APM Terminal liquid cargo business sees 133% growth

Change in import-export pattern sees segment growing even as bulk and container consignments decline

The liquid cargo business of APM Terminal Pipavav, a part of APM Terminals Global Terminal Network, is seeing huge growth in sync with the change in export and import demand from Indian companies.

Liquid cargo which includes LPG and non-LPG consignments [POL/chemicals], has registered a sharp increase in volume over the past two years while the volume of bulk and container segments has declined.

The new focus is reflected in the company's performance over the past two years. After handling 4.64 million tonnes for the 15-month period ended March 31, 2015, bulk handling volume has declined to 2.47 million tonnes in 2015-16. Container business volume has plunged from 980,689 TEUs during the 15-month period ended March 31, 2015, to 694,614 TEUs in 2015-16. Liquid cargo volume, on the other hand, has jumped by 133 per cent to 700,000 during 2015-16 from 300,000 tonnes for 15 months ended March 31, 2015. The company changed its accounting standard from December to March from FY15.

"Till few years ago, our major focus used to be bulk and container handling only and coal import used to contribute a lot. Since, India has increased its coal production and there has been a reduction in the import of the fuel, we have shifted focus to liquid handling," said Keld Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer, APM Terminal, India's first public private partnership (PPP) having comprehensive connectivity to the Gujarat region and the northern hinterland.

This port lies on the important maritime trade routes that connect India with West Asia, Africa and Europe. It serves as a gateway for movement of containers, bulk, liquid and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo such as cars, trucks and trailers.

With a presence in every major market, APM Terminals serves all major trade lanes and shipping lines with rail and road connectivity providing customers with the advanced terminal technology, equipment and operations in the country. It has two facilities in India -- APM Terminals Mumbai (earlier known as Gateway Terminals India) in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Nhava Sheva, and Port Pipavav in Gujarat.

A recent Platts report estimates India's coal imports will decline by about 20 per cent to 160 million tonnes in FY17, from 199.88 million tonnes (worth Rs 8,450.35 crore) in the previous financial year. During 2014-15, however, India's total coal imports stood at 217.78 million tonnes, worth Rs 10,450 crore, Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had said recently.