APM Terminals sees major opportunity in India

CEO Kim Fejfer meets with Minister of Shipping G.K. Vasan to discuss infrastructure investment requirements

APM Terminals CEO, Kim Fejfer, met with Minister of Shipping G. K. Vasan and other government officials to discuss existing and new terminal and port development projects in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Kim Fejfer is in India on a three day visit to review progress at APM Terminals facilities at Gateway Terminals India (GTI) located in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai and Port Pipavav in Gujarat.  He is accompanied by Charles Menkhorst, CEO of the Africa Middle East, India Region.

“As one of the most robust and important emerging economies, India is certainly an area of great interest in the shipping industry, and a nation in which we see tremendous potential for growth in the port industry,” stated Fejfer, whose schedule included a trip to the Inland Container Depot in Mumbai.

The Indian economy has been forecast to grow by 8.8% in 2010, and 8.4% in 2011 by the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook April 2010 report. In the first quarter of 2010 container volumes at South Asian ports surged by 25.6%, faster than the 15% growth recorded world-wide in container traffic. APM Terminals facilities, Gateway Terminals India (GTI) ended Fiscal Year 2009/2010 on March 31st with container volume up 20% over the previous year to 1.75 million TEUs even though the India market grew by 8%. Port Pipavav, a bit farther north in Gujarat on India’s west coast, registered a 64% container volumes growth in calendar year 2009 and expanded annual throughput capacity to 600,000 TEUs with two new post-Panamax cranes and a 14.5 meter depth dredged to accommodate larger vessels entering into the Indian trade lanes.

Infrastructure shortcomings continue to be an area of concern for both shippers and port operators, as current road and rail networks strain under the sharply increasing demands for linking ports to interior industrial and commercial centers. Kim Fejfer’s discussions included concerns in infrastructure support and a commitment to work together to aid India’s growth.

“India’s combined container throughput was approximately 7 million TEUs in 2009, or roughly equivalent to the annual volume of the Port of Hamburg, and so we can see that India is very underrepresented considering the size of its economy and population,” noted Fejfer, adding, “this is where we can help make a difference”.

Fejfer’s schedule includes meetings with senior government officials in N Delhi, inspections of Gateway Terminals India (GTI), at JNPT, and the Container Freight Station (CFS) at Dronagiri Node, North Mumbai and a visit to Maersk Global Service Centre in Pune.                                                                                                        

About APM Terminals
Providing the port infrastructure to drive global commerce
APM Terminals operates a Global Terminal Network of 50 terminals with 18,000 employees in 34 countries that provide the port infrastructure essential to international transportation and global economic growth. The liner shipping industry, served by APM Terminals and other operators, carries $4.6 trillion worth of international trade - approximately one third of the total value of global commerce.

The company works closely with the international shipping community and national governments to reduce costs, deliver operational excellence and improve market access worldwide. Access to modern marine infrastructure drives local, regional and international market competitiveness and economic development. In 2007, the global shipping industry provided 4.2 million jobs worldwide, representing compensation of $27.2 billion, and accounted for $29.4 billion in capital investment, generating $183.3 billion to global GDP, according to a recent study commissioned by the World Shipping Council.

For logistics professionals, the Global Terminal Network plays an important role in supply chain management with location, capacity, flexibility and efficiency clearly linked to supply chain success and port-centric logistics.

Media can download more information at www.apmterminals.com www.gatewayterminals.com  www.pipavav.com