APM Terminals (APMT) and GF Group have announced 100% acquisition of ‘Reefer Terminal S.p.A.’, the largest refrigerated terminal in the Mediterranean, has been finalised. The terms and price of the acquisition have not yet been disclosed.
Reefer Terminal also functions as a terminal for the handling of containers, handling around 275,000 TEU of containerised freight, as well as general cargo.
APMT has acquired the Vado Ligure Reefer Terminal as part of the port master plan to create new supply chains to markets in Northern Italy, Southern France, Switzerland and Bavaria.
The Reefer Terminal is located adjacent to the construction site of the APM Terminals Vado port project which will open in January 2018 with 800,000 TEU annual capacities and a 17-metre depth to serve the vessels of the future.
Carlo Merli, CEO at APMT Vado, said: “The integration of the Vado Reefer Terminal with our new, future semi-automated container terminal enhances the logistics options for businesses and the shipping lines calling the Ligurian coast, serving all of Northern Italy and beyond.
“We are building Italy’s port of the future with ideal access to Turin and Northern Italy’s manufacturing zones, as well as consumer markets. Equally important, we will have the best port system and product in the market capable of serving container vessels, reefer vessels, RoRo and breakbulk vessels.”
Comparison of water depths in Italian container ports:
Vado 17+ meters
Voltri 14.9 meters
La Spezia 13.9 meters
The Vado Reefer Terminal has four rail tracks which will be linked to the off-dock rail facility, which is being constructed as part of the APMT Vado container terminal with direct access to interior destinations through an environmentally-advantageous intermodal rail service.
Raffaella Orsero, President of GF Group, said: “This sale represents a further step in the process of refocusing on our historical business of import and distribution of fruit and vegetable produce. We will however remain a Reefer Terminal customer with our weekly Central American service, operated with four GF Group owned refrigerated vessels.”
Mr Orsero concluded: “The APM Terminals Vado facility will be the only port in Italy able to handle Ultra-Large Container Ships (ULCS) of over 18,000 TEU capacity when it opens in January 2018.”
