Volumes at Gulftainer terminals up over 15% in 2008

Commenting on the increase, Gulftainer Group Director and General Manager Peter Richards, said:

"We are all delighted that these record volume levels have been handled by our terminals and even more proud of the fact that this achievement reflects the growing faith that lines and traders throughout the UAE have in our ability to deliver fast, efficient and economical performance."

"Naturally, our shipping line customers have always demanded the best from us and we continually seek to ensure this is what they get," Richards continued, "As 2008 drew to a close, with the wide-ranging effects of the global financial crisis making themselves felt across all sectors, it was clear that these quality aspects of the services we deliver - particularly fast performance, flexibility and cost savings - will be even more necessary in the challenging months to come."

"We are grateful for the increasing support we are receiving from the lines, and with the outstanding co-operation from our friends and colleagues in Sharjah ports and customs, we look forward to working with them in 2009 to deliver the best, most cost-effective terminal and transport services in the region," he concluded.

Sharjah-based Gulftainer has been operating in the UAE since 1976, and operates two ports in the country. KCT is strategically located on Sharjah's Indian Ocean coast, outside the sensitive Straits of Hormuz and close to the main east-west shipping routes, and is one of the world's leading container transhipment ports with numerous feeder ship connections to Gulf Ports, Iran, India, Pakistan and East Africa.

SCT was the first purpose-built and fully-equipped modern Container Terminal in the Middle East, and lies adjacent to Sharjah's industrial area, which accommodates over 45% of the non-oil manufacturing capacity of the UAE. SCT handles containers on behalf of over 30 shipping lines, including all of the world's top 20 companies.