The Taiwan branch of American President Lines (APL) has renewed the lease for its terminal plot at Port of Kaohsiung with Taiwan International Ports Corporation.
APL’s Taiwan terminal will continue to receive both its vessels and those from other carriers including CMA CGM, its parent container shipping company, for an additional 10 years.
The lease will start from January 1, 2018, and end on December 31, 2027.
In the months ahead, APL will be upgrading its terminal operating system, increasing its capability to enhance operational excellence.
With an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEU, the facility boasts a productivity rate that tops 36 container moves per hour.
Operating two cargo berths with a linear quay length of 640 metres and draft of 15.2 metres, the APL-operated terminal is well-situated and equipped to handle ships of up to 14,000 TEUs.
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The 101-acre terminal also includes a container freight station, a 21,000-TEU yard, three maintenance and repair workshops, two warehouses and two gas stations that provide value-added onsite logistics support to APL shippers.
As part of CMA CGM's fleet, APL's ships service the Ocean Alliance customers in a vessel and slot-sharing agreement with China Cosco Shipping, Evergreen Line, and OOCL.
CMA CGM is the third largest container shipping company by vessel capacity in the world, representing 11.7% of the total market.
Nicolas Sartini, APL Chief Executive Officer, said: “Today, Intra-Asia container volume accounts for one-sixth of all containers moved globally.
“We see further growth prospects in this trade where APL is seeking to be a major player.
“Our terminal in the Port of Kaohsiung will, therefore, be strategic for our advancement in Intra-Asia where we are connecting the key markets of Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam amongst others via the relay hub today.”
