P&ONL/TCII sign up for Coega deal

There is renewed speculation of a tie-up between the New Zealand South Island ports of Lyttelton and Port Otago.

As speculated in the May 2007 issue of WorldCargo News (p1), ECT has ousted Embarcadero Systems Corporation (ESC) altogether from the Euromax terminal project.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services has acquired AP Moller-Maersk’s 20% stake in Antwerp Gateway Terminal (AGT) for US$18M. AP Moller-Maersk inherited its share in the terminal when it took over P&O Nedlloyd in 2005.

South Africa Port operations (SAPO) has opened the door on privatisation in announcing that it will consider a joint venture partner for a new terminal at the Ngqura harbour adjacent to the Coega industrial development zone near Port Elizabeth.

Not long after Ports of Auckland pulled out of merger talks with rival Port of Tauranga (see p9), it is being reported in New Zealand that the AP Moller-Maersk Group/APM Terminals (APMT) is interested in buying terminal(s) in New Zealand.

A surprise announcement by the New Zealand ports of Auckland and Tauranga that they are in detailed merger negotiations has sparked speculation that the longexpected rationalisation of the country’s port structure might be underway.