China has the leading port tech (ZPMC alone dominates 80% of world port equipment), huge building capacity, and rich operational experience that can't be matched. In terms of operation, Singapore PSA leads the world, while China (Mainland, HK, Taiwan) has 5 of world's top 10 most powerful operators, see Lloyd's List:
Top 100 port players ranked by container throughput - Lloyd's List
Tan Chong Meng, PSA International, Singapore
IT HAS been another year of "steady as she goes" for PSA International as the state-backed port giant continued to make technical adjustments to its portfolio to meet the needs of shipping line alliances and larger vessels. In terms of developments, chief executive Tan Chong Meng has overseen the opening of the LYG-PSA Container Terminal in
Lianyungang, which has a full-build-out design capacity of 2.8m teu. This is the operator's first foray into the Yangtze River Delta region. This year, it was also awarded the concession to develop and operate a new terminal in
Jawaharlal Nehru and work started on its
Mersin expansion project.
Eric Ip, Hutchison Port Holdings, China Hong Kong
ERIC Ip took over as managing director of Hutchison Port Holdings from John Meredith in January. Last year the port company maintained its position as the number one global container terminal operator by total volumes with 78.3m teu handled in 2013. In terms of developments over the last year, HPH Management sold the bulk of HPH Trust’s stake in Hong Kong’s
Terminal 8 in March for $319m to China’s Cosco Pacific and China Shipping Terminal Development. In June Hutchison Port Holdings subsidiary Barcelona Europe South Terminal held a ground-breaking ceremony for the next phase of its development.
Kim Fejfer, APM Terminals, Netherlands
KIM Fejfer-led APM Terminals maintained its position as the world’s second-busiest terminal operator in terms of total throughput last year as its facilities handled 68m teu. In the first nine months of 2014,
APM Terminals, following broad growth across its portfolio of terminals, saw volumes jump 7% from 27m teu to 28.9m teu. In the third quarter, the port operator completed the sale of the 100% share of APM Terminals Virginia in the US and a 50% share in Terminal Porte Océane, Le Havre, France, for a combined gain of $359m. Additions to the network came mainly from the
acquisition of NCC Group by Global Ports Investments, in which APMT has a 37.5% stake, in Russia during 2013 and completion of the jointly owned Brasil Terminal Portuario in Santos. Next year, APMT will benefit from the first full year of operations at hi-tech
Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam.
Mohammed Sharaf, DP World, UAE
LAST year, Mohammed Sharaf oversaw the addition of 1m teu to DP World's flagship
Jebel Ali terminal and opened the 1.6m teu
London Gateway facility and phase one of the 1m teu Embraport terminal in Brazil. This year DP World has opened the 4m teu Terminal 3 development at Jebel Ali and a new automated terminal in Brisbane. It has also announced plans for the $2.6bn acquisition of
Jebel Ali Free Zone assets. Next year will mark the start of operations at
Rotterdam World Gateway, which it will run in partnership with Mitsui OSK Lines, Hyundai Merchant Marine, APL and CMA CGM.
Fu Yuning, China Merchants, China
CHINA Merchants has been aggressively expanding its ports portfolio in recent years and further growth is expected in the future. Its early 2013 purchase of a 49% stake in
Terminal Link, the CMA CGM port-management arm, for $534.8m has propelled China Merchants into the top five port players by equity throughput last year. In 2014 it continued its overseas expansion by co-investing $601m with a major mainland construction company in a second phase of port development in
Sri Lanka. It also announced plans to issue up to HK$15.4bn ($2bn) worth of mandatory convertible securities to shareholders, in a bid to fortify its balance sheet for future acquisition and development.
Li Yunpeng, Cosco Pacific, China
COSCO Pacific, the Hong Kong-listed port arm of Chinese state giant Cosco Group, is looking at further expansion opportunities in China and other countries after purchases of stakes in two terminals earlier this year. While not ruling out expansion in developed nations, where it has enjoyed strong throughput growth this year, the company will focus more on terminals in emerging economies for their growth prospects. Having completed deals for 40% of Hong Kong-based
Asia Container Terminals (Terminal 8 West) and 25% of an iron ore terminal in Dongjiakou, two transactions totalling $269.7m, Cosco Pacific still held cash reserves of $929.2m as of end-June. In early December, it also signed a deal to develop a new terminal in addition to existing facilities in Piraeus.
Vikram Sharma, TIL, Luxemburg
IN TERMS of new terminal investments it has been a quiet year for the Mediterranean Shipping Co majority-owned Terminal Investment Limited after Infrastructure Partners took a 35% stake in the company for just over $1.9bn in 2013. The only announcement of note is TIL’s investment in a 29% share in APM Terminals
Callao. The deal appears to make sense as MSC is the port’s largest customer. It is also reported to be one of the bidders to build and operate terminals at soon-to-be-privatised
Haifa and Ashdod in Israel. In May the operator was also given permission to
re-organise operations at Antwerp. It will take a stake in a new company, PSA DGD, which will operate a terminal at Deurganck Dock that will provide improved access to the largest vessels. The terminal operator also hit the headlines this year when a dispute over calls of non-MSC vessels at its terminal in
Valencia spilled out into the press.
Fang Meng, China Shipping Terminal Development, China
OVER the last few years, the China Shipping-owned terminal operator has faced the same issues that many shipping company-owned port businesses face; the parent company is looking to sell assets to reduce debts. In 2013 it sold a
majority stake in strategically located Lianyungang port to PSA for around $120m and disposed of terminal assets to a Hong Kong affiliate for a $142m gain. However, this could well be the end of its terminal divestment and this year it expanded its footprint when
China Shipping Terminal Development bought a 20% stake in Hong Kong’s Terminal 8 West.
Chang Yung-fa, Evergreen, China Taiwan
THE main development for Evergreen’s terminal business over the past year has been Evergreen Line’s decision to axe calls at its
Taranto facility. The shipping line said the decision to cut calls to the port was part of a contingency plan it had implemented while the Port of Taranto Authority dredges the port’s harbour to allow larger vessels to call at the port in the future. Evergreen’s box terminals are mostly designed to support its liner activities. In total, it operates four transhipment hubs, comprising two domestic stakes in Tai Chung and Kaohsiung, and oversees interests in Colon and Taranto. It remains to be seen whether Evergreen’s fleet expansion plans will be matched by investment in container terminals over the coming years.
Tai Soo Suk, Hanjin, South Korea
TAI Soo Suk took over as president and chief executive of Hanjin Shipping in March and is faced with the challenge of trying to deleverage the company and return it to profitability. This challenge is being met through a syndicated loan, by rolling existing loans and asset sales. Hanjin, which aimed to earn Won600bn ($542.7m) from liquidation of non-core business, has so far made Won309.5bn from
selling controlling stakes in 29 bulk carriers and seven liquefied natural gas tankers. But the carrier also plans to make Won300bn from sales of shares in terminals, and is to divest from a terminal in Algeciras, Spain.
Last but not least, China has a variety of well-funded financial institutions that can invest. In port business, China is full-package partner.
