Facilities: Costa Rica, Georgia

APM Terminals on October 11 signed a contract worth an estimated $460 million with a Dutch consortium for the construction of the first phase of Terminal Contenedores de Moin (TCM). On September 23, ZIM’s special cargo team used a new barge crane, the Savannah Giant, for the first time to handle the unique shipment of a 100-ton, 92-foot (28-meter) yacht, shipped on board C/V ZIM Ontario from Taiwan to the Port of Savannah.  

Costa Rica: APMT Awards Contract for Moin Container Terminal Construction 

APM Terminals (APMT) on October 11 signed a contract worth an estimated $460 million with a Dutch consortium for the construction of the first phase of Terminal Contenedores de Moin (TCM). 

APMT is an independent division of, A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, the Danish shipping conglomerate whose assets also include Maersk Line..

The Costa Rica government awarded APMT a 33-year concession for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of TCM in March 2011. The project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report has been submitted to the government and is awaiting approval from SETENA, the Costa Rican environmental authority.

Costa Rica is a major exporter of pineapples, bananas and coffee. The new terminal will be built at the Puerto Limón/Moín complex, which handles 80 percent of Costa Rica’s maritime commerce. 

The work to be performed by the consortium – pursuant to the October 11 contract entails the construction of 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) of reinforced: shoreline and breakwater protection; reclamation of an area of 40 hectares (98.8 acres), including soil improvement works; and the dredging of the access channel and turning basin. The work will be accomplished using a trailing suction hopper dredger, a cutter suction dredger and rock installation equipment. Also covered by contract is the construction of a 650-meter quay, soil improvement, pavement and associated buildings and all utilities. Construction will begin in first quarter 2014.

Puerto Limón/Moin moved a record 954,554 TEUs in 2012 but at present is limited to vessels of 2,500-TEU capacity. TCM is scheduled to open 36 months after construction begins, with six new-Panamax cranes and an initial annual throughput capacity of 1.3 million TEUs, expandable to 2.7 million TEUs at full build-out. With an eventual depth of 18 meters (59.1 feet), TCM will be accessible by the 12,000 TEU vessels that will be able to transit the Panama Canal upon the completion of the lock expansion project in 2015.

According to TCM Managing Director Paul Gallie, the new terminal "will create 400 new direct jobs, can attract around 5,000 indirect jobs, inject US$4 billion into the national economy and protect Costa Rica’s fantastic biodiversity. Equally important, it will reshape world refrigerated markets by making cold supply chains more efficient, less costly and with fresher produce on supermarket shelves for the consumer. The terminal will clearly become a magnet and shining star for future investment in Costa Rica."

Georgia: Zim, Savannah Giant Partner in Moving 100-Ton Yacht 

ZIM’s Special cargo team handled the unique shipment of a 100-ton, 92-foot (28-meter) yacht, shipped on board C/V ZIM Ontario from Taiwan to the Port of Savannah. The operation on September 23 entailed the first use of a new barge crane, the Savannah Giant. 

"The Savannah Giant is a valuable addition to our offerings at the Port of Savannah, with a capacity of up to 500 short tons," said Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Curtis Foltz. "Not only can it offload these enormous cargoes, but as seen in the recent yacht lift, our new barge crane can move super-heavy loads between terminals." 

The crane was stationed alongside the Zim Ontario to make the lift. The yacht was taken off the vessel and transported in the cradle from Garden City Terminal down river to Ocean Terminal and discharged into a slip to take advantage of increased security. It was the first lift made with the Savannah Giant since it became part of the GPA operation in August. 

The estimated $8 million yacht was built in Kaohsiung and was destined for the Miami Boat show. 

  

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