Tartous International Container Terminal jsc (TICT), terminal operator of the container handling facility at the Port of Tartous in Syria, has revealed that German megaliner, Hamburg Süd, has shifted most of its vessel calls from Lattakia to Tartous.

According to Romeo Salvador, TICT general manager, the German shipping line has transferred most of its liner services to Tartous due to cargo congestion in Lattakia.

With the shift to Tartous, Hamburg Süd’s weekly North Europe-Mediterranean direct service now plies the ports of Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp, Valencia, Alexandria, Beirut, Tartous, Mersin, Izmir and Salerno. On the other hand, the fortnightly Inner Mediterranean service plies Salerno, Vado Ligure, Leghoen, Mersin, Tartous, Beirut and Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Hamburg Süd vessels calling at Tartous have increased from one containership to five containerships per month. These are the 869-TEU capacity Eemsdijk, 917-TEU Beluga Movery, 2,524-TEU Cap Palmas, 2,478-TEU Alianca Gavea, and 2,442-TEU Cap Ortegal. Cap Ortegal had its maiden call early this week.

“We are glad that Hamburg Süd has chosen Tartous as their alternate for Lattakia. Hamburg came in at the right time as we have been improving our container handling services by upgrading our equipment and facilities. TICT is ready to serve these larger vessels,” Salvador adds.

Recently, TICT received from Tartous Port General Company and installed two brand new quay cranes (QC) manufactured by Konecranes of Finland. The QCs are the first of their kind in Tartous, and are expected to be operational by mid November.

Hamburg Süd, one of two international liners serving Syrian-North European trade, has been a key client of TICT since the latter took over container handling operations at Tartous in October 2007. Currently, the German liner holds around 14 percent of the container market share in the whole of Syria.