Peter Richards News

UAE-based privately-owned port operator Gulftainer has appointed Fred Castonguay its new group chief operating officer to strengthen its growing ports and logistics portfolio globally.Castonguay previously served as the vice president of Operations at Ports America Group and as president and COO for Ports America Outer Harbour in Oakland, California.Peter Richards, Group Chief Executive Officer at Gulftainer, said: “We are pleased to welcome Fred Castonguay on board as Group Chief Operating Officer of Gulftainer. His expertise and strengths in terminal operations and leadership will continue to reinforce our global reputation. A seasoned industry veteran with a keen focus on operational excellence…

Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately-owned independent port operator and logistics company based in the United Arab Emirates, finalized a 50-year concession agreement with the state of Delaware to operate and develop the Port of Wilmington, significantly expanding the company’s global footprint and reach.The agreement, signed by Gulftainer’s subsidiary GT USA, will see an expected investment of up to $600 million in the port to upgrade and expand the terminal and to turn it into one of the largest facilities of its kind on the Eastern Seaboard.The port deal represents the largest operation ever run by a UAE company in the United States, as well as the largest investment ever by a private UAE company in the country.At a public signing ceremony held in Wilmington, Gov.

Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately owned independent port operator and logistics company based in the UAE, has been handed the 2018 prestigious Gold Award by the UK-based RoSPA Award Scheme.Gulftainer has been recognised for its commitment to employee health and safety standards at its flagship gateway terminal, Sharjah Container Terminal (SCT), in Port Khalid.Recognising significant milestones in health and safety management systems including best practices in leadership and workforce involvement, the RoSPA Awards scheme receives submissions from organisations around the world. Gold medals, President’s awards, Orders of Distinction and the Patron’s Award are presented to organisations sustaining the highest standards.Speaking on the achievement…

GT USA’s Canaveral Cargo Terminal (CCT) incurred minimal damage during Hurricane Matthew and is fully operational, the result of advance storm preparation and facility planning by GT USA in partnership with Canaveral Port Authority. The Canaveral Cargo Terminal resumed full operations, which included working the container cargo vessel M/V MAX WONDER for StreamLines, N.V.’s Blue Stream service. The service ships refrigerated and dry cargo between Port Canaveral, Europe, the French West Indies and Central America. “Though Hurricane Matthew packed quite a punch in Port Canaveral, the hard work of the Emergency Response Team, Brevard County Sheriff’s Department, U.S.

GT USA, the US arm of UAE-based global ports and logistics company Gulftainer, announced the new ‘Blue Stream Service’, a weekly container cargo service connecting Port Canaveral to Europe, the French West Indies, and Central America. Blue Stream Service, operated by StreamLines, part of the SeaTrade Group, will provide refrigerated and dry container service to and from GT USA’s Canaveral Cargo Terminal, with a focus on fresh produce and perishable cargo. The Blue Stream Service will feature five ships with 1,300 TEU capacity and 250 reefer plugs on a weekly rotation. The new line will serve Central America to Port Canaveral in just three days and will offer the fastest transit time between Florida and Europe, just 11 days.

On June 23, Port Canaveral signed a 35-year agreement with GT USA, the United States business arm of international terminal operator Gulftainer, to operate and develop its container and multi-purpose cargo terminal. The terminal is set to open in the last quarter of 2014. The partnership with Port Canaveral is Gulftainer’s first entry into the U.S. market. Currently the largest privately owned terminal manager in the world, the 38-year-old company is expanding its global portfolio with the goal of becoming one of the top six global terminal operators by 2020. According to Peter Richards, Gulftainer’s Managing Director, Port Canaveral was selected because of its ample space…

Peter Richards, Gulftainer Group Managing Director, estimates that the expansion of latest deals will thrust Gulftainer into the world's exclusive group of top port operators. He says Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) has topped industry productivity rankings for the past five years, and that both it and Mina Khalid are used as industry benchmarks by shipping lines. The UAE's largest private port operator has dramatic plans, which could "virtually double the size" of the company Richards believes.

Gulftainer has recorded a 24% overall increase on trade volumes in 2012 when compared with the previous year. Its Sharjah ports saw the greatest volumes throughout the year, with Khorfakkan Container Terminal seeing growth of 28 per cent on its 2011 figures with a staggering throughput of over 3.3m TEU. The consistent organic growth of Gulftainer is the largest of any Middle East port operator, with trade volumes more than tripling in the past decade. The company’s portfolio covers three UAE operations, Khorfakkan, Sharjah and Ruwais, as well as in Iraq at Umm Qasr, Recife in Brazil, and the recently acquired Tripoli Port in Lebanon, with further plans across the Middle East and international territories for 2013.