DP World has agreed to acquire the existing site from Turkish steel producer Erdemir for a net cash consideration of US$105 million, and with it the rights to develop a new container terminal. Subject to all necessary final approvals, DP World expects to start work on the development of the site in 2006 and the terminal is expect to commence operations in early 2008. The terminal will be the first in Turkey to be wholly owned by an international operator.
The move into Turkey is in line with DP World's strategy of investing in growth markets such as Eastern Europe and China. The new terminal at Yarimca will facilitate the growing local industrial activity which is currently under served by container terminal capacity.
Turkey is a country of considerable economic growth and its infrastructure such as ports will play a crucial part in sustaining its development. Foreign trade with Turkey is growing at an annual rate of 30% with average annual GDP growth of 7.1% since 1999. In recent years, Turkey has undergone significant reforms of its tax and investment laws making the country more attractive for foreign investment including reduction in corporate tax, stabilistation of the currency and legal framework in line with EU standards.
Mohammad Sharaf, CEO, DP World, said:
'This is our first investment in Turkey and I am delighted to announce the acquisition. The new terminal at Yarimca will give us an important platform to expand our operations in Eastern Europe. The development is a strong fit with our strategy of investing in developing markets in Europe and Asia. We already have a successful operation at Constanta, on the Black Sea and we will continue to identify opportunities in the region that will enable us to grow our network profitably and serve the needs of our customers. DP World is committed to long term investment in the local communities and countries in which we operate and this project will be no exception. We plan to invest over $US 170 million in the infrastructure at the terminal and we fully expect the operation to be a commercial success.'
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Posted by Anne-Birte Stensgaard, Senior News Editor


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