Terminal operator sees growth in container handling

A tentative recovery in global trade helped boost the number of shipping containers handled by ports operator DP World, but the company is targeting higher margins and better efficiency to grow profits further, reported Dow Jones Newswires. According to Dow Jones, DP World handled 14.2 million TEUs in the third quarter. The 2.4 percent increase over the same period last year on a like-for-like basis was attributable to better performance in the Asia Pacific region and the United Arab Emirates. DP World said gross volumes declined slightly in the third quarter, but that was due to the sale of some of its operations in Australia as well as the Europe, Middle East and Africa region last year and in Asia this year, which reduced its global handling capacity.