Some Important Ports of the World
Chapter 3 cont....
(a) Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands) : Rotterdam is Europe’s largest logistic and industrial hub. The port is the gateway to a European market of 450 million consumers.
The port of Rotterdam is situated directly on the North Sea. The very largest ocean-going vessels have unrestricted access around the clock, seven days a week. The port has a depth of 24 metres (75 feet) and Rotterdam has no locks. The many maritime service providers guarantee rapid turnaround times.
The port and industrial area stretches over a length of 40 kilometres and covers 10,000 hectares.
(b) Port of Singapore: Singapore is known to be one of the busiest ports in the world in terms of shipping tonnage. The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) manages the Port of Singapore, a statutory body established in 1964 under the purview of the Ministry of Communications. PSA is responsible for providing and maintaining the port services and facilities, controlling navigation in port waters and promoting the user and development of the port.
The port is the world's busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage handled, with 1.15 billion gross tons (GT) handled in 2005. In terms of cargo tonnage, Singapore is ranked second behind Shanghai with 423 million tons handled. The port retains its position as the world's busiest hub for transhipment traffic in 2005, and is also the world's biggest bunkering hub, with 25 million tonnes sold in the same year.
(c) Port Rashid & Port of Jebel Ali (UAE): Port Rashid is situated in the city of Dubai. Dubai dominates the shipping activities in the UAE. It has the largest shipping capacity with 103 berths, headed by Port Rashid which is the leading port of the Gulf region, even though its Jebel Ali Port is larger. Port Rashid is one of the modern ports set up in the UAE. Port Rashid with its strategic location has become leading ports in the area. This port is handling different types of containers and having presently operational equipped cranes for all types of containers. Also having spacious storing place for approx. 20,000 standard containers.
(d) Port of Richards Bay (PORTNET) (South Africa): The port
of Richards Bay, a relatively young port (opened in April, 1976,
initially built as a bulk port to export coal), is ever growing.
In 2005 the port handled 89 million tonnes of cargo. A far cry
from the unimpressed view expressed by Commissioner Henry Cloete
in 1843, when he surveyed the Mhlatuze estuary and declared
it to have little or no potential as a future harbour.
Situated at Longitude 32º 02' E and Latitude 28º 48'
S, Richards Bay, South Africa's most northernmost and easterly
port, is 87 nautical miles (160 km) northeast of Durban and
252 n.miles (465 km) southwest of Maputo.
The Richards Bay is an example of combination of (i) the owner providing, managing & operating the port services and (ii) landlord concept of leasing out some infrastructure to specialized private terminal operators.
