New record for APM Terminals Maasvlakte II

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In July 2024, APM Terminals Maasvlakte II achieved a record 153,116 container movements in a month, with berth performance peaking at an average of 157.8 PMPH.

APM Terminals Massvlakte II © APM Terminals

In July 2024, APM Terminals Maasvlakte II container terminal in Rotterdam processed 153,116 container movements in a single month, setting a new record at the terminal. In the last week of July, berth performance also reached a new high, averaging 157.8 Port Moves Per Hour (PMPH).

PMPH is a productivity metric utilised by Maersk and APM Terminals to measure berth performance during vessel calls, calculated as the average of the gross moves per hour for each call. Gross moves per hour for a single vessel call is defined as the total container moves (on load, off load and repositioning) divided by the number of hours for which the vessel is at berth. A record in PMPH, is not, therefore, a measure of top speed for one or a few hours of a vessel call, when factors (such as working on the deck stow only, or block loading empty boxes) align to produce high productivity.

By way of comparison crane productivity on mainline vessels at MVII, measured in Crane Moves Per Hour (CMPH), ranged between 26.7 and 28.6 CMPH in weeks 37 to 40 (9 September – 6 October ). This excludes operations at the barge berths.

The increase in berth productivity leads to faster container processing, resulting in shorter wait and turnaround times for vessels. APM Terminals highlighted that such improvements are essential for minimising the time ships spend in port and ensuring goods are delivered more quickly.

The terminal operator also announced that it has launched a new initiative at Maasvlakte II to disconnect reefer containers based on time slots, aimed at optimising the handling process and reducing wait times for drivers. Previously, drivers experienced delays while waiting for staff to manually disconnect reefers, which created frustration for both drivers and carriers reliant on quick turnaround times.

“As soon as a driver arrives to collect a reefer container and registers at the ‘gate-in,’ our team receives a notification. This way, we know exactly which containers will be picked up in the coming hours. These are preemptively disconnected, so the driver does not have to wait. If the reefer is not collected within four hours, our staff automatically receives a reminder to reconnect the container, unless it involves a reefer with sensitive cargo.

“This improvement is not only good news for our drivers but for your entire supply chain. Less waiting time means faster throughput, more efficiency, and better reliability,” APM Terminals said.

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