GULFTAINER's Canaveral facility in Florida will only achieve its full potential if the US authorities approve a railway link connecting it to the rest of the state, says Gulftainer managing director Peter Richards.
"In the first year, we are hoping to generate 50,000 TEU. We will steadily build that up over the next five years to 750,000 TEU. It depends on what is happening with the port," he told Seatrade Maritime News.
"If they do decide to proceed with a rail connection, Port Canaveral will become a major import-export gateway," he said.
Mr Richards conceded that if a decision was made against installing a rail link, the port's maximum throughput would be unlikely to exceed recent official estimates of 175,000 TEU a year.
Gulftainer US (GT USA) would not have undertaken its investment at Canaveral without a degree of confidence that a rail link would be approved.
Mr Richards confirmed that GT USA had not yet spent the entire US$100 million amount it committed to investing to prepare the port for operations.
"No, it hasn't spent that amount to date. That again depends now on the port authority and local community deciding on whether to establish a regional or countrywide gateway," he said.
"The $100 million is to be spent on new cranes, rubber-tyre gantries and operating equipment. If the rail connection is not going ahead, and Port Canaveral retains a presence as a regional hub.
GT USA won a 35-year concession in June 2014 to operate at CCT. Terminal operations have not yet begun, and the site preparation works are still in process.
"All the works are done and the berth is complete. The cranes are here. The first 20 acres of land are paved and covered, and prepared to take cargo," he said.
"We are just an international port operating company preparing to take our first step in the US port and logistics market. I don't expect Canaveral to be the last port opportunity Gulftainer looks at," he said.
WORLD SHIPPING
22 August 2015 - 09:06
Gulftainer awaits approval of Florida rail link to achieve its goal
GULFTAINER's Canaveral facility in Florida will only achieve its full potential if the US authorities approve a railway link connecting it to the rest of the state, says Gulftainer managing director Peter Richards.
WORLD SHIPPING
22 August 2015 - 09:06
Gulftainer awaits approval of Florida rail link to achieve its goal
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