UAE Firm Holds Talks On Ports Dev

A United Arab Emirate (UAE)-based maritime firm, DP World,
says it has commenced discussions with some investors on new port development
in Nigeria.

Mr Abdol Reza, the Guest Relations Coordinator of DP World,
disclosed this in Dubai during a facility tour of Dubai port by maritime
correspondents and officials of Nigerian Ports Authority.

Our correspondent reports that with the discussion, the
container terminal operator may soon join the ranks of concessionaire in
Nigeria.

According to Reza, DP World, which is the third largest
container terminal operator in the world, controls 60 terminals in 30
countries.

He said that, in Dubai, the firm administers two terminals,
and one of the terminals had a capacity of nine million TEUS (twenty-foot
containers equivalent).

Reza said that in terminal 1, there were 460 cameras and
scanners that monitored the activities of the firm and has a man-made harbour
with a draught of between 11 to 17 metres.

Reza added that the company’s terminal 2 in the Dubai port
was opened in 2007 and has a capacity of five million TEUS.

He said that the terminal has more modern technology with 60
Real Mountain Gantry Cranes to save time and energy in cargo throughput.

He said that the terminal TEUS would go up to 19 million by
the time the necessary expansion was completed.

“Besides, there is an airport at the port to evacuate cargo
and there is a rail network under construction. Cargo can be received at
anytime of the day because the port operates for 24 hours,” he said.

Reza said that there had been trans-shipment and land
transportation of cargo through the Dubai port to neighbouring countries.

Reza added that the firm had commenced development of a new
terminal with an envisaged capacity of four million TEUS, which would commence
operations in 2014.

Our correspondent reports that the firm, formally
established in September 2005, was born from the corporate integration of Dubai
Ports Authority and DPI Terminals (Dubai Ports International).