Container volumes handled by Ashdod Port Company increased by 11% during the first ten months of last year, as the port bucked industry trends.
The Israeli hub recorded 1.2m teu in container throughput, while the volume of general cargo also increased by 30.3% over the same period of time.
Recorded revenue also rose to 985m shekels (US$256m).
Yitzchak Blumenthal, CEO of Ashdod Port Company, stated: “While we make the proper adjustments to handle the growth in activity, the company is also working on preparations for the expected competition and changes in the global shipping industry.”
The port has also inaugurated a new simulator which is intended to train crane operators by simulating all extreme weather conditions, such as rain, wind, fog and stormy seas.
The simulator, supplied by US-based company Globalism, will be used to train new employees before they begin to operate a crane in real time and also for annual refresher courses for all of the company’s crane operators.
Blumenthal said: “This is an expensive project with a total cost of about 5m shekels (US$1.3m). We decided to invest in operations and professional training, in order to ensure that the crane operators can provide excellent service in any weather conditions and also in extreme conditions of winds and storms.”
Source: Container Management (LF)
Source: Container Management