Humber set for maritime boom
mardi, 17 novembre 2009
Hull is set to benefit from a raft of investments that will promote its port to a national and international audience.
Albert Dock has taken first delivery of the region’s first MultiDocker - a towering material handler with a reach of 25 metres.
The arrival of the £1m MultiDocker CH65 is part of a joint enterprise with Goole-based RMS and Österströms from Sweden.
The machine, which is capable loading and unloading ships of up to 9000 deadweight tonnes, is the only one of its kind in the region and with its special quick-release attachments it can load or discharge a huge variety of cargoes in record time and with precision control.
Both Österströms and RMS are intent on bringing new volumes of trade to Hull through Albert Dock, which is seen as being vital to the import of biofuels and for other environmentally friendly energy solutions thank its close proximity to power stations such as Drax.
Hull and Humber has the largest ports complex in the UK handling 16% of all UK's sea-borne trade. Recent years have seen port trade grow exponentially with £72m spent on the port and infrastructure since 1990 including exciting plans for a brand-new deep-water terminal.
It has the largest concentration of public limited companies in the region and is home to global leaders in telecommunications, aerospace, petrochemicals, food and healthcare.
RMS chief executive Peter Aarosin said:"We believe in the future of the Hull ports and we are investing in this great port.
"One of the great features of the MultiDocker is its cost effective handling and efficient performance enabling us to focus on entirely new cargoes."
Meanwhile, Team Humber Marine Alliance (THMA) has secured “significant” public sector funding to increase opportunities for its member companies and raise the profile of Yorkshire’s marine sector.
The funds will enable THMA to increase business growth and employment by identifying business leads for members and expanding its networking role.
THMA will offer assistance in the bidding for contracts, marketing and business development support and host sector-specific events.
It will also allow for an increase in membership and provide some financial support to help companies attend sector exhibitions and events to promote the Humber marine and surrounding ports industry.
Specific opportunities will be sought in sectors such as defence, renewable energy, nuclear, offshore oil, inland waterways and commercial shipping.
THMA now has more than 60 members enabling individual firms to seek large or complex projects that would normally be awarded outside the Humber region.