Danes officially take over at Kingston wharf
THE Danish-based company, APM Terminals, yesterday officially took over the management of the Kingston Container Port for the next five years following the signing of a contract at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. Management of the Port was actually handed over to the company at 5:00 am on Friday.
Signatories to the contract included the minister of transport and works, Robert Pickersgill, the president of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Noel Hylton, and the vice-president of APM Terminals, Peder Sondergaard.
APM is part of the APMoller Group of companies which has a market capitalisation of at least US$20 billion and operates the largest shipping line in the world — Maersk Sealand.
Pickersgill told guests at yesterday’s signing that APM Terminals had been selected for the contract from six potential bidders because of its “world class expertise, world class technology, international customer base and excellent track record in international port operations”. He added that it was recognised that Kingston Container Terminal had now achieved “mega status” and that what was needed was a company that could take this process forward.