The next generation of car carriers will place greater demands on terminal operations.

The shipping spotlight may be on container trades with the arrival of the first of Maersk Line’s 18,000 teu Triple-E ships but the challenges of dealing with a new generation of vessels is equally apparent in the niche world of vehicle trades.

As the next generation of car carriers come on stream, what are the implications for ports? Not only do the normal issues of draft, turning circle and 24/7 operations come into play as with other ship types, but there are other factors specific to the vehicle trade — yard space to store cars being one.