APM Terminals opens US 'mega-facility'
A.P. Moller - Maersk A/S subsidiary APM Terminals BV. has officially opened its $450 million Hampton Roads container terminal at Portsmouth in Virginia.
Virginian Governor Timothy M Kaine called the project a “huge win” for Virginia, saying it increased the state's global connections.
“Such links are essential for success in the modern economy, while every city and country in the state will benefit from the new terminal,” he added.
The third-largest container facility in the US, the new terminal is capable of handling one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year and further expansion will boost that figure to two million TEUs.
“This project demonstrates what can be achieved when private and public interests work together to achieve a new standard of excellence,” said APM Terminals North America president Eric Sisco.
Officials say new technology at the terminal will increase worker safety while speeding cargo movement.
The “green design” of the facility includes energy-saving and emissions cutting equipment.
APM Terminal officials say the terminal will handle the expected increase in international cargo shipments. It will focus in particular on calls from its sister company Maersk Line.
Reports say the facility will compete with Halifax in Canada as well as other East Coast ports in North America, especially for cargo traffic from Asia.
The other container handling facilities being run by the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) in the Hampton Roads region could be affected too, but VPA officials brushed aside concerns saying increased traffic overall would benefit the state.
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| Further expansion can boost capacity to two million TEUs per year |
“Such links are essential for success in the modern economy, while every city and country in the state will benefit from the new terminal,” he added.
The third-largest container facility in the US, the new terminal is capable of handling one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year and further expansion will boost that figure to two million TEUs.
“This project demonstrates what can be achieved when private and public interests work together to achieve a new standard of excellence,” said APM Terminals North America president Eric Sisco.
Officials say new technology at the terminal will increase worker safety while speeding cargo movement.
The “green design” of the facility includes energy-saving and emissions cutting equipment.
APM Terminal officials say the terminal will handle the expected increase in international cargo shipments. It will focus in particular on calls from its sister company Maersk Line.
Reports say the facility will compete with Halifax in Canada as well as other East Coast ports in North America, especially for cargo traffic from Asia.
The other container handling facilities being run by the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) in the Hampton Roads region could be affected too, but VPA officials brushed aside concerns saying increased traffic overall would benefit the state.
“APM Terminals puts us on the map as a port that can continue to take additional volume of cargo because we have this huge amount of capacity coming on line,” said VPA's senior marketing director Tom Capozzi.
According to Washington D.C. economist Paul Bingham, a company shipping via Virginia's ports would be able to “feed an enormous percentage of customers in the eastern part of the country.”
Virginia is well positioned to grow its port facilties. It has the availability of land for expansion and sufficient channel depth to accommodate the world's largest vessels, he added.
Cowan Thant Zin | Mon Sep 10 04:36 GMT 2007