HAMBURG APRIL 2008

CTA CERTIFIED ACCORDING TO NEW STANDARD

Given the growing size of container ships, issues such as speed, safety and cost efficiency of container terminals are more important than ever. Our certification system is supposed to help measure and document performance level and quality standards of container terminals,” explains Bernhard Ständer, Managing Director Germanischer Lloyd Certification GmbH (GLC).  The Global Institute of Logistics (GIL), Germanischer Lloyd and other experts for container harbour logistics developed the new CTQI standard which has only recently been launched in Hamburg.

CERTIFICATE HANDOVER AT THE CONTAINER TERMINAL ALTENWERDER (CTA)
L TO R: Heinrich Goller HHLA, Kieran Ring Global Institute of Logistics and Bernhard Ständer DNV GL

“The certification according to CTQS shows that CTA process organisation and performance meet the requirements while at the same time, the certification stimulates our team to further improve the performance for and with our customers. Thanks to the exchange of knowledge and experience with other international terminal operators during the CTQS certification process, new impulses for our own development also arose. The additional operating effort is manageable since reliable and fast operating and information processes are of great importance at CTA anyway”

Heinrich Goller, MD HHLA CTA

This is proved by the first audit results. Terminal operation is structured transparently. It is largely automatised and dominated by clear information and communication structures as well as goal-oriented action. The second terminal extension shows that the terminal technology is continuously developing. In order to qualify for a CTQI audit, a terminal has to possess a management system as well as key performance indicators. Auditors assess criteria such as properly-dimensioned cranes and their performance or the efficiency of loading and unloading trains, trucks and inland vessels. Also, organisational aspects such as adequate connectivity with the hinterland and the inland waterway system are evaluated. The next audit of the Container-Terminal Altenwerder is scheduled for June 2009.
CTA is one of three container terminals operated by Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) in the Hamburg Port. It is designed to discharge large containerships efficiently and, thanks to its high automation level, experts consider it the most modern container terminal worldwide. In June 2002, the installation was put into operation. Initially, it was designed to handle a capacity of 1.9 million standard containers. However, this volume was exceeded in 2006 already. Thanks to further developments such as new gantry cranes, additional automatic transport vehicles, improved storage capacity as well as better IT-supported container handling processes, performance and total capacity of the terminal are continuously being enhanced.
To Read an in-depth report on CTQS at HHLA Click Here