Freeport terminal expansion starts

The country is turning to the private sector as it makes a bid to catch up with rival ports vying for West African cargo volumes

By the end of 2018 Hutchison port Holdings (HPH) plans to operate 36 remote controlled STS cranes at its terminals around the world.

The labour union at Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) took its fight to Hutchison’s Watsons stores in Jakarta this week, but the Indonesian Government appears committed to supporting JICT’s attempt to lower its labour costs.

Several new ports are being developed in Scandinavia as the region responds to the changing needs of the modern world.

First-half operating performances posted by global terminal operators (GTOs) in the container handling sector were mixed. On the positive front, cargo volumes handled were generally up yearon-year compared to 2016, but rising levels of competition, uncertainties around the new carrier alliances, lines seeking better deals from their vendors and increasing costs all took their toll on operating profits (see accompanying table).

Political decisions can have a major bearing on economic development, investment and trade, and events in the Middle East over the past year illustrate this perfectly.