Paul Wallace, Head of Commercial for Hutchison Ports (UK) (left), and Andy Herriott, Senior Commercial Manager, present Capt Raffaele Porzio, Operations Manager, Mediterranean Shipping Company (right), with a model crane to mark the first call of the MSC Kalina at the Port of Felixstowe's Berths 8&9. The new berths are undergoing a period of testing prior to a formal opening later in 2011.
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25th July 2011
During on-going operational commissioning at the new Berths 8 & 9, the Port of Felixstowe recently welcomed Capt. Rafaelle Porzio – MSC Operations Manager, who arrived on board MSC Kalina, which celebrated its maiden call at the new terminal.
Both of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s flagship Asia-Europe services, the Lion and Silk Services, will operate from the UK’s newest container terminal which remains the only facility able to accommodate the next generation of ultra-large container ships.
Work will very shortly conclude on the first phase of the Felixstowe South development, and include the final stages of commissioning of the Quay and Yard equipment, IT and Gate systems and to ensure that the operational workforce is familiarised with both the layout of the new facility, and also the new quay cranes and yard equipment.
David Gledhill – CEO for Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, which owns the Port of Felixstowe, commented:
“As we conclude the final period of testing and commissioning on Berths 8 & 9, it is a great vote of confidence to have MSC transferring their flagship services to our new facilities and indeed a landmark occasion to receive a visit from Capt. Porzio, who was pleased to confirm MSC`s long-term commitment to Felixstowe. Our new multi-user berths were created specifically to deal with the next generation of container ships, and the ultra-large container vessels operated by MSC are fine examples of precisely the sort of ship that the new facilities have been designed to handle in future.”
The MSC Kalina was the first Silk service vessel to call at the new facility and at 14,000 TEU and 366m in length, is one of the largest container ships in the world today. MSC, the second largest container shipping company and a long-standing customer of the Port of Felixstowe, will transfer both services to the new facility.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs, on Tel. No: +44 (0)1394 602063, Fax No: +44 (0)1394 604943 or E-mail: daveyps@hpuk.co.uk www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk
Port of Felixstowe (PFL) is the largest container port in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe. PFL is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group. HPH, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL), is the world's leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in a total of 50 ports, spanning 25 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. HPH also owns a number of transportation-related service companies.
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