FRENCH shipping giant CMA CGM has its transshipment hub in Kingston, Jamaica, poised to exploit opportunities arising from the newly widened Panama Canal.
CMA CGM's Kingston Container Terminal transshipment hub now operationalFRENCH shipping giant CMA CGM has its transshipment hub in Kingston, Jamaica, poised to exploit opportunities arising from the newly widened Panama Canal.
The terminal will welcome all maritime companies at its "Common User Terminal". Taking into account all APL ports, CMA CGM today operates 33 terminals with three in development.
Further port works including dredging and infrastructure development will start immediately, undertaken by Vinci, Jan de Nul and EMCC, said the CMA CGM release.
Funding was provided by both institutional (Inter American Development Bank - IIC, Agence Francaise de Developpement - Proparco, DEG and FMO) and private funders (CIBC First Caribbean, CIFI, Cordiant).
"Our terminals are placed on global maritime routes at strategic locations. Facilities use modern and high-performance infrastructure which strengthens CMA CGM's competitive advantage," said the release.
On April 7, 2015, CMA CGM obtained the Kingston Containers Terminal concession. Works when finalised will offer 2,400 metres of wharf, an 80-hectare surface and 15.5 metres draught.
"The facility will be equipped with 14 gantry cranes, later increasing to 16 and finally 18, plus 60 straddle-carriers that will increase its annual capacity up to 3.6 million TEU containers," said the release.
"The terminal extension will elevate Kingston to within the top three Caribbean container terminals. New equipment will facilitate transshipment operations towards the whole region thanks to connection services lines," he said.