Kalmar hybrid strads arrive at TCP
NewsThe first 10 of 20 Kalmar hybrid straddle carriers have arrived at Terminal Cuenca del Plata, as part of a US$500m expansion to triple its capacity by 2026.
Oligopoly concerns in Montevideo
The possible purchase by MSC of Katoen Natie’s 80% stake in the Port of Montevideo’s only dedicated box handling facility, Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP), has ruffled feathers in the port.
Local newspaper La República has reported that port users are worried that such a sale would result in “a dangerous oligopoly that would put an end to internal competition in the port”. MSC is a shareholder in Chile’s Von Appen Group, which owns Montecón, Montevideo’s container and general cargo handler. Montecón undertakes these activities only on the port’s public quays. As previously discussed in WorldCargo News, behind Katoen Natie’s decision to pull out of TCP is its frustration over what it considers the tolerance of the port authority (ANP) towards unfair competition from Montecón.
For its part, the government is said to have been doubtful that Katoen Natie would find a buyer for its shares in TCP, after it announced its intention to withdraw from the venture at the beginning of the year. To date, MSC has been the only bidder linked to the 80% stake. Nevertheless, the government does wield some influence over who is allowed to buy the shares, given that the ANP is the minority shareholder in TCP.
MSC’s involvement in terminal operations in South America began in 2016 when its subsidiary ConTug Terminals acquired a 39.99% stake in Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaíso (TPS). The latter is majority-owned by Grupo Ultramar, which also belongs to the Von Appen family. ANP president Alberto Díaz has forecast that Montevideo will handle 13 Mt of cargo this year (+6%), with container traffic increasing to 950,000 TEU.
Read this item in full
This complete item is approximately 300 words in length, and appeared in the November 2017 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 11. To access this issue download the PDF here.
You just read one of our articles for free
To continue reading, subscribe to WorldCargo News
By subscribing you will have:
- Access to all regular and exclusive content
- Discount on selected events
- Full access to the entire digital archive
- 10x per year Digital Magazine