Kingston Freeport Terminal (KCT) in Jamaica is trying to entice a third major container shipping company to reduce its reliance on ZIM and CMA CGM, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.
Following a meeting with Jamaica Exporters' Association members to discuss the trucking impasse affecting operations at the port, Olivier Tretout, CEO of KCT, revealed that the facility is acquiring new cranes and employing more staff to boost productivity at the trans-shipment terminal.
Tretout shared plans to increase the terminal’s workforce from 860 to about 940 by the end of 2017 to handle the increased volumes of cargo from ZIM and CMA CGM.
He reported that ZIM's volumes increased by 50% in May and July.
Read PTI's technical paper, 'A decade of rapid growth: expansion of Kingston’s Container Terminal', to learn about the terminal's past planning challenges
CMA CGM and its associated company Terminal Link operate the 30-year concession for KCT, which is now moving 3,000 containers each day and is on track to hit 90,000 per month in September, up from 71,000 in August.
KCT plans to spend US$400 million over two years to invest equipment and worker for the port.
It will boost its drivers from 140 to a minimum of 210 and add two cranes to the current 14 by year-end, with another two in 2018.
Referencing the improvement in operations, Tretout said: “It's the highest level of production ever in Kingston, but we are not satisfied. We need more drivers and people.
“We want to offer capacity with a third main player and are in discussion with those guys.”
