Major new and enhanced functions and services which will go online in Phase II of the portal from 28th May 2001 include:

• ENHANCED BARGE OPERATIONS SERVICE
• ENHANCED CONTAINER TRACKING SERVICE
• APPOINTMENT SYSTEM
• EXPORT DELIVERY
• EMPTY CONTAINER COLLECTION/DELIVERY
• ADMINISTRATION

Another milestone is that most of the Portal's services will support the Chinese language for the first time.

"Phase II of ModernPorts.com further enhances its value as an electronic platform for our customers and other users to exchange information and documentation, thereby enabling them to achieve higher levels of operational efficiency and cost effectiveness," commented Modern Terminals' Managing Director, Erik Bøh Christensen.

"Shipping lines and feeder/barge operators can now apply online for lighter berth availability and obtain details of their assigned berths. Besides providing customers with accurate and updated details of the status and locations of their incoming and outgoing containers at the terminal, the enhanced container tracking service will also advise them of customs clearance status. Shipping lines, truckers and consignees will be able to book appointments for newly discharged containers as well as those still on-board via the online Appointment System. Moreover, the new export and empty collection and delivery functions will allow real-time inquiries about locations of containers," Mr Christensen added.

Phase II of ModernPorts.com is a major element of Modern Terminals' commitment to help strengthen Hong Kong's position as the strategic logistics hub for the region, by deploying the latest technology to reduce the shipping industry's dependence on time-consuming paper-based business flows, and by streamlining communications among the various players in the logistics chain. It is designed to serve the varying requirements of shipping lines, shippers, consignees, hauliers and forwarders which use Modern Terminals, and it is backed by the company's in-depth experience as Hong Kong's longest-established container terminal operator.

Phase I of ModernPorts.com was launched in December 2000, providing services such as:

• Container Tracking
• Barge Operations
• Traffic
• Weather Conditions and Terminal Arrangements during Typhoons
• Industrial and News Links
• Reference Materials

Modern Terminals is the longest established container terminal operator in Hong Kong, with the territory's first purpose-built container terminal opened in September, 1972. In 1999, it won the Hong Kong Productivity Council's Productivity Award for Services. On 1st February, 2001, Modern Terminals set a new world record for container handling productivity by an average 336 moves per crane hour, greatly exceeding the fastest previously reported rate of 255.6 moves per hour achieved in Oman.

Issued by PR Partnership
On behalf of Modern Terminals Limited
(Portal site: http://www.ModernPorts.com
Web site: http://www.ModernTerminals.com)