An influx of new capacity at Thailand’s main port of Laem Chabang over the next 18 months could spark a battle for customers.
The coming 18 months will see much more new capacity coming onstream much of it owned by Hutchison. Two new container berths, C1 and C2 are already under construction, while under the terms of the concession it won for Phase II of Laem Chabang three more berths, D1 – D3, will have to be developed. Hutchison also has a ro-ro berth at the port.
APM terminals is also building a new terminal at the port through a joint venture known as LCMT.
The new capacity comes at a time when volume growth at Laem Chabang has slipped, hit by Thailand’s year long political crisis. From double-digit annual volume growth in the region of 14% to 15% in recent years, this year has slipped back to around 9% with throughput for 2006 projected at 4.25m teu.
The coming 18 months will see much more new capacity coming onstream much of it owned by Hutchison. Two new container berths, C1 and C2 are already under construction, while under the terms of the concession it won for Phase II of Laem Chabang three more berths, D1 – D3, will have to be developed. Hutchison also has a ro-ro berth at the port.
APM terminals is also building a new terminal at the port through a joint venture known as LCMT.
The new capacity comes at a time when volume growth at Laem Chabang has slipped, hit by Thailand’s year long political crisis. From double-digit annual volume growth in the region of 14% to 15% in recent years, this year has slipped back to around 9% with throughput for 2006 projected at 4.25m teu.