Suez Canal Container Terminal Takes the Lead
Throughput gain of 11% for 2009 brings total volume to 2.7 million TEUs;
Phase II Plan to double capacity to 5.4 million TEUS on schedule.
Press Release: January 28, 2010
Port Said, Egypt – While many terminals struggled for volume and market share during 2009, as overall global container throughput declined by an estimated 10%, and the total number of vessels transiting the Suez Canal dropped by 20%, the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) increased its market share as a Mediterranean transshipment hub and Egyptian domestic market gateway with terminal volume growth of 11% to a record 2.7 million TEUs handled. In 2008, SCCT container throughput had surged by 34% and today accounts for one out of every five transshipped TEUs in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"The company opens its doors to all shipping lines. We seek to gain the trust of our clients by providing high-quality, world-class services that appeal to all clients”, stated SCCT Managing Director, Jens Floe. The installation of sophisticated scanning equipment last year has further improved the security capabilities of the facility as productivity and container throughput continue to rise.
"We are pleased to work in cooperation with the Egyptian Customs Authority, and other government bodies, to quickly put these devices into operation. Customers can expect to see a reduction in the time of customs checks. Increased security and safety will also enhance the smooth entry and exit of goods, which is positive for the local market”, noted Mr. Floe. A planned rail link to the greater Cairo area is expected to boost local cargo traffic through the terminal. A second consecutive year without an increase in the Suez Canal toll structure is also projected to bring more business to SCCT as liner services return to Canal use.
With the completion of a dredging project last year which deepened the terminal’s draft from 13.9 to 14.5 meters last year, and the expected complement of 24 super-post Panamax cranes at the conclusion of the Phase II expansion now underway, SCCT is capable of handling the largest containerships entering the global container fleet. Scheduled to be operational in 1 2012, Phase II will increase annual capacity at SCCT to 5.4 million TEUs, at a time that several other terminal expansion projects in the region have been postponed or cancelled.
Mr. Nils S. Andersen, CEO of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group and Chairman of the board for APM Terminals visited Port Said East on January 26-27 to view terminal operations and review the Phase II expansion plans.
About SCCT In 1999, the Egyptian Government tendered a concession for a container terminal in the new East Port Said Port. The concession agreement was signed with SCCT and in 2004 SCCT commenced terminal operations as the pioneer project in East Port Said Port.
SCCT is an international partnership consisting of Egyptian and foreign investors. APM Terminals, a company registered in the Netherlands and operating more than 50 container terminals, is the biggest shareholder in the partnership (55% of the shares of SCCT). 20% of the shares are owned by Cosco Pacific, 10% by the Suez Canal Authority, 5% by the National Bank of Egypt and 10% by the private sector.
SCCT Web: http://www.scctportsaid.com
About APM Terminals
- providing the port infrastructure to drive global commerce -
APM Terminals operates a Global Terminal Network of 50 terminals with 19,000 employees in 34 countries that provide the port infrastructure essential to international transportation and 2 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.
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