APM, Vinalines expand partnership

APM, Vinalines expand partnership    Vinalines, a national carrier and terminal operator of Vietnam, has entered a new joint venture with APM Terminals to work together to develop the Southeast Asian country’s ports.
   Vinalines, formed in 1996, has worked to develop general cargo, container terminals, and transshipment hubs throughout Vietnam.
   APM Terminals and Vinalines already have a partnership in Cai Mep International Container Terminal in southern Vietnam, constructing a 1.1 million-TEU port near Ho Chi Minh City, which is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2010.
   “Vietnam continues to perform strong among the emerging economies of the world, and we are very pleased to expand our partnership with Vinalines in developing the port infrastructure necessary to accommodate the growing role of Vietnam in world trade,” said Peder Sondergaard, APM Terminals’ senior vice president and head of new terminals, in a statement on Friday.