Court quashes union bid to block APM T Puerto Rico terminal construction

THE port arm of Denmark's AP Moller group's APM Terminals has received approval to start building a container terminal in Costa Rica next year after a court rejected a union bid to block the US$1 billion project.

The Atlantic Port Authority union, representing dockworkers and the National Banana Workers union, claimed that APM Terminals was awarded a 33-year concession for the Moin Container Terminal without the necessary economic, environmental and technical studies.

The court ruling "affirms the transparency and legality of the concession process," said APM Terminals Moin managing director Paul Gallie.

"The implementation process is on track, and during this transition period, APM terminals will perform the required detailed environmental and engineering studies in order to produce the final design and gain the statutory licences and permits," said Capt Gallie.

"These will be submitted for government approval, prior to construction start in 2013," he said.

Phase I of the project is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2016 at a cost of $545 million and will include six postpanamax ship-to-shore cranes and other yard gear.

When completed, the terminal will cover 198 acres with 4,921 feet of quay, five berths, a 1.4-mile breakwater, a 59-feet-deep access channel and nine super-postpanamax gantry cranes.

APM T hasn't given details about the terminal's capacity in the first phase, but said it will be expanded in accordance with the provisions of the concession agreement.