Test loading at Barcelona's new TERCAT Muelle Prat Terminal begins

TERMINAL Catalunya (TERCAT), a member of the Hong Kong's Hutchison Port Holdings, has announced that its Barcelona terminal has received its first vessel call to test cranes, yard gear and IT systems.

The unloading of containers from 1,457-TEU MSC Esha ran smoothly, said an HPH statement, adding that the trials demonstrated the successful integration of the terminal equipment with its own nGen software.

A total of 436 containers were handled, achieving an average productivity rate of 30 moves per crane per hour.

Muelle Prat is the first semi-automated terminal in the group's global network of ports and is capable of serving multiple mega-vessels simultaneously. It has an eight-track railway facility, and the biggest on-dock railway terminal of any port in the Mediterranean accommodating traffic coming from, and destined for, southern Europe.

The terminal is scheduled to be fully operational during 2013 and when completely built, it will have 1,500 metres of quay, a depth of 16.5 metres and a 100-hectare yard.