putting it in the top-5 of North West Europe. The new container lines fit well into these developments.

For further information:

Lisa Neves Gonçalves, Amsterdam Municipality, + 31 (0)20 552 34 09 / +31 (0)6 30 45 09 98

Hans Stupers, Amsterdam Municipal Port Authority, +31 (0)20 523 48 77 / +31 (0)6 51 07 08 18

For more information about CERES