CAI Mep International Terminal (CMIT) in Vietnam has achieved two new productivity benchmarks after handling 2,100 containers during the 11.5 hour port stay of the 9,038-TEU Mette Maersk.

While handling the Maersk Line vessel, gross crane productivity rose to 43 container moves per hour, resulting in berth productivity of 183 moves per hour.

"This is certainly the first time CMIT has crossed the important benchmark of 40 crane moves per hour, and we believe we are the first container terminal in Vietnam to have done so," said general director Steen Davidsen in a company statement. "We also believe our berth productivity of 183 moves per hour using just five Ship-To-Shore cranes sets a new benchmark for Vietnam."

CMIT measures berth productivity based on the total time the vessel is available for work on the berth starting from the time the gangway is secured and ending upon time of vessel sailing or half an hour after operational completion should the vessel not sail immediately upon completion.

"Terminal berth productivity is a critical cost driver for all shipping lines, and high berth productivity translates directly into significant bunker cost savings for us," said Peter Smidt-Nielsen, general director of Maersk Line, Vietnam. "Achieving the levels of productivity being delivered to Maersk Line by CMIT is quite remarkable, and particularly so, for a terminal that has been operational for just 14 months."

Since CMIT welcomed its first vessel at the end of March 2011 it has received 151 vessel calls and handled 351,000 TEU of export and import containers to and from Europe, North America and Asia. CMIT was established in January 2007 as a joint venture between Saigon Port, Vietnam National Shipping Lines and APM Terminals.