Black Sea Container Summit 2009

Black Sea Container Summit 2009

On October 1-2, 2009, in Odessa, the 3rd international Black Sea Container Summit was held.
Orgzanizers – PORTS OF UKRAINE Publishing House and the Centre for Information and Analytics BLACKSEATRANS.
The summit was carried out under the aegis of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine.
General Sponsor – TIS Company; Premium Sponsor – HPC-Ukraine Company. Sponsors – Odessa Commercial Sea Port, SOLVO and YUZHTEKHSERVICE Companies.

The summit is traditionally thought to be the review of 'container forces' of the Black Sea region that had shown the highest rates of container carriages growth for seven years. According to Drewry Shipping Consultants, speaking of container transportations, there were no higher growth rates those years in any other world region.

But world economic downturn has negatively effected the volumes of container carriages with shipping companies recording the worst losses. Alone in the first half year 2009 the losses of 17 world largest container shipping companies totaled 6 bl USD. In August 2009 almost 10 % of the world container fleet (1.27M TEU) was lied up. The handling of containerized cargo in ports also reduced significantly, Black Sea ports among them.

But the first indicators of container carriages revival can be already seen. The crisis will be certainly overcome. But the analysts of the most famous consulting agencies are arguing concerning the terms, however. Some of them predict the economic rebound to start in 2010, the others – in 2011.

The representatives of the global shipping container companies came together at the summit (Maersk Line, CMA CGM, "K" Line, NYK Group, PIL), as well as the representatives of the significant container terminal operators (HPC Hamburg Port Consulting GmbH, National Container Company). Also the directors, top-managers and the other representatives of the Black Sea ports ports attended the event (Ilyichevsk, Odessa, Yuzhny, Reni, Poti, Constanta, Novorossiysk). There were also the heads of srevedore companies operating in Ukrainian ports (HPC-Ukraine, TIS, Ukrtranscontainer, Brooklyn-Kiev Port, Metalsukrain, Portovik Service, Novotekhterminal), famous shipping companies like Royal Boskalis, Ukrrichflot, Ukrferry, Tavria-Line, representatives of handling equipment manufacturers (Kalmar, Konecranes), transport and forwarding companies (Kuehne+Nagel, Ilyichevskvneshtrans, BSSS, Plaske, C.M.T. Ltd) and the others.

The summit gathered 140 people from 14 countries of the world in all (Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Romania, China, Germany, Netherlands, Estonia, Great Britain, Switzerland, Finland, Turkey, Moldova).

Among the most relevant issues considered in 18 reports and presentation of the speaker that took the floor during the summit there were: Impact of the World Financial Crisis on Global Container Carriages, Black Sea Container Cargo Flows, Container Terminal Projects in Ukraine, Problem of Container Transit, New Technologies and Handling Equipment for Container Terminals, etc.

The delegate of the last year summit witnessed the opening of the new container terminal of Brooklyn-Kiev Company with its capacity of up to 300,000 TEU a year in Odessa port. This year delegates has had a chance to participate in the presentation of a new TIS Company's container terminal in the water area of the port of Yuzhny. The annual throughput capacity of this terminal totals 400,000 TEU at the first stage. The start up of the terminal is scheduled for the late 2009 – the beginning of 2010.

The delegates of the event also found out more about three container terminals in Odessa port operated by Brooklyn-Kiev, HPC-Ukraine and Metalsukrain.

The organizers are pleased to express many thanks to all delegates of the Black Sea Container Summit for their active participation in the event and invite everybody concerned by the container business future to take part in the Fourth International Black Sea Container Summit 2010.

Organizational Committee:
Ph.: +380 (482) 37-38-82, 37-19-80, fax: 37-38-35.
E-mail: summit@uports.odessa.ua
www.containersummit.com