The Minister was speaking at an executive meeting with top management of Khalifa Bin Salman Port operator APM Terminals Bahrain (APMT), at which the company’s full performance was presented and performance indicators for the first half of 2013 were reviewed.
The Minister stressed the importance of close coordination and monitoring between MoT and APMT in order to ensure that the company offers services to enhance the ports sector in the Kingdom and to prepare KBSP for entering the next stage of competitiveness, as the seaport plays a critical role in the economic development of Bahrain. The Minister said that APMT’s initiatives to enhance operations have been of special interest particularly as KBSP is positioned to become a preferred destination for transshipment.
The Minister thanked Marco Neelsen, Chief Executive Officer and the senior management team of APMT for the team’s efforts in operating KBSP efficiently and reaffirmed the importance of achieving their performance objectives during the concession period.
“KBSP has achieved marked progress overall and we have successfully achieved excellent performance in our commercial and operational activities,” Neelsen, said, while presenting the 2013 half-yearly performance review of KBSP.
Neelson briefed the Minister on some of the priority projects in 2014 which are related to port security procedures, operational developments related to cargo and container handling, and future investments in the port’s equipment and systems, with special mention of an ongoing study currently being conducted by the operator to enhance existing equipment and make it more energy efficient.
Hassan Ali AlMajed, Acting Under Secretary of Ports and Maritime Affairs at MoT also attended the meeting, as did senior management members of both parties.
The Khalifa Bin Salman Port occupies an area of 110 hectares of reclaimed land and is located on the north-east of the Kingdom of Bahrain, only 13 kilometres away from Bahrain International Airport, and it is also linked to the road leading to the King Fahd Causeway. With a total quayside of 1800 metres, it is designed to accommodate a container capacity, measured as twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), of more than 1.1 million TEUs annually, as well as passengers, general break-bulk and roll-on/roll-off cargo. The port provides sea freight, shipping, and logistic services in accordance with the highest international specifications and standards in the industry.