“Our vision is to transform Terminal Muelle Norte into a powerful economic generator for the people of Peru and to develop a world-class full-service port and infrastructure on the West Coast of South America” said APM Terminals Vice President for Business Development, Americas Henrik Lundgaard Pedersen. Mr. Pedersen signed the contract on behalf of APM Terminals, and Klaus Burger signed as the representative of minority shareholder Central Portuária S.A.C. which is part of the APM Terminals Callao consortium. On April 1st the Government of Peru named APM Terminals Callao the winner of the bidding process which also attracted submissions from Hutchison Port Holdings. The terms of the concession include the investment of USD 749 million to update and expand the existing facility into a modern multi-purpose terminal serving general, Ro-Ro, break bulk and containerized cargos as well as cruise ships.

“The key management positions have been filled and we are in the process of hiring administrative and operations staff as well as executing contracts with suppliers; orders have already been placed for new forklifts and reach stackers so that we will be ready to take over operations by July” said APM Terminals’ Head of Implementation, Soren Sjostrand Jakobsen. The contract calls for APM Terminals to assume operational control of the terminal within 60 days of signing the concession agreement. Planned improvements include the construction of a new grain silo and other related cargo handling improvements over the coming years. Also planned are the construction of new berths and the expansion of the container handling capabilities including new Post Panamax STS cranes and RTG’s. When built to full capacity, Terminal Muelle Norte will employ approximately 1,500 personnel and will be able to handle 2.9 million TEUs and 9.9 million tons of non?containerized cargo annually. APM Terminals also operates local cargo inland services company Almacenes de Contenedores Sudamerica (ALCONSA) in Peru, with locations in Callao and Paita.

 “We are grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of Peru and for the confidence that the Peruvian Government has placed in APM Terminals and our global port and inland services network” said Mr. Pedersen. The Muelle Norte concession is the third and most recent addition to the APM Terminals  portfolio this year. In March, the Government of Costa Rica awarded APM Terminals a 33 year concession for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the new Moin Container Terminal. In April, APM Terminals announced the acquisition of the majority shareholding in the Poti Sea Port on the Black Sea in the Republic of Georgia.

In other APM Terminals portfolio developments this year, operations commenced at the Port of Monrovia, Liberia on February 1st following formal ratification of the 25-year concession agreement by the Liberian government last October 2010, and on March 15th Cai Mep International Terminal, in which APM Terminals holds a minority share, opened for operations as the only deep-water port in Vietnam with the ability to accommodate vessels larger than 10,000 TEUs.

Photos of Lima signing ceremony available from Anali Huamancaya at  ahuamancayo@tironiasociados.com

Coast Guard officials indicated restrictions could be placed on traffic to the Port of New Orleans if the Carrolton Gage reaches 18 feet. The Bonnet Carre Spillway is open and as of Wednesday was operating at about half of its capacity. The Corps has said that it expects to open the Bonnet Carre fully within several days. The Mississippi River Commission is considering opening the Morganza Spillway, which would also reduce the water level at the Carrollton Gage. The Morganza is normally opened when the flow of the Mississippi at the Red River reaches 1.5 million cubic feet per second. “Operations at the Port of New Orleans remain unaffected by the high River level and we will continue to monitor the situation and work with the Coast Guard, the Corps and the local maritime community to keep commerce flowing safely on the Lower Mississippi River,” said Gary P. LaGrange, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. “The Port of New Orleans understands and respects the Coast Guard’s responsibility to set parameters that allow for the safe navigation of the River and the Corps of Engineers’ responsibility to manage water flow to protect communities along the River. We believe the Corps’ goal is to not let the Carrolton Gage reach 18 feet and we are confident they have the controls and the mechanisms in place to achieve that goal.”