Gulftainer moves into USA

Under the concession, Gulftainer will operate and further develop the port’s container and multi-purpose cargo terminal, marking its expansion into the USA.

“By bringing Gulftainer’s UAE-grown expertise and global relationships to Port Canaveral, we aim to create a new efficient and secure gateway for goods entering and leaving the southern Atlantic coastline of America,” said Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises, which owns Gulftainer.

The company says the terminal, set to begin operations at the end of this year, will position Port Canaveral as the most economical and convenient ocean gateway for containerised cargo in central Florida.

John Walsh, CEO, Port Canaveral, added: “This agreement marks a new era for Port Canaveral. With work on the widening and deepening of the Canaveral Harbour currently in progress, the new container and multi-purpose cargo terminal will further underscore our credentials as one of the most important economic engines for our region, while providing value to Central Florida shippers and distribution facilities by lowering overall costs and offering more efficient links to the supply chain.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Gulftainer will strengthen the terminal through a US$100m investment in infrastructure, equipment and locally-sourced human capital.

The new container and cargo terminal is expected to contribute more than US$630m to Florida’s economy, US$280m in revenue to Port Canaveral, and generate more than US$350m in tax contributions.

Independently-owned Gulftainer operates and manages ports and logistics businesses in several countries in the Middle East, as well as in Brazil and Turkey. With a current handling activity of 6 million teu, the Group aims to expand this to 18 million teu by 2020.