APM Terminals Bahrain, operator of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP), today (March 30) announced the launch of transshipment operations at KBSP by the CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics.

 

To mark the occasion, a ceremony was hosted by David Skov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of APM Terminals Bahrain, and attended by Bader Hood Al Mahmood, Assistant Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications (PMA) in Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as senior representatives of the CMA CGM Group, APM Terminals Bahrain and PMA. 

The CMA CGM Group’s Vessel ‘APL Gulf Express’ received a water salute welcome to celebrate the launch of the company’s transshipment containers in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

 

According to APM Terminals Bahrain, attracting transshipment volumes underscores KBSP’s status as an attractive port for transshipment operations in the region. 

 

“Transshipment at Bahrain also ensures improved availability of Empty Containers for Bahrain Origin cargoes, a key differentiator in Ocean Logistics. In addition, the port is built with a purposed hinterland to establish a transshipment hub and a logistics network in the Kingdom, an attractive selling point to many companies to set up in Bahrain, reflecting the Kingdoms efforts in enhancing trade and diversifying its economic stance,” the port operator said in a statement. 

 

The CMA CGM Group operates two services at KBSP, the MEA1/CIMEX1 service (as part of Ocean Alliance) connecting the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Far East, and the APL Gulf express service linking Bahrain to regional ports in the Gulf. CMA CGM will now discharge Gulf Origin containers from JMX service at Bahrain and connect them to Far East destinations on the MEA1/ CIMEX1 service.

 

Bader Hood Al Mahmood, Assistant Undersecretary for Ports Affairs, Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, welcoming the transshipment, said: “The Ministry is very pleased to see the results of its close partnership with APMT as we have jointly worked on several initiatives to increase transshipment activity at KBSP, and today’s event is yet another step in solidifying KBSP’s position as a transshipment hub for the northern gulf markets.  We look forward to continuing this relationship towards securing more transshipment volumes and enhancing our connectivity.”

 

David Skov, Chairman of Board of Directors of APM Terminals Bahrain, commented: “We're pleased to announce the launch of our transshipment operations at Khalifa Bin Salman Port that will strategically help boost trade and facilitate seamless movement of goods in the region. The new transshipment capabilities have been possible with the unparalleled support from the MTT and CMA CGM Group, who guided us to upgrade our value-added services to encompass a broader range of Cargo Groups and Services.”

 

“This is a strategic investment for us, in line with APMT's growth strategy to enhance the port's maritime and economic purpose by further developing the transshipment volumes in partnership with our customers and stakeholders,” he added.—TradeArabia News Service