..and joint ventures in Saudi

These include NYK, MOL, CMA CGM, PSA, HPH, Evergreen, Container Corporation of India, Larsen & Toubro and Gammon India. A contract is expected to be awarded in September or October.

Saudi Ports Authority has made it known that terminal operator International Ports Services, a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and the Maritime Company for Navigation, is to invest an additional US$80m on increasing capacity in the container terminal at Dammam. Both the access channel and berths will be dredged to a depth of 16 metres, while six new super post-Panamax gantry cranes will be acquired along with 15 RTGs. These measures should be completed by August 2007 and will boost capacity from 800,000 to 2m TEUs.