HIT and other Hutchison Ports team members have taken part in a step challenge to raise money to support low-income families through the Sowers Action charity. The challenge comprised the combined efforts of 188 people in 51 teams walking over 40 million steps in 14 days! The funds raised went towards purchasing electrical appliances for families in need in Hong Kong.
Students at Kasetsart University Sriracha Campus are going to have extra opportunities for career development and internships through a partnership being developed with Hutchison Ports Thailand. The University’s Faculty of International Maritime Studies is taking concrete action to work with the company to bring practical experience and knowledge of the ports industry to their student body.
The Shanghai Pudong International Container Terminal (SPICT) marked an important milestone as it moved its 50 millionth container. Hutchison Ports staff were joined by contractors and friends to mark this special event in SPICT’s history.
Hutchison Ports is constantly making major capital expenditure (CapEx) investments to create safer, greener and more efficient operations at its ports. Hutchison Ports Thailand is beefing up its electric vehicle (EV) fleet and welcomed nine new autonomous trucks that deliver on efficiency and the environment at Terminal D, Laem Chabang Port.
Hutchison Ports HIT in Hong Kong launched the city’s first quay cranes equipped with solar panels on top of the machinery house. It is also expanding its fleet of remote control rail-mounted gantry cranes. Hutchison Ports Pakistan is also investing in new electric remote control quay cranes and remote control rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RCRTGCs).
Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe has taken delivery of the first six of seventeen semi-automated remote control electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RCRTGs) as part of its upgrade path. It has also signed a deal for 100 new autonomous trucks – all EVs. New EVs in ports around the world will result in quieter, safer and cleaner yards for staff, from Hong Kong to the UK.
Hutchison Ports KICT is installing solar panel energy systems to harness the power of the sun. KICT will expand its solar energy generation in the future, but the first iteration will save over 110 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere and generate 140,000KWh a year of energy.
Hutchison Ports Yantian showcased at the United Nations Climate Change Conference
Hutchison Ports Yantian received an invitation from the Yantian District Government to participate in the world’s largest gathering to address climate change concerns, the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt late last year. Its presentation on resource husbanding and its efforts to build an environmentally friendly society included the Port of Yantian for its efforts in developing a leading international, green and low-carbon port operation.
Hutchison Ports FCP supports career development in the Bahamas
Hutchison Ports FCP participated in a local junior high school career fair, providing the latest maritime industry information to students exploring career opportunities in various sectors within the port industry in the Grand Bahamas. FCP also joined a government-led community initiative, “Labour on the Blocks”, offering assistance and advice to jobseekers who are interested in pursuing a career in the port business industry.
Hutchison Ports Yantian is LNG bunkering to clean the air.
Port of Yantian has become only the fourth port in the world to offer liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering. LNG bunkering refers to the practice of providing LNG to specially designed ships so that they power themselves with this much cleaner fossil fuel instead of dirtier traditional alternatives such as heavy fuel oil, marine diesel fuel and marine gas oil. The port launched its service by hosting the 23,000-TEU M/V CMA CGM SORBONNE, the world’s largest LNG-powered container ship.
The city of Venlo, a Dutch logistics hotspot near the Netherlands–Germany border, celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding as a rail terminal in October 2022. It has also been a barge terminal for more than 10 years, providing around 30 weekly connections to Rotterdam and vice versa as well as to other locations. Hongkong United Dockyards had a decade head start on Venlo and celebrated its 50th anniversary with management from Hutchison Ports and HPH Trust.
Doubling even that impressive milestone, the Polish Port of Gdynia celebrated its 100th anniversary. On 23 September 1922, the Polish Parliament passed legislation to transform the fishing village of Gdynia into a modern port. The 2022 gala saw over 700 luminaries of government and business join former and current port staff at the Danuta Baduszkowa Music Theatre celebrating with the people of Gdynia and the whole nation.
Ports aren’t just on the water! Hutchison Ports Yantian expands inland
Modern ports are host to far more than just big boats; they are multi-modal transport hubs with trucks, rail and more all connecting their hinterlands to the sea. Hutchison Ports Yantian now has 11 inland ports in Mainland China. It opened its 10th inland port in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province followed by Chenzhou, Hunan Province. The rail connection facility in Chenzhou is the third inland port operated by Hutchison Ports Yantian in the province. This network of inland ports has supported the rise of Hutchison Ports Yantian’s rail–sea throughput by 10% year-on-year.
Hutchison Ports Pakistan is implementing a youth internship and training programme to bring people into the world of port management and engineering. Working with the Hunar Foundation, they are supporting technical education for underprivileged students. They will be accepting interns into the engineering department of the terminal adjacent to the city of Karachi.
Hutchison Ports Gdynia, on Poland’s north shore near Gdansk, has opened a new playground at a children’s shelter that has been taking in orphans from Ukraine. They started their charitable fundraising that led to the commissioning and installation of the playground in June. Today, children can escape the darkness in their lives with happy times in the playground with other children.
Hutchison Ports Ajman is taking inspiration from its customer service representative, Nayla Al Baloushi. She is the first Emirati woman to climb Mount Everest, conquering the dangerous ascent. Hutchison Ports Ajman is taking the opportunity to promote women’s fitness and achievement in the company.
From Panama to The Bahamas, celebrations are in order! The 25th Anniversary of Panama Ports Company hosted sports competitions, a BBQ lunch and recognition for employees who had been there the full 25 years!
In The Bahamas, Freeport Container Port celebrated its 25th anniversary in July with a cake-cutting ceremony. The next month, it welcomed the MSC Francesca, the largest vessel ever to visit the port. At an impressive 363.57m long, it has a capacity of 11,336 TEU. All good reasons to celebrate!
Thailand loads its 35 millionth TEU and keeps on rolling
Hutchison Port Thailand celebrated the milestone of processing 35 million TEU since its opening in 2002. The port has led the Group in implementing cutting-edge technology, facilitating 24-hour operations.
Hongkong United Dockyards Limited (HUD) held a steel-cutting ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction of Hong Kong’s first-ever dual fuel standby vessels. The dual fuel vessels run on liquified natural gas (LNG) and marine gas oil. Harmful particulates used in traditional ships will be reduced by 80% by using this innovative vessel. They will support the operations of the first offshore LNG terminal in Hong Kong that will enable the city to be powered by cleaner fuel. Cleaner ships and cleaner power plants are a double win for Hong Kong!
Hutchison Ports Tanzania has broken its own throughput record yet again! The port celebrated an impressive increase to more than 60,000 TEU in March 2022. Specifically, the new record of 61,237 TEU was an 18.4% increase over their previous record set in September 2020.
There is plenty of sun in Oman and Hutchison Ports Sohar is harnessing its power for its new Solar Powered Integrated Inspection Facility Project. The US$30 million project will enhance inspection services and support Oman Customs with safe and efficient security measures as part of the Sultanate’s Oman Logistics Strategy. The inspection facilities will be spread across the 37,000 sqm of Terminal C and are expected to come online mid-2023. The use of solar power will reduce energy usage by about 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.
Hutchison Ports Thailand has signed a contract with Nawarat Patanakarn Public Company Limited to move forward on the final construction phase of Terminal D at Laem Chabang Port. This phase will see the build-out of an additional stacking area for dry and reefer containers, additional automated trucking gate lanes, an engineering workshop and an administration building. In three years’ time, the port will be able to support the movement of up to 3.5 million TEU a year.
“Every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver”
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words echo through the ages and through the heart of Hutchison Ports. Its global Go Green initiative has seen port staff plant trees around the world. Team FCP (The Bahamas) planted trees and grass, and developed irrigation projects. Nanhai International Container Terminals launched their tree-planting initiative in March as part of their 28th anniversary celebrations. And Team Tanzania joined local government officials to plant more than 200 trees in the Oyster Bay area.
Hutchison Ports welcomes a new member to its global network: Hutchison Ports Delta II, a versatile Dutch terminal able to accommodate the world’s biggest ships. The port also works with smaller feeders and barges to serve the Dutch economy.
Hutchison Ports are looking into the future of Egyptian maritime logistics by signing an exclusive agreement with Egypt’s Ministry of Transport to study the expansion of two ports: one on the Mediterranean and one in the Gulf of Suez. Under the memorandum of understanding, they will examine the feasibility of investing in and operating a container terminal project in El-Dekheila Port and a multi-purpose terminal project in Sokhna Port.
Hutchison Ports Pakistan and SOHAR are for the kids
Children at the SOS Children’s Villages benefited from the generosity of the Hutchison Ports Pakistan team that donated computer equipment for online classes. The SOS Children’s Villages is an orphanage that delivers not just a home, but also education and job training. The ports team also provided desperately needed hygiene products, a vital support in the COVID-19 era. Likewise, Hutchison Ports Sohar supported the Sheikh Abdullah bin Bashir Al Hadrami School with a donation of laptop and desktop computers.
Felixstowe and Harwich selected to join UK freeport initiative
Freedom begets freedom and, in this case, freeports. In the wake of Brexit, the UK will create eight freeports – including the Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International. Beginning operations from late 2021, the freeports should enjoy simplified planning, lower customs and taxes, and incentives that will promote investment and job creation in areas surrounding the ports. The increased economic activity will attract more goods to pass through the freeports and further strengthen their position as major hubs of British trade.
Hutchison Ports HIT is being recognised for its efforts in Hong Kong. It is a signatory to the ‘Good Employer Charter 2020’ organised by the Labour Department of the HKSAR government, which noted HIT’s dedication to family-friendly employment measures. It has also received the ‘Partner Employer Award’ from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business for its internship programme that helps minorities, students, retirees, people who have retrained, and the disabled to enter the workforce.
The employees of Hutchison Ports Gdynia raised funds and donated Christmas gifts for children at the Amber Harbour Children’s Hospice in their hometown. Toys and clothes were given to help lift the spirits of families during their time of hardship. Nurses were not forgotten either, as much-needed hygiene products were donated to help them stay safe as COVID-19 makes their challenging jobs even more difficult.
