We are gearing up for another offshore extravaganza at one of the world’s leading trade shows for the energy industry, OTC (Offshore Technology Conference) HOUSTON, which gets underway on Monday.

During the show, we will be focusing on several product areas including explosion proof (Ex) (and non-Ex) radio remote controls (RRC), Alternative Maritime Power, cable chains, power connectors, slip rings and motorised cable reels.

Billed as highlighting “the development of technologies that serve the offshore industry in the fields of drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection”, the event attracted almost 90,000 visitors in 2012, and some 2,500 exhibiting companies.

As in previous years, we are in the Norwegian Pavilion, and you will find us at booth 5235. Click here for a full exhibition booth map.

Dubai International Airport has been named as the world’s leading hub in terms of A380 flights by airports business intelligence news provider the Moodie Report.com. 

According to the report, Dubai handled 7,259 A380 flights to 28 destinations in 2012. The vast majority of these flights were operated by Emirates, the world´s biggest operator of the super-jumbo aircraft.

Singapore Changi was second, with 6,653 A380 flights, and London Heathrow was third with 3,697. Frankfurt, Sydney, Paris, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York and Melbourne were also in the top 10.

Dubai was also recently named as the world´s second busiest airport in terms of international passenger traffic.

Aircraft ground support equipment

Cavotec´s innovative ground support equipment supplies A380 aircraft at Dubai´s dedicated Emirates Concourse A with essential services such as cool air and electrical power.

As previously announced, we are also currently supplying our ground support equipment for the new Emirates A380 Engineering Centre at the airport. For this project, we are installing pop-up pit systems and pre-conditioned air units for four new A380 maintenance hangars.

Aviation Refuelling solutions

Cavotec´s aviation systems enable airports to reduce the use of diesel-driven equipment, increasing operational efficiency and resulting in cleaner air and less cluttered tarmac around aircraft.

To mark the recent Oman Environment Day, our friends at the Port of Salalah transformed fifty oil drums into pots for native trees, a project that shows how ports can do their bit to support sustainability and biodiversity.

According to APM Terminals, the initiative follows a similar project conducted by the port to coincide with last year’s World Earth Day, when employees planted frankincense trees in green spaces near the port.

Cultivating a brighter future. Photo credit: APM Terminals

The initiative highlights the loss of the region’s native frankincense tree that has seen its numbers dramatically reduced in recent years. Many of the saplings have been given to local schools and hospitals.

Port officials have also pledged to recycle vehicle tyres as protective edges around shipping containers.

The port has won several international awards for health and safety, innovation and environmental initiatives.
 Last year for example, it was awarded the Containerisation International Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award.

Smarter, cleaner technologies

These projects, and many others like them, demonstrate what can be done in small, but important ways to reduce environmental impact. The Port of Salalah was also an early adopter of our innovative automated mooring technology MoorMaster™.

The system holds ships in place more effectively than conventional mooring lines, and means that vessels are not required to reposition along the quayside, thus reducing emissions. Furthermore, because mooring operations are far quicker, tugs are used less, thus further reducing emissions.

We commend the Port of Salalah on their efforts to improve sustainability. We look forward to working with the port, and our other partners and customers, to reduce environmental impact and drive efficiency at industrial applications all over the world.

The intensifying debate over the need to modernise infrastructure in the US and elsewhere has focused on the scale of the challenge; but should this also be considered an opportunity for engineering and innovation? 

In a recent article, The Economist highlighted how the US is grappling with the need to upgrade its aging maritime infrastructure.

According to the article, around 70 per cent of America’s imports and 75 per cent of its exports transit its ports. Furthermore, the size and number of ships calling at US ports is steadily increasing. Despite this, only seven US ports are currently capable of handling Post-Panamax container ships.

A Cavotec cable reel powers a container crane at the Port of Salalah in Oman.

And last week, the consultancy McKinsey & Company published a report entitled “Rethinking Infrastructure”. The document, which can also be seen as a call to action, described the extent of the challenge:

“Just to keep pace with projected global growth between now and 2030, the world will have to spend $57 trillion on roads, bridges, ports, power plants, water facilities, and other forms of infrastructure.”

This would, according to the consultancy, require a considerable increase in investment levels from those of recent years, and collaboration between a broad range of public and private actors.

While these challenges are considerable, Cavotec anticipates a role for engineering and innovative technologies that will improve the transport of people and goods – at ports, airports, via road and rail – and add to the quality of life that societies have grown to expect and are likely to increasingly demand. It’s a huge challenge – but one that we relish being a part of efforts to meet.

As Cavotec Chairman Stefan Widegren outlined in the Group’s annual Report 2011:

“With the support of our stakeholders and in close co-operation with customers, we could achieve great things for the benefit of us all. This will eventually lead to smarter solutions, a better economy, better use of our resources and an improvement of the world we live in.”

For some forty years, Cavotec has developed innovative technologies – such as automated mooring for ships - that ensure cleaner, more efficient operations in industrial applications all over the world. We look forward to continuing, and expanding this work in the years ahead.

As our presence on the Chinese market, and across Asia as a whole, continues to grow, Cavotec Shanghai celebrated successfully moving into its new premises last week.

Office warming: Cavotec Shanghai’s new premises

Cavotec Shanghai serves customers in all four of our market units – Ports & Maritime, Airports, Mining & Tunnelling and General Industry.

You can find our new home at: Unit 11, Nr. 1951, Duhui Road, Shanghai 201108. And conveniently, our phone number – 021-54429778 – and fax number – 021-34073498 – are unchanged from our former premises.

Our thanks to our dedicated staff who made the moving process as smooth as possible.

The world’s largest container cranes are steadily making their way from China to the UK’s new logistics hub on the banks of the Thames Estuary: DP World’s London Gateway.

These 138-metre giants are built by one of our long-standing OEM customers, ZPMC, and are fitted with our electrical power and spreader cable reels.

Cavotec motorised cable reels power cranes at ports worldwide

Speaking to Port Technology International, London Gateway Operations Director, Tim Halhead, says that the cranes will enable London Gateway to handle the next generation of ultra-large container ships.

The cranes are designed to load and unload container ships that are up to 25 container rows wide – greater than the world’s largest container vessels currently in service.

In addition to ZPMC, we develop similar systems with OEMs such as Hyundai, Mitsui, Hyundai Samho and TCM for ports across Asia, the US, the Middle East and Europe.