CMA CGM announced that signed a joint venture agreement with Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ),-India’s port infrastructure developer and part of the Adani Group- to operate a new container terminal (CT4) at Mundra Port, for next 15 years, with an option to extend it twice for 10 more years.
The two partners have completed the CT4 project three months ahead of schedule, making Mundra Port the largest container-handling port in the country. CT4 will be the only container terminal on the west coast of India, where the world’s largest container ships can call.
Specifically, according to the company’s statement, CT4 has four units of 65 tonnes capacity of Rail Mounted Quay Cranes, capable of handling 18,000 TEU vessels and Super Post and Ultra Large Container Vessels and an annual capacity of 1.3 million TEUs. It spans over 27 hectares, with a 650-meter long quay and a draft of 16.5 meters. The yard equipment will include twelve 41 tonne lift rubber tyred container gantry cranes which will accommodate seven rows of containers and one operational lane.
The company said that CT4 is its first port investment in India. CMA CGM’s ambition is trade between India and the world to grow and generate opportunities for exporters and importers.
Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM’s Chief Executive Officer, stated: “We have been present in India for over three decades now and employ 4,000 people. This joint-venture with Adani Ports reinforces our position in one of the world’s fastest growing economies and highlights our firm belief in the potential growth of trade between India and the rest of the world”.
APSEZ continues to expand its container terminals footprint across India’s coastline and further augments APSEZ’s existing three container handling facilities at Mundra, Hazira and Kattupalli, an under construction transhipment hub and two other under construction terminals. It will help Adani Ports to fulfill its stated vision of handling 200 million metric tonnes of cargo well before the year 2020.
Mr Karan Adani, CEO, APSEZ, said: “This strategic partnership with CMA CGM in the Container Terminals business brings significant value to Mundra port. With this new development, Mundra port is perfectly primed to set the bar even higher on the crucial parameters of efficiency, productivity and faster turnaround times for larger vessels, which will directly translate into competitive advantages for our customers”.
