Dubai Ports World (DP world), the world's third-biggest operator of container ports, has balked at a reported $84 million 'transfer fee' demanded by US port authorities to complete the sale of DP World's US assets.
 
DP World Chairman, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was quoted saying, "We have not accepted and we will not accept the huge fee they now demand."
 
Reports said that New York Port Authority wanted DP World pay the fee in order to authorise the sale of its US port facilities to AIG Global Investment Group.
 
Chief executive of DP World, Mohammed Sharaf said, "They have asked for a transaction or transfer fee - I'm not sure what to call it - which was not part of our lease agreement with them and which we were unaware of."
 
"They are asking for a sum which is unreasonable and we are saying no," he added.
 
Following the political furore sparked by DP Word's acquisition of P&O's port operations in the US, DP World announced in December that it had reached a deal to sell the US port operations to a subsidiary of AIG.

The US port operations in the deal included six major US seaports in New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans and Tampa.  

Sharaf said, "In this case, the US should be accommodating the deal if they are really concerned about security. They asked us to leave because of security concerns and now they are delaying the deal."
 
DP World is the world's largest marine terminal operator with 51 terminals in 24 countries.
 
 Sharaf commented, "We are in negotiation with them over this issue and we want to conclude this deal as soon as possible but the ball is in their court."