DP World’s volume contracts in 1Q

   The global terminal operator DP World on Wednesday said first quarter container volumes at its global facilities fell 7 percent year-on-year to 12.8 million TEUs.
   The operator noted that due to divestments in its portfolio over the last year, the adjusted drop in volume was 3.5 percent. DP World said it divested stakes in terminals in the United Kingdom, Australia, Yemen, and Russia during that period.
   The volume at terminals over which DP World has majority control was 6.2 million TEUs, 6.4 percent lower than in the corresponding period in 2012.
   “This decline in gross container volume was as a result of lower volumes in the Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent region and the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region,” DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said in a statement. “In the Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent region we continue to focus on handling a smaller number of higher margin containers. In the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, our European and Middle East businesses in particular continue to operate in a challenging macro environment. Within this region, our U.A.E. facilities handled 3.1 million TEUs. These volume declines were mitigated by a better performance from our terminals in the Americas and Australia region.” – Eric Johnson