UAE Gulftainer terminals up 23pc in H1, expects 3.5 million TEU in 2012

THE UAE's Sharjah Container Terminal (SCT) and Khor Fakkan Container Terminal (KCT) handled 23 per cent more boxes from January to July compared to the same period last year, and the terminal operator expects to post 3.5 million TEU throughput full year.

Gulftainer, the UAE-based port operator said the record breaking figures were expected to continue to surpass 2011's volume of 3.23 million TEU which was up 6.8 per cent on the year before.

The "remarkable" results were a reflection of customer trust and agile decision making to satisfy customer demand, said Peter Richards, group managing director. "These records set by Gulftainer demonstrate the increased volume of trade in the area, and that we remain very optimistic about prospects for the whole region in the coming years."

But the increase in export volume from Middle East countries has highlighted a need to review and revise earlier terminal layouts at its facilities and handling equipment, which include Abu Dhabi port of Ruwais in the UAE and a growing international portfolio including Brazil, Comores Islands, Iraq and Russia.

Against global gains in container handling activity in the five to six per cent range for the first half of 2012, Saudi Arabian ports were heading the way at 20 per cent range with its largest port of DP World's flagship Jebel Ali at modest increase of 7.3 per cent.