[070516.EN.BIZ] APMT's 1.3 Million TEU Terminal in Izmir Close To Completion

MAERSK port operator APM Terminals recently celebrated the near-completion of its terminal in Izmir, Turkey, with a flag-raising ceremony.

The 1.3 million TEU capacity terminal will be able to handle 16,000-TEU vessels and will serve Istanbul and southern Turkey, reported London's Container Management.

Said APMT managing director Mogens Larsen: "It has now been more than two and a half years since we started on this project. At that time, there was nothing and now we are very close to having a fully-functional container terminal."

The terminal will have three STS cranes and 10 RTGs and a 700 metres quay with a depth of 16 metres.

The facility has the ability to expand to a capacity of four million TEU, if deemed necessary during the 28-year concession agreement.

APMT hopes to benefit from the Turkish government's desire to increase exports to US$500 billion annually a year by 2023.

The terminal's opening has been later than expected as, in October 2015, the company predicted it would handle its first vessel in March 2016.

Source : HKSG.