The APM Terminals Global Terminal Network will enter China’s fast-growing grain import market as part of a joint venture with Qingdao Port International.
This is a further move by APM into port and terminal operations outside containerised cargo handling.
APM Terminals will hold a 20% share in the newly-developed Qingdao Port Dongjiakou Multi-Purpose Terminal. The Port of Qingdao on the Yellow Sea is one of the world’s busiest ports, ranking seventh globally handling a total of 468 million metric tonnes in 2014. Qingdao’s new Dongjiakou Port area is set to become a national hub of Chinese bulk and energy cargos, with a projected volume of more than 300m tonnes handled annually in this new complex.
The Qingdao port handled around 7m tonnes of grain cargo in 2014, with continued strong growth again in 2015.
Approximately one third of all nations are now importing at least a quarter of their grain consumption, according to a March 13 Thomson Reuters article “Global dependence on food imports leaves countries vulnerable.”
Also, worldwide seaborne grain shipments have increased to over 400m tonnes annually, according to the World Grain Council (WGC) - requiring a specialised infrastructure and expertise to keep up with this demand.
