Key Projects
In a global economy, maritime container terminals are under pressure to optimise their operations in order to drive efficiencies and meet the demands of corporations’ global outsourcing strategies. In order to achieve this and maintain its position as a market leader in its sector, Mariner’s terminals have set in motion long term expansion projects including investments in infrastructure, IT and automation and cargo handling equipment. Expansion and development of our facilities is vital to accommodate ever increasing traffic and allows our clients to increase their volumes through our terminals with confidence in our performance. Complex software systems coordinate a ballet of container movements designed to minimise waiting time for cargo as well as reduce the number of man-hours and crane time required for each container. This is combined with modern equipment incorporating the latest technological advances and eco-friendly systems.
Pioneering state-of-the-art IT across the board.
Mariner is an assiduous believer in the continuous up-grade of its IT-integrated systems at all its port terminals. Mariner’s terminal operating systems are instruments that maximise all aspects of the terminal operation including equipment maintenance, man-power deployment and stevedoring.
To this end all Terminals have upgraded their Terminal Operating Systems to the latest NAVIS offering. Both the terminals in Riga and Venice upgrading to NAVIS N4, this was finalised in Riga in 2017, and in Venice in 2019, whereas the terminal in Durres implemented NavisN4Saas in 2021. This offers significant advances on previous versions, not the least of which is its modularity that allows you to expand as required giving you the confidence that the terminals’ long term growth is catered for.
The implementation of an automated gate operating system for container deliveries has also been put in place in both terminals. This system has OCR technology linked to the TOS thereby enhancing more efficient and faster processing. It also automatically accepts containers and releases them by road or rail to and from the terminal. In addition, it provides real-time tracking and tracing of railcars and containers, thus improving management control and acquiring historical information of all container movements.
Similarly, the integrated nature of management of information systems has become the daily grammar of the company for many operations like vessel movements, vessel configurations and loading plan, container quayside loading/unloading sequences, yard planning, equipment control and exchange of information with lines, agents and hauliers. This real-time communication mode ensures the close collaboration between the various roles in operations, engineering, technical, procurement and security. In fact, this service capability has become so effective, it has become an integral part of Mariner’s terminals because it is the best method of keeping a container terminal under operational surveillance consistently and efficiently.
Growth of infrastructure
The company invests and manages the infrastructure in its marine terminals to build greater efficiencies and productivity for its customers.
Leading the ship-to-rail market in the Baltic States.
BCT almost doubled its railway infrastructure and the terminal now serves 64 (80 foot) rail platforms simultaneously. This new capacity allows the direct proximity of container storage to the rail access zones and a more efficient shunting of block trains, giving BCT a comparative advantage over other terminals in the region. This investment makes BCT a leading player in the ship-to-rail market in the Riga Freeport.
Warehousing
BCT
Warehousing is a key area of development for Riga. BCT invested in additional warehousing in 2014. This has flourished to the extent that a further 11,000 square meters was constructed in January 2020. This warehouse has direct rail access on one side with access for trucks on the other side, will be followed with the construction of a further warehouse of 11,000 square meters. This will bring the terminal’s total warehousing to 43,000 square meters.
TIV
In Venice the acquisition of an additional 50,000 square metres including a 17,500 square metre warehouse has also allowed for an increase in the volumes we handle as well as the services we offer. Logistics activities have grown as we offer more options to our clients in Venice.