APM Terminals inland services expands in India
With most of India’s containerized import cargo destined for Inland Container Depots (ICD s) or CFS facilities - due to existing infrastructure limitations - the inland container logistics market has been projected to exceed $ 3 .5 billion USD in 2013. An estimated 60% of India’s container shipments are destined for ICDs, with 40% ultimately handled at CFS facilities, said in the company's press release.
“More than half of all India’s inland container traffic is carried by truck with less than 40% moving by rail despite challenging road conditions” noted APM Terminals Inland Services Director for South Asia and Managing Director of APM Terminals India (PVT) Ltd. Subhasis Ghosh, adding “Within such an environment, expertise in these areas becomes even more valuable for In dia’s import and export community”.
APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer was given a tour of the company’s Inland Services Container Freight Station (CFS) at Nhava Sheva on May 28th as part of a week - long India visit in which Inland Services expansion plans figured prominently with local managers.
APM Terminals India has recently begun new projects at Pipavav and Cochin, and currently operates facilities at seven locations within India which handled approximately one million TEUs in 2012. “We recognize Inland Services as a particularly important component of the high - growth Indian market, and we will explore investment and expansion opportunities accordingly” said Mr. Fejfer. A PM Terminals’ Inland Services are divided into three business a reas: Container Freight Stations ( CFS ) ; Equipment Maintenance and Repair (EMR) and Transportation. After registering a 30% increase in container volume in 2012, Mr. Ghosh is confident of similar growth this year. In the 1 st Quarter of 2013 , APM Terminals I ndia Inland Services handled 300 ,000 TEUs.
In April , APM Terminals India announced plans to open a 50,000 square meter (12.4 acre) CFS facility at Pipavav Port in the State of Gujarat with a projected annual throughput capacity of 30,000 TEUs, featuring both direct rail and highway access. APM Terminals India’s Nhava Sheva CFS, recently recognized by Volkswagen India in its annual “Supplier Appreciation Award”, has successfully implemente d a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system at its CFS annex in Nhava Sheva to speed container location and movement.
“Increased productivity and enhanced Inland Services options can go a long way toward addressing infrastructure deficiencies and promoting trade and economic growth, and we intend to remain industry leaders in both areas” said Mr. Fejfer during his tour of the Nhava Sheva CFS. APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer inspects the new RFID system at APM Terminals India’s Inland Services Nhava Sheva CFS Annex on May 28 th . APM Terminals – providing the port and inland infrastructure to lift global trade APM Terminals’ Global Terminal Network of ports and inland services provide the infrastructure for the growth of international trade, 90% of which travels by sea. International commerce is an economic growth engine, creating jobs, lifting eco nomies and improving people’s lives around the world.
With world headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, the company’s core expertise is the design, construction, management and operation of ports, terminals and inland services , o perat ing a Global Terminal Network of 2 5 ,000 employees in 68 countries including interests in 70 port and terminal facilities and over 1 7 0 Inland Services operations . APM Terminals was named both “Port Operator of the Year” at the Lloyd’s List 2012 Global Awards and “International Terminal Operator of the Year” for 2012 by Containerisation International.
