A record of 46.3 crane moves per hour set on the Independent Accord at the Port of Wilmington on October 22 lasted less than a week, when a new record of 46.8 crane moves was set on the Independent Concept on October 29. The Wilmington container team includes Ports Authority employees, the International Longshoremen’s Association, stevedoring management provided by SSA Marine and the shipping company, Independent Container Line.
In a letter of congratulations to the Ports Authority crane team, SSA Cooper vessel superintendent Tony R. Thompson wrote, “We’re impressed by all of your efforts on our behalf….Without your dedication and efficiency in performing your various jobs we would not have been able to achieve a production of this magnitude.”
ICL executive vice president/COO Dale Ross added, “ICL is pleased with the sustained growth in volume since moving to Wilmington. The support from North Carolina shippers has been impressive and validates our decision to call the Port of Wilmington.” ICL began weekly container service between Wilmington and the United Kingdom and Northern Europe in March 2009.
“The Port of Wilmington TEAM works relentlessly to deliver the highest quality service at the lowest cost,” said NC State Ports Authority Chief Operations Officer Jeff Miles. “As a port community, we take great pride and satisfaction in knowing that our best-in-class production contributes significantly to the success of ICL in this market.” Miles added that container vessel operations at Wilmington for the Maersk Line service to Central America and CKYH trans-Pacific vessel calls October 23, 24 and 25, consistently averaged near 40 moves an hour.
